The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

And lest ye should deceive your selves,¹ esteeming your Bishops to be virtuous and godly, this do I affirm, and offer my self to prove the same, That more wicked men then be the whole rabble of your Clergy, were never from the beginning universally known in any age; yea, Sodom and Gomorra may be justified in respect of them; for they permitted just Lot to dwell amongst them without any violence done to his body, which that pestilent Generation of your shaven sort doth not, but most cruelly persecute by fire and sword the true members of Christs Body, for no other cause, but for the true service and honouring of God. And therefore I fear not to affirm that, which God will one day justify, That by your Offices ye are bound, not only to repress their tyranny, but also to punish them as thieves and murderers, as Idolaters,² and blasphemers of God; and in their rooms ye are bound to place true Preachers of Christs Evangel, for the instruction,³ comfort, and salvation of your subjects, above whom else shall never the holy Ghost acknowledge, That you rule in justice for their profit. If ye pretend to possess the Kingdom with Christ Jesus, ye may not take example neither by the ignorant multitude of Princes, neither by the ungodly and cruel Rulers of the earth, of whom some pass their time in sloth, insolency and riot, without respect had to Gods honour, or to the salvation of of their brethren; and others most cruelly oppress, with proud Nimrod, such as be subject to them. But your pattern and example must be the practice of those whom God hath approved by the testimony of his Word, as after shall be declared.

And lest ye should deceive your selves,¹ esteeming your Bishops to be vertuous and godly, this do I affirm, and offer my self to prove the same, That more wicked men then be the whole rabble of your Clergie, were never from the beginning universally known in any age; yea, Sodome and Gomorra may be justified in respect of them; for they permitted just Lot to dwell amongst them without any violence done to his body, which that pestilent Generation of your shaven sort doth not, but most cruelly persecute by fire and sword the true members of Christs Body, for no other cause, but for the true service and honouring of God. And therefore I fear not to affirm that, which God will one day justifie, That by your Offices ye are bound, not onely to represse their tyranny, but also to punish them as theeves and murtherers, as Idolaters,