The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

My Lord, The Lord cometh, and shall not tarry. After commendation of my service unto your Lordship: If I had known of your Lordships sudden departing, the last time it chanced me to see and speak with you, I had opened unto you some of my grief: But supposing that your Lordship should have remained still with the Queen, I delayed at that time to utter any part of that which now my conscience compelleth me to do. Your behaviour towards your wife is very offensive unto many godly: Her complaint is grievous, That ye altogether withdraw your conversation from her: If so, ye have great need to look well to your own state; for albeit that ye within your self felt no more repugnancy then any flesh this day on the earth, yet by promise made before God, are ye debtor unto her in all due benevolence. But if that ye burn on the one side, (albeit ye do no worse) and she in your default on the other, ye are not only men sworn before God, but also doth what in you lieth, to kindle against your self his wrath and heavy displeasure. The words are sharp, and God is witness in dolour of heart I write them: But because they are true, and pronounced by God himself, I dare not but admonish you, perceiving you, as it were sleeping in sin. The proud stubbornness whereof your Lordship oft complained, will nothing excuse you before God; for if ye be not able to convince her of any fault, ye ought to bear with her imperfections, as that ye would she should bear with you likewise. In the bowels of Christ Jesus, I exhort you, my Lord, to have respect of your own salvation, and not to abuse the lenity and long-suffering of God; for that is a fearful treasure that ye heap up upon your own head, while that he calleth you to repentance, and ye obstinately continue in your own impiety; for impiety it is, that ye abstract your comfort and company from your lawful wife. I write nothing in defence of her misbehaviour towards your Lordship in any sort; but I say, If ye be not able to convince her of any fault committed since your last reconciliation, which was in my presence, that ye can never be excused before God, of this rude and strange usage of your wife. And if by you such impiety be committed as is bruited, then, before God, and unto your own conscience, I say, That every moment of that filthy pleasure, shall turn to you, in a years displeasure;

My Lord, THe Lord cometh, and shall not tarry. After commendation of my service unto your Lordship: If I had known of your Lordships sudden departing, the last time it chanced me to see and speak with you, I had opened unto you some of my grief: But supposing that your Lordship should have remained still with the Queen, I delayed at that time to utter any part of that which now my conscience compelleth me to do. Your behaviour towards your wife is very offensive unto many godly: Her complaint is grievous, That ye altogether withdraw your conversation from her: If so, ye have great need to look well to your own state; for albeit that ye within your self felt no more repugnancie then any flesh this day on the earth, yet by promise made before God, are ye debtour unto her in all due benevolence. But if that ye burne on the one side, (albeit ye do no worse) and she in your default on the other, ye are not onely men sworn before God, but also doth what in you lieth, to kindle against your self his wrath and heavie displeasure. The words are sharp, and God is witnesse in dolour of heart I write them: But because they are true, and pronounced by God himself, I dare not but admonish you, perceiving you, as it were sleeping in sin. The proud stubbornnesse whereof your Lordship oft complained, will nothing excuse you before God; for if ye be not able to convince her of any fault, ye ought to bear with her imperfections, as that ye would she should bear with you likewise. In the bowells of Christ Jesus, I exhort you, my Lord, to have respect of your own salvation, and not to abuse the lenity and long-suffering of God; for that is a fearfull treasure that ye heap up upon your own head, while that he calleth you to repentance, and ye obstinately continue in your own impiety; for impiety it is, that ye abstract your comfort and company from your lawfull wife. I write nothing in defence of her misbehaviour towards your Lordship in any sort; but I say, If ye be not able to convince her of any fault committed since your last reconciliation, which was in my presence, that ye can never be excused before God, of this rude and strange usage of your wife. And if by you such impiety be committed as is bruted, then, before God, and unto your owne conscience, I say, That every moment of that filthy pleasure, shall turne to you, in a yeers displeasure;