ye never prove,
That thei proceid from fayth, nor yitt that thei please God; but that
thei ar synne, and do displease him, according to the wordis of the
Apostill, 'Whatsoever is nott of fayth is synne.'"
THE SUPPRIOUR.
"Will ye bynd us so strait, that we may do nothing without the expresse
word of God? What! and I ask a drynk? think ye that I synne? and yitt I
have nott Goddis word for me."
This answer gave he, as mycht appear, to schift ower the argument upon
the Freare, as that he did.
JOHNE KNOX.
"I wald we should not jest in so grave a mater; nether wold I that ye
should begyn to illud the trewth with sophistrie; and yf ye do, I will
defend me the best that I can. And first, to your drinking, I say, that
yf ye eyther eat or drynk without assurance of Goddis worde, that in so
doing ye displease God, and ye synne into your verray eatting and
drynking. For sayis nott the Apostle, speaking evin of meatt and drynk,
'That the creatures ar sanctifeid unto man, evin by the word and by
prayer.' The word is this: 'All thingis ar clean to the clean,' &c. Now,
let me hear thus much of your ceremonyes, and I sall geve you the
argument; bot I wonder that ye compare thingis prophane and holy thingis
so indiscreatlie togetther. The questioun wes not, nor is nott of meat
or drynk, whairinto the kingdome of God consistis nott; butt the
questioun is of Goddis trew wirschiping, without the quhilk we can have
no societie with God. And, hear it is dowbted, yf we may tack the same
fredome in the using of Christis Sacramentis, that we may do in eatting
and drynking. One meat I may eatt, another I may refuise, and that
without scrupill of conscience. I may change ane with ane other, evin as
oft as I please. Whither may we do the same in materis of religioun? May
we cast away what we please, and reteane what we please? Yf I be weill
remembred, Moses, in the name of God, sayis to the people of Israell,
'All that the Lord thy God commandis thee to do, that do thow to the
Lord thy God: add nothing to it; diminyshe nothing from it.' Be this
rewill, think I, that the Kirk of Christ will measur Goddis religioun,
and not by that which seames good in thare awin eis."
THE SUPPRIOUR.
"Forgeve me: I spak it but in mowes, and I was dry. And now, Father,
(said he to the Freir,) follow the argument. Ye have heard what I have
said, and what is answered
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