DEARE BRETHREN--If abilitie of bodie would have sufferit, I sould not have troubled yow with this my rude inditement. I have not forgot what was layed to my charge, be famous lybells, the last Assembly, and what a brag of adversaries maid personall to accuse at this Assembly, qwhilk I pray you patiently to heare, and judge of me as ye will answer to God; ffor unto yow upon that heid, submit I myself, being assurit that I neither offendit God nor good men in anything that hitherto hes beene layed to my charge. And now, brethren, because the decay of naturall strength threatens unto me certaine and suddaine departure frae the miserie of this life; of love and conscience I exhorte yow, yea in the feare of God I charge and command yow, that ye take heed to yourselffis, and to the flock over the qwhilk God hes placit yow pastors. To discourse of the behaviour of yourselffis, I may not; but command yow to be faithfull to the flock, I dare not ceass. Unfaithfull and tryitors to the flock shall ye be before the Lord Jesus, if that with your consent, directly or indirectly, ye suffer unworthie men to be thrust into the ministrie of the Kirk, under what pretence that ever it be. Remember the Judge before whom ye must make account, and resist that tyrannie as ye wald avoyd hell fyre. This battell, I grant, will be hard; but, in the second poynt, it will be harder; that is, that with the lyke uprightness and strength in God, ye withstand the merciless devorers of the patrimonie of the Kirk. Give men will spoyll, let them doe it to their owne perrell and condemnatione; but communicat ye not with their sins, of what estate that ever they be; neither be consent nor yet be silence, but, with publick protestatione, make this knawne unto the world, that ye are innocent of sic robberie, qwhilk will, or it be lang, provock God’s vengeance upon the committers thereof, whereof ye will seek redress of God and man. God give you wisdome and stout courage in so just a cause, and me ane happie end. Att St Androis, 3d August 1571. Your brother in Christ Jesus, JOHNE KNOX. Sessio 2^a.