Page:History of the Scottish martyrs.pdf/4

4 These as no uninteresting specimen of the religious sentiments of the early Reformers, and of the rapid progress which they seem to have made in the knowledge of truth, we shall give at some length He was accused of having said, "That it is lawlul for any man to read the word of God and especially the New Testament, considered a heinous offence by the Catholic clergy. I said not so," replies Hamilton; "but I said, and still say, that it is lawful to all men to read the word of God, that they may understand it, that they may acknowledge and repent of their sins, and thus amend their lives by faith and repentance and finally attain to salvation by Jesus Christ." "I see by this answer," replied his accuser Campbell, that you acknowledge the accusation brought against you." "I acknowledge nothing," said Hamilton, bnt what I have just now spoken in presence of this assembly?" Campbell now proceeded to the other points of the charge. "You have further said," he continued, that it is not, lawful to worship imagery." " I say nothing further," replied Hamilton, than as God speaks to men in the twentieth chapter of Exodus, in the second commandment, Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, &c. thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them." "Know ye not," said Campbell, addressing him; "that the book of imagery is the book of land and praise, to put the people in remembrance of his holy saints that wrought for their salvation." It ought to be the true preaching of the word of God." replied Hamilton, "that should put the people in remembrance of Christ.” "You say." continued his accuser, "that it is but lost labour to pray to saints, and especially to the blessed Virgin Mary, John, James, Peter, and Paul, to be the