Blood of Christ Jesus which was once broken and shed for us which now is in the heaven and appeareth in the presence of his Father for us And yet notwithstanding the far distance of place which is betwixt his Body now glorified in the heaven and us now mortall in this earth Yet we most assuredly beleeve That the Bread that we break is the Communion of Christs Body and The Cup which we blesse is The Communion of his Blood So that we confesse and undoubtedly beleeve That the faithfull in the right use of the Lords Table so do eat the Body and drink the Blood of the Lord Jesus That he remaineth in them and they in him Yea That they are so made flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones That as the eternall God-head hath given to the flesh of Christ Jesus which of the owne condition and nature was mortall and corruptible life and immortalitie so doth Christ Jesus Flesh and Blood eaten and drunken by us give to us the same prerogatives which albeit we confesse are neither given unto us at that onely time neither yet by the proper power and vertue of the Sacraments onely yet we affirme That the faithfull in the right use of the Lords Table hath such conjunction with Christ Jesus as the naturall man cannot comprehend yea and further we affirme That albeit the faithfull oppressed by negligence and manly infirmity doth not profit so much as they would at the very instant action of the Supper yet shall it after bring forth fruit as lively seed sowne in good ground for the holy Spirit which can never be divided from the right institution of the Lord Jesus wil not frustrate the faithfull of the fruit of that mysticall action but all this we say cometh by true Faith which apprehendeth Christ Jesus who onely maketh his Sacraments effectuall unto us and therefore whosoever slandereth us as though we affirmed or beleeved Sacraments to be openly naked and bare signes do injurie unto us and speak against a manifest truth But this liberally and frankly we must confesse That we make a distinction betwixt Christ Jesus in his naturall substance and betwixt the elements in the Sacramentall signes So that we will neither worship the signes in place of that which is signified by them neither yet do we despise and interpret them as unprofitable and vain but do use them with all reverence examining our selves diligently before that so we do because we are assured by the mouth of the Apostle that such as eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup unworthily are guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus XXII Of the right administration of the Sacraments THat Sacraments be rightly ministred we judge two things requisite The one that they be ministred by lawfull Ministers whom we affirme to be onely they that are appointed to the Preaching of the Word or unto whose mouthes God hath put some Sermon of Exhortation they being men of lawfull choosing thereto by some Church The other That they be ministred in such elements and in such sort as God hath appointed Else we affirme That they cease to be right Sacraments of Christ Jesus And therefore it is that we flee the societie with the Papisticall Church in participation of their Sacraments First because their Ministers are no Ministers of Jesus Christ yea which is more horrible they suffer women whom the holy Ghost will not suffer to teach in the Congregation to Baptize And secondly because they have so adulterate both the one Sacrament and the other with their own inventions that no part of Christs action abideth in the originall purity for Oyl Salt Spittle and such like in Baptisme are but mens inventions Adoration Veneration bearing through Streets and Townes and keeping of bread in Boxes are prophanation of Christs Sacraments and no use of the same For Christ Jesus said Take and eat c. Do ye this in remembrance of me By which words and charge he sanctified Bread and Wine to be the Sacrament of his Body and Blood to the end that one should be eaten and that all should drink of the other and not that they should be kept to be worshipped and honoured as God as the blinde Papists have done heretofore who also have committed Sacriledge stealing from the people one part of the Sacrament to wit The blessed Cup. Moreover that the Sacraments be rightly used it is required That the end and cause why the Sacraments were instituted be understood and observed as well of the Minister as the Receivers for if the opinion be changed in the Receiver the right use ceaseth which is most evident by the rejection of the sacrifices as also if the teacher teach false Doctrine which were odious and abhominable unto God albeit they were his own ordinances because that wicked men used them to another end then God hath ordained The same affirm we of the Sacraments in the Papisticall Church in which we affirm the whole action of the Lord Jesus to be adulterate as well in the externall form as in the end and opinion What Christ Jesus did and commanded to be done is evident by the three Evangelists who speak of the Sacrament by S. Paul what the Priest doth at his Altar we need not to rehearse The end and cause of Christs institution and why the self-same should be used is expressed in these words Do ye this in remembrance of me as oft as ye shall eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup ye shall shew forth that is extoll Preach and magnifie the Lords death till he come But to what end and in what opinion the Priests say their Masses let the words of the same their own Doctours and Writings witnesse to wit That they are Mediatours betwixt Christ and his Church to offer unto God the Father a Sacrifice propitiatorie for the sinnes of the quick and the dead Which Doctrine as blasphemous to Christ Jesus and making derogation to the sufficiencie of his onely Sacrifice once offered for purgation of all those that shall be sanctified we utterly abhorre detest and renounce XXIII To whom Sacraments appertaine VVE confesse and acknowledge That Baptisme appertaineth as well to the infants of the faithfull as unto those that be of age and discretion And so we condemne the errour of the Anabaptists who deny Baptisme to appertaine to children before that they have Faith and understanding But the Supper of the Lord we confesse to appertaine onely to such as have been of the houshold of Faith can try and examine themselves as well in their Faith as in their duties towards their neighbours Such as eat at that holy Table without Faith or being at dissension and division with their brethren do eat unworthily And therefore it is that in our Churches Ministers take publike and particular examination of the knowledge and conversation of such as are to be admitted to the Table
have heard And yet more I must Vote as it were by way of Protestation That if any person Ecclesiasticall shall after this oppose themselves to this our Confession that they that have no place nor credit considering that they having long advertisement and full knowledge of this our Confession none is now found in lawfull free and quiet Parliament to oppose themselves to that which we professe And therefore if any of this Generation pretend to do it after this I protest he be reputed rather one that loveth his own commodity and the glory of the world then the Truth of God and the salvation of mens souls After the Voting and Ratification of this our Confession by the whole Body of the Parliament there were also pronounced two Acts the one against the Masse and the abuse of the Sacraments and the other against the Supremacy of the Pope The Tenour whereof followeth An Act against the Masse and the Sayers and Hearers thereof IN the Parliament holden at Edinburgh the tenth of Iuly the yeer of God 1560. The said Parliament being continued to the first of August next thereafter following with continuation of dayes upon the twenty fourth day of the said moneth of August the three States then being present The which day forsomuch as Almighty God by his most true and blessed Word hath declared the Reverence and Honour which should be given to him and by his Son Iesus Christ hath declared the true use of the Sacraments willing the same to be used according to his Will and Word By the which it is notorious and perfectly knowne That the Sacraments of Baptisme and of the Body and Blood of Iesus Christ hath been this long time past corrupted by the Papisticall Church and by their Ministers And at this present time notwithstanding the Reformation already made according to Gods Word yet neverthelesse there is some of the same Popes Church that stubbornly persevereth in their wicked Idolatry saying Masse and Baptizing conform to the Popes Church profaning therethrough the Sacraments aforesaid in quiet secret places regarding therein neither God nor his Word Therefore it is Decreed and Ordained in this present Parliament That no manner of person or persons in any time coming administrate any of the Sacraments secretly in any manner of way but they that are admitted and having power to that effect Nor say Masse nor yet heare Masse nor be present thereat under the pain of confiscation of all their goods and punishing of their bodies at the discretion of the Magistrates within whose Iurisdiction such persons happeneth to be apprehended for the first fault banishing out of the Realme for the second fault and chastising by death for the third fault And Ordaineth all Sheriffs Stewards Baylies and their Deputies Provosts and Bayliffs of Burroughs and other Iudges within this Realm to make diligent sute and inquisition within their Bounds where any such usurped Ministry is used Masse-saying or they that be present at the doing thereof ratifying and approving the same and take and apprehend them to the effect that the pains above written may be executed upon them Extractum de Libro Parliamenti per me c. Sic Subscribitur Iacobus Magill The Act for the abolishing of the Pope and his usurped Authority in SCOTLAND IN the Parliament holden at Edinburgh the tenth of July the year of God 1560. And thereafter continued to the first day of August next thereafter following with continuation of dayes upon the 24 of the said Moneth of August the three States then being present understanding that the Iurisdiction and Authority of the Bishop of Rome called the Pope used in this Realm in times past hath been very hurtsome and prejudiciall to our Soveraigns Authority and Common-weale of this Realm Therefore hath decreed and ordained That the Bishop of Rome hath no Iurisdiction nor Authority in this Realm in times comming And that none of our said Soveraigns Subjects claim and desire in any time herafter title or right by the said Bishop of Rome or his sect to any thing within this Realm under the pains of Baratrie that is to say Proscription banishment and never to brook and enjoy honour office nor dignity within this Realm and the contraveners hereof to be called before the Iustice or his Deputies or before the Lords of the Session and punished therefore confirm to the Laws of this Realm and the furnishers of them with fynance of money and purchasers of their title of right or maintainers or defenders of them shall incur the same pains And that no Bishop nor other Prelat of this Realm use any Iurisdiction in times to come by the said Bishop of Romes Authority under the pain aforesaid Extractum de Libro Parliamenti per me Ut supra These and other things orderly done in lawfull and free Parliament we directed to France to our Soveraign Sir Iames Sandelandes Lord of Saint Iohn with the Acts of the said Parliament that by them they might be ratified according to the promises of their Majesties Commissioners made to us as by the Contract of Peace may evidently appear But how the said Lord of Saint Iohn was received and used we list not to rehearse But alwayes no ratification brought he unto us but that we little regarded or yet do regard for all that we did was rather to shew our dutifull obedience then to beg of them any strength to our Religion which from God hath full power and needed not the suffrage of man but in so far as man had need to beleeve it if that ever he shall have participation of the life everlasting But somewhat must we answer to such as since hath whispered that it was but a pretended Parliament a privie Convention and no lawfull Parliament Their reasons are The King and Queen were in France there was neither Scepter Sword nor Crown born c. And some Principall Lords were absent We answer That we rather wish the Papists to be quiet then too curiously to travell in that Point for it may be while they thinke to hurt us they give the Queene and her authority a great blow and yet amend themselves nothing For in whose default we pray you was the Queen absent from this Realm We think they will not be so shamelesse as that they will blame the Protestants thereof Her person was absent and that to no small grief of our hearts But were not the States of her Realm assembled in her name Yea had they not her full power and Commission yea the Commission and commandment of her head the King of France to convocate that Parliament and to do all things that may be done in lawfull Parliament Even as if our Soveraigns had been there in proper persons If they will limit the power of Princes to the places onely where their bodily presence is it will be thought strange for so not onely shall Kings be compelled to content them with one Realme but also with
without all doubt is the true Church of Christ who according to his promise is in the midst of them not of that universall of which we have before spoken but particular such as was in Corinthus Galatia Ephesus and other places in which the Ministerie was planted by Paul and were of himselfe named the Churches of God and such Churches we the Inhabitants of the Realme of Scotland professours of Christ Jesus confesse us to have in our Cities Townes and places reformed For the Doctrine taught in our Churches is contained in the written Word of God to wit in the Books of the New and Old Testaments in those Books we meane which of ancient have been reputed Canonicall in the which we affirme that all things necessary to be beleeved for the salvation of mankinde is sufficiently expressed The interpretation whereof we confesse neither appertaineth unto any private nor publike person neither yet to any Church for any preheminence or prerogative personall or locall which one hath above another but appertaineth to the Spirit of God by the which also the Scripture was written When controversie then hapneth for the right understanding of any place or sentence of Scripture or for the reformation of any abuse within the Church of God we ought not so much to looke what men before us have said and done as unto that which the Holy Ghost uniformly speaketh within the body of the Scriptures and unto that which Christ Jesus himself did and commanded to be done For this is a thing universally granted That the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of unitie is in nothing contrary to himselfe If then the interpretation determination or sentence of any Doctor Church or Councell repugne to the plain Word of God written in any other place of Scripture it is a thing most certain that there is not the true understanding and meaning of the Holy Ghost supposing that Counsels Realms and Nations have approved and received the same For we dare not receive and admit any Interpretation which directly oppugneth to any principall point of our faith to any other plain text of Scripture or yet to the rule of charitie XIX The Authoritie of the Scriptures ANd we beleeve and confesse the Scriptures of God sufficient to instruct and make the man of God perfect so do we affirm and avow the Authoritie of the same to be of God and neither to depend on men nor Angels We affirme therefore That such as alleadge the Scriptures to have no authority but that which is received from the Church to be blasphemous against God and injurious to the true Church which alwayes heareth and obeyeth the voice of her own Spouse and Pastour but taketh not upon her to be Mistresse over the same XX. Of the Generall Councells of their Power Authoritie and Cause of their Convention AS we not rashly condemne that which godly men assembled together in Generall Councells lawfully gathered have approved unto us So without just examination dare we not receive whatsoever is obtruded unto men under the name of Generall Councells for plain it is that as they were men so have some of them manifestly erred and that in matters of great weight and importance So far then as the Councell proveth the Determination and Commandment that it giveth by the plain Word of God so far do we reverence and imbrace the same But if men under the name of a Councell pretend to forge unto us new Articles of our Faith or to make Constitutions repugning to the Word of God then utterly we may refuse the same as the Doctrine of Devils which draweth our souls from the voice of our onely God to follow the Doctrines and Constitutions of men The cause then why Generall Councells convened was neither to make any perpetuall Law which God before had not made neither yet to forge new Articles of our beliefe neither to give the Word of God authority much lesse to make that to be his Word or yet the true interpretation of the same which was not before by his holy Will expressed in his Word But the cause of Councells we mean of such as merited the name of Councels was partly for Confutation of Heresies and for giving publike Confession of their Faith to the posterities following which both they did by the authority of Gods written Word and not by any opinion or prerogative that they could not erre by reason of their generall assembly And this we judge to have been the chiefe cause of Generall Councells The other was for good policie and Order to be constituted and observed in the Church in which as in the house of God it becometh all things to be done decently and in order not that we think that one Policie and one Order in Ceremonies can be appointed for all ages times and places for as Ceremonies such as men have devised are but temporall so may and ought they to be changed when they rather foster superstition then that they edifie the Church using the same XXI Of the Sacraments AS the Fathers under the Law besides the verity of the Sacrifices had two chief Sacraments to wit Circumcision and the Passeover the despisers and contemners whereof were not reputed for Gods people so we acknowledge and confesse That we now in time of the Gospel have two Sacraments onely instituted by the Lord Jesus and commanded to be used by all those that will be reputed to be Members of his Body to wit Baptisme and The Supper or Table of the Lord Jesus called The Communion of his Body and Blood And these Sacraments as well of the Old as of the New Testament were instituted of God not onely to make a visible difference betwixt his people and those that were without his league but also to exercise the Faith of his children and by participation of the same Sacraments to seale in their hearts the assurance of his â—romise and of that most blessed Conjunction Union and Societie which the Elect have with their Head Christ Jesus And thus we utterly condemne the vanity of those that affirme Sacraments to be nothing else but naked and bare signes No we assuredly beleeve That by Baptisme we are ingrafted into Jesus Christ to be made partakers of his Justice by the which our sinnes are covered and remitted And also That in the Supper rightly used Christ Jesus is so joyned with us that he becometh the very nourishment and food of our soules Not that we imagine any Transubstantiation of Bread into Christs naturall Body and of Wine into his naturall Blood as the Papists have perniciously taught and damnably beleeved but this Union and Communion which we have with the Body and Blood of Christ Jesus in the right use of the Sacraments is wrought by operation of the holy Ghost who by true Faith carrieth us above all things that are visible carnall and earthly and maketh us to feed upon the Body and
Church the Queene our Soveraigne her honourable and gracious Husband the abilitie of their succession your Majestie Regent the Nobilitie and whole State of this Realme Secondly If it shall happen in our said meetings any hard place of Scripture to be read of which without explanation hardly can arise any profit to the hearers that it shall be lawfull to any qualified persons in knowledge being present to interpret and open up the said hard places to Gods glory and to the profit of the Auditory And if any thinke that this libertie should be occasion of Confusion Debate or Heresie we are content that it be provided that the said Interpretation shall underly the judgement of the godly and most learned within the Realme at this time Thirdly That the holy Sacrament of Baptisme may be used in the Vulgar Tongue that the God-fathers and Witnesses may not onely understand the points of the League and Contract made betwixt God and the Infant but also that the Church then assembled more gravely may be informed and instructed of their duties which at all times they owe to God according to that promise made unto him when they were received into his houshold by the lavacre of spirituall regeneration Fourthly We desire that the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper or of his blessed Body and Blood may likewise be ministred unto us in the Vulgar Tongue and in both kindes according to the plaine Institution of our Saviour Christ Iesus And lastly We most humbly require That the wicked slanderous and detestable life of Prelats and of the state Ecclesiasticall may be reformed that the people by them have not occasion as of many dayes they have had to contemne their Ministerie and the Preaching whereof they should be Messengers And if they suspect that we rather envying their honours or coveting their riches and possessions then Zealously desiring their amendment and salvation do travell and labour for this Reformation We are content that not onely the Rules and Precepts of the New Testament but also the Writings of the ancient Fathers and the godly and approved Lawes of Justinian the Emperour decide the controversie betwixt us and them And if it shall be found that either malevolently or ignorantly we aske more then these three forenamed have required and continually do require of able and true Ministers in Christs Church we refuse not correction as your Majestie with right judgement shall think meet But if all the forenamed shall condemne that which we condemne and approve that which we require Then we most earnestly beseech your Majestie that notwithstanding the long custome which they have had to live at their lust that they be compelled either to desist from Ecclesiasticall administration or to discharge their duties as becometh true Ministers So that the grave and godly face of the Primitive Church reduced Ignorance may be expelled True Doctrine and good Manners may once againe appeare in the Church in this Realme These things we as most obedient Subjects require of your Majestie in the Name of the eternall God and of his Son Christ Iesus in presence of whose Throne judiciall ye and all other that heere in earth beareth authority shall give account of your temporall regiment The spirit of the Lord Iesus move your Majesties heart to Iustice and Equity These our Demands being proposed the State Ecclesiasticall began to storme and to devise all manner of lies to deface the equitie of our cause They bragged as that they would have publike Disputation which also we most earnestly required two things being provided First That the plaine and written Scriptures of God should decide all Controversies Secondly That our brethren of whom some were then exiled and by them unjustly condemned might have free accesse to the said Disputation and safe-conduct to return to their dwelling places notwithstanding any Processe which before had been laid against them in matters concerning Religion But these being by them utterly denied for no Judge would they admit but themselves their Counsels and Canon Law They and their faction began to draw certain Articles of reconciliation promising unto us If we would admit the Masse to stand in its former reverence and estimation Grant Purgatory after this life Confesse prayer to Saints and for the dead and suffer them to enjoy their accustomed Rents Possession and Honour That then they would grant us to pray and baptize in the Vulgar Tongue so that it were done secretly and not in the open assembly But the grosenesse of these Articles was such that with one voice we refused them and constantly craved justice of the Queene Regent and a reasonable answer of our former Petitions The Queene then Regent a woman crafty dissimulate and false-thinking to make her profit of both parties gave to us permission to use our selves godly according to our desires provided that we should not make publike assemblies in Edinburgh nor Lieth and did promise her assistance to our Preachers untill some uniform order might be established by a Parliament To them we mean the Clergie she quietly gave signification of her minde promising that how soon any opportunity should serve she should so put order to these matters that after they should not be troubled for some say they gave her a large purse 40000. l. Turn or Scots gathered by the Laird of Earleshale We nothing suspecting her doublenesse nor falshood departed fully contented with her answer and did use our selves so quietly that for her pleasure we put silence to Iohn Dowglas who publikely would have preached in the Town of Lieth for in all things we sought the contentment of her minde so far as God should not be offended against us for obeying her in things as we thought unlawfull Shortly after these things that cruell Tyrant and unmercifull hypocrite falsly called Bishop of S. Andrews apprehended that blessed Martyr of Christ Jesus Walter Mill a man of decrepite age whom most cruelly and most unjustly he put to death by fire in Saint Andrews the twenty eighth day of April in the yeere of God 1558. Which thing did so highly offend the hearts of all godly that immediatly after his death began a new fervencie among the whole people yea even in the Towne of Saint Andrews began the people plainely to condemne such unjust crueltie And in testification that they would his death should abide in recent memory there was cast together a great heap of stones in the place where he was burnt The Bishop and Priests thereat offended caused once or twice to remove the same with denunciation of cursing if any man should there lay any stones But in vaine was that winde blowne for still was the heape made till that the Priests and Papists did steale away by night the stones to build their walls and to other their private uses We suspecting nothing that the Queene Regent was consenting to the forenamed murther most humbly did complain of such unjust crueltie
formed in manner following The Forme of the Protestation made in the Parliament holden at Edinburgh Anno 1558. IT is not unknowne to this Honourable Parliament what controversie is now lately risen betwixt those that will be called the Prelats and Rulers of the Church and a great number of us the Nobility and Communalty of the Realme for the true worshipping of God for the duty of Ministers for the right Administration of Christ Jesus holy Sacraments How that we have complained by our supplication to the Queen Regent That our consciences are burthened with unprofitable Ceremonies And that we are compelled to adhere to Idolary That such as take upon them the Office Ecclesiasticall discharge no part thereof as becometh true Ministers to do and finally That we and our brethren are most injuriously oppressed by their usurped authority And also we suppose it is a thing sufficiently known That we were of minde at this present Parliament to seek redresse of such enormities but considering that the troubles of the time do not suffer such Reformation as we by Gods plain Word do require we are enforced to delay that which most earnestly we desire And yet lest that our silence should give occasion to our adversaries to thinke that we repent of our former enterprisers we cannot cease to protest for remedy against that most unjust tyranny which we heretofore have most patiently sustained And first we protest That seeing we cannot obtain a just Reformation according to Gods Word that it be lawfull to us to use our selves in matters of Religion and conscience as we must answer unto God unto such time as our adversaries be able to prove themselves the true Ministers of Christs Church and to purge themselves of such crimes as we have already laid to their charge offering our selves to prove the same whensoever the sacred Authority please to give us audience Secondly we protest That neither we nor yet any other of the godly that list to joyn with us in the true Faith which is grounded upon the invincible Word of God shall incur any danger of life or lands or any politicall pain for not observing such Acts as heretofore have passed in favour of our adversaries neither yet for violating of such Rites as man without Gods Commandment or Word hath commanded We thirdly protest That if any tumult or uprore shall arise amongst the members of this Realme for the diversity of Religion and if it shall chance that abuses be violently reformed that the crime thereof be not imputed to us who most humbly do now seek all to be reformed by an Order But rather whatsoever inconvenience shall happen to follow for lack of Order taken that may be imputed to those that do refuse the same And last we protest That these our requests proceeding from conscience do tend to none other end but to the reformation of the abuses in Religion onely Most humbly beseeching the sacred Authority to take us faithfull and obedient subjects into protection against our adversaries and to shew unto us such indifferency in our most just Petition as it becometh Gods Lieutenants to do to those that in his Name do call for defence against cruell oppressors and blood-thirsty Tyrants This our Protestation publikely read we desired it to have been inserted in the common Register but that by the labor of enemies was denied unto us Neverthelesse the Queen Regent said Me will remember what it protested and me shall put good order after this to all things that now be in controversie And thus after she by craft had obtained her purpose we departed ed in good hope of her favour praising God inour hearts that she was so well inclined towards godlinesse The good opinion that we had of her sincerity caused us not onely to spend our goods and hazard our bodies at her pleasure but also by our publike Letters written to that excellent servant of God Iohn Calvine we did praise and commend her for her excellent knowledge in Gods Word and good will towards the advancement of his glory requiring of him That by his grave counsell and godly exhortation he would animate her Majestie constantly to follow that which godlily she had begun We did farther sharply rebuke both by word and writing all such as appeared to suspect in her any venom or hypocrisie or that were contrary to that opinion which we had conceived of her godly minde But how far we were deceived in our opinion and abused by her craft did suddenly appear For how soon that all things pertaining to the commodity of France were granted by us and that Peace was contracted betwixt King Philip and France and England and us she began to spue forth and disclose the latent venom of her double heart Then began she to frowne and to look forwardly to all such as she knew did favour the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She commanded her houshold to use all abominations at Easter and she first her self to give example to others did communicate to the Idol in open audience she controlled her houshold and would know where that every one received ther Sacrament And it appeared That after that day that malice took more violent and strong possession in her then it did before for from that day forward she appeared altogether altered insomuch that her countenance and facts did declare the venom of her heart For incontinent she caused our Preachers to be summoned for whom when we made intercession beseeching her Majesty not to molest them in their Ministry unlesse any man were able to convince them of false Doctrine she could not bridle her tongue from open blasphemy but proudly she said In despight of you and your Ministers both they shall be banished out of Scotland albeit they preached as true as ever did Saint Paul Which proud and blaspemous answer did greatly astonish us and yet ceased we not most humbly to seek her favour and by great diligence at last we obtained that the Summons at that time were delayed For to her were sent Alexander Earl of Glenclarne and Sir Hues Campbell of Lowdone Knight Sheriff of Air to reason with her and to crave some performance of her manifold promises to whom she answered It becomes not subjects to burthen their Princes with promises further then it pleased them to keep the same Both the Noble men faithfully and boldly discharged their duty and plainly forewarned her of the inconveniences that were to follow wherewith she somewhat astonied said she would advise In this mean time did the Town of Perth called Saint Iohnston embrace the Truth which did provoke her to a new fury in which she willed the Lord Ruthuein Provest of that Towne so suppresse all such Religion there To the which when he answered That he could make their bodies to come to her Majesty to prostrate themselves before her till that she was fully satiate with her blood but to cause them to
Charter-house was permitted to take with him even as much gold and silver as he was able to carry So were mens consciences beaten with the Word that they had no respect to their own particular profit but onely to abolish Idolatry the places and Monuments thereof in which they were so busie and so laborious that within two dayes these three great places Monuments of Idolatry to wit the Black and Gray Theeves and Charter-house Monks a building of wonderous cost and greatnesse was so destroyed that the walls onely did remain of all those great edifices Which reported to the Queen she was so inraged That she did vow utterly to destroy S. Iohnston man woman and childe and to consume the same by fire and thereafter to salt it in signe of a perpetuall desolation We suspecting nothing such cruelty but thinking that such words might escape her in choler without purpose determined because she was a woman set on fire by the complaints of those hypocrites who flocked unto her as Ravens to a carion We we say suspecting nothing such beastly cruelty returned to our own houses leaving in S. Iohnston Iohn Knox to instruct the people because they were yong and rude in Christ. But she set on fire partly by her own malice partly by commandment of her friends in France and not a little by bribes which she and Monsieur Dosell received from the Bishops and the Priests here at home did continue still in her rage And first she sent for all the Nobility to whom she complained That we meaned nothing but Rebellion She did grievously lament the destruction of the Charter-house because it was a Kings foundation and there was the tombe of King Iames the first and by such other perswasions she made the most part of them grant to pursue us And then incontinent sent she for her French men For that was and ever hath been her joy to see Scottish men dip one with anothers blood No man was at that time more franke against us then was Duke Hamilton led by that cruell beast the Bishop of Saint Andrews and by those that yet abuse him the Abbot of Kilvinning and Matthew Hamilton of Milburne two chiefe enemies to the Duke and to his whole house but in so far as thereby they may procure their own particular profit These and such other pestilent Papists ceased not to cast fagots on the fire continually crying Forward upon these Hereticks we shall once rid this Realme of them The certaintie hereof coming to our knowledge some of us repaired to the Towne againe about the two and twentieth day of May and there did abide for the comfort of our brethren Where after Invocation of the Name of God we began to put the Town and our selves in such strength as we thought might best serve for our just defence And because we did not utter despaire of the Queens favour we caused to forme a Letter to her Majestie as followeth To the Queenes Majestie Regent all humble obedience and dutie premised AS heretofore with jeopard of our lives and yet with willing hearts we have served the authoritie of Scotland and your Majestie now Regent in this Realme in service to our bodies dangerous and painefull so now with most dolorous mindes we are constrained by unjust tyrannie purposed against us to declare unto your Majestie That except this crueltie be stayed by your wisdome we shall be compelled to take the sword of just defence against all that shall pursue us for the matter of Religion and for our conscience sake which ought not nor may not be subject to mortall creatures further then by Gods Word man is able to prove that he hath power to command us We signifie moreover unto your Majestie That if by rigour we be compelled to seek the extreame defence that we will not onely notifie our innocencie and Petition to the King of France to our Mistresse and to her husband but also to the Princes and Counsell of every Christian Realme declaring unto them That this cruell unjust and most tyrannicall murther intended against Townes and multitudes was and is the onely cause of our revolt from our accustomed obedience which in Gods presence we faithfully promise to our Soveraigne Mistresse to her husband and unto your Majestie Regent Provided that our consciences may live in that Peace and Libertie which Christ Iesus hath purchased to us by his blood and that we may have his Word truely Preached and holy Sacraments rightly ministred unto us without which we firmely purpose never to be subject to mortall man For better we think to expose our bodies to a thousand deaths then to hazard our souls to perpetuall damnation by denying Christ Iesus and his manifest Veritie which thing not onely do they who commit open Idolatry but also all such as seeing their brethren pursued for the cause of Religion and having sufficient means to comfort and assist them do neverthelesse withdraw from them their dutifull support We would not your Majestie should be deceived by the false perswasions of those cruell beasts the Church-men who affirme That your Majestie needeth not greatly to regard the losse of us that professe Christ Iesus in this Realme If as God forbid ye give ear to their pestilent counsell and so use against us this extremity pretended it is to be feared That neither ye neither yet your posteritie shall at any time after this finde that obedience and faithfull service within this Realme which as all times you have found in us We declare our judgements freely as true and faithfull Subjects God move your Princely heart favourably to interpret our faithfull meaning Further advertising your Majestie That the selfe same thing together with all things that we have done or yet intend to do we will notifie by our Letters to the King of France Asking of you in the Name of the eternall God and as your Majestie tenders the peace and quietnesse of this Realme That ye invade us not with any violence till we receive answer from our Mistresse and her husbâ—nd and from their advised Counsell there And thus we commit your Majestie to the protection of the omnipotent From Saint Johnston the 22 of May 1559. Sic subscribitur Your Majesties obedient Subjects in all things not repugnant to God The faithfull congregation of Christ Iesus in Scotland To the same purpose we wrote to Monsieur Dosell in French requiring of him That by his wisdome he would mitigate the Queenes rage and the rage of the Priests otherwise that flame which then began to burn would so kindle that when some men would it could not be slackned Adding further That he declared himself no faithfull servant unto his Master the King of France if for the pleasure of the Priests he would persecute us and so compell us to take the sword of just defence In like manner we wrote to Captain Serre la Bourse and to all other Captains and French
vertuous men and just be maintained But the corrupt person placed in this Authority may offend and most commonly doth contrary to this Authority and is then the corruption of man to be followed by reason that it is clothed with the name of Authority Or shall those that obey the wicked commandment of those that are placed in Authority be excusable before God Not so not so but the plagues and vengeances of God taken upon Kings their servants and subjects do witnesse to us the plain contrary Pharaoh was a King and had his Authority of God who commanded his subjects to murther and torment the Israelites and at last most cruelly to persecute their lives But was their obedience blinde rage it should be called excusable before God the Universall plague doth plainly declare That the wicked Commander and those that obeyed were alike guilty before God And if the example of Pharaoh shall be rejected because he was an Ethnicke then let us consider the facts of Saul He was a King anoynted of God appointed to raign over his people he commanded to persecute David because as he alleadged David was a Traytor and Usurper of the Crowne And likewise commanded Ahimeleck the High Priest and his fellows to be slaine But did God approve any part of this obedience evident it is That he did not And think ye that God will approve in you that which he did condemne in others be not deceived with God there is no such partiality If ye obey the unjust commandments of wicked Rulers ye shall suffer Gods vengeance and just punishment with them And therefore as ye tender your owne salvation we most earnestly require of you moderation and that ye stay your selves and the fury of others from persecuting of us till our cause be tried in open and lawfull Judgement And now to you who are perswaded of the justice of our cause who sometimes have professed Christ Jesus with us and who also have exhorted us to this enterprise and yet have left us in our extreme necessity at least looke out thorow your fingers in this our trouble as that the matter appertained not unto you we say That unlesse all fear and worldly respects set aside ye joyn your selves with us that as of God ye are reputed Traytors so shall ye be excommunicated from our Society and from all participation with us in the Administration of Sacraments the glory of this Victory which God shall give to his Church yea even in the eyes of men shall not appertain to you but the fearful judgement which apprehended Ananias and his wife Saphira shall apprehend you and your posterity Ye may perchance contemn and despise the Excōmunication of the Church now by Gods mighty power erected amongst us as a thing of no force But yet doubt we nothing but that our Church and the true Ministers of the same have the same power which our Master Christ Jesus granted to his Apostles in these words Whose sins ye shall forgive shall be forgiven and whose sins ye shall retain shall be retained and that because they preach and we believe the same Doctrine which is contained in his most blessed Word and therefore except that ye will contemne Christ Jesus ye neither can despise our threatning neither yet refuse us calling for your just defence By your fainting and by extracting of your support the enemies are encouraged thinking that they shall finde no resistance in which point God willing they shall be deceived for if they were ten thousand and we but one thousand they shall not murther the least of our brethren but we God assisting us shall first commit our lives into the hands of God for their defence But this shall aggravate your condemnation for ye declare your selves both Traytors to the Truth once professed and murtherers of us and of our brethren from whom ye withdraw your dutifull and promised support whom your onely presence to mans judgement might preserve from this danger For our enemies look not to the power of God but to the force and strength of man when the number is mean to resist them then rage they as bloody wolves but a part equall or able to resist them by appearance doth bridle their fury Examine your owne consciences and weigh that Sentence of our Master Christ Jesus saying Whosoever denieth me or is ashamed of me before men I shall deny him before my Father Now is the day of his Battell in this Realm if ye deny us your brethren suffering for his Names sake ye do also deny him as himselfe doth witnesse in these words Whatsoever ye did to any of these little ones that ye did to me and what ye did not to one of these little ones that ye did not to me If these sentences be true as concerning meat drink cloathing and such things a appertain to the body shall they not be likewise true in these things that appertain to the preservation of the lives of thousands whose blood is now sought for profession of Christ Jesus And thus shortly we leave you who sometimes have professed Christ Jesus with us to the examination of your own consciences And yet once again of you who blinded by superstition persecute us We require moderation till our cause may be tried which if ye will not grant unto us for Gods Cause yet we desire you to have respect to the preservation of your common Countrey which we can no sooner betray into the hands of strangers then that one of us destroy and murther another Consider our Petitions and call for the spirit of righteous judgement These our Letters being divulgate some began to reason Whether in conscience they might invade us or not considering that we offred due obedience to the Authority requiring nothing but liberty of conscience and our Religion and fact to be tried by the Word of God Our Letters came with convenient expedition to the hands of our brethren in Cuninghame and Kyle who assembled at the Church of Craggie where after some contrarious reasons Alexander Earle of Glencarne in zeal burst forth in these words Let every man serve his conscience I will by Gods grace see my brethren in S. Johnston Yea albeit never man should accompany me yet I will go and if it were but a Pike upon my shoulder for I had rather die with that company then live after them These words so encouraged the rest that all decreed to go forward as that they did so stoutly that when the Lion Herault in his coat of Arms commanded all men under pain of treason to return to their houses by publike sound of trumpet in Glasgow never man obeyed that charge but all went forward as we shall after heare When it was clearly understood that the Prelates and their adherents suppressing our Petitions so far as in them lay did kindle the furie of all men against us it was thought expedient to write unto them some
avoyding of Inconveniences This Summer there came an Embassadour from the King of Sweden requiring marriage of our Soveraigne to his Master the King His entertainment was Honourable but his Petitions liked not our Queene one whit for as yet she could not resolve to be Wife to the King of Sweden having been lately Queen of France And yet she refused not one much inferiour to a Soveraigne King The Earle of Lennox and his Wife were committed to the Tower of London for traffiquing with Papists the young Laird of Barre was a stickler in that businesse and was apprehended with some Letters which was the cause of his and their trouble The Earle of Murray made a private journey to Hawicke upon the Fayre day thereof and apprehended fifty Theeves of which number were seventeen drowned others were executed in Iâ—dburgh the principall were brought to Edinburgh and there suffered according to their merits upon the Burrow Mure. The Queene was no whit content of the prosperitie and good successe that God gave to the Earle of Murray in all his enterprises for she hated his upright dealing and the Image of God that evidently did appear in him but at that time she could not well have been served without him The assembly of the Church at Midsommer the four and twentieth day of Iune 1562. approached in the which were many notable heads handled concerning good Order to be kept in the Church and for the Papists and for the Idolatry of the Queen which troubleth the former good order Some Ministers such as Master Iohn Sharpe had left their charges and entered into other Vocations more profitable for the belly against whom were Acts made although this day they have not put them in execution The tenour of the Supplication read in open audience and approved by the whole Assembly to be presented to the Queens Majesty was this To the Queens Majesty and her most honorable Privy Councell The Superintendents and Ministers of the Evangell of Christ Iesus within this Realme together with the Commissioners of the whole Churches desire Grace and Peace from the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the Spirit of righteous Iudgement HAving in minde that the fearfull sentence pronounced against the Watch-men that see the Sword of Gods punishment approach and do not in plain words forewarn the people yea the Princes and Rulers that they repent we cannot but signifie unto your Highnesse and to your Councell That the state of this Realme is such for this present that unlesse redresse and remedy be shortly provided Gods hands cannot long spare in his anger to strike the Head and the Tayle the inobedient Prince and sinfull People For as God is unchangeable and true so must he punish in these our dayes the grievous sins which before we reade he hath punished in all Ages after that he hath long called for repentance and none is showne And that your Majesty and Councell may understand what are the things we desire to be reformed we will begin at that which we know assuredly to be the Fountain and Spring of all other evils that now abound in this Realme To wit That Idoll and base service of God the Masse the fountain we call of all Impiety not onely because many take boldnesse to sin by reason of that opinion which they have conceived of that Idoll to wit That by vertue of it they get remission of their sins But also because that under this colour of the Masse are Whores Adulterers Drunkards Blasphemers of God of his holy Sacraments and such other manifest Malefactors maintained and defended For let any Masse-sayer or earnest maintainer thereof be deprehended in any of the fore-named crimes no execution can be had for all is done in hatred of his Religion And so are wicked men permitted to live wickedly cloked and defended by that wicked Idoll But supposing that the Masse was occasion of no such evils yet in it self it is so odious in Gods presence that we cannot cease with all instance to desire the removing of the same as well from your selfe as from all others within this Realm Taking Heaven and earth yea your own Consciences to record That the obstinate maintenance of that Idol shall in the end be to you destruction of soul and body if you do not repent If your Majesty demand Why that now we are more earnest then we have been heretofore We answer our former silence no wayes excused Because we finde our selves frustrate of our hope and expectation which was That in processe of time your Majesties heart should have been mollified so farre as ye would have heard the publike Doctrine taught within this Realme by the which our further hope was That Gods holy Spirit should so have moved your heart that you would have suffered your Religion which before God is nothing but abomination and vanity to be tryed by the true Touch-stone the written Word of God And that your Majesty finding it to have no ground nor foundation in the same should have given that glory unto God that you would have preferred his Truth to your own preconceived vain opinion of what antiquity that ever it hath been whereof we in part now discharged can no longer keep silence unlesse we would make our selves criminall before God of your blood perishing in your own iniquity for we plainly admonish you of the danger to come The second thing that we require is Punishment of horrible vices such as are Adultery Fornication open Whoredome Blasphemy Contempt of God of his Word and Sacraments Which in this Realme do even so abound that sin is reputed to be no sin And therefore as we see the present signes of Gods wrath now manifestly appear so do we forewarn that he will strike ere it be long if his Law without punishment be permitted thus manifestly to be contemned If any object That punishment cannot be commanded to be executed without a Parliament we answer That the Eternall God in his Parliament hath pronounced death to be the punishment of Adultery and for Blaspheming whose Act if we put not in execution seeing that Kings are but his Lievtenants having no power to give life where he commands death as that he will repute you and all others that foster vice patrons of Impiety so will he not fail to punish you for neglecting the execution of his judgements Our third request concerning the poor who be of three sorts The poor labourers of the ground the poor desolate Beggers Orphans Widows and Strangers and the poor Ministers of Christ Jesus his holy Evangel which are so cruelly used by this last pretended Order taken for sustentation of Ministers that their latter misery farre surmounteth the former for now the poore labourers of the ground are so oppressed by the cruelty of those that pay their hire that they for the most part encroach upon the poore in whatsoever they pay unto the Qâ—een or to any other As for the
to record in my conscience That I delivered the same bread that I received of Christs hands and that I mixed no poyson with the same that is I teached Christs Gospel without any mixture of mens dreames devises or phantasies But alas I did it not with such fervency with such indifferency and with such diligency as this day I know my duty was to have done Some complained in those dayes That the Preachers were undiscreet persons yea some called them raylers and worse because they spake against the manifest iniquity of men and especially of those that then were placed in Authority as well in Court as in other Offices universally thorowout the Realme both in Cities Towns and Villages And among others peradventure my rude plainnesse displeased some who did complain That rashly I did speak of mens faults so that all men might know and perceive of whom I meant But alas this day my conscience accuseth me That I spake not so plainly as my duty was to have done For I ought to have said to the wicked man expressely by his name Thou shalt die the death For I finde Ieremiah the Prophet to have done so to Pashur the high Priest and to Zedechiah the King And not onely he but also Elijah Elisha Michah Amos Daniel Christ Jesus himself and after him his Apostles expressely to have named the blood-thirsty tyrants abominable Idolaters and dissembling hypocrites of their dayes If that we the Preachers within the Realme of England were appointed by God to be the Salt of the earth as his other Messengers were before us Alas Why with-held we the Salt where manifest compunction did appear I accuse none but my selfe The blinde love that I did bear to this my wicked carkase was the chiefe cause that I was not fervent and faithfull enough in that behalfe For I had no will to provoke the hatred of all men against me And therefore so touched I the vices of men in the presence of the greatest that they might see themselves to be offenders I dare not say that I was the greatest flatterer But yet neverthelesse I would not be seen to proclaim manifest Warre against the manifest wicked Whereof unfainedly I ask my God mercy As I was not so fervent in rebuking manifest iniquity as it became me to have been So was I not so indifferent a feeder as is required of Christs Steward For in preaching Christs Gospel albeit mine eye as knoweth God was not much upon worldly promotion yet the love of friends and carnall affection of some men with whom I was most familiar allured me to make more residence in one place then in another having more respect to the pleasure of a few then to the necessity of many That day I thought I had not sinned if I had not been idle But this day I know it was my duty to have had consideration how long I had remained in one place and how many hungry souls were in other places to whom alas none took pain to break and distribute the bread of Life Moreover remaining in one place I was not so diligent as mine Office required but sometime by counsell of carnall friends I spared the body sometime I spent in worldly businesse of particular friends and sometime in taking recreation and pastime by exercise of the body And albeit men may judge these to be light and small offences yet I acknowledge and confesse That unlesse pardon should be granted to me in Christs blood that every one of these three offences aforenamed that is to say Lack of fervency in reproving sin The lack of indifferency in feeding those that were hungry And the lack of diligence in the execution of mine Office deserved damation And beside these I was assaulted yea infected and corrupted with more grosse sins that is My wicked nature desired the favours the estimation and praise of men against which albeit that sometime the Spirit of God did move me to fight and earnestly did stir me God knoweth I lye not to sob and lament for those imperfections yet never ceased they to trouble me when any occasion was offred And so privily and craftily did they enter into my brest that I could not perceive my self to be wounded till vain-glory had almost gotten the upper hand O Lord be mercifull to my great offence and deal not with me according to my great iniquity but according to the multitude of thy mercies remove from me the burthen of my sin for of purpose and minde to have avoided the vain displeasure of man I spared little to offend thy Majestie Think not beloved in the Lord That thus I accuse my selfe without just cause as though in so doing I might appear more holy or that yet I do it of purpose and intent by occasion thereof to accuse others of my brethren the true Preachers of Christ of like or greater offences No God is Judge to my conscience That I do it even from an unfained and sore troubled heart as I that know my selfe grievously to have offended the Majesty of my God during the time that Christs Gospel had free passage in England And this I do let you understand That the taking away of the heavenly Bread and this great tempest that now bloweth against the poor disciples of Christ within the Realme of England as touching our part cometh from the great mercy of our heavenly Father to provoke us to unfained repentance for that neither Preacher nor Professor did rightly consider the time of our mercifull Visitation But altogether so we spent the time as though Gods Word had been Preached rather to satisfie our fantasies then to reforme our evill manners Which thing if we earnestly repent then shall Jesus Christ appear to our comfort be the storm never so great Haste O Lord for thy Names sake The second thing that I finde to be noted is The vehemency of the fear which the disciples endured in that great danger being of longer continuance then ever they had at any time before In Saint Matthewes Gospel it appeareth That another time there arose a great stormy Tempest and sore tossed the Boat wherein Christs disciples were labouring But that was nigh the day light and then they had Christ with them in the Ship whom they awaked and cryed for help unto him for at that time he slept in the Boat and so were shortly delivered from their sudden fear But now were they in the midst of the raging Sea and it was night and Christ their Comforter absent from them and cometh not to them neither in the first second nor third Watch What fear think ye were they in And what thoughts arose out of their so troubled hearts during that storm Such as this day be in like danger within the Realme of England doth by this storm better understand then my pen can expresse But of one thing I am well assured That Christs presence would in that great
you think peradventure That the care of Religion is not committed to Magistrates but to the Bishops and state Ecclesiasticall as they term it but deceive not your self for the negligence of Bishops shall no lesse be required of the hands of the Magistrates then shall the oppession of false Iudges for they injustly promote foster and maintain the one and the other The false and corrupt Iudge to spoil the Goods and to oppresse the bodies of the simple but the proud Prelates do Kings maintain to murther the souls for the which the blood of Christ Iesus was shed and that they do either by withholding from them the true Word of life or else by causing a pestilent Doctrine to be taught unto them such as now is taught in the Papisticall Churches I know that you wonder how that the Religion which is universally received can be so damnable and corrupted But if you consider That ever from the beginning the multitude hath declined from God yea even in the people to whom he spake by his Law and Prophets if ye shall consider the complaint of the Holy Ghost complaining that Nations People Princes and Kings of the earth have raged made Conspiracies and holden Councels against the Lord and against his Annointed Christ Iesus further if ye shall consider the question which Iesus himself doth move in these words When the Sonne of Man shall come shall he finde faith on the earth And lastly if your Majestie shall consider the manifest contempt of God and of all his holy Precepts which this day reigne without punishment upon the face of the whole earth for as Hosea complaineth There is no verity There is no mercy There is no truth this day among men but lies perjury and oppression overflow all and blood toucheth blood that is Every iniquitie is joyned to another If deeply I say your Majestie will contemplate the universall corruption that this day reigneth in all states then shall your Majestie cease to wonder That many are called and few chosen and you shall begin to tremble and fear to follow the multitude to perdition The universall defection whereof Saint Paul doth prophesie is easie to be espied as well in religion as in manners The corruption of life is evident and Religion is not judged nor measured by the plain Word of God but by custome consuetude will consent and determinations of men But shall he who hath pronounced all cogitations of mans heart to be vain at all times accept the counsels and consents of men for a Religion pleasing and acceptable before him Let not your Majestie be deceived God cannot lie God cannot deny himself he hath witnessed from the beginning That no religion pleaseth him except that which he by his own Word hath commanded and established The veritie it selfe pronounceth this sentence In vain do they worship me teaching doctrines the precepts of men And also All plantation which my Heavenly father hath not planted shall be rooted out Before the comming of his welbeloved Sonne in the flesh severely he punished all such as durst enterprise to alter or change his Ceremonies and Statutes as in Saul Uzziah Nadab Abihu is to be read And will he now after that he hath opened his counsell to the world by his onely Son whom he commandeth to be heard and after that by his Holy Spirit speaking in his Apostles he hath established the Religion in which he would have his true worshippers to abide unto the end will â—e now I say admit mens inventions in the matter of Religion which he reputed for damnable Idolatry If men and Angels would affirm That he will or may do it his own verity shall convince them of a lie for this sentence he pronounceth Not that which seemeth good in thy eyes shalt thou do to the Lord thy God but that which the Lord thy God hath commandeth thee that do thou adde nothing unto it deminish nothing from it Which sealing up his New Testament he repeateth in these words That which ye have hold till I come c. And therefore yet againe it repenteth me not to say That in this point which is chief and principall your Majesty must disassent from the multitude of Rulers or else you can possesse no portion with Christ Iesus in his Kingdom and glory Addition KNowing by what craft Sathan laboureth continually to keep the world in blindnesse I added these two former points to wit That ye should not think your self free from the Reformation of Religion because ye have Bishops within your Realm neither yet that ye should judge that Religion most perfect which the multitude by wrong custome have embraced In these two points doth Sathan busily labour First That no civill Magistrate presume to take cognisance in the cause of Religion for that must be deferred to the determinations of the Church Secondly That impossible it is that that Religion should be false which so long time so many Councels and so great a multitude of men so divers Nations have allowed authorised and confirmed What is the duty of Magistrates and what power the people hath in such cases granted by God my purpose is to write in a severall Letter to the Nobility and States of the Realm and therefore to avoid tediousnesse and repetition of one thing I now supersede And as touching the second if ye rightly consider the testimonies of Scriptures which I have before alleadged I trust ye shall finde that Objection sufficiently answered for if the opinion of the multitude ought alwayes to be preferred then did God injury to the originall World for they were all of one minde to wit conjured against God except Noah and his familie And if antiquity of time shall be considered in such cases then shall not onely the Idolatrie of the Gentiles but also the false Religion of Mahomet be preferred to the Papistrie for both the one and the other is more ancient then is the Papisticall religion yea Mahomet had established his Alcoram before any Pope in Rome was crowned with a Triple Crown But as touching antiquitie I am content with Tertullian to say Let that be the most pure and perfect Religion which shall be proved most ancient for this is a chief point wherein I will joyn with all the Papists on the earth That their Religion such as it is this day is not of such antiquitie as is that which we contend to be the true and onely Religion acceptable before God neither yet that their Church is the Catholike Church but that it is of late dayes in respect of Christs Institution crept in and devised by man and therefore am bold to affirme it odious and abominable for this is our chief Proposition That in the Religion of God his own Word ought onely to be considered That no Authority of man or Angell ought in that case to be respected And as for their Councels when
tongue and my Cause to be heard before your Majestie and the Body of the Realm before that any such Processe was laid against me as this my Letter directed to your Majesty doth testifie The beginning of the Letter THE Eternall Providence of the same God who hath appointed his chosen Children to fight in this transistory and wretched life a battell strong and difficile hath also appointed their finall victory by a marvellous fashion and the manner of their preservation in their battell more marvellous their victory standeth not in resisting but in suffering as our Soveraign Master pronounceth to his Disciples that in patience they should possesse their soules And the same foresaw the Prophet Esay when that he painteth forth all other battell to be with violence tumult and blood-shedding but the victory of Gods people to be in quietnesse silence and hope meaning that all others that obtain victorie do enforce themselves to resist their adversaries to shed bloood and to murther But so do not the Elect of God but all things they sustain at the commandment of him who hath appointed them to suffer being most assuredly perswaded that then onely they triumph when all wen judge them oppressed For in the Crosse of Christ alwayes is included a secret and hid victory never well known till the sufferer appear all together to be as it were exterminate for then onely did the blood of Abel crie to God when proud Cain judged all memory of his brother to have been extinguished and so I say their victory is marvellous and how that they can be preserved and not brought to utter confusion the eye of man perceiveth not But he whose power is infinite by secret and hid motions toucheth the hearts of such as to mans judgment hath power to destroy them with very pietie and compassion to save his people as in times past he did the hearts of the Egyptian Midwives to preserve the men-children of the Israelites when command was given of Pharoah for their destruction The heart of Pharaohs daughter likewise to pitty Moses in his young infancy exposed to the danger of the waters The heart of Nabuchadnezzar to preserve the Captives alive and liberally to nourish the Children that were found apt to Letters And finally The heart of Cyrus to set at liberty the people of God after long bondage and thraldome And thus doth the invisible power and love of God manifest it self towards his Elect from time to time for two causes specially First to comfort his weake warriers in their manifold temptations letting them understand That he is able to compell such as sometimes were enemies to his people to fight their Cause and to promote their deliverance And secondarily to give a testimony of his favour to them that by all appearance did lâ—ve before as Saint Paul speaketh wanting God in the world as strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel and without the league of his mercifull promise and free grace mâ—de to his Church For who would have affirmed That any of these persons aforenamed had been of that nature and clemency before occasions were offered unto them But the works of mercie shewed to the afflicted have left to as assurance That God used them as vessels of his honour For pitie and mercie shewed to Christs afflicted flock as they never lacked reward temporall so if they be continued and be not changed into crueltie are assured signes and seales of everlasting mercy to be received from God who by his Holy Spirit moveth their heats to shew mercy to the people of God oppressed and afflicted Addition THis Preface I used to give your Majestie occasion more deeply to consider what hath been the condition of Christs Members from the beginning that in so doing ye might see That it is no new thing that the Saints of God be oppressed in the word that ye moved by earnest contemplation of the same might also study rather to save them from murder although by the wicked councels of many ye were provoked to the contrary then to engage your self to the corrupt Clergie who are servants to sinne and Sathan whose fury is bent against God and his verity But this after followeth in our Let-which thus proceedeth Letter YOur Majestie perchance doth wonder to what purpose these things be recited and I in very deed cannot wonder enough that occasion is offered to me a worme most wretched to recite the same at this present for I have looked rather for the sentence of death then to have written to your Majestie in these last and most wicked dayes in which Sathan so blindeth the hearts of many that innocents are condemned their Cause never tried Addition HEreof ye cannot be ignorant For besides these whom ye hear from time to time most cruelly to be murthered in France Italy Spaine Flanders and now of late yeers besides you in England for no other cause but that they professe Christ Jesus to be the onely Saviour of the world The onely Mediator betwixt God and man The onely Sacrifice acceptable for the sins of all faithfull and finally The onely Head to his Church Besides these I say of whom ye hear the brute ye have been witnesse That some within the Realm of Scotland for the same cause most cruelly have been murthered whose cause was never heard with indifferency But murtherers sitting in the Seat of Justice have shed the blood of Christs true Witnesses which albeit did then appear to be consumed away with fire yet it is resent in the presence of him for whose cause they did suffer and ceaseth not to call for vengeance with the blood of Abel to fall upon not onely such as were immediate and next authors of that murther but also upon all those that maintain those tyrants in their tyranny or that do consent to their beastly cruelty or that do not stop having the power in hand Take not this as the affirmation of any man but hear and consider the voice of the Son of God Fulfill saith he the measure of your fathers that all the blood which hath been shed since the blood of Abel the just till the blood of Zachariah c. may come upon this generation Hereby it is evident That the murtherers of our time as well as in the time of Christ are guilty of all the blood that hath been shed from the beginning Fearfull I grant is the sentence yet it is most equall and just For whosoever sheddeth the blood of any one of Christ Jesus his members for professing of his Truth consenteth to all the murther which hath been made since the beginning for that cause So that as there is one communion of all Gods Elect of whom every member is participant of the holy Justice of Christ so is there a communion among the reprobate by which every one of the Serpents seed are criminall and guilty of all iniquity which the whole Body committeth because
they are altogether against Christ Jesus and against his eternall Verity every one serving Sathan the Prince of this world in their rank age degree and estate The murtherers of their brethren which this day live are guilty with Cain of the blood of Abel The Kings and Princes which by power oppresse the people of God and will not suffer that the people truely worship God as he hath commanded but will retain them in Egypt are brethren and companions to Pharaoh The Prelats and Priests whose horrible iniquities and insolent life have infected all Realmes where they raigne have with their fathers the old Pharisces taken away the key of knowledge and have shut up the Kingdom of heaven before men so that neither they themselves will enter neither yet will they suffer others to enter into the same And the multitude blinded some by ignorance some by fear and by insatiable appetite of their part of the spoyl for Christ being crucified the souldiers parted amongst them his garments are conjured to defend those murtherers proud pestilent Prelats against Christ Jesus and against his poor Flock And therefore because of one crime they are all guilty which is of treason and rebellion against Christ of one torment they shall all taste which is Of the fire that never shall be quenched And herein ought you Madame be circumspect and carefull if that ye hope for the life to come For if the consent which proceedeth of ignorance and blindenesse bringeth destruction and death as Christ our Master doth witnesse saying If the blinde lead the blinde they shall both fall into the ditch What shall become of the proud and malicious contemners of Gods Verity offered But our Doctrine perchance shall be denyed to be the Verity Whereunto I answer That so was the Doctrine of Noah of Moses of the Prophets of Christ Jesus and of his Apostles and yet the originall world perished by water Sodome and Gomorra by fire descending from heaven Pharaoh and his adherents in the Red Sea the City of Ierusalem and the whole Nation of the Jews by punishments and plagues notwithstanding that the whole multitude cryed This is a new doctrine this is heresie and tendeth to sedition Our Petition is That our Doctrine may be tryed by the plain Word of God That liberty be granted to utter and declare our mindes at large in every Article and Point which now are in controversie Which if ye deny giving ear to Christs enemies who condemne his doctrine for heresie ye shall drink the Cup of Gods wrath with them But now to the former Letter Letter I doubt not but the rumors which have come to your Majesties ears of me have been such that if all reports were true I were unworthy to live upon the earth And wonder it is That the voices of the multitude should not so have enflamed your Majesties heart with just hatred of such a one as I am accused to be that all accesse to pity should have been shut up I am traduced as an heretick accused as a false teacher and seducer of the people besides other opprobries which affirmed by men of worldly honour and estimation may easily kindle the wrath of Magistrates where innonocence is not known But blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who by the dew of his heavenly grace hath so quenched the fire of displeasure as yet in your Majesties heart which of late dayes I have understood that Sathan is frustrate of his enterprise and purpose which is to my heart no small comfort Not so much God is my witnesse for any benefit that I can receive in this miserable life by protection of any earthly creature for the cup which it behoveth me to drink is appointed by the wisedom of him whose counsels are not changeable as that I am for that benefit which I am assured your Majestie shall receive if that ye continue in like moderation and clemency towards others that most unjustly are and shall be accused as that your Majestie hath begun towards me and my most desperate Cause that is If that by godly wisedome ye shall studie to bridle the fury and rage of them who for the maintenance of their worldly pomp regard nothing the cruell murthering of simple innocents Then shall he who doth pronounce mercy to appertain to the mercifull and promiseth that a cup of cold water given for his Names sake shall not lack reward first cause your happy Government to be praised in this present age and in posterities to come and last recompence your godly pains and study with that joy and glory which eye hath not seen nor yet can enter into the heart of mortall creature Addition IF Christs words were esteemed true That of every idle word an accompt shall be given and that nothing is so secretly done which shall not come to knowledge and light I suppose that the tongues of men should be better bridled then impudently to speak their pleasure in matters unknown For albeit that the true fear of God should not move them to speak truth yet would I think if any spark of humanity remained that worldly shame should impede them to lye When reasoning was before your Majesty what man it was that preached in Aire and divers men were of divers opinions some affirming that it was an Englishman and some supposing the contrary a Prelate not of the least pride said Nay no Englishman but it is Knox that Knave It was my Lords pleasure so to Baptize a poor man The reason whereof if it should be required his Rochet and Miter must stand for Authority What further liberty he used in defining things like uncertain to him to wit of my learning and doctrine at this present I omit Lamenting more that such pestilent tongues have liberty to speak in the presence of Princes then that I am sorry for any hurt that their venome can do to me in body or fame For what hath my life and conversation been since it hath pleased God to call me from the puddle of Papistry let my very enemies speak And what learning I have they may prove when they please The report of your Majesties moderation as well at that time as after when suite was made for my taking moved me to write this my other Letter in which albeit I have not played the Orator trimming and decking the matter for the pleasure of itching and delicate ears yet doth my conscience bear me record That with simplicity I have advertised you of a mortall danger As this portion subsequent shall prove Letter SUperfluous and foolish it shall appear to many That I a man of low estate and condition dare enterprise to admonish a Princesse so honourable indued with wisedom and graces singular But when I consider the honour which God commandeth to be given to Magistrates which no doubt if it be true honour containeth in it self in lawfull things obedience and in