THE WOUND'S O' THE KIRK O' SCOTLAND In her head, heart, hands, and feet; Held forth In a Sermon preached AT EDINBURG BY Mr JAMES REW. LONDON, Printed by William Dugard, Anno Dom. 1650. Notes of a Sermon preached at St Giles the great Church in Edinburgh upon a Fast day, the last Sunday in Julie 1638. By Mr James Rew. The Preacher began thus. Merciful Lord! I have twa questions to speire at thee, etc. Text JEREM. 30.17. I will restore health unto thee, and will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord, because they called thee an outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after. I Need not much to trouble my self, whea is meant by Zion; ye awe ken it well enough: it is the pure Kirk o' Scotland: The Kirk o' Scotland is wounded in her head, in her heart, in her hands, and in her feet. 1 In her Head, as in the Government. 2 In her Heart, as in the Doctrine. 3 In her Hands, as in the Discipline. 4 In her Feet as in the Worship. I The Kirk o' Scotland is wounded in her Head: the Kirk o' Scotland hath gotten sike a clash on her head as has made her harness swape in at her senses. 1 In her Seeing: The Kirk o' Scotland was a seen as well as any Christian Kirk; but now she cannot distinguish benance black and white; bring Paperie before her, she cannot discern between that and true Religion. 2 The Kirk o' Scotland is wounded in her Hearing: The Kirk of Scotland cud a distinguished o' sounds, but since the Organs were brought in, she is grown as deaf, as a dure-nail. 3 The Kirk o' Scotland cud a smeled as we'll as any Christian Kirk i'th' world. The Kirk of Ream smelled sea strange, that at first she cud a telled ye, that she smelled of the Whore of Babylon; but now bring the stinkingst Paperie to her nose, it will smell as sweet as an apple. Now poor Saul, ye ha' seen her wounded: there she ligg's, a rueful spectacle: pity her an ye will: But what will ye say to the curing of her senses? They'll tell ye, she is in as good a case as e'er she was: and how say? I'll tell ye. The Kirk o' Scotland see's better than e'er she did; of awd the Kirk o' Scotland saw her Ministers in good and little short cloaks with black velvet-necks; and thur little cloaks turned more sauls to God, then ere the long gowns did: but now ye shall see their prideful Prelates hurled up and down the Town in bram coaches: There's a bram sight for the Kirk o' Scotland! She see's better, I'll swear, then e'er she did. The Kirk o' Scotland smell's better then e'er she did, and how? I'll tell ye: The Kirk o' Scotland smell's sea we'll, at she can sent ye a Bishopric ten years afore it faw: but it may be he at smell's best, will ne'er lick's fingers ends on't. The Kirk o' Scotland tastes better than e'er she did; and how? I'll tell ye: a good honest Minister would a been content uvea a plain dish of milk, and bread, heamli● meat: but now your Prelates will ha' a lick of the best on't; so ye see the Kirk o' Scotland tastes better an e'er she did. TWO I ha' done with her senses; now I'll tell ye how she is wounded in her Hands, and that I caw'd the Discipline o' the Kirk o' Scotland. They slighted the Kirk o' Scotland: ye knaw we'll, we use to slighter only thieus and runaways; the Kirk o' Scotland was baith. First, she was a Runawaie, and that was the time of the glorious Reformation: then came she clear away fra Ream; and hard did they follow her, and fain would they a been at her; for an they had gotten her, they would a gi'n her their lead attyes, but God be thanked, they cud not overtake her. Secondly, the Kirk of Scotland was a Thief too; o'late she has gean to Ream, an stawn away all the trash and trumpery; all's in their book of Common prayer, and Canons: we'll away! what traw ye? they slighted her, but with a silken cord of a Canonical obedience to the Ordinary: and we ha' taken great delight to be bun: wees ha' a bunny Kirk: But after they gate us fast, they made the silk rape a Cable too, with whilk they girded us sea fast, that we cud not sea much as steir, but author we must run into the danger o' blind obedience o'th' twea side, to accept of awl the Idolatry and Superstitious Ceremonies they imposed on us: or else o'th' tother side be main swern men. Na, the Kirk of Scotland is sea wounded in her hands, that for thur twenty year bygon she cud not make her hummack on a caud day: sea, the Kirk of Scotland for thur twenty year together cud not have a meeting in a lawful Assembly. III. I ha' done with her hands: now I'll shaw ye how she is wounded in her feet, and that I caved the worship of the Kirk o' Scotland. The Kirk of Scotland was eance a bonny trotting nag: but then she trotted sea hard, that ne'er a man durst ride her. But then the Bishops, thur hard-riding Lowns, they got on her back: and they cross-langeled her, and hopshackled the Kirk of Scotland. And then she became a bonnie-paceing beast: and they took great pleasure to ride on her: but with their jogging her up and down between Edinburgh and London (it may be, and Ream too) they ha' gi'n her sike a hait coat, at we a been this twelv month bygon, stirring her up and down for keeping her fra foundering. Na, they made not only an Horse but an Ass o' the Kirk of Scotland: how say ye by that now? I'll tell ye how they made Balaam's Ass on her; ye ken we'll, that Balaam was ganging an unlucky gate: and first the Angel met him in a bread weay: and then the Ass boggled and started; but Balaam got by the Angel, and he tull her, and battooned her sufficiently; that was when Episcopacy came in: and then they ga' the Kirk o' Scotland their pricks. Efterward Balaam met the Angel in a straighter gate, and the Ass startled more than she did afore: Balaam, he tull her again, and paid her sound: that was when the five Articles of Perth were brought in: the third time the Angel met Balaam in sea strait a gate, as the Ass cud not get by him: and then it pleased God to open blind Balaams eyn: and that is this happy day: Now God hath opened awe our eyn: well war blind Balaam ganging an unlucky gate, ridden post to Ream: and what had they gotten behind o'th' Ass traw ye? they had gotten on a poak mantle, and in that there was the book o' Cannons, and book o' Common-praier, and the high Commission; Now as soon as ere the Ass saw the Angel, she fawe's a flinging, and over geas the poak-mantle, and it hings by the twa strings o' ea side, and up gea's blind Balaam, and he hang by the hough o'th' t'other side; and fain would the blind Carl be i'th' saddle again, and be content to leave the poak-mantle. But beloved, let not the fauȝ Zwinger get on again: for an he do, he will be sure to get up the poak-mantle again. iv The Kirk of Scotland is wounded in her Heart: and that I telled you was the doctrine of the Kirk of Scotland; and that's Papery, and Arminianism, that's sea rife in our Kirk and Scules. Nay there are some of ye sitting here, at here's me, at has wished emselus an hundred times to ha' been out o'th' Kirk, when ye heard the pawtry stuff at came fra him. Ye ha' heard me many a time, my brethren, compare the Kirk and our Lord Jesus together; and I gea not very far for my simile: for he is the head, and the Kirk is the body. Ye knaw, that our Saviour, e'er he entered on the Ministry, he was carried by Lucifer (God save us!) into the Wilderness, where he was tempted forty long days (O the much Devil!) where he was rejected, and set light off by awe; But then assoon as e'er he began to wark his Miracles, than he was carried in Jerusalem in triumph, there was nothing in their mouths then but Hosannae's; blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: the neust news ye hear of him, they come with hawbeards and jathered staves fraw the high Priest to apprehend him: just sea it is with the pure Kirk of Scotland: for this year bygon she has sit desolate and in the Wilderness, contemned by awe, cared for by neane: Now is the glorious day at she is ridden in triumph to Jerusalem, now there is neathing in awe mouths but Hosannas: but take heed, when they come with swords and staves fra the high Priest, at they do not with Peter shaw a pair of heels, and forsake him. They ha' not only made an Horse, and an Ass, but they ha' betrayed the Kirk of Scotland. Ye knaw whea betrayed our Saviour: they betrayed him at were silent in sea good a cause; they betrayed him at accused him, at judged him: they betrayed him at forsaken him. But whare shall we find the fauȝ Judas awe the while? And now I'll tell you a tale, I dare not say it's true, but ye shall ha' it as I had it. When I was a little lad at School, there was a young hopeful Theologue (whea is now nea small man o' this land) and being to preach the very words o' Judas, what will ye give me, and I will betray him? the young man learned his text sea we'll, as he telled it in baith Latin and Scottish: quid dabitis mihi, & tradam illum? what will ye give me, and I will betray him? There was a good man sitten at fute o'th' Pulpit, whare standing up and lewkin full in's face, said, marry I'll give ye a good fat Bishopric, and then I'll sure you'll betray him. And sea ye see whea ha' betrayed the Kirk o' Scotland. The Kirk o' Scotland was eance a bonny Grammar Scholar: and wait ye we'll, she had skill in Regimen and Concordantia, and cud a made a bonny piece o' Latin: for every thing she did, she was forced dareregulam; or if she offended, she was sure o' pande manum: but efterward when she went to the College, she had mear liberty, or would take it: and first of awe, she began in her Rhetoric, and in stead of true proper speaking, she learned neathing but allegories and hyperboles: then she comes to her Logic, and instead of true demonstration, she learned nothing but homonomies and captious syllogisms: Efterward she came to Ethics, but she did not much trouble her self with them; but studied the Politic, and that sea we'll, at she turned awe Religion into mere state-policy: for Metaphysics she knawe's there is Ens, and that must be unum, verum, & bonum: sea there must be ean Religion, true Religion, and good Religion; but this was too high and honest for her: wharefore she studied mear the Physics, and turned awe into materia prima; and made it capable of any form, as she pleased to impress upon it. After he had done with his Sermon and Prayer, standing up to give a blessing, he said thus: I Knaw we'll enugh at it is not the custom o' this place to say any thing efter prayer; but because I had much to say, and ea thing dang another out o' my head, tharefore sall ye give me leave to add a word or twa mear. And first of awe, I will speak to you that are called by the College of Justice; and why, I pray, do not ye subscribe to the Covenant? you'll say to me, ye are employed by his Majesty in some special affairs, and ye cannot uvea your Honour subscribe to the Covenant: here's a bram answer indeed! there's not the meanest man that gathers up 20 marks per an. for the King, but may ha' this hole to gea out at, and than we shall ha' bram subscribing to the Covenant: Yea, yea, there's but ea man at stands between God and thee, get by that man, and gang to God. And in the second place, why do not ye Noblemen subscribe to the Covenant? You'll say, noli me tangere: howsoe'er I'll give ye a twitch. It may be an ye be put to it, you'll say, ye must ride in Parlament-order, the meanest must gea first, and subscribe to the Covenant, and then yeel come efter. There's a bram answer indeed! Ye ha' a fashion in thur Southern parts o' Scotland, and when ye come tull a foard the pear Jack-man must venture o'er first upon his weak weay-nagg to try it; and if he can gea, and come back again, the Lord comes mounted on his gay steed, and then he geas o'er. This is not right beloved. We at are Hilanders ha' a better fashion, we usually gea a feut, and when we come tull a ford, we are loath to leave a man, therefore we join other to other, arm in arm, and loupe awe together into the foard; and if ea man drown, awe drown; ean sea here, set your hands to the Covenant; and if ean man perish, awe perish. Thirdly, I speak a word to ye that are the Town-Counsel; and although I see twa of the chief chairs empty; Yea ye shall ha' it: And why do not ye subscribe? It may be ye will say, ye are in office; now stay to the neust year, till your office be out, and then you'll subscribe to the Covenant too. Here's a bram answer indeed! It may be God will get his wark done before that time, and then whare will your thanks be? Get your Clark's Register, and search o'er the roll, and see an ever the Town of Edinburgh suffered with joining with the Kirk o' Scotland. Last of awe, I must speak a word or twa to ye that are strangers, (and then turning himself to the Scaffold, where the Provost and Bailiffs of Aberdeen sat, who had not subscribed) and what's the reason ye do not subscribe to the Covenant? It may be ye be come hither about your civil affairs, an when ye came out, ye resolved not to subscribe to the Covenant: we'll take my advice, I say, Aberdeen-men, and † They use to upbraid Aberdeen men with not standing to their bargains, saying, then † take your word again. take your word again; and gea heam, and drink the * Boon-accord is the Motto of the Town; when any man is made free of Aberdeen, they use to drink a large cup of Sack, which they they call the * Cup of boon-accord. cup of boon-accord, and join to the Kirk o' Scotland, and subscribe to the Covenant. FINIS.