of Jesus Christ, and that she maintains that idol,

the Messe.

Lethington. She thinks it not rebellion, but good religion.

Knox. So thought they that sometimes offered their children unto Moloch, and yet the Spirit of God affirms that they offered them unto devills and not unto God.

Lethington. Yet why not pray for her without moving any doubt?

Knox. Prayer profits the sons and daughters of God's election only, of which number whether she be ane or not, I have just cause to doubt.

Lethington. Well, let us come to the second head. Where find ye that the Scripture calls any the bond-slaves to Satan? or that the prophets of God speak so irreverently of kings and queens?

Knox. The Scripture says that by nature we are all of the sons of wrath; now, what difference there is between the sons of wrath and the slaves of the devill, I understand not.

ye

Lethington. But where will find that any of the prophets did so entreat kings and queens? Knox. In more places than one. Achab was a king and Jesabell a queen, and yet what the prophet Elias said to the one and to the other I suppose ye be not ignorant?

Lethington. These were singular motions of the Spirit of God, and appertane not to our age.

[Lethington, who had been "leaning upon the Master of Maxwell's breast," here said, "I am almost weary. I would that some other would reason upon the other heads." But no one coming forward, the discussion on the extent of the obedience due by subjects to their rulers was resumed by him.

Lethington. How will ye prove that the persons placed in authority may be resisted, seeing the apostle has said, "He that resists the powers resisteth the ordinance of God"?

Knox. That the prince may be resisted, and the ordinance of God not violated, is evident, for Saul was the anointed king, and the Jews his subjects, and yet they so resisted him that they made him no better than mansworn.

Lethington. I doubt if in so doing the people did well.

Knox. The Spirit of God accuses them not of any crime, but rather praises them. And therefore I conclude that they who gainstood his commandment resisted not the ordinance of God.

Lethington. All this reasoning is not to the purpose. Our question is, whether we may and ought to suppress the Queen's Mass, or whether her idolatry shall be laid to our charge?

Knox. Idolatry ought not only to be suppressed, but the idolater ought to die the death.

Lethington. But there is no commandment given to the people to punish their king if he be an idolater.

Knox. I find no more privilege granted unto kings by God, more than unto the people, to offend God's majesty. And for the probation, I am ready to produce the fact of one prophetfor ye know, my lord, that Eliseus sent one of the children of the prophets to anoint Jehu, who gave him in commandment to destroy the house of his master Achab for the idolatry committed by him, and for the innocent blood that Jesabell, his wicked wife, had slain.

Lethington. We are not bound to imitate extraordinary examples, unless we have the like assurance and commandment. We have not the like commandment.

Knox. That I deny; for the commandmentthe idolater shall die the death-is perpetual, as ye yourself have granted.

Lethington. You have produced but one example.

Knox. One sufficeth; but yet, God be praisit, we lack not others. Amasias and Joash, kings of Judah, were both punished for their iniquityJoash by his awin servants, and Amasias by the whole people.

Lethington. I doubt whether they did well. Knox. It shall be free for you to doubt as you

please; but whaur I find execution according to God's laws, I daur not doubt of the equity of their cause. And further, it appears unto me that God gave sufficient approbation and allowance for their conduct, for he blessit them with victory, peace, and prosperity, the space of fiftytwo years thereafter.

Lethington. But prosperity does not always prove that God approves the acts of men. Knox. Yes, when the acts of men agree with the will of God.

Lethington. Well, I think ye shall not have many learnit men of your opinion.

Knox. The truth ceases not to be the truth, though men misknow it. Yet, I praise my Lord, I lack not the consent of God's servants in that head. [Here he presented to Lethington the Apology of Magdeburg, signed by certain ministers of the Lutheran Church.

Lethington (after reading the names). Homines obscuri.

Knox. Dei tamen servi.

So the controversy ended, and the scruples of neither party were resolved. It is the way of most controversies. Lethington proceeded to explain why he had not written to Calvin-the explanation being approved by "the clawbacks of the Court"--but even Calvin's judgment would have had little weight. For the division between

the advocates of custom and the advocates of change, between the advocates of authority and the advocates of revolution, is not yet healed. It is one of the root-questions of politics. If every citizen who is dissatisfied with the established order is entitled to take the law into his own hands, orderly government is made impossible. Yet there are extraordinary occasions when resistance to a "wicked ruler" becomes the plainest duty of the subject. The right of insurrection in certain extreme cases is now more fully admitted than it was when Maitland lived; yet even to-day the most advanced theorist will be ready to own that the doctrine of resistance as formulated by Knox could lead only to anarchy.

Maitland, it may here be added, took an active part in the proceedings which were rendered necessary by the alienation of the revenues of the Church. The ministers were very indignant at the inadequacy of the provision which was made for them by the Privy Council,-even the "third" (which was ultimately set aside for their sustentation) being burdened with a provision in favour of the Crown.

1 It was at first a fourth only. Register of Privy Council, 22d December 1561, i. 192. Huntly, after the Act was passed,

VOL. II.

"Twa parts," they de

is reported to have addressed the Council: "Good day, my Lords of the twa-pairte."

E