The Works of John Knox Volume II Part 9

[192] In the Diurnal of Occurrents, it is stated, that "Upon the first day of August, the Parliament tuke begyning, and few or na Lordis came to the samyn, quhill the aucht day of the samyn moneth," (pp. 61, 278.) The names of the persons present at this memorable Parliament are preserved among the Cecil Papers, (MS. Cotton. Calig. ix. fol.

144.) Although printed both in the Acta Parl. Scot. vol. ii. p. 525, and in Keith's History, I shall insert the list in the Appendix.

[193] John Hamilton, Archbishop of St. Andrews.

[194] William Chisholm, Bishop of Dunblane, who succeeded his brother of the half-blood in 1527, and who survived till 1564. His nephew William Chisholm, was const.i.tuted his coadjutor and future successor in the See, by a brief from Pope Pius IV. dated 4 Non. Junij 1561.

(Keith's Catal. p. 180).

[195] Robert Crichton, Bishop of Dunkeld, who had previously been Provost of St. Giles's Church, Edinburgh.

[196] Alexander Gordon, t.i.tular Archbishop of Athens, and Bishop of Galloway: see a subsequent note.

[197] Probably John Lesley: see Abbots of Lindores, in the Appendix to this volume.

[198] William Colville, Commendator of Culross: see Appendix.

[199] James Stewart, of the family of Beath, Commendator of Inch-Colm, or St. Colme. He was afterwards knighted, and raised to the peerage.

[200] Mark Ker, Commendator of Newbattle, ancestor of the Earls of Lothian.

[201] Lord Robert Stewart, a natural son of King James the Fifth, Commendator of Holyrood House, afterwards t.i.tular Bishop of Caithness and Earl of Orkney: see a subsequent note.

[202] Lord James Stewart, Prior of St. Andrews, and afterwards Earl of Murray, and Regent of Scotland.

[203] Lord John Stewart, another natural son of King James the Fifth, was Prior of Coldingham. In Book Fourth, Knox mentions his death at Inverness.

[204] Robert Richardson, Prior of St. Mary's Isle, Kirkcudbright: see note to vol. i. p. 372. It is a mistake, however, in saying that he died in 1571; as will afterwards be explained.

[205] John Wynrame, Prior of Portmoak, and Sub-prior of St. Andrews: see vol i. p. 150; and a subsequent note in the present volume.

[Sidenote: WILLIAM MAITLAND'S MOCKAGE OF G.o.d]

At the samyn tyme of Parliament, Johne Knox taught publicklie the propheit Haggeus. The doctrin was proper for the tyme; in applicatioun quhairof he was so speciall and so vehement, that sum (having greater respect to the warld than to G.o.ddis glory,) feilling thair selffis p.r.i.c.kit, said in mockage, "We mon now forget our selffis, and beir the barrow to buyld the housses of G.o.d."[206] G.o.d be mercifull to the speikar; for we feir that he shall have experience that the buylding of his awin house (the house of G.o.d being despisit) sall not be so prosperouse, and of sick firmitie, as we desyre it were. And albeit sum mockit, yitt utheris were G.o.dlie movit, quha did a.s.sembill thame selffis togidder to consult quhat thyngis were to be proponit to that present Parliament, and efter deliberatioun, was this subsequent Supplicatioun offerit:--

[206] William Maitland of Lethington, who made use of this expression, had been chosen Speaker in this Parliament and had "opened the proceedings in an oration, of which Randolph has given us the princ.i.p.al heads."--(Tytler's Hist. vol. vi. p. 177.)

THE BARRONIS, GENTILMEN, BURGESSES, AND UTHERIS, TREW SUBJECTIS OF THIS REALME, PROFESSING THE LORD JESUS CHRYST WITHIN THE SAMYN: TO THE n.o.bILITIE AND ESTAITIS OF PARLIAMENT, PRESENTLIE a.s.sEMBLIT WITHIN THE SAID REALME, DESYRE GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE, FROME G.o.d THE FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRYST, WITH THE INCRESS OF HIS HOLY SPREIT:

PLEIS youre Honouris to reduce to remembrance, how dyverse and sundrie tymeis we (with sum of youre selffis) maist humbillie suit.i.t at the feit of the lait Quene Regent fredome and libertie of conscience, with a G.o.dlie reformatioun of abuseis, quhilk by the malice of Sathane and negligence of men, are cropin in Religioun of G.o.d, and are menteynit by sick as tak upoun thame the name of Clergye.

And albeit that oure G.o.dlie and maist rea.s.sonable suyte was then disdainfullie reject.i.t, quhairof na small trubillis have ensewit, as your Honouris weill knaw, yit seing that the same necessitie yit remaneis that then movit us, and, mairover, that G.o.d of his mercie has now put into your handis to tak sic ordour as G.o.d thairby may be glorifeit, this communwelth quiet.i.t, and the policie thairof establischeit: We can not cease to crave of youre handis the redress of sick enormiteis, as manifestlie are (and of lang tyme have bene) committ.i.t be the placehalderis of the Ministerie, and utheris of the Clergy within this Realm.

And _First_, Seing that G.o.d of his greit mercy by the lycht of his word, has manifest.i.t to no small number of this Realme, that the doctrin of the Roman Kyrk, resaveit be the said Clergy, and menteynit throu thair tyrannie by fyre and sword, conteinit in the self many pestiferous errouris, quhilk can not but bring dampnatioun to the saullis of sick as thairwith sall be infect.i.t; sick as are the doctrine of Transsubstantiatioun; of the Adoratioun of Chryst his body under the forme of breid, as thay term it; of the mereitis of Warkis, and Justificatioun that thay allege c.u.mis thairby; togidder with the doctrin of the Papisticall Indulgencis, Purgatorie, Pilgrimage, and Praying to Sanctis depairt.i.t; quhilk all either repugne to the plane Scripturis, or ellis have no ground of the doctrine of our Maister Jesus Christ, his Propheitis, nor Appostillis. We humbillie thairfoir crave of your Honouris, that sick doctrine and idolatrie as by G.o.ddis word are condempnit, so may thay be abolischeit be Act of this present Parliament, and punischement appoint.i.t for the transgressouris.

_Secundlie_, Seing that the Sacramentis of Jesus Chryst are maist schamefullie abusit and prophanit by that Romane harlot and hir sworne va.s.sallis; and alssua because that the treu disciplyne of the ancient Kirk is utterlie now amangis that sect extinguischeit: for quha within the Realme are mair corrupt of lyff and maneris than are thay that are callit the Clergye, living in huredome, adultery, defloring virgeinis, corrupting matronis, and doing all abominatioun, without feir of punischement; We humbillie thairfoir desyre youre Honouris to fynd remedy against the ane and the uther.

_Thirdlie_, Because that Man of Syn often maist falslie clames to him self the t.i.tillis of "The Vicare of Chryst; the successour of Peter; the heid of the Kirk; that he can not err; that all power is grant.i.t unto him," &c., by the quhilk usurpit authoratie, he taikis upoun him the distributioun and possessioun of the haill patrimony of the Kirk, quhairby the trew Ministeris of the word of G.o.d lang tyme hes bene altogidder neglect.i.t, the G.o.dlie learning dispysit, the sculeis not providit, and the poore not onlie defraudit of thair portioun, but alssua tyrannouslie oppressit; We lykwise heirof desyre remedy.

And least that your Honouris sould dowt of any of thir premisses, we offer oure selfis evidentlie to prove, that in all the [rabill of the] Clergye thair is not ane lauchfull minister, gif G.o.dis word, the practise of the Apostillis, and thair awin ancient Lawis, sall judge of lauchfull electioun. We farther offer oure selfis to prove thame all thevis and murtheraris, yea, rebellis and tratouris to the lauchfull authoritie of Empriouris, Kyngis, and Prenceis; and thairfor unworthy to be sufferrit in any Reformeit Commonwealth. Quhow malitiouslie thay have murtherit oure brethren, for na uther cause, bot for that thay offerrit to us the licht of G.o.dis word, your Honouris can not be ignorant; and in quhat hasard thair tyrranie hes brocht this haill Realme, the ages after will considder. Gif ye luik of thame any uther fruit in tymeis c.u.ming, than ye have sene in thame quham we accuse, we ar a.s.surit ye sall be desavit. Now hes G.o.d, beyond all expectatioun of man, maid youre selfis, quha sum tymeis war suppliantis with us for Reformatioun, jugeis, as it war, in the caus of G.o.d. At least he hes subdewit your ennemeis unto you, that by violence thay ar nocht abill to suppress the veritie, as heirtofoir thay haif done.

We thairfoir, in the bowellis of Jesus Chryst, crave of your Honouris, that ather thay be compellit to answer to our former accusationis, and to sick uthiris as we justlie have to lay to thair chargeis, or ellis that, all affectioun laid asyde, ye p.r.o.nunce thame be cens.e.m.e.nt of this Parliament sick, and cause thame to be sua reput.i.t, as by us maist justlie thay ar accusit; especiallie, that thay be decernit unworthy of honour, authoritie, charge, or cure within the Kyrk of G.o.d, and sa from hencefurth never to joy vote[207] in Parliament. Quhilk gif ye do not, than in the feir of G.o.d, and by the a.s.surance of his word, We foirwairne you, that as ye haif ane grevouse yock, and ane burding intollerabill upoun the kyrk of G.o.d within this Realme, so sall thay be thornis in youre eyes, and pryckis in your sydis, quhom efter, quhen ye wold, ye sall have no power to remove. G.o.d the Father of our Lord Jesus Chryst give yow upricht hartis, seiking his glory; and trew understanding quhat this day he quha delyverit yow fra bondage, baith spirituall and temporall, cravis of yow by his servandis: And youre Honouris Answer maist humbly we requyre.

[207] In Vautr. edit. "to enjoy voice."

This oure Supplicatioun being red in audience of the haill a.s.sembly, dyverse men war of dyverse jugementis; for als sone thair war that uprichtlie favourit the cause of G.o.d, sa war thair many that for warldlie respectis abhorrit ane perfect Reformatioun, (for how many within Scotland that have the name of n.o.bilitie, ar not injust possessouris of the patrimony of the Kyrk.) And yitt war the Barronis and Ministeris callit, and commandement gevin unto thame, to draw, in playne and severall heidis, the summe of that Doctrine, quhilk thay wald menteyne, and wald desyre that present Parliament to establische, as hailsome, trew, and onlie necessarie to be beleivit, and to be resavit within that Realme: Quhilk thay willinglie accept.i.t, and within foure dayis present.i.t this CONFESSIOUN as it followis, without alteratioun of any ane sentence:--

THE CONFESSIOUN OF FAITH PROFESSIT AND BELEVIT BE THE PROTESTANTIS WITHIN THE REALME OF SCOTLAND, PUBLISCHEIT BY THAME IN PARLIAMENT, AND BE THE ESTAITIS THAIROF RATIFEIT AND APPROVIT, AS HAILSOME AND SOUND DOCTRINE, GROUNDIT UPOUN THE INFALLABLE TREWTH OF G.o.dIS WORD.

MATHEI 24.

AND THIS GLAID TYDINGIS OF THE KYNGDOME SALL BE PRECHEIT THROUGH THE HAILL WARLD, FOR A WITNES UNTO ALL NATIOUNS, AND THEN SALL THE END c.u.m.

[Ill.u.s.tration: first edition t.i.tle page]

(_t.i.tle-page of the first printed edition._)

The Confessione of the fayht and doctrin beleued and professed by the Protestantes of the Realme of Scotland exhibited to the estates of the sam in parliament and by thare publict votes authorised as a doctrin grounded vpon the infallable wourd of G.o.d.

Matth. 24

And this glaid tydinges of the kingdom shalbe preached throught the hole world for a witness to all nations and then shall the end c.u.m.

Imprinted at Edinburgh, be Robert Lekprewik.

c.u.m priuilegio.

1561.

THE PREFACE.

The Estaitis of Scotland, with the Inhabitants of the samyn, professing Chryst Jesus his Holy Evangell,[208] To thair naturall c.u.n.treymen, and to all utheris Realmeis and Natiouns, professing the samyn Lord Jesus with thame, wische grace, peace, and mercy from G.o.d the Father of our Lord Jesus Chryst, with the Spreit of rychteouse jugement, for Salutatioun.

[208] In Vautr. edit. &c., "Gospell."

LONG have we thrist.i.t,[209] deir Brethren, to haif notifeit unto the warld the summe of that doctrin quhilk we professe, and for the quhilk we haif sustenit infamy and daingear. Bot sik hes bene the rage of Sathan against us, and against Chryst Jesus his eternall veritie laitlie borne amangis us, that to this day na tyme hes bene grant.i.t unto us to cleir our consciencis, as maist glaidlie we wald have done; for how we have bene tossit ane haill yeir past, the maist pairt of Europe (as we suppoise) dois understand. Bot seing that of the infinite gudnes of our G.o.d (quha never sufferris his afflict.i.t to be utterlie confoundit) above expectatioun, we have obteinit sum rest and libertie, we could not bot sett furth this breve and playne Confessioun of sik doctrine as is proponit unto us, and as we beleif and professe, pairtlie for satisfactioun of oure Brethren, quhais hartis we dout not have bene and yitt ar woundit be the dispytefull railling of sik as yitt have not leirnit to speik weill; and pairtlie for stopping of the mouthis of impudent blasphemaris, quha baldlie condempne[210] that quhilk thay have neither hard nor yet understand.

Not that we judge that the cankerit malice of sik is abill to be cured be this sempill Confessioun: Na, we knaw that the sweit, savour of the Evangell[211] is, and sall be death to the sonis of perditioun. Bot we haif cheif respect to our weak and infirme brethren, to quham we wald communicat the bottome of oure hartis, least that thay be trubillit or careit away be the diversiteis of rumouris quhilk Sathan sparsis contrar us,[212] to the defecting of this oure maist G.o.dlie interprise; Protesting, that gif any man will note in this oure Confessioun any article or sentence repugning to G.o.dis holie word, that it wald pleis him of his gentilnes, and for Christiane cherities saik,[213] to admoneise us of the samyn in writt; and We of our honour and fidelitie do promeis[214] unto him satisfactioun fra the mouth of G.o.d, (that is, fra his holy Scriptures,) or ellis reformatioun of that quhilk he sall prove to be amyss. For G.o.d we taik to record in our conscienceis, that fra oure hartis we abhoir all sectis of heresye, and all techaris of erroneous doctrine; and that with all humylitie we embrace the puritie of Christis Evangell, quhilk is the onlie foode of our saullis; and thairfoir sua precious unto us, that we ar determinit to suffer the extremitie of warldlie daingear, rather than that we will suffer oure selvis to be defraudit of the same. For heirof we ar maist certainlie persuaidit, "That quhasoever denyis Chryst Jesus, or is eschameit of him, in presens of men, sall be denyit befoir the Father, and befoir his holie angellis." And thairfoir be the a.s.sistance of the mychtie Spreitt of the same, oure Lord Jesus, we firmlie purpoise to abyde to the end in the Confessioun of this oure Faith.[215]

[209] In the printed copies 1561, "thrusted;" and in the London edit.

1561, lines 5-6, of the t.i.tle, "by their publicke voices authorised."--Some notices of the early editions of this Confession will be given in the Appendix to this volume.

[210] In the printed copies 1561, "dampne," and "d.a.m.ne."

[211] In Lond. edit. 1561, "Gospell."

[212] In Lond. edit. 1561, "spreads abrode against us."