Select passages from the diary and letters of the late John Blackader, Esq.

11 ACCOUNT OF COL. BLACKADER's
before the Public, would, it is likely, wifh to
know fomething more of him befides his name.
He was born in 1615, ordained a minifter of the
Church of Scotland in 1653, and deprived of his
living, with other prefbyterian minifters, in 1662.
He died in prifon for confcience fake in 1687.
He was one of themoft diftinguifhed fufFerers du-
ring the dreadful period of nearly twenty. eight
years, in which Charles the Second, his minifters
in Scotland, and his fucceffor, perfecuted with un-
relenting cruelty thofe very perfons, and others of
their fentiments, who were the full inftruments
of the Reftoration, and who had placed the crown
of Scotland, on the head of Charles, while yet a
wretched exile. For the fake of this he fubmit-
ted to the moft humiliating terms, and practifed
the groffeft. deceit. At his coronation, kneeling,
and lifting up his right hand, he fwore in the pre-
fence of Almighty God, the Searcher of hearts,
who liveth and reigneth forever *, to fupport,
* Perfons will be greatly difappointed who look for
information rel'pecting thefe tranfactiorts from the great
hittonan of the time, Lord Clarendon. However minute
in relating the hiitory of Charles on other occ*.nons, he
is as filtnt upon this fcene of iniquity, as are the epifco-
pal hiiiorian?, Biiliop Burnet excepted, reflecting the
j.-erlecutions of the latter part of his reign. The fidelity
and integrity of Mr Douglas who pieached the corona-
tion fcrmon, its fuitableneis to the occafion, and the An-
gular excellency of the compofition, confidering the
country and the period in which it was delivered, ca-ru
not fail to ftrike every impartial reader.