and quiet all things speedily with wisedom to the good of the people with due obedience to our lawfull Sovereign under God as we are taught by the Law of God the Law of Nature the Law of Nations and the Municipall Laws of our severall Countreys But to return to the Church The Scots although they received amongst them the light of the Gospel with the very first of the Gentiles as we have said yet had they not the Evangel so universally professed thorow the whole Countrey till towards the first yeers of the third Age that is till Donald the first who not onely professed the Faith of Christ himself with his Family but did his best to cast out Idolatry wholly from his Dominions and to settle the Ministery of the Gospel in every corner thereof But this religious King could not bring to passe this his good Designe fully being diverted by continuall Wars against the Romans the whole course of his life After the death of Donald till toward the later end of the third age that is to the Reign of Crathilinth this work of totally putting down Idolatry and setling the Gospel every where in the Countrey by the negligence of the following Princes was at a stay In this King Crathilinth his dayes fell out the ninth persecution under Aurelius and the tenth under Dioclesian which gave occasion to many Christians from divers parts of the Empire but namely from the South parts of Britanie now another time to flie into Scotland for refuge as they had done before under Domitian Among those fugitives who did then repair into Scotland for shelter from the generall massacre were many excellent men in Piety and Learning whom the King Crathilinth not onely kindely received but also employed to ayd and help him and his Councell in the further setling of Christs Truth in his Kingdom and in the totall extirpation of Idolatry out of it which was so much the harder work because of the Druides the principall false Prophets and Idolatrous Priests in those dayes who not onely by their subtill hypocrisie and sense-pleasing Divine Service but also by a cunning forecast having drawn into their hands the hearing and determining of Civill affairs had so gained upon the spirits of the poor and simple people that they could not imagine how to be without them and live The resolute care and diligence of King Crathilinth and his Councell with the help of those pious and learned men surpasseth all difficulties and having put quite down the Groves and Altars under the Oaks and in a word all Idoll Service established the pure Worship of the true God in every place of his Dominions and filled up the rooms of those false Prophets with godly and learned Teachers of the people which was done every where thorow the Kingdom but particularly in the Islands which those pious men chose for their principall abode as being most fit for a retired life and namely in the Isle of Man the King Crathilinth caused to build a Church to the honour of our Saviour which in following times by corruptions was called Fanum Sodorense for Soterense the word originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence the Town neer the Church was called Sodora as Minster in our vulgar language and Moustier in French signifying a Town in a secondary signification neer a Church Those godly men being setled as aforesaid and having withdrawn themselves from the sollicitude of worldly affairs did wholly give themselves to divine Service that is To instruct the ignorant comfort the weak administer the Sacraments to the people and to train up Novices and Disciples to do the same service in their due time These men for their single and retired life were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Monks by abbreviation and for their travelling altogether in Gods Worship and Service were called Colidei or Culdees These Culdees were so given to the exercise of devotion by the meditating the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven and by Prayers that the very Cells whereinto they had inclosed and separated themselves from the world after their death were reputed so many Temples or Chappels set aside for Divine Service hence to this day Cella is taken for a Church among the ancient Scots as you may see in these composed names Kelmarnoc Marnoc his Church Celpatric Patrick his Church The Culdees thus setled as we have seen did chose out of themselves some eminent men in piety knowledge and wisedom to oversee the rest and to keep them to the discharge of their duty towards the People and towards the Disciples with an orderly and discreet carriage of each one towards another in their severall societies and in their private These Overseers or Superintendents chosen of themselves and by themselves did discharge the Duties of their Function indifferently every where thorowout the whole Kingdom without restraining themselves to any certain place or Lording over their Brethren or any part of the Flock of Jesus Christ not attributing unto themselves any particular distinct holy order from the rest belonging onely to them and to be onely conferred by them This way of instructing the People and governing the Church by Culdees did continue for many yeers under Gods mercy the Ministery of Gods Church as yet not being become a businesse of gain and of worldly pomp and pride So these Culdees and Overseers of others had no other emulation but of weldoing nor striving but to advance true Pietie and godly Learning The Overseers of Superintendents of the Culdees were commonly called by the Writers who writ of those dayes Scotorum Episcopi without any definition of place or preeminence of one above another But to return to Crathilinth who till his dying day which was about the 312. yeer did constantly continue to advance the Kingdom of Christ as likewise his successor Fincormac under whose dayes the Gospel did flourish in Puritie and in Peace he died about the yeer 358. After the death of Fincormac both the Church and State of Scotland fell in great disorder and troubles by domestick dissensions and factions for some yeers The Roman Lievtenant Maximus seeing the intestine troubles of Scotland began to lay hold upon the occasion First he foments their divisions within them next not onely he withdraws under fair promises from the Scots their ancient Allies the Picts but also obtains help of the Picts to make Warre against the Scots and so to defeat them which he did effectuate indeed in a battell fought with much bloodshed on both sides at the Water of Dun in Carrick wherein the King Ewen was killed this defeat fell out about 380. in the yeer of Christ the most part of the Nobilitie and numbers of People of those that escaped some fled into the West Isles some into Ireland and others to the Northern parts of Germany or Scandia some submitted themselves to the will and discretion of the Conquerour with the poor people that had not taken arms Among those that fled
THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORY OF SCOTLAND THE HISTORIE Of the REFORMATION OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND Containing five Books Together with some TREATISES conducing to the History Published by Authority JEREM. 5.1 Run ye to and fro thorow the streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof if ye can finde a man if there be any executeth Iudgement that seeketh the Truth and I will pardon it 2 COR. 13.8 For we can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth LONDON Printed by Iohn Raworth for George Thomason and Octavian Pullen and are to be sold at the signe of the Rose in Pauls Church-yard MDCXLIV To the Reader Christian Reader HEre I present unto thee a Piece I dare promise worthy of thy reading wherein thou hast a true and plain Relation without disguising of many memorable Passages happened in the Church of God and likewise some notable ones in the State of the Kingdom of Scotland from the very first setling of State and Church in that Countrey But namely and chiefly thou hast here related what principally passed in Church and State in this our Countrey during the great Work of purging the Church from the Superstitions and Idolatry and freeing both Church and State from the Tyranny and Slavery of Popery untill the coming of King James our late Soveraign to the Crown of Scotland Further beside the true and faithfull Relation of many Occurrences that fell out in these dayes in Scotland thou hast unfolded unto thee and made plain the strong Reasons and necessery Causes that moved these men who are here named although infirm and weake in themselves to undergo the great Work of Reformation With the solid Grounds upon which they went on with this weighty Businesse willingly and cheerfully notwithstanding the great rubs and difficulties they met withall through the help and assistance of God who by them mean Instruments brought things to passe in despight of the malice and stratagems of Sathan with his agents for the good of his People and the setling of his Church in Purity and Liberty All these things are set down plainly and simply in familiar and homely Language Yet so that they may be with ease apprehended and understood by any one From what thou hast here written in this Volume although there were no other Writings in this kinde extant thou mayest see easily by what means the great Mystery of Iniquity from the very first Rise hath been set afoot and constantly ever since hath been carried on to wit By cunning Devices impudent Lyes continued and crafty Plots under specious Pretexts and open Oppression Tyranny and Cruelties within Scotland till the yeer of Christ 1567. After which time the enemies of God and of his People have not been sleeping till this present more then formerly Wherefore for thy good Christian Reader I have thought fit in this place to point at some main Occurrences from that time till now First then the adversaries of Truth and Goodnesse under the specious Pretext of restoring Queen Mary to her Liberty and of re-establishing her in full Authority and sole Power did disquiet and trouble both Church and State in Scotland both with open Force and subtill Plots for some yeers that is to the 1573 yeer But finding that all their Undertakings under this pretext proved to be in vain and without successe and standing to their main Designe of undoing Religion and Liberty they bethought themselves of another way in appearance more plausible for compassing their wicked Intents it was To deal by way of entreaty and request with the chief Ministers of State and Church then To have the Mother set at liberty and to be joynt in Authority and Power with her Son And for the obtaining of this was employed the credit of the French Court for the time with all its skill and cunning but to small purpose For these rude fellows who managed the publike Affairs then of State and Church could not be corrupted with the French Complements In this way the enemies continued till the yeer 1577 and did not then give over notwithstanding their bad successe but according to their wonted and resolved custome they went on with their Designe betaking themselves to a new course wherein they had indeed more successe then in either of the former two It was this They did set awork certain men who with fair words and flattering tales so craftily dealt with the young King hardly yet twelve yeers of age that they made him cast off as a yoke the counsell and service of those who ever since his Birth-day had carefully laboured for the good of State and Church with the pereservation of his Authority and safety of his Person And so the inconsiderate young King although of most nimble wit and knowing above his yeers under the shew of freedom put himself in the power of those who wished no good to his Person and Authority and as little to the Church and State making no scruple to trouble both for their own ends according to the Instructions of the Masters who set them awork So in very short time they gave unto the young King such impressions which did stick too much to him that not onely he became averse from those who had been so usefull to the publike and so serviceable to him but also he suffered them to be persecuted yea some by death and others by banishment While the enemies were thus working businesse with us in Scotland they were not idle with our neighbours in England for they were contriving and plotting under colour of setting the imprisoned Queen at liberty And were gone so far on in this way in both Kingdoms that to stop the course and progresse of the enemies both Countries thought it necessary to enter into a mutuall League and Covenant one with another for the defence of the Reformed Religion and Liberties of both Kingdoms with the preservation of the Persons and Authorities of both Princes King James and Queen Elizabeth against the common enemy This was done by the consent of both Princes in the yeer 1686. After this the enemy seeing the warinesse of both Kingdoms to be such that in a short time he was not likely to advance the main Designe according to his minde by craft and cunning leaveth off for a time to act the part of the Fox and openly declares himself to be a ravishing Wolf So the yeer 1588 the Armado cometh against both Kingdoms which God in his mercy unto our fathers and us brought to nought About this time and some yeers before the agents of the enemy were very busie with King James to break with England and to revenge the hard usage and ill treatment of his Mother But God did direct him so for his own good that he did give no consent to their evil counsell Upon this refusall of the Kings the agents of the common enemy do bestir themselves to trouble both King and Kingdom which they did in a
high measure in the yeer 1595. This gave occasion then both to Prince and people to enter into Covenant for the defence of the Truth and pure Doctrine of the Church with the Reformed Discipline and of the safety of the King and Kingdom by which means the proceedings of the enemies was stopped for a while Now the time drawing neer of the Kings coming to the Crown of England the watching enemy returns to work again in another manner then he had done hitherto which was this By the mouths of some timerous and worldly men he causeth to present unto the King the consideration of great difficulties that he was likely to finde in his succeeding to the Crown of England by two parties there who were given out to be the Strength of the Kingdom to wit the profest Papists and the Prelaticall men therefore to facilitate the businesse they must be in some sort contented For the satisfaction of the Prelates the King by degrees must endeavour to bring again into Scotland Prelacy with all its dependences for no neglecter or contemner of the holy Order could be kindely received to reigne in England and so this part of the advice was followed with all possible care and diligence To content the Papists they not onely must have given unto them under-hand hopes of connivence and over seeing their practice but also there must be a Letter written to the Pope to assure his Holinesse of the Kings affection to the Catholike Cause Thus both these parties were calmed so far that the King came to the Crown of England Anno 1602 without manifest opposition albeit not without the grumbling and grudging of some As for the stricter sort of Professors of the Reformed Religion going under the nick-name of Puritans no opposition or trouble to the Succession was feared from them because the Principles upon which they go on rising from the Word of God are far other then those of worldlings which flow from interest and consequently they needed not Atonement or Propitiatory Sacrifice to befriend the King But the holy Father not finding reall performance by the King of what he looked for remembers the King in good earnest of his promise not kept by the Gun-powder Plot Anno 1605. After which by Gods mercy failing men would have thought that the Popish party should leave off all undertakings hereafter But they follow their businesse more constantly then so for no sooner one Plot fails but incontinent they put another afoot yea they have severall Plots at one and the same time in hand whereof it is likely that either one or other will take Now this great Plot of the Gun-powder being come to nothing they as it were go back for a time to come forward in due season with another and leaving for a while the open and devouring ravishing of the Wolf they have recourse again to the cunning of the Fox The next care then after the calming in some measure the spirits of men after so horrid a Treason is to look about and to studie by whom he affairs of these Dominions were managed And finding by serious inspection That all affairs received great influence from the Court after mature deliberation they resolved to make friends there which they did by subtill insinuations fair words high promises and some reall performances of good Offices yea when money was absolutely necessary it was not spared Thus by degrees having gotten friends at Court in it they make a party next for whose subsistence and increase they employ all that they can Now having power and credit at Court more and clearly perceiving it to be the fountain from whence all preferment to Honour and benefit in Church and State did flow they judged it fit for their purpose to make sure of some prime men both in Church and State according to their minde which was done as they desired Thus having gained men chief in State and Church for their use then they went to the corrupting of the Universities being the Seminaries of all Liberall Education This likewise they did effectuate first by the Over-seers connivence to loosenesse of life in young people next by the bad example of the Seniors the Iuniors were invited to do mischief Then the Teachers by their bad instruction did corrupt namely in Theologie all sound Doctrine And for this purpose the earnest studie of the Old Testrment in the Originall Hebrew was cryed downe as beseeming rather men of the Synagogue then those of the Christian Schools Likewise the Greek of the New Testament must not be read with diligence for fear of spoyling the elegancy of the Greek Language which is to be found in profane Authors So they withdrew the Students from the studie of Scriptures in the Originall and recommended to them the reading of humane Writings particularly in Theologie the Books of the Ancients which are commonly called Fathers Likewise was recommended unto young men the studie of the Sophistry of the Monks as of Thomas and Scotus namely with their Expositors True it is That if young men were well instructed in Theologie from the Scriptures and taught the true Principles of Philosophie in a setled course by some judicious and diligent Professor they might reade all these Books and others in their kinde with pleasure and benefit But alas young men not knowing the rudiments of Theologie nor the first Elements of Philosophie are let loose unto themselves and so by reading these Books having no sure ground to stick to learn onely to doubt and put Queries yea of the very Principles of all sound knowledge both Divine and Humane Thus being brought to waver and doubt they are easily led what by interest what by weaknesse to embrace a bad Opinion or at least to hold all uncertain as the ancient Scepticks not being able to resolve Yea doubting is come to that height that in the opinion of many he is the bravest fellow and wittiest that can raise most Queries answer them who will or can And so Wit is hugely cryed up which is but meer froth and poor solid Wisedom is not so much as named or thought on Then those of the richer sort having spent some time idly and loosely at the Universities go beyond Sea particularly to Italy forsooth either upon their own trust or which is little better if not worse many of those who go along with young men to advise and direct them have as much need of one for their guide as the young men themselves having neither staidnesse discretion nor probity So that if there were a just account cast up of all those who either have been bred in the Universities or gone beyond Sea these many yeers I will speak within compasse That of twenty you shall hardly finde one who is improved in vertue by this Breeding for the good of the Church and State whereof they are members and perhaps considerable too if they were wise and good At this present both Church and State findes this to be true
away was Ethod the Kings Brother who went with sundry of the Nobilitie unto Scandia where he and they stayed divers yeers and from whence now and then they made secret attempts upon Scotland with the help of their Brethren retired into the Islands and Ireland but to small effect Now as the face of the politique State of the Countrey was quite altered and undone so the condition of the Church also was much disordered and the Culdees were constrained to withdraw and seek shelter up and down where they could finde any namely they returned into the Isles and into Ireland At last the Picts perceiving by severall attempts made by the exiled Scots to return home and re-establish their State although with little successe as we have said that the Scots were fully resolved to bestirre themselves continually till they were restored and re-established in their ancient Inheritances the Picts themselves being moved with the groaning miseries of their neighbour poor people of Scotland now under the Roman yoak chiefly by their means and taking to their consideration how foolishly they had suffered themselves be so farre circumvented and deluded by the Romans as to contribute to the ruine of their old friends by whom mainly in former times they had withstood the common enemy did not onely comfort the poor oppressed remainers of the Scots at home but also did invite these that were in exile to return promising unto them the Lands which they had of theirs and to help them with all their strength and counsell in the recovery of their whole State from the Roman Tyrants The exiled Scots under the conduct of Fergus the second son to Ethod beyond Sea gathered all they could both of their own people and of their friends from the places of their exile namely from Scandie and from Ireland likewise and came into Scotland from whence they chased away the Romans by strong hand with the help of the Picts who made good their promise unto them both in assisting them in the action of Warre and in restoring unto them the Land that they had been possessed with by the Romans The Auxiliaries from Ireland stayed still in Scotland and had allowed unto them the Countrey of Galloway for their reward and because they were of the ancient Brigants of Ireland some of the late Writers have said That the Brigantes of Albion had their abode in Galloway No sooner is Fergus Crowned in the fatall Chair and setled in his Kingdom but he takes to his first care to restore the puritie of Divine Service which had been eclipsed in these bounds for severall yeers and to this effect he calls some of the dispersed Culdees of his Country whom he settles in their ancient abodes namely in the Isle of Iona where he furnished them with a Library of Books which he had gathered beyond Sea as the Story tells us This return of Fergus into Scotland son of Ethod Brother to late Ewen fell out about the yeer 420. The regaining by the Scots of their native Countrey under the command of Fergus the second will not seem strange unto them who have read what they did under the commands of William Wallace and how under the conduct of Robert Bruce they recovered their liberty from the thraldom wherewith they were then oppressed Ewen son to Fergus the second by the counsell and ayd of his Grand-father by his Mother Grame did not onely keep his Fathers ancient Kingdom but also did enlarge the Limits thereof having passed the next Wall of the Romans which by Grame was pulled down in many places hence it is called Grames Dyke and he possessed himself and the Picts with all the Lands lying an hundred miles Southward that is unto Tyne and kept them till the entry of the Saxons into the Island Next he took unto his care not onely to seek out the Culdees fugitives which had not yet returned under his Father but also he sent for others into the neighbour Countrey of Britaine and assigned unto them convenient places for their abode with a moderate competency of means for their maintenance that they should be in no wayes burdensome to the people now looking to have some respite from their pressures and grievances And such was the happinesse of these dayes that a very small proportion did content the Church-men setting wholly their mindes to the conscionable discharge of their calling which they did Preaching Gods Word carefully truely and simply instructing the people in the fear of God and so gaining their souls to their Maker and Redeemer By this their carriage they gained very much respect among the people who honoured them as Fathers Instructers and Guiders to Heaven under God the vertuous civill Magistrate was the secondary cause of this good behaviour of Church-men who by his authority kept them in order and by his own example taught them to discharge their duty faithfully and live discretly But so soon as the civill Magistrate left them to themselves then they neglecting their calling set their minde upon ambition and avarice and consequently upon all evill thinking of nothing lesse then of that they were called to Here we are to observe That as the Scots did constantly withstand the ancient Romans and kept themselves so free of their yoak that they neither acknowledged their Authority nor received any Law from them although it was not without great struggling and hazard yea almost to their utter ruine as it fell out under Ewen the first but after some few yeers the Scots under the conduct of Fergus the second and Ewen the second not onely regained what they had lost by the Romans and Picts but also conquered a great deal of ground beyond their last Limits as we have newly said So the Scots in Church affairs for many yeers together had nothing to do with the Bishop of Rome neither made they acknowledgement unto him in any way neither did they receive any Laws from him for as they had the Gospel planted among them without his help to wit by the Disciples of Saint Iohn the Apostle so they kept themselves unto the Constitutions and Canons setled by the same first Planters of the Gospel amongst them but by successe of time they became to be infected by their neighbour Nations with the poyson of the Pelagian Heresie Celestine then Bishop of Rome takeâ— occasion to send unto the Britons a learned man called Palladius to help the Orthodox Britons to convince the Heresie of Pelagius then spreading it self amongst them which was done accordingly Ewen the second King of Scots hearing how the Britons by the help of Palladius had repressed the Pelagianisme being most desirous to purge the Church of his Kingdom also where this Pelagian errour had crept in sends for Palladius who with small difficulty assisted the Orthodox to disabuse those who had been carryed away by Pelagianisme and thereafter in a very short time by subtill inâ—inuations gained so far upon the well-meaning Scots that they consented to take
to France to make Warre and at his arrivall there he findes an Army of Scots ready to fight for the Alliay of Scotland the French King against the English Upon this the King of England moves King Iames whom he had taken along with him to write unto the Scots and to charge them upon their Allegiance not to draw their Sword against the party where he their King was in person The Scots answered That they were sent into France to assist their Alliays against the common enemy As for him who writ unto them since he was a prisoner and not a free man they neither owed him Allegiance nor would they give him any so long as he was in prison but if he were set at liberty and were living among them they would obey him according to the Laws of the Countrey since the Crown was setled upon him by the consent of the States and so they did for these Kingdoms were governed in his name without any communication with him during the time of his imprisonment which was very long but when he went home he was received and obeyed as King From this Princes may learn that although people do submit themselves to their Government the resignation is not so full as to devest themselves of all power in such a way That the Prince may dispose of them as he thinks right or wrong he ordinarily being misled and kept captive by those that are about him who for the most part have no regard to the publike good nor to the credit and esteem of him to whom in shew they professe themselves so addicted the people have constantly reserved even unto themselves by the consent of all men yea of the greatest Court-parasites and Sycophants of Princes that the Prince cannot nor ought not to enslave or subject the people to any Forreign Power and where Princes by Pusillanimitie and ill counsell have essayed or attempted such a thing they have smarted for it witnesse Baliol who not onely was excluded himself from the Crown but also his Posterity and it was setled upon the next Branch to wit Robert Bruce with his descendents where it continues to this day by Gods providence Then since the people have reserved this power in themselves to stop the Prince to put them under any Forreign yoak or slavery is it possible That they have not reserved a power to right themselves from domestick and intestine slavery and misery slavery being ever one and the same For what is it to me by whom I suffer evil of one and the same kinde and degree whether it be by a neighbour or a stranger a forreigner or a con-citizen yea when I suffer by him who should be my friend and stand for the same Freedom with me my suffering is the greater To this purpose you have a memorable Passage of William the Norman who although he had invaded England with the Sword and by it had defeated him who did oppose him for the Crown with all his adherents and party and in consequencie of this Victory had committed many out-rages with a strong hand yet the same William could never assure himself nor his Posterity of the Allegeance of the People till he had sworn solemnly according to the Rite of the times for himself and his To govern according to the good and approved Laws of the Land as the best Kings before him had done Then the County of Kent in its own name and in the name of the whole Kingdom declared That neither Kent nor any other of the Kingdom was conquered but in a peaceable way did submit to William the Norman upon Condition and with Proviso That all their Liberties and free Customs in use and practice should be kept If this was not accomplished afterwards it was sillinesse of the People that suffered themselves to be abused and the fault of misled Princes that did not keep their promise whereunto they were tyed And sundry for the breach of this promise have had occasion to repent when it hath been too late We shall adde one example more which is of Henry the eighth who anno 1525 the seventeenth yeer of his Reign by the advice of his Councell put a Tax upon the people which the people did not onely refuse to pay but declared That the thing was unjust and unlawfull Withall wherever they met those whom the King had employed for the gathering the money they used them so kindely that they did never come twice to one place for the payment of the Tax The King seeing this he disclaims the Imposition of the Tax and so do the Nobles that convened at London by his Command for that purpose and layes all the fault upon ill counsell namely upon Wolsey This was Henry constrained to do notwithstanding his resolutenesse against all forreign enemy chiefly the Pope with his shavelings By this instance Henry acknowledged his power to be limited and no wayes arbitrary Against the doctrine of our now Cout-parasites Now if the People have this much power in them as to stand for their Temporall Liberty both against forreign and domestick slavery far more may they and ought they to defend the Spirituall Freedom which Christ having purchased with his Blood hath left them as Members of his Church But all this defence of Liberty and Religion ought to be made so that it be without by-ends sinistrous respects of hatred malice ambition c. The onely scope and main drift being To have Gods glory in the Light of his Gospel setled and maintained The People at quiet The Prince obeyed in God and for God i. e. according to the Law of God Nature Nations and the Countrey or Kingdom so far as possibly can be This being lookt to carefully there is no gap opened to Rebellion which is a fighting against Gods Ordinance and not the just and necessary opposing of the abuse and corrupting of the good Ordinance of God But here a Court-slave will say If things be so there is no absolutenesse in Monarchs and Princes To answer this we must know what is to be meant by absolute or absolutenes whereof I finde two main significations First absolute signifieth perfect and absolutenesse perfection Hence we have in Latin this expression Perfectum est omnibus numeris absolutum And in our vulgar Language we say A thing is absolutely good when it is perfectly good Next absolute signifieth free from tye or bond which in Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now say I if you take absolute for perfect that Prince or Magistrate is most absolute that is most perfect who governs most absolutely or most perfectly The absolutenesse or perfection of Government consists in its conformity to the perfect Rule which is written in the Law of God printed in the heart of man received generally of all wise People and in practice by all particular well-polished Common-wealths Next I say if you take absolute for free from tye or bond That no Prince nor Magistrate is free for every
onely one or two who embraced the Truth all the rest were either professed persecutors of Gods Children and open enemies of the Truth or else they were given altogether so to satisfie their bellies and lusts that they had no care of Religion witnesse George Creichton in the name of all the rest Bishop of Dunkell who confessed truly That he had lived a long time Bishop and never knew any thing of the Old or New Testament Impietie Ignorance and Wickednesse came to such height among the Church-men of all ranks degrees and professions that God being after so long patience in a manner vexed with them did stirre up the people to chase them from the service of his House and to put others in their places as you will see in this following Historie whereunto I referre you And I shall close up this discourse with one or two passages worthy to be known whereby you may see the learning of the Church-Doctors in those dayes and how they did imploy the knowledge they had to abuse the poor people The first Passage is this One Richard Marshall Prior of the Blackefriers at Newcastle in England preached in Saint Andrews That the Pater-noster should be said to God onely and not to the Saints The Doctors of Saint Andrews offended at it made a Gray frier called Tottis preach against Marshall his Tenet which hee did thus taking his Text out of the fift of Saint Matthew Blessed are the poore in spirit Seeing we say Good day Father to any old man in the Street we may call a Saint Pater who is older then any alive And seeing they are in Heaven we may say to any of them Our Father which art in heaven And seeing they are holy we may say to any of them Hallowed be thy name And since they are in the Kingdom of Heaven we may say Thy kingdom come And seeing their will is Gods Will we may say to any of them Thy will be done But when the Gray Fryer preaching came to the fourth Petition Give us this day our dayly bread he was hissed at and so was constrained not onely to leave off Preaching but also to leave the City for shame Yet among the Doctors then assembled the Dispute continued about the Pater for some would have it said to God formaliter and to the Saints materialiter others to God principaliter to the Saints minus principaliter others primariò to God secundariò to the Saints others would have it said to God taking it strictè and to the Saints taking it latè Notwithstanding all these Distinctions the Doctors could not agree upon the businesse A fellow called Tom servant to the Sub-Prior of Saint Andrews one day perceiving his Master much troubled with some businesse and as he conceived weighty said to him Sir what is the matter of this your trouble The Master answered We cannot agree about the saying of the Pater The fellow replied To whom should it be said but to God alone The Master answers again What shall we do then with the Saints The fellow duplies Give them Ave's and Credo's enough that may suffice them and too well too If this was good Divinity God knows The second passage likewise is very well worth the knowing and to this purpose very fit which fell out about the same time with the former that is about the first beginning of the Reformation A little before the death of George Wischard there came home from Rome a fellow charged with very many holy Reliques and new things of great vertue as he gave out but the things were not to be had nor any benefit by the sight or touching of them without moneys Now upon a holy day in a village neer Hadington this Romish Pedler did open his pack to try if he could vent any of his Wares among the Countrey people Among other commodities the good Merchant did shew unto the people there was a Bell of much value by reason of its great vertue which he gave out to be this That if any two parties had any difference which could not be otherwise decided but by Oath the truth of the Oath was to be made known by this Bell for said he when any one sweareth laying his hand on this Bell if he swear true he shall after the Oath sworn remove his hand easily from from the Bell without any change to the Bell But if he that sweareth having his hand upon the Bell sweareth falsly his hand will stick to the Bell and the Bell will rive asunder Now we must tell you That already there was a rift in the Bell which this Romipete did affirm had happened by a false Oath of one that had sworn having his hand upon the Bell. At this tale the poor simple people were astonished and fell in admiration But among them was one Fermer who had some light of the Truth of God he drawing neer the Romish Merchant desired to have the Bell in his hand to see it neerly This desire was granted unto him Then he takes the Bell and looks on it expressing great admiration at first but immediately thereafter he asked at the Romipete if he would suffer him to swear in presence of the company having his hand upon the Bell for he had minde to take an Oath upon a weighty businesse The man could not refuse him Then said the Farmer to the company Friends before I swear you see the rift that is already in the Bell and how big it is and that I have nothing upon my fingers to make them stick to the Bell. With this he sheweth them his hand open then laying his hand upon the Bell he did swear this I swear in the presence of the living God and before these good people That the Pope of Rome is Antichrist and that all the rabble of his Clergie Cardinalls Archbishops Bishops Priests Monks with the rest of the crew are Locusts come from hell to delude the people and to withdraw them from God Moreover I promise They will return to hell Incontinent he lifted up his hand from the Bell before them all and said See friends that I have lifted up my hand freely from the Bell and look unto the rift in the Bell it is one and the same without change this sheweth according to the saying of this Merchant That I have sworn truth Then this poor fellow went away and never was more seen in Scotland nor any other of his kinde who brought Reliques or other like toyes from Rome Many more of this kinde might be alleadged but let these suffice to demonstrate the miserable ignorance from which God in his mercy hath delivered us To whom be praise and glory for this and all other benefits With this I end the Preface that you may come to the History it self 1553. PAtrick Hamilton was three and twenty yeers of Age when he suffered After his death his brother German Iames Hamilton of Levinston was accused likewise but the King did cause to convey him
shall onely l. 47. r. is p. 316.35 r. might not p. 317. l 9. r. whither p. 319 l. 15. r. concurre l. 20 r. she p. 321. l 34. r. charge p. 324. l. 28. r. meats p. 326. l. 7. r. modified p. 327. l. 39. r. women p. 352. l 3. r. dearth l. 5. r. many p. 359. l. 1. r. her p. 366. l. 12. r. within l. 19. r. dayes p 369 l. 24. r. unlawfull p. 373. l. 36. r. if the p. 375. l. 32. r. all through l. 34. r. sins p. 386. l. 35. r. death p. 387. l. 1. r. which l. 45. r. what p. 392. l. 25. r. will say p. 393. l. 4. r. misknow p. 397. l. 5. r. this l. 10. r. the. The fifth Book P. 413. l. 39. r. best p. 414. l. 17. r. to p. 416. l. 5. â— celerity p. 421.36 r. as you p. 436. l. 26. r. foolish cagots p. 437. l. 7. r. to such p. 447. l. 5. dele was l. 23. r. saying Appendix P. 7. l. 43. r. ye p. 29. l. 6. r. result l. 10. world p. 60. l. 44. r. Mistresse p. 78. l. 15. r. time p. 79. l. 7. r. Iehu pag. 99. l. 1. r. whole l. 11. r. finall p. 102. l. 4â— r. punished p. 106. l. 1. r. all p. 111. l. 17. r. him p. 112. l. 24. r. perceived THE HISTORIE OF THE REFORMATION Within the Realme of SCOTLAND from the yeer 1422. Till the 20. day of August 1567. THE FIRST BOOK IN the Records of Glasgow is found mention of one whose name was Iames Resby an Englishman by Birth Scholler to Wickliff He was accused as an Heretike by one Lawrence Lindors in Scotland and burnt for having said That the Pope was not the Vicar of Christ and that a man of wicked life was not to be acknowledged for Pope This fell out Anno 1422. Farther our Chronicles make mention That in the dayes of King Iames the first about the yeer of God 1431. was deprehended in the University of Saint Andrewes one named Paul Craw a Boheme who was accused of Heresie before such as then were called Doctors of Theologie His accusation consisted principally That he followed Iohn Hâ—s and Wickliff in the opinion of the Sacrament Who denied that the substance of Bread and Wine were changed by vertue of any words Or that Confession should be made to Priests or yet Prayers to Saints departed While that God gave him grace to resist them and not to consent to their impiety He was committed to the secular Judge for our Bishops following Pilate who both did condemne and also wash his hands who condemned him to the fire in the which he was consumed in the said City of Saint Andrews about the time afore written And to declare themselves to be the generation of Satan who from the beginning hath been enemy to the Truth and he that desireth the same to be hid from the knowledge of men They put a ball of Brasse in his mouth to the end he should not give Confession of his Faith to the people neither yet that they should understand the defence which he had against their unjust accusation and condemnation Both these godly men Resby and Craw suffered Martyrdome for Christ his Truth by Henry Ward-Law Bishop of Saint Andrewes whom the Prelates place amongst their Worthies But that their wicked practise did not greatly advance their Kingdom of darknesse neither yet was it able utterly to extinguish the Trueth for albeit that in the dayes of King Iames the second and third we finde small question of Religion moved within this Realm yet in the time of King Iames the fourth in the sixth yeer of his Reign and in the twenty two yeer of his age which was in the yeer of God 1494. were summoned before the King and his great Counsell by Robert Blacater called Archbishop of Glasgow The number of thirty persons remaining some in Kyle Stâ—wart some in Kingstyle and some in Cunninghame Among whom were George Campbell of Cesnok Adam Reade of Barskyning Iohn Campbell of Newmyls Andrew Schaw of Polkemac Helene Chalmer Lady Pokellie Isabelle Chambers Lady Stairs These were called the Lollards of Kyle they were accused of the Articles following as we have received them out of the Register of Glasgow 1. First â—hat Images are not to be had in the Kyrk nor to be worshipped 2. That the Reliques of Saints are not to be worshipped 3. That Laws Ordinances of men vary from time to time and that by the Pope 4. That it is not lawfull to fight for the Faith nor to defend the Faith by the Sword if we be not driven to it by necessity which is above all Law 5. That Christ gave power to Peter as also to the other Apostles and not to the Pope his pretended Successour to binde and loose within the Kyrk 6. That Christ ordained no Priests to consecrate as they do in the Romish Church these many yeers 7. That after the Consecration in the Masse there remains Bread and that there is not the naturall Body of Christ. 8. That Tythes ought not to be given to Ecclesiasticall men as they were then called to wit wholly but a part to the poor widow or orphans other pious uses 9. That Christ at his coming hath taken away power from Kings to judge This Article we doubt not to be the venomous accusation of the enemies whose practise hath ever been to make the doctrine of Jesus Christ suspect to Kings and Rulers As if God thereby would deprive them of their Royall Seats While on the contrary nothing confirms the power of Magistrates more then doth Gods Truth But to the Articles 10. That every faithfull man and women is a Priest in that sence that they are called by the Apostle Saint Iohn Apoc. 1.6.5.10.20.6 11. That the Unction of Kings ceased at the coming of Christ and truely it was but late since Kings were anointed namely in Scotland for Edgar was the first anointed King in Scotland about the yeer 1100. 12. That the Pope is not the successour of Peter but where he said Go behinde me Satan 13. That the Pope deceives the people by his Buls and his Indulgences 14. That the Masse profiteth not the souls who in those dayes were said to be in Purgatory 15. That the Pope and the Bishops deceive the people by their Pardons 16. That Indulgences ought not to be granted to fight against the Saracens 17. That the Pope exalts himself against God and above God 18. That the Pope cannot remit the pains of Purgatory 19. That the blessings of the Bishops of dumb Dogs they should have been stiled are of no value 20. That the Excommunication of the Kyrk is not to be feared if there be no true cause for it 21. That in no case it is lawfull to swear to wit idly rashly and in vain 22. That Priests may have wives according to the constitution of the Law and
in humanitie In short processe of time the fame of his reasons and Doctrine troubled the Clergie and came to the ears of Bishop Iames Betonne of whom before we have made mention who being a conjured enemy to Christ Jesus and one that long hath had the whole regiment of this Realm bare impatiently that any trouble should be made to the Kingdom of darknesse whereof within this Realm he was the head And therefore he so travelled with the said Master Patrike that he gat him to Saint Andrews where after the conference of divers dayes he had his freedom and liberty The said Bishop and his bloody Butchers called Doctours seemed to approve his Doctrine and to grant that many things craved Reformation in the Ecclesiasticall regiment And amongst the rest there was one that secretly consented with him almost in all things named Frier Alexander Campbell a man of good wit and learning but yet corrupt by the world as after we will hear when the Bishops and Clergie had fully understood the minde and judgement of the said Master Patrick and fearing that by him their kingdom should be endamaged they travailed with the King who then was young and altogether addict to their commandment that he should passe in Pilgrimage to Saint Dothesse in Rosse to the end that no intercession should be made for the life of the innocent servant of God who suspecting no such cruelty as in their hearts was conceived remained still a lambe amongst the wolves till that upon a night he was intercepted in his chamber and by the Bishops Band was caried to the Castle where that night he was kept and upon the morrow after brought forth to Judgement he was condemned to die by fire for the testimony of Gods Truth The Articles for the which he suffered were but of Pilgrimage Purgatory prayer to Saints and for the dead and such trifles Albeit that matters of greater importance had been in question as his Treatise which in the end we have added may witnesse Now that the condemnation of the said M. Patrike should have greater Authority they caused the same to be subscribed by all those of any estimation that with them were present and to make their number great they took the subscription of children if they were of the Nobility for the Earle of Cassilles which last deceased in France then being but twelve or thirteene yeers of age was compelled to subscribe his death as himself did confesse Immediately after dinner the fire was prepared before the old Colledge and he led to the place of Execution and yet men supposed that all was done but to give nnto him terrour and to have caused him to have recanted and have become recreant to those bloodie beasts but God for his own glory for the comfort of his servant and for manifestation of their beastly tyrannie had otherwise decreed for he â—o strengthned his faithfull Witnesse that neither the love of life nor yet the fear of that cruell death could move him a jote to swerve from the truth once professed At the place of execution he gave to his servant who had been chamberlain to him of a long time his Gown his Coat Bonnet and such like garments saying These will not profit in the fire they will profit thee after this of me thou canst receive no commoditie except the example of my death which I pray thee bear in minde for albeit it be bitter to the flesh and fearfull before men yet is it the entrance unto eternall life which none shall possesse that denies Christ Jesus before this wicked generation The innocent servant of God being bound to the stake in the midst of some coales some timber and other matter appointed for the fire a traine of powder was made and set on fire which gave to the blessed Martyr of God a blaise and scorched his left hand and that side of his face but neither kindled the wood nor yet the coales and so remained the appointed to death in torment till that men ran to the Castle again for more Powder and fire wood more able to take fire which at last being kindled with loud voice cried Lord Iesus receive my spirit How long shall darknesse overwhelm this Realme And how long wilt thou suffer this tyrannie of men The fire was slow and therefore was his torment the more But most of all was he grieved by certain wicked men amongst whom Campbel the black Frier of whom we spake before was principall who continually cryed Convert Heretick Call upon our Lady say Salve Regina c. To whom he answered Depart and trouble me not thou messenger of Satan But while that the aforesaid Frier still roared one thing in great vehemence he said unto him Wicked man thou knowest the contrary and the contrary to me thou hast confessed I appeale thee before the tribunall seat of Christ Iesus After which and other words which well could not be understood nor marked because of the tumult and vehemencie of the fire The witnesse of Jesus Christ gate victory after long sufferance the last of February in the yeere of God 1527. The said Frier departed this life within few dayes after in what estate we referre to the manifestation of the generall Day But it was plainly known that he died in Glasgow in a phrenzie and as one despaired Now that all men may understand what was the singular erudition and godly knowledge of the said M. Patrike Hamilton we have inserted this his little pithie Work containing his Assertions and Determinations concerning the Law the Office of the same concerning Faith and the true Fruits thereof first by the said Master Patrike collected in Latine and after translated into vulgar Language Of the Law THe Law is a Doctrine that biddeth good and forbiddeth evill as the Commandments here contained do specifie The ten Commandments THou shalt worship but one God 2. Thou shalt make thee no Image to worship it 3. Thou shalt not swear by his Name in vain 4. Hold the Sabbath day holy 5. Honour thy father and thy mother 6. Thou shalt not kill 7. Thou shalt not commit adultery 8. Thou shalt not steal 9. Thou shalt bear no false witnesse 10. Thou shalt not desire ought that belongeth to thy neighbour He that loveth God and his neighbour keepeth all the Commandments of God Love the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soul and with all thy minde this is the first and great Commandment The second is like unto this Love thy neighbour as thy self in these two Commandments hang all the Law and Prophets He that loveth God loveth his neighbour If any man say I love God and yet hateth his neighbour he is a lyer He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen He that loveth his neighbour as himselfe keepeth the whole Commandments of God Whatsoever ye wovld that men should do
And albeit he was not the most learned yet was his doctrine without corruption and therefore well liked of the people At the Easter after Anno 1547. came to the Castle of S. Andrews Iohn Knox who wearied of removing from place to place by reason of the persecution that came upon him by the Bishop of S. Andrews was determined to have left Scotland and to have visited the Schools of Germany of England then he had no pleasure by reason that although the Popes name was suppressed yet his laws corruptions remained in full vigor But because he had the care of some Gentlemens children whom certain yeers he had nourished in godlinesse Their father 's solicited him to go to S. Andrews that himselfe might have the benefit of the Castle and their children the benefit of his Doctrine And so we say came he the time aforesaid to the said place and having in his company Francis Dowglas of Langnidrie George his brother and Alexander Cokburne eldest son then to the Laird of Ormeston began to exercise them after his accustomed manner Besides the Grammar and other books of humane Learning he read unto them a Catechisme account whereof he caused them give publikely in the Parish Church of S. Andrews He read moreover unto them the Gospel of Iohn proceeding where he left at his departure from Langnidrie where before his residence was and that Lecture he read in the Chappell within the Castle at a certain houre They of the place but specially M. Hen. Balnaves Iohn Rough Preacher perceiving the manner of his Doctrine began earnestly to travell with him that he would take the Function of Preacher upon him but he refused alleadging that he would not run where God had not called him meaning that he would do nothing without a lawfull vocation Whereupon they privily amongst themselves advising having with them in counsel Sir David Lindsay of the Mount they concluded that they would give a charge to the said Iohn and that publikely by the mouth of the Preacher And so upon a certain day a Sermon of the Eelection of Ministers what power the Congregation how small soever that it was passing the number of two or three had above any man namely in the time of need as that was in whom they supposed and espied the gifts of God to be and how dangerous it was to refuse and not to heare the voyce of such as desire to be instructed These other heads we say declared the said Iohn Rough Preacher directed by his words to the said Iohn Knox saying Brother ye shall not be offended albeit that I speak unto you that which I have in charge even from all those that are here present which is this In the Name of God and of his Son Iesus Christ and in the name of these that presently call you by my mouth I charge you that ye refuse not this holy Vocation but as ye tender the glory of God the encrease of Christs Kingdom The edification of your Brethren and the comfort of me whom ye understand well enough to be oppressed by the multitude of labours That ye take upon you the publike office and Charge of Preaching even as ye looke to avoyd Gods heavy displeasure and desire that he shall multiply his Graces upon you And in the end he said to those that were present Was not this your Charge to me And do ye not approve this Vocation They answered It is and we approve it Whereat the said M. Iohn abashed burst forth in most abundant tears and withdrew himself to his Chamber His countenance and behaviour from that day till the day that he was compelled to present himself to the publike place of Preaching did sufficiently declare the grief and trouble of his heart for no man saw any signe of mirth of him neither yet had he pleasure to accompany any man for many dayes together The necessity that caused him to enter in the publike Place besides the Vocation aforesaid was Dean Iohn Annan a rotten Papist had long troubled Iohn Rough in his Preaching The said Iohn Knox had fortified the Doctrine of the Preacher by his Pen and had beaten the said Dean Iohn from all defences that he was compelled to flie to his last refuge that is To the authority of the Church which Authority said he damned all Lutherans and Heretickes and therefore he needed no further disputation Iohn Knox answered Before we hold our selves or that ye can prove us sufficiently convinced we must define the Church by the right notes given to us in Gods Scripture of the true Church we must discerne the Immaculate Spouse of Iesus Christ from the mother of Confusion Spirituall Babilon lest that imprudently we embrace a Harlot instead of the chaste Spouse yea to speake it in plain words Lest that we submit our selves to Sathan thinking that we submit our selves to Iesus Christ For as for your Romane Church as it is now corrupted and the Authority thereof wherein stands the hope of your Victory I no more doubt but that it is the Synagogue of Sathan and the Head thereof called the Pope to be that man of Sin of whom the Apostle speaketh then that I doubt that JESUS CHRIST suffered by the procurement of the visible Church of Jerusalem Yea I offer my self by word or writing to prove the Romane Church this day farther to degenerate from the purity which was in the dayes of the Apostles then was the Church of the Iewes from the Ordinance given by Moses when they consented to the innocent death of JESUS CHRIST These words were spoken in the open audience of the Parish Church of Saint Andrewes after the said Dean Iohn had spoken what it pleased him and had refused to dispute The people hearing the offer cryed with one consent We cannot all reade your writings but we can all hear your Preaching Therefore we require you in the Name of God That ye let us heare the approbation of that which ye have affirmed For if it be true we have beene miserably deceived And so the next Sunday was appointed to the said Iohn to expresse his minde in the publike Preaching place Which day approaching the said Iohn took the Text written in Daniel the seventh Chapter beginning thus And another King shall rise after them and he shall be unlike unto the first and he shall subdue three Kings and shall speak words against the most High and shall consume the Saints of the most High and thinke that he can change Times and Lawes And they shall be given unto his hands untill a time and times and dividing of times c. In the beginning of his Sermon he shewed the great love of God towards his Church whom he pleased to forewarne of dangers to come so many yeers before they come to passe He briefly treated of the state of the Israelites who then were in bondage in Babylon for the most part and made a
short discourse of the four Empires The Babylonian The Persian That of the Greekes And the fourth of the Romanes in the destruction whereof rose up that last Beast which he affirmed to be the Romane Church for to none other power that ever hath yet beene do all the notes that God hath shewed to the Prophet appertain except to it alone And unto it they do so properly appertaine that such as are not more then blinde may cleerly see them But before he began to open the corruptions of Papistrie he defined the true Church shewed the true notes of it whereupon it was built why it was the Pillar of Verity and why it could not erre to wit Because it heard the voyce of the onely Pastor JESUS CHRIST would not heare a stranger neither would be carried with every winde of Doctrine Every one of these heads sufficiently declared he entred to the contrary and upon the notes given in his Text he shewed that the Spirit of God in the new Testament gave to this King other new names to wit The man of sin The Antichrist The Whore of Babilon He shewed That this man of sin or Antichrist was not to be restrained to the person of any one man onely no more then by the fourth Beast was to be understood the person of any one Emperour But by such names the Spirit of God would forewarne his chosen of a body and a multitude having a wicked head which should not onely be sinfull himself but also should be occasion of sin to all that should be subject unto him as Christ Jesus is the cause of Justice to all the Members of his Body and is called the Antichrist that is to say One contrary to Christ because that he is contrary to him in Life Doctrine Lawes and Subjects And there began to decipher the lives of divers Popes and the lives of all the Shavelings for the most part Their Doctrine and Lawes he plainly proved to repugne directly to the Doctrine and Lawes of God the Father and of Christ Jesus his Son This he proved by conferring the Doctrine of Justification expressed in the Scriptures which teach that man is justified by Faith onely That the blood of Iesus Christ purgeth us from all our sinnes And the Doctrine of the Papists which attribute Justification to the works of the Law yea to the works of mens inventions as Pilgrimage Pardons and other such baggage That the Papisticall lawes repugned to the Lawes of the Gospel he proved by the Lawes made of observation of dayes abstaining from meats and from Marriage which Christ Jesus made free and the forbidding whereof Saint Paul calleth the doctrine of devils In handling the notes of that Beast given in the Text he willed men to consider if these notes There shall another rise unlike to the other having a mouth speaking great things and blasphemous could be applyed unto any other but to the Pope and his kingdome For if these said he be not great words and blasphemous The Head of the Church most holy most blessed that cannot erre That can make right of wrong and wrong of right That of nothing can make somewhat And that had all verity in the Shrine of his brest yea That had power of all and none power of him Nay not to say That he doth wrong although he draw ten thousand Millions of souls with himself to hell If these said he and many other easie to be showne in his own Cannon-Law be not great and blasphemous words and such as never mortall men spake before let the world judge And yet said he is there one most evident of all to wit Iohn in his Revelation sayes That the Merchandise of that Babylonian Harlot among other things shall be the bodies and souls of men Now let very Papists themselves judge If any before them took upon them power to relax the pains of them that were in Purgatory as they affirme to the people that daily they do by the merits of their Masse and of their other trifles In the end he said If any here and there were present Master Iohn Maire the University the Sub-Prior and many Cannons with some Friers of both the Orders that will say That I have alleadged Scripture Doctor or History otherwise then it is written let them come unto me with sufficient witnesse and by conference I shall let them see not onely the Originall where my Testimonies are written but I shall prove That the Writers meant as I have spoken Of this Sermon which was the first that ever Iohn Knox made in publike was divers brutes Some said He not onely hewes the branches of Papistry but he strikes at the root also to destroy the whole Others said If the Doctors and Magistri nostri defend not now the Pope and his Authority which in their own presence is so manifestly impugned the devill may have my part of him and of his Lawes both Others said Master George Wischarde spake never so plainly and yet he was burnt even so will he be In the end others said The Tyranny of the Cardinall made not his cause the better neither yet the suffering of Gods servant made his cause the worse And therefore we would counsell you and them to provide better defences then fire and sword for it may be that else ye will be disappointed men now have other eyes then they had then This answer gave the Laird of Nydrie a man fervent and upright in Religion The bastard Bishop who yet was not execrated consecrated the Sub-Prior of S. Andrews who Sede vacante was Vicar Generall That he wondered that he suffered such Hereticall and Schismaticall Doctrine to be taught and not to oppose himselfe to the same Upon this rebuke was a convention of gray-Friers and black-Fiends appointed with the said Sub-Prior Deane Iohn Winrame in S. Leonards Yard whereunto was first called Iohn Rough and certain Articles read to him And thereafter was Iohn Knox called for The cause of their convention and why that they were called is expounded And the Articles were read which were these 1. No mortall man can be the head of the Church 2. The Pope is an Antichrist and so is no member of Christs mysticall body 3. Man may neither make nor devise a Religion that is acceptable to God but man is bound to observe and keep the Religion that from God is received without chopping or changing thereof 4. The Sacraments of the New Testament ought to be ministred as they were instituted by Christ Iesus and practised by his Apostles nothing ought to be added unto them nothing ought to be diminished from them 5. The Masse is abominable Idolatry blasphemous to the death of Christ and a prophanation of the Lords Supper 6. There is no Purgatory in the which the soules of men can either be pined or purged after this life But heaven resteth to the faithfull and hell to the reprobate and unfaithfull 7. Praying for the dead
of the Lord Jesus XXIV Of the Civill Magistrate VVE confesse and acknowledge Empires Kingdomes Dominions and Titles to be distincted and Ordained by God the powers and authorities in the same be it of Emperours in their Empires of Kings in their Realms Dukes and Princes in their Dominions or of other Magistrates in free Cities to be Gods holy Ordinance ordained for manifestation of his owne glory and for the singular profit and commoditie of mankinde So that whosoever goeth about to take away or to confound the holy state of Civill Policies now long established We affirm the same men not onely to be enemies to mankinde but also wickedly to fight against Gods expresse will We further confesse and acknowledge That such persons as are placed in authority are to be loved honoured feared and holden in most reverent estimation because they are the Lieutenants of God in whose Session God himself doth sit and judge yea even the Judges and Princes themselves to whom by God is given the sword to the praise and defence of good men and to revenge and punish all open malefactours To Kings moreover Princes Rulers and Magistrates to affirme that chiefly and most principally the reformation and purgation of Religion appertaineth so that not only they are appointed for civill policie but also for maintenance of the true Religion and for suppressing of Idolatry and Superstition whatsoever as in David Iosaphat Ezekias Iosias and others highly commended for their zeal in the cause may be espied And therefore we confesse and avow that such as resist the supreme Powers doing that which appertaineth to their charge do resist Gods Ordinance and therefore cannot be guiltlesse And further we affirme that whosoever deny unto them their aide counsell and comfort while the Princes and Rulers vigilantly travell in the executing of their Office that the same men denie their help support and counsell to God who by the presence of his Lieutenant craveth it of them XXV The gifts freely given to the Church ALbeit that the word of God truly preached the Sacraments rightly ministred and discipline executed according to the Word of God be the certain and infallible signes of the true Church yet doe we not so meane that every particular person joyned with such a company be an Elect Member of Christ Jesus for we acknowledge and confesse that Darnell Cockle and Chaffe may be sowne grow in great abundance lie in the middest of the Wheate that is the Reprobate may be joyned in the societie of the Elect and may externally use with them the benefits of the Words and Sacraments But such being but temporall professors in mouth but not in heart doe fall backe and continue to the end And therefore have they no fruit of Christs death resurrection and ascension But such as with heart unfained beleeve and with mouth boldly confesse the Lord Jesus as before we have said shall most assuredly receive these gifts first in this life remission of sinnes and by faith onely in Christs blood in so much that albeit sinne remain and continually abide in these mortall bodies yet it is not imputed unto us but is remitted and covered with Christs justice Secondly in the generall judgement there shall be given to every man and woman resurrection of the flesh For the Sea shall give her dead the earth those that therein be inclosed yea the Eternall our God shall stretch out his hand upon the dust and the dead shall arise incorruptible and that in the substance of the same flesh that every man now bears to receive according to their works glory and punishment for such as now delight in vanitie crueltie filthinesse superstition or idolatry shall be adjudged to the fire inextinguible in the which they shall be tormented for ever as well in their bodie as in their soules which now give to serve the devill in all abomination But such as continue in well doing to the end boldly professing the Lord Jesus to whose glorified Body all his Elect shall be like when he shall appear againe to Judgment and shall render up the Kingdom to God his Father who then shall be and ever shall remain All in All things God blessed for ever To whom with the Son and with the holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory now and for ever Amen Arise O Lord and let thine enemies be confounded let them flie from thy presence that hate thy holy Name Give thy servants strength to speake thy Word in boldnesse and let all Nations attain to thy true knowledge These Acts and Articles were read in face of Parliament and ratified by the three States of this Realm at Edinburgh the 17 day of Iuly in the yeer of our Lord 1560. This our Confession was publikely read first in audience of the Lords of the Articles and after in the audience of the whole Parliament where were present not onely such as professed Christ Jesus but also a great number of the adversaries of our Religion such as the forenamed Bishops and some other of the Temporall State who were commanded in Gods Name to object if they could say any thing against that Doctrine Some of our Ministers were present standing upon their feet ready to have answered in case any would have defended Papistry and impugned our affirmatives But while that no objection was made there was a day appointed for concurrence in that and other Heads Our Confession was read every Article by it self over again as they were written in order and the voice of every man was required accordingly Of the Temporall State onely gave their voice on the contrary the Earl of Athol the Lords Simmerwaile and Borthwicke And yet for their disassenting they produced no better reason but We will believe as our Fathers believed The Bishops Papisticall we mean spake nothing The rest of the whole three States by their publike Votes affirmed the Doctrine and the rather Because that fain the Bishops would but durst say nothing on the contrary for this was the Vote of the Earle Marshall It is long since I have had some favour unto the Truth and since that I have had a suspicion of the Papisticall Religion But I praise my God who this day hath fully resolved me in the one and the other For seeing that the Bishops who for their learning can and for their zeal that they should bear to the Verity would as I suppose have gainsaid any thing that directly repugneth to the Verity of God Seeing I say the Bishops here present speak nothing in the contrary of the Doctrine proposed I cannot but hold it for the very Truth of God and the contrary to be deceivable Doctrine And therefore so far as in me lieth I approve the one and condemne the other And do farther ask of God That not onely I but also all my posterity may enjoy the comfort of the Doctrine that this day our ears
be found inobedient I confesse my selfe most worthy to be rejected not onely from this honour but also from the societie of the faithfull in case of my stubbornnesse For the vocation of God to beare charge within his Church maketh not men Tyrants nor Lords but appointeth them servants Watch-men and Pastors to the flock Thus ended question must be asked again of the multitude Question Require ye any further of this your Superintendent or Overseer and Minister If no man answer let the Minister proceed Question Will ye not acknowledge this your brother for the Minister of Christ Jesus your Overseer and Pastour Will ye not reverence the Word of God that proceedeth from his mouth Will ye not receive of him the Sermon of Exhortation with patience not refusing the wholsome Medicine of your soules although it be bitter and unpleasing to the flesh Will ye not finally maintain and comfort him in his Ministerie and watching over you against all such as wickedly would rebell against God and his holy Ordinance The people answered We will as we will answer to the Lord Iesus who hath commanded his Ministers to be had in reverence as his Ambassadours and as men that carefully watch for the salvation of our soules Let the Nobilitie be urged with this Ye have heard the dutie and profession of this our brother by your consents appointed to this charge as also the dutie and obedience which God requireth of us towards him heere in his Ministerie But because that neither of both are able to performe any thing without the especiall grace of our God in Christ Jesus who hath promised to be with us present even to the consummation of the world with unfained hearts let us crave of him his benediction and assistance in this work begun to his glory and for the comfort of his Church The Prayer O Lord to whom all power is given in heaven and on earth thou that art the eternall Sonne of the eternall Father who hast not onely loved thy Church that for the redemption and purgation of the same hast humbled thy selfe to the ignominious death of the Crosse and thereupon hast shed thy most precious and innocent blood to prepare to thy self a Spouse without spot but also to retain this most excellent benefit in recent memory hast appointed in thy Church Teachers Pastours and Apostles to instruct comfort and admonish the same Look upon us mercifully O Lord thou that onely art King Teacher and high Priest to thine own flock and send unto this our Brother whom in thy Name we have charged with the chief care of thy Church within the bounds of L. such portion of thy holy Spirit as thereby he may rightly divide thy Word to the instruction of thy flock and to the confutation of pernicious errours and damnable Superstitions Give unto him good Lord a mouth and wisdome whereby the enemies of thy Trueth may be confounded the Wolves expelled and driven from thy Fold thy Sheep may be fed in the wholsome Pastures of thy most holy Word the blinde and ignorant may be illuminated with thy true knowledge Finally that the degrees of Superstition and Idolatry which now resteth within this Realme being purged and removed we may all not onely have occasion to glorifie thee our onely Lord and Saviour but also daily to grow in godlinesse and obedience of thy most holy will to the destruction of the body of sin and to the restitution of that image to the which we were once created and to the which after our fall and defection we are renewed by participation of thy holy Spirit which by true Faith in thee we do professe as the blessed of thy Father of whom the perpetuall increase of thy graces we crave as by thee our Lord King and onely Bishop we are taught to pray Our Father c. The Prayer ended the rest of the Ministers if any be and Elders of that Church present in signe of their consent shall take the elected by the hand The chiefe Minister shall give the Benediction as followeth God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath commanded his Gospel to be Preached to the comfort of his Elect and hath called thee to the Office of a Watch-man over his people multiply his graces with thee illuminate thee with his holy Spirit comfort and strengthen thee in all vertue governe and guide thy Ministerie to the praise of his holy Name to the propagation of Christs Kingdom to the comfort of his Church and finally to the plaine discharge and assurance of thine owne conscience in the day of the Lord Jesus to whom with the Father and with the holy Ghost be all honour praise and glory now and ever So be it The last Exhortation to the elected TAke heed to thy selfe and unto the flock committed to thy charge feed the same carefully not as it were by compulsion but of very love which thou bearest to the Lord Jesus Walk in simplicity and purenesse of life as it becometh the true servant and the Ambassadour of the Lord Jesus Usurpe not dominion nor tyrannicall authority over thy brethren be not discouraged in adversity but lay before thy self the example of the Prophets Apostles and of the Lord Jesus who in their Ministery sustained contradiction contempt persecution and death fear not to rebuke the world of Sin Justice and Judgement If any thing succeed prosperously in thy Vocation be not puft up with pride neither yet flatter thy self as that the good successe proceedeth from thy vertue industrie or care But let ever that sentence of the Apostle remain in thine heart What hast thou which thou hast not received If thou have received why gloriest thou Comfort the afflicted support the poore and exhort others to support them Be not carefull for things of this life but be fervent in prayer to God for the increase of his holy Spirit And finally behave thy selfe in this holy vocation with such sobriety as God may be glorified in thy Ministery And so shalt thou shortly obtaine the Victory and shalt receive the Crowne promised when the Lord Jesus shall appeare in his glory whose omnipotent Spirit assist thee and us to the end Sing 23. Psalme As the servants of God uprightly travelled to have vice punished and vertue planted so did the devill ever stirre up some in the contrary of both There was a Law made against fornicators and adulterers that the one and the other should be Carted thorow the Towns and so banished till that their repentance was offered and received And albeit this was not the severity of Gods Law especially against adulterers yet was it a great bridle to the malefactors whereat the wicked did wonderously storme It chanced that one Sanderson a Fletcher or Boutcher was deprehended to have put away his lawfull wife under colour that he was lawfully parted after the manner of the Papisticall Religion and had taken to him another in his house The complaint and slander proposed
in the sight of the most jealous God and still continues in the same yet she despises all threatnings and refuseth all godly admonitions Why say ye That she refuseth admonition said Lethington she will gladly hear any man But what obedience said the other to God or to his word ensues of all that is spoken unto her or when shall she be seen to give her presence to the publike Preaching I think never said Lethington so long as she is thus used And so long said the other yee and all others must be content that I pray so as I may be assured to be heard of my God that is That his good will may be done either in making her comfortable to his Church or if that he hath appointed her to be a scourge to the same That we may have patience and she may be bridled Well said Lethington Let us come to the second head Where finde ye that the Scriptures calls any the bond slaves of Satan or that the Prophets of God spake of Kings and Princes so irreverently The Scripture said Iohn Knox saith That by nature wee are all the sonnes of wrath Our Master Christ affirmes That such as doe sinne are servants to sinne and that it is the onely Sonne of God that sets men at freedome now what difference there is betwixt the sonnes of wrath the servants of sinne c. And the slaves of Satan I understand not except I be taught And if the sharpnesse of the terme offend you I have not invented that phrase of speech but have learned it out of Gods Scriptures for these words I finde spoken unto Paul Behold I send thee unto the Gentiles to open their eyes that they may turne from darknesse unto light and from the power of Sathan unto God Mark the words my Lord and stirre not at the speaking of the holy Ghost And the same Apostle writing to his Scholler Timothius sayes Instruct with meeknesse those that are contrary minded if that God at any time will give them repentance that they may know the truth and come to amendment out of the snare of the Devill which are taken of him at his will If your Lordship do rightly consider these sentences you shall not onely finde my words to be the words of the holy Ghost but also the condition which I use to adde to have the assurance of Gods Scriptures But they speak nothing against Kings in Scripture in speciall said Lethington and your continuall crying is The Queens Idolatry The Queens Masse will provoke Gods vengeance In the former sentence said the other I hear not Kings and Queens excepted but all unfaithfull are pronounced to stand in one rank and to be in bondage to one Tyrant the Devill But beleeve me my Lord you little regard the state wherein they stand when you would have them so flattered that the danger thereof should neither be knowne neither yet declared to the people Where will you finde said Lethington that any of the Prophets did so use Kings Queens Rulers or Magistrates In more places then one said the other Ahab was a King and Iezabel a Queen and yet what the Prophet Elias said to the one and to the other I suppose you are not ignorant That was not cried out before the people said Lethington to make them odious unto their subjects That Elias said Doggs shall lick the blood of Ahab said Iohn Knox and eate the flesh of Iezabell the Scriptures assures me but that it was whispered in their Eares or in a Corner I read not but the plain contrary appears to me which is that both the people and the Court understood well enough what the Prophet had promised for so witnessed Iehu after that Gods vengeance had stricken Iezabell These were singular motions of the Spirit of God said Lethington and appertaineth nothing to our age Then hath the Scripture said the other deceived me for Saint Paul teacheth me that whatsoever is written within the holy Scriptures the same is written for our instruction And my Master saith That every learned Scribe brings forth of his Treasure both things old and things new and the Prophet Ieremy affirmes That every Realme or Citie that likewise offends as then did Ierusalem should likewise be punished Why then that the facts of ancient Prophets and the fearfull judgements of God executed before us upon the disobedient appertain not unto our age I neither see nor yet can understand But now to put an end to this Head my Lord saith he the Prophets of God have not spared to rebuke Kings as well to their faces as before the people and subjects Elizeus feared not to say to King Iehoram What have I to doe with thee get thee to the other Prophets of thy Mother for as the Lord of Hostes liveth in whose sight I stand if it were not that I regard the presence of Iehosaphat the King of Iudah I would not have looked toward thee nor seene thee Plaine it is that the Prophet was a Subject in the Kingdome of Israel and yet how little reverence he giveth to the King we heare Ieremy the Prophet was commanded to Cry to the King and Queene and to say Behave your selves lowly execute justice and judgement c. or else your Carcasses shall be casten to the heate of the day and unto the frost of the night Unto Conias Sullim and Zedekias he speaketh in speciall and shewes to them in his publike Sermons their miserable ends and therefore yee ought not to thinke strange my Lord said he albeit the servants of God taxe the vices of Kings and Queenes even as well as of other offenders and that because their sinnes be more noysome to the Common-wealth then are the sinnes of inferiour persons The most part of this reasoning Secretary Lethington leaned upon the Master of Maxwells Breast who said I am almost weary I would some other would reason in the chief head which is yet untouched Then the Earle of Mortoune Chancellor commanded Master George Hay to reason against Iohn Knox in the head of obedience due to Magistrates who began so to doe Unto whom Iohn Knox said Brother that ye shall reason in my contrary I am well content because I know you to be both a man of learning and of modesty but that you shall oppose your selfe unto the Trueth whereof I suppose your owne conscience is no lesse perswaded then is mine I cannot well approve for I would be sorry that yee and I should be reputed to reason as two Schollers of Pythagoras to shew the quickenesse of our wit as it were to reason on both parts I protest here before God That whatsoever I sustaine I doe the same in conscience yea I dare no more sustaine a proposition knowne to my selfe untrue then I dare teach false Doctrine in the publike place And therefore Brother if Conscience move you to oppose your selfe to that Doctrine which yee have heard out of my mouth in that
do enterprise to purge the Lords Temple and Sanctuary What God required of them it is before declared to wit That most diligently they should observe his Law Statutes and Ceremonies And how acceptable were their facts to God doth he himself witnesse For to some he gave most notable Victories without the hand of man and in their most desperate dangers did declare his especiall favour towards them by signes supernaturall To other he so established the Kingdom that their enemies were compelled to stoup under their feet And the names of all he hath registred not onely in the Book of life but also in the blessed remembrance of all posterities since their dayes which also shall continue till the coming of the Lord Jesus who shall reward with the Crown of Immortality not onely them but also such as unfainedly study to do the will and to promote the glory of his heavenly father in the midst of this corrupted Generation In consideration whereof ought you my Lords all delay set apart to provide for the Reformation of Religion in your Dominions and Bounds which now is so corrupt that no part of Christs Institution remaineth in the Originall purity and therefore of necessity it is That speedily ye provide for Reformation or else ye declare your selves not onely voyd of love towards your subjects but also to live without care of your own salvation yea without all fear and true reverence of God Two things perchance may move you to esteem these histories before briefly touched to appertain nothing to you First Because you are no Jews but Gentiles And secondly Because you are no Kings but Nobles in your Realm But be not deceived for neither of both can excuse you in Gods presence from doing his duty for it is a thing more then certain That whatsoever God required of the Civill Magistrate in Israel or Iuda concerning the observation of true Religion during the time of the Law the same doth he require of lawfull Magistrates professing Christ Jesus in the time of the Gospel as the holy Ghost hath taught us by the mouth of David Psal. 2. saying Be learned you that judge the earth kisse the Son lest that the Lord wax angry and that ye perish away This Admonition doth not extend to the Judges under the Law onely but doth also include all such as be promoted to Honours in the time of the Gospel when Christ Jesus doth raigne and fight in his Spirituall Kingdom whose enemies in that Psalme be first most sharply taxed their fury expressed and vanity mocked and then are Kings and Judges who think themselves free from all Law and Obedience commanded to repent their former blinde rage and Judges are charged to be learned and last are commanded to serve the Eternall God in feare to rejoyce before him in trembling to kisse the Son that is To give him most humble Obedience Whereof it is evident That the Rulers Magistrates and Judges now in Christs Kingdom are no lesse bound to Obedience unto God then were those under the Law And how is it possible that any should be obedient who despiseth his Religion in which standeth the chief glory that man can give to God and is a service which God especially requireth of Kings and Rulers Which thing Saint Augustine plainly did note writing to one Bonifacius a man of Warre according to the same argument and purpose which I labour to perswade your Honours For after that he hath in that his Epistle declared the difference betwixt the heresie of the Donatists and Arrians and hath somewhat spoken of their cruelty he sheweth the way how their fury should and ought to be repressed and that it is lawfull for the unjustly afflicted to seek support and defence at godly Magistrates for thus he writeth Either must the Verity be kept close or else must their cruelty be sustained But if the Verity should be concealed not onely should none be saved but also should many be lost through their deceit But if by Preaching of the Verity their fury should be provoked more to rage and by that means yet some were delivered and made strong yet should fear hinder many weaklings to follow the Verity if their rage be not stayed In these first words Augustine sheweth three reasons why the afflicted Church in those dayes called for the help of the Emperour and of godly Magistrates against the fury of the persecuters The first The Verity must be spoken or else mankinde shall perish in errour The second The Verity being plainly spoken provoketh the adversaries to rage And because that some did alleadge That rather we ought to suffer all injury then to seek support by man he addeth the third reason to wit That many weak ones be not able to suffer persecution and death for the Truths sake to whom not the lesse respect ought to be had that they may be won from their errour and so be brought to greater strength Oh that the Rulers of this age would ponder and weigh the reasons of this godly Writer and provide the remedy which he requireth in these words following Now when the Church was thus afflicted if any thinke That rather they should have sustained all calamity then that help should have been asked of Christian Emperours by the godly he doth not well to advert That of such negligence no good counts nor reason could be given For where such as would that no just Laws should be made against their impiety alleadge That the Apostles sought no such things of the Kings of the earth they do not consider That the time was other then it is now and that all things are done in their owne time What Emperour then believed in Christ that he should serve him in making Laws for godlinesse against impiety While that saying of the Prophet was compleat Why hath Nations raged and people have imagined vanity The Kings of the earth have stood up and Princes have convened together against the Lord and against his Anoynted That which is after in the same Psalme was not yet come to passe And now understand O ye Kings be learned you that judge the earth serve the Lord in fear and rejoyce to him with trembling How do Kings serve the Lord in feare but in punishing and by a godly severity forbidding those things which are done against the Commandment of the Lord For otherwise doth he serve the Lord in so farre as he is man otherwise in so farre as he is King In so farre as he is a man he serveth him by living faithfully but because he is also King he serveth establishing Laws that command the things that be just and that with a convenient rigour forbid things contrary As Ezechias served destroying the Groves the Temples of Idolls and the places which were builded against Gods Commandment So served also Josias doing the same So the King of the Ninivites compelling the whole City to mitigate the fury of the Lord.
That ye and your posterity shall by that means receive most singular comfort edification and profit For when ye shall hear the matter debated ye shall easily perceive and understand upon what ground and foundation is builded that Religion which amongst you is this day defended by fire and sword As for mine owne conscience I am most assuredly perswaded That whatsoever is used in the Papisticall Church is altogether repugning to Christs blessed Ordinance and is nothing but mortall venome of which whosoever drinketh I am assuredly perswaded that therewith he drinketh death and damnation except by true conversion unto God he be purged from the same But because that long silence of Gods Word hath begotten ignorance almost in all sorts of men and ignorance joyned with long custome hath confirmed superstition in the hearts of many I therefore in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ desire audience as well of you the Commonalty my brethren as of the States and Nobility of the Realm that in publike Preaching I may have place amongst you at large to utter my minde in all matters of controversie this day in Religion And further I desire That ye concurring with your Nobility would competl your Bishops and Clergie to cease their tyranny And also That for the better assurance and instruction of your conscience ye would compell your said Bishops and false Teachers to answer by the Scriptures of God to such Objections and crimes as shall be laid against their vain Religion false Doctrine wicked life and slanderous conversation Here I know that it shall be objected That I require of you a thing most unreasonable to wit That ye should call your Religion in doubt which hath been approved and established by so long continuance and by the consent of so many men before you But I shortly answer That neither is the long continuance of time neither yet the multitude of men a sufficient approbation which God will allow for our Religion For as some of the ancient Writers do witnesse neither can long processe of time justifie an errour neither can the multitude of such as follow it change the nature of the same But if it was an errour in the beginning so is it in the end and the longer that it be followed and the mo that do receive it it is more pestilent and more to be avoided For if antiquity or multitude of men could justifie any Religion then was the Idolatry of the Gentiles and now is the abomination of the Turks good Religion For antiquity approved the one and a multitude hath received and doth defend the other But otherwise to answer godly men may wonder from what Fountain such a sentence doth flow that no man ought to trie his faith and Religion by Gods Word but that he safely may beleeve and follow every thing which antiquity and multitude have approved the Spirit of God doth otherwise teach us for the wisdome of God Christ Jesus himself remitted his adversaries to Moses and the Scriptures to trie by them whether his Doctrine were of God or not The Apostles Paul and Peter command men to trie the Religion which they professe by Gods plaine Scriptures and doe praise men for so doing Saint Iohn straightly commandeth That we beleeve not every spirit but to trie the spirits whether they be of God or not Now seeing that these evident testimonies of the holy Ghost will us to trie our faith and Religion by the plain Word of God wonder it is that the Papists will not be content that their Religion and Doctrine come under the triall of the same If this sentence of Christ be true as it is most true seeing it springeth from the verity it self Who so doth evill hateth the Light neither will he come to the Light lest that his works be manifested and rebuked then do our Papists by their own sentence condemne themselves and their Religion for in so farre as they refuse examination and triall they declare that they know some fault which the Light will utter which is a cause of their fear and why they claim that priviledge that no man dispute of their Religion the Verity and Truth being of the nature of fine purified Gold doth not fear the triall of the Fornace but the stubble and Chaffe of mans inventions such is their Religion may not abide the the flame of fire True it is that Mahomet pronounced this sentence That no man should in pain of death dispute or reason of the ground of his Religion which Law to this day by the art of Sathan is observed amongst the Turkes to their mortall blindnesse and horrible blaspheming of the Gospell of Christ Jesus and of his true Religion And from Mahomet or rather from Sathan the father of all lies hath the Pope and his rabble learned this former lesson to wit Their Religion should not be disputed upon but what the fathers have beleeved that ought and must the Children approve and in so divising Satan lacked not his foresight for no one thing hath more established the kingdome of that Romane Antichrist then this most wicked decree to wit That no man was permitted to reason of his power or to call his Laws in doubt This is most assured that whensoever the Papisticall Religion shall come to examination it shall be found to have no other ground then hath the religion of Mahomet to wit mans invention device and dreams overshaddowed with some colour of Gods Word And therefore Brethren seeing that the Religion is to man as the stomack to the body which if it be corrupted doth infect the whole Members it is necessary that the same be examined and if it be found replenished with pestilent humours I mean with the fantasies of men then of necessitie it is that those be purged else shall your bodies and souls perish for ever For of this I would ye were most certainly perswaded that a corrupt Religion defileth the whole life of man appear it never so holy Neither would I that ye should esteem the Reformation and care of Religion lesse to appertain to you because ye are no Kings Rulers Judges Nobles nor in Authoritie beloved Brethren ye are Gods Creatures created and formed to his own Image and similitude for whose redemption was shed the most precious blood of the onely beloved Sonne of God to whom he hath commanded his Gospell and glad-tydings to be preached and for whom he hath prepared the heavenly Inheritance so that ye will not obstinatly refuse and disdainfully contemne the means which he hath appointed to obtain the same to wit his blessed Evangell which now he offereth unto you to the end that ye may be saved For the Gospell and glad Tydings of the Kingdome truly preached is the power of God to the salvation of every Beleever which to credite and receive your the Communalty are no lesse addebted then be your Rulers and Princes for albeit God
passe over the Tyrants of old time whom God hath plagued let us come to the Tyrants which now are within the Realm of England whom God will not long spare If Steven Gardener Cuthbert Tunstal and Butcherly Bonnar false Bishops of Winchester Duresme and of London had for their false Doctrine and Traiterous acts suffered death when they justly deserved the same then would arrant Papists have alleadged as I and others have heard them do that they were men reformable That they were meet Instruments for a Common-wealth That they were not so obstinate and malicious as they were judged neither that they thirsted for the blood of any man And of Lady Mary who hath not heard That she was not sober mercifull and one that loved the Common-wealth of England Had she I say and such as now be of her pestilent Councell been dead before these dayes then should not their iniquity and cruelty so manifestly have appeared to the world for who could have thought that such cruelty could have entred into the heart of a woman and into the heart of her that is called a Virgine that she would thirst for the blood of innocents and of such as by just Laws and faithfull witnesses can never be proved to have offended by themselves I finde that Athalia through appetite to Reign murthered the Seed of the Kings of Iudah and that Herodias daughter at the desire of a whorish Mother obtained the head of Iohn the Baptist but yet that ever a woman suffered her self to be called the most blessed Virgin caused so much blood to be spilt for establishing of the usurped Authoritie of the Pope I think the like is rare to be found in Scripture or other History I finde that Iezabel that cursed Idolatresse caused the blood of the Prophets of God to be shed and Naboth to be murthered unjustly for his own Vineyard but yet I think she never erected halfe so many Gallows in all Israel as mischievous Mary hath done within London alone But you Papists will excuse your Mary the Virgine Well let her be your Virgine and a Goddesse meet to entertain such Idolaters yet shall I rightly lay to her charge that which I think no Papist within England will justifie nor defend And therefore O ye Papists here I will a little turn my Pen unto you Answer unto this Question O ye Seed of the Serpent Would any of you have confessed two years ago that Mary your mirrour had been false dissembling unconstant proud and a breaker of promises except such promises as she made to your god the Pope to the great shame and dishonour of her noble Father I am sure you would hardly have thought it of her And now doth she not manifestly shew her self to be an open Traitoresse to the Imperiall Crown of England contrary to the just Laws of the Realme to bring in a stranger and make a proud Spanyard King to the shame dishonour and destruction of the Nobilitie to the spoile of their Honours Lands Possessions chief Offices and promotions of them and theirs To the utter decay of the Treasures Commodities Navie and Fortifications of the Realm to the abasing of the Yeomandry to the slavery of the Commonalty to the overthrow of Christianity and Gods true Religion and finally to the utter subversion of the whole publike estate and Common-wealth of England Let Norfolk and Suffolke let her own Promise and Proclamation let her fathers Testament let the Citie of London let the ancient Laws and Acts of Parliaments before established in England be judges betwixt mine accusation and her most tyrannous iniquity First her Promise and Proclamation did signifie and declare That neither she would bring in neither yet Marry any stranger Northfolk Suffolk and the Citie of London do testifie and witnesse the same The ancient Laws and Acts of Parliament pronounceth it Treason to transferre the Crown of England into the hands of a forraigne Nation and the Oath made to observe the said Statutes cryeth out That all they are perjured that consent to that her traiterous fact Speak now O ye Papists and defend your monstrous Masters and deny if ye can for shame that she hath not uttered her self to be borne alas therefore to the ruine and destruction of noble England Oh who would ever have beleeved I write now in bitternesse of heart that such unnaturall crueltie should have had dominion over any reasonable creature But the saying to be true That the usurped Government of an affectionate woman is a rage without reason Who would ever have thought that the love of that Realme which hath brought forth which hath nourished and so nobly maintained that wicked woman should not have moved her heart with pitie Who seeth not now that she in all her doings declareth most manifestly that under an English name she beareth a Spaniards heart If God I say had not for our scourge suffered her and her cruell Councell to have come to Authority then could never these their abominations cruelty and treason against God against his Saints and against the Realm whose liberties they are sworn to defend so manifestly have been declared And who ever could have beleeved That proud Gardener and treacherous Tunstall whom all Papists praised for the love they bare to their Countrey could have become so manifestly Traiterous not onely against their solemne Oathes that they should never consent nor agree unto that a forraigne Stranger should reigne over England but also that they would adjudge the Imperiall Crown of the same to appertain to a Spanyard by inheritance Lineall discent O Traiterous Traitours how can you for shame shew your faces It cometh to my minde that upon Christmas day Anno 1552. preaching in New-Castle upon Tine and speaking against the obstinacie of the Papists I made this affirmation That whosoever in his heart was enemy to Christs Gospel and Doctrine which then was preached within the Realm of England was enemy also to God and secret traitours to the Crown and Common-wealth of England for as they thirsted nothing more then the Kings death which their iniquity could procure so they regarded not who should reign over them so that their Idolatry might be erected again How these my words at that time pleased men the crimes and action intended against me did declare But let my very enemies now say their conscience if those may words have not proved true What is the cause that Winchester and the rest of his pestilent sect so greedily would have a Spanyard to reign over England The cause is mafest for as that Hellish Nation surmounteth all other in pride and Whoredome so for Idolatry and vaine Papisticall and devillish Ceremonies they may rightly be called the very sons of superstition And therefore are they found and judged by the Progeny of Antichrist most apt Instruments to maintain establish and defend the Kingdom of that cruell Beast whose head and wound is lately
it in nothing for your first two witnesses speak against the Anabaptists who deny that Christians should be subject to Magistrates or yet that it is lawfull for a Christian to be a Magistrate whose opinion I no lesse abhor then ye do or any other that liveth The others speak of Christians subject to Tyrants and Infidels so dispersed that they have no other force but onely to sob unto God for deliverance that such indeed should hazard any further then these godly men wills them I cannot hastily be of counsell But my argument hath another ground for I speak of a people assembled in one Body of a Common-wealth unto whom God hath given sufficient force not onely to resist but also to suppresse all kinde of open Idolatry And such a people yet again I affirme are bound to keep their Land clean and unpolluted And that this my division shall not appear strange unto you ye shall understand that God required one thing of Abraham and of his Seed when he and they were strangers and Pilgrims in Egypt and Canaan and another thing required he of them when they were delivered from the Bondage of Egypt and the possession of the Land of Canaan granted unto them The first and during the time of their Bondage God craved no more but that Abraham should not defile himselfe with their Idolatry neither was he nor his Posterity commanded to destroy the Idolls that were in Canaan or in Egypt But when God gave unto them possession of the Land he gave unto them this strait Commandment Beware that thou make not League or Confederacie with the inhabitants of this Land give not thy sonnes unto their daughters nor yet give thy daughters unto their sonnes c. But this ye shall do unto them Cut down their Groves destroy their Images breake downe their Altars and leave thou no kinde of remembrance of these Abominations which the Inhabitants of the Land used before for thou art a holy People unto the Lord thy God defile not thy selfe therefore with their gods c. To this Commandment I say are ye my Lords and all such as have professed the Lord within this Realme bound for God hath wrought no lesse miraculously upon you both Spiritually and Corporally then he did unto the Carnall Seed of Abraham For in what state your Bodies and this poor Realme were within these seven yeers your selves cannot be ignorant you and it were both in the Bondage of a strange Nation and what Tyrants did raigne over your consciences God perchance may yet again let you feel because that ye do not rightly acknowledge and esteeme the benefits received when our poore Brethren that were before us gave up their bodies to the flames of fire for the Testimony of Gods Truth And when scarcely could be found ten in a Country that rightly knew God it had been foolishnesse to have craved either of the Nobility or of the mean Subjects the suppressing of Idolatry for that had been nothing but to have exposed the simple Sheep in a prey to the Wolves But since that God hath multiplyed knowledge yea and hath given the victory to his Truth even in the hands of his servants if yee suffer the Land again to be defiled yee and your Princes shall both drinke the cup of Gods indignation The Queen for her obstinate abiding in manifest Idolatry in this great light of the Evangell of Jesus Christ And ye for your permission and maintaining her in the same Lethington said In that point we will never agree And where finde ye I pray you that ever any of the Prophets or of the Apostles taught such Doctrine That the people should be plagued for the Idolatry of the Prince or yet That the Subjects might suppresse the Idolatry of the Rulers or them for the same What was the Commission given unto the Apostles My Lord said he we know it was to preach and plant the Evangell of Jesus Christ where darknesse before had Dominion And therefore it behoved them to let them see the light before that they should will them to put their hands to suppresse Idolatry What precepts the Apostles gave unto the faithfull in particular other then that they commanded all to fly from Idolatry I will not affirme But I finde two things which the faithfull did The one was They assisted their Preachers even against the Rulers and Magistrates The other was They suppressed Idolatry wheresoever God gave unto them force asking no leave of the Emperour nor of his Deputies Read the Ecclesiasticall Histories and ye shall finde examples sufficient And as to the Doctrine of the Prophets we know they were Interpreters of the Law of God and we know They spake as well unto the Kings as unto the People I read that neither of both would heare them and therefore came the plague of God upon both but that they flattered the Kings more then they did the people I cannot be perswaded Now Gods Law pronounces death as before I have said to Idolaters without exception of persons Now how the Prophets could rightly interpret the Law and shew the cause of Gods Judgements which ever they threatned should fall for Idolatry and for the rest of the abhominations that did accompany it for it is never alone but still corrupt Religion brings with it a filthy and corrupt life How I say the Prophets could reprove the Vice and not shew the people their duty I understand not And therefore I constantly beleeve That the Doctrine of the Prophets was so sensible That the Kings understood their own abhominations and the people understood what they ought to have done in punishing and repressing them But because that the most part of the People was no lesse Rebellious unto God then were their Princes Therefore the one and the other conjured against God and against his servants And yet my Lord The facts of some Prophets are so evident That thereby we may collect what Doctrine they taught For it were no small absurdity to affirme that their facts did repugne to their Doctrine I think said Lethington ye meane of the History of Iehu What will yee prove thereby The chief head said Iohn Knox that ye deny to wit That the Prophets never taught that it appertained to the people to punish the Idolatry of their Kings The contrary whereof I affirme and for the probation I am ready to produce the fact of a Prophet For ye know my Lord said he that Elizeus sent one of the children of the Prophets to annoint Iehu who gave him a commandment to destroy the house of his Master Achab for the Idolatry committed by him and for the innocent blood that Iezabell his wicked Wife had shed While he obeyed and put in full execution for the which God promised unto him the stability of the Kingdome unto the fourth Generation Now said he here is the fact of a Prophet that proves that Subjects were commanded to execute Gods judgements upon
their King and Prince There is enough said Lethington to be answered thereto For Iehu was a King before he put any thing in execution And besides That the fact is extraordinary and ought not to be Imitate My Lord said the other he was a meere Subject and no King when the Prophets servant came unto him yea and albeit that his fellow Captaines hearing of the Message blew the Trumpet and said Iehu is King yet I doubt not but Iezabel both thought and said that he was a Traytor and so did many others that were in Israel and in Samaria And as touching That ye alleadge that the fact was extraordinary and is not to be imitate I say That it had the ground of Gods ordinary judgement which commandeth the Idolater to dye the death And therefore I yet againe affirme That it is to be Imitate of all those that preferres the true Honour of the true Worship and Glory of God to the affection of flesh and wicked Princes We are not bound said Lethington to follow extraordinary examples unlesse we have the like commandment and assurance I grant said the other if the example repugne to the Law As if an avaritious and deceitfull man would borrow Silver Rayment or other necessaries from his Neighbour and withhold the same alleadging that so he might do and not offend God because the Israelites at their departure forth of Egypt did so to the Egyptians The example served to no purpose unlesse that they could produce the like cause and the like commandment that the Israelites had and that because their fact repugned to this Commandment of God Thou shalt not steale But where the example agrees with the Law and is as it were the execution of Gods judgement expressed within the same I say That the example approved of God stands to us in place of a Commandment For as God in his Nature is constant and immutable so can he not condemne in the Ages subsequent that which he hath approved in his servants before us but in his servants before us he by his own word confounds all such as crave further approbation of Gods will then is already expressed within his Scriptures For Abraham said They have Moses and the Prophets whom if they will not beleeve neither will they beleeve albeit that any of the dead should rise Even so I say my Lord that such as will not be taught what they ought to do by the Commandment of God once given and once put in practise will not beleeve nor obey albeit that God should send Angels from Heaven to instruct that Doctrine Yee have produced but one example said Lethington one sufficeth said the other but yet God be praised we lacke not others for the whole people conspired against Amasiah King of Iuda after that he had turned away from the Lord and followed him to Lachis and slew him and took Uzziah and annointed him King in steed of his father The people had not altogether forgotten the League and Covenant which was made betwixt their Kings and them at the Inauguration of Iohas his Father to wit That the King and the People should be the People of the Lord and then should they be his faithfull Subjects From the which Covenant when first the Father and after the sonne had declined they were both punished to death Ioas by his own servants and Amasias by the whole people I doubt said Lethington whether they did well or not It shall be free for you said the other to doubt as you please but where I finde execution according to Gods Law and God himselfe not to accuse the doers I dare not doubt of the equity of their cause And farther it appeareth to me that God gave sufficient approbation and allowance of their fact for he blessed them with victory peace and prosperity the space of fiftie two yeers after But prosperity said Lethington does not alwayes prove that God approves the facts of men Yes said the other when the facts of men agree with the Law of God and are rewarded according to his owne promise expressed in his Law I say that the prosperitie succeeding the fact is a most infallible assurance that God hath approved that fact Now so it is That God hath pronounced in his Law That when the people shall exterminat and destroy such as decline from him that hee will blesse them and multiplie them as he hath promised unto their Fathers But so it is that Masiah turned from God for so the Text doth witnesse and plaine it is the people slew their King and like plain it is that God blessed them Therefore yet againe conclude I that God himselfe approved their fact and so farre as it was done according to his commandement it was blessed according to his promise Well said Lethington I thinke not the ground so sure as I durst build my Conscience thereupon I pray God said the other that your Conscience have no worse ground then this is whensoever you shall begin the like work which God in your owne eyes hath already blessed And now my Lord saith hee I have but one example to produce and then I will put an end to my reasoning because I am weary longer to stand Commandment was given that he should sit downe but he refused and said Melancholly reasons would have some mirth intermixed My last example said he my Lord is this Uzziah the King not content with his Royall Estate malapertly took upon him to enter within the Temple of the Lord to burn Incense upon the Altar of Incense and Azariah the Priest went in after him and with him fourscore Priests of the Lord valiant men and they withstood Uzziah and said unto him It appertaineth not unto thee Uzziah to burn Incense unto the Lord but to the Priestâ— the Sonnes of Aaron that are consecrated to offer Incense Goe forth of the Sanctuary for thou hast transgressed and thou shalt have none honour of the Lord. Hereof my Lords I conclude That Subjects not onely may but also ought to withstand and resist their Princes whensoever they doe any thing that expressely repugnes to God his Law or holy Ordinance They that withstood the King said Lethington were not simple subjects but were the Priests of the Lord and figures of Christ and such Priests have we none this day to withstand Kings if they doe any wrong That the High Priest was the figure of Christ said the other I grant but that he was not a subject that I deny for I am assured that he in his Priesthood had no Prerogative above those that passed before him now so it is that Aaron was subject to Moses and called him his Lord Samuel being both Pâ—ophet and Priest subjected himselfe unto Saul after hee was inaugurated of the People Sadoc bowed before David and Abiathar was deposed from the Priesthood by Solomon which all confessed themselves subjects to the Kings albeit therewith they ceased not to be