The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

And this is the first which I would your Honours should note of the former words, to wit, That no person is exempted from punishment, if he can be manifestly convinced to have provoked or led the people to Idolatry: And this is most evidently declared in that solemn Oath and Covenant which Asa made with the people, To serve God, and to maintain his Religion, adding this penalty to the transgressors of it; to wit, That whosoever should not seek the God of Israel should be killed, were he great,¹ or were he small, were it man, or were it woman. And of this ⟨p. 22⟩Oath was the Lord well pleased, he was found of them, and gave them rest on every part, because they sought him with their whole heart, and did swear to punish the offenders according to the Precept of his Law, without respect of persons. And this is it which I say I would your Honours should note for the first, That no Idolater can be exempted from punishment by Gods Law.

1. 12 Par. 15.

The second is, That the punishment of such crimes as are Idolatry, Blasphemy, and others that touch the Majesty of God, doth not appertain to the Kings and chief Rulers only, but also to the whole Body of the people, and to every member of the same, according to the Vocation of every man, and according to that possibility and occasion which God doth minister, to revenge the injury done against his glory, when that impiety is manifestly known: And that doth Moses more plainly speak, in these words;¹ If in any Cities (saith he) which the Lord thy God giveth to thee to dwell in them thou shalt hear this brute, There are some men the sons of Belial passed from thee, and have solicited the Citizens out of their Cities by these words, Let us go and serve strange gods which you have not known; search and enquire diligently, and if it be true that such abomination is done in the midst of thee, thou shalt utterly strike the Inhabitants of that City with the Sword, thou shalt destroy it, and whatsoever is within it; thou shalt gather the spoil of it into the midst of the Market-place, thou shalt burn that City with fire, and the spoil of it to the Lord thy God, that it may be a heap of stones for ever; neither shall it be any more builded. Let nothing of that execration cleave to thy hand, that the Lord may turn from thee the fury of his wrath, and be moved towards thee with inward affection.