Last, I must give a word of thanksgiving to this Cittie, wherein we have had such a comfortable residence, and to the principall Magistrats of it, who hes heir attendit our meeting, and hes had due cair to provyde extraordinary commodious seats for us, and we have receaved very good intertainment in this cittie. The best recompence we can give to them is, to pray for the blessing of God upon them, and to give them a tast of our labours by visiting their colledge, and any other thing that consists in our power, without prejudice to the Kirk of God, that so the kingdome of Christ may be established among them, and glorie may dwell in this land.
After which the Moderatour desyred some of the brethren to speak a word of exhortation.
Mr David Dick said—We know not how shortlie the Lord may call us to trouble and sufferings for his trueth; for his Majestie hath keeped us still in suspence all this tyme, and, as he has mingled all our former steppes with fear, so now he keepes us in the same temper, to the end our rejoycing might be as it should. But if we will continue to doe as we have begun, in supplicating our God and our King, and sett our face toward our Lord, and hold the rule of his Word before our eyes, and make himselfe our fear and our dread, we neid not to think any thing els, and acknowledge his sovereigntie over all creatures. This is the short cutt and perfect rule by which our goings must be ordered; and if, in this path we meit with harsh troubles, when they are disgeasted awhile, sweit and solide comfort will be the upshott of them all, provyding we could wait for patience on our Lord; and becaus, out of all doubt, the proceedings of the Assembly will be tryed, let us arme ourselves with the strength of our Lord to defend all our laudable constitutions, and, withall, bear with pitie the misconstructions of the world, making use of our liberty, and labouring to walke in a pure-pointed-out light; wondering at all the passages of our Lords providence, and admiring the large measure of reformation granted to this land; rejoycing to see schame and confusion routed on the fall of Sions adversaries, and sevenfold rendered into their bosome who slandered our Reformers as not learned and wyse with their zeale: the contrare quhereof their laudable acts and constitutions makes manifest. And if this we doe, having now gotten a reformation sett on foot againe, if we goe on prudentlie, advancing our Lord Jesus, keeping ourselves from a lordlie denomination; both Ministers and Ruling Elders knowing their duties; and everie ane seiking the helpe and assistance of ane uther; that as the hands cannot say to the feete, nor the feete to the hands, “we have no neid of yow,” so we may all, as members of ane bodie, studie to advance our Lord and his honour; and, if we will studie to repent for the wronges God hes gotten in this land, and studie for a thorough reformation of ourselfes, our people, and our families; then it shall come to passe, that the blessing of God shall be upon ourselfes, our callings, and laboures, and our posteritie, and we shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger.
Then Mr Andro Ramsay, being called on to speake next, said—Among all the pairts of Gods worship, I acknowledge none more acceptable to God than thanksgiving; and it becomes us verie weill to be thankfull, if we regaird, first, the beginning; secondly, the progresse; thirdlie, the happie conclusion of this great worke. First, if we regaird the beginning which was (1) wonderfull, (2) unexpected, and (3) powerfull. First it was wonderfull, in respect that, by a few number of the basest offscourings in the land, God did begin this worke, that the glorie might be given to him alone. Secondlie, As it was wonderfull, so it was unexpected; for scarce ane in all Scotland could have any hope to see this dayes worke. Thirdlie, It was powerfull; for, before it begane, religion was dieing, and the breath of it expyreing. But now it is reviveing; the winter is over and gone; the floures appeare in the earth; and the tyme of singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
Againe, if we will looke to the progresse of this worke, we will see great matter of thankfulnes; for whatever any intendit for our hurt, he made it to turne for our good. Third, for the conclusion, 1, If we respect this frequent meeting we have had; 2, this powerfull and gracious assistance we have felt; 3, this wonderfull harmonie and unanimitie that we have had; 4, the happie conclusion that we see now with our eyes: In all thir respects we have great reason to praise God.
First, for the frequencie of this meeting, there was never such a meeting at such a worke sein in Christendome. 2, So powerfull assistance, both of the spirit of our God for which we glorified him, and of these worthie nobles and uthers heir present, on whom we wish all earthlie blessings—blessings heir, and eternall happinesse in the lyfe to come. 3, For our harmonie; there was never such a harmonie; that, all in ane voit, we have rejected and condemned that Service Booke—a booke of slaverie and servitude indeed—that superstitious Booke of Ordination, and that Booke of Canons, which was a bulwarke and defence for all the rest. 4, For the happie conclusion, we have great reason to thanke God that these bookes are now condemned. The 5 Articles that rent our Church are now condemned; Episcopacie now abjured, and all uther matters introductorie to Popperie—the Lord hes fried us from them; for which I say we have great reason to thank God. Now let us not sing a requiem to ourselves, nor yet be insolent in our carriage, but behave ourselves wiselie and prudentlie towards our superiours; and, though the Bishops be cast out, let us not be cairelesse of auctoritie, but let our carriage be modest and our speach seasoned with grace. 3, Let us be vigilant and not secure; for, a great and good worke such as this is, it was never brought to ane end without opposition. 4, Let us be courageous in the strenth of our God; and, lastlie, thankfull to his great name for that wonderfull unanimitie that hes beine amongst us, and happie conclusion that God hes granted unto us.
The Moderatour said—Truelie it becomes us not to be insolent; for the Lord hes bein pleased so to dispose of us as we have not caus to be wantoun, for if, as we had divine auctoritie to warrand us, so we had humane, I feir it should be hard for us to keip ourselves within bounds. But the Lord, knowing our weaknes, keipes us in this temper; and if we cary ourselfes worthlie of that God hes bestowed upon us, who knowes but he will graceouslie grant us all our desyres, and turn the countenance of our King toward this Kirk? There rests ane circumstance which I should have remembered. I am assured it will be acceptable to this Assembly, that some of these Noblemen who hes bein ane ornament to this Assembly should speake ane word before it dissolve, especiallie my noble Lord Argyle, whom we could have wished, if it had pleased his Lordship, to have come in sooner: but the Lord hes reserved him for the fittest tyme, and I trust the Lord shall honour him with all blessings, both heir and heirefter.
My Lord Argyle said—Since it pleases you, Moderatour, to name my name, yow give me occasion to thanke yow for putting so favourable a construction upon my cariage, whereas ye wishe me that I had come in sooner. Truelie, I tell yow it was not want of affection to the good of religion and my countrie, and I desyre that favourable construction of yow still, that my intention was to have done more good wherein I was not inlaiking before; and, when I saw I could be no more usefull, except I had bein a knave, I thought good to doe as I have done. Ane thing I would remember yow of who hath bein purging the Kirk of evill instruments, that ye would labour to learn a lesson upon their expenses: felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum. I remember, upon ane occasion, I told some of them to their face, that there was two faults which had brought meikle evill in this Church—to witt, pride and avarice, which I cannot deny but to be grievous faults in any man, but especially in Churchmen. But I hope everie man shall walke by the square and rule which is now before him—keeping duetie first to superiors; secondly, to equalls; and, thirdlie to inferiours. For superiours, their needs nothing to be farder said nor hes bein alreadie by the Moderatour. Only this; let us all labour, since we are fried of many yockes of bondage, not to abuse our Christian libertie, which may make our profession to be evil spoken of. Secondlie, for our duetie to our equals—there is a caus much spoken of in this Church, betwixt ruleing elders and ministers. Some ministers feares that it be a corbing of them; but, if any of these elders stryve to make use of that power for any end but for the good of the Kirk, they may be sure of their oune judgment. Truelie, it may be, that some ruleing elders in some places be not so wise as neid wer; but let not that, if it fall out, breid a distemper in the peace of this Church; but let unitie be all our rules; and, if anything of this kind fall out in Presbytries or Parochines, let neighbour Presbytries and Parochines joyne togither for settling thereof, that no dissension be of this kind, for it may doe much evill. Thirdlie, for inferiors—I hope ministers will studie to know their duetie towards their flocke and people; lykewayes, will have due regaird to these whom God hes sett over them; for we must not thinke that becaus we want Bishops, therefore we may live as we will. And, if this we doe, though our gracious Master doe not everie thing at first as we would wishe, yet tyme may worke many things, if we goe on constantlie in the defence of our religion and of the auctoritie of our gracious Soveraigne, whom, we pray, may long and prosperouslie reigne over us.
After that the Moderatour had given thankes to my Lord Argyle for his speach, and craved pardon of his Lordship for expressing his name, he said—As for that which my Lord hes beine wiselie speaking, concerning our duetie to the Kings Majestie, we have good reason to advert unto it; for this reason, addit to many—becaus our adversaries gave it out as a calumnie against us, that his government which we are about, established by Christ in this Church, cannot stand with monarchicall government, but Episcopall only; but let us resolve to give a proofe of the contrare—that the government which Christ hes appoynted, may weill stand with monarchicall government; and, we trust, that we are not to be suspected of our loyaltie toward his Majestie; and this certainlie will make his Majestie perceave that we have done nothing but what we have done moved by God, and drawen be necessitie to doe. And for this end let us—to conclude this great worke—beseech Him who hes the hearts of Kings in his hands, to inclyne our Kings heart, and let us magnifie, from our hearts, our graceous Lord for this peaceable meeting and happie conclusion we have had; for the which we are oblissed all the dayes of our life to be thankfull to our God and King, and to rander unto the Father, Soune, and blissed Spirit of Grace, all praise, endless honour, and glorie, for now and ever.—Amen.[140]
FINIS.