The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

They proclaim and cry, That the same God who plagued Pharaoh, repulsed Sennacherib, struck Herod with worms, and made the bellies of dogs the grave and sepulchre of the spiteful Jezebel, will not spare misled Princes, who authorize the murderers of Christs members in this our time. On this manner they speak of Princes in general,¹ and of your Majesty in particular. This only we have heard one of our Preachers say, rebuking the vain excuses of such as flatter themselves by reason of Authority; Many now adays (said he) will have no other Religion nor faith, then the Queen and Authority had: But is it not possible that the Queen be so far blinded, that she will have no Religion, nor no other faith, then may ⟨p. 180⟩content the Cardinal of Loraine? And may it not likewise be true that the Cardinal is so corrupt, that he will admit no Religion which doth not establish the Pope in his kingdom?² But plain it is, That the Pope is Lieutenant to Satan, and enemy to Christ Jesus, and to his perfect Religion. Let men therefore consider what danger they stand in, if their salvation shall depend upon the Queens faith and Religion. Further, we never heard any of our Preachers speak of the Queen Regent, neither publicly nor privately. Where her Majesty declareth, It will not be suffered that our Preachers meddle with Policy, or speak of her, or of other Princes, but with reverence: we answer, That as we will justify and defend nothing in our Preachers which we find not God to have justified and allowed in his Messengers before them; so we dare not forbid them openly to reprehend that which the Spirit of God, speaking in the Prophets and Apostles, hath reprehended before them. Elijah did personally reprove Ahab and Jezebel of idolatry, of avarice,³ of murder, and such like: Isaiah the Prophet called the Magistrates of Jerusalem in his time, companions to thieves, Princes of Sodom, bribe-takers, and murderers; he complained that their silver was turned into dross, That their wine was mingled with water, and that Justice was bought and sold. Jeremiah saith, That the bones of King Jehoiakim should wither with the Sun. Christ Jesus called Herod a Fox; and Paul calleth the high Priest a painted wall, and prayeth unto God that he should strike him, because that against justice he commanded him to be smitten.