¶TYREIS LETTER.

SCHIR, efter hartly cōmendatioun, of seruice, and prayeris: That I haue writtin sa oft afoir (we keip his a win wordis and ortographie) It come of my che­ritie, that I aucht to zow, for sindrie res­sounis: and of the solicitude, that cheriti [...] causit me to haue, of the eternal saluatio [...] ̄ [Page] of zour saule: desyrād, be zour answer to haue knawin zour mynd, in that behalf: quhilk sen I haue not obtenit, as zit, I ha [...]e thocht, haifand opportunitie of yis beirer, to wryte this wryting amangis the rest: and to exhort zow thairby: that ze wald, ernistly (as it becūmis ane man, to quhome God hes geuin sa mony giftis & talentis) and rypely considder be quhat way ze mon cū to that end, to the quhilk God hes creatit and redemit zow.

¶ANSWER.

TO this long preface, we only answer this: that if the Scribes and Pharesies, who cōpassed sea & land, to mak a prose­lyt, gat a curse be y ^e mouth of our maister Iesus Christ, Math. 23. notwithstanding all their ap­peirand zeale, and panefull trauell: who cā dout, bot that sic as studie, to draw back agane to superstitioun and Idolatrie, sic as God hes called frō the same, shall receaue [...] dowble maled [...]ctioun, vnder what pre­tence that euer they do it. For if thay who broght Ethnickis, and manifest Ido­latouris, to sum Religioun, wer accursed? How muche moir ar they detestable that trauell to bring men frō a trew Religioū, to the deapest Idolatrie that euer yet was [Page] vpon the face of the earth? Which long hes bene manteyned in y ^e papistical Kirk, wherto we persaue the wryter of the let­ter wold entyse yow, as his subsequēt perswasionis manifestly declaireth. For thus he wryteth.

TYRIES LETTER.

QVhilk appeiris to me, to be the only Faith and Religioun, keipit in the Catholick Kirk of Christ, sen the begin­ning thairof. Quhilk appeiris cleirly, be the maist plane wordis of the Propheit Isai, quhair he speikis of ye Kirk. Gens & regnum quod non seruierit tibi, peribit.

Quhilk words gif ony wald apply to yair new found Kirkis & specially to zour in­uisibil Kirk of Scotlād (bot zit aucht zeir auld) he is cōuictit. For it is manifest yat befoir a thousand zeiris in all the warld was yair pepill yat trow it as yai do quha defendis the contrarie quhilk na mā bot he that wald schaw his impudence & his ignorance togidder dar deny, and of the Kirk, quhairof the Propheit speikis. It is said be him in the secund Cha. that it sal be manifest & visibil throw all ye warld. Quhairfoir gif ze can not schaw quhat place of the warld afoir thre hundreth [Page] zeir zour Kirk was into, it follow is of ne­ces [...]itie that it is na Kirk. &c. Thus far of his letter.

ANSWER.

THE first part of his counsall we ap­proue and adde thereto that the lyfe Euerlasting consistes in the knawledge of the onlie trew God, Ioan. [...] ▪ and in y ^• knowledge of him whome he hes send Iesus Christ.

That he that beleuis in the Sone of God hes lyfe euerl [...]sting, Ioan. [...] and is alreddy past frō deith to lyfe, bot he that beleuis not, sall not le lyfe, but the wraith of God a­bydes vpon him. We further affirme, y ^• without the societie and bosome of the trew Kirk, neuer was, is, nor salbe saluati­oun vnto man. In thir and lyke generall heidis we disagre not frō the Papistis, The h [...]idi [...] of differēc [...] betuix the trew wor­schipperis of God and the Papistis. but the difference and dout standis in y ^• spe­ciallis, to wit, what Faith is, and what groūd it hes, what is religioun, & where­in i [...] differis from superstitioun and from Idol [...]trie. And finallie what is the trew Kirk▪ and how it may be decerned from y ^• Sinagoge of Sathan. Thir heades we say, ought he in special to haue intreted vnto yow if he had bene mynded to haue in­structed yow in a treuth. But becaus (as y ^• [Page] progres of his letters declareth) his mynd was to draw yow to the bondage of that Romane Antechrist, he takis generall propositionis moste trew & moste certane in them selues, whereupon he wold cōclude that which is most fals & altogether per­nitius to the saluatioun of man. To let the craft of Sathan moir euidently appear, w [...] shall draw his perswasioun in forme of ar­gument, and after returne to the farther meaning of the Propheit, and to the de­claratioun of thir termis Faith, Maior. Religioun and Catholick Kirk.

The Propheit affirmes, that whosoeuer sall not serue Ierusalem, shall perishe.

But the promeis maid to Ierusalem, Minor. ap­pertenis vnto the Kirk. Ergo whosoeuer seruis not the Kirk sall perishe. Cōclusi. This hol [...] argument we admit, and m [...]st constantli [...] we do affirme it, and yet sall he neuer be able to proue his intent, why the Pap [...] & Pa­pistes ha [...]e the Kirk of Scotland. which is, that y ^• Kirk of Scotland is no Kirk. We will op­pin the wound which the wryter of the letter keapes couerit, & yet it most greuis him, as it doeth the rest of al papistis. The Realme of Scotland (all praise to God) hes refused the Pape that Romane Ante­christ, and not only be preaching, bot also [Page] be the publict Lawes hes dampned his ty­rannicall lawes, his odious superstitiounis, and vsurped iurisdictiō. And therefoir cry the papistis that we ar declyned from the trew Kirk, and ar fallen back frō the Ca­tholick faith. what Pap [...] ­stes must proue be [...]oi [...] they be able to conuict vs or any other Natioun of apostasie [...] the Kirk & [...] Faith. But befoir that they be able to cōuict vs of those crimes, thay mō preif two thinges, former, that whatsoeuer was promysed to Ierusalem dois properly and only appertene vnto Rome, and this mon thay do not be coniectures, but be plane wordis as God pronoūced be his Prophet of Ierusalem. This is the first. The secund is, that albeit Rome wer as able to proue a promise maid to it, as Ierusalem was of whome it was said: This is my rest, heare will I dwell, becaus I haue chosin it. And albeit that the papis of Rome whome he stylis the perpetuall successioun of that Kirk, had as an assured & plane probatiō, that be god they wer called, be God they wer admitted, and that be God they suld be māteyned in their ministerie & functi­oun, as that the Leuites and successioun of Aaron had to ꝓduce at all tymes for their defence, yet if they (we say) who cal them selues the successouris of the Apostlis be not able to proue that they haue cōstant­lie [Page] remaned in the first league & cōuenāt which Christ Iesus maid with his Apostlis when he send them furth, to preache the glaid tydingis of the Kingdome, and to establishe his Throne, not only amonges the Iewis, bot also amonges the Gentiles, according to ye former propheseis. Albe­it we say that all thir former thay wer abil to proue (as thay ar neuer able to do) yet haue they said nothing y ^• may help their caus, nor [...]urt ouris, onles that they thair­with planely proue y ^• the Kirk of Rome and the successioun of the same hes rema­nit and yet remaneth in y ^e original puritie of the Apostlis, in doctrine, lyfe, lawes & ceremonies. For thir being corrupted, the tytill of successioū will na mair help them then did the braging of the Preistis vnder the Law, who cryit aganis the Propheit Ieremie, [...] the Temple of the Lord, the Tē ­ple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord. What was answered vnto them, let ye [...]. Chap. of his Prophesie witnes. But farther of the s [...]ccessioun and of the assurance thairof efter. Now mō we sumthing speak of Faith, Religioun, and Catholick Kirk whairwith he wold ter [...]fie your consci­enc [...] and deface the treut [...] [...]nd then mon [Page] we answer to his blaspheamous taūtis and mockage, befoir we haue confessit that to leue without faith, without Religion, & without the societie of the Catholick Kirk, bringis with it most certanely death and dampnation. But yet we affirme, yat all opinion that is cōmonly receaued vn­der the Name of faith, is not faith which God approuis, bot trew faith mō haue for the ground and assurance thereof Godis expressed word, of his mercy ꝓmysed in Christ Iesus, whereto the heart of y ^e faith­ful mon cōsent, so moued be y ^• haly gaist. And therefor we fear not to affirme, what groūd [...]aith h [...]th. that the Papistis hauing no better ground for thair faith then consent of men, decreis of counsallis, and antiquitie of tyme, haue no faith bot a fonde, yea, a dampnable opini­on. And the same we affirme of Religioū, whiche if it be pleasing & acceptable vn­to God, The warrād of religiou [...] must haue his a win cōmandemēt and approbatioū for a warrand: other wise it can not be bot odious in his presence, as a thing repugning to his expres comman­dement: saying, not that which, appeari [...] good in thy a win eyis sall thow do to the Lord thy God, Deu. 4. & [...] b [...]t what the Lord thy God hes commanded the, that do thow, [Page] ade nothing to it, diminishe nothing frō it. Be this precept of that Eternall God, who is immutable, and that can cōmand nothing but y ^• which is iust, or all people, Realmes, and Natiounis (that will auow them selues to be the inheritance of the Lord) bound and oblist to measure thair Religioun, Not [...]. not be the exemple of other Realmes, nether yet be their owen good intentioun, or determinatioū of men, but only be the expressed word of God. So that what therein is commanded, aucht to be done, and what is not commanded be him, aucht in na wyse to be done be the people of God, what apperance or exter­nall shaw of holynes that euer it hes. And thairfoir haue we most iustly reiected the Rable of ceremoneis which the Papistis held for the cheif exercise of thair Reli­gioun, as thingis hauing na better ground then the inuentioun and consent of men. Now shortlie of the Kirk commounlie callit Catholick. The name of the Kirk is commoun, and is taken aswell for the cō ­gregation of the wicked, as for the assem­blie of the godlie, as it is plane be ye wor­des of Dauid, saying, Psal. 2 [...]. I haue hated y ^• Kirk, or the assemblie of the wicked, the terme [Page] Catholick, which signifyis vniuersall, he [...] not included in it that vertew which Pa­pistes alledge, That is, that whatsoeuer is catholick, y ^•, must be gude. For if so wer, then sin in the originall world shuld haue bene gude, for it was so Catholick (that is vniuersal) that it ouerflowed y ^• hole earth only one hous excepted. How vniuersall Idolatrie was amongis the Gentiles, Hi­storeis witnesse, aud how braid the pesti­lent sect of Machomet is this day spred, experience dois teich vs. And yet we sup­pone, that no man of right iudgemēt will either approue the one or the other, not­withstānding of their vniuersalitie, & there fore we must haue a better assurāce of y ^• Kirk, to the which we aucht to ioyne our selfis then that it is Catholick, or vniuer­sall, To wit, it must be holy, & the cōmu­nioun of Sanctis. For in the confessioun of our faith, we say not I beleue the Kirk vniuersal, bot I beleue the holy Kirk vni­uersall, the cōmunion of Sanctis. Where­foir we affirme, that if that Kirk whiche is called Catholick or vniuersall haue not holynes in the heart be trew faith, & the Confessioun of the same in the mouth, & in the foirhead, it ceissis to be y ^• immacu­late [Page] spous of Iesus Christ, in whose bosōe the sonnes of God ar nurished to the lyfe euerlasting. And so befoir that the wryter of the letter shalbe able to conuict vs, that we haue declyned from the holy Kirk, he must first defyne what is the verray ho­lynes of the Kirk, wherein it consistis▪ fra whome it flowis, and what is the effect of the same. And when thus he hes done, he must proue yat y ^e Kirk of Rome hes bene and is only holy, so that no Kirk befoir it did euer enioy that tytill, nether yet that any that after may ensew it, may sa be iustlie callit, & thus we think salbe verray hard to Maister Tyrie and all the Iesuites in Europe to proue. Bot now that the va­nitie of his argumēt may y ^e moir euidētlie appeare, we wil in as few wordis as we can examine the mynd of the Prophet. Sic as diligently markis the scope of y ^e Propheit Isaias, sall cleirly se, that frō the 40. Cha. of his prophesie to the end of the same, he trauellis principally to cōfort Ierusalē, and the Natioun of the Iewis, whose mi­serable distruction and fearefull captiuitie he foresaw in spreit. Prounced the same in his publict sermonis, and left y ^e memo­riall and vndouted Register thereof to the [Page] post eritie that was to follow, and was to be partakeris of all the plaigues that wer befoir spoken. And least that they in the myddis of yair calamitie suld haue dispa­rit of any delyuerance: frō the same 40. Chap. back we say, that the Prophet as y ^• Messinger of Godis mercy pronounceth to Ierusalem, to Mont Syon, and to th [...] afflicted Iewis, delyuerāce frō captiuitie, the protectiō of God to be their defēce, the distructioun of Babilone, and of all their enemeis. The coming of the Messias promysed vnto them the felicitie of his Kingdome, the vocation of the Gentiles, and finally the promyses flowing from mercy that he had maid vnto them to cō ­tinew for euer. And among thir many fold promysis this was one, the Kingdome and the Natioun that sall not serue thee, sall perishe. Now glaidly wald we learne of the wryter to what Realme, to what Na­tion, to what Prouince or Cietie will he appoint vs, that therein we may serue Ie­sus Christ, and his immaculate spous the Kirk: to the end that we shal not perishe, If he will name Rome & the Kirk therof, then must we demand two thinges, y ^• for­mer. What become of all the faithfull [...] [Page] space of a thousād yeares that flowed b [...] [...]uix the making of the former promyses, Answer Pa­pist [...]. & the dayis of the Apostilis, what tyme y ^• [...]uangel began publictly to be offered vnto the Gentiles. All whiche tyme Rome was nothing bot a Den of Idolatrie, we think he will not say that the faithfull pe­rished. And wear bauld to say that the faithfull serued not Rome, nether yet th [...] Kirk contenit thairin all that tyme. This is the first whereof we wold be resolued. The secund is, that if the wryter will al­ledge, that during all the tyme the pro­mise foirsaid apperteaned to Ierusalem & vnto Mont Syon: but that after the ascention of Iesus Christ, and after that the E­uangell was receaued of the Gentiles, the promise which befoir was maid to Ierusa­lem was transfered vnto Rome. If so be, we pray the wryter that efter he hes con­sulted with the fynest Papistis be they Ie­suites, or be they others, that he wil shaw vnto vs where we shall find the resignatiō and y ^• assurance thereof. We clearly read the promises maid to Ierusalem and vnto Mont Syon. We find that the Euangell was there preached in dispyte of Sathan. We find that from thēce Peter and Iohne [Page] [...]er send to Samarea, and the refter the E­uangell was planted amonges the Genti­les: we find farther that Paule wrote to y ^• sanctes that wer at Rome, and that he him self was caryit presoner to it, and that he remanit two yeares there vnder custodie in his ludgeing: bot that euer the promises maid to Ierusalem wer transferred vnto Rome, we find not. And therefoir albeit that we of the Realme of Scotland haue refused Rome, Not [...] & an­swer dir [...] ­lie. and the tyrrannie thereof, we think not that we haue refused the so­cietie of Christis Kirk: but that we ar ioy­nit with it, & daylie ar fed of our mothers breastes, becaus we imbrase no other do­ctrine then that which first flowed furth of Ierusalem: whose Cietizenes be grac [...] we auow our selues to be. But now to the taunting blaspheamies of the wryter: It pleisis him to terme our Kirkis new foūd, inuisible, yet but aucht yeare auld. &c. and our Euangel newly inuented. Which blaspheamies albeit that man spair, yet we ar assured the Eternall our God sall not suffer vnpunished in this lyfe, and in th [...] lyfe to cum: onles that speadie and vnfea­ned repentance blot away the same.

But the wryter left to the Iudgement [Page] of God, Tyries reasone. we wolde knowe of him why he calle [...]h our Kirkis new found, and our E­uangel but new inuēted. He appeareth to giue his reasone in these wordes (for sayis he) it is manifest that befoir a thousand yeares in all the worlde was there peple that trowit as thay do quha defendis the contrare.

This reasone conteyneth in it sic foly besydes the obscuritie and generalitie of it, Answer. that we stand in dout at what member we shall begin to confute the same. But becaus his greatest streng [...]h appeareth to stād in this, that befoir a thousand yeares, there wer people in all the world that be­leued otherwise then we beleue: To that h [...]d we will first answer & say. That grā ­ted, that befoir a thousand yeares there was people in all the worlde that trowed as Papistes now trow, what shall thereof yet be concluded, that our Kirkis ar new found? And will he say that our Euangell is but newly inuented? A good dialectis [...] ­ [...]ne wolde answer: that albeit the antece­dent wer granted, the consequent may iustlie be denyed. And the reasone is, be­caus that nether doeth the Kirk, the faith of the same, nor the authoritie of the Euā gell [Page] of Christ Iesus, depend vpon that which men beleued befoir that it was pu­blished. Nether yet is the age of the Kirk to be compted frō the time, when it plea­sed God of his mercy, either to reueale his word to any Realme or Natioun that befoir was ignorāt of it, or yet to reforme abuses whiche haue taken roote amonges the people of God be the negligence of men. And that this reasone and proposi­tioun is trew: the consideratioun of the planting of the Kirk, and of the diuers re­formatiounis maid within the same shall witnes. When God called Abraham frō Vr of the Caldeanes, G [...]n. [...]2. and maid to him y ^• promise of the bli [...]ed sead, and after gaue vnto him the signe of Circumcision: wer there not people dispersed vniuersally v­pon the face of the earth, wha trowit and thoght that they had a goode and perfite Religioun? Yea, euin that same Religioun (as they supposed) wherein Noha serued God. And yet we knowe that the spirit [...] of God dampneth the multitude of that age of Idolatrie: and thereintill magnifies the mercy of God, who from that corrupted multitude called Abrahā, & be grace maid him the Father of the faithfull. No [...] [Page] wold we demād of the wryter of the let­ter, if the age of Abrahames faith, should haue bene measured from the errour of y ^• multitude that past befoir him: and if that the age of the Kirk gadderit within his hous shoulde haue bene called an aucht yeare auld Kirk, when that Abraham had so long obeyed God, while that all the world continewed in their Idolatrie? We demand (we say) if their auld Idolatrie, maid Abrahames Faith to be but a new found Faith: and if their multitude & vniuersalitie hauing for them antiquitie, maid the Kirk that was in Abrahames hous to be a new found Kirk? We suppoue that men of Iudgemēt shal otherwise pronūce and subscriue with vs: that the Faith of Abraham had the same antiquitie that the word had which he beleued. Now plane it is, that the word which he beleued was the self same word which God pronūced vnto the woman in the Gardine, speaking aganis the Serpent, saying: I shall put ini­mitie betuix the and the woman, betuix thy sead and hir sead, Gen. 3. that sead shal break doun thy head, and thow shall break doū his heale. This promise we say, being es­peciallie maid to Abrahā in these wordes: [Page] In thy sead shall all the Natiounis of the earth be blissed, was the groūd of his faith lyke as that it was the ground of the faith of Adam, Abell, Seth, and of all the faith­full befoir him: so that his faith was no new faith, bot was that same faith whiche had continued amonges Godis elect from the beginning. For trew [...]aith may not be measured from the errour of men, bot frō the word and promise which the faithfull beleue. Is the word from the beginning, and the promise vndouted? then must the faith that thereupon is groūded, not onlie be trew, but also of the same age and anti­quitie that the worde is. And therefore whensoeuer the Papistes and we shall cū to reaken of the age of our faith: we dout nothing but that there faith, in mo principall pointis nor one or two, shalbe found verray young, and but lately inuented in respect of that only trew faith which this day in the Kirks of Scotland is professed. And the self same thing a [...]firme we of our Kirk, & of the Euangell preached within the same: to wit, that the Euangell which of Godis mercy is reuealed vnto vs, is not forged be man, but that it is the self same Euangel which Iesus Christ taught be his [Page] a win mouth, and that his Apostlis at his cōmandement published vnto the world. And therefore we say that our Kirk is no new found Kirk (as the wrytet blasphea­mously rayleth) but that it is a part of y ^• holy Kirk vniuersall, which is grounded vpon the doctrine of the Prophetes & A­postlis: hauing the same antiquitie that y ^• Kirk of the Apostles hes, as concerning doctrine, prayers, administratioun of Sa­cramentis, and all other thinges requisit [...] to a particulare Kirk. But yet will y ^• wry­ter of the letter alledge, y ^• we beleue not as the moste part of men haue beleued a thousand yeares and moir. For they bele­ued the Messe to be a Sacri [...]ice propicia­torie for the sinnes of th [...] quick and the dead: The Pape to be the head of y ^• Kirk and Christes vicare in the earth: The ma­teriall body of Christ Iesus, flesche blood and bane to be in the Sacrament of the Alter, after that the wordis of consecratiō wer pronunced be a Preast, Super materia debita: that the prayers of the leuing profite the departed, and sic others as the Catholick faith of the Papistes haue conclu­ded. These Artickles will the wryter say we beleue not: and therefoir how can it [Page] be denyed but that our Kirk is new foūd and the doctrine therof is new. We haue answered and yet we answer agane, That whatsoeuer Papistes haue beleued befoir vs, whiche hath no better ground then y ^• determinatioun of thair ow [...]n counsall: Can nether preiudge our faith grounded vpon Godis expressed worde, nether yet can proue our Kirk to be but a new foūd Kirk. For if ane commoun errour, and a superstitious [...]orshipping of God, recea­ued of a multitude, should haue y ^• strēgth that it should preuale against Godis sim­ple treuth, and against his worshipping prescriued in his word: then had the Pro­pheit Helias bene into a miserable condi­tion: Who being but one man opponed him self to the King, to his counsall, to his Prophetes, Preastes and people, and in plane wordes accused thame all of A­postasie from God, from his trew wor­shipping, and from the obedience of his Law: and planely conuicted them to be Idolatoures, becaus they had imbrased a worshipping of God not cōteyned in his word. It is a wonder that the King with his Preastes and Propheites excepted not against the Propheit and said: how can y ^• [Page] be Idolatrie, which our Kings and people sence the dayis of Ieroboā haue vsed and manteyned for Gods trew seruice. Thow art but one man, and we ar a multitude: how can it be that we all should erre, and that thow alone should please God. But no such thing find we obiected vnto the Propheit. But his requeast, being but one man was obeyed: quhilk was, that God him self should iudge betuix him and thē, as that he did be fyre from the heauen.

This priuiledge craue we to be granted to vs of the Papistes in our days: to wit, that they suffer God to Iudge betuix our Re­ligioun and theirs: What he approueth, let it be approuen of bothe, and what be him is not commanded, nor be the Apo­stles of Iesus Christ established and pra­ctised, let it be of bothe reiected, and so shall we suddanelie aggre. But if that they will still cry, that we ar Schismatykes and Apostates, becaus we refuse to defyle our selues with their abhominationis: We cā not but appeale from their corrupt sen­tence to the vncorrupt Iudge, of whose fauoures we are assuredly perswaded in y ^• point, becaus he hath said follow not the multitude in euill doing: and becaus that [Page] we find Kingis, Propheites & people befoir vs, to haue done the self same thing in their days (and therefore to haue bene approued of God), whiche we in Godis feare haue done in our dayis. To wit, they haue distroyed the monumentis of Idola­trie, & haue repressed the same externally be power and force, notwithstanding the antiquitie thereof, & that great multitude adheared vnto it. And this muche for the multitude, and that which the multitude moste commonly beleueth. Now to the further ressounis of the wryter.

He first tauntis and mockis vs and our Kirk, calling it your inuisible Kirk of Scotland. Secundly he affirmeth, that the Kirk whereof the Prophet speakes shalbe manifest and visible through all y ^e world. And for his profe alledges y ^• secūd Chap. of the Prophet Isai. And last he cōcludes in these wordes. Wherefore if ye can not shaw in what place of y ^e world, afoir thre hūdreth yeare, your Kirk was into: It fol­loweth of necessitie that it is no Kirk.

To these heades we must answer in or­dour, and first we will pray the wryter in his nixt answer, to signifie vnto vs, why he [Page] calleth the Kirk of Scotland inuisible: se­ing that the ground and the persones in­habitant within the same ar subiect to the senses of all those that list to looke vpone them: yea, the doctrine taught vnto vs is so patent, that the verray enemies them selues ar not forbidden to heare and to iudge of it. And finally the administratiō of the Sacramentes within our Kirkis are so p [...]blict, that none iustly can cōpleane, that they ar either debarred from hearing or from sight. And therefore howsoeuer it pleaseth the wryter to delite him self in his owen vanitie, we feare not to affirme, That the Kirk of god within Scotlād this day, is as visible, as euer it was in Ierusalē ▪ after that Christ Iesus ascended to y ^• hea­uenes, or as that it was visible in Samarea after that it receaued [...]he Euangell: Yea, we will further affirme, that y ^• trew Kirk of Iesus Christ is as visible, yea, & as beu­tifull in all her proper ornamentes this day, within the Realme of Scotland, as e­uer she was in Corinthus, Galacia, Philip­pi (yea or yet in Rome it self) what tyme that any of the Apostles rewled them: or that when they wer saluted be the A­postle in his Epistles for Kirkis. And this [Page] for the first head.

The answer to the secund can not be so short, for his assertiō aggreis so lytle with the place of the Propheit, that we stand greatly in dout whether that euer y ^• wry­ter hes trauelled to vnderstand the mynd of the Prophet. His assertion is this. Of the Kirk whereof the Propheit speaketh, It is said be him in the secund Chap. that it shalbe manifest and visible through all the world. The wordes of the Propheit are these.

It shalbe in the last dayes, that the mō ­tane of the hous of the Lord, Isai. [...] shalbe pre­pared in the tope of the montanes, & shal be exalted aboue the hilles and all Nati­ones shall flow vnto it. And many people shal go and say: Cū let vs go vp vnto the montane of the Lord, to the hous of the God of Iacob, and he will teache vs his wayes, and we will walk in his pathes. For the Law shall go furth of Syon, and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem, and he shall iudge among the Nationes and re­buke many people. &c.

In these wordes of the Prophet we find no such thing as the Kirk shalbe manifest and visible through all the worlde, We [Page] acknawledge a promise of glade thinges to cum to be ioyned to Ierusalem, & vnto Mont Syon, after the miserable distructiō of the same. We find the time appointed, to wit, the last dayes. But that the promise may be the better tryed, We must know of the wryter, when these last dayis begā, and whē they shalbe compleit. We must further know if there be any one certane place appointed, Question of the last day [...] ▪ in the which it is said, y ^• the Kirk of God shalbe visible and mani­fest in all ages. These two heades being considdered, it shalbe moir easie to iudg [...] of the assertioun of the wryter, and how it aggreis with the mynd of the Prophet.

And first we think that the wryter will not deny, but the last dayes whereof the Prophet speakes, began long befoir y ^• euer the Euangell of Iesus Christ was knowen or publictlie receaued in Rome, Nota. To wit, at the appearing of Iesus Christ in the fleshe, when that he reuealed vnto the worlde the hole will of his Father. For so are we taught be the Apostle saying: god in auld tymes spake vnto our Fatheres in diuers maners be the Prophetes: Hob. 1. In y ^• last dayis he hath spokē to vs be his sone. &c. A [...]d the Apostle Peter in that his moste [Page] notable Sermone made to Ierusalem, the day of pentecost, Act. [...]. affirmes, That the Pro­ph [...]sie of Ioell made, as concerning the powring furth of Godes graces vpon all fleshe in the last dayes, was euen then cō ­pleit, when that the holy spreit discended doun vpon those that beleued. So thē we haue gotten the last dayes to haue begun with Iesus Christ, who is the glorie of the secund Temple: when think we that they ended? If the wryter will say, whē Rome receaued the Euangel then was the accō ­plishment of the last dayes. As men iustly may dout thereof, so will y ^• Apostle plane­lie deny, saying: The spreit speaketh eui­dentlie that in the last tymes some shall depart from the faith. [...] &c. Whereof we may gather, that the Apostle appointet [...] the l [...]st tyme▪ to contine [...] longer, then y ^• the Euāgell was [...] p [...]blictly preached: To wit, till that men should begin to fall from the faith, and giue eares to the do­ctrine of [...]. Yea, if ye will searche t [...]e Scriptures we sh [...]ll [...] th [...]t the last d [...]ves cōtine [...] from the [...] appe [...]ring of Ies [...]s Christ in fleshe, Nota. vnto [...]is l [...]st retur­ning vnto I [...]dge [...]. So y ^• the [...] dayes do not onely include the first [...] [Page] of the Euangell, but also the defectioun from it, yea, and the restitution of it agane vnto the world: be the brightnes wherof, that man of sin should be reuealed, & di­stroyed: Whereof we conclude, that if y ^• last dayes do yet continew, whereof the Prophet maketh mention, the thinges ꝓ­mysed to be performed in them, are not yet altogether compleit: but are in their progres, and shall so procead till that all be finished that is foirspoken be the holie Prophetes and Apostles of Iesus Christ.

And so may Iesus Christ this day be wor­king in Scotland, albeit that Papistes rage against his Euangell, as in those dayes he wroght in Ierusalem, when the Preastes & the hole visible Kirk (for y ^• moste part) raged against the same. But now to the se­cund head.

We wold knowe if the wryter can ap­point vnto vs any one certane place, wher this holy montane of God is promysed to remane, manifestly and visible. For this we mak knowen to the hole world, That for the lufe we beare to the buylding and reparing of Goddes holy hous, we haue endangered life and all thinges temporal. And therefore if the wryter can appoint [Page] vnto vs a certane place, whereunto God hes maid promise: we shall euerie one ex­hort an other, with all diligence, to go vp thereunto. But if he cā appoint none, ha­uing greater ass [...]rance be Godes mouth moir then an other: Then will we cheri­tabillie desyre him to desist from taunting & mockage of so notable workes of god, as he of late yeares hes shawen in mo Re­almes then one. Our Maister Christ Iesus apointes vs to no one certane place, wher that we shalbe assured of his presence: but rather forbidding the obseruatioun of all places, he sendes vs to his owen spirituall presence, saying: wheresoeuer two or thre are gathered in my name, There am I in the middest of thē. And in an other place, Math. [...]. Behold I am with yow to the end of the world. Math. 28. We being grounded vpon these promyses, haue good hope through Iesus Christ, that in our Cōgregationis we haue the fauourable presence of Iesus Christ, aswel in his word, as in his holy sacramē ­tes. For in his name alone conuene we, be him alone we call vpon God our Father: and be him alone we are assured, through y ^• power of his holy spreit, to obtene our requeastes made according to his wil. We [Page] [...]onder greatlie, that the wryter consid­deris not, that the promise of the Prophet is, that all Nationis shall cum to that holie montane. We are a Nation (how abiect y ^• euer we appeare) why thē will the wryter deny vnto vs, fre passage to the hous of y ^• Lord: seing that the terme of the last day­es is not yet expyred, and seing that we desyre to be taught in the wayes of the Lord and to walk in his pathes: yea, seing that thousandis in Scotland refuses not to be rebuked of the Lord, and to suffer him to iudge amōges vs. If the wryter will say, becaus we will not acknowledge Rome, to be the mother of all other Kirkis: We answer as befoir, let vs heare the commā ­dement of our God, charging vs so to do, and our obedience shall not be long cra­ued. For we are most willing to obey our mother: Prouyding that she shaw the vn­douted signes of a naturall mother. But an vsurped tytle without farther assurāce, we dar not admit. And this far for his as­sertion, and for the mynd of the Prophet. Now followeth his conclusioun in these wordes.

Wherefoir if ye can not shaw, what place of the worlde afoir thre hundreth [Page] yeares, your Kirk was into, It followeth of necessitie, that it is no Kirk. &c.

¶How this conclusion may be rightly gathered of the wordes of the Prophet, we suffer the readers and the wryter him self to cōsidder. And yet becaus, y ^• till vs it wer a thing moste greuous so to be ex­communicate, that we [...]er no Kirk: That is, no parcell of the holy Kirk vniuersall. We answer for our entres and say: Nota. That befoir 15. hundreth yeares our Kirk was in Ierusalem, Answer. in Samaria, in Antiochia, and wheresoeuer Christ Iesus was trewly pre­ached, and his blissed Euāgell obedientlie receaued, whether it was amonges y ^• Iewis or Gentiles. There we say was our Kirk, which is not bound to any one place, but is dispersed vpon y ^• face of the hole earth, hauing one God, one faith, one baptisme, and one Lord Iesus, sauiour of all that vnfeanedly beleue. And so we feare not to receaue the tytle and authoritie of a par­ticulare Kirk, becaus we haue all thinges be Godes word that thereto apperte [...]nes. Yea, we are farther bold to affirme, that if euer it shall please God, to bring y ^• Kirk of Rome to hir originall puritie, that she shall not be ashamed to imbrase and reue­rence [Page] the pure Kirk of Scotland as her dearest sister, and nixt resembling her in all thinges: before that pryde and auarice, ioyned with Idilnes and ryatous leuing, corrupted her Ministers, and that the in­uentionis of men wer preferred to Godes simple treuth. We say yet againe y ^• when­soeuer the Kirk of Rome, shalbe reduced to that estate, in the whiche the Apostles left it, we ar assured that she shall vote in our fauoures, against all such as shall deny vs to be a Kirk: if God continew vs in y ^• simplicitie which this day is mocked of y ^• world. Now let vs heare how the wryter proceadeth.

¶TYREIS LETTER.

AND swyftlie gif ze or ony of zour cunning Ministeris of zour new inuē ­ted Euangell schaw me the dew successiō of his Kirk sen Christ, and by that, aggre the manifest contradictioun that baith I haue red and sene with my ene amangis y ^• Doctouris & principallis of zour new do­ctrine, I sall not only re [...]unce the sentēce quhilk I haif haldin heirtofoir, bot als sall afoir all that will heare me confes my ig­norance and fa [...]lt, and sall employ all my strength to the furthsetting of zour Reli­gioun. &c.

ANSWER.

OF this part of the wryters letter, & of that w ^t is past befoir it is easie to cō ­sider, that he wil acknawledge no Kirk to be the trew Kirk of Iesus Christ, onles y ^• it can shaw the dew succession therof, frō the dayes of Iesus Christ. And farther, y ^• the teachers of it, do so aggre in doctrine, that in no point they be found to differ one from an other. We answer Answer. if the im­maculate spous of Iesus Christ wer, boūd to these two extremities, The bondage thereof wer moste miserable: but becaus we find our maister Iesus Christ, is moir fauourable to his pure Kirk, then Maister Tyrie craues, we are decreed to stand in that fredome and libertie, whereunto our head, and only souerane Lord, hes called vs. We find y ^t he sendes not his afflicted Kirk to seak a lineal successiō of any per­sones, befoir that he wil receaue thē: but he with all gentilnes calleth his sheap vn­to him self, saying: cum vnto me all ye y ^t laubour and are laden, & I will ease yow. Math. 11. And agane, all that the Father giueth me, shall come to me: Io. 6. and him that cometh to me I cast not away.

O golden and moste comfortable sen­tence, [Page] pronunced of him who can not lie. Heir is no mention of any succession that we should clame to, befoir that we be re­ceaued of him, who is the head of y ^• Kirk: but only it is said: that that which the fa­ther giueth, and that the sone receaueth, shall not be cast away: nether yet will he lose any that cūmeth to him, but that he will saue them and rase them vp at y ^e last day. And the Apostle speaking of the vo­cation of the Gentiles sendes them not to seak a succession: but in the persone of y ^• Ephesianes pronunceth this sentence in fauoures of all that beleue in Iesus Christ.

Now therefore ye ar no moir strangers and foraners, but Cietizens with y ^• sanct [...]s and of the houshold of God. Eph [...]s. 2. And ar buil­ded vpon the fundatioun of the Apostles and Prophetes. Iesus Christ him self being th [...] cheaf corner stone: in whome all the buylding coupled together groweth vnto an holy Tēple in the Lord. Heir we find men who befoir wer strangers maid Cie­tizenes with the sainctes and of the hous­hold of God, we find them buyded vpon the [...]undation of the Apostles and Prophetes: we find Iesus Christ to be the cheaf corner stone: but we find no mention of [Page] any sic successiō as maister Tyrie seameth rigorously and without Godes comman­dement to craue. And there [...]oir we cā not but wonder why that mortall man shall craue of vs that, which nether God y ^• Fa­ther his sone Ch [...]ist Iesus nether yet th [...] holy Apostles in their Ministerie craued of any Realme or Nation. And therefoir let Maister Tyrie tak this for an answer.

That an iniust requeast may iustly be de­nyed.

And yet least that the wryter or any o­ther should think thē selues rather moc­ked then answered. Nota. We ade to the pre­misses, that we are able to shaw the suc­cession of our Kirk directly, & laughfully to haue flowed from the Apostles. And our reason is, Direct answer. becaus that in our Kirkis we nether admit doctrine, ryte, nor ceremo­nie, which be their wrytingis we [...]ind not authorised. And albeit that this shall not satisfie the new start vp Iesuites: yet our consciences are at rest, becaus we are assu­red to be auowed of the supreame iudge.

The secund which he requyreth is, that we shall aggre the manifest contradiction that is amonges the principall Doctoures of our new doctrine, and late inuented E­uangell. [Page] His blaspheamie we remit be Godes hand to be punished, and yet we wold knowe what doctrine is that which he tearmes new. Our Euangell (as befoir is said) is that same which Iesus Christ be him selfe and be his Apostles manifested vnto the world, Answer to Tyr [...]i [...] vn­r [...]asonable [...]. as all sic as heare y ^• form [...] of our doctrine cā witnes. Where he de­syres vs to aggre all controuersies amōge [...] our teacheris: we answer, bona fide, that we know no controuersie in doctrine, es­pecially of that which concernes mannes saluation within the Realme of Scotland: but that all the Preacheours within our Kirkis vniformely aggre in doctrine and iudgemēt, notwithstanding the diuersitie of giftes. If Maister Tyrie wolde send vs to consiliate all controuersies that are in Germanie and ellis where his secund pe­tition hes no greater reason, then had the former. For of God we haue no farther charge, but to watche ouer that flocke w ^t is subiect vnto vs. God hes reased and ap­pointed vs Preacheours to the Realme of Scotland: In the boundis whereof if we plant not trew doctrine according to the talent committed to our Charge, and op­pone our selues to all kynde of erroures y ^• [Page] may infect the flock, we shalbe criminall befoir God. But y ^• we ar precisedly boūd to ryn from coūtrie to countrie, to aggr [...] all controuersies, albeit it wer euin in the maters of Religion: we find no expres cō ­mandement geuin to vs in that behalf of our God. And therefoir we must desyre y ^• inspection of Maister Tyrie his power, be vertew whereof he may charge vs to that paneful trauel, befoir that we can promise obedience. But Maister Tyrie we knowe will alledge, that in wryting of his letter, there was no such thing in his mynd: but that his meaning was, that becaus we did not aggre fully amonges our selues in all heades, therefoir he wold not be of our Kirk. For that in plane wordes he decla­reth. &c. Now all contention laid asyde, we will desyre Maister Tyrie, and the rest of his factiō deaply to cōsidder, if they be buylded vpon a sure fundatioun: whill y ^• they haue none other caus why they ap­pone them selues to the treuth of God, now of his mercy reuealed to the world, but becaus that such as profes that treuth aggre not in all heades amōges thē selues. We demand then what if they had leued in the dayis of the Apostles, Not [...]. when y ^• prea­ching [Page] of Christ Iesus was no les odious to the visi [...]le Kirk: To wit, to the posteritie of Arahon and Leui, who then rewled in Ierusalem, then hes the light of the Euangell bene, of late yeares, to that Romane Antechrist, and vnto suche as liue be his Merchandice. Wold Maister Tyrie (we ask) and his factiō, haue refused the Euā ­gell, bec [...]us that in the bosome of y ^• Kirk there arose great controuersie, and that in the especiall heades of Religion? For did not some boldely affirme in the Kirk of Antiochia, [...]. that onles the Gentiles wer circumcised, according to the law of Moses, they culd not be saued. Which doctrine and affirmation was moir, dangerous and moir sclanderous in those dayes, then all the controuersies that yet ar rissen amon­ges such, as haue refused the dampnable wayes of the Papistrie: for it concerneth the cheaf head of Iustification. And will any yet say that therefore the Euangell was not the glade tydinges of Saluatioun? And they that imbrased it [...]rewly wer not the trew members of Iesus Christ? We looke that men will be moir moderat, thē some shaw them selues to be: who for certane controuersies of far les importance [Page] then that was, dare boldly dāpne y ^• treuth and the professoures of the same, becaus say they, Proprium est hereticorum a se inuicem dissentire. That is, it is proper to Heretykes to disagre amonges thē selues whiche sentence how ancient that euer it be, if it should be so vnderstand as the Papist doeth: that is, whosoeuer disagreis a­monges them selues in materis of Religiō they are Heretykes. If the former sentēce (we say) should be so vnderstand, then shall we accuse mo of Heresie then cā be excused in any on [...] age from Christ Iesus to this day. For did not Paule disagre frō Peter? Yea, Gal. [...]. he did so disagre from him, y ^• he did resist him planly to his face, becaus that he walked not according to the right way of the treuth of the Gospell. These wer two prēcipall pillers: the one appoin­ted to the Iewes and the other to the Gē ­tiles: A [...]. 15. what shall we say of the hote contē ­tion which fell betuix Barnabas & Paule, which separated thē that befoir wer ioy­ned, in as strate coniunction, as euer wer two mortall men vpon the earth. If Mai­ster Tyrie and his Iesuites will alledge y ^• t [...]ese wer but suddane passiones, and did not concerne any cheaf head of doctrine: [Page] The holy Ghost will proue the cont [...]e. For the one tuiched the cōscience of mē, concerning the fredome of meates, & the other the admission of Ministeris, after y ^• they had ones fallen back from that fun­ction: which heades wer of greater weght in those dayes (as heirtofoir we haue said) then any controuersie which the Papistes ar able to shaw, to be, or yet to haue bene, betuix vs that professes the Euangell, and do abhorre their abhominationes. Farther reasoning of this head for this present we omit, and will procead with Maister Ty­ries letter.

TYRIES LETTER.

QVhair [...]oir Schir considdering that in that Kirk in the quhilk I am be the grace of God thair is continuall successiō of doctrine, and that same self quhilk is preachit now hes bene teichit in all ages, as it is manifest till o [...]y man that hes red all ancient wryteris afoir our tymes. And mairouer I find it spred throw all y ^• warld as in lyke maner it is manifest and the ex­perience dois teich zow, for ze will cū to na place quhair Christis doctrine is ressa­uit, bot ze will find the Religion at leist in mony personis. Quhairfoir gifze can not [Page] schaw in na vther Religion the samin. It followis euidently that na vther Religioū is the trew Religioun.

¶ANSWER.

TO this Epilog and argumēt gathered thereof, we answer only this: Nota. That of a manifest lie, there can no treuth be con­cluded▪ His manifest and impudent lie we say, Tyries impudē ­cie. is, That he affirmes, That in that Kirk in the which he is, there is continuall suc­cession of doctrine: and that the selfsame which is preached now hes bene taugh in all ages. This we affirme is a moste impu­dent lie. For now, & of late yeares it hath bene taught and of the people receaued, that the Messe was a [...]acrifice propitiato­rie for the sinnis of the quick & the dead: That the Pape was the head of y ^• Kirk, & such other heades of moste heretical do­ctrine, approued in the Papisticall Kirk.

W [...]ich heades we affirme wer vnknowē in the age of the Apostles, or yet of the Fathers that immediately followed them.

And for the probation thereof, we desyre their wrytingis to be produced, euer be­ginning at them who wer appointed of God to preache, and to plant the veriti [...] in the world. We are not bound to cr [...] ­dite [Page] whatsoeuer the Fathers haue spoken: But our faith (as is befoir said) is buylded vpon the sure Rock Iesus Christ, Ephes. 2. and vpō the fundatioun of the Apostles and Pro­phetes. So far as any Fathers aggre there­with, we reuerently do imbrase it: But if the Fathers haue affirmed any thing with out the warrand of the written word of y ^e Eternall our God, To whose only voce the sheap of his pasture ar bound: It is as laughfull to vs to reiect that which pro­ceadeth from man and not from God, Nota. as it is easie to them to affirme it. Maister Tyrie may know that we vse the wordes of the Ancientis.

It appeareth to vs be the hole pro­gres of Maister Tyries letter, The effect of Tyries letter. that he and his factioun, can acknowledge no Kirk, which in all ages hes not bene visible to the eyes of men: hauing lykwise a visible succession. For first he affirmes, that the Kirk whereof the Prophet Isaias speakes, His affir­mationis should be manifest and visible through all the world. And heare last he alledgeth that we can cum in no place where we sall not find that Religion spred: at the least in many persones. And thereof he con­cludes, that if we can not proue the lyke [Page] of our Religion: It followis that it is not the trew Religion.

If Maister Tyrie recant not this assertiō he must correct his crede. Answer to his affirma­tiones. Aud where v­niuersally befor we vse to say credo san­ctam ecclesiam. &c. Nota. He must say video sauctam ecclesiam. For if there be no kirk vpon the face of the earth, but that which is visible, and th [...]t which may be shawen first, be certane notes external, then superfluous and vane it wer to vs to say, I be­leue the holy K [...]rk vniuersall: but confi­dētly we might affirme, I see y ^• holy kirk. If Master Tyrie will say we may bothe se & beleue, and be our sight our Faith may be strengthned. For Thomas saw y ^• woū ­des in the handes, [...] and syde of Christ Iesus, and beleued: and so may we se the Kirk and yet bele [...]e it. If we should grāt so far to M [...]ister Tyrie, yet wer his argu­ment nothing helped. For the question is not, whether that we may noti [...]ie those thinges that we ar bound to beleleue. But the question is, if that we are not bound to beleue those thinge [...], which somtymes ar vtterly [...] from the external sen­ses of men. M [...]ster Tyrie will acknow­ledge no kirk except that which hes bene [Page] and is visible. We in the cōtrare acknowledge and reuerence the spous of Chiist Iesus, Apocal. [...]. somtymes exyled from the world, receauing somtymes the wynges of an Egle, that she may fle to the wyldernes: Whereof God and not of man, she hath her place prepared. We reuerence her w ^t doeth complane, that she hath bene deso­late, barrane, a captiue, and a wanderer to and fro. That spous of Iesus Christ brages so lytle of her succession, visible to mānes eyes, Isai. 49. that she is reft in admiration, who should haue nurished her Children, du­ring the tyme of her baniwement. If ma­ster Tyrie be so well sene in the ancient Wryters, as in his wryting he wold shaw him self to be, then can he not be ignorāt that it is not without great caus that the holy Goste hath taught vs to say: Note di­ligently. I beleue the holy Kirk vniuersall. To wit, becaus that oftentymes it is, that the Kirk militāt is so afflicted. Yea, the bewtie thereof is so obscured, to the most part of the worlde, that the Synagoge of Sathan vsurpes the tytle of the trew Kirk: and Babilone is preferred to Ierusalem. Psalm. 74. So that the elect are compelled to compleane and say. We s [...] not our owen signes, now is there no [Page] Prophet any moir amonges vs. Let the dayes of Helyas and his cōplaint witnes whether that the Kirk of God is alwayes so visible, that it may be pointed furth w ^t the finger of man. Thus we wryte shortly to giue occasion to Maister Tyrie, and to such as are blinded with that errour, moir deaply to considder that artickle of their beleue, and not so rashely to condempne such as God of his mercy calles frō dark­nes to light. Now to the rest of his letter.

TYRIES LETTER.

THair is sum I knaw perchance for laik outher of gude discourse or wit mea­sures the veritie of the thing thay follow be the warldly succes thay haue in the following of it. Bot surely I cā not esteme zow to be of that rank, and gif ze wer, I wald exhort zow to reid amangis the rest the seuintene and twa Psalme, and y ^e hun­dreth fourtie and thre Psalme. Quhairby ze wil easily vnderstand, that nouther the prosperous succes of zour part (in warldly thinges I mene) preifis it that ze follow to be of veritie, nor zit our decay and aduer­sitie makis our part to be conuicted, ze rather the mater being considderit as it aught to be, zour prosperitie is rather a [Page] manifest argument of Goddis wraith nor of ony treuth of veritie. For it is said be ane godly, haly and cunning man ane xj. hundreth zeir by past, Quod nihil infeli­cius felicitate peccantium, quia & penalis nutritur impunitas & mala voluntas velut interior hostis roboratur. &c.

ANSWER.

WE might haue passed by this parcell without answer, becaus that nothing in it conceaued, iustly can be laid to our charge. For our warldly felicitie, prospe­ritie & rest, nether is, nether yet hes bene at any tyme, sence we haue imbrased the Euangel of Iesus Christ, suche as may nu­rishe vs in wickednes: nether yet are the Papists able to cōuict vs of such impietie, as all the world know hath roung among them of mo yeares then an hūdreth thrise told. And in the meane tyme to what ho­nour and worldly dignitie they are ascen­ded, we mak them selues iudges. If they say the d [...]ctrine which we teach, is won­drously spred within this hūdreth yeares: So that now it hes almoste red y ^• self furth of bondage. We wold demand of the Pa­pistes, if the [...]uangell of Iesus Christ, cea­sed to be the doctrine of Saluation, what tyme the Ki [...]kis gat rest in Iudea and elles [Page] where, in the dayes of the Apostles. If they answer, y ^• they meane no such thing. Then yet we demand, if the hand of the Lord be more shortned now, then that it was in the primatiue Kirk: So that now he may not aswell manteane his tr [...]uth, and enlarge the Kingdome of his onely Sone, as that he did in the dayis of the Apostlis. Whatsoeuer the Papistes shall answer, we are assured that nether is his power dimi­nished, so that he may not manteane his treuth: nether yet is his lufe so waxen cold towardes his Kirk, but that he will in his anger remember vpon mercy. Why do not those cruell men considder, what innocent bloode hath bene shed for the testimonie of Christes E [...]angell, within these thre score yeares. Wold they that God at no tyme should shaw pietie vpon the patient suffering of his afflicted kirk? Wolde they that the sworde should still deuor? Wold they that the flaming fyres should neuer be quēched? If that so they wold, they shaw them selues the Sones of him who hath bene a murtherer from the beginning, and yet continew in the same malice. But our God beareth towardes his weak Children, a fatherly affectioun [Page] whereby he is moued somtymes to stay y ^• fu [...]ie and rage of Sathan for a ceason: To the end that his chosen moir gladely may prepare thē selues to a new battell, Trew it is, the doctrine of saluatioun is greatly enlarged, & thereof we praise God: Trew it is, that Sathā hath not vniuersally such power to persecute as somtymes he hath had. But will Maister Tyrie thereof con­clude, that in our Kirk there is no strēgth? But now to the Scriptures which Maister Tyrie coateth.

Trew it is, that Dauid in his 73. Psalme according to the compt of the Hebrewes affirmes that nether the worldly prospe­ritie of the vngodly, nor yet the afflictiō of the godly, ought to discourage such as feare God. In this generall head we aggre with Maister Tyrie and with all Papistes. But we affirme, that the notes and signes, which y ^• holy Ghost giueth in that place, be the which the wicked shalbe knowen, do no wyse apperteane to vs: but of many yeares moste euidently haue appeared, & to this hour do yet appeare in the Pape, & in many of those that manteane his king­dome. For whether that the generatiō of y ^• Romane Antechrist hath bene exemed [Page] from the troubles of mē, whether y ^• their pryde hes bene as visible as euer was their garmēt: whether that their eyes haue start out for fatnes: And finally whether that their licentious leuinges, their oppression and presumption, haue not planely decla­red, y ^t they haue set their mouth against the heauen, we are content that the world (be it neuer so blind) the histories of [...]heir liues (not written be vs but be their owen scribes) and the verray experience which all men now haue, & heirtofoir haue had of their proceadinges, beare record whe­ther that they or we be noted in y ^t psalme. We giue Maister Tyrie to vnderstand, That we a [...]e better acquented with the liues and conuersationis of the Papes and Cardinalles, then thay think vs to be: and that we know the strength of th [...]ir lawes, decries, Nota. statutes and counsalles better thē the lesuites knowes the reule of Iesus: al­beit that presumpteous [...]y they haue vsur­ped his name. And therefoir we wil craue of Maister Tyrie and of all his factiō, that in wryting either to vs or yet till suche as they wold perswade: that they vse treuth and simplicitie, and so shall they find thē selues better contented in reading of our [Page] answers. For this befoir the Lord Iesus, we protest that it is the treuth which we teach, and wherein we delyte: The luf [...] whereof causes vs abhor all mānes inuen­tion, superstition and Idolatrie. And thus far to the answers of the Scriptures which Maister Tyrie coateth.

Now to the sentence of the anciēt wry­ter, whose name he suppresseth. We an­swer, that his wordes cut the throttes of the proud Papistes of that age and of all their followers sence those day is. For thē began the taill of the Dragoun, to draw the starres from the heauen to the earth: Then began the fontanes which somety­mes gaue cleare & holsome watter to be­come bitter: yea, to be turned vnto blood, and yet did they prosper in all worldlie felicitie. Which was the caus that many godly men lamenting that publict corruption, wer compelled to pronunce, that, & like sentences, against the verray Kirk mē that then lyued. And least that Maister Tyrie should thinke that this we affirme without authoritie. We remit him to the wrytings of Ierome, Augustine, Ambrose, Bernard, & others that wer nether come long before nor after the tyme that he [Page] whose wrytinges if he shall diligentlie examine, he sal find, what was their iudgement of the seat of Rome in their dayes, and what others y ^t after followed, added to the former impietie of their Fathers: from the day that ones the Popes wer decored or rather deformed with a triple Crowne, let the wryters of all ages sence beare witnes. And least that Maister Ty­rie shal think that we put him to to much pane, when that we send him to all wry­ters in generall. We shal releue him som­what, and appoint him to two only, whōe iustly he can not suspect to haue bene corrupted be vs. The one is Abbas Ioachim, a man sometymes of great authoritie and reputation amonges the Papistes. The o­ther is Ioānes Auētinus historiographur, whose historie was prented be cōmand & with priuiledge of the Empreour Charles the Fyft: Let the Wrytinges we say of these two beare witnes, what hes bene y ^e iudgement of diuers men in diuers ages, of Rome, of the pryde of the prelacie, of their corruption, in lyfe and doctrine, and finally of their defectioun from the treuth. Abbas Ioachim wryting vpon the wordes of the Reuelation of sanct Iohne, [Page] The sext Angel powred furth his Phyol [...] vpon the great flood Euphrates. &c. Hes this sentence. Si autem aquae huius flumi­nis quod vocatur Euphrates, populi sunt, & gentes, & linguae, quae parent Romano imperio: Si quidē ciuitas Romana ipsa, est noua Babilon. &c. That if (sayeth he) the watters of this flood that is called Euphra tes be people, Nationis and tounges that obey the Romane Impyre, for the Cietie of Rome it self is new Babilon: This place and that which ensewes of the drying vp of the watters euidētly shawes, what was the iudgement of the wryter in his dayes of Rome. To wit, that it was become new Babilon. And least that any should think that the Author meaneth of the ancient Romane Impyre, and not of the regimēt of the Kirk that was in it, or in the domi­nion thereof, he explanes him selfe after, whill that he interpretes the great hoore, and the Kinges of the earth, who commit huredome with her. The great hoore he sayes, the vniuersal Fatheris affirmed to be Rome. Not sayes he as concerning the Congregation of the iust, which somety­mes was a pilgramer in it, but as concer­ning the multitude of the reprobate: who [Page] be their wicked workes blaspheameth & impungeth the same Kirk, being a pilgra­mer with hir. Let Maister Tyrie mark that the wryter saw in Rome two Kirkis, the hoore, & her multitude dispersed in all y ^• places of that Impyre: & the Kirk which was a stranger blaspheamed and impung­ed be the multitude. And yet after he ex­planes him self more planely: saying, Re­ges vero terre, dic [...]i sunt praelati, quibus cō cessum est regim [...]n animarum. Quorum nonnulli fornicantur cū Babilone, quum­quidem vt placeant hominibus, paruipen­dunt & negligunt mandatum dei. The Kinges of the earth (sayes he) are called the Prelates, to whome the Regiment of saules is cōmitted, of whome neuertheles some commit fornication with Babilon: Becaus that they for the pleasure of men neglect and dispyse the cōmandement of God. And least that any should thinke y ^• suche a sentence had recklesly eschaped him, he dowbles the same wordes ouer a­gane: saying, Reges vero terrae esse prae­latos ecclesiarum, quorum aliqui fornicā ­tur cum Babilone supertus dictum est, It is befoir said (sayeth he) that the Kinges of the earth are the Prelates of the Kirkis, [Page] of whome some cōmit hooredome with Babilon. And proceades farther saying.

Et quod sequitur: Et mercatores terrae de virtute deliciarum eius, diuites factisu [...]t: ad fal [...]os sacerdotes & hipochritas, re [...]e­rendum est. qui negotiantes regnum dei temporalibus lucris. &c. That is. And that which followeth (sayeth he) and the mer­chandes of the earth wer made riche of y ^• power of her pleasures. That is to be re­ferred to the fals Preastes and Hypocrhi­tes, who making merch [...]ndice of the kingdome of God, gapes for temporall aduā ­tage. &c. And after a lytle vpon these wordes, and the merchandes of the earth shall murne. &c. He sayes.

¶Negotiatores terrae qui sicut superius dictum est: ipsi sunt sacerdotes bruti, qui nesciūt que dei sunt. Sacerdotes animales qui dati sunt in atrium exterius, vt mandu­cent peccata populi: qui ven dunt oratio­nes & missas pro denarijs, facientes domū orationis apothecā negotiationis, faciētes inquam forum publicum & speluncam la­tronum. &c. That is, the merchandes of y ^• earth (as is before said), they are y ^• brutish Preastes that knowe not those thinges y ^• apperteane to God. Sensuall Preastes that [Page] are placed in the outward court that they may eat the sinnes of the people, Reioyse pa­pistes, hear [...] are Messes, but marke that they are solde. who sell prayers and Messes for money: Making y ^• hous of prayer ane chop of merchandice: yea, making it (I say) a publict and oppen mercat, and a den of theues. &c. If Master Tyrie or any other of that sect, blame vs of rayling (as commonly they vse to do, when that we speak the treuth) Then let him and them considder, that we learned not of Martyn Luther, what kind of men the papistes wer: but that which we speak and affirme now we haue receaued of the Papistes them selues. For this hath bene the mercyfull prouydence of God tow­ardes his lytle flock euer from the begin­ning, That when an vniuersall corruptiō begā to spred the self, thē wer rased some as it wer one or two amonges y ^e hole mul­titude, till admonishe the present age and the posterities to come, how far men had declyned from the originall puritie: that at least God might haue some testimonie, that y ^e veritie of God, was not altogether buryed in the earth. But now let vs heare the iudgementes of others.

Such as be any thing acquented with y ^• Histories of the antiquitie, can not be ig­norant, [Page] how vehement was the contentiō betuix Nicolaus the first, and certane of y ^• Bishoppes of Germanie, for the diuorce­ment and secund mariage, of Lotharius King of Vngarie. Which of the two par­ties had the iust actiō, we dispute not: but what wer the crymes lade to the Pape in those dayes, we shal shortly tuoche. Efter that Tetogaudus & Guntherus, who wer y ^• two cheaf Bishoppes that opponed thē selues to the pryde of y ^t Romane Bishop, had largely purged thē selues of all things wherewith he charged them. They enter in into moste bitter accusation of the said Nicolas Pape. And after other things they lade to his charge, that most tyrannically he had oppressed the libertie of the spous of Iesus Christ. And after that they haue rehearsed the principall ornamēts where­with y ^• trew Kirk was decored. They, say, Quae benesicia tu veluti latro intercipis, Auenti. lib. 4. foli. 428. templo dei preripis, in [...]e (que) transfers. &c. And after. Tu pontificis quidem personā prae te fers, ac tyrannum agitas: sub habitu & cultu pastoris, lupum sentimus: titulus parentē mētitur, luce factis iouem ostētas. That is, whiche benefites thow as a mur­therer cutteth of, and takis away from the [Page] Kirk of God, transferring them vnto thy self. Thow shaw is the person of a pasture, but planely thow playes the tyranne: vn­der the habit & cloithing of a sheapherd, we feale the crueltie of a Wolf. The tytle lies, for it calleth the father: but thow thy self into thy workes shawes, the thunder­ing of Iupiter. &c. And therfoir (say they) we knowe not thy voce: we regarde not thy statutes: nether yet feare we thy bul­les, nor thunderinges. L [...]t the Pa­pistes con­fute this o [...] [...] absol [...]e vs. If thow pretend to interdite vs, we feare not to cut thy throt with thy owen sword: For the holy ghost is author of all y ^• Kirkis whersoeuer they be dispersed vpon the face of the earth.

This was the iudgement of many otheris then of these befoir expressed, of the seat of Rome in those dayes about 800. yeares after the ascention of Christ, and how y ^• the pryde and iniquitie of that seat aug­mented, as also the fre speaking of men a­gainst the same, the subsequentis will de­clare.

What lamentable tragedi [...] was played betuix Hildebrand called Gregor the s [...] ­uint, and Henrie the fourt Empreour of Rome, mo Historiographoures then one or two do witnesse. Nether yet do those [Page] writers who wer most addict to the factiō of the Pope, to wit, Gerochus, and Paulus, so couer the shame of that deceauer, but that they giue sufficient light to men, to se what mischeaf lurked within the bosōe of that p [...]stilent seat. For wryting what y ^• said Hildebrand did, what tyme that he was fi [...]st deposed from that seat, which be craft and without all ordour he did vsurp (they say) that he spared not largely to bestow the patrimonie of the Kirk vpon soldiours, and vpone capitane of warre: vpon the which, the pure, cheafly, should haue bene susteaned: yea, they affirme, y ^t he shew him self more rigerous against y ^• empreour, thē it b [...]came a pasture to haue done. If this was their iudgement who tooke vpon them to defend his action & caus, what think we was the iudgement of others?

That shall we better vnderstand be his accusation and be the sentence pronūced against him, be all the Bishoppes of Frāce and Germanie. Who with one voce con­cluded, that Hildebrand was ambitious periur [...]d: an vsurper of the Empreoures autho [...]itie: one that violated and brak the concord o [...] the Kirk: and therefore that [Page] he was vnworthie of that seat. This sen­tēce was pronūced in his owen face, whil that he was sitting in counsal in Rome be one Rulandus, cheaf Preast of Parma.

Who boldly and without any salutation, offering the decreit of the counsall, to­gether with the Empreoures letters, said. This Hildebrand is no Bishop, no Father, no pasture: he is a theaf, a Wolf, a mur­therer, a Tyranne: and therefoir let him he deposed. &c. We are not ignorant y ^t hereof ensewe great tumult, sedition, and trouble. But as that purged nothing his former infamie, so did it not stop y ^e mou­thes of many, planely to pronunce, what Iudgement they had of him and of that seat. To wit, that he vnder the tytle of Christ, did the verray work of the Anti­christ: That he sat in the Tempell of god, which then was become Babilone: That he was worshipped and extolled aboue all that w ^c was called God: That he glorify­ed as if he could not erre. &c. These and others crymes of no les weight wer lade in that age, to the Bishoppes and seat of Rome: and this was far without the terme of thre hūdreth yeares within the which Maister Tyrie wolde limitat the doctrine [Page] of our Kirk. But let vs heare farther.

As the practises of the Bishoppes of Rom [...], [...]er more and more espyed, the Bishoppes of Germanie assembled them selues in counsall at Regmoburgiū: where the Bishop of that same cūtrie in his most vehemēt orison, made against the authors of sedition, amonges other thinges, pro­nunced this sentence against the Bishop­pes and seat of Rome. Christ our Sauiour (sayes he) most diligentlie foirwarned vs, to be ware of fals Christes, and fals Pro­phetes, whome he willed vs to discerne & know be their workes. Nota. Whome presently onles we be more then blind we may se.

For (sayes h [...]) Romani flumines arma in omnes hab [...]nt Christianos, This day ye [...]. audendo, fal­lēdo, & bella ex bellis ferēdo magni facti, omnes trucidant, occidunt, pacem concor diam terris depellunt. &c. That is, these Romane Preastes (he not [...]s the hole Ra­ble) make warre against all Christianes, some tymes malepa [...]tly, sometymes craf­tely, and be deceat they still continew warre vpon warre. They them selues be­ing made great, murther & slay the sheap. Breifly they tak peace and concord from the earth. And after a lytle in the sam [...] [Page] which is to be found in the seuint book [...] of the Historie foresaid he sayes: A [...]en. l [...]b. 7. Hilde­brandus ante annos centum atque septua­ginta, primus specie religionis, Antichristi imperij fundamēta iecit. Ho [...] bellum ne­phandum primus auspicatus, est quod per successores hu [...] vsque continuatur. &c.

That is, Hilldebrand (sayes he) before an hundreth and seuintie yeares, first vnder apperance of Religion, laid the fundation of the Impyre of the Antechrist, he first began this vnhappy warre which to this day is continued be his successoures: he farther proceades and sayes, Beleue the man that he [...] experience. These Preastes of Babilone desyre to regne alone: Let the worlde iudge. They shal not cease vnto such time as that they haue oppressed the honor of the Romane Impyre. And consequently the trew pa­stures that wold fead the slocke, being oppressed, and the barking dogges being re­moued, they shall extinguishe the treuth, they shall murther and trode all thinges vnder their feat: They shall sit in the Tē ­ple of God, and be extolled aboue all that is worshipped. &c.

These and many other graue sentences wer pronunced be the said Ebirhardus, & [Page] wer ratifyed and confirmed be the hole Bishoppes, & Senate of Germanie: wher­by it is euident what iudgement that age had of the Bishoppes of Rome, and their Colleges. To auoyde farther pro [...]ixitie, we omit the orison and iudgement of probus, the Bishop of Tullos: The publict e­dict set furth against the Pope and against his practises in the dayes of Lodouicus y ^• fourt Empreour, together with the iudgementes of many other: which such as are exercised in Reading of Histories may note. So that if Maister Tyrie or any of his sect shall, after this accuse vs▪ that we are the first that haue disclosed that man of sin: The moste ancient wryters shall cō uict him, & purge vs. Now shortly to the rest of his letter.

TYRIES LETTER.

SEN my departing fra zow I haue sene sindrie cōgregationis, specially in Ger­manie, Professing as thay pretendit the trew word of God and his Euangell, bot in veritie betuix them thair selfis & them and zow, I find sa greit difference and re­pugnance in materis of greit cōsequence, that gif thair wer na vther argument to let me not depart fra the Catholick Kirk, [Page] in the quhilk I was Baptised, that wer suf­ficient. &c.

¶ANSWER.

WHen Maister Tyrie shall accuse in special, wherein the Congregationis in Germanie, differ amonges them selues, and that we differ from them: then shall we shaw our Iudgementes, whether the difference be of suche importance, as it ought to dissolue the vnitie of the Kirk. The confession of our faith & the ordour of our Kirk, is patēt to all that lyst to read the same, whē either he or any other shall oppunge any one or two heades of the same, so long as God pleases to reteane in this miserable life, such as of his mercy he hes made his Ministers to blow the trom­pet of his iudgements to this most wicked generation: nether he nor any other that please to oppone them selues to our con­fessio [...]n, shall long craue an answer, an answer we say of any one or two heades which they please to oppoung. For Ma­ster Tyrie ought to vnderstand, that the preacheing Ministers within the Realme of Scotland, are oxen, euer lauboring vn­der the Yock: and that into the husban­drie of the Lord. And therefore they cā [Page] haue no tyme vacant from their necessary cures, to compas countries with the Iesui­tes (who ar subiect to none other yocke then to that of their owen electiō) to espy what faultes they can finde amonges the Congreationis. As we haue no vacantes (we say) to considder all tryfles that of­fend delicate men, who can acknowledge no Kirk, but that which in all pointes be absolute and perfyte: so albeit that both [...] [...]e did considder them, and condempne them, yet we vsurpe no authoritie abou [...] our brether: but remit all men to their o­wen iudge. And do reuerence all Con­gregationis, who do aggre with vs in the principallis of our faith: as the particulare Kirkis of Iesus Christ: albeit that in all ceremoies there be not vniformitie: yea, & albeit that in some heades of doctrine al­so, there appeare repugnance, yet will we not brek brotherly concord, prouyding that we aggre in the principallis. Princi­pallis we call those heades of doctrine, without the cōfession & cōsent whereof, the Kirk was not planted. Be these few wordes Maister Tyrie (if he be wyse) may vnderstand what we meane, & so we pro­cead to the conclusion of his letter.

¶TYREIS LETTER.

QVhairfoir Schir I exhort yow as I begouth, to think on this mater as deiply as it becūmis a Christiane man, and quhen ze haue swa done aduertise me of zour sentiment. In the meane tyme I sall pray almichtie God be his grace to illu­minat zour spreit to knaw in this mater y [...] richt way, and to gif fortitude and strenth quhen ze haif knawin it to profes it sa far as salbe conuenient to zour estate and sal­uatioun, hauing na farther occasioun of wryting committis zow to the protectioū of Almichtie God.

¶Gif ze pleis to answer ze may send zour wryting to the Baillie of Arroll, quha will caus it to be send to me.

ANSWER.

AGainst this exhortation wil we obiect nothing. For our ernest desyre is that men diligently considder what doctrine they imbrase, what fundation and ground [Page] their faith hes, and finally what way they follow, thinking thereby to atteane to e­ternall felicitie. For this careles securitie that vniuersally may be espyed in mē, we dampne, and euer haue dampned: But this we feare not to affirme, as before we haue written, that the doctrine of the Papisti­call Kirk, now many yeares bypast, hath bene altogether corrupt: that their opiniō which they call their Catholick faith, hes no sure ground within the word of God: And that the way which they for y ^• moste part haue followed, was the verray way of perdition, to all suche as without trew repentance departed this lyfe in y ^• blind­nes. And much more shalbe to all persons and estates, that now shal manteane those abhominationes, becaus the light is come and hes sufficiently declared the [...]ormer darknes. That man of sin is so manifestli [...] reueled, that excuse of ignorance there resteth none: But a fearefull iudgement abydes all such, that yet farther will fol­low his dampnable wayes.

This Schir ye haue our iudgement, which albeit ye shall receaue laitter then we wold: yet the state of tyme being con­siddered, we dout not but ye shall inter­prete [Page] all thinges to the best. Vse our let­ter so we pray yow, that it may come to the knowledge of the wryter to yow, whose cōuersion we no les seak then he appeares to seak youres. And thus we hartly commit yow to the protection of the Omnipotent.

Of E­dinburgh the 10. day of August Anno Do. 1568.