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Others said, that he was no Presbyterian, and that his design was only to propagate schism. But the truth was, he was a professed witness against all the defeetions of Presbyterians from any part of their eovenanted work of reformation, &c. Again, other ministers alleged he was a Seetarian, Independent, or Anabaptist, or they knew not what. But when he had sometimes occasion to be among these in and about Newcastle, and Northumberland, they were as much offended as any at his faithful freedom in diseovering the evils of their way, and declared that they never met with such severe dealing from any Presbyterian before.
But the general ont-cry was, that he had no mission at all. Others slandering him, that he eame only by chance, at a throw of the diee; with many other calamnies, refuted by the foregoing relation.
On the other hand, some gave out that he and his followers maintained the murdering principles, and the delirious and detestable blasphemies of Gib; all which shameless and senseless fictions he ever opposed and abhorred. Yea, some ministers, more seemingly serious in their essays to prepossess the people against him, said, “That they had sought and got the mind of the Lord in it, that his labours should never profit the church of Scotland, nor any soul in it,” assuring themselves he would break, and bring to nothing, him and them that followed him ere it were long, comparing them to Jannes and Jambres who withstood Moses. All which reproaches he was remarkably supported under, and went on in his Master’s business, while he had any work for him to do.
In the mean while, from the noise that went through the country concerning him, the Council got notiee; and thereupon, being enraged at the report of his preaehing in the fields, they raised a hotter and more cruel persecution against him than can be instanced ever to have been against any one
