confusion. He was distinguished by his family, an well as by his uncommon merit, being himself lord of Corse, and baron of O'Neil, in the shire of Aberdeen. He was
, an eminent Scotsman, was born
in 1564, when the affairs of the church of Scotland were
in great confusion. He was distinguished by his family,
an well as by his uncommon merit, being himself lord of
Corse, and baron of O'Neil, in the shire of Aberdeen.
He was liberally educated both at Aberdeen and St. Andrew’s; and having a plentiful estate, a noble alliance,
and great credit in his country, he contributed much towards restoring order, by encouraging pious and peaceable
ministers, and by instructing the people in set conferences
as well as occasional discourses; especially the papists, who
would hear nothing from the pulpit. In this laudable manner he acted as a layman; and his abilities became so conspicuous, that he was often solicited to enter into the
ministry by eminent persons both in church and state. He
at length submitted to their judgment, and was ordained a
presbyter at the age of 28. He was admitted minister of
Keith, where he continued with the highest applause till
1618; and then, at the earnest desire of the clergy and
laity of the diocese of Aberdeen, as well as at the express
command of the king, was promoted to the bishopric of
Aberdeen, which he had held about seventeen years. “It
was,
” says Burnet, “with great difficulty, that king James
made him accept that dignity; and for several months he
refused it, having proposed to himself to live in a less
conspicuous state. It was soon seen, how much, he deserved to be a bishop; and that his refusal was not counterfeit, but the real effect of his humility. In all his behaviour he has displayed the character of a truly apostolic
man. He visited his diocese without pomp and noise, attended only by one servant, that he might more easily be
informed of what belonged to his care, &c.
”
, of Corse, second son to the preceding, was born May 2, 1593, and
, of Corse, second son to the preceding, was born May 2, 1593, and after his school education, was sent to the university of King’s college, Aberdeen,
in 1607. After a course of philosophy and theology here,
he went to Heidelberg, where he attended the lectures of
Paraeus, and afterwards spent some time at the other
universities of Germany. With theology he applied vigorously to the study of the Hebrew language, and according to Pictet, maintained, in 1608, a public dispute against
the archbishop and the Lutherans of Upsal. If there be
no mistake in this date, he could now have been only
fifteen or sixteen yeajs of age. He pursued his studies,
however, abroad until 1619, when returning to Aberdeen,
he gave such proofs of extensive knowledge and talents,
that he was immediately appointed professor of divinity
and ecclesiastical history in King’s college. How well he
was qualified for the office appears from his “Historicotheological Institutions,
” a work universally admired, even
by those who differed from him with regard to matters of
church-government. Having, however, subscribed the
Perth articles, as they were called, proposed by the synod
of Perth, as an introduction to episcopacy in Scotland,
the favourite measure of James I. which Dr. Forbes ably
defended, and having refused to subscribe to the national
league and covenant, he was ejected from his professorial
chair in 1640. He had before this made an ineffectual.
attempt to compose the religious dissentions in Scotland,
by publishing a work written with great moderation of sentiment, entitled “Irenicam,
” dedicated to the lovers of
truth and peace. This was printed at Aberdeen in 1629,
4to. In 1642 he went to Holland, where he remained a
few years, and revising the lectures he had delivered when
professor, he compiled from them the excellent work
abovementioned, which he published at Amsterdam in 1645,
fol. under the title of “Institutiones historico-theologicæ.
”
This was so much admired, and considered indeed as one
of the best works of the kind that had ever appeared, as to
pass through three editions in a very short time. In 1646
he published, at the same place, his father’s “Commentary
Oh the Apocalypse,
” 4to, translated into Latin. Returning then to Scotland, he spent the short remainder of his
life in retirement on his estate of Corse, where he died
April 29, 1648. Those who had ejected him from his professorship added two instances of persecution which are
peculiarly disgraceful. While professor, he had purchased
a house at Old Aherdeen, where King’s college is situated,
and made it over for the use of his successors; but having
forgot to secure his life-rent in it, the prevailing party
actually turned him out of it; and now, when dead, they
would not allow him to be buried beside his father, though
earnestly requested by many of his friends. The body was
afterwards carried to the church-yard of Leuchil, where it
lies without any monument. In 1703, a very elegant edition
of all his works, in 2 vols. fol. was printed by the Wetsteins at Amsterdam, under the care partly of Mr. George
Garden of Aberdeen, but principally of professor Gurtler
of Deventer. The whole indicates great learning, and
his “Exercitia Spiritualia,
” a kind of Diary, shows no less
piety.