because their Gownes were Red. In this fourteenth age did flourish the great Scholastick Iohannes called Scotus from his Nation and Duns from the place of his Birth for he was born in the Town of Duns in the Mers he was a great Opposer of Thomas of Aquin his Doctrine his Sectaries were called Scotists his Epitaph was thus Scotia me genuit Anglia suscepit Gallia edocuit Germania tenet In the beginning of the fifteenth age there was a great Schisme in the Romish Church Pope against Pope yea sometimes there were three Popes at one time fighting one against another and excommunicating one another this Schisme lasted about thirty yeers and by the Councell of Constance Martin the fift was made Pope and the rest defeated There was one Iohn Fogo a Monke of Milros who in Scotland defended the Election of Martin by the Councell against Benedict alias Peter de Lune During this forenamed Schisme many taking occasion of the opennesse of the times began boldly and freely to speak against the bad Doctrine Government and Lives of the Church-men and that not only in private discourse but they also preached it publikely as Iohn Wickliffe in England Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prague in Bohemia who spoke before the people freely of the Tyrannie of the Government of the Clergie the corruption of their Doctrine and wickednesse of their lives In those dayes also there were some in Scotland who feared not to make known to the people the Truth of God as namely Iames Resby and Paul Craw among others who suffered Martyrdom for the Truth About this time the Carthusians were brought from England into Scotland and had built unto them a Monasterie at Perth In this Age the Universitie of Saint Andrews was set up chiefly by the means of Henry Wardlaw Bishop of the place that in some kinde the Schools of Learning might not bee altogether wanting which formerly had flourished for so long a time among the Culdees and of later yeers had quite decayed this good did Wardlaw As his Predecessor William Trail had built the Castle of the same City So his Successour Iames Kenedy built the old Colledge likewise called Saint Salvator his Colledge Patrick Grahame that came after him was the man that brought into Scotland the Title of Primate Metropolitane and Archbishop by Bull of Sextus quartus From the first Preaching of the Gospel till Palladius the Church of Scotland was happy without Bishops From Palladius to King Malcolme his days the Bishops had no distinct Diocesses or Parishes from King Malcolme till Patricke Grahame they were without Archbishops this Title and higher rank of Authoritie did not succeed well with Grahame for the other Bishops could suffer no Superiour under the Pope namely so neer them hitherto having rejected all the pretentions of the Archbishop of York The inferior Clergie also were afraid of the increase of the Authority of the Man whom they conceived austere and rigid and so by the Faction of the corrupt Court and disordered Clergy poor Grahame lost the Title he had procured with the Benefice and one Shevez got his spoyl and what a sweet Bird Shevez was the Stories of that time doe sufficiently manifest Robert Blacater seeing the Bishop of Saint Andrews now a Metropolitane and Archbishop obtains from Alexander the sixt a Bull whereby he is made Archbishop also and hee had under him the Bishops of Galloway Argyle and Isles which new dignitie angred the Archbishop of Saint Andrews above the losse of his Vassals for to have a Companion in equall dignity set up beside him was hard but he must digest the Pill since the Pope will have it so Lastly David Beaton brought in the Title of Cardinall into Scotland who hath beene the onely man that hath born that Title in this Countrey and how it did speed with him the following Historie will tell you As in the beginning of the fifteenth age the Schisme for the Papacie opened thorow Christendom many mens mouthes and busied their Pennes to set forth the corruption of the Church and the Vices of the Clergie even so in the beginning of the sixteenth age those that fought for the Bishoprick of Saint Andrews by their dissention gave occasion to many in Scotland to speak in publike and private of the corruption of Church-mens Lives Government and Doctrine in Scotland which coming to the Popes ears presently he sent unto the King Iames the fourth a Sword with the Title of Protector of the Faith as if all Christian Princes were not in dutie bound to protect the Faith in Christ but the Faith whiâ—h the Pope would have the King to protect was his erroneous Doctrine and Tyrannicall Authoritie Some few yeers after this Henry the eighth was declared by the Pope Defender of the Faith and had the Sword likewise Iames the 4 of Scotland being dead now by the corrupt Courtiers the yong inconsiderate King Iames was made beleeve That the conferring of this new Title by the Pope did bring unto him a great preheminence yea the Court Sycophants did not stick to call it A new Royaltie when in effect it was nothing else but a new note of his Vasâ—allage to Rome and by the accepting of the Sword he did engage himself to make warre for Rome and so he did indeed for sundry men after this during his short Reign were persecuted and suffered death for the Truth of Christ. This is the second remarkable Badge of slavery put upon our Princes by the Pope the former was their Anointing by him as wee have seen before Here be pleased with me to remark That of all the Bishops of Scotland before the Reformation namely since they were made Lords of certain places and had particular Diocesses you cannot finde one who had any care of the true Charge of Pastor for their whole studie was to raise their power and to encrease their means for the upholding of their power and to effectuate this more easily and fully they kept both Prince and people in dark ignorance of Gods Will and Word But because they must seem to do somwhat for the name sake of Bishops they caused to build walls of Temples and Chappels set up images and pictures richly dressed to content the eyes and brought into the Church Instruments of Musick and artificiall Singing with great skill to content the ear Also they brought in sweet perfume and incense for the smell so the most subtill senses were thus satisfied And to make a shew to keep under the senses which are more grosse there must be some kinde of Fasting enjoyned to the people and chastenesse to the Church-men But how and to what purpose these two last have been kept all men know But kept or not all is one all these Ordinances which the Bishops set up for Religion have been discovered by Gods mercy to be not onely without Warant in Gods Word but plainly contrary to the same Of all the Bishops of Scotland in time of Reformation there was
that ever should be Bishops of Glasgow Howsoever these doubts were resolved by the Doctors of Divinity of both the Prelats yet the decision was as ye shall heare Comming forth or going in all is one at the Queere doore of Glasgow Church begins striving for state betwixt the Crosse-bearers so that from glouming they came to shouldring and so from shouldring they go to buffets and from dry blowe-neffaling and then for charities sake they cry Disperst◠dedit pauperibus and essay which of the Crosses was finest mettall which staffe was strongest and which Crosse-bearer could best defend his Masters preheminence and that there should be no superiority in that behalf to the ground go both their Crosses And then began no little fray but yet a merry game for rockets were rent tippets were torne crowns were knapped and side gowns might have been seen wantonly to wagge from the one wall to the other Many of them lacked beards and that was the more pity and therefore could not buckle other by the brises as bold men would have done But fie on the Jackmen that did not their duty For had the one part of them recountred the other then had all gone right but the Sanctuary we suppose saved the lives of many How merrily so ever this be written it was bitter mirth to the Cardinall and his court It was more then irregularity yea it might well have been judged laese majesté to the son of perdition the Popes own person and yet the other in his folly as proud as a Peacocke would let the Cardinall know that he was a Bishop when the other but Beton before he gat the Abbey of Aberbroth This enmity was judged mortall and without all hope of reconciliation But the blood of the innocent servant of God buried in oblivion all that bragging and boast For the Archbishop of Glasgow was the first unto whom the Cardinall wrote signifying unto him what was done and earnestly craving of him that he would assist with his presence and counsell how that such an enemy to their estate might be suppressed And thereto was not the other slow but kept time appointed sat next to the Cardinall waited and subscribed first in ranke and lay over the East block-house with the said Cardinall till the Martyr of God was consumed with fire for this we may note That all these beasts consented in heart to the slaughter of that Innocent So did they approve it with their presence having the whole ordnance of the Castle of S. Andrews bent towards the place of execution which was neere to the Castle ready to have shot if any would have made defence or rescue to Gods servant The manner of his Accusation Processe and Answers followeth as we have received from certaine Records which we relate truely as neere as possibly we can Upon the last of February was sent to the prison where the servant of God lay the Deane of the Towne by the commandment of the Cardinall and his wicked counsell and there summoned the said Master George that he should on the morrow following appeare before the Judge then and there to give account of his seditious and Hereticall Doctrine To whom the said Master George answered What needeth said he the Cardinall to summon me to answer for my Doctrine openly before him under whose power and Dominion I am thus straightly bound in irons May not he compell me to answer of his extort power Or beleeveth he that I am unprovided to render account of my Doctrine To manifest your selves what men ye are it is well done that ye keepe your old Ceremonies and Constitutions made by men Upon the next morrow the Lord Cardinall caused his servants to addresse themselves in their most warlike array with Jack Knapscall Splent Spear Axe more seemly for the war then for the Preaching of the true word of God And when these armed Champions marching in warlike order had conveyed the Bishops into the Abbey-church incontinently they sent for M. George who was conveyed unto the said Church by the Captaine of the Castle and the number of an hundred men addressed in manner aforesaid like a Lamb led they him to the sacrifice As he entred in at the Abbey-Church doore there was a poore man lying vexed with great infirmities asking of his almes to whom he flung his purse and when he came before the Cardinall by and by the Sub-prior of the Abbey called Deane Iohn Winrame stood up in the Pulpit and made a Sermon to all the congregation there then assembled taking his matter out of Matth. 13. Whose Sermon was divided into foure parts The first was A short and briefe declaration of the Evangelist The second of the interpretation of the good seed And because he called the Word of God the good seed and Heresie the evil seed he declared what Heresie was and how it should be knowne He defined it on this manner Heresie is a false Opinion defended with Pertinacie clearely repugning the Word of God The third part of his Sermon was The cause of Heresie within that realm and all other realms The cause of Heresie said he is the ignorance of them which have the cures of mens soules to whom it necessarily belongeth to have the true understanding of the Word of God that they may be able to winne again the false Teachers of Heresies with the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God and not onely to win again but also to overcome as faith Paul to Timothy A bishop must be faultlesse as becometh the minister of God not stubborn nor angry no drunkard no fighter not given to filthy lucre but harberous one that loved goodnesse sober-minded righteous holy temperate and such as cleaveth unto the true Word of Doctrine That he may be able with wholsome learning and to impugne that which they say against him The fourth part of his Sermon was how Heresies should be knowne Heresies quoth he be knowne on this manner As the God-smith knoweth the fine gold from the unperfit by the touch-stone So likewise may we know Heresie by the undoubted Touch-stone that is The true sincere and undefiled Word of God At the last he added That Hereticks should be put down in this present life To which Proposition the Gospel he treated of appeareth not to repugne Let them both grow to the harvest The harvest is the end of the world neverthelesse he affirmed That they should be put down by the civill Magistrate and Law And when he ended his Sermon incontinent they caused M. George to ascend into the Pulpit there to heare his Accusation and Articles for right against him stood one of the fat flock a monster Iohn Lawder a Priest laden full of cursings written in paper of the which he took out a roule both long and also full of outrages threatnings maledictions and words of devilish spite and malice saying to the innocent M. George so many cruell and abominable words
troubles and adversities which man sustaineth for accomplishment of Gods will revealed by his word For how terrible soever they appeare to the judgement of the naturall man yet are they never able to devour nor utterly to consume the sufferers For the invisible and invincible power of God sustaineth and preserveth according to his promise all such as with simplicity do obey him The subtill craft of Pharaoh many yeers joyned with his bloody cruelty was not able to destroy the male children of Israel neither were the waters of the Red Sea much lesse the rage of Pharaoh able to confound Moses and the company which he conducted and that because the one had Gods Promise that they should multiply and the other had his Commandment to enter into such dangers I would your wisedoms should consider that our God remaineth one and is immutable and that the Church of Christ Jesus hath the same promise of protection and defence that Israel had of multiplication And farther That no lesse cause have ye to enter into your former enterprise then Moses had to go to the presence of Pharaoh for your vassalls yea your brethren are oppressed their bodies and souls holden in bondage and God speaketh to your consciences unlesse ye be dead with the blinde world that ye ought to hazard your owne lives be it against Kings or Emperours for their deliverance For onely for that cause are ye called Princes of the people And ye receive of your Brethren Honour Tribute and Homage at Gods Commandment not by reason of your Birth and Progenie as the most part of men do falsly suppose but by reason of your Office and Duty which is to vindicate and deliver your subjects and brethren from all violence and oppression to the uttermost of your power Advise diligently I beseech you with the points of that Letter which I directed to the whole Nobility and let every man apply the matter and case to himself for your conscience shall one day be compelled to acknowledge That the Reformation of Religion and of publike enormities doth appertaine to more then to the Clergie or chief Rulers called Kings The mighty Spirit of the Lord Jesus rule and guide your counsells to your eternall glory your eternall comfort and to the consolation of your brethren Amen From Deape the 27 of October 1557. These Letters received and read together with others directed to the whole Nobility and some to particular Gentlemen as to the Lairds of Dun and Petarrow new consultation was had what was best to be done and in the end it was concluded That they would follow forward their purpose once intended and would commit themselves and whatsoever God had given them into his hands rather then they would suffer Idolatry so manifestly to raigne and the Subjects of that Realme so to be defrauded as long as they had been of the onely food of their souls the true Preaching of Christs Gospel And that every one should be the more assured of other a common Bond was made and by some subscribed The tenor thereof followeth WE perceiving how Sathan in his members the Antichrists of our time cruelly do rage seeking to overthrow and destroy the Gospel of Christ and his Congregation ought according to our bounden duty to strive in our Masters Cause even unto the death being certaine of the Victory in him The which our duty being well considered We do promise before the Majestie of God and his Congregation That we by his grace shall with all diligence continually apply our whole power substance and our very lives to maintain set forward and establish the most blessed Word of God and his Congregation And shall labour according to our power to have faithfull Ministers truely and purely to minister Christs Gospel and Sacraments to his people We shall maintain them nourish them and defend them the whole Congregation of Christ and every Member thereof according to our whole powers and waging of our lives against Sathan and all wicked power that doth intend Tyranny or trouble against the foresaid Congregation Unto the which holy Word and Congregation we do joyne us and so do forsake and renounce the Congregation of Sathan with all the superstitious abomination and idolatry thereof And moreover shall declare our selves manifestly enemies thereto By this our faithfull Promise before God testified to this Congregation by our Subscription at these Presents At Edinburgh the third of December anno 1557. God called to witnesse Sic subscribitur A. Earle of Argyle Glencarne Mortoun Archibald Lord of Lorne Iohn Erskin of Dun Et caetera A little before that this Bond was subscribed by the fore-written and many other Letters were directed again to Io. Knox from the said Lords together with their Letters to M. Calvin craving of him That by his authority he would command the said Iohn once again to visite them These Letters were delivered by the hands of M. Iohn Gray in the Moneth of November anno 1558. who at that same time past to Rome for expedition of the Bowes of the Bp. of Rosse to M. Henry Sinclar Immediately after the subscription of this foresaid Bond the Lords and Barons professing Christ Jesus convened frequently in counsell in the which these Heads were concluded First It is thought expedient advised and ordained That in all Parishes of this Realm the Common-Prayer be read weekly on Sunday and other Festivall dayes publikely in the Parish Churches with the Lessons of the Old and New Testament conformed to the order of the Book of Common Prayers And if the Curats of the Parishes be qualified to cause them to read the same And if they be not or if they refuse that the most qualified in the Parish use and reade the same Secondly It is thought necessary that Doctrine Preaching and Interpretation of Scriptures be had and used privately in quiet houses without great conventions of the people thereto while afterward that God move the Prince to grant publike Preaching by faithfull and true Ministers These two heads concerning the Religion and some others concerning the policie being concluded the old Earle of Argyle took the maintenance of Iohn Dowglas caused him to Preach publikely in his house and reformed many things according to his counsell The same boldnesse tooke divers others as well within Towns as in the country which did not a little trouble the Bishops and Queen Regent As by this Letter and Credit committed to Sir David Hamilton from the Bishop of S. Andrews to the said Earle of Argyle may be clearly understood The Bishops Letter to the old Earle of Argyle MY Lord after most hearty commendations this is to advertise your Lordship that we have directed this Bearer our Cousin towards your Lordship in such businesse and affaires as concerneth your Lordships honour profit and great well-being as the said Bearer will declare to your Lordship at more length I pray your Lordship effectuously to
Charter-house was permitted to take with him even as much gold and silver as he was able to carry So were mens consciences beaten with the Word that they had no respect to their own particular profit but onely to abolish Idolatry the places and Monuments thereof in which they were so busie and so laborious that within two dayes these three great places Monuments of Idolatry to wit the Black and Gray Theeves and Charter-house Monks a building of wonderous cost and greatnesse was so destroyed that the walls onely did remain of all those great edifices Which reported to the Queen she was so inraged That she did vow utterly to destroy S. Iohnston man woman and childe and to consume the same by fire and thereafter to salt it in signe of a perpetuall desolation We suspecting nothing such cruelty but thinking that such words might escape her in choler without purpose determined because she was a woman set on fire by the complaints of those hypocrites who flocked unto her as Ravens to a carion We we say suspecting nothing such beastly cruelty returned to our own houses leaving in S. Iohnston Iohn Knox to instruct the people because they were yong and rude in Christ. But she set on fire partly by her own malice partly by commandment of her friends in France and not a little by bribes which she and Monsieur Dosell received from the Bishops and the Priests here at home did continue still in her rage And first she sent for all the Nobility to whom she complained That we meaned nothing but Rebellion She did grievously lament the destruction of the Charter-house because it was a Kings foundation and there was the tombe of King Iames the first and by such other perswasions she made the most part of them grant to pursue us And then incontinent sent she for her French men For that was and ever hath been her joy to see Scottish men dip one with anothers blood No man was at that time more franke against us then was Duke Hamilton led by that cruell beast the Bishop of Saint Andrews and by those that yet abuse him the Abbot of Kilvinning and Matthew Hamilton of Milburne two chiefe enemies to the Duke and to his whole house but in so far as thereby they may procure their own particular profit These and such other pestilent Papists ceased not to cast fagots on the fire continually crying Forward upon these Hereticks we shall once rid this Realme of them The certaintie hereof coming to our knowledge some of us repaired to the Towne againe about the two and twentieth day of May and there did abide for the comfort of our brethren Where after Invocation of the Name of God we began to put the Town and our selves in such strength as we thought might best serve for our just defence And because we did not utter despaire of the Queens favour we caused to forme a Letter to her Majestie as followeth To the Queenes Majestie Regent all humble obedience and dutie premised AS heretofore with jeopard of our lives and yet with willing hearts we have served the authoritie of Scotland and your Majestie now Regent in this Realme in service to our bodies dangerous and painefull so now with most dolorous mindes we are constrained by unjust tyrannie purposed against us to declare unto your Majestie That except this crueltie be stayed by your wisdome we shall be compelled to take the sword of just defence against all that shall pursue us for the matter of Religion and for our conscience sake which ought not nor may not be subject to mortall creatures further then by Gods Word man is able to prove that he hath power to command us We signifie moreover unto your Majestie That if by rigour we be compelled to seek the extreame defence that we will not onely notifie our innocencie and Petition to the King of France to our Mistresse and to her husband but also to the Princes and Counsell of every Christian Realme declaring unto them That this cruell unjust and most tyrannicall murther intended against Townes and multitudes was and is the onely cause of our revolt from our accustomed obedience which in Gods presence we faithfully promise to our Soveraigne Mistresse to her husband and unto your Majestie Regent Provided that our consciences may live in that Peace and Libertie which Christ Iesus hath purchased to us by his blood and that we may have his Word truely Preached and holy Sacraments rightly ministred unto us without which we firmely purpose never to be subject to mortall man For better we think to expose our bodies to a thousand deaths then to hazard our souls to perpetuall damnation by denying Christ Iesus and his manifest Veritie which thing not onely do they who commit open Idolatry but also all such as seeing their brethren pursued for the cause of Religion and having sufficient means to comfort and assist them do neverthelesse withdraw from them their dutifull support We would not your Majestie should be deceived by the false perswasions of those cruell beasts the Church-men who affirme That your Majestie needeth not greatly to regard the losse of us that professe Christ Iesus in this Realme If as God forbid ye give ear to their pestilent counsell and so use against us this extremity pretended it is to be feared That neither ye neither yet your posteritie shall at any time after this finde that obedience and faithfull service within this Realme which as all times you have found in us We declare our judgements freely as true and faithfull Subjects God move your Princely heart favourably to interpret our faithfull meaning Further advertising your Majestie That the selfe same thing together with all things that we have done or yet intend to do we will notifie by our Letters to the King of France Asking of you in the Name of the eternall God and as your Majestie tenders the peace and quietnesse of this Realme That ye invade us not with any violence till we receive answer from our Mistresse and her husbâ—nd and from their advised Counsell there And thus we commit your Majestie to the protection of the omnipotent From Saint Johnston the 22 of May 1559. Sic subscribitur Your Majesties obedient Subjects in all things not repugnant to God The faithfull congregation of Christ Iesus in Scotland To the same purpose we wrote to Monsieur Dosell in French requiring of him That by his wisdome he would mitigate the Queenes rage and the rage of the Priests otherwise that flame which then began to burn would so kindle that when some men would it could not be slackned Adding further That he declared himself no faithfull servant unto his Master the King of France if for the pleasure of the Priests he would persecute us and so compell us to take the sword of just defence In like manner we wrote to Captain Serre la Bourse and to all other Captains and French
joyne with those that had bound themselves to stand for the Kings Authority He was very earnest with divers by reason of their old friendship but to little purpose The twentinth of August he received the Regencie after mature and ripe deliberation at the desire of the Queen and Lords that were for the King and so was publikely proclaimed Regent and Obedience shewed unto him by all that stood for the young King The end of the History of the Church of Scotland till the yeer 1567. and Moneth of August THE APPELLATION OF IOHN KNOX From the cruell and most unjust Sentence pronounced against him by the false Bishops and Clergie of Scotland With his Supplication and Exhortation to the Nobility States and Communalty of the same Realme To the Nobility and States of SCOTLAND JOHN KNOX wisheth Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the Spirit of righteous Iudgement IT is not onely the love of this Temporall life Right Honourable neither yet the fear of Corporal death that moveth me at this present to expose unto you the injuries done against me and to crave of you as of lawfull Powers by God appointed redresse of the same But partly it proceedeth from that reverence which every man oweth to Gods Eeternall Truth And partly from a love which I bear to your Salvation and to the Salvation of my Brethren abused in that Realme by such as have no fear of God before their eyes It hath pleased God of his infinite mercy not onely to illuminate the eyes of my minde and so to touch my dull heart that cleerly I see and by his grace unfainedly believe That there is no other name given to men under the heaven in which Salvation consisteth save the Name of JESUS alone Who by that Sacrifice which he did once offer upon the Crosse hath sanctified for ever all those that shall inherite the Kingdom promised But also it hath pleased him of his superaboundant grace to make and appoint me most wretched of many thousands a Witnesse Minister and Preacher of the same Doctrine the sum whereof I did not spare to communicate with my Brethren being with them in the Realme of Scotland in the yeer 1556 because I know my self to be a Steward and that accounts of the Talent committed to my charge shall be required of me by him who will admit no vain excuse which fearfull men pretend I did therefore as God his minister during the time I was conversant with them God is record and witnesse truely and sincerely according to the gift granted unto me divide the Word of Salvation teaching all men to hate sin which before God was and is so odious that none other Sacrifice would satisfie his Justice except the death of his onely Son and to magnifie the mercies of our heavenly Father who did not spare the substance of his own glory but did give him to the world to suffer the ignominious and cruell death of the Crosse by that means to reconcile his chosen children to himself teaching further what is the duty of such as do believe themselves purged by such a Price from their former filthinesse to wit That they are bound to walk in the newnesse of life fighting against the lusts of the flesh and studying at all times to glorifie God by such good works as he hath prepared his people to walk in In Doctrine I did further affirm so taught by my Master Christ Jesus That whosoever denieth him yea or is ashamed of him before this wicked Generation him shall Christ Jesus deny and of him shall he be ashamed when he shall appear in his Majesty And therefore I feared not to affirm That of necessity it is that such as hope for life everlasting avoid all Superstition vain Religion and Idolatry Vain Religion and Idolatry I call whatsoever is done in Gods Service or Honour without the expresse Commandment of his own Word This Doctrine I did believe to be so conformable to Gods holy Scriptures that I thought no creature could have been so impudent as to have condemned any Point or Article of the same Yet neverthelesse me as an heretick and this Doctrine as hereticall have your false Bishops and ungodly Clergie condemned pronouncing against me a Sentence of death in testification whereof they have burned a Picture From which false and cruell Sentence and from all judgement of that wicked Generation I make it known unto your Honours That I appeal to a Lawfull and Generall Councell to such I mean as the most ancient Laws and Cannons do approve to be holden by such as whose manifest impiety is not to be reformed in the same Most humbly requiring of your Honours That as God hath appointed you Princes in that People and by reason thereof requireth of your hands the defence of Innocents troubled in your Dominion in the mean time and till the controversies that this day be in Religion be lawfully decided ye receive me and such others as most unjustly by those cruell Beasts are persecuted in your defence and Protection Your Honours are not ignorant That it is not I alone who doth sustain this Cause against the pestilent Generation of Papists but that the most part of Germany the Countrey of Helvetia the King of Denmarke the Nobility of Polonia together with many other Cities and Churches Reformed appeal from the Tyrannie of that Antichrist and most earnestly call for a Lawfull and Generall Councell wherein may all Controversies in Religion be decided by the Authority of Gods most sacred Word And unto this same as said is do I appeal yet once again requiring of your Honours to hold my simple and plain Appellation of no lesse value nor effect then if it had been made with greater circumstance solemnity and ceremony and that you receive me calling unto you as to the Powers of God ordained in your protection and defence against the rage of Tyrants not to maintain me in any iniquity errour or false opinion but to let me have such equity as God by his Word ancient Laws and Determinations of most godly Councells grant to men accused or infamed The Word of God wills That no man shall die except he be found criminall and worthy of death for offence committed of which he must be manifestly convinced by two or three witnesses Ancient Law do permit just defences to snch as be accused be their crimes never so horrible And godly Councells wills That neither Bishop nor person Ecclesiasticall whatsoever accused of any crime shall sit in Judgement Consultation or Councell where the cause of such men as do accuse them is to be tried These things require I of your Honours to be granted unto me to wit That the Doctrine which our adversaries condemn for heresie may be tried by the simple and plain Word of God That just Defences be admitted to us that sustain the Battell against this
to record in my conscience That I delivered the same bread that I received of Christs hands and that I mixed no poyson with the same that is I teached Christs Gospel without any mixture of mens dreames devises or phantasies But alas I did it not with such fervency with such indifferency and with such diligency as this day I know my duty was to have done Some complained in those dayes That the Preachers were undiscreet persons yea some called them raylers and worse because they spake against the manifest iniquity of men and especially of those that then were placed in Authority as well in Court as in other Offices universally thorowout the Realme both in Cities Towns and Villages And among others peradventure my rude plainnesse displeased some who did complain That rashly I did speak of mens faults so that all men might know and perceive of whom I meant But alas this day my conscience accuseth me That I spake not so plainly as my duty was to have done For I ought to have said to the wicked man expressely by his name Thou shalt die the death For I finde Ieremiah the Prophet to have done so to Pashur the high Priest and to Zedechiah the King And not onely he but also Elijah Elisha Michah Amos Daniel Christ Jesus himself and after him his Apostles expressely to have named the blood-thirsty tyrants abominable Idolaters and dissembling hypocrites of their dayes If that we the Preachers within the Realme of England were appointed by God to be the Salt of the earth as his other Messengers were before us Alas Why with-held we the Salt where manifest compunction did appear I accuse none but my selfe The blinde love that I did bear to this my wicked carkase was the chiefe cause that I was not fervent and faithfull enough in that behalfe For I had no will to provoke the hatred of all men against me And therefore so touched I the vices of men in the presence of the greatest that they might see themselves to be offenders I dare not say that I was the greatest flatterer But yet neverthelesse I would not be seen to proclaim manifest Warre against the manifest wicked Whereof unfainedly I ask my God mercy As I was not so fervent in rebuking manifest iniquity as it became me to have been So was I not so indifferent a feeder as is required of Christs Steward For in preaching Christs Gospel albeit mine eye as knoweth God was not much upon worldly promotion yet the love of friends and carnall affection of some men with whom I was most familiar allured me to make more residence in one place then in another having more respect to the pleasure of a few then to the necessity of many That day I thought I had not sinned if I had not been idle But this day I know it was my duty to have had consideration how long I had remained in one place and how many hungry souls were in other places to whom alas none took pain to break and distribute the bread of Life Moreover remaining in one place I was not so diligent as mine Office required but sometime by counsell of carnall friends I spared the body sometime I spent in worldly businesse of particular friends and sometime in taking recreation and pastime by exercise of the body And albeit men may judge these to be light and small offences yet I acknowledge and confesse That unlesse pardon should be granted to me in Christs blood that every one of these three offences aforenamed that is to say Lack of fervency in reproving sin The lack of indifferency in feeding those that were hungry And the lack of diligence in the execution of mine Office deserved damation And beside these I was assaulted yea infected and corrupted with more grosse sins that is My wicked nature desired the favours the estimation and praise of men against which albeit that sometime the Spirit of God did move me to fight and earnestly did stir me God knoweth I lye not to sob and lament for those imperfections yet never ceased they to trouble me when any occasion was offred And so privily and craftily did they enter into my brest that I could not perceive my self to be wounded till vain-glory had almost gotten the upper hand O Lord be mercifull to my great offence and deal not with me according to my great iniquity but according to the multitude of thy mercies remove from me the burthen of my sin for of purpose and minde to have avoided the vain displeasure of man I spared little to offend thy Majestie Think not beloved in the Lord That thus I accuse my selfe without just cause as though in so doing I might appear more holy or that yet I do it of purpose and intent by occasion thereof to accuse others of my brethren the true Preachers of Christ of like or greater offences No God is Judge to my conscience That I do it even from an unfained and sore troubled heart as I that know my selfe grievously to have offended the Majesty of my God during the time that Christs Gospel had free passage in England And this I do let you understand That the taking away of the heavenly Bread and this great tempest that now bloweth against the poor disciples of Christ within the Realme of England as touching our part cometh from the great mercy of our heavenly Father to provoke us to unfained repentance for that neither Preacher nor Professor did rightly consider the time of our mercifull Visitation But altogether so we spent the time as though Gods Word had been Preached rather to satisfie our fantasies then to reforme our evill manners Which thing if we earnestly repent then shall Jesus Christ appear to our comfort be the storm never so great Haste O Lord for thy Names sake The second thing that I finde to be noted is The vehemency of the fear which the disciples endured in that great danger being of longer continuance then ever they had at any time before In Saint Matthewes Gospel it appeareth That another time there arose a great stormy Tempest and sore tossed the Boat wherein Christs disciples were labouring But that was nigh the day light and then they had Christ with them in the Ship whom they awaked and cryed for help unto him for at that time he slept in the Boat and so were shortly delivered from their sudden fear But now were they in the midst of the raging Sea and it was night and Christ their Comforter absent from them and cometh not to them neither in the first second nor third Watch What fear think ye were they in And what thoughts arose out of their so troubled hearts during that storm Such as this day be in like danger within the Realme of England doth by this storm better understand then my pen can expresse But of one thing I am well assured That Christs presence would in that great
Word But yet I think ye doubt what ye ought and may do in this so weighty a matter In few words I will declare my conscience in the one and in the other Ye ought to prefer the glory of God and the promoting of Christ his Evangell and the salvation of your souls to all things that be in the earth And ye although ye be but subjects may lawfully require of your Superiours be it of your King be it of your Lords Rulers and Powers That they provide for you true Preachers and that they expell such as under the name of Pastors devour and destroy the Flock not feeding the same as Christ Jesus hath commanded And if in this point your Superiours be negligent or yet pretend to maintain tyrants in their tyranny most justly ye may provide true Teachers for your selves Pastors according to the minde and heart of God by whom you may be fed with that most comfortable food of your souls Christs Evangell truly preached Ye may moreover in a peaceable manner without sedition with-hold the fruits and profits which your false Bishops and Clergy most unjustly receive of you unto such time as they shall faithfully do their charge and duties which is To preach unto you Christ Jesus truely rightly to minister the Sacraments according to his own Institution and so to watch for the salvation of your souls as is commanded by Christ Jesus himself and by his Apostles Paul and Peter If God shall move your hearts in his true fear to begin to practice these things and to demanded and crave the same of your Superiours which most lawfully ye may do then I doubt not but of his great mercy and free grace he will illuminate the eyes of your mindes that his undoubted Verity will be a Lantern to your feet to guide and lead you in all the wayes which godly wisedom doth approve he will make your enemies tremble before your faces he will establish his Evangell amongst you to the salvation and perpetuall comfort of your selves and of your posterity after you But and if as God forbid the love of friends the fear of your Princes and the wisedom of the world draw you back from God and from his Son Christ Jesus be ye certainly perswaded That ye shall drink the cup of his Vengeance so many I mean as shall contemn and despise this loving calling of your heavenly Father It will not excuse you dear brethren in the presence of God neither yet will it avail you in the day of his visitation to say We were but simple subjects we could not redresse the faults and crimes of our Rulers Bishops and Clergy We called for Reformation and wished for the same but Lords brethren were Bishops their sons were Abbots and the friends of great men had the possession of the Church and so were we compelled to give obedience to all that they demanded These vain excuses I say will nothing avail you in the presence of God who requireth no lesse of the subjects then of their Rulers That they decline from evil and that they do good that they abstain from Idolatry Superstition Blasphemy Murther and other such like horrible crimes which his Law forbiddeth and yet neverthelesse are openly committed and maliciously defended in that miserable Realm And if ye think that ye are innocent because ye are not the chief actors of such iniquity ye are utterly deceived for God doth not onely punish the chief offenders but with them doth he condemn the consenters to such iniquity and all are judged to consent that knowing impiety committed give no testimony that the same displeaseth them To speak this matter more plain As your Princes and Rulers are criminall with your Bishops of all Idolatry committed and of all the innocent blood that is shed for the testimony of Christs Truth and that because they maintain them in their tyranny so are you I mean so many of you as give no plain confession to the contrary criminall and guilty with your Princes and Rulers in the same crimes because ye assist and maintain your Princes in their blinde rage and give no declaration that their tyranny displeaseth you This Doctrine I know is strange to the blinde world but the verity of it hath been declared in all notable punishments from the beginning When the originall world perished by water when Sodome and Gomorra were consumed by fire and finally when Ierusalem was horribly destroyed Doth any man think that all were alike wicked before the world Evident it is that they were not if they be judged according to their externall facts for some were young and could not be oppressors neither yet could defile themselves with unnaturall and beastly lusts Some were pitifull and gentle of nature and did not thirst for the blood of Christ nor of his Apostles But did any escape the plagues and vengeance which did apprehend the multitude Let the Scriptures witnesse and the Histories be considered which plainly do testifie That by the waters all flesh in earth at that time did perish Noah and his family reserved That none escaped in Sodome and in the other Cities adjacent except Lot and his two daughters And evident it is That in that famous City Ierusalem in that last and horrible destruction of the same none escaped Gods vengeance except so many as before were dispersed And what is the cause of this severity seeing that all were not alike offenders let the flesh cease to dispute with God and let all men by these examples learn betimes to fly and avoid the society and company of the proud contemners of God if that they list not to be partakers of their plagues The cause is evident if we can be subject without grudging to Gods judgements which in themselves are most holy and just For in the originall world none was found that either did resist tyranny and oppression that universally was used nor yet that earnestly reprehended the same In Sodome was none found that did gain stand that furious and beastly multitude that did compasse about and besiege the house of Lot None would believe Lot that the City should be destroyed And finally in Ierusalem was found none that studied to represse the tyranny of the Priests who were conjured against Christ and his Evangell but all fainted I except ever such as gave witnesse with their blood or their flying That such impiety displeased them all kept silence by the which all approved iniquity and joyned hands with the tyrannts and so were all arayed and set as it had been in one Battell against the Omnipotent and against his Son Christ Jesus For whosoever gathereth not with Christ in the day of his Harvest is judged to scatter And therefore of one vengeance temporall were they all partakers Which thing as before I have touched ought to move you to the deep consideration of your duties in these last and most perillous times The iniquity
of your Bishops is more then manifest their filthy lives infect the ayr the innocent blood which they shed cryeth vengeance in the ears of our God the idolatry and abomination which openly they commit and without punishment maintain doth corrupt and defile the whole Land and none amongst you do unfainedly study for any redresse of such enormities Will God in this behalf hold you as innocents Be not deceived dear brethren God hath punished not onely the proud tyrants filthy persons and cruell murtherers but also such as with them did draw the yoke of iniquity was it by flattering their offences obeying their unjust commandments or in winking at their manifest iniquity All such I say God once punished with the chief offenders Be ye assured brethren that as he is immutable of nature so will he not pardon you in that which he hath punished in others and now the lesse because he hath plainly admonished you of the dangers to come and hath offered you his mercy before he pour forth his wrath and displeasure upon the inobedient God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the father of glory and God of all consolation give you the spirit of wisedom and open unto you the knowledge of himself by the means of his dear Son by the which ye may attain to the esperance and hope That after the troubles of this transitory life ye may be partakers of the glorious Inheritance which is prepared for such as refuse themselves and fight under the Banner of Christ Iesus in the day of this his Battell That in deep consideration of the same ye may learn to prefer the invisible and eternall joyes to the vain pleasures that are present God further grant you his holy Spirit righteously to consider what I in his Name have required of your Nobility and of the subjects and move all together so to answer that my Petition be not a testimony of your just condemnation when the Lord Iesus shall appear to revenge the blood of his Saints and the contempt of his most holy Word Amen Sleep not in sin for vengeance is prepared against the inobedient Fly from Babylon if ye will not be partakers of her plagues Grace be with you Your Brother to command in godlinesse JOHN KNOX Be witnesse to my Appellation The 4. of Iuly 1558. A faithfull ADMONITION made by IOHN KNOX To the true Professors of the Gospel of CHRIST within the Kingdom of England 1554. John Knox wisheth Grace Mercy and Peace from GOD the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the perpetuall Comfort of the Holy Ghost to be with you for ever and ever dear Brethren the afflicted Members of Christs Church in England HAving no lesse desire to comfort such as now be in trouble within the Realm of England and specially you for many causes most dear to me then hath the naturall Father to ease the griefe and pain of his dearest Childe I have considered with my selfe what argument or parcell of Gods Scriptures was most convenient and meet to be handled for your consolation in these most dark and dolorous dayes And so as for the same purpose I was turning my Book I chanced to see a Note in the Margine written thus in Latine Videas Anglia Let England beware which Note when I had considered I found that the matter written in my Booke in Latine was this Seldome it is that God worketh any notable work to the comfort of his Church but that trouble fear and labour cometh upon such as God hath used for his Servants and Workmen and also tribulation most commonly followeth that Church were Christ Iesus is most truely preached This Note was made upon a place of Scripture written in the fourteenth Chapter of Saint Matthews Gospell which place declareth That after Christ Jesus had used the Apostles as Ministers and Servants to feed as it had been by their hands five thousand men beside women and children with five Barley Loaves and two Fishes he sent them to the Sea commanding them to passe over before him to the other side Which thing as they attempted to obey and for the same purpose did travell and row forth in the Sea the night approached the wind was contrary the vehement and raging storme arose and was like to overthrow their poor Boat and them When I considered as dolour and my simplicity would suffer the circumstances of the Text I began to reckon and ask account of my self and as God knoweth not without sorrow and sobs whether at any time I had been so plain by my tongue as God had opened his holy Will and Wisdom in that matter unto me as mine own Pen and Note beare witnesse to my conscience And shortly it came to my minde that the same place of Scripture I had handled in your presences when God gave opportunity and time for you to heare Gods Messenger speak the words of eternall life Wherefore I thought nothing more expedient then shortly to call to minde againe such things as then I trust were touched albeit peradventure neither of me so plainly uttered neither of you so plainly perceived as these most dolorous dayes declare the same to us It shall not bee necessary to handle the Text word by word but of the whole summe to gather certain Notes and Observations which shall not farre disagree from the state of these dayes it shall be sufficient And first it is to be observed That after this great miracle that Christ had wrought he neither would retain with himself the multitude of people whom he had fed neither yet his disciples but the one he sent away every man to return to his place of accustomed residence and the others he sent to the danger of the Seas not as he that was ignorant what should chance unto them but knowing and foreseeing the Tempest yea and appointing the same so to trouble them It is not to be judged That the onely and true Pastour would remove and send away from him the wandering and weak sheep neither yet that the onely provident Governour and Guide would set out his rude Warriours to so great a jeopardie without sufficient and most just cause Why Christ removed and sent away from him the people the Evangelist Saint Iohn declareth saying When Iesus knew that they were come to take him that they might make him King he passed secretly or alone to the Mountain Whereof it is plain what chiefly moved Christ to send away the people from him because that by him they sought a carnall and worldly libertie regarding nothing his Heavenly Doctrine of the Kingdom of God his Father which before he had taught and declared unto them plainly shewing them That such as would follow him must suffer for his Names sake persecution must be hated of all men must deny themselves must be sent forth as sheep among Wolves But no part of this doctrine pleased them or could enter into their