it pleased God to give me in that way, and the education that I had
in the Orthodox University of Glasgow, as it was in the time of my
youth; nor can I say that, in the works of peace-making and charity,
I have done all that I should have done. But I have done my best,
studying no interest but the good that was to rise according to the
faith in Christ Jesus.

"To my young friends I would, as a parting word, say, look to the
lives and conversation of your parents--they were plain, honest, and
devout Christians, fearing God and honouring the King. They
believed the Bible was the word of God; and, when they practised its
precepts, they found, by the good that came from them, that it was
truly so. They bore in mind the tribulation and persecution of
their forefathers for righteousness' sake, and were thankful for the
quiet and protection of the government in their day and generation.
Their land was tilled with industry, and they ate the bread of
carefulness with a contented spirit, and, verily, they had the
reward of well-doing even in this world; for they beheld on all
sides the blessing of God upon the nation, and the tree growing, and
the plough going where the banner of the oppressor was planted of
old, and the war-horse trampled in the blood of martyrs. Reflect on
this, my young friends, and know, that the best part of a
Christian's duty in this world of much evil, is to thole and suffer
with resignation, as lang as it is possible for human nature to do.
I do not counsel passive obedience: that is a doctrine that the
Church of Scotland can never abide; but the divine right of
resistance, which, in the days of her trouble, she so bravely
asserted against popish and prelatic usurpations, was never resorted
to till the attempt was made to remove the ark of the tabernacle
from her. I therefore counsel you, my young friends, not to lend