The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

Complaint. ¹O God, the heathen are entered into thine Inheritance, they have defiled thy holy Temple, and have profaned thy blessed Ordinance: In place of thy joyful signs,² they have erected their abominable Idolatry: The deadly cup of all blasphemy is restored again to their harlots hand: Thy Prophets are persecuted, and none are permitted to speak thy Word freely:³ The poor sheep of thy pasture are commanded to drink the venomous waters of mens Traditions. But, O Lord, thou knowest how sore they grieve us. But such is the tyranny of these most cruel beasts, that plainly they say, They shall root us out at once, so that no remembrance shall remain of us on earth.⁴ O Lord, thou knowest that we are but flesh, and that we have no power of our selves to withstand their tyranny; And therefore, O Father, open the eyes of thy mercy upon us,⁵ and confirm thou in us the Work which thine own mercy hath begun. We acknowledge and confess, O Lord, That we are punished most justly, because we lightly regarded the tyranny of our merciful Visitation. Thy blessed Gospel was in our ears like a lovers song; it pleased us for a time, but alas, our lives did nothing agree with thy Statutes and holy Commandments: And thus we acknowledge that our iniquity hath compelled thy justice to take the light of thy Word from the whole Realm of England. ⁶But be thou mindful O Lord, that it is thy Truth which we have professed, and that thy enemies blasphemeth thy holy Name, and our Profession, without Cause: Thy holy Gospel is called heresy, and we are accused as traitors, for professing the same. Be merciful therefore,⁷ O Lord, and be salvation unto us in this time of our anguish: Albeit our sins accuse and condemn us, yet do thou according to thine own Name. We have offended against thee; Our sins and iniquities are without number, and yet art thou in the midst of us, O Lord, albeit that tyrants bear rule over our bodies,