affair; for which he was subjected to some hardships; yet he
never omitted any proper place or occasion for the uniting and cementing
these differences, none now in Scotland being more earnest in this than
he and the learned and pious Mr. James Durham minister at Glasgow. These
two, meeting at St. Andrews, had the influence to draw a meeting of the
two sides to Edinburgh, where harmony was like to prevail; but the
Lord's anger, being still drawn out for the prevailing sins of that
time, all promising beginnings were blasted, and all hopes of agreement
did vanish.

Thus affairs continued until the year 1660, that the kingdom, being
quite sick of distractions, restored again Charles II.; the woeful
consequences are otherwise too well known; And, on this last occasion,
Mr. Blair again began to bestir himself to procure union betwixt the two
foresaid parties, and for that end obtained a meeting; but his
endeavours were frustrated, and no reconciliation could be made, till
both sides were cast into the furnace of a sore and long persecution.

For in Sept. 1661, Mr. Sharp came to St. Andrews, and the presbytery,
having had assurance of his deceitful carriage at court, and of the
probability of his being made arch-bishop of St. Andrews, sent Mr.
Blair, and another, to him, to discharge their duty, which they did so
faithfully, that Sharp was never at ease till Mr. Blair was rooted out.

Mr. Blair taking occasion, in a sermon from 1 Pet. iii. 13 &c. to
enlarge on suffering for righteousness sake, giving his testimony to the
covenants and work of reformation, against the sinful and corrupt
courses of the times, he was called over before the council Nov. 5. when
the advocate and some noblemen were appointed to converse with Mr.
Blair, where they posed him on the following points: (1.) Whether
he had asserted presbyterial government to be _jure divino_? (2.)
Whether he had asserted, that suffering for it was suffering for
righteousness-sake? And, (3.) Whether in his prayers against Popery, he
had joined Prelacy with it? Having answered all in the affirmative,
professing his sorrow that they doubted his opinions in these points, he
was first confined to his chamber in Edinburgh; and afterward, upon
supplication, and the attestation of physicians on account of his
health, he was permitted to retire to Inveresk about the 12th of
January, 1662.

Mr. Blair continued here till Oct. following, enjoying much of God's
presence amidst