delivered to the saints; for I can assure you from his word, that his grace will be all-sufficient for you. As for my part, I bless the Lord that I am a member of the Church of Scotland, which was one of the most glorious and best reformed churches in the world, for doctrine, discipline, and government, and the work of reformation, as one of the most holy contrivances of the most holy Lord, for a hedge to keep out the wild boars out of the vineyard. So, my friends, ye see now by our not being stedfast in our covenant, how that the malignant and prelatic party hath broken into the sanctuary, and defiled His courts, and broken down the carved work those many years bygone : ye see how his poor people are scattered in the place of dragons by that usurped power and tyranny, which is carried on by all ranks of people in this land. So, I would if it might stand with glory, (not that I desire to limit his holy Majesty), and that he would yet send down a pouring of his Spirit upon the hearts of his poor people in Scotland, that there may be yet a reviving amongst them in these lands, that bone may come to bone, and sinew to sinew, that there may be a reviving of his work again in the midst of the years. Therefore, my dear friends, study more loyalty to our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, and give him that which is his own due right, that thereby ye may dwell in the land, and that ye may have his comely presence to dwell amongst you, now when the men of the world are making him to wear a crown of thorns upon his head, and crucifying him in his members, and putting him to open shame, that he is forced to go to the mountains, and dens, and caves of the earth, and is yet looking down to see if there be any that will turn from their iniquities, and seek after him, and he will pardon them. Therefore, my friends, cast not away your confidence, which hath a great recompense of reward; for ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise,' Heb. x. 35, 36. And study to walk in the light, as he is in the light, that we may have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin, 1 John i. 7. and Heb. ix. 12. Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us,' and ver. 13, 14., and Psal. xxxii. 5, 6. So, I desire to bless the Lord, that his gracious presence hath not been wanting to my soul during my imprisonment, which I can say in my experience, that my prison hath been a Bethel to me. So I desire you all, my friends, to seek unto him for grace to help in the time of need. I give my witness and testimony against popery, prelacy, and malignancy, and all manner of corruptions, that are abounding in these loose times. I give my witness and testimony against prelates, curates, and their associates; and against all those that have intruded themselves into the calling of the ministry, and had never a call from God, to enter by the door into the sheep-fold, but have climbed up another way. I give my witness and testimony against indifferent and lukewarm professors, who follow Christ, as the times make for them. I give my witness and testimony against all drunkards, and all false swearers, and profane persons, against all persecutors of the Lord's people, against all profligate and

wicked livers, who know not God, nor will acknowledge him to be the Head of the church. 2 Pet. ii. 3. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you; whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.' I give my witness and testimony against all bonds and declarations taken for the saving of their life and liberty, when it comes in competition with the confessing of our blessed Lord, or the denying of him: he that seeks to save his life, shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.' I give my witness and testimony against all compliers and connivers in strengthening of the adversary to carry on their course of defection against the Lord's people, 2 Tim. ii. 12. If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us.' Therefore, I bless the Lord, that ever he hath been pleased to single out the like of me, who am but a wretched sinner of myself; yet I could willingly, if every hair of my head were a man's life, lay them all down with my life, for Christ and his cause. Therefore, my friends, do not deceive yourselves, God will not be mocked. 2 Cor. vi. 17. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.' Ye see how many are following their pernicious ways, by whom the way of God is evil spoken of; they are natural brute beasts, meet to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil of the things they understand not, and shall utterly perish in their own corruption, and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness; having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls, a heart they have exercised with covetous practices, cursed children, which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.' Take that scripture for your encouragement against these ravenous wolves, Isa. lvi. 10. These watchmen are blind, they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.' Ver. 11. Yea, they are greedy dogs,' &c.-So, my friends, ye see their practices, how they feed themselves, and not the flock of Christ, therefore trust not in them, for they will deceive you, yea, even the very elect, if it were possible; but for the elect's sake, these days shall be shortened. So, ye may understand what their design and end is; for they love the purse, the wages of unrighteousness, and they will get it and the curse of God with it, if they mend not their manners;-as Judas did, who betrayed our blessed Lord and Master for thirty pieces of silver; and although he did cast them back, yet he got no place for repentance. I desire you to come out from among them, lest ye be partakers of their plagues and judgments. I give my witness and testimony against their idolatrous practices, and their abominable courses, which they take to deceive and entangle poor things. Read Isa. xxvi. 11. 'Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see, but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.' Likewise, I give my testimony against the calumny cast upon presbyterians, that they are not loyal subjects to the king, which aspersion I abhor. Therefore, my friends, give only

obedience as far as the word of God will teach you, but do not stretch your consciences, lest the Lord lead you forth with the workers of iniquity, and there shall be no exemption in that day, when he shall appear in the clouds gloriously with all his holy angels, and then he shall separate the clean from the unclean. So, if ye abide with him, he will abide with you, 2 Chron. xv. 1. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Azariah the son of Oded.' Ver. 2. The Lord is with you, while you be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.' Therefore, my friends, seek him, and sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be not afraid of their fury, and their treacherous dealings. As for my part, indeed I must confess, that I ought to go mourning to the grave for the dreadful apostasy and defection, which, through the prevalency of temptations hath overpowered this land, and yet there are so few that dare venture on precious Christ, or credit him with their lives, as their Lord and Master. Therefore, my soul, bless him that ever he hath credited me, to venture my life for his cause and interest, against this tyrannical course of defection in these lands. I hope within a very little I shall be made a sharer of those heavenly mansions, and the peaceable fruits of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me, not for any thing of my merit, but in and through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour, upon the terms of the new covenant. Since the Father hath given all fulness unto the Son, I desire to believe in the faith of it, that he will communicate of that fulness to such poor sinners as we are, which he aforetime bath prepared for them to whom he hath a mind by the election of grace. Yet I know there are many professed friends, of whom I dare not say, but they have the root of the matter in them, who could say to my own hearing that day when I received my sentence, that I could not have peace in my conscience, in laying down my life for such a little matter, as the refusing of that bond for the saving of my life, of which I had it in some measure borne in upon my spirit, that I could not escape their hands; yet, I bless the Lord, that although I have many prevailing corruptions and sins, which have prevailed with me; I have reason to bless him, that he is not wanting to me in my present necessity, for he hath well made out that scripture to my experience, I will be a present help in time of trouble.' Therefore,

• It has been already stated, with regard to the bond, held out by government to the prisoners taken at Bothwell, as the condition of their release, that it was viewed by different individuals, equally alive to the interests of religion and of presbyterian church government, with very different feelings. Some, as above specified, with respect to whose piety there were good reasons for judging favourably, not only felt themselves at liberty to take it, but even pressed others, to follow their example; and in a previous note we have mentioned some of the views on which it is conceivable they might get rid of objections to it-which in all probability they would otherwise have felt. And surely this very circumstance must be regarded as one of the strongest proofs that could possibly be afforded, of the unbending fidelity and conscientious devotedness by which they were distinguished-who not only braved the cruel persecution of enemies, but even the advice and entreaties of friends and fellow Christians, rather than diverge from what they conceive to be the line of duty and the dictates of truth!

I would desire you all to draw near to him, and he will draw near to you. Ye may call to mind that scripture, Mat. x. 38, 39. He that loveth father or mother better than me, is not worthy of me; and he that taketh not up his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me; he that findeth his life, shall lose it; and he that loseth his life, for my sake, the same shall find it.' And although this dispensation be fallen out to me in a very dark and dismal time, wherein his poor people can hardly discern betwixt sin and duty; yet I believe through his grace that he will land me fair on the other side of the shore, Isa. xxxv. 10. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs.' As for my judgment anent the indulgence, ye may see it by my giving witness and testimony against bonds and declarations taking; and likewise against all compliance and connivance with that party, in carrying on that course of defection and apostasy against the Lord's work and cause. As for that latter indulgence, which they have accepted of at this time, I had no love to it. Erastianism is not to be approved by any sound and well principled Christian, that knows any thing of the principles of religion. Being straitened with time, and since I cannot say my mind fully in this, I refer you to the general testimony left by us all,-recommending my poor wife to the Lord and his good people. Farewell, all my good friends :-Welcome Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, into whose hands I commend my spirit. Amen.

Sic Sub.-THOMAS BROWN."*

2. JAMES WOOD.†

"Men and Brethren,-Seeing it hath pleased the Lord, who is just, holy, and righteous in all his dealings, to call me by this public death to witness for the truth, I judge it my duty to make it known to the world, that I suffer not as an evil-doer, but for adhering to these truths that we and our fathers, yea, all ranks of the land from the lowest to the highest are engaged to. And I bless the Lord, I give my life willingly for him, and his cause, that gave his life for me; yea, if I had many more lives, I would think them all too little to lay down for this cause. I bless his name, it was my desire to die a martyr for him, and now he hath called me to it, and by his grace hath wonderfully helped me to carry, in and under my present lot, notwithstanding the many tentations I was trysted with from one hand and another, even from those whom I would have expected to

⚫ Naphtali, pp 458-468.

James Wood was from the parish of Newmills in Ayrshire. His occupation in life we have not discovered. Mr. Wodrow remarks that "his case was a little different from those of the other four: the probation against him being the oaths of some soldiers-that he was taken at Bothwell. "And the assize," he observes, "were just enough to bring him as having been taken at Bothwell, without arms; and yet the judges throw him in with the rest, and press the same doom upon him. This," says he, "is another instance of the illegal and severe procedure of this period-to hang a man and put him in chains as a murderer of the Primate, who was only present at the gathering at Bothwell without arms."-Wodrow, vol. ii.

strengthen our hands; but his grace is all-sufficient to bear up a poor weak thing in the day of trial. He is as good as his promise, and he hath promised to keep them in the hour of temptation that keep the word of his patience, which he hath made out to me. But as for the grounds of our suffering, it is known to God, that it was my love to my Lord and Master and his persecuted gospel, that moved me to rise in arms against these open blasphemers and enemies to our Lord Jesus, and not for any prejudice I had at great or small of that party, the Lord knows: but a party appearing for that work, I judged myself bound in duty, from obligations both from the Word and Covenant to join with them. And O that my blood were a river of blood to witness against all that hath preferred their present ease and their temporal life, to our Lord's work and eternal life. But more particularly for this bond which was pressed so much; I have this to say for it, that my love to my King Christ made me to stand in awe to say a confederacy' with that party that are stated enemies to him and his work. And seeing they have taken his crown and sceptre to invest a mortal man with, shall I say, that I should never resent these wrongs and injuries, done to my Lord and Master? Nay, through his grace, if I had many more lives than I have, I would part with them all for his sake. But beside, we are all bound by our covenant to extirpate popery and prelacy; and should I score myself out of that party, that God may, and yet will raise for his broken down and contemned work?-so that, I could not take this accursed bond, unless I had renounced that solemn obligation which I judge myself bound to, and incur the hazard of that wo, which is denounced against those that are at ease in Zion; and the frowns of my blessed Lord and Master, which I durst not adventure on, for incurring the wrath of all the kings of the world: so that, whatever men may brand us with, as separating from others that were engaged in the same quarrel with us; yet, I am persuaded that God will not account us so, and in due time it shall appear, that they have separated from us, and not we from them. And we, through the sovereign power and might of God, (not by any thing in us more than in them) are adhering to our former avowed and sworn to principles; and I profess, I die in the faith of the Church of Scotland, as it was reformed in doctrine, worship, discipline, and government, conform to the word of God, the Confession of Faith, and Catechisms Larger and Shorter, the National and Solemn League and Covenants, and I give my hearty approbation of the Solemn Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties, the Causes of God's Wrath; and I adhere to all the testimonies of our sufferers of old and of late, who have suffered for his cause, and do give my testimony, and protest against all the open and avowed, or underhand enemies to our Lord and his work in these lands. And I give my testimony against these cursed plants of popery and prelacy, which God never planted. And I leave my testimony against supremacy, and all those both ministers and people that have been strengthening the hands of those who have robbed our Lord of his royal prerogatives, by receiving indulgencies former or latter, or giving sinful bonds, to bind ministers in these things, for which Christ hath