He left Peebles with great aversion, not only with respect to the parish, but the country round about; and upon a new call, struggled to be back; but lost it only by four voices. However, he lost all his legal stipend the four years, which, with the expences of suit, amounted to 10,000 merks. Mr. Vetch's hard usage from the assembly, with their illegal removing him, merely to please the duke, and to send him to Dumfries, made him resolve to leave the nation, and refuse to submit to their sentence. In the mean time his old friends in England, hearing this, sent a gentleman to Peebles to bring him back to them. Mr. Vetch went with him; but he refused to settle with them, till he had handsomely ended with the commission of the church, to whom the matter was referred. Upon his return, they persuaded him to submit: which at last he did, and continued minister in that place until the day of his death, which fell out (if I mistake not) about the year 1720, being then about 80 years of age.
From the foregoing account two things are conspicuous: first, that the whole of Mr. Vetch's life, at least during the persecuting period, was attended with a train of remarkable occurrences of divine providence. Secondly, that in that time, he behoved to be a most powerful and awakening preacher from the influence he had upon the manners or morals of those who attended his sermons. Nor is it any disparagement to him that that black-mouthed calumniator in his Presbyterian Eloquence displayed, has published to the world, "That he murdered the bodies as well as souls of two or three persons with one sermon, because (says he) preaching in the town of Jedhurgh, he said, There are two thousand of you here, but I am sure eighty of you will not be favored; upon which three of his ignorant hearers dispatched themselves soon after." Indeed it must be granted, that, after the revolution in the latter end of his life, he became somewhat inimical and unfriendly to dissenters[264], at least some of those who professed to own and adhere unto the same cause and testimony that he himself had contended and suffered somewhat for; whether this proceeded from the dotage of old age (as some would have it) or from mistaken principles, or any thing else, we cannot, and shall not at present determine.
The Life of John Balfour of Kinloch.
John Balfour of Kinloch (sometime called Burly) was a gentleman in the north of Fife. He joined with the more faithful part of our late sufferers, and altho' he was by some reckoned none of the most religious, yet he was always zealous and honest-hearted, courageous in every enterprize and a brave soldier, seldom any escaping that came in his hands. He was the principal actor in killing that arch-traitor to the Lord and his Christ, James Sharp. After which his goods and gear were inventoried by the sheriff, and he forfeited in life and fortune, a reward of 10,000 merks offered to any that could apprehend him. He was a commanding officer at Bothwel and Drumclog. At Drumclog he was the first who, with his party, got over the ditch upon the enemy. At Bothwel he was still among the more faithful part, and at the fight behaved with great gallantry. At that meeting at Loudon-hill dispersed May 5th, 1681. it is said, that he disarmed one of duke Hamilton's men with his own hand, taking a pair of fine pistols belonging to the duke from his saddle, telling him to tell his master, he would keep them till meeting. Afterward, when the duke asked his man, What he was like? he told him, he was a little man, squint-eyed, and of a very fierce aspect, the duke said, He knew who it was, and withal prayed that he might never see his face, for if he should, he was sure he would not live long. After this he lurked mostly among his suffering brethren; and a little before the revolution went over to Holland, where he joined the prince of Orange (afterward king William), and having still a desire to be avenged upon those who persecuted the Lord's cause and people in Scotland, it is said he obtained liberty from the prince for that purpose, but died at sea before their arrival in Scotland. Whereby that design was never accomplished, and so the land was never purged by the blood of them who had shed innocent blood, according to the law of the Lord, Gen. ix. 6. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed.
An Abstract of a Speech delivered by Lord Warriston, before the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, after the delivery of some Queries from the Parliament to them.
Mr. Prolocutor, I am a stranger. I will not meddle with the parliament privileges of another nation, nor the breaches thereof, but as a christian, under one common lord, a ruling elder in another church, and a parliament man in another kingdom, having commission from both that church and state, and at the desire of this kingdom assisting in their debates, intreat for your favour and patience to express my thoughts of what is before you.
In my judgment, that is before you which concerns Christ and these kingdoms most, and above all, and which will be the chiefest mean to end or continue these troubles. And that not only speaking humaniter, and looking to the disposition of these kingdoms, but especially in regard of the divine dispensation, which hath been so special and sensible in the rise and continuance of these commotions, as I can neither be persuaded that they were raised for, or will be calmed upon the settlement of civil rights and privileges either of kings or princes, whatsoever may seem to be our present success; but I am convinced they have a higher rise from, and for the highest end, the settling of the crown of Christ in these islands, to be propagated from island to continent; and until king Jesus be set down on his throne, with his sceptre in his hand, I do not expect God's peace, and so not solid peace from men in these kingdoms. But establish that, and a durable peace will be found to follow that sovereign truth. Sir, let us lay to heart what is before us, a work which concerns God and man most of any thing in agitation now under the sun, and for which we will one day be called to a more strict account than for any other passage of our life. Let us both tremble and rejoice when we reflect upon what is under debate, and now in our hands.
I was glad to hear the parliament confess their willingness to receive and observe whatsoever shall be shown from the word of God to be Christ or his church, their rights or due; albeit I was sorry to see any, in the delivery thereof, intermix any of their own personal asperity, any aspersions upon this assembly, or reflections on another nation; so in this day of law for Christ, wherein justice is offered, if he get not right in not shewing his patent from his father, and his churches from himself, it will be counted your fault.