of ordination and of censure, with whatever else appertains to the administration and jurisdiction of the church. It was added indeed that in the exercise of their functions they were to advise with certain loyal and prudent clergymen. Yet, as their assessors were to be selected by themselves, and were not empowered collectively to enforce an opinion contrary to their diocesan's, it is clear that any check they could maintain on the despotism of the bench would be of small account. All real authority was lodged with the bishop; and his clerical advisers were mere ciphers, to whom was allotted the unenviable privilege of sharing with their principal the odium of arbitrary proceedings, which they were not competent either to prevent or modify.

Such was the present scheme of episcopacy, widely different from that of the year 1612, when the bishops affected nothing more than to be settled presidents, to have a negative voice in all questions relating to ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and some superior authority in ordination. This hasty attempt to force on a people, to whom presbytery was dear" as a wife of youth," the highest kind of prelacy, was certainly to pour new wine into old bottles. It could not but produce a disastrous explosion. But nothing could stay the precipitance of that misguided man, who seems to have expected in the pride of his new-blown grandeur, that difficulties would vanish at his touch. He did not, it is allowed, ever carry his episcopal powers to the full extent permitted by this act of parliament. Still the pass

ing of such an act furnished those who refused the new model with a plausible justification; and exhibited the capital solecism in policy, of making a legislative invasion of the popular rights and feelings more considerable in the terms of the enactment, than it was really meant to be in the execution.

In his fixed aversion to worldly honours, Leighton besought his friends not to give him the appellation of Lord, and was uneasy at ever being addressed by that title. By this singularity he gave umbrage to his colleagues, and laid himself open to the charge of an affectation, proceeding from narrow-minded squeamishness, if not from a refinement of vanity: or, indeed, this solicitude to divest his office of its usual dignities might be ill-naturedly ascribed to his not being thoroughly satisfied with the function itself, and seeking to compound with his conscience by a sacrifice of external distinction.

Shortly after their arrival in Edinburgh, the Bishops were formally invited to take their seats in parliament: not that any invitation was requisite to authorize their attendance, but it was deemed a proper token of respect. By all, except the Bishop of Dunblane, the call was obeyed. He resolved from the beginning never to mix in parliament, unless some matter affecting the interests of religion were in agitation; and to this resolution he steadily adhered.

His first appearance in parliament was on the question respecting the oath of supremacy. This oath was so worded as to carry on the face of it no

demand, beyond what the presbyterians were willing to admit, namely, that the king should be recognised for civil head of the church as well as of the state. Yet there was something in the phraseology so equivocal as to warrant a suspicion, that it was artfully contrived for a handle by which the sovereign might interfere, at pleasure and with absolute authority, in the internal regulation of the church. In England such explanations were given, when the oath was tendered, as brought it within the compass of a presbyterian conscience. But when it was required by the Earl of Cassilis, and by other stout covenanters in the parliament of Scotland, that the necessary qualification for reconciling its provisions to their scruples should be inserted into the body of the act, or at least be subjoined to their subscriptions, the High Commissioner would not listen to the demand. Leighton now stepped forward the fearless champion, the eloquent advocate, of moderation and charity. He maintained that trammelling men's consciences with so many rigorous oaths, could only produce laxity of moral principle, or unchristian bigotry and party feeling. With respect to the oath itself, he would not dissemble his opinion that it was susceptible of a bad sense; and therefore the tenderness of conscience, which refused to take it without guarding against an evil construction, ought not to be derided. The English papists had obtained this indulgence; and it was strange indeed if protestants were to be more hardly dealt by. When, in reply to this spirited remonstrance, it was

contended by Sharp, that the complaining party, in the day of its ascendancy, had been little tender of the consciences of those who revolted at the Solemn League and Covenant, Leighton exclaimed at the unworthiness of retaliating by measures which had been so justly reprobated; and he emphatically pointed out the nobler course of heaping coals upon the heads of adversaries, by the contrast of episcopal mildness with presbyterian severity. For them to practise, for the base purpose of quitting scores, the same rigour against which they had vehe. mently protested when themselves were the victims of it, would be a foul blot on their christian character, and would justify the sarcasm, that the world goes mad by turns. However solid these arguments were, they made no impression on the Earl of Middleton and his creatures, whose project it was to have the oath of that ambiguous cast, which should deter the stiffer covenanters from taking it, who would thereby become liable to the penalties of disloyalty. One cannot without pain admit an opinion, that bears so hard upon the probity and humanity of the royal party. Yet this is not a solitary instance of an oath being artfully shaped to entrap persons, whom state policy has marked for its victims. Leighton used to observe, with some reference no doubt to this transaction, that a consolidation of the episcopal and presbyterian platforms, had it been judiciously and sincerely attempted at the outset, might have been accomplished: but there were some evil spirits at work, "whose

device it was plainly again to scatter us; and the terms of comprehension were made so strait, in order to keep men out." It was a transaction, however, that gave an illustrious prominence to his own extraordinary virtues, to his enlightened charity, his inexorable honesty and his generous courage.

Leighton thought with St. Augustin, that a bishopric is not intended for a pastime and amusement: Episcopatus non est artificium transigenda vita." He therefore resided constantly on his see, and his holy ministrations watered the places about him with a blessing. Not content to repose in lazy state, he regarded himself as a shepherd of souls, and went about from parish to parish, catechising and preaching. But his primary aim was to heal the fountains; for he justly considered that if ministers were to become sound in doctrine, exemplary in personal conduct, and sedulous in pastoral duties, the fruits of their spirituality and zeal would quickly appear in the amended state of their parishes. It would be difficult to do justice to the sense he entertained of the immense responsibility of christian ministers. For himself, as his practice bears witness, he always desired the smallest cure; partly from native humility, and partly from an apprehension, so lively as to be almost terrible, of the account which must be given in by spiritual overseers at the great tribunal. Often would he commiserate those of the London clergy, the extent of whose cures made it impracticable to pay each individual of their flock the attention his soul required. "Theirs," he observed, "is