16th, in the most saintly style imaginable. Mr Sharp, he says, is dear to
him as his good friend, but much more having their recommendation, and he
cannot but receive him as a minister of Christ and a messenger of his church;
and he assures them that he will improve his interest to the utmost for the
preservation of the rights of the church of Scotland, and their afflicted country,
which he professed to love as his own gospel ordinances, and the privileges of
God's people he assured them it should be his care tu establish ; and he implores their prayers for God's blessing on their counsels and undertakings, entreating them to promote the peace and settlement of the nations, and do what
in them lies to compose men's spirits, that with patience the fruit of hopes and
prayers may be reaped, &c. This language answered the purpose for which it
was uttered, and Robert Douglas in a few days acquainted Sharp with the receipt of his own and the general's letter, desiring him to encourage the general in his great work for the good of religion and peace of the three nations. "For
yourself," he adds, "you know what have been my thoughts of this undertaking from the beginning, which I have signified to the general himself, though I was sparing to venture my opinion in ticklish matters, yet I looked upon him as
called of God in a strait to put a check to those who would have run down all
our interests." Not satisfied with expressing his feelings to Sharp, Mr Doughs
nvite Monk, thanking him for his kind reception of Sharp, and encouraging
him to go on with the great work he had in hand, adding, in the simplicity of
his heart, " I have been very much satisfied from time to time to hear what good
opinion your lordship entertained of presbyterial government, and 1 am confident you shall never have just cause to think otherwise of it," an expression suggested by the information of Sharp, who had represented Monk as favourable
to a liberal presbyterian government.
Sharp had, previously to all this, settled with Glencairn, and others of the Scottish nobility, who hated the severity of the presbyterian discipline, to overthrow that form of government, and to introduce episcopacy in its place; in other words, he was disposed to assist whatever religious party offered the greatest bribe to his ambition. It was natural that he should conceal his intentions from his employers. Accordingly, in a series of letters to Mr Douglas, and the others from whom he derived his commission, written in the months of February, March, and April, he occasionally regrets, in suitable terms, the peril of the suffering church: at other times holds forth glimpses of hope; and at all times explains the utility and absolute necessity of his own interference in its behalf. During the course of this correspondence, he declines becoming minister of Edinburgh, (a situation to which there seem to have again been intentions of calling him,) having perhaps previously secured a charge of more dignity. On the twenty-seventh of the month, he again writes to Mr Douglas, wishing to be recalled; and informing him, that his sermon on the coronation of Charles II. at Scone, with the account of that ceremony, had been reprinted at London ; and that it gave great offence to the episcopal party, which, he says, does not much matter; but the declaration at Uunfermline, bearing the king's acknowledgment of the blood shed by his father's house, is what he knows not how to excuse. He and Lauderdale, however, are represented as endeavouring to vindicate Scotland, for treating with the king upon the terms of the covenant, from the necessity which England now finds of treating with him upon terms before his return ; and he says he is reported, both here and at Brussels, to be a rigid Scottish presbyterian, making it his work to have presbytery settled in England. He adds, with matchless effrontery, "they sent to desire me to move nothing in prejudice of the church of England ; and they would do nothing in prejudice of our church. I bid tell them, it was not my employ-
