The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

Why say ye so (said Lethington) I have the judgement of the most famous men in Europe, and of such as ye your self will confess both godly and learned.

Why say ye so (said Lethington) I have the judgement of the most famous men in Europe, and of such as ye your selfe will confesse both godly and learned.

And with that he called for his Papers, which produced by Master Maitland, he began to read with great gravity the Judgements of Luther, Melanchthon, the minds of Bucer, Musculus, and Calvin, how Christians should behave themselves in time of Persecution; yea, the Book of Baruc was not omitted, with this conclusion, The gathering of those things (said he) hath cost me more travel then I think this seven years in reading Commentaries.

And with that he called for his Papers, which produced by Master Maitland, he bagan to reade with great gravity the Judgements of Luther, Melancthon, the mindes of Bucer, Musculus, and Calvin, how Christians should behave themselves in time of Persecution; yea, the Book of Baruc was not omitted, with this conclusion, The gathering of those things (said he) hath cost me more travell then I thinke this seven yeers in reading Commentaries.

The more pity (said the other) and yet what you have profited your own cause, let others judge. But as for my argument, I am assured you have infirmed it in nothing; for your first two witnesses speak against the Anabaptists, who deny that Christians should be ⟨p. 388⟩subject to Magistrates; or yet that it is lawful for a Christian to be a Magistrate: whose opinion, I no less abhor, then ye do, or any other that liveth. The others speak of Christians subject to Tyrants and Infidels, so dispersed, that they have no other force, but only to sob unto God for deliverance; that such (indeed) should hazard any further then these godly men wills them, I cannot hastily be of counsel: But my argument hath another ground; for I speak of a people assembled in one Body of a Common-wealth, unto whom God hath given sufficient force, not only to resist, but also to suppress all kind of open Idolatry: And such a people yet again I affirm, are bound to keep their Land clean and unpolluted. And that this my division shall not appear strange unto you, ye shall understand that God required one thing of Abraham and of his Seed, when he and they were strangers and Pilgrims in Egypt and Canaan; and another thing required he of them, when they were delivered from the Bondage of Egypt,