and his council for holding many of the proteftant articles of faith, though they were difmiffed at that time. So that God had his witneffes in Scotland, who bore teftimony to his truths, against the errors and idolatries of Rome, even in the darkest times.

Not many years after, that eminent man, Mr Patrick Hamilton abbot cf Fern, went abroad to the univerfity of Wittemberg, where he became acquainted with Luther and Melanchton, and made great progrefs in learning and in knowledge of Chrift; and, being filled with zeal to propagate the fame in his native country, he returned, and openly inveighed against the Romish errors and corruptions, upon which account he was burnt at St Andrews in the year 1527. This, by the wisdom of God, tended much to the fpreading of the truth: for many enquiring into the caufe of this burning, came afterwards to the knowledge and profeffion of the truth; fo that it spread more and more through the land, in fpite of all that enemies could do against it. Likewise Paul Craw was condemned to be burnt at St Andrews, in the year 1431, for maintaining the doctrine of John Wickliff and John Hufs.

It is most remakable, that, after the burning of Mr Hamilton, the favourers of the truth increased to many thousands; and God was pleafed to raise up other famous inftruments for fpreading the light, and carrying on his work; fuch as Meffrs George Wifhart, John Rough, John Knox, John Willock, Mr Craig, John Erfkine of Dun, and many others. These polished fhafts God was pleafed fo to endow and furnish with gifts, graces, and zeal for God and his truths, and fome of them with a prophetical fpirit, that their adverfaries were not able to refift the wifdom and spirit by which they spake; and multitudes of all ranks were by them converted to the Lord: fo that, in fpite of all the power and policy of the popifh clergy, affifted by our our rulers, and all the fiery perfecutions which they raised againft the profeffors of the gofpel, the Lord was pleased with a high hand to ranfom this land from popish tyranny, idolatry and fuperftition; so that the pope's authority was abolished in Scotland by the parliament, the refor

mation established, and a found Confeffion of Faith approven in the year 1560. "This was the doing of the Lord, and moft wondrous in our eyes!"

The great rule and pattern of reformation, which our reformers obferved, was the word of God, and the practice of the apoftolic churches therein recorded, into which they made very narrow and impartial enquiry, their fearches being attended with earnest prayers to Ged for the light and teaching of his Spirit, and communication of counfels with divines of other nations. After all which travel, they came to agree upon a plat form of church government and difcipline, in a due fubordination, of kirk feffions, prefbyteries and fynods unto general aflemblies; as appears from our books of difcipline, which were very early received and approven by the general affemblies of this church.

Though the civil powers, after the year 1560, were favourable to the reformation; yet our reformers had great and long struggling with many who were addicted to prelacy, and feveral popith errors and fuperftitions : but it pleafed the Lord fo far to countenance and help them, that a National Covenant was framed and entered into for the fupport of the reformation. This covenant was at first subscribed by the king and his household in the year 1580, and afterwards by perfons of all ranks in the year 1581, and again by all forts of perfons in the year 1590; and afterwards prefbyterian government, and all the pieces of reformation then attained unto, were folemnly ratified by king and parliament in the year 1592. Only the grievance of patronage, under which the church was groaning, was not yet removed.

Here we must take occafion to adore the diftinguithing goodness of God to this poor nation of Scotland, in bowing and inclining the hearts of the whole nation, as the heart of one man, to enter into a folemn national covenant with God: even the hearts of our king, our nobles, barons, gentlemen, citizens, minifters, and profeffors of all ranks, to make a national furrender of themfelves and their pofterity to the Lord; and to bind both themfelves, and them, to cleave to his truths and ordinances, and promote religion and reformation in

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their

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their ftations. Our hiftories inform us how this nation. al covenant was afterwards renewed in this early period by our general affemblies, fynods, prefbytries and particular parishes, and remarkably attended with much of the Lord's prefence and countenance, and great outpourings of his Spirit; at which occafions there were to be feen floods of tears flowing from melting hearts and weeping eyes. Calderwood, in his hiftory, tells us of a wonderful day of this fort at the renewing of the covenant by the general Affembly at Edinburgh, in the little kirk, upon the 30th March 1596, Mr John Davidfon minister of Salt Prefioun prefiding as the chief actor; likewife of another fuch day at the renewing of the covenant by the Synod of Fife at Dunfermline that fame year, where Mr James Melvil minifter at Kilrenny was moderator and chief actor. Alfo fynods and prefbyte ries elsewhere had precious melting feafons, when about this work, which proved a special time of reviving to the work of God through the whole land. In this period the church of Scotland enjoyed very glorious days of the Son of man, and was honoured with large teftimo. nies from divines of other churches: For the great pitch of reformation fhe had attained unto, fhe was called Philadelphia, and the morning ftar of the reformation.

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But these bright times did not long continue, clouds did foon arife: For king James VI. having the view of fucceeding to the crown of England, and defirous to gratify the prelatifts there, did, contrary to his folemn declarations and engagements, begin to make encroachments upon the church and her liberties, about the years 1597 and 1598; and, continuing fo to do, there followed a long course of defection in this church, for about the space of forty years; during which time, prelacy that bitter weed was introduced into the government, fuperftition and popith ceremonies into the worship, and Arminian and Popish errors crept into the doctrine. The king, for accomplishing his defigns, got feveral packt affemblies convened, as thefe at Linlithgow in the years 1606 and 1608, that at Glafgow 1610, that at Aberdeen 1616, that at St Andrews 1617, and that at Perth 1618, wherein, one way or other, he got feveral

corruptions

corruptions approven, and particularly the Five Articles of Perth: prelates were fet up, unlawful oaths exacted of intrants into the miniftry; feveral popifh ceremonies, with a fervice book, and book of canons, were impofed upon the church, and many finfully complied therewith; whereby the church's beauty was miferably fullied, and the land greatly poliated.

Yet, during this time of grievous backfliding from a covenanted reformation, it pleafed the Lord to raise up feveral worthies, minifters and professors of religion, to bear teftimony to the doctrine, worship, government and difcipline of this church, and to Chrift's right of headfhip over her and her judicatories, and to his power to inftitute her laws and ordinances, in oppofition to the encroachments then made upon the fame upon which account divers paftors were arraigned before the council, the high commiffion, and diocefan fynods; fome were deprived of their churches and benefices, fome were banished, fome confined, and others imprisoned, and fome were fentenced to death likewise, several gentlemen and magiftrates were forely perfecuted by the domineering prelates, for not conforming to the courfes of defection. As for these faithful witnesses, who were suffered to live in their own land, severals of them went up and down in much poverty and affliction, teaching and confirming the people of God, waiting for God's returning in mercy to his oppreffed church and people. Nevertheless, in this dark hour, the Lord gave teftimony to his word in the mouths of his perfecuted fervants, through feveral corners of the land, by accompanying it with more than ordinary power and fuccefs; particularly in the year 1625 and afterwards, at Stewarton, Irvine, and many other places of the west of Scotland. A famous inftance of that power was given at the folemn communion celebrated at the kirk of Shots the 20th June 1630, which proved a most remarkable fowing of feed through Cyldefdale, to the glory of free grace.

Afterwards, when the night feemed to be darkest, and the prelates in the height of their power and pride, competing with the nobles for all kinds of civil offices

and

and honours, and when corruptions in doctrine, worfhip and government, were like to advance more and more; the Lord was pleafed to look through the cloud with pity to this diftreffed church, in the year 1637, and to appear for her relief, first by animating severals of the common people of Edinburgh to oppofe the reading of the new fervice-book there; and alfo at the fame time exciting feveral honeft minifters and profeffors in other parts of the nation to prefent fupplications to the council, in September 1637, against preffing the Liturgy and canons upon them. But thefe, after feveral expreffes to and from court, being at laft refufed, and new orders given for the ufe of the forefaid books; & great number of all ranks, nobility, gentry, miniflers, &c. convened at Edinburgh in February 1638, where, after serious deliberation and prayer to God, they refolved upon reviving and renewing of the national covenant, which had almost been buried for forty years before. This they drew up and fubfcribed, with fome additions and explications fuitable to their prefent circumftances, and fent copies thereof through the land, which, being read in churches, was heartily embraced, fworn, and fubfcribed by all ranks, with many tears and great joy fo that the whole land, great and fmail (a very few excepted) without any compulsion from church or ftate, did in a few months voluntarily and chearfully return to their antient principles, and subject themselves to the cath of God for reformation; and this they did when both the court and prelates were enraged against them for it. But the Lord from heaven did remarkably countenance them with the extraordinary manifeflations of his prefence, and downpowring of his Spirit, both upon Judicatories and the worfhipping Affemblies of his people, which proved as life from the dead to a poor, withered, backflidden church.

Nay (which is wonderful) things ripened fo faft for reformation, that, in November 1638, a free and Jawful general assembly, indicted by the king, convened at Glafgow, the very place where prelacy was restored in the year 1610. There the general aflembly, (notwithstanding of the former backilidings of the Miniltry)

came