Biographia Scoticana (Scots Worthies) Part 47

GLASGOW, _April 22d, 1782_

PROPOSALS For Printing by SUBSCRIPTION, In Two OCTAVO Volumes.

A COMPENDIOUS VIEW Of _Natural_ and _Revealed Religion_.--In Seven Books.

By JOHN BROWN, _Minister of the Gospel in Haddington_.

BOOK I. Of the standard of all religion;--the law of nature in its _foundation_ and _contents_,--the _insufficiency_ of the _light of nature_ to render a man truly virtuous and happy;--the _possibility_, _desireableness_, _necessity_, _propriety_, _reasonableness_, _credibility_, _divine authority_, _properties_ and _parts_ of that revelation which is contained in the scriptures of the old and new Testament.

BOOK II. Of _G.o.d_, the author, or, object and end of all religion,--in his perfections, persons, purposes and works.

BOOK III. Of the bonds of religious connection between G.o.d and men,--the covenants of works and grace in their _origin_, _parties_, _parts_ and _administration_ in time and eternity.

BOOK IV. Of Christ the mediator of the covenant of grace, in his _person_, _offices_ and _states_.

BOOK V. Of the _blessings_ of the covenant of grace, _effectual calling_, justification, adoption, sanctification, spiritual comfort, eternal glory.

BOOK VI. Of the dispensation of the covenant of grace by means of _law_, _gospel_ and _ordinances_ thereof.

BOOK VII. Of the new covenant _society_ or church, in her _const.i.tution_, _members_, _offices_ and _government_.

CONDITIONS.

I. The book will be printed on a fair paper and new Type, in two Octavo volumes, to consist of about 300 and 30 pages each volume.

II. The price to Subscribers will be One s.h.i.+lling and Sixpence Sterling each volume, sewed, and Two s.h.i.+llings neatly bound. A few copies on a fine Demy paper at Two s.h.i.+llings sewed, and Two s.h.i.+llings and Sixpence bound, each volume.

III. Those who subscribe for twelve copies, shall have one Gratis.

IV. The book will be put to the press as soon as a competent number of subscriptions are obtained.

The encouragers of this work are desired to send in their Names, with the number of Copies they want, to the Publisher immediately as few copies will be printed but those subscribed for.

SUBSCRIPTIONS are taken in by JOHN BRYCE, Printer, _Glasgow_; and by all others intrusted with Proposals.

_The Judgment and Justice of G.o.d_ EXEMPLIFIED.

OR, A BRIEF HISTORICAL HINT OF THE

WICKED LIVES and MISERABLE DEATHS of some of the most remarkable Apostates and b.l.o.o.d.y Persecutors in Scotland, from the Reformation till after the Revolution;

COLLECTED FROM Historical Records, Authenticated Writings, and other well-vouched Relations.

By JOHN HOWIE.

PSALM lv. 23. _But thou, O G.o.d, shalt bring them down to the pit of destruction. b.l.o.o.d.y and deceitful men shall not live out half their days._

PSALM vii. 12. _He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death, he ordained his arrows against the persecutors._

2 THESS. i. 6.--_It is a righteous thing with G.o.d to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you._

_---- Immemores Dei Gentes mors inopina Aeternis tenebris premit._

Psalm ix. 17.--BUCHAN.

GLASGOW: Printed by JOHN BRYCE.

MDCCLx.x.xII.

Had I not confined myself at first to the limits of an Appendix to the lives of our Scots worthies, I might have written a volume, containing the same hints of the most notable Apostates, Blasphemers, and wicked Persecutors, Jew and Christian, in all the different kingdoms and countries wherein the true religion and knowledge of the true G.o.d hath been professed, from the earliest ages to this present century; and which may be yet attempted, if this meet with the approbation of the Public, and a call and farther encouragement be given for that purpose.

THE INTRODUCTION.

I presume, that any person, who has diligently perused the history of the lives of our n.o.ble Scots worthies, will by this time be able to form some idea in their own minds of the religious, virtuous and faithful lives, joyful and comfortable deaths of a certain number of Christ's n.o.ble witnesses, confessors and martyrs, who through much tribulation emerged forth of all their difficulties in much faith and patience, and are now inheriting the promise in that land and celestial Jerusalem above, _where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary be at rest_.

It now follows of course, that I should present another scene unto the reader's view, _viz._ a short index or memorial of the wicked, apostate, perfidious and flagitious lives, and miserable and lamentable deaths of some of the most particular persons that opposed and oppressed the church of Christ, and mal-treated and persecuted them. But previous to the opening of this tragical train of examples, (of the Lord's righteous justice and judgment on his and his church's enemies) let the following few particulars be observed. And,

_1st_, Let none think that this is a subject foreign or remote to either scripture, apocrypha, or history. No; I might instance Cain, the proto-persecutor and murderer; Pharaoh, who was drowned in the Red sea; Corah and others, who were swallowed up quick and burnt before the Lord; Saul, who finished his own regicide; wicked Joram, whose bowels fell out; apostate Joash and Jehoiakim, who burnt the roll, came to ignominious ends: Ahab and Zedekiah, false prophets, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire; Haman, who was hanged: Antiochus Epiphanes, who was eaten of vermin, and rotted while alive; Melenaus the apostate, who was smothered to death in ashes; Herod, who killed the children of Bethlehem, and had the same fate with Antiochus; Herod Antipas, who killed John Baptist; Herodias and Salmon the dancer came to fearful ends: Judas and Caiaphas became their own executioners; Pilate also ended his own wretched life; Herod Agrippa was eaten up of worms: Nero and all the succeeding emperors, authors of the ten persecutions; Philip II. of Spain, Charles IX. Henry III. and IV. kings of France, Dukes of Guise, Anjou, Austria, &c. the cardinals Wolsey and Pool, b.l.o.o.d.y Mary of England, bishop Gardiner, with an immense number more both of this and inferior ranks, too tedious here to mention, came all to deserved wretched deaths suitable to such wicked and b.l.o.o.d.y lives.--Nay, G.o.d will have such reverence paid to what bears the name of deity and religion, that even amongst the very heathens, who had not the knowledge of the true G.o.d, those who blasphemed or affronted the G.o.ds, robbed their temples, or mal-treated and persecuted their priests, did not pa.s.s without some public mark of divine displeasure, (of which I might give a number of instances from history, were it needful). And should such as are favoured with an objective revelation of the true G.o.d and way of salvation in and by him, who destroy his heritage, persecute his people, blaspheme his name, and make a mock of religion, go unpunished? Nor,

_2ndly_, Is the collecting or recording such exemplary instances without precept or precedent? Moses, by the Lord's direction, commanded the centers of those who were burnt up when offering strange fire to be made broad plates for a covering to the altar, for a memorial to the children of Israel.--And, pa.s.sing other instances in scripture, historians and martyrologers, we find the reformed church of the Netherlands at the famous synod of Embden 1571, amongst other things, enacted and ordered the Lord St. Atergonde to write the history of the persecution by the Duke de Alva, with the visible judgments that befel the persecutors at that time. The same thing was agitated and concluded upon by the united societies in Scotland, both before and after the Revolution, which, had their resolutions been accomplished, had either antic.i.p.ated this publication, or rendered it more complete than what it can otherwise be expected.[266] Nor,

_3dly_, Can it be expected, that all our Scots apostates and persecutors are here narrated. No; there have many of G.o.d's eminent saints and dear children made their exit out of this world without any note or observation: in like manner, every wicked and notorious offender has not been made a Magor Missabib, a wonder unto themselves and others. We can ascribe this to nothing but divine wisdom and sovereignty. But there have been as many instances of both kinds as may serve for a monitor both to saints and sinners, to encourage the one and deter the other, and _that others may hear and fear_. Again, there have been several of these wicked enemies of G.o.d even in our own land, whose deaths have been as remarkable as those now related, which have either not been recorded, or else the records have been lost, and cannot now, after such a long time elapsed, be retrieved[267]. And

_4thly_, This may be observed, That, though numbers in this black catalogue have nothing different as to the taking away of the life temporal, such as by heading, hanging, &c., from what has befallen G.o.d's dear children and martyrs,--yet it is the cause of their death, their disposition and frame at that time, must only cast the scale of balance. Jesus as man, and the obstinate malefactor on the cross, are an ill.u.s.trating proof of this: for, while the one goes off the stage triumphing in the justice of their cause under the sensible manifestations of G.o.d's gracious presence, crying out, Farewel, friends and relations, holy scriptures, duties, sun, moon, stars,--all created enjoyments:--Welcome, death, scaffold, gibbet for precious Christ; welcome eternity, glory, angels, spirits of just men made perfect; welcome, Jesus Christ, Spirit of all grace, G.o.d the judge of all, and life for evermore:--The other (although I do not meddle with their eternal state, as being no-ways my province or prerogative to determine upon) at least those I have here condescended upon, died either in a senseless, secure, supine stupidity, or else belching out the most fearful oaths, and imprecations against themselves or others, or worse, if worse may be, roaring out in despair in the most dreadful horror of an awakened conscience under the sense of G.o.d's wrath and fiery indignation ready to be poured forth upon them for their former wicked lives; which must be one of the most exquisite torments in this life, as expressed by the poet,