The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

Oh that the Rulers of this age would ponder and weigh the reasons of this godly Writer, and provide the remedy, which he requireth in these words following; Now when the Church was thus afflicted, if any think, That rather they should have sustained all calamity, ¹then that help should have been asked of Christian Emperors by the godly, he doth not well to advert, That of such negligence no good counts nor reason could be given: For where such as would that no just Laws should be made against their impiety, allege, That the Apostles sought no such things of the Kings of the earth, they do not consider, That the time was other then it is now, and that all things are done in their own time. What Emperor then believed in Christ, that he should serve him in making Laws for godliness against impiety? While that saying of the Prophet was complete, Why hath Nations raged, and people have imagined vanity? The Kings of the earth have stood up, and Princes have convened together against the Lord, and against his Anointed. That which is after in the same Psalm, was not yet come to pass: And now understand, O ye Kings, be learned you that judge the earth, serve the Lord in fear,² and rejoice to him with trembling. How do Kings serve the Lord in fear, but in punishing, and by a godly severity forbidding those things which are done against the Commandment of the Lord? For otherwise doth he serve the Lord in so far as he is man, otherwise in so far as he is King. In so far as he is a man, he serveth him by living faithfully; but because he is also King, ³he serveth establishing Laws that command the things that be just, and that with a convenient rigour forbid things contrary. As Hezekiah served destroying the Groves, the Temples of Idols, and the places which were builded against Gods Commandment. So served also Josiah, doing the same. So the King of the Ninevites compelling the whole City to mitigate the fury of the Lord. So served Darius, giving into the power of Daniel the Idol to be broken, and his enemies to be cast to the Lions. So served Nebuchad-nezzar, by a terrible Law forbidding all that were in his Realm to blaspheme God. Herein therefore do Kings serve the Lord, in so far as they are Kings, ⁴when they do those things to serve him, which none except Kings be able to do.