April - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland
April - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland
April - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland
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One <strong>of</strong> John Knox's Stamp. 483government and discipline and abrogating <strong>the</strong> Acts in favou.r<strong>of</strong> Popery. This Act was l'ecognised as <strong>the</strong> Magna Charta <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> Scottish Church. But it was not long until <strong>the</strong> Church wasin deep waters and without referring to <strong>the</strong> events in whichDavidson played an important part we pass on to <strong>the</strong> eventfulAssembly <strong>of</strong> 1596. This was one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most remarkableAssemblies ever held mainly in view <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> extraordinary confession<strong>of</strong> sins made by <strong>the</strong> ministers and <strong>the</strong> signs <strong>of</strong> contritionand sorrow that accompanied <strong>the</strong> confessions. The Presbytery<strong>of</strong> Haddington had sent up a proposal to <strong>the</strong> Assembly that<strong>the</strong> gross SillS <strong>of</strong> all Estates should be inquired into. A memorialwas accordingly drawn up probably from <strong>the</strong> pen <strong>of</strong> Davidsonhimself. When <strong>the</strong> Assembly met in St. Giles a resolution wa~agreed to that Davidson be asked to "give up, <strong>the</strong> particularcatalogue <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> chief <strong>of</strong>fences and corruptions in all Estates"and as one reads it in <strong>the</strong> Booke <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Universal Kirk it certainlywas a black enough indictment. King, ministers and peopleall had <strong>the</strong>ir sins set before <strong>the</strong>m. It was decided that all <strong>the</strong>ministers meet on a certain day to make confession. Davidsonwas <strong>the</strong> preacher and <strong>the</strong> chapters read were <strong>the</strong> 13th and 34111<strong>of</strong> Ezekiel. Unfortunately we have only scraps <strong>of</strong> his sermonas recorded by Calderwood. \Vhen <strong>the</strong> preacher pressed lJOlIwhis message in his own effective way and called upon his hearcl'~to confess <strong>the</strong>ir sins with promise and purpose <strong>of</strong> amendmenta wave <strong>of</strong> emotion passed over <strong>the</strong> audience and fora quarter<strong>of</strong> an hour <strong>the</strong> building resounded with weeping. Calderwoodsays; "There were sighs and sobs, with shedding <strong>of</strong> tears among<strong>the</strong> most part <strong>of</strong> all Estates that were present, everyone provokingano<strong>the</strong>r by <strong>the</strong>ir example, that <strong>the</strong> kirk resounded, so that <strong>the</strong>place might worthily have been called Bochim; for <strong>the</strong> like<strong>of</strong> that day was never seen in <strong>Scotland</strong> since <strong>the</strong> Reformation,as every man confessed. There have been many days <strong>of</strong> humiliationfor present or imminent dangers, but <strong>the</strong> like for sin anddefection was <strong>the</strong>re never seen" (Hist. <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Kirk <strong>of</strong> <strong>Scotland</strong>,V. 407). After public confession was made, prayer was engagedin, IllIld Davidson preached again; this time with <strong>the</strong> purpose