Biographia Scoticana (Scots Worthies): A Brief Historical Account of the Lives, Characters, and Memorable Transactions of the Most Eminent Scots WorthiesHowie, John
History
Biographia Scoticana (Scots Worthies): A Brief Historical Account of the Lives, Characters, and Memorable Transactions of the Most Eminent Scots Worthies
Howie, John
Church of Scotland -- Biography; Scotland -- Biography
On the day appointed for their next compearance, the bishops of St.
Andrews, Dunkeld, Galloway, the isles, Dumblain, Mr. Hewison commissary
of Edinburgh, and Dr. Blair, being assembled in the bishop of St.
Andrews lodging in Edinburgh, Mr. John Scrimzeor was again called upon
to answer, and the bishop of St. Andrews alleged against him, that he
had promised either to conform or quit his ministry, as the act at his
last compearance on January 26th reported; he replied, "I am fore
straitned, I never saw reason to conform; and as for my ministry, it was
not mine and so I could not quit it." After long reasoning betwixt him
and the bishops, concerning church policy and the keeping of holy days,
he was removed for a little. Being called in again, the bishop of St.
Andrews told him, "You are deprived of all function within the kirk, and
ordained within six days to enter in ward at Dundee." "It is a very
summary and peremptory sentence," said Mr. Scrimzeor, "ye might have
been advised better, and first have heard what I would have said." "You
shall be heard," said the bishop. This brought on some further
reasoning, in the course of which Mr. Scrimzeor gave a faithful
testimony against the king's supremacy over the church, and among other
things said, "I have had opportunity to reason with the king himself on
this subject, and have told him that Christ was the sovereign, and only
director of his house; and that his majesty was subject to him. I have
had occasion to tell other mens matters to the king, and could have
truly claimed this great preferment." "I tell you Mr. John," said the
bishop of St. Andrews, "that the king is pope, and shall be so now;" He
replied, "That is an evil style you give him:" And then gave in his
reasons in write, which they read at leisure. Afterwards the bishop of
St. Andrews said to him, "Take up your reasons again, if you will not
conform, I cannot help it; the king must be obeyed, the lords have given
sentence and will stand to it." "Ye cannot deprive me of my ministry,"
said Mr. Scrimzeor, "I received it not from you; I received it from the
whole synod of Fyfe, and, for any thing ye do, I will never think myself
deposed." The bishop of St. Andrews replied, "You are deprived only of
the present exercise of it."--Then he presented the following
protestation, "I protest before the Lord Jesus, that I get manifest
wrong; my reasons and allegations are not considered and answered. I
attest you to answer at his glorious appearance, for this and such
dealings, and protest that my cause should have been heard as I pled,
and still plead and challenge. I likewise appeal to the Lord Jesus, his
eternal word, to the king my dread sovereign, his law, to the
constitution of this kirk and kingdom, to the councils and assemblies of
both, and protest that I stand minister of the evangel, and only by
violence I am thrust from the same." "You must obey the sentence," said
the bishop of St.
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