History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland, Book 3 · Letter 9
The Barons, Gentlemen, Burgesses, and other true Subjects of this Realm, professing the Lord Iesus within the same. To the Nobilitie and States of Parliament presently assembled within the said Realm, desire Grace, Mercy and Peace, from God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, with the increase of his holy Spirit.
PLease your Honours to call to remembrance, how divers and sundry times, we (with some of your selves) most humbly Petitioned, at the feet of the late Queen Regent, for freedom and liberty of Conscience, with a godly Reformation of abuses, which by the malice of Satan and negligence of men, are crept into the Religion of God, and are maintained by such as take upon them the name of Clergie. And albeit that our godly and most reasonable suit was then disdainfully rejected, whereof no small troubles have ensued, as your Honours well know, yet seeing that the same necessity yet remaineth, that then moved us; And moreover, that God of his mercy hath now put into your hands, to take such order; As God thereby may be glorified; This Common-wealth quieted; And the Policy thereof established: We cannot cease to crave of your Honours the redresse of such enormities, as manifestly are (and of long time have been) committed by the place-holders of the Ministerie, and others of the Clergie within this Realm. And first, seeing that God of his great mercy hath by the light of his Word manifested to no small number of this Realme, That the Doctrine of the Romane Church, received by the said Clergie, and maintained through their tyrannie by fire and sword, contained in it selfe many pestiferous errours, which cannot but bring damnation to the souls of such as therewith shall be infected; such as are the Doctrine of Transubstantiation; of the Adoration of Christs Body, under the form of Bread, as they terme it; of the Merits of Works, and Justification that they alleadge commeth thereby; together with the Doctrine of the Papisticall Indulgences, Purgatory, Pilgrimage, and Praying to Saints departed, which all either repugne to the plain Scriptures, or else have no ground in the Doctrine of our Master Jesus Christ, his Prophets and Apostles.
1. We humbly therefore crave of your Honours, That such doctrine and Idolatry as by Gods Word are both condemned, so may they be abolished by Act of this present Parliament, and punishment appointed for the transgressors.
Secondarily, seeing that the Sacraments of Jesus Christ are most shamefully abused and profaned by that Romane Harlot and her sworne vassals; and also because that the true Discipline of the ancient Church is utterly now amongst that Sect extinguished: For who within the Realme are more corrupt in life and manners then are they that are called the Clergie, living in whoredom, adultery, deflouring Virgins, corrupting Matrons, and doing all abomination, without fear of punishment. We humbly therefore desire your Honors to finde remedy against the one and the other.
3. Thirdly, Because that man of sin falsly claimeth to himselfe the titles of, The Vicar of Christ, The Successor of Peter, The Head of the Church, That he cannot erre, That all power is granted unto him, &c. By the which usurped Authority, he taketh upon him the distribution and possession of the whole Patrimony of the Church, whereby the true Ministry of the Word of God long time hath been altogether neglected, the godly learning despised, the Schools not provided, and the poor not only frauded of their portion, but also most tyrannously oppressed: we likewise hereof desire remedy. And lest that your Honors should doubt in any of these premises, we offer our selves evidently to prove, That in all the rabble of the Clergie there is not one lawfull Minister, if Gods Word, the practices of the Apostles, the sincerity of the Primitive Church, and their own ancient Laws, shall judge of lawfull Election. We further offer to prove them all thieves and murtherers, yea, rebels and traytors to the lawfull Authority of Emperors, Kings and Princes, and therfore unworthy to be suffred in any reformed Common-wealth. How maliciously they murthered our brethren, for no other cause, but for that they offred to us the light of Gods Word, your Honours cannot be ignorant; and into what hazard their tyranny hath brought this whole Realm, the Ages after will consider. If ye look for other fruit in times to come, then ye have seen in them whom we accuse, we are assured ye shall be deceived. Now hath God, beyond all expectation of man, made you, who somtimes were suppliants with us for Reformation, Judges, as it were, in the Cause of God: At least, he hath so subdued your enemies unto you, that by violence they are not able to suppresse the Verity, as heretofore they have done. We therefore, in the bowels of Jesus Christ, crave of your Honors, That either they may be compelled to answer to our former accusations, and unto such others as justly we have to lay to their charges; or else that all affection laid aside, ye pronounce them such by censure of this Parliament, and cause them to be so reputed, as by us most justly they are accused: Especially, that they may be discerned unworthy of honour, authority, charge or cure in the Church of God, and so from henceforth never to enjoy voice in Parliament: Which if ye do not, then in the fear of God, and by assurance of his Word we forewarn you, That as ye leave a grievous yoke, & a burden intolerable upon the Church of God in this realm, so shall they be thorns in your eyes, and pricks in your sides, whom after, when ye would, ye shall have no power to remove. God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ give you upright hearts, seeking his glory, and true understanding, what this day he who hath delivered you from Bondage both Spirituall and Temporall, craveth of you by his servants, and your Honours answer most humbly require.
This our Supplication being read in audience of the whole Assembly, divers men were of divers judgements;See how this agrees with our tim…s. for as some there were that uprightly favoured the Cause of God; so were there many that for worldly respects abhorred a perfect Reformation (for how many within Scotland who have the name of Nobility, and are unjust possessors of the Patrimony of the Church) and yet were the Barons and Ministers called, and commandment given unto them, to draw into plain and severall Heads the sum of that Doctrine which they would maintain, and would desire the present Parliament to establish, as wholesome, true, and onelyonly necessary to be beleeved, and to be received within the Realm: Which they willingly accepted; and within four dayes presented this Confession as it followeth, without alteration of any one sentence.