Mr. PATRICK ADAMSON, first minister of Paisley, was a preacher of much repute in the church; but ambition and private interest had more sway with him than the interest of Christ. And having wrought himself into the king's favour by undermining the government and discipline of the church, he was declared bishop by Morton about 1578. But got the bishoprick of St. Andrews 1584, after which he not only spoke and wrote in favours of prelacy, but became a persecutor of his faithful brethren. In the height of his grandeur, he used to boast that three things could not fail him, his learning, the king's favour, and his riches: for the first, in the just judgment of God, he could not speak a word of sense before or after his meat. For the second, he lost the king's favour and had his bishoprick taken from him, and was heard say, he was sure the king cared more for his dogs than for him. And for his riches, he was so reduced that he had to get charity from those ministers whom before he harrassed. Before, for his pride, contumacy and other enormities he was excommunicated by the church, but being now in extreme poverty and sickness, he made a recantation and confession, supplicating the church he might be absolved from the censure; which at last was by them granted. Whether this repentance proceeded from constraint to get a little outward sustenance, as was suspected, I cannot say; but in this situation he died, in great want and extreme misery, about the year 1591—Fulfilling of the Scriptures, &c.
Mr. JAMES NICHOLSON, a creature of the same make; one eminent for parts and learning in these times, and at first a great opposer of prelacy. But being still gaping for riches, honour and preferment, shifted from one benefice to another, till he got the bishopric of Dunkeld: yea, so forward was he to establish prelacy, that he behoved to be one of those who assisted the king at Hampton court against eight of his brethren who were more faithful than himself in 1606. But his honour continued not long, for being stricken with sickness of body and seized with melancholy of mind and horror of conscience, he could have no rest. Physicians being brought, he told them his trouble was of another kind, for which they could give him no cure; for, said he, "The digesting of a bishoprick hath racked my conscience. I have against much light and over the belly of it, opposed the truth and yielded up the liberties of Christ to please an earthly king, &c." And so in great horror of conscience he made his exit, August 1609.—Calderwood, &c.
GEORGE HUME, Earl of Dumbar, one of king James's creatures, and the only instrument (I may say) used by him at that time to overturn the Presbyterian form of church-government and discipline, and introduce prelacy into Scotland: for which purpose he was by him sent as commissioner to both the general assemblies 1608 and 1610. He brought some English doctors to persuade, a strong guard to intimidate the faithful, and money to bribe those of a contrary disposition; which he distributed to these mercenary creatures for their votes. He so far succeeded, as to get a new set of bishops erected, and then returned to England, where, with the wages of iniquity, he built a sumptuous palace at Berwick. When he intended to keep St. George's day, and solemnize his daughter's marriage with Lord Walden, the Lord pulled him down from the height of all his honours by a sudden and surprizing death. That day his thoughts perish, and with the builder of Jericho, for all his acquisitions in Scotland and England, in a short time there was not a foot breadth of land left of it to his posterity.—Calderwood, Fulfilling of the Scriptures, &c.
Mr. GEORGE GLADSTONE, at first, was such a zealous Presbyterian, that he vowed he should never be bishop of St. Andrews, because they were hated and came all to untimely ends. But his motives not being good, he returned from court 1605, with a presentation to the very same bishoprick. Again, when called up to court next year, to assist the king against the faithful Scottish ministers, he was adjured by his brethren of the ministry in the presbytery of St. Andrews, that as he should be answerable to God, he should do nothing to the prejudice of the church of God; he took God to witness, it should be so. But they soon found the contrary to their sad experience; for he not only became a cruel enemy to his brethren who continued faithful, but also a lazy time-serving hireling, oftimes loitering upon his bed in the very time of sermon.—Instance, being one time on his bed in time of the afternoon sermon, both he and the congregation were alarmed with the cry of Murder, his sister's son in the house having killed his cook with a dagger, as he was making ready his supper.—At this rate he continued till 1615, that he was seized with a fearful and strange disease, (which historians forbear to name) and what was worse, with obstinate and senseless stupidity, approving of his former courses, and in that situation he died, May 2, 1615.—Calderwood and others.
Mr. ALEXR. FORBES, a bird of the same feather, was first made bishop of Caithness, then of Aberdeen. He was not only an enemy to the faithful servants of Christ, but even of such a poor, low disposition, and such a table friend and flattering spunger, that he was nicknamed Collie; because so impudent and shameless that he would follow the lords of session, advocates, &c. when they went to dinner, and cringe about, and sometimes follow them uncalled, and sit down in their houses at table.—At last he was seized with sickness at Leith, and fell under sore remorse of conscience for his past life: he sent for bishop Spotiswood, and would gladly have communicated his mind to him; but it seems he would not leave his playing at cards (albeit it was on the Sabbath day), and so he in this condition died.—Calderwood.
Mr. ANDREW FORRESTER, sometime minister at Dunfermline, when sent to the General Assembly 1610, was by his brethren adjured, that, as he should answer to Jesus Christ, he should consent to no alteration in the government of the church: yet, having received 50 merks from Dumbar, (a small equivalent to the cause of Christ) he voted for prelacy. After which, he was convicted of taking silver out of the poor's box with false keys, and then fell into a fearful distemper, insomuch that, from some words of the chancellor apprehending he should be hanged, he run out of the pulpit one day when going to preach, in a fit of distraction, confessing he had sold Christ at that assembly. He was also seized with sickness. Mr. Row made him a visit, and found him in a lamentable condition. He asked, if he was persuaded that God had called him to the ministry. He answered, "Nay, I ever sought the world, and so is seen on me." He next asked, what he got at the assembly for selling the liberties of the church? He answered, 50 merks, at which his horror recurred, apprehending that he was instantly to be executed. Mr. Row desired him to pray; he said he could not. Mr. Row prayed, in time of which the buttons burst off his breast, and the blood gushed terribly both from mouth and nose. After prayer, he asked, if he was prepared for death? He answered, no, woes me. Next day he made him another visit, and found him senseless and stupid, and so left him. After which he died in great infamy, poverty and misery. Nor was Mr. Paton, another of the same stamp, much better.—This and more was declared anent them by Mr. Row before the assembly at Glasgow, 1638.—Stevenson.
Mr. WILLIAM COOPER, sometime minister at Perth, witnessed no small zeal against prelacy, both doctrinally and from the press, and yet through covetousness and court preferment, he was made bishop of Galloway: after which none was more forward for the corruption of the times.—He left his diocese, says the historian, and took up his residence in the Cannongate of Edinburgh, and committed his ministerial affairs to others, by whom was extorted the enormous sum of 100,000l. In his visits once in two years he behaved most impiously, thrust in ignorant persons to cures, and admitted his servant unto the ministry at his bed-side, desired the presbytery of Kirkudbright to dispense with one who kept a woman with him in fornication, and above all, was a fervent presser of the king's injunctions for keeping Christmass, &c. and sent up his advice 1619, for punishing those who did not comply. Some time before his death, he took a hypochondriack distemper, apprehending his head was all glass, which much affrighted him.—Some brought his former discourses to him to reconcile, which disquieted him more. Being at his pastime at Leith, he apprehended he saw armed men coming upon him; the company shewing him the contrary, he fell a-trembling, went home and took bed; and being in great anguish and trouble of spirit, he would often point with his finger to the earth, and cry, "A fallen star, a fallen star." And so he ended his life in great horror and anguish of mind.[273] On his court-advancement Mr. Simson of Stirling made the following line,
Aureus, heu! fragilem confregit malleus urnam.
Mr. PATRICK GALLOWAY was another of this fraternity; for when minister of Perth, he was not only a strenuous opposer of prelacy in the church; but also for his faithful and free rebukes to Arran and Lenox, who carried on the court affairs then, he was persecuted and obliged to abscond some time, about 1584. But afterwards being carried down with the current of the times, he was transported to Edinburgh, where he became a mighty stickler for prelacy, especially, the five articles of Perth; insomuch that by the year 1620, he pressed kneeling at the sacrament with much impudence and indecency; and though he would not preach on Sabbath, yet he behoved to preach on Christmass.—At his Christmass sacrament 1621, he commanded the communicants to kneel, and he himself bowed with the one knee and sat with the other. Thus he continued to the dotage of old age, and at last died upon the stool, easing himself; and (as worthy Mr. Welch had before foretold) without the least sense or signs of true repentance.
—— HAMILTON, Marquis of Hamilton, for his many good services to king James against the Presbyterian interest, was by him appointed commissioner to the parliament 1621, on design to have the five articles of Perth (viz. 1. Kneeling at the communion; 2. Private communion; 3. Private baptism; 4. Observation of holy days; 5. Confirmation of children) ratified: all the faithful ministers being by him discharged, the city and the parliament guarded, that no protestations might be got offered. Through threats and flattery he got that dismal affair effected; but not without a notable mark of divine displeasure: for, in that moment he arose to touch the act with the sceptre, a terrible flash of fire came in at the window, followed with three fearful claps of thunder, upon which the heavens became dark, and hailstones and a terrible tempest ensued; which astonished every beholder, and made the day afterward be called the black Saturday; because it began in the morning with fire from earth, and ended in the evening with fire from heaven.—And on the Monday, when the act was read at the cross of Edinburgh, the fire and thunder again recurred.—However, the Marquis having got the king's design partly accomplished returned to court, and not long after, for such services, it is said, he was poisoned by the king's principal minion the Duke of Buckingham.—Calderwood, &c.