CHAPTER 8.

 

Of any Sufferings.

 

 IT pleased the LORD not only to exercise me with personal afflictions; but likewise, for purging away and healing of my corruptions, for trial and exercise of my faith, patience and sincerity, for humbling of me, for manifesting his purity and holiness, and for confirmation and sealing of GOD's truth and ways, to honor me with public sufferings for his Name; by being reproached, oppressed and wronged, excommunicated, troubled with citations before Courts on' that account, wandering from place to place many times for fear of my life, imprisoned, fined, and banished, and threatened with death itself.

 

 The occasion of my sufferings was, dissenting from, and Non-conformity to; the Government of Prelacy; for adhering to the persecuted, deserted party, who stood upon their former ground, cleaving to their former principles; and for taking upon me’ to preach without the Bishops authority. This in a short time exposed me to the lash of the laws against Dissenters, and malice of the Bishops, whose principles, ways, and courses, I was convinced, were not of God: For as to any other thing, whether immorality or sedition, I could not be charged therewith, being as to man unblamable, of sufficiently loyal principles, and kept from having any concurrence with any public insurrection so that there was nothing that could be laid to my charge, but as concerning my GOD and my conscience. It is true, the very profession of religion exposed me to persecution, namely, to reproach and contempt, and made me not willing to bring my cause to their corrupt judicatories, choosing rather to suffer by unprofitable terms of peace, than to bring my cause before them to be heard publicly; for I knew both my person and principles were unfavorable, and therefore doubted much of the issue of my, cause.

 

 Hitherto my troubles reached none but myself; but now being married, they reached others: For within a very few days after we were married, and were preparing to go to the North, a messenger came with a summons to me to appear before the Council for keeping conventicles. The Bishop of Murray, in whose diocese I had preached, and a Privy Counsellor, for some pique he had at my wife, caused me this trouble. I was herewith troubled; but my wife's friends, to whom I communicated the matter, dealt with the messenger to lay on a summons when we were to the North, where we were to be in a day or two, and then indorse on the back of his execution, that he found us not, which would make a new summons necessary; and he did so. My adversaries were enraged at this, and, disdaining to be thus outwitted, sent one hundred and sixty miles a new summons, which, within two months after we were come North, came to our hand: I was therewith much troubled on' my wife's account; fearing that the public would seize upon any thing belonging to her.; however, I prayed to the LORD, and sought advice what to do, whether I should answer the Council's citation (as my friends advised me) or not, and take my hazard. The LORD was pleased to clear it to me, that I was not to answer the citation, which light I followed; upon which I was denounced and outlawed. My wife was very cheerful under this. Within a short time after we came South; and then understanding who were the authors of my troubles, I thought it wisdom to take them off; and, for this effect, employed such as had the greatest influence with the Privy Counsellor to deal with him to abstain from such an action so far below him. Likewise came myself and spoke to him; and the LORD blessed the means used so effectually, that he fell off, and was ever after a good friend to me; and, having the executions delivered him, he would never give them up, by which means they came to nothing, and finally were altogether forgotten.

 

 After this there was "silence in heaven for half an hour," but then the angels of war did sound their trumpets; and amongst other Ministers I was sought for, and of new denounced. I was many times, while in the South, made to shift my lodging; was frequently in fears and alarms, and preached in great temptations through the lying in wait of enemies; I was several times interrupted in the act of preaching, by soldiers that by orders came to apprehend me; I could get. no business done. The LORD by this did only manifest his goodness in preserving and delivering me.

 

 The Bishops and other wicked men perceiving all this time that they labored in the fire,, for the number of Dissenters increased, and the Gospel spread further and further notwithstanding all the violent means that were used for suppressing it and the professors thereof, they bethink themselves of excommunicating the chief Ministers that were most active in preaching, and the chief professors both gentlemen and others, to the number of between three or four hundred in the first or second excommunication. It was a public writ, served by King and Council's authority, straitly discharging, under highest pains, all his Majesty's subjects to converse or speak with, harbor or receive into their houses, or administer any comfort to, the persons in the writ particularly expressed; this was proclaimed and printed: And thus for naked preaching were we processed as murderers and traitors, for such only used to be excommunicated., They thought this would keep the people from us, or force us (finding no shelter) to-remove out of the land; and make us as ducks to decoy others, who, could they be proved to have received or harbored us, were finable at the Council's pleasure, and to be in the same circumstances which we were in. ourselves. I was put in with others; for they knew that I had several times preached in the fields; they imagined also my parts were greater than they were: And therefore, though some friends strove that I might not be excommunicated, yet they could not prevail.

 

 Although the adversaries had boasted of this as an effectual means for suppressing Conventicles; yet the LORD did wonderfully disappoint them, and turned their witty counsels into folly; for this great noise harmed not at all, it was powder without ball: As-for myself, never one that cared for me shunned my company; nay, a great many mere carnal relations and acquaintances did entertain me as freely as ever they did; yea, so far did the goodness of the LORD turn this to my good, that I observed it was at that time.1 got most of my civil business done: And as the LORD preserved myself in this storm, so I did not hear of any excommunicated, or conversers with excommunicated persons, that were in the least prejudiced thereby; nay, this matter of the excommunicating of so many good and peaceable men did but exasperate the people the more, and procured to the authors of such rigid courses, a greater and more

 

universal hatred.

 

 Some two years and a half did I continue excommunicated, discharging the commission I had received from the LORD JESUS in great weakness, I confess, (yet desiring to serve the LORD better, and humbled and grieved upon the account of my great failing,) and in manifold temptations, through the lying in wait of those who hunted after me For the Bishops knowing that I was a Nonconformist, and very active in preaching in the fields, they therefore did stir up the King's Council against me, representing me as a person of very disloyal principles and practices; so that -there was a particular eye upon me; and I was one of the’three that- a considerable sum of money was proffered for apprehending of, to any person, although nothing could be laid to my charge of sedition or insurrection, but only that I preached without the Bishops' authority. Many attempts were made against me, which for some years I escaped: At last, the Mayor of Edinburgh, being solicited by the Archbishop, and encouraged thereto by the promises of great rewards, did on the LORD's-day's night, being the 28th of January, 1677, by the treachery of a servant-maid whom for money he had corrupted, (who, being servant to a relation in whose house I ordinarily preached, had knowledge of my coming and going, apprehended me about ten o'clock at night, which was the time the maid had appointed him to come to her master's house, as I was, after supper, recommending the family to God by prayer; I was then interrupted and carried to prison.

 

 He who apprehended me went immediately to the Archbishop, and told him the news of my apprehension, with which the Archbishop was greatly rejoiced, and, by giving some small token at present, and promises of greater reward, dismissed the Mayor. The Archbishop, overjoyed with his success, longed for the next day impatiently, on which, so soon as it dawned, he (being a Counsellor) sent orders to the gaoler that I should be kept close, and none suffered to have access to me, which was done, until some of the Counsellors in a committee met the same evening, before whom at five o'clock I appeared, where I was examined, and verbally charged as a seditious person, who did rend the Church of CHRIST, and was very active to make a schism; as a Preacher in field conventicles, which was death by the law; which they gladly would have me acknowledge, as likewise who they were that empowered me to preach: That I was excommunicated, and despised the law so far that I never made any application to be freed from that sentence: And that I was a person of very bad principles, destructive to all Government. And thereupon the Archbishop, who thereby thought to ensnare me by my own words, inquired, Whether I judged it lawful upon-pretence of religion to take up arms against the King's Majesty This was the sum: And that I kept correspondence with some prisoners in the Bass, which the Archbishop confidently averred he knew. These things were not charged upon me all at once, but in a confused way; ~nd many things by way of question. I cannot say of any of the committee of the Council, but they were all civil and sober persons, of whom, if the instigation and fear of the Archbishop had not prevailed with them, I might_ have been moderately dealt with: But he did, in a bitter invective oration, represent me as a very. odious and criminal person. To all which I replied, That I did acknowledge I was (though most unworthy) a Minister of the Gospel; and that I indeed preached frequently, as the LORD called me, and independently on the Bishop: That the subjects of my discourses and sermons were not disloyal and traitorous, as the Archbishop did allege, but, according as I was helped, I preached " repentance towards GOD, and faith towards JESUS CHRIST," and no other thing than what was contained in the Prophets and the New Testament: That I was so far from being terrified or ashamed to own that I was a Minister of CHRIST, that although I was of no despicable extraction, yet that I gloried most in, and counted it the greatest honor I ever attained, to " serve GOD in the Gospel of his SON:" That I never preached nor stirred up the people to sedition, and was indifferent though the principles of my heart were as visible to their Lordships as the external lineaments of my face, so that they might read what was engraven upon my heart That for rising up in arms against the King upon pretence of religion, which the Archbishop alleged I maintained, he was therein abused; for I never knew of any, even the most zealous assertors of the liberties of the people, that did maintain rising in arms upon pretence of religion, pretences giving no ground or warrant for any man's action: That matters of prerogative and privileges were things of a ticklish nature, and of which for the present I desired not to give my thoughts, not, judging the same within my sphere That for such as did ordain me, I was not free to tell them, lest thereby I should bring others to trouble, although I should be most free as to matters concerning myself: That as I judged it not unlawful to preach the Gospel either in houses or fields as conveniency did offer, but duty, and an ordinance of CHRIST'S, (so far was I from judging those meetings’ Rendezvouses of Rebellion,') so did I not acknowledge I at any time did preach in the fields; and if they thirsted after my life, to take it away upon that account, they could not expect, I should reach the weapon wherewith to destroy myself, or that I should be either witness or accuser against myself, in a matter the law had made so criminal; and therefore for them to seek their proof and evidence elsewhere than from myself, for I was resolved none living should be able to make me guilty of such a weakness: That as for correspondence with any in the Bass, there was no such thing; and, if there were, I should be content to suffer the severest punishments: I denied the charge of schism, and left it to be proved That, for my excommunication, I was then seven-score miles off when it was passed, and knew not of it till I saw my name in the printed papers, and so could not prevent it; and after I was excommunicated, I could not get any person that would so much as draw up a petition for me, being strictly charged to the contrary; and that from this, and fear of further prejudice, and not from the contempt of the law, it was that I did not move to have myself taken out of the letters of excommunication. In this and all the premises I was free and ingenuous with them: That I came not to justify my breeding before their Lordships, for I acknowledged I was a rude man: (for one of the Lords challenged me of unmannerliness, that gave not the Archbishop his titles:) And finally, That I was now in their Lordships' power, and ready to submit to whatsoever their Lordships should determine concerning me.

 

 After this I was remanded to prison again, but ordered to be kept more straitly than formerly: For my pockets were searched for letters, knives; ink, paper, and pen were taken and kept from; me; all company discharged; which filled me with some melancholy apprehensions. But in my darkness was the Lord a light round about me: Him they could not shut out from me; for that night did I get a most kind and comfortable visit from the LORD JESUS, and I had one` of the most sweet nights I had for ten years before that. Lifted up, by the sense of the Lord's love and, favor, above death, sin, hell, wrath, Prelates, and Papists, about one or two o'clock in the morning I fell into, a sound sleep, until, a little before six o'clock, I was awakened by one of the gaolers, who cried to me to make myself ready against six o'clock to go to the Bass, for so the Council had determined, which I very cheerfully obeyed; and so,. with another person that was prisoner with me, was I, by a guard of twelve horse and thirty foot, convoyed to the Bass, where we safely • landed on Wednesday morning,. (being one night by the way,) and were delivered to the custody' of the officer of that place, who commanded, as Governor therein; a garrison of eighteen or twenty soldiers.

 

 The Bass is, a very high rock in the sea, two miles distant from the nearest point of the land, which is South of it. It is covered with grass on the uppermost parts thereof, where is a garden where herbs grow, with some cherry trees, of the fruit of which I several times tasted; below which garden there is a Chapel for Divine service, but as no Minister was allowed for it, the ammunition of the garrison was kept therein. Landing here is very difficult and dangerous; for, if any storm blow, you cannot enter because of the violence of the waves, which beat with a wonderful noise upon. the rock, and sometimes in such a violent manner, that the broken waves, reverberating on the rock with a mighty force, have came up over the walls of the garrison on the court before the prisoners' chambers, which is above twenty cubits' height: And with a full sea you must land; or, if it be ebb, you must be either craned up; or climb with hands and feet up some steps artificially

 

made on the rock, and must have help besides of those who are on the top of the rock, who pull you up by the hand. Nor is there any place of landing but one about the whole rock, which is of circumference about three quarters of a mile; here you may land in a fair day and full sea, without great hazard, the rest of it on every side being so high and steep; only, on the South side thereof, the rock falls a little level, where you ascend several steps till you come to the Governor's house, and from that, some steps higher, you ascend to a level court, where a house for prisoners and soldiers is: whence, likewise, by windings cut out of the rock, there is a path leading you to the top of the rock, whose height does bear off all North, East, and West storms, lying open only to the South; and on the uppermost parts of the rock, there is grass sufficient to feed twenty or twenty-four sheep, who are there very fat and good. In these upper parts of the rock were sundry walks, of about threescore feet in length, and some very solitary, where we sometimes entertained ourselves. The accessible places were defended with several walls, and cannon placed on them, which encompassed only the South parts. The rest of the rock is defended by nature, by' the huge height and steepness of the rock, being near forty cubits high in the lowest place. It was part of a country gentleman's inheritance, which falling from hand to hand, and changing many masters, it was at last bought by the King, who repaired the old houses and walls, and built some new houses for prisoners; and a garrison of twenty or twenty-four soldiers therein, are sufficient, if courageous, to defend it from millions of men. It is commanded by a Lieutenant, who reaps thereby some considerable profit, which, besides his pay, may be one hundred pounds a year and better. There is no fountain-water therein, and they are only served with rain that falls out of the clouds, and is preserved in some caverns digged out of the rock. Their drink and provisions are carried from the other side by a boat, which only waits on the garrison, and has a salary of six pounds yearly for keeping up the same, besides what they get of those persons that come either to see the prisoners, or are curious to see the garrison. Here fowls of several sorts are to be found, who build in the clifts of the rock, the most considerable of which is the Solan goose, whose young, well fledged, ready to fly, are taken, and so yield near one hundred pounds yearly, and might be much more, were they carefully improved.

 

 To this melancholy place I came, and continued there in prison for two years and a half; for I came in January 1677, and came out in July 1679. And here I had likewise experience of the goodness of GOD towards me. -(1.) In providing for me, without -being chargeable to any for such things as I stood in need of., (2.) In preserving and supporting me, under great pressures of spirit, from sin, sufferings, griefs, sorrows, and untenderness of brethren. (3.) In preserving me in health all that time. (4.) That in this time by improving my estate, I paid and cleared one hundred pounds of debt. (5) I had the comfort and edification of fellow-prisoners, both Ministers and others, some there before me, and others brought in since my coming, whose company was sweet and edifying to me. (6.) We had liberty, for the most part, of taking the air up the hill: My solitary walks were sometimes very pleasant to me. (7.) I had the comfort of friends, that came in kindness to see us from the city and country. (8.) I had some special visits from GOD, -ordinarily in private duties, and sometimes in worshipping and conference with others. (9.) Some increase, (I think), I found in gifts, knowledge, and grace; some further discoveries of the knowledge of CHRIST and the Gospel I never had before.

 

As for my exercises here, and improvement of my time, I judged, when I first came here, that I was called to some work: And therefore did I, (1.) Exercise myself in lamenting my sins, and misspent life, and great shortcoming. (u.) I labored after, and desired, some further knowledge of GOD and CHRIST, and to glorify GOD in my sufferings. (3.) Some hours, morning, and evening, and mid-day, I spent in meditation, in praise, and reading the Scripture, for keeping up and increasing communion with GOD, and increase of grace, and this constantly; besides several Fast-days, which were my sweetest seasons and best times. (4.) Every day I read the Scriptures, exhorted and taught therefrom, sung Psalms, and prayed with such of our society as our masters did permit to worship Gov together; and this twice a day. (5.) I studied Hebrew and Greek, and gained some knowledge in these languages.. (6.) I likewise read some Divinity, and wrote a treatise of

 

Faith, with some other miscellanies, and several letters to. Christian friends and relations.

 

 But prisons must be prisons, and all afflictions, though never so well sweetened, will be in some measure grievous Though the LORD was pleased to put a very light yoke, upon our necks; yet was it still a yoke, and some bitter ingredients. were mixed in this cup, something of the gall and vinegar, that our patience and faith might be the better exercised, and to wean us from the world, and sweeten to uss the love of God in supporting under such troubles, and delivering us out of them: For, (1.) It could not but be sad to me and my brethren, to think that we were cast out of the vineyard, and could not glorify GOD as we had done. (2.) Absence from natural and civil relations and friends was bitter, whose company was sweet, and which now we could not enjoy. (3.) The company of the ungodly, to whose hands we were delivered, and who ruled over us, was grievous; we lived among lions, wolves, and serpents, and dwelt in the tents of Kedar. (4.) Our own servants were turned out from us, and we made to seek servants whom we knew not; but this turned to our advantage. (5.) The great comfort that we had in worshipping of GOD together, and in eating together, was taken away from us by the folly and fears of some, and envy and malice of others, who grudged us this comfort, and made us separate in worship and diet, and would not suffer us to come together. (6.) Sometimes, when they would take it in their heads, they would shut us all close up, and not suffer any of us to speak to another; and this not only without, but contrary to, the Council's order, who committed us free prisoners, and to have the liberty of the rock. (7.) They vexed us by mixing in our company, and there blaspheming sometimes; and other times seeking to ensnare us by the words of our lips. (8.) They labored to debauch our servantmaids; insomuch that we could hardly get a maid to wait upon us.- (9.) They by force kept the soldiers from conversing with or hearing us, although the poor creatures would gladly have heard us. (1O.) At the same time I was very untenderly handled by some false brethren engaged in the same public cause.. (11.) We were sometimes hard put to it for want of victuals and drink, insomuch that we had no other than snow-water, or corrupted water sprinkled over with a little oatmeal, to drink, and some dry fish These with other things made our lives somewhat, and. at some times, bitter to us.

 

 While the Archbishop - lived, no mediation of friends could get me out, although several means were tried, which all proved ineffectual; the Council not accepting the engagements I would give, which were no other than appearing when called; and I refusing. their terms, which were, that I should not preach in the fields any more: Yet the LORD was pleased to answer my mind in some measure that I should come out, and be delivered, and that by giving great liberty to pray for it, and filling my soul with the hopes and faith of it. At another time the LORD was pleased to renew my commission to preach the Gospel, even a year before I was delivered; which made me think, and write to my friends, that I should be delivered. And, lastly, I was -made (from Jonah 2: ult. " And GOD spoke to the fish, and it vomited JONAH on the dry land") to believe that the LORD would speak to this rock to give me with others of my brethren up; and accordingly, when the fullness of time came, I was delivered, even when we all judged it most desperate: For after the rash and unadvised attempts at Bothwell, expecting every day when we should be brought out to be a sacrifice to the fury they were then in; behold, at rthat time did the LORD incline the heart of the King (out of what design we cannot certainly tell) to grant an Indulgence, and withal, to command and order that such prisoners as were not in accession to the late rebellion should be set at liberty: Upon which we were taken out of the Bass, and carried, to the number of eight or nine of us, to the Tolbooth of Edinburgh; for though the King's orders did require we should be freely set at liberty, yet would not the Council let us go, until we gave security to appear when called, under the penalty of five hundred and sixty pounds. There were about fourteen of us prisoners at the time, and in twenty-four hours' space we found security for eight hundred pounds, for we would not give security to forbear field-meetings, because we saw no law for it, and because it was conceived by us dishonorable, and to reflect upon our Ministry. Forth we came, and were set at liberty, to the joy of our friends; and while at liberty I preached every LoRD's-day, and lived a wandering unsettled life. Whatever family I came to, I labored to be somewhat useful there. I looked to my affairs, paid two thousand marks of debt at that time, and so continued until November 1681, that I with my sureties were cited to appear before the Council for preaching.

 

 Now began persecution to increase and wax hot; some Ministers were sent to the Bass; the liberty the King had given for preaching, partly because it was not universally accepted, and partly by the Prelates', persuasion, was recalled by the King: And when they had gotten us to forbear meetings in fields, in hopes of liberty to meet in houses, the King, who -gave his Indulgence but during pleasure, recalled his grant,’ and ordained the execution of the laws against Dissenters. - The DUKE of YORK being then in Scotland, did much concur with the Prelates against Dissenters, sothat never one of us that ever appeared had any favor shown to us; and Dissenters were as much put to it as ever.

 

 Being South, as I returned I preached in a barn to a good number of people on a LORD's-day: The Council got word of this, and it was informed against me that I preached in the fields; so that orders were given to cite me and my surety both to appear before the Council; but being informed better, and perceiving it was only a house-conventicle, their citation slept, and only spoke to myr cautioner who was there, and who a short while after, coming North, found me lying sick of an ague, and told me how matters went, and that he was purposed to write to the Bishop of Edinburgh and the Lord Advocate concerning my case, and that I was very sick: Which I earnestly dissuaded him from; for I said, If the Prelates hear I am sick, they will certainly cite me, in hopes that either I cannot appear being sick, and so fall in the forfeiture of my bond of five hundred and sixty pounds, which they would gladly have; or, if I should appear, I might thereby endanger my life. This indeed I thought: But my surety would not be counselled by me, but acquainted the Bishop of my sickness, and that I preached not in the fields. The Bishop no sooner received. this letter, by which he understood of my sickness, but incontinently he revives the citation, his brother being clerk to the Council. Some prejudice they had at. my surety, (for be had been engaged in one thousand, seven hundred pounds sterling for Non-conformist Ministers':) They thought I would not appear, being sick, and the day of my appearance being in the very dead of Winter, the 22d of December, upon which they would cause my surety to forfeit his bond.’ A citation was directed North, of which we heard word about the beginning of November, and did think fit to prevent the same. Many of my friends counselled me rather to forfeit. the money than to go, for both they and myself had some apprehensions that the Council intended to have my, life; for it was a time wherein' the Council was in-a very bad humor, and at the very same time had found Lord ARGYLL guilty of treason for that which truly to us, that knew not the law, seemed to have no affinity therewith, and to some of the chief lawyers of note likewise. Moreover, 1 knew that preaching in the fields was death by the law to the Minister; and that the law declared, That, if any person stood without to hear, though the Minister and body of the people were within doors, that such a meeting was a field-meeting; and it was impossible for me to hinder or know when persons were without, and I thought it hard to shut the doors upon them. And besides, I was informed some notes of my sermon were in the Council's hand, and I knew not what they might make of popular discourses, though never so honestly meant. All these things made myself and friends have some fear of the danger of my life; but notwithstanding, getting my head above the fear of death, I resolved upon all hazards, to appear. And I was much encouraged in this by my sudden and unexpected recovery (and that without any means) of an ague that I kept but six weeks in all: I not only recovered, but was so strengthened, that I durst undertake a journey of such a length, and so bad a way, in the midst of Winter; and truly I found the LORD so gracious, that though I had been sick a short while before, and that the weather was very bad, yet was I kept from any prejudice, and came the day before that of my appearance to Edinburgh in good health, and my surety with me: And the day of my appearance happened to be the next day or second after the escape, which put them in a bad humor. The Council was surprised when I appeared; and, after some astonishment and silence, an indictment was commanded to be read against me, charging me with preaching in the fields and without authority, and finally, with venting of principles that were pernicious, seditious and rebellious, and tending to alienate the minds of his Majesty's subjects from his Government. The Advocate for, the King did refer all to my oath: And being commanded by the President to depose, whether I had preached in houses or in fields since I came from the Bass; and a few days' respite to answer to the indictment, being denied, I told them that I was ready to swear that I was innocent of what I was charged with in the indictment, and therefore desired I might have liberty to speak for myself; which was granted. 

 

 Then did I discourse to them a large half hour (without being interrupted) in answer to what I was charged with. My design in this was to prevent the torment of their questions, and likewise to state the true grounds of our sufferings, and vindicate myself and others of the imputations laid upon us by our enemies. The sum of what I said-was; after hearty and humble thanks returned for the liberty of speaking for myself, I protested, that I endeavored to discharge what I conceived my duty with as little offence to authority as I could; and that, were the things I was called in question about such as I could come and go upon, relating only to my own person or interest in the world, I should be loath to be heard with their Lordships, but refer myself and these things wholly to their disposal: That I should be short, ingenuous and clear in my answer for myself: That to the first and second head of preaching without authority and in the fields, that I had acknowledged I had preached, and was neither ashamed nor terrified to own this; but that I preached not in the fields since I came out of the Bass, nor yet without authority, seeing I was called by GOD and such of his servants as I verily did believe had power from CHRIST for that effect; and therefore was the first part of my indictment answered: That, as to my preaching seditious principles, I might with a’ good conscience deny it;' and, because that both myself and others were slandered as persons of disloyal principles, I should therefore give an account of what principles were maintained by myself and them, and what my practices were: That as to doctrines and articles of religion, my faith was contained in, and according to, the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament; that I was of the Reformed Protestant religion, and did approve, and was ready to subscribe to, that Confession of Faith in King JAMES's time, and ratified (I supposed) by the present Parliament: That as to the King's Majesty's authority and power, that I acknowledged Magistracy an ordinance of GOD, and the present King's authority, whose ct and servant I was, and obliged to submit to; reverence and esteem, whom, for any thing relating to my person or estate, I was resolved never to resist; but how far his power extended, or in what subject it was first placed, or how conveyed, I thought not so much my part as that of lawyers to determine. For the King's power in ecclesiastical matters, I acknowledged the persons of Ministers and other ecclesiastical persons subject to him; and that he had a jurisdiction civil, reaching to not only civil, but likewise spiritual things, which he was to judge, that so he might, as the nursing father of the church, either encourage, or punish or restrain in a coercive way, and that not implicitly, seeing with others' eyes; and that he might call Synods when and where he pleased, and propose his mind to them, whose duty it not only was, but wisdom, to take the Magistrate's concurrence when it might be had: But that it was undeniable, this power of the Magistrate's was not privative of any intrinsical power of the church, granted to her by CHRIST, for preserving and edifying of herself; which therefore, in case of the Magistrate's opposition to the truth, or want of access to him through distance of place or other casual emergencies, they might exercise without him, as was clearly seen in the time of the Heathen, Arian and Roman Emperors. As for my practice, I can say, I have endeavored to keep a good conscience both before GO God men, to live unblamable, and peaceably, giving was GOD'S, and to CAESAR what was CAESAR'S;" was never in any insurrection; rebellion or conspiracy against his person or government, nor ever stirred up others thereto, but rather to live peaceably, and by repentance, reformation, quietness, and confidence, and other spiritual means, to expect deliverance; not by irritating of the Rulers, to make their bonds heavier, by taking the sword, and resisting by force; and this both publicly in sermons, and privately in discourses. These therefore being our principles, which we are not ashamed of, but ready to defend; it is a wonder to me how I, or any sober person of our way, come to be challenged for seditious principles and practices. If these principles be innocent, then is the second and great part of my libel, referred to my oath, eluded. And finally, I prayed the LORD to bless his Majesty with all his blessings both spiritual and temporal;

 

that he might be a terror to evil-doers, an encouragement to the good; that the throne night be established in righteousness.

 

 After this discourse, to which they hearkened very patiently, I was asked, Whether I preached since I came out of the Bass To which I replied, I would answer to what I was charged with in my libel or indictment, which was not that I preached, but that I preached without authority, and seditiously; which I did deny. They inquired very earnestly and pressingly, who ordained me I told them, I could not tell them, seeing it concerned others whom I was not to accuse; but that I had lawful and good authority, and that their Lordships could not compel me to answer to that matter: Nor judged I myself bound to answer thereto, because it was that, for which I was formerly questioned, and satisfied the law for; and therefore could not now again be called in question for the same fault. And, seeing that my commission to preach was before the Act of Grace, any crime therein (if any was) was by the Act of Grace purged: And besides, the same not being in my indictment, I was not bound to answer thereto. I was removed;- and after some debate among themselves, (for many of the Counsellors were much taken with- my discourse, and voted that I might be let go,) the matter being left to the Bishops, I was called in, and received the following sentence: To be sent to prison to Blackness, and to continue there until I paid the fine of five thousand marks, and gave security not to preach any more, or go off the kingdom. And my guard was ready to convey me to the common goal of Edinburgh, there to remain.