(From The Scots Worthies by John Howie. See review on page 55)
DAVID Black was for some time colleague to the worthy Mr Andrew Melville, minister of St. Andrews. He was remarkable for zeal and fidelity in the discharge of his duty as a minister, applying his doctrine closely against the corruptions of that age, whether prevailing among the highest or lowest of the people. In consequence of this, in the year 1596, he was cited before the Council, for some expressions uttered in a sermon, alleged to be against King James VI and his Council. But his brethren in the ministry, thinking that by this method of procedure against him the spiritual government of the house of God was intended to be subverted, resolved that Black should decline answering the citation; and that the brethren should prepare themselves to prove from the Holy Scriptures that the judgment of all doctrine, in the first instance, belonged to the pastors of the Church.
Accordingly David Black, on the 18th November 1596, gave in a declination to the Council to this effect: that he was able to defend all that he had said; yet, seeing his answering before them to that accusation might be prejudicial to the liberties of the Church, and would be taken for an acknowledgment of his Majesty’s jurisdiction in matters merely spiritual, he was constrained to decline that judicatory because: First, the Lord Jesus Christ had given him His word for a rule, and that therefore he could not fall under the civil law, only in so far as, after trial, he should be found to have passed from his instructions, which trial only belonged to the pastors,… Secondly, The liberties of the Church, and discipline presently exercised, being confirmed by divers Acts of Parliament. approved of by the Confession of Faith, and the office-bearers of the Church being now in the peaceable possession thereof, the question of his preaching ought first, according to the grounds and practice aforesaid, to be judged by the ecclesiastical senate, as the competent judges thereof…
This declination, with a letter sent to the different Presbyteries, was subscribed in a short time by between three and four hundred ministers, all assenting to and approving of it.
The Commissioners of the General Assembly, then sitting at Edinburgh, knowing that the King was displeased at this proceeding, sent some of their number to speak with him, unto whom he answered, that if Mr Black would pass from his declination, he would pass from the summons. This they would not consent to do. Upon which, the King summoned Mr Black again on the 27th of November to the Council to be held on the 30th. This summons was given with sound of trumpet, and open proclamation at the Cross of Edinburgh; and the same day, the Commissioners of the Assembly were ordered to depart in twenty-four hours, under pain of rebellion.
Before the day of David Black’s second citation before the Council, he prepared a more explicit declination, especially respecting the King’s supremacy, declaring that there are two jurisdictions in the realm, the one spiritual and the other civil, the one respecting the conscience and the other concerning external things; the one persuading by the spiritual word, the other compelling by the temporal sword; the one spiritually procuring the edification of the Church, the other by justice procuring the peace and quiet of the commonwealth. The latter, being grounded in the light of nature, proceeds from God as He is Creator, and is so termed by the Apostle (1 Pet. 2.), but varies according to the constitution of men; the former, being above nature, is grounded upon the grace of redemption proceeding immediately from the grace of Christ, the King and only Head of His Church (Eph. 1, Col. 2). Therefore, in so far as he was one of the spiritual office-bearers, and had discharged his spiritual calling in some measure of grace and sincerity, he should not, and could not lawfully be judged by any civil power for preaching and applying the Word of God, he being an ambassador of the Lord Jesus, having his commission from the King of kings; and all his commission is set down and limited in the Word of God, that cannot be extended and abridged by any mortal king or emperor, they being sheep, not pastors, who are to be judged by the Word of God, and not to be the judges thereof.
A decree of council was passed against him, upon which his brethren of the Commission directed their dictations against the Council. The King sent a message to the Commissioners, signifying that he would rest satisfied with Black’s simple declaration of the truth. Robert Bruce and the rest replied that if the affair concerned Mr Black alone, they should be content; but the liberty of Christ’s kingdom had received such a wound by the proclamation, that if Mr Black’s life, and a dozen of others besides, had been taken, it had not grieved the ears of the godly so much, and that either these things behoved to be retracted, or they would oppose so long as they had breath. After a long process, no mitigation of the Council’s severity could be obtained; for Black was charged by a macer to enter his person in ward on the north of the Tay, there to remain at his own expense during his Majesty’s pleasure. Though he was next year restored to his place at St. Andrews, yet he was not suffered to continue, for, about the month of July, the King and Council again proceeded against him; and he was removed to Angus, where he continued until the day of his death. He had always been a severe check on the negligent and unfaithful part of the clergy, but now they had found means to get free of him.
After his removal to Angus, he continued the exercise of his ministry, preaching daily unto such as resorted to him, with much success and an intimate communion with God, until a few days before his death.
In his last sickness, the Christian temper of his mind was so much improved by large measures of the Spirit, that his conversation had a remarkable effect in humbling the hearts and comforting the souls of those who attended him, engaging them to take the easy yoke of Christ upon themselves. He found in his own soul also such a sensible taste of eternal joy that he was seized with a fervent desire to depart and to be with the Lord, longing to have the earthly house of his tabernacle put off, that he might be admitted into the mansions of everlasting rest. In the midst of these earnest breathings after God, the Lord was wonderfully pleased to condescend to the importunity of His servant, to let him know that the time of his departure was near. Upon this, he took a solemn farewell of his family and flock with a discourse, as Melville says, that seemed to be spoken out of heaven, concerning the misery and grief of this life, and the inconceivable glory which is above.
The night following, after supper, having read and prayed in his family with unusual continuance, strong crying, and heavy groans, he went a little while to bed. The next day, having called his people to the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, he went to church. Having brought the communion service near a close, he felt the approach of death, and all saw a sudden change in his countenance, so that some ran to support him. But pressing to be on his knees, with his hands and eyes lifted up to heaven, in the very act of devotion and adoration and in a transport of joy, he was taken away, with scarcely any pain at all. Thus this holy man, who had so faithfully maintained the interest of Christ upon earth, breathed forth his soul in this extra-ordinary manner, so that it seemed rather like a translation than a real death.