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The BulwarkM a g a z i n e o f t h e S c o t t i s h R e f o r m at i o n S o c i e t yJan - Mar 2013 // 1January - March 20131
John Erskineof Dun (1509-1591)The BulwarkMagazine of the Scottish Reformation SocietyThe Magdalen Chapel41 Cowgate, Edinburgh, EH1 1JRTel: 0131 220 1450Email: reformationsociety.org.ukRegistered charity: SC007755Charlie WebsterMr Webster is an elder in St James Parish Church, Broughty FerryCommittee MembersChairman»» Rev Dr S James Millar»» Mr Norman FlemingVice-chairmanThomas McCrie wrote in The Story of the Scottish Church, ‘It is a great mistake tosuppose that the Scottish Reformation originated with the common people, or in thespirit of rebellion. It would be much nearer the truth to say that Scotland was reformedby her noblemen and gentlemen.’ Probably the most influential among these noblemenwas John Erskine.»» Rev Maurice Roberts»» Rev John J Murray»» Rev Kenneth MacdonaldSecretary»» Mr James Dickson»» Rev Douglas Somerset»» Mr Allan McCullochTreasurer»» Rev Andrew CoghillI. Noble reformercO-OPEraTIOnOBJEcTS OF ThE SOcIETyIn pursuance of its objects, the Society may cooperate with Churches and with other Societieswhose objects are in harmony with its own.Magazine Editor: Rev Douglas SomersetAll literary contributions, books for review andpapers, should be sent to:(b) To diffuse sound and Scriptural teaching onthe distinctive tenets of Protestantism andRoman Catholicism;(c) To carry on missionary work amongadherents of the latter faith with a view towinning them to the doctrines of grace and tothe fellowship of the true Gospel;The Magdalen Chapel41 Cowgate, EdinburghEH1 1JRThe views expressed in articles are those ofthe contributor and may not necessarily reflectthose of the Editor or the Committee of theSociety. Scriptural references are from the A.V.except where stated otherwise.(a) To propagate the evangelical Protestant faithand those principles held in common bythose Churches and organisations adhering tothe Reformation;(d) To produce and distribute evangelistic,religious and other literature in connection withthe promotion of the Protestant religion;(e) To promote the associating together of menand women, and especially young people,for systematic Bible Study and holding ofmeetings for the above specified purposes.DESIGNED & PRINTED BY:www.peppercollective.comTel:028 9851 22332The BulwarkJohn Erskine was born in 1509 at DunCastle in the County of Angus, close to thepresent-day eighteenth century House ofDun. His father was of the family of Mar andhis mother was the daughter of William, 1stLord Ruthven. Tragedy struck the Erskinesin 1513 when John’s father and grandfatherwere both killed at the Battle of Flodden:he became the ward of his uncle, SirThomas Erskine, who was Chief Secretaryto King James V. The young John inheritednot only wealth but also responsibility fora prosperous estate, a large number ofretainers and considerable political power;the family effectively controlled the nearbyRoyal Burghs of Montrose and Brechin.John’s education and early life is obscurebut he probably attended either King’sCollege, Aberdeen or St Salvator’s College,St Andrews before continuing his studiesabroad. He may have studied for a timeat Basel under the noted New Testamentscholar and friend of Erasmus, JohannesOecolampadius.January - March 2013In 1522, John married Lady ElizabethLindsay, who was the daughter of the Earl ofCrawford, a major landowner in the Countyof Angus. In 1530, John was responsible—probably by accident—for the death ofWilliam Forster, the priest of Montrose.Some accounts state that Erskine killed himduring a brawl in the bell tower. ‘Hauntedby fear and burdened by grief,’ Erskinewas forced to flee to the Continent. He wasstill fascinated by the ‘new learning’ of theRenaissance, but his quest now had a morespiritual focus; John sought opportunitiesto sit under the preaching of the leadingReformers. John Calvin was the same ageas the young Scotsman and the two maypossibly have met in 1533, when Erskinewas resident in Paris.By the time he felt safe to go home, Erskineseems to have come to a saving knowledgeof Christ. He brought with him the Frenchscholar Pierre de Marsilliers whom heinstalled as teacher of Greek at the Montrose3
Grammar School. By some accounts,this was the first time the language of theNew Testament was taught in Scotland.Certainly, Greek was almost unknown andanyone having an acquaintance with it wassuspected of being a heretic. NeverthelessErskine was willing to take risks for thesake of Christ; he also invited many Biblicalscholars and evangelists to stay at Dunwhich became a centre for the propagationof Protestantism. Although Bibles werebanned by the Roman Church, hundredsof copies of Tyndale’s New Testament werebrought from the Low Countries to eastcoast ports such as Leith, Dundee, andMontrose. The powerful Sir Thomas wasable to shield his nephew from persecution.After his first wife died in 1538, he marriedan aristocratic Frenchwoman, Barbara deBierle, a native of Picardy who originallycame to Scotland with Mary of Guise, themother of Mary Queen of Scots.Erskine was regularly elected Provostof Montrose, as well as being a countyadministrator, commanding the militia andoccasionally attending Parliament. He wasresponsible for erecting the triple-archedUpper Northwater Bridge (now bypassedby the modern A90) and was an enthusiastfor planting trees on his estate. Though hewas probably uncomfortable with the warwith Protestant England, he was too muchof a patriot to endure the devastationscommitted upon his native country by theEnglish. His biographers have dwelt withpride upon an incident in 1547 in whichErskine led a small party in an attack on aband of English troops which had landednear Montrose for the purpose of layingwaste the surrounding country—includingErskine’s own estate. Out of ninety invaders,less than thirty made it back to their ships.John Erskine was one of a relatively small4number of people who, notwithstandingthe persecuting tendencies of King JamesV, had embraced Protestantism. ‘Far frombeing led by mercenary motives, as manywere in later years, Erskine and his friendswere inspired solely with a love of what theyconsidered the Truth.’ The Roman clergywho surrounded James promised him thetitle of Defender of the Faith—forfeited byhis uncle Henry VIII of England—if he wassuccessful in crushing heresy. When the kingdied in December 1542, Cardinal Beaton’sattempt to seize power was foiled. Had hesucceeded, the ruthless prelate intended toextirpate Protestantism with a bloodbath.II. Some of Erskine’s friendsThe Straitons of Lauriston were the majorlandowners in the parish of St. Cyrus,just up the coast from Montrose. As thesecond son of the laird, David Straitoninherited the small property of Whitstoun(now Woodstone). Much of his incomewas from salmon netting at the mouth ofthe River North Esk. Trouble broke outwhen the local priest, acting as factor forPatrick Hepburn, the dissolute Prior of St.Andrews, demanded a tenth of all the fishcaught there. Straiton was a headstrong andimpulsive man of the world who would bowthe knee to no one. Despite the pleading ofhis more cautious elder brother, he angrilyinstructed his men to throw every tenthfish back into the North Sea for the Prior tocollect personally. Straiton’s defiance led tohis being put under ‘process of cursing’ andcharged with heresy, which was punishableby death. David Straiton, who had had nointerest in religion up to this point, realisedthat he was in not in a fit state to leave thisworld. He started studying the Scriptureswith godly men, particularly with his youngnephew George and with John Erskine.The BulwarkHouse of DunJanuary - March 20135
monument in St Andrews and also by a tallgranite column in front of Fordoun ParishChurch, Auchenblae. His older brother,Sir John Wishart, member of parliamentfor the Mearns, was regarded as an ultraProtestant, “a man mervilous wyse, discryteand godly, withowte spotte or wryncle”. SirJohn was a leading officer in the forcesof the Congregation and was one of thenobles who ratified the Scots Confession.Because of his opposition to Mary Queenof Scots’ marriage to Lord Darnley, he wasdeclared a rebel.Church at St CyrusHe was converted, and his stand againstRome became inspired by the love ofChrist. Following a trial before the king atEdinburgh, Straiton was burned on 27thAugust 1534. The fire was lit by the shoreat Leith, ‘that the inhabitants of Fife, seeingthe fire, might be struck with terror and fearand not fall into like heresies’.George Wishart, a son of the Laird ofPitarrow (just north of Laurencekirk) wasborn in 1513. He was academically giftedand was appointed as an assistant masterat Montrose Grammar School in 1534. Afterbeing accused of heresy he fled to Englandand later went to Switzerland where he metBullinger, Farel, and Calvin and translatedthe First Helvetic Confession (1536) intoScots. Wishart was a gifted speaker andupon returning home in 1543 he began toaddress open air religious meetings in thetown. Although Erskine counselled him toconfine his activities to the Montrose area,6where he could protect him, he felt no fearand travelled widely. The Church authoritiesfeeling increasingly threatened by Wishart’spopularity, he was ‘marked out as a sacrificeto Papal tyranny’ and there were numerousattempts to assassinate or capture him.In 1538, Walter Mille, the priest of Lunan,just south of Montrose, was accused ofhaving ceased to say Mass; he actuallyhad abandoned the practice long beforethen. Mille subsequently fled to Germanywhere he travelled extensively and married.After returning to his native land in 1556 hisfearless preaching made him an obvioustarget for the Romanists. The frail eighty-During a serious outbreak of the plague inDundee in 1545, Wishart hastened to thetown as fast as most people were tryingto get away. He addressed the crowdsfrom the top of the Eastgate allowing boththe inhabitants and the victims, who wereshut out of the town, to hear him. His textwas Psalm 107:20 ‘He sent His Word andhealed them’. John Knox records, ‘by thewhich sermon he raised up the hearts ofall that heard him, that they soon regarditnot death, but judgit thame mair happiethat sould depairt, than sic as souldremain behind.’ Eventually, he was burnedat St. Andrews on 1st March 1546. Heis commemorated both by the Martyrs’The Bulwarktwo year old was dragged before anecclesiastical court and when he wasburned, on 28th April 1558, “his greatage and tottering steps deeply stirred themultitude of onlookers”. In truth his murderproved to be the death knell of Romanismin Scotland. Mille’s testimony was reprintedin the Bulwark (April 2012).In later life Erskine was an encourager ofAndrew Melville (1545-1622) who was alaird’s son from Baldovie on the south side ofthe Montrose Basin. Melville South Churchin Montrose is named in his honour. Afterthe death of Knox, Melvillle would take overleadership of the Kirk; his brother Richardwas later minister of Maryton.It is no exaggeration to say that the areaaround Montrose was a veritable cradleof the Reformed Faith at a time when thecities of Scotland were still enshrouded inspiritual darkness and superstition.PitarrowJanuary - March 20137
became Secretary of State to both Mary ofGuise (widow of James V and Regent) andtheir daughter Mary Queen of Scots. Duringthe meal, Maitland debated the pros andcons of the Mass with John Knox, in theend admitting defeat on account of Knox’spowerful reasoning.The Parish of Dun from BaldovieIII. The Reformation struggleIn his very first public sermon, preached inthe parish church of St. Andrews in 1547,the redoubtable John Knox stated hisview of Romanism in no uncertain terms.Preaching on Daniel 7:24-25, he saidthat the Church of Rome is the churchof Antichrist and the Mass is idolatry. Heinsisted that there could be no compromisebetween ‘the immaculate spouse of Jesus’and ‘the synagogue of Satan’ ruled bythe Pope, ‘the Man of Sin’. Arguing thatthe Papal Church was that Empire whichwould devour the saints of God predictedby Daniel, Knox went on to condemn allunscriptural practices in worship.Erskine first encountered Knox when thegreat Reformer briefly returned to Scotlandfrom Geneva towards the end of 1555.Knox was residing with James Syme, aburgess of Edinburgh and a friend of thetruth, whose home was a regular meetingplace for Protestants. Erskine is said tohave been deeply moved by the forceful8preaching of Knox which was completelydifferent to anything he had heard before.He promptly made his own Edinburghresidence available to Knox who was soonpreaching there several times each day.Such were the crowds desirous of hearinghim that he often continued late into theevening.At this time, Knox criticised the inconsistencyof people who, in spite of being spirituallyawakened and seeking the Saviour,retained their connection with the Church ofRome and even continued to attend Mass.Knox was responsible for persuading JohnErskine finally to break his connection withthe Church of Rome.It was indeed a time of trouble, with fearof persecution everywhere. In spite ofthis, Erskine began to invite many leadingnoblemen to join him for supper at hisresidence in the Capital, in order to presentthe Gospel to them. On one such occasion,William Maitland of Lethington was present.He was an intelligent young man who laterThe BulwarkUpon leaving Edinburgh, Erskine took Knoxwith him to Dun. For a month or so, Knoxresided there, spending the time visiting andpreaching in the vicinity. He contacted localgentlemen of standing who could be helpfulin advancing the Gospel. Having listenedto Knox, not only Erskine but most of thelocal gentry were fully persuaded that theycould no longer participate in the idolatrousceremonies of the unreformed church andrealised that their duty lay in organisingseparate ordinances and in praying for thedownfall of the Papacy.Following this notable success, Knoxtravelled to Calder House, Midlothian,the home of Sir James Sandilands. In theearly weeks of 1556, along with Erskine,Knox was in Kyle (Ayrshire) which was theancient stronghold of the Lollards. Afteradministering Communion on severaloccasions, the pair returned to the Houseof Dun.During this second visit Knox preachedmore widely and openly than previously.By then, most of the gentlemen of theMearns were on the side of Reform andundertook ‘to refuse all society with idolatryand bound themselves, to the uttermost oftheir powers, to maintain the true preachingof the Evangel of Jesus Christ’. Meanwhile,Erskine’s increasing political prominencewas evident when on 26th June 1558Parliament appointed him as Commissionerto France to witness the marriage betweenJanuary - March 2013Mary Queen of Scots and the Dauphin, laterKing Francis II. On his homeward journey,Erskine escaped what appears to havebeen an assassination attempt when fourof his companions were fatally poisoned inDieppe.Erskine was in France when the elderlyWalter Mille was martyred. Soon afterthis the Protestants started to hold publicworship in burghs such as Ayr and Dundee.The following year Mary of Guise issued aproclamation summoning the Protestantpreachers to appear at Stirling on 10thMay 1559, to be tried as heretics andschismatics. The Protestant nobles withtheir followers mustered at Perth to protectthem. Erskine was appointed to negotiatewith the Queen and returned with a promisethat the ministers would not be tried. ButMary’s word was worthless; when theyfailed to appear for trial they were declaredrebels. The result was the civil war whichended with the death of Mary of Guise andthe overthrow of Romanism.Erskine initially took up his armour to fight,having perhaps been urged to do so byKnox, but later decided that he would bemore useful as a preacher than an officer.There is no doubt that he was eminentlyqualified, for the great Reformer describedhim as ‘one whom God in those days hadmarvellously illuminated’. Knox deeplyrespected Erskine, even though the laird’smildness and flexibility sometimes frustratedhis more impulsive colleague.IV. Appointment asa SuperintendentFollowing the triumph of the Reformationin 1560, the Scottish Church resolved toordain ten or twelve Superintendents to9
House of Dun‘plant and erect kirks where none now are,to set, order and appoint ministers, so thatall who have never heard Jesus Christ trulypreached shall come to some knowledge’.Owing to inadequate funds and politicalinstability, only five were appointed, includingJohn Erskine, who was given charge ofAngus and the Mearns. The arguments forintroducing Superintendents were practicalrather than theological. Confronted with anemergency situation, and with the aim ofevangelising ‘all the inhabitants of the realm’,the Reformers decided that rather thanrestricting the ablest ministers to individualcongregations they should be distributedacross the whole country.At the first General Assembly which met inDecember 1560, Erskine’s appointment wasformally ratified and he was declared to be‘apt and able to minister’. His responsibilitieswere diverse including regular preaching,the examination and admission of ministers,10consideration of their stipends, provisionof their manses and glebes, visitation ofcongregations, upkeep of the fabric ofchurches, liaising with the Courts of theChurch and oversight of church discipline.Considering all these responsibilities, it is nosurprise that on 24th November 1574 thePrivy Council passed an Act indemnifyingErskine for failing to carry out his duties at theSheriff Court in the past and exempting himfor as long as he remained Superintendent.While he was criticised for admitting asreaders many poorly qualified conformingpriests, he had little choice if public worshipwas to be maintained. Bardgett comments,‘Examination of the extent of the ReformedKirk’s success in achieving a parochialReformation.in Angus and the Mearns from1560 to 1590 is inseparable from assessmentof the career of the Laird of Dun’.In his book Patterns of Reform, JamesKirk says, ‘The Superintendent was anThe Bulwarkoffice which the Reformers introducedalmost as an afterthought to the FirstBook of Discipline, designed to remedythe shortage of ministers and to further thework of evangelisation throughout the land.Repudiating the traditional ecclesiasticalhierarchy, the Reformers placed greatemphasis on the pastoral ministry whichthey considered might be exercised withinthe context of a congregation or morewidely over a whole district.’ In short,superintendence was to be exercised not bya distinct order or degree of bishops but byministers who received a commission fromthe Church to exercise supervisory dutiesfor a longer or shorter period (though notfor life). Kirk emphasises that the office wasfree from traditional concepts of superiorityand lordship and he argues that the ideawas unique to Scotland. Not only were theyaccountable to the graded series of ChurchCourts, but were expected to act collegiallywhere practicable and to reside in the chieftowns of their provinces.Whenever possible, Erskine believed inconciliatory measures and made gooduse of his natural tact and diplomacy, somuch so that even sworn opponents of theGospel respected him. The young Queen’sdetermination to marry Lord Darnley ledto her famous interview with Knox whichbrought tears to Mary’s eyes. While the sternand unrelenting Reformer looked on, Erskineendeavoured, with characteristic gentleness,to calm a very stormy and tense situation.Indeed he appears to have made a veryfavourable impression upon his staunchlyRoman Catholic Queen.She resolved to extend the hand of friendshipto the Protestants in the hope of obtainingsupport for her marriage and sent for theSuperintendents of Fife, Lothian, GlasgowJanuary - March 2013and Angus, explaining that while she wasnot yet persuaded of the truth of the newreligion, she was happy to attend debateson doctrinal issues and was willing to listento some of their sermons. In particular, Marywould gladly hear Erskine, ‘for he was a mildand sweet-natured man, with true honestyand uprightness’.Erskine’s leadership qualities, likeablepersonality, and faithfulness in his duties wererecognised by his election as Moderator ofthe General Assembly on no fewer than fiveoccasions. At the Coronation of James VI atStirling in 1567, Erskine, together with theEarl of Morton, took the Oath on behalf ofthe infant king.V. Later yearsIn 1571, after only a decade ofPresbyterianism, there was an attempt toreinstate an active episcopate in the Church.In response, Erskine wrote a long letter in a‘clear, forcible style’, to the Regent, the Earlof Mar. Among other things, he stated, ‘Agreater offence or contempt of God and Hiskirk can no prince do, than to set up by hisauthority men in spiritual offices’; and heargued, ‘They may be called bishops butare not bishops, but idols’ (a reference toZechariah 11:17, ‘Woe to the idol shepherdthat leaveth the flock’). The superintendenthad no real issue with the term bishop, whichhe regarded as equivalent to superintendent,but strongly objected to the State makingappointments to the post without theapproval of the Church.As the elder statesmen of the Erskine family,the Superintendent exercised considerableinfluence during the regencies of his relativesthe Earls of Mar and Morton. The Lairdof Dun also remained active in Church11
matters: for instance he helped to compilethe Second Book of Discipline (1579) whichremains a standard compendium of Scottishchurch law. In 1583 he solemnly warnedJames VI that if he persisted in his Erastianpolicy, ‘he will be the last of his name thatwill reign in that realme’. Having played animportant part in the eventful Reformationperiod, Erskine died peacefully in 1591.Erskine’s theology may initially have beenLutheran, though there is little evidence tosupport this suggestion. From the time of hisassociation with George Wishart he appearsto have been Reformed. Erskine’s decisivebreak with Romanism came in 1555 whenKnox’s arguments convinced him thatChristians should avoid hearing Mass.After the Reformation, his commitment tothe Reformed faith and his preaching andorganisational abilities won him a nationalreputation. Bardgett describes him as‘spiritual, principled, yet practical and ableto compromise, whose influence exceededeven that of Knox’. He was the architectof a provincial Reformed Church suited toScottish society, ‘a godly preacher and shirelaird’. Spottiswood wrote, ‘He governed [hisprovince] with great authority, giving no wayto the [in]novations introduced, nor sufferingthem to take place within the bounds ofhis charge while he lived. He was a manfamous for services performed for princeand country. A baron he was of good rank,true, learned, liberal and of singular courage,who for diverse resemblances might well besaid to have been another Ambrose’.Montrose High Street with Old Parish ChurchFollowingMartin Luther’sfootstepsA proposed tour of sites at thecradle of the Reformation2-10 September 2013This is a great opportunity to visit themajor Reformation sites associated withMartin Luther and learn about the historyof the early Reformation. Dr Robert Dickie(Stornoway) led a highly appreciated tour ofthese sites in 2011 and has planned a furthernine-day tour from 2nd to 10th Sept 2013.The itinerary includes Worms cathedral andReformation monument, Eisenach and theWartburg Fortress, the Luther family churchat Möhra, the site of Luther’s abductionat Steinbach, the Augustinian cloister andcathedral at Erfurt, sites associated withLuther’s birth and death at Eisleben andMansfeld, the convent at Nimbschen whereLuther’s wife was a nun, and of coursethe major scenes of Luther’s witness atWittenberg. The museums at Wartburg,Eisleben and Wittenberg are excellent.How much does the tour cost?What’s the pace like?The tour will be at a fairly leisurely pace. Most walkingis for short distances (less than a mile). Please note:some sites involve stairs with no lift access. Therewill be free time every evening. The lunch break onSaturday will be in the town of Colditz and there willbe an opportunity to visit the famous castle whichhoused ‘incorrigible’ Allied officer POWs during WWII(not included in tour price).What additional costs will there be?Your flights between UK and Germany. Daytimerefreshments. Evening meals on two days. Guidedtours (in English) at the Wartburg Fortress and theAugustinian cloister in Erfurt and admission chargesto museums in Eisenach, Eisleben and Wittenberg.Transport to and from Wartburg Fortress and Eisenachtown. Optional English-language tour of Colditz Castleand its POW museum. Small ‘tourist taxes’ in a coupleof the towns – these are payable directly to the hotel,usually a couple of Euros per night.The cost for the tour within Germany(coach, hotel, and arranged meals) will beapproximately 830 per person for twin/double accommodation. There will be asupplement for single occupancy. A nonrefundable deposit must be paid before theend of January.What’s included?Coach transport throughout Germany andeight nights in hotels (3 star or higher),including breakfast. Three course eveningmeals in hotels, with the exception of twoevenings where you are free to make yourown arrangements. All meals on Sabbath.12The BulwarkJanuary - March 2013The trip is limited to 30 participants and numbers mustbe finalised at the end of January. Please contact DrDickie as soon as possible for further information(without obligation) or for details on how to make areservation. Email: robertdickie@doctors.org.uk13
John Erskineto be apostles, and some prophets, andsome evangelists, and some pastors andteachers, for the gathering together of thesaints, for the work of the ministry, and forthe edification of the body of Christ, till weall meet together in the unity of faith andknowledge of the Son of God, grow untothe perfect man, and unto the measure ofthe age of the fullness of Christ.on theKirk of GodPart of a letter written to ‘ane faithful brother’ by John Erskine of Dun in December1571. Here he describes the Church and importance of the work of the ministry. In thesecond part of the letter, he uses these as reasons why corrupt men should not beadmitted into the ministry.The kirk of God is a thing most preciousin his sight; he loves it as he does love hisonly Son, and with ane perpetual love doeshe love it. He did create all things for it,and in favour of it does he order all things.The heavenly hosts serve it; the earth andelements minister unto it. The offices andpowers of the world are appointed for it, andthe angels of God serve to the comfort of it.The kirk of God has the honour and preeminence above all things; it is free aboutall creatures, and all things are subduedunto it. It is the body of Christ and spouseof the Almighty. It is the inheritance of theLord, his proper possession and kingdom.It is the city and habitation wherein theLord delights to dwell. In it is reposed andcontinued the heavenly treasure. In it is lightwithout mirkness (darkness), joy withoutheaviness, and peace without inquietation:all things in it are perfect, and the glory of itendures for ever.To be participant of this kirk is more tobe esteemed than all the riches, glory,and honour of the world. This kirk is thecongregation of the faithful, whom God ofhis mercy hath chosen in his son Christ tobe partakers of his glory. This kirk he has14purified in the blood of his dear son. Thiskirk he has illuminated by his Holy Spirit.This kirk he has redeemed from all servitude.This kirk he has justified, and sanctified, andopened to it the true knowledge of himself.In this kirk God reigns. This kirk he governs,preserves, and defends; he fights againstthe enemies of it, and destroys all powerthat seeks the hurt of it. To this kirk Godhas given his eternal Word. To this kirk hehas given the gifts of his Holy Spirit. And tothis kirk has he given the ministration of theheavenly mysteries, by the which ministryhe quickens the dead, regenerates his elect,and nourishes his faithful. It is the power ofGod to work salvation. It is the wisdom ofGod expelling ignorance. It is the justice ofGod to execute death and damnation.By this holy ministry of the kirk sins areremitted, men are reconciled to God, andmade sons and heirs of the Highest. Thisholy ministry is placed in the kirk as amother to bring forth and to nourish childrenunto God. Of whose fruitful womb areborn, and by her breasts nourished all thetrue members of Christ’s kirk. These holymysteries are given into the hands of mento be ministered, and men bear the nameThe BulwarkHouse of Dunof that most excellent power which theyminister, in respect of the office joined to thatperson, and of that mind does the ApostlePaul call him father of the Corinthians,affirming himself to have begotten themto Christ, and the like manner of speechuses he to the Galatians, where he sayshe travails in birth, etc; and of the samemeaning writes he to Philemon saying, thatthou owest unto me even thine own self.So the ministers of the kirk, in respect oftheir ministry, are counted parents unto thatspiritual birth, whereby the children of Godare regenerated and nourished.God has so appointed that he calls hiselect unto salvation by the ministry ofmen; and therefore, says the Apostle,he has committed unto us the word ofreconciliation, now are we ambassadorsfor Christ, as though God did beseech youthrough us. As God did send his apostlesand prophets in time past, so sends hepresently and shall send unto the lastday his messengers, ministers of his holyevangel, for the comfort and nourishmentof his kirk, as it is written, he gave someJanuary - March 2013By the hands of men called to the ministrationof the holy mysteries is all perfection andcomfort wrought of God to his people.Therefore they are called the light of theworld and the salt of the
Jan 11, 2013 · 4 The Bulwark January - March 2013 5 Grammar School. By some accounts, this was the first time the language of the new Testament was taught in Scotland. certainly, Greek was almost unknown and anyone having an acquaintance with it was suspected of being a hereti
