The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

The Friar somewhat abashed what first to answer, while he wanders about in the mist, he falls in a foul mire. For alleging that we may not be so bound to the Word,¹ he affirmed, That the Apostles had not received the Holy Ghost when they did write their Epistles, but after they received him, and then they ordained Ceremonies (few would have thought that so learned a man would have given so foolish an answer, & yet it is even as true as he did bear a grey Coll) John Knox, hearing the answer, start, and said, If that be true, I have long been in an error, and I think I shall die therein. The Sub-Prior said to him, Father, What say ye? God forbid that ye affirm that; for then farewell the ground of our faith. The Friar astonied, made the best shift that he could to correct his fault, but it would not be. John Knox brought him oft again to the ground of the Argument. But he would never answer directly, but ever fled to the authority of the Church: whereto the said John answered oftener then once, That the Spouse of Christ had neither power nor authority against the Word of God. Then said the Friar, If so be, ye will leave us no Church. Indeed, said the other, in David I read that there is a Church of the Malignants; ²for he saith, Odi Ecclesiam malignantium: That Church ye may have without the Word, and doing many things directly fighting against the Word of God. Of that Church, if ye will be, I cannot hinder you. But as for me, I will be of none other Church, except of that which hath Jesus Christ to be Pastor, which hears his voice, and will not hear a stranger. In this Disputation many other things were merrily skoft over: For the Friar after his fall could speak nothing to any purpose. For Purgatory, he had no better proof but the ⟨p. 82⟩authority of Virgil, in the sixth of his Aeneiads; and the pains thereof to him was an Evil wife. John Knox answered that, and many other things as he himself witnesseth,³ in a Treatise that he did write in the Galleys, containing the sum of his Doctrine, and the confession of his Faith, and sent it to his familiars in Scotland, with his exhortation, That they should continue in the Truth, which they had professed, notwithstanding any worldly adversity that might ensue thereof.