troubles and adversities which man sustaineth for accomplishment of Gods will revealed by his word For how terrible soever they appeare to the judgement of the naturall man yet are they never able to devour nor utterly to consume the sufferers For the invisible and invincible power of God sustaineth and preserveth according to his promise all such as with simplicity do obey him The subtill craft of Pharaoh many yeers joyned with his bloody cruelty was not able to destroy the male children of Israel neither were the waters of the Red Sea much lesse the rage of Pharaoh able to confound Moses and the company which he conducted and that because the one had Gods Promise that they should multiply and the other had his Commandment to enter into such dangers I would your wisedoms should consider that our God remaineth one and is immutable and that the Church of Christ Jesus hath the same promise of protection and defence that Israel had of multiplication And farther That no lesse cause have ye to enter into your former enterprise then Moses had to go to the presence of Pharaoh for your vassalls yea your brethren are oppressed their bodies and souls holden in bondage and God speaketh to your consciences unlesse ye be dead with the blinde world that ye ought to hazard your owne lives be it against Kings or Emperours for their deliverance For onely for that cause are ye called Princes of the people And ye receive of your Brethren Honour Tribute and Homage at Gods Commandment not by reason of your Birth and Progenie as the most part of men do falsly suppose but by reason of your Office and Duty which is to vindicate and deliver your subjects and brethren from all violence and oppression to the uttermost of your power Advise diligently I beseech you with the points of that Letter which I directed to the whole Nobility and let every man apply the matter and case to himself for your conscience shall one day be compelled to acknowledge That the Reformation of Religion and of publike enormities doth appertaine to more then to the Clergie or chief Rulers called Kings The mighty Spirit of the Lord Jesus rule and guide your counsells to your eternall glory your eternall comfort and to the consolation of your brethren Amen From Deape the 27 of October 1557. These Letters received and read together with others directed to the whole Nobility and some to particular Gentlemen as to the Lairds of Dun and Petarrow new consultation was had what was best to be done and in the end it was concluded That they would follow forward their purpose once intended and would commit themselves and whatsoever God had given them into his hands rather then they would suffer Idolatry so manifestly to raigne and the Subjects of that Realme so to be defrauded as long as they had been of the onely food of their souls the true Preaching of Christs Gospel And that every one should be the more assured of other a common Bond was made and by some subscribed The tenor thereof followeth WE perceiving how Sathan in his members the Antichrists of our time cruelly do rage seeking to overthrow and destroy the Gospel of Christ and his Congregation ought according to our bounden duty to strive in our Masters Cause even unto the death being certaine of the Victory in him The which our duty being well considered We do promise before the Majestie of God and his Congregation That we by his grace shall with all diligence continually apply our whole power substance and our very lives to maintain set forward and establish the most blessed Word of God and his Congregation And shall labour according to our power to have faithfull Ministers truely and purely to minister Christs Gospel and Sacraments to his people We shall maintain them nourish them and defend them the whole Congregation of Christ and every Member thereof according to our whole powers and waging of our lives against Sathan and all wicked power that doth intend Tyranny or trouble against the foresaid Congregation Unto the which holy Word and Congregation we do joyne us and so do forsake and renounce the Congregation of Sathan with all the superstitious abomination and idolatry thereof And moreover shall declare our selves manifestly enemies thereto By this our faithfull Promise before God testified to this Congregation by our Subscription at these Presents At Edinburgh the third of December anno 1557. God called to witnesse Sic subscribitur A. Earle of Argyle Glencarne Mortoun Archibald Lord of Lorne Iohn Erskin of Dun Et caetera A little before that this Bond was subscribed by the fore-written and many other Letters were directed again to Io. Knox from the said Lords together with their Letters to M. Calvin craving of him That by his authority he would command the said Iohn once again to visite them These Letters were delivered by the hands of M. Iohn Gray in the Moneth of November anno 1558. who at that same time past to Rome for expedition of the Bowes of the Bp. of Rosse to M. Henry Sinclar Immediately after the subscription of this foresaid Bond the Lords and Barons professing Christ Jesus convened frequently in counsell in the which these Heads were concluded First It is thought expedient advised and ordained That in all Parishes of this Realm the Common-Prayer be read weekly on Sunday and other Festivall dayes publikely in the Parish Churches with the Lessons of the Old and New Testament conformed to the order of the Book of Common Prayers And if the Curats of the Parishes be qualified to cause them to read the same And if they be not or if they refuse that the most qualified in the Parish use and reade the same Secondly It is thought necessary that Doctrine Preaching and Interpretation of Scriptures be had and used privately in quiet houses without great conventions of the people thereto while afterward that God move the Prince to grant publike Preaching by faithfull and true Ministers These two heads concerning the Religion and some others concerning the policie being concluded the old Earle of Argyle took the maintenance of Iohn Dowglas caused him to Preach publikely in his house and reformed many things according to his counsell The same boldnesse tooke divers others as well within Towns as in the country which did not a little trouble the Bishops and Queen Regent As by this Letter and Credit committed to Sir David Hamilton from the Bishop of S. Andrews to the said Earle of Argyle may be clearly understood The Bishops Letter to the old Earle of Argyle MY Lord after most hearty commendations this is to advertise your Lordship that we have directed this Bearer our Cousin towards your Lordship in such businesse and affaires as concerneth your Lordships honour profit and great well-being as the said Bearer will declare to your Lordship at more length I pray your Lordship effectuously to
us with Rebellion they most earnestly required all men to approve the appointment and so to suffer hypocrisie to disclose it self This appointment was concluded the 28 of May and the day following at two in the after noon departed the Congregation from Saint Iohnston after that Iohn Knox had in his Sermon exhorted all men to constancy and unfainedly to thanke God for that it had pleased his mercy to stay the rage of the enemy without effusion of blood Also that no brother should be weary nor faint to support such as should after be likewise persecuted for said he I am assured that no part of this promise made shall be longer kept then till the Queen and her French-men to have the upper hand Many of the enemies were at the same Sermon For after that the appointment was made they had free entry in the Towne to provide Lodgings Before the Lords departed was this Bond whose Tenour followeth as it was written and subscribed The second Covenant at Perth AT Perth the last of May the yeere of God 1559 yeers the Congregations of the West Countrey with the Congregations of Fyfe Perth Dundie Angus Mernes and Monrosse being convened in the Towne of Perth in the Name of Iesus Christ for setting forth of his glory understanding nothing more necessary for the same then to keepe a constant amity unity and fellowship together according as they are commanded by God are confederate and become bounden and obliged in the presence of God to concurre and assist together in doing all things required of God in his Scripture that may be to his glory And at their whole powers to destroy and put away all things that doth dishonour to his Name so that God may be truely and purely worshipped And in case that any trouble be intended against the said Congregation or any part or member thereof the whole Congregation shall concurre assist and convene together to the defence of the same Congregation or person troubled And shall not spare Labours Goods Substance Bodies and Lives in maintaining the liberty of the whole Congregation and every member thereof against whatsoever person shall intend the said trouble for cause of Religion or any other cause depending thereupon or lay to their charge under pretence therof although it happen to be coloured with any other outward cause In witnessing and testimony of the which the whole Congregation aforesaid have ordained and appointed the Noble-men and persons under-written to subscribe these Presents Sic subscribitur Arch Argyle Iames Steward Glencarne R. Lord Boid Lord Wchiltrie Matthew Campbell of Tarmganart The 29 of May entred the Queen the Duke Monsieur d'Osell and the French-men who in discharging their Volley of Hacquebutes did well mark the house of Patrike Murray a man fervent in Religion and that boldly had sustained all danger in that trouble against whose stayr they directed six or seven Shot even against the faces of those that were there lying all men escaped except the son of the foresaid Patrike a boy of ten or twelve yeers of age who being slain was had to the Queens presence but she understanding whose son he was said in mockage It is pity it chanced on the son and not on the father but seeing that so it is chanced we cannot be against fortune This was her happy entry in Saint Iohnston and the great zeal she beareth to Justice The swarme of Papists that entred with her began straight to make provision for their Masse and because the Altars were not so easie to be repaired again they provided Tables whereof some before used to serve for Drunkards Dicers and Carders but they were holy enough for the Priest and his Pageant The Queen began to rage against all godly and honest men their houses were oppressed by the French the lawfull Magistrates as well Provest as Baylies were unjustly and without all order deposed from their Authority a wicked man void of Gods fear and destitute of all vertue the Laird of Kilfans was intrusted by her Provest of the Towne Whereat all honest men offended left their owne houses and with their wives and children sought amongst their brethren some resting place for a time She took order that four Colours of the Souldiers should abide in the Town to maintain Idolatry and to resist the Congregation Honest and indifferent men asked why she did so manifestly violate her promise She answered That she was bound to keep no promise to hereticks And moreover That she promised onely to leave the Towne free of French Souldiers which said she she did because that these that therein were left were Scotishmen But when it was reasoned in her contrary That all those that took wages of France were counted French Souldiers she answered Princes must not be straitly bounden to keep their promises My selfe said she would make little conscience to take from all that sort their lives and inheritance if I might do it with as honest an excuse And then she left the Towne in extreme Bondage After that her ungodly French-men had most cruelly used the most part of those that remained in the â—ame the Earle of Argyle and Lord Iames foresaid perceiving in the Queen nothing but meer tyranny and falshood mindefull of their former promises made to their brethren did secretly convey themselves and their Companies of the Town and with them departed the Lord Ruthuen of whom before mention is made then the Earle of Menteth and the Laird of Tullybardin who in Gods presence did confederate and binde themselves together faithfully promising one to assist and defend another against all persons that would pursue them for Religion sake and also that they with their whole force and power would defend the brethren persecuted for the same Cause The Queen highly offended at the sudden departure of the persons aforesaid sent charges to them to return under the highest pain of her displeasure But they answered That with safe conscience they could not be partakers of so manifest tyranny as was by her committed and of so great iniquity as they perceived devised by her and her ungodly counsell the Prelats This answer was given to her the first day of Iune and immediately the Earle of Argyle and Lord Iames repaired toward S. Andrewes and in their Journey gave advertisement by writing to the Laird of Dun to the Laird of Petarrow to the Provest of Dundie and others professors in Angus to visite them in S. Andrewes the fourth of Iune for Reformation to be made there which day they kept and brought in their company Iohn Knox who the first day after his coming to Fyfe did preach in Carreal the next day in Anstruther minding the third day which was the Sunday to preach in S. Andrews The Bishop hearing of Reformation to be made in his Cathedrall Church thought time to stirre or else never and therefore assembled his colleagues and confederate fellows besides his other friends and
that ever should be Bishops of Glasgow Howsoever these doubts were resolved by the Doctors of Divinity of both the Prelats yet the decision was as ye shall heare Comming forth or going in all is one at the Queere doore of Glasgow Church begins striving for state betwixt the Crosse-bearers so that from glouming they came to shouldring and so from shouldring they go to buffets and from dry blowe-neffaling and then for charities sake they cry Disperst◠dedit pauperibus and essay which of the Crosses was finest mettall which staffe was strongest and which Crosse-bearer could best defend his Masters preheminence and that there should be no superiority in that behalf to the ground go both their Crosses And then began no little fray but yet a merry game for rockets were rent tippets were torne crowns were knapped and side gowns might have been seen wantonly to wagge from the one wall to the other Many of them lacked beards and that was the more pity and therefore could not buckle other by the brises as bold men would have done But fie on the Jackmen that did not their duty For had the one part of them recountred the other then had all gone right but the Sanctuary we suppose saved the lives of many How merrily so ever this be written it was bitter mirth to the Cardinall and his court It was more then irregularity yea it might well have been judged laese majesté to the son of perdition the Popes own person and yet the other in his folly as proud as a Peacocke would let the Cardinall know that he was a Bishop when the other but Beton before he gat the Abbey of Aberbroth This enmity was judged mortall and without all hope of reconciliation But the blood of the innocent servant of God buried in oblivion all that bragging and boast For the Archbishop of Glasgow was the first unto whom the Cardinall wrote signifying unto him what was done and earnestly craving of him that he would assist with his presence and counsell how that such an enemy to their estate might be suppressed And thereto was not the other slow but kept time appointed sat next to the Cardinall waited and subscribed first in ranke and lay over the East block-house with the said Cardinall till the Martyr of God was consumed with fire for this we may note That all these beasts consented in heart to the slaughter of that Innocent So did they approve it with their presence having the whole ordnance of the Castle of S. Andrews bent towards the place of execution which was neere to the Castle ready to have shot if any would have made defence or rescue to Gods servant The manner of his Accusation Processe and Answers followeth as we have received from certaine Records which we relate truely as neere as possibly we can Upon the last of February was sent to the prison where the servant of God lay the Deane of the Towne by the commandment of the Cardinall and his wicked counsell and there summoned the said Master George that he should on the morrow following appeare before the Judge then and there to give account of his seditious and Hereticall Doctrine To whom the said Master George answered What needeth said he the Cardinall to summon me to answer for my Doctrine openly before him under whose power and Dominion I am thus straightly bound in irons May not he compell me to answer of his extort power Or beleeveth he that I am unprovided to render account of my Doctrine To manifest your selves what men ye are it is well done that ye keepe your old Ceremonies and Constitutions made by men Upon the next morrow the Lord Cardinall caused his servants to addresse themselves in their most warlike array with Jack Knapscall Splent Spear Axe more seemly for the war then for the Preaching of the true word of God And when these armed Champions marching in warlike order had conveyed the Bishops into the Abbey-church incontinently they sent for M. George who was conveyed unto the said Church by the Captaine of the Castle and the number of an hundred men addressed in manner aforesaid like a Lamb led they him to the sacrifice As he entred in at the Abbey-Church doore there was a poore man lying vexed with great infirmities asking of his almes to whom he flung his purse and when he came before the Cardinall by and by the Sub-prior of the Abbey called Deane Iohn Winrame stood up in the Pulpit and made a Sermon to all the congregation there then assembled taking his matter out of Matth. 13. Whose Sermon was divided into foure parts The first was A short and briefe declaration of the Evangelist The second of the interpretation of the good seed And because he called the Word of God the good seed and Heresie the evil seed he declared what Heresie was and how it should be knowne He defined it on this manner Heresie is a false Opinion defended with Pertinacie clearely repugning the Word of God The third part of his Sermon was The cause of Heresie within that realm and all other realms The cause of Heresie said he is the ignorance of them which have the cures of mens soules to whom it necessarily belongeth to have the true understanding of the Word of God that they may be able to winne again the false Teachers of Heresies with the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God and not onely to win again but also to overcome as faith Paul to Timothy A bishop must be faultlesse as becometh the minister of God not stubborn nor angry no drunkard no fighter not given to filthy lucre but harberous one that loved goodnesse sober-minded righteous holy temperate and such as cleaveth unto the true Word of Doctrine That he may be able with wholsome learning and to impugne that which they say against him The fourth part of his Sermon was how Heresies should be knowne Heresies quoth he be knowne on this manner As the God-smith knoweth the fine gold from the unperfit by the touch-stone So likewise may we know Heresie by the undoubted Touch-stone that is The true sincere and undefiled Word of God At the last he added That Hereticks should be put down in this present life To which Proposition the Gospel he treated of appeareth not to repugne Let them both grow to the harvest The harvest is the end of the world neverthelesse he affirmed That they should be put down by the civill Magistrate and Law And when he ended his Sermon incontinent they caused M. George to ascend into the Pulpit there to heare his Accusation and Articles for right against him stood one of the fat flock a monster Iohn Lawder a Priest laden full of cursings written in paper of the which he took out a roule both long and also full of outrages threatnings maledictions and words of devilish spite and malice saying to the innocent M. George so many cruell and abominable words
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
Charter-house was permitted to take with him even as much gold and silver as he was able to carry So were mens consciences beaten with the Word that they had no respect to their own particular profit but onely to abolish Idolatry the places and Monuments thereof in which they were so busie and so laborious that within two dayes these three great places Monuments of Idolatry to wit the Black and Gray Theeves and Charter-house Monks a building of wonderous cost and greatnesse was so destroyed that the walls onely did remain of all those great edifices Which reported to the Queen she was so inraged That she did vow utterly to destroy S. Iohnston man woman and childe and to consume the same by fire and thereafter to salt it in signe of a perpetuall desolation We suspecting nothing such cruelty but thinking that such words might escape her in choler without purpose determined because she was a woman set on fire by the complaints of those hypocrites who flocked unto her as Ravens to a carion We we say suspecting nothing such beastly cruelty returned to our own houses leaving in S. Iohnston Iohn Knox to instruct the people because they were yong and rude in Christ. But she set on fire partly by her own malice partly by commandment of her friends in France and not a little by bribes which she and Monsieur Dosell received from the Bishops and the Priests here at home did continue still in her rage And first she sent for all the Nobility to whom she complained That we meaned nothing but Rebellion She did grievously lament the destruction of the Charter-house because it was a Kings foundation and there was the tombe of King Iames the first and by such other perswasions she made the most part of them grant to pursue us And then incontinent sent she for her French men For that was and ever hath been her joy to see Scottish men dip one with anothers blood No man was at that time more franke against us then was Duke Hamilton led by that cruell beast the Bishop of Saint Andrews and by those that yet abuse him the Abbot of Kilvinning and Matthew Hamilton of Milburne two chiefe enemies to the Duke and to his whole house but in so far as thereby they may procure their own particular profit These and such other pestilent Papists ceased not to cast fagots on the fire continually crying Forward upon these Hereticks we shall once rid this Realme of them The certaintie hereof coming to our knowledge some of us repaired to the Towne againe about the two and twentieth day of May and there did abide for the comfort of our brethren Where after Invocation of the Name of God we began to put the Town and our selves in such strength as we thought might best serve for our just defence And because we did not utter despaire of the Queens favour we caused to forme a Letter to her Majestie as followeth To the Queenes Majestie Regent all humble obedience and dutie premised AS heretofore with jeopard of our lives and yet with willing hearts we have served the authoritie of Scotland and your Majestie now Regent in this Realme in service to our bodies dangerous and painefull so now with most dolorous mindes we are constrained by unjust tyrannie purposed against us to declare unto your Majestie That except this crueltie be stayed by your wisdome we shall be compelled to take the sword of just defence against all that shall pursue us for the matter of Religion and for our conscience sake which ought not nor may not be subject to mortall creatures further then by Gods Word man is able to prove that he hath power to command us We signifie moreover unto your Majestie That if by rigour we be compelled to seek the extreame defence that we will not onely notifie our innocencie and Petition to the King of France to our Mistresse and to her husband but also to the Princes and Counsell of every Christian Realme declaring unto them That this cruell unjust and most tyrannicall murther intended against Townes and multitudes was and is the onely cause of our revolt from our accustomed obedience which in Gods presence we faithfully promise to our Soveraigne Mistresse to her husband and unto your Majestie Regent Provided that our consciences may live in that Peace and Libertie which Christ Iesus hath purchased to us by his blood and that we may have his Word truely Preached and holy Sacraments rightly ministred unto us without which we firmely purpose never to be subject to mortall man For better we think to expose our bodies to a thousand deaths then to hazard our souls to perpetuall damnation by denying Christ Iesus and his manifest Veritie which thing not onely do they who commit open Idolatry but also all such as seeing their brethren pursued for the cause of Religion and having sufficient means to comfort and assist them do neverthelesse withdraw from them their dutifull support We would not your Majestie should be deceived by the false perswasions of those cruell beasts the Church-men who affirme That your Majestie needeth not greatly to regard the losse of us that professe Christ Iesus in this Realme If as God forbid ye give ear to their pestilent counsell and so use against us this extremity pretended it is to be feared That neither ye neither yet your posteritie shall at any time after this finde that obedience and faithfull service within this Realme which as all times you have found in us We declare our judgements freely as true and faithfull Subjects God move your Princely heart favourably to interpret our faithfull meaning Further advertising your Majestie That the selfe same thing together with all things that we have done or yet intend to do we will notifie by our Letters to the King of France Asking of you in the Name of the eternall God and as your Majestie tenders the peace and quietnesse of this Realme That ye invade us not with any violence till we receive answer from our Mistresse and her husbâ—nd and from their advised Counsell there And thus we commit your Majestie to the protection of the omnipotent From Saint Johnston the 22 of May 1559. Sic subscribitur Your Majesties obedient Subjects in all things not repugnant to God The faithfull congregation of Christ Iesus in Scotland To the same purpose we wrote to Monsieur Dosell in French requiring of him That by his wisdome he would mitigate the Queenes rage and the rage of the Priests otherwise that flame which then began to burn would so kindle that when some men would it could not be slackned Adding further That he declared himself no faithfull servant unto his Master the King of France if for the pleasure of the Priests he would persecute us and so compell us to take the sword of just defence In like manner we wrote to Captain Serre la Bourse and to all other Captains and French
use and chuse what Religion and manner thereof they please to the said day so that every man may have freedom to use his owne conscience to the day aforesaid Item The Queen shall not interpose her Authority to molest or trouble the Preachers of the Congregation nor their Ministry to them that please to use the same nor no other of the said Congregation in their bodies lands goods or possessions Pensions or whatsoever other kinde of goods they possesse nor yet suffer the Clergie or any other either Spirituall or Temporall Iurisdiction to trouble them in any manner of sort privately or openly for the cause of Religion or any other action depending thereupon to the said tenth day of Ianuary within written and that every man in particular live in the mean time according to his own conscience Item That no men of War French nor Scots be laid in daily Garrison within the Town of Edinburgh but to repair thereto to do thsir lawfull businesse and thereafter to retire them to their Garrisons This alteration in words and Order was made without knowledge and consent of those whose counsell we had used in all such causes before For some of them perceiving we began to faint and that we would appoint with unequall conditions said God hath wonderously assisted us in our greatest dangers He hath stricken fear in the hearts of our enemies when they supposed themselves most assured of Victory Our case is not yet so desperate that we need to grant to things unreasonable and ungodly which if we do it is to be feared That things shall not so prosperously succeed as they have done heretofore When all things were communed and agreed upon by mid persons the Duke and the Earle of Huntlie who that day were against us desired to speake with the Earles of Argyle and Glencarne the Lord Iames and others of our party who obeying their requests met with them at the Quarrell holes betwixt Leith and Edinburgh who in conclusion promised to our Lords That if the Queen brake to us any one jot of the Appointment then made that they should declare themselves plain enemies to her and friends to us As much promised the Duke that he would do in case that she would not remove her French-men at a reasonable day for the oppression which they did was manifest to all men This Appointment made and subscribed by the Duke Monsieur Dosell and the Earle of Huntlie the 25 of July we returned to the Towne of Edinburgh where we remained till the next day at noon when after Sermon dinner and Proclamation made at the Market Crosse in forme as followeth we departed Forme of the Proclamations FORASMUCH as it hath pleased God that Appointment is made betwixt the Queen Regent and us the Lords Protestants of this Realme We have thought good to signifie unto the chief Heads of the Appointment which be these First That no member of the Congregation shall be troubled in life lands goods or possessions by the Queene by her Authority nor by any other justice within this Realme for any thing done in this late Innovation till that a Parliament hath decided things that be in controversie Secondly That Idolatry shall not be erected where it is now at this day suppressed Thirdly That the Preachers and Ministers shall not be troubled in the ministration where they are already established neither yet stopped to Preach wheresoever they shall happen to travell within this Realme Fourthly That no Bands of men of War shall be laid in Garrison within the Town of Edinburgh The chief Heads of appointment concerning the liberty of Religion and conservation of our brethren we thought good to notifie unto you by this Proclamation that in case wrong or injury be done by any of the contrary faction to any member of our Body complaint may be made unto us to whom we promise as we will answer to our God our faithfull support to the uttermost of our powers At this Proclamation made with sound of Trumpet were offended all the Papists for first they alleadged It was done in contempt of Authority Secondarily That we had proclaimed more then was contained in the Appointment And last That we in our Proclamation had made no mention of any thing promised unto them To such murmures we answered That no just Anthority could think it self contemned because that the truth was by us made manifest unto all who otherwise might have pretended ignorance Secondly That we had proclaimed nothing which was not finally agreed upon in word and promise betwixt us and those with whom the Appointment was made whatsoever the Scribes had after written who in very deed had altered both in words and sentences our Articles as they were first conceived And yet if their owne writings were diligeutly examined the self-same thing shall be found in substance And last To proclaim any thing in their favours we thought it not necessary knowing that in that behalf they themselves would be diligent enough And in this we were nothing deceived for within fifteen days after there was not a Shaveling in Scotland to whom Tenths or any other Rents pertaineth but he had that Article of the Appointment by heart That the Church-men should be answered of Tenths Rents and all other duties and that no man should trouble or molest them We departing from Edinburgh the 26 of July came first to Linlithqow and after to Sterlin where after consultation the Band of defence and maintenance of Religion and for mutuall defence every one of the other was subscribed of all that were there present The tenour of the Bond was thus WE foreseeing the craft and sleight of our Adversaries who trie all manner of wayes to circumvient us and by privy means intend to assayle every one of us particularly by fair heights and promises therethrough to separate one of us from another to our utter ruine and destruction For remedy thereof we faithfully and truely binde us in the presence of God and as we tender the maintenance of true Religion That none of us shall in time coming passe to the Queen Dowager to talk or commune with her for any Letter or Message sent by her unto us or yet to be sent with consent of the rest or common consultation thereupon and how soon that either Message or Writing should come from her unto us with all diligence we shall notifie the same one to another so that nothing shall proceed therein without common consent of us all At Sterlin the first day of August 1559. This Band subscribed and we foreseeing that the Queen and Bishops meant nothing but deceit thought good to seek ayd and support of all Christian Princes against her tyranny in case we should be more sharply pursued And because that England was of the same Religion and lay next unto us it was judged expedient first to prove them which we did by one or two Messengers as hereafter in its owne place
that even in our eyes our dear brethren true members of our Common-wealth are most cruelly oppressed by strangers in so far as some are banished their owne houses some robbed and spoiled of their substance purchast by their just labours in the sweat of their brows some cruelly murthered at the pleasure of these inhumane souldiers and altogether have their lives in such fear and dread as if the enemy were in the midst of them so that nothing can seem pleasant unto them which they possesse in the bowells of their native Countrey so neer judged every man and not without just cause the practise used upon their brethren to approach next unto them their wives childrens houses and substances which altogether are cast at the feet of strangers men of War to be by them thus abused at their unbridled lusts desire Now if it be sedition dear brethren to complain lament and pour forth before God the sorrows and sobs of our dolorous hearts crying to him for redresse of those enormities which elsewhere is to be found which altogether do proceed of the unlawfull holding of strange Souldiers over the heads of our brethren If this to complain be sedition then indeed dear brethren can none of us be purged of that crime for as in very heart we condemne such inhumane cruelty with the wicked and crafty pretence thereof so can we not nor dare we neither by mouths speaking nor yet by keeping silence justifie the same Neither do we here aggravate the breaking of the Appointment made at Leith which alwayes hath manifestly been done but herein we remember what oath we have made to our Common-wealth and how the duty we ought to the same compelleth us to cry out That the Queen by wicked and ungodly counsell goeth most craftily about utterly to oppresse the same and the ancient Lawes and Liberties thereof As well against the King of France his promise her own duty in respect of the high promotions that she hath received thereby which justly should have caused her to have been in deed that which she would be called and is nothing lesse in verity to wit a carefull mother over this Common-wealth But what motherly care she hath used towards you ye cannot be ignorant of Have ye not been even from the first entrie of her Reigne ever smitten and oppressed with unaccustomed and more exorbitant Taxations then ever were used within this Realm Yea and how far was it sought here to have been brought in upon you and your posterity under colour to have been laid up in store for the wars The inquisition taken of all your goods moveable and unmoveable by way of Testament the seeking of the whole Câ—ale and Salt of this Realme to have been laid up in store and in garnell and she alone to have been Merchant thereof doth teach you by experience some of her motherly care Again What favour to our Common-wealth doth she at this instant bear when even now presently and of a long time by-gone by the Ministery of some who better deserve the Gallows then ever did Cochran she doth so corrupt the good money and hath brought it to such businesse and such a deale of strife that all men that had their eyes open may perceive an extream beggery to be brought there-through upon the whole Realme So that the whole exchange and traffique to be had with Forraigne nations a thing most necessary in all Common-wealths shall thereby be utterly extinguished and all the gaines received thereby is That she therewith entertaineth strangers upon our heads For brethren you know that her money hath served for no other purpose in our Common-wealth this long time bygone And the impunity of those wicked Ministers whom lately we spake of hath brought the matter to such a licentious enormitie and plaine contempt of the Common-weale that now they spare not plainely to break down and convert the good and weighty money Coined in our Soveraignes lesser age into this their corrupted skruife and baggages of Hard-heads and Non-sunts most like as she and they had conspired to destroy all the whole good Coine of this Realme and consequently that part of the Common-weale Besides all this their clipped and râ—nged Sols which had no passage these three yeers past in the Realme of France are commanded to have course in this Realme to gratifie thereby her new-come Souldiers and all these things together are done without the advice or consent of the Nobilitie and Counsell of thiâ— Realme and manifestly there-through against our ancient Laws and Liberties Thirdly her last and most weightie proceeding more fully declareth the motherly care her Majestie beareth to our Common-weale and us when in time of Peace without any occasion of Forraigne Wars thousands of Strangers are laid here and there upon the necks of our poore members of this Common-weale Their idle bellies fed upon the poore substance of the Commonaltie conquest by their just labours in the painfull sweat of their brows which to be true Dumbar North-Barwick Travent Presâ—on Panes Missilburgh Leith Cannongat Kinghorne Kirkcaldie Disert with the depauperate souls that this day dwell therein can testifie Whose oppression as doubtlesse it is entred in before the Justice-seat of God so ought it justly to move our hearts to have pity and compassion upon these our poore brethren and at our powers to provide remedie for the same And albeit her strangers had been garnished with money as you know well they were not yet can there here lying be no wayes but most hurtfull to our Common-wealth seeing that the fertility of this Realme had never been so plentifull that it was able of any continuance to sustain it selfe and inhabitants thereof without support of Forraigne Countreys far lesse able besides the same to sustain thousands of strangers wherewith it is burthened to the dearthing of all victuals as the murmure and complaint of Edinburgh this day doth testifie But to what effect the Common-weale is thus burdened the end doth declare For shortly were they brought to the fields against our Soveraigns true Lieges even us your brethren who God knoweth sought nothing else but peace of conscience under protection of our Soveraigne and Reformation of these enormities for no other cause but that we would not renounce the Gospel of Jesus Christ and subdue our necks under the tyranny of that wicked Man of sin the Romane Antichrist and his forsworn Shavelings who at that time most tyrannically oppressed our souls with hunger of Gods true Word and rest our goods and substances to waste the same upon their foule lusts and stinking harlots But O dear brethren this was not the chiefe pretence and finall scope of her proceedings as these dayes do well declare for had not God given in our hearts to withstand that oppression with weapons of most just defence thou O Saint Iohnston and Dundie had been in no better state then your sister of Leith is this day For though we in very deed God
but to live upon that which was appointed ought not to be mollified according to the living of other common men who might and did daily augment their Rents by some other industry When such reasons were laid before them they got none other answer but The Queen can spare no greater Sums Oft was it cryed out in their ears O happy servants of the Devill and miserable servants of Iesus Christ if after this life there were nor Hell nor Heaven For to the servants of the Devill these dumbe Dogs and horrid Bishops To one of those idle bellies I say ten thousand was not enough but to the servants of Christ that painfully preach his Evangell a hundreth will suffice how can that be sustained One day in reasoning of this matter the Secretary burst out in a piece of his collor and said The Ministers have thus much payed unto them by year who ever yet said to the Queen Grand mercies for it was there ever a Minister that gave thanks to God for her Majesties liberalitie towards them One singled and answered Assuredly I think that such as receive any thing gratis of the Queen are unthankfull if they acknowledge it not both in heart and minde But whether the Ministers be of that rank or not I greatly doubt gratis I am sure they receive nothing and whether they receive any at all from the Queen wise men may reason I am assured that neither third nor two parts ever appertained to any of her Predecessors within this Realm these thousand years last past neither yet hath the Queens Flatterers better title to that which she usurpes be it in-giving to others or taken it to her self then the souldiers who crucified Jesus Christ had to divide his Garments amongst them And if the truth may be spoken she hath not so good Title as they had for such spoile ought to be the reward of such men And in that point the Souldiers were more gentle than the Queenes Flatterers for they parted not the Garments of our Saviour till that he himself was hung upon the Crosse but her Flatterers do part the spoil whilest that poor Christ is yet preaching amongst you But the wisedome of our God taketh tryall of us by this meanes knowing well enough what the Court faction have purposed to do Let the Papists who have the two parts some that have their thirds free and some that have gotten Abbeys and few Lands thanke the Queen and King Placebo Domine the poore Preachers will not yet flatter for feeding of their bellies These words were judged proud and intollerable and ingendred no small displeasure to the Speaker This we put in memory that the posterity to come may know that God once made his truth to triumph but because some of our selves delighted more in darknesse than in light God hath restrained our freedom and put the whole body in bondage yea the greatest Flatterers have not escaped so free as they supposed yea the latter plagues appear yet to be worse than the first Be mercifull unto us O Lord and deal with us not according to our deservings but look thou to the equitie of the cause which thou hath put in our hands and suffer not iniquitie to oppresse thy Trueth for thy own names sake O Lord. In this mean while to wit in February 1561. was Lord Iames first made Earl of Murray and then marryed one Agnes Keith daughter to the Earl Marshall The marriage was publike in the Church of Edinburgh at the blessing of the marriage they both got one admonition to behave themselves moderately in all things For said the Preacher to him The Church of God hath received comfort by you and by your labours unto this day In the which if hereafter you shall be found fainter then you have been formerly it will be said That your Wife hath changed your nature The greatnesse of the Bankquet and the vanitie used thereat offended many Godly There began the Masking which from yeer to yeer hath continued since Master Randolph Agent for the Queen of England was then and sometime after in no small esteem with our Queen For his Mistris sake she did drink to him in a Cup of Gold which he possessed with great joy more for the favour of the giver then of the gift and value thereof and yet it was honourable The things that then were in handling betwixt the two Queens whereof Lethington Secretary Cecill and Master Randolph were Ministers were of great weight as we will after heare This Winter the Earl of Bothwell the Marquis D'albuff and Lord Iohn of Coldingham committed ryot in Edinburgh and disordered the whole Town brake Cuthbert Ramseyes Gates and Doors searched his House for his Daughter in law Alison Craige And this was done in despight of the Earl of Arrane who was suspected to have been in love with the said Alison the horrours of this fact and the veritie of it highly commoved all godly hearts The Assembly and also the Nobilitie for the most part were in the Town and so they concluded to crave justice and so they did as by this subsequent supplication doth appear To the Queens Majestie Her secret Councell Her Highnesse faithfull and obedient Subjects The professors of Christ Iesus his holy Evangell wish the Spirit of righteous judgement THe fear of God conceived of his holy Word the naturall and unfained love we bear unto your Majestie the duetie which we owe to the quietnesse of our Country and the terrible threatnings which our God pronounceth against every Realm and Citie in the which horrible Crimes are openly committed and then by the Committers obstinately defended compells us a great part of our Subjects humbly to crave of your Majesties upright and true judgement against such persons as have done what in them lye to kindle Gods wrath against this whole Realm The impiety by them committed is so haynous and so horrible That as it is a fact most vile and rare to be heard of within the Realm and principally within the Bowels of this Citie So should we thinke our selves guiltie of the same if negligently or yet for worldy fear we put it over with silence and therfore your Majestie may not think that we crave any thing while that we crave open Malefactors condignly to be punished But that God hath commanded us to crave and also hath commanded your Majestie to give to every one of your Subjects for by this Lynk hath God knit together the Prince and people that as he commands honour fear and obedience to be given to the powers established by him so doth he in expresse words command and declare what the Prince oweth unto the Subjects to wit That as he is the Minister of God bearing the sword for vengeance to be taken on evill doers and for the denfence of peaceable and quiet men so ought he to draw the sword without partialitie so oft as in Gods Name he is required thereto Seeing so it
rather every discreet person would boldly affirm That such as so did were unworthy of Regiment If we will not deny that which Christ Jesus affirmeth to be a truth infallible to wit That the soul is greater and more precious then is the body then shall we easily espie how unworthy of Authority be those that this day debar their subjects from hearing of Gods Word and by fire and sword compell them to feed upon the very poyson of their souls the damnable Doctrine of Antichrist And therefore in this point I say I cannot cease to admonish your Honors diligently to take heed over your charge which is greater then the most part of men suppose It is not enough that you abstain from violent wrong and oppression which ungodly men exercise against their subjects but ye are further bound to wit That ye rule above them for their weal which we cannot do if that ye either by negligence not providing true Pastors or yet by your maintenance of such as be ravening Wolves suffer their souls to starve and perish for lack of the true food which is Christs Evangell sincerely preached It will not excuse you in his presence who will require account of every Talent committed to your charge to say That ye supposed that the charge of the souls had been committed to your Bishops No no my Lords so ye cannot escape Gods judgement for if your Bishops be proved to be no Bishops but deceivable theeves and ravening wolves which I offer my self to prove by Gods Word by Law and Councells yea by the judgement of all the godly learned from the primitive Church to this day then shall your permission and defence be reputed before God a participation with their theft and murther For thus accused the Prophet Isaiah the Princes of Ierusalem Thy Princes saith he are apostates that is obstinate refusers of God and they are companions of theeves This grievous accusation was laid against them albeit that they ruled in that City which sometime was called Holy where then were the Temple Rites and Ordinances of God because that not onely they were wicked themselves but chiefly because they maintained wicked men their Priests and false Prophets in honours and authority If they did not escape this accusation of the holy Ghost in that age look ye neither to scape the accusation nor the judgement of wicked men to wit That the one and the other shall drink the Cup of Gods wrath and vengeance together And lest ye should deceive your selves esteeming your Bishops to be vertuous and godly this do I affirm and offer my self to prove the same That more wicked men then be the whole rabble of your Clergie were never from the beginning universally known in any age yea Sodome and Gomorra may be justified in respect of them for they permitted just Lot to dwell amongst them without any violence done to his body which that pestilent Generation of your shaven sort doth not but most cruelly persecute by fire and sword the true members of Christs Body for no other cause but for the true service and honouring of God And therefore I fear not to affirm that which God will one day justifie That by your Offices ye are bound not onely to represse their tyranny but also to punish them as theeves and murtherers as Idolaters and blasphemers of God and in their rooms ye are bound to place true Preachers of Christs Evangell for the instruction comfort and salvation of your subjects above whom else shall never the holy Ghost acknowledge That you rule in justice for their profit If ye pretend to possesse the Kingdom with Christ Jesus ye may not take example neither by the ignorant multitude of Princes neither by the ungodly and cruell Rulers of the earth of whom some passe their time in sloth insolency and riot without respect had to Gods honour or to the salvation of of their brethren and others most cruelly oppresse with proud Nimrod such as be subject to them But your pattern and example must be the practice of those whom God hath approved by the testimony of his Word as after shall be declared Of the premises it is evident That to lawfull powers is given the Sword for punishment of malefactors for maintenance of innocents and for the profit and utility of their subjects Now let us consider Whether the Reformation of Religion fallen in decay and punishment of false Teachers do appertain to the Civill Magistrate and Nobility of any Realme I am not ignorant that Satan of old time for maintenance of his darknesse hath obtained of the blinde world two chief points The former He hath perswaded to Princes Rulers and Magistrates That the feeding of Christs Flock appertaineth nothing to their charge but that it is rejected upon the Bishops and State Ecclesiasticall And secondly That the Reformation of Religion be it never so corrupt and the punishment of such as be sworn Souldiers in their kingdom are exempted from all Civill power and are reserved to themselves and to their cognizance But that no offender may justly be exempted from punishment and that the ordering and reformation of Religion with the instruction of subjects doth especially appertain to the Civill Magistrate shall Gods perfect Ordinance his plain Word and the facts and examples of those that of God are highly praised most evidently declare When God did establish his Law Statutes and Ceremonies in the midst of Israel he did not exempt the matters of Religion from the power of Moses but as he gave him charge over the Civill policie so he put in his mouth and his hand that is he first revealed to him and thereafter commanded to put in practice whatsoever was to be taught or done in matters of Religion Nothing did God reveal particularly to Aaron but altogether was he commanded to depend from the mouth of Moses Yea nothing was he permitted to do to himself or to his children either in his or their Inauguration and Sanctification to the Priesthood but all was committed to the care of Moses and therefore were these words so frequently repeated to Moses Thou shalt separate Aaron and his sons from the midst of the people of Israel that they may execute the Office of the Priesthood thou shalt make them Garments thou shalt anoynt them thou shalt wash them thou shalt fill their hands with Sacrifice And so forth of every Rite and Ceremony that was to be done unto them especiall commandment was given unto Moses That he should do it Now if Aaron and his sons were subject to Moses that they did nothing but at his commandment Who dare be so bold as to affirm That the Civill Magistrate hath nothing to do in matters of Religion For seeing that then God did so straitly require That even those who did bear the figure of Christ should receive from the Civill power as it were their Sanctification and entrance into their
hath put and ordained distinction and difference betwixt the King and Subjects betwixt the Rulers and the Common-people in the Regiment and Administration of Civill Policies yet in the hope of the life to come he hath made all equall for as in Christ Jesus the Iew hath no greater Prerogative then hath the Gentile the man then hath the woman the learned then the unlearned the Lord then the servant but all are one in him so is there but one way and means to attain to the participation of his benefits and spirituall graces which is a lively faith working by charitie and therefore I say that it doth no lesse appertain to you beloved Brethren to bee assured that your faith and Religion be grounded and established upon the true and undoubted Word of God then to your Princes or Rulers For as your bodies cannot escape corporall death if with your Princes ye eate or drink deadly poyson although it be by ignorance or negligence so shall ye not escape the everlasting if with them ye professe a corrupt Religion yea except in heart ye beleeve and with mouth ye confesse the Lord Jesus to be the onely Saviour of the world which ye cannot doe except ye embrace his Evangell offered ye cannot escape death and damnation For as the just liveth by his own faith so doth the unfaithfull perish by his infidelitie And as true faith is ingendred nourished and maintained in the hearts of Gods Elect by Christs Evangell truely preached so is infidelity and unbelief fostered by concealing and repressing the same And thus if ye look for the life everlasting ye must trie if ye stand in faith and if ye would be assured of a true and lively faith ye must needs have Christ Jesus truly preached unto you And this is the cause dear Brethren that so oft I repeat and so constantly I affirme That to you it doth not lesse appertain then to you King or Princes to provide that Christ Jesus be truely preached amongst you seeing that without his true knowledge can neither of you both attain to Salvation And this is the point wherein I say all men are equall That all are descended from Adam by whose sin and inobedience did death enter into the world so it behoved all that shall obtain life to be ingrafted in one that is in the Lord Iesus who being the just servant doth by his knowledge justifie many to wit all that unfainedly beleeve in him Of this equalitie and that God requireth no lesse of the subject be he never so poor then of the Prince and rich man in matters of Religion he hath given an evident declaration in the Law of Moses for when the Tabernacle was builded erected and set in order God did provide how it and the things pertaining to the same should be sustained so that they should not fall in decay And this provision albeit heaven and earth obey his Empire would he not take from the secret and hid Treasures which lie dispersed in the veines of the earth neither yet would he take it from the rich and potent of the people but he did command That every one of the sons of Israel were he rich or were he poor that came in count from 20 yeers and upward should yeerly pay halfe a Sickle for an oblation to the Lord in the remembrance of their Redemption and for an expiation or cleansing of their souls which money God commanded should be bestowed upon the Ornaments and necessaries of the Tabernacle of Testimony He furthermore added a Precept That the rich should give no more for that use and in that behalf then should the poor neither yet that the poor should give any lesse then should the rich in that consideration This law to mans reason and judgement may appear very unreasonable for some rich man might have given a thousand sickles with lesse hurt of his substance then some poor man might have payed the half Sickle And yet God maketh all equall and will that the one shall pay no more then the other neither yet the poor lesse then the rich This Law I say may appear very unequall But if the cause which God addeth be observed we shall finde in the same the great mercy and inestimable wisdom of God to appear which cause is expressed in these words This money received from the children of Israel thou shalt give in for the service of the Tabernacle that it may be to the clildren of Israel for a remembrance before the Lord that he may be mercifull to your souls This cause I say doth evidently declare That as the whole multitude was delivered from the bondage of Egypt by the mighty power of God alone so was every member of the same without respect of persons sanctified by his grace the richest in that behalfe nothing preferred before the poorest For by no merit and worthinesse of man was he moved to choose and to establish his habitation and dwelling amongst them but their felicity prerogative and honour which they had above all other Nations proceeded onely from the fountaine of his eternall goodnesse who loved them freely as he freely had chosen them to be a priestly kingdome and holy people from all Nations of the earth Thus to honour them that hee would dwell in the midst of them he neither was moved I say by the wisdome of the wise by the riches of the potent neither yet by the vertue and holinesse of any state amongst them but of meer goodnesse did he love them and with his presence did he honour the whole people and therefore to paint out the same his common love to the whole multitude and to cut off occasions of contention and doubts of conscience he would receive no more from the rich then from the poor for the maintenance of that his tabernacle by the which was represented his presence and habitation amongst them If the rich had been preferred to the poor then as the one should have been puffed up with pride as that he had been more acceptable to God by reason of his greater gift so should the conscience of the other have been troubled and wounded thinking that his poverty was an impediment that he could not stand in so perfect favour with God as did the other because he was not able to give so much as did the rich to the maintenance of his Tabernacle But he who of mercy as is said did choose his habitation amongst them and also that best knoweth what lyeth within man did provide the remedie for the one and for the other making them equall in that behalf who in other things were most unequall If the poor should have found himself grieved by reason of that taxe and that asmuch was imposed upon him as upon the Rich yet had he no small cause of joy that God himself would please to compare him and to make him equall in the maintenance of his Tabernacle to the most
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
who so mercifully ruled in the midst of them The temptation no doubt of the Israelites was great in those dayes They were carried captives from the Land of Canaan which was to them the gage and pledge of Gods favour towards them for it was the inheritance that God promised to Abraham and to his seed for ever The League and Covenant of Gods Protection appeared to have been broken They lamentably complain That they saw not their accustomed signes of Gods mercifull presence The true Prophets were few and the abominations used in Babylon were exceeding many And so it might have appeared to them That in vain it was that they were called the Posterity of Abraham or that ever they had received the Law or Forme of right Religion from God That we may the better feel it in our selves the temptation I say was even such as if God should utterly destroy all Order and Policie that this day is within his Church that the true preaching of the Word should be suppressed The right use of Sacraments abolished Idolatry and Papisticall abomination erected up again And therewith That our bodies should be taken prisoners by Turks or other manifest enemies of God and of all godlinesse Such I say was their temptation How notable then is this their confession that in bondage they make to wit That they will remember God onely albeit he hath appeared to turn his face from them They will remember his name and will call to minde the deliverance promised Hereof have we to consider what is our duty If God bring us as for our offences and unthankfulnesse justly he may to the like extremity This confession is not the fair flattering words of hypocrites lying and bathing in their pleasures but it is the mighty operation of the Spirit of God who leaveth not his own destitute of some comfort in their most desperate calamities This is then our duty not onely to confesse our God in time of peace and quietnesse but he chiefly craveth that we avow him in the midst of his and our enemies And this is not in us to do but it behoveth That the Spirit of God work in us above all power of nature And thus we ought earnestly to meditate before the battell rise more vehement which appeareth not to be far off But now must we enter in somewhat more deeply to consider these judgements of God This people dealt with all as we have heard was the onely people upon the face of the Earth to whom God was rightly known among them onely were his Laws Statutes Ordinances and Sacrifices used and put in practise They onely invocated his Name and to them alone had he promised his protection and assistance What then should be the cause that he should give them over into this great reproach and bring them into such extremity as his own name in them should be blasphemed The Prophet Ezekiel that saw this horrible destruction forespoken by Isaiah put in just execution giveth an answer in these words I gave unto them Laws that were good in the which Whosoever should walk should live in them But they would not walk in my wayes but rebelled against me And therefore I have given unto them Laws that are not good and Iudgements in the which they shall not live The Writers of the Books of Kings and Chronicles declare this in more plain words saying The Lord sent unto them his Prophets rising early desiring of them to return unto the Lord and to amend their wicked wayes for he would have spared his people and his Tabernacle but they mocked his servants and would not return unto the Lord their God to walk in his wayes Yea Iudah it self kept not the precepts of the Lord God but walked in the Manners and Ordinances of Israel That is Of such as then had declined to Idolatry from the dayes of Ieroboam And therefore the Lord God abhorred the whole seed of Israel that is The whole body of the people he promised them and gave them into the hands of those that spoiled them and so he cast them out from his presence Hereof it is evident That their disobedience unto God and unto the voices of his Prophets was the cause of their destruction Now have we to take heed how we should use the good Laws of God that is his Will revealed unto us in his Word and that Order of Justice that by him for the comfort of man is established amongst men It is no doubt but that obedience is the most acceptable sacrifice unto God and that which above all things he requireth That when he manifesteth himselfe by his word that men follow according to their vocation and commandment Now so it is that God by that great Pastor our Lord Jesus now manifestly in his word calleth us from all impiety as well of body as of mind to holinesse of life and to his spirituall service And for this purpose he hath erected the throne of his mercy among us the true preaching of his word together with the right administration of his Sacraments But what is our obedience let every man examine his own conscience and consider what statutes and lawes we would have to be given unto us Wouldst thou O Scotland have a King to raign over thee in justice equity and mercy subject thou thy selfe to the Lord thy God obey his commandments and magnifie thou that word that calleth unto thee This is the way walke into it and if thou wilt not flatter not thy self the same justice remaineth this day in God to punish thee Scotland and thee Edinburgh in especiall that before punished the land of Iuda and the City of Ierusalem Every Realm or Nation saith the Prophet Ieremy that likewise offendeth shall be likewise punished But if thou shalt see impiety placed in the seat of justice above thee so that in the Throne of God as Salomon doth complain raigneth nothing but fraud violence accuse thy own ingratitude and rebellion against God for that is the only cause why God taketh away as the same Prophet in another place doth speak the strong man and the man of war the Judge and the Prophet the prudent and the aged the Captain and the honourable the Counsellor and the cunning Artificer And I will appoint saith the Lord children to be their Princes and babes shall rule over them Children are extortioners of my people and women have rule over them If these calamities I say apprehend us so that we see nothing but the oppression of good men and of all godlinesse and wicked men without God to reigne above us Let us accuse and condemn our selves as the onely cause of our own miseries For if we had heard the voyce of the Lord our God given upright obedience unto the same God should have multiplyed our peace should have rewarded our obedience before the eyes of the world But now let us hear what the Prophet saith further