say onely that it shal be very hard to any of your swearers to behaue him selâ—e well with other protestant kiâ—kes who are bothe in doctrine and discipline far different from you shall he enter incontinent in desence of your reformation shall he trouble all states where he doeth come Truely all men haâ—e that opinion of your religion that it bringeth euerie where seditions with it as the most turbulent sect that euer yet was inuented in our contrey Ne longe exempla petantur Betonio primi maduerunt sanguine muri Or shall he following the maxime of your faith call all in doubt not withstanding of his othe â—ecause ye are but men and may erre except â—e may gif some good and sure reason why â—e onely say true and all the rest of the world false and that nothing can procede out of your mouth but veritie for your othe importeth no lesse with it And certainely without that pretogatiue of assured veritie bound to your heads and tounges to astrict men to your doctrine and discipline formed or reformed by you neglecting the authoritie of your reformed kirk in generall may seeme somewhat against reason and very preiudiciable to the Prince and common wealthe For by this othe all must depend vpon you as vpon the soueraigne magistrat the solemne othe absolute promise beinge made in fauour of your doctrine discipline which ye haue in your hands and ministration This may be easely seene by the othe made to the Kinges Maiestie or rather against him which ye sett downe in this forme And because we perceaue that the quyetnes and stabilitie of our religion and kirk doeth depend vpon the safetie and good behauiour of the Kinges Maieste as vpon a confortable instrument of Goddes mercie graunted to this countrey sor the mainteining of his kirk and ministration of iustice among vs. VVe protest and promise with our heartes vnder the same othe handwrit and paines that we shall defend his persone and Authoritie vvith our geir bodies and liues in the defence of Christes Euangell libertie of our countrey ministration of iustice and punishment of iniquitie against all enemies vvithin this realme or vvithout as vve desire our God to be a strong and mercifull defender to vs in the day of our death and comming of our lord Iesus Christ to vvhome vvith the father and the holie spirit be all honour glorie eternally Aiâ—â— Lat vs consider the partes of this new othe Because say ye vve perceaue that the quyetnes and stabilitie of our religioÌ„ and kirk doeth depeÌ„d vpon the safetie and good behauiour of the Kinges Matie c. Well begoune truely that ye mistak not your selues ye lay downe the cause why ye will do or at lest appeare to do some seruice to his Maiestie as long as ye perceaue thinges that please you that is as long as al thinges at donne according to your fantasie ye wil be good and obedient subiects or rather maisters seing ye prescribe conditions to him who truely is your Maister and reasons why ye will bestow any thing vpon him What if any reformed imaginations take you or some extraordinarie zeall of your heauenly discipline trouble your braine and make you perceaue according to your passion as drounken men doeth see two candels where there is but one any other thing in his Maiestie What if ye find not that good behauiour ye looketh for Must he dresse all his actions to your fantasies and good pleasure will ye be censours and comptrollers of his doings if he vse not your counsell and aduysâ— If your perceauing of thinges to you agreable be the ground cause of your promise protestation how soone ye preceaue in your fantasie the contrarie ye ought him nothing I meane according to your opinion sublata causa â—ollitur effectus if I serue you because ye nurish me if ye cease to nurish me I am no further obliged to serue you what shall become here of your hearty promises and protestations when your sight shal be changed to what state shal the coÌ„men wealth be brought when your foolish affections shewe a rule to the Kinges Maiestie and honorable conâ—ell to gouerne his realme many thinges appeares to vs otherwise then they ar and reasons being knowen they ar found good that seemed ill before we say coÌ„monly there should no hyndman half work see ye do many things in your house perhapes well honestly which were neither expediet nor decent to be deuulgated to euery man as also ye haue some secret counsell touching your affaires which ye should loosse if your intention were publikly knowen Think also that Kingâ—s Princes according to their great rankes haue secrets which should not nor can not be published without preiudice of bothe Prince state the which can not be coÌ„serued sometymes without the euident domage and hurt of some particulare men as by the losse of one member some tyme we preserue the rest of the body by which we should not esteeme mesure the princes actions but by the publik vtilitie which they procure better then we can see or vnderstand because their authoritie and experience gifeth them the wisdome knowledge which we can not haue Caesaribus virtus contigit ante diem There be certaine arcana imperij whereto we can not penetrate therefor lyke fooles oft tymes we do iudge rashly condemne thinges which we vnderstand not Wherefor we should do well not to enter in iudgement of so high matters Quam quisque nouit artem in ea se exerceat but your extraordinarie calling maketh you maisters in all craftes and your new discipline will not suffer you to haue so long patience Ye who enter in Goddes cabinet when ye list must know all things at the first instaÌ„t nothing should be hid to you ye haue receaued the spirite of discretion nothing should be donne without your approbation Ye ar in the chaire of veritie ye may speak what ye will iudge whom ye please comptroll whome ye list approue or improue as ye think good or ill ye haue taken the power ye haue receaued the othe all men ar your subiects so the Prince is subiect to your perceauing the principall rule of your new populaire tribunaâ— But ye will say that my coÌ„clusion followed not vpoÌ„ your antecedeÌ„t I wold be glad it were so that I were deceaued in my opinioÌ„ so willing I am to heare that there were no traittour in our countrey But if we will consider the solemne othe passed before in fauour of your new reformatioÌ„ to defend and obserue the doctrine and discipline thereof vnder so horrible a promise or rather imprecations execrations as we haue noted before it followed very necessarily for ye may extend as ye do when it pleased you the borders of your discipline as far as it seemed good to you and interpret your doctrine as ye thinke most expedient and so perceaue what ye please where ye shall acknowledge or not his
lawfull power to receaue them and to enroll them among the Children of God and heauenly citizens If they wold not yet heare you ye might according to Christs command shake the dust of your feete and leaue their blood vpoÌ„ their owen heades except perchance ye wold patiently abyde their conuersion to God seing that some ar called and do 〈◊〉 in the â—ords viniaâ—d in the morning some at midday some in the â—uening and at last all ar new â—tded for their lâ—bours â—o the which none ar constrained Ye know that faith is a gift of God it câ—n not be found eâ—â—ry where Spirituâ— vbâ— vulâ— spirâ—t it de pended 〈◊〉 vpon our will nor â—eurs to make men belâ—â—ue the veriâ—ie that appeâ—â—inâ—d to God onely volâ—ntas â—oginoâ— pâ—â—estâ—◠〈◊〉 is God onely who may change the hardnes of mens heaâ—â—es Why will ye force men seing we deny free will If ye say as ye think why vâ—ge ye men as if they had it excuse me if I propose sic thinges seing I do it following your hâ—mour and strange opinions I 〈◊〉 some exemple either of ouâ— maister â—esus Christ oâ— of his Aposâ—los where either 〈◊〉 or Gentill euer was constrained to acknowledge the gospell oâ— excommunicated â—f â—he wold non I will graunt to 〈◊〉 very freely that all men who will not acknowledge the true kirkâ— and lawfull pastourâ— aâ— with out the communion and paâ—kâ— of Iesuâ— Christ but not â—uâ— out of thâ— communion of 〈◊〉 park of Iesus Christ because as I haue said now often they were neâ—er within iâ— And therefore the Apostles and â—hâ—ir 〈◊〉 did euer ciuilie coÌ„uerse with the â—othe preaching and teaching the veâ—itiâ— where by our for fathers were conâ—erted to God but neuer admitted them to be present at Goddes sâ—râ—ice till they hade left their errour were instrâ—cted in the trueth and so receâ—ned in the bosome of the kirk aâ— true Christians should be If the Apostles had deâ—aâ—red fromâ— their companie all men who woâ—d not incontinent embrace their doctâ—ine I think they â—hold not haue 〈◊〉 so mâ—ny as they haue donne In their paâ—ienâ—e they ouercame the world wonnâ— the faâ—ouâ— of their enemies assured the faithfull bâ—aâ—â—gled the infidelâ—es seeing them die so coâ—â—dgeously for the veâ—iâ—ie that they preached at last left ouâ— for fathers peaceable in the kirk of God which certainely was a heauenly work donne by naturall instâ—unâ—enâ—es indued with supernaturall graces and vertues infused by the holie Spirite in the hearâ—â—s of â—â—ue and lawâ—ull pastoâ—â—s to confound all worldly wiâ—dome and bring vs wiâ—h simplicitie and obedience to eternall blisse In plâ—ce of which godly modestie and meeknes ye employ your reformed force and violence shewing that ye had â—eâ—â—her make them â—e made martyres where in by many degrees ye sâ—â—passâ— the cruell barbâ—â—â—â— of the Turkes impatiâ—t auâ— importune in all your actioÌ„s yet according to your discipline which is against all good discipline impellens quidquid sibi summa petenti obsisâ—it gâ—udensque vâ—am â—ecisse ruina Magnámque cadeâ—â— magnámque reuertens datâ—stragem latè sparsosque recollâ—giâ— ignes 16. Thus faire for them who all waiâ—e haue remamed Catholikes as to others who haue at any tyme yeelded to you being â—ither forced or deceiued by you good reason requireth that they be sett at libertie as before Doubtles the law will declare all sic men as free frome all obligation to you as they who neuer were yours because of the violence and deceit ye haue vsed principallie seing it is so faâ—re against the honour of God the Kinges Maiesties serviâ—e and publik honestie and yoú to be punished as publik transgressours of diuine and humaine lawes If ye will haue men obliged to your doctrine and discipline sett vp new play proceeâ— with honest lawfull and godly meanes without bothe fraud force errour or treason take an ordinarie sure calling or proue wel your extraordinarie and then who hatâ— once acknowledged you punish him â— your discretion and according to your lawes if he reuolt frome you But now as maters goeth although I were a zealous brother yet as faithfull Christian and true subiect I wold be gladd to be excommunicated out of your companie where treason and heresies ar confirmed with subscriptioÌ„s and solemne oathes 18. Now to end with you I will yet make you an offer as I think very reasonable which is this Seing ye wil haue no thing that cometh of the Catholik Apostolik and Romaine Kirk as being infected with superstition and Idolatrie nor acknowledge the Pape because ye esteeme him the Antichrist and therefor will haue no counceill gathered by him do like good vigilant pastours assemble your selues by whose authoritie ye please hold an vniuersall synode among your reformed brethren of all sortes through out the whole reformed world without beginning and ending that there appeere no superiorite make a round table speek al at once dispute vpon the controuerted heads agree among your selues and we shall agree with you what can ye ask more of vs if no accorde can be hade among you how can we agree with you Consenting with any one companie we shall haue all the rest for enemies and shall not be assured if the partie that we haue followed will stand long at his owen opinion Or if ye think this offer of greater expenses then esperance we will make you another to agree with you subscribe your conâ—ession of faith if ye can shew that euer there was any empire Kingdome canton citie toune village or cothouse yea any single man Catholik or heretik young or old lerned or ignorant professing your doctrine and gouuerned by your discipline before this last hondred yeares If ye refuse this offers iudge your selues what the reformed flock may think of you Abyding your answere I will mak here an end and pray God to gif vs his eternall blesse and to you where by ye may atteine to the same a faith that may stand with your duetie to God and Prince and with Christian charitie Fare well Artis igâ—arus Knoâ— In his speech to parlament In the sessions presbiteries synodes generall couÌ„sels Mat. 10 Frere Iohn Crag fleeing out of Italie froÌ„ the Catholikâ— being as he said in need he receaued a pourse frome â— black dogge iudge yâ— of that viaticum Theâ—log C. luâ—nist lâ—b 2. sol 135. Bâ— Za in epistol thâ—olog de notis Eccâ—â—siae Iust lib. 4 â—ap 1. â— 9. De notis Ecclâ—siae Ye ar thâ— first that euâ—r did proposâ— negatioÌ„â— for a faith 3. book the kinges cap. 13. Sempâ—â— discenteâ— nunquam ad scieÌ„tiam veritatis peruenienteâ— 2. ad Timoth â— 7.
quibus haâ— â—â—sâ—untur in â—ortis minima Whose best workes aâ— so litill worthe Certainely ye ar very greatly obliged to theis who will not sweare a thing so preiudiciable to your honour and reputation which necessarilie followed vpoÌ„ your doctrine if it were once admitted Truely I haue not so hard opinion of you for notwitstanding I esteeme you in all degrees farre inferior to the Pape yet think I not that ye ar so low abiect or so wicked and abominable as the Antichrist meikilles to think you worse Acknowledge the obligation ye haue to them who doing according to their consciences toward the Pape hath donne so meikill for your honour But ye will say that ye ar not so wicked as the Pape I doubt not but ye will winne your cause if it be referred to your saying or othe If the boundes of this epistle wold suffer or if it were my principall butte to traict that matter I should mak a comparison betwix the Pape and you where I should mak you ashamed if ye haue any shame in your forhead of your selues the merueillous differeÌ„ce being seene I maruell how a minister can look to his companions vnlaughen when he seeth the people beleef a thing so ridiculous And in coÌ„scieÌ„ce beleef ye that the Antichrist shal be a litill hypocrite or simple heretik â—e shal be more furiouse then any that euer came to trouble the kirk Because ye cannot shew that the Pape is come with force and violence as our Lord hath aduertised vs he shall come ye wold mak the world beleeue that the Antichrist should come to continue lyk a lamb Iesus Christ sayeth the contrarie of him It wil be an ill reformed faith to gif our lord the lie how can ye think that he who shal be instructed and fullie inspired wiâ—h the spirite of Satan will in any wise ether follow or conterâ—ect our maister and lord Iesus Christ ye deceaue your selues and all others who credits you if ye beleef so The heretiks who ar onely his foreruners hath entred in the kirk of God lyk Woulfes and Tigres and ye your selues came with so great modestie and quietnes that the earth did tremble and shake vnder your feete I know noÌ„t if it was for gladenesse of your coÌ„ming so mightelye that the whole policie publik buildings thrâ—ugh out all ScotlaÌ„d did fall downe as if it had beene a generall earth quake verelie according to his nature and dignitie he must be more violent and cruell then all the rest Is it possible that ye think the Antichrist will vse onely persuations faire words liâ—ill hen wyles seing that ye vse all sâ—rt of violences and compulsions he wil be more cruell then ye in all respectes more craftie and more mightie he will bring with him all mischiefs that can be inuented for that cause God will shorten his tyme. Think ye that that deuill if I â—hould so say wil be lyk ClemeÌ„â— the 8. Are ye so ignorant or so foolish Truely Pape Clement is so wicked that it were better haue ten thowsand lyk him then one lyk â—ny of you and his death more to be sorrowed theÌ„ the death of a hundred thousand of you howbeit ye haue a better opinion of your selfs Think not also that the modestie that is in the Pape cometh of any feare he hath of you or yours Ye slay him euery yeare with your tounges but so softlie that he perceaueth it no more then ye did the first Papes entring How can ye beleeue that the Pape or Papes ar or can be the Antichrist seing they haue condemned all the heresies that hitherto hath risin against ether the diuinitie or humanitie of Iesus Christ as may be proued by your owen fellowes yea they haue condemned the errours risin now of late yeares amonge your selues as the new heresies of Gentilis Stancharus Blandrata and other good disciples of Caluin against the holie Trinitie whose errour ye approue not although bred among you How can it be that they shal be the Antichrist who so stoutly so constantlie with so great expenses and danger doeth defend the dignitie of Iesus Christ for they onely whome ye in your reformed language call the Antichrist hath holdin approued yet doth defend approue all wholl the generall councelles where Christs honour authoritie and diuine Maiestie haue beene lawfully defended and keeped yet can ye not shew any sic thing donne by you who calles your selues true Christians and lawfull pastours What shall we think of these Antichristes of you zealous Christians They keept the bible from corruption of heresies when ye could not be found yea when none of your reformed brethren could be seene at what tyme your inuisibilitie excused you from sic charitable offices It apperteneth to him onely whome ye call the Antichrist to defend Christs name keepe the bible distroy heresies confute errours conuert infideles send to all partes to coÌ„â—ort the faithfull to assure them who ar in brangle to reduce them who ar gone astray and that in Europe Asie and Afrik Which is donne yet in the new found Ils where there is more Christians now then heretikes in all Europe yea a great deal more O good diligeÌ„t Antichrist who onely hath watched laboured in the viniard of our Lord as it becometh a true faithfull seruaÌ„t And o ye wicked negligeÌ„t sluggish disloyall pastours who haue sleeped like as many Endymious thes 1500. years past in some obscure caue till the moune of false foolish imaginations haue wakned you to embrace againe the cloudes of errour in place of that heauenly Iuno of veritie Haue we not iust occasion to wish of God to haue in your place so good and godly an Antichrist which if we hade in euery toune we should not now haue beene in paine to refell your follies We may bouldly say that this Antichrist is meikill better reformed then your kirk and lesse to be feared then your reformation I doubt not but ye wold here willingly answeare that ye contribuâ—e with no lesse good will for the diliuerance of Geneua which ye make the people beleeue is besieged by the Duk of Sauoye where I will remark a great folie in you to beleeue a thing so maniâ—estly false a malice in them who haue abused so farre your simplicitie and rash crudelitie for their reformed faith I wold also willingly know of you why your reformed charitie extendeth it self onely to sic as haue rebelled against their lawfull Prince reither then to them who round about you ar in great need and distresse If ye did helpe your holie citie because of their necessiâ—ie I wold think it well done if ye could do well with out preiudice to your onely faith But to mainteine their rebellion against their iust and lawfull Prince is but an open and euident argument of that which is secretly hid in your breastes as we haue said here before I was almost here deliberat to shew