Conversion of John Munro (Caird) Filsfearn.
[The following extract, giving an account of John Munro’s conversion, is taken from the “Memoirs of the Life of Mr Thomas Hog.” It is alike interesting as illustrating God’s wonderful ways of dealing, and the extraordinary change that can be produced by divine grace. John Munro, who afterwards became one of the most eminent Christians of Ross-shire, was an ancestor of Rev. John Munro, Halkirk, a sketch of whose life appeared in former issues.]
THERE was in this parish a bold young fellow, John Munro, or Caird, so called from his occupation, being a tinker by trade, to distinguish him from the other Munros with whom that country abounds. This man, who loved to give and take his bottle, and was accounted witty and facetious, happened to have a child to baptise; but accounting Mr Hog too rigid in his examination, he had no will to go to him; but go he must, for the discipline of the church in those days permitted no man to go without the bounds of his own parish for baptism, without a licence from his minister, which did mightily strengthen the authority of ministers. So John Caird being shut up in this dilemma, either to want baptism to his child, or go to his minister, at length resolves upon the latter. Mr Hog received him courteously, and knowing his errand, took him apart and examined him, but finding him unqualified to receive the seal of the covenant, he told him so much in plain language, and gave him his best advice to agree with God, “while he was in the way” of life; and recommended to him to get the Assembly’s Shorter Catechism by heart, and to come next week to give account of his success. John goes home, being as yet insensible of his mercy, he was in no haste to comply with the advice given him, nor to return to his minister at the time appointed. However, the case straitened him, and therefore return he must once more, and he was resolved it should be but once. So he comes again to his minister, and in an insulting manner asks him how long he would be so cruel as to keep his child from baptism. Mr Hog answered him with meekness, that the cruelty was on his own side, who was at no pains for his salvation and the salvation of his child; and added, “If I should administer baptism to your child without warning you of your hazard, I should be more cruel than you, for you would perish in your iniquity, and God would require your blood at my hands.” To enforce the reproof, Mr. Hog asked some questions concerning the nature of sin and wrath; but John, fretted therewith, said, in a peremptory manner, “Well, minister, will you give me baptism to my child or not?” and Mr Hog answering, “The Lord’s time is the best time; when you are fitter to receive that privilege, I shall be more willing to grant it.” John was angry, and said, “Well, sir, keep it to yourself; you’ll give me baptism when I ask it again; farewell.” And so he went off in a huff.
But by the time John Caird reached his own house, he found great uneasiness in his mind. The thoughts of what Mr Hog represented to him did pursue him, and particularly what he said concerning sin, wrath to come, and the necessity of being reconciled to God. When night came he went to bed as usual, but could not sleep; his thoughts troubled him; so up he arose, and set about prayer, a duty to which he was a very great stranger, and finding his distress to grow, he goes next day to the minister. Mr Hog, knowing the haughtiness of the man’s spirit, was surprised to see him come so soon back, yet he received him kindly, and asked what brought him to-day. The other answered that he had had no rest in his mind since he was with him; that he was followed, as with a familiar spirit, with the thoughts of God’s wrath against him for sin; and was so full of ignorance of God, and of sin and duty, heaven and hell, that he could form no right judgment concerning them. Upon this information, Mr Hog instructed him at great length concerning the important subjects above named, and then prayed with him; and finding remarkable assistance vouchsafed to him in both these duties, and having otherwise an excellent discerning of the gracious operations of the Spirit of grace, he gave the man such directions as he judged proper for a person in his condition, and desired him to bring forward his child for baptism with the first opportunity, for now (said he) I hope God hath begun to convince you of sin and misery, and will, in His own good time, discover the remedy to you. But John refused to do this as peremptorily as before he had requested for the benefit of it; and being filled with a sense of his rebellion against God, he added, “No, no, no baptism for me, I have no right to it; nothing is due to me but hell and damnation.” Mr Hog still urged him to bring forward his child, but he would not be prevailed on to do so, and away he went in tears, requesting the minister to continue his prayers, if peradventure God would have mercy on him. A work of conviction continued with this man, which was found to be real, clear, and permanent. Mr Hog, whose concern for him was very great, found the work of grace advancing most sweetly in his soul; yet all this time his mind was not calmed; his disquiet continued for several months after, when to his sweet experience and exceeding joy, the hand which wounded him did also heal him, which happened as follows:—
Upon a certain Lord’s Day, John Caird arose early, and his cries unto God vied with the dawning of the morning. In his prayer he got such a sight of sin, as filled him with great abasement; and he was made to cry to God for mercy, with all the arguments he could form; and gave not over until he obtained a glimpse of hope, that God would have mercy upon him. Yet in a little the former load on his spirit recoiled upon him. When he came to church, he found more uneasiness than he expected. Atheism and heart plagues did fiercely assault him, and he was afraid lest he should perish by them; but to his great surprise, the hour came when his dead soul was made to hear words of eternal life. The minister was directed to preach Christ so clearly to his very soul, that he found it a time of love and a day of salvation, so that he was in a very transport of joy; and after the first sermon, he comes to the minister’s closet door, which, contrary to his custom at other times, he had forgotten to bolt at that time. So in the man comes, and though he found worthy Mr Hog on his knees, such was honest John’s transport, for now I may call him honest, that he cried, “Mr Thomas, O Mr Thomas, turn your prayers to praises on my account, for this day salvation is come to my soul.” Mr Hog was amazed to find any giving him disturbance in time of secret prayer; but cut short, as if he had been at a close; and being wise and composed, he did conceal his surprise, and examine the other gravely and composedly, and found a most comfortable and satisfying account of the impressions made by that sermon upon his mind, will, and affections, viz., upon his mind, while the minister was representing the glory of Christ, and how wonderfully well fitted he is for the salvation of sinners. “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shined on his soul, giving him the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,” which turned his will to the acceptation of the Saviour, and to resign himself to him on his own terms; upon which he found his soul filled with wonder, joy, and peace unspeakable. Of the truth and ingenuousness of this account, Mr Hog was very well satisfied, and, according to John Caird’s request, he turned his prayers into praises on his account; and good reason he had got doing so, for this man proved one of the most remarkable converts in this country, or perhaps in the kingdom, and continued to adorn the doctrine of God his Saviour to the end of his life, which was not for many years after this. And it was observable in him, that he carried a great resemblance of Mr Hog ever after, in a solid discerning of persons and spirits in matters of religion, as it was in several other worthy persons, who acknowledged Mr Hog as their spiritual father in Christ Jesus. “I had,” says Mr James Hog, “the happiness to see him twice or thrice, and to converse a considerable while with him, by the means of the Rev. Mr William Stuart, minister of Inverness, who interpreted for us both; and I must say that, except the great Mr Thomas Hog, no person ever tried me, and went so much to the very bottom of my heart, as he was directed to do, both as to the ground-work and the most important concerns of a Christian life. He was then of a great age, not many years under a hundred, and though very frail in body, yet fully ripe in understanding, memory, and other soul faculties, and advanced in saving grace to a prodigy. While conversing with him I thought I was, as it were, at the feet of one of the old prophets, for besides a wonderful penetrating reach, his aspect was full of majesty and gravity.”
THE COVENANT OF GRACE.—In the covenant of grace God requires the truth of grace, not any certain measure; and a spark of fire is fire as well as the whole element. Therefore, we must look to grace in the spark as well as in the flame. All have not the like strong, yet the like precious faith, whereby they lay hold, and put on, the perfect righteousness of Christ. A weak hand may receive a rich jewel; a few grapes will show that the plant is a vine, and not a thorn. It is one thing to be wanting in grace, and another thing to want grace altogether. God knoweth we have nothing of ourselves, therefore in the covenant of grace He requireth no more than He giveth, and giveth what He requireth, and accepteth what He giveth. He that hath not a lamb, may bring a pair of turtle doves.—R. Sibbes, D.D.