Relation of the Sufferings of Ministers in Scotland Since 1660, Section 7
SECTION VII.
Concerning their sufferings who refuised to observe the Anniversary Day.
AMong other Acts of the first Session of Parliament, there is one for a solemne anniversary thankesgiving, wherein they statute & ordaine [That in all time coming the twenty ninth day of May (which was the day of …his Maj. birth & restauration to his government) be set a pairt as a holy Day unto the Lord, & that in all the Churches of the Kingdome, it be imployed in publick prayers, preaching, thankesgiving, & praises to God, for so transcendent mercies, & that all trade, merchandise work, handy-labour, & other ordinary imployments be forborne, & the remaineing part of the day spent in such lawful divertishments, as are suiteable to so solemne an occasion.] Unto which Act, many of the ministry did give obedience out of fear; But others could not in conscience yeeld thereunto: not only because, it is not in the power of any under heaven to appoint anniversary holy Dayes, the Creator alone having reserved that power into his own hand, to consecrate any portion of time he pleaseth, & make it holy; So as holy duties must attend it, as holy duties & acts of worship, attend the Sabboth-day, the only holy Day which is now warranted, by the Word of God. It is true the Church may, when God, by his providence is calling to mourning, to fasting, or to thankesgiving, set some time a pairt for these duties of praying, or rejoiceing, but then the time doth attend the dutyes called for, & the duties doe not attend the time, as they do the Lord's Day. But also because of the grounds & reasons of the solemnizeing of that Day; which are contained in the narrative of the act, unto which no man who had not made shipewrak of faith & of a good conscience could consent, as every one may see, who will but ponder the Act, a part whereof (to give but a taste of the whole) followeth [The …states of Parliament of the Kingdome of Scotland, taking to their c…sideration, the sad condition, slaverie & bondage, this ancient Kingdome hath groaned under, durcing these twenty three years troubles, in which under the specious pretences of reformation, a publick rebellion, hath b…en by the treachery of some, & mispersuasion of others, violently carryed on, against sacred authority, to the ruine & destruction, so far as was possible, of Religion, the Kings Maj. & his Royal Government, the la…es, liberties, & property of the people, & all the publick & private interests of the Kingdome; So that Religion it self—hath been prostitute for the warrand of all these treasonable invasions made upon the Royall Authority; And disloyal limitations put upon the alleagiance of the subjects, &c.] By which & what followeth, it may be obvious to all who read & consider the said Act. That none could so much as preach on that day or give any countenance to such a work, unlesse they would condemne all which had been done for twenty three yeers space, in carrying on of the work of Reformation, as being the height of treachery & rebellion, designedly & purposely carryed on, under the specious pretexts of Reformation; And what faithfull Minister durst adventure on that, to condemne King & Parliaments Church, & State, & themselves too as treatours & rebells, unworthy to live any longer? Can any expect that Ministers, before they be convinced of a fault should be so rash & unadvised, as to goe to pulpites, with ropes about their necks, & declare, before all, that they had been so long (& possibly all their dayes, as to some young men) living a life of rebellion, against the lawfull Magistrat, carrying on a course of … rebellion, to the ruine of Religion, King, & Kingdome? And can it be expected in reason, that such as refused to countenance that day should be condemned by any who shall but seriously consider, what are the consequences of such a complyance? Neither let any say that it was out of disrespect to his Maj. that any Minister did refuise to countenance the work of that day; For all of them did willingly keep a day of solemne thankesgiving, at his coming home; And Presbyteries, & Synods did chearfully appoynt dayes for that effect. That which the famous & learned Voetius observeth concerning such dayes in his Polit. Pag. ult. viz. That it may come to passe that the time when such an anniversary day should be keeped may be a time when God calleth for fasting, & mourning, then such may look for that woe: Isa. 22: 12, 13. As rojoyce when they should mourne: is considerable: & whether it was a fit season then to rejoyce, or not, let the Reader judge when he considereth that upon the Monday before that anniversary day, the famous Marquis of Argile was executed & upon the Saterday thereafter. Faithfull Mr Guthry was put to death. And that also which he sayeth against Ministers keeping a sinfull fast, Pag. 993. Holdeth good here; for Ministers were clear that this was against the common cause of God. And therefore many who could not satisfy themselves with some fine distinctions & evasions to reconcile themselves unto the publick lawes, resolved with the primitive Christians to hazard their reputation of loyalty (as Stillingslcet sheweth in his Origines Sacra, Pag. 321.) rather then to countenance such impiety.