REGIÆ Maiestatis Priuilegio permissum est Niniano Winzeto, vti per aliquem Typographorum admissorum impune ei liceat imprimi curare, et per omnes suæ ditionis Regiones distrahere librum inscriptum, The buke of fourscoirthre questionis, tweching doctrine, ordour, and maneris, proponit to the precheours of the Protestants in Scotland: Et omnibus aliis inhibitum, ne eius libri editionem absque eiusdem Niniani consensu imprimant, vel alibi impressum distrahant, sub multa xx. florenorum vltra exemplaria impressa. Actum Bruxellis xxviij. Augusti 1563. Subscripsit. Facuwez. NINIANE WINZET, A CATHOLIK PREIST, TO THE CHRISTIANE REIDAR WISSHIS GRACE T the command of Dene Patrik Kinloquhy, A precheour in Linlythqow, and of his superin- only to subscriue thair phantasie and factioun of faith, micht haif of ony communitie, I thocht I had na cause to be eschameit, bot to reiose and glorifie my God (according to St. Petiris reull) for that I sufferit nocht as a 1 Pet. 4. wickit persoun or a ewill doar, bot as an wnfenzeit and 15 faithfull Christiane. For the tyme is now (as the samin Apostill writtis) that the terribill iugement to cum, in a manere in this lyfe beginnis at the Houss of God—that is, at the faithfull Catholikis, that first for thair awin sinnis, and syne for the trewthis saik, thai suffer in this lyfe 20 with Christe thair Heid, that be diuers tribulis thai mot enter with Him in the lyfe eternall. Nochttheles, I began Act. 14. nocht litill to merwel at sa haisty and sa subdane a wolter of this warlde in sa mony grete materis, and specialie of the subdane change of sum cunning clerkis, of the 1 O.E. obtenir. D A meruelis haisty change to be amangis Of new kingis. subiectioun. silence and fleitnes of wtheris, and of the maist arrogant presumptioun approwin specialie in the ignorant; and Christianis. amangis wtheris strange mutationis, quhow micht it be that ane Kinloquhy culd be king in Linlythqow ;-and specialie sik a king as appropriat to him self mair large 5 empyre and power in this caice than euir did faithfull king or emprior in Christianitie. For of thame all, certane is it that neuir wes ane quha attemptit to charge thair subiectis with the burdin 2 of an uther religioun nor faith than the vniuersal Kirk of God had euir afore pro- 10 fessit, quhilk in his presence (albeit I wes to him na subiect), for the gloir of Christis name (quha in all mot euir be praisit), before honorable persones, maist planelie confessit I. And sua fra I persauit this new proud prince, and his Caluiniane brethir on lyke manere in 15 A miserable utheris partis, to hef subdewit sa to thame, wnder sik thirldum thair miserable scoleris,—nocht only that thai micht leid thame concerning thair bodyis, as thai war slawes, presoneris, and captiues in a raip-that is, to cause thame to wair and hasert thair geris and bodyis 20 for thair plesuir; bot to hef blindit also thair iugement and naturall ressoun, that thai regaird na lawis diuine nor humane, bot haldis it only law quhateuir thai raill, rattill, or trattill, be it neuir sa euident, aganis Godis expres Word, His manifest ordinance, His haly Kirk, 25 His princeis and His prelatis; and amangis the rest, to hef vsurpit to thame in maist præsumptuows bauldnes, that plane tyrannie, for satisfying of their rage, to compell thair scoleris to banise3 Catholik and innocent men -ze, thair awin tender freindis and kinismen, in con- 30 tempt of oure Souerane Lady and hir Hienes lawis-fra thair iust possessionis, natiue roumes and citeis : —I wes almaist astoneist at thair proud præsumption in sa hiech an enterprise, and in sa prydeful and arrogant procedingis, that sa obscuir men durst presume to medle thame 35 1O.E. meruolis. 2O.E. burding. 3O.E. banies. 4 O. E. cieteis. Tyrannie. That the wicket hes the vuir the scurge of God. aganis all auctoritie, bayth with the auctoritie of the spir- hand, it is itual and temporal suorde. Bot fra I mair deiply consyderit and weyit the hiech arrogance of men of sa law degre, and aluterlie woid of all lauchful power, be ony 5 titill thai allege thairfor, to be aganis all lauchful pouer placeit be God, a manifest scurge of His wraith for the inundation of our synnis, lang raigeing in euery estate, I ceissit ferther to merwell. For that few Catholik kingis or quenes, princeis or prelatis, almaist throw ChristinIo dome, hes this day voluntare and dew obedience, according to the expres Word of God, of thair subiects, it is ouer patent, allace for pietie,-insamekle that quhilk the Prophete spak afore of Ierusalem (quhilk wes a fig- Note. ure of the Kirk in this tyme of grace) apperis in thir our 15 tribulus dayis almaist fullelie complete. Obliuioni, says Thre. 2. he, tradidit Dominus in Sion festiuitatem et Sabbathum: et in opprobrium et in indignationem furoris sui regem et sacerdotem. Repulit Dominus altare suum, destruxit sanctuarium suum. That is, "The Lord hes forzet in Zion 20 (that is, in His haly Kirk) the solennit* tyme and the Sabbath1 day, and in indignatioun of His wraith hes forzet the king and the preist. He hes schott away His altar, and hes destroyit His sanctuarie." Thairfor fra I wes persuadit that it wes the Almychty doutleslie quha 25 throw His iustice aganis sin sufferis the prince and the preist (whome to in erd be the expres Word of God we aucht maist honour) sumtyme to be dishonorit, albeit be Iob 12. the wickit only, according to it that is written,-Balteum2 regum dissoluit, et precingit fune renes eorum: ducit 30 sacerdotes inglorios, et optimates supplantat. And in an vther place, speikand of the hie preist-Qui honorificauerit me, says the Almychty, glorificabo eum: qui vero me contemnunt, erunt ignobiles. I seirceit out the titill that Reg. 2. our new Caluiniane kingis and princelie preistis culd haif 35 for thair auctoritie-quhiddir this thair dominioun abone superioritie. * Zuil, O Maho rairis of the Anti way to the Ro. 12. Ab impiis pietas. procedit im I Re. 24. Note of Gen. 12, 13, 15, and los. passim. Heb. 12. 4 Reg. 24, The titil of the new Caluiniane kingis. 5 ws wes prouideit to thame, as to a weilbeluifit peple of God, as wes the land of Chanaan to the Israelitis, or permittit as to an wngodly and wickit peple sterit vp to be Godis scurge, for a tyme aboue his welbeluifit peple, in His discipline and fatherlie correctioun for thair trespassis, as wes the wngodly and confusit Babilonianis. aganis the haly citie of Ierusalem. And breuelie considering the first part of thair titill to this thair supreme auctoritie, I fand it nocht only sclinder and licht, bot planelie inglorius, and a thing to depriue thame of all 10 auctoritie without delay, gif thai had hald ony afore. This first and speciall part, and almaist the hail-wair is, that thai confessit thame selfis to hef bene afore, in the preching of the hevinlie and eternal word of almychty God, contrare baith thair conscience and science, schame- 15 les learis, and be fals doctrine wilfull dissauearis and poysonnaris of the peple of God; forgeing thair serTheir recan- monis for the plesuir of euery auditour, efter the fassoun of schipmenis breiks, mete for euery leg,—any thing to hef vnderstandit and roundit priuatlie in the mirk, and 20 ane vther thing to hef precheit oppinlie in the pulpet,— ane thing to hef had cloisit in thair breistis, and ane vther reddy, as thai thocht tyme, in thair mowthe. the quhilk schameles testimonie of thair awin toungis, of na ressoun culd I be induceit efter to credit and reuer- 25 ence thame mair thairfor, as mony than (bot fy on the clekane-wittit in the cause of God!) of a maruelus facilitie did; bot to esteme thame rather at that present to be the samin self men quhome thai without all schame, or appering repentance of sa horrible a cryme (gif thai had 30 recantit thair leis vnfenzetlie fra the botum of thair hert, as thai vse to speik), confessit thame to hef bene afore. For na man is of ony iugement quha markis nocht thair schaimles confusioun, quhen thai wald thraw the exempill of the conversioun of St. Paull to be a trim cloke 35 and excuis of thair euersioun. For St. Paull at that tatioun. The botum of thair hert botumles Of thair excuis. Act. 9, 22. Be |