public occasion.

_N. B._ In the life and now published letters of principal Bailie, we
have a recent proof of human frailty.--Nay, more, that even great and
good men will be biassed in judgment, and prejudiced in mind at others
more faithful than themselves: for instance, these very noblemen and
ministers to whom he gives the highest elogiums of praise, for being the
prime instruments in God's hand for carrying on the work of reformation
betwixt 1638, and 1649,--As soon as they took the remonstrators side, he
not only represents some of them to be of such a character as I shall
forbear to mention; but even gives us a very diminutive view of their
most faithful contendings about that time; wherein the gallant
Argyle,--courageous Loudon,--the able statesman Warriston,--faithful
Guthrie,--godly Rutherford,--peaceable Livingston,--honest M'Ward, &c.
cannot evite their share of reflections; which no doubt add nothing to
the credit of the last ten years of his history; and all from a mistaken
view of the controversy betwixt those protestors and his own party the
resolutioners; taking all the divisions and calamities that befel
church, state and army at that time to proceed from the protestors not
concurring with them; whereas it is just the reverse; the taking in
Charles II. that atheistical wretch, and his malignant faction into the
bosom of the church, proved the Achan in the camp, that brought all
these evils upon the church, state, and army, at and since that
time.--These protestors could not submit their consciences to the
arbitrary dictates of the public resolutioners: they could not agree to
violate their almost newly sworn covenant, by approving of the admission
of these wicked malignants into public places of power and trust;--in
defence of which many of them faced the awful gibbet, banishment,
imprisonment, and other excruciating hardships;--whereas several
hundreds of the resolutioners, on the very first blast of temptation,
involved themselves in fearful apostacy and perjury; some of them became
violent persecutors of these their faithful brethren, and not a few of
them absolute monsters of iniquity.--The dreadful effects of which have
almost ruined both church and state in these lands; and perhaps this
same malignant faction will utterly do it at last, if the Lord in mercy
prevent not. For the above, see Bailie's letters, Vol. II. page
350,----448.

_The Life of Mr. DAVID DICKSON._

Mr. Dickson was b