April - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland

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One of John Knox's Stamp. 483government and discipline and abrogating the Acts in favou.rof Popery. This Act was l'ecognised as the Magna Charta ofthe Scottish Church. But it was not long until the Church wasin deep waters and without referring to the events in whichDavidson played an important part we pass on to the eventfulAssembly of 1596. This was one of the most remarkableAssemblies ever held mainly in view of the extraordinary confessionof sins made by the ministers and the signs of contritionand sorrow that accompanied the confessions. The Presbyteryof Haddington had sent up a proposal to the Assembly thatthe gross SillS of all Estates should be inquired into. A memorialwas accordingly drawn up probably from the pen of Davidsonhimself. When the Assembly met in St. Giles a resolution wa~agreed to that Davidson be asked to "give up, the particularcatalogue of the chief offences and corruptions in all Estates"and as one reads it in the Booke of the Universal Kirk it certainlywas a black enough indictment. King, ministers and peopleall had their sins set before them. It was decided that all theministers meet on a certain day to make confession. Davidsonwas the preacher and the chapters read were the 13th and 34111of Ezekiel. Unfortunately we have only scraps of his sermonas recorded by Calderwood. \Vhen the preacher pressed lJOlIwhis message in his own effective way and called upon his hearcl'~to confess their sins with promise and purpose of amendmenta wave of emotion passed over the audience and fora quarterof an hour the building resounded with weeping. Calderwoodsays; "There were sighs and sobs, with shedding of tears amongthe most part of all Estates that were present, everyone provokinganother by their example, that the kirk resounded, so that theplace might worthily have been called Bochim; for the likeof that day was never seen in Scotland since the Reformation,as every man confessed. There have been many days of humiliationfor present or imminent dangers, but the like for sin anddefection was there never seen" (Hist. of the Kirk of Scotland,V. 407). After public confession was made, prayer was engagedin, IllIld Davidson preached again; this time with the purpose
F1'ee Presbyterian Magazine.of "building up" as his first sermon aimed at "casting down."He called upon his hearers to enter into a new covenant withthe Lord and with uplifted hands they did so. As many ofthe ministers were not present on the occasion the Asselllblyenjoined the Synods to eng'age in a like solemn humiliation,Some presbyteries also and congregations lnet for a like purpose.Notwitll~tanding all this dark elouds were gathering for theKirk in high places. James was scheming to have Episcopacyset up in Scotland and his plans were all the easier to accomplishinasmuch as, according to Hume Brown, "there was not a singlenoble of a,bility and authority "lvllD took his stand Oil the sideof the Pre;,;byterian party." By a sel'ies (lf cunningly devisedquestions which were Illeant to ,entrap the minister;; the Kingasked the Assembly's answers to the same and received answeTSfrom the Assem.bly which, though not quite satisfactory to him,weTe stepping stones to his objective. 'When the next Assemblymet J allles found that the ministers resented his encroachmentson the laws and liberties of the Kirk. Notwithstanding thecunniug plausibilities of Jamcs there were some among theministers who saw clearly enough his objective; among thesewas John David50n. The Scottish Parliament passed an .'letdecreeing that such ministers ~lS the crown provided to the placeand dignity of n bishop should hav,e a place in Parliament. Whenthe matter came before the Synod of Fife James Mclville andothers argued against the proposal on the grouud tlwt minister::;could not have a place in Parliament without first being madebishops. Davidson also followed in the same strain and in doingso gave utterance to one Df those delivenlllce,; so eharacteristicof leading Scottish minister5 at this
Page 2 and 3: ..THEjf'tee lBte~b!'tetian :maga~tn
Page 8 and 9: Sermon. 4872. The word" Church" is
Page 10 and 11: Sermon. 489covenant head. The coven
Page 12 and 13: --'\\Sermon. 491His truth and cause
Page 14: Sermon. 4!}3whether they will hear
Page 17: 496 F1'ee P1'esbyterian Magazine.We
Page 20 and 21: \l'he latl' .i\l1'1'. A1Igu,' JI~{/
Page 22 and 23: Nadu1' an Duine 'na Staid Cheithi1'
Page 24 and 25: N adlM' an D'uine 'nn Staid Cheithi
Page 26 and 27: N ad~t1' an Duine 'na Staid Cheithi
Page 28 and 29: Diterary Notices. 51)7of the Islami
Page 30 and 31: Notes and Comments. 509and cast in
Page 32 and 33: Ch~wch Notes. 511out of the country
Page 34 and 35: A ckno'H'ledgment of Donations. 513
Page 36 and 37: The Maga.zine. 515MacKenzie, Rose C

April - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland

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