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.

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.

Table of contents

Title page

THE PREFACE.

This Discourse was penned by himselfe on the first of Ianuary. 1616.

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.

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.

OF DAYES.

OF BAPTISME to be ministred in due time and place.

OF PRIVATE COMMVNION.

OF KNEELING AT THE COMMVNION.

[Page]THE LIFE AND DEATH OF W. COWPER, BISHOP OF GALLOWAY.

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THE LIFE AND DEATH OF THE REVEREND FATHER, and faithfull Seruant of GOD, Mr. WILLIAM COWPER, Bishop of Galloway, who departed this life at Edenburgh, the 15 of February, 1619. WHEREVNTO IS ADDED A RESOLVTION penned by himselfe, some few dayes before his death touching the Articles concluded in the late generall Assembly holden at PERTH 1618.

LONDON, Printed by George Purslowe, for Iohn Budge, and are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard, at the Signe of the Greene-Dragon. 1619.

THE PREFACE.

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IT is profitable, and considering the times we now liue in, very necessarie, that the liues & deaths of Gods faithfull seruants, (such as was this worthy Person) be registred, and commended to Posteritie (as well for examples to the liuing, that they may know how to walke in a good Conscience before God, as to preserue the fame of the righteous after their death, from the reprochful detractions of the wicked. And this last, charitie towards our Brethren departed, requires of vs then especially, when the wrong done vnto their memories, tends to the discrediting of the seruice, wherein they were by God imployed in the time of their life. For though it be true, that lyes and calumnies can neuer long preuaile, and that Truth, by some rightly called the Daughter of Time, will at last breake forth, as the light, and shine as the noone day, to the iustifying of them that haue feared the Lord, and beene carefull to approue their courses vnto him: yet in the meane while, preiudices may possesse the minds of many not euill affected: and while they lacke better information, by mis-reports they may be made to thinke and speake of persons and matters otherwise then they should. Neither can we be excused, if wee shall keepe silence, [Page] and forbeare to giue witnesse vnto the Truth, when peruerse men take such libertie, as we see, to vent lies both by speech and writing, onely to confirme others in wicked and rebelli [...]us courses. This respect, albeit there had been no other, is a sufficient reason for the publishing of this Discourse; written by that faithfull Seruant of God, of himselfe, some two yeeres before his departing, and since found amongst his papers: for as in his life there wanted not enemies to charge him with many false imputations, whereof himselfe did often complaine; so yet after his death, when humanitie it selfe might teach them not to disquiet the ashes of the dead, they forbeare not to lay vpon him and the manner of his death, false and foule aspersions, albeit no man, while he liued, did walk in all his wayes with a b [...]tter conscience; nor any of the Saints of God did euer conclude his dayes more peaceably, and with better Resolution.

Concerning his life, which was not idle or fruitlesse, as his writings already come forth, and others that shortly will see the light, may sufficiently witnesse; wee remit you to this Discourse penned by himselfe, as it seemes, when he found his sicknes beginning, which put an end to his dayes: And for his death, whereof there were many witnesses, the forme and manner thereof we haue annexed, to stop the mouthes of vngodly men, and giue all that feare the Lord, an example of dying, and occasion of thankefulnes to Almighty God, who vouchsafed so mercifully to rid his seruant of the miseries of this life, and receiue him to his ioy, and that place of felicitie, where we are perswaded now he rests.

This Discourse was penned by himselfe on the first of Ianuary. 1616.

MY life hath not beene such, that I am ashamed to liue longer, if my gracious God haue any further seruice to employ mee withall in his Church: Neither am I so desirous to liue; but yet I am willing, and heartily content to remoue out of this body, that I may be with my Lord, freed from these restlesse tentations, which on euery side haue sore pressed, but, through his grace, neuer oppressed me.

In my younger yeeres I was trained vp with the wrestlings of God; from my youth I haue borne his yoke, exercised with his terrours; yet, so that many a time his sweet consolations haue refreshed [Page] my soule. In my old days men haue risen against me, but without a cause: betwixt these two my dayes are spent: my Witnesse is in heauen, Hee knoweth that in euery state of life, my heart was euer toward the Lord; it was my ioy to serue him, and my griefe when I sinned against him.

Being of the age of eight yeere old, about Martimas I was carried by my father from Edenborough to Dunbar Schoole, I could not write, nor read any Latine then. I tarried there till my twelft yeere; euen then did the Lord beginne to acquaint my heart to seek him: we went two & two to the Church; he put then this prayer in my heart euery day in the way, Lord, bow mine care, that I may heare thy Word. In the Schoole many a time haue I turned on my face, seeking from God knowledge and vnderstanding. In the space of foure yeeres and lesse, I learned the whole course of Grammar, wherein God made me to prosper, not inferiour to others in the company with me.

From thence I was called by my Parents to Edenborugh, and in the entry of my 13. yeere, sent ouer to S. Andrewes, and passed in course of Philosophy there in the 16. yeere: there made I not such progresse in knowledge, as I had done before in my other Studies, either mine age not being capable of it, or my wise and mercifull Father not thinking it expedient for me; yet euen there was the seede of grace still working in me, inclining me to a carefull hearing and penning of Sermons, and Theologicall lessons, as I could haue occasion to heare them. [Page] And heere Satan working in corrupt nature, sought many a time to trap mee in his snares, intending in my young yeeres to giue mee that wound, that night haue beene a marke of shame to me in my old age, when the Lord should call mee to doe his Worke: but as on the one part I felt my weakenesse compared with the strength of corrupt nature; so though then I could not discerne it, afterward I had proofe it was the Lords preuenting mercy, that kept me from being an offence vnto his Church. It is his mercy that he pardoned the vanities and ignorances of my youth, and his mercy also that he preserued me in all my life, from any that could make me a shame to his Saints, or a scorne and reproach to his enemies.

Hauing passed my course in S. Andrewes at the age of sixteene yeeres, I returned to my Parents in Edenborough, I was pressed by them to enter into sundry sorts of life I liked not; for my heart still inclined to the study of holy Scriptures: wherevpon I resolued to goe into England, where I euidently perceiued the Lord going before mee, and prouiding for me at Hoddesdon, within eighteene mile of London, my meane portion which I had being all spent (I speake it to his glory that 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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. [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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.

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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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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, [Page] 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.

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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 [Page] 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. [Page] 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 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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, [Page] 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 [Page] parent requires it to his child, either vpon a preaching day, or other day, with what warrant a Preacher can deny it, I know not.

OF PRIVATE COMMVNION.

THe same is my iudgement of Priuate Cōmunion. Heere are two words would be well vnderstood. Priuate I call it, in respect of the publike assembly, not of a priuate person; Communion it is, in respect of many Christians partaking it. Where a man hath beene a reuerent hearer of the Word in the publike Assembly, and a reuerent & carefull receiuer of the Sacrament there, if God suspend him by sicknes from doing of that dutie, may wee not sit beside him, and comfort him by the Word? may we not pray together for him, and for our selues, euen in a priuate Family? And why also may we not giue to him, and take to our selues the Seales of the Couenant of mercy? The particular precepts hereof, both for the person and place, I take not vpon mee to determine, but leaue it to the wisedome of the Preacher.

OF KNEELING AT THE COMMVNION.

THe hardest point of all, is Kneeling at the holy Communion, which is the more misliked, because it was, and yet is abused by Papists, to Idolatrie: that vile errour of transubstantiation, and worshipping of Bread, my soule abhorreth it. But it is hard to condemne a thing lawfull in it selfe, because it hath been abused: For what is so good, that [Page] hath not or may not be abused? Shal not S. Paul bow his knees to the Father of the whole Family in Heauen and in Earth, God the Creator; because Idolaters bow their knees to the Creature? he was not so scrupulous. If I should condemne Sitting at the Table, should doe wrong to my Mother the Church of Scotland. If I should condemne Standing, I should doe wrong to that Sister Church of France, which hath stood for the Truth to the bloud. If I should condemne Kneeling, I should do wrong to the Church of England, glorious with many Crownes of Martyrdome, and many other Churches also. I like well that modest iudgement of Peter Martyr, who thinkes any of these, Sitting, Standing or Kneeling, lawfull. Our Church hath determined, that Kneeling seemes the most reuerent forme, for receiuing so great a benefit: and the rude gesture of many of our People, in many parts of the Land, requires that they should be led to a greater reuerence of that holy Mysterie, & taught that by humble Kneeling, wee shall at length bee brought to a ioyful Sitting with Him for euer. But here it will be obiected to mee▪ that our Lord and his Disciples sate at the Table. I answere; The Euangelist saith, that as He sate at the Table, he took Bread, and gaue thankes. This seemeth to note the time of the Institution; to wit, after hee had done with the naturall and Paschall Supper, not the gesture: For why? S. Paul prescribing all that is essential in the Sacrament, makes no mention neither of Sitting, Standing, nor Kneeling: Yet he sayes, What [Page]I haue receiued of the Lord, that I deliuer to you. If he receiued it, and deliuered it not, hee was not faithfull. Which I abhorre to thinke. If he deliuered it not, then sure he receiued it not. This is the soundest & most safe course: It keepeth all the reformed Churches free from doing against the Word of God. For wee must thinke, that S. Paul knew certainly the mind of Christ: such as are conscientious, let them ponder this well, the contentious I am not able to satisfie. If the expediency bee set aside, and the question be only of the lawfulnes, my Argument stāds yet vnanswered. Whatsoeuer spirituall benefit I may lawfully seeke on my knees with Supplication, that same I may receiue lawfully vpon my knees with thanksgiuing. But I may lawfully with supplication seeke saluation by Iesus on my knees: Therefore I may lawfully receiue it on my knees. They answere nothing, who say, I may not kneele to an Idoll: For to Christ I kneele, praising him when I receiue the holy Symbols, & exhibiting instruments of his Body & Bloud: and it is madnes either to make them Idols, as Papists doe, or call them Idols, as Male contents doe.

Great murmuring is now against Pastors, vvho ply not their tongues to pleasure the humours of people. God hath opened their mouthes to preach his Gospel; woe will bee to them that open their mouth to prattle against Pastors. Hee that rewardeth euill for good, euill shall neuer depart from his house, saith Salomon, My sonne, feare God and the King, and meddle not with the seditious: It is Salomons [Page] also. Let seditious Prattlers, or Libellers, whom though I know, I spare to name, pause vpon this. When vnthankfull Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, they both ran to the dore of the Tabernacle, and the Lord failed them neuer. Hee came downe in the Cloud, to protect & comfort them. Let al the seruants of the Lord doe so, when an vngratefull people renders them euill for good; remembring that which the Lord said to Ieremy 15. 19, 20. Let them returne to thee, returne not thou to them. They shall fight against thee, but shal not preuaile against thee for I am with thee. Blessed are yee when men reuile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of euill against [...]ou falsely for my sake: Reioyce & be glad, for great is your reward in Heauen▪ for so persecuted they the prophets, which were before you, Math. 6. 11.

I haue opened my minde according to my light. To thē that aske, Where was this light before? my answere is, Remember what is said of our blessed Lord, the Latchet of whose Shoo I am not worthy to loose. He increased in wisedome, Luc. 2. 52. Shall it then be an imputation to his silly, weake, vnworthy and infirme seruants, that they increase in wisedome, and grow in knowledge, as they are commanded? Such as are contentious, I leaue tumbling in the tumultuous thoughts of their perturbed minds, raging like the waues of the Sea, forming and casting out their own dirt and shame. For me, I rest in the peace of my God, through Iesus Christ, which, blessed be God, I enioy. A sore famin of the Word of God is at hand, for the loathing [Page] of [...] and murmuring against Moses and Aaron: there may be bread, but God will breake the Staffe of it preaching of the Word in many parts, but without life or power, Prattlers, & lying Libellers, Papists, or Atheists, I commend them to the mercy of God, that they may be brought to repeutance. Let them reade these words of our Sauiour, Math. 7. 6. Giue not that which is holy vnto Dogs, neither cast ye your Pearles before Swine: Bee not of that number, if ye minde to enter into that heauenly Ierusalem. I will haue nothing spoken heere, extended to peaceable and truely religious Christians, of which number God hath a flourishing Church, both in this Towne, and in other parts of the Land: The Lord increase them. The Lord grant peace to his owne Ierusalem, and haue mercy vpon vs, that wee may preuent these, and other immiuent iudgements vpon great and small, with vnfained repentance.

FINIS.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

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.

Edition statement

1619

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Text Creation Partnership,

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Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2004-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A19515

ID [STC]

STC 5945

ID [STC]

ESTC S109006

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99844657

ID [PROQUEST]

99844657

ID [VID]

9490

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A19515)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 9490)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1543:08)

Source

— 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..

Extent

[32] p.

Printed by George Purslowe for Iohn Budge, and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard, at the signe of the Greene-Dragon,. London :: 1619.. (Signatures: A-D⁴.) (Contains a short memoir by Cowper, with an anonymous account of his death, and "The Bishop of Gallovvay 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".) (Reproduction of the original in the Union Theological Seminary (New York, N.Y.). Library.)

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