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his own confessions, was ever led. At the same time that the sentence of deposition was passed upon him, the queen's advocate craved the use of the process, which was granted accordingly.*

Against this sentence Mr. Hepburn entered his protest, and immediately thereafter, the parishioners of Urr declared their firm and faithful adherence to him, in a paper bearing the highest testimony to his worth as a christian, and his faithfulness as a minister. The same people, in the beginning of May, prepared a long protestation on his behalf, and appointed commissioners to give it in to the synod of Dumfries, which was expected to meet there upon the eighth of that month. Protestations were also prepared by many individuals, read on his behalf in the audience of the congregations where they respectively resided, and afterwards affixed to the church doors.t

Mr. Hepburn, in the mean time, returned to his parish, and exercised his ministry as if no such sentence had been passed upon him, and, as the Union was now upon the tapis, acquired additional popularity by pointing out the manifold mischiefs, particularly of a religious kind, with which he supposed it to be fraught. Nor did he content himself with merely preaching against it. He also, with his adherents, addressed her majesty's commissioner and honourable estates of parliament on the subject, in language brief but specific, and such as, there cannot be a doubt, spoke at that time the real feelings of the nation.

This conduct could not fail to be highly offensive to the managers of church affairs, who, by their moderation, were peculiarly anxious to recommend themselves to the English ministry, yet Mr. Hepburn, and the people adhering to him, seem to have been so serious, so much disposed to a peaceable accommodation of their differences, and, at the same time, so firm in maintaining what they held to be the public cause of truth and the rights of conscience, as to have commanded the respect, if not the approbation, of a very great proportion

* Unprinted acts of the General Assembly, 1705. † Humble Pleadings, &c. pp. 247, 248.

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Ibid. &c. pp. 250-255.

of the ministers, as well as the members of the church of Scotland. Accordingly, we find the commission of the assembly this year, though they cited him before them, putting off his case from time to time, and at last referring it back to the assembly, which again gave it in charge to their commission. Before that commission Mr. Hepburn appeared, in the month of June, 1707, where, having expressed his opinion, that it would be for the edification of the church that he were reponed to his parish, as also his earnest desire to be so, they, at an adjourned meeting, in the month of August, after some days' serious deliberation, reponed him to his parish, which had also petitioned them to that effect. The commission seem to have acted with great caution, and to have had a sincere desire to promote the cause of truth and peace; but when their transactions were brought under the review of next assembly, they were attested according to the 6th act of the assembly, 1706, with this remark, "That there are such irregularities in the commission's procedure, in taking the sentence of deposition off Mr. John Hepburn, that the assembly do not approve the commission's taking off that sentence; and enjoin, That in time coming, commissions strictly observe the acts of assembly, and not transgress the same upon any pretence whatsomever; and empower the commission of this assembly to inquire into what has been Mr. Hepburn's deportment since he was. reponed, and to proceed as they shall see cause."* It does not appear that the commission felt themselves called upon to do any thing further in the matter, and Mr. Hepburn continued in the exercise of his ministry, exerting himself strenuously against what he considered the prevailing evils and defections of the time, which, far from being lessened, either in number or degree, were, from the unhappy complexion of succeeding administrations, greatly augmented, as we shall have occasion to remark in the sequel.

The above short retrospect brings us up to the first General Assembly after the Union, which, from the part presbyterians had acted with regard to the invasion, received this year,

* Unprinted acts of assembly, 1707.

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1708, fully more than its usual share of civility. David, earl of Glasgow, a nobleman generally respected, as being favourable to the interests of the church, was appointed commissioner; and the letter from the queen breathed nothing but kindness. "We cannot but acknowledge," says her majesty, "our satisfaction with the zeal and affection the ministers have shown at this juncture to our person and government, upon the appearance of an invasion by our enemies; and we doubt not of your being all in the same good disposition, and that ye will encourage the people in their loyalty to us, and in abhorrence of this design, which will subvert our religion and all that is dear to us. We again assure you of our firm resolution to maintain the government of the church of Scotland as it is by law established, and to protect you in the free enjoyment of all the rights and privileges that by law you are possessed of. And not doubting but you will act in such a manner in this assembly, as that we shall have new reasons to be satisfied with you, we bid you heartily farewell."+ The assembly in return, after thanking the queen for the notice she had, with so much goodness, taken of the affection and loyalty of the ministers of the church, go on to say, "We find ourselves obliged, under the most sacred ties of duty and gratitude to your majesty, our only rightful sovereign, to encourage more and more the people under our care in their loyalty to your majesty, and firm adherence to the present happy establishment. The renewed assurance your majesty is pleased to give, of your firm resolution to maintain the presbyterian government of this church, as by law established, and to protect us in the enjoyment of all our rights and privileges, is to us most acceptable, and shall ever be

* "All the presbyterians, and you in particular, have been very happy of having this opportunity to testify your zeal and loyalty to her majesty's person and government, and your fixed resolutions to withstand and oppose the popish pretender. This has rendered all the presbyterians very acceptable to her majesty, and has also secured to them many friends here. My l. Glasgow is sent down to be the commissioner to the ensuing assembly, and the letter to it, and the instructions, will give satisfaction." Earl of Seafield to Mr. Carstares, March 17th, 1708. State Papers, and Letters addressed to William Carstares, &c. p. 764.

+ Queen's letter to the assembly, 1708.

obliging upon us to manage ourselves so as to witness our sincere and deep resentment of this blessing of your royal favour."* They add further, in an address to her majesty, "We have had so many marks of your royal favour, and are so happy in having such a sovereign, that we should be enemies to ourselves, and regardless of all that ought to be dear to us, as men and as christians, as well as unaccountably undutiful to your majesty, if we were not earnest in our prayers to God, for your majesty's preservation, and for the stability of your throne; and if we had not the utmost abhorrence of the late no less bold than mischievous attempt that was made by the French monarch to invade this kingdom with an armed force, on design to assist a popish pretender, in usurping the sovereignty of your majesty's kingdoms, which you govern by a most unquestionable title, a title that we, in our stations, and by all means proper for us, are resolved to maintain with a firm and unbiassed zeal."+ To mark still more strongly their feelings upon this point, the assembly, "Considering what a surprising deliverance the gracious God hath been pleased in his infinite goodness to bestow upon us, in this land in particular, from a threatened invasion of cruel enemies, whereby, according to the unchangeable course of popery and tyranny, by which this invasion was managed, we were inevitably to lay our account, not only with the scattering of our families, and spoiling of our goods, but also the violent invading of our persons and consciences, by methods of cruelty worse than fire or faggot, as the known massacres of Paris, in the year 1572, and of the protestants in Ireland, in the year 1641; and the continued cruelties used against the protestants in France, especially since the year 1685, can testify and witness to the world; and that God did thus graciously appear for us, when we were unworthy of the least kind regard from him, being a people laden with iniquity, &c. &c. appointed a day of thanksgiving to be observed in all the parishes within this national church."+

*General Assembly's answer to the Queen's letter, 1708. + Printed acts of assembly, 1708.

Act concerning a solemn national thanksgiving, 1708. Mr. William Carstares, moderator, Mr. John Stirling and Mr. Robert Baillie, ministers,

This assembly passed an act against popery, and an act for suppressing schism and disorders in the church, directed particularly against Mr. James Farquhar, minister at Tyrie, who had been assisting to Mr. John Mackmillan, and Mr. John Hepburn, and Mr. John M'Neilie or Macneil, of whom we have already spoken, as going along with Mr. John Mackmillan. In their instructions to the commission, this assembly paid a most laudable attention to the erection of schools in every parish, and, with regard to the Highlands and Islands, that every thing might be done, tending to the advancement of religion and reformation, and "that all due assistance and encouragement be given to any proposals that may be made for propagating the knowledge of God, and our Lord Jesus Christ, in these and other foreign parts of the world." An act and recommendation was also passed by this assembly, concerning the ministerial visitation of families, which, if we may judge from the practice of many ministers, is now considered obsolete, but which contains so many excellent and plain directions for that most important duty, that it were to be wished the assembly would revive it. * The

with David, earl of Glasgow, ruling elder, were likewise commissioned to wait upon the queen, and testify the assembly's firm loyalty to her majesty, and to congratulate her upon the merciful deliverance of her dominions from the late threatened invasion from France, and to thank her majesty for her gracious promise, to cause put in execution the laws against popery, profaneness, and other disorders. Unprinted acts of assembly, 1708.

* Act and Recommendation concerning Ministerial Visitation of

Families.

At Edinburgh, April 27th, 1708, Session 13th, et ult. The General Assembly finding that overtures concerning the ministerial visitation of families have been transmitted to the several presbyteries within this national church for their opinions thereanent; and that the plurality of the presbyteries who returned their opinions about the same, have consented to the passing of these overtures in manner aftermentioned: and the General Assembly judging that what is therein proposed may be of great use to the ministers of the gospel, though not as binding rules, yet as an help to them when they go about that necessary work of family visitation; therefore, this General Assembly did unanimously, and hereby do recommend the same as such, to the several ministers of this national church; the tenor whereof follows:

Seeing, for the faithful discharge of minister's work, they ought, beside

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