We would know if the writer can appoint unto us any one certain place, where this holy mountain of God is promised to remain, manifestly and visible. For this we make known to the hole world, That for the love we bear to the building and repairing of God's holy house, we have endangered life and all things temporal. And therefore if the writer can appoint ⟨image 20⟩unto us a certain place, whereunto God hes maid promise: we shall every one exhort an other, with all diligence, to go up thereunto. But if he can appoint none, having greater assurance be God's mouth more then an other: Then will we charitably desire him to desist from taunting & mockage of so notable works of god, as he of late years hes shown in mo Realms then one. Our Master Christ Jesus appoints us to no one certain place, where that we shall be assured of his presence: but rather forbidding the observation of all places, he sends us to his own spiritual presence, saying: wheresoever two or three are gathered in my name, There am I in the middest of them. And in an other place,1 Behold I am with you to the end of the world.2 We being grounded upon these promises, have good hope through Jesus Christ, that in our Congregationis we have the favourable presence of Jesus Christ, aswell in his word, as in his holy sacraments. For in his name alone convene we, be him alone we call upon God our Father: and be him alone we are assured, through y• power of his holy spirit, to obtain our requests made according to his will. We ⟨image 21⟩•onder greatly, that the writer considers not, that the promise of the Prophet is, that all Nations shall cum to that holy mountain. We are a Nation (how abject y• ever we appear) why then will the writer deny unto us, free passage to the house of y• Lord: seeing that the term of the last days is not yet expired, and seeing that we desire to be taught in the ways of the Lord and to walk in his paths: yea, seeing that thousands in Scotland refuses not to be rebuked of the Lord, and to suffer him to judge amongst us. If the writer will say, because we will not acknowledge Rome, to be the mother of all other Kirks: We answer as before, let us hear the commandment of our God, charging us so to do, and our obedience shall not be long craved. For we are most willing to obey our mother: Providing that she show the undoubted signs of a natural mother.
We wold knowe if the wryter can appoint vnto vs any one certane place, wher this holy montane of God is promysed to remane, manifestly and visible. For this we mak knowen to the hole world, That for the lufe we beare to the buylding and reparing of Goddes holy hous, we haue endangered life and all thinges temporal. And therefore if the wryter can appoint ⟨image 20⟩vnto vs a certane place, whereunto God hes maid promise: we shall euerie one exhort an other, with all diligence, to go vp thereunto. But if he cā appoint none, hauing greater ass•rance be Godes mouth moir then an other: Then will we cheritabillie desyre him to desist from taunting & mockage of so notable workes of god, as he of late yeares hes shawen in mo Realmes then one. Our Maister Christ Iesus apointes vs to no one certane place, wher that we shalbe assured of his presence: but rather forbidding the obseruatioun of all places, he sendes vs to his owen spirituall presence, saying: wheresoeuer two or thre are gathered in my name, There am I in the middest of thē. And in an other place,1 Behold I am with yow to the end of the world.2 We being grounded vpon these promyses, haue good hope through Iesus Christ, that in our Cōgregationis we haue the fauourable presence of Iesus Christ, aswel in his word, as in his holy sacramē tes. For in his name alone conuene we, be him alone we call vpon God our Father: and be him alone we are assured, through y• power of his holy spreit, to obtene our requeastes made according to his wil. We ⟨image 21⟩•onder greatlie, that the wryter considderis not, that the promise of the Prophet is, that all Nationis shall cum to that holie montane. We are a Nation (how abiect y• euer we appeare) why thē will the wryter deny vnto vs, fre passage to the hous of y• Lord: seing that the terme of the last dayes is not yet expyred, and seing that we desyre to be taught in the wayes of the Lord and to walk in his pathes: yea, seing that thousandis in Scotland refuses not to be rebuked of the Lord, and to suffer him to iudge amōges vs. If the wryter will say, becaus we will not acknowledge Rome, to be the mother of all other Kirkis: We answer as befoir, let vs heare the commā dement of our God, charging vs so to do, and our obedience shall not be long craued. For we are most willing to obey our mother: Prouyding that she shaw the vndouted signes of a naturall mother.
- 1Math. ••.
- 2Math. 28.
