Naismith History of the RP Church I.
James Dodson
HISTORICAL SKETCH
OF THE
REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY.
Religious condition of Scotland during the first six centuries—Columba—Introduction of Popery in the eleventh century—Lollards—Martyrdom of Hamilton, Wishart, and Mill—Permission given to read the Sacred Scriptures—John Knox—National Covenant—James VI. attempts to introduce Prelacy—He banishes Welsh and the Melvilles—Articles of Perth—Accession of Charles I.—Influence of Laud, &c.
THE history of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Scotland commences properly with the Second Reformation, during the seventeenth century. It is of importance, however, to refer briefly to the First Reformation, and the events leading to it. As we have hinted, the Reformed Presbyterian Church took that name, because it claimed to adhere to the scriptural attainments of both these Reformations. The First Reformation was from Popery. Scotland had never been wholly under the sway of this evil system. In the third century, Donald, Cratilinth, and Fincormachus, kings of Scotland, fostered true Christianity. Under the reign of the last of these, the Gospel flourished, for about half a century.* About the beginning of the fourth century, the Culdees were
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* Preface to Buchanan’s Introduction to Knox’s History of the Reformation.
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numerous in Scotland. These were true Christians, worshipping God according to the simplicity of the apostolic age. Not until the beginning of the fifth century, was a diocesan bishop known in the land. About this time, one called Palladius, sent by Celestine, Bishop of Rome, first assumed the office. The Church of Scotland, however, refused to submit to Episcopacy for the following six centuries. In the year 563, Columba came from the north of Ireland, where he had previously been labouring, and settled in Iona. Thence he journeyed, at different times, to various parts of Scotland, and even to the northern counties of England, where he founded schools for the training of missionaries. The labours of these extended not only over the most of Scotland, but also southwards, even to the Thames.* In the course of time, however, these schools taught the uncertain traditions of the Fathers in the Latin tongue, instead of the infallible writings of the Evangelists and Apostles in the Greek. Ignorance and superstition soon took the place of learning and piety. In such a favourable soil Popery was planted, and quickly flourished, fostered by the pride of princes as well as the ambition of ecclesiastics. Diocesan Episcopacy and the supremacy of the Pope—kindred and unscriptural usurpations—were established in Scotland in the eleventh century. Thenceforward, increasingly became evident the necessity for the
FIRST REFORMATION.
Toward the end of the fifteenth century there existed, chiefly in the district of Kyle, in Ayrshire, a body of Christians called Lollards. These opposed the errors of Popery, and were bitterly persecuted by the Archbishop of Glasgow, during the reign of James IV. In 1528 Patrick Hamilton suffered martyrdom, by being publicly burned at St Andrews. He was a young man distinguished for piety and learning, and was by birth connected with the royal family. Having faithfully preached the Gospel,
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* Jamieson’s Ancient History of Scotland.
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and boldly denounced the errors and gross immoralities of the Romish priesthood, even his high rank could not save him from their bitter enmity. He bravely endured a martyr’s death, at the early age of 24. Only sixteen years later George Wishart, a still more distinguished witness for the truth, suffered martyrdom in a similar way, and at the same place. On this occasion, Cardinal Beaton, a vile profligate, as well as a cruel persecutor, had a cushioned couch prepared for him at a window of his palace, whence he might behold the spectacle of the martyrdom. The ashes of these martyrs, as if scattered by the winds of popular sympathy over the kingdom, became the seeds of the First Reformation in Scotland. The opponents of Popery soon increased from tens to tens of thousands, and many of these were amongst the most powerful, as well as most intelligent persons in the land. The monarch, James V., weak-minded, vicious, and unprincipled, like the most of his dynasty, found the peers too powerful for him, and sought to weaken them by the help of the priests. As might have been expected, this soon brought the nobles and the Romish clergy into antagonism. The former—many of them, possibly, attaching more importance to their property than to their religious profession—naturally joined the ranks of the Reformers, and were afterwards known as the “Lords of the Congregation.”
In 1542, under the regency of Arran, a petition from the people was presented to Parliament, by Lord Robert Maxwell, and granted. This concession to popular request allowed the people to read the Sacred Scriptures in their own language. The darkness of Popery gradually fled before the light of the Divine Word. The Reformers soon became so powerful as to hold their own, against the priests and the Popish monarch combined. These raged with fury; but Walter Mill, who suffered martyrdom in 1558, at the age of 82, was their last victim.
The chief human agent in bringing about the First Reformation was John Knox, born near Haddington in 1505. Knox resided many years on the Continent, and
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enjoyed the teaching of Calvin at Geneva. Resembling Calvin in scholarship, and in his ideas of Church polity, the Church he was instrumental in organising in Scotland was like that of Geneva. Knox visited Scotland in 1555, and preached for some time in his native land. Aided by his influence, the Protestants there formed themselves into religious societies, and thus increased in faith and numbers. His beneficial influence was also felt in enlightening and confirming the faith of the nobles. The Protestant preachers at first found shelter and support as chaplains to the nobles, and thus found opportunities to preach to small assemblages of their servants and others. These audiences soon increased in size and in number, until they were too powerful for the weakening power of the priests to suppress. The Protestants, led by Knox, were not yet, however, beyond danger. Many of the people, and some of the most powerful nobles, were yet Romanists. These were aided by their co-religionists in France and other countries. They also enjoyed the countenance of the Queen Regent, Mary of Guise, and afterwards of her daughter, the beautiful and bigoted Mary Queen of Scots. The Queen Regent was a Romanist of the worst kind. At first she sought to gain time with the Reformers by flattery. In this she deceived herself, for the delay was more favourable to the flattered than to the flatterer. Attempting to imitate the tactics of Continental persecutors, she invited the Protestant ministers to meet with her at Stirling. There is reason to fear that this plausible invitation was meant to cover base treachery. Her intention, however, was foiled. The Protestant ministers accepted the invitation, but were so numerously attended by the Protestant peers and people, that the Queen Regent, if she really had treacherous intentions, feared to carry them into execution.
The attempts of the Queen Regent and their other Popish enemies, showed the Reformers that even their lives were exposed to danger. Partly for mutual defence, and partly for the spread of their cause, they, following
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the example of the Waldenses and other Continental Reformers, entered into a covenant. This was done first in the house of a Protestant gentleman in West Lothian, and afterwards more publicly at Edinburgh, Perth, and Leith, in 1557, 1559, and 1560-2.
In 1560 the nobility, gentry, and great body of the people united in renouncing the authority of the Pope in matters sacred and civil, and in adopting a system of sound doctrine, of pure discipline, and of the Presbyterian form of Church government. The rapid success of these efforts might well excite both wonder and gratitude in us, who, even after three centuries, still reap the benefits resulting from them.
A principal deed connected with the First Reformation was the National Covenant. This, as we are informed, in the account prefixed to it, as bound up with the Westminster Confession of Faith, was subscribed at first by the King’s Majesty and his household in the year 1580, thereafter by persons of all ranks in the year 1581, by ordinance of the Lords of Secret Council, and Acts of the General Assembly; subscribed again by all sorts of persons in the year 1590, by a new ordinance of Council, at the desire of the General Assembly. This covenant, partly religious and partly political, in its character, was deemed necessary to protect and strengthen civil and religious liberty in the land, and, as we shall afterwards see, was renewed at the time of the Second Reformation. After the signing of the National Covenant, the Reformation made rapid progress in the land. It afterwards enjoyed the countenance of the Good Regent, James Stuart, Earl of Moray, half-brother of Queen Mary. But these attainments were not reached without much opposition on the part of the Romanists, and those who had a preference for that semi-Romanism called Episcopacy. From the accession of James VI., in 1579, there was a strong effort made by him and his courtiers to impose the order of bishops. He deemed this order necessary to his own security, saying, “No bishop, no king;” and certainly Episcopacy was necessary to such a kind of royal supre-
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macy, as was claimed by him and his immediate successors. In spite of the vacillating policy of this pedantic king, the Reformation made rapid progress. In the year 1580 a General Assembly, held at Dundee, condemned as anti-Christian the authority claimed by the bishops. The same Assembly ordained the Second Book of Discipline to be engrossed in their records. This book is still a principal authority in the Presbyterian Church in Scotland and elsewhere.
The year 1592, when many of the attainments of the First Reformation were confirmed by Act of Parliament, is usually deemed the meridian of this important period. The Assembly, which met at Edinburgh in 1596, appointed and observed a day of humiliation, and afterwards, with their hands lifted up toward heaven, renewed their covenant with God. Upwards of four hundred ministers, with elders and others, were engaged in this exercise. By order of the Assembly, the same thing was done in the various synods, presbyteries, and parishes of the kingdom. The effect was a great revival of true religion throughout the land.
This Reformation was not, indeed, perfect. There was still a great deficiency of preachers, and so readers had to be appointed instead. Many of these, and even of the ministers, were inexperienced in ministerial work. It was expedient, therefore, that, for a time, some superintendents of districts should be appointed. Such a temporary appointment was, however, no just precedent for the diocesan bishops, who, at a later date, were thrust upon the people. Knox and the other Reformers always opposed a hierarchy. It had been the custom, before this Reformation, for Church dignitaries to sit in the Councils of State. Lest the Acts of Parliament should not be valid, without the continuance of this custom, persons, somewhat resembling Protestant bishops, were allowed to sit in Parliament. This has been quoted as a precedent for bishops being members of our House of Lords. James VI., from curiosity, usually attended the meetings of the General Assembly. This also has been referred to
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in support of the monarch, or the royal commissioner, sitting authoritatively in every meeting of the General Assembly of the Established Church of Scotland, and of the Acts of the Assembly being invalid without such royal countenance. It can hardly be said that the Reformers were to blame for these examples being thus subsequently abused; but there were Acts passed by the Assembly or the Parliament, in the avowed interests of this Reformation, that cannot now be approved by any sincere lover of civil and religious liberty; for instance, that, by which sayers and hearers of mass were rendered liable to confiscation of goods for the first offence, banishment for the second, and death for the third;* that, by which those who refused to profess the true religion were declared rebels against the Government, and punishable as such;† that, by which obstinate contemners of the decrees of the Kirk were to be denounced as rebels, and made liable to letters of horning;‡ and that, which enacts that his Majesty’s subjects shall communicate once a year, or be subjected to certain fines.§
It should be remembered by us, however, that, while enjoying the light and liberty of the nineteenth century, we cannot approve of these Acts, we should not too severely condemn those who made them. These Reformers well knew from experience, and from the conduct of the Popish tyrants of the Continent towards their subjects, what the great statesman Pitt, two centuries later, said from conviction, that Popery is the greatest conspiracy against both civil and religious liberty. These Reformers deemed it necessary to protect themselves by enactments, that to us seem severe. They were greatly provoked by countless examples of treachery and cruelty on the other side. Almost all the Popish Powers in Europe had leagued together with the avowed object of crushing the Reformation, and the Massacre of St Bartholomew’s Day was an example of their action.
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* Act 5, Parl. 1 of James VI.
† Act 47, Parl. 4 of James VI.
‡ Act 164, Parl. 13 of James VI.
§ Act 17, Parl. 16 of James VI.
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As already stated, the First Reformation had attained its highest point about the year 1592. For the following forty years there was decline. During part of that time the Reformers had to contend against the whole power of the Romish party, still strong in the land. Having at last overcome that party, they found new enemies rapidly developing. Their three great enemies were Popery, Prelacy, and Erastianism. The first had been conquered for the time. The second and third were rising into view. James VI. had declared that the Presbyterian Church of Scotland was the purest Church in the world. Its very purity soon gave him offence. Its pure discipline too often came into collision with the vices of himself and his courtiers. He soon discovered, that Episcopacy was more flattering to the authority and more indulgent to the vices of kings. He knew also that he was likely to succeed Elizabeth as king of England. He deemed it his best policy to approve of the established religion of England, and to endeavour, meantime, to establish it also in Scotland. He firmly believed that he had, as king, a divine right to prescribe to his subjects what they were to believe, and how they were to worship. The assertion of this fancied right, on the part of himself, his son, and two grandsons, continued for nearly a century, and occasioned the Second Reformation, and the persecution which followed it. He appointed, and prorogued, Assemblies at his pleasure. He fined, imprisoned, or banished the more distinguished ministers who opposed his Erastianism. Among these were such men as John Welsh, the son-in-law of Knox, James Melville, and Andrew Melville. The latter of these bold brothers once said to the King, “Thair is twa kings and twa kingdomes in Scotland—thair is Chryst Jesus the King, and His kingdome the Kirk, whase subject King James the Saxt is; and of whase kingdome, nocht a king, nor a lord, nor a heid, bot a member.” The accession of James to the throne of England in 1603 increased his opposition to the Reformation in Scotland.
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He now more easily bent the nobility and the Scottish Parliament to his will. A number of Presbyterian ministers were introduced to sit in Parliament, as the bishops had formerly done. Shortly afterwards the order of bishops was restored by Act of Parliament. High commission courts were erected, including both bishops and laymen. These were chiefly employed in persecuting, in various ways, the more faithful of the Presbyterian ministers. In 1618 an Assembly held at Perth, and chosen under the influence of the corrupt Court, passed certain Acts, called, from the place of meeting, the Five Articles of Perth. These were, kneeling at the sacrament, the private administration of baptism, private communicating, the observing of holidays, and confirmation. These articles were, after much opposition, ratified in Parliament. They were afterwards enforced with rigour, and caused much suffering to those who refused to submit to them. Many of these faithful ministers fled to Ireland, and were there instrumental in founding what is now the Presbyterian Church of Ireland, a Church which has contributed much to the greater piety and prosperity of the northern part of that island.
The accession of Charles I. to the throne in 1625 was still more unfavourable to the Reformation. His greater earnestness only intensified his bigotry, flowing in the channel of a mind unusually narrow, even among kings. Firmly believing in his divine and absolute right, to dictate to his subjects in things religious as well as political, he could brook no opposition, and receive no advice from those who differed from him in opinion. Led Rome-ward by Laud, he rapidly hastened on those wars, that for a long period distracted and desolated both kingdoms, brought himself to the scaffold, as a deceitful traitor to the just rights and liberties of the nations over which he tyrannised, and called into existence and prominence two parties whose names will ever be revered by the lovers of civil and religious liberty—the Puritans of England, and the Covenanters of Scotland.