we have heard the end of the zealous and faithful Mr. James
Mitchel, who, beyond all doubt, was a most pious man, notwithstanding
all the foul aspersions that have been, or will be cast upon him (not
only by malignant prelates, but even by the high fliers, or more
corrupted part of the presbyterian persuasion) namely, on account of his
firing at bishop Sharp; which, they think, is enough to explode, affront
or bespatter all the faithful contendings of the true reformed and
covenanted church of Scotland. But in this Mr. Mitchel stands in need of
little or no vindication; for by this time the reader may perceive, that
he looked upon himself as in a state of war, and that, as Sharp was
doubtless one of the chief instigators of the tyranny, bloodshed and
oppression in that dismal period, he therefore, no doubt, thought he had
a right to take every opportunity of cutting him off, especially as all
the ways of common justice were blocked up; yet all this opens no door
for every private person, at their own hand, to execute justice on an
open offender, where there is access to a lawful magistrate appointed
for that end. Yea what he himself saith anent this affair, in a letter
dated Feb. 1674. may be sufficient to stop the mouths of all that have
or may oppose the same, a few words of which may be subjoined to this
narrative; where, after he has resumed what passed betwixt him and the
chancellor, he says, that as to his design against Sharp, "He looked up
him to be the main instigator of all the oppression and bloodshed of his
brethren, that followed thereupon, and of the continual pursuing of his
life; and he being a soldier, not having laid down arms, but being still
upon his own defence, and having no other end or quarrel at any man but
what (according to his apprehension of him) may be understood by the
many thousands of the faithful, besides the prosecution of the ends of
the same covenant, which was and is in that point, the overthrow of
prelates and prelacy, and he being a declared enemy to him on that
account, and he to him in like manner; and as he was always to take his
advantage, as it appeared, so he took of him any opportunity that
offered----For," says he, "I, by his instigation, being excluded from
all grace and favour, thought it my duty to pursue him at all occasions,
&c." And a little farther he instances in Deut. xiii. 19. where the
seducer or inticer to a false worship is to be put to death, and that by
the ha