The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

Wherefore, dear brethren, we have no small consolation, if the state of all things be this day rightly considered; we see in what fury and rage the world, for the most part, is now raised, against the poor Church of Jesus Christ, unto the which he hath proclaimed liberty, after the fearful bondage of that Spiritual Babylon, in the which we have been holden captives longer space, then Israel was prisoner in Babylon it self: For if we shall consider, upon the one part, the multitude of those that live wholly without Christ; and upon the other part, the blind rage of the pestilent Papists, What shall we think of the small number of them that do profess Christ Jesus, but that they are as a poor sheep, already seized in the claws of the Lyon? yea, that they, and the true Religion which they profess, shall in a moment utterly be consumed?

Wherefore, dear brethren, we have no small consolation, if the state of all things be this day rightly considered; we see in what fury and rage the world, for the most part, is now raised, against the poor Church of Jesus Christ, unto the which he hath proclaimed liberty, after the fearfull bondage of that Spirituall Babylon, in the which we have been holden captives longer space, then Israel was prisoner in Babylon it self: For if we shall consider, upon the one part, the multitude of those that live wholly without Christ; and upon the other part, the blinde rage of the pestilent Papists, What shall we think of the small number of them that do professe Christ Jesus, but that they are as a poor sheep, already seized in the claws of the Lyon? yea, that they, and the true Religion which they professe, shall in a moment utterly be consumed?

But against this fearful temptation, let us be armed with the Promise of God, to wit, That he will be the Protector of his Church; yea, That he will multiply it, even when to mans judgement it appeareth utterly to be exterminate. This Promise hath our God performed, in the multiplication of Abraham's Seed, in preservation of it, when Satan laboured utterly to have destroyed it, in deliverance of the same, as we have heard, from Babylon. He hath sent his son Christ Jesus, clad in our flesh, who hath tasted of all our infirmities (sin except) who hath promised to be with us to the end of the world. He hath further kept Promise, in publication, yea, in the restitution of his glorious Gospel; Shall we then think that he will leave his Church destitute in this most dangerous age? Only let us stick to his Truth, and study to conform our lives to the same, and he shall multiply his knowledge, and increase his people. But now let us hear what the Prophet saith more.