The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

but as they have left the living God, and have taught the people vanity, so are they become mortal enemies to all Gods true servants, of whom I am one, rebuking their iniquity, apostasy and ⟨p. 6⟩defection from God, which is the only cause they seek my life. But a thing most contrary to all equity, law and justice it is, that I, a man sent of God, to call them, his people, and you again to the true service of God, from the which you are all declined, shall suffer the death, because that my enemies do so pronounce sentence. I stand in your presence, whom God hath made Princes, your power is above their Tyranny, before you do I expose my cause, I am in your hands, and cannot resist to suffer what ye think just: But lest that my lenity and patience should either make you negligent in the defence of me in my just cause, appealing to your judgement, either yet encourage my enemies in seeking my blood, this one thing I dare not conceal, That if you murder me (which thing ye do, if ye defend me not) ye make not only my enemies guilty of my blood, but also your selves, and this whole City. By these words, I say, it is evident, That the Prophet of God, being condemned by the Priests, and by the Prophets of the visible Church, did seek aid, support and defence at the Princes and temporal Magistrates, threatening his blood to be required at their hands, if they, by their Authority, did not defend him from the fury of his enemies; alleging also just causes of his Appellation, and why he ought to have been defended; to wit, That he was sent of God to rebuke their vices and defection from God; That he taught no Doctrine which God before had not pronounced in his Law;¹ That he desired their conversion to God, continually calling upon them to walk in the ways which God had approved; and therefore doth he boldly crave of the Princes, as of Gods Lieutenants, to be defended from the blind rage and tyranny of the Priests, notwithstanding that they claimed to themselves Authority to judge all matters of Religion. And the same did he when he was cast in prison, and thereafter was brought to the presence of King Zedechias.

but as they have left the living God, and have taught the people vanity, so are they become mortall enemies to all Gods true servants, of whom I am one, rebuking their iniquity, apostasie and ⟨p. 6⟩