The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

And where they slander me of Magic, Necromancy, or of any other Art forbidden of God, I have witness (besides mine own conscience) all the Congregations that ever heard me, what I speak, both against such acts, and against those that use such impiety: But seeing the wicked of the world said, That my Master the Lord Jesus was possessed with Beelzebub, I must patiently bear; Albeit that I, wretched sinner, be unjustly accused, of those that never delighted in the Verity.

And where they slander me of Magick, Necromancie, or of any other Art forbidden of God, I have witnesse (besides mine owne conscience) all the Congregations that ever heard me, what I speak, both against such acts, and against those that use such impietie: But seeing the wicked of the world said, That my Master the Lord Jesus was possessed with Beelzebub, I must patiently beare; Albeit that I, wretched sinner, be unjustly accused, of those that never delighted in the Veritie.

¹But yet (said she) you have taught the people to receive another Religion then their Princes can allow: And how can that Doctrine be of God? Seeing that God commandeth Subjects to obey their Princes. Madame (said he) as right Religion took neither Original nor Antiquity,² from worldly Princes, but from the eternal God alone: So are not Subjects bound to frame their Religion according to the appetite of their Princes; For oft it is that Princes are the most ignorant of all others, in Gods true Religion, as we may read in the Histories, as well before the death of CHRIST JESUS, as after: If all the seed of Abraham should have been of the Religion of Pharaoh, to whom they had been a long time Subjects, I pray you (Madame) what Religion should there have been in the world? Or if all men in the days of the Apostles, should have been of the Religion of the Roman Emperors, What Religion should have ⟨p. 313⟩been upon the face of the earth? Daniel and his fellows were subjects to Nebuchad-nezzar, and unto Darius, and yet (Madame) they would not be of their Religion, neither of the one, nor of the other; For the three Children said, We make it known to thee, O King, That we will not worship thy Gods. And Daniel did pray publicly unto his God, against the express Commandment of the King: And so, Madame, ye may perceive that Subjects are not bound to the Religion of their Princes, albeit they are commanded to give them obedience. Yea, (quoth she) none of these men raised their Sword against their Princes. Yet Madame (quoth he) ye cannot deny but they resisted: For those that obey not the Commandments given, in some sort resist. But yet (said she) they resisted not by the Sword. God (said she) Madame) had not given them the power and the means. Think you (said she) That Subjects, having power, may resist their Princes? If Princes do exceed their Bounds (quoth he) Madame, and do against that wherefore they should be obeyed, there is no doubt but they may be resisted, even by Power: For there is neither greater Honour, nor greater Obedience to be given to Kings and Princes, then God hath commanded to be given to Father and Mother: But so it is, That the Father may be stricken with a Frenzy, in the which he would slay his own Children;