_Comprehending the_ TESTIMONY _of the_ CULDEES.
It is not without reason reckoned among the peculiar prerogatives of the
renowned church of Scotland, that Christ's conquest in the conversion of
that nation, is one of the most eminent accomplishments of
scripture-prophecies, of the propagation of his kingdom in the new
testament dispensation; not only because it was, when called out of
Gentile paganism, among the rudest of heathen nations, and in the
acknowledgement of all, among "the uttermost parts of the earth," which
were given to Christ for his inheritance and possession; whereunto he
had, and hath still undoubted right, by his Father's grant, and by his
own purchase; and took infeftment of it by a glorious conquest of that
land, which the Roman arms could never subdue; and erected his
victorious trophies there, whither their triumphs could never penetrate;
obtaining and thereby accomplishing that predicted song of praise, "From
the uttermost parts of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the
righteous." Which gives us ground to expect, that however Christ's
interest there be now very low, and like to be lost as a prey in the
dragon's mouth, yet Christ, having such undoubted and manifold right to
it, will not so easily quit or forego his possession; but also, because
he hath so constantly continued his possession, and maintained his
title, by a long course of contendings, by the testimonies of his
witnesses against the invaders thereof, through all the periods of the
church, from the very infancy of this new dispensation; and because
Scotland's conversion unto the Christian faith was among the first
fruits of the Gentiles, of the oldest date, that any standing church
holding the head Christ this day can deduct its original from. For it is
clear from ancient records, the Christian faith was embraced here a few
years after the ascension of our Saviour, being taught by the disciples
of John the apostle; and received afterwards great increase from the
Britons flying to Scotland to escape the persecution of the Emperor
Domitian, and was long promoted by the ancient Culdees, (or worshippers
of God,) men whose memory is still fragrant for piety and purity of
faith and life, who continued some hundreds of years under various
vicissitudes of providence, before either prelacy or popery was known in
Scotland. They were first universally encouraged by King Cratilinth, in
the time of the last persecution under Dioclesian, which brought many of
Christ's witnesses hither for shelter, who were very helpful for the
settling of truth, and the total extirpation of the idolatry of the
Druids, the heathen priests, whereby the pure doctrine, worship, and
government also, of Christ's institution, was established and continued
many years, while these witnesses of Christ had no other emulation but
of well-doing, and to advance piety. In this period, these ancient, and
first confessors and witnesses of Christ, did wrestle strenuously,
according to their strength and light, for the truths and words of
Christ's patience, controverted in their day, both against professed
enemies, Pagan persecutors and priests, and pretended friends,
corrupters of the faith. Their testimony was stated in a peculiar
manner, for the verity, value and virtue of Christ's natures and
offices, in asserting his truths relative to either, against the
malignants and sectaries of their time; particularly for the concerns of
his prophetical office. And though we be at a loss, that for the most
part their witness is buried in oblivion, through the darkness of the
times succeeding; yet the scrapes and fragments that are left, do
furnish us with these few remarks.
I. They maintained the verity of the Christian doctrine, against both
Pagan Persecutors and heretical perverters; and the purity of his
instituted worship, without the vanity of human inventions, or
conformity with, either the Druids on the one hand, or the heretics on
the other, with which, sometime before the end of that period, they were
infested; chiefly the Pelagians, with whom the faithful would have no
communion; but abstracted themselves in a monastical life, living and
exercising their religion in cells, from whence many places in the
country yet retain the name, as Kilmarnock, Kilpatrick, &c. that is the
cells of these eminent men among the Culdees. And their government also
was that of the primitive order, without bishops, with little vanity,
but great simplicity and holiness. Many authors do testify, that near
about 400 years, the church of Scotland knew nothing of the episcopal
Hierarchy, until Palladius brought it in, and not without great
opposition.
II. In these recesses, they had the advantage, both of outward peace,
when others were in trouble, and of inward peace of conscience, when
others were debauched with many conjurations and abjurations,
combinations and confederacies, imposed and exacted by them that
prevailed for the time, whereby they might both keep themselves free of
ensnaring oaths, perfidious compliances, and associations with the
wicked, and also entertain and encourage the oppressed for equity, who
fled unto their sanctuary for safety. We find they refused to enter into
league with malignant enemies. One memorable passage I shall insert
(though strictly it belong not to this period, as I distinguish it, yet
falling out, within eighty years thereafter, in the time of the Culdees,
it will not obscurely evidence the truth of this) Goranus the
forty-fifth king of Scots, earnestly dissuaded Lothus king of Picts to
entertain the league with the Saxons, not only because they were
treacherous and cruel, but because they were enemies to the country and
to the religion they professed, concluding thus: _Homini vero Christiano
id longe omnium videri_, &c. "But to a Christian nothing must seem more
grievous, than to consent to such a covenant, as will extinguish the
Christian religion, and reduce the prophane customs of the heathen, and
arm wicked tyrants, the enemies of all humanity and piety, against God
and his laws." Whereupon Lothus was persuaded to relinquish the Saxons,
Buchan. Hist. Rer. Scotic.
III. Though they were not for partaking in wicked unnecessary wars,
without authority, or against it; yet we have ground to conclude, they
were for war, and did maintain the principle of resisting tyranny; since
there was never more of the practice of it, nor more happy resistances
in any age, than in that; where we find, that, as their ancestors had
frequently done before, so they also followed their footsteps, in
resisting, reducing to order, repressing, and bringing to condign
punishment tyrants and usurpers; and thought those actions, which their
fathers did by the light of nature and dictates of reason, worthy of
imitation, when they had the advantage of the light of revelation and
dictates of faith; the one being indeed moderate and directed, but no
ways contradicted by the other. Therefore we read, that, as their
predecessors had done with Thereus the 8th king of Scotland, whom they
banished in the year before Christ's incarnation 173; with Dustus the
11th king, whom they slew in battle in the year before Christ 107;
Evenus the 3d, who was imprisoned, and died there, in the year before
Christ 12; Dardanus the 20th king, who was taken in battle, beheaded by
his own subjects, his head exposed to mockage, and his body cast into a
sink, in the year of Christ 72; Luctatus the 22d king, who was slain for
his leachery and tyranny in the year 110, Mogaldus the 23d king, slain
in the year 113; Conarus the 24th king, a leacherous tyrant, died in
prison in the year 149; Satrael the 26th king hanged in the year 159.
So, after the Christian faith was publicly professed, they pursued
Athirco the 29th king, when degenerate into tyranny, who was forced to
kill himself in the year 231. They slew Nathalocus the 30th king, and
cast him into a privy, in the year 241. They beheaded Romachus the 36th
king, and carried about his head for a show in the year 348. As they did
with many others afterwards, as witnesseth Buchanan, Book IV. Scottish
History.
IV. Whence it is evident, that as they attained, even in these primitive
times, and maintained the purity and freedom of their ministry,
independent on Pope, Prelate, or any human supremacy (that Antichristian
hierarchy and Erastian blasphemy not being known in those days) so they
contended for the order and boundaries of the magistracy, according to
God's appointment and the fundamental constitutions of their government;
and thought it their duty to shake off the yoke, and disown the
authority of these tyrants that destroyed the same. Yea, we find, that
even for incapacity, stupidity and folly, they disowned the relation of
a magistrate, and disposed of the government another way, as they did
with Ethodius II. whose authority they did own, but only to the title.
See Buchanan in the before cited place.