Answer to the Tractive by Master Kennedy, Letter 3
To Maiſter Quintine Kennedy Commendatore Abbote of Croſraguel, M. Iohne Dauidſone wiſhit grace, health, and peace, frome God the Father, throw Ieſus Chriſte oure Lorde. &c.
I dout not, bot ȝour lordſchip remembers, ȝe ſend me ane Schort Tractiue, a lytle before the beginning of the Reformatione of the Religione in the Kirk of this Realme, contening the hale ſubſtance, and effect of ȝour lytle buik, quhilk is, that the Kirk repreſentit be the generall Councels, dewely conuenit, is (as ȝe alledge) the onelyonly Iudge appoyntit be God, to decerne the rycht vnderſtanding of the Scripture, fra the wrang, quhen queſtione is for the vnderſtanding of the ſame, to hauehave bene preſentit in that troublus tyme to Iames Betoune Archebiſchope of Glaſgo, our gude Lorde and Maiſter, to hauehave had his Iudgement and mynde of ȝour ſaid buik, before that tyme laitly Prentit: quhilk for that preſent tyme, we approuit baith to be gude and godly, bot ſen ſyne, I finding the Scripturs ſa weill oppinnit, be the ordinarie meanis, quhareby God communicatis vntounto men, the vnderſtanding of his Scripturs, that I could nocht be langer of ȝour opinione, without I wald hauehave mantenit, as ane ſhameles man, that thing quhilk had nother ground of Scripture, gude reaſone, nor approbatione of the Ancient Doctours. Quhare fore, for the brotherly luife I beare to all men in Chriſte, and for the auld Pariſiane kyndnes, that was betuix vsus, to bryng ȝour L. and the people of this Countrie, fra the errour and blyndnes that this lytle buik of ȝours, hes haldin ȝow and thaim baith in. Be ſindrie Scripturs and reaſonis I hauehave trauellit, vſing me heirin, efter the commone maner of Reaſoning, without diſpyte, or reproche, and on the maiſt gentile maner I could, I hauehave ſchawin ȝow, quhow ȝe hauehave far ouerſene ȝour ſelf in this buik, of the quhilk, in my hart trewly I am ſorie. Praying ȝour L. heirfore, gif ȝe finde the Reaſonis I bring in aganis ȝours, to hauehave euacuat the reaſonis of ȝour buik in ony ſorte: vnderſtand my labours not to be, that I deſyre ȝour L. (quha excedis me far in vnderſtanding, and in all kynde of ſubtile reaſoning) to acknawledge ȝour ſelf to be ouercum be me, bot lat the veritie beare away the victorie for vsus baith. And be ȝour acknawledgeing of thay things, ȝe hauehave ouerſene in ȝour buik, lat als mony people cum to the lycht of the Euangell, as ȝe hauehave haldin fra it, be the ſame, for God will require thare blude of ȝour handis, and ȝe perſeueir in ane wilfull obſtinacie, without knawledge. And gif ȝour conſcience dytis ȝow to fauld, and aggre to our ſentence, as ȝe promes in ȝour Bill, heirbefore writtin, gif ony part of ȝour Tractiue be confutit.
Think nocht that ony man of Chriſtis Religione, luikis for the glorie of ȝour cumming, to the trew Religione teachit vsus be Chriſte, as that ȝe come for wryting, or reaſoning of man: For we vnderſtand all, that thare can cum na man to Chriſte Ieſus, bot he quhom his Father drawis to him: quha is drawing ȝow, and all men daylie. And tharefore, as ȝour freind, I wiſhe ȝow to ſubdew ȝour vnderſtanding, in the ſeruice of Chriſte, and of ȝour cumming, gif it pleaſe God, that ȝe cum to Chriſte Ieſus Religione, we ſall attribute na glore thareof to our ſelf, bot with ȝow of all our cumming and calling, we ſall giuegive God the glorie and thankis: quha oft tymes ſuffers ane Pharo or vther, to ring amangis his choſin people, be quhom he may baith declare his Name throuchout the earth, and exerciſe his people. And becauſe, he will hauehave mercy on quhom he will, and quhom he will, he will hardene. Roma. 9. of quhais will na man can giuegive ane reaſone. Tharefore tak head to ȝour ſelf, quhat ȝe write, that ȝe be not as ane Pharo halding the people in Egypt of Idolatrie and errour, fra the trew worſhipping of thare God, as he hes appointit in his Law: Bot cry for his mercy and grace (as I ſall do with ȝow) to illuminat ȝour hart with the trew knawledge of his worde, that ȝe may leaue ȝour Religion inuentit be man, and embrace that Religione, quhilk is ſet furth in the liuely worde of God: quhareby onelyonly ȝe may cum to the Porte of Saluatione. And ſwa fair ȝe weill, as ȝe luife the Lorde Ieſus, and auancement of his Kingdome. At the Paedagoge of Glaſgw, the Firſte of Marche. 1562.
End of the text · John Davidson, Answer to the Tractive by Master Kennedy (1563)