particullar (which he assured him wold easilly pass in most ample forme by reasone of the Counsells kyndness and goodnes to the supplicant) but also in behalf of others who should heirafter obtaine his bursary and should be qwalified and attested as wes ther reqwyred. The Ordor and Warrand being produced as also the testemony and declaration of the Primar, Professor and Masters of the Colledge in behalf of the petitioners sone as wes reqwisite, Beseekand therfor the Provost, Baillies and Counsell by ther act to confirme the said Ralph Hendersone to the forsaid benefeit for thrie years next after Lambes that he, according to Doctor Lightoun's desyre, might be brede in the knowledge of Divinety to serve Christ and the Church in the holly ministry, which wes the great designe and end of that mortificatioun as the petitione bears. Which togither with the forsaid Order of Doctor Lightouns rellative to the said mortificatioun, togither with the forsaid testificate in favors of the said Ralph Hendersone subscrived by the Principal, Professor of Divinity and Masters of the Colledge of this Cittie bearing his proficiensy in Philosophy and his inclinatioun to prosecute his stwddies of Divinity and his abiletyes to prosecwte his saids Stwdies in Theologie being considdered by the Counsell, they have admitted and conforme to the said Doctor Lightoun his said letter of presentatioun admitts the said Ralph Hendersone, sone to the said Mr. William Hendersone, to be ane bursar of Theologie of the said Doctor Lightouns fowndatioun, and that for the space of thrie years after Lambes nixt, at which tyme his course of philosophy expyres, and allowes the dewes to him apperteineing to that bursary conforme to the said Letter of Presentatioun rellative to the said Doctor Lightouns Mortificatioun and appoynts the Thesaurer of the Colledge to pay the same to him qwarterly beginand his first qwarters payment thairof by advance from Lambes to Hallowmes next and soe furth qwarterly dureing the said thrie years efter the said terme of Lambes next.

11th May, 1685. The same day anent the Petitione Vol. 13, fol. given in be Mr. William Cleilland, Stwdent of Divinety

170.

Vol. 31, fol. 195.

Mose's In

ventory, vol.

ii.

p. 240,

bdle. 270, No. 8481.

in the Colledge of this brugh, mentioneing that he wes resolved to prosecute his Stwddies of Divinety in the said Colledge but not haveing money necessary for the prosecutione thairof and being enformed that the lait most reverend father in god Doctor Robert Lightoun, Arch bishop of Glasgow, had mortified to the Colledge of this bwrgh ane hundreth and fyftie pound starling for the mentinance of ane bursar of divinety therin and that ther is not as yet any preferred therto, the Good Toun as patrones of the said Colledge haveing the presentatioun thereof and therfor craveand that the Counsell wold preferre the supplicant to the said Bursarie soe soon as the samyn should occur as the Petitione bears. The Counsell in answer to the forsaid petitione preferrs the petitioner to the bursarie of Doctor Robert Lightoun conforme to the Mortificatioun immediately efter the hundred and fyftie pound Starling contained in the Mortificatioun is payed in to the Toun for the use of the Colledge. Sic subscribitur George Dummond, Provost.

14th August, 1685. The same day the Toun Thesaurer reported he had receaved of a legacie left by Bishop Lightoun to the Colledge ane hundreth and fyftie pound Starling. The Counsell appoynts the said Thesaurer to be charged therwith in his accompts.

16th January, 1668. Tack of the Teinds and Lands of Langton, and others, granted by Bishop Leighton, Bishop of Dunblain.

Letter from Mr. Robert Leighton to the Lord Provost Mose's In- of Edinburgh relative to the affairs of the Colledge.

ventory, vol.

ii. p.

288, No date given, and this letter is stated to have been bdle. 201, "removed to the volume of Letters."

No. 7212.

Report

on

16, p. 171.

Discharge granted by Sir James Campbell, of AbernCity Monu chill, Mr. Mathew Wallace, Minister of the Gospel at ments, vol. Kincardine, and Mr. Archibald Gibson, Minister of the Gospel in Dunblane (three of the Trustees of the Library in Dunblane founded by the late Reverend Bishop Leighton) to the Good Town of Edinburgh for the sum of £10 Sterling contained in a Bond granted by the Good Town to the said Trustees. Dated at Dunblane and Edinburgh 28th October and 8th November, 1720.

CHAPTER X

LEIGHTON'S TRANSITION FROM PRESBYTERY TO

EPISCOPACY

EFORE reaching conclusions, it is necessary to state

BEFOR

the evidence upon which they are founded, and Brodie's Diary affords the chief links that connect the period of Robert Leighton's life when he was a Principal in a Presbyterian College, and the time when he became a Bishop in the Restoration Church. Let us take the references in order.

24th May, 1653.

"I spoke with Mr. Leighton: he did shew me, that the composing of our differences was not a harder task than the finding out the Christian Lord's mind by them, both the procuring and final Forbearance. cause. He thought holiness, the love of God and our brethren, was the chief duty God was calling us unto, and sobriety and forbearance to one another. He knew not if it were not from his natural temper, or something of the English air: but he thought it was the safest to incline in mitiorem partem. Much persecution was there upon our imposing upon one another, as if we were infallible, allowing none that differed from ourselves in the least. measure. He thought the Lord would break that which we would so fain hold up, our Judicatories: he had observed so much of our own spirit in them these many years past, that he had lothed them for the most part, and wearied of them. I said, indeed, I thought that our Judicatories these three or four years were much deserted, and without that presence of God in them which sometimes was observed. Our differences were the cause. That the Lord might not be traced in His way, and that none may come after Him: therefore he darkens our mind. . . . Mr. Leighton said, These differences should make the hope of heaven the sweeter. I said, 'Tis true: yet so as not to

weary here or be hasty. He said, It was the more venial extreme, if any were venial, and better than any love of the world. I said, One grain of the world's love was more burdensome and worse than a hundred grains of untimeous desires after heaven. He said, Deferred hope breaks the heart. He said, If the saints knew the advantages and final causes of their differences and trials, they would rather trials. And, indeed, I think the sweet fruit of a sanctified trial is to see mercy in it for correcting our quarrelling, and advantage, which would make us love the Lord better, and so say, 'In faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me, and it was good for me, &c.' Tho' we may not love the sin, yet we may admire and love and adore Him that can extract good to us, and glory to Himself, out of our very infirmities and sin." (Diary, pp. 42, 43.)

The Scottish Parliament having adjourned on the 12th of July, 1661, the Laird of Brodie, in compliance with the advice of some of his political friends, resolved to visit London. His object seems to have been more on behalf of others than for himself, in the hope of obtaining from the King an exemption for them from certain fines either imposed or threatened. This journey he undertook on horseback, and accomplished within eight days. During his protracted stay in London he had to experience the vexations and irksomeness of waiting on at Court, soliciting favours, in which he seems not to have been very successful, in connexion with the affairs of the Earl of Morton, Lord Lorn (afterwards Earl of Argyle), and others, his "poor friends."1

Brodie took ill, evidently under the strain, and was visited by Leighton, who was also in London at the period. The Diary states:

August 31, 1661. . "I was heald and recoverd, and my sickness did not return, but past away at once. Shall I not bless, ador, and acknowledg the hand of the Lord in this? Yes, and shall doue so long as I liue.

"Onlie let it be in mercie: and this is the token that it is in mercie, quhen al is broght to Thee: my health, bodie, spirit, re

couerie ar forthcoming not to myself, but to the Lord and him onli for quhat other end should I liue, or desir to liue? Mr. Lighton did visit me, and gau me this lesson. Lord, seal it on my

hart.” 1 The Laird of Brodie was in London for a considerable time, and on September 14, 1661, the Diary states :

"I heard Bishops were set up in Scotland: the rents that did belong to them arrested," 2 and shortly afterwards there follows an account of an interview with Leighton. September 23, 1661. met with Mr. Lighton, and he exprest much of a tender disposition. Oh, let it not be a sin or snar to him! He said ther was not that Latitude. difference betwix Psts (Papists) and us as to put us to excommunicate and condemn, judg, and persecut one another; we might forbear one another. He said there was as much for the sa(k)cloth as for the surplice. He had a great latitud. Lord, deliver him from snares !"3

Brodie's fears were corroborated by report :

Leighton

September 30, 1661. "I heard Mr. Lighton ininclined to be clined to be a Bishop, and did obserue his loos a Bishop. principals befor anent Surplic, Ceremonie, and Papists. I desird grac to discern what to judg of this, and if the Lord cald me to speak to him or not." 4

... October 13, 1661. "Die Dom. . . . I mentiond this day among others Mr. Lighton to God, that the Lord would minister light, grac, direction to him, that he stumbl not upon the one hand or the other, and be noe occasion to mak others stumbl or sin." 5

The next and subsequent notices of Leighton are of special interest, in so far as they are explicative of his action at this period :

October 25, 1661. "Mr. Lighton din'd with me. . . . I perceaved he was not averss from taking on him to be a Bishop: al was clear to him; ciuil places fre from censurs: he approu'd the organis, antheams, musick in ther worship. He said the greatest error among Papists was ther persecution and want of chariti to us. His intention was to doe good in that plac, and not for ambition. He