was troubled in his understanding The certainty of the death foresaid was signified unto us both by Sea and Land By Sea received Iohn Knox who then had great intelligence both with the Churches abroad and some of the Court of France That the King was mortally sick and could not well escape death Which Letters received that same day at afternoon he passed to the Duke to his own lodging at the Church of Field with whom he found the Lord Iames in conference alone The Earle of Arrane was in Iedburgh to whom he opened such news as he had received and willed them to be of good comfort for said he the advertiser hath never deceived me It is the same Gentleman that first gave us knowledge of the slaughter of Henry King of France and shewed unto them the Letter but would not expresse the mans name While they were reasoning in divers purposes and he comforting them For while we say they three were familiarly communing together there came a messenger from the Lord Gray forth of Barwick assuring him of the death of the K. of France Which noysed abroad a generall Convention of the Nobility was appointed to be holden at Edinburgh the fifteenth day of Ianuary following in the which the Book of discipline was perused newly over againe for some pretended ignorance by reason that they had not heard it In that assembly was Master Alexander Anderson Subprincipall and Under-Master of one of the Schools of Aberdein a man more subtill and craftie than either learned or godly called who refused to dispute anent his faith abusing a place of Tertullian to cloak his ignorance It was answered unto him That Tertullian should not prejudge the Authoritie of the Holy Ghost who by the mouth of Peter commandeth us to give reason of our faith to every one that requireth the same of us It was farther answered that we neither required him neither yet any man to dispute in any point concerning our faith which was grounded upon Gods Word and fully expressed in his holy Scriptures for all that we beleeved without controversie But we required of him as of the rest of Papists that they would suffer their Doctrine Constitutions and Ceremonies to come to triall And principally that the Masse and the opinion thereof by them taught unto the people might be laid to the square rule of Gods Word and unto the right Institution of Jesus Christ That they might understand whether that their Preachers offended or not in that that they affirmed The Action of the Masse to be expresly repugning unto the last Supper of the Lord Jesus The sayer of it to commit horrible blasphemie in usurping up-him the Office of Christ The hearers to commit damnable Idolatry and the opinion of it conceived to be a derogation and as it were a disanulling of Christs death While the said Master Alexander denied that the Priest took upon him Christs office to offer for sin as he alleaged a Masse book was produced and in the beginning of the Canon were these words read Suscipe Sancta Trinitas hanc oblationem quam ego indignus peccator offero tibi vivo Deo vero pro peccatis meis pro peccatis totius Ecclesiae vivorum mortuum Now said the reasoner if to offâ—r for the sinnes of the whole Church was not the Office of Christ Jesus yea that Office that to him onely might and may appertaine let the Scripture judge And if a vile Knave whom ye call Priest proudly taketh the same upon him let your own Books witnesse The said Mr. Alexander answered Christ offered the propitiatory and that could none do but he but we offer the remembrance Whereto it was answered We praise God that ye have denyed a sacrifice propitiatorie to be in the Masse and yet we offer to prove that in moe than a hundreth places of your Papisticall Doctors this proposition is affirmed The Masse is said to be a Sacrifice propitiatory But the second part where ye alleage that ye offer Christ in remembrance we ask first Unto whom do ye offer him and next by what authority are ye assured of well-doing In God the Father there falleth no Oblivion And if ye will shift and say that ye offer it not as God were forgetfull but as willing to apply Christs merits to his Church We demand of you What power commandment have ye so to do We know that our Master Christ Jesus commanded his Apostles to do that which he did in remembrance of him But plain it is that Christ took bread gave thanks brake bread and gave it to his disciples saying Take ye eate ye this is my body which is broken for you do this in remembrance of me c. Here we finde a commandment to take to eat to take and to drinke but to offer Christs Body either for remembrance or application we finde not And therefore we say To take upon you an Office which is not given unto you is unjust usurpation and no lawfull power The said Master Alexander being more then astonished would have shifted but then the Lords willed him to answer directly whereto he answered That he was better seen in Philosophie then in Theologie Then was commanded M. Iohn Leslie who then was Parson of Une and now Abbot of Londors and after was made Bishop of Rosse to answer to the former Argument and he with great gravity began to answer If our Master have nothing to say to it I have nothing for I know nothing but the Cannon Law And the greatest reason that ever I could finde there is Nolumus and Volumus and yet we understand that now he is the onely Patron of the Masse But it is no marvell for we understand that he is a Priests get and Bastard and therefore we should not wonder albeit that the old truan Verse be true Patrem sequitur sua proles The Nobility hearing that neither the one nor the other would answer directly said We have been miserably deceived heretofore for if the Masse may not obtaine remission of sins to the quick and to the dead Wherefore were all the Abbies so richly doted and endowed with our Temporall lands Thus much we thought good to insert here because that some Papists are not ashamed now to affirm That they with their reasons could never be heard but that all we did we did by meer force when that the whole Realme knoweth That we ever required them to speak their judgements freely not onely promising unto them protection and defence but also that we should subscribe with them if they by Gods Scriptures could confute us and by the same Word establish their assertions But who can correct the leasings of such as in all things shew them the sons of the Father of all lies Preserve us Lord from that perverse and malicious Generation Amen At this same Assembly was the Lord Iames appointed to go to France to the Queen our Soveraigne and a Parliament was
appointed to begin the 20 of May next following for at that time was the returne of the said Lord Iames looked for and so was that Convention dissolved without any other thing of importance concluded The said Lord Iames prepared him for his journey for albeit he past in the publike affairs he sustained the charge of his own expences and yet there never past from this Realme in the company of one man so many and so honest thorow England to France Before he departed he was forewarned as well of the danger in France as of the Queens craft not that we then suspected her nature but that we understood the malice of her friends he was plainly premonished That if ever he condescended that she should have Masse publikely or privately within the Realme of Scotland that then betrayed he the Cause of God and exposed the Religion even to the uttermost danger that he could do That she should have Masse publikely he affirmed that he would never consent But to have it secretly in her Chamber Who could stop her The danger was shewn and so he departed The Forme and Order of the Election of the Superintendent and all other Ministers at Edinburgh March the 9. 1560. John Knox being then Preacher FIrst was made a Sermon in the which these Heads were handled First The necessity of Ministers and Superintendents or Overseers The second the crimes and vices that might unable them of the Ministry Thirdly the vertues required in them Fourthly and lastly Whether such as by publike consent of the Church were called to such Office might refuse the same The Sermon finished it was declared by the same Minister maker thereof That the Lords of the Secret Councell had given Charge and Power to the Churches of Lowthian to to chuse Master Iohn Spottiswood Superintendent or Overseer And that sufficient warning was made by publike Edict to the Churches of Edinburgh Linliethquow Sterlin Tranent Hadington and Dumbar as also to the Earles Lords Barons Gentlemen and others that have or that might claim to have Vote in Election to be present that day and that same hour And therefore enquiry was made Who were present and who were absent After was called the said Iohn who answering the Minister demanded If he knew any crime or offence to the said Master Iohn that might unable him to be called to that Office and that he demanded thrise Secondly question was moved to the whole multitude If there was any other whom they put in Election with the said Master Iohn The people were asked If they would have the said Master Iohn Superintendent or Overseer If they would honour and obey him as Christs Minister and comfort and assist him in every thing pertaining to his Charge They answered We will and do promise unto him such obedience as becometh Sheep to give unto their Pastor so long as he remaineth faithfull in his Office Tne answers of the people and their consent received the questions were propounded to him that was to be elected Question Seeing that ye hear the thirst and desire of this people Do ye not thinke your selfe bound in conscience before God to support them that so earnestly call for your comfort and for the fruit of your labours Answer If any thing were in me able to satisfie their desire I acknowledge my selfe bound to obey God calling by them Question Do ye seek to be promoted to this Office and charge for any respect of worldly commodity riches or glory Answer God knoweth the contrary Question Beleeve ye not that the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles contained in the Books of the Old and New Testaments are the onely true and most absolute foundation of the Universall Church of Christ Jesus in so much that in the same Scriptures are contained all things necessary to be beleeved for the salvation of mankinde Answer I verely beleeve the same and do abhorre and utterly refuse all Doctrine alleadged necessary to salvation that is not expressedly contained in the same Question Is not Christ Jesus man of man according to the flesh to wit The Sonne of David The seed of Abraham Conceived by the holy Ghost Born of the Virgine his mother and that he is the onely Head and Mediatour of his Church Answer He is and without him there is neither salvation to man nor life to Angel Question Is not the same Lord Jesus The onely true God The eternall Son of the eternall Father in whom all that shall be saved were elected before the foundation of the world was laid Answer I confesse and acknowledge and confesse him in the Unitie of his God-head to be God above all things blessed for ever Question Shall not they whom God in his eternall Councell hath elected be called to the knowledge of his Sonne our Lord Jesus and shall not they who of purpose are called in this life be justified and justification and free remission of sins is obtained in this life by free grace Shall not the glory of the sons of God follow in the generall Resurrection when the Son of God shall appear in his glorious Majestie Answer This I acknowledge to be the Doctrine of the Apostles and the most singular comfort of Gods children Question Will ye not then containe your self in all Doctrine within the bounds of this foundation Will ye not studie to promove the same as well by your life as by your Doctrine Will ye not according to the graces and utterance that God shall grant unto you professe instruct and maintaine the puritie of the Doctrine contained in the sacred Word of God and to the uttermost of your power Will ye not gain-stand and convince the gain-sayers and the teachers of mens inventions Answer That do I promise in the presence of God and of his Congregation heere assembled Question Know ye not that the excellencie of this Office to the which God hath called you requireth that your conversation and behaviour be such as that ye may be irreprehensible yea even in the eyes of the ungodly Answer I unfainedly acknowledge and humbly desire the Church of God to pray with me that my life be not slanderous to the glorious Gospel of Christ Iesus Question Because you are a man compassed with infirmities will you not charitably and with lowlinesse of spirit receive admonition of your brethren And if ye shall happen to slide or offend in any point will ye not be subject to the Discipline of the Church as the rest of your brethren The Answer of the Superintendent or Minister to be elected I acknowledge my self a man subjected to infirmity and one that hath need of correction and admonition and therefore I most willingly subject my selfe to the wholsome Discipline of the Church yea to the Discipline of the same Church by which I am now called to this Office and Charge and here in Gods presence and yours do promise obedience to all admonitions secretly or publikely given unto which if I
joyne with those that had bound themselves to stand for the Kings Authority He was very earnest with divers by reason of their old friendship but to little purpose The twentinth of August he received the Regencie after mature and ripe deliberation at the desire of the Queen and Lords that were for the King and so was publikely proclaimed Regent and Obedience shewed unto him by all that stood for the young King The end of the History of the Church of Scotland till the yeer 1567. and Moneth of August THE APPELLATION OF IOHN KNOX From the cruell and most unjust Sentence pronounced against him by the false Bishops and Clergie of Scotland With his Supplication and Exhortation to the Nobility States and Communalty of the same Realme To the Nobility and States of SCOTLAND JOHN KNOX wisheth Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the Spirit of righteous Iudgement IT is not onely the love of this Temporall life Right Honourable neither yet the fear of Corporal death that moveth me at this present to expose unto you the injuries done against me and to crave of you as of lawfull Powers by God appointed redresse of the same But partly it proceedeth from that reverence which every man oweth to Gods Eeternall Truth And partly from a love which I bear to your Salvation and to the Salvation of my Brethren abused in that Realme by such as have no fear of God before their eyes It hath pleased God of his infinite mercy not onely to illuminate the eyes of my minde and so to touch my dull heart that cleerly I see and by his grace unfainedly believe That there is no other name given to men under the heaven in which Salvation consisteth save the Name of JESUS alone Who by that Sacrifice which he did once offer upon the Crosse hath sanctified for ever all those that shall inherite the Kingdom promised But also it hath pleased him of his superaboundant grace to make and appoint me most wretched of many thousands a Witnesse Minister and Preacher of the same Doctrine the sum whereof I did not spare to communicate with my Brethren being with them in the Realme of Scotland in the yeer 1556 because I know my self to be a Steward and that accounts of the Talent committed to my charge shall be required of me by him who will admit no vain excuse which fearfull men pretend I did therefore as God his minister during the time I was conversant with them God is record and witnesse truely and sincerely according to the gift granted unto me divide the Word of Salvation teaching all men to hate sin which before God was and is so odious that none other Sacrifice would satisfie his Justice except the death of his onely Son and to magnifie the mercies of our heavenly Father who did not spare the substance of his own glory but did give him to the world to suffer the ignominious and cruell death of the Crosse by that means to reconcile his chosen children to himself teaching further what is the duty of such as do believe themselves purged by such a Price from their former filthinesse to wit That they are bound to walk in the newnesse of life fighting against the lusts of the flesh and studying at all times to glorifie God by such good works as he hath prepared his people to walk in In Doctrine I did further affirm so taught by my Master Christ Jesus That whosoever denieth him yea or is ashamed of him before this wicked Generation him shall Christ Jesus deny and of him shall he be ashamed when he shall appear in his Majesty And therefore I feared not to affirm That of necessity it is that such as hope for life everlasting avoid all Superstition vain Religion and Idolatry Vain Religion and Idolatry I call whatsoever is done in Gods Service or Honour without the expresse Commandment of his own Word This Doctrine I did believe to be so conformable to Gods holy Scriptures that I thought no creature could have been so impudent as to have condemned any Point or Article of the same Yet neverthelesse me as an heretick and this Doctrine as hereticall have your false Bishops and ungodly Clergie condemned pronouncing against me a Sentence of death in testification whereof they have burned a Picture From which false and cruell Sentence and from all judgement of that wicked Generation I make it known unto your Honours That I appeal to a Lawfull and Generall Councell to such I mean as the most ancient Laws and Cannons do approve to be holden by such as whose manifest impiety is not to be reformed in the same Most humbly requiring of your Honours That as God hath appointed you Princes in that People and by reason thereof requireth of your hands the defence of Innocents troubled in your Dominion in the mean time and till the controversies that this day be in Religion be lawfully decided ye receive me and such others as most unjustly by those cruell Beasts are persecuted in your defence and Protection Your Honours are not ignorant That it is not I alone who doth sustain this Cause against the pestilent Generation of Papists but that the most part of Germany the Countrey of Helvetia the King of Denmarke the Nobility of Polonia together with many other Cities and Churches Reformed appeal from the Tyrannie of that Antichrist and most earnestly call for a Lawfull and Generall Councell wherein may all Controversies in Religion be decided by the Authority of Gods most sacred Word And unto this same as said is do I appeal yet once again requiring of your Honours to hold my simple and plain Appellation of no lesse value nor effect then if it had been made with greater circumstance solemnity and ceremony and that you receive me calling unto you as to the Powers of God ordained in your protection and defence against the rage of Tyrants not to maintain me in any iniquity errour or false opinion but to let me have such equity as God by his Word ancient Laws and Determinations of most godly Councells grant to men accused or infamed The Word of God wills That no man shall die except he be found criminall and worthy of death for offence committed of which he must be manifestly convinced by two or three witnesses Ancient Law do permit just defences to snch as be accused be their crimes never so horrible And godly Councells wills That neither Bishop nor person Ecclesiasticall whatsoever accused of any crime shall sit in Judgement Consultation or Councell where the cause of such men as do accuse them is to be tried These things require I of your Honours to be granted unto me to wit That the Doctrine which our adversaries condemn for heresie may be tried by the simple and plain Word of God That just Defences be admitted to us that sustain the Battell against this
That ye and your posterity shall by that means receive most singular comfort edification and profit For when ye shall hear the matter debated ye shall easily perceive and understand upon what ground and foundation is builded that Religion which amongst you is this day defended by fire and sword As for mine owne conscience I am most assuredly perswaded That whatsoever is used in the Papisticall Church is altogether repugning to Christs blessed Ordinance and is nothing but mortall venome of which whosoever drinketh I am assuredly perswaded that therewith he drinketh death and damnation except by true conversion unto God he be purged from the same But because that long silence of Gods Word hath begotten ignorance almost in all sorts of men and ignorance joyned with long custome hath confirmed superstition in the hearts of many I therefore in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ desire audience as well of you the Commonalty my brethren as of the States and Nobility of the Realm that in publike Preaching I may have place amongst you at large to utter my minde in all matters of controversie this day in Religion And further I desire That ye concurring with your Nobility would competl your Bishops and Clergie to cease their tyranny And also That for the better assurance and instruction of your conscience ye would compell your said Bishops and false Teachers to answer by the Scriptures of God to such Objections and crimes as shall be laid against their vain Religion false Doctrine wicked life and slanderous conversation Here I know that it shall be objected That I require of you a thing most unreasonable to wit That ye should call your Religion in doubt which hath been approved and established by so long continuance and by the consent of so many men before you But I shortly answer That neither is the long continuance of time neither yet the multitude of men a sufficient approbation which God will allow for our Religion For as some of the ancient Writers do witnesse neither can long processe of time justifie an errour neither can the multitude of such as follow it change the nature of the same But if it was an errour in the beginning so is it in the end and the longer that it be followed and the mo that do receive it it is more pestilent and more to be avoided For if antiquity or multitude of men could justifie any Religion then was the Idolatry of the Gentiles and now is the abomination of the Turks good Religion For antiquity approved the one and a multitude hath received and doth defend the other But otherwise to answer godly men may wonder from what Fountain such a sentence doth flow that no man ought to trie his faith and Religion by Gods Word but that he safely may beleeve and follow every thing which antiquity and multitude have approved the Spirit of God doth otherwise teach us for the wisdome of God Christ Jesus himself remitted his adversaries to Moses and the Scriptures to trie by them whether his Doctrine were of God or not The Apostles Paul and Peter command men to trie the Religion which they professe by Gods plaine Scriptures and doe praise men for so doing Saint Iohn straightly commandeth That we beleeve not every spirit but to trie the spirits whether they be of God or not Now seeing that these evident testimonies of the holy Ghost will us to trie our faith and Religion by the plain Word of God wonder it is that the Papists will not be content that their Religion and Doctrine come under the triall of the same If this sentence of Christ be true as it is most true seeing it springeth from the verity it self Who so doth evill hateth the Light neither will he come to the Light lest that his works be manifested and rebuked then do our Papists by their own sentence condemne themselves and their Religion for in so farre as they refuse examination and triall they declare that they know some fault which the Light will utter which is a cause of their fear and why they claim that priviledge that no man dispute of their Religion the Verity and Truth being of the nature of fine purified Gold doth not fear the triall of the Fornace but the stubble and Chaffe of mans inventions such is their Religion may not abide the the flame of fire True it is that Mahomet pronounced this sentence That no man should in pain of death dispute or reason of the ground of his Religion which Law to this day by the art of Sathan is observed amongst the Turkes to their mortall blindnesse and horrible blaspheming of the Gospell of Christ Jesus and of his true Religion And from Mahomet or rather from Sathan the father of all lies hath the Pope and his rabble learned this former lesson to wit Their Religion should not be disputed upon but what the fathers have beleeved that ought and must the Children approve and in so divising Satan lacked not his foresight for no one thing hath more established the kingdome of that Romane Antichrist then this most wicked decree to wit That no man was permitted to reason of his power or to call his Laws in doubt This is most assured that whensoever the Papisticall Religion shall come to examination it shall be found to have no other ground then hath the religion of Mahomet to wit mans invention device and dreams overshaddowed with some colour of Gods Word And therefore Brethren seeing that the Religion is to man as the stomack to the body which if it be corrupted doth infect the whole Members it is necessary that the same be examined and if it be found replenished with pestilent humours I mean with the fantasies of men then of necessitie it is that those be purged else shall your bodies and souls perish for ever For of this I would ye were most certainly perswaded that a corrupt Religion defileth the whole life of man appear it never so holy Neither would I that ye should esteem the Reformation and care of Religion lesse to appertain to you because ye are no Kings Rulers Judges Nobles nor in Authoritie beloved Brethren ye are Gods Creatures created and formed to his own Image and similitude for whose redemption was shed the most precious blood of the onely beloved Sonne of God to whom he hath commanded his Gospell and glad-tydings to be preached and for whom he hath prepared the heavenly Inheritance so that ye will not obstinatly refuse and disdainfully contemne the means which he hath appointed to obtain the same to wit his blessed Evangell which now he offereth unto you to the end that ye may be saved For the Gospell and glad Tydings of the Kingdome truly preached is the power of God to the salvation of every Beleever which to credite and receive your the Communalty are no lesse addebted then be your Rulers and Princes for albeit God
or at least a Prelats Peere a true servant to the King of Love who upon a night after Supper asked of his Gentlemen by the faith that they ought to the king of Love that they truely declare how many sundry women every one of them had and how many of them were mens wives One answered He had lien with five and two of them were married The other answered I have had seven and three of them are married It came last to my Lord Abbot himself who making it very nice for a little space gave in the end a plain confession and said I am the youngest man and yet have I had the round dozen and seven of them are mens wives Now said the Frier This god and king of Love to whom our Prelates do homage is the master devill of hell from whom such fruits and works do proceed This Frier was known by his proper tokens to have been Prior Patrike Hepburne now Bishop of Murray who to this day hath continued in the profession that he hath made to his god and king of love It was supposed notwithstanding this kinde of preaching that this Frier remained Papist in his heart For the other Friers fearing to lose the Benediction of the Bishops to wit Their Malt and their Meale and their other appointed Pensions caused the said Frier to flie to England where for defence of the people and Papistry he was cast into prison at King Henries commandment But so it pleased God to open the mouth of Balaams own Asse to cry out against the vitious lives of the Clergie of that age Shortly after this new consultation was taken there that some should be burnt for men began liberally to speak A merry Gentleman named Iohn Lindsey familiar to Bishop Iames Betonne standing by when consultation was had said My Lord If ye burne any more except ye follow my counsell ye will utterly destroy your selves if ye will burne them let them be burnt in hollow Cellars for the smoke of Master Patrike Hammilton hath infected as many as it blew upon Thus it pleased God that they should be tanted in their own face But here followeth the most merry of all One Alexander Furrour who had been imprisoned seven yeers in the Tower of London Sir Iohn Dungwaill according to the charity of Church-men entertained his wife and wasted the poor mans substance for the which cause at his returning he spake more liberally of Priests then they could bear And so was he declared to be accused for heresie and called to his answer to Saint Andrewes he leapt up merrily upon the Scaffold and casting a gambade said Where are the rest of the Players Master Andrew Olyphant offended therewith said It shall be no Play to you Sir before ye depart and so began to reade his Accusation the first Article whereof was That he despised the Masse His answer was I heare more Maffes in eight dayes than three Bishops there sitting say in a yeare Accused secondly of the contempt of the Sacraments The Priests said he were the most common contemners of Sacraments and specially of Matrimony And that he witnessed by many of the Priests there present and named the mans wife with whom they had medled and especially Sir Iohn Dungwaill who had seven yeers together abused his own wife and consumed his substance and said because I complain of such injuries I am here summoned and accused as one that is worthy to be burnt For Gods sake said he will ye take wives of your own that I and others whom ye have abused may be revenged upon you Then Bishop Gawin Dumbar named the old Bishop of Aberdein thinking to justifie himself before the people said Carle thou shalt not know my wife The said Alexander answered My Lord ye are too old but with the grace of God I shall drink with your daughter or I depart and thereat was smiling of the best and loud laughter of some for the Bishop had a daughter married with Andrew Balfour in that Town Then the Bishop bade away with the carle But he answered Nay I will not depart this hour for I have more to speak against the vices of Priests than I can expresse this whole day And so after divers purposes they commanded him to burn his Bill And he demanding the cause they said Because ye have spoken these Articles whereof ye are accused His answer was The great devill beare them away that first and last said them and so he took the Bill and chawing it he spat it in Master Andrew Olyphants face saying Now burn it or drown it whether ye wil ye hear no more of me But I must have somewhat of every one of you to begin my pack againe which a Priest and my wife a Priests whore have spent And so every Prelat and rich Priest glad to be quit of his evill gave him somewhat and so departed he for he understood nothing of Religion But so fearfull it was then to speak any thing against Priests that the least word spoken against them yea albeit it was spoken in a mans sleep was judged Heresie and that was practised upon Richard Carmichell yet living in Fyfe who being young and Singer in the Chappel Royal of Sterelin happened in his sleep to say The devill take away the Priests for they are a greedy pack He therefore accused by Sir George Clapperton Dean of the said Chappel was compelled forthwith to burne his Bill But God shortly after raised up against them stronger Champions For Alexander Seton a black Frier of good learning and estimation began to blame the corrupt doctrine of Papistry For the space of a whole Lent he taught the Commandment onely ever beating in the ears of his auditors That the Law of God had of many yeers not been truely taught for mens Tradition had obscured the purity of it These were his accustomed Propositions 1. Christ Jesus is the end and perfection of the Law 2. There is no sin where Gods Law is not violated 3. To satisfie for sins lies not in mans power but the remission thereof cometh by unfained Repentance and by faith apprehending God the Father mercifull in Jesus Christ his Son While oftentimes he puts his auditors in minde of this and the like Heads he maketh no mention of Purgatory Pardons Pilgrimage prayer to Saints nor of such trifles The dumb Doctors and the rest of that forsworne rabble began to suspect him and yet said they nothing publikely till Lent was ended And he passed to Dundie And then one in his absence hired to that purpose openly condemned the whole Doctrine that before he had taught Which coming to the ears of the said Frier Alexander then being in Dundie without delay he returned to Saint Andrewes caused immediately to toll the Bell and to give signification that he would preach as that he did indeed in the which Sermon he affirmeth and that more plainly than at any other time whatsoever in all his
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
vertuous men and just be maintained But the corrupt person placed in this Authority may offend and most commonly doth contrary to this Authority and is then the corruption of man to be followed by reason that it is clothed with the name of Authority Or shall those that obey the wicked commandment of those that are placed in Authority be excusable before God Not so not so but the plagues and vengeances of God taken upon Kings their servants and subjects do witnesse to us the plain contrary Pharaoh was a King and had his Authority of God who commanded his subjects to murther and torment the Israelites and at last most cruelly to persecute their lives But was their obedience blinde rage it should be called excusable before God the Universall plague doth plainly declare That the wicked Commander and those that obeyed were alike guilty before God And if the example of Pharaoh shall be rejected because he was an Ethnicke then let us consider the facts of Saul He was a King anoynted of God appointed to raign over his people he commanded to persecute David because as he alleadged David was a Traytor and Usurper of the Crowne And likewise commanded Ahimeleck the High Priest and his fellows to be slaine But did God approve any part of this obedience evident it is That he did not And think ye that God will approve in you that which he did condemne in others be not deceived with God there is no such partiality If ye obey the unjust commandments of wicked Rulers ye shall suffer Gods vengeance and just punishment with them And therefore as ye tender your owne salvation we most earnestly require of you moderation and that ye stay your selves and the fury of others from persecuting of us till our cause be tried in open and lawfull Judgement And now to you who are perswaded of the justice of our cause who sometimes have professed Christ Jesus with us and who also have exhorted us to this enterprise and yet have left us in our extreme necessity at least looke out thorow your fingers in this our trouble as that the matter appertained not unto you we say That unlesse all fear and worldly respects set aside ye joyn your selves with us that as of God ye are reputed Traytors so shall ye be excommunicated from our Society and from all participation with us in the Administration of Sacraments the glory of this Victory which God shall give to his Church yea even in the eyes of men shall not appertain to you but the fearful judgement which apprehended Ananias and his wife Saphira shall apprehend you and your posterity Ye may perchance contemn and despise the Excōmunication of the Church now by Gods mighty power erected amongst us as a thing of no force But yet doubt we nothing but that our Church and the true Ministers of the same have the same power which our Master Christ Jesus granted to his Apostles in these words Whose sins ye shall forgive shall be forgiven and whose sins ye shall retain shall be retained and that because they preach and we believe the same Doctrine which is contained in his most blessed Word and therefore except that ye will contemne Christ Jesus ye neither can despise our threatning neither yet refuse us calling for your just defence By your fainting and by extracting of your support the enemies are encouraged thinking that they shall finde no resistance in which point God willing they shall be deceived for if they were ten thousand and we but one thousand they shall not murther the least of our brethren but we God assisting us shall first commit our lives into the hands of God for their defence But this shall aggravate your condemnation for ye declare your selves both Traytors to the Truth once professed and murtherers of us and of our brethren from whom ye withdraw your dutifull and promised support whom your onely presence to mans judgement might preserve from this danger For our enemies look not to the power of God but to the force and strength of man when the number is mean to resist them then rage they as bloody wolves but a part equall or able to resist them by appearance doth bridle their fury Examine your owne consciences and weigh that Sentence of our Master Christ Jesus saying Whosoever denieth me or is ashamed of me before men I shall deny him before my Father Now is the day of his Battell in this Realm if ye deny us your brethren suffering for his Names sake ye do also deny him as himselfe doth witnesse in these words Whatsoever ye did to any of these little ones that ye did to me and what ye did not to one of these little ones that ye did not to me If these sentences be true as concerning meat drink cloathing and such things a appertain to the body shall they not be likewise true in these things that appertain to the preservation of the lives of thousands whose blood is now sought for profession of Christ Jesus And thus shortly we leave you who sometimes have professed Christ Jesus with us to the examination of your own consciences And yet once again of you who blinded by superstition persecute us We require moderation till our cause may be tried which if ye will not grant unto us for Gods Cause yet we desire you to have respect to the preservation of your common Countrey which we can no sooner betray into the hands of strangers then that one of us destroy and murther another Consider our Petitions and call for the spirit of righteous judgement These our Letters being divulgate some began to reason Whether in conscience they might invade us or not considering that we offred due obedience to the Authority requiring nothing but liberty of conscience and our Religion and fact to be tried by the Word of God Our Letters came with convenient expedition to the hands of our brethren in Cuninghame and Kyle who assembled at the Church of Craggie where after some contrarious reasons Alexander Earle of Glencarne in zeal burst forth in these words Let every man serve his conscience I will by Gods grace see my brethren in S. Johnston Yea albeit never man should accompany me yet I will go and if it were but a Pike upon my shoulder for I had rather die with that company then live after them These words so encouraged the rest that all decreed to go forward as that they did so stoutly that when the Lion Herault in his coat of Arms commanded all men under pain of treason to return to their houses by publike sound of trumpet in Glasgow never man obeyed that charge but all went forward as we shall after heare When it was clearly understood that the Prelates and their adherents suppressing our Petitions so far as in them lay did kindle the furie of all men against us it was thought expedient to write unto them some
please him And evill works we affirme not onely those that are expresly done against Gods Commandment but those also that in matters of Religion and worshipping of God have no assurance but the invention and opinion of man which God from the beginning hath ever rejected as by the Prophet Isaiah and by our Master Christ Jesus we are taught in these words In vaine do they worship me teaching doctrines which are the Precepts of men XV. The perfection of the Law and the imperfection of man THe Law of God we confesse and acknowledge most just most equall most holy and most perfect commanding those things which being wrought in perfection were able to give life and to bring man to eternall felicity But our Nature is so corrupt so weak and imperfect that we are never able to fulfill the works of the Law in perfection yea if we say we have no sin even after we are regenerate we deceive our selves and the Verity of God is not in us And therefore it behoveth us to apprehend Christ Jesus with Justice and Satisfaction who is the End and Accomplishment of the Law to all that believe by whom we are set at this liberty that the curse and malediction of the Law fall not upon us albeit we fulfill not the same in all points For God the Father beholding us in the Body of his Son Christ Jesus accepteth our unperfect obedience as were perfect and covered our works which are defiled with many spots with the Justice of his Son We do not mean that we are set so at liberty that we owe no obedience to the Law for that before we have plainly confessed but this we affirm That no man in earth Christ Jesus onely accepted hath given giveth or shall give in work that obedience to the Law which the Law requireth But when we have done all things we must fall down and unfainedly confesse That we are unprofitable servants And therefore whosoever boast themselves of the merits of their own works or put their trust in the works of Supererogation they boast themselves of that which is not and put their trust in damnable Idolatry XVI Of the Church AS we believe in God the Father Son and holy Ghost so do we most earnestly believe That from the beginning there hath beene now is and to the end of the world shall be A Church that is to say A Company and Multitude of men chosen of God who rightly worship and embrace him by true faith in Christ Jesus who is the onely Head of the same Church which also is the Body Spouse of Christ Jesus which Church is catholike that is Universal because it containeth the elect of all Ages all Realms Nations and Tongues be they of the Jews or be they of the Gentiles who have Communion or Society with God the Father and with his Son Christ Jesus through the Sanctification of his holy Spirit and therefore it is called Communion not of profane persons but of Saints who are Citizens of the heavenly Ierusalem have the fruition of the most inestimable benefits to wit of one God one Lord Jesus one Faith and one Baptisme without the which Church there is neither life nor eternall felicity And therefore we utterly abhorre the blasphemy of those that affirm That men that live according to equity and justice shall be saved what Religion soever they have professed For as without Christ Jesus there is neither life nor salvation so shall there none bee participant thereof but such as the Father hath given unto his Sonne Christ Jesus and those in time to come to him avow his doctrine and beleeve in him we comprehend the Children with the faithfull Parents This Church is invisibly known onely to God who alone knoweth it whom hee hath chosen and comprehendeth as well as is said the Elect that be departed commonly called the Church triumphant as those that yet live and fight against sin and Sathan as shall live hereafter XVII The immortalitie of the Soules THe Elect departed are in peace and rest from their labours not that they sleep and come to a certain oblivion as some fantanstick heads do affirme but that they are delivered from all fear all torment and all temptation the which we and all Gods Elect are subject unto in this life and therefore doe bear the name of the Church militant As contrary alwayes the reprobate and unfaithfull departed have anguish torment and paine that cannot be expressed so that neither are the one nor the other in such sleepe that they feele not joy or torment as the Parable of Christ Jesus in the sixteenth of Luke his words to the Theefe and these words of the souls crying under the Altar O Lord thou that art righteous and just how long shalt thou not revenge our blood upon them that dwell upon the earth doth plainly testifie XVIII Of the Notes by the which the true Church is discerned from the false and who shall be Iudge of the Doctrine BEcause that Sathan from the beginnig hath laboured to deck his pestilent Synagogue with the Title of the Church of God and hath inflamed the hearts of cruell murtherers to persecute trouble and molest the true Church and Members thereof as Cain did Abel Ishmael Isaac Esau Iacob and the whole Priesthood of the Iewes Jesus Christ himself and his Apostles after him It is a thing most requisite that the true Church be discerned from the filthy Synagogue by cleere and perfect Notes lest we being deceived receive and embrace to our own condemnation the one for the other The Notes Signes and assured Tokens whereby the Immaculate Spouse of Christ Jesus is knowne from the horrible Harlot the Church malignant we affirm are neither antiquity title usurped lineall descents place appointed nor multitude of men approving any errour For Cain in age and title was preferred to Abel and Seth. Ierusalem had prerogative above all places of the earth where also were the Priests lineally descended from Aaron and greater multitude followed the Scribes Pharisees and Priests then unfainedly believed and approved Christ Jesus and his Doctrine and yet as we suppose no man of whole judgement will grant that any of the forenamed were the Church of God The Notes therefore of the true Church of God we beleeve confesse and avow to be first the true preaching of the Word of God in which God hath revealed himself to us as the writings of the Prophets and Apostles doe declare Secondly the right administration of the Sacraments of Christ Jesus which may be annexed to the word and promise of God to seale and confirme the same in our hearts Lastly Ecclesiasticall discipline uprightly ministred as Gods Word prescribeth whereby vice is repressed and vertue nourished wheresoever then these former Notes are seen and of any time continuall be the number never so few above two or three there
of the Lord Jesus XXIV Of the Civill Magistrate VVE confesse and acknowledge Empires Kingdomes Dominions and Titles to be distincted and Ordained by God the powers and authorities in the same be it of Emperours in their Empires of Kings in their Realms Dukes and Princes in their Dominions or of other Magistrates in free Cities to be Gods holy Ordinance ordained for manifestation of his owne glory and for the singular profit and commoditie of mankinde So that whosoever goeth about to take away or to confound the holy state of Civill Policies now long established We affirm the same men not onely to be enemies to mankinde but also wickedly to fight against Gods expresse will We further confesse and acknowledge That such persons as are placed in authority are to be loved honoured feared and holden in most reverent estimation because they are the Lieutenants of God in whose Session God himself doth sit and judge yea even the Judges and Princes themselves to whom by God is given the sword to the praise and defence of good men and to revenge and punish all open malefactours To Kings moreover Princes Rulers and Magistrates to affirme that chiefly and most principally the reformation and purgation of Religion appertaineth so that not only they are appointed for civill policie but also for maintenance of the true Religion and for suppressing of Idolatry and Superstition whatsoever as in David Iosaphat Ezekias Iosias and others highly commended for their zeal in the cause may be espied And therefore we confesse and avow that such as resist the supreme Powers doing that which appertaineth to their charge do resist Gods Ordinance and therefore cannot be guiltlesse And further we affirme that whosoever deny unto them their aide counsell and comfort while the Princes and Rulers vigilantly travell in the executing of their Office that the same men denie their help support and counsell to God who by the presence of his Lieutenant craveth it of them XXV The gifts freely given to the Church ALbeit that the word of God truly preached the Sacraments rightly ministred and discipline executed according to the Word of God be the certain and infallible signes of the true Church yet doe we not so meane that every particular person joyned with such a company be an Elect Member of Christ Jesus for we acknowledge and confesse that Darnell Cockle and Chaffe may be sowne grow in great abundance lie in the middest of the Wheate that is the Reprobate may be joyned in the societie of the Elect and may externally use with them the benefits of the Words and Sacraments But such being but temporall professors in mouth but not in heart doe fall backe and continue to the end And therefore have they no fruit of Christs death resurrection and ascension But such as with heart unfained beleeve and with mouth boldly confesse the Lord Jesus as before we have said shall most assuredly receive these gifts first in this life remission of sinnes and by faith onely in Christs blood in so much that albeit sinne remain and continually abide in these mortall bodies yet it is not imputed unto us but is remitted and covered with Christs justice Secondly in the generall judgement there shall be given to every man and woman resurrection of the flesh For the Sea shall give her dead the earth those that therein be inclosed yea the Eternall our God shall stretch out his hand upon the dust and the dead shall arise incorruptible and that in the substance of the same flesh that every man now bears to receive according to their works glory and punishment for such as now delight in vanitie crueltie filthinesse superstition or idolatry shall be adjudged to the fire inextinguible in the which they shall be tormented for ever as well in their bodie as in their soules which now give to serve the devill in all abomination But such as continue in well doing to the end boldly professing the Lord Jesus to whose glorified Body all his Elect shall be like when he shall appear againe to Judgment and shall render up the Kingdom to God his Father who then shall be and ever shall remain All in All things God blessed for ever To whom with the Son and with the holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory now and for ever Amen Arise O Lord and let thine enemies be confounded let them flie from thy presence that hate thy holy Name Give thy servants strength to speake thy Word in boldnesse and let all Nations attain to thy true knowledge These Acts and Articles were read in face of Parliament and ratified by the three States of this Realm at Edinburgh the 17 day of Iuly in the yeer of our Lord 1560. This our Confession was publikely read first in audience of the Lords of the Articles and after in the audience of the whole Parliament where were present not onely such as professed Christ Jesus but also a great number of the adversaries of our Religion such as the forenamed Bishops and some other of the Temporall State who were commanded in Gods Name to object if they could say any thing against that Doctrine Some of our Ministers were present standing upon their feet ready to have answered in case any would have defended Papistry and impugned our affirmatives But while that no objection was made there was a day appointed for concurrence in that and other Heads Our Confession was read every Article by it self over again as they were written in order and the voice of every man was required accordingly Of the Temporall State onely gave their voice on the contrary the Earl of Athol the Lords Simmerwaile and Borthwicke And yet for their disassenting they produced no better reason but We will believe as our Fathers believed The Bishops Papisticall we mean spake nothing The rest of the whole three States by their publike Votes affirmed the Doctrine and the rather Because that fain the Bishops would but durst say nothing on the contrary for this was the Vote of the Earle Marshall It is long since I have had some favour unto the Truth and since that I have had a suspicion of the Papisticall Religion But I praise my God who this day hath fully resolved me in the one and the other For seeing that the Bishops who for their learning can and for their zeal that they should bear to the Verity would as I suppose have gainsaid any thing that directly repugneth to the Verity of God Seeing I say the Bishops here present speak nothing in the contrary of the Doctrine proposed I cannot but hold it for the very Truth of God and the contrary to be deceivable Doctrine And therefore so far as in me lieth I approve the one and condemne the other And do farther ask of God That not onely I but also all my posterity may enjoy the comfort of the Doctrine that this day our ears
it in nothing for your first two witnesses speak against the Anabaptists who deny that Christians should be subject to Magistrates or yet that it is lawfull for a Christian to be a Magistrate whose opinion I no lesse abhor then ye do or any other that liveth The others speak of Christians subject to Tyrants and Infidels so dispersed that they have no other force but onely to sob unto God for deliverance that such indeed should hazard any further then these godly men wills them I cannot hastily be of counsell But my argument hath another ground for I speak of a people assembled in one Body of a Common-wealth unto whom God hath given sufficient force not onely to resist but also to suppresse all kinde of open Idolatry And such a people yet again I affirme are bound to keep their Land clean and unpolluted And that this my division shall not appear strange unto you ye shall understand that God required one thing of Abraham and of his Seed when he and they were strangers and Pilgrims in Egypt and Canaan and another thing required he of them when they were delivered from the Bondage of Egypt and the possession of the Land of Canaan granted unto them The first and during the time of their Bondage God craved no more but that Abraham should not defile himselfe with their Idolatry neither was he nor his Posterity commanded to destroy the Idolls that were in Canaan or in Egypt But when God gave unto them possession of the Land he gave unto them this strait Commandment Beware that thou make not League or Confederacie with the inhabitants of this Land give not thy sonnes unto their daughters nor yet give thy daughters unto their sonnes c. But this ye shall do unto them Cut down their Groves destroy their Images breake downe their Altars and leave thou no kinde of remembrance of these Abominations which the Inhabitants of the Land used before for thou art a holy People unto the Lord thy God defile not thy selfe therefore with their gods c. To this Commandment I say are ye my Lords and all such as have professed the Lord within this Realme bound for God hath wrought no lesse miraculously upon you both Spiritually and Corporally then he did unto the Carnall Seed of Abraham For in what state your Bodies and this poor Realme were within these seven yeers your selves cannot be ignorant you and it were both in the Bondage of a strange Nation and what Tyrants did raigne over your consciences God perchance may yet again let you feel because that ye do not rightly acknowledge and esteeme the benefits received when our poore Brethren that were before us gave up their bodies to the flames of fire for the Testimony of Gods Truth And when scarcely could be found ten in a Country that rightly knew God it had been foolishnesse to have craved either of the Nobility or of the mean Subjects the suppressing of Idolatry for that had been nothing but to have exposed the simple Sheep in a prey to the Wolves But since that God hath multiplyed knowledge yea and hath given the victory to his Truth even in the hands of his servants if yee suffer the Land again to be defiled yee and your Princes shall both drinke the cup of Gods indignation The Queen for her obstinate abiding in manifest Idolatry in this great light of the Evangell of Jesus Christ And ye for your permission and maintaining her in the same Lethington said In that point we will never agree And where finde ye I pray you that ever any of the Prophets or of the Apostles taught such Doctrine That the people should be plagued for the Idolatry of the Prince or yet That the Subjects might suppresse the Idolatry of the Rulers or them for the same What was the Commission given unto the Apostles My Lord said he we know it was to preach and plant the Evangell of Jesus Christ where darknesse before had Dominion And therefore it behoved them to let them see the light before that they should will them to put their hands to suppresse Idolatry What precepts the Apostles gave unto the faithfull in particular other then that they commanded all to fly from Idolatry I will not affirme But I finde two things which the faithfull did The one was They assisted their Preachers even against the Rulers and Magistrates The other was They suppressed Idolatry wheresoever God gave unto them force asking no leave of the Emperour nor of his Deputies Read the Ecclesiasticall Histories and ye shall finde examples sufficient And as to the Doctrine of the Prophets we know they were Interpreters of the Law of God and we know They spake as well unto the Kings as unto the People I read that neither of both would heare them and therefore came the plague of God upon both but that they flattered the Kings more then they did the people I cannot be perswaded Now Gods Law pronounces death as before I have said to Idolaters without exception of persons Now how the Prophets could rightly interpret the Law and shew the cause of Gods Judgements which ever they threatned should fall for Idolatry and for the rest of the abhominations that did accompany it for it is never alone but still corrupt Religion brings with it a filthy and corrupt life How I say the Prophets could reprove the Vice and not shew the people their duty I understand not And therefore I constantly beleeve That the Doctrine of the Prophets was so sensible That the Kings understood their own abhominations and the people understood what they ought to have done in punishing and repressing them But because that the most part of the People was no lesse Rebellious unto God then were their Princes Therefore the one and the other conjured against God and against his servants And yet my Lord The facts of some Prophets are so evident That thereby we may collect what Doctrine they taught For it were no small absurdity to affirme that their facts did repugne to their Doctrine I think said Lethington ye meane of the History of Iehu What will yee prove thereby The chief head said Iohn Knox that ye deny to wit That the Prophets never taught that it appertained to the people to punish the Idolatry of their Kings The contrary whereof I affirme and for the probation I am ready to produce the fact of a Prophet For ye know my Lord said he that Elizeus sent one of the children of the Prophets to annoint Iehu who gave him a commandment to destroy the house of his Master Achab for the Idolatry committed by him and for the innocent blood that Iezabell his wicked Wife had shed While he obeyed and put in full execution for the which God promised unto him the stability of the Kingdome unto the fourth Generation Now said he here is the fact of a Prophet that proves that Subjects were commanded to execute Gods judgements upon
their King and Prince There is enough said Lethington to be answered thereto For Iehu was a King before he put any thing in execution And besides That the fact is extraordinary and ought not to be Imitate My Lord said the other he was a meere Subject and no King when the Prophets servant came unto him yea and albeit that his fellow Captaines hearing of the Message blew the Trumpet and said Iehu is King yet I doubt not but Iezabel both thought and said that he was a Traytor and so did many others that were in Israel and in Samaria And as touching That ye alleadge that the fact was extraordinary and is not to be imitate I say That it had the ground of Gods ordinary judgement which commandeth the Idolater to dye the death And therefore I yet againe affirme That it is to be Imitate of all those that preferres the true Honour of the true Worship and Glory of God to the affection of flesh and wicked Princes We are not bound said Lethington to follow extraordinary examples unlesse we have the like commandment and assurance I grant said the other if the example repugne to the Law As if an avaritious and deceitfull man would borrow Silver Rayment or other necessaries from his Neighbour and withhold the same alleadging that so he might do and not offend God because the Israelites at their departure forth of Egypt did so to the Egyptians The example served to no purpose unlesse that they could produce the like cause and the like commandment that the Israelites had and that because their fact repugned to this Commandment of God Thou shalt not steale But where the example agrees with the Law and is as it were the execution of Gods judgement expressed within the same I say That the example approved of God stands to us in place of a Commandment For as God in his Nature is constant and immutable so can he not condemne in the Ages subsequent that which he hath approved in his servants before us but in his servants before us he by his own word confounds all such as crave further approbation of Gods will then is already expressed within his Scriptures For Abraham said They have Moses and the Prophets whom if they will not beleeve neither will they beleeve albeit that any of the dead should rise Even so I say my Lord that such as will not be taught what they ought to do by the Commandment of God once given and once put in practise will not beleeve nor obey albeit that God should send Angels from Heaven to instruct that Doctrine Yee have produced but one example said Lethington one sufficeth said the other but yet God be praised we lacke not others for the whole people conspired against Amasiah King of Iuda after that he had turned away from the Lord and followed him to Lachis and slew him and took Uzziah and annointed him King in steed of his father The people had not altogether forgotten the League and Covenant which was made betwixt their Kings and them at the Inauguration of Iohas his Father to wit That the King and the People should be the People of the Lord and then should they be his faithfull Subjects From the which Covenant when first the Father and after the sonne had declined they were both punished to death Ioas by his own servants and Amasias by the whole people I doubt said Lethington whether they did well or not It shall be free for you said the other to doubt as you please but where I finde execution according to Gods Law and God himselfe not to accuse the doers I dare not doubt of the equity of their cause And farther it appeareth to me that God gave sufficient approbation and allowance of their fact for he blessed them with victory peace and prosperity the space of fiftie two yeers after But prosperity said Lethington does not alwayes prove that God approves the facts of men Yes said the other when the facts of men agree with the Law of God and are rewarded according to his owne promise expressed in his Law I say that the prosperitie succeeding the fact is a most infallible assurance that God hath approved that fact Now so it is That God hath pronounced in his Law That when the people shall exterminat and destroy such as decline from him that hee will blesse them and multiplie them as he hath promised unto their Fathers But so it is that Masiah turned from God for so the Text doth witnesse and plaine it is the people slew their King and like plain it is that God blessed them Therefore yet againe conclude I that God himselfe approved their fact and so farre as it was done according to his commandement it was blessed according to his promise Well said Lethington I thinke not the ground so sure as I durst build my Conscience thereupon I pray God said the other that your Conscience have no worse ground then this is whensoever you shall begin the like work which God in your owne eyes hath already blessed And now my Lord saith hee I have but one example to produce and then I will put an end to my reasoning because I am weary longer to stand Commandment was given that he should sit downe but he refused and said Melancholly reasons would have some mirth intermixed My last example said he my Lord is this Uzziah the King not content with his Royall Estate malapertly took upon him to enter within the Temple of the Lord to burn Incense upon the Altar of Incense and Azariah the Priest went in after him and with him fourscore Priests of the Lord valiant men and they withstood Uzziah and said unto him It appertaineth not unto thee Uzziah to burn Incense unto the Lord but to the Priestâ— the Sonnes of Aaron that are consecrated to offer Incense Goe forth of the Sanctuary for thou hast transgressed and thou shalt have none honour of the Lord. Hereof my Lords I conclude That Subjects not onely may but also ought to withstand and resist their Princes whensoever they doe any thing that expressely repugnes to God his Law or holy Ordinance They that withstood the King said Lethington were not simple subjects but were the Priests of the Lord and figures of Christ and such Priests have we none this day to withstand Kings if they doe any wrong That the High Priest was the figure of Christ said the other I grant but that he was not a subject that I deny for I am assured that he in his Priesthood had no Prerogative above those that passed before him now so it is that Aaron was subject to Moses and called him his Lord Samuel being both Pâ—ophet and Priest subjected himselfe unto Saul after hee was inaugurated of the People Sadoc bowed before David and Abiathar was deposed from the Priesthood by Solomon which all confessed themselves subjects to the Kings albeit therewith they ceased not to be
such firmitie as we desire it were And albeit some mocked yet others were godly moved who did assemble themselves together to consult what things were to be proposed to that present Parliament And after deliberation was this subsequent supplication offered The Barons Gentlemen Burgesses and other true Subjects of this Realm professing the Lord Iesus within the same To the Nobilitie and States of Parliament presently assembled within the said Realm desire Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the increase of his holy Spirit PLease your Honours to call to remembrance how divers and sundry times we with some of your selves most humbly Petitioned at the feet of the late Queen Regent for freedom and liberty of Conscience with a godly Reformation of abuses which by the malice of Satan and negligence of men are crept into the Religion of God and are maintained by such as take upon them the name of Clergie And albeit that our godly and most reasonable suit was then disdainfully rejected whereof no small troubles have ensued as your Honours well know yet seeing that the same necessity yet remaineth that then moved us And moreover that God of his mercy hath now put into your hands to take such order As God thereby may be glorified This Common-wealth quieted And the Policy thereof established We cannot cease to crave of your Honours the redresse of such enormities as manifestly are and of long time have been committed by the place-holders of the Ministerie and others of the Clergie within this Realm And first seeing that God of his great mercy hath by the light of his Word manifested to no small number of this Realme That the Doctrine of the Romane Church received by the said Clergie and maintained through their tyrannie by fire and sword contained in it selfe many pestiferous errours which cannot but bring damnation to the souls of such as therewith shall be infected such as are the Doctrine of Transubstantiation of the Adoration of Christs Body under the form of Bread as they terme it of the Merits of Works and Justification that they alleadge commeth thereby together with the Doctrine of the Papisticall Indulgences Purgatory Pilgrimage and Praying to Saints departed which all either repugne to the plain Scriptures or else have no ground in the Doctrine of our Master Jesus Christ his Prophets and Apostles 1. We humbly therefore crave of your Honours That such doctrine and Idolatry as by Gods Word are both condemned so may they be abolished by Act of this present Parliament and punishment appointed for the transgressors Secondarily seeing that the Sacraments of Jesus Christ are most shamefully abused and profaned by that Romane Harlot and her sworne vassals and also because that the true Discipline of the ancient Church is utterly now amongst that Sect extinguished For who within the Realme are more corrupt in life and manners then are they that are called the Clergie living in whoredom adultery deflouring Virgins corrupting Matrons and doing all abomination without fear of punishment We humbly therefore desire your Honors to finde remedy against the one and the other 3. Thirdly Because that man of sin falsly claimeth to himselfe the titles of The Vicar of Christ The Successor of Peter The Head of the Church That he cannot erre That all power is granted unto him c. By the which usurped Authority he taketh upon him the distribution and possession of the whole Patrimony of the Church whereby the true Ministry of the Word of God long time hath been altogether neglected the godly learning despised the Schools not provided and the poor not only frauded of their portion but also most tyrannously oppressed we likewise hereof desire remedy And lest that your Honors should doubt in any of these premises we offer our selves evidently to prove That in all the rabble of the Clergie there is not one lawfull Minister if Gods Word the practices of the Apostles the sincerity of the Primitive Church and their own ancient Laws shall judge of lawfull Election We further offer to prove them all thieves and murtherers yea rebels and traytors to the lawfull Authority of Emperors Kings and Princes and therfore unworthy to be suffred in any reformed Common-wealth How maliciously they murthered our brethren for no other cause but for that they offred to us the light of Gods Word your Honours cannot be ignorant and into what hazard their tyranny hath brought this whole Realm the Ages after will consider If ye look for other fruit in times to come then ye have seen in them whom we accuse we are assured ye shall be deceived Now hath God beyond all expectation of man made you who somtimes were suppliants with us for Reformation Judges as it were in the Cause of God At least he hath so subdued your enemies unto you that by violence they are not able to suppresse the Verity as heretofore they have done We therefore in the bowels of Jesus Christ crave of your Honors That either they may be compelled to answer to our former accusations and unto such others as justly we have to lay to their charges or else that all affection laid aside ye pronounce them such by censure of this Parliament and cause them to be so reputed as by us most justly they are accused Especially that they may be discerned unworthy of honour authority charge or cure in the Church of God and so from henceforth never to enjoy voice in Parliament Which if ye do not then in the fear of God and by assurance of his Word we forewarn you That as ye leave a grievous yoke a burden intolerable upon the Church of God in this realm so shall they be thorns in your eyes and pricks in your sides whom after when ye would ye shall have no power to remove God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ give you upright hearts seeking his glory and true understanding what this day he who hath delivered you from Bondage both Spirituall and Temporall craveth of you by his servants and your Honours answer most humbly require This our Supplication being read in audience of the whole Assembly divers men were of divers judgements for as some there were that uprightly favoured the Cause of God so were there many that for worldly respects abhorred a perfect Reformation for how many within Scotland who have the name of Nobility and are unjust possessors of the Patrimony of the Church and yet were the Barons and Ministers called and commandment given unto them to draw into plain and severall Heads the sum of that Doctrine which they would maintain and would desire the present Parliament to establish as wholesome true and onely necessary to be beleeved and to be received within the Realm Which they willingly accepted and within four dayes presented this Confession as it followeth without alteration of any one sentence The Confession of Faith professed and believed by the Protestants within the Realme of
Scotland published by them in Parliament and by the Estates thereof Ratified and Approved as wholesome and sound Doctrine grounded upon the infallible Truth of God MATTH 24. And this glad Tydings of the Kingdom shall be preached thorowout the whole world for a Witnesse unto all Nations and then shall the end come The Preface The States of Scotland with the Inhabitants of the same professing Christ Jesus his holy Gospel To their naturall Countrey-men and unto all other Realmes and Nations professing the same Lord Jesus with them Wish Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with the Spirit of righteous Judgement for Salvation LOng have we thirsted dear Brethren to have notified unto the world the sum of that Doctrine which we professe and for the which we have sustained infamy and danger But such hath been the rage of Sathan against us and against Christ Iesus his Eternall Verity lately now again borne amongst us that to this day no time hath been granted unto us to clear our consciences as most gladly we would have done For how we have been tossed a whole yeer past the most part of Europe as we do suppose doth understand But seeing that of the infinite goodnesse of our God who never suffereth his afflicted utterly to be confounded above expectation have we obtained some rest and liberty we could not but set forth this briefe and plain Confession of such Doctrine as is proposed unto us and as we believe and professe partly for satisfaction of our Brethren whose hearts we doubt not have been and yet are wounded by the despightfull rayling of such as yet have not learned to speak well And partly for stopping the mouths of impudent blasphemers who boldly condemne that which they neither heard nor understood Not that we judge that the cankred malice of such is able to be cured by this simple Confession No we know that the sweet savour of the Gospel is and shall be death unto the sons of perdition But we have chief respect to our weak and infirme Brethren to whom we would communicate the bottom of our hearts lest that they be troubled or carried away by diversity of rumours which Sathan spreadeth against us to the defeating of this our most godly enterprise Protesting That if any man will note in this our Confession any Articles or sentence repugning to Gods holy Word that it would please him of his gentlenesse and for Christian charities sake admonish us of the same in writing and we upon our Honours and fidelity do promise unto him satisfaction from the mouth of God that is from his holy Scriptures or else Reformation of that which he shall prove to be amisse For God we take to Record in our consciences That from our hearts we abhorre all Sects of Heresie and all teachers of erroneous doctrine And that with all humility we embrace the purity of Christs Gospel which is the onely food of our soules and therefore so precious unto us that we are determined to suffer the extremest of worldly danger rather then that we will suffer our selves to be defrauded of the same For hereof we are most certainly perswaded That whosoever denieth Christ Iesus or is ashamed of him in presence of men shall be denied before the Father and before his holy Angels And therefore by the assistance of the mighty Spirit of the same our Lord Iesus we firmly purpose to abide to the end in the confession of this our Faith The first Article Of GOD. VVE confesse and acknowledge one onely God to whom onely we must cleave whom onely we must Worship and in whom onely we must put our trust who is Eternall Infinite Unmeasurable Incomprehensiâ—le Omnipotent Invisible one in Substance and yet distinct into three Persons The Father The Son And the holy Ghost by whom we confesse and believe all things in heaven and earth as well Visible as Invisible to have been Created to be Retained in their being and to be Ruled and Guided by his inscrutable Providence to such end as his eternall Wisedom Goodnesse and Justice hath appointed them to the manifestation of his own Glory II. Of the Creation of Man VVE confesse and acknowledge this our God to have Created man to wit our first Father Adam of whom also God formed the Woman to his own Image and Similitude To whom he gave Wisedom Lordship Justice free-Will and clear Knowledge of himself so that in the whole Nature of man there could be no imperfection From which Honour and Perfection Man and Woman did both fall the Woman being deceived by the Serpent and Man obeying to the voice of the Woman both conspiring against the Soveraigne Majesty of God who in expresse words had before threatned death if they presumed to eat of the forbidden Tree III. Of Originall Sin BY which transgression commonly called Originall Sin was the Image of God utterly defaced in Man and he and his Posterity of Nature became enemies to God slaves to Sathan servants to Sin insomuch that Death everlasting hath had and shall have power and dominion over all that hath not been are not or shall not be regenerate from above which Regeneration is wrought by the power of the holy Ghost working in the hearts of the Elect of God an assured Faith in the Promises of God revealed to us in his Word by which Faith they apprehend Christ Jesus with the Graces and Benefits promised in him IIII. Of the Revelation of the Promises FOr this we constantly believe That God after the fearfull and horrible defection of man from his obedience did seek Adam again call upon him rebuke his sin convince him of the same and in the end made unto him a joyfull Promise to wit That the Seed of the Woman should breake downe the Serpents head that is He should destroy the works of the devill which Promise as it was repeated and made more cleer from time to time so was it embraced with joy and most constantly retained of all the faithfull from Adam to Noah from Noah to Abraham and from Abraham to David and so forth to the Incarnation of Jesus Christ who all we mean the faithfull Fathers under the Law did see the joyfull dayes of Christ Jesus and did rejoyce V. The Continuance Encrease and Preservation of his Church VVE most constantly believe That God Preserveth Instructeth Multiplieth Honoureth Decoreth and from death called to Life his Church in all Ages from Adam till the coming of CHRIST JESUS in the Flesh For Abraham he called from his fathers Countrey him he instructed his Seed he multiplied the same he marvellously preserved and more marvellously delivered from the Bondage of Pharaoh to whom he gave his Lawes Constitutions and Ceremonies Them he possessed in the Land of Canaan to them after Judges and after Saul he gave David to be King to whom he made promise That of the fruit of his Loynes should one sit forever