The Assemblie, with consent of the Commissioners Grace, fand it expedient that the next Generall Assemblie should sitt at Aberdeene, the last Tuysday of Julii, [1640.]
The Moderatour his last Speach before the closure of the Assemblie.
This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoyce and be glad in it: a glad day it is which we long looked for, and we are the most oblidged nation to our God and our King under the coppe of Heaven; and therefore our Lord ought highlie to be praised, and our King heartilie acknowledgit. First, our Lord ought to be praised, becaus in trueth he hath wrought wonders in our sight; for he hath declaired exceedinglie his mercie and his justice to Scotland. First, he hath declaired his justice; first, upon us Ministers; secondlie, upon yow of the State; thirdlie, upon our adversaries the Prelats. First upon us of the Ministrie. We studied not to be spiritual in our doctrine, and thought matters but small at the beginning, and therefore the Lord suffered men to make slaves of some of us, and tyrannize over the conscience of uthers. Secondlie, upon yow of the State. Ye looked through your fingers when Prelats were creeping up and miskend the matter, and the Lord suffered them to ryde over your necks: And never did any, (not a King excepted,) exalt a Minister above his station, but that Minister exalted Popedome over his bellie that exalted him. Thirdlie, justice upon our adversaries the Prelats. They would not be content of the title of Ministers but of Lords, and he hath taken both from them, and powred shame upon them withall. Thus hath the Lord manifested his justice, but in such a way that he hath also manifested his mercie in a wonderfull maner; first to our ministers, 2ˡⁱᵉ to the Kings Majestie, 3ˡⁱᵉ to the State.
First, he hath not given our souls over to death and delusion, nor suffered us to goe utterlie to defection, but hes in the midst brocken off all their plotts, who thought to have caused everie mans purse light in their lapp, and showen furth his justice on them. Secondlie, He hath manifested mercie to the King in keeping him from shedding innocent blood, which is no griefe to his Majestie this day; and this the Lord hath convayed in such a way as is wonderfull to Scotland, in blessing weake meanes, so as he would not have humane power seene; for there was never a steppe of our bussines but we were still put to a noneplus what to doe. Next, and when we knew not what to doe, then did the Lord come and poynt out the way before us, and did so leappie out our blessings to us, that whenever we got a little hope we gott feares upon the back upon it, to keipe us from being wantoun, and did so cogg the running of our wheeles that he made a considerable pairt of the Lords of Councell to stand aloofe from our bussines, which tempered all thinges in Gods providence (whatever men intendit) that it tendit all to our good. Thirdlie, He has manifested such great mercie and love to our State, as, when we marke the passages of it, it is wonderfull to sie a State troubled so long, and in a legall manner settled againe; a great wonder to sie such commotions and so few ill fruites following upon it; a great wonder to sie Scottsmen going through-other, and in such a sturre for the space of two years, and a peaceable conclusion. There is a wonder to sie Prelats bigg their nest up in Heaven, and call themselves the triumphant Kirk, and the Lord bringing them doune lower than the dust. There is a great wonder after many tumults and Assemblies, such a peaceable Assemblie as this; which is more to heare Prelats saying that King Charles should not brooke his crowne except they stood, and that it should fall with them, and yet to see King Charles brooke his crowne, and they to fall—a great wonder!
Now since the Lord hath done so, let his great name be exalted. Let all of us lay our hands on our mouths, for the Lord hath done it. He was provocked ten thousand tymes to cutt the warke in the midst, and yet hes beine pleased to draw it to this great lenth; therefore love the Son of God who hes taine power and glorie to himselfe, sittin downe on his throne, and purged his house; so that now there is no ordinances in this Kirk that we ken of but Christs. All we ministers are only servands, bound to give our accompt of all that we doe, and to show our letters from our Master, or else speire ye at us—Wherefore bidd ye us do that? Where is your Commission? For we have no power but as a messenger of armes, who must ay show his warrand. Would to God we knew our Masters bewtie, and the glorie of the Sone of God! Then would we all be affected with greater measure of love to him then we have beine, and will goe about his flocke, and bestirre ourselves more carefullie for their behoove then we have done. And any of us that gives ourselves out for Christs servands who gets meat and fie from him, declair it to the world by feeding of his flocke.
Now for the Kings Majestie: let us leave flatterie, and speake solide and soft words, such as beseemes a grave Assemblie: And, for this end, I will propone three things concerning the Kings Majestie, which doth enforce a favourable construction of his Majestie by us. Ane is his Majesties education. Had any of yow beine brought up as his Majestie, and never seene any uther thing, I trow ye should have stucken as hard by that cause as he. A second is the information of these that his Majestie trusted much into; for there is not a Prince in the world more accessible, nor giveth more in trust to these that he receaves in kyndnes and favour, which is a propertie of a verie good Prince. Now, when Bishops were Counsellors, of whom should his Majestie take counsell but of Churchmen and Counsellours both? Secondlie, consider this: Kings cannot understand all things in a Kingdome. They must trust some, and whom (thought he) should he trust but these that was most oblidged to him, had their being of him, and were created for that end? And yet, of all men in the world, they did him worst service.
The third is this—the manner of the Kings proceedings toward this land. His proceedings hes never beene as an enemie, but to try us and put us to proofe what we were seeking. When we did supplicat, he gart blow the trumpet, and discharge us all off the toune, to try if we would ceasse there; gart discharge us from all the judgment seats; and when we proceedit on, he thought he would essay us with our lyves; and so his Majestie came not in armes to destroy but to try us. Why? As soone as he had tryed us, and found that we were seeking nothing but religion, and were loyall in our hearts to him, presentlie his Majestie folded and layd doune armes. This I speake, that ye may wiselie prye in the matters of princes, and neither thinke, speake, nor write utherwayes then becomes yow, and not only temper your tongues in speaking of him, but love your Prince yourselfe, and procure all that yow can, love and obedience towards him of others. And trewlie, whoever knew him described, they would thinke him verie love-worthie. First, he is the most gentle-natured Prince; secondlie, the least suspitious; thirdlie, a Prince more readie to forgive faults when they are acknowledged; fourthlie, the most loath to take misinformation when it is given, then any Prince in the world; fifthlie, and which is ane odd thing, he hath not a face against reason. Bring reason to him and he will yield; and if these be not poynts of a lovelie Prince, judge ye. Sixthlie, and which is most of all, that he hes quate his aune inclination and education, and said to his Commissioner and this Assemblie, “Goe yee and doe as yee find Gods Word and the Constitutions of this Kirk warrands yow; goe your way; serve God according to his Word; and whatever yow conclude according to that rule, I shall authorize it.” Seventhlie, there is no Prince in the world so cleare of infirmities as he. These things being well considered, and withall, his Majestie being farr from us, and considering in what danger princes are in—subject to als many tentations as tries that are on a hill head, obnoxious to divers blasts and winde—and have need to be supported by the prayers of their people.
These thinges, I say, being well considered, will make all men construct favourable of his Majestie; and if we will rander that duetie of humble thankes and heartie prayers, who knowes but he shall be the most comfortable instrument for advancement of religion in the whole world; and this little distance that hes beine, may end in the sweetest reconciliation that ever was seene betweene a King and a People? And becaus we would give a right construction to all under his Majestie who have procured our good, I will ranke all these that ran not in the same course with us, to seeke the peace of the Kirk, in three rankes: First, some followed the Prelats, and being affected with Poperie, they knew no better hyding place then under the Prelats mantle. A second sort, that followed the erring judgement of the misinformed conscience; and these ought to be pittied of all that knowes them. A third sort are those who walked in a State way; and it is not the day nor yesterday that they have merite of us a favourable construction. It was evident they loved both the King and the State; for they divided themselves to have gained peace. When themselves were with the King, their soules were with us; and my Lords of Councell who have stayed with us at this tyme and countenanced our proceedings, ought also to have their aune thankes. And for your Grace, we thinke a large scoare is due to yow; for if God had not put your Grace upon this Act, there had beene many hard thoughts of yow, for we thought yow still over farr inclyning to the other syde of it. But its Gods mercie to yow, and count it no small favour, that yow are made the instrument to croune this worke in a maner. Lay it up in your heart and in your charter-kist as a most speciall obligation, to make yow imploy your excellent witt and all that yow have, for Christ, who lettis none that does fear him want their reward.
And we will not forget the Marqueis of Hamilton, who, according to report, hes loved our peace. Howsoever, he was ance in a passage, that if he had come any further, he might have hazarded soul and bodie both: Yet we will give him a favourable construction.
Now, there rests a word to every ane of yow, Commissioners and Members of the Court of our Lord Jesus Christ: for I compt this ane of the chiefest courts that Christ holds on earth. Elders, sett your hearts to assist the worke of the ministrie; for ye are officers to oversee the maners of everie ane within the Kirk, that they miscarie not, and to take notice what fruites of the Gospell are brought foorth. Ministers, be faithfull to your Master; and, above all thinges, love ane another, Stryve not ane with another; neither insult over those that have beine of a discrepant judgment from us, anent the matter of ceremonies and the governement of the Church; but let us make a perpetuall act of oblivion in all our memories of such thinges. Let us be glad together. Let us lay aside all disputes that have taken up much tyme which might have beine better spent; but we were necessitat unto it for clearing of ourselves and of our cause. And if thus ministers will doe, I will speake prophesie to yow: It shall come to passe that if yow will keepe yourselves at your booke and your chamber and studie, to be powerfull and spirituall in doctrine, ye shall have more credite nor if ye ran to Court ten thousand tymes. Your paroches shall travell to Edinʳ to plead for your stipend, whereas before they let you goe yourselves. Therefore wait upon your calling, and your Lord and Master shall have a care of yow. Let us be instant with our Lord to get his Spirit powred out upon us; for the word without the Spirit is but like a tinckling cymball. To him who will doe this, and who hes wrought, and will worke all our workes for us, be praise!