The Parliament approaching, due notification was made by the Council to all such as by law and ancient custom had or might claim to have vote therein. The assembly was great, notwithstanding that certain of those that are called spiritual Lords, as well as some temporal Lords, did contemptuously absent themselves. The chief pillars of the papistical kirk gave their presence, such as the Bishops of St. Andrews, Dunblane, and Dunkeld, with others of the inferior sort. There were, besides, those that had renounced papistry, and openly professed Jesus Christ with us; such as the Bishop of Galloway, the Abbots of Lindores, Culross, Inchcolm, Newbattle, and Holyroodhouse; the Prior of St. Andrews, Coldingham, and St. Mary's Isle; the Sub-prior of St. Andrews, and divers others whom we observed not.
John Knox preaches, and Reformation is agreed upon.
At the time of Parliament, John Knox taught publicly from the Prophet Haggai. The doctrine was proper for the time; and the preacher was so special and so vehement in its application, that some who had greater respect to the world than to God's glory, feeling themselves pricked, said in mockage, "We must now forget ourselves, and bear the barrow to build the houses of God." God be merciful to the speaker; for we fear that he shall have experience that the building of his own house, the house of God being despised, shall not be so prosperous, and of such firmness, as we desire it were. Albeit some mocked, others were godly moved, and assembled themselves together to consult as to what things were to be proponed to that present Parliament. After deliberation, the following Supplication was offered by the barons, gentlemen, burgesses, and other true subjects of the realm, professing the Lord Jesus Christ, to the Nobility and Estates of Parliament.
The Protestants petition Parliament.
"May it please your Honours to bring to remembrance that, at divers and sundry times, we (with some of yourselves) most humbly made suit at the feet of the late Queen Regent for freedom and liberty of conscience, with godly reformation of abuses which, by the malice of Satan and the negligence of men, have crept into the religion of God, and are maintained by such as take upon themselves the name of clergy. Our godly and most reasonable suit was then disdainfully rejected, no small troubles ensuing, as your Honours well know. But now, seeing that the necessity that then moved us doth yet remain, and moreover, that God in His mercy hath now put it into your hands so to regulate affairs that He may be glorified, this commonwealth quieted, and the policy thereof established, we cannot cease to crave at your hands the redress of such enormities as manifestly are, and of long time have been committed by the place-holders of the ministry and others of the clergy within this realm....
"We therefore, in the bowels of Jesus Christ, crave of your Honours that either they be compelled to answer to our former accusations and to such others as we justly have to lay to their charge, or else that, all affection laid aside, ye, by the censement[167] of this Parliament, pronounce them to be as by us they are most justly accused, and cause them to be reputed so; especially, that they be decerned unworthy of honour, authority, charge, or cure within the Kirk of God, and so from henceforth never entitled to vote in Parliament. If ye do not so, then, in the fear of God and by the assurance of His Word, we forewarn you that, as ye have laid a grievous yoke and an intolerable burden upon the Kirk of God within this realm, so shall they be thorns in your eyes, and pricks in your sides, whom afterwards, when ye would, ye shall have no power to remove. God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ give you upright hearts seeking His glory, and true understanding of what this day He who delivered you from bondage, both spiritual and temporal, craves of you by His servants. And your Honours' answer we most humbly require."
Parliament calls for the Confession of Faith.
This our Supplication being read in audience of the whole assembly, divers men were of divers judgments. As there were some that uprightly favoured the cause of God, so were there many that, for worldly respects, abhorred a perfect Reformation—for how many within Scotland that have the name of Nobility are not unjust possessors of the patrimony of the Kirk? Yet, the barons and ministers were called, and commandment was given unto them to frame in plain and distinct heads the sum of that doctrine which they would maintain, and would desire that Parliament to establish, as wholesome, true, and alone necessary to be believed and to be received within that realm. This commission they willingly accepted, and within four days they presented their Confession of Faith.[168]
The Confession of Faith is considered by Parliament, and solemnly ratified.