The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

Hitherto we have understood, that wheresoever the great Counsellors of the King with his power and Commission are assembled, to do any thing at his just commandment, That there is the Kings sufficient presence and authority, wheresoever his own body be living at freedom and liberty; which if the Papists deny, we will find faults with them, and with the Princes whom they have abused, that more will annoy them, then any thing that we can lose by the insufficiency of that Parliament: Which nevertheless we are bold to affirm to have been more lawful and more free, then any Parliament that they are able to produce this hundred years before it, or yet any that hath ensued since it was, (he means until 1566. when this Book was written) for in it the voices of men were free, and given in conscience, in others they were bought, or given at the devotion of the misled Prince. All things in it concluded, are able to abide the trial, and not to be consumed at the proof of the fire: of others the godly may justly call in doubt things determined. To the Sword and Sceptre, nor yet to the absence of some Lords, we answer nothing. For our adversaries know well enough that the one is rather a pomp, and vain-glorious ceremony, then a substantial point of necessity required to a lawful Parliament: And the absence of some prejudges not the powers of the present duly assembled: Providing, that due advertisement be made unto them. But now we return to our History.

Hitherto we have understood, that wheresoever the great Councellers of the King with his power and Commission are assembled, to do any thing at his just commandment, That there is the Kings sufficient presence and authority, wheresoever his own body be living at freedome and liberty; which if the Papists deny, we will finde faults with them, and with the Princes whom they have abused, that more will annoy them, then any thing that we can lose by the insufficiencie of that Parliament: Which neverthelesse we are bold to affirme to have been more lawfull and more free, then any Parliament that they are able to produce this hundred yeeres before it, or yet any that hath ensued since it was, (he meanes untill 1566. when this Book was written) for in it the voices of men were free, and given in conscience, in others they were bought, or given at the devotion of the misled Prince. All things in it concluded, are able to abide the triall, and not to be consumed at the proofe of the fire: of others the godly may justly call in doubt things determined. To the Sword and Scepter, nor yet to the absence of some Lords, we answer nothing. For our adversaries know well enough that the one is rather a pompe, and vaine-glorious ceremonie, then a substantiall point of necessitie required to a lawfull Parliament: And the absence of some prejudges not the powers of the present duely assembled: Providing, that due advertisement be made unto them. But now we return to our History.