BOOK SECOND.126
1558-1559.
Lest Satan shall take occasion of our long silence to blaspheme, and to slander us the Protestants of the realm of Scotland by suggesting that our actions tended rather to sedition and rebellion than to reformation of manners and abuses in religion; we have thought it expedient, as truly and briefly as we can, to commit to writing the causes moving us, a great part of the nobility and barons of the realm, to take the sword of just defence against those that most unjustly have sought our destruction. In this our Confession we shall faithfully declare what moved us to take action, what we have asked, and what we require of the sacred authority. Our cause being thus made known, our enemies as well as our brethren in all realms may understand how falsely we are accused of tumult and rebellion, and how unjustly we are persecuted by France and by their faction. Thus, too, our brethren, natural Scotsmen, of whatever religion they be, may have occasion to examine themselves as to whether they may with safe conscience oppose themselves to us. We only seek that the glorious Evangel of Christ Jesus may be preached, His holy Sacraments be truly ministered, superstition, tyranny, and idolatry be suppressed in this realm, and the liberty of this our native country remain free from the bondage and tyranny of strangers.
While the Queen Regent practised with the prelates, how the blessed Evangel of Christ Jesus might be utterly suppressed within Scotland, God so blessed the labours of His weak servants that no small part of the Barons of this realm began to abhor the tyranny of the bishops. God did so open their eyes by the light of His Word, that they could clearly discern betwixt idolatry and the true honouring of God. Yea, men almost universally began to doubt whether they might give their bodily presence to the Mass without offending God, or offer their children for papistical baptism. When the most godly and the most learned in Europe had answered these doubts, both by word and writing, affirming that we might do neither, without extreme peril to our souls, we began to be more troubled. Then also, men of estimation, who bore rule amongst us, began to examine themselves concerning their duties towards reformation of religion, as well as towards the just defence of their most cruelly persecuted brethren. And so divers questions began to be moved, to wit, whether such as were judges, lords, and rulers of the people might, with safe conscience, serve the superior powers in maintaining idolatry, in persecuting their brethren, and in suppressing Christ’s truth? Or, whether they, to whom God had in some cases committed the administration of justice, might suffer the blood of their brethren to be shed in their presence, without any declaration that such tyranny displeased them? By the plain Scripture it was found that a lively faith required a plain confession, when Christ’s truth was attacked; that not only are they guilty that do evil, but so also are they that assent to evil. It is plain that they that assent to evil, seeing iniquity openly committed, do by their silence seem to justify and allow what is done.
These things being sufficiently proven by evident Scriptures of God, every man began to look more diligently to his salvation; for the idolatry and tyranny of the clergy, called the Churchmen, was and is so manifest, that whoever doth deny it declares himself ignorant of God, and enemy to Christ Jesus. We therefore, with humble confession of our former offences, began, with fasting and supplication unto God, to seek some remedy in so present a danger. At the outset it was decided that the brethren in every town should at certain times assemble together for common prayers, and for exercise and reading of the Scriptures, until it should please God to give the sermon of exhortation to some, for comfort and instruction of the rest.
God did so bless our weak beginning that, within a few months, the hearts of many were so strengthened that we sought to have the face of a Church amongst us, and to have open crimes punished, without respect of person. For that purpose, by common election, elders were appointed. To them the whole brethren promised obedience; for at that time we had no public ministers of the Word; but certain zealous men, amongst whom were the Laird of Dun, David Forrest, Master Robert Lockhart, Master Robert Hamilton, William Harlaw, and others, exhorted their brethren, according to the gifts and graces granted unto them. Shortly after did God stir up His servant, Paul Methven (whose latter fall ought not to deface the work of God in him), and he in boldness of spirit began openly to preach Christ Jesus in Dundee, in divers parts of Angus, and in Fife. God did so work with him that many began openly to renounce their old idolatry, and to submit themselves to Christ Jesus, and unto His blessed ordinances. In consequence, the town of Dundee began to erect the face of a public Church Reformed, and in this the Word was openly preached, and Christ’s Sacraments were truly ministered.