the Caveats, there are many grosse faults proven against him; and
therefore, albeit he hes not subscryvit the declinatour, he deserves
deposition and excommunication. And the whole Assembly voited the
samine, except Mr Richard Inglis, and two or three more, who voited
onlie to his deposition.
* * * * *
[_Bishop of Ross._]
Then the Bishop of Ross was called on, and his procurator, and proces
red and the probation thereof.
The Provest of Dumfries said—That when he was in their toune on the
Sabbath day, they expected his comeing to the kirk, and layd cushoons
for him; yet he came not, but went to a excommunicat Papists house, and
stayed all day.
Lowdoun said—He was sent up to Court by the Counsell of the Bishops for
the Kirk, that order might be tane for Papists; and, instead of that,
he brought doune Articles from them, and newis came to this toune to
give in the Bishops Declinatour.
Then the rolles were called.
Mr Alexʳ Kerse said—He is the vive example and perfyte paterne of a
proud Prelat, and enters in composition with the Pope himselfe; and,
therefore, let him have his due deposition and excommunication. And the
whole Assemblie, in ane voice, voited the same.
* * * * *
[_Bishop of Dumblane._]
Then the proces against Mr Ballantyne, pretendit Bishop of Dumblane,
and the probatione thereof, was red. The rolles were called.
Mr Alexʳ Kerse said—I heard, of late, a notable sermon by a brother in
Edinburgh, wherein he sent him to the land of Nod: and let him be sent
there and arreasted there, with deposition and excommunication. And the
whole Assembly, in ane voyce, except Keir, voited the same.
Then the complaint agᵗ Mr James Forsyth, minister of Kilpatrick, was
given in; and, efter the reading of the proces, and probation thereof,
The Moderatour said—I think there is two great faults in that proces;
that, upon the Saturday before the Communion, (at night,) the Sunday
morning, he was writting of summonds to send athart his paroche; and,
upon the Sabbath day efter the first sermone, when the tables were
going to serve, he brought ane Officer at Armes to the end of the
communion table, in Presence of 1600 communicants, and caused him reid
Letters of Horning. And lykewayes he hes both declyned the Presbitrie
and the Assemblie. He is alreadie suspendit; and, therefore, ye are to
give your judgement whither he merits deposition or not?
Then the rolles were called, and the whole Assemblie voited to his
deposition.
Moderatour said—We hope God shall give him repentance, that he may
make use of his gifts afterward; but, for the present, I, in name of
the Assemblie, discharge him from all function in the ministerie, and
declaires his place to be vacant.
* * * * *
Sess. 18.—Decʳ ij, 1638.
After in calling upon the name of God,
The Modʳ nominat some for clearing of the proces against the Bishop of
Cathnes: Alexʳ Monro, Mr Wᵐ Gray, Mr George Gray, Mr [George] Leslie,
Mr John Murray of Pennyland, to conveine at my Lord Eglintouns lodging.
* * * * *
[_Bishop of Orkney._]
The Moderatour said—There are heir two writes come in my hand
concerning the Bishop of Orkney. The ane may be proven by witnes in
this house, and the uther is more large, punctuallie deduced and
subscryved be 12 ministers of Orkney. If the generall satisfie you not,
ye shall heare the particular.
Then Mr George Grahame, pretendit Bishop of Orkney, was called on, and
his proces red, and probatione thereof. After the reading thereof,
The Moderatour said—Ye see what he hath committed against all the
Caveats, and what tyrranicall usurpation he hath exercised above the
ministrie, and many uther particulars which ye heare in the proces;
and, notwithstanding of all this, he hath be his letter offered a kynd
of submission to the Assembly, in saying, if God spair his lyfe, he
will be readie to doe and answer whatever the Assembly shall impose and
requyre; and, lykewayes, he hes not subscryved the declinatour, and,
therefore, it would seeme that he deserves not such a sentence as some
uthers.
Mr Walter Stewart objected that there was nothing in his letter which
could import a formall submission; but was rather to be understood of
his intention to answer to what was to be layed against him.
It was answered by my Lord Lowdoun, that it was a materiall submission,
howbeit not formall; and to this answer the Assembly applaudit.
Furthermore, Mr Walter Stewart declaired, that he had gotten
information, under the clerks hand writt of Leith, that there was a
gentlewoman there present delivered of a childe, and she declaired that
Mr Patrick Oliphant, minister at Scheitland, sister sone to the forsaid
Bishop, was father to the chyld, and this the Bishop knew before
Lambes, and, notwithstanding, tooke no order therewith.
Then the Moderatour answered—Whither or not the pretendit Bishop
of Orkney, (not having subscryved the declinatour, and given in a
materiall submission to this Generall Assembly,) should be deposed, or
have any further censure? To the which, after calling of the rolles,
the Assemblie did agree; and, farder, if he did continow obstinat, he
should be excommunicat.
* * * * *
[_Bishop of Murray._]
Then there was given in a proces against Mr John Guthrie, pretendit
Bishop of Murray, wherein it was found that he had transgressed all the
Caveats. It was objected that the Assembly could not proceed against
him, in respect he was not personallie summondit. The clerk answered
that he had summonded him at the Kirk of Edinburgh and Leith, the
ordinarie places of citatione in ecclesiasticall causes. 2ᵈˡⁱᵉ, That he
was personallie summonded; but the executions of the summonds was not
produced; 3ᵈˡⁱᵉ, It was answered, that the 2 Caveats obleissed every
ane of them to compeir before everie Assemblie, to make accompt of
their doings; 4, That the protestatione was sufficient, protesting that
it might be instead of summonds for them.
Mr Androw Cant said that he knew him to be a common ryder on the
Sabbath day, and lykewayes that he was a prettie dancer, as Mr Thomas
Abernethie can testifie. At his daughters brydell, he danced in his
shirt. Lykewayes, Mr Androw said, that he conveyed some gentlewoman
to a chappell, to make a pennance, all hair footed. This Mr Thomas
Abernethie declaired to be of trueth.
Mr Frederick Carmichaell said, that the Bishop being, by occasion,
ryding from the church on the Sunday morning, he was desyred to stay
all the night, becaus it was the Sabbath day. He answered, he would
borrow that piece of the day from God, and be as good to him some uther
gate.
The Moderatour said—I think, though he hes not subscryvit the
declinatour, yet deposition should passe against him, if the Assemblie
thinks it good; and, if he declair his contumacie afterward, when the
sentence of the Assemblie comes to his hearing, they will declair that
he shall be worthie of excommunication.
Then the rolles were called.
Mr Alexʳ Kerse said—His not subscryving the declinatour deserves some
mitigating consideration. Therefore, I think he should be deposed for
the present, not exeeming him from excommunication, if he continow
obstinat; for he deserveth both; and the rest of the Assembly voited
the same. Some voited that he should make his repentance in the church
of Edinburgh, where, he said, he wᵈ be more vyld in the eyes of uncals,
for the pleasure of his king. Twelfe did voite he should presentlie be
excommunicat.
* * * * *
[_Bishop of Glasgow._]
Then the Bishop of Glasgow was called on, and his proces red.
Mr David Lindsay said—I and Doctor Guild went in to him, and we
represented unto him the fearfull caice he was in till that he
did submitt himselfe to the Generall Assembly, and pas from his
declinatour. He began to make a numeration of the good turnes he had
done in favours of this Kirk against Papists, and requeasted the
Assembly, for Gods caus, that the sentence of excommunication might not
be given out against him till the latter pairt of the Assembly.
The Moderatour said—It would seem that, notwithstanding the Assembly
shall find him worthie of excommunication, yet, if betwixt the decreit
and pronouncing of the sentence, he shall give his submission, the
sentence of excommunication shall be suspendit.
Mr George Young declaired—That my Lord Lindsay Sinclair, Mr Androw
Ramsay, and himselfe, had bein presentlie in at the said Bishop, and
whillas, by your Lordships advyce, he was condescending upon some
doctrines for satisfaction of the Assemblie, the said Mr George Young
declaired that he drew up a writt what he was speaking and gave it to
himselfe to read, and, as he was reading it, he swarfed; and, after
that, he protested that he could not take it to his consideration
for that tyme, and therefore besought the Assemblie, for Gods caus,
to delay the sentence for the tyme, and desyred that his former lyfe
would be tane notice of, and that he was never violent in urging the
novations; and, for the declinatour, he said it was not only offered
unto him, but he was commandit to subscryve it.
The Ministers of Glasgow answered—That there was no man more violent in
urging the Service Booke, &c.
Mr Alexʳ Spittall declaired that the said Bishop did transport two
Ministers at his oune hand, without the advyce of the Presbitrie or
Paroches. Then the rolles were called.
Mr Alexʳ Kerse said—It is a heavie matter that ane of his age should
choose to die under a vaine title of honour, and to cast him under the
danger of such a unhappie viaticum, and not rather to joyne himselfe
with this honourable Assemblie. My opinion is, that he be presentlie
deposed, and, if he did not submitt himselfe to the Assemblie before it
end, let him be excommunicat.
Then the rest of the Assemblie voited that he was worthie of deposition
and excommunication, but that his excommunication should be delayed, to
try if he would submitt himselfe.
* * * * *
_Bishop of Argyle._
Then the pretendit Bishop of Argyle, Mr James Fairlie, was called on,
and the Articles proven, before the Committie, wer red: whereon it was
found that he had broken the Caveats, and uther guiltinesse beside.
Moderatour said—There are diverse degries of guiltinesse, and,
proportionallie, there should be degries of censures; and, if
the Assemblie thinke good, let these be deposed, and, upon their
repentance, let them be receaved to the Ministerie. Then the rolles
were called.
Mr Alexʳ Kerse said—It is said of one that he was so vigilant a Consul
that he sleeped nane all his tyme, for he was entered in the morning
and put from it ere night. So was it with this Prelat; for he sleipit
but few nights in his Episcopall nest, and was not weill warmed in his
Cathedrall chyre, whill both chyre and cuschane was taken from him.
Therefore, depose him only; and, if he obey not the sentence of the
Assemblie, let him be excommunicat. The Assemblie voited the same.
* * * * *
_Bishop of the Isles, &c._
Then was the Bishop of the Isles called on, and his proces red. The
rolles being called, the Assemblie did all agrie to his deposition;
and, concerning the order of his repentance or excommunication, let it
be thought upon afterward.
The Assemblie concludit that the Billes should come in only according
to the order of the rolles. A reverend Father, Mr William Livingston,
Minister at Lanark, gave in his excuse to the Assemblie. Because of his
sicknes he behooved to retire hame, and cravit leave of the Assembly,
whilk was granted.
Then the Complaint was given in against D. Andro Lawmont; was remitted
to the Presbitrie of Kirkcaldie, and the Commissioners of Coupar and Sᵗ
Androwes were joyned to them.
Then there was a proces given in against Mr John MᶜNaught, Minister at
Chirnsyde; and, after the calling of the rolles, the Assemblie voited
that, for deserting of his Paroche, declining his Presbitrie, and
preaching of Arminian doctrine, he absolutelie should be deposed, and
his kirk declaired to be vacant.
The proces against Mr Francis Harvie was referred to the Commission at
Edinburgh. Then Mr Thomas Fosters proces was given in, containeing
many grosse and blasphemous poynts; and, after the calling of the
rolles, the Assemblie voited that such a minister as he should be put
off in a singular manner, and deposed from the ministerie.
* * * * *
Sess. 19.—12 Decʳ 1638.
_Bishop of Dunkell._
After prayer to God, there was a letter red, from Mr Alexʳ Lindsay,
Bishop of Dunkell, wherein he had declaired, that he had subscryved
their Covenant—that the Assemblie was lawfull—and that he submitted
himselfe to it, and supplicat the Assemblie that he might die a
Minister at Lyneydors. After that his proces was red,
The Moderatour said—Ye heare what is said against him—the common
Episcopall transgressions, and many grosse thinges besyde; and it
would seeme verie hard that he should be continowed in the Ministerie,
except he make his publict repentance, and make some discourse of the
Corruptions of the Kirk; and, if he be not able to come to the kirk,
let some brethren of the Ministerie, of the gravest number, be sent to
him to be witnesses of his recantation and repentance.
Then it was questioned whether the foresaid Bishop should be deposed
from the Bishoprick, and all functions in the Ministerie, or whether he
should be deposed from his Prelacy only, and, according to his desyre,
continowed Minister at Lyneydors?
Mr Androw Cant said—I lyke the Bishops notion weill, that desyres to
die a Minister; but it is to be feared that he have respect to his
owne credit and meanes, as in former tymes, and so many poore saules
disappoynted.
Mr David Dick said—If we believe that Episcopacie is such a wrang
to the Crowne of Christ Jesus, and to this Kirk of Scotland, and we
believe that the making of so many saules to starve yon way, it is a
bloodie sin before God. We must have a speciall cair of restoiring God
to his honour; and, therefore, how sicke soever he be, he can write
a letter of his full dimission and repentance, utherwayes let him be
deposed and excommunicat.
Lowdown said—Howbeit he had sent a formall dimission to the Assembly,
it is necessar to use deposition, and, I thinke, what is done heir
should be drawen up and sent to him, that he may make his dimission
formall, and may restoir what he hes wrongouslie detained pertaining to
the Kirk.
After much reasoning to and fro,
The Moderatour stated the question—Whether or not upon his dimission,
which is singular, he shall be deposed, not only from his Prelacie,
but from all function of the Ministerie? Then all the rolles were
called, and all the Assemblie except 20, resolves upon this—That he
shall be deposed from his Episcopacie; yea, and from the exercise of
all Ministeriall function, till such tyme as he satisfie by his paines
these who are sent unto him by the Assembly, whose names follow:—Mr
Robert Murray, Mr John Robertsone, Mr Alexʳ Petrie, Mr George Muschet,
Mr Wᵐ Menzies, Mr George Symmer, Mr John Robisone; the quorum fyve. The
provyding of the kirk of Lyneydors, and a competent allowance for it
was referred to the Presbitrie.
* * * * *
[_Bishop of Cathnes._]
Then the Articles against the pretended Bishop of Cathnes was given in.
After the reading thereof, there was some of his noble friends desyred
that he might be continowed in the functione of the Ministerie since he
hes acknowledgit the Assembly and subscyvit the Covenant.
Lowdoun said—He behooved to be deposed and suspendit from any function
of the Ministerie, till he take him to a particular flock.
The Shirreff of Teviotdaile said—That he was willing to have tane him
to the Ministerie, but the High Commission put him from it, and would
either have him keip his Bishoprick or quyte them both. Lykewayes,
within this short tyme, there was a fast indicted for the good of the
same caus, and Mr James Burnett, the Minister of the Paroche, would not
keip the fast. He keipit it in his house, and a number of the Paroche
resorted to him, and he may doe good in that Paroche, for the people
hes a love to him, and a great detest to their Minister.
Moderatour said—There is a difficultie in it. We cannot for the present
interpret him to be a Minister, becaus he hes not a particular flock;
and so it would seeme the greatest favour the Assemblie can do to him
is this—that upon his repentance they may admitt him to a particular
flock.
Lowdoun declaired that when the High Commission put him from the
Ministrie, he gave in ane protestation against Mr James ________, whom
they put in his place; and there is 50 in Jedburgh that subscryvit the
protestation.
The Moderatour said—The question is concerning his deposition; for I
thinke ye doubt not of his Episcopall office; but whether he shall be
deposed from all function of the Ministerie?
Then the rolles were called, and the whole Assemblie agried upon his
deposition from his Episcopall office; and, upon his repentance, to be
admitted to the Ministerie.
Mr Androw Rollock, Minister at Dunce, declaired that he had ignorantlie
subscryved the Bishops declinatour; and now, having gotten light, he
was content to pass from it.
Moderatour said—There are a number of the Bishops who are ordained to
be excommunicat, and now we are to consider the tyme when it shall be
done—the persones that shall pronounce the sentence—the place where—and
the maner how it shall be done; or whether the sentence shall be
delayed any longer or not?
Lowdoun said—The delaying of the sentence would seeme to be verie
prejudiciall. For these that are absent out of this toun, there
is no appearance that we shall get them to deall with; neither is
there any appeirance of their repentance as yet who hes subscrivet
the declinatour: And becaus we know not what interruptions may be
shortlie, it is good to make use of the occasion which God, of his
great mercie, offers to red his Church of them; and it is the justice
of God recompenceing their pride, on the ane hand, and the trumpet of
his mercie to recall them to repentance, if it be possible, on the
uther hand; and so the delay of such a good worke seemes to be verie
dangerous. As for the place, where ye are seemes to be verie fitt; and
for the persone, doubtlesse it must be yourselfe who is the mouth of
this Assembly, to pronounce the Judgement of the Assembly against them,
that this Kirk may be delyvered from the thraldome it was in.
The Moderatour said—There was no practice of the Kirk for that, and
that Bishop Adamsone was not excommunicat by the Moderatour of the
Assembly.
Nevertheless, the Assembly desyred that the Moderatour himselfe would
take it upon him, and that he should delyver a Sermon in the same
church the morne at Ten hours, and let them be excommunicat. This was
concludit be the consent of the whole Assemblie.
Mr James Cunninghame, Minister at Sum ... oke, gave in a Bill to the
Assembly, desyreing earnestlie that he might be transported, for many
weightie reasones, such as his age and unabilitie to travell throw
that paroche, being 9 or 10 myles boundes, and having small meanes of
provision; that for thir thrie yeares he gat no stipend, and many uther
pressing difficulties which the Assemblie fand to be true, and granted
him libertie of transportatioun, by advyce of the Presbytrie, when God
sends occasion.
* * * * *
Sess. 20—Decʳ 13, 1638.
[_Deposition of the Prelates._]
[In the MS. from which this report is transcribed, the Sermon by
the Moderator and Act of Deposition of the Bishops, appointed at the
former sederunt, are entirely omitted. As, however, that was one of the
most solemn and important proceedings of the Assembly 1638, we deem
it incumbent on us to supply the void; and we have been so fortunate
as to become possessed of the means for doing so. In the year 1762,
Alexander Henderson’s Sermon, including the Act of Deposition, was
published in a small pamphlet, entitled, “_The Bishops’ Doom_,” of
which the whole title and a prefatory note are subjoined;[139] and
although the particular record from whence that publication was taken
is not specified in the note, we find its tenor corroborated by Mr
David Laing’s MS. Report, formerly referred to (p. 128), in which the
Sermon is given. These two copies we have accordingly collated, and
what follows, therefore, may be considered as substantially correct.]
SERMON.
Psalm cx. 1.
“The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make
thine enemies thy footstool.”
For taking up the meaning of this text, we need only have recourse to
a commentary that the Lord himself makes upon it in the gospel, Mark,
xii. 36: for he asked of the Pharisees concerning the Messiaa, _Whose
son is he?_—they answered, _The son of David._ He replies, If he be
the son of David, _How is it, then, that David, by the Holy Ghost,
calls him his Lord?_ And so we have here a testimony of the Spirit
speaking in David, a thousand years before Christ came in the flesh,
that the Word would be _made flesh_, and that he would set up his tent
and tabernacle amongst us; for so is _the word_ that is used in the
1st of the gospel according to St John rendered; and that amongst the
children of men he should drink of the brook, _i. e._, stiff, bitter
things, as is expressed afterward in the psalm; and that he having done
so, would be exalted above all creatures in heaven, and, in the fulness
of his glory and majesty, sit down at the right hand of the Father,
and should from thence rule and dispose upon the affairs of his Church
magnificently and mightily, according to the worthiness and excellency
of so great a king and so glorious a majesty, till at last all his
enemies, both foreign and intestine or domestic, should be brought low,
and made his footstool; and as they had trodden upon the holy blood of
the Son of God, he should tread upon them, and pour shame and confusion
upon them, and utter banishment from his face for ever.
Right honourable and well-beloved, we are but short-sighted naturally;
we look upon persons and things that are present, and cannot look afar
off to things that are past, neither have we a very great prospect to
look forward to things that are to come. And as our sight is short, so
it is weak also: if we but look upon things here below, our eyes are
soon dazzled with the splendour of them, although, when all is done,
their lustre be not great; we cannot get in with our sight to things
that are above. But if we will take the right view of this text, it
would help us both in the one and in the other; for you see it leads
from that which is past to that which is to come.
“The Lord said.” This hath an eye to the time to come. There is a time
coming when all the enemies of God, the most proud and insolent of
them, shall be made the footstool of God, shall be brought low, and
made base and contemptible. And it helps us to lift up our eyes from
things on earth to things above, especially to Christ himself, who is
in the highest heavens, at the top of glory and majesty, the right hand
of the Father. “The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand,”
&c.
In these words, beloved, we may see three parts, which determine our
method of speaking. The _first_ is the calling and ordination of
Christ unto his kingdom: “The Lord said unto my Lord.” The _second_
is the dignity and glory to which he is exalted in his kingdom: “Sit
thou at my right hand.” The _third_ is that glory and triumph that
shall be manifested in him at last: “And his enemies shall be made
his footstool.” I shall speak very shortly of these, because ye know
preaching is not this day’s principal exercise.