The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

This people dealt with all, as we have heard, was the only people upon the face of the Earth, to whom God was rightly known; among them only were his Laws, Statutes, Ordinances, and Sacrifices used, and put in practise; They only invocated his Name, and to them alone had he promised his protection and assistance: What then should be the cause, that he should give them over into this great reproach, and bring them into such extremity, as his own name, in them, should be blasphemed. The Prophet Ezekiel, that saw this horrible destruction forespoken by Isaiah, put in just execution, giveth an answer in these words, I gave unto them Laws that were good, ¹in the which, Whosoever should walk, should live in them; But they would not walk in my ways, but rebelled against me; And therefore, I have given unto them Laws that are not good, and Judgements, in the which they shall not live. The Writers of the Books of Kings, and Chronicles, declare this in more plain words, saying: The Lord sent unto them his Prophets, rising early, desiring of them to return unto the Lord, and to amend their wicked ways (for he would have spared his people, and his Tabernacle) but they mocked his servants, and would not return unto the Lord their God to walk in his ways. ²Yea, Judah it self kept not the precepts of the Lord God, but walked in the Manners and Ordinances of Israel; That is, Of such as then had declined to Idolatry from the days of Jeroboam. And therefore, the Lord God abhorred the whole seed of Israel, that is, The whole body of the people, he promised them, and gave them into the hands of those that spoiled them, and so he cast them out from his presence.

This people dealt with all, as we have heard, was the onely people upon the face of the Earth, to whom God was rightly known; among them onely were his Laws, Statutes, Ordinances, and Sacrifices used, and put in practise; They onely invocated his Name, and to them alone had he promised his protection and assistance: What then should be the cause, that he should give them over into this great reproach, and bring them into such extremity, as his own name, in them, should be blasphemed. The Prophet Ezekiel, that saw this horrible destruction forespoken by Isaiah, put in just execution, giveth an answer in these words, I gave unto them Laws that were good, ¹