The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

beloved Brethren, ye are Gods Creatures,¹ created and formed to his own Image and similitude, for whose redemption was shed the most precious blood of the only beloved Son of God, to whom he hath commanded his Gospel and glad-tidings to be preached, and for whom he hath prepared the heavenly Inheritance, so that ye will not obstinately refuse, and disdainfully contemn the means which he hath appointed to obtain the same; to wit, his blessed Evangel, which now he offereth unto you, to the end that ye may be saved: For the Gospel and glad Tidings of the Kingdom truly preached,² is the power of God to the salvation of every Believer, which to credit and receive your the Commonalty are no less indebted, then be your Rulers and Princes;³ for albeit God hath put and ordained distinction and difference betwixt the King and Subjects, betwixt the Rulers and the Common-people in the Regiment and Administration of Civill Policies, yet in the hope of the life to come he hath made all equal; for as in Christ Jesus the Jew hath no greater Prerogative then hath the Gentile, ⁴the man then hath the woman, the learned then the unlearned, the Lord then the servant, but all are one in him, so is there but one way and means to attain to the participation of his benefits and spiritual graces, which is a lively faith, working by charity; and therefore I say, that it doth no less appertain to you, beloved Brethren, to be assured that your faith and Religion be grounded and established upon the true and undoubted Word of God, then to your Princes or Rulers: For as your bodies cannot escape corporal death, if with your Princes ye eat or drink deadly poison (although it be by ignorance or negligence;) so shall ye not escape the everlasting, if with them ye profess a corrupt Religion; yea, except in heart ye believe, and with mouth ye confess the Lord Jesus to be the only Saviour of the world, (which ye cannot do,⁵ except ye embrace his Evangel offered) ye cannot escape death and damnation: For as the just liveth by his own faith, so doth the unfaithful perish by his infidelity: And as true faith is engendered, nourished, and maintained in the hearts of Gods Elect, by Christs Evangel truly preached; so is infidelity and unbelief fostered by concealing and repressing the same.