Welcome to a reading of Gillespie's Dispute Against the English Popish Ceremonies, obtruded on the Church of Scotland. This Reformation MP3 audio resource is a production of Stillwater's revival books. Many free Reformation resources, as well as our complete online catalogue containing classic and contemporary Puritan reform books, the Puritan hard drive, digital downloads, MP3s, DVDs and much more at great discounts are on the web at www.puretandownloads.com. Also please consider, pray and act upon the important truths found in the following quotation by Charles Spurgeon. As the Apostle says to Timothy, so also he says to everyone, give yourself to reading. He who will not use the thoughts of other men's brains proves that he has no brains of his own who need to read. Renounce as much as you will all light literature, but study as much as possible sound theological works, especially the Puritanic writers and expositions of the Bible. The best way for you to spend your leisure is to be either reading or praying. And now to SWRB's reading of Gillespie's dispute against the English Popish ceremonies of Trudeau and the Church of Scotland, which we hope you find to be a great blessing, and which we pray draws you nearer to the Lord Jesus Christ. For he is the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by him." John 14, verse 6. I'm reading from page 28 in Roman numerals. A plan similar to that already described was also employed in preparing that admirable digest of Christian doctrine, the Shorter Catechism. and so far as can be ascertained by the same committee. For a time, indeed, they attempted to prosecute the framing of both confession and catechism at once. But after some progress had been made with both, the assembly resolved to finish the confession first, and then to construct the catechism upon its model, so far at least as to have no proposition in the one which was not in the other. By this arrangement they wisely avoided the danger of subsequent debate and delay. Various obstacles, however, interposed and so greatly impeded the progress of the Assembly that the Catechism was not speedily completed as had been expected. It was, however, presented to the House of Commons on the 5th of November 1647 and the larger in the spring of the following year. This is an anecdote connected with the formation of the Shodokasm, both full of interest and so very beautiful that it must not be omitted. In one of the earliest meetings of the Committee, the subject of deliberation was to frame an answer to the question, What is God? Each man felt the unapproachable sublimity of the divine idea suggested by these words, but who could venture to give it expression in human language? all shrunk from the too-sacred task in awestruck reverential fear. At length it was resolved, as an expression of the Committee's deep humility, that the youngest member should first make the attempt. He consented, but begged that the Brethren would first unite with him in prayer for divine enlightenment. Then, in slow and solemn accents, he thus began his prayer. thou art a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in thy being wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.' When he ceased, the first sentence of his prayer was immediately written down and adopted as the most perfect answer that could be conceived, as indeed, in a very sacred sense, God's own answer, descriptive of himself. Who then was the youngest member of the committee? When we compare the birthdates of the respected members of the committee, we find that George Gillespie was the youngest by more than a dozen years. We may therefore safely conclude that George Gillespie was the man who was thus guided to frame this marvellous answer. Without further enlarging on these points, we may without hazard affirm that, however eminent Gillespie was in the department of controversy, he was scarcely, if at all, less so in that of systematic theology, while his personal piety was of the most elevated in spiritual character. Rarely, indeed, have such qualities met in any one man as were united in him, but when God requires such a man, He curates, endows and trains him so as to meet the necessity. When the public labours of the Westminster Assembly drew near a close, the Scottish commissioners returned to their native country. Henderson had previously found the repose of the grave. Rutherford remained a short time behind. Bailey and Gillespie appeared at the General Assembly, which met in August 1647, and laid before that supreme ecclesiastical court the result of their protracted labours. The Confession of Faith was ratified by that assembly. The same assembly caused to be printed a series of propositions, or thesis against Erastianism, as Bailey terms them. amounting to 111, drawn up by George Gillespie, embodying eight of them in the act which authorised their publication. The perusal of these propositions would enable any person of unprejudiced and intelligent mind to master and refute the whole Erastian theory, and could not fail, at the same time, to draw forth sentiments of admiration towards the clear and strong mind by which they were framed. But the incessant toils in which Gillespie's life had been spent had shattered his constitution beyond the power of recovery, and the state in which he found Scotland on his return was such as to emit no relaxation of these toils. The danger in which the obstinacy and duplicity of Charles I had placed that unhappy monarch's life drew forth towards him the strong compassion of all who cherished sentiments of loyalty to the sovereign and pity for the man. But in many instances these generous feelings were allowed to bias the dictates of religious principle and sound judgment, and a party began to be formed for the purpose of attempting to save the king, even at the hazard of entering into war with England. This was, of course, eagerly encouraged by all who had previously adhered to the harmony which had previously existed, and preparing for the disastrous consequences which soon afterwards ensued. Gillespie exerted himself to the utmost of his powers to avert the coming calamities which he anticipated. By striving to prevent the commission of crimes which provoke judgment, His influence was sufficient to restrain the Church from consenting to countenance the weak and wicked movements of politicians. But his health continued to sink under these incessant toils and anxieties. He was chosen moderator of the General Assembly of 1648, though, as Bailey states, he did much deprecate the burden, as he had great reason both for his health's sake and other great causes. This assembly met on the 12th of July 1648, and so arduous and difficult were the duties which he had to discharge, that it did not end his labours until the 12th of August. Though Gillespie was then rapidly sinking under the disease of which he died, which from its symptoms must have been consumption, he continued to take an active part in all its deliberations, and drew up the last public prayer which is directed to be framed, in answer to a document issued by the State respecting the engagement that had been formed for the support of the King. The arduous labours of the Assembly being thus ended, Gillespie left Edinburgh and retired to Kirkcaldy, with the view of seeking, by a change of scene and air, some renovation to his health. But the disease had taken too firm a hold of his enfeebled constitution, and he continued to suffer from increasing weakness. Still the cares of the distracted church and country pressed heavily on his mind. He was now able to attend the public meetings of church courts, but on the 8th September he addressed a letter to the Commission of Assembly, in which he stated clearly and strongly his opinion concerning the duties and dangers of the time. Continuing to sink, and feeling death at hand, he partly wrote and partly dictated what may be termed his dying testimony against association with malignant enemies of the truth and godliness. At length, on the 17th day of December 1648, his toils and sorrows ceased, and he fell asleep in Jesus. so passed away from this world one of those bright and powerful spirits which are sent in troublous times to carry forward God's work among mankind. Incessant toil is the destiny of such highly gifted men while here below, and not infrequently is their memory assailed by those mean and little minds who shrunk with instinctive fear and hatred before the energetic movements which they could neither comprehend nor encounter. but their recompense is in heaven, when their work is done, and future generations delight to rescue their reputation from the feeble obloquy with which malevolence and folly have endeavoured to hide or defame it. Thus has it been with George Gillespie, to a considerable extent already, and we entertain not the slightest shadow of doubt that his transcendent merit is but beginning to be known and appreciated as it deserves. and that ere very long his well-earned fame will shine too clearly and too strong to be approached by distractors. We have but little more to relate respecting George Gillespie. His death was deeply lamented by all who loved their church and country at the time, and such was the feeling generally entertained of his great merit that the Committee of Estates, or Government of the Kingdom, by an Act dated 20th December 1648 did, as an acknowledgment for his faithfulness in all the public employments entrusted to him by this church, both at home and abroad, his faithful labours and indefatigable diligence in all the exercises of his ministerial calling for his master's service and his learned writings, published to the world, in which rare and profitable employments, both for church and state, he truly spent himself, and closed his days, ordain, that the sum of one thousand pounds sterling be given to his widow and children. and though the Parliament did, by their Act, dated June 8, 1650, unanimously ratify the preceding Act, and recommended to their Committee to make the same effectual, yet in consequence of Cromwell's invasion, and the confusion into which the whole Kingdom was thereby thrown, this benevolent design was frustrated, as his grandson, the Reverend George Gillespie, Minister of Strath Miglo, afterwards declared, so much for the trust to be placed in national gratitude and the promises of statesmen. George Gillespie was buried in Kilkelly, his birthplace, and the place also where he died. A tombstone erected to his memory by his relatives and friends bore an inscription in Latin, recording the chief actions of his life and stating the leading elements of his character. But when Prelacy was reimposed on Scotland after the restoration of Charles II, the mean malice of the Prelatists gratified itself by breaking the tombstone. This petty and spiteful act is thus recorded in the Mercurius Caledonius, one of the small quarto newspapers or prior articles of the time, of date January the 16th to 25th, 1651. The late Committee of the States ordered the tombstone of Mr. George Gillespie, whereon was engraven a scandalous inscription, should be fetched from the derail place, and upon a market day, at the cross of Kilcaddy, where he had formerly been minister, and there solemnly broken by the hands of the hangman, which was accordingly done, a just indignity upon the memory of so dangerous a person. The Committee of the States, by which this paltry deed was done, was that of Middleton's Parliament, frequently called the Drunken Parliament, from the excesses of its leading men, and which on the following year signalised itself by the Glasgow Act, the Act which emptied nearly 400 pulpits in one day. The inaccuracy of the statement made by the Prelatic newspaper, asserting that he had formerly been minister at Kilcaldi, will not surprise any person who is acquainted with the writings of the Prelatists of that period, who seem not to have been able to write the truth when relating the most common and well-known facts, but one is somewhat surprised to find statements equally inaccurate, made respecting George Gillespie by reverent and learned historians. In Dr Cook's History of the Church of Scotland, we find in one passage George Gillespie's character and conduct completely misunderstood and misrepresented. Volume 3, pages 160-162. And in a subsequent passage, an assertion that the proceedings of that party in the church, called the Protestors, were, in the year 1650, directed by Gillespie, a factious minister whose name has been frequently mentioned. Page 196. George Gillespie was the only person of whom mention was made, or could be made, in the previous portion of the history. as his brother had not then began to take any active part in public affairs, but he was dead nearly two years before the date to which the latter passage refers. It is plain that Dr Cook confounded George Gillespie with his brother Patrick, and ascribed to the former the actions of the latter, regarding them both as but one person, one and the same person. He further asserts that Gillespie was suspected of corresponding with the sectaries. That Patrick Gillespie corresponded with the sectaries and was much trusted and countenanced by Cromwell is perfectly true, but before that time George Gillespie had joined the one church and family in heaven. In every period of his life, in every transaction to which he was engaged, George Gillespie was far above all private or discreditable intriguing, which is the vice of weak, cunning and selfish minds. And while we do not think it necessary further to prosecute this vindication of his memory, we yet think it our duty, in writing a memoir of him, thus briefly to set aside the groundless accusations whether it be adduced by Prolactic or Eraslian writers, his baffled antagonists when living, his impotent calamities when dead. The stoomstone, as has been related, was broken in 1651, but the inscription was preserved. A plain tablet was erected in 1745 by his grandson, the Rev. George Gillespie, minister of Strathmiglo, on which the inscription was reproduced, and the slide edition mentioning both events. It is still to be seen in the south-east porch of the present church. The inscription is as follows, and hence follows a Latin passage. a Latin written on Gillespie's stumstone in Strathmiglo. This tomb, being pulled down by the malignant influence of Archbishop Sharp after the introduction of Prelacy, Mr George Gillespie, Minister of the Gospel at Strathmiglo, caused it to be re-erected in honour of his said worthy grandfather and as a standing monument of dutiful regard to his blessed memory. Anno Domino, 1746. It may be expedient to give a translation. Master George Gillespie, minister at Edinburgh, in his youthful years overthrew a host of English Popish ceremonies as he approached full manhood. Having been sent as commissioner to the Westminster Assembly, his attention was directed to the task of extirpating prelacy from England and promoting purity and uniformity in the worship of God. He chastised Erastianism, in his errands' rod blossoming. Having returned to his native country, he weakened the violators of the covenant, who were bent on provoking war with England. Having been chosen moderator of the General Assembly, which met at Edinburgh in the year 1648, he devoted his last exertions to the service of his country so as to draw forth public approbation, and having, as an eyewitness, seen that ruin of the malignance which he had foretold, departing in peace on the same day on which the League of the Three Kingdoms was solemnly renewed in the thirty-sixth year of his age, He entered into the joy of the Lord. He was a man profound in genius, mild in disposition, acute in argument, flowing in eloquence, unconquered in mind. He drew to himself the love of the good, the envy of the bad, and the admiration of all. He was an ornament to his country, a son worthy of such a father. Such was the scandalous inscription which the peevish spleen, yet bitter malice of Scottish prelacy, found gratification in attempting to destroy. But there is a righteous retribution even in this world. Men rear their own monuments and write inscriptions on them which time cannot obliterate. Gillespie's enduring monument is in his actions and his writings, which the latest ages will admire. The monuments of Scottish policy are equally imperishable, whether in the wantonly defaced tombstones of piety and patriotism, or in the moss-grown martyred tombstones that stud the moors and glens of our native land. And the inscriptions thereupon are fearfully legible with records of indelible infamy. It remains but to offer a few remarks respecting Gillespie's various works. The first production of his pen was his remarkable Dispute against the English Popish Ceremonies. It was published in 1637, when his author was only in the 25th year of his age, and it must have been completed sometime previous to his publication. As it appears to have been printed abroad, most probably in Holland. This gives countenance to one statement, which affirms it to have been written when Gillespie had scarcely passed his 22nd year. His next work was published in London in the year 1641, where he was during the progress of the treaty with the king. It is referred to by Bailey in the following terms. Think not we live any of us here to idle. Mr Henderson has ready now a short treatise, much called for, of our Church discipline. Mr Gillespie has the grounds of Presbyterial government well asserted. Mr Blair a pertinent answer to Hall's remonstrance. All these are ready for the press. The valuable treatise here referred to has not been so much noticed as several other of Gillespie's writings as included in his collective edition. Page 34. His sermons and controversial pamphlets were published in the years 1641-5-6. During the right sittings of the Westminster Assembly, Aaron's Rod Blossoming was published at London also about the close of the year 1646. This is his greatest work. celebrated 111 propositions were prepared before he left London, and laid before the General Assembly on his return to Scotland in the summer of 1647. Perhaps it is not possible to obtain a clear conception of Erastinism better than by the study of these propositions. They had been reprinted several times, yet were rarely to be obtained. The short, yet very able and high-principled papers which he had prepared for the Assembly and its commission in 1648, were his latest writings. A short time after his death, and during the year 1649, his brother Patrick published in one volume, entitled A Treatise of Miscellany Questions, a series of papers, twenty-two in number, on a variety of important topics, which appeared to be in a condition fit for the press. Though this is a posthumous production, and consequently without its author's finishing corrections, it displays the same clearness, precision, and logical power which characterise his other works. We are inclined to conjecture that these essays, as we would now term them, were written at different times during the course of several years, and while he was studying the various topics to which they relate. several of them are on top subjects which were debated in the Westminster Assembly, and it is very probable that Gillespie wrote them while maturing his views on these points preparatory for those discussions in which he is so greatly distinguished himself. This conjecture is strengthened by the curious and interesting fact that a paper, which will be found at beginning at page 109 of the part now printed for the first time from the manuscript, is almost identical, both in argument and language, though somewhat different in arrangement, with chapter 8, pages 115 to 120 of Aaron's Rod. The arrangement in the Erasmus rod is not sufficient than in the paper referred to, but its principles and very much of the language are altogether the same. May not this indicate Gillespie's mode of study and composition? may not have been in the habit of concentrating his mind on the leading topics of the subjects which he was studying, writing out pretty fully and carefully his thoughts on these topics, and afterwards connecting and arranging them so as to form one complete work. is so, then we may conclude that the miscellany questions contain such as these masses of separate thinking as Gillespie found no opportunity of using in any other manner and therefore consented to their publication in their present form. In what grows and a lector, it is stated that Gillespie had a manuscript volume of sermons prepared for the press, which were brought from the printer by the secretaries and probably destroyed. It is also stated that there were six octavo volumes of notes written by Gillespie at the Westminster Assembly then extant, containing an abstract of his deliberations, Of these manuscript volumes, there are two copies in the Wadgrow Manuscripts Advocates Library, but neither of them appears to be in Gillespie's own handwriting. The quarto certainly is not, and the octavo seems to be an accurate copy of two of the original volumes. These have been collated and transcribed by Mr Meek, with his well-known care and fidelity, and the result is now, for the first time, given to the public. What has become of the missing volumes is not known, and it is to be feared the loss is irrecoverable. There is one consideration, however, which mitigates our regret for the loss of these volumes. The one which has been preserved begins February 2, 1644, and ends January 3, 1645. Lightfoot's journal continues to the end of 1644, and then terminates abruptly and said he had not felt it necessary any longer to continue noting down the outline of the debates. Yet Lightwood continued to attend the Assembly throughout the whole of his protracted deliberations. From other sources also we learn that the whole of the points on which there existed any considerable difference of opinion in the Assembly had been largely debated during the year 1644, so that little remained to be said on either side. The differences indeed continued, but they assumed the form of written controversy, the essence of which we have in the volume entitled The Grand Debate. It is probable, therefore, that the last volumes of Gillespie's manuscript contained chiefly his own remarks on the writings of the and not unlikely the outlines of the answers returned by the Assembly. Supposing this to be the case, it would doubtless have been very interesting to have had Gillespie's remarks and arguments, but they could not have given much information which we do not at present possess. A few brief notices respecting the papers now first published may both be interesting and may conduce to rendering them intelligible to the general reader. There is, first, an extract attested by the scribes or clerks of the Westminster Assembly, copied from the original by Wadrow, and giving a statement of the votes on discipline and government from session 76 to session 186. 2. Notes of Proceedings from February 2 to May 14, 1644 to page 64. 3. Notes of Proceedings from September 4, 1644 to January 3, 1645 to page 100. By consulting Lightford we learn that the time between May and September was occupied chiefly in debates respecting ordination, the mode of dispensing the Lord's Supper, excommunication and baptism, with some minor points. 4. Debates in the Subcommittee respecting the Directory, 4th of March to 10th of June, p. 101-102. 5. Notes of Proceeding in the Grand Committee. from September 20th to October 25th, 1644, page 103-7. This part of the manuscript, though short, is of very considerable importance, as giving us a specimen of the manner in which the Grand Committee acted. The Grand Committee was composed of some of the most influential persons of the Lords, of the Commons and of the Assembly, together with the Scottish Commissioners. The duty of that committee was to consult together respecting the subjects to be brought before the Assembly, and to prepare a formal statement on those subjects for the purpose of regular deliberation. By this process a large amount of debate was precluded, and the leading men were unable to understand each other's sentiments before more public discussions began. And as the Scottish commissioners were necessarily constituent members of the committee, Their influence in directing the whole proceedings was both very great and in constant operation. Lightfoot's journal gives no account of the proceedings of this Committee. 6. A paper on excommunication, etc. It has already been mentioned that this paper is nearly identical with part of a chapter in the Aaron's Rod. 7. A short note on some discussions which took place in the Committee of the General Assembly at Edinburgh on the 7th and 8th of February 1645, at the time when Bailey and Gillespie laid before the Assembly the Directory which had been recently completed. 8. The Ordinance of the Two Houses of the English Parliament, 12th June 1643, summoning the Assembly of Divines. This is added chiefly for the purpose of showing the intention of the Parliament in calling the Assembly. It has been already stated that there are two manuscript volumes purporting to be copies of Gillespie's notes. One of these is in octavo and seems to have been carefully taken, and the other is in quarto and appears to be partly a copy, partly an abstract. It is Gillespie's In it Gillespie is always spoken of in the third person, which has caused many variations. The transcriber has also made many omissions, not only of one, but of several paragraphs at a time. frequently passing over the remarks of the several speakers. It appears to have been his object to copy chiefly the argumentative part of the manuscript. This defective transcription had belonged to Mr William Veitch, as appears from his name written on the cover and first page, with the edition Minister of Pebbles 1691. In the copy transcribed for the press, the Octavo manuscript has been followed The quarto, however, along with Lightfoot, has been found useful in correcting the scripture references, which had ought to be carefully examined and verified, but sometimes all three fail to give satisfaction, and a conjectural substitute has been given, enclosed in brackets, and with a point of interrogation. In concluding these remarks, we cannot help expressing great gratification to see for the first time a complete edition of the works of George Gillespie, and in order also to complete the memoir, we add, as an appendix, some very interesting extracts from the Maitland Club edition of Wadgrove's Elector, chiefly relative to his last illness and death. Page 37 Appendix Extracts from Wadgrove's Analecta, Maitland Club Edition. Mr George Gillespie. Mr George Gillespie, first minister of Kilcaldy, and afterwards minister of Edinburgh, when he was a child he seemed to be somewhat dull and soft-like, so his mother would have stricken and abused him, and she would have made him much of Patrick, his younger brother. His father, Mr John Gillespie, minister of Kilcaldy, was angry to see his wife Carrie so to his son George, and he would have said, My heart, let alone Though Patrick may have some respect given to him in church, yet my son George will be the great man in the Church of Scotland. And he said of him when he was a dying, George, George, I have gotten many a brave promise for thee. And indeed he was very soon a great man, for it is reported that before he was a preacher he wrote the English Popish Ceremonies. He was, of all ministers in his time, one of the greatest men for disputing and arguing so that he was, being but a young man, much admired by the assembly at Westminster, by all that heard him, he being one of the youngest members that was there. I heard old Patrick Simpson say, that he heard his cousin, Mr. George Gillespie, say, that no man who is called of God to any work be it never so great and difficult, distressed God for assistance, as I clearly found at that great assembly at Westminster. If I were to live a long time in the world, I would not desire a more noble life than the life of pure and single dependence on God. For, said he, though I may have acclaimed to some gifts of learning and parts, did I ever found more advantage by single looking to God for assistance than by all the parts and gifts that ever I could pretend to at that time. When he was at London he would be often on his knees in another time reading and writing, and when he was sitting in that great assembly at Westminster he was often observed to have a little book and to be marking down something with his pen in that book. even when some of the most learned men, as Coleman and Selden, were delivering their long and learned orations. And all he was writing was, for the most part, his pithy ejaculations to God, writing these words, Da lucem domine, da lucem, when these learned men had ended their oration. A moderator proposed who should give an answer to their discourse. They all generally voted Mr. Gillespie to be the person. He, being a young man, seemed to blush, and desired to be excused, when so many old and learned divines were present. Yet all the brethren, with one voice, determined he should be the person that should give an answer to that learned oration. Though he seemed to take little heed, yet, being thus pressed, he rose up, and resumed all the particulars of that learned oration very distinctly, and answered every part of it fully. But all that heard him were amazed and astonished. for he died in 1648 and was then about 36 years of age. Mr. Callamy, if I be not forgotten, said, we were ready to think more of Mr. Gillespie than was truly meet, if he had not been stained by being against our way and judgment for the engagement. He was one of the great men that had a chief hand in penning our most excellent confession of faith in catechisms. He was a most grave and bold man, and had a most wonderful gift given him for disputing and arguing. My father told me he observed that when there was a considerable number of ministers met, there were several of our great nobles who were strongly reasoning with our ministers about the engagement of 1648. When Mr. Gillespie was busy studying his sermon that he was to preach before the Parliament tomorrow, the ministers sent privately for Mr. Gillespie, whom he observed to come in very quietly, and very Lord of Dale, Glen Cairn, and some others, rose up and debated very strongly for the engagement. Mr. Gillespie rose up and answered them so fully and distinctly, firstly, secondly, and thirdly, that he fully silenced them all. And Glen Ken said, There is no standing before this great and mighty man. I heard worthy Mr. Rowett say that Mr. Gillespie said, The more truly great a man is, he was really the more humble and low in his own eyes. As the instance in the great man Daniel, and said he, God did not make a choice of some of us as his instruments in this glorious work of reformation, because we were more fit than others, but rather because we were more unfit than others. It was called Malius Malignantium, and Mr. Bailey, writing to some in his church, And ent Mr. George Gillespie said, he was truly an ornament to our church and nation. And Mr. James Brown, late minister of Glasgow, told me that there was an English gentleman said to him that he heard Mr. Gillespie preach, and he said he believed he is one of the greatest Presbyterians in the world. He was taken from the Greyfriars church to the new church. He has written several pieces, as Aaron's rod blossoming and some miscellany questions, and his assertion on the government of the Church of Scotland about ruling elders. Here are several little books wherein he set down his remarks, upon the proceedings of the Assembly at Westminster, Wadgrove's Elector, Volume 3, page 109-118. What follows here I have in conversation with Mr. Patrick Simpson, whose memory was most exact. What concerns Mr. Gillespie and the Marquis of Montrose, I read over to him and he corrected. The rest are hints I set down after conversation, when two or three days with him in his house at Renfrew in the year 1707. Account of the last illness and death of Mr. George Gillespie Mr. George Gillespie, being moderator of the Assembly held at Edinburgh, July 12, 1648, was all the time thereof, as also half a year before, in great weakness of body than ordinary, that being now come to a height which long before had been gathering. He had a great hosting and sweating, which in the time of the General Assembly began to grow worse, but being extraordinarily, so I may say, upheld, he was not so sensible as when the assembly dissolved it appeared to be. On occasion whereof, the next Wednesday, after the rising of the assembly, he went with his wife over to Kulkaldi, there intending to tarry for a space, till it should please the Lord, by the use of means to restore him to some more health, to come over him. But when he was come there his weakness and disease grew daily more and more, so that no application of any strength durst be used towards him. It came to that he kept his chamber still to his death, wearing and wasting, hosting and sweating. Ten days before his death his sweating went away and his hosting lessened, yet his weakness still increased. and his flux still continued. On Wednesday morning, which day he began to keep his bed, his pain began to be very violent, his breath more obstructed, his heart oppressed, and that growing all the next night to a very great height, in the midst of the night there were letters written to his brother, and Mr. Rutherford, and Mr. John Rowe, his death approaching fast. On Friday all day, and Thursday all night, he was at some Friday at night till Saturday in the afternoon in great violence, a greatness of pain causing want of sleep. Mr. Rutherford and Lord Craig Hillel came to visit him, as much for his body. Now I'll speak a little of what concerns his soul and the exercise of his mind all the while. Monday, December the 11th, 1648, came by Lords Argyle, Castles, Elko, and Worreston to visit him. He did faithfully declare his mind to them, as public men, in that point whereof he hath left a testimony to the view of the world, as afterwards, and speaking was very burdensome, yet he spared not very freely to parson their duty upon them. The exercise of his mind all the time of his sickness was very sad and constant, without comfortable manifestations. and sensible presence for the time, yet he continued in a constant faith of adherence, which ended in an adhering assurance, his grips growing still still the stronger. One day, a fortnight before his death, he had leaned down on a little bed, and taken a fit of faintness, his mind being heavily exercised, and lifting up his eyes, his expression fell with great weight from his mouth. O my dear Lord, forsake me not for ever. His weariness of this life was very great, and his longing to be relieved, and to be where the veil would be taken away. Page 39. Tuesday, December 14, 1648. He was in heavy sickness, and three pastors came in the afternoon to visit him, of whom one said to him, The Lord hath made you faithful in all he hath employed you in. and is likely we be put to the trial, therefore what encouragement give you us their inent?' Whereto he answered in few words, I have gotten more by the Lord's immediate assistance than ever I had by study, in the disputes I had in the assembly of divines in England. Therefore let never man distrust God for assistance that cast themselves on him, and follow his calling. For my own part The time that I have had in the exercise of the ministry is but a moment, to which sentence another pastor answered, but your moment hath exceeded the grey heads of others. This I may speak without flattery, to which he answered, disclaiming it with a no, for he desired still to have Christ exalted, as he said at the same time and another. And at other times, when any such things were spoken to him, What are all my righteousnesses, but rotten rags, all that I have done cannot abide the touchstone of His justice. They are all but abominations. And as an unclean thing, when they are reckoned between my God and me, Christ is all things, and I am nothing. The other pastor, when the rest were out, asked whether he was enjoying the comforts of God's presence, or if they were for a time suspended. He answered, Indeed they were suspended. Then within a little while he said, Comforts? Ay, comforts, meaning that they were not easily attained. His wife said, What reckoned the comforts, if believing, is not suspended? He said, No. Speaking farther to that his condition, he said, although that I should never see any more light of comfort than I do see, yet I shall adhere and do believe that he is mine and I am his. The next morrow, being Friday, he not being able to write, did dictate out of the rest of a paper which he had been before writing himself, and did subscribe it before two witnesses, who also did subscribe wherein he gave faithful and clear testimony to the work and cause of God, and against the enemies thereof, to stop the mouths of calumniators, and confirm his children. In all his discourses this was mixed as one thing, that he longed for the time of relief, and rejoiced because it was so near. His breath being very short, he said, Where the alleluias are sung to the Lamb, there is no shortness of breath. And being in very great pain all the Friday night, his mother said in the morning, In all appearance you will not have another night. To which he said, Think you that your word will hold good? She said, I fear it will hold over good. He said, Not over good. That day he blessed his children and some others, Mr. Patrick Simpson, the writer of this, and said, God bless you, And as you carry the name of your grandfather, so God grant you his graces. That afternoon, being Saturday, came Mr. Samuel Rutherford, who among other things said, The day, I hope, is dawning, and breaking in your soul, that shall never have an end. He said, It is not broken yet, but though I walk in the darkness and see no light, yet I will trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon my guard." Mr. Samuel said, "'Would not Christ be a welcome guest to you?' He answered, "'Welcome, the welcomest guest that ever I saw.'" He said further, "'Doth not your soul have Christ above all things?' He answered, "'I love him heartily. and whoever knew anything of him, but would love him. Mr. James Wilson, going to pray, asked what petitions he would have him to put up for him. He said, for more of himself, and strength to carry me through the dark valley. Saturday night he became weaker, and inclined to drowsiness and sleeping, and was discerned in his drowsiness and little to raid. Yet being till the last half-hour in his full and perfect senses, and having taken a little jelly and drink, for half an hour before his death, he spake as sensibly betwixt as ever, and blessed some persons that morning with very spiritual and heavenly expressions. About seven or eight o'clock his drowsiness increased, and he was overheard in it speaking, after he had spoken more imperfectly some words before, those words Glory, glory, a seeing of God, a seeing of God, I hope it shall be for his glory. After he had taken a little refreshment of jelly, and a little drink through a reed, he said that the giving him these things made him drowsy, and a little afterwards, there is great drowniness on me, I know not how it comes. Page 40 His wife, seeing the time draw near, spoke to him and said, The time of your relief is now near, and hard at hand, he answered, I long for that time, O happy they that are there! This was the last word he was heard sensibly to speak. Mr. Frederick Carmichael being there, they went to prayer, expecting death so suddenly. In the midst of prayer he left rattling, and the pangs and fetches of death began thence, his senses went away. Whereupon they rose from prayer, and beheld till, in a very gentle manner, the pins of his tabernacle were loosed. He said, Say not over good, because he thought she wronged him, so far in wishing the contrary of what he longed for. Mr. Carmichael said, You have been very faithful, and the Lord has honoured you to do Him very much service, and now you are to get your reward. He answered, I think it reward enough that ever I got leave to do him any service in truth and sincerity. This account was dictated to me by Mr. Patrick Simpson, Mr. Gillespie's cousin, who was with him to his last sickness and at his death, and took minutes at the time of these his expressions. I read it over after I had written it to him. He corrected some words and said to me, this is all I mind about his expressions toward his clothes. They made some impression on me at the time, and I then set them down. I have not read the paper that I mind these forty years, but I am pretty positive these were his very words. A day or two after I went in with him to his closet to look for another paper, for now he had almost lost his sight, and in a bundle I fell on the paper he wrote at the time and told him of it. When we compared it with what I wrote, there was not the least variation betwixt the original and what I wrote, save an inconsiderable word or two. Here, I'll tell you. What is an instance, which is an instance of a strong memory the greatest ever I knew. Subscribed, Mr. R. Wadgrove, September 8, 1707, Wadgrove's Analecta, Volume 1, pages 154-159. What follows about Mr. Gillespie I wrote also from Mr. Simpson's mouth. George Gillespie was born January 21, 1613. He was First Minister of Ouimich, the first admitted under Presbytery, 1638. He was Minister of Ouimich about two years. He was very young when laureate, before he was seventeen. He was chaplain first to my Lord Kenmure, then to the Lord of Cassilis. When he was at Kassilis, he wrote his English Popish Ceremonies, which, when printed, he was about 22. He wrote a dialogue between a civilian and divine, a piece against toleration, entitled Wholesome Severity Reconciled with Christian Liberty. He died in strong faith of adherence, though in darkness as to assurance, which faith of adherence he preached much. He died December 17, 1648. If he had lived to January the 21st, 1649, he had been 36 years. The last paper he wrote was the Commission of the Kirk's Answer to the State's Observations on the Declaration of the General Assembly and the Unlawfulness of the Engagement. The observations were penned, as my relator supposes, by Mr William Colville, who wrote all these kind of papers for the Committee of Estates, and printed during the Assembly whereof he was moderator. They could not overtake it, but remitted it to the Commission to sit on Monday, and Miss Gillespie wrote the answer on Saturday and the Sabbath, when he, the thing requiring haste, stayed from sermon, and my informer, Mr. Patrick Simpson, transcribed it against Monday at ten, when it passed without any alteration. And just the week after, he went over to Fife, where he died. He was not full ten years in the ministry. He had all his sermons in England, part polemical, part practical, prepared for the press, and but one copy of them, which he told the prince's wife he used to deal with, and bade her have a care of them. and she was prevailed on by some money from the sectaries who were mauled by him to suppress them. He was very clear in all his notions and the manner of expressing them. There are six volumes in eight-vow manuscript which he wrote at the Assembly of Divines remaining. Wadgrove's Analecta, Volume 1, page 159 to 160. This recording ends. The next recording begins with the dispute against the English Popish ceremonies of Truded on the Church of Scotland by Gillespie. Still Waters Revival Books is now located at PuritanDownloads.com. It's your worldwide, online Reformation home for the very best in free and discounted classic and contemporary Puritan and Reformed books, MP3s, and videos. 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