The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

to wit, That those that did mourn and lament for all the abominations done in the City, in whose foreheads did God command to Print and Seal Tau, to the end that the destroyer, who was commanded to strike the rest without mercy, should not hurt them in whom that sign was found. Of these premises, I suppose it be evident,¹ That the punishment of Idolatry doth not appertain to Kings only, but also to the whole people; yea, to every member of the same, according to his possibility: For that is a thing most assured, That no man ⟨p. 24⟩can mourn, lament, and bewail, for those things which will not remove to the uttermost of his power. If this be required of the whole people, and of every man in his Vocation,² What shall be required of you, my Lords, whom God hath raised up to be Princes and Rulers above your Brethren, whose hands he hath armed with the sword of Justice, yea, whom he hath appointed to be as Bridles to repress the rage and insolency of your Kings, whensoever they pretend manifestly to transgress Gods blessed Ordinance?³ If any think that this my affirmation touching the punishment of Idolaters be contrary to the practice of the Apostles, who finding the Gentiles in Idolatry, did call them to repentance▪ requiring no such punishment; let the same man understand, That the Gentiles,⁴ before the preaching of Christ, lived, as the Apostle speaketh, Without God in the World, drowned in Idolatry, according to the blindness and ignorance, in which they were holden as a profane Nation, whom God had never openly avowed to be his people, had never received in his household, neither given unto them his Laws to be kept in Religion nor Policy, and therefore did not the holy Ghost, calling them to repentance, require of them any corporal punishment, according to the rigour of the Law, unto the which they were never subjects, as they that were strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel. But if any think, That after that the Gentiles were called from their vain conversation, and by embracing Christ Jesus,