Series 1 > Diary of Sir Archibald Johnston of Wariston 1632-1639

xlii
DIARY OF LORD WARISTON
Covenanters, ‘ directed by God’s sprit,’ having seen their way
to put the interval to good account by making complete pre¬
parations for the immediate election of Commissioners to the
Assembly after its expiry and before Hamilton on his return
could break up or endanger the unity of the party ‘ be his pro¬
jects and offers, threats, and proclamations.’1 As Wariston
wrote afterwards, he thought he saw God’s merciful hand in
directing them beforehand, ‘at the mentioning of this motion
befor the Commiss. waygoing in August, to resolve and to
give [their] directions for choysing the Commissioners to the
Assemblee, quhilk, gif nou ’ (after Hamilton’s return) ‘ we had
had to direct, we wald hardly haive gottin it weal doone.’2
But at one time it seemed as if the unity of the party might
be broken up by an internal dispute as to the rights of ruling
elders to have equal votes with ministers in the election of
representatives of presbyteries to an assembly. The ministers
protested against such a course as ‘ a novation, and of great
and dangerous consequences.’3 Wariston on the contrary was
firmly convinced not only of the constitutional rights of ruling
elders to be members of, or to be represented in, all Church
Courts, but also of the expediency of their being there
for the maintenance of Church discipline and ‘holding
Episcopacy at the staffe end.’4 The Large Declaration^
suggested another reason. The laity fearing that if Episcopal
Government were overthrown they would be ‘ brought againe
under the tyrannic of Presbyteriall Government, of which
they had heard their fathers so grieviously complaine, they
pitched upon this way of equall number of lay-elders in every
Presbyterie, being assured thereby to curb their ministers,
most of whom had their stipends and rents paid by these lay-
Patrons.’ On 18th August Wariston wrote :—‘ Rothes and
Loudon with som barons, burroues, went to the ministers^
quhair the Lord mooved and inaibled me to cleir the quaestion
1 P- 376.
8 Baillie, Letters, vol. i. p. 99.
2 P- 393-
4 P- 378.
5 P. 190.