A Sketch of his Life and Times
By Rev. John Colquhoun, Glendale
(Continued from page 172)
Commission’s Paper on the Engagement.
The 1648 Assembly did not come to an end till 12th August, and before it ended it directed a paper 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.” On 15th August, 1648, this paper was submitted to the Commission of Assembly and “after some alterations and corrections, the Commission unanimously approved the same.” The Editors of the published Records of the Commission say in a footnote: “Internal evidence points decidedly to George Gillespie, the Moderator, as the main author of this paper, and it is one of the most terse and pithy he ever wrote.” After giving the five arguments of the previous General Assembly to prove the sinfulness and unlawfulness of the Engagement, and showing their Scripturalness by precept and example from the Word of God, it goes on to say, “That we are obliged by solemn Covenant to endeavour the extirpation of heresy and schism is manifest and uncontroverted among us. The point complained of is that under pretence of doing against Sectaries there is an associating and joining with Malignants, a strengthening of the enemies who formerly fought against the Covenant, a casting down of what hath been built, so that the remedy is worse than the disease, and the latter end worse than the beginning. What their Lordships assert of duties to the King have been abundantly answered before. We plead against no duty to the King, but for preferring the glory of God and security of religion to all human interests. We wish their Lordships may here apply to themselves what they have blamed in others, and so we shall conclude with their Lordships’ own words in their late Declaration to the Parliament and kingdom of England:—’We are sorry to see other interests still so carefully provided for, and so little security to religion, which indeed was the main and principal cause of our engagements in the late wars.'”
The last Commission of the General Assembly which George Gillespie attended was on 16th August, 1648. After the meeting held on the following day he left Edinburgh for Kirkcaldy hoping that a change to his native air might prove beneficial to his health, but the Lord, in His Sovereignty, ordered it otherwise. The disease from which he was suffering was, evidently, consumption, and he rapidly became weaker. Though weak in his body we find him on 8th September, from his death-bed, penning the following letter to the Commission of Assembly, which shows the activity of his mind and his great concern for the glory of God and the good of His Cause in the land:—
My very reverend and dear Brethren—Although the Lord’s hand detaineth me from attending your meetings, yet, as long as I can write or speak, I dare not be silent, nor conceal my thoughts of any sinful and dangerous course in the public proceedings. Having, therefore, heard of some motions and beginnings of compliance with those who have been so deeply engaged in a war destructive to religion and the liberties of the kingdom, I cannot but discharge my conscience in giving a testimony against all such compliance. I know, and am persuaded, that all the faithful witnesses that give testimony to the thesis, that the late Engagement was contrary and destructive to the Covenant, will also give testimony to the appendix, that compliance with any who have been active in that engagement is most sinful and unlawful. I am not able to express all the evils of that compliance, that are so many. Sure I am it were a hardening of the malignant party, a wounding of the hearts of the godly, an infinite wronging of those who, from their affection to the Covenant and cause of God, have taken their life in their hand—a great scandal to our brethren in England, who, as they have been strengthened and encouraged by the hearing of the zeal and integrity of the well-affected in this kingdom, and how they opposed the late Engagement; so they would be as much scandalised to hear of a compliance with malignants now. Yea, all that hear of it might justly stand amazed at us, and look upon us as a people infatuated, that can take in our bosom the fiery serpents that have stung us so sore.
But, above all, that which would heighten this sin, even to the heavens, is this: That it were not only a horrible backsliding, but a backsliding into that very sin which was specially pointed at and punished by the prevalency of the malignant party, God justly making them thorns and scourges who were taken in as friends, without any real evidence or fruits of repentance. Alas, shall we split twice upon the same rock, yea, run upon it, when God hath set a beacon upon it? Shall we be so demented as to fall back upon the same sin which was engraven, with great letters, in our late judgment? Yea, I may say, shall we thus outface and out-dare the Almighty, by protecting His and our enemies when He is persecuting them, by making peace and friendship with them when the anger of the Lord is burning against them, by setting them on their feet when God hath cast them down? O shall neither judgments nor deliverances make us wise. I must here apply to our present condition the words of Ezra: “And after all this is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hath given us such deliverance as this; should we again break thy commandments and join us in affinity with the people of these abominations? Wouldest thou not be angry with us, till thou hast consumed us, so that there should be no more remnant nor escaping? ” O happy Scotland, if thou canst now improve aright and not abuse this golden opportunity. But if thou wilt help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord, wrath upon wrath, and woe upon woe, shall be upon thee from the Lord.
This testimony of a dying man, who expects to stand shortly before the tribunal of Christ, I leave with you, my reverend brethren, being confident of you, through the Lord, that ye will be no otherwise minded but that, as men of God, moved with the zeal of God, you will freely discharge your consciences against everything which you see lifting up itself against the kingdom of the Lord Jesus. This shall be your peace and comfort in your latter end. Now the God of all grace establish you, and direct you, and preserve you all blameless to the end, and bring others out of the snare that hanker after that compliance. So prayeth your most affectionate brother, to serve you in which I can to my last.—George Gillespie. This letter is published among his collected works in the Presbyterian Armoury.
The End.
On 17th December, 1648, at the age of thirty-five years, the subject of this sketch passed from this world of sorrow to the place prepared for him by his adorable Saviour. Two days before his death he partly wrote and partly dictated his “Testimony against Association with Malignant Enemies of the Truth and Godliness.” This Testimony was afterwards published along with the foregoing letter, on the same subject, addressed to the Commissioners of the General Assembly, and extracts from some of his sermons. In connection with his death we may quote the words of Dr. Hetherington:—“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 had endeavoured to hide or defame it. Thus had 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 detractors.”
The industrious Woodrow, the Historian, gives a minute account of his last illness and death, which he had from Gillespie’s cousin, Patrick Simson, minister of Renfrew, part of which we quote:—
“The next morrow being Friday, he not being able to write, did dictate out 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 a faithful and clear testimony to the work and Cause of God, and against the enemies thereof, to stop the mouths of calumniators and to confirm his children.
“In all his discourses this was mixed as one thing, that he longed for the time of his relief, and rejoiced because it was so near. His breath being very short, he said, ‘Where the hallelujahs 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 (among them Mr Patrick Simson, 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 darkness and see no light, yet I will trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon my God.’ 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 love Christ above all things?’ He answered, ‘I love Him heartily; who ever knew anything of Him but would love Him.’
“Mr 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 a little to rave; yet being to the last half-hour in his full and perfect senses, and having taken a little jelly and drink, about 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 of the 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; 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 those things made him drowsy; and a little afterwards, ‘there is a great drowsiness on me, I know not how it comes.’
“His wife seeing the time draw near, spake 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 that 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 his rattling (the death-rattle in the throat of the dying man), 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 was buried in Kirkcaldy and a Latin inscription put on his tomb-stone, for the following English translation of which we are indebted to Dr. Hetherington:—“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 ‘Aaron’s Rod Blossoming.’ Having returned to his native country he weakened the violators of the covenant, who were bent on provoking a 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 eye-witness, seen that ruin of the malignants which he had foretold, departing in peace on the same day on which the League of the three kingdoms was solemnly renewed, in the 36th 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 of his country—a son worthy of such a father.”
Through the influence of Archbishop Sharp, the Committee of Estates in 1661 caused his tomb-stone to be brought to the Cross of Kirkcaldy, on a market-day, and broken by the hangman. The inscription, however, was preserved, and in 1746 his grandson, Rev. George Gillespie, minister of Strathmiglo, caused a tablet to be erected to his memory on which the same inscription was carved, with the addition:—“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 standing monument of dutiful regard to his blessed memory; Anno Domini, 1746.”
His character is well summed up by Dr. Hetherington when he says, “George Gillespie was one of that peculiar class of men who start like meteors into sudden splendour, shine with dazzling brilliancy, then suddenly set behind the tomb, leaving their compeers equally to admire and to deplore. When but in his twenty-fifth year, he published a book against what he termed the ‘English Popish Ceremonies,’ which Charles and Laud were attempting to force upon the Church of Scotland. This work, though the production of a youth, displayed an amount and accuracy of learning which would have done honour to any man of the most mature years and scholarship. In the Assembly of Divines, though much the youngest member there, he proved himself one of the most able and ready debaters, encountering, not only on equal terms, but often with triumphant success, each with his own weapons, the most learned, subtle, and profound of his antagonists. He must have been no common man who was ready on any emergency to meet, and frequently to foil, by their own acknowledgment, such men as Selden, Lightfoot, and Coleman, in the Erastian controversy; and Goodwin and Nye in their argument for Independency. But the excessive activity of his ardent and energetic mind wore out his frame; and he returned from his labours in the Westminster Assembly to see once more the church and land of his fathers, and to die.” History of the Westminster Assembly, 3rd ed. p. 146.
The Committee of Estates, by an Act dated 20th December, 1648, which was unanimously ratified by an Act of Parliament, dated 8th June, 1650, voted the sum of £1,000 sterling to his widow and children, “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.” Owing to the trouble and confusion caused by Cromwell’s invasion his wife or family did not get a penny of it.
Though his widow and family were deprived of what their country voted for them yet we are sure that the Lord whom George Gillespie served so faithfully and zealously did not forsake them, but that he often manifested Himself as the God who “relieveth the fatherless and widow.” As a proof of His goodness to them it may be noted that one of his sons, Robert, became a minister of the Church of Scotland, and although he did not attain to his father’s stature, yet was an outstanding witness on the side of Christ in his day, and suffered much in the days of persecution. The Editor of Woodrow’s Correspondence, in an explanatory note prefixed to a letter of Woodrow to his son, the Rev. George Gillespie, Strathmiglo, quotes from a letter to Woodrow the following statement with reference to Rev. Robert Gillespie, that he “was persecute from the day he was licensed until the day of his death, and that merely for preaching the Gospel, for he was neither at Pentland nor Bothwell Bridge.” Correspondence II, p. 411.
Woodrow, himself, says of him: “April 2nd, I find Mr Robert Gillespie before the Council, where he confesses he had kept one house-conventicle in the town of Falkland; but refusing to delate whom he knew among his hearers, and to be an evidence against them, the Council order him to be carried prisoner to the isle of the Bass, their lately contrived prison. Upon the 7th of May, they allow him the liberty of the isle of the Bass above the wall, but strictly require he be not permitted to preach, or exercise any part of his ministry there. Here he continues till the beginning of the next year, when he fell sick, and January 8th, the Council permit him, on his petition, to be let out some time for his health.” History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland, Vol. II, p. 223.
(To be continued)