30 December 1677 –25 July 1694 [2]
Robert Fleming the elder (1630 –25 July 1694) was a Scottish Presbyterian Minister. Following the Restoration of King Charles II,he declined to accept the authority of the newly imposed bishops in the Kirk. He was therefore ejected as minister at Cambuslang. For the next ten years he remained in Scotland,preaching as he had opportunity. In 1669 he published the first part of Fulfilling of the Scripture in Rotterdam;it was later expanded to 3 parts and it is for this work and other treatises that Fleming is chiefly remembered. [3] On 3 September 1672 he declined indulgence at Kilwinning,disobeyed a citation of the Privy Council,and fled to London,where his Scottish speech somewhat marred his usefulness. On 30 December 1677 he was admitted colleague to John Hog,minister of the Scots Kirk,Rotterdam. After the Revolution he might have been restored to Cambuslang,but preferred to remain in Holland. While on a visit to London,he died of fever,25 July 1694,after a short illness. [4] Daniel Burgess preached at his funeral and also recorded some memoirs of Fleming's life. [5]
Robert Fleming was born in December 1630 at Yester,Haddingtonshire,of which parish,anciently known as St. Bathan's,his father,James Fleming (died 8 April 1653),was minister. [6] James Fleming's first wife was Martha,eldest daughter of John Knox,the Scottish reformer;Robert was the issue of a second marriage with Jean Livingston,a relative of John Livingstone. He had his early training at home. [4] His childhood was sickly,and he nearly lost his sight and life owing to a blow with a club. He speaks of an ‘extraordinary impression’made upon him as a boy by a voice which he heard when he had climbed up into his father's pulpit at night;but he dates the beginning of his religious life from a communion day at Greyfriars Church,Edinburgh,at the opening of 1648. [6] [7] At this time he was a student of Edinburgh University,where he,at fifteen had entered and from which he graduated M.A. on 26 July 1649,distinguishing himself in philosophy. [4] He pursued his theological studies at St. Andrews under Samuel Rutherford. [6] When he was only 20 he had joined the Covenanting army under David Leslie at The Battle of Dunbar (1650).
At the battle of Dunbar (3 September 1650) he was probably in the ranks of the Scottish army,for he speaks of his ‘signal preservation.’After license he received a call to Cambuslang,Lanarkshire,and was ordained there in 1653. His health was then so bad that ‘it seemed hopeless’. [6]
Following the defeat and execution of King Charles I,and the conquest of Scotland,by the New Model Army of Oliver Cromwell,Fleming was called to be Minister of Cambuslang,when only 24. He remained there until the Restoration,when King Charles II re-established episcopacy in the Church of Scotland. Fleming's ministry was popular and successful. On the restoration of episcopacy the Scottish parliament passed an act (11 June 1662) vacating benefices that had been filled without respect to the rights of patrons,unless by 20 September the incumbent should obtain presentation (this patrons were enjoined to grant) and episcopal collation,and renounce the covenant. This is known as the Glasgow Act of 1662. [8] Failing to comply with these conditions,Fleming was deprived by the Privy Council of Scotland on 1 October. During the next ten years he remained in Scotland,preaching wherever he found opportunity. Indulgences were offered to the ejected ministers in 1669 by the king,and on 3 September 1672 by the privy council. By the terms of this latter indulgence Fleming was assigned to the parish of Kilwinning,Ayrshire,as a preacher. He disobeyed the order;when cited to the privy council on 4 September he did not attend,and a warrant was issued for his apprehension. He did not appear but was later apprehended and imprisoned in Edinburgh Tollbooth. He fled to London,where his broad Scottish ‘idiotisms and accents’somewhat ‘clouded’his usefulness. In 1674 he was again in Scotland,at West Nisbet,Roxburghshire,where he had left his wife. She died in that year,and Fleming returned to London. [6] From there he was called to become the Minister of the Scots Kirk in Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
On 30 December 1677 he was admitted colleague [in succession to Robert MacWard] to John Hog [or Hoog],minister of the Scots Kirk,Rotterdam. Next year he visited Scotland for the purpose of bringing over his children. While there he held conventicles in Edinburgh,and was thrown into the Tolbooth. Brought before the privy council in June 1679,he agreed to give bail,but declined to promise a passive obedience. He was sent back to prison,but soon obtained his liberty and returned to Rotterdam. The Privy Council allowed him bail,June 1679,but refusing to conform to all its demands,he was sent back to confinement. On regaining his liberty,he returned to Rotterdam.
On 2 April 1683 proceedings were taken against him in the high court of judiciary at Edinburgh,on suspicion of harbouring some of the assassins of Archbishop Sharpe;his innocence appearing,the accusation was dropped on 17 April 1684. He did not formally demit the charge of Cambuslang till March 1688,on the death of David Cunningham,who had been appointed in his place. The act of April 1689 restored him to his benefice,but he preferred to remain in Holland. During a visit to London he was seized with fever on 17 July,and died on 25 July 1694. [4] Robertson seemed to erroneously think his death was in Cambuslang. [9]
Daniel Burgess preached at his funeral and also recorded some memoirs of Fleming's life. [5] Fleming left a diary,which was not published;his rather confused list of thirty-eight memorable occurrences of his life,entitled A Short Index,&c.,is printed at the end of Memoirs by Daniel Burgess,prefixed to the 1726 edition of the Fulfilling and in Howie's Scots Worthies. [10] A fuller memoir is prefixed to the 1845 edition. [11]
Wodrow characterises Fleming as a "devout and pious man,most spiritual in his carriage and writings,much engaged in secret prayer and meditations,very affectionate to his servants and people,full of love,and of a peaceable temper." [4]
Robert Fleming was renowned as a preacher and wrote a number of Calvinist theological books.
Fasti: [4]
He married
Fleming's son Robert Fleming the younger succeeded him as Minister of the Scots Kirk in Rotterdam. He too became a noted Calvinist theologian,and was author of The Rise and Fall of the Papacy.
Donald Cargill was a Scottish Covenanter who worked to uphold the principles of the National Covenant of 1638 and Solemn League and Covenant of 1643 to establish and defend Presbyterianism. He was born around 1619,and was the eldest son of Laurence Cargill of Bonnytoun,Rattray,Perthshire,a notary public,and Marjory Blair. He was educated perhaps at University of Aberdeen and at the University of St Andrews,where he matriculated as a student of St Salvator's College in 1645. He was licensed by the Presbytery of St Andrews on 13 April 1653 and was ordained in 1655. He was later deprived by the Privy Council,on 1 October 1662,for disobeying the Act of Parliament in not keeping a day of thanksgiving for His Majesty's Restoration,and not obtaining presentation and collation from the archbishop before 20 September. He was ordered at the same time to remove beyond the River Tay before 1 November under penalties. Disregarding this sentence,he was charged to appear before the Council on 7 January 1669,and appointed to continue in his confinement,but on petition he was allowed to visit Edinburgh about law affairs. He turned down an offer of a parish at Eaglesham and refused to appear before the privy council to account for his unauthorised preaching. On 16 July 1674 he was affectedly outlawed for holding conventicles and subsequently declared a traitor. In 1679 he joined Richard Cameron in founding the Cameronians,who embodied their principles in a Declaration at Sanquhar,on 22 June 1680,disowning the king's authority. A reward of 3000 merks was offered for his apprehension,dead or alive. For excommunicating at Torwood in September 1680 Charles II.,James,Duke of York,and others,the Privy Council increased the reward to 5000 merks. After numerous hair-breadth escapes he was apprehended at Covington Mill,Lanarkshire,during the night of 12 July 1681 by a party of dragoons led by James Irving of Bonshaw. Tried for treason before the High Court of Justiciary,he was found guilty,and executed at the Cross of Edinburgh with four others [Walter Smith,William Cuthil,William Thomson,James Boig],27 July 1681. His forfeiture was rescinded by Act of Parliament 4 July 1690. He married Margaret,daughter of Nicol Brown,burgess of Edinburgh,widow of Andrew Bethune of Blebo.
Andrew Cant (1584–1663) was a Presbyterian minister and leader of the Scottish Covenanters. About 1623 the people of Edinburgh called him to be their minister,but he was rejected by James I. Ten years later he was minister of Pitsligo in Aberdeenshire,a charge which he left in 1638 for that of Newbattle in Midlothian. In July of that year he went with other commissioners to Aberdeen in the vain attempt to induce the university and the presbytery of that city to subscribe the National Covenant,and in the following November sat in the general assembly at Glasgow which abolished episcopacy in Scotland. In 1638 Cant was minister of Pitsligo in Aberdeenshire. In 1640 he was chaplain to the Scottish army and then settled as minister in Aberdeen. Though a staunch Covenanter,he was a zealous Royalist,preaching before Charles I in Edinburgh,and stoutly advocating the restoration of the monarchy in the time of the Commonwealth. Cant's frequent and bitter verbal attacks on various members of his congregation led in 1661 to complaints laid before the magistrates,in consequence of which he resigned his charge.
James Renwick was a Scottish minister who was the last of the Covenanter martyrs to be executed before the Glorious Revolution.
Robert Blair was a Scottish presbyterian minister who became a Westminster Divine and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1646,after failing to emigrate to Boston in 1636.
Gilbert Rule was a nonconformist Church of Scotland minister and the Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1690 to 1701.
Robert Douglas (1594–1674) was the only minister of the Church of Scotland to be Moderator of the General Assembly five times.
Robert Bruce was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland which was called on 6 February 1588 to prepare defences against a possible invasion by the Spanish Armada. King James VI was so sensible of the valuable services of the church in preserving public tranquillity,during his absence in Norway on the occasion of his marriage,that in his letters to Bruce he declared that he was "worth the quarter of his kingdom." John Livingstone,the preacher at the Kirk of Shotts revival,said of Bruce "in my opinion never man spake with greater power since the apostles' dayes".
Patrick Galloway was a Scottish minister,a Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. He was Moderator of the General Assembly in 1590,and again in 1602. Having been completely gained over by the Court party he used all his influence in forwarding the views of the King for the introduction of Episcopacy.
John Blackadder (1615–1685) was an eminent Presbyterian Covenanter preacher in Scotland during the period of the Commonwealth of England (1649–1660). Of the times MacPherson said that "after the first rejoicings of the Restoration were over,the Covenanters —Resolutioners as well as Protesters —were speedily disillusioned,and it became evident that the aim of Charles II and the junta of self-seeking noblemen who were in control of the affairs of Scotland was to establish in Scotland something approximating to an oriental despotism. The Presbyterian system,in which an Assembly of ministers and elders controlled the affairs of the Kirk,had to be supplanted by an Episcopal,with a hierarchy controlled by the Crown and easily manipulated in the interests of tyrannical rule." Despite a government ban he continued to preach in the fields. He was arrested and imprisoned in 1681 and died in jail on the Bass Rock.
John Nevay was a Scottish Covenanter. He was the nephew of Andrew Cant,minister of Aberdeen. He graduated with an M.A. from King's College,Aberdeen,in 1626. He worked as tutor to George,Master of Ramsay. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Dalkeith 14 October 1630 on the recommendation of that of Alford,but left its bounds a fortnight after. He was admitted about 1637 and appointed in 1647 a member of committee to revise the Psalter. He was present at Mauchline Moor in opposition to the royal army in June 1648. He was subsequently pardoned by Parliament on 16 January 1649. Nevay was appointed a commissioner by Parliament for visiting the University of Aberdeen 31 July 1649. He was active in raising the western army in 1650,and in 1651 a prominent supporter of the Protesters. In 1654 he was named by the Council of England on a committee for authorising admissions to the ministry in the province of Glasgow and Ayr. On 23 December 1662 he was banished by the Privy Council from His Majesty's dominions and went to Holland,where he died in 1672,aged about 66.
John Rae was an English parish minister.
Robert Traill of Greyfriars was born at Denino,in 1603. He was son of Colonel James Traill,of Killcleary,Ireland,Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Henry,Prince of Wales,and grandson of the Laird of Blebo,and Matilda Melvill of Carnbee. He graduated with an M.A. from St Andrews on 21 July 1621. he went over to Paris,and subsequently joined his brother in Orleans. He later studied at the Protestant College of Saumur. He was an English tutor in France to the sister of the Duke of Rohan in 1628. He was afterwards teacher in a school established by a Protestant minister at Montague,in Bus Poitou. He became chaplain to Archibald,Marquess of Argyll. In 1630 he returned to Scotland.
John Livingstone was a Scottish minister. He was the son of William Livingstone,minister of Kilsyth,and afterwards of Lanark,said to be a descendant of the second son James,of the fourth Lord Livingston. His mother was Agnes,daughter of Alexander Livingston,portioner,Falkirk,brother of the Laird of Belstane.
Robert MacWard,a covenanting minister,appears to have studied at the University of St. Andrews,where he was for some time regent of humanity. In 1654 he was appointed one of the regents of Glasgow University without competition on 4 August 1653,but resigned the appointment from ill-health,and on 8 September was ordained to the collegiate charge of the Outer High Church,Glasgow,the usual ordination trials being dispensed with. From 1656 to 1659 he had charge of the south district of the parish,in 1660 of the west,and in 1661 of the east. In 1659 he was named for the vice-chancellorship of the university,but the proposal,which was opposed by Robert Baillie,who seems always to have borne him a grudge,was unsuccessful.
William Veitch. He was the youngest son of John Veitch,the minister of Roberton,Lanarkshire. He was educated at the University of Glasgow,graduating with an M.A. in 1659. He became a tutor in the family of Sir Andrew Ker of Greenhead. He was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Lanark in 1664. Having identified himself with the Pentland Rising,he was outlawed,and escaped to Newcastle,where he became chaplain in the family of the Mayor. In 1671 he was ordained to a meeting-house at Fallowlees,a remote spot among the Simonside Hills,Rothbury. From that he removed to Hanamhall,in the same district,and afterwards to Seaton Hall,Longhorsly. Whilst living at the latter place under the assumed name of William [or George] Johnston,he was arrested on 16 January,and sentenced to the Bass Rock 22 February 1679.. Veitch was liberated on 17 July 1680,and returned to Newcastle. He aided Archibald,Earl of Argyll,in his escape from Scotland in 1681. In 1683 he went to Holland,and in 1685 he was again in Northumberland acting as an agent on behalf of Monmouth. Soon afterwards he was settled as minister of a meeting-house at Beverley,Yorkshire. Having returned to Scotland,he was called to Whitton Hall,Morebattle,April 1688. In 1690 he was minister of Peebles,and in September 1694,he was admitted to Dumfries. He demitted on 19 May 1715. His death was on 8 May 1722. In 1705 he presented to the church two communion cups.
John Scrimgeour,was a Presbyterian minister at Kinghorn in Fife. He went as a minister with King James to Denmark,when the monarch went there to fetch home Anne,his young bride to be. He is best remembered for his opposition to the Five Articles of Perth. He would not for example observe holy days other than the sabbath and would not have his congregation take the knee for communion;this led to his being deposed from the ministry of the church. He is also remembered having a verbal exchange with John Spottiswoode in which the archbishop is recorded as saying about King James "I tell you,Mr Johne,the king is Pope now,and so sail be." to which Scrimgeour is said to have replied:"It is an evill [title ?] ye give him." Scrimgeour was banned from taking church services,put out of his parish and put under house arrest but nevertheless he did occasionally help officiate at communion services.
John M'Clellan was a seventeenth century teacher and minister. Educated in Scotland he started work as a schoolmaster at Newtownards. He also began to preach there initially with the sanction of the church. He took part in an unsuccessful attempt to sail to America on board the Eagle Wing in 1636. After this he returned to Scotland where he became a minister where he served from 1638 until his death in 1650.
John Semple was a seventeenth century minister in Ulster and Scotland. He began to preach after exhorting the people while leading the psalm-singing. His Presbyterian principles brought him into opposition to the policies of the civil authorities. He refused The Black Oath and was pursued by those sent from Dublin to apprehend non swearers. He relocated to Scotland and was named multiple times and threatened with severe punishment throughout his life including shortly before his death in his 75th year.
John King was an outlawed minister of the Covenant,chaplain at one time to Lord Cardross,but seized by Claverhouse among the insurgents after the affair at Drumclog. King was taken to Edinburgh along with another preacher named John Kid. They were each subjected to torture,condemned to death,and executed. Following his death King's head and limbs were displayed at the Netherbow Port on Edinburgh's Royal Mile beside James Guthrie's skull.
Alexander Petrie was a Scottish divine,born about 1594,was third son of Alexander Petrie,merchant and burgess of Montrose. He was the minister of Rhynd in Perthshire and was translated,to Rotterdam on 29 March 1643. He preached his first sermon at Rotterdam on 2 August,and was admitted on 30 August 1643. He died on 6 September 1662. His Compendious History of the Catholick Church contains copious extracts from the Records of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland,which were destroyed by a fire in the Lawnmarket,Edinburgh,1701.