terian principle, which
holds that human inventions ought not to be added to divine institutions.

This was the last attempt made by King James for the overthrow of the
Presbyterian Church. It was but partially successful. Not less than
forty-five, even of the ministers summoned to Perth by the King, voted
against the _five articles_; and in defiance of the authority of the King,
and the Prelates, and the terrors of the Court of High Commission, a large
proportion of the ministers, and a much larger proportion of the people
throughout the kingdom, never conformed to these articles. Various
attempts were made by the prelatic faction to suppress the resistance of
the faithful ministers and people. At one time a minister who would not
yield was suspended from his ministry; at another, he was banished from
his flock, and confined to some remote district of the country. But all
was ineffectual, although much suffering and distress of mind was caused
by these harrassing persecutions. Very gladly would the ministers and
people have abandoned the prelatised church, and maintained the government
and ritual of the Church of their fathers by their own unaided exertions,
had they been permitted. But no such permission could be obtained. They
were compelled either to abstain from preaching altogether, or to remain
in connection with the Church. And even this alternative was not always
left to their choice. They were frequently kept in a species of
imprisonment in their own houses, not permitted to leave the Church, and
yet forbidden to preach, or even to expound the word of God to the members
of their own households. Such was the monstrous and intolerable tyranny
exercised by Prelacy in Scotland, in its desperate attempts to destroy the
Presbyterian Church.

But the Presbyterian Church has always proved to be not easily destroyed.
At the very time when Prelacy and king-craft were uniting for its
destruction, its Divine Head was graciously supporting it under its
trials, giving it life to endure them, and preparing for its deliverance.
The sufferings endured by the faithful ministers in many parts of the
country, tended to make them objects of admiration, love, and respect to
the people, who could not but draw a very striking contrast between their
conduct, and that of the haughty and irreligious prelates. But mighty as
was this influence in the hearts of the people, one infinitely more mighty
began to be felt in many districts of th