❧ Ane compendius Tractiue conforme to the Scripturis of almychtie GOD, ressoun, and authoritie, declaring the nerrest, and onlie way, to establische the conscience of ane chri­stiane man, in all materis (quhilks ar in debate) concernyng faith and religioun.

❧ SET FVRTH BE MAISTER QVINTINE Kennedy, Commendatar of the abbay off Crosraguell, and dedicat to his derrest, and best beluiffit Nepuo, Gilbert maister of Cassillis.

❧ In the ȝeir of GOD, Ane thou­sand fyue houndreth fifty aucht ȝeris.

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☞ To my derrest, and best beluiffit Nepuo, Gilbert maister of cassillis.

VVE BEAND Ressonande diuers tymes (deirly beluiffit Nepuo) of the debatis, & contrauersiis quhilkis ar ryssin, and re­newit aganis the Catholic faith: Ȝe inquyrit ernistlie at me (according to ȝour familiar & gen­tyll maner) quhat was the nerrest way to pacifye and establische the cōscience of ane christiane mā in all materis of debait concernyng faith, & reli­gioun. I answerit, and said, that questioun wes ouir curius for ane mā of my knawlege. Nocht­theles, I schew ȝou my sobir iugemēt, of yt quhilk I persauit ȝow mekle better contēt nor thair wes cause: Quhairthrow inoportunelie haue ȝe oft, and diuers tymes pray it me, that I wald dilait ȝour questioun, and put my iugement thair of in wryte, makand ane tractiue of the samyn: quhilk I haue done (on the maner) as it hes plesit god to supporte my gret ignorance, and sobit knaw­lege. And dedicatis it to ȝow as ane remem­brance, and takin of fauour, nocht dout­and bot ȝe wyll luke on the samyn, nocht as it is of worthynes, bot conforme to the gude mynde of the geuar.

TO THE REDARE.

❧ I AM assurit (beneuolent redare) quhē thow dois mark and considder the ty­tle of our lytle tractiue, thairefter per­sauis quha is the furthsetter and au­thor of the samyn, thow wyl wounder gretlie and meruell: that I (quha am ane mā void of all E­loquence, rude of ingyne, and iugemēt) durst be sua baulde, as to attempt sua heych ane purpose, specialie in this miserable tyme, quhairinto thair is sua gret diuersitie of opinioun amangis swa mony pregnant men of ingyne. Nochtheles, mo­int specialie to do that thyng sum part in this da­ingerous tyme that may be to the plesour of god, releis of my awin conscience towart sic as I haue charge of, conforme to my vocatioun and als cō ­stranit be the gret affection that I haue euir bo­rne to my derreste, and best beluffit nepuo, sub­iect to ye samyn nocht only be tendirnes of blude, bot rather compellit be his gude nature and gen­tilnes towart al men, and to me in speciall: at his inoportune & vnressonable desyre haue I attem­ptit this purpose far abufe my habilitie. Thus mouit of zele, but knawlege, puttande my healeMarc. 7. Math. 11. confidence in hym onelie, quha causit the dum to speke, the blynd to se, the ignorant to vnderstand, haue I furthschawin ye sobir fruct of my ingine: nocht doutyng (gude redare) bot thow wyll luke on the samyn with siclyke fauour & gude mynde, [Page 3]as did the gude Lorde on the pure woman,Marc. 12 Luc. 21. quha offerit hir sobir ferding with als gude hart, as v­theris that offerit mekil mair cōfomre to þair pu­issance. For geue it had plesit God to haue geuin me gretar knawlege, & ingyne, gretar fruct sulde yow haue had of ye samyn. This wyll I humelie and hartfullie pray the (gentil redare) in recom­pance of my lytle werk, and gret gude wyll, (af­fectioun beand laid on syde) diligentlie and tem­peratlie to reid this our sobir tractiue: thairefter loue, or lack; prayse, or cōdempnne, as thou thin­kis gude. Quhilk geue thow pleis to do, I hope in GOD quhat sect, or opinioun, that euir thov be of, thow sall haue na iuste cause to repent thy pa­nis.

☞ Fair VVeill.

THE FIRST CHAPITRE.

THE Nerrest, and onelie way (be­neuolent redare) to be satifiit & establischeit in all materis bro­cht in debait concerning faith, & religioun of all gude christiane man, is (efter my sklinder & so­bir iugemēt) diligently to mark and considder: Geue almychtie GOD (quha off his infinit gudenes euir sen the first creatioun of man hes prouidit al thing is that mycht be for the weill of man cocerning baith Saule, and body,) hes alreddy prouidit ane ordour, and way in cais of debait: be the quhilk all mē hes iust occasioun [Page 4]to be satifiit? or geue it be left in libertie to al mē to be satifeit according to thair awin knawlege & vnderstanding? Trewlie it is to be thocht, that thair hes bene sum better ordour prouidit be al­mychtie GOD to tak away ye occasionis of ques­tioun or debait that hes fortunat, or sall fortune to ryse in materis concerning faith and religiōn, nor euery mā to tak quhat opiniō he plesis. And to ye effect that we may the mair perfectlie vnder­stand, quhat is the ordour that almychtie GOD hes prouidit to tak away questioun, and debait, and to haue perpetuale tranquilitie & quietnes in our conscience: we mon considder that al errour, and debait that euir hes bene sen the begynning, hes cheiflie ꝓcedit of the fals & wrāg vnderstan­ding of ye law, & scripture of almychtie GOD. Tharfor quhensūeuir questiō or debait rysis, not for the worde of almychtie God, bot for the rycht vnderstanding of the samyn: It is markis point to considder, and knaw, quha is the iuge appoy­ntit be God to discerne the rycht vnderstandyng of goddis worde fra the wrang. Quhilk iuge gif all christiane man wer resolute vpoun, the gret occasioun of errour wer tane away. Quha is the iuge? ye opinionis and iugement of mony lernit and pregnant men of ingyne ar different, & that nocht without the gret calamitie, miserie, & hurt, of ye kirk of god: Specialie in thir dayis, quhair­into all hereseis apperis to be assemblit, and ga­therit [Page 5]to gidder as ane arrayit hoiste, to inuaid, oppres, & alluterlie dounthryng the congregati­oun, swa deirlie bocht be the blude and deth of Iesu Christe our Salueour.

¶ As towart the principale poynt of our pur­pose, quhilk is to knaw quha is the iuge? The haly scripture of almychtie GOD (auld testamēt and new) the plane pratick, and experiēce, (quhē ordour hes bene tane for materis in debait con­cernyng the faith) euir sen the tyme of the Apo­stolis vnto thir dayis, togidder with al gude res­soun and authoritie, planelie, suffecientlie, & ha­bundantlie, perswadis, declaris, and techis, the kirk of GOD (callit the christiane congregatiōn) to be the onelie iuge: to quhame all christiane mā sulde haue refuge, to be resolute, and pacifiit in conscience, in all materis brocht in debait, cōcer­nyng faith and religioun: and specialie in discer­nyng the trew vnderstāding of goddis worde fra the wrang, the scripture of GOD be and the faith­full & godlie wytnes berar to the treuth, & veritie of ane christiane mānis faith & religiōn, cōforme to the sayingis of our salueour in sanct Iohnis Euangel, saying thir wordis:Ioha. 5. Cearse yescriptu­res, because thay beir wytnessing of me. Marke (gude redare) ye scripture to occupy ye place of ane wytnes, & not ye place of ane iuge. It is ye dewi­te of ane iuge to ꝓnūce sentence, & of ane wytnes to beir wytnessing. Tharefore it followis weill, quhasumeuir beris wytnes can nocht be iuge. [Page 6]Treuth it is, the kirk (callit the christiane congre­gatioun) appoyntit be GOD to be iuge, is bunde to ꝓnūce sentence conforme to the tryale, and in­structioun hade be the scripture, as the trew eui­dent & faithfull witnes berar of the wyll & mynd of the Lorde.

¶ Sum factius, and curius men techeis the scripture to be iuge, quha vnder the pretence of ye auancemēt and libertie of the Euangell, hes euir socht the libertie of thare flesche, furthsettyng off thare errouris, auancement of thare awin glore, curiositie, and opinioun, wrestand and thrawing the scripture, contrare the godlie menynge of the samyn, to be the scheild & buklare to thair lustes, and heresiis. For geue the scripture wer iuge (as men geuin to opinnion in thir dayis dremis) thā sulde follow mony gret inconuenientis: in speci­ale that thare sulde neuir be fyne, nor resolution tane of ony errouris. For quhy? thair wes neuir man geuin tyll errour (how gret that euir it wes) bot he allegit the scripture to be for hym, & wald tak na vther iugement, nor interpretatioun of ye samyn, bot sic as he thocht ganād for his purpose.

This sulde the christiane congregatioun, leue in perpetuale debait and incertitude, geue ye scri­pture wer iuge, as eftirwart (GOD wylling) ha­bundantlie salbe declarit.

To the effect that we may the mair perfectlie vnderstand, how and in quhat maner it apperte­nis to the kirk (callit the christiane cōgregation) [Page 7]to tak ordour in all materis brocht in debait ꝯcer­ning faith, & religiōn, as ye onelie iuge appoyntit be GOD to discerne the rycht vnderstandying off goddis worde fra the wrang: necesiarelie we mō knaw, quhat is the kirk. Quhilk terme and word is tane in the scripture diuers maner off wayis, quhilkis all to rehers wer mair curious nor prof­fitabyll: and our pretence is not to satifie & delite the delicat earis of curius men, bot to establische ye cōscience of sick as ar of mair sobir knawlege,☞ Mark and vnderstandyng nor bee ar, geue thair be ony.

¶ This terme & word kirk, or ꝯgregatiōn,Quhat is the Kirk amā ­gis mony vther wayis yt it is tane for ī scripture, sūtyme it is tane for ye heale & vniuersale ꝯgrega­oun vnit to gidder in ane faith be Baptime, to ye quhilk Christ is the hede,Ephe. 1. the congregatioun the misticall body,Coloss. 1. and mēbris of Iesu Christ our sal­ueour, in to ye quhilk, ar ꝯtenit ȝōng & auld, pure & ryche, lernit, &Timo 2. 1. Cor. 5. lawit, vicius, & virtuous, (thay nocht beyng excommunicat nor heretikis). Off this we haue diuers exemplis baith in the Euan­gelis and the Epistolis of sanct Paull. TheMath. 13. & 25. kirk and cōgregatioun efter this maner foresaid tane generallie, is nocht the principall way aggreabil tyll our purpose, be ressoun the kirk tane sua ge [...] neralie, can neuir be gatherit togidder to tak or­dour in materis concernyng faith. For quha wyl thynk that learnit & lawid, ȝoung & auld (quhilkꝭ ar all membris of the cōgregatioun albeit thaye be nocht appoyntit to that office) ar able to con­fer [Page 8]scripturis to discerne the trew vnderstanding of goddis word fra the wrang. Notheles, of this misticall body of Iesu Christ our salueour, callit ye kirk & ꝯgregatiō vniuersalie & generalie tane, is apoyntit be GOD, & euir hes bene, ane speciale mēber, & quhatsūeuir ordour was tane be ye said particulare mēber, had the sam denominatioun, strenth, & effect: as geue all the rest of the mēbris had cōcurrit, & bene present tharewt. Quhilk we sal preue planelie be Scripture (GOD wolling) baith auld testamēt & new. Afore that we cite the scripturis to cōfirme & appreue our purpose, [...] wyll we mair planelie & familiarelie (ler [...]t be the Apostole sanct Paull) teche be exempyll how and in quhat maner, sūtyme it, þat is done be ane spe­ciall mēber1. Cor. 12 of the body, hes ye samyn den [...]a­tioun, strenth, and effect, as geue all the [...] wer p̄sent cōcurrand tharewt. For in ye vnderstā ­dyng of this: consistis the heale purpose, & mar­kis poynt quhilk we schute at.

☞ This terme kirk, or congregatioun, ꝓpir­lie may be comparit to þis word, body. Ane body is maid & ionit togidder, comprehending diuers mēbris. Notheles, al ye mēbris of ane body ar not apoyntit to aneRom. 12. office. For geue sua wer, than wer it nocht ane body, bot ane mēber: swa the kirk or ꝯgregatiōn is al mēbris of a body: notheles al ye mēbris of the cōgregatiōn ar nocht appoyntid to ane office. For sum is callit be God to ane vocati­oun, and sū to ane vther, as the Apostole1. Cor. 12. techeis. [Page 9]Als lyke as it is apoyntit be god to ye Ee, (quhilk is bot ane specialē mēber of the body) to fouse al the inconuenientis yt may en̄ on to the reste of the mēbris of the body, & quhatsūeuir thing is fore­sene be ye E, hee yt sa [...]yn denomination, strenth, & effert, as geue all the mēbris of ye body had cō ­currit, & sene wt ye E: swa it appertenit to ye Apo­stolis, and Seniouris eneite, to fouse all the in­cōuenientis that mycht haue cumin vpon ye rest of the mēbris of the cōgregation, cōcernyng faith & religioun: and swa ye apostolis & seniouris in thair tyme wer the E, & iuge to discerne the trew vnderstandyng of goddis worde fra the wrange: quhareupon specia [...]e the occasioun of all ma­teris of debait, & incōuenientis cōcernyng ye faith rysis: & sen ye tyme of ye Apostolis & seniores (e­uin vnto thir dayis) thay quhilk succedit in ye a­postolis place dewlie cōuenit togidder in general cōnsalis, cōforme to the exemple of ye Apostolis, suld, & euir hes bene iuge, be the quhilkꝭ ordour wes tane to haue ye rycht vnderstandyng of god­dis worde, & all schysme, questioun, and debait, quhilkis wer in the cōgregatioun, wer euir esta­blischit: Swa that quahtsūeuir ordour wes tane be the Apostolis and seniores in that tyme; & sen ye tyme of the apostolis and seniores, þai, quhikꝭ succedit in thair place dewlie cōuenit in general counsalis (notwithstandyng þat thay wer bot ane speciall member of the congregatioun) had the samyn denomynatioun, strenth, [Page 10]and effect, representand the vninersale kirk, as gyf al the rest of ye mēbris had cōcurrit thair with.

THE SECVND CHAPITRE.

NOVV Restis to preue be plane testimony off scripture, the Apostles and Seniores and thame quhilkis succedit in thare place (dewlie cō uenit in generale Cunsales) to represent the hale kirk & vniuersale congregatioun, & to be the only inge to discerne the rycht vnderstanding of ye scri­pture fra the wrang to the rest of the mem [...]us, ye scripture beyng thairto faithfull wytnes berar & trew euident, quhareby the Apostolis and all v­theris succedyng in thare place, hes tane instru [...] ­tidun of the wyll and mynde of the lorde, & be this ordour wer all errouris confoundit, quhilkꝭ [...]s of the wrang vnderstanding of the scripture, and the rycht vnderstanding of the samyn, maid pa­tent to the rest of the cōgregatōin. To preue thir foresadis, diuers testimonyis of scripturis beand left (yt we geue noth [...] occasioun of fascherie to ye redare) specialie wyll we call to rememberance to cōfirme our purpose; it yt is w [...]i [...]in in y• fiftene cha­pitre of the actis of ye Apostlis as efter follouis.

Actis. 15. And certane men, quhilk come fra Iowry, techeit the brether, except ȝe be Circumcidst efter the maner of Moyses, ȝe can nocht be sauit: not [...] a lytle sedutioun beyng mouit to Paull, & Bar­nabas aganis thame, than thay determinit that Pauil & Barnabas, & certane vtheris, of thame [Page 11]suld pas to Ierusalē vnto ye Apostlis & eldatis about this questioun. Quhē thay wer cum to Ie­rusalem, thay wer ressauit with the cōgregation, & Apostolis, and eldaris. Than rais certane of ye sect of the Phariseis quhilkꝭ did beleue, sayng, yt it wes neidfull to circumeide thame & to cōmand thame to keip the law of Moyses. And the Apos­tolis & eldaris come togidder to ressoun vpō this mater. Quhē thare wes mekle disputatiōn, Pe­ter rais vp and said vnto thame. Ȝe men & bre­ther, ȝe knaw how lāg quhyle syne GOD chesit a­mangis ws,Act. 10. that the Gentiles be my mouth suld heir the wordis of the Euangell and beleue. (and efter followis in the samyn text) and quhen thay held thare peace, Iames answerit, saying, ȝe men & brether herkin vnto me. Symon tald how God at ye begynning viseit the gentiles to ressaue off thame ane pepyll in his name, to this aggreis ye wordis of the Propheit as is wryttin,Amos. 9. efter this I wyll returne agane & big the Tabernacle of Da­nid quhilk is fallin doun. (and efter that Iames had citit and cōferrit the scripturis, it followis in the text) quhairfore. I iuge that we troubyll not thame quha fra amagis the gentiles ar turnit to God, bot that we wryte that thay abstayne fra ye filthynes of Ydolis, fra fornicatioun, fra it that is worteit, and blude. Beneuolent redare, geue yu diligentlie wyl mark, & considder ye wordis [...]bere rehersit, thow sall fynd, and persaue diuers g [...]d­lie [Page 12]and proper lessouis aggreable for the establis­ching of our purpose. First thou sal mark and cō ­sidder, that albeit Paulus and Barnabas (as ye scripture techeisAct. 13. ws) wes twa Apostolis appoya­tit be GOD to be prechoutis to the gentiles, & yat thay had the1 Cor. 7. spreit of God to preche the treuthe & veritie, (as Paule hym self testifeis in mony pla­ces) ȝit wald thay nocht be sa bald, as priuelie to decerne vpon the questioun mouit in the congre­gatioun, vnto the tyme thay come to Ierusalem, quhare Peter the cheif apostole wes, wt the rest of the Apostolis and Senioris. Be this exemple off scripture we ar sufficientlie istructit na priuat no­umer (how godlie & weil lernit that euir thay be) to be sufficient, or ganand to tak ordour in mate­ris concernyng faith and religioun. And als w [...] ­persaue how vaine and incertane is the iugement of mony in thir dayis, that folischelie followis, & addictis thame selfis to the wickit opinioun of sū priuate factius mē towart the interpretatioun of scriptures, rebu [...]and and settand at nocht the in­terpretatioun of Ancient generale counsales, to [...]uhame it appertenis (be the ordinance of almy­chtie GOD) to interpreit scripturis.

¶ Secundlie, it is to be markit of this text, yt efter that Paulus and Barnabas wer ressauit be the Congregatioun, Apostolis, and Eldaris, the Apostolis and Eldaris onche, conuenit to dis­pute and decerne vpoun the questioun inouit in y• congregatioun betuix the Iowis and Gennies. [Page 13]Quhareby we ar learnit that it appertenit to the Apostlis & eldaris dewlie cōuenit togidder, to dis­pute, resson, & to pnunce sentence of materis bro­cht in debait concernyng the trew vnderstanding of the word of GOD: as the speciale mēo [...]r of the cōgregatioun appoyntit be God to that office, & thair deliberatioun in materis cōcernyng faith, & religioun, & interpretatiō of scripturis, to haue ye samyn denominatioun, strenth, & effect, as ye rest of the heale mēbris of the congregatioun had cō ­currit thair with.

☞ Thridlie, it is to be notit that efter Pau­lus & Barnabas had oppoyntit, & declarit to the apostolis, & eldaris, ye questioun & debait that ra­ [...]n the cōgregation betuix the Iowis & Genti­ies, the Iowis beyng indurit perswadyng cit [...]ū ­cisioun to be necessare wt Baptime the Genteies be the cōtrar disdanyng the ȝok & seruitud of cir­cūciūoun, thynkand baptime onely sufficient, Rais vp Peter, and efter cōferryng of scripturis, declarit Baptime sufficient wtout Circūcisioun. And als Iames citit ye scripturis to beir wytnes­sing, & appreue the sayingis of Peter, quhilk be­yng done, Iames in the name of the rest of the a­postolis (Because he wes pastor, & bischop of Ie­rusalē quhair ye apostolis wer ꝯuenit for the time) pnuncit sentēce, & said: I iuge. ☞ mark gude re­dare peter & Iames to callto remēbrance the testi monits of scripture, as wytnes berar of ye wyl ād mynd of ye lord, & ye apostolis to occupy yt place of ye iuge to ye questiōn mouit in ye congregatiōn. For [Page 14]Iames said not, the scripture iugis, decernis or geuis sentence, Bot he takis the place of the iuge (in ye name of ye rest of ye apostlis) vpō him self sa­ying, I iuge. And to the effect that thow sall ye mair cleirlie persaue the Apostolis to occupy the place of ane iuge, to the interpretation of ye worde of GOD, and the scripture to be as wytnes berar of the wyll & mynd of the Lorde, quhareby ye A­postolis tuke instructioun: thow sal mark ye sen­tence put in wryte, & send awaye with Paulus & Barnabas, & sum vther of the rest of the congre­gatioun saying thir wordis,

Act. 15. It hes plesit the haly Gaist and ws to putt na vther burdyng on ȝow, bot tyll abstayne fra ye filthynes of ydoles, blude, it that is worreit, and fornicatioun, fra the quhilk ȝe kepand ȝow, ȝe do weill: and weill fair ȝe.

☞ Mark gude redare the wordis of the sen­tene, saying: it hes plesit the halie Gaist and ws, as the scripture wald say, and ws as iugis appo­yntit be God to discerne the rycht vnderstanding of goddis word fra ye wrang. Als it may be notit that thair is na testimony of ye scripture put in ye sentēce, be ye quhik it may be ꝑsauit the iugement onlie refertit to ye apostlis, & ye scripture na wa­yis to occupy ye place of y• iuge towart ye inter­pretatiōn of scripturis. Heir haue we had ane ꝑ­fect patroun & exemplar be the apostolis of Iesu thrist our salueour, how & in quhat maner ordour wes tane in thair dayis, & is to be takin quhē sū ­euir questioun ordebait rysis in ye ꝯgregatioun

THE THRID CHAPITRE.

NOVV Sen we haue had exempyll of the or­dour yt wes amāgis ye Apostlis in to ye new law to tak awai al questiō schysme & debait, yt rais cōcernyng materis of faith & religioun: lat ws se quhat puisioun wes had be almychtie God in to ye auld law for y• quietnes of the congregatioun: quhairby we may ꝑsaue ye gret gudnes of our he­uinlie father towart his beluiffit creaturis ī erth at all tymes, cōforme to the sayingis of the Pro­pheit, saying,Esaye. 5. Quhat mycht I haue done to my wyne ȝaird: (as he wald say to my kirk, & ꝯgrega rioun) that I did nocht? & first sall we cōsidder y• almychtie God sierit vp the prophete Moyses to be gydare & rewlare vnto his chosin peple, & spe­cialie, quhēsūeuir dout rais amāgis thame, deci­siōn to be had be hym. Tharefter quhen Moyses past vnto ye montayne to ressaue ye law, puisiōn wes had yt Aarone & Hur suld put ordonr tyll all questioun & debait that mycht fortune to ryis a­māgis the peple of God, As it is planelie wryt­tyn in Exodi. And efter thare dayis that the ꝯgregatioun sulde not want remeid of all questionis yat mycht ryse amāgis ye chosm peple of god (specialie for ye vnderstāding of ye law & word off God) ye preistis of the Trybe of Leui, wer appo­yntit be God as iugis to stay al questiōn & debait as is wrytin in Deuternome on this maner, Gif [Page 16]thare ryse ane mater to hard for the,Deut. 17. in iugement, & the mater cum to stryfe wtin thy ȝettis: than sal thow aryis & get the vp vnto the place quhilk the lorde thy GOD hes chosin & cū vnto the preistis of the trybe of Leui, & vnto the iuge yt salbe ī tha dayis, and ask, and thay sall schaw the, the trew Iugemēt, & thow sal do accordyng to yat, quhilk thay of that place (quhilk thi lord GOD hes cho­sin) schaw the: and yu sal obserue to do according tyll all that thay informe the, accordyng to ye sen­tence of the lawis, quhilk thay teche the, & accor­dyng to ye iugemēt quhilk thay tel ye sal thow do, and declyne not fra that quhilk thay schaw the, nolder to the rycht hand, nor the left. And yt mā quhilk wyll do p̄sumtuuslie & wyll not herkin vn­to the preist, (that standis thair before the Lorde thy God to minister) be decreit of the Iuge, that man sall de, and thow sal put away euyl fra Is­raell, and all the peple sall heir, and feir, and do na mair presumtuuslie.

☞ Mark gude redare this plane testimony of scripture, quhareby thow art habundantlie in­structit: quhensūeuir dout rais amāgis the cho­sin peple of God, for the vnderstanding of ye law, recours wes had onelie vnto ye preistis of ye try­be of Leui, & to the iuge that wes in tha dayis to haue decisioun of thair doutis,Deut. 17. & not to the scrip­ture. Attouir it is to be notit of this pas of scrip­ture aboue rehersit the seueir & rigorus sentence of almychtie God, yt cumis vpon thaim quhilkis [Page 17]stubournelie, and proudelie dissobeyis the delibe­ratioun, & iugemēt of sic as God hes appoyntit to be iugis vpon all materis brocht in debait con cernyng the law of God, as wes in ye auld law the preistis of ye trybe of Leui, in the new law [...] A­postolis, and eldaris, and sen the tyme of the A­postolis, thay quhilkis succedit in yare place de­wlie conuenit in generale counsalis: quhilkis ar, and euir hes bene the onelie Iugis appoyntit be GOD, to establische all doutis mouit in the con­gregatioun to wart the vnderstanding of the lāw, & misteriis of ye scripture. Sen sic creuell puniti­ōn (as is aboueDeut. 17 rehersit) wes appoyntit be God to thame that wer dissobedient to the ministeris in the auld law in declaratioun of the word of God: how mekle mair creuell punischement is cū v­poun thaim, quhilkis contempnādlie & curiuslie leanis to thair awin iugement, and sū vther pri­uat factius ꝑsonis, dissobeying the deliberatiōn of ye ministeris in ye new law in declaratiōn of materis doutsum concernyng faith and religioun? Heir haue we hade ane perfect exempyll of the scripture of almychtie God, declaryng how and in quhat maner ordour wes tane in the auld law, for the establischeing of all doutis quhilkis my­cht haue ryssin, for the vnderstanding of the law of God.

THE FERDE CHAPITRE.

Sen we haif had perfect exēpyl, & vnder­standing of the ordour quhilk wes a­fore the cumyng of our Salueour, & his apostoles, for the establischeing of all doutis that mycht haue rissin amangis the chosin pepls of GOD for the vnderstanding of the law, & word of GOD: & als we haue had sufficiēt instruction, quhat ordour wes takin be the Apostoles of Ie­su Christ our salueur to discerne the rycht vnder­standing of goddis worde, fra ye wrang: quhait­upon cheiflie the occasioun of all debatis, concer­nyng the faith rysis;

☞ Now it is to be ꝯsidderit quhat ordour was had sen ye tyme of the Apostlis to thir our dayis, for the quietnes of ye cōgregatioun, quhēsumeuir questioun or debait rais (as thair did mony) in materis doutsum concernyng our faith: and be this ordour it sabe easie to considder, & persaue, how & in quhat man (er), almychtie GOD hes euir ꝓ­uidit ane assurit way for the quietnes of his deir­le beluiffit kirk, & cōgregatioun, in all aigis ȝe­ris, and tymes: quhilk ordour beyng rycht cōsid­derit, sall geue iust occasioun to euerie christiane man (quhilk is of godlie, and temperat iugemēt) to magnifie, and prayse his lorde GOD: and als to be satifiit & pacifiit (cōforme to ye tytle of our tractiue) in al materis doutsum cōcernyng faith, and religioun of ane christiane man.

¶ To cū to the perfect knawlege and vnder­standing of the ordour quhilk wes in the k [...] k [...]ff god to tak [Page 19]away questioun, & debait quhilk rais in the faith, sen the tyme of the Apostolis vnto this dayis: ye knawlege, and triale of the samyn mon be had be ye maist ancient, & autorizate authoris, & historio graphours, quhilk hes treatit of sic purposis, be ressoun ye samyn can not be had of the scripture of almychtie GOD, noldit auld testamēt nor new, it is mamfest be all wrytaris that ye christiane cōgre gatioun fra the tyme of the Apostolis, to y• tyme of ye maist excellent, & godlie imperour callit Cō ­stantine (quhilk wes the space of thre hundreth ȝeris and mair) tholit sic cruell persecutioun (not all anerlie of wickit, & Infidele princis, bot als of heretikis, quha falslie professit thaim to be gude christ [...]ane men, as mony dois in thir (dayis) yt or­dour could nocht be had, be the quhilk resolutiōn mycht haue bene in materis brocht in debait con­cernyng faith.

¶ Amangis mony wickit opinionis & errou­ris quhilkis rang in the tyme of constantine the godlie imperour,Eccl. hi [...] Lib 10. Cap. 1.2. Trip. hist lib. 1, cap 1.2. & afore his tyme thair wes ane in speciale, quhilk wes sterit vp be ane wickit pre­ist callit Arrius, quha wes ane techear īane cheif roun of Egypt callit Alexandria: his errour we ar nocht wylling nor curious to rehers, because þair is sua mony now in thir dayis swa procliue to er­rour: bot alwayis his opinioun (be al mē of god­lie learnyng) wes thocht verray wickit cōtrar the scripture of GOD treulie vnderstād: notheles he mantenit ye samyn be diuers testimoniis of scri­pturis, [Page 20]quhilk is, and euir hes bene familiar to al heretikis to fortifie and colour thare wickit oppi­nionis be allegeance of scripturis thrawin efter thair maner:Math. 4. as did ye Deuyll wylling to ꝑswaid our Salueour be scripture falslie allegit. It ple­sit GOD that be assistence, & fortificatioun of this maist nobyll and godlie imperour, thair suide be assēblit, & gatherit togidder in ane generale cōn­sale into anetoun callit, Nicea, thre houndrerh & auchtene bischoppis, to ressōn & diffine vpō ye er­rour sterit vp be Arrius: & be this ord our, ye fore­said noumer of bischoppis cōuenand, accordyng to the exemple of the Apoostolis, the questien be­and maturelie disputit, inuocatioun maid vpōn GOD, the Scripturis falslie allegit be Arrius to fortifie his errour wer trewiie interpretit, and the trew faithfull vnderstandyng of the samyn maid patenr to the rest of ye congregatioun, and ye erro­ur ꝯdēpnit. Notheles this errour wes mātaynit ane lang tyme efter that it wes cōdempnit be the laudabyl counsale Nicene, lyke as thair is mony in thir dayis quhilkis dois appreue, and fortifie, diuers gret errourꝭ, tustly ꝯdempnit of lāg tyme bypast be mony laudable and godlie gn̄ral cōnsa­lis, to quhame it appertenis (sen the tyme of the Apostolis, and that be the prouisioun of God) to decerne on all materis doutsū concernyng ye trew vnderstandyng of ye scripture: as (God wyllu [...]g) we haue, & sal sufficient [...]e preue. Thow sal mark (gude redare) that alb [...]t this laudabyll [...]n­sale Nicene, wes conuenit be thei [...]mperale pow­er, [Page 21]and affistence of ye maist noble & godlie Im­prrour Constātine: notheles he occupyit na place in iugemēt to ressoun on the questioun mouit in the cōgregatioun, bot referrit the iugemēt allan̄ ­lie to the thre hundreth and auchtene byschoppis quhilkis wer conuenit togidder: as may be cleir lie persauit in the tent buke,Hist: Td. Lib. 2. c2. 2. the secunde chapitre of historia ecclesiastica & in diuers vther ancient historiographouris. This counsale Nicene wes ye first gn̄rale cōnsale immediatlie eft ye time of ye Apostolis, quhairby ordour wes tane to confund errourꝭ: notheles þair wes sū vther ꝓuinciall cōnsalis of before,Hist, ecct Lib 6. c2. 33. &. Lib. 7. Cap. 25. as wes the Prouinciall Counsale quhareintyll Nouatus errour wes cōdempnit, & diuers dtheris prouinciale counsalis, quhairin­to the errour of Paulus Samosatenus wes lyk­wyse condampnit: thir forsaids priuatis & prouin cial cōnfalis in the tyme that the kirk tholit maist intollerable persecutioun, wes haldin.

¶ To cum to r̄orther knawlege of the ordoure quhilk wes in the kirk of GOD efter the tyme off the Apostlis for the quietnes of ye cōgregatioun, and establisching of errouris quhilkis rais aga­nis ye faith: Thow sal cōsidder, yt efter the coun­sale Nicene, immediatlie followit the godlie ge­nerall cōnsale of Constātinople, quhairinto wes conuenit ane houndreth & fyftie bischoppis,Eccl. hist Lib 10, cap. scri­ptures beyng cōferrit, inuocatioun maid vpoun God, cōforme to the exemple of the Apostlis, the wickit errour of Macidonius (quha wes bischop [Page 22]of Constantinople) with vtheris diuers,23. & telp Hist. lib. 5 Capi, 41. wes iust­lie condempnit.

THE FIFTE CHAPITRE.

THAIREFTER (thridlie) succe­dit the godlie generale counsale Ephisene,Teip hist. Lib. 12. Cap. 4. quhairinto wes iust­lie cōdempnit the blasphem [...]us and intolletable heresie of [...]s­torius, incontrar ye diuine mis­terie of the incarnatioun of ou [...] Salueour, affirmād our salueour (and y• [...]) to haue twa naturis diuidit in twa personis, and be the ane persoun to be the sone of GOD, and be the vther to be ye sone of man: inferrand that the blyssit virgine Marie wes not ye mother of God and man, bot the mother of man onelie. Thus wes hie contrarius in his wickit opinioun to the trew faith, and beleue of ye kirk of GOD, quhilk (cōforme to ye word of God trewlie vnderstand) hes euir techeit, our Salueour to haue twa na­tures in ane persoun, quhareby the virgine Ma­rie aucht and sulde iustlie be callit the mother off God and man: notheles he fortifiit his wickit he­resy be thre score of passis of scripture allegit be hym (on his maner) swa that geue the scripture had bene iuge, he thocht he had sufficiēt mater to defend his errour, allegeand the scripture as the onelie iuge euir for hym, and walde resiaue na v­ther iterprctatiōn of ye samyn, betsie as he thoche [Page 23]ganād for his purpose: quhairby we may persaue that it oppiunis ane plane port to all errouris to mak the scripture iuge, for thair wes neuir man genin tyll errour bot he allegit scripture habun­dātlie for his purpose. And quha doutis bot Nes­torius said planelie ye counsale Ephesene errit: & he had the trew spreit of GOD? as we may se in our dayis daylie exemple, euery mā quhilk is ge uin to opinioun, & it wer neuir sua wickit, he wyll schaw (on his maner) scripturis abundātlie ba­ith of the auld testament & the new for hym, sue­rand the spreit of GOD to repose in his breist, and swome in his lyppis, estemand ye counsalis all to be led with the spreit of errour and ignorance.

Thairfore meruell nocht (beneuolēt redare) al­beit men geuin to wickit opinioun lychtleis, con­tempnis, and settis at nocht the deliberatiōn off the kirk of God (quhilk trewly is representit be ye generale counsalis dewlie conuenit) takand the scripture onelie to be thair iuge, for that wes euir ane familiare falt & ȝit is to al heretikis: because the declaratioun of scriptures beand admittit cō ­forme to the īterpretatiōn of the gn̄rale cōnsalis (as thay aucht and sulde be of ressoun) than sall na priuat factius mānis opinion nor vaine glore (quha wald be thocht singulare ī his awin oppi­nioun) haue place.

¶ Ferdlie followit the generale counsale of Calcedon worthy euirlastand memory, quhairin wer cōuenit sax hundreth & threttie Byschoppis, [Page 24]efter the forme of the Apostolis inuocation maid vpon god, scripturis beand cōferrit, ye wickit he­resie of Eutices wes iustlie cōdempnit.

¶ Beneuolent redare, geue we walde call to remēberance al ye generale cōnsalis, quhilkis hes bene fra the tyme of the Apostolis tyll our dayis, quhairin ye wickit hereseis quhilkis rais aganis the trew faith wer iustlie cōdempuit, oure sobir & lytle tractiue sulde exceid ye boundis, & grow vn­to ane gret werk. Oure pretence is (as it wyll pleis the lorde GOD to supporte oure imperfecti­oun, & ignorance) to bestow oure laubouris, as may be to the glore of God, the quietnes of the ꝯ­gregatioun, and efter the maist compedious ma­ner, to the eais and contente mēt of the redare. Thairfore wyll we cease fra ferther citatiōu (or­dourlie) of ye gn̄rale counsales, bot as the occasioun sall serue. Nocht bot equale credit is to be geuin to the rest of the generale counsales dewlie ꝯuenit as to the cōnsalis aboue rehersit.

¶ Heir haue we hard diuers exemplis, of the ordour that wes had in the kirk of God, efter the tyme of the apostolis, for ye quietnes of ye cōgre­gatioun, and suppressioun of errouris: swa that be this ordour aboue rehersit, and be the generall ꝯsalis dewlie cōuenit quhilkꝭ succedit thairefter, weral errourꝭ iustlie ꝯdempuit, quhilkꝭ rais of y• wrang vnderstanding of goddis word, fra ye time of the Apostolis to thir dayis: & the rycht vnder­standing of ye samyn maid patent to the rest of the Congregatioun.

[Page 25]¶ It is nocht vnknawin to me, how that thair is mony in thir dayis doutsum (specialie sic as the apostolis spekis of, quhilkis ar inconstāt,Ephe. 4. [...]aueryng, & careit about wt euery wynd of doc­tryne) geue the generale cōnsalis representis the heale kirk of God (as I wald say) geue it that is done be the generale cōnsalis dewlie cōuenit, hes, and sulde (be the ordinance of God) haue, ye de­nominatiōn, strenth, & effect, as it had bene done be al ye mēbris of the cōgregatiōn and gyf thay occupy the place of the Apostolis, to wart the in­terpretatioun of scripturis? Ouha wyl diligent­lie mark our ꝓcedyngis aboue rehersit? I bele­ue he sall fynd ane grer part of thir doutis al red­dy declarit, notheles efter the forme of disputati­oun, we sall do diligence to moue ye questiounis quhilkis we haue hard, or red in the cōtrar of our purpose: and appelis the cōscience of the ineffec­tionat redare to considder, geue we do the samyn trewlie or nocht. Thairefter God wylling we sall schaw gude wyll, to declare the foresaidis doutis as salbe fundin aggreable to goddis worde, and to ye cōtentemēt of al mē, quhilkꝭ ar of godlie and tēperat iugement. Efter this maner wyll we mo­ne the first questioun.

Albeit that it apperteneth to the apostolis, be the ꝓuisioun of God to tak ordour in all materis off debait cōcernyng ye faith, & specialie to īterprete ye scripturis, as þai quhilkis had ye spreit of god, & wer ye trew kirk: It argumētis not yat vtheris, [Page 26]quha hes ꝯuenit sensy [...]e in generale ꝯ [...]les had the spreit of GOD, or wer the trew kirk: because that mony of thair deliberationis ar aganis the word of God, and trew kirk, for thair awin singu­lare comoditie, proffeit, & vaine glore: quhay vu­der the pretence of goddis glore, seikis euir ane way to sett forwart superstition and tradioun off men, as did the Scribes & Phariseis. And als: the Apostolis leuit ane Godlie lyfe, precheande & techeand trewlie the worde of God, wylling to suffer all torment and distres for Christis saik; Be the contrar, thay in thir dayis, quha vendica­tis, & takis to thaim selfis (& yt iniustlie) ye pla­ce of the Apostolis, & trew kirk, (quha ar of veri tie the kirk malingnant) nolder leuis anegodlie lyfe, nor ȝit precheis, nor techeis the trew ward of God. Ouharefor sen thay do na thing lyke to the apostolis (bot be the plane contrar) thair delibe­rationis, and īterpretationis of scriptures ar not to be ressauit as the interpretatioun of the apostolis and trew kirk of God, bot as the interpretati­oun of ye kirk malignant, Scribes, & phariseis.

¶ To cum to ane resolute & perfect answeir off this questioun, & argument aboue rehersit, þair is foure poyntis of the samyn specialie to be mar­kit. First to cōsidder, geue ye g [...] ̄rale cōnsalis had the spreit of God to do that thing quhik ryndit to the weill of the rest of the cōgregatiōun as had ye Apostolis? ¶ Secundlie it is to be markit gif the generale counsalis representis the trew vni­uersale [Page 27]kirk of God, hauand authoritie as had ye Apostolis to interprete scripturis, & to be as iuge to discerne the rycht vnderstandyng of the samyn fra the wrang? Thridlie, geue thay quhilkis cō uenit in generale counsalis (sen ye tyme of the a­postolis) leuit ane godlie lyfe cōforme to the A­postlis? Ferdlie, geue thair ꝯstitutionis wer ag­greabyll wt ye word of GOD or nocht? Thir four partis beyng weil declarit, & soluit, ye questionn aboue mouit for ye maist part wyl be maid patent.

¶ As to the first part, to ꝯsidder, geue the ge­nerale ꝯsalis had ye spreit of God, as had the a­postolis or not, yu mon ꝯsidder (gude redare) yat the gyft, & ꝓmeis of the haly gaist, was not ꝓmi­sit and geuin to the apostolis onelie in respect off thaim quhay wer callit to be Apostlis, bot spe­cialie insafer as thay wer sterit vp be God to be ministeris & instructaris of ye rest of ye mēbris of ye cōgregatioun. Als thow mon diligētlie mark, that lyke as it is necessare, that the kirk of GOD, (callit the christiane cōgregatioun vnit togidder in ane faith be Baptime) indure to the end of the warld, swa it is necessare, that thay quhilkꝭ occu­pyis the place of the Apostlis, haue the gyft of ye haly gaist (cōforme to theMat. 28. ꝓmeis of oure Salue­our) to do in all sortis that ryndis to thair office: vtherwayis, it wer nocht possible, that the kirk & cōgregatiōn mycht be ordourit, & gydit in faith, & religcoun, to ye hououre and glore of almyhetie God. Aggreable to this purpose, thow sal mark [Page 28]the wordis of our Sasueour in S. Mathew, spe kand tyll his Apostolis on this maner, behald, I am wt ȝow at all tymes to the end of the warld: And als in sanct Iohane,Ioh. 14. I sal pray the father, & he sall geue ȝow ane vther cōfortar, yat may byde with ȝow for euir, the spirite of veritie. ☞ Mark gude redare, that our salueour spekis heir to the Apostolis in the personage, & place of all vtheris cheif ministeris, & rewlaris, quhilkis wer to suc­ceid in thair place be authoritie, and office, to the end of the warld. For quhy? the apostolis wer nocht to remaine to ye ende of ye warlde, as wes the ꝓmeis. Nochtheles, the office geuin to the a­postolis, & authoritie wes to indure to the end off the warlde; because the christiane congregatiōn, quhilk is now presentlie in the warld, is als deir­lie bocht be the blude, & deith of Iesu Christe our salueour, as wes the cōgregatioun in the aposto­lis dayis. Thairfore, we may be sure, yt ye ꝓmeis of the halie gaist, quhilk wes maid to ye A [...]ostlis sal indure with ye ministeris & rewlaris of ye kirk of GOD, (in doyng that thyng quhilk ryndit to thair office) in al aiges, tymes, and ȝeris, vnto to ye end of the warld: as propirlie may be persauit be thewordis of our Salueour aboue rehersit.

THE SEXT CHAPITRE.

❧ sen We ar certifeit be Scripturis, and ressoun, the ꝓmess of thee haly Gaist nocht only geuin, & ꝓmeist to ye apostlis, bot als to ye cheif ministeris & rewlaris of the kirk of god, quhilkis bel re suc­ceid in thair authoritie to the ende of the warlde,

Now followis ordourlie to answeir to the se­cund part of ye argumēt, quhare question is, ge­ue thay quhilkis ꝯuenit in generale counsalis re­presentit the vniuersale trewkirk of God? Trew­lie (gude redare) not wtstanding, that thair is na thing mair sure, than that the generale counsalis dewlie cōuenit representis the vniuersale kirk off GOD, hauand authoritie as hade the Apostolis, & the gyft of the haly gaist, quhilk wes ꝓmeist be our salueour to his apostlis & all vther cheif mi­nisteris in his kirk: ȝit it is verray difficile to ex­presse, & declair ye samyn planelie & ordourlie (as ye mater requiris & is of worthynes) specialie in our language, & at ye leist to ane man of my sobir vnderstanding. quharefore I praye GOD, geue eucry christiane man wald be satifeit in all mate­ris doutsū ꝯcernyng ye rycht vnderstanding of ye scripture, ꝯforme to ye īterpretation of ye gn̄rale cō salis, (as thay aucht & sulde be of ressoun) wtout disputatioun, or argumēt. Bot sen we see, yt the warlde is growin to that wickitnes & curiositie that few or nane wylbe satifeit in materis doutsū cōcernyng the faith wtout curius ressonyng: ȝe & in diuers materis necessare to be beleuit, quhilks [Page 30]can nocht weill be declarit, & ressonit, bot be faith onlie: quhat remedy? bot euerilk faithfull minis ter in the kirk of god, to bestowe the grace quhilk god hes geuin hym, as may be to the plesour off god, and ye support of the imperfectioun of ye rest of the mēbris of the cōgregatioun. And not with­stāding, yt this purpose is fer abufe my habilitie to expres, & declare the samyn, I sal do my deuore to do ye eais I may, to sic as ar of sobir knawlege, as it wyll pleis the geuar of all grace to supporte my ignorance, nocht doutyng bot the gentyll re­dare wyl tak my gude wyl ī fauour, yis be ȳ grace of god, hauand the beneuolēce of the redare, wyll we proceid on this maner.

To cum to ane resolute answeir of this questiōn, quhether geue thay quhilkis cōuenit in generale cōsalis, representit the vinuersale kirk, and hade authoritie as had the Apostolis? we mon vnder­stand, quhat is the kirk? quhilk I beleue is suffe entlie declarit in the beginnyng of this buke, swa that heir plixtlie to rehers wer superfluus, nocht­yeles, as salbe necessare for ye present, we sal do.

¶ The kirkMath. 13.1. Cor. 5. sūtyme is tane gn̄ralie in ye scri­pture, for the vniuersale cōgregatioun quhairin ar cōtenit all christin mē: and efter that maner ye generale counsalis ar not ye heale kirk. for quhy? euery mā quhilk is of the kirk (generalie tane) is not requirit, nor cā be cōuenit to do that thyng quhilk appertenis to ye generale counsalis. tyme the kirk is tane mair specialie, for theAct. 15. Sū cheif [Page 31]pastores& Deut. 17. of the vniuersal ꝯgregatiōn: & efter this speciall maner, the generale counsalis ar ye trew kirk of GOD, and representis the vniuersale cō ­gregatioun, hauand authoritie to interprete the scripturis, as may stand to the weil and quietnes of the hale congregation. We preue thir fore­saidis on this maner. ¶ It is sure, thatt lyke as almychtie GOD hes appoyntit his kirk, and cōgregation necessarelie to be vnit togidder in ane faith be baptime, hauand his word, & law:

Swa it is necessare that ꝓuisioun be hade to discerne the rycht vnderstanding of the scripture fra the wrang, specialie, quhensumeuir questiōn, or debait rysis for the samyn: vtherwayis ye ha­uyng of the scripture without the rycht vnderstā ­ding of the samyn, wer lytle or na thing ꝓffitabyl to ye ꝯgregatiōn. bot swa it is, that all hereseis wer suppressit, and the rycht vnderstanding of ye scripture fra the wrang wes diseernit in all aigis, ȝeris, and tymes (sen the tyme of the apostoles) be the generale counsalis: tharefore it followis weill, that the generale counsalis wer the special member of the congregatioun aponytit be GOD, representyng ye heale kirk to tak ordour in al ma­teris of debait cōcernyng faith. Geue thare be sū (as I thynk þair be mony) quhilkꝭ ar stifneckit, berand perpetuale disdane aganis the generale counsalis, specialie, sick as wald haue libertie to thraw the scripture to thair appetyte, desyrus of [Page 32]vaine glore, and to be thocht singulare in thair awin opinioun, I wyll aske thame of ane questi­oun, quhilk is verray easie to answeir to, that is, gyf euir thare wes onye heresyis sen the tyme off christe or nocht? I ā sure, þair is na mā sua scha­meles, & he wer neuir sua drownit in heresie, bot he wyll grant thair hes bene mony gret heresyis. for quhy? thair is nocht ane article of oure faith bot it hes bene impugnit, & brocht in dout be he­retikis affirmand thare heresyis for ye maist part al be ye scripturis falsite allegit and interpretit.

Than wyl I speir, geue thair wes ane ordour ta­ne to suppresse the heresyis or nocht? I am sure, thair is na man wyll thynk, that GOD, neclectit ye ꝯgregatioun swa, that it sulde leue in perpetu­ale debait for the faith, and na ordour to be tane.

Than wyll I inqyre, quhat wes the ordoure (geue it wes nocht be ye generale cōnsalis) quhilk wes tane? tre wlie I beleue þair wyl na mā schaw ane vther meyn, quhareby heresy wes suppressit bot be the generale counsalis, specialie quhilkis rais of the wrang vnderstanding of the scripture of GOD as all heresyis, cōmounlye dois. Than sen we ar assurit yt þair hes bene mony abhomina­byll heresyis incontrar our faith, and the ordour quhilk wes tane for the samyn wes euir onelie be the generale counsalis dewlie conuenit, it may be iustlie inferrit, that the generale counsalis wer ye member of the congregatioun sterit vp be GOD, [Page 33]representyngye vniuersale kirk of God, hauand the denominatioun, strenth, and effect, of all the memberis of the congregatroun. I beleue thair is namā of ressonable iugement, bot he wyl think that thir twa argumentis aboue rehersit sustici­entlye perswadis, ȝe and conuictis, the generale counsalis, to be the membir of the congregatiōn representand the vmuersale kirk of God. Noch­theles, perchance thair is sum swa religious, and clene fyngerit, that thair wyl ua thyng perswade thaim wtout testimony of scripture, we wyl seahw gude wyll to satifie thair curiositie sumpart, and on yis maner. It is wryttin be ȳ Propheit Agge.

¶ Gret salbe the giore of this latter hous ma­ir nor the first. I wyll aske at the,Agge. 2. quhat is signi­feit be yis latter hous? bot Christis ꝯgregation, & kirk vnit togider in ane faith be baptime? quhat is signifeit be this first hous? bot the chosin peple of God, quhilkꝭ wer before ye law of the Euāgal? haue we nocht expressie in Deuteruome,Dent. 17. that pro­uisioun wes had in the auld law, quhen sumeuir questioun, or debait rais amangis the chosin pe­ple of God for the vnderstanding of the lawe, re­cours wes hade onilie to the Preistis of ye Eribe of Leui, and to the iuge, to be satifeit in all thair doutis, & that ye peple suld na wayis mak quest­ioun vnder the pane of deith, bot to ressaue ye iu­gement of the ministeris quhilkis wer for ye time? Art thow nocht than be the [Page 34]wordis of the Propheit aboue rehersit compellit to say that the ministeris of the new law (quha oc cupyis the place of ye preistis of the Trybe of Le­ui, ȝe and heychar place) hes the samyn place (ȝe and gretar place) to stay all doutis that rysis a­māgis the rest of the membris of the congregati­oun for the vnderstanding of the scripture & law of GOD, and vtherwayis, how sal the wordis off the Propheit be of veritie? saying, that the glore of this latter hous sulde be mair nor the first, gyf þair be nocht als sufficient ordour, puidit be god to staye all doutis quhilkis rysis amangis þaim of this latter hous, and geue the ministeris of ye samyn hes nocht als gret place to tak ordour in all materis of debait concernyng ye faith of þaim quhilkis ar of ye latter hous, as had ye ministeris of the first hous. Than wyll we (conforme to Goddis worde, and all gude ressoun) conclude: ye gn̄rale counsalis dewlie cōuenit (quhairin ar the mimsteris of the new law) to represent the v­niuersale kirk of GOD, hauand ful power ād au­thoritie of God to tak ordour ī all materis quhilk ar in debait, (specialie to discerne the trew vnder­stādyng of Goddis worde fra the wrang) as had the ministeris of the auld law, and rather greter.

THE SEVINT CHAPITRE.

❧ FOR Ferther cōsideratioun that thay quha conuenit in generale counsalis had power and authoritie to do that thyng quhilk ryndit to þair office, as had the Apostolis, thow sal vnderstand, yt al au­thoritie is of God (cōforme to ye saying of ye Apo­stole) & al authoritie quhilk is of God cumis be aneRom. 13. ordour, than mon thow cōsidder that all men quhilk is euir come to haue authoritie in the kirk of God ordourlie (as to be ane of the membris of ye cōgregation quhilk God hes appoyntit to tak ordour in al materis of debait cōcernyng ye trew vnderstanding of goddis word) come ane of thre maner of wayis. The first wes ve God immediat he (as I wald say, be God allanerlie) lyke as ye Propheit MoysesExodf. 3. in the auld law, the twelfMath. 10. apo­stolis, & sanct Paule in the new law. The secund be God & mā as wes Iosue, quha at the cōmand of God was sterit vp be Moyses to be gydare to the peple.Galat. 1. The thrid way wes of God mediatlie (as I wald say,Num [...] he mā allanerlie hauyng authori­tie of God) as wer and ar all the ministeris of the new law (callit the law of the Euangell) quhilk hes bene sen the tyme of the Apostolis to yir day­is: nochtheles, that all thir thre wayis ar of god immediatlie, or mediatlie: Ȝit thair wes ane dif­ference in the power quhilk wes geuin to the pro­pheit Moyses, ād the twelf apostolis, quha wes send immediatlie be god, & to thame quhilkꝭ wes send be god mediatlie: in that, that the first hade [Page 36]power to kyith miracles, quhilk wes nocht requs­tit nor necessare to the vtheris, because the Apo­stlis quha wes send be god onlie, wer ye first quhil­kis schew & techeit ye fundamēt of our faith: (as didExodl. 4. the Propheit Moyses the law to ye chosm pe­ple of God) for confirmatioun of y• samyn, it wes necesiare that thay quha wes yt first settaris furth of our faith, suld haue power to cōfitme ye samyn be miracles, vtherwayis it wes nocht abyll to the Apostlis, & Prophetis to haue perswadit the doc­tryne quhilk neuir wes hard of before. As towart vtheris quha hes succedit in the place of the apo­stolis mediatlie be God, (as I walde say be man onlye) it sufficeth to thame to do al sic thyngis as wer necessare to þair ministiatiōn wtout miracle, sic as to minister ye Sacramētis, discerne ye trew vnderstanding of goddis word fra the wrange, & vtheris diuers mimstrationis as plesit GOD to geue thame grace to haif instructiōn of his word, & kirk, discendit fra aige, to aige, & tyme to tyme. Of ye foresaid is it may iustlie be collectit & infer­rit, sen all authoritie is of god, and the ministeris in the new law (quha cōuenit in generale cōsalis) hes authoritie of god, that þair authoritie is als gret & sufficiet to do all sic thing as ryndit to þair office to wart the weil of ye cōgregatiōn cōmittit to thair cure, as the authoritie of the propheit, or the Apostlis immediatlie geuin to thame be god, for the weill of the cōgregatioun (according to ye tyme) cōmitit to thair cure and office.

Thair is sum quhilkis cūis to authoritie, takand [Page 37]it at thair awin hande, nolder of God, nor man, quha is nocht worthy to be reknit in the noumer of the rest, because thay cum but ordour. Thair­for thay sulde be rather callit fals Prophetis, or prechearis, nor mē in autharitie: as wes Macho­met, quha in the tyme that ye peple wes cōfundit wt y• wickit heresie of Arrius (of quhame we maid mētioun in the descriptioun of ye cōnsale Micen [...]) & brocht in, sic dout of yt faith, that thay wyste not quhat faith to cheis, na punischemēt ane lāg time followand thairupon. Than thocht he tyme to saw his wickit seid & doctrine, specialie, sic as wes noueltie, & gaue libertie aggreable to thair wyt­tis, & desyre of the peple, authorissing sum godlie preceptis of the law of god, sic as wer aggreadyil to thair capacitie, that his doctryne mycht seune the better, and be thir menis abusit ye peple in ꝓ­found materis cōcernyng thair faith aboue thair wittis: as we may se now in our dayis in all par­tis, infynit dissaitfull prechearis, seand the mise­rable peple (for laik of gude doctryne & punilche­ment) brocht in sic debait, & bout of the faith, vn­der the coloure of godlines, disagyse thame selfis (as sais2 Co [...]. 1 [...]. the Apostole) to be Angellis of lycht, ꝓ­mittyng al libertic to yt peple blyndit wt: gnorāce, drownit ī lustis, desyrus of noueltie. And to ye ef­fect yt it salbe thocht yt thai cū be ane ordour, thay wil say & sweir thai ar send be god, & not be mē [...]as saidGal [...]t. 1. S. Paul. Thir pestilēt p̄charis ar to be eryit out ō be al mē of godlie lernīg & iugemēt, because ȳ authorissing of sic, is [Page 38]aganis the law of God, & mā, and al gude ressōn. Is it nocht expreslie cōmandit be1 Cor. 14 S. Paule, that all thing sulde be done be ane ordour? and als expreslie forbiddin, that ony man suldeHebre. 5 vsurpe aut­horitie at his awin hand say and, How sall thaye preche, bot geue thayRom. 10. be send? as he wald say, be God, or mā? To be assurit that thay come not off god, thair is na mā yt estemis hym self to be send be GOD allanerlie, bot he mon geue testification of the samyn, and cōfirme his doctryne be mira­cle. for thair is na vther sure way that mē sal dis­cerne fals Prophetis, & precheouris (quha alle­gis thame self to be send of God) fra godlie Pro­phetis, & precheouris. Reid ye scripture al throw, I dar baldlie say, thow sall neuir fynd onye man send be god allanerlie, & nocht be mā, bot he con­firmit his doctyne be miracles, or ellis the scrip­ture makis plane mentiōn, yt he wes send be God. To geue all gude christiane mā ferther and iuste occasioun to crye out on all sick p̄cheouris, quha priuatlie but authoritie wyll mell thame wt mate­ris doutsum cōcernyng the faith: thow sal vnder stand, it may be that ane mā haue the gift of the haly gaist assuritlie, and ȝit nocht vnderstand all the secretis, and misteriis of ye heale Scripture. To preue the samyn thow sall haue plane testimony of scripturis and na Sophistrie, nor vaine in­uentioun of mā. It is wryttin that the Apostlis ressauitAct. 2. the gift of the haly gaist the fyft day, (callit in our language, wytsounday). Amangis the [Page 39]rest, Peter resauit ye gyft of ye haly gaist: Nocht­heles, we reid yat Peter beyng inAct. 10. Ioppe, quahair he wes at ludgeyng he past vp to ane secreit pla­ce to pray; in ye menety me he grew hungrie. þair apperit to hym to cum out of ye heuin diuers kyn­dis of meatis; amāgꝭ vtheris þair come sū quhil­kis wer forbiddin of the law; thair come ane voce sayng, Peter, ryse, slay, and eait: he wes astonis­sit of the reuelatiōn, and grudgeit in his ꝯscience to eait the meatis forbiddin of ye law. Quhairby thow may cleirlie persaue, that albeit lange tyme of before he had ressauit the gyft of ye halie gaist, ȝit this secreit (quhether geue it wes leifiū to eait meatis forbiddin be the lawe or nocht) vnto that tyme wes hyd and obscure fta hym. Likewyse schortlie thairefter, he Baptizate Cornelius, & [...] his houshauldeAct. 10. [...] withoute Circumcisioun, qu hirs wes misknawin to hym of before, be ye quhilk ef­terwart he affermit in ye cōnsale (quhare the la [...]f of the Apostolis wer conuenit in Hierusaiem) yat Baptime wes sufficient wtoutAct. 1 [...] Circūcisioun. Be thir plane testimomeis of scripture we ar instruc­tit how vaine is the opinioun of mony in thir da­yis quhilkis assuritlie leanis to ye opinioun of mē cumand but authoritie, in declaratioun of ye mi­steriis of Goddis word, hauand na maner of le­rnyng nor solide iugement, ymaginand, and dre­myng yam selfis to be send be GOD, hauād ye gift of ye haly gaist: lyke as it wer necessare (quhilk is nocht) that GOD sulde wirke be miracle, now [Page 40]geuand thame (that cūand but ony maner of au­thoritie) the gyft of the haly gaist to interprete ye secretis of our faith (it beyng all reddy perswadit be the kirk of god fra tyme to tyme,) as he did to his apostolis in the begynning of the kirk quhilk wes necessare,Math. 10 as I schew the off before, because þai wer send hauīg authoritie of god, to be ye first furthsettaris of our faith. And als it plesit GOD that ye faith suld be set furth in the begyuning be Ideotis hauand the gyft of ye haly gaist,Actu. 4. quhair­by it mycht be kend that our faith come not be in­gyne of mā, bot be god allanerlie, quhilk is nocht necessare now. Thairfore wyll yu cōsidder ye scrip ture all throw, yu sall ꝑsaue, that it is requirit, yat thay quha succedis in the place of the apostlis be weill [...]. Timo. 3 learnit, that thay may be habyllTitū. 1. to teche the faith to vtherꝭ trewlie as the kirk of god hes euir techeit thaim, ꝯforme to his word: & not to think that god sal geue instructioun to ony priuat man older in authoritie, or out of authoritie (as he did to his apostolis) be miracle.

Lord god may we not now weil ꝑsaue, quhat blin dnes, quhat ignorāce, quhat furie ād wodnes, is croppin in the hartis of christin men in yir dayis, quhilkꝭ leanis to ye iugemēt of sicIoh. 21. vagabundis in materis doutsū cōcernyng our faith? Refusād ye iugemēt of ye kirk? Haue we not had the plane te­stimonye of scripture aboue rehersit, how Peter quha wes ye cheif apostole of Iesu Christ, to quhā in speciale thrise eft vther he cōmēdit his flok, and [Page 41]gregatiōn sua deirly bocht: & ȝit efter yat he had resaure ye gyft of ye haly gaistAct. 2. assurnly be ane vi­sibyllsigne, he knew not all the miūereis, & secte­tis of godis word: & now eueri haue, wyl gif deter minatiōn on the gretast secreit in al ye seripturis, geuand na authoritie to the kirk: lyke as the ꝓ­meis of the halye gaist had bene maid equalye to hym, as to the haly kirk.

¶ Is it not ane gretar secreit to ony wynde fal­lin prechear, ȝe or to ony priuat mā on lyue, & he wer neuir sua werll learnit, & of gude lyfe,Act. 10. to de­cerne onye ineffable misterie of the blyssit sacra­mēt of ye altare nor it wes to Peter to decerne v­pon meatis forbiddin be ye law, & to Paul & Bar­nabas to discerne (quha had baith assuritlye the gyftactis. 13. of the haly1. Cor. 7. gaist) gyf Baptime wes suffici­ent wout circūcisioun: quhilk thay on na wayis wald do priuatlie;Act. 15. quhill thay come to Hierusalē, quhare ye laif of the apostlis wer, thay beand all cōuenit togidder, the mistirie wes declarit.

¶ For Christis saik alȝe quhilkis ar blyndit wt ye folysche ꝑswation of sic ꝓphane pestilēt p̄chearis (yat gois about lyke maisterles doggis) tak hed how miserabilie ȝe ar dissauit be yame, sayād, ef [...] thair barbour maner (nocht wt standing that that cū but ouy manēr of ordour) quhy may not God geue þaim grace to teche & p̄che the treuth, as he did to Peter & ye rest of ye apostlis? quhilk is not expedient nor necssare bot rather cōtrar goddis worde & all ressoun as I schew the of before.

THE AVCHT CHAPITRE.

THAIR IS ane vther cōmoun sa­ying, quhilk euery mā in thir da­yis hes in hede, specialie sick as knawis leift: quhilk presently to report apperis to me not impro­pir, nor improffitable for our purpose. The saying is this. Quhy sulde nocht euery man [...]eid ye scripture to seik out his awin saluatioun? hes nocht Christ bocht ws als deir as older Bischop, Abbot, Prior, or Pape? Mon nocht euerie manGalit. 6. beir his awin burding? þair wyl nolder monk freir, nor preist answeir for my saule bot my self,

Because (gude redare) I haue hard this pur­pose of diuers mē, perchance of gude zele, wt lytle knawlege: I wyl answeir to ye samyn, in ye maist sobir, gentyll, and familiare maner I can, rather be instructioun (as god wyll geue me grace) nor be curtous ressoning, and on this maner. Trew­lie this saying aboue rehersit is verray trew, and meinis weill, geue it wer weil vnderstand. For it is als necessare, that ane pure christiane mā knaw all thyngis necessare for his saluatiōn, (without ye quhilkꝭ he can nocht be sauit) as thay quhilkꝭ ar in the gretast dignitieis in ye warld cōforme to the wordis of ye Apostole saying1 Cor. 14. he yt misknawis salbe misknawin:Rom. 2. and als, thair is na exception of personis with GOD. Bot ȝit the nerrest waye [Page 43]wald be knawir, according to the ordinance and prouisiōn of almy chtie GOD, to cū to ye samyn. Me think efter my iugemēt þair is nane ner, thā geue euery mā knew, quhat wer his awin burdīg quhilk presentlie to declare, swa largelie as ye ma­ter requiris, wer nocht ganand, nochteles, I sall schaw gude wyl, specialie in fauour of sic as ar of gude zele wtout knawlege. To that effect, yu mon vnderstand that thair is ane burding cōmoun to all the congregatioun, qubilkꝭ ar ye mēbris of Ie­su Christe, hie degre, or lawe:Mat. 22. that is, to lufe thy god aboue all thing, thy nychtbur as thy self, in thir twa preceptis is contenit all ye law. Thair­fore, first thow mon knaw thame, and vnderstād thame; thairefter thow mon keipMat. 19. thame, (as god geuis the grace) & answeir for the samyn on the latter day thy self, this burding is cōmoun fore­uery man. To cum to ane sufficient vnderstand­ing, how thow salbe habyll to vnderstand ye law thow mon cōsidder, that all the memberis off the cōgregatioun ar nocht burthenit alyke. for sū is apoyntit be GOD (and that be ane ordour, as I haue alreddy declarit) to be prechearis, & techea­ris of goddis wourde to the rest of the1 Cor. 12. membris of the congregatioun, & sum to be heiraris & ȝit all ar membris of the congregatioun: of this I gaue ye exempyll of before, and ȝit wyll reporte. The Ee is ane mēber of ye body apoyntit be god, to forese all the inconuenientis that may cum to the rest. The eir is ane vther, it argumentis not, [Page 44]bot the eir is ane member of the body, albeit it do not ye office of the Ee. Swa it argumētis noch albeit sū be heiraris, sum be techearis, bot all ar membris of ane body, hauand diuers offices, for geue al the mēbris of ye body did ane office, than wer it not ane body, bot ane monsterous mēber. Conforme to thir wordis, the apostole spekis on this maner, saying, Sū ar appoyntit be God, to beEphe. 4. Apostolis, sū to be ꝓphetis, sū to be doctores.

☞ Mark the wordis of the apostole, he sayis, sū ar ordanit to be Apostolis, he sayis nocht, all, for gyf sua wer that euery mā occupyit ye place of ye Ee in ye cōgregatiōn (as I wald say) gyf euerie mā suld be ane prechear & techear, furthschawād ye way of Saluatiōn at his awī hand, it wer ane monsterous ordour in ye kirk of GOD. Perchan­ce thou wyll say, quhat & he be blynd quhilk suld furthschaw the way to vtheris? thow thynkis yu wald rather seik the way thy self, nor be led with hym that is blynd, in auenture ȝe fallMat. 15. baith in the fowsie. Wald god thou had les cause to murmur nor thou hes. nochtheles, thare is ane commoun familiar, easie way quhilk thy Lorde God hes ꝓ­uidit for the, & all mē of hie degre, or law, quhilk geue thow wyll seik, as the kirk of God hes euir techeit the, thair is na thyng necessare for thy sal­uatiōn, bot thou sal fynd in lytle beundis, quhilk is ye articles of our treuth, callit in our language, the Creid: quhairin is cōtenit all thyng necessare for ane christin mānis beleif. The secund is ye ten cōmādi­mētis, [Page 45]quhairin is ꝯtenit ye way to pleis thy lord god ꝯforme to the faith: & do thy deuore lyke ane christin mā to yi nychtbour. Thair efter ye prayer appoyntit be ye lord god, & to be said dayite to hī ­quhairin ar ꝯtenit al thing is necessare to be desy­rit of the lord god, ganand for ane christin man, baith for saule, & body. Traist weill this is ane singulare, perfect & plane way ꝯmoun tyl al chri­stin men, & hes bene ꝓuidit fra ye begynning, be our heuinlie father. It is thocht be men of godly lerning, yt the twelf articles of our beleif wer col­lectit be ye twelfMat. 10. apostlis, & albeit it be not in ye sa­myn ordour planelie ꝯtenit in scripture, ȝit it is in effect: lyke as thair ar diuers thingis mō be bele­uit, quhilkis ar agreable with goddis word, & ar not expreslie ꝯtenit in scripture, as efterwart salbe declarit. Towart ye cōmandimētis,Exo. 20 yat ar expre­slie cōtenit in scripture: & als the prayer of ye lord callit theMat. 6. Pater noster. Perchance thow wyll speir at me, geue it be necessare to beleue & vse ye Sa­cramētis, and knaw ye proffeit thou hes be þaim? We ar assurit be the Euangell, that to beleueIoha. 3. and 6. ād vse the Sacramētis is necessare: bot ȝit thou sall vnderstand that nolder the knawlege, nor ye vse of al ye Sacramētis ar alyke necessare. To ye ef­fect that thow may the mair easilie vnderstand ye proffeit that al christin man hes be ye rycht vse off the Sacramentis, thow sall mark diligentlie yis lessoun followande.

[Page 46]Albeit as sayis the Apostole, our Salueour Ie­su Christe quha is baith god and man, offeritEphe. 5. vp his precious body, as the heuinlie sacrifice, be ye quhilk the wraith, andRoma. 5. yre of his father wes paci­fyit, quhilk all man incurrit throw the offence off our forfather Adam, [...]. Cor. 15. ȝit thow mon vnderstand ye Christis deth tuke nocht away all syn, sua as mā wes nocht habyll to cōmit syn. for than hade the cōmandimētis ād law of the Lord bene geuin in vaine, than hade Hell bene ordanit be GOD in vaine, for punischemēt of sic as deis but repentā ­ce, disparit of goddis mercy [...] than mon yu knaw ye Christe wes maid medicine, & remeid for all syn, quha was baith med cinar, & medicyne hym self, and les nor this medicyne be applyit dewlie, it is not ꝓffitable for the part of hym that misteris the medicyne (as al mēdois) nochtheles,1. Ioh. 2. ye medicyne in the self is necessare proffitable, sufficiēt, & me­kle mair nor sufficient, for to be remeid aganis al the synnis in the warlde.

Perchance thir wordis aboue rehersit wyl appeir strange, and obscure sum part to mē vnlearnit. Thairfor we wyll schaw gude wyll to mak thame mair plane, and familiare, in this maner. Thair is na dout, bot Iesu Christ our salueour wes ma­id sacrifice,2. Cor. 5. and deit for all men, as sais the Apo­stole, not allanerlie for faithful mē bot als for In fideles.1. Tim. 2 sua yt he quha wes wt oute syn, wes maid remeid for all syn: this the falt wes nocht in hym bot all men wer sauit, and ȝit his deith is nocht proffitabyll to the Infideles, & that for twa cau­sis. [Page 47]The first, that thay geue na traiste to ye me­dicinar: The secund, yat thay applie nocht ye me­dicyne according to the wyll of the medicinare. And als thair is mony christin men that applyis the Medicyne, and abusis the samyn, swa that it is na mair proffitabyll to thame nor to the In­fideles, Now mon thow vnderstand, yt it is not sufficient to beleue in the medicinare: bot yu mon als applye the medicyne conforme to the wyl and mynd of ye medicinare: and als do yat lyis in ye, that the medicyne may be proffitably conforme to his wyll, as I wald saye, it is not sufficient to be­leue that Christ hes deit for ws, and be his deth al syn is tane away, bot his deith mō be apply it tyll all mē ꝯforme to his ordinance, and wyll, & euery mā thairefter mō adres him self (as he hes grace) in sic ane maner as the fruct, & proffeit of Christis deith salbe renewit, & incres to his lastand weill.

Ȝit mon thow vnderstand the waye, and menis quharehby Christ hes appoyntit his deith to be applyit, & renewit in al christin mā, quhilk is special lie be his blyssit Sacramētis: as be exemple,Ioha. 3. we ar assurit be the Euangell, that thair sall na man be sauit without Baptime, nochtheles yat Christ hes deit for al mē or thay wer baptizate: Because Baptime is ane of ye principale Sacramentis, and is the our, and interes to the reste, quhairbye Christis deith is aplyit: This wyll we conclude (conforme to goddis worde and all verytie) that les nor Christis deith be applyit according to his [Page 48]wyll be his blyssit Sacramentis, and thairefter leue conforme to goddis cōmant iment (as al mē hes grace) his deith is unproffi table to christin mē as to Infideles. ¶ Now wyll & cum to ye purpose. We may persaue of the lessoun aboue rehersit that the vse of the Sacramētis is veray necessare: sen þai ar necessare, it is als necessare, yt we vnderstand ye gret fruct, and proffeit that we haue be yame (as thay maye be vnderstande) for trewly thay ar ye grete & secretis, & misteriis in all ye scripture. Than, sen thay ar the gretest secre­tis in all the scripture, and als ar necessare to be knawin, quhat is the nerrest way yt Christ (quha institute ye sacramētis, & of quhais deith onelye thay haue all effect) hes apoyntit the ꝯgregatiōn (quhilk is his mēbris) to cum to the rycht knaw­lege, & vnderstanding of thame? Wyl thow say, yat because thay ar necessare for all mēnis salua­tion, al mē sall reid, & cōfer ye scripturis & be that menis cearse out the knawlege of thir ꝓfund mi­steriis, & that to be euery mānis burding? Now trewlie that wer ane intollerable burding for ony ane mā in al ye warld, or euir wes in it, vther nor Christ, quha is baith God & man: besides that, it sulde mak ane monsterous hermony, and euyl sounde amangis the mēbris of Iesu Christe: for than suld thare in diuers partis of ye warld stert vp mē pregnant of ingyne & euery man say, that he had ye rycht vndestanding of ye Sacramētis, [Page 49]& eye rycht, all partiis allegeand scripturis (as the only iuge) cōfirmand ye samyn be Doctores, & antiquiters. Dois nocht ye experience teche vs yis presentlie? is not Luther, & his disciple Eco­lampadius direct ꝯtrar in opinioun towart ye in­terpretatiōn of ye blyssit sacramēt of ye alter? as efterwart salbe declarit. Attour this wer alluter­lie by the mynd of our salueoure. For ane of the causis quhairfore yat ye sacramētis wer ordanit, is, that nocht allanerlie we sall haue the fruct off his passioun renewit in vs be thame; bot als yat yat salbe effectuus signis, & takynnis, to knawe thame quhilkis ar of Christis kirk: this sulde e­uery man of gret ingyne get certane to his opini­oun, vsyng & interpretand the Sacramētis as he thocht gude, saying, and assurand hym, and his cumpanye to be Christis kirk: and diuers vthe­ris walde do siclyke, reknande thame selfis of na les knawlege, nor spirite. Sua miserablie suld Christis kirk be deuidit,Mat. 24. the simple ignorant peple alluterlie be confoundit: as the experience daylie techeis ws.

¶ Than mon we (on force) be assurit that ye gude Lord hes ꝓuidit ane better way for hiskirk (sua deiriy bocht) nor to be euery priuate mānis burdig to reid ye scripturis, & be ye mene to cū to ye knawlege of all the secretis of goddis worde ne­cessare for ane christin mannis Saluatioun.

¶ I dar baldlie say, ꝯforme to ye hale scripture, haith ald testament, & new and als accordyng to [Page 50]the experience of ye tyme, euir sen the tyme of the Apostolis to thir dayis, to gidder wt all gude res­sōn, & authoritie, thair is nathing mair sure, nor that the nerrest, and onelie waye to establische ye ꝯscience of christin mē (in all materis doutsū ꝯcer­nyng our faith, specialie to cum to the knawlege of all the secretis of goddis worde necessare for ane christiane mānis saluatiōn) is to haue refuge to the kirk of GOD, quhilk trewly is representis be the generale counsalis dewlie conuenit: swa yt ye way is maid patent alreddye be ye kirk of god, accordyng to his godlie ordināce, and prouision, how all men salbe habyll to beir thair awin bur­ding be ye grace of GOD, to the plesour of our he­uinlie father creator, & redemptor (that wyll not contempnandlie refuse the samyn) as efterwart (God wylling) abundātlie salbe declarit, togid­der with sufficient answeir to all doutis mouit is the contrar.

THE NYNT CHAPITRE.

NOVV wyll we rehers the cōmoun sayingis, thaireff schortlie declare. For trewlie, albeit the saying is be barbour, and commoun, ye rycht vnderstanding of the samyn seruis mekle for mē vnlearnit, lyke as the wrang ledis mony in thir dayis in gret errouris. Quhy sulde nocht eue­ryie man reid ye scripturis to cearse oute his aw­in Saluatioun? Mon nocht euery man beir his awin burdyng? For vnderstandynge off [Page 51]this purpose, we wyll schortlie collect of oure say­ingis aboue rehersit, All christin mē hauand ane generale vnderstanding of the articles of our fa­ith, (cōforme to the vnderstanding yat ye kirk hes techeit ws) the ten commādimētis, the prayer off the Lord callit the Pater noster; It suffices to tha­me, to quhame it dois not appertene of thair offi­ce, nor vocatioun, to occupy the place of the pre­chairis, or techearis in the cōgregatiōn. As to ye Sacramētis, & all vther secretis of ye scripture stand to ye iugemēt of thy pasture wtout curious ressonyng, or cersyng of ye secretis of godis word, quha beris thy burding in all materis doutsū a­bone thy knawlege cōforme to ye saying of ye A­postole:Heb. 13. Obey vnto ȝour superiouris & be subiect vnto thaim, for þai wache for ȝow, as þai quhilkꝭ fall geue ane coumpt for ȝour saulis. And in cais thay be necligent, ressaue doctryne of the kirk as the tyme techeis ws. Be this way, (quhilk is cō ­forme to godis word, & al veritie) it salbe asie to all men, quhat place, or estait in the cōgregatiōn that euir he occupy, to beir his awin burding.

¶ Releiff of all materis doutsum is to be hade be the kirk to all priuat pasturis, & thay agane to be the releif of the rest of the membris of the con­gregatioun. Perchance, thow wyl speir at me gyf it be expedienf for mē (to quhame it appertenis to be heraris in the cūgregatioun) to reid the scrip­ture? Trewlie the opinioun of learnit mē in this questioun is verray different, notheles, because ye [Page 52]kirk as ȝit hes nocht diffynit thairupon, mē may speik frelie, sua it be to ane mesure, & ressoun. As to my opinioun, trewlie I think it expedient to al sic as wyl reid the scripture tēperatlie, as I wald say in sic ane man̄ as may mak thaim ye mair ha­byil to beir thair awin burding, quhilk is to leue cōforme to the law, and wyll of the Lorde. As be exempyll, geue thow be inclynit to the vnressona­ble desyre of ye flesche, yu sal reid ye scripture, & al ye places quhairinto god hes declarit his wraith aganis voiuptuns mē thow sall mark: and mak thy wyfe, thy barnis, thy houshald to knawe the samyn, that thay may flee the yre of the Lord. As is the historie of kyng Dauid quhare he cōmittit adultrie2. Re. 11. wt Barsabe Vryis wyfe. And als thow sall mark the scueir sentence of the Apostole, say­ing,1 Cor. 6. Adulteraris, & fornicatouris sal not be pos­sessouris of the kyngdome of heuin. Geue thow be inclynit to creueitie? mark the historie of Abi­melech,Iud. 9. quha for his gret creualtie maid ane mis­cheuous end. Als thow sai mark ye terrible word of the Apost [...]le, saying,Iaco. 2. iugemēt salbe to hym but mercy, Quhilk hes nocht bene mercyfull. Geue yu be temptit with dispare, call to remembrance the gudnes of almychtie god towart ye marieLac. 7. Mag­dalene, quha wes ane gret synnare: Peter, quha thryseMat. 26. denyit his Lord. And als Dauid, quha ekit2. Pe. 11. creultie tyll adultrie. Nochtheles, thaye all gat the fauoure of GOD, be mercye, & repētance. Walde GOD thair wer als mony cōtrefatit thair [Page 53]cepentance as dois thair vice: quha all three we­pit rycht sair for thair offences. Schortlie, thare is na kynde of vice, bot thow wyll fynde exempyl in scripturis geuand the occasiōn to beir thy bur­ding, and lufe, ād feir thy Lorde GOD. Reding the scripture efter this maner, trewlie, it is com­mendabyll, and Godlie. Bot geue thow redis ye scripture (as mony dois in yir dayis) to se quhat places thow can thraw againis ye godlie doctryne of the kirk, vnder the pretence of goddis worde, seikand ane libertie to thy awin flesche, or ellis to be thocht singulare in thy awin opiniōn, steirand vp contineuall stryfe, and debait in ye congrega­tioun, aganis ye ressauit faith & doctryne quhilk ye kirk of god hes euir techeit ws fra aige to aige, fra tyme to tyme, fra ȝeir to ȝeir, eōforme to god­dis word: Treulie, I dar baldlie say, better yow had neuir sene the scripture. For conclusioun, a­bufe all thing lat euery priuat mā, quhat vocati­oun that euir God hes callit hym to, flee curiosi­tie in seikyng of the secretis, and misteriis off the scripture, in speciale, sic as the sacramentis, pre­destinatioun,☞ Mark, quhate is curiositie pre­destinatioun, fre wyll, and iustificatioun. I call curiositie, to ony priuat mā on lyfe to seik ane v­ther vnderstanding of thir secretis, nor the gene­cale counsalis hes all reddy the cheit ws: quha in declaratioun of materis doutsū, necessare, or ex­christin [Page 54]mānis saluatiōn, assurifiie hes nruse re­tit. Thus, refusand our awin iugement, and all vther priuat mānis (how godlie, or weill leatnit that euir thay be) in al materis doutsū pertening our faith, submittyng our iugement to the kirk; It salbe asie for euery mā, learnit & lawit, to beir his awin burding be ye grace of GOD, in sick ane man̄, as yu sal cleirlie ꝑsaue ye wordis of our salue­our facile to be vnderstād, saying: My ȝok is swe­it, and my burding is lycht. Be the cōtrar wyll y• thynk, that it is thy burdinge to cearse cute the secretis of goddis word be thy labouriꝭ, or ye sup­porte of ony noumer of priuat mē, be ꝯferrence of scripturis, specialie sic as GOD, hes nocht callit to that vocatioun: I belcue it salbe haid to ꝑsaue the ȝok of the lorde to be plesand, asie, & lycht, (as it is in deid) ād als, difficile, or rather impossible tyl euery mā to beir his awin burding, be yt meinis and way. Besydis this, all christin mē suld be cō ­foundit be diuersitie of opinioun, as I schew the of before. Tharefor, I dar baldlie say, luke al ye ordour quhilk euir wes tane amangis christin mē sen ye tyme of ye apostlis to thir dayis, to be satifiit assuritlie in all materis doutsū ꝯcernyng ye faith specialie to knaw the secretis of the sacramentis: wes b [...] ye gn̄rale cōsalis. Trew it is, to cōfer scripturis wt scripturis, and als to mark the iugemēt of the ancient doctouris of yt kirk (as thay quha cōuenit in generale counsalis euir ordourlie, and trewlie did) it helpis mekle for the vnderstāding [Page 55]of goddis worde, bot that is nocht sufficient. For quhy, I beleue thair is not ane doctor quhilk euir wes in the kirk (as thair hes bene mony ba­ith godlie, & weil learnit) quhilk had greter kna­wlege of the scripture, nor had the Apostlis: & ȝit thay differrit the sentence, and iugement to ye ty­me thay cōuenit in ane generale counsale, as scri­pture planelie techeis vs. This ar we assurit yt it is nocht euery priuat mānis burdyng to cearse the secretis of the scripture, & als constraynit fer­melie to beleue the generale counsalis dewlie cō ­uenit, to represent the vniuersale kirk off GOD, quhairby all the rest of the membris of the cōgre­gatioun salbe satifeit and pacifeit in cōscience in all secretis of ye scripture necessare to be knawin for ane christiane mānis saluatioun, and al vther doutis cōcernyng faith and religioun: vtherwa­yis, to oppin ane plane port tyl al errouris quhil­kis euir hes bene sen ye incarnatiōn of Iesu christ, & euery mā to tak quhat opiniōn he plesis, leuād in perpetual debait, & cōtrauersie for the faith.

THE TENT CHAPITRE.

TO Geue the redare ferther perswasion off this cōclusiōn aboue rehersit, be ye quhi­lk is maid manifest the secund part of ye argumēt, quhilk wes. Gyf the gene­rale Counsalis representis the vniuersale kirk of god or not? Now wyll we answeir to the thrid part of ye argumēt, quhare questioun is, gyf þair [Page 56]lyfe wes godlie quhilkis cōuenit in gn̄ral ꝯsalis, as wer the lyues of ye apostlis or not? Trewly wil we ꝯsidder all the gn̄rall ꝯsalis, quhilkis hes bene fra ye first to ye last, we sal euir fynd, yt thay wer ye maist godlie, & best learnit mē in ye warld for y• ty­me. It is not vnknawin to me, how ye sum obiec­tis to this, murmuryng vniustlie, that thair de­liberationis, & interpretationis of scripturis de­claris the cōtrar. To the quhilk god wylling we sall answeir in the awin place. Nochtheles, for cō ­sidderation of this present purpose albeit yt thays quha cōuenit in generale cōsalis had bene dicius (as þai wer not) it argumētis not yt þair vice did dirogatioun to thair authoritie, because ye almy­chtie GOD wirkis not wt man in authoritie in re­spect of his persoun, quhilk beris authoritie, bot rather to declare his awin infinite power, & gud­nes in respect of the cōgregatioun cōmittit to mā in authoritie.Ioha. 11. As be exempyl, we reid yt Cayphas, (quha wes als wick it ane minister as hes bene in the kirk of GOD sen his tyme, or of before) spak trew prophefie: and (as ye text sayis) not of him self, bot because he wes cheif preist of that ȝeir.

☞ Mark gude redare, how wōnderfullie GOD, wirkis wt authoritie in maner foresaid. The text sayis planelie that he spak ꝓphesie (quhilk is the gyft of GOD) nocht of hym self,1 Cor. 12 as the scripture wald say, nocht in respect of ony gudnes that wes in hym, bot because he wes cheif preist of yat ȝeir, as the scripture wald saye,Ioha. 11. in respect of his au­thoritie quhilk he had of god: quhareby it may [Page 57]be persauit how wounderfullie god wirkis ofty­mes be ane wickit istrumēt being in authoritie, as may stand to the weill of ye cōgregatioun cōmittit to his cure, & to the gret magnificence, prayse, and glore off hym quha is omnipotent.

¶ Als it is wryttin of the thre wyse mē yat come fra ye orient, say and,Math. 2. quha it is he quhilk is borne kyng of Iowis? off the quhilk Herod quha wes kyng being afrayit, and al the Cietie of Hieiusa­lem wt hym, cōuenit ye pricipalis of the preistis, & sperit at thame, quhare Christ suld be borne? that āswerit, & said, ī Bethleem Iude. ☞ Mark gude redare, how that this infidele prince Herod paste be ane ordour, & cōuenit the principalis of ye pre­stis to cearse, & knaw, quhare Christ sulde be bo­rne, & thay beand cōuenit, how GOD wrocht with thame in authoritie sua yat thay trewlie interpre­tit ye scripture of God, & answerit Herod accordīg to the scripturis: Nocht wt standing yt the intenti­oun of him quhilk sperit ye questiōn wes vngod­lie (as the proces of the Euangell planelie decla­ris) & thay mekle mair vngodlie quhilkis wer in authoritie quhame at he sperit his questioun and doute. Lorde God, ar thay not mekle mair igno­rant, and imperfect, nor wes this wickit Prince, quhilkis wylfullie cōtempnis to speir, and ressa­ue the knawlege of goddis wourd at the ministe­ris of the new law, conforme to the doctryne of ye kirk, bot wt gret misordour, & imperfection, seik­is ye knawlege of goddis wourd at men cumand but Authoritie,Ioha. 10. nocht knawande quharefra [Page 58]thay cū, nor be quhat ordour. To geue ye sufficr­ent ꝑsuasioun, that vice dois not dirogat to au­thoritic, thow sall cōsidder the wordis of our sai­ueour spekand to his Apostlis ō this maner: ȝow twelf haue I chosin,Ioha. 6. & ane of ȝow is ane deuyll.

☞ Mark gude redare, y• Iudas wes ane apostole, & ane deuyll, as the scripture wald say, nocht wt standing that the deuyll possessit ye hart of Iudas to betrais his Lorde, & maister, ȝit the authoritie, and office remanit wt hym, sua yt nane wes chosin to be in his place quhil he wes deid, as thou may persaue be the actisAct. 1. of the Apostlis. I beleue thair is na man wyll thynk, that euir þair wes ane minister in the kirk of God sen the tyme of ye apostlis, quhais vicious lyfe did dirogatiōn to his authoritie, mair nor Iudas. Als I trow suirlie thair is na christiane mā wyll thynk that ȳ ministeris in the new law, quha cōuenit in gene­rale counsalis wes sua vicius, or ignorant, (that thaye wernocht havyll to do that thynge quhilk ryndit to thair office) as wes Cayphas, and the principales of the preistis, quha cōuenit at ye de­syre of Herod the wickit kyng. Than may it iust­lie be persuadit, and inferrit be sic testimonyes of scripturis, as ar aboue rehersit, that albeit ye mi­nisteris of the new law, quha cōuenit in generale counsalis, hade bene vicious, (as thay wer not) ȝit thair lyfe did na dirogatioun to thair authori­tie, bot thay mycht do in all sortis quhilk ryndit [Page 59]to thair office, specialic to discerne yerycht vnder standing of goddis worde, fra the wrang, to the rest of ye mēbris of ye cōgregatiōn cōmittit to þair cure, takand vertew, power, & authoritie of almy­chtie god, & not of thann selfis. As be exemple, quha doutis bot ane wickit minister, mai minister ye sacramētis, hauand als gret effect to the ressa­uar, as he wer neuir sua godlie? Because the sa­cramētis takis not effect of ye minister, bot of god. Suadeclaratioun off materis doutsū cōcerning the faith (quhilk we haue euir had of ye generale cōnsalis) takis not effect onelie of the ministeris of the new lawe, nor ȝit authoritie, bot of God: & that, specialie in respect of ye cōgregation cōmittit to thair cure, and to declare the power of hym, quha is heid tyll all authoritie that cumis be ane ordour, as efterwart mair largelie salbe declarit.

¶ To perswade this purpose tyl all mē of natu­rall iugemēt but learnyng, gyf sua wer, that vice did hynder, and dirogatioun tyl authoritie: þair sulde neuir mā be assurit of ony thing done be mā in authoritie. For quhy, quha can be sure gyf ony man in authoritie is but syn or not?Eccle. 9. 1. Cor. 4 Geue yu wald haue respect to hym quha is author tyl al autho­ritie (quhilk is almychtie God ꝯforme to the sa­ying of ȳ & postole, spek and on this maner, al po wer is of god) and nocht to man quhilk beris au­thoritie, yu sal think it na thyng strainge, albeit a wick it minister do yat thig quhilk ryndis to his office, as may stand to the weil of ȳ ꝯgregatiōn [Page 60]cōmittit tyll his cure. For quhy, albeit man be ye iustrumēt, GOD is the principall wyrkar, and it quhilk is done be man in authoritie, takis nocht effect of mā onelie, bot of God principalie2. Cor. 3. ⟨v. 5⟩ wirk-and be mā. Thairfore sayis the apostole,Rom. 13. ⟨v. 2⟩ he that resystis to the hiear power, he resystis vnto God, and wirk is ye thing quhilk is his awin damyna­tioun. Treuth it is, to do that thing quhilk ap­tenis to his awin singulare weill, it may be, yt he quha is in authoritie want the grace of god to ye tyme that he knaw his offence, and cum to repen tance: as, albeit Cayphas had the spreit of GOD to speik prophesie, quhilk wes to the veritie, and weill of the cōgregatioun cōmittit tyll his cure: Nochtheles, he had not the gyft of the haly gaist to do that thyng quhilk ryndit to his awin salua­tioun, because of his induritnes but repentance, refusand the grace of God wylfullie, quhilk wes reddye to hym, and all man.

¶ For conclutioun, to geue the superfluus per­suasioun, that vice dois nocht hynder, nor diro­gatioun tyll authoritie: chow sall mark the wor­dis of our Salueour spekyng on this maner, In theMat. 23. Chyir of Moyses sittis Scribes, and Phari­seis, quhatsumeuir thyng thay bid ȝow do, do it, bot do nocht as thay do: Because thay bid do, & dois nocht. Off this text it may weill be persauit, that god wyll obedience tyl man in authoritie (in doyng yat thyng quhilk ryndis tyl his office) al­beit his lyfe wer neuir sua vicius.

THE ALEVINT CHAPITRE.

❧ IT IS not vnknawin to me y• barbour, & cōmōn sayingis of mē vnlearnit, spek­and on this maner, Quhat and ye hie­ar poweris comand ws ye thing quhilk may not stand with ye worde of GOD? we aucht ratherActu. 5. obey God nor man. for cōsideratioun off thir sayngis, the Authoritie that we principallic speik of, for this present purpose, is, of ye autho­ritie of the generall counsalis, quha assuritlic hes euir declarit all materis doutsū ꝯcernyng ye faith trewlie ꝯforme to go dis word: as efterwart mair cleitlie save persauit. And as to materis plane, I beleif surelie, thair wes neuir authoritie quhilk come be ane ordour (beand christin men) yt ꝯmā ­dit ony thing ꝯtrare the commande of GOD. And geue thay had sua done, thay wet na wayis to be obeyit: As be exempyll, gyf ony man in authori­tie walde cōmand the thyng quhilk wer expresse aganis the ten cōmande mētis, or ony artycle off our beleue, we aucht & suld na wayis obey þaim: because it wer agais god manifestlie knawin tyl all christin mē. Bot as to materis doutsū hauing apperance for baith the partis, quhilkꝭ ar aboue thy knawlege, thow aucht to ressaue the ingeniēt of the kirk without questioun, or ressonyng, spe­cialie anent the sacramentis, and all vther mi­steryis necessare to be knawin for ane Christin mannis Saluatioun.

Eeue thow wyll say, [Page 62]quhat and ye generale ꝯsalis hatre gettin ws ane other declaratiōn of ȳ sarramētis nor may stand wt the word of GOD? ☞ Mark (gude redare) the proude ignorance, and gret arrogance of yis saying, for quhy, may it not iustlie be inferrit, yt he quhilk fyndis falt wt it that is done be the ge­nerale cōnsalis, reknis hym self of gretar knaw­lege, and to haue gretar gyft of the haly gaist ta­kand gretare authoritie on hym self nor the hale kirk of God? quhilk is repugnant to the word of god expreslie, & tyll al ordour. For wyl thow luke the scripture all throw thow sall neuir fyud, yat euir it wes lesum to the rest of ye mēbris of ye cō ­gregatioun, to fynd falt, or argoun in the cōtrar of that thyng quhilk was done be the speciale mē ­ber of ye cōgregatioun appoyntit be God to in­terpreit or decerne vpon materis doutsum cōcer­nyng the law. Thairfore, it wes expreflie cōman­dit vnder the pane of deith,Deu 17. that the chosin peple of God sulde ressaue ye vnderstanding of ye law (quhēsūeuir questioun rais for the samyn) con­forme to the iugemēt of the preistis of the Trybe of Leui & hym quhilk wes cheif preist, wtout resso nyng in the cōtrar. Treuth it is, the preistis of ye trybe of Leui, and als the ministeris of the newe law, quha hes cōuenit in generale counsalis, wer bounde tyll Interpreit the Scripture confor­me to the worde of God, quhilk thay euir did as­suritlie, nocht of thame self, bot of god quhaeuir wirk is wt authorite, as said is. And alwayis god [Page 63]iuge to ye hiear poweris (in doiyng y• thing yt tyn­dis to thair office) and na priuate noumer of mē, how godlie, or weill lernit y• euir thay be, & ye subiectis mō euir stād at it quhilk is done be ye hiear poweris (beyng christin mē cūand to authoritie be ane ordour) aye, & quhill, the samyn be redu­cit be sufficient ordour, speciallie in sic thyngis as ar aboue thair knawlegs, because in the menety­me ye hiear poweris beris thair burding, & it is [...]a way is the burding of ye subiectis to cearse out ye secretis of goddis word,Heb 1.17. bot to tak instructiōn of sic as god hes apoyntit abōe þaim, as I schew ye of before. Geue thow, or ony priuat noumer of mē wyll say yt ȝe haue the plane scripture for ȝow? thay quha cōuenit in generale cōnsalis wyll saye (& yat trewlie) yt ye scripture is mekle mair plane for yame. And als thay haue authoritie of god to decerne on materis doutsum cōcernyng the law, quhilk na priuat noumer of mē hes, as ye experi­ence hes euir techeit ws cōforme to goddis word. Attour, quhat sais yu in yt part, bot yt al mē quhilk e [...] hes bene geuī tyl errour said afore ye? For wyl yu cōsi [...]der al ye gn̄rale ꝯsalis quhilkꝭ euir hes be­ne fra ye first to the last, yu sall euir fynd sū sediti­us mē yt wes excellentlie learnit, beand of ye ꝯtrar opinioun, quhilk said thay had ye plane scripture for thame, takand ye scripture euir to be thair iu­ge, & that ye ꝯsalts errit. Be thir meanis yu sall bryng & renew alye errourꝭ yt euir hes bene cōdempnit sen the time of ye Apost lis to thir dayis in disputatiō, & ꝯstrane new or­dout [Page 64]to be tane of the samyn, quhilk wer euirlast­yng confusioun to be in the kirk of GOD.

¶ Tharefore wyll we conclude cōforme to ye wordis of ye Euangell, sen thay quha cōuenis in generale counsalis occupyis ye place, and Chyir of Moyses be office, and authoritie, specialite to declare the rycht ordour in ministratioun of ye sa cramētis and to discerne the rycht vnderstanding of goddis worde fra ye wrang, for quietnes of ye cōgregatioun cōmittit to thair cure, it is ye dewi­tie of all the rest of the mēbris to obey that thyng quhilk mē in authoritie cōmandis, as plesis god to steir vp thair hartis to geue declaratiōn on materis doutsum cōcernyng ye vnderstanding of ye law, to the quhilkꝭ god is the onelie iuge. And is nocht lesum to the subiectis, vnder ye pretence of the auancemēt of goddis worde, allegeand ye seripture to be iuge, to serk ane libertie to thair lustis and heresyis, makand plane rebellioun tyll au­thoritie. For I dar baldlye say, luke the scriptu­ris althrow, thow sall neuirfynd, that it hes bene lesū to ye subiectis to fynd falt, or correct it quhilk wes done be the hiear poweris cūand tyll autho­ritie be ane ordour, specially in doyng that thing quhilk ryndit to thair office. Now sall thow cō ­sidder, how impropitlie, and falslie, mē geuin tyll opinioun in thir day is, thrawis ye scripture con­trar the godlie menyng of the samyn, agams the kirk.Actu. 5. As be exempyll. It is wryttin in ye actis of the Apostoles in this maner,

[Page 65]¶ We aucht tyll obey God rather than man. Thow sall marke (gude redare) quha spak thit wordis first. Secundlie, to quhame þai wer spo­kin. Thridlie, for quhat cause. And it, salve easy tyl ꝑsaue, geue thay be ꝓpirlie allegit, or nocht. The first quhilk said thir wordis wes ye cheif A­postole Peter with the rest of the Apostlis. Thap­wer spokin to the hie preist, & the rest of his cum­panye. The cause, wes that the hie preiste wt the rest, cōmandit that in na way the Apostolis sulde teche in the name of Iesu Christ. Thus sall thou cōsyder, that thay quha gaue ye cōmand, beleuit nocht in Iesus Christ, nor his Euāgell, nor hade authoritie to cōmand the Apostolis at that tyme. Atrour, it quhilk thay cōmandit, wes expresse a­g nus the Euangell manifestlie knawin to the a­poitolis. Tharefore iustlic, & ꝓpirlie said the A­postoics,Acts. [...] God suld be rather obey it than mā. Be the contrar, thay quha cōuems in generale coun­salis, cōfessis the Euangell to be the trew word of God, and ar christiane men hauand authoritie of Iesu Christ, quha isEphe. 1. Coloss 1. heid to his kirk. And als, al­the scripturis quhilkis euir thay haue declarit, or­exponit, hes diuers vtheris places of scripturis geuand thaim iuste occasiōn conforme to goddis worde tyll interpreit the secretis of the samyn, as thay haue done. Ouharfore it may weill be ꝑsa­uit, how im ꝓpirlie, falstie, & vngodlie, me geuī tyl opiniō i thir dayis, applyis, & thrawis ȳ scripture ꝯtrar ȳ kirk of god, quhilk wes propirlie allegit, [Page 66]and applyit be ye Apostolis contrar ye Iowis. Wald God mē vnlearnit ꝑsauit, how wyckit mē in thir dayis apply is mony diuers places of scrip turis, as yu may cleirlye ꝑsaue be this scripture a­bone rehersit, geuand thaim occasioun of alkynd of wickitnes, specialie of dissobediēce to thair hte­ar poweris. Off all ye vices yt euir thou sall reid punischeit be God, thou sall fynd twa in speciale. Ane is, the dissobedience of the subiectis, the v­ther, ye necligence of þaim quha ar in authoritie, quhilk is do is not thair dett, & dewtie to þair sub­iectis ꝯforme to thair vocatiōn: Throw ye quhilk thay ar punissit diuers maner of wayis. Ane n speciale is that oftymes because ye hiear poweris and magistratis dissimulis ouir mekle wt ye fal­tis of the subiectis,1. Reg. 4 & als geuis yame nocht suffi­cient instructioun, first to knaw thair det, & dew­tie to almychtie god, thairefter to þair magistra­tis: god ꝑmittis & sufferis ye subiectis to rebell, & be dissobedient to the lawis & cōmand imētis off of the hiear poweris, takand the place of authori­tie mysordourlie on thame selfis, quhilk is ane of ye creuell punischemētis yt may cū to all quhilkis ar in authoritie. The exempyll is sua familiar in diuers partis of the warld, yt we mister not to tak paine, nor be curius in seikyng of ye samyn. And because ye subiectis seikis not reformatioun of ye magistratis, ꝯforme to ye wyl, & mynd of ye lord, quhilk wer efter my iugemēt, to cal vpō god ve ꝯtineuall prayer, be ressōn þai ar not certane bot [Page 67]wickitnes desitis sic vnworthy heidis to regne a­bone thaim) almychtie God wyl prouide sic rew­laris as wyl bryng thame to ye knawlege of god,Tob. 34 and thame self (perchance) fer by thare appetyte,Osee. 13 albeit it may be to thare gret weill at lenth. Off this we haue diuers exemplis in scripture, ane in speciale wyll we call to rememberance, quhare al­mychtie God tuke creuell vengeance, & punische­mēt for vsurpatiōn of authoritie & dissobedience. We reid of three men, ane wes callit Chore,Num. 10 the vther Dathan, & the thrid Abyron, and for thair dsurpyng of authoritie and dissobedièce to Moy­ses, and Aaron, (beyng cheif rewlaris to ye cho­sin peple of God) the erth oppiunit, and thay wer swellytt, body and saule perperualie to the hell,

¶ Thairfore as all gude christiane men wald auoide ye euerlasting wraith of almychtie God, obey ye hiear poweris in all thyng done be thaim, quhilk is done be ane ordour, cōforme to thair vs catiōn.Roma. 15 [...] And lat na subiectis mak partie be ꝑswa­sioun of priuat men cūand but authoritie: quhilk wes neuir vnpunischeit be almychtie God, speci­alie to mel ī curius ressoning of materis obscure, concernyng ye faith: sick as the kirk alreddy hes tane ordour in to, quhilk is the onelie iuge: and to be iugeit be na man in erth, bot be god allaner­lie,Hist. ceel Lib. 10. capi. 30 as said ye godly imperour Constātine, ꝯforme to goddis worde and all reasoun. For geue that thyng be brocht in disputatiōn, quhilk is done be the hiear poweris cōforme to thair vocatioun, at [Page 68]the desyre of pryuate men: than sall the warld le­ue in ꝑpetuale debait and contrauersie.

THE TVELFT CHAPITRE

Seu we haue had iust occasiōn (confor­me to goddis word and all ressoun) in ye chapitre aboue rehersit, na wa­yis to haue dout of yt thyng, quhilk hes bene do­ne be the kirk, in respect of thare lyfe, quha cōue­nit in general cōsalis. Now wyl we cū to ye ferde part of ye argumēt, quhare question is: gyf thair lawis & cōstitutionis ar cōforme to goddis worde or not? For vnderstanding of the samyn yu sal cō ­sidder, that thair is twa extremiteis now ryngād in the warld. Sum men ar sua fer geuin tyl suꝑ­stitiōn, that geue ony mā speik ane worde aganis thair indurit custum, ȝe perchance albeit it be ly­tle or na thyng aggreable with the worde of god, bot croppin in the kirk be ane abuse rather thā be ane ordour, fra hand thay sall estime that mā ane heretike. Be the cōtrar thare is sum sua rasche of iugemēt, that nocht allanerlie thay wyll cry oute on abuse & superstiōn, bot misordourlie wyll thay condempnne al maner of thyng that euir hes be­ne vsit or appoyntit be ye kirk fra ye begynning. Betuix thir twa extremiteis geue it plesit GOD that the myddis sulde cum furth: apperandlie it wer ane gret ease, and ane gret occasioun of qui­etnes [Page 69]to the hale Congregatioun. To cum to the myddis (efter my sobir iugement) ye nerrest way wer to esteme first the commande and lawe of the Lorde (quhilk hes procedit of God allanerlie) a­bufe all thing. The secundr, to regarde the cōsti­tutionis of the kirk, as constitutionis of men.

Bot nocht allanerlie as constitutioms of men, bot as constitutionis procedyng of GOD mediat­lie (as I wald say be the wirkyng of God be mā in authoritie) quhilkis aucht and suld be obeyit, nocht allanerlie (as sayis ye Apostole)Rom. 13. for feare of man, bot als for feare of God: nocht in compair of the worde of God, bot to be regardit as the cō ­mandimētis of the trew ministeris, & organis off almychtie God sterit vp be the spirite of God, dif­ponād euery gude christin mā to be ye mair able to keip ye law of God. Heir wyl we schortlie answere to the iniuste murmur of diuers men spek and a­ganis ye kirk on this maner, saying yt ye kirk pu­nissis mē mair creuellie for transgressiōn of thair lawe (as it wer heresie) nor for the trang ressioun of ye law of God, quhareby it may be ꝑsauit that the Kirk preferris thair law to the law of GOD. For consideratioun of this purpose, thou sall vn­derstand, that man is nocht puniste to the rigour for trāsgression of the law of ye kirk, bot for disso bedience, & the indurit opinioun qu [...]lk he consa­uis thairester, thynk and that he dois na offence in doyng of the samyn; quhilk but dout is here­sie expres aganis the worde of God: as sayis the [Page 70]Apostole,Roma. 13. he that resystis the hiear power, he re­systis vnto God, and wirkis the thyng quhilk is his awin dampnatioun. Geue ane mā transgres the cōmand of GOD, he grantis hym self to haue done wrāg. Bot geue ony mā wald be īdurit, say­ing, it wer na syn to transgresse the law of GOD, trewly he aucht, and sulde be punissit as ane he­retike. Sua it is ye opinioun with pertinacitie, & induritnes, that makis the heresie (quhair vpon the punischement followis) and not ye nature of the deid. For, nocht all syn is heresie, bot al here­sie is syn. And to the effect that thou may perfect­lie knaw, that the kirk na wayis regardis, nor es­times thair law, in cōpair of the law of God: it is lesū in tyme of necessitie to trāsgres ye law of the kirk wtout syn, or punischemēt: quhilk wes nev ꝑmittit be the kirk towart the law of god, for ony maner of necessitie. Sum murmouris, saying, yt ye kirk offēdis, cōmandīg thair law to be kepit vnder paine of deidlie syn. Trewly albeit the kirk mak the lawe, it is GOD quha all reddy hes de­clarit the brekyng thairof, syn: nocht be nature of the deid for the maist part, (as I schew the off before) bot be ressoun of dissobedience to ye hiear poweris: Specialie in trang ressioun of sic cōsti­tutionis as geuis occasioun to mē to be the mair habyll to keip the commande of god, and is to ȳ weill of the hale cōgregatioun cōmittit to thare cure, as we reid in diuers partis of the scripture creuell punischemēt following for dissobedience, [Page 71]as I schew the of before of Chore, Dathan, and Abiron.Num 16. According to this purpose wrytis ye Apostole on this maner, Brether, stand ȝe fast, & keip the traditionis2 Thes. 2 Actu. 15. quhilkis ȝe haue learnit older be our precheing or be our Epistole. Now wyll we returne to our purpose: quhare cōnderatioun is to be had, how the law is and cōstitutionis of the kirk disponis al christin man to be the mair hable to keip the law of God, and is nocht comparit (cō forme to the godlie menyng of ye kirk) to ye worde of God. As be exempyll, we wyl compair the wo­urde of GOD to the wyne ȝarde: and the cōmande of the kirk and al vther hieare power, to yt dyik or closure of the wyne ȝard. Than sall thow vnder­stand, that the dike is not ordanif for the self, bot to the effect yat the wylde beistis tramp not doun the tender branchis of the wyne: Swa the cōman dimētis of the kirk and al vther hiear poweris ar nocht allanerlie ordanit for thame self, bot rather to geue mē occasiōn to be the mait habyl to keip the cōmand of GOD. Thus, ar thay in errour & extremitie, quha wald persuade ye ordināce of ye kirk to be tane away: For than suld goddis word be abusit, as gyff the closure of ye wyne ȝarde be castin doun, than sulde the wylde beistis distroye and deuore the tender wyne branchis. Off this ri­gorus ingemēt (mouit ꝑchance on zeleRom. 10. but knaw lege as sayis ye apostole) þair is mony in thir dayis beleuyng tyl awance ye glore of god, quhilkꝭ oppinnis ane plane port tyll all kynd of misordo­ur [Page 72]incontrar ye cōmand of God: as but dout, gyt thow wyll tak away ȳ ordinancis of the hiear po­weris, and lawis of the kirk: quhilkis ye tyme hes euir techeit ws? & nocht allanerlie the lawis, bot tak away ye ceremonyes, wt ꝓces of tyme yt peple in the warld sulde forȝet, thair wer ane God. For be the outwart ceremonyes we ar brocht to ye ma­ir perfect knawlege of god, cōforme to ye doctry­ne of all men of godlie learnyng. Treuth it is, geue mē leuit cōforme to the law of God: the law of the kirk, and all vther lawis, and ceremonyes mycht be the better sparit. As geue thare wer na wylde beistis to trampe doun the wyne ȝarde, the dyik wer the les necessare. Perchance thow wyll murmour, and say, that vnder the colour off the cōstitutionis of the kirk, thair is growin sic abu­sioun, that goddis worde is sclanderit, & abusit. Albeit yat wer trew, it is nocht cause to tak away­ane gude cōstitutioun, for ane wrang abusioun: Be ressoun mēnis maneris suld be thrawin to the law, the law sulde nocht be thrawin to mēnis ma­neris. For quhat is mair precius nor is ye law of GOD? and ȝit it is daylie brokin, and abusit. Als thow may see, that of all Heresyis quhilkis euir hes bene, for the maiste parte, men hes tane deeasioun of the Scripture. Nochtheles ye falt was not in the Scripture, bot in thare awin per­uerste mynd, and laik of gude doctryne: as in ca­is throw necligence of the gardnare thare enterit [Page 73]diuers wylde beistis in the ȝarde, and vnder thee vmbre of the dyik thay make thare Dennis, and Cauernis: and thairefter cum oute and deuore & tramp doun the tender wyne brancheis: the dyik hes nocht the wyte, bot the Gardnare quhilk wes sua necligent. This wyll thow considder all the constitutionis quhilkis euit wer maid be ye kirk, hauyng considderatioun̄ of the tyme, and the oc­casiēn quharefore thay wer maid: thow sall fynd thame aggreabyll with Goddis worde. Than sal thow euir persaue the falt principalie to be in thame to quhame it appertenis of thare vocatiō to be Instructaris of the peple, and nocht in the ordinances of the kirk.

¶ Perchance thow wyll say, that thare is sū constitutionis quhilkis wer tollerabyll and cōue­nient for the tyme, & now ye tyme hes wrocht sua­yat, thay ar improffitabyll. Trewlie I thynk that to be verray trew of sum: Nochtheles euery man quhilk persauis the falt aucht not to be ane correctare of the samyn: Bot sulde complane to yt hiear poweris, and in cais thay be necligent, de­syre of GOO to steir vp ye hartis of yame to quha­me it appertenis of thare vocatioun to be correc­taris, and nocht to euery priuate mā to thynke v­pone his zele, yt he wyll correct it (quhilk is done be ane ordour) misordourlie. For I dar baldlye say, þair sal mair īcōuementis follow ō al thing­is quhilkꝭ ar done by ane ordour, nor to thole the [Page 74]to ye tyme God ꝓuide ane remeid be ane ordour. As be exempyll in cais thair be ane part of ye dike quhilk is cōsumit, & seruis of not, ȝit euery man quhilk passis by, suld not cast dōn ye place quhilk he thynkis falteis at his plesour, bot suld (geue his zele be godlie) schaw to ye gardnar to quham it appertems to correct the falt. Thus, suld chri­stin mē seik reformatioun (& that be ane ordour) and nocht plane distructioun, and cōfusioun, as men dois in thir dayis.

THE THRETTEINT CHAPITRE.

THAIR Is sum mair rigorus and rasche of iugemēt, affirmand planelie yat þair is diuers cōstitutionis of ye kirk, quhilkꝭ may na way stand with yt worde of god, sick as is ye cōstitutioun of fastyng at certane ty­mes apoyntit: inuocatioun to be maid vnto sanc tis: mariage forbiddin to preistis. Aganis the quhilkꝭ thay thraw mony testimonyes of scriptu tis, specialie the wordis of the Apostole, spek and on this maner, In1. Tim. 4. the latter tyme sum sall fal fra the faith, forbiddyng to mary cōmanding to ab­stene fra metis quhilkis god hes creat.1. Tim. 2 Thair is bot ane mediator betuix god and man. To make the redare sufficientlie to vnderstand, how thir, & mony vtheris scripturis ar falslie, and impropir­lie allegit, and interpretit aganis the kirk: pre­sentlie, wer euir prolixt. And als þair is diuers v­theris, [Page 75]quhilkis hes habundātlie tretit thir pur­posis in ye Inglis toung: Notheles, to the effect that the redare may persaue quhate iniuris thay quhilkis fortifyis sick ertouris dois, baith to the scripture and the kirk of Gode, I wyll speir ane questiōn at thir mē, quhilkis ar sua subtile in dis­putatioun, and sua ꝓfoundlie leatnit in scriptu­ris, Doctores, and antiquiteis. The questioun is yis. Quhether gyf Hierome, Augustine, Chri­sostome, Origene, and Cypriane, wt the reste off the ancient fatheris, vnderstude yir scripturis al­legeit be thame, or nocht? I beleue thair be nane of thame wylbe sua proude, as to esteme hym self tyll haue the knawlege, & all thir ancient fathe­ris to haue bene in ignorance. Than wyl I speir, geue thir ancient fatheris vnderstude thir scrip­turis, & als thair knawlege, & zele, beyng als gret to the treu settyng furth of goddis word, & glore, as that is ar, quha cōtempnis the ordināce and doctryne of the kitk: quhat wes the cause yt thir ancient fatheris interpretit not yir scripturis, & allegeit thame not incontrar the cōstitutionis of the kirk, as the vtheris dois? wyll thay say that yir cōstitutionis ar croppin in ye kirk sen thir doc­tores dayis? the cōtrar is manifestlie knawin to all men quhilk redis thair werkis: Because thee fastyng of Lentren, and vtheris obseruit ȝit in ye kirk, ves lang afore thair dayis. And als iudca­tioun vpon Sanctis is alwayis aggreabyl with the doctryne of ye doctores. To veryfie ye samyn [...] [Page 76]sal reid ye anciēt father Ierōe (quha wes ane of ȳ maist excellēt men of learnyng, & gude lyfe yt euir wes in the kirk of god sen the tyme of ye apostlis vnto thir dayis) wryting aganis ane abhomina­ble heretyke, callit Vigilantius (quha wes ī his tyme) & vtheris diuers quhilkis did mok, & scorne all inuocatiō maid tyll sanctis, & al vtheris ordi­nāces in ye kirk, as vaine mē dois in thir dayis: quhareby yu may ꝑsaue yt albeit thir wickit opini­oms be laitlie reuewit, it is lang sen þai war first inuētit be wickit mē, & iustlie ꝯdempnit be ye god­lie fatheris: For it is sen the tyme of Hierome a­leum houndreth thretie sax ȝeris. This anciēt fa­ther in his buke agams Vigilantius makis pla­ne mētiō (ꝯfirmād ye samyn trewlie be plane tes­timoneis of scripture, & īuincible ressonis) of m­uocatioun to be maid to sanctis, affirmand thair prayer mekle mair helplyke to mē ī erth, nor ony vther mortale creaturis: quhilk he na way is did, disparit of godis m̄cy, or yt Christ wes not a suffi­ciēt mediator for hym & al mē, bot yt habōndā [...]e of prayer (specialie of iuste mē) dois gret help to all christiane men in this miserable lyfe: and þair is nane mair iuste nor thay ar, quhilkis ar alreddy with GOD. Als thow sall mark. yat this ancient father put na dout (as men of fleschelie iugemēt dois in yit dayis) bot ye blyssit spretis off thame yt ar departit, knawis perfectlie the prayer, and in­ [...]ocatioun of me in erth: as yu may haboundant­lie persaue be his werk aboue rehersit. Als for [Page 77]ferther knawlege of this purpose, yu sall reid the excellent father of godly lernyng, and gude lyfe,A [...]gu. Trace 84 Psai 88. Crby [...]ige re. Hom. 44 & in Math Ho. 5. orig. Hom. 16. in Iesu na­ue & Lib. 2. in Epis. ad Roma. C [...]p Lib. 1. Epist. 1. as C [...]rnt­liam. Augustine, wryting vpon the Euangell of sanct Iohane. & in mony vther places. Thow sal lyke­wyse reid Chrysostome, Origene, not pretermit­tyng the godlie Byschop and martyre Cypriane. Schortlie, luke all ye ancient fatheris (quha pie­sis) thair is na purpoe thay treait of, quhilk yat ar mair plane in to, (aggreand all in ane opiniō) nor inuocatioun to be maid to sanctis, fasting, ac­cordyng to the godlie ordinance of the kirk, cha­stitie to be obseruit and kepit, specialy be preistis. Geue thair be ony man (as I thynk þair be mo­ny specialie of yir vagabund prechearis cumand but authoritie) quhilkꝭ beris disdane aganis yir sayingis: lat hym try ye contrar be ye word of God propirlie allegit, conforme to the interpretation of ye ancient fatheris (quhilk thay can neuir do) and lat nocht euery mā cry out iniustlie on ye god­lie ordinances of the kirk (quhilkis euir hes be­ne obseruit sen the tyme of the apostlis to thir da­yis) at his appetite, thrawand goddis word by ye godlie menyng of the samyn, to be ye scherld, and buklare to his lustes and heresiis. Walde GOD mē vnlearnit quhilkis ar growin sua proude and curious, that thay wyll na wayis obey the kirk, wer habyll to reid the scriptures allegit be seditiꝰ [Page 78]dayis aganis the ordinances of ye kirk: & thair­efter had iugemēt to cōfer the ancient fatheris in declaratioun of ye samyn: quhareby thay mycht ꝑsaue how wounderfullie thay ar abusit.

¶ O gude Lorde quhat ignorance? quhat wyc­ketnes? quhat myscheiff? quhat abhominatiōn? quhat hereseis ar croppin & regnis now in ye har­tis of the fleschelie, ignorant, & miserabyll peple? Sua that thay quha wyl maist vylie swage þair fowle appetite be farsing of þair belleis in tymes forbiddin, proudelie dissobeying authoritie, ge­uand oppin sklander wt plane iniuryis incontrar the cōmoun weil: ar reknit to be maist godlie, best besene in scripturis, doctores & antiquiteis: Ȝe & to be the verray mynȝeons of Christ. Is he nocht estimit to be ane verray bulwerk for ye defence of godis glore, quhilk wyl pertlie say (cōtrar ye kirk of GOD, & all ye ancient fatheris of the samyn) yt it is Ydolatrie to mak inuocatioun of Sanctis? Is it nocht thocht, yt ye preist monk or fleschelye forloppin freir, followis treulie ye verray doctry­ne of S. Paule: quhilk is rynnegat fra his reli­gioun, & makis ane monsterous mariage, and it wer wt ane Non? and ȝit he wyll sweir, and saye, that all that he dois, is for the glore of God, & the libertie of ye Euāgell. ☞ O intollerabyl, blasphe­matioun, fury, & wodnes. Now ar the wordis off ye cheiff apostole2. Pet. 3. Peter cū to in effect, sayād, yar his deirly beluffit brother Paule, had wryttī mo­ny thyngis, in ye quhilkꝭ ar sū harde to be vnder­stand, [Page 79] quhilk mē vnlernit, & incōstant ꝑuertis (as vtheris scripturis) to thair awin dampnatioun. Now may ye wordis of ye Propheit ꝓpirlie be ap­plyit, saying, wa be vnto ȝow quhilk callisEsay. 5. the e­uyll gude, & the gude euyll, estimeing lycht to be myrknes, and myrknes to be lycht.

THE FOVRTENT CHAPITRE.

PERCHANCE Sum zelus mā hauynge pietie of ye pur miserabyl pepyll wyl say quhat wōnder is it, albeit ye simple peple in yir vnhappy dayis be abusit wt errourꝭ blyndit in ignorāce, drounit in vice? Is not here­sie precheit planelie but punischemēt be mē cūand but authoritie? & thay quha sulde preche ye trew worde of god, ꝯfōrme to thair vocatiōn & leuyng quhilk thay haue thairfore, ar, (as sayis ye Pro­pheit lyke dum doggis,Esay. 36. quhilkis can nocht bark) noder precheis thair selfis, nor causis precheyng sufficient to be maid to resyste errouris: ar nocht thaye quha sulde gyde the peple mair ignorante nor the simple pepyll self? & quhate can cū of yat bot as sayis our Salueour, quhē ye blynde ledis the blynd, baith fallis in the fowsie.Mat. 15. Ar thay nott oppin sclanderaris of the cōgregatioun (for thee maist part) quhilkis sulde be myrrouris of gude lyfe? ar nocht all estatisPsal, 52. derlynit fra the way, and wyll of the Lorde? Se we nocht daylie be experi­ence, gyf ane Benefice vaick, the gret men of the [Page 80]realme wyll haue it for temporale rewarde (& sua the prince is maid to be subiect to the vnressona­ble desyre, of thame quha suld be subiectis to þair prince) or ellis þai wyl steir vp seditiō, be diss be­dient contrar godis cōmand, serue as thay think gude, wt ꝑpetuale grudge, & disdane? & quhē þai haue gottin the benefice, gyf thay haue ane bro­ther, or ane sone, ȝe suppose he cā nolder sing nor say, norischeit in vice al his dayis, fra hand he sal be montit on ane Mule wt ane syde gown, & ane round bonett, & than it is questioun, quhether he or his Mule knawis best to do his office. Per chance Balaames [...]. 22 Asse knew mair nor þai baith. Quhat wounder is it (quhen sick disagysit per­sonages ar chosin to haue Christis flok ī gyding) that ye simpyll peple be wickit, (as thay ar in de­id) estimād vice to be virtew, & virtew to be vice? & nocht all anerlie sick mē ar croppin in ye kirk be meanis of sum wickit gret ꝑsonages: bot yu maye se daylie lykewyse be experience, ane bairne, and ane babe, to quhame scarcelie wald yu geue ane fa­it apill to keip, get perchance fyue thousand sau­les to gyde. And all for Auarice,1. Tim. 6. ye rute of all vi­ce, yt þair parentis may get ye proffect of ye bene­fice to thare awin singulare ꝯmoditie, & the pure simpyll bairne scarslie gett to bryng hym vp ver­tuuslie, the cōuent and place quhare GOD suld be daylie honourit and seruit, gais clene to rewyne: end ȝit thay quha ar the proeuraris disponaris, & vpsteraris of sick monsterus farssis to be in thee [Page 81]kirk of GOD, ar ye maist principalis cryaris out, on the vices of kirk men. Geue the kirk had the auld ancient libertie (as perchance suin tyme it had) yt ane Byschop wer frelie chosin be his cha­pitre, y• abbot & prior be ye ꝯuent, & of ye ꝯuent: thā sulde be qualifeit men in all the estatis of ye kirk: than sulde all hereseis be flemit, & the peple weill techeit. This wer the way to cū ī atIoh 2, 10. the dur to be ane minister in ye kirk of god, quhilk our Salue­our spekis of: quhare now be tyrrannie, and A­uarice (for the maiste part) as it wer theuis, or brygantis we creip in at wyndois, or bak durris. And this (blyndit in Auarice) gret mē trowis to mak vp þair housis be abusioun of y• patrimony, and rentis of the kirk: quhilk but dout salbe vt­ter rewyne (albeit it be plesand for the present) to mony gret housis, besydis the gret pertel & dain­ger, on ye latter day. ☞ The day, the day, yt ter­rible day sall cum quhen the vnhappy Auaricius man sall wary the tyme that euer he had the bro­ther, or sone, to quhame he bure sic fleschelie and vngodlie fauour, as to steir hym vp to be ane gy­dare, & rewlar of Christis floke, quhilk culde not gyde hym self: The malheurius prince sall wa­rie ye tyme yat euir he wes sua mischeantlie sub­iect to ye vnressonable desyre of his subiectis: The miserable ignorāt sierit vp in authoritie sall curs y• tyme that euir he tuke on hym y• charge, quhilk wes na wayis [Page 82]cōuenient for hym: in ye menetyme the pure sim­ple peple sua deirlie bocht be ye blude, & deith off Iesu Christ our salueour miserablie perischeis, the kirk is sclanderit, God is dishonorit, all here­syis, wickitnes, and vice regnis. As to me I wyl say na thyng: bot humelie beseik the Lord God, tyl Illuminat ye hartis of ye Magistratis (speci­alie quhilkis hes the authoritie to be the vpstera­ris of faithfull ministeris in the kirk of God) to prouide sick qualifeit Pastouris as wyll do con­forme to thair vocatioun, & as may be to ye glore of God, exoneratioun of thair awin cōsciences, & thairis quha ꝓuidis thaim to haue authoritie, ād gouernment of Christis flok. And als I besei [...] y• leuyng god, yt thay quha ar all reddy ministeris in the kirk of God (specialie quha occupyis thee place of the Apostoles be office & authoritie) call to remēbrance the Seueir & rigorus sentence off the Apostole, saying,1. Cor. 9. wa be vnto me, and I pre­che not.Ezec. 34. And als the wordis of ye Propheit sayād, wa be vnto ȝow Pastores of I sraell, quhilkꝭ fe­idis ȝour seifis, & nocht my flok, Quharethrow the Pastores doyng thair dett, and deuore to the simpyll peple cōmittit to thair cure, all Hereseis, wyckitnes, and vice sulde be suppressit: the kirk vnsclanderit, and GOD honourit, to quhame be glore for euir.

¶ Beneuoleut redare, as it hes plesit God to geue ws grace, we haue answerit tyl al ye partis of ye argumēt abōe rehersit, & obiectit aganis our [Page 83]purpose. First, quhare questioun wes: gyf thay quha cōuenit dewlie in generale consalis had the spreit of god as had the Apostolis, or nocht? We schew the, that lyke as it wes necessare, yat ye kirk of GOD suld indure, and be gouernit ī faith and religioun to the glore of god, on to the end of the warld: Swa wes it necessare, that the gyft of the haly gaist suld indure, & remane wt the cheif mi­nisteris of the cōgregatioun (in doyng yat thing quhilk ryndit to þair office) to ye end of ye warld: cōforme to the wordis of our Salueour spekyng vnto his Apostolis in the personage of the rest of the ministeris of the kirk of god quhilkis wer to succeid in the apostolis place, say and,Ioh. 14. I sall pray the father, and he sall geue ȝow ane vther cōfor­ter, quhilk may byde wt ȝow for euir, the spreit of veritie. Quhare questiōn wes, gyf thay quhilkꝭ cōuenit dewlie in generall cōsalis representit the vniuersale kirk of god, or not? I schew ye diuers ressonis ꝑswadyng the samyn, cōfirmand thame be plane testimony of scripture, insafer as thay occupyit the place of ye Apostoles be office, & au­thoritie: (to quhame it appertenith as ye speciale mēber of the cōgregatioun appoyntit be God, to tak ourdour in al materis doutsū concernyng ye faith) & als thair authoritie geuin thaim of god. wes, and is als sufficient in all sortis, as wes y• authoritie of ye preistis of ye Trybe of Leui: It followis weil, quhatsumeuir thing was done be [Page 84]the saidis ministeris for ye weill, and quietnes of the cōgregatioun cōmittit to thare [...]ure, hade the samyn strenth, and effect, that it had quhilk wes done be the Apostolis, or the ministeris of ye auld law, for the quietnes of ye congregation cōmittit to thare cure. I gaue the lykewyse iuste occasion to be oute of doute of that thyng quhilk wes do­ne be thame quha cōuenit n generale counsalis, wtout respect of thare lyues: be ressōn, yat albeit thay had bene vi [...]ius (as thay wer nocht) ȝit þair vice did na dirogationn, nor hynder to thair au­thoritie. Off this I gaue the diuers ressonis cō ­firmand the samyn be plane testimonie off scrip­ture, sick as wes ofIoha. 14. Cayphas, and theMa [...]. 2. pretstis in the auld law, quhilkis cōuenit at the desyre of ye wickit kyng Herode, quha, nocht wtstanding yat thay wer als wickit ministeris, as euir wer in the kirk of God: ȝit thair vice did na hynder, nor di­rogatiōn to thair authoritie, bot thay had ye grace of god to do yt thyng, quhilk ryndit to thair office. As towart the lawis, & cōstitutionis maid be the kirk: confer thame wt the scripture (quha plesis) treulie vnderstand, conforme to the interpretatiō of ye ancient Fatheris, hauand cōsideratiō of the occasionis, & circūstances of ye tyme: I dar bal­dlie saye (cōforme to the doctryne of mē of godlie learnyng) thay salbe fundin aggreabyll wt god­dis worde, disponand euery christiane man to be the mair habyll to keip the law of God. Thus hes yu iuste occasioun conforme to the scripture of almychtie GOD, ressoun, and authoritie, to be sa­tifeit [Page 85]assuritlie in al poyntis of ye argumēt aboue rehersit: nocht doutyng bot ye gentyl redare wyl tak in fauounrꝭ, albeit we haue bene prolirt in do­yng the samyn, be ressoun, that nocht onelye we answerit formalie to the four principall heidis of the argument, bot als to diuers vtheris doutis, cōmoun sayngis, and opinionis quhair wt mē vn­learnit (for ye maist part) ar abusit in yir vnhap­py dayis, And now (conforme to our promeis) be the grace of God wyll we praceid on vtheris que­stionis mouit in the contrar of our purpose.

THE FYFTENT CHAPITRE.

HEIR Efter followis ane argumēt mouit incontrar oure purpose on yis man̄. Quhairsūeuir ye spreit of God is, thair is treuth & very­tie wtout repugnāce or ꝯtrarietie. Thair hes bene diuers generale cōsalis repugnant ane vnto ane vther, sua yt ane hes ꝯdēpnit yat, quhilk ane vther hes approuin. Tharefore it followis yt ye gn̄rale ꝯsalis hes nott had ye spreit of god, nor ar ye speciale member off ye ꝯgregatiō appoyntit be god to tas ordour ī ma­teris of debait ꝯretnīg faith. For vnderstādīg of yis purpose, yu salesidder quhen ye misteris in ye new law ꝯuenit ī gn̄ral ꝯsalis, þair wes twahedis ī special quhair of þai tretit: Ane wes to tak ordo­ure in materis concernyng religioun, ane vther to tak ordour in materis concerning faith. I cal [Page 86]materis concernyng religiōn, ceremonyes, [...]u [...] ordinances or lawis maid be the kirk, geuād chri­stin mē occasioun (as I schew the of before) to be the mair habyll to keip the law of god. I cal ma­teris cōcernyng faith, interpretatioun of ye word of GOD, specialie that is necessare to be knawin, & vsit for ane christiane mānis saluation, as ar ye sacramētis. As towart materis cōcernyng religi­oun, trewlie þair hes bene diuers generale cōnsa­lis quhilkis hes maid lawis & ceremonyes, mo­uit be the occasioun of the tyme, and cōditioun of the peple cōmittit to þair cure, quhilkis, as ye ty­me alterit, and cōditionis of the peple: sua wes it thocht expedient be the kirk toA [...]. 15. alter sum lawis & ceremonyis, quhilk argumētis na imperfection of ye generale cōnsalis. For quhy, almychtie god (quha is and euir wes patron of all perfectioun) maid diuers lawis, & ceremonyis, as his godlye wysedome ād prouidence thocht expedient to his chosin peple for the tyme, quhilkis eferwart wer alterit,Actu. 15. cheangit, & ceissit as the occatioun seruit, as thow may cleirlie persane baith in ye auld te­stamēt, & new. Swa thow may ꝑsaue yt it argu­mētis na imperfectioun, the alteratiōn of Lawis according to the diuersitie of tyme, and condition of ye peple. As towart materis ꝯcernīg faith, luke all the generall counsalis fra the first to ye last, yt sall neuir fynd yat euir ane hes exponit ane resti­monye of scripture necessare to be knawin for ane christiane mānis saluatiōn, quhilk ane vther hes [Page 87]exponit cōtrariustie: or ȝit diffinit ony thyng con­cernyng faith, quhilk hes bene cōdempnit, correctit, or repreuit be ane vther. Treuth it is, þair wes ane cōuentiōn of heretikis, quha cōuenit aganis the godlie counsale Nicene, to defend the errour of Arrius, quhilk wes neuir estemit worthie thee name of ane generale cōnsale, because it wes not dewlie cōuenit. For quhy, Liberius wt the rest off the godlie Byschoppis (to quhame in speciale it appertenit to tak ordour in all materis cōcerning the faith) planelie ganestude this wickit cōuen­tioun, quhilk wes haldin at Armmiū.Fccl hist Lib 10. Cap 1.21. And als thair wes mony of ye byschoppis quhilkis wer ꝯuenit in yis wickit cōuentiōn, quha retreatit þair awin deliberatioun, quhilk wes neuir done be ye generale cōsalis dewlie cōuenit. Thare hes bene diuers vtheris cōuentionis of heretikis (quhilkꝭ heir to rehers wer ouer ꝓlixt) & hes euir bene cō ­dempnit be the godlie generale cōsalis. Attouir thair wes ane consale haldin in Aphric, quhare­into Cypriane wt certane godlie byschoppis con­uenit,Hist. ece. Lib. 7. Cap 1.2. quhais opinioun for that p̄sent tyme wes, that thay quha wer Baptizat be heretikis suld be baptizat agane. Notheles, þair wes ane generall consale quhilk correctit the samyn, because bap­time takis not effect of the minister, bot of god al lanerlie. This consale hald in in Aphrir, wes bot ane ꝓuinciale cōsale,Libr 2. Cen. 10. D [...]a [...]ist. quhais deliberatioun euer in materis cōcernyng faith (as sayis the ancient father Augustine) is to be referrit to ye generale [Page 88]cōsalis. Ils yu sall vnderstand, yt the question tre­tit in this prouinciale ꝯsale wes not towart ye in­terpretation of scripture: For quhy, the scripture makis na mētioun, quhether gyf þai quhilkis ar baptizate be heretikis, ar to be baptizat agane or not? Bot wes ane questiō of opiniōn, quhairinto mē in authoritie may speik frelie (specialie hauād apperāce as þai had, mouit on godlie zele aganis heretykis) ay & quhill the generale ꝯsale had ta­ne ordour thairintyll. Thairfore this argument, & all vther siclyke makis na dirogation to the ge­nerale ꝯsalis: quha affuritlie in al materis perte­nyng faith, neuir errit nor variit.

¶ Be the contrar, wyll yu cōsidder the iugemēt & doctryne of all sic factius & curius men, as dis­danis to resaue of ye kirk, the trew vnderstandig of the misteriis of goddis word ꝯforme to ye doc­tryne of the samyn, & thow sall easilie ꝑsaue, that not allanerlie ar thay repugnant, variant, & incō stant in materis cōcernyng religioun: Bot lyke­wyse in materis cōcernyng faith. The exemplis ar familiar tyll all mē quhilkis plesis to reid and ꝯfer thair werkis. The first in thir dayis quhilk sterit vp seditioun, refusand ye iugemēt of ye kirk in materis cōcernyng faith & religioun, wes ane callit Martine Luther: quha wes ane Augustine freir, & lāg tyme þairefter maid an mōsterus ma­riage wt ane Non. Ane vther wes callit Iohane Oecolāpaudius Almayne borne: quha wes lyke­wyse ane rynnigat monk fra his religioun. Thir twa ꝑrellus patronis of irregulare religiō ar als [Page 89]ꝯtrarius slkane to vther in declaration of diuers misteryis of the scriptures necessare to be knawin for al christiane mēnis saluatiō, as lycht to wyrk­nes. Amangis mony diuers exemplis, ane in spe­ciale wyl we cal to remēbrance: Luther declaring ye wordis of our salueour ī ye latter supꝑ, sayād,In captiui tare Babi­lonica. This is my body, exponis yaun to be said of ye verray naturale body of our salueour & na wayis to be spokin be ane similitude: & in yt, he is ꝯforme to ye doctryne of ye kirk, & al the ancient fatheris of the samyn: Albeit vtherwayis he is alluterlie re­pugnant thairto. Oecolampaudius be the plane ꝯtrar exponis yir wordis of our salueur to be spo­kin be ane similitude, & figure: quhairby he ma­kis lytle, or na difference betuix this blyssit sacra­mēt & sacrifice, and ye sacramētis, and sacrifice of the Iowis. Zuynglius, Melanchtone, Bucere, Bullinger, quha wer men in thir dayis quhilkis wer cheif steraris vp of sedition aganis the kirk (reid thair werkis quha plesis) yu sall fynd thaim euir ꝯtrarius amāgis thaim selfis, in materis cō ­cernyng baith faith & religion. To verifie ye sa­myn yu sal reid ane tractiue set furth be Melanch­ton, quha wrytis of the supper of the Lorde incō ­trar ye Anabaptistis: quhare he dois afferme pla­nelie ye reale presens of the blude & body of oure Salueour ī ye blyssit sacramēt of ye alter.Trac̄t. de cena domi ni. contrae Anabapti. And als ꝯdempnis ye opinion of al sick as dois affirme ye wordis of our salueour, sayād This is my body, to be spokin be a metaphore, sunilitude, or figute. [Page 90]Forther he sais planelie in ye sam tractiue, yt it is gret fuillhardines, to set furth ony vther doctry­ne cōcernyng ye vnderstandig of yis ꝓfōnd miste­rie, nor sic as hes bene approuin be ye kirk, of ald, affirmand that it wes euir the doctryne of ye kirk the Reale presens of the precius bodye and blude of our Salueour to be in ye Sacramēt of the al­ter. And to appreue the samyn he callis to remē ­brance ye ancient fatheris of ye kirk, sic as Cyrill, Cypriane, Chrysostome, Theophilact, & vtheris diuers. To ye quhilk opinioun of Melanchton: Zuynglius, Bucere, Bullinger, ar alluterlie con­trarius. Luther efter lange disputatioun quhilk wes betuix hym and Oecolampadius, & lykwyse Bucere for ye vnderstāding of yis misterie, wrait diuers iniurius Epistolis incōtrar Bucere (quha wes ane Apostat a blak freir) and al quhilkis fa­uourit his opiniō affirmād þaim al to be heretikꝭ. Thay wrait agane affirmād Luther & al quhilkꝭ fauourit his opiniōn to beheretikis: as thow sall cleiclie ꝑsaue in ane Epistle quhilk Luther wrait to ane call it Iohane Haruagius. Thairefter Bucere recantit his opiniōn and come to the opi­niōn of Luther. Attour, nocht onely ar thay va­riand in declaratioun of the blyssit Sacramētis: bot lykewyse thay differ in ye noumer of thame: Suin sayand, thair is bot twa, as did Luther, Sūyair is thre, as dois Melanchton ī his buke callit his ꝯmoun places. Swa yt thair is na certi­tude amangis thame, nolder to wart the noumer [Page 91]of ye sacramētis, vse, nor effect, nor ȝit in ye vnd̄ ­stādig & declaratiō of yame, specialie of yis maist excellēt sacramēt of ye alter, quhilk is ā [...] of y• maist effectuus sacramētis, quhareby Iesu Christ our salueour hes appoyntit ye fruct of his passioun & deith, to be aplyit and rene [...]t in all christin mē. Lykewyse thay ar differēt in diners vtheris mi­seryis of ye scripture. Luther in his wickit werk quhilk he maid aganis fre wyi, is als repugnant to Melanchton in his cōmoun places, and in his werk callit De Anima, spekād of fre wyl:In disput. Lipsica. as blak toquhyte. Luther affirmand purgatory, is repug­nād to al ye rest. Attour, thir seditious men aboue rehersit, quha vendicatis þaim selfis so haue gre­ter knawlege nor Christis hale kirk, not onclie ar þai repugnāt ane vnto ane vthe: rbot alsua it wer ane mōsterus fars to cōsidder, how cōtrarius þai ar planelie euerlikane to him self. Hes not Oeco­lampadius (quhais opinioun men in thir dayis praysis sua hichlie) alterit thryse? First he wes of the opinion of the kirk towart the vnderstanding of the misterie of ye sacramēt of the altar, sua lāg as he remanit in religioun: Thairefter he wes of ye opinion of Luther: Last of all, he wes of ye opinion of Beringarius: quha recantit his erro­ur, & wes ye first sterar vp of ye samī. How mony hundreth places Luther is cōtrarius to him self, luke ye werk of Bunderius, callit Detcerio nu­garum lutheri, & Malleum Iohanis fabri, and [Page 92]thow sall easilie persaue. Last of all stert vp ane callit Iohane Caluyne, ane frenche man borne, quha not allanerlie is cōtrarius to ye kirk of god, and all the ancient fatheris of the samyn: bot als he is repugnant in materis ꝯcernyng baith faith & religioun, tyl al ye rest of thir factius mē aboue rehersit, īuentyng ane new factioun of his awin, quharethrow he wald be thocht singulare, (as he is in deid) for thair hes bene bot fewe wor (in all kynd of wickit opiniō) in ye hale warld. And to ye effect that the redare sall nocht thynk that this is said of dispyte to geue fals ꝑsuasioun, thow sall reid ane werk of Caluynnis quhilk he callis his lytle buke of the supper of the Lorde:Libel. de ce na domini. quhare he rehersis ye gret cōtrauersie quhilk wes ane lang­tyme betuir Luther, Oecolāpadius, Zuyngliꝰ, and Bucere for the vnderstanding of ye sacramēt of the altare: & thow sal ꝑsaue yat he sayis plane­lie, yat Luther exponis this misterie of the sacra­mēt falsue, ad yat Oecolampadius, Zuynglius, & Bucere, recheit nocht the hale treuth, & veritie, towart the rycht vnderstanding of this sacramēt. Thairefter he geuis his awin iugemēt, quhilk is ꝯtrarius to al ye rest: affirmyng ye samyn but al­der scripture or doctor. And thairfore, is deir of ye rehersing, because it wes euir misknawin to the kirk of god, and all the ancient fatheris of the sa­myn. Maruell nocht (beneuolent redare) off yis gret variance of opinioun quhilk is and euir hes bene amāgis thir seditius men in thir dayis: [Page 93]for this hes bene euir ane famisliar falt to al here­tykis, quhilkis refusit the iugemēt of the kirk in declaratioun of the misteryis of goddis word, as we reid of diuers sectis amangis ye Arrianis, A­nabaptistes,Hist. eccl. Capi. 25. Libro. 10.& Manacheis, ane, cōtrarius to ane vther. And not wtstanding of this gret variance of opinioun quhilk euit hes bene amangis al he­retykis in all aegis, ȝeris, & tymes: Ȝit thair is ane graceles grace quhilk followis þaim al, quh­ilk is, yat thay aggre vniuersalie in ane opinion, to cry out wt oppin chaftes on ye halie ꝯsalis, cum as y• Iowis cryit al wt ane voce to crucifie Christ.Mat. 27 Ioha. 19. And that, nocht wtout cause (as I schew the off before) for gyf the declaratioun of goddis word, wer ressauit cōforme to the interpretatioun of the generale cōsalis, (as thay aucht & sulde be of res­soun) than sall na priuate factius mānis opiniō nor vaine glore, (quha wald be thocht singulare īhis awī opiniō) haue place. And notheles that the fructe of thair doctryne declaris sufficietlie ye gret imperfectioun of thair beleue and opinioun, ȝit pairtlie but schame wyll thay allege, that the trew faith and kirk is wt thame onelie. Be the cō trar, all men of godlie learnyng hes euir cōstant­lie affirmit, that the ancient fatheris (quha cōue­nit dewlie in generale cōsalis) had euir the trew faith, cōforme to the doctryne of the Apostlis dis­cending fra tyme to tyme, representand the vni­uersale kirk of God and congregatioun.

❧ And als thaye did big firmelye on that sure [Page 94]roke & fundament, that Iesu Christ our salueour is the sone of God, secunde persone in diuinitie, redemar of the warld. Now wyl I appele ye cōsei­ence of the ineffectionat & godlie redare diligent­lie to ꝯsidder: quhilk of thir twa biggis maist tre­wlye, and maiste Godlie coforme to Goddis wor­de on this fundament? quhair neuir twa of thir seditius mē agreis togidder, nor ȝit ane of þaim wt hym self: nocht ouelie in materis ꝯcerunyng re­ligioun, bot als in materis cōcernyng faith? or yt ancient fatheris (beyng dewlie conuenit in gene­rale cōsalis) quha neuir variit, nor wer repuguāt nolder ī matis ꝯcerning faith, nor religioun? Geue thair be ony mā offendir wt thir saying is? lat hym mark ye text or place of scripture necessa­re to be knawi for ane christiane mānis saluatw̄, quhairsu neuir ane generale cōsale dewlie cōue­nand is repugnant ane vnto ane vther ī declara­tion of the samyn, quhilk I am sure he sall neuir fynd, specialie in declaration of ye misteriis of ye blyssit Sacramentis.

THE SEXTENT CHAPITRE.

NOVV wyll I speir ane questiō at ony vaine mā in yir dayis, quha­ilk refusis ye doctryne and iuge­ment pof the kirk in declaratioun of the misteriis of the Scriptu­re, and is led with euerye wynd, fallin precheair, and doctryne [Page 95]quhair iugemēt wyll he follow? wyll thow fol­low Luther? Oecolāpadius wyl sweir and saye, that thow art clene out of the way: For quhy, his doctry he is alluterlie repugnant to the doctryne of Luther in declaratioun of diuers places of the Scripture necessare to be knawin for ane christi­ane mannis saluatioun, as I schew the off befo­re. Wyll thow follow Oecolāpadius? Me­lanchton wyll say, thow art led with the spreit off crrour: For quhy,In Lib. de cenae. Domini conra A­nabaptist. luke Melanchton (quha ple­lis) in his werk abōe rehersit, & als in his werke callit his commoun places, and thow sall persaue hym fer different fra ye opinion of Oecolampa­dins, Zuynglius, & Bucere, in declaration of ye Sacrament of the altar, & mony vther purposis cōcernyng baith faith and religroun.Melanch. In Locis Theo. Ba­sil. anno. 1546. Impress. Wyll thow follow Melanchton? Caluyne wyll say thow art not fast in the farth: Because thay differ towarte ye vnderstanding of faith & workis, ather partiis allegeand scripture assuritilie for thanim. Wyll yu follow Caluyne? al ye rest wyll sweir and say, yat thou art ane cōdempait heretyke: For quhy, he is contrarius to all the rest, in materis concernyng baith faith and religion, as I schew ye of before. Thus, geue thow wylbe ane heretyke, as I wald say, geue thow wyll māteyne wt pertinacitic, and induritues, and [...] opinion incontrar goddis worde and the kir [...], quhame wyll thow follow? Wyll thow follow the scripture onelie? thow art nocht abyll tyll explore and scik out the profunde knawlege of ye misteriis of ye samyn, be thy awils [Page 96]priuate laubouris. Thairfore vaine man recant for schame, recant as thow luiffis the saluatioun of thy awin saule, and returne to the godlie doc­tryne of the kirk, to quhame it appertenis onelye (and that be the ꝓuisioun of almy chtie God) to tak ordour in declaratioun of all the misteriis off goddis worde necessare to be knawin for thy sal­uatioun, and all christiane mānis: cōforme to the sayng of S.Libro. 2. contra do­matist. ca. primo. Augustine, affirmand ye authoritie of ye generale counsales, to be preferrit to ye iu­gemēt of ony ane perticulare Byschope, or ye cō ­sale of ony ane particulare regioun or countre. Thairfore leue the iugemēt of thir inconstant, se­ditius priuate men and all vtheris quhilkis fa­uouris þair factiōn, quha ar to be rekuit (as said the apostolie) in the noumer of thame that passie fra ws,1. Ioh. 2. bot thay wer nocht of ws, insafer as thay ar deuidit fra the kirk of God in materis concer­nyng baith faith and religiōn. It may be sperit, quhat wes the cause that thirseditius men aboue rehersit, wer sua cōtrarius amangisyame selfis, and fell in sua gret erroutꝭ in declaraioun of the misieryis of the scripture: For cōsidderatioun of this purpose, thow sall tak exemple be ye Sone, quhilk furthschawis the way tyll all thyng ī erth: Nochtheles, gyf thow wyl luke cōtincuallte in ye Sone, and not vse it moderatlie, and temporat­lie as God and nature hes appoyntit: but doute it sall mak the blynd, Swa curius men (quha ꝓ­udelie thynkis thay wyll explore the knawlege of [Page 97]the scripture be yare awin priuate laubouris, and wyll nocht accordyng to the ordinance and prour­sioun of God, moderatlie and temperatlie reid ye scriptures, ressauyng ye vnderstanding of ye mis­teryis of the samyn) as the kirk hes euir techeit thame) fallis in gret errourꝭ and ar maid blynd in thair faith. Thairfore said the excellent clerke Erasme. In al materis difficile and obscure per­tenand ye faith he wald refuse his awin iugemēt,Epist. ad inferiores germanie. ecclisiast. and all vther priuat mannis (how godlie or weill learnit that euir he wer) and submit hym self to ye iugemēt of the kirk. Attour, the godlie docte­res approuin be ye kirk, red ye sam scriptures quh­ilkis thir seditius men red, and ȝit thay tuke con­trarius iugementis of the samyn, as thow maye persaue towart ye vnderstanding of ye wordis of the Apostole, saying, thair sall cum in the latter dayis quhilkis sall forbide Mariaige,1. Tim. 4 and to abstayne fra meatis quhilkis God hes creat: þair is nane of ye doctores (luke al thair workis quha pleiis) takis occasioun of this passe of scripture, or ony vther, to contempne ye ordinances of thee kirk, & now diuers mē quhilkis redis the samyn scripture, contempnis planelie ye ordinances off the kirk, and fyndis efter thair rugemēt that this text a [...]ne rehersit, and mony vtheris, ar expresse ananis the ordinances of the kirk, Quhat is the sause of this? bot that thay reid nocht the scrip­iure hauand siclyke godlie mynd [Page 98]and intentioun as had the ancient fatheris, quha euir red the scripture, to geue thame occasion to suppres the desyris of the flesche: and now men in thir dayis redis the scripture (as ye experience daylie techeis ws) to se quhat places thay maye thraw to thair awin appetit, by the godlye mein­nyng of the samyng, makand this text of the A­postole, and diuers vtheris, schetld and buklare to thair lustis & heresiis. As be exempyll, thow se­is be experience yt the Soune wyll melt the waix, and hardin the clay. This cumis nocht of the di­uersitie of the nature of the Sonne, bot of the di­uersitie of the nature of tha thyngis quhairupon the Sone schynis. Swa this diuersitie of opini­oun proceadis of the diuers intentionis off men quhilk is redis ye scripture, and nocht of the scri­pturis self. Thairfore we may be assurit, quhasū ­euir redis the scripture older to seik ye libertie of his flesche, or ȝit his awin glore (contempnande the ingement of the kirk towart the vnderstand­yng of ye samyn) he sal haue sick proffeit be it (al­beit he wer of neuir swa gret learnyng) as hade the deuyll,Mat. 4. quha familiarlie spak and ressonit wt our Salueoure, and ȝit the proffeit or knawlege quhilk he had be ye samyn wes lytle or na thing, bot passit away with confussioun, frustrat of his pretence.

THE SEVINTENT CHAPITRE.

NOVV Schortlie wyll we answeir to the rest of the obiectionis, & argumētis mouit in ye ꝯtrar of our purpose, sick as we haue older red or harde. Sum murmuris, saying, that the kirk is baith partie & iuge. Trewlie it appertenis to the kirk of GOD to be partie tyll all wickit & vngod­lie doctryne, specialie, quhilk rysis for the vnder­standing of ye scripture, & to discerne quhilk is ye rycht vnderstanding of ye samyn, as we haue pla­ne in scripture yt ye apostlis wes iugis to discerne, gyf Circūcisioun wes necessare wt Baptime:Act. 1 [...]. and als thay wer partie tyl al quhilkis did affirme cir cūcisioun to be necessare. Thairfore said ye apo­stole S. Paule: gyfGala, 5. ȝe be circūcidit Christe aua­lis ȝow nocht. Attour, we ar certifut yt the godlie Byschope Athanasius, in speciale ganestude the wick it heresie of Arrius,Hist. cee. Lib. 10. capi. 14. wt diuers vtheris god­lie fatheris: & ȝit he & the rest wer iuges quha de­cernit on the samyn. Sua it makis na dirogatiō to ye authoritie of the kirk, yt the faithful ministe­ris of ye samyn be partie tyll all vngodlie doctry­ne: and als iuge thairupon, be ye quhilk ye veri­tie may be maid patent to the hale ꝯgregation.

¶ Sum wyll obiect (and be ye menis seik ane colour to defende the gret variance off opinioun quhilk is amangis seditius mē in thir dayis) sa­ying, yt thair wes diuersitie in opinioun amangis ye ald doctores approuī be ye kirk, & als amangis sum scolastick mē laitlie sen the doctores tyme. [Page 100]This argumēt seruis of nocht, for twa ressonis. First ye doctores gaif thair iugemēt in the begin­nyng afore yt misteriis of ye scripture wer maid pa tēt be ye kirk:Epist. ad eccle. ar­gentor. Thairfor (as sais Erasme) þair imꝑ­fectioun wes to be borne wt all, & als quharesum­euir thay varie, it is of materis (for ye maist part) of opiniō, quhilkis ar not exp̄slie ꝯtenit in ye scrip­ture, bot as hes plesit god wt the tyme to steir vp his kirk to tak ordour thairinto, sua yt all questi­oun, debait, & schysme may be pacifyit in ye cōgte gatiō. Bot be the cōtrar, mē geuin tyll opinion in thir dayis, varyis for ye vnderstanding of ye scri­pturis necessare to be vnderstād for all christiane mēnis saluation: specialie in sick purposis as the kirk alreddy hes tane sufficient ordour in to, con­tempnand alluterlie the iugemēt of the kirk, pre­ferrand þair awin priuate iugemētꝭ to ye samyn, quhilk was neuir done be ye ancient fatheris, nor nane vthetis scolastick wrytaris eft ye deliberatiō of the kirk. Quharcfor the similitude, & argumēt in defence of thair euriositie & variāce, seruis off nocht, as the diligent redare may persaue. Sum thair is geuin tyll opinioun, & thay wyl admit ye iugemēt & deliberatioun of part of the generale counsalis, and vther part thay wyll all uterlie cry out on: as Melanchton, Bucere, Bullinger. Sū tyme thay clame to the authoritie of the kirk, off the quhilk schortlie thow sall haue exempyll. Sū tyme þai ꝯtempne ye authoritie of ye kirk. For cō ­syderation of this purpose ye redare sal ꝯsidder, yt [Page 101]all sick cōsalis as hes condempnit ony heresyis, quhilkis thir factius men ar not wylling to man­tayne: all sick thay wyll admit, & authorize.

All cōnsalis quhilkꝭ hes ꝯdempnit sick wickit he­resyis as thay ar wylling to renew & fortifie (al­beit thay wer neuir sua godlie) alwayis wyll þai cōtempne. Nocht wtstanding yt ye authoritie of al ye generale consalis (dewlie ꝯuenit) is alyke, spe cialie to take ordour in materis cōcernyng faith & religioun, for the quietnes of the cōgregatioun cōmittit to thair cure. Quha doutis bot Artius, Macedonius, Nestorius, & Eutices cōtempnit ye first four generale cōsalis, quhairin þair heresyis wer repellit, & iustlie cōdempnit, allegeād diuers pretendit seripturis, ressonis, and authoriteis for thame: lyke as mē in thir dayis iniustlie cōtemp­nis ye deliberatioun of diuers godlie gn̄rale cō ­salis quhilkis hes ꝓeedit incontrar ye wickit he­resyis quhilkis thay ar wylling to renew & forty­fie. Thus do thay detract & repell ye authoritie of the kirk (to quhame it appertenis to discerne the trew vnderstandyng of ye scripture fra ye wrāg) as thay do repell ye scripturis self. Dois not Lu­ther repel S. Iamesepistole, & als ye Apocalipse of S. Iohane, because þair is diuers testimoniis of scripture ꝯtenit in thame, direct cōtrar to his o­pinioun? And inlykewayis, sumtyme thay repell ye doctryne of the ancient fatheris, callit the doc­tores of the kirk. Sumtyme thay ꝑsuert, & thraw ye sayingis of ye doctores, ꝑsuadyng to mē vnler­mt, yt þair doctryne [Page 102]and the doctores doctryne ar alwayis agreabyll, of the quhilk I wyll mak ye redare quhilk is vn­lernit to knaw ane m̄ueloꝰ dissaitful craft,☞ mark aue secre­it of here­tykis. quhilk is na lytle secreit amāgis heretikis. It is famili­ar to the ancient fatheris of the kirk, quhēsūeuir thay wryte aganis ony heresie quhilk wes in þair tyme, to ressoun for baith ye partis: thairefter þai cōclude trewlie ꝯforme to the scripture, and as ye kirk hes approuin: That part of the argument māteanit be heretikis of lāg tyme bypast, quhilk factius mē ar wylling to renew in thir dayis, (for þair is few hereseis now in yir dayis bot thay ha­ue bene ꝯdempnit of auld) fra hande apply thay to foriifie þair purpose: & yus mē vnlernit, ꝑsua­dit that part of the argumēt quhilk seruis for the opinioun of heretikis to be the propir sayingis of the Doctores, (not wtstanding yt it is bot the opi­nioun of heretikis rehersit be the doctores) nocht knawād yt maner for quhat purpose tha saying is wer rehersit be the doctores, nor ȝit the ꝯtrar part of the argumēt nor ꝯclusioun, miserablie ar dis­sauit, beleuand yt r [...]hers to be maid be the docto­res, as affirmyng that opinioun: and tha simple mē ar nocht hable to ꝯfer the doctores, to se geue yt be trew or not. Attour yu sall vnderstand, yt the ancient fatheris makād mētioun of diuers miste­ryis of ye scripture, sumtymes spak wt swa gret reuerēce & feare, yt it is not easie to ꝑsaue þair iu­gemētꝭ towart ye vnderstāding of ye samyn. Sū ­tyme thay declare þair mynd mair planelie. The [Page 103]cause of yis wes, (efter ye iugemēt of learnit mē) that the fatheris wald not diffyne on the profund misteryis of the scripture, vnto ye tyme the gene­rale cōsalis hade tane ordour thairinto. And als, thair ar diuers misteryis quhilkis wer neuir bro­cht in dout in tha doctores dayis: lyk as the mis­terye of the blyssit Sacramēt of ye altare, quhilk wes first brocht in disputatioun be ane, callit Be­ringarius,Anno do­mini. 1051. quhilk wes sax hundreth ȝeir and mair after ye tyme of Hierome, Ambrose, & Augustyne, and mony of the rest of ye ancient fatheris. Now sall thow vnderstand, that all sick places quhair­into ye doctores spak not planelie: thay places ap­plyis the heretykis for thair awin purpose, & swa affirmes the doctores to be for thame all the way. All sick places quhairinto the doctores mair pla­nelie declaris thair mynd, thay dissimule, & wyn­kis at thame. And be thir meanis di [...]aitfullie mē geuin tyll opinioun dissauis y• simpyl peple, quha is not hable to explore, & espy yis þair wyckit cra­ft & slycht. Ane exemple wyl I geue ye in speciall: S. Augustine (quha is ane of the maist excellēt fatheris of the kirk) sumtyme spekand of ye Sa­cramēt of the altare, makis mētioun onelie of the spirituale māducatioun. Sumtyme planelye he makis mentioun baith of spirituale & reale māducatioun of the samyn: quhairinto is ye verray na­turale blude, & body of our salueour, to ye quhilk, ꝓpirlie adoratioun is to be geuin,Psal. 98. specialie wryt­yng on the psalmes, and diuers vtheris places. [Page 104]All sic places quhairinto Augustine spekis of the spirituale māducation onelie, diligentlie do thay marke, & ꝑuerstlie apply for thair awin purpose: All sic places quhairīto he plainly spekis baith of spirituale & reale māducation, mē geuin tyll opi­nion in thir dayis clenelie dois outrluke: and be thir meanis abuse thai mē vnlearnit, quha ar no­cht hable to seik ye fundamēt, ꝑsuading falslie ād dissaitfullie Augustine, & the rest of the fatheris to be for thair wickit opinioun.

¶ Lorde God (gude redare) is not this ane m̄uellus dissaitfull craft, quhilk al ye warld may se to be fals? For gyf the doctores sayngis (speci­alie in declaration of ye sacramentis quhilkis ar sua necessare to the hale ꝯgregation) had bene cō trarius to the doctryne of the kirk, how fortunat it, yat Hierome, Augustine, & Ambrose, wer euir reknit to be the maist excellent doctores approuī be the kirk, aggreand with the doctryne of ye sa­myn, speciallie in declaration of the blyssit sacra­mēt of the altare? Wer all the fatheris quhilkis cōuenit in gn̄rale ꝯsalis sen the tyme of thir doc­tores (quhilk is aleuī hundreth ȝeris syne & mair) sua ignorāt, yt thay culde not ꝑsaue, gyf ye doctry­ne of thir doctores, & ye rest, wes aggreabyll wt ye doctrine of ye haly kirk or not? Quha is desirus to knaw ferther, how factius mē ī yir dayis thraw­is the godlie doctryne of ye doctores falslie to for­tifye thair hereseis, (speciallie incontrar the god­lye doctryne of the kirk in declaratioun of ye mi­sterye [Page 105]of the blyssit sacramēt) lat hym reid ye Bis­chope of rochestaris excellent werk īcontrar Oe­colampadius: and thair sall he aboundantlie ꝑ­saue this intollerably dissaitfulnes propirlie dis­couerit. Now may thow gude redare persaue the gudnes of almychtie God, (quha foresawe, that wickit men wald peruerit baith doctores, and scri­ptures by ye godlie meanyng of the samyn to þair awin appetit, quharethrow mē vnlearnit, quhil­kis ar nocht hable to confer the scripturis and ye doctores, ar miserablie diseeauit) quhilk hes apoyntit euir his kirk (quhilk trewlie is representit be the generale counsalis dewlie conuenit) to be ane assurit way for al mē to be satifeit in al mate­ris concernyng faith and religioun.

THE AVCHTENT CHAPITRE.

TO GEVE ye redare iuste ꝑsuasi­oun to considder, how necessare it is to lein to the iugement of ye kirk ī al materis ꝯcernyng baith faith & religioun: yu sall vnder­stand yat þair is diuers thyngis quhilk we mon beleif (geue we be faithfull christiane men) albeit thay can nocht be prouin be expresse testimonyes of Scripture, bot techeit ws euir fra tyme to tyme, sen the tyme of ye apostlis to yir dayis be ye kirk. As be exemple: Baptising of barnis as sais S. Augustine like­wyse [Page 106]Origene,Contra do natist. lib. 4. Orige. in capi. 6. ad Roma. is ane traditiōn of ye apostolis, & is not expreslie ꝯtenit ī ye scripture. I beleue gyf it had bene in ye scripture, thir ancient fatheris quha be­stowit al þair tyme in cōtineuale redyng of ye sa­myn, wald haue ꝑsauit it als sone as ony vtheris quhilk sayis ye ꝯtrar in thir dayis. Melanchton in his cōmoun places lykewyse ascriues ye samyn to the tradition of ye apostlis, & ye vse of ye kirk, & sua dois Bullinger ī his wickit werk dedicat to ye kyng of Ingland.Ad Eduar dum. 6. Reg. ang. Attour, is he to be estimate as ane christiane mā, quhilk walde deny (as did Nestorius) ye blyssit virgine Marie to be ye ma­der of God & mā?Trip. hist. Liber. 12. Cap. 4. And ȝit it can not be ꝓuin be er­pres testimony of scripture. Is he not to be [...]i­mit as ane heretike, quha walde denye the blyssit mother of Iesu Christ our salueour to be ane per petuale vgine as did Heluidius? And ȝit we half na plane scripture for it. But doute S. Hieron [...] (quha wes ane godlie doctor euir approuin be ye kirk) estimes hym ane heretike: & for that errous in speciale, of his vngodly iniuris aganis yt elect & chosin spous of ye halie gaist. Attour, is he to be estunit ane christiane man quha walde denye ane word of yir ꝓpositionis followand? The father, the sone, ye haly gaist, ar thre distinct personis in ane godhed. The sone, secund ꝑsone in diuinitie, is generate wtout begyanīg wtout endīg, equale with the father in diuine nature. The haly gaist pcedis of baith, thride ꝑsone in diuinitie, equale wt the father & ye sone: and ȝit euery thride worde [Page 107]thairof is nocht expresiie centenit in ye scripture: bot as the kirk hes techeit ws conforme to ye scri­pture. Ferther, is it not ane article of our beleue, that our Salueour passit to the hell? And ȝit it is nocht easie to be prouin be plane testimonyis off Scripturis.

¶ For conclusioun geue ony wickit mā walde deny the Euangell of sanct Iohane to be auten­tik scripture (as we reid of ane wickit heretyke, callit Marcion, quha denyit diuers of ye Euan­gellis: Manacheus refusit al ye auld testament, Luther now in our dayis repellis the Epistole of sanct Iames and ye Apocalipse of S. Iohane,) be quhat meanis wald thow ꝑsuade to the cōgre­gatiōn, sick-sedicius mē to be heretikis, and thair opinioun to be cōdampnable? Trewlie thow can nocht preue the Euangell of S. Ihone to be au­tentyke scripture be vther scripturis: For quhy, thair is na vther scripture quhilk makis mentiō of it,Hist.eccl. Libro. 3. Capi. 25. because it wes wryttin lang efter all the rest of the scriptures. Attour thair is contenit in the said Euāgell of sanct Iohane, quhilk is nocht cō tenit in the rest: Sick as towart ye deuine nature of our Salueour: The rasyng of Lazarus fra deith to lyue: and that out Saiue our thryse ester vther cōmendit his floke to S. Peter, wt vtheris diuers not able purposis. Wyll thow say, that it is godlie in the self, and thairfore sulde be reknit. as autentik scripture? thy argumēt seruis of nocht: because nocht euery godlie thyng quhilk is wryt­tin [Page 108]sulde be reknit as autentik scripture. Wyll yu say, that the spirite of God techeis the inwartlye to beleue yt the Euāgell of S. Ihone, is autentik scripture, & the trew worde of God? I wyll speir at the, gyf that be sufficient argumēt to ꝑsuade ye hale cōgregation, & cōfounde heretykis quhilkis wald say the cōtrar? This may we ꝑsaue (gude redare) how necessare it is to beleue & leyn to the iug emėt of ye kirk, in mony diuers thingis neces­sare to be beleuit, & ar nocht expreslie cōtenit ī scripture, nor hable to be collectit of scriptures. Thair for said the ancient father S. augustine,De prescr ip. Heret. that he walde nocht beleue the Euāgell except ye autho­ritie of the kirk hade mouit hym sua to do: as he wald say, he wes nocht habyll to knawe quhilk is the Euangell, bot gyf the kirk had techeit hym. Hauand cōsideration (beneuolent redare) of yis daingerus tyme, quhairinto mē ar swa ꝓcliue to fals & wickit iugemētis: heir wyll we schortlie de­clare our mynd towart ye authoritie of the scrip­ture, & the kirk, as we haue learnit of mē of god­lie doctryne & gude lyfe. Because ꝑchance sū mā wyll falslie collect of our sayingis aboue rehersit, that we auance the authoritie of ye kirk sua hich­lie, that it extenuatis & obscuris the glore of god­dis worde, and trewlie we mene na thing les. For ꝯsideration of this purpose thow sal vnderstand, that thair ar diuers opinionis heirinto. Sum mē raschelie ascryuis to ye scripture, it quhilk is not [Page 109]to be ascryuit thairto: Sick as to mak the scrip­ture iuge quhensūeuir questioun, or debait rysis for the vnderstanding of the samyn. Sum super­stitius mē ascriues that to ye kirk, quhilk is aga­nis all veritie, affirmand the scripture to tak au­thoritie of the kirk, quhilk but dout takis autho­ritie of the haly gaist onelie. Treuth it is, the kirk testifeis to the cōgregatiō & certifiis, quhilk is autentik scripture, quhilk is nocht: quhilk ar­gumētis nocht that the scripture takis authoritie of the kirk. Tharefore the scrpture is nocht trewe because the kirk hes approuin it, bot because the scripture in the self is trew, it wes and is necessa­re to ye kirk to appreue ye samyn. As be exemple, sanct Ihone Baptiste testifiit that Iesus Christe our Salueour is the Sone of God, redemare of the warld, quhilk he did be the inspiration of the haly gaist: Notheles our salueour tuke to au­thoritie of S. Ihone, bot the father of heuin onelie: Sua sall thow cōsidder, that the kirk off god geuis nocht authoritie to the scripture, bot be inspiratioun of ye haly gaist testifyis, and makis manifest to the cōgregatioun, quhilk is autentik scripture, quhilk is nocht, and sua ye kirk of god, and the scripture, ar neuir cōtrarius. Treuth it is ye kirk of God extendis to mair nor is expreslie cō tenit in scripture quhilk al christiane mē behufis to beleue, as I haue schawī y• alreddy. Perchāce thow wyll say, that the kirk hes na power forther [Page 110]nor is contenit expressie in the scripture. Because ye scriptureApoc. 22. cursis hym quhilk [...]kis or paris to ye word of God. First yu sal vnderstād, that yir wor­dis ar mankitlie allegeit & falslie applyit, becaus thair is nocht in al the scripture sick ane worde as eking and paryng to the word of God. And als yu sall vnderstand, that it is nocht eking nor paring to ye worde of God, trewlie tyll expone & interpreit the samyn, nor ȝit to mak lawis agreable with ye law of God, as the kirk dois: For we haue that ye ApostolisActu. 15. 1 Cor. 7. & n. maid lawis quhilkis wer nocht expres­lie cōmandit be God. Thairfore thow redis neuir that our Salueour forbad to belcue, or vse ony lawis bot thame quhilkis wer to be cōtenit in the Euangell, or wrytin scripture. This yu maye persaue yat the authoritie of the kirk extendis to mair nor is expreslie cōtenit in scripture, quhilk argumentis nocht repugnance: For quhy, ye kirk wes lang or euir thair wes ony wryttin scripture, bot it quhilk wes wrytin in ye hartis of godlie mē.

¶ Forther thow sall considder, that albeit the authoritie of the kirke extendis to mair nor is expreslie contenit in the scripture (because thai ar diuers thingis quhilkis we suld beleue and ar nocht contenit in scripture) nochtheles, the scrip­ture & kirk, ar baith alyke trew, equale of siren­th, power, and dignitie, gouernit euir with thee samyn spirite of God. To veufie thee samyn, [Page 111]it is manifest that the apostolis ressauit þair au­thoritie of Iesu Christe lang or euir thair wes o­ny wryttin scripture of the new testament:Ioha. 20. Mat. 15. Thare­fore ye Apostolis in the sentence quhilk thay send away with Paulus and Barnabas to the genty­les, declaryng thair determination towart circū ­cisioun sais planelie:Act. 15. It hes plesit the haly gaist and ws. Quhareby thow may persaue, that thee Apostolis had authoritie of the haly gaist onelye, and all vtheris quhilkis succedit in thair place; Nochtwithstanding that thaye wer sterit vp tyll authoritie be man. For conclusion, lyke as it appertenis to the kirk of God to discerne, quhilk is the trew and autentik scripture of God, quhilk is nocht: Sw [...] it appertenis to ye kirk to discerne, quhilk is the trew vnderstanding of ye scripture, quhilk is nocht, according to the doctryne of all men of godlie learnyng.

¶ Tharefore we neuir say in all our lytle trac­tiue, that the kirk is iuge to the scripture, bot yat the kirk is iuge to discene quhilk is ye trew scri­pture of God, and to mak manifest to the congre­gatioun ye trew vnderstandyng of the samyn, (quhensumeuir questioun or debait rysis for the trew Scripture, or vnderstandyng thair of) and swa the kirk hes and euir hade this authoritie off our Salue our and thair into is gouernit be thee inspiratioun of the halye Gaist, conforme to thee instructioun hade be the scripture, as the trew e­uident, and faithful wytnes berar of ye wyll, and [Page 112]mynd of the Lorde, & this (to my iugemēt) is ye rycht vnderstandyng of the authoritie baith of ye scripture, and of the kirk of God cōforme to god­dis worde, and all ressoun.

AS IT HES plesit God to geue ws grace. we half schawī gud wyl (beneuolēt redar) accordyng tyll our promeis & sobir knawlege, geuand iust occasion tyl euery chri­stiane mā (quhilk is of godly and temperat iuge­ment) to be satifeit assuritlie in al the poyntis cō ­tenit in the tytle of our tractiue, be ressoun þat we haue declarit (conforme to the scripture of almy­chtie God, auld testamēt & new, and als ꝯforme to the experience of the tyme euir sen the tyme of the apostolis to thir dayis, to gidder with suffici­ent ressonis and authoriteis of the maist excellent men of godlie learnyng & gude lyfe, quhilkis e­uir wer ministeris in Christis kirk and cōgrega­tioun) the nerrest and onelie way to establieshe ye conscience of all christiane mē in al materis of debait concernyng faith and religiōn. The meanis and way we schew the lykewyse, quhilk wes be­cause, that all questioun and debait (for ye maist part) quhilk is or euir hes bene mouit in the con­gregatioun for materis doutsum cōcernyng thee faith, rais, for the vnderstandyng of ye scripture, and nocht for ye scripturis self. Thairfore, neces­sare it wes to haue and knaw the iuge appoyntit be God, to discerne ye trew vnderstanding of the Scripture fra the wrang. As towart the iuge, we [Page 113]schew the (conforme to Goddis worde trewlie al­legeit & al gude ressoun) that we ar constraynit, assuritlie to beleue the generale counsalis dewlie conuenit, to represent the vniuersale congregati­oun and kirk of God, quhairby all the rest of the membris sulde be pacifeit, and satifeit in consci­ence, in all the secretis of ye scripture necessare to be knawin for ane christiane mannis saluatioun, and all vther doutis concernyng faith and religioun, as the onelie iuge prouidit be God, takand virtew, power, & authoritie of almychtie God, v­therwayis tyl oppin ane plane port, tyl al ye erro­uris quhilkis euir hes bene sen the tyme of ye A­postolis to þir dayis, and euery man to tak quhat opinioun he plesis, leuand in perpetuale contra­uersie & debait for the faith. Now sen we ar certi­fiit assuritlie, quha is ye iuge: lat all christiane mā (quhilk is in dout) haue refuge to the iuge wtout curius or forther ressonyng to be satifiit ī his do­ute: & be this meane and way (quhilk is ꝯforme to goddis worde and al ressoun) It salbe easie tyl all men to be satifiit assuritlie in all materis do­utsum concernyng the faith and religioun of all christiane men: quhilk hes bene prouidit fra thee begynning, for the gret weil, and quietnes of ye hale congregatioun, be our heuinlie Father, To quhame with the Sonne, and halye Gaist, be prayse honour, and glore, for euir, and euir.

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