A LETTER
FROM MR. JAMES SKENE To his Friend and Fellow-prisoner N.
“MY MUCH HONORED FRIEND IN CHRIST, — I give it under my hand, I have no cause to rue my sweet bargain. His cross is easy and light yet; and that which is most terrifying, I hope He will make comfortable. O lovely Lord! what could make Him to choose me for suffer for Him? What is all the world to me, if His honor be at the stake? If His honor be advanced by my death, O happy me!
“I have oftentimes wished a suffering lot; I heard and saw so much of God’s goodness, that I thought the cross and comforts in Christ could not be separated. And I have no reason to complain; the Lord is so oft the joy of my heart, that I am forced to wonder at it.
“Leaving further troubling you, hoping you will be as good as your word; be much in prayer for these two or three days. It is likely on Thursday next I will need no help of prayers, being come to the immediate vision of my Lord, to see Him as He is; I will be stupefied, as it were, and amazed at it. If His merits were not of infinite value, I might question, What would I do? But He has promised that I shall reign with Him.
“JAMES SKENE.”
condemn me; for they offer me a delivery, if I would submit to the Duke’s and Council’s mercy; but it is evidently often seen, that the tender mercies of the wicked are cruelty. I find no liberty to deny my Lord for fear of death. I hope He will make up my loss in Himself. All I can desire of you is, to pray much for me, that the Lord will own me, for His own cause, before the adversaries, and in my dissolution. I wish the Lord to comfort His people, and
tenderly own His despised interest.
“Mr. Carstairs [see note, page 12] said, ‘He was ashamed of that principle we maintained, and that we were not sound
Presbyterians, and wished the Lord to preserve him from the like. I am no whit troubled at this, I bless my Lord. They would have me conferring with him. I said, I would not notice him if he came near me.
“Tell my friend I would have written, but had no time. I wrote yesternight to him. I need both your helps by supplications and strong cries to the Lord, to carry me cleanly through the valley and shadow of death.
“I must leave here, wishing the Lord to bear you up under all trials.
I thought ye should have been in eternity before me; but now I think I shall leave you on the valleys when I shall arrive at the blessed harbor. I am, dear friend, your well-wisher and Christ’s prisoner, “JAMES SKENE.”
“P.S. — A double of my Confessions you may have from a friend, whom I shall desire to send it to you. I got my summons for eternity with sound of trumpet yesternight; and my indictment with five shouts of the trumpet, and pursuivants in their coats, at seven of the clock, was a grave sight; but my Lord helped me not to be afraid at it, since all was from Him.”
THE LAST SPEECH AND TESTIMONY
OF MR. JAMES SKENE,
Brother to the Laird of Skene; which he intended to have delivered on the scaffold, December 1st, 1680.
“DEAR PEOPLE, — I am come here this day to lay down my life for owning Jesus Christ’s despised interest, and for asserting that He is a King, and for averting that He is head of His own Church, and has not delegated or deputed any, either Pope, King, or Council, to be his vicegerents on earth.
“Since my blessed Lord Jesus Christ has in His love engaged me by a particular covenant, in His own terms, to renounce and resign myself to Him, in soul and body; assuring me by His word, and testifying His acceptance of my resignation by His holy and blessed Spirit; promising to redeem me from all sins; giving me assurance of a saving interest in Himself; and now, having called me in His providence, contriving this my suffering (by permitting His ungodly enemies to apprehend and take me prisoner, having wickedly plotted my taking, in my going on the way to attend what the Lord had to work on my soul by His preached Gospel), to give a testimony for His covenant, interest, and people that are reproached and borne down by a perjured God-contemning
generation, and to seal my sufferings and testimony with my blood;
I most willingly lay down my life for His interest.
“I leave my testimony to the National Covenant, and the Solemn League and Covenant, which are founded on the Scriptures, the Word of God, which are written by the prophets and apostles in the Old and New Testaments, which has Jesus Christ, the blessed object of our faith, for the chief corner stone of the building. I also leave my testimony to Mr. Donald Cargill’s papers, taken at the Queensferry, called a New Covenant, according as they agree to the true original copy.
“I adhere to Presbyterian Government, and the whole work of Reformation of the Church of Scotland; the Confession of Faith,
and Larger and Shorter Catechisms, consulted well, and written by the Assembly of Divines; except that article about Magistracy, when ill expounded, in the 23d chapter; because our magistracy is but pure tyranny, exercised by the lustful rage of men, yea, rather devils in shape of men, whom God has permitted, in His holy and spotless wisdom, for a trial to His people, and a snare to some others, to oppress, tyrannize, and blasphemously tread under foot His truth, interest, and people; yea, that article is expounded in the National Covenant, where we have vowed to the Almighty God, not to maintain the king’s interest, when he disowns the Covenant, and well-settled Church-government by Presbyteries, Synods, and General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland.1
“I adhere to the Testimony for the interest of Christ, at Rutherglen;
at which time the wicked Acts of Parliament and the blasphemous Declarations, by which they have sworn to be enemies to the interest of Christ, were solemnly burnt.
“I adhere to the Sanquhar Declaration; whereby we, that were true Presbyterians, did depose that tyrant Charles Stuart, who is the head of malignants and malignancy, from his exercise of government as to us; and we do no otherwise than the people of Libnah, 2 Chronicles 21:10:
‘At the same time also did the people of Libnah revolt from under the King of Judah, because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers.’
And this practice is not so gross that I own, in declaring against that monstrous tyrant on the throne of Britain, as many conjecture;
if seriously folk would consider the injustice practiced in civil matters, by himself, and all his adherent inferior magistrates, (yea, inferior tyrants; for he is the head and supreme tyrant,) that no poor man, that has a just cause, if he be not as profligate and wicked as themselves, can have justice; and his usurpation in ecclesiastic matters; which is too great a task for any on earth, since they must take upon them to dethrone our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, who is given in all things to be head to His Church (Ephesians 1:22; Psalm 2:8). You would canvass the justice of
disowning his authority, which to do you are engaged by oath to God, he overturning the whole work of Reformation; which was the great ground of his enthronement in Scotland, to maintain the Covenant, and work of Reformation. His wicked burning of the Covenant, and ‘Causes of God’s Wrath,’ is cause enough to me to disown his authority, which is so maintained by perjury. ‘Shall he break the Covenant, and be delivered?’ (Ezekiel 17:15-19.)
“Consider likewise his oppression, in ordering military forces to oppress God’s people, to obstruct, impede, and hinder the worship of God, the ordinances in houses or fields, and compel them to join with a cursed crew of prelates, curates, and some indulged ministers. Yea, his tyranny is so great, that he ordered an host [i.e., the Highland host] of armed men in the year 1678, to invade a peaceable country in the West: who robbed, stole from, and oppressed poor people, for no other reason, but because they would not pollute their consciences, and be subject to Prelacy;
which erastian government he has contended for these several years, and kept up in this land. If there were no other cause of his rejection than these proceedings, they might suffice to justify any, who were engaged by God, having time and place, to cut him off.
For, by the law of God, murder, adultery and oppression are punishable by death; and kings are not exempted, far less tyrants that are lawfully excommunicate.
“But to those horrid irapieties is added the shedding of the blood of poor innocents; which aggregeth [i.e., aggravateth] his guilt, so that, though the Lord should make him penitent, he deserves death by the law, according to which blood cannot be expiated but by the blood of him who shed it. For confirmation of what I have said, see Ezekiel 21:25-27; read also Ezekiel 43:9:
‘Let them put away the carcases of their kings far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.’
Consider how our fathers contended for truth, and must we lose what they gained? ‘Ah! this atheistical generation of perjured, adulterous, and bloody powers are ripe for God’s vengeance!
“I give my testimony against the cursed persecuting soldiers; the blood of God’s saints is on their heads, and mine is laid on them, especially Sergeant Warrock, who apprehended. me. My blood is on the Justiciary, who subscribed’2 to my sentence; and on the fifteen assizers, James Glen, stationer, being clerk; and on the Chancellor; and on Mr. George Mackenzie, who pleaded for my condemnation3 and Thomas Dalziel, who ordered my taking; and upon Andrew Cunningham, who condemned me; and upon all the rest who are accessory in the least thereto; yea, the Privy Council are to be accountable for my blood; and my blood is on the head of Mr. J[ohn] C[arstairs], who condemned my testimony against these bloody tyrants, asserting me to be a Jesuit. [‘In charity, I shall believe that Mr. Skene was informed that the Rev. Mr.
Carstairs had said so; but the same charity, and Mr. Carstairs’
known tenderness and temper, forbid me to believe that he said so.’
— Wadrow.]
“I leave my testimony against the receiving that accursed traitor, James Duke of York, and all Papists, Quakers, prelates, curates, latitudinarians, indulged ministers, and their favorers, the Hamilton Declaration, and other papers and acting, directly or indirectly against the truth. I leave my testimony against the lukewarm professors, who write and speak grievous things to reproach the truly godly, and who keep silence when God calls them to give a free and full testimony for His despised Covenant and whole work of Reformation, against a traitorous, backsliding, and adulterous generation; and as in this place, or any other of my papers, I could not have designed God’s enemies any otherwise, than by their pretended offices. Thus far, dear people, I crave your liberty, and let none think that thereby I own them in the least point.
“Likewise, whereas my sufferings were delayed; the Lord, in whose presence I must appear erelong, knows what a soul-grief it is to me to remember it. When the day I was sentenced to die for my dear Lord’s interest came, I expected vainly that my relations, that were great in court, who had seen me, should have procured a reprieval for me; but being disappointed, a fear of death surprised me, hearing that all were presently making ready for my execution;
and then my carnal relations, almost weeping on me, engaged me by their insinuations to supplicate that bloody crew for it myself. A carnal well-wisher drew lit up in these terms: ‘James Skene, prisoner, earnestly desires your lordships to grant him a reprieval for some days, till he canvass these things he was sentenced for with learned and godly men; and your lordships answer.’
“After I subscribed it, a great confusion and horror of spirit fell on me. I went to prayer, wishing in my heart it were not granted; but such was my trouble, I could not say anything but nonsense. My heart was afflicted sore with this straitening, and the more when the reprieval was granted. I thought, I, having shifted the cross, my Lord might deny me that credit again, and put a worse on me in requital of my slighting Him. I judge, the Lord left me thus to slip, to humble me, and that He hid His face to make me exemplarily punished for untender carrying under His cross, which He had chosen for me; to warn others under the cross, that they would be circumspect and zealous for keeping from being polluted with any compliance with the defections of the times, that they may have a cleanly suffering. From this backsliding I recovered not for two clays after; but found it sad for my soul; the Lord hid His face from me. But now my God has had compassion on me; and, this time of the eight days’ reprieval, He has preserved me from such a
backsliding, when the devil by his emissaries has had much artifice to turn me aside from the way of the Lord. Yet I will say this far;
all I have done was not in order to own that wicked Council as lawful rulers; but my life being in their tyrannous hands, I thought then I might desire as much favor of them as of a robber that had the dagger at my breast; and I truly look on all their actings in courts, either higher or lower judicatories, in matters civil or ecclesiastic, that they act as murderers, oppressors, and tyrants only.
“And now these bloody oppressors say, because I will not sinfully renounce my Lord and His interest, and look on them as
magistrates, and say I spake rashly what I did (on which terms, craving them pardon, I would soon get remission and be at liberty,) that they look on me as guilty of my own blood. But I hope my
God will not account me guilty, who knows I dare not so sinfully disown Him, for all the hazard of my poor life. There being a dilemma in my case, either I must sin or suffer; I have found it my only peace with my Lord, to choose suffering, and hate the way of sinning. And this I thought good to insert in my dying testimony, that others may beware of an untender walk with God, ‘who is a consuming fire to all impenitent sinners.’ Now, my Lord has sealed my remission for this extravagance, and has entered into a new covenant with me, and I have resigned myself wholly to Him, to be at His disposal; and it is my rejoicing, that He is calling me out to honor me so much as to suffer for His sake. A poor countryman with us, would think it his credit to be called to signify his loyalty to a nobleman, who was his master, whose courage obliges him to fight for his safety to the loss of his life. But oh! what a disparity is in my case! I am but a base, wretched, sinful worm, and I am called to signify my love and loyalty to the King of Glory, before these treacherous and perfidious powers that sit at ease, and disown, yea, declare against my Lord, that He is not our
covenanted King and Lord. And the two despised Covenants are not despicable, but our glory. I will first declare they are traitors, and ought to be disowned as magistrates or lawful rulers; and so many of them as have imbrued their hands in the blood of the saints, either by commissions, or votes in councils, or other courts;
or have lived, oppressing God’s people, in adultery, uncleanness, wickedness, and witchcraft; they are guilty of death. And when there are no other magistrates who will duly punish these
impieties, it is my duty, out of zeal to the Lord (I say it again), if the Lord would employ me, to cut them off; as that zeal of
Phineas, though mocked at by them in their proclamation, is a good example.
“Thus I end, wishing that what I have here penned for a testimony to the Lord’s despised interest, may have weight with any who consider, that, what I have written, I must erelong reckon for; and so I have labored to be single-hearted before the Lord in it.
“Now, I have touched everything I can remember concerning my judgment of things controverted, as also some reasons of my
principles, asserted in face of a great council, and twice before the Justiciaries; which I gladly sign with my subscription, glorying in the Lord who owned me, so that I was not ashamed, but judged it my glory to give my full and free testimony for my blessed Lord’s despised interest, against that wicked and treacherous pack of my God’s declared enemies.
“Now, farewell, all dear friends! I hope the Lord will have a
glorious Church in Scotland, and that He will raise His glory out of the ashes of a burnt Covenant. Now, farewell sun, moon, and stars!
Farewell, holy Scriptures! Oh! I am going to a life where I shall no more be troubled with a body of sin or death. Oh! I am going to a mansion of glory that my Lord has prepared for me. I shall have a crown of life; because I have been, by my blessed Lord’s assistance
— though I slipped aside — made faithful to the death.
“Now, welcome Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thou hast redeemed me by thy price, and by thy power. Oh! Lord God of Hosts, into thy hands I commit my Spirit!
“ Sic subscribitur,
“JA. SKENE.
“In the close prison of Edinburgh, November 30,1680; being the day before my execution, according to the unjust sentence of a perfidious court.”