ST. ANDREWS, _April 2, 1654_.
Remember my love in Christ to Mr. Livingstone.
CCCXLIV.--_For MR. JOHN SCOT, at Oxnam._.
[MR. JOHN SCOT, minister of Oxnam, zealously adhered to the
Protesters; and Rutherford's letters to him have chiefly a reference
to the proceedings of that party. After the restoration of Charles
II., Scot was imprisoned for some time, but suffered less than others
of his brethren. On being set at liberty, he was allowed to return to
his parish, and to resume the exercise of his ministry. We find him
continuing there down to 1664, when he was brought before the
short-lived High Commission Court, erected in the beginning of that
year, for having assisted at Communions which were reckoned contrary
to law. How he was dealt with by that Court is not now known. In 1669
he became indulged minister of Oxnam. He must have died previous to
1684, as in that year the name of "Elizabeth Rae, relict of Mr. John
Scot, late minister of Oxnam," occurs among a list of names in the
parish of Kelso, delated by the curate of that parish to the Committee
of Privy Council which met at Jedburgh, with the view of proceeding
against those guilty of "church disorders," that is, against those who
deserted their own parish church, and attended conventicles.
("Warrants of Privy Council.")]
(_EXCUSE FOR ABSENCE FROM DUTY._)
REVEREND AND DEAR BROTHER,--No man oweth more to the church of God
with you, than poor and wretched I. But when weakness of body, and the
Lord by it, did forbid me to undertake a lesser journey to Edinburgh,
I am forbidden far more to journey thither. And believe it, nothing
besides this doth hinder. I am unable to overtake what the Lord hath
laid upon me here; and, therefore, I desire to submit to sovereignty,
and must be silent. If my prayers and best desires to the Lord could
contribute anything for promoting of His work, my soul's desire is
that the wilderness, and that place to which I owe my first
breathing,[503] in which I fear Christ was scarce named, as touching
any reality or power of godliness, may blossom as a rose.
[503] This seems to refer to Nisbet, formerly a separate parish, but
now annexed to Crailing, in the Presbytery of Jedburgh, and shire of
Roxburgh. It is within two miles of the parish of Oxnam; and some
thirty years ago a house there used to be pointed out, by an old
villager, as that in which, according to tradition, Rutherford was
born.
So desiring, and praying that His name may be great among you, and
entreating that you may believe that the names of the Lord's
adversaries shall be written in the earth, and that "whoso will not
come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem, to worship
the King, the Lord of Hosts, even upon them shall be no rain," and
that the Lord "will create glory upon every assembly in Mount Zion," I
rest, your own brother in the Lord,