The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

Some few years after this, Henry the eighth was declared by the Pope, Defender of the Faith, and had the Sword likewise. James the 4 of Scotland being dead, now by the corrupt Courtiers the young inconsiderate King James was made believe, That the conferring of this new Title by the Pope, did bring unto him a great preeminence; yea, the Court Sycophants did not stick to call it, A new Royalty, when in effect it was nothing else but a new note of his Vassalage to Rome; and by the accepting of the Sword he did engage himself to make war for Rome; and so he did indeed, for sundry men ⟨image 40⟩after this, during his short Reign, were persecuted, and suffered death for the Truth of Christ. This is the second remarkable Badge of slavery put upon our Princes by the Pope; the former was their Anointing by him, as we have seen before.

Some few yeers after this, Henry the eighth was declared by the Pope, Defender of the Faith, and had the Sword likewise. Iames the 4 of Scotland being dead, now by the corrupt Courtiers the yong inconsiderate King Iames was made beleeve, That the conferring of this new Title by the Pope, did bring unto him a great preheminence; yea, the Court Sycophants did not stick to call it, A new Royaltie, when in effect it was nothing else but a new note of his Vas•allage to Rome; and by the accepting of the Sword he did engage himself to make warre for Rome; and so he did indeed, for sundry men ⟨image 40⟩after this, during his short Reign, were persecuted, and suffered death for the Truth of Christ. This is the second remarkable Badge of slavery put upon our Princes by the Pope; the former was their Anointing by him, as wee have seen before.

Here be pleased with me to remark, That of all the Bishops of Scotland before the Reformation, namely, since they were made Lords of certain places, and had particular Dioceses, you cannot find one who had any care of the true Charge of Pastor; for their whole study was, to raise their power, and to increase their means for the upholding of their power: and, to effectuate this more easily and fully, they kept both Prince and people in dark ignorance of Gods Will and Word. But because they must seem to do somewhat for the name sake of Bishops, they caused to build walls of Temples and Chapels, set up images and pictures richly dressed, to content the eyes, and brought into the Church Instruments of Music, and artificial Singing with great skill, to content the ear; Also they brought in sweet perfume and incense for the smell; so the most subtle senses were thus satisfied. And, to make a show to keep under the senses which are more gross, there must be some kind of Fasting enjoined to the people, and chasteness to the Church-men. But how, and to what purpose these two last have been kept, all men know. But kept or not, all is one, all these Ordinances which the Bishops set up for Religion, have been discovered by Gods mercy, to be not only without Warrant in Gods Word, but plainly contrary to the same. Of all the Bishops of Scotland in time of Reformation, there was only one or two who embraced the Truth, all the rest were either professed persecutors of Gods Children, and open enemies of the Truth, or else they were given altogether so to satisfy their bellies and lusts, that they had no care of Religion; witness George Creichton (in the name of all the rest) Bishop of Dunkell, who confessed truly, That he had lived a long time Bishop, and never knew any thing of the Old or New Testament.