"The Scriptour," said Johne Knox, "sayis, that 'be natour we are all the soneis of wraith.' Our Maister, Chryst Jesus, affirmes, 'that sik as do sin ar servandis to sin,' and that it is the onlie Son of God that settis men at freedome. Now what difference thair is betwix the sonnis of wraith, and the servandis of sin, and the slaiffis to the devill, I understand nocht, except I be taught; and gif the scharpnes of the terme offendit you, I haif nocht inventit that phrase of speich, but haif leirnit it out of Godis Scriptour; for those wordis I find spokin unto Paul, 'Behauld, I send thee to the Gentillis, to oppin thair eyes, that thay may turn from darknes to lycht, and from the power of Sathan unto God.' Mark thir wordis, my Lord, and sture nocht at the speiking of the Holie Goist. And the same Apostle wryting to his scoller Timotheus, says, 'Instruct with meiknes those that ar contrarie myndit, gif that God at onie tyme will gif thame repentence, that thay may knaw the treuth, and that thay may cum to amendment, out of the snair of the Devill, quhilk ar tackin of him at his will.' Gif your Lordschip rychtlie considder these sentences, ye sall nocht onlie find my wordis to be the wordis of the Holie Goist, but also the conditioune quhilk I use to adde, to haif the assurance of Godis Scriptouris."
"But thay spak nothing aganis kingis in especiall," said Lethingtoun, "and yit your continewall crying is, 'The Quenis Idolatrie, the Quenis Messe, will provoke Godis vengeance.'"
"In the former sentences," said the uther, "I heir nocht Kingis and Quenis excepit, but all unfaithfull ar pronunced to stand in one rank, and to be in bondage to ane tyrant, the Devill. But belyke, my Lord, ye lyttill regaird the estait whairin thay stand, when ye wald haif thame so flatterit, that the daingour thairfoir sould neither be knawin, neither yit declareit to the poore peopill."
"Quhair will ye find," said Lethingtoun, "that onie of the Propheittis did so intreat Kingis and Quenis, reuleris or magistratis?"
"In mo placeis than ane," said the uther. "Achab wes ane King, and Jesabell wes ane Quene, and yit what the Prophet Helias said to the one and to the uther, I suppois ye be nocht ignorant?"
"That wes nocht cryit out befoir the peopill," said Lethingtoun, "to mak thame odious unto thair subjectis."
"That Helias said, 'Doggis sail lyck the blude of Achab,'" said Johne Knox, "'and eat the flesche of Jesabell,' the Scriptouris assuris me; but that it wes whisperit in thair awin eir, or in ane cornar, I reid nocht. But the plane contrair appeiris to me, quhilk is, that boith the Peopill and the Court understude weill eneuch what the Propheit had promeissit;[1009] for so witnessit Jehu, efter that Godis vengeance had strickin Jesabell."
"Thay wer singular motiounis of the Spreit of God," said Lethingtoun, "and appertene nothing to this our aige."
"Then hes the Scriptour far dissavit me," said the uther; "for Sanct Paule teichis me, that 'Whatsoevir is wryttin within the Holie Scriptouris, the same is writtin for our instructioun,' And my Maister said, that 'Everie leirnit and wyise scribe bringis furth his tresour, baith thingis auld and thingis new.' And the Propheit Jeremye affirmis, that 'Everie realme and everie cytie that lykwyse offendis, as then did Jerusalem, sould lykewyse be punischit.' Why then that the factis of the ancient Propheittis, and the feirfull jugementis of God executed befoir us upoun the disobedient, appertene nocht unto this our aige, I neither see nor yit can understand. But now, to put end to this heid, my Lord, (said he,) the Propheittis of God hes nocht spairit to rebuke wickit kingis, alsweill in thair face as befoir the pepill and subjectis. Elischa[1010] feirit nocht to say to king Jehoram, 'What haif I to do with thee? Get thee to the Propheittis of thy [Father, and to the Propheittis of thy] Mother; for as the Lord of Hostis levis, in quhose sicht I stand, gif it wer nocht that I regaird the presens of Jehosaphat, the king of Juda, I wald nocht haif luikit toward thee, nor sene thee.' Plane it is, that the Propheitt wes ane subject in the kingdom of Israell, and yit how little reverence he gevis to the King, we heir. Jeremye the Propheit wes commandit to cry to the King and to the Quene, and to say, 'Behaif your selfis lawlie; execute justice and jugement; or ellis your carcageis salbe eassin to the heit of the day, and unto the froist of the nicht.' Unto Cononias, Sallum, and Zedechias, he speikis in speciall, and schawis into tham, in his publict sermoundis thair misserable endis; and thairfoir ye aucht nocht to think it strainge, my Lord, (said he,) albeit that the servandis of God mark the vice[1011] of Kingis and Quenis, evin als weill as of uther offendouris, and that because thair synnis be moir noisum to the Commounwelth, than ar the synnis of inferiour persounis."
The moist pairt of this ressounyng, Secretour Lethingtoun leanit upoun the Maister of Maxwellis breist, who said, "I am almoist werie: I wald that sum uther wald ressoun in the chief heid, quhilk is nocht tuychit."
Then the Erle of Mortoune, Chancellour, commandit Mr. George Hay to reassoun aganis Johne Knox, in the heid of Obedience dew unto Magistratis; who began so to do. Unto whom Johne Knox said, "Brother, that ye sall ressoun in my contrair I am weill content, because I know you boith ane man of leirnyng and of modestie: but that ye sall oppone your self in the treuth whairof,[1012] I suppoise, your awin conscience is no less perswaded than is mine, I can nocht weill approve; for I wald be sorie that I and ye suld be reputed to ressoun as two scolleris of Pythagoras, to schaw the quicknes of our ingyne, as it wer to ressoune on boith the pairtis. I protest heir befoir God, that whatsoevir I sustene, I do the same of conscience; yea, I dar no moir sustene ane propositioun knawin unto my self untrew, than that I dar teich false doctrine in the publict place: And thairfoir, Brother, gif conscience move you to oppone your self to that doctrine, whilk ye haif heard of my mouth in that maitter, do it bauldlie: it sall nevir offend me. But that ye sall be found to oppone[1013] your self unto me, ye being perswaidit in the same treuthe, I say yit agane, it pleisses me nocht; for thairin may be gritter inconvenient than either ye or I do considder for the present."
The said Mr. George ansuerit, "That I wald oppone my self unto you as willing to impugn or confute that heid of doctrine, whilk nocht onlie ye, but monie utheris, yea, and I my self haif affirmit, far be it from me; for so sould I be found contrarious to my self. For my Lord Secretour knawis my jugement in that heid."
"Marye!" said the Secretour, "ye ar the weall worst of the twa; for I remember weill your ressonyng whan the Quene wes in Caryke."[1014]
"Weill," said Johne Knox, "seing, Brother, that God hes maid you to occupy the chyre of verittie, whairin, I assure, we will aggrie in all principall heidis of doctrine, lat it nevir be said that we disaggrie in disputatioun." Johne Knox wes moved thus to speik, because he[1015] understood moir of the craft than the other did.
"Weill," said Lethingtoun, "I am sumwhat better provydeit in this last heid, then I wes in the uther twa. Mr. Knox, (said he,) yisterday we heard your jugement upoun the 13 to the Romanis; we heard the mynde of the Appossill weill opened; we heard the causses why God hes establissed Poweris upoun the earth; we heard the necessitie that mankynde hes of the same; and we heard the deutie of Magistratis sufficientlie declareit: But in two thingis I wes offendit, and I think sum mo of my Lordis that than wer present. The ane was, ye maid difference betwix the ordinance of God and the persounis that wer placeit in authoritie; and ye affirmed, that men mycht refuise[1016] the persounis, and yit nocht to offend againis Godis ordinance. This is the ane; the uther ye had na tyme to explane; but this methocht ye menit, that subjectis wer nocht bound to obey thair Princes gif thai commandit unlauchfull thingis; but that thai mycht resist thair Princes, and wer nocht ever bound to suffer."
"In verie deid," said the uther, "ye haif rychtlie bayth markit my wordis, and understand my mynd; for of that same jugement I haif lang bene, and so yit I remane."
"How will ye prove your divisioun and difference," said Lethingtoun, "and that the persoun placeit in authoritie may be resistit, and Godis ordinance nocht transgressit, seing that the Appossill says, 'He that resistis [the poweris,] resisteth the ordinance of God.'"
"My Lord," said he, "the plane wordis of the Appossill makis the difference, and the factis of many approved be God, prove my affirmative. First, The Appossill affirmis, that the poweris ar ordanit of God, [for the preservation of quyet and peacebill men, and for the punischment of malefactours; quhairof it is plane, That the ordinance of God,][1017] and the power giffin unto man, is one thing, and the persone clad with the power or with the authoritie, is ane uther; for Godis ordinance is the conservatioun of mankynd, the punischment of vyce, the mentenyng of vertew, quhilk is in it self holie, just, constant, stable, and perpetuall. But men clad with the authoritie, ar commounlie prophane and unjust; yea, thai ar mutabill and transitorie, and subject to corruptioun, as God threitneth thame be his Prophet David, saying, 'I haif said, Ye ar godis, and everie one of you the sones of the Moist Heichest; but ye sall die as men, and the princes sall fall like utheris.' Heir I am assureit, that persounis, the saule and bodie of wyckit Princes, ar threitnit with death: I think, that so ye will nocht affirm is the authoritie, the ordinance and the power, whairwith God hes indeuit sik persounis; for as I haif said, as it is holie, so it is the permanent will of God. And now, my Lord, that the Prince may be resistit, and yit the ordinance of God nocht violatit, it is evident; for the peopill resistit Saule, when he had sworn be the leving God that Jonathan sould die. The peopill, (I say,) swair in the contrair, and delyverit Jonathan, so that ane hair of his heid fell nocht. Now, Saule wes the anoyntit King, and thai wer his subjectis, and yit thai so resisted him, that thai maid him no better than mansworne."
"I doute," said Lethingtoun, "if in so doing the peopill did weill."
"The Spreit of God," said the uther, "accuses thame nocht of onie cryime, but rather praisses thame, and dampnis the King, alsweill for his foolish vow and law maid without God, as for his crewell mynd, that so seveirlie wald haif punischit ane innocent man. But heirin I sall nocht stand: this that followis sall confirm the former. This same Saule commandit Abimelech and the Preistis of the Lord to be slane, becaus thay had committit tressoune, as he allegit, for intercommuning with David: His gaird and principall servandis walde nocht obey his unjust commandiment; but Doeg the flatterar put the Kingis creweltie to executioun. I will nocht ask your jugement, Whidder that the servandis of the King, in nocht obeying his commandiment, resisted God or nocht? or whidder Doeg, in murthering the Preastis, gaif obedience to ane just authoritie? for I haif the Spreit of God, speiking be the mouth of David, to assure me of the one alsweill as of the uther; for he, in his 52d Psalme, dampnis that fact as ane moist crewell murther; and affirmis, that God wald punisch, nocht onlie the commander, but the mercyles executour. And thairfoir, I conclude, that thai who ganestand his commandiment, resistit nocht the ordinance of God.
"And now, my Lord, to ansueir to the place of the Appossill, who affirmis, 'That such as resistis the Power, resistis the ordinance of God;' I say, that the power in that place is nocht to be understande of the unjuste commandiment of men, but of the just power whairwith God hes armit his Magistratis and Lievtenentis to punische syn, and mentene vertew. As gif onie man sould interpryise to tak fra the handis of ane lauchful juge ane murderare, ane adulterar, or onie [uther] malefactour that be Godis law deserved deith, this same man resistit Godis ordinance, and procureit to him self vengeance and dampnatioune, because that he stayit Godis sworde[1018] to stryke. But so it is nocht, gif that men in the feir of God oppone[1019] thame selfis to the furie and blynd rage of Princes; for so thai resist nocht God, but the Devill, who abusis the swerd and authoritie of God."
"I understand sufficientlie," said Lethingtoun, "what ye mene; and to the one pairt I will nocht oppone[1019] my self. But I doute of the uther. For gif the Quene wald command me [to] slay Johne Knox, because sche is offendit at him, I wald nocht obey hir. But, and sche wald command utheris to do it, or yit be ane collour of justice tak his lyffe fra him, I can nocht tell gif I be found to defend him aganis the Quene and aganis hir officiaris."
"Under protestatioun," said the uther, "that the auditour think nocht that I seik favouris to my self,[1020] I say, my Lord, that gif ye be persuadeit of my innocency, and gif God hes giffin unto you sik ane power and credyt as mycht deliver me, and yit sufferit me to perisch, that in so doing ye soulde be cryminall and gyltie of my blude."
"Prove that, and win the play," said Lethingtoun.
"Weill, my Lord," said the uther, "remember your promeis, and I sail be schoirt of my probatioun. The Propheit Jeremey wes apprehendit be Preistis and Prophettis, (who wer ane pairt of the authoritie within Jerusalem,) and be the multitude of the peopill, and this sentence wes pronunceit aganis him, 'Thou sall dey the deith; for thou hes said, This hous salbe lyk Siloch, and this cytie salbe desolat without ane habitant.' The Princes heiring the uprore, come from the Kingis hous, and sit doune in jugement in the entrie of the new gait of the Lordis hous, and thair the Preistis find the Prophettis befoir the Princes, and befoir all the peopill, intendit thair accusatioun, in these wordis, 'This man is worthie to dye, for he hes propheissit aganis this cytie, as your eiris haif heard.' Jeremey ansuerit, 'That whatsoevir he had spokin proceidit from God; and thairfoir, (said he,) as for me, I am in your handis: do with me as ye think gude and rycht: But knaw ye for certane, that if ye put me to deith, ye sall surelie bring innocent blude upoun your saulis,[1021] and upoun this cytie, and upoun the habitatiounis[1022] thairof; for of treuth, the Lord hes send me unto you, to speik all these wordis.' Now, my Lord, gif the Princes and the hole peopill sould haif bene gyltie of the Propheittis blude, how sall ye or utheris be jugeit innocent befoir God, gif ye sall suffer the blude of sik as haif nocht deservit deith to be sched, when that ye may save it?"
"The cases ar nothing lyke," said Lethingtoun.
"And I wald learn," said the uther, "whairin the dissymilitude standis."
"First," said Lethingtoun, "the King had nocht condampnit him to the deith. And nixt, the false Propheittis and the Preistis and the peopill accuseit him without ane caus, and thairfoir thai could nocht but be gyltie of his blude."
"Nether of these," said Johne Knox, "fechtis aganis my argument; for albeit the King wes nether present, nor yit had condampnit him, yit wer the princes and cheif counsallouris thair sytting in jugement, who presentit the Kingis persoune and authoritie, heiring the accusatioune laid unto the chairge off the Propheit; and thairfoir he foirwairnis thame of the dainger, as befoir I said, to wit, that in case he soulde be condampnit, and so put to deith, that the King, the Counsell, and the whole cytie of Jerusalem, soulde be gyltie of his blude, becaus he had committit no cryme worthy of deith. And gif ye think, that thai souldo haif bene all cryminall onelie, becaus that thay all accuseit him, the plane text witnesses the contrair; for the princes defendit him, and so no doute did a greit pairt of the peopill; and yit he bauldlie affirmis, that thai soulde be all gyltie of his blude gif that he soulde be put to deith. And the propheit Ezechiell gifis the ressoune why all are guilty of ane commoune corruptioune, 'Becaus,' sayis he, 'I socht ane man amangis thame that soulde mak [up] the hedge, and stand in the gappe befoir me for the land, that I soulde nocht distroy it, but I fand none; thairfoir, haif I powrit my indignatioune upoun thame.' Heirof, my Lorde, (said he,) it is plaine, that God craveis nocht onlie that a man do no iniquittie in his awin persoune, but also that he oppone[1023] him self to all iniquitie, sa far furth as into him lyis."
"Than will ye," said Lethingtoun, "mak subjectis to controlle thair prynces and reuleris."
"And what harm," said the uther, "soulde the Commounewelth ressaif, gif that the corrupt effectiounis off ignorant reuleris wer moderatit, and so brydillit be the wisdome and discretioun of godlie subjectis, that thai soulde do wrang nor violence to no man?"
"All this ressonyng," said Lethingtoun, "is nocht of the purpois; for we ressoune as gif the Quene soulde becum sik an ennemye to oure religioune, that sche soulde persecute it, and put innocent men to deith; whilk I am assureit sche nevir thocht, nor nevir will do. For gif I soulde see hir begin at that end, yea, gif I soulde suspect onie sik thing in hir, I soulde be also far fordwarte in that argument as ye or onie uther within this Realme: Bot thair is nocht sik ane thing. Oure questioune is, Whidder that we may and aucht to suppres the Quenis Messe? Or whidder hir Idolatrie salbe laid to our chairge?"
"What ye may," said the uther, "be force, I disput nocht; bot what ye may and aucht to do be Godis express commandiment, that I can tell. Idolatrie aucht nocht [only] to be suppressit, but the idolater aucht to dey the deith, unless that we will accuse God."
"I knaw," said Lethingtoun, "the idolater is commandit to dey the deith; but be whome?"
"Be the peopill of God," said the uther; "for the commandiment wes gevin to Israell, as ye may reid, 'Heir, Israell,' sayis the Lorde, 'the statutis and the ordinancis of the Lord thy God,' &c. Yea, ane [commandment] wes gevin, That gif it be heard that idolatrie is committit in onie ane cytie, inquisitioune salbe taikin; and gif it be founde trew, that than the whole bodie of the peopill sall aryse and destroy that cytie, spairing in it nether man, woman, nor chylde."
"But thair is no commandiment gevin to the peopill," said the Secretour, "to punisch thair King gif he be ane idoliter."
"I find no moir privilege grantit unto Kingis," said the uther, "be God, moir than unto the peopill, to offend Godis majestie."
"I grant," said Lethingtoun; "but yit the peopill may nocht be jugeis unto thair King to punisch him, albeit he be ane idolater."
"God," said the uther, "is the Universall Judge, alsweill unto the King as to the peopill; so that what his worde commandis to be punischit in the one, is nocht to be absolved in the uther."
"We agree in that," said Lethingtoun; "but the peopill may nocht execute Godis jugement, but man leif it unto him self, who will either punische it be deith, be war, be emprisounment, or be sum uther plaigis."[1024]
"I knaw the last pairt of your ressoune," said Johne Knox, "to be trew; but for the first, to wit, that the peopill, yea, or ane pairt of the peopill may nocht execut God jugementis aganis thair King, being ane offender, I am assureit ye haif no uther warrand except your awin imaginatioun, and the opinioune of sik as moir feir to offend princes than God."
"Why say ye so?" said Lethingtoun, "I haif the jugementis of the most famous men within Europe, and of sik as ye your self will confes boith godlie and leirnit."
And with that he callit for his paperis, quhilk produceit be Mr. Robert Maitland,[1025] he began to reid with greit gravitie the jugementis of Luther, Melanchton, the myndis of Bucer, Musculus, and Calvin, how Christianis soulde behaffe thame selffis in tyme of persecutioun: yea, the Buik of Baruch wes nocht omittit with this conclusioune.[1026] "The gathering of these thingis," said he, "hes coist moir travell, than I tuik this sevin yearis in reiding of anie commentareis."
"The moir pitie," said the uther, "and yit, what ye haif proffeitit your awin cause, let utheris juge. But as for my argument, I am assureit, ye haif infirmit it nothing; for your first two witnesses speik aganis the Anabaptistis, who deny that Christianis soulde be subject to magistratis, or yit that is lauchfull for ane Christiane to be ane magistrate; quhilk opinioune I no less abhore than ye do, or onie uther that levis do. The uthers speik of Christiane subjectis unto tyrantis and infidellis, so dispersed that thai haif no uther force but onlie to sobbe to God for delyverance. That sik indeid sould haisard onie farder than these godlie men willis thame, I can nocht haistellie be of counsell. But my argument hes ane uther grounde; for I speik of the peopill assembled togidder in one bodie of ane Commounewelth, unto whome God hes gevin sufficient force, nocht onlie to resyst, but also to suppres all kynde of opin idolatrie: and sik ane peopill, yit agane I affirme, ar bound to kepe thair land clene and unpollutit. And that this my devissioune sall nocht appeir strange unto you, ye sall understand, that God requyreit one thing of Abrahame and of his seid, when he and thay wer strangeris and pilgremes in Egipte and Canaan; and ane uther thing requyrit he of thame, when thay wer delyverit fra the boundage of Egipt, and the possessioune of the land of Canaan grantit unto thame. At the first, and during all the tyme of thair boundage, God craveit no moir but that Abraham soulde nocht defyle himself with idolatrie. Nether wes he, nor yit his posterittie commandit to distroy the idollis that wer in Canaan or in Egypt. But when God gaif unto thame the possessioune of the land, he gaif unto thame this strait commandiment, 'Bewar that you mak league or confyderacye with the inhabitantis of this land: gif nocht thy sonnis unto thair dochteris, nor yit gif thy douchteris unto thair sonnis. But this sall ye do unto thame, cut downe thair grovis, destroy thair imageis, brek doune thair altaris, and leif thou no kynde of remembrance of those abominatiounis, whilk the inhabitantis of the land useit befoir: for thou art ane holie peopill unto the Lorde thy God. Defyle nocht thy self, thairwith, with thair goddis.'
"To this same commandiment, I say, are ye, my Lordis, and all sik as haif professit the Lorde Jesus within this Realme bound. For God hes wrocht no less myrakill upoun you, baith spirituall and corporall, than he did unto the carnell seid of Abraham. For in what estait your bodyis, and this pure Realme wes, within this sevin yeir, your selfis can nocht be ignorant: You and it wer boith in boundage of ane strange natioun; and what tyrrantis rang over your conscience, God perchance may lat you feill, becaus that ye do nocht rychtlie acknawlege the benefit ressavit. When oure pure Bretherin befoir us gave thair bodeis to the flamis of fyre, for the testimonie of the treuthe, and when skairslie coulde ten be founde into ane contrie, that rychtlie knew God, it had bene folishnes to haif craveit ether of the Nobillitie, or of the meane Subjectis, the suppressing of Idolatrie; for that had beene no thing but to haif exponeit the sempill scheip in ane prey to the woulves. But sen that God hes multipleyit knawlege, yea, and hes gevin the victorie to his treuthe, evin in the handis of his servandis, gif ye suffer the land agane to be defyleit, ye and your Princess sall boith drink the coupe of Godis indignatioun, sche for hir obstinat abydeing in manifest idolatrie, in this grit lycht of the Evangill of Jesus Chryste, and ye for your permissioune and mentenyng hir in the same."[1027]
Lethingtoun said, "In that poynt we will nevir agree; and whair find ye, I pray you, that evir onie of the Prophettis or of the Appossillis taucht sik ane doctrine, that the peopill soulde be plaigit for the idolatrie of the prince; or yit, that the subjectis mycht suppres the idolatrie of thair rewleris, or punisch thame for the same?"
"What wes the commissioune giffin to the Appossillis," said he, "my Lorde, we knaw: it wes to preche and plant the Evangill of Jesus Chryste, whair darkness affoir had dominioune; and thairfoir it behuifit thame, first to lat thame see the lycht befoir that thay soulde will thame to put to thair handis to suppress idolatrie. What preceptis the Appossillis gaif unto the faythfull in perticular, other than that thai commandit all to fley frome idolatrie, I will nocht affirme: But I find two thingis quhilk the faithfull did; the one wes, thay assisted thair preichouris, evin aganeis the reuleris and magistrates; the other wes, thay suppressit idolatrie whairsoever God gaif unto thame force, asking no leif at the Empriour, nor of his deputtis. Reid the Ecclesiasticall Historie, and ye sall find cxampill sufficient. And as to the doctrine of the Prophettis, we knaw thay wer interpretouris of the law of God; and we knaw thay spak alsweill to the kingis as to the peopill. I reid that nether of boith wald heir thame; and thairfoir come the plaig of God upoun boith. But that thai more flatterit Kingis than that thay did the peopill, I can nocht be persuadit. Now, Godis lawis pronunces deith, as befoir I haif said, to idolateris withoute exceptioune of onie persoune: Now, how the Propheittis coulde rychtlie interpret the law, and schew the causes of Godis jugementis, quhilk evir thay threitned soulde follow idolatrie, and for the rest of abominatiounis that accumpaney it, for it is nevir alone; but still corrupt religioune bringis with it ane fylthie and corrupt lyfe: How, I say, the Propheittis coulde reprove the vyces, and nocht schaw the peopill thair dewtie, I understand nocht; and thairfoir I constantlie beleif that the doctrine of the Prophettis wes so sensible, that the Kingis understude thair awin abhominatiounis, and the peopill understude what thay aucht to haif done, in punisching and repressing thame. But becaus that the moist pairt of the pepill wer no less rebellious unto God than wer thair princes, thairfoir the ane and the uther conveineit aganis God and aganis his servandis. And yit, my Lord, the factis of sum Propheittis ar so evident, that thairof we may collect what doctrine thay taucht; for it war no small absurdity to affirme that thair factis soulde repugn to their doctrine."
"I think," said Lethingtoun, "ye meane of the historie of Jehu. What will ye prove thairby?"
"The cheif heid," said Johne Knox, "that ye deny, to wit, That the Propheittis nevir taucht that it appertenit to the peopill to punisch the idolatrie of thair Kingis; the contrair whairof I affirm: And for the probatioun, I am reddie to produce the fact of ane Propheit; for ye knaw, my Lord, said he, that Eliseus send one of the childrene of the Propheittis to anoynt Jehu, who gaif him in commandiment to destroy the hous of his maister Achab for the idolatrie commitit be him, and for the innocent blude that Jesabell his wyckit wyff had sched: quhilk he obeyit, and pat in full execution; for the quhilk God promessit unto him the stabillatie of the kingdom to the fourt generation. Now, said he, heir is the fact of ane Propheit, that proveis that subjectis wer commandit to execute jugementis upoun thair King and Prince."
"Thair is eneuch," said Lethingtoun, "to be ansuerit thairto; for Jehu wes ane King befoir he pat onie thing in executioun; and besydis this, the fact is extraordinaire, and aucht nocht to be imitat."
"My Lord," said the uther, "he wes ane meir subject, and no King whan the Propheittis servand came unto him; yea, and albeit that his fellow capitanis, heiring of the message, blew the trumphet, and said, 'Jehu is king;' yit I doute nocht, but Jesabell boith thocht and said, 'He wes ane traitour;' and so did monie utheris that wer in Israell and in Samaria. And as tuiching that ye allege, that the fact wes extraordinarie, and is nocht to be imitat, I say, that it had ground of Godis ordinary jugement, whilk commandis the idolater to dey the deith; and, thairfoir, I yit agane affirme, that it is to be imitat of all those that prefferis the true honour, the true worschip and glorie of God, to the affectiounis of flesch, and of wickit Princes."[1028]
"We ar nocht bound to imitat extraordinarie exampillis," said Lethingtoun, "unles we haif the lyke commandiment and assurance."
"I grant," said the uther, "gif the exampill repugn to the law; and gif ane avaricious and deceitfull man wald borrow [gold,] silver, rayment, or [ony] uther necessaris from his nychtbour, and withhauld the same, alledging, that so thay mycht do and nocht offend God, because that the Iseraellitis did so to the Egiptianis at thair depairtour furth of Egipt. The exampill served to no purpoise unles that thai coulde produce the lyke cause, and the lyke commandiment that the Iseraellitis had, and that because thair fact repugnit to this commandiment of God, 'Thou sall nocht steill.' But whair the exampill aggreis with the law, and is, as it wer, the executioun of Godis jugementis expressit in the same, I say, that the exampill approved of God standis to us in place of a commandiment: for, as God of his natour is constant, immutable, sa can he nocht dampne in the aigis subsequent, that whilk he hes approvit in his servandis befoir us. But in his servandis befoir us, He be his awin commandiment hes approvit, that subjectis hes nocht onlie distroyit thair Kingis for idolatrie, but also hes ruitit out thair hoill posteritie, so that none of that race wes left efter to impyre above the peopill of God."
"Whatsoevir thai did," said Lethingtoun, "wes done at Godis commandiment."
"That fortifeis my argument," said the uther; "for be Godis commandiment he approvit, that subjectis punish thair Princes[1029] for idolatrie and wickitness be thame committit."
"We haif nocht the lyke commandiment," said Lethingtoun.
"That I deny," said the uther; "for the commandiment, 'The idolater sall dey the deith,' is perpetuall, as [ye] your self hes grantit: You douttit onlie who sould be executouris againis the King; and I said the peopill of God, and hes sufficientlie provin, as I think, that God hes raissit up the peopill, and by his Propheit hes anoyntit ane King to tak vengeance upoun the King, and upoun his posteritie. Quhilk fact, God sen that tyme hes nevir retreittit; and, thairfoir, to me it remanis for ane constant and cleane commandiment to all the peopill professing God, and haifing the power to punisch vyce, what thay aucht to do in the lyke caise. Gif the peopill had interprysit onie thing without Godis commandiment, we mycht haif doutit whidder thai had done weill or evill; but seing that God did bring the execution of his law agane in practice, efter that it wes cum in oblivioun and contempt, what ressonable man can doute now of Goddis will, unles we will doute of all thingis quhilk God renewis nocht unto us be miracallis, as it wer from age to age. But I am assureit, that the ansuer of Abraham unto the riche man, who being into hell, desyreit that Lazarus, or sum of the deid, sould be send unto his bretherin and freindis, to foirwairne thame of his incredable [pane and] tormentis, and that thay sould behaif thame selfis, so that thai sould nocht cum in that place of torment: the ansuer, I say, gevin unto him, sall confound sik as craif farder approbatioun of Godis will then is alreddy expressit within his holie Scriptouris; for Abraham said, 'Thay haif Moyses and the Propheittis, whome gif thay will nocht beleif, neither will thay beleif albeit that one of the deid sould ryise.' Evin so, I say, my Lord, that sik as will nocht be taucht what thay aucht to do, be commandiment of God anis gevin, and anis put in practice, will nocht beleif nor obey, albeit that God sould send angellis from hevin to instruct that doctrine."
"Ye haif but produceit ane exampill," said Lethingtoun.
"One sufficeth," said the uther; "but yit, God be praissit, we lack nocht utheris; for the whole peopill conspyreit aganis Amasiath king of Juda, efter that he had turnit away from the Lord, followit him to Lachess and slew him, and tuik Uziah and anoyntit him king in steid of his father. The peopill had nocht altogidder forgottin[1031] the league and covenant quhilk wes maid betwix thair king and thame, at the inauguratioun of Joash, his father, to wit, 'That the King and the peopill sould be the peopill of the Lord,' and than sould thai be his faythfull subjectis: From the quhilk convenant, whan that first the father, and efter the sonne declynit, thai wer boith punischit to the deith, Joash be his awin servandis, and Amasias be the whole peopill."
"I doubt," said Lethingtoun, "whidder thay did weill or nocht."
"It salbe free for you," said the uther, "to doubt as ye pleis; but whair I find executioun according to Godis lawis, and God him self nocht to accuse the doaris, I dar nocht doubt of the equittie of thair cause. And farder, it appeiris unto me, that God gaif sufficient approbatioun and allowance to thair fact; for he blissit thame with victorie, peace, and prosperitie, the space of fifty-two yeiris thairafter."
"But prosperitie," said Lethingtoun, "does nocht alwayis prove that God approveis the factis of men."
"Yis," said the uther; "when the factis[1032] of men aggrie with the law of God, and ar rewairdit according to Godis awin promeise, expressit in his law, I say, that the prosperitie succeiding the fact is moist infallable assurance that God hes approvit that fact. Now so it is, that God hes promeissit in his law, that when his peopill sall exterminat and destroy sik as declyne from him, that he will bliss thame, and multipley thame, as he hes promeissit unto thair fatheris. But so it is, that Amasias turneit fra God; for so the text do witness; and plane it is the peopill slew thair king; and lyke plane it is, that God blissit thame: Thairfoir, yit agane conclude I, that God approvit thair fact, in so far as it wes done according to his commandiment, wes blissit according to his promeise."
"Weill," said Lethingtoun, "I think nocht the ground sa sure as I durst builde my conscience thairupoun."
"I pray God," said the uther, "that your conscience haif no worse ground than is this, when soevir ye sall begin that lyke work whilk God in your awin eis hes alreddie blessit. And now, my Lord, (said he,) I haif but one exampeill to produce, and than I will put [an] end to my ressonying, becaus I wearie langer to stand." (Commandiment wes gevin that he sould sytt doune; but he refuissit it, and said, "Melancholius[1033] ressouns wald haif sum myrth intermixed.") "My last exampill, (said he,) my Lord, is this:—Uzzias the King, nocht content of his royal estait, malepeirtlie tuk upoun him to enter within the temple of the Lord, to burne incense upoun the alter of incense; 'And Azarias the preist went in efter him, and with him fourscore preistis of the Lord, vailzeant men, and thay withstude Uzzias the king, and said unto him, It pertenith thee nocht, Uzzias,[1034] to burne incense unto the Lord, but to the preistis, the sonnis of Aaroune, that ar consecratit to offer incense: Go furth of the sanctuary, for thou hes transgressit, and you sall haif no honour of the Lord God.' Heirof, my Lord, I conclude, that subjectis nocht onlie may, but also aucht to withstand and resist thair princes, whensoever thay do onie thing that expreslie repugnis to God, his law, or holie ordinance."
"Thay that withstude the King," said Lethingtoun, "wer nocht sempill subjectis, but wer the Preistis of the Lord, and figoureis of Chryste, and sik preistis haif we none this day, to withstand Kingis gif thay do wrang."
"That the Hye Preist wes the figour of Chryste," said the uther, "I grant: but that he wes nocht ane subject, that I deny. For I am assureit, that he in his priestheid had no prerogative above those that had passit befoir him. Now, so it is, that Aaroune wes subject unto Moyses, and callit him his Lord. Samuell, being boith propheit and preist, subject him self to Saule, eftor he wes inaugurat of the peopill. Sadock bowit befoir David; and Abiathar wes depossit frome the preistheid be Salamoune, quhilkis all confessit thame selfis subjectis to the Kingis, albeit that thairwith thei ceissit nocht to be the figouris of Christe. And whairas ye say, that we haif no sik preistis this day, I mycht answer, that nether haif we sik Kingis this day as than wer annoyntit at Godis commandiment, and sat upoun the sait of David, and wer no les the figour of Chryste Jesus in thair juste administratioun, then wer the preistis in thair appoyntit office: and sik Kingis, I am assureit, we haif nocht now moir than that we haif sik preistis: for Chryste Jesus being annoyntit in our natour, of God his Father, both King, Priest, and Prophet, hes put an end to all externall unctioune. And yit, I think, ye will nocht say, that God hes now diminissit his graceis for those whome he appoyntis ambassadouris betwix him and his peopill, [more] than that he dois from kingis and princes; and thairfoir, why that the servandis of Jesus Chryste may not also justlie withstand kingis and princes, that this day no less offendit Godis majestie than Uzzias did, I see nocht, onless that ye will say, that we, in the brychtnes of the Evangill, ar nocht sa straitlie bound to regaird Godis glorie, nor yit his commandimentis, as wer the fatheris that leiffit under the dark schaddowis of the Law."
"Weill," said Lethingtoun, "I will dip no farder in that heid. But how resisted the Preistis the King? Thai onelie spak unto him without farder violence intendit."
"That thay withstude him," said the other, "the text assureis me; but that thay did nothing but speik, I can nocht understand; for the plane text affirms the contrair, to wit, that thay caused him haistilie to depairt frome the sanctuarie, yea, and that he wes compellit to depairt: quhilk maner of speiking, I am assureit in the Hebrew toung impoirtis uther thing than exhoirting, or commanding by worde."
"Thay did that," said Lethingtoun, "efter that he wes espyit leaprous."
"Thay withstude him hefoir," said the other; "but yit thair last fact confermes my propositioune so evidentlie, that sik as will oppone thame unto it, moist neidis oppone thame unto God; for my assertioun is, that kingis haif no previlege moir than has the peopill to offend Godis majestie; and gif that so thay do, thay ar no moir exempted from the punischment of the law than is onie uther subject; yea, and that subjectis may nocht onlie lauchfullie oppone thame selfis to thair kingis, whensoevir thay do onie thing that expressedlie repugnes to Goddis commandiment, but also that thay may execute jugement upoun thame according to Goddis law; so that [if] the king be ane murtherar, adulterar, or idolater, he soulde suffer according to Godis law, nocht as ane king, but as ane offender, and that the peopill may put Godis lawis in executioune, this Historie cleirlie proveis: for how soon that the leprosie appeirit[1035] in his foirheid, he wes nocht onelie compellit to depairt oute of the sanctuarie, but also he was removeit frome all publick socyetie and administratioune of the kingdome, and wes compellit to dwell in ane house ane pairt, evin as the law commandit, and gat no grytter privilage in that cais than onie uther of the peopill soulde haif done; and this wes executit be the peopill; for it is no doute mo wer witnesses of his leprossie than the preistis allone. But we fynd none oppone thame selfis to the sentence of God pronounced in his law aganis the leprouse; and thairfoir, yit agane say I, that the peopill aucht to execute Goddis law evin aganis thair princes, when that thair oppin crymes be Godis law deserve deith, but especialie when thay ar sik as may infect the rest of the multitude. And now, my Lordis, (said he,) I will ressoune no langer, for I haif spokin moir than I intendit."
"And yit," said Lethingtoun, "I can nocht tell what can be concludit."
"Albeit ye can nocht," said the uther, "yit I am assureit what I haif provin, to wit:—
"1. That subjectis haif delyverit ane innocent frome the handis of thair King, and thairintill offendit nocht God.
"2. That subjectis haif refuseit to stryke innocentis whan ane King commandit, and in so doing denyit no just obedience.
"3. That sik as struck at the commandiment of the King befoir God wer reputed murtheraris.
"4. That God hes nocht onlie of ane subject maid ane King, but also hes airmit subjectis aganis thair naturall Kings, and commandit thame to tak vengence upoun thame according to his law.
"And, last, That Godis pepill hes executit Godis law aganis thair King, having no farther regaird to him in that behalf, than gif he had bene the moist simpill subject within this Realme.
"And thairfoir, albeit ye will not understand what sould be concludeit, yit I am[1036] assureit that nocht onlie Goddis pepill [may], but also, that thai ar bounde to do the same whair the lyke crymes ar committit, and when he gevis unto thame the lyke power."
"Weill," said Lethingtoun, "I think ye sall nocht haif monie leirnit men of your oppinioun."
"My Lord," said the uther, "the treuthe ceisses nocht to be the treuthe, howsoevir it be that men [either] misknaw it, or yit ganestand it. And yit, (said he,) I praise my God, I lack nocht the consent of Godis servandis in that heid." And with that he presentit unto the Secretour the Apologie of Magdeburgh;[1037] and willit him to reid the names of the Mynisteris who had subscribed the defence of the Toune to be ane moist juste defence; and thairwith addit, "That to resist ane tyrant, is not to resist God, nor yit his ordinance."
Whilk when he had read, he scripped and said, "Homines obscuri."[1038] The uther ansuerit, "Dei tamen servi."[1039]
And [so] Lethingtoun arose and said, "My Lordis, ye haif hard the ressounis upoun boith pairteis: it becumis you now to decyde, and [to] put ane ordour unto preicheouris, that thay may be uniforme in doctrine. May we, think ye, tak the Queenis Messe frome hir?"
Whille that sum began to geif thair voittis, for sum wer appoyntit, as it wer, leaderis to the rest, Johne Knox said, "My Lordis, I suppois that ye will nocht [do] contrair to your [Lordships] promeis, maid to the whole Assemblie, whilk wes, That nothing soulde be voited in secreit, till that the first all maitteris soulde be debaittit in publict, and that than the voittis of the whole Assemblie sould put an end to the controversie. Now haif I onelie sustenit the argument, and haif rather schawin my conscience in moist simpill maner, than that I haif insystit upoun the force and vehemence of onie ane argument: And thairfoir I, for my pairt, utterlie disassent frome all voitting, till that the whole Assemblie haif hard the propositiounis and the ressounis of boith pairteis. For I unfeinyeitlie acknawlege, that monie in this cumpanie ar moir abill to sustene the argument than I am."
"Think ye it reasonable," said Lethingtoun, "that sik ane multitude [as] ar now convenit, soulde ressoune and voit in these heidis and matteris that concerne the Quenis Majesties awin persoune and effairis?"
"I think," said the uther, "that whatsoevir soulde bind, the multitude soulde heir, unless that thai haif resignit thair power unto thair Commissioneris, whilk thai haif nocht done, sua far as I understand; for my Lord Justice-Clark heard thame with ane voice say, That in no wayis wald thai consent that onie thing soulde ether here be voited or concludit."
"I can nocht tell," said Lethingtoun, "[if] that my Lordis that be heir present, and that beir the burding of sik maitteris, soulde be bounde to thair will. What say ye, (said he,) my Lordis? Will ye voit in this maitter, or will ye nocht voit?"
Efter lang ressonyng, sum that wer maid for the purpois said, "Why may nocht the Lordis voit, and than schaw unto the Kirk whatsoevir is done?"
"That appeiris to me," said Johne Knox, "nocht onlie ane backwart ordour, but also ane tyrranie usurpeit upoun the Kirk: But for me, do as ye list, (said he,) for as I ressoune, so I voit; yit protesting as befoir, that I dissent frome all voiting, till that the hoill Assemblie understand alsweill the questiounis as the ressonyngis."
"Weill," said Lethingtoun, "that can nocht be done now, for the tyme is spent; and thairfoir, my Lorde Chanceler, (said he,) ask ye the voittis, and tak [be course] everie ane of the Mynisteris, and ane of us."