The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

Some were pitiful, and gentle of nature, and did not thirst for the blood of Christ, nor of his Apostles: But did any escape the plagues and vengeance which did apprehend the multitude? Let the Scriptures witness, and the Histories be considered, which plainly do testify, That by the waters all flesh in earth at that time did perish; (Noah and his family reserved) That none escaped in Sodom, and in the other Cities adjacent, except Lot and his two daughters. And evident it is, That in that famous City Jerusalem, in that last and horrible destruction of the same, none escaped Gods vengeance, except so many as before were dispersed. And what is the cause of this severity, seeing that all were not alike offenders, let the flesh cease to dispute with God, and let all men by these examples learn betimes to fly, and avoid the society and company of the proud contemners of God, if that they list not to be partakers of their plagues. The cause is evident, if we can be subject without grudging to Gods judgements, which in themselves are most holy and just: For in the original world none was found, that either did resist tyranny and oppression that universally was used, nor yet that earnestly ⟨p. 42⟩reprehended the same. In Sodom was none found that did gain stand that furious and beastly multitude that did compass about and besiege the house of Lot: None would believe Lot, that the City should be destroyed. And finally, in Jerusalem was found none that studied to repress the tyranny of the Priests, who were conjured against Christ and his Evangel; but all fainted (I except ever such as gave witness with their blood, or their flying, That such impiety displeased them) all kept silence; by the which all approved iniquity, and joined hands with the tyrants, and so were all arrayed and set, as it had been in one Battle, against the Omnipotent, and against his Son Christ Jesus: For whosoever gathereth not with Christ in the day of his Harvest, is judged to scatter; And therefore of one vengeance temporal were they all partakers. Which thing, as before I have touched, ought to move you to the deep consideration of your duties in these last and most perilous times. The iniquity of your Bishops is more then manifest; their filthy lives infect the air; the innocent blood which they shed, crieth vengeance in the ears of our God;

Some were pitifull, and gentle of nature, and did not thirst for the blood of Christ, nor of his Apostles: But did any escape the plagues and vengeance which did apprehend the multitude? Let the Scriptures witnesse, and the Histories be considered, which plainly do testifie, That by the waters all flesh in earth at that time did perish; (Noah and his family reserved) That none escaped in Sodome, and in the other Cities adjacent, except Lot and his two daughters. And evident it is, That in that famous City Ierusalem, in that last and horrible destruction of the same, none escaped Gods vengeance, except so many as before were dispersed. And what is the cause of this severity, seeing that all were not alike offenders, let the flesh cease to dispute with God, and let all men by these examples learn betimes to fly, and avoid the society and company of the proud contemners of God, if that they list not to be partakers of their plagues. The cause is evident, if we can be subject without grudging to Gods judgements, which in themselves are most holy and just: For in the originall world none was found, that either did resist tyranny and oppression that universally was used, nor yet that earnestly