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church_n	day_n	sabbath_n	week_n	6,281	5	10.0050	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19515	The life and death of the Reuerend Father, and faithfull seruant of God, Mr. William Cowper, Bishop of Galloway who departed this life at Edenburgh, the 15. of February. 1619. Whereunto is added a resolution penned by himselfe, some few dayes before his death, touching the Articles concluded in the late generall Assembly holden at Perth. 1618.	Cowper, William, 1568-1619.	1619 (1619)	STC 5945; ESTC S109006	14,789	34

such times hath commanded cessation from ordinary trades both before and after noone that so the people might frequent the Assembly I hope no other purpose be in our Prince's Proclamation whereat so many are offended if any cause of offence bee it is to bee mended with humble supplication not with rebellious contradiction Brigh●man on the 11 of the Reuel records that the day wherein Queen Elizabeth came to the Crowne after the Maria● persecutions was obserued with anni●ersary or yeerely Sermon euen by those who in that country are enemies to Episcopal gouernment of which number himselfe is one So we haue preaching and publike reioycing the 5. dayes of August and Nouember for that double deliuerance of our gracious Soueraign whom the Lord may long continue a comfort to his Church and I am sure we haue greater cause to reioyce at the remebring of Christ his Natiuity Albeit Herod Herodians in vpper Ierusalem were against it when Angels heauenly Souldiers and Saints redeemed were singing in Bethlehem Glory bee to God in Heauen and peace to men on earth I will rather sing with the one then startle with out cause with the other O but this is not the day of His Natiuity I answere Let it be for it is not the day but the benefite we remember which no good Christian will cle●y should be done sure it is hee was borne dyed vpon Good Fryday and the 3. day hee rose the 40. day after hee ascended ten dayes after his Ascension he sent the Holy Ghost which from his resurrection is the 50. day called Acts 2. the Pentecest all this is according to the Articles of our faith expresly set downe in Scripture and why do then men make such scruple to remember our Lords Natiuity in such a day as Christian Catholikes in all ages haue remembred it But here they say Wee remember his Natiuity euery day I answere This is like that presumption of the young man who spake to Christ in the Gospell All thse saith hee haue I done from my youth He spoke out of ignorance affirming he had done the thing he did not And so do they Lappeale to their owne consciences how many dayes of the yeere will passe wherein they haue not so much as minde of his Natiuity But if it were as they say that they remember his Natiuity euery day why make they it strange to remember it on this day also Yet say they yee remember it this day more then another I answere And why euery good Christian hath his owne dayes chosen by himselfe some for fasting some for thanksgiuing for particular benefits what a priuate Christian may lawfully doe ye make it vnlawfull a Christian Church to doe specially where wee goe in the Communion of Saints with all the present Reformed Churches in Europe In France there most notable Preachers giue the Cōmunion on that day as did also the ancient Primitiue Churches throughout the world as testifieth S. Augustine in his Epist. 118. 119. So did our own old Scottish Church also for 800. yeeres after Christ before euer it was polluted with Papistry as I haue prooued in my forenamed Conference whoso likes to read it But say they wee haue no commandement in the Word to doe it For answer Let them distinguish betwixt that which is substantiall or reall in Religion and that which is circumstantiall or rituall A point substantiall must haue an expresse warrant in the Word commanding it For that which is circumstantiall it is sufficient if it bee not against the Word it being left to be ordained by Ecclesiasticall authoritie As for example to preach in season and out of season is a substantiall point For it we haue an expresse command in the Word what day of the weeke ordinary preaching should bee beside the Sabbath that is circumstantiall and left to the determination of the Church who by the same authoritie that they may ordaine preaching such a day of the weeke may also ordain preaching such a day of the moneth in a yeere Againe hee that sinnes openly shall be openly rebuked This is substantiall in Religion and wee haue an expresse command for it But to set him on a Pillar three dayes or more or fewer is circumstantiall such as our Church without doing wrong against the Word of God hath determined I acknowledge it to be a good order And will any of these men condemne it because it is not an expresse command in the Word Marriage is honorable among all men for man and woman to ioyne without Marriage is Fornication this is substantiall and hath the warrant of the Word But that first they must bee three dayes publikely proclaimed that is circumstantiall done by the Church for good order which I acknowledge sufficient because it is not against the Word Euill day say they was cast out of our Church For answere what they call euill day I know not but a day reputed for the day of Christs Natiuitie obserued for remembrance therof that I know I find no Ecclesiasticall Law in all the books of our Assembly standing to the contrary But if it haue been cast out yet a thing not against the Word of God vpon good considerations may be brought in againe albeit it had been cast out Instances of this I might bring from the Church of Geneua One I bring from our owne since Baptisme not vpon a preaching day was cast out by act and practice and yet is now receiued againe Why may not preaching of Christs Natiuitie Passion Resurrection Ascension and sending of the holy Ghost on such dayes be receiued againe albeit it had bin cast out We were well say they before what needs this nouation For answer Conformity with the ancient and recent reformed Churches requires it except we will be singular Beside this the question heere is betwixt a Prince and his People They will be nourished in their humors not remembring that a Christian Prince is also to be regarded who findes himselfe bound in conscience to see duties in Religion performed what is euill in their eyes seemeth good in his And heere the debate falling betwixt their will his about a matter not against the Word of God let any indifferent man giue sentence who should be followed OF BAPTISME to be ministred in due time and place NOw for Baptisme Our Commission is to baptize without limitation either of time or place decencie alway both for time and place being obserued so farre as may be where the publike order of the Church is not contemned Baptisme should not be refused It is not will they say necessary to saluation I grant that I abhorre that blinde and mercilesse sentence of Papists that Infants dying without Baptisme go to any house of Hell But albeit it bee not necessary to the childes saluation who will deny but it is a necessary at the least a profitable help of the Parents faith For our Lord hath not ordained it in vaine Where then a Christian parent

cared for me in that same place that same day was I desired by our kind countriman Master Guthrie to helpe him in the teaching of a Schoole with whom I remained some three quarters of a yeere but after did the Lord lead me further for hauing occasion to goe to London without my knowledge or any suite of mine I was called to the seruice of a learned Diuine Mr. Broughton vnto the which with good will of Mr. Guthrie I entred and there remained about a yeere and a halfe dayly exercised vnder him in the studie of Theologie To him vnder God and some other learned Diuines of that City do I acknowledge my selfe bound for these beginnings of knowledge I then receiued In the nineteenth yeere of my life I returned againe to Edenborough where hauing the commodious occasion to bee with my elder Brother then one of the Ministers of Edenborough I still continued in the same study and at length was required to giue a proofe of my gift priuately which I did in the new Church in presence of Mr. Robert Pont and Mr. Robert Rollock with sundry others of the Ministery then after that I was required to teach publikely in the new Church on a Sabbath in the afternoone And the next weeke I was command●d to teach publikely in the great Church in time o● a Fast on a Thursday in the afternoone Thus did the Lord traine me vp and these were the beginnings of my Ministery which I recount to the praise of his grace who counted me faithfull and put me in his seruice A little after that in the beginning of my twentieth yeere there ensued a generall Assembly of the Church at Edenborough by their authority wa● I sent out and appointed Pastor of Bothkenner in Stirling Shire for that Church had beene desolate euer since the reformation and the people had giuen in their supplication to the Assembly for a Pastor This calling of God and his Church I imbraced and went vnto them where I found the desolation so great that except the walls which were ruinous also neither dore nor window nor seat nor Pulpit nor any part of a roofe was there at all yet pleased it God to giue such a blessing to the Ministry of his Word that their hearts thereby were stirred vp cheerefully to build the Lords House which most willingly they fully resolued within halfe a yeere not content to build their own part of the House but the Quire also which of due should haue beene done by the Parson there needed heere no letters of homing nor other compulsitories neither content to haue built it onely they adorned it within and without it not inferiour to any other Church of such quality round about it This was my first externall seale and confirmation of my calling to the Ministery In this seruice I remained seuen or eight yeeres subiect to great bodily infirmities by reason of the weakenesse of the Soyle in Winter and the vnwholesome waters thereof And heere did the Lord first begin to acquaint me with his terrours and the inward exercises of sundry sorts of tentations so that betweene these two my life was almost wasted with heauinesse yet I blesse the Lord for it it was vnto me like the wildernesse of Midian to Moses a Schoole of tentation whereby I learned dayly more and more to know Christ Iesus gathering some store of knowledge thereby inward exercises and outward studies which the Lord afterward called me to giue out in more publik places in his Church for the necessity of increasing disease forcing me to bethinke of a transportation the purpose of my mind was to another Church vnplanted in the South some 8. mile from Edenborough but the Lord still continued his calling and drew mee another way Northward for at the same time there interuented a generall Assembly of the Church at Perth there was I nominated and with consent of the Assembly and people was I written for to that Ministery as the letters of both sent to me out of Perth with my deare Brother Mr. Patrick Simson yet extant do beare Thus did the Lord cleare my way before me and leade me there where I thought neuer to haue gone yet two or three dayes before did the Lord giue me some signification of it but I vnderstood it not till the euent did teach me for in my thoughts in the night there seemed a man to lead me by the hand to a little pleasant City in a plaine valley on a riuers side hauing some bankes lying at the shoare thereof as indeede it had the first time that after this I was brought to it such a sight got I of it in that vision as afterward I saw with my eyes hee led me a long time vp and downe the streetes of that Towne from one to another at length carried me ouer the water to an hill and led me vp vnto it by many turnings and windings from one earth to another very neere vnto the top thereof Then did I awake my face looking to the South-west This made such an impression in my minde as after that I could neuer get forgotten Let no mā heere impute to me the superstition either of Papists or Anabaptists I know there is no reuelation now of doctrine or new article of faith to be sought out in dreames The Lord hath spoken once for all now vnto vs by his Sonne in the Word but that the liuing Lord who sleepes not can giue warnings to the soules of his seruants when their bodies are sleeping no man acquainted with his working I trust will deny it After this three or foure dayes as I said returned Mr. Patrick Simson from the generall Assembly at Perth to Sterling and deliuered me Letters from the Assembly and the towne containing my calling to that Ministerie The towne shortly after sent their Commissioners to transport my selfe and my Family There I continued doing the worke of God for the full space of nineteene yeeres How I did carry my selfe in my open conuersation liuing amongst them not as one separate from them but mixed my selfe in all their fellowships as a comfort to the best and a wound to the worst inclined sort this Age will not want louing witnesse to record it My diligence in like manner in the Ministerie not onely on the ordinarie dayes but on others which I voluntarily chose thrice a weeke in the euening to wit Wednesday Friday and Saturday for a preparation to the Sabbath for these dayes they had no preaching in the morning It would haue done a Christian heart good to haue seene those glorious and ioyfull Assemblies to haue heard the zealous cryings to God among that people with sighings teares melting hearts and mourning eyes I speake the truth in modestie and not all the truth It is not vaine-glorying I abhorre that not I but his grace in me Why shall it offend any man that I eate the fruit of my labour and that my conscience this day enioyes the comfort

of my former painfulnes and fidelitie My witnesse is in he●uen that the loue of Iesus and his People made continuall preaching my pleasure and I had no such ioy as in doing his worke Some witnesses also I want not to remaine For albeit my charge was to teach fiue times in the weeke yet this was more that I penned thereafter whatsoeuer I preached whereof some are already extant others by Gods grace if the Lord spare my dayes shall come in their time And in outward things what care I had to see the House of God there honoured the welfare of that people euery way there are monuments standing to witnes for me when I am dead All this time except some little intermissions and breathing times did the LORD still exercise mee with inward tentations O what a vicissitude of estates O what a varietie of combates It were tedious here to set them downe all as they were done and fought but this I must say the end of all and euery one of them were vnspeakeable ioy And once for all in greatest extremitie of horrour and anguish of Spirit when I had vtterly giuen ouer and looked for nothing but confusion suddenly did there shine in the very twinckling of an eye the bright and lightsome countenance of God proclaiming peace and confirming peace with inuincible reasons O what a change was there in a moment The silly soule that was euen now at the brinke of the pit looking for nothing but to be swallowed vp was instantly raised vp to Heauen to haue ioyfull fellowship with God in Christ Iesus and from this day forth my soule was neuer troubled with such extremitie of terrours This confirmation was giuen me on a Saturday in the morning there found I the power of Religion the certaintie of the Word there was I touched with such liuely sense of a diuinitie and power of the Godhead in mercy reconciled with man with me in Christ as I trust my soule shall neuer forget Glory glory glory be to the ioyfull Deliuerer of my soule out of all aduersities for euer In the middest of these wrestlings with God all this time wanted I not combates with wicked men like those Beasts at Ephesus with whom Saint Paul did fight All the time of my residens yeere continued this battell as one left off another still renewing the battell but the greatnes of my inward conflicts made me regard lightly all their outward contradictions and I esteemed them but like the bitings of a Flea I resolued with my selfe It was no maruell to see Satan stirre vp his wicked instruments to disquies mee since I professed my selfe a disquieter of him and his Kingdome yea my cōfort was that I had neuer a controuersie with any of them but for their sinnes God knowes I loued their persons and estates therefore did the Lord assist me the power of his Word hammering downe their pride they were al of them by course brought to the acknowledgement of their sinnes But at length as God turned the heart of Pharaoh and his people from the Israelites when the time came that hee would haue them to remoue out of Egypt so by little and little did the zeale and loue of the most of this people at least in my sense fall away so that at last my battell was not with such as were like the Publicans and sinners for these now were turned my fauourers and comforters but with such as seemed before Iusticiars I meane vnrebukeable men for outward offences These men found I stuffed with such pride selfe-conceit disdaine and intolerable contempt as carried them further frō their dutie then any of the former yea such as aboue others should haue beene my comforters were my crossers That I had cause to say with Micah The best of them are Bryers But I trust it repents them ere now And therefore pray I God not to lay it to their charge I will haue none of my words extended to that handfull there which truely scare the Lord. Now about this time God had opened to me a doore and called mee to the charge of the Churches in Galloway in the South-west part of this Kingdom for being named with others by the generall Assembly of such as they thought meet to be preferred to the Episcopall dignitie whereof I euer acknowledged my selfe not worthy and recommended by the Fathers of our Church it was his Maiesties pleasure to present mee to that Benefice due to the office wherevnto the Church had called me God knowes this was done without my knowledge or seeking directly or indirectly For I could haue been contented all my dayes with a priuate life resolued to giue honour and obedience in God to such as were called to these places after that once it was established by order in our Church and I had considered the lawfulnes antiquitie and necessitie of it among vs. Here was I neither guiltie of Ambition not of any precipitate embracing of it for betweene the date of his Ma presentation and my acceptation there interuened eighteene weekes Yet as the Calling to this Worke was greater then any other whereto I had been led before so greatest opposition was there made vnto mee by men whose lying Libels and carnall contradictions forced me to spend more time vnprofitably then I had done before since my entry to the Ministerie The Lord forgiue them and me also where in the maner of my answering I haue been sharper then became Christian meeknes For as to the matter it selfe vnfainedly I followed my light I esteeme it a lawfull ancient and necessarie gouernment I see not nor haue not read of any Church that wanted it before our time Onely the abuses of it by pride tyranny and idlenes haue brought it in misliking From these euils I pray the Lord preserue his seruants that now are or hereafter shall be called to those places but there is no reason why a thing good in it selfe should be condemned or reiected for the euill of abuse for so no good thing at all should bee retained in the Church And in this Calling how I haue walked and what my care was to aduance the Gospell there I trust I shall not nor yet doe want witnesses In this estate doe I now liue my soule alway in mine hand ready to bee offered to my God where or what kinde of death God hath prepared for me I know not but sure I am there can be no euill death to him that liueth in Christ nor sodaine death to a Christian Pilgrime who as Iob sayes euery day waites for his change yea many a day haue I sought it with teares not out of impatience distrust or perturbation but being weary of sin fearfull to fall into it Concerning those who haue beene my enemies without cause and charged me with many wrongfull imputations from which my conscience cleares me excusing me of these things loue of gaine and glory or such like whereof they accused me The Lord lay it not to

their charge I go to my Father wish his blessing to them to rectifie their iudgements moderate their affections with true pietie from faith loue AMONGST THE SAME Papers wee found three short Meditations whereby he comforted himselfe whilest he found his death approching written also with his owne hand and bearing date the seuenth of December 1618. NOw my soule be glad at all parts of this prison the Lord hath set to his Pioners to loose thee Head Feet Milt Liuer are fast failing yea the middle strength of the whole body the stomake is weakened long agoe Arise make ready shake off thy setters mount vp from the body and goe thy way Let me tell you that which I know yea foreknow yet I after others haue foretasted before you Death is somewhat drieric the streames of that Iordan betweene vs and our Canaan runne furiously but they stand still when the Arke commeth Let your Author be cast within the vaile and fastned on the Rocke Iesus Let the end of the three-fold cord bee buckled to the heart so shall yee goe thorow what threds the cord is made of I cannot now tarrie to tell you who knowes but if ye aske God will teach you I saw not my children when they were in the wombe there the Lord fed them without my knowledge I shall not see them when I goe out of the body yet shall they not vvant a Father This faithfull Seruant of God who from the time of his entrie into the Ministerie had alwayes shewed himselfe diligent and painefull in his Calling notwithstanding that his Sicknes grew dayly vpon him was no way deficient in his duties of ordinarie preaching taking great paines also to perfit his Worke vpon the Reuelation which he had begunne and desired greatly to finish it before his dying Besides which studies the griefe he conceiued for the backwardnes of vnruly spirits in giuing obedience to the Articles concluded in the late Assembly and ratified by authoritie to the great disturbance of the Peace of the Church which hee laboured carefully in all his life to procure did hasten him not a little to his end So as in the beginning of Ianuary 1619. his infirmitie increasing hee was compelled to keepe at home and not to goe any more abroad yet as his weaknesse did permit hee gaue himselfe to reuise his writings and dispose of his worldly affaires that hee might bee ready for his passage which euery day hee expected And some ten dayes before his departure hauing his minde freed of all earthly businesse to those that visited him hee manifested a great contentment hee had in his approching death The Wednesday before which was the tenth of February The Bishops some other Brethren beeing assembled at Edenborough for certaine affaires of the Church tooke occasion to meete at his house because of his Sicknesse which hee tooke most kindly and continued with them that whole afternoone giuing very wholesome aduice in matters propounded and shewing himselfe as pleasant and iocund in speeches as euer before Howbeit euen then hee signified to them that his death was drawing neere and declared his minde somewhat disposedly concerning his Successor The dayes following hee kept with all that came to visit him in most holy and Diuine conferences expressing a great willingnes of exchanging this life with that better And vpon Munday which was the fifteenth of February at one of the clocke in the afternoone feeling his strength and spirits to decay after hee had conceiued a most heauenly prayer in the company of those that were by him he desired to be laid in bed for the dayes before he arose alwayes and either walked or sate in his Chamber which being done after he had againe commended himselfe most deuoutly vnto Almightie God he tooke some quiet rest after which he spake not many words but those that hee vttered shew his memory and other senses to haue beene perfect his tongue onely failing him and in this sort about seuen of the clocke at night he rendred his soule to God in a most quiet and peaceable manner His body the seuenteenth of February was interred according to his owne direction in the Churchyard called the Blacke-Friers at Edenborough in the South-side of the new Church and was conueyed to the place by the Earl of Dumsermeline Chancellor and the rest of the Honourable Lords of Councell with the Magistrates of the Citie and many others The Funerall Sermon being preached by the most Reuerend Father in God the Arch-bishop of St. Andrewes THE BISHOP OF GALLOWAY HIS answers to such as desire a resolution of their scruples against the Acts of the last Assembly holden at Perth in the month of August 1618. Mercy grace and peace be vnto all them that loue the Lord Iesus WEe are commanded by S. Peter to giue a reason of that faith which is in vs and so will I No good Christian differs one from another in any Article of faith for our beliefe is a short compend of the Scripture and I haue preached all the Articles thereof I beleeue all As for Papists where they differ from vs see what I haue professed in my writings published in Print and I am resolued to dye in the same minde what that is they may perceiue by the seuen dayes conference betwixt a Catholike Christian and a Catholike Roman By that threefold Treatise vpon the 8. to the Romans By that Anatomy of a Christian. By that Alphabet for Sious Schollers By that Treatise of Iacobs wrastling with God And that of Christs Genealogie And another of his Baptisme And the third of his combate with Satan in the Wildernesse By that which I intituled A defiance to Death By that Preparatiue to the new Passeouer By the Treatises of good newes from Canaan on the 51. Psalme By the Heauenly Mansions and the Praise of Patience By the Conuersion of the Prodigall Sonne By that comfortable Dialogue betwixt God and a troubled Soule And that begun Commentary vpon the Apocalyps beside many others These haue done good to many good Christians and I hope shall doe when I am gone And as for these needelesse controucrsies that make diuers voyces among vs I say some conscientious with little knowledge these I loue others contentious with lesse knowledge these I pitty willing them alwayes to remember that to them who are countentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnesse shall be indignation and wrath Rom. 2. 1. yet wishing to them mercy and light to illuminate their mindes OF DAYES IN my minde no King on earth no Church may make an Holy-day only the Lord who made the day hath that prerogatiue and he hath sanctified the seuenth Day yet either a Christian King or a Church may separate a day by preaching and that either ordinary as we haue Tuesday or extraordinary for fasting and humiliation or then for solemne ioy and thanksgiuing This is and hath been euer the lawfull practice of our Church and continuall who at