The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

¹But yet I think ye doubt what ye ought and may do in this so weighty a matter. In few words I will declare my conscience in the one, and in the other: Ye ought to prefer the glory of God, and the promoting of Christ his Evangel, and the salvation of your souls, to all things that be in the earth: And ye, although ye be but subjects, may lawfully require of your Superiors, be it of your King, be it of your Lords, Rulers and Powers, That they provide for you true Preachers,² and that they expel such as under the name of Pastors, devour and destroy the Flock, not feeding the same as Christ Jesus hath commanded: And if in this point your Superiors be negligent, or yet pretend to maintain tyrants in their tyranny, most justly ye may provide true Teachers for your selves, Pastors according to the mind and heart of God, by whom you may be fed with that most comfortable food of your souls, Christs Evangel truly preached: Ye may moreover, in a peaceable manner, without sedition, with-hold the fruits and profits which your false Bishops and Clergy most unjustly receive of you, unto such time as they shall faithfully do their charge and duties, which is, To preach unto you Christ Jesus truly, rightly to minister the Sacraments according to his own Institution; and so to watch for the salvation of your souls,³ as is commanded by Christ Jesus himself, and by his Apostles Paul and Peter. If God shall move your hearts in his true fear to begin to practice these things, and to demanded and crave the same of your Superiors, which most lawfully ye may do, then I doubt not but of his great mercy, and free grace, he will illuminate the eyes of your minds, that his undoubted Verity will be a Lantern to your feet, to guide and lead you in all the ways which godly wisdom doth approve; he will make your enemies tremble before your faces; he will establish his Evangel amongst you, to the salvation and perpetual comfort of your selves, and of your posterity after you. But and if (as God forbid) the love of friends, the fear of your Princes,⁴ and the wisdom of the world draw you back from God, and from his Son Christ Jesus, be ye certainly persuaded, That ye shall drink the cup of his Vengeance; so many, I mean, as shall contemn and despise this loving calling of your heavenly Father.