The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

The first Article. Thou false Heretic, Runagate, Traitor, and Thief, Deceiver of the people, despisest the Church, and in like case contemns my Lord Governors Authority. And this we know of surety, That when thou preachedst in Dundee, and was charged by my Lord Governors Authority to desist; nevertheless thou wouldest not obey, but persevered in the same: And therefore the Bishop of Breachen cursed thee, and delivered thee into the Devils hand, and gave thee then Commandment, That thou shouldest preach no more; yet notwithstanding thou didst continue obstinately. The Answer. My Lords, I have read in the Acts of the Apostles, That it is not lawful, for the threats and menaces of men, to desist from the preaching of the Gospel: Therefore it is written, We shall rather obey God than men. I have also read the Prophet Malachi; I shall curse your blessings, and bless your cursings, saith the Lord. Believing firmly, That he would turn your cursings into blessings. The second Article. Thou false heretic didst say, That a Priest standing at the Altar saying Mass, was like a Fox wagging his tail in July. The Answer. My Lords, I said not so. These were my sayings, The moving of the body outward, without inward moving of the heart, is nought else but the playing of an Ape, and not the true serving of God. For God is a secret searcher of mens hearts. Therefore who will truly adore and honour God, he must in spirit and verity honour him. Then the accuser stopped his mouth with another Article. The third Article. Thou false heretic Preachest against the Sacraments, saying, That there are not seven Sacraments. ⟨p. 61⟩The Answer. My Lords, It is not so by your pleasures, I taught never of the number of the Sacraments, whether there were seven or eleven: so many as are instituted by Christ, and are shown to us by the Gospel, I profess openly. Except it be the Word of God, I dare affirm nothing. The fourth Article. Thou false heretic hast openly taught, That Auricular Confession is not a blessed Sacrament, and thou sayest, That we should only confess us to God, and to no Priest. The Answer. My Lords, I say, That Auricular Confession, seeing that it hath no promise of the Gospel, truly it cannot be a Sacrament.

The first Article. Thou false Hereticke, Runnagate, Traytor, and Thief, Deceiver of the people, despisest the Church, and in like case contemnes my Lord Governours Authority. And this we know of surety, That when thou preachedst in Dundie, and was charged by my Lord Governours Authority to desist; neverthelesse thou wouldest not obey, but persevered in the same: And therefore the Bishop of Breachen cursed thee, and delivered thee into the Devils hand, and gave thee then Commandment, That thou shouldest preach no more; yet notwithstanding thou didst continue obstinately. The Answer. My Lords, I have read in the Acts of the Apostles, That it is not lawfull, for the threats and menaces of men, to desist from the preaching of the Gospel: Therefore it is written, We shall rather obey God than men. I have also read the Prophet Malachie; I shall curse your blessings, and blesse your cursings, saith the Lord. Believing firmly, That he would turn your cursings into blessings. The second Article. Thou false heretick didst say, That a Priest standing at the Altar saying Masse, was like a Fox wagging his taile in July. The Answer. My Lords, I said not so. These were my sayings, The moving of the body outward, without inward moving of the heart, is nought else but the playing of an Ape, and not the true serving of God. For God is a secret searcher of mens hearts. Therefore who will truely adore and honour God, he must in spirit and verity honour him. Then the accuser stopped his mouth with another Article. The third Article. Thou false hereticke Preachest against the Sacraments, saying, That there are not seven Sacraments.