The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

IT is not only the love of this Temporal 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 lawful Powers by God appointed, redress of the same; But partly it proceedeth from that reverence which every man oweth to Gods Eternal Truth: And partly, from a love which I bear to your Salvation, and to the Salvation of my Brethren abused in that Realm, by such as have no fear of God before their eyes. It hath pleased God of his infinite mercy, not only to illuminate the eyes of my mind, and so to touch my dull heart, that clearly I see, and by his grace unfeignedly believe, That there is no other name given to men under the heaven in which Salvation consisteth, ⟨p. 2⟩save the Name of JESUS alone, Who by that Sacrifice which he did once offer upon the Cross, hath sanctified for ever all those that shall inherit the Kingdom promised: ¹But also it hath pleased him of his superabundant grace, to make and appoint me, most wretched of many thousands, a Witness, Minister and Preacher of the same Doctrine; the sum whereof, I did not spare to communicate with my Brethren, being with them in the Realm of Scotland, ²in the year 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 fearful men pretend: I did therefore (as God his minister) during the time I was conversant with them (God is record and witness) truly 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 satisfy his Justice, except the death of his only Son; and to magnify 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 cruel death of the Cross,³ 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 filthiness; to wit,⁴