A47584:1235
The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland
The history of the reformation of the Church of Scotland containing five books : together with some treatises conducing to the history.The historie of the reformation of the Church of Scotland containing five books : together with some treatises conducing to the history.
London: printed by John Raworth for George Thomason and Octavian Pullen, 1644
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
By these words of this ancient and godly Writer, your Honours may perceive what I require of you, to wit, To repress the tyranny of your Bishops, and to defend the innocents professing the Truth. He did require of the Emperor and Kings in his days professing Christ, and manifestly concludeth, That they cannot serve Christ, except that so they do. Let not your Bishops think that Augustine speaketh for them, because he nameth the Church: Let them read and understand, That Augustine ⟨p. 18⟩writeth for that Church which professeth the Truth, and doth suffer persecution for the defence of the same, which your Bishops do not, but rather with the Donatists and Arians do cruelly persecute all such as boldly speak Christs Eternal Verity, to manifest their impiety and abomination. But thus much we have of Augustine, That it appertaineth to the obedience and service which Kings owe to God, as well now in the time of the Gospel,1 as before under the Law, to defend the afflicted for matters of Religion, and to repress the fury of the persecutors by the rigour and severity of godly Laws. For which cause, no doubt, Isaiah the Prophet saith,2 That Kings should be nourishers of the Church of God, that they should abase their heads, and lovingly embrace the children of God. And thus, I say, your Honours may evidently see, That the same Obedience doth God require of Rulers and Princes in the time of the Gospel, that he required in the time of the Law.
By these words of this ancient and godly Writer, your Honours may perceive what I require of you, to wit, To represse the tyranny of your Bishops, and to defend the innocents professing the Truth. He did require of the Emperour and Kings in his dayes professing Christ, and manifestly concludeth, That they cannot serve Christ, except that so they doe. Let not your Bishops think that Augustine speaketh for them, because he nameth the Church: Let them reade and understand, That Augustine ⟨p. 18⟩writeth for that Church which professeth the Truth, and doth suffer persecution for the defence of the same, which your Bishops do not, but rather with the Donatists and Arrians do cruelly persecute all such as boldly speak Christs Eternall Verity, to manifest their impiety and abomination. But thus much we have of Augustine, That it appertaineth to the obedience and service which Kings owe to God, as well now in the time of the Gospel,