ed book of _exercitationes apologetica pro divina
gratia_, which book they alledged did reflect upon the church of
Scotland, but the truth was, says a late historian[84], The argument of
that book did cut the sinews of Arminianism, and galled the Episcopal
clergy to the very quick, and so bishop Sydresert could endure him no
longer. When he came before the commission court he altogether declined
them as a lawful judicatory, and would not give the chancellor (being a
clergyman) and the bishops their titles by lording of them, yet some had
the courage to befriend him, particularly, the lord Lorn (afterwards the
famous marquis of Argyle), who did as much for him as was within his
power to do; but the bishop of Galloway, threatening that if he got not
his will of him, he would write to the king; it was carried against him,
and upon the 27th of July 1636, he was discharged to exercise any part
of his ministry within the kingdom of Scotland, under pain of rebellion,
and ordered within six months to confine himself within the city of
Aberdeen, &c. during the king's pleasure, which sentence he obeyed,
and forthwith went toward the place of his confinement.

From Aberdeen he wrote many of his famous letters, from which it is
evident that the consolation of the Holy Spirit did greatly abound with
him in his sufferings, yea, in one of these letters, he expresses it in
the strongest terms, when he says, "I never knew before, that his love
was in such a measure. If he leave me, he leaves me in pain, and sick of
love, and yet my sickness is my life and health. I have a fire within
me, I defy all the devils in hell and all the prelates in Scotland to
cast water on it." Here he remained upwards of a year and a half, by
which time he made the doctors of Aberdeen know that the puritans (as
they called them) were clergymen as well as they. But upon notice that
the privy council had received in a declinature against the high
commission court in the year 1638, he adventured to return back again
to his flock at Anwoth, where he again took great pains, both in public
and private, amongst that people, who from all quarters resorted to his
ministry, so that the whole country side might account themselves as his
particular flock, and it being then in the dawning of the reformation,
found no small benefit by the gospel, that part of the ancient prophecy
being farther accomplished, _for in the wilderness shall waters break
out, and streams in the d