DAVID, a famous divine of the church of Scotland, and a distinguished writer in behalf of the Presbyterians, was descended of a good family in that kingdom; and being early designed for the ministry, he applied with great diligence to the study of the Scriptures in their original tongues, the works of the fathers, the councils, and the best writers on church history. He was settled about the year 1604 at Crelting near Jedburgh. King James I. of Great Britain, being desirous of bringing the church of Scotland nearer to a conformity with that of England, laboured earnestly to restore the episcopal authority, and enlarge the powers of the bishops who were then in Scotland. This design was very warmly opposed by many of the ministers, and particularly by Mr David Calderwood; who, when Mr James Law, bishop of Orkney, came to visit the presbyteries of Merse and Tiviotdale, declined his jurisdiction by a paper under his hand, dated May 5, 1628. But the king having its success much at heart, sent the earl of Dunbar, the high-treasurer of Scotland, with Dr Abbot, afterward archbishop of Canterbury, and two other divines, into that kingdom, with instructions to employ every method to persuade both the clergy and laity of his majesty's sincere desire to promote the good of the church, and of his zeal for the Protestant religion. Mr Calderwood did not assist at the general assembly held at Glasgow, June 3, 1610, in which Lord Dunbar presided as commissioner; and it appears from his writings, that he looked upon every thing transacted in it as null and void. In May following, King James went to Scotland; and on the 17th of June held a parliament at Edinburgh. At that time the clergy met in one of the churches, to hear and advise with the bishops, which kind of assembly, it seems, was contrived in order to resemble the English convocation. Mr Calderwood was present at it, but declared publicly that he did not take any such meetings to resemble a convocation; and being opposed by Dr Whitford and Dr Hamilton, who were friends to the bishops, he took his leave of them in these words: "It is absurd to see men sitting in silks and satins, and to cry poverty in the kirk, when purity is departing." The parliament proceeded in the meanwhile in the dispatch of business; and Mr Calderwood, with several other ministers, being informed that a bill was depending to empower the king, with the advice of the archbishops, bishops, and such a number of the ministry as his majesty should think proper, to consider and conclude as to matters decent for the external policy of the church, not repugnant to the word of God; and that such conclusions should have the strength and power of ecclesiastical laws; against this they protested, for four reasons: 1. Because their church was so perfect, that, instead of needing reformation, it might be a pattern to others. 2. General assemblies, as now established by law, and which ought always to continue, might by this means be overthrown. 3. Because it might be a means of creating schism, and disturb the tranquillity of the church. 4. Because they had received assurances, that no attempts should be made to bring them to a conformity with the church of England. They desired, therefore, that, for these and other reasons, all thoughts of passing such a law might be laid aside: but in case this be not done, they protest for themselves and their brethren who shall adhere to them, that they can yield no obedience to this law, when it shall be enacted, because it is destructive of the liberty of the church; and therefore shall submit to such penalties, and think themselves obliged to undergo such punishments, as may be inflicted on them for disobeying that law. This protest was signed by Mr Archibald Simson on behalf of the members, who subscribed another separate roll, which he kept for his justification. This protest was presented to the clerk register, who refused to read it before the states in parliament. However, though not read, it had its effect; for although the bill had the consent of parliament, yet the king thought fit to cause it to be laid aside, and not long after called a general assembly at St Andrew's. Soon after the parliament was dissolved, and Mr Calderwood was summoned to appear before the high commission court at St Andrew's, on the 8th of July following, to answer for his mutinous and seditious behaviour. July 12th, the king came to that city in person; when Mr Calderwood, being called upon, and refusing to comply with what the king in person required of him, was committed to prison. Afterwards the privy council, according to the power exercised by them at that time, directed him to banish himself out of the king's dominions before Michaelmas next; and not to return without licence. Having applied to the king for a prorogation of his sentence without success, because he would neither acknowledge his offence, nor promise conformity for the future, he retired to Holland, where, in 1623, he published his celebrated piece entitled Altare Damascenum. Mr Calderwood having in the year 1624 been afflicted with a long fit of sickness, and nothing having been heard of him for some time, one Mr Patrick Scott, as Calderwood himself informs us, took it for granted that he was dead; and thereupon wrote a recantation in his name, as if, before his decease, he had changed his sentiments. This imposture being detected, Scott went over to Holland, and staid three weeks at Amsterdam, where he made a diligent search for the author of Altare Damascenum, with a design to have dispatched him. But Calderwood had privately retired into his own country, where he lived several years. Scott gave out that the king had furnished him with the matter for the pretended recantation, and that he only put it in order. During his retirement, Mr Calderwood collected all the memorials relating to the ecclesiastical affairs of Scotland, from the beginning of the reformation there down to the death of King James, which collection is still preserved in the university library of Glasgow; that which was published under the title of "The True History of Scotland," is only an extract from it. In the advertisement prefixed to the last edition of his Altare Damascenum, mention is made of his being minister of Pencaitland near Edinburgh in 1638, but we find nothing said there, or anywhere else, of his death.