hath faith wotteth well that he pleaseth God for all that is done in faith pleaseth God faith is a surenesse Faith is a sure confidence of things which are hoped for and a certainty of things which are not seen The same spirit certifieth our spirit that we are the children of God Moreover he that hath the faith wotteth well that God will fulfill his Word Ergo faith is a surenesse A man justified by faith ABraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse we suppose therefore that a man is justified saith the Apostle without the works of the Law He that worketh not but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted unto him for righteousnesse The just man liveth by faith Abac. 2. Rom. 1. We know that a man that is justified is not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ and not by the deeds of the Law Of the faith of Christ. THe faith of Christ is To believe in him that is To believe in his Word and to believe that he will help thee in all thy need and deliver thee from all evill Thou wilt ask me What Word I answer The Gospel he that believeth in Christ shall be saved He that believeth the son hath everlasting life Verily verily I say unto you He that believeth in me hath everlasting life This I write unto you that believing in the Name of the Son of God ye may know that ye have eternall life Thomas because thou hast seen me thou believest but happy are they that have not seen and yet believe in me All the Prophets to him bear witnesse That whosoever believeth in him shall have remission of their sins What must I do that I may be saved the Apostle answereth Believe in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved If thou acknowledge with thy mouth that Jesus is the Lord and believe in thine heart That God raised him up from the dead thou shalt be safe He that believeth not in Christ shall be condemned He that believeth not the son shall never see life but the ire of God abideth upon him The holy Ghost shal reprove the world of sin because saith Christ they believe not in me They that believe in Jesus Christ are sons of God Ye are all the sons of God because ye believe in Jesus Christ. He that believeth in Christ the son of God is safe Peter said Thou art Christ the son of the living God Jesus answered and said unto him Happy art thou Simon the son of Ionas for flesh and blood hath not opened unto thee that but my father which is in heaven We have believed and known that thou art Christ the son of the living God I believe that thou art Christ the son of the living God which should come into the world These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and that in believing ye might have life I believe that Jesus is the son of the living God He that believeth God believeth the Gospel He that believeth God believeth his Word and the Gospel is his Word Therefore he that believeth God believeth his Gospel As Christ is the Saviour of the world Christ is our Saviour Christ bought us with his Blood Christ washed us with his Blood Christ offered himself for us Christ bare our sins upon his back He that believeth not the Gospel believeth not God he that believeth not Gods Word believeth not himself and the Gospel is Gods Word Ergo He that believeth not the Gospel believeth not God himself And consequently they that believe not as is above written and such other believe not God He that believeth the Gospel shall be saved Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel unto every creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be condemned A Comparison betwixt Faith and Incredulity Faith Is the root of all good Maketh God and man friends Bringeth God and man together Incredulity Is the root of all evill Maketh them deadly foes Bringeth them asunder All that proceedeth from Faith pleaseth God All that proceedeth from Incredulity displeaseth God Faith onely maketh a man good and righteous Incredulity maketh him unjust and evill Faith onely maketh a man The Member of Christ The Inheritor of heaven The Servant of God Faith sheweth God to be a sweet Father holdeth stiffe by the word of God counteth God to be true knoweth God loveth God and his neighbour onely saveth extolleth God and his works Incredulitie maketh man a member of the devill maketh him inheritour of hell maketh him the servant of the devill maketh God a terrible Judge causeth man wander here and there maketh him false and a liar knoweth him not loveth neither God nor neighbour onely condemneth extolleth flesh and her own deeds Of Hope HOpe is a trustie looking for of things that are promised to come unto us as we hope the everlasting joy which Christ hath promised unto all that beleeve in him we should put our hope and trust in God onely and in no other thing It is good to trust in God and not in man He that trusteth in his own heart he is a fool It is good to trust in God and not in Princes They shall be like unto Images that make them and all that trust in them He that trusteth in his own thoughts doth ungodly Cursed be he that trusteth in man Bid the rich men of this world that they trust not in their unstable riches but that they trust in the livâ—ng God It is hard for them that trust in money to enter into the kingdom of God Moreover we should trust in him surely that can help us yea we should trust in him onely Well is him that trusteth in God and wo to them that trust him not Well is the man that trusteth in God for God shall be his trust He that trusteth in him shall understand the truth They shall all rejoyce that trust in thee they shall all ever be glad and thou wilt defend them Of Charitie CHaritie is the love of thy neighbour The rule of Charity is To do as thou wouldest were done unto thee for Charitie esteemeth all alike the rich and the poor the friend and the foe the thankfull and unthankfull the kinsman and stranger A comparison betwixt Faith Hope and Charitie FAith cometh of the word of God Hope cometh of Faith And Charity springeth of them both Faith beleeves the word Hope trusteth after that which is promised by the word and Charity doth good unto her neighbour through the love that she hath to God and gladnesse that is within her self Faith looketh to God and his word Hope looketh unto his giâ—t and reward Charity looketh unto her neighbours profit Faith receiveth God Hope receiveth his reward Charity looketh unto her neighbour with a glad
unto you even so do unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets He that loveth his neighbour fulfilleth the Law Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not bear false witnesse against thy neighbour Thou shalt not desire and so forth If there be any other Commandment all are comprehended under this saying Love thy neighbour as thy self He that loveth his neighbour keepeth all the Commandments of God Rom. 13. Gal. 5. He that loveth God loveth his neighbour 1 Joh. 4. Ergo He that loveth God keepeth all his Commandments He that hath the faith loveth God My Father loveth you because ye love me and believe that I came of God He that hath the faith keepeth all the Commandments of God he that hath the faith loveth God and he that loveth God keepeth all the Commandments of God Ergo He that hath faith keepeth all the Commandments of God He that keepeth one Commandment keepeth them all For without faith it is impossible to keep any of the Commandments of God and he that hath faith keepeth all the Commandments of God Ergo He that keepeth one Commandment of God keepeth them all He that keepeth not all the Commandments of God he keepeth none of them he that keepeth one of the Commandments of God he keepeth all Ergo He that keepeth not all the Commandments he keepeth none of them It is not in our power without grace to keep any of Gods Commandments Without grace it is impossible to keep one of Gods Commandments and grace is not in our power Ergo It is not in our power to keep any of the Commandments of God Even so may you reason concerning the holy Ghost and faith The Law was given us to shew us our sin By the Law cometh the knowledge of sin I knew not what sin meant but through the Law I knew not what lust had meant except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust Without the Law sin was dead that is It moved me not neither wist I that it was sin which notwithstanding was sin and forbidden by the Law The Law biddeth us do that which is impossible for us for it bids us keep all the Commandments of God and yet it is not in our power to keep any of them Ergo It biddeth us do that which is impossible for us Thou wilt say Wherefore doth God command us that which is impossible for us I answer To make thee know That thou art but evill and that there is no remedy to save thee in thine own hand and that thou maist seek remedy at at some other For the Law doth nothing but command thee Of the Gospel THe Gospel is as much to say in our Tongue as good Tydings like as every one of these Sentences be Christ is the Saviour of the world Christ is our Saviour Christ died for us Christ died for our sins Christ offered himself for us Christ bare our sins upon his back Christ bought us with his Blood Christ washt us with his Blood Christ came into the world to save sinners Christ came into this world to take away our sins Christ was the Price that was given for us and our sins Christ was made Debtor for our sins Christ hath paid our Debt for he died for us Christ hath made satisfaction for us and for our sins Christ is our Righteousnesse Christ is our Wisedom Christ is our Sanctification Christ is our Redemption Christ is our Satisfaction Christ is our Goodnesse Christ hath pacified the Father of Heaven Christ is Ours and all His. Christ hath delivered us from the Law from the devill and hell The Father of heaven hath forgiven us for Christs sake Or any such other as declare unto us the mercies of God The nature of the Law and of the Gospel The Law Sheweth us our sin Sheweth us our condemnation Is the word of ire Is the word of despair Is the word of displeasure The Gospel Sheweth us a remedy for it Sheweth us our Redemption Is the Word of Grace Is the Word of Comfort Is the Word of Peace A Disputation betwixt the Law and the Gospel The Law saith Pay thy Debt Thou art a desperate sinner Thou shalt die The Gospel saith Christ hath paid it Thy sins are forgiven thee Be of good comfort thou art saved The Law saith Make amends for thy sin The Father of heaven is wrath with thee Where is thy righteousnesse goodnesse and satisfaction Thou art bound and obliged unto me the devil and hell The Gospel saith Christ hath made it for thee Christ hath pacified him with his Blood Christ is thy righteousnesse goodnesse satisfaction Christ hath delivered thee from them all Of Faith FAith is to believe God like as Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse He that believed God believed his Word To believe in him is to believe his Word and accompt it true that he speaketh he that believeth not Gods Word he compteth him false and a lyar and believeth not that he may and will fulfill his Word and so he denieth both the might of God and himself Faith is the gift of God Every good thing is the gift of God Faith is good Ergo Faith is the gift of God The gift of God is not in our power Faith is the gift of God Ergo Faith is not in our power Without faith it is impossible to please God all that cometh not of faith is sin for without faith can no man please God Besides that he that lacketh faith he trusteth not God he that trusteth not God trusteth not in his Word he that trusteth not in his Word holdeth him false and a lyar he that holdeth him false and a lyar he believeth not that he may do that he promiseth and so denieth he that he is God O how can a man being of this fashion please God! No manner of wayes yea suppose he did all the works of man and Angel All that is done in faith pleaseth God Right is the Word of God and all his works in faith Lord thine eyes look to faith that is as much to say as Lord thou delightest in faith God loveth him that believeth in him how can they then displease him He who hath faith is just and good and a good tree bringeth forth good fruit Ergo all that is done in faith pleaseth God Moreover he that hath faith beleeveth God he that believeth God believeth his Word he that believeth his Word wotteth well that he is true and faithfull and cannot lie but knoweth well that he both may and will fulfill his Word How can he then displease him For thou canst do no greater honour unto God than to count him true Thou wilt then say That theft murder adultery and all vices please God No verily for they cannot be done in faith for a good tree beareth good fruit He that
heart and that without any respect of reward Faith pertaineth to God onely Hope to his reward and Charity to her neighbour Of good Works NO manner of works make us righteous We beleeve that a man shall be justified without works No man is justified by the deeds of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ and we beleeve in Jesus Christ that we may be justified by the Faith of Christ and not by the deeds of the Law If righteousnesse come by the Law then Christ died in vain That no man is justified by the Law it is manifest for a righteous man liveth by his Faith but the Law is not of Faith Moreover since Christ the maker of heaven and earth and all that therein is behoved to die for us We are compelled to grant that we were so far drowned in sins that neither the deeds nor all the creatnres that ever God made or might make might help us out of them Ergo No deeds nor works can make us righteous No works make us unrighteous for if any work made us unrighteous then the contrary works would make us righteous But it is proved that no works can make us righteous Ergo No works make us unrighteous Works make us neither good nor evil IT is proved that works neither make us righteous nor unrighteous Ergo No works neither make us good nor evil for righteous and good are one thing and unrighteous and evil another Good works make not a good man nor evil works an evil man But a good man maketh good works and an evil man evil works good fruit maketh not the tree good nor evil fruit the tree evil But a good tree beareth good fruit and an evil tree evil fruit A good man cannot do evil works nor an evil man good works for an evil tree cannot bear good fruit nor a good tree evil fruit A good man is good before he do good works and an evil man is evil before he do evil works for the tree is good before it bear good fruit and evil before it bear evil fruit Every man is either good or evil either make the tree good and the fruit good also or else make the tree evil and the fruit likewise evil Every mans work is either good or evil for all fruit is either good or evil Either make the tree good and the fruit also or else make the tree evil and the fruit of it likewise evil A good man is known by his works for a good man doth good works and an evil evil works Ye shall know them by their fruits for a good tree bringeth forth good fruit and an evil tree evil fruit A man is likened to the tree and his works to the fruit of the tree Beware of false Prophets which come unto you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening wolves ye shall know them by their fruit None of our works either save us nor condemne us IT is proved that no works make us either righteous or unrighteous good or evil but first we are good before that we do good works and evil before we do evil works Ergo No work either saveth us nor condemneth us Thou wilt say Then maketh it no matter what we do I answer thee Yes For if thou do evil it is a sure argument that thou art evil and wantest Faith If thou do good it is an argument that thou art good and hast Faith for a good tree beareth good fruit and an evil tree evil fruit Yet good fruit maketh not the tree good nor evil fruit the tree evil So that man is good before he do good works and evil before he do evil works The man is the tree the works are the fruit Faith maketh the good tree Incredulity the evil tree Such a tree such a fruit such man works For all that is done in Faith pleaseth God and are good works And all that is done without Faith displeaseth God and are evil works Whosoever thinketh to be saved by his works denieth that Christ is our Saviour and that Christ died for him and finally all things that belongeth to Christ. For how is he thy Saviour if thou mightst save thy self with thy works Or to what end should he have died for thee if any works of thine might have saved thee What is this to say Christ died for thee Is it not that thou shouldst have died perpetually and that Christ to deliver thee from death died for thee and changed thy perpetuall death into his own death for thou madest the fault and he suffered the pain and that for the love he had to thee before ever thou wast born when thou hadst done neither good nor evil Now since he hath paid thy debt thou diest not no thou canst not but shouldest have been damned if his death were not But since he was punished for thee thou shalt not be punished Finally he hath delivered thee from condemnation and desireth nothing of thee but that thou shouldest acknowledge what he hath done for thee and bear it in minde and that thou wouldest help others for his sake both in word and deed even as he hath helped thee for nought and without reward O how ready would we be to help others if we knew his goodnesse and gentlenesse towards us he is a good and a gentle Lord and he doth all things for nought Let us I beseech you follow his footsteps whom all the world ought to praise and worship Amen He that thinketh to be saved by his works calleth himself Christ. FOr he calleth himselfe a Saviour which appertaineth to Christ onely What is a Saviour But he that saveth And thou sayest I save my selfe which is as much to say as I am Christ for Christ is onely the Saviour of the world We should do no good works to the intent to get the inheritance of heaven or remission of sins through them For whosoever beleeveth to get the inheritance of heaven or remission of sins through works he beleeveth not to get that for Christs sake And they who beleeve that their sins are not forgiven them and that they shall not be saved for Christs sake they beleeve not the Gospel for the Gospel saith Thou shalt be saved for Christs sake Sins are forgiven you for Christs sake He that beleeveth not the Gospel beleeveth not God And consequently they that beleeve to be saved by their works or to get remission of sins by their own deeds beleeve not God but account him a liar and so utterly deny him to be God Thou wilt say Shall we then do no good works I say not so But I say we should do no good works to the intent to get the kingdom of heaven or remission of sins for if we beleeve to get the inheritance of heaven through good works then we beleeve not to get it through the promise of God Or if we think to get remission of our sins by good works we believe not
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
obedience unto Rome and conformitie by name there was one Boniface sent from Rome to Scotland a main Agent for Rome in these affairs but he was opposed openly by severall of the Scots Culdees or Divines namely by Clemens and Samson who told him freely That he and those of his Party studied to bring men to the subjection of the Pope and slavery of Rome withdrawing them from obedience to Christ and so in plain termes they reproached to him and to his assistants That they were corrupters of Christs Doctrine establishing a Sovereignty in the Bishop of Rome as the onely successour of the Apostles excluding other Bishops That they used and commanded Clericall tonsure That they forbad Priests Marriage extolling Celibat That they caused Prayers to be made for the dead and erected Images in the Churches to be short That they had introduced in the Church many Tenets Rites and Ceremonies unknown to the ancient and pure times yea contrary to them For the which and the like the said Clemens and those that were constant to the Truth with him were excommunicated at Rome as Hereticks as you have in the third Volume of the Concels although the true reasons of their excommunication be not there set down In the eighth Age the poor people were so blindly inslaved and intoxicat with the Cup of Rome that they thought it a truely holy Martyrdome to suffer for the interest of Rome yet although most men had left God to worship the Beast in these dayes God raised up sundry great Lights in our Church as Alcuin Rabanus Maurus his Disciple Iohn Scot and Claudius Clemens In this we shall remarke the constant goodnesse of God towards his people who made his Light shine in some measure thorow the greatest and thickest darknesse by raising up these men who did bear witnesse to the Truth both by word and writing so that God did not altogether leave off his people The Bishop of Rome caused to declare Alcuin for his Book of the Eucharist many yeers after his death an Heretike So Rome persecutes the Saints of God even after their death In the ninth Age both Prince and People by dolefull experience did finde the idlenesse pride ambition avarice and ryot of Church-men occasioned by the indulgence of Prince and People wherefore at Scone under King Constantine the second there was had a convention of States for reforming the disorders in the Church In this Assembly it was ordained That Church-men should reside upon their charge have no medling with secular affairs that they should instruct the people diligently and be good examples in their conversations that they should not keep Hawks Hounds and Horses for their pleasure that they should carry no Weapons nor be pleaders of civill Causes but live contented with their own provisions in case of failing in the observance of these points For the 1 time they were to pay a pecuniary mulct or fine for the 2 they were to be deprived from Officio and Beneficio Thus you see in these most blinde and confused times That resolute Princes and People did oppose manifestly the Popes omnipotency and highest Sovereignty In the later part of the same Age King Gregory was most indulgent to Church-men he was so farre from curbing and keeping them under that he granted them many things they had not had before Then in a convention of States holden at Forsane it was ordained That all Church-men should be free of paying Taxes and Impost from keeping watch and going to warfare Item They should be exempt from all Temporall judicature Item All Matrimoniall Causes were given over to be judgement of Church-men as also Testaments Legative Actions and all things depending upon simple faith and promise Likewise the right of Tithes with liberty to make Lawes Canons and Constitutions to try without the assistance of the temporall Judge Heretikes Blasphemers Perjured Persons Magicians c. Lastly it was ordained That all Kings following at their Coronation should swear to maintain Church-men in these their Liberties and Priviledges In these dayes lived a Learned man called Iohn Scot sirnamed Aerigiena because he was born in the Town of Aire he published a Treatise De corpore sanguine Domini in Sacramento wherein he maintained the opinion and doctrine of Bertram whereby he offended highly the Sea of Rome In the tenth Age things grew worse and worse The Church-men did so blinde the King Constantine the third That they perswaded him to quit the Royall Crown and take the Clericall Tonsure of a Monk which he did at Saint Andrews There were some Priests in these dayes who did strive to have liberty to take lawfull Wives but in vain A little thereafter there were new disputes for Priests marriage one Bernet a Scots Bishop stood much for that cause in a nationall Councell In this Age although that avarice and ambition had corrupted and perverted Religion generally yet there were constantly some godly men who albeit they could not openly stop and oppose the torrent of these times given to Idolatry and Superstition did instruct and teach the people That Christ was the onely propitiation for sin and that Christs blood onely did wash us from the guilt of sin In the eleventh Age Malcome gave away a part of the Crown Lands among his Nobles for their good service against the Danes the Nobles in recompence thereof did grant unto the Crown the ward of these Lands with the benefit that was to arise by the marriage of the Heir Untill the later part of this Age the Bishops of Scotland although they had raised their Order unto a great power and riches yet they were not distinguished in Diocesses so till then indifferently wheresoever they came they did Ministrate their Function without lording over one particular place or calling themselves Lords of any place The Diocesses wherein Scotland was divided at first were these Saint Andrews Glasgo Murray Catnes Murthlac or Aberdene The Bishops of Rome taking upon them in these dayes to be above Kings and to conferre in matters of Honour upon Kings how and where they pleased and so by this means to put a farther tye of Vassalage and subjection upon Princes To this effect in the yeer 1098. ordained King Edgar to be anointed with externall Oyl by the Bishop of Saint Andrews a rite which till that day had not been in use among our Kings yet they were as much the anointed of the Lord before as they have been since and as any other Princes who before them had this externall anointing from the Sea of Rome although the Romish Writers do make a greater esteem of these Kings anointed by them then of others because they conceive them to be more their own Here note by the way That all Princes whatsoever in Scripture-Language are said to be the Anointed of the Lord and so Cyrus was named although he was never anointed with externall Oyl Next although the first Kings of Israel were anointed as Saul David and Solomon with
of the Church had been as forward as he was willing there had been a better Reformation then was in his time witnesse this instance The People desired freedome to read the Scripture the then Bishops refused this unto the People Whereupon the King was petitioned in the name of the People the King grants their Petition the Bishops hearing of the Kings grant thus limit it not daring to deny it flatly That all Gentlemen should have liberty to read the Scripture since it was the Kings pleasure but for others the permission was stopped As if Yeomen and Tradesmen had not as much interest in Gods Word as Gentlemen Then remarke all those that were put to death for the testimony of the Truth in Henry the eighth his dayes were persecuted by the Bishops of the time although the blame lieth upon the Prince for albeit they had in compliance to the King renounced the Pope by word of mouth yet in effect they kept up his tyranny by his doctrine with small alteration changed his Rites and Ceremonies Canons and Laws Prelacie or Hierarchie maintained And seeing the King so opposite to the Pope they condescended that the King should bear the blasphemous Title of the Pope Head of the Church although with reluctancy and so it proved for notwithstanding all the Statutes that were made in favour of this Title taken from the Pope and attributed to the King the Bishops with cunning and subtill proceedings kept a foot the power of the Pope and so soon as they saw the occasion of Queen Marie her Reigne they freely and easily brought all back again to Rome without Maske or Limitation and ever since their successors although by the course of affairs they have been obliged to disclaim the Pope his authority yea and his doctrine in some measure yet they ever since to this day have expressed their inclinations and done their endeavours to return thither again as we all know by dolefull experience But here it may be demanded What drift or policie can it be in the Bishops to desire to be subject to Rome rather then to their Prince and Laws of the Countrey The answer is The propensitie of us all to follow evill rather then good is known namely When the evill hath the mask of worldly dignitie pomp power and pleasure which hinders it to be seen in its own colours Now the Bishops and all the rabble of that corrupt Clergy are given to Temporall howsoever unlawfull advantages as their ambition avarice and lust from the very beginning hath shewn which exorbitant passions lead men headlong without measure when once way is given unto them unlesse they meet with some lett or stop which is both lesser and slower when it is a farre off namely when it cometh from one who is possessed with the same distempers and himself of the same order of men with the Delinquent and so the Bishops of this Island had rather have to do with the Pope then with the Prince First Because of mutuall infirmity the Pope proveth more indulgent then any Prince Next The Prince is too neer them and so it is best for them to be so free of the Prince his Jurisdiction that they may be able not onely to neglect him but also to oppose him For all let that example of the Canterbury-prelat serve who made the King for the time to hold the Stirrup when he gat up upon his horse The Story is known I called a little before the Title of Head of the Church used by the Pope and then given to Henry blasphemous To lay aside all other things that may be alleadged against this Title I shall onely say this The Church is the Spouse of Christ No Spouse can be said to have any other Head but him whose Spouse she is Now if the Church should acknowledge her self to be the Spouse of any other but of Christ she were a professed Whore and Adulteresse By no means then a Prince is to be called The Head of the Church For although the civill Magistrate is obliged according to his rank and place to see the Ministers of the Church do the work of the Lord truely diligently and carefully and to make them do it according to the Will of God declared in his Word yet for all this he is nothing but a servant overseer or grass and not the Head which is a Title belonging onely to Christ wherefore Princes or Magistrates that by slavish flatterers had this Title given unto them at the first had done well to reject it as their Successors who have followed had done well likewise according to God his Will if they had not suffered this Title to have been continued unto them namely in the publike prayers where the time-serving inconsiderate Minister prayeth in the name of the Church for her Head if the Head of the Church needs to be prayed for then the influences of the Head upon the Church will be but poor and weak c. But of this enough for this place Moreover The flattering Preachers unrequired in the publike prayers in the name of the Church call the Prince forsooth The Breath of our Nostrils taking for his ground the words of Ieremy in his Lamentations Chap. 4. vers 20. Which words by the Current of the Ancients and Septuagint are to be understood of Christ Jesus True it is The Rabbins have interpreted the words of one of the Kings of Iudah to wit Iosias or Zedekias and hence some of the later Expositors have explained these words That first and literally they may be applyed to one of the Kings of Judah who were all figures of Christ to come but principally and mainly the words are to be understood of Christ Iesus by the consent of all So to attribute these words to any Prince earthly cannot be without offense to Christ For who can be said properly and well To be the Breath of our Nostrils but he who inspireth into us life that is God In like manner the inconsiderate Ministers of the Gospel abusing the Text of the eightieth Psalm which by the consent of all is understood of Christ truely and of David as a figure of Christ to come call the King The man of thy right hand this in no wayes without Blasphemie can be attributed unto any earthly Prince for none is to be said a figure of Christ as David and his Successors were by a particular dispensation But if misapplying and mistaking of Texts of Scripture will do businesse since Magistrates are said to be gods you may as well call the Prince god as the Roman Emperour was of old by some so called and now the Pope by his Court-parasites which Titile of god no Prince will suffer to be given unto him Surely as it is a very great crime not to give due respect reverence and obedience unto him whom God hath set over us for our good according to his wise Ordinance so on the other side it is a huge sin to Idolize the Prince
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-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
necessity a lie And to witnesse that this comes of all my heart I shall remain at Berwike while I get thy Majesties answer and shall without fail return having thy hand write that I may have audience place to speak No more I desire of thee whereof if I had been sure I should never have departed and that thou mayst know the truth thereof if fear of the justnesse of my Cause or dread of persecution for the same had moved me to depart I could not so pleasantly revert onely distrust was the cause of my departing Pardon me to say that which lieth to thy Majesties charge Thou art bound by the Law of God suppose they falsly lie saying it pertaineth not to thy Majestie to intermeddle with such matters to cause every man in any case accused of his life to have their just defence their accusers produced conform to their own law They blinde thy Matie eyes that knows nothing of thy law but if I prove not this out of their own law I offer me to the death Thy Matie therefore by experience may daily learn seeing they neither fear the King of Heaven as their lives testifie neither thee their Naturall Prince as their usurped power in their actions shews why thy Highnes should be no longer blinded Thou maist consider that they pretend nothing else but onely the maintenance and upholding of their barded mules augmenting of their insatiable avarice and continuall overthrowing and swallowing up thy poore subjects neither preaching nor teaching out of the Law of God as they should the rude ignorant people but contend who may be most high most rich and neerest thy Majesty to put thy Temporal Lords and Lieges out of thy counsell and favour who should be and are most tender servants to thy Majesty in all time of need to the defence of thee and thy Crown And where they desire thy Majesty to to put out thy Temporal Lords and Lieges because they despise their vitious life What else intend they but onely thy death and destruction as thou maist easily perceive suppose they colour their false intent and minde with the pursuit of heresie for when thy Barons are put downe What art thou but the king of Land and not of men and then of necessity must be guided by them and there no doubt where a blinde man is guide must be a fall in the mire Therefore let thy Majesty take boldnes and authority which thou hast of God and suffer not their cruell persecution to proceed without audience given to him that is accused and just place of defence and then no doubt thou shalt have thy subjects hearts and all that they can or may do in time of need tranquility justice and policy and finally the Kingdom of the heavens May it please you to give one Copy of this to the Clergie and keep the Original and thy Majestie shall have experience if I go against one word that I have spoken I shall daily make my hearty devotion for thy Majestie and for the prosperity and welfare of thy body and soul. I doubt not but thy gracious Highnesse will give answer to this Letter unto the Presenter of it unto thy Highnesse At Berwike by thy Highnesse servant and Orator Sic subscribitur Alexander Seton This Letter was delivered to the Kings own hands and of many read but what could greatly avail where the pride and corruption of Prelats commanded what they pleased and the flattery of Courtiers fostered the unadvised Prince in all dissolutenesse by which means they made him obsequious unto them From the death of that constant Witnesse of Jesus Christ M. Patrike Hammilton God disclosing the wickednesse of the wicked as before we have heard There was one Forrest of Linlytquow taken who after long imprisonment in the said Tower of S. Andrews was adjudged to the fire by the â—aid Bishop Iames Betonne and his Doctors for no other crime but because he had a new Testament in English Further of that History we have not except that he died constantly and with great patience at S. Andrews After whose death thâ— flame of Persecution ceased till the death of M. Norman Gurlaw the space of ten yeeres or thereabout not that the bloody beasts ceased by all means to suppresse the lyght of God and to trouble such as in any sort were suspected to abhorre their corruption but because the Realme in these times was troubled with intestine and cruell warres in the which much blood was shed first at Melrosse betwixt the Dowglas and Balclench in the yeere of God 1526. the 24. day of July Next at Lynlythcow betwixt the Hamiltons and the Earle of Lenox who was sisters son to the Earle of Arran where the said Earle with many others lost his life the thirteenth day of September in the same yeere And last betwixt the King himself and the foresaid Dowglas whom he banished the Realme and held him in exile during his whole dayes By reason of these we say and of other troubles the Bishops and their bloody bands could not finde the time so favourable unto them as they required to execute their Tyrannie In this middle time so did the wisedome of God provide that Henry the eight King of England did abolish from his Realme the name and authority of the Pope of Rome commanded the Bible to be read in English suppressed the Abbeys and other places of Idolatry with their Idols which gave great hope to divers Realmes that some godly Reformation should thereof have ensued And therefore from this our Countrey did divers learned men and others that lived in feare of Persecution repaire to that Realme where albeit they found not such purity as they wished and therefore divers of them sought other countreys yet they escaped the tyrannie of mercilesse men and were reserved to better times that they might fructifie within his Church in divers places and parts and in divers vocations Alexander Setonne remained in England and publikely with great praise and comfort of many taught the Gospel in all sincerity certain yeers And albeit the craftinesse of Gardner Bishop of Winchester and of others circumvented the said Alexander so that they caused him at Pauls Crosse to affirme certaine things that repugned to his former Doctrine yet it is no doubt but that God potently had assisted him in all his life and that also in his death which shortly after followed he found the mercy of his God whereupon he ever exhorted all men to depend Alexander Alaesius Master Iohn Fyfe and that famous man Doctor Machabeus departed unto Dutchland where by Gods providence they were distributed to severall places Makdowell for his singular prudence besides his Learning and Godlinesse was elected borrow-Master in one of their steads Alaesius was appointed to the Universitie of Lipsia and so was Master Iohn Fyfe where for their honest behaviour and great erudition they were holden in admiration with all the
is vain and to the dead is Idolatry 8. There is no Bishop except he Preach even by himselfe without any Substitute 9. The Tythes by Gods Law do not appertain of necessity to the Church-men The strangenesse said the Sub-Prior of these Articles which are gathered forth of your Doctrine have moved us to call for you to hear your own answers Iohn Knox said I for my part praise my God that I see so honourable and apparantly so modest and quiet an Auditory But because it is long since that I have heard that ye are one that is not ignorant of the Trueth I may crave of you in the Name of God yea and I appeal your conscience before that supreme Judge That if ye think any Article there expressed contrary unto the Truth of God That ye oppose your self plainely unto it and suffer not the people to be therewith deceived But on the other side if in your conscience ye know the Doctrine to be true then will I crave your Patrocinie thereto That by your authority the people may be moved the rather to beleeve the Truth whereof many doubts by reason of your thoughts The Sub-Prior answered I came not here as a Judge but onely familiarly to talke and therefore I will neither allow nor condemne But if ye list I will reason The Sub-Prior Why may not the Church said he for good causes devise Ceremonies to decore the Sacraments and other Gods Service Iohn Knox. Because the Church ought to do nothing but in Faith and ought not to go before but is bound to follow the voice of the true Pastor The Sub-Prior It is in Faith that the Ceremonies are commanded and they have proper significations to help our Faith as the hards in Baptisme signifie the roughnesse of the Law and the oyle the softnesse of Gods mercy and likewise every one of the Ceremonies hath a godly signification and therefore they both proceed from Faith and are done in Faith Iohn Knox. It is not enough that man invent a Ceremony and then give it a signification according to his pleasure For so might the Ceremonies of the Gentiles and this day the Ceremonies of Mahomet be maintained But if that any thing proceed from Faith it must have the Word of God for its assurance For ye are not ignorant That Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Now if that ye will prove that your Ceremonies proceed from Faith and do please God ye must prove that God in expresse words hath commanded them Or else shall you never prove that they proceed from Faith nor yet that they please God but that they are sinne and do displease him according to the words of the Apostle Whatsoever is not of Faith is sinne The Sub-Prior Will ye binde us so straight that we may do nothing without the expresse Word of God What and I ask drink Think ye that I sinne and yet I have not Gods Word for me This answer gave he as might appear to shift over the Argument upon the Frier as that he did Iohn Knox. I would ye should not jest in so grave a matter neither would I that ye should begin to hide the Trueth with Sophistrie and if ye do I will defend it the best that I can And first to your drinking I say that if ye either eat or drink without assurance of Gods Word that in so doing ye displease God and sinne in your very eating and drinking For saith not the Apostle speaking even of meat and drink That the creatures are sanctified unto men even by word and prayer The word is this All things are cleane to the cleane Now let me hear this much of your Ceremonies and I shall give you the Argument but I wonder that they compare things prophane and holy things so indiscreetly together The Question was not nor is not of meat or drink whereinto the Kingdom of God consisteth not But the Question is of Gods true worshipping without the which we can have no societie with God And here it is doubted if we may take the same freedom in the using of Christs Sacraments that we may do in eating and drinking One meat I may eat another I may refuse and that without scruple of conscience I may change one with another even as oft as I please Whether may we cast away what we please and retaine what we please If I be well remembred Moses in the Name of God saith to the people of Israel All that the Lord thy God commandeth thee to do that do thou to the Lord thy God adde nothing to it diminish nothing from it By these rules think I that the Church of Christ will measure Gods Religion and not by that which seems good in their own eyes The Sub-Prior Forgive me I spake it but in mowes and I was dry And now father said he to the Frier follow the argument ye have heard what I have said and what is answered to me againe Arbugkill gray-Frier I shall prove plainely that Ceremonies are ordained by God Iohn Knox. Such as God hath ordained we allow and with reverence we use them But the question is of those that God hath ordained such as in Baptisme are spittle salt candle except it be to keep the barne from the cold hardes oyle and the rest of the Papisticall inventions Arbugkill I will even prove those that ye damne to be ordained of God Iohn Knox. The Proofe thereof I would gladly hear Arbugkill Saith not Saint Paul that another foundation then Jesus Christ may no man lay But upon this foundation Some build gold silver and precious stones some hay stubble and wood The gold silver and the precious stones are the Ceremonies of the Church which do abide the fire and consumeth not away c. This place of Scripture is most plaine sayeth the foolish fiend Iohn Knox. I praise my God through Jesus Christ for I finde his promise sure true and stable Christ Jesus bids us not fear when we shall be called before men to give confession of his Trueth for he promiseth that it shall be given unto us in that houre what we shall speak If I had sought the whole Scriptures I could not have produced a place more proper for my purpose nor more potent to confound you Now to your Argument The Ceremonies of the Church say ye are gold silver and precious stones because they are able to abide the fire But I would learne of you What fire is it which your Ceremonies do abide And in the mean time while ye be advised to answer I will shew my minde and make an Argument against yours upon the same Text. And first I say that I have heard this Text adduced for a proofe of Purgatory but for defence of Ceremonies I never heard nor yet read it But omitting whether ye understand the minde of the Apostle or not I make my Argument and say That which can abide the fire can abide the Word of God But
advert thereto and to have care to use your Lordships friends that alwayes hath wished the honour profit and prosperity of your Lordships house as of our own I pray you give credit to the Bearer Iesu have your Lordship in everlasting keeping Of Edinburgh the five and twentieth day of March Anno 1558. Sic subscribitur Your Lordships at all power Saint Andrews Followes the Credit MEmorandum To Sir David Hamilton to my Lord Earle of Argyle in my behalfe and let him see and heare every Article 1. Imprimis To repeat the ancient blood of his house how long it hath stood how notable it hath been and so many Noble-men hath been Earles Lords and Knights thereof How long they have reigned in their parts true and obedient both to God and the Prince without any spot in their dayes in any manner of sort And to remember how many notable men are come of his house 2. Secondly To shew him the great affection I beare towards him his blood house and friends and of the ardent desire I have of the perpetuall standing of it in honour and fame with all them that are come of it Which is my part for many and divers causes as you shall see 3. Thirdly To shew my Lord how heavy and displeasing it is to me now to heare That he who is and hath been so Noble a man should be seduced and abused by the flattery of such an infamed person of the Law and men sworne Apostate that under the pretence that he giveth himself forth as a Preacher of the Gospel and Veritie under that colour setteth forth Schismes and Divisions in the holy Church of God with Hereticall Propositions thinking that under his maintenance and defence to infect this Countrey with Heresie perswading my said Lord and others his children and friends that all that he speaketh is Scripture and conform thereunto albeit that many of his Propositions are many yeers past condemned by generall Councels and the whole state of Christian people 4. Fourthly To shew to my Lord how perillous this is to his Lordship and his house and decay thereof in case that authority should be sharp and should use rigour conform both to Civill and Canon and also your own Municipall law of this Realm 5. Fifthly to shew his Lordship how woe I would be either to heare see or know any displeasure that might come to him his son or any of his house or friends and especially in his own time and dayes And as how great displeasure I have now to hear great and evil bruites of him that should in his old age in a manner vary from his faith and to be altered therin when the time is that he should be most sure and firme therein 6. Sixthly To shew his Lordship that there is delation of that man called Dowglas or Grant of sundry Articles of Heresie which lieth to my charge and conscience to put remedie to or else all the pestilentious Doctrine he sowes and such like all that are corrupt by his Doctrine and all that he draweth from our Faith and Christian Religion will lie to my charge before God and I to be accused before God for overseeing of him if I put not remedy thereto and correct him for such things he is delated of And therefore that my Lord consider and weigh it well how highly it lieth both to my honour and conscience for if I favour him I shall be accused for all them that he infects and corrupts in Heresie 7. Seventhly Therefore I pray my Lord in most hearty maner to take this matter in the best part for his own conscience honour and weale of himselfe house friends and servants and sik like for my part and for my conscience and honour Then considering that there are divers Articles of Heresie to be laid to him that he is dilated of and that he is presently in my Lords company That my Lord would by some honest way part with this man and put him from him and from his sons company For I would be right sorry that any being in any of their companies should be called for such causes or that any of them should be bruited to hold any sik man And this I would advertise my Lord and have his Lordships Answer and Resolution before any Summons passed upon him 8. Eighthly Item If my Lord would have a man to instruct him truely in the Faith and Preach to him I would provide a learned man to him and I shall answer for his true Doctrine and shall Pand my soule that he shall teach nothing but truly according to our Catholike Faith Of Edinburgh this last of March 1558. Sic subscribiter Saint Andrews Moreover I hope your Lordship will call to good remembrance and weigh the great and heavie murmure against me both by the Queene the Church-men Spirituall and Temporall estates and well given people moaning crying and murmuring at me greatly That I do not my Office To those such infamous persons with such perversed Doctrine within my Diocesses and this Realme by reason of my Legacie and Primacie which I have the rather sustained and long suffered for the great love that I had to your Lordship and posterity and your friends and your house As beleeving surely your Lordships wisedome should not have maintained and medled with such things that might do me dishonour or displeasure considering that I have bin ready to put good order thereto alwayes but have modestly abstained for the love of your Lordship and house aforesaid that I beare truely knowing and seeing the great harm and dishonour and lack apparantly that might come there through in case your Lordship remedie not the same hastily whereby we might both be quiet of all danger which doubtlesse will come upon us both if I use not my Office or that he be called while that he is now with your Lordship and under your Lordships protection Subscribed againe Saint Andrews By these former Instructions thou mayest perceive Gentle Reader what was the care that this Pastour or rather Impostour with his Complices took to feed the flock committed to their charge as they alleadge and to gain-stand false Teachers Here is oft mention of conscience of Heresie such other terms that might fray the ignorant and deceive the simple But we hear no crime in particular laid to the charge of the accused and yet is he condemned as a forsworn Apostata This was my Lords conscience which he learned of his fathers the Pharisees old enemies to Christ Jesus who condemned him before they heard him But who ruled my Lords conscience when he took his cousins wife the Lady Gilton Consider thou the rest of his perswasions thou shalt clearly see That honour estimation love to house and friends is the best ground that my Lord Bishop hath why he should persecute Jesus Christ in his members We thought good to insert the answers of the said Earle which follow Memorandum This present Writ is to make answer
particularly to every Article directed from my Lord of S. Andrews to me by Sir David Hamilton which Articles are in number nine and heere repeated and answered as I trust to his Lordships contentment 1. THe first Article putteth me in remembrance of the antiquity of the blood of my house how many Earles Lords and Knights hath been thereof how many Noble-men descended of the same house how long it continued true to God and the Prince without spot in their dayes in any manner of sort Answer True it is my Lord that there is well-long continuance of my house by Gods providence and benevolence of our Princes whom we have served and shall serve truely next to God And the like obedience towards Gods and our Princes remaineth with us yet or rather better praised be the Lords Name neither know we any spot towards our Princesse and her due obedience And if there be offence towards God he is mercifull to remit our offences For he will not the death of a sinner Like as it standeth in his omnipotent power to make up houses to continue the same to alter them to make them small or great or to extinguish them according to his own inscrutable wisdom For in exalting depressing and changing of houses the laud and praise must be given to that one eternall God in whose hands the same standeth 2. The second Article beareth the great affection and love your Lordship beareth towards me and my house and of the ardent desire ye have of the perpetuall standing thereof in honour and fame with all them that are coming of it Answ. Forsooth it is your dutie to wish good unto my house and unto them that are coming of the same not onely for the faithfulnesse amity and society that hath been between our forefathers but also for the late conjunction of blood that is between our said house if it be Gods pleasure that it have successe Which should give sufficient occasion to your Lordship to wish good to my house and perpetuity with Gods glory without which nothing is perpetuall unto whom be praise and worship for ever and ever Amen 3. Thirdly Your Lordship declareth how displeasant it is to you that I should be seduced by an infamed person of the Law and by the flattery of a forsworn Apostata that under pretence of his giving forth maketh us to understand That he is a Preacher of the Gospel and therewith raiseth Schismes and Divisions in the whole Church of God And by our maintenance and defence would infect this Countrey with Heresie alleadging that to be Scripture which these many yeeres past hath been condemned as Heresie by the generall Councells and whole estate of Christian people Answ. The God that created heaven and earth and all that is therein preserve me from seducing for I dread others many under the colour of godlinesse are seduced and think that they do God a pleasure when they persecute one of them that professe his Name What that man of the Law is we know not we hear none of his flattery his perjured Oath of Apostasie is unknown unto us But if he have made any unlawfull Oath contrary to Gods commandment it were better to violate it then to observe it He Preaches nothing to us but the Gospel if he would do otherwise we would not beleeve him nor yet an Angel of heaven we heare him sowe no Schismes nor Divisions but such as may stand with Gods Word which we shall cause him to confesse in presence of your Lordship and the Clergy when ye require us thereto And as to it that hath been condemned by generall Councels we trust you know well that all the generall Councels have been at diversity among themselves and never two of them universally agreeing in all points in so much as they are of men But the Spirit of Verity that bears testimony of our Lord Jesus hath not neither can erre For heaven earth shal perish ere one jot of it perish Beyond this my Lord neither teacheth he neither will we accept of him but that which agrees with the Word of God set forth by the Patriarks Prophets Apostles and Evangelists left to our salvation in expresse words And so my Lord to condemn the Doctrine not examined is not required For when your Lordship pleaseth to hear the confession of that mans Faith the manner of his Doctrine which agreeth with the Gospel of Jesus Christ I will cause him to assist to judgement and shall be present there at Gods pleasure that he may render reckoning of his belief and our Doctrine to the superiour Powers according to the prescription of that blood of the eternall Testament sealed by the Immaculate Lambe To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 4. The fourth Article puts me in remembrance how dangerous it is if the Authority would put me to it and my House according to comely and common Laws and our own municipiall Lawes of this Realme and how it appeareth to the decay of our House Answ. All Laws are or at least should be subject to Gods Law which Law should be first placed and planted in every mans heart it should have no impediment Men should not abrogate it for the defence and setting up of their owne advantage If it would please Authorities to put at our House for confessing of Gods Word or for maintenance of his Law God is mighty enough in his own Cause he should be rather obeyed then man I will serve my Prince with body heart goods strength and all that is in my power except that which is Gods duty which I will reserve to him alone that is To worship him in truth and verity and as neer as I can to conform to his written Word to his owne honour and obedience of my Princesse 5. The fifth Article puts me in remembrance how woe your Lordship would be to hear to see or know any displeasure that might come to me my son or any of my House and especially in my time and dayes And as to heare the great and evill brute of me that should now in my old age in a manner begin to vary in my Faith and to be altered therein when it is time that I should be most sure and firm therein Ans. Your Lordships good will is ever made manifest unto me in all your Articles that you should be sorry to hear see or know my displeasure for the which I am bound to render your Lordship thanks shall do the same assuredly But as for wavering in my Faith God forbid that I should so do For I believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of heaven earth And in Jesus Christ his onely Son our Saviour My Lord I vary not in my Faith but I praise God that of his goodnesse now in my latter days hath of his infinite mercy opened his bosome of grace unto me to acknowledge him the eternall Wisedome his
by the counsell of France We are not ignorant that Princes think it good policy to betray their subjects by breaking of promises be they never so solemnly made We have not forgotten what counsell she and Monsieur Dosell gave to the Duke against those that slue the Cardinall and kept the Castle of S. Andrewes which was this That what promise they list to require should be made unto them but as soon as the Castle was rendred and things brought to such passe as was expedient that he should chop the heads from every one of them To the which the Duke answered That he would never consent to so treasonable an act but if he promised fidelity he would faithfully keep it Monsieur Dosell said in mockage to the Queen in French That is a good simple nature but I know no other Prince that would so do If this was his judgement in so small a matter what have we to suspect in this our Cause For the question is not of the slaughter of one Cardinall but of the just abolishing of all tyranny which that Romane Antichrist hath usurped above us of the suppressing of Idolatry and of the Reformation of the whole Religion by that vermine of shavelings utterly corrupted Now if the slaughter of a Cardinall be a sin irremissible as they themselves affirme and if faith ought not to be kept to hereticks as their owne law speaketh What promise can she that is ruled by the counsell and commandment of a Cardinall make to us that can be sure Where she accuseth us That we usurp Authority to command and charge free Boroughs to chuse Provests and Officers of our naming c. We will that the whole Boroughs of Scotland testifie in that case Whether we have used any kinde of violence but lovingly exhorted such as asked our support to chuse such in Office as had the fear of God before their eyes loved equity and justice and were not noted with avarice and bribing But wonder it is with what face she can accuse us of that whereof we are innocent and she so openly criminall that the whole Realme knoweth her iniquity In that case hath she not compelled the Towne of Edinburgh to retaine a man to be their Provest most unworthy of any Regiment in a well-ruled Common-wealth Hath she not enforced them to take Bayliffes of her appointment and some of them so meet for their Office in this troublesome time as a sowter is to sayle a Ship in a stormy day She complaineth that we will not suffer provision to be made for her house In very deed we unfainedly repent that before this we took not better order that these murtherers and oppressors whom she pretendeth to nourish for our destruction had not been disappointed of their great provision of Victualls which she and they have gathered to the great hurt of the whole Countrey But as God shall assist us in times coming we shall do diligence somewhat to frustrate their devillish purpose What both what she and we pretend we doubt not but God who cannot suffer the abuse of his owne Name long to be unpunished shall one day declare and unto him we fear not to commit our Cause Neither yet fear we in this present day that against us she maketh a malicious lye where that she saith That it is not Religion that we go about but a plain usurpation of Authority God forbid that such impiety should enter in our hearts that we should make his holy Religion a cloke and covertour of our iniquity From the beginning of this controversie it is evidently knowne what have been our requests which if the rest of the Nobility and Commonalty of Scotland will cause to be performed unto us if then in us appear any signe of Rebellion let us be reputed and punished as traitors But while strangers are brought in to suppresse us our common wealth and posterity while Idolatry is maintained and Christ Jesus his true Religion despised while idle bellies and bloody tyrants the Bishops are maintained and Christs true Messengers persecuted while finally vertue is contemned and vice extolled while that we a great part of the Nobility and Commonalty of this Realme are most unjustly persecuted What godly man can be offended that we shall seek Reformation of these enormities yea even by force of Arms seeing that otherwayes it is denyed unto us we are assured that neither God neither nature neither any just Law forbiddeth us God hath made us Councellors by birth of this Realme Nature bindeth us to love our owne Countrey and just Laws command us to support our brethren unjustly pursued yea the Oath that we have made to be true to this Common-wealth compelled us to hazard whatsoever God hath given us before that we see the miserable ruine of the same If any thinke it is not Religion which now we seek we answer That it is nothing else but the zeal of the true Religion which moveth us to this enterprise For as the enemy doth craftily foresee That Idolatry cannot universally be maintained unlesse that we be utterly suppressed So do we consider that the true Religion the purity whereof we openly require cannot universally be erected unlesse strangers be removed and this poor Realme purged of those pestilences which before have infected it And therefore in the Name of the Eternall God and of his Son Christ Jesus whose Cause we sustain we require all our brethren naturall Scotish-men prudently to consider our Requests and with judgement to discerne betwixt us and the Queen Regent with her faction and not to suffer themselves to be abused by her craft and deceit That to lift their weapons against their brethren who seek nothing but Gods glory Or yet to extract from us their just and dutifull support seeing that we hazard our lives for preservation of them and us and of us and our posterity to come Assuring such as shall declare themselves favourers of her Faction and enemies unto us That we shall repute them whensoever God shall put the Sword of Justice in our hands worthy of such punishment as is due for such as study to betray their Countreyes into the hands of strangers This our answer was formed and divulgate in some places but not universally by reason of our day appointed to meet at Sterlin as before is declared In this mean time the Queens Posts ran with all possible expedition to draw men to her devotion And in very deed she found more favourers of her iniquity then we suspected For a man that of long time had been one of our number in profession offered as himselfe did confesse his service to the Queen to travell betwixt her Majestie and the Congregation for concord she refused not his offer but knowing his simplicitie she was glad to imploy him for her advantage The man is Master Robert Lockard a man of whom many have had and still have good opinion as touching
which day and of the judgement to be executed in the same is not onely to us a Bridle whereby our carnall lusts are reserved but also such inestimable comfort that neither may the threatning of worldly Princes neither yet the feare of temporall death and present danger move us to renounce and forsake that blessed societie which we the members have with our Head and onely Mediatour Christ Jesus whom we confesse and avow to be the Messias promised the onely Head of the Church our just Lawgiver our onely High Priest Advocate and Mediator In whose honours and Offices if a man or Angell presume to intrude themselves we utterly detest and abhorre them as blasphemous to our Soveraigne Governour Christ Jesus XII Faith in the Holy Ghost THis our faith and the assurance of the same proceedeth not from flesh and blood that is to say from no naturall powers within us but is the inspiration of the Holy Ghost whom we confesse God equall with the Father and with the Sonne who sanctified us and bringeth us into all veritie by his own operation without whom we should remaine for ever enemies to God and ignorant of his Sonne Christ Jesus For of nature we are so dead so perverse and blinde that neither we can feel when we were pricked see the light when it shineth nor assent to the will of God when it is revealed onely the Spirit of the Lord Jesus quickeneth that which is dead removeth the darknesse from our mindes and boweth our stubborne hearts to the obedience of his blessed will and so as we confesse that God the Father created us when we were not as his Sonne our Lord Jesus redeemed us when we were enemies to him So also we confesse that the Holy Ghost doth sanctifie and regenerate us without all respect of any merit proceeding from us be it before or be it after our regeneration To speak this one thing yet in more plain words as we willingly spoile our selves of all honour and glory of our own Creation and Redemption so do we also of our regeneration and sanctification for of selves we are not sufficient to thinke one good thought but he who hath begun the good work in us is onely he that continueth us in the same to the praise and glory of his undeserved grace XIII The cause of good works SO that the cause of good Works we confesse to be not of free Will but the Spirit of the Lord Iesus who dwelling in our hearts by true faith bringeth forth such good works as God hath prepared for us to walke in for this we most boldly affirme that blasphemie it is to say that Christ Jesus abideth in the heart of such as in whom there is no spirit of sanctification and therefore we feare not to affirme that Murderres Oppressors cruell Persecutors Adulterers Whoremongers filthy Persons Idolaters Drunkards Theeves and all workers of iniquitie have neither true faith neither any portion of the Spirit of Sanctification which proceedeth from the Lord Jesus so long as they obstinately continue in their wickednesse For how soon so ever the Spirit of the Lord Jesus which Gods Elect Children receive by true faith taketh possession in the heart of any man so soon doth he regenerate and renew the same man so that he begins to hate that which before he loved and beginneth to love that which before he hated and from thence cometh to that continuall battaile which is betwixt the flesh and the Spirit in Gods Children while the flesh and naturall man according to their own corruption lusteth for things pleasing and delectable to it self grudgeth in adversitie is lifted up in prosperitie and at every moment is prone and ready to offend the Majestie of God but the Spirit of God which giveth witnessing unto our spirit that we are the sonnes of God maketh us to resist the Devill to abhorre filthie pleasures to groane in Gods presence for deliverance from this bondage of corruption and finally to triumph over sinne that it reigne not in our mortall bodies This battaile have not the carnall men being destitute of Gods Spirit but do follow and obey sinne with greedinesse and without repentance even as the Devill and their corrupt lusts do prick them But the Sons of God as afore is said do fight against sin do sob and mourn when they perceive themselves tempted to iniquity and if they fall they rise again with earnest and unfained repentance and these things they do not by their own power but the power of our Lord Jesus without whom they were able to do nothing worketh in them all that is good XIIII What works are reputed good before God VVE confesse and acknowledge That God hath given to man his holy Law in which not onely are forbidden all such works as displease and offend his godly Majesty but also are commanded all such as please him and as he hath promised to reward And these works be of two sorts the one are done to the honour of God the other to the profit of our neighbours And both have the revealed Will of God for their assurance To have one God To worship and honour him To call upon him in all our troubles To reverence his holy Name To hear his Word To believe the same To communicate his holy Sacraments are the works of the first Table To honour father and mother Princes Rulers and superiour Powers To love them To support them yea To obey their Charges not repugning to the Commandment of God To save the life of Innocents To represse tyranny To defend the oppressed To keep our bodies clean and holy To live in sobriety and temperance To deal justly with all men both in word and deed and finally To represse the appetite of our neighbours hurt are the good works of the second Table which are most pleasing and acceptable unto God as those works are commanded by himself The contrary thereof is sin most odious which always displeaseth him and provoketh him to anger as Not to call upon him alone when we have need Not to hear his Word with reverence To contemne and despise it To have or to worship Idols To maintain and defend Idolatry Lightly to esteem the reverent Name of God To profane abuse or contemne the Sacraments of Christ Jesus To disobey or resist any that God hath placed in Authority while they passe not over the bounds of their Office To murther or consent thereunto To bear hatred or to suffer Innocent blood to be shed if we may gainstand it and finally The transgressing of any other Commandment in the first or second Table we confesse and affirm to be sin by the which Gods hot displeasure is kindled against the proud and unthankfull world So that good works we affirme to be those onely that are done in Faith and at Gods Commandment who in his Law hath expressed what be the things that
as I told you in the beginning I mean to constrain none of my subjects but would wish that they were all as I am and I trust they shall have no support to constrain me I will send Monsieur Dosell quoth she to you before he go to know whether ye will any thing in England I pray you so order your self in this matter betwixt the Queen my good sister and me that there may be perfect and assured Amity betwixt us for I know quoth she Ministers may do much good and harm I told her I would faithfully and truely make declaration of all that she said unto me unto your Majestie and trusted that she would so satisfie your Majesty by Monsieur Dosell in all things as I should hereafter have no more occasion to treat with her of any thing but of the encrease of Amity of which there should be no want on her behalf This is the effect of the Queen of Scotlands answer to your Majesties demand of her said Ratification and of my Negotiation with her at this time These advertisements somewhat exasperated the Queen of England and not altogether without cause for the Armes of England were before usurped by our Soveraigne and by her husband Francis and Elizabeth Queen of England was of the Guysians reputed little better then a Bastard It was appointed that this title should be renewed But hereof had our ill counselled and misled Queen no pleasure and especially after that her husband was dead for thought she the shew of England shall allure many suiters to me The Guisians and the Papists of both Realms did not a little animate her in that pursuit The effect whereof will sooner appear then the godly of England would desire Queen Elizabeth we say offended with the former answer wrote unto the Nobility and States of Scotland in form as followeth The Queen of Englands Letter to the States of Scotland RIght Trusty and Right entirely Beloved Cousins We greet you We doubt not but as our meaning is and hath alwayes been since our Raigne in the sight of Almighty God straight and direct towards the advancement of his Honour and Truth in Religion and consequently to procure Peace and maintain Concord betwixt both these Realms of England and Scotland So also our outward acts have well declared the same to the world and especially to you being our neighbours who have tasted and proved in these our friendship and earnest good will more then we think any of your antecessors have ever received from hence yea more then a great number of your selves could well have hoped for of us all former examples being well weighed and considered And this we have to rejoyce of and so may ye be glad That where in the beginning of the troubles in that Countrey and of our succours meant for you the jealousie or rather the malice of divers both in that Realme and in other Countreys was such both to deprive both us in the yeelding and you in requiring our ayd that we were noted to have meant the surprise of that Realm by depriving of your Soveraigne the Queen of her Crown and you or the greatest part of you to have intended by our succour the like and either to prefer some other to the Crown or else to make of that Monarchie a Common-weale matters very slanderous and false But the end and determination yea the whole course and processe of the action on both our parts have manifested both to the slanderers and to all others That nothing was more meant and prosecuted then to establish your Soveraigne the Queen our Cousin and Sister in her State and Crowne the possession whereof was in the hands of strangers And although no words could then well satisfie the malicious yet our deeds do declare That no other thing was sought but the restitution of that Realme to the ancient Liberty and as it were to redeem it from Captivity Of these our purposes and deeds there remaineth among other arguments good testimony by a solemne Treaty and Accord made the last yeer at Edinburgh by Commissioners sent from us and from your Queen with full Authority in writing under both our Hands and the great Seals of both our Realms in such manner as other Princes our Progenitors have always used By which Treaty and Accord either of us have faithfully accorded with other to keep Peace and Amity betwixt our selves our Countreys and subjects And in the same also a good Accord is made not onely of certain things happened betwixt us but also of some differences betwixt the Ministers of the late French King your Soveraigns husband and you the States of that Realm for the alteration of Laws and Customs of that Countrey attempted by them Upon which Accord there made and concluded hath hitherto followed as you know surety to your Soveraignes State quietnesse to your selves and a better Peace betwixt both Realms then ever was heard of in any time past Neverthelesse how it happeneth we know not we can for she in her conceit thinketh her selfe Queen of both That your Soveraigne either not knowing in this part her owne felicity or else dangerously seduced by perverse Counsell whereof we are most sorry being of late at sundry times required by us according to her Bond with us signed with her own Hand and sealed with the great Seal of that Realme and allowed by you being the States of the same to ratifie the said Treaty in like manner as we by writing have done and are ready to deliver it to her who maketh such delatory answers thereunto as what we shall judge thereof we perceive by her answer That it is fit for us to require of you For although she hath alwayes answered since the death of her husband That in this matter she would first understand the mindes of certain of you before that she would make answer And so having now of long time suspended our expectation in the end notwithstanding that she hath had conference both by Messengers and by some of your selves being with her yet she still delayed it alleadging to our Ambassadour in France who said that this Treaty was made by your consents it was not by consent of you all and so would have us to forbear untill she shall returne into that her Countrey And now seeing this her answer depended as it should seem by her words upon your opinions we cannot but plainly let you all understand That this manner of answer without some more fruit cannot long content us We have meant well to our sister your Queen in time of offence given to us by her We did plainly without dissimulation charge her in her own doubtfull state while strangers possessed her Realme we stayed it from danger And now having promised to keep good Peace with her and with you her subjects we have observed it and shall be sorry if either she or you shall give us contrary cause In a matter so profitable to both
very indigent and poor to whom God commands a sustentation to be provided of the Tenths they are so despised that it is a wonder that Sun giveth heat and light to the earth where Gods Name is so frequently called upon and no mercy according to his Commandment showne to his Creatures And also for the Ministers their Livings are so appointed that the most part shall live but a Beggers life And all cometh of that impiety that the idle bellies of Christs enemies must be fed in their former delicacy We dare not conceal from your Majestie and honours our conscience which is this That neither by the Law of God neither yet by any just Law of man is due unto them who now most cruelly do exact of the poor and rich the two parts of their Benefices as they call them And therefore we most humbly require That some other Order may be taken with them that they be not set up againe to empire above the people of God for we fear that such usurpation of their former state will be neither in the end pleasant to themselves nor profitable to them that would place them in that Tyranny If any think that a competent Living is to be assigned to them we repugne not provided that the Labourers of the ground be not oppressed the poor be not utterly neglected and the Ministers of the Word so hardly used as now they are And finally That those idle bellies who by Law can crave nothing shall confesse that they receive their sustentation and maintenance not of debt but of benevolence Our humble request is therefore That in every Parish some part of the Tythes may be assigned to the sustentation and maintenance of the poor within the same And likewise that some publike relief may be provided for the poor within Burroughs that Collectors may be appointed to gather And that strict Accounts may be taken as well for their Recepts as of the disbursements The further consideration to be had of our Ministers we in some part remit to your wisedoms and to their particular complaints Our fourth Petition is for the Mause-Yards and Gleebs justly appertaining to the Ministers without the which it is impossible unto them quietly to serve their Charges and therefore we desire that order be taken without delay Our fifth concerns the disobedience of certain wicked persons who not onely trouble and have troubled Ministers in their Functions but also disobey the Superintendents in their Visitation wherefore we humbly crave remedy which we doubt not so much for the feare that we and our Ministers have of the Papists but for the love that we bear to the common tranquility For this we cannot hide from your Majesty and Councell That if the Papists thinke to triumph where they may and to do what they list where there is not a party able to resist them that some will thinke That the godly must begin where they left who heretofore have borne all rhings patiently in hope that the Lawes should have bridled the wicked whereof if they be frustrate albeit that nothing is more odious to them then Tumults and domestick Discord yet will men attempt the uttermost before that in their owne eyes they behold the house of God demolished which with travell and danger God hath within this Realm erected by them Sixthly we desire That such as receive release of their Thirds be compelled to sustain the Ministers within their Bounds or else we forewarne your Majesty and Councell that we feare That the people shall retain the whole in their hands untill such time as their Ministers be sufficiently provided Seventhly we desire the Churches to be repayred according to an Act set forth by the Lords of the Secret Councell before your Majesties Arrivall into this Countrey That Jâ—dges be appointed to heare the causes of Divorcement for the Church can no longer sustain the burden especially because there is no punishment for the offenders That sayers and hearers of Masses prophaners of the Sacraments such as have entred into Benefices by the Popes Bulls and such other transgressors of the Law made at your Majesties Arrivall within this Realme may be severely punished for else men will think there is no truth meant in making of such Laws Eighthly We most humbly desire of your Majesty and your honourable Councell a resolute answer to every one of these Heads afore-written that the same being known we may somewhat satisfie such as be grievously offended at manifest iniquity now maintained at oppression under pretext of Law done against the poore and at the rebellious disobedience of many wicked persons against Gods Word and holy Ordinance God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ so rule your hearts and direct your Majesty and Councels judgements by the judgement and illumination of his holy Spirit that you may answer so as your offences may be absolved in the presence of that righteous Judge the Lord Jesus and then we doubt not but your selves shall finde felicity and this poor Realme that hath long been oppressed by wicked men shall enjoy tranquility and rest with the true knowledge of God These things read in publike Assembly as aforesaid were approved of all And some wished that more sharpnesse had been used because that the time so repuired But the Minions of the Court and Secretary Lethington above others could not abide such hard spoken words for whoever shall write said he to a Prince That God would strike the head and the tayle That if Papists do what they list men would begin where they left But above all others that was most offensive That the Queen was accused as that she would raise up Papists and Papistry again To put that in the people heads was no lesse then Treason yea Oathes was made That she never meaned such thing To whom it was answered That the Prophet Isaiah used such manner of speaking And it was no doubt but that he was acquainted in the Court for it was supposed that he was of the Kings Stock but howsoever it was his words make manifest that he spake to the Court and to the Courtiers to Judges Ladies Princes and Priests and yet saith he The Lord shall cut away the head and the tayle c. And so said the first writer I finde that such phrase was once used before us And if this offend you that we say Men must begin where they left in case the Papists do as they do we would desire you to teach us not so much how we shall speak but rather what we shall do when our Ministers are stricken our Superintendents disobeyed and a plain Rebellion decreed against all good Orders Complain said Lethington To whom said the other To the Queen said he How long shall we do so quoth the other Till that you get remedy said the Justice Clerke Give me their names and I shall give you Letters If the Sheep said one shall complain to the Wolfe That the Wolfs
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
from the Den of Lions To the confusion of their enemies To the better instruction of the ignorant Kings and To the perpetuall comfort of Gods afflicted children And Abdemelech in the day of the Lords Visitation when the King and his Councell did drink the bitter cup of Gods Vengeance did finde his life for a prey and did not fall by the edge of the sword when many thousands did perish And this was signified unto them by the Prophet himself at the commandment of God before that Ierusalem was destroyed This promise and cause were recited unto him in these words I will bring my words upon this City unto evil and not unto good but most assuredly I shall deliver thee because thou hast trusted in me saith the Lord. The trust and hope which Abdemelech had in God made himself bold to oppose himself being but one to the King and to his whole Councell who had condemned to death the Prophet whom his conscience did acknowledge to be innocent for thus did he speak in presence of the King sitting in the Port of Benjamin My Lord the King saith Abdemelech these men do wickedly in all things that they have done to Jeremy the Prophet Advert and take heed my Lords that the men who had condemned the Prophet were the King his Princes and Councell and yet did one man accuse them all of iniquity and did boldly speak in the defence of him of whose innocency he was perswaded And the same I say is the duty of every man in his Vocation but chiefly of the Nobility which is joyned with their kings to bridle and represse their folly and blinde rage Which thing if the Nobility do not neither yet labour to doe as they are Traitours to their Kings so do they provoke the wrath of God against themselves and against the Realme in which they abuse the Authoritie which they have received of God to maintaine Vertue and to suppresse Vice And hereof I would your Honours were most certainly perswaded That God will neither excuse Nobilitie nor people but the Nobility least of all that obey and follow their Kings in manifest iniquity but with the same vengeance will God punish the Prince People and Nobility conspiring together against him and his Holy Ordinances as in the punishment upon Pharaoh Israel Iuda and Babylon is evidently to be seene for Pharaoh was not drowned alone but his Captains Charets and great Army drank the same Cup with him The Kings of Israel and Iudah were not punished without company but with them were murthered the Counsellors their Princes imprisoned and their people led Captive And why because none was found so faithfull to God that he durst enterprise to resist nor gainstand the manifest impietie of their Princes And therefore was Gods wrath powred forth upon the one and the other But the more ample discourse of this argument I deferre to better opportunity onely at this time I thought expedient to admonish you That before God it shall not excuse you to alleadge We are no Kings and therefore neither can we reforme Religion nor yet defend such as be persecuted Consider my Lords that ye are powers ordained of God as before is declared and therefore doth the Reformation of Religion and the defence of such as unjustly are oppressed appertaine to your charge and care which thing shall the Law of God universally given to be kept of all men most evidently declare which is my last and most assured reason why I say ye ought to remove from your Honours and to punish with death such as God hath condemned by his own mouth After that Moses had declared what was true Religion to wit To honour God as he commanded adding nothing to his Word neither yet diminishing any thing from it and after also that vehemently he had exhort-the same Law to be observed he denounced the punishment against the Transgressors in these words If thy brother sonne daughter wife or neighbour whom thou lovest as thine own life solicitate thee secretly saying Let us go serve other gods whom neither thou nor thy fathers have knowne consent not to him hear him not let not thine eye spare him shew him no indulgency or favour hide him not but utterly kill him let thy hand be the first upon him that he may be slaine and after the hand of the whole people Of these words of Moses are two things appertaining to our purpose to be noted The first is that such as solicitate only to Idolatry ought to be punished to death without favour or respect of person For he that will not suffer man to spare his sonne his daughter nor his wife but straitly commandeth punishment to be taken upon the idolatours have they never so nigh conjunction with us will not wink at the Idolatry of others of what state or condition soever they be It is not unknown That the Prophets had Revelations of God which were not common to the people as Samuel had the Revelation that Eli and his posterity should be destroyed That Saul should first be King and thereafter That he should be rejected That David should raign for him Michaiah understood by Vision That Achab should be killed in the Battell against the Syrians Elias saw that dogs should eat Iezabel in the Forts of Iezreel Elisha did see hunger come upon Israel by the space of seven yeers Ieremiah did foresee the destruction of Ierusalem and the time of their Captivity And so divers other Prophets had divers Revelations of God which the people did not otherwise understand but by their affirmation and therefore in those dayes were the Prophets named Seers because that God did open unto them that which was hid from the multitude Now if any man might have claimed any priviledge from the rigour of the Law or might have justified his fact it should have been the Prophet For he might have alleadged for himself his singular Prerogative that he had above other men to have Gods Will revealed unto him by Vision or by Dream or That God had declared particularly unto him that his pleasure was To be honoured in that manner in such a place and by such means But all such excuses doth God remove commanding That the Prophet that shall so solicitate the people to serve strange Gods shall die the death notwithstanding that he alleadge for himself Dream Vision or Revelation yea although he promise miracles and although that such things as he promised should come to passe yet I say commandeth God that no credit be given to him but that he die the death because he teacheth apostasie and defection from God Hereby your Honours may easily see That none provoking the people to Idolatry ought to be exempted from the punishment of death For if neither that inseparable Conjunction which God himself hath sanctified betwixt man and wife neither that unspeakable love grafted in nature which is betwixt the father and the son neither yet that
same but also in externall gesture declaring that he lamenteth if he can do no more for such abominations Which thing was shewed to the Prophet Ezekiel when he gave him to understand why he would destroy Iuda with Israel and that he would remove his glory from the Temple and place that he had chosen and so pour forth his wrath and indignation upon the City that was full of blood and apostasie which became so impudent that it durst be bold to say The Lord hath left the earth and seeth not And this time I say the Lord revealed in vision to his Prophet who they were that should finde favour in that miserable destruction to wit That those that did mourn and lament for all the abominations done in the City in whose foreheads did God command to Print and Seal Tau to the end that the destroyer who was commanded to strike the rest without mercy should not hurt them in whom that signe was found Of these premises I suppose it be evident That the punishment of Idolatry doth not appertain to Kings onely but also to the whole people yea to every member of the same according to his possibility For that is a thing most assured That no man can mourn lament and bewail for those things which will not remove to the uttermost of his power If this be required of the whole people and of every man in his Vocation What shall be required of you my Lords whom God hath raised up to be Princes and Rulers above your Brethren whose hands he hath armed with the sword of Justice yea whom he hath appointed to be as Bridles to represse the rage and insolency of your Kings whensoever they pretend manifestly to transgresse Gods blessed Ordinance If any think that this my affirmation touching the punishment of Idolaters be contrary to the practice of the Apostles who finding the Gentiles in Idolatry did call them to repentance requiring no such punishment let the same man understand That the Gentiles before the preaching of Christ lived as the Apostle speaketh Without God in the World drowned in Idolatry according to the blindnesse and ignorance in which they were holden as a prophane Nation whom God had never openly avowed to be his people had never received in his houshold neither given unto them his Laws to be kept in Religion nor Policy and therefore did not the holy Ghost calling them to repentance require of them any corporall punishment according to the rigour of the Law unto the which they were never subjects as they that were strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel But if any think That after that the Gentiles were called from their vain conversation and by embracing Christ Jesus were received in the number of Abrahams children and so made one people with the Jews believing If any think I say That then they were not bound to the same obedience which God required of his people Israel when he confirmed his League and Covenant with them the same appeareth to make Christ inferiour to Moses and contrarious to the Law of his heavenly Father For if the contempt or transgression of Moses Law was worthy of death What should we judge the contempt of Christs Ordinance to be I mean after they be once received And if Christ be not come to dissolve but to fulfill the Law of his heavenly Father Shall the liberty of his Gospel be an occasion that the especiall glory of his Father be trodden under foot and regarded of no man God forbid The especiall glory of God is That such as professe themselves to be his people should hearken to his voice And amongst all the voices of God revealed to the world touching punishment of vices is none more evident neither more severe then is that which is pronounced against Idolatry the teachers and maintainers of the same And therefore I fear not to affirm That the Gentiles I mean every City Realm Province or Nation amongst the Gentiles embracing Christ Jesus and his true Religion be bound to the same League and Covenant that God made with his people Israel when he promised to root out the Nations before them in these words Beware that thou make not any Covenant with the Inhabitants of the Land to the which thou comest lest perchance that this come in ruine that is be destruction to thee but thou shalt destroy their Altars break their Idols and cut down their Groves Fear no strange Gods nor worship them neither yet make you sacrifice to them But the Lord who in his great power and out-stretched arm hath brought you out of the Land of Egypt shall you fear him shall you honour him shall you worship to him shall you make Sacrifice his Statutes Iudgements Laws and Commandments you shall keep and observe This is the Covenant which I have made with you saith the Eternall forget it not neither yet fear ye other gods but fear you the Lord your God and he shall deliver you from the hands of all your enemies To this same Law and Covenant are the Gentiles no lesse bound then sometime were the Jews whensoever God doth illuminate the eyes of any multitude Province people or Citie and putteth the sword in their own hand to remove such enormities from amongst them as before they knew to be abominable then I say are they no lesse bound to purge their Dominions Cities and Countries from Idolatry then were the Israelites what time they received the Possession of the Land of Canaan And moreover I say If any go about to erect and set up Idolatry or to teach defection from God after that the verity hath been received and approved that then not onely the Magistrates to whom the sword is committed but also the people are bound by that Oath which they have made to God to revenge to the utmost of their power the injury done against his Majesty In universall desections and in a generall revolt such as was in Israel after Ieroboam there is a divers consideration for then because the whole people were together conspired against God there could none be found that would execute the punishment which God had commanded till God raised up Iehu whom he appointed for that purpose And the same is to be considered in all other generall defections such as this day be in the Papistry where all are blinded and all are declined from God and that of long continuance so that no ordinary Justice can be executed but the punishment must be reserved to God and unto all such means as he shall appoint But I speak of such a number as after they have received Gods perfect Religion do boldly professe the same notwithstanding that some or the most part fall back as of late dayes was in England unto such a number I say it is lawfull to punish the Idolators with death if by any means God give them power For so did Ioshua and Israel determine to
all things love and reverence When further I consider the troublesome state of Christs true Religion this day oppressed by blindnesse of men and lastly The great multitude of flatterers and the rare number of them that boldly and plainly dare speak the naked verity in presence of their Princesse and principally in the cause of Christ Iesus These things I say considered whatsoever any man shall judge of my enterprise I am compelled to say That Unlesse in your Regiment and in using of Power your Majesty be found different from the multitude of Princes and head Rulers That this pre-eminence wherein ye are placed shall be your dejection to torment and pain everlasting This proposition is sore but alas it is so true That if I should conceal and hide it from your Majesty I committed no lesse treason against your Majestie then if I did see you by imprudency take a Cup which I knew to be poysoned or invenomed and yet would not admonish you to abstain from drinking of the same The Religion which this day men defend by fire and sword is a Cup invenomed of which whosoever drinketh except that by true repentance he after drink of the water of life drinketh therewith damnation and death How and by whom it hath been invenomed if it were no more tedious to your Majestie to read or hear then it is painfull to me to write or rehearse I would not spare the labour But for this present I have thought it some discharge of one part of my duty if I of very love admonish your Majesty of the danger which I do as God one day shall declare preferring your Majesties salvation and the salvation of the People now committed to your charge before any corporall benefit that can redound to my self Addition AS Satan by craft hath corrupted the most holy Ordinances of Gods precepts I mean of the first Table in the place of the spirituall honouring of God introducing mens dreams inventions and fantasies So hath he abusing the weaknesse of man corrupted the precepts of the second Table Touching the honour which is due to Parents under whom are comprehended Princes and Teachers For now the devill hath so blinded the senses of many that they cannot or at least will not learn what appertaineth to God and what to Caesar. But because the spirit of God hath said Honour the King therefore whatsoever they command be it right or wrong must be obeyed But heavy shall the judgement be which shall apprehend such blasphemers of Gods Majesty who dare be so bold as to affirm That God hath commanded any creature to be obeyed against himself Against God it is That for the commandment of any Prince be he never so potent men shall commit Idolatry embrace a Religion which God hath not approved by his Word or confirm by their silence wicked and blasphemous Laws made against the honour of his Majestie Men I say that so do give no true obedience but as they are Apostates from God so are they Traytors to their Princes whom by flattery they confirm in rebelling against God onely they which to the death resist such wicked laws and decrees are acceptable to God and faithfull to their Princes As were the three children in the presence of Nabuchadnezzar and Daniel in the dayes of Darius the Persian Emperour whose constant and free confession as it glorified God so did it notifie as well to those tyrants as to all ages following the great blasphemy which in their rage and fury they committed against God from the which by all appearance neither of both so suddenly should have been called if the three children had bowed among the rest and Daniel had not declared the confession of his faith Which was with Windows open to pray towards Ierusalem manifestly thereby declaring That he did not consent to the blasphemous law and decree which was established by the King and his Counsell Experience hath taught us what surmises and blasphemies the adversaries of Christ Jesus of his eternall verity do invent and devise against such as begin to detect their impiety They are accused to be Authors of sedition raisers of tumults violators of common orders c. I answer with the Prophet Esay That all is not reputed before God sedition and conjuration which the foolish multitude so esteemeth neither yet is every tumult and breach of publike order contrary to Gods commandment for Christ Jesus himself coming to take the spoil from the strong armed who before did keepe his house in quietnesse is not come to send Peace but a Sword and to make a man disassent from his Father c. His Prophets before him and Apostles after him feared not to break publike Orders established against God and in so doing to move as it were the one half of peoples nations and cities against the other and yet I trust that none except the hired servant of Sathan will accuse Christ of sedition nor the Apostles of the troubling of Common wealths True it is that the most wholesome Medicine most troubleth for a time the body replenished with wicked and corrupted humours but the cause hereof is known to be not in the Medicine but in the Bodie subject to Maladie even so the true Word of God when it entreth to fight where Sathan hath born dominion as he still doth in the whole Papistrie cannot but appear to be occasion of great trouble But Madame more profitable it is that the pestilent humours be expelled with pain then that they be nourished to the distruction of the body The Papisticall Religion is a mortall pestilence which shall assuredly bring to death eternall the bodies and souls from the which it is not purged in this life and therefore take heed betimes God calleth upon you beware that ye shut not up your ears Judge not the matter after the vilenesse of my body whom God hath appointed Ambassadour and Messenger unto you but with reverence and fear consider him whose Message I bear I come to you in the name of the Eternall God and of Christ Jesus his Son to whom the Father hath committed all power whom he hath established Soveraign Judge over all flesh before whose Throne you must make accompt with what reverence you hear such as he sendeth It shall not excuse you to say or think That you doubt whether I be sent of God or no I crie unto you That the Religion which the Princes and blinded Papists maintain with fire and sword is not the Religion of Christ That your proud Prelates are none of Christs Bishops I admonish you That Christs Flock is oppressed by them and therefore I require and that yet again in the name of the Lord Jesus That with indifferency I may be heard to preach to reason and to dispute in that Cause which if you deny you declare your self to bear no reverence to Christ nor love to his true Religion Letter BUt