preferred to Aaron that the one commaunded and the other did obey who dar esteme that the ciuile power is now becomed so prophane in Gods eyes that it is sequestred from all intromission with the matters of religion The holie ghost in diuers places declarethe the contrarie For one of the chefe praecepts commaunded to the king when that he should be placed in his throne was to write the example of the boke of the Lordes law that it should be with hym that he might read in it all the daies of his life that he might learn to fear the Lord his God and to kepe all the wordes of his law and his statutes to do them This praecept requireth not onlye that the king should hym selfe fear God kepe his Law and statutes but that also he as the chefe ruler should prouide that goddes true religion should be kept inuiolated of the people and flock which by God was committed to his charge And this did not onlie Dauid and Salomon perfectly vnderstād but also somme godlie kinges in Iuda after the apostasie and idolatrie that infected Israel by the meanes of Ieroboam did practise theyre vnderstanding and execute theyre power in somme notable reformations For Asa and Iosaphat kinges in Iuda fynding the religion altogither corrupt did applie theyre hearts saieth the holie ghost to serue the Lord and to walk in his waies and thereafter doth witnes that Asa remoued from honours his mother somme say grādmother because shee had committed and laboured to mentaine horrible idolatrie And Iosaphat did not only refuse strange goddes hym selfe but also distroying the chefe monuments of idolatrie did send furth the. Leuites to instruct the people whereof it is playne that the one and the other did vnderstand suche reformations to appertaine to theire dueties But the factes of Ezechias and of Iosias do more clerely proue the power and duetie of the ciuile Magistrate in the reformation of religion Before the reign of Ezechias so corrupt was the religion that the dores of the house of the Lord were shut vpp the lampes were extinguished no sacrifice was orderly made but in the first yeare of his reigne the first moneth of the same did the king open the dores of the temple bring in the Preestes and Leuites and assembling them togither did speak vnto them as folloeth Hear me o yce Leuites and be sanctified now and sanctifie also the house of the Lord God of your fathers and carie furth from the sanctuarie all filthynes he meaneth all monumēts and vesselles of idolatrie for our fathers haue transgressed and haue committed wickednes in thee eyes of the eternall our God they haue left hym and haue turned theyre faces from the tabernacle of the Lord ▪ and therefore is the wrath of the Lord cōmed vpon Iuda and Ierusalem Behold our fathers haue fallen by the sworde our sonnes daughters ād wifes are led in captiuitie but now haue I purposed in my heart to make a couenante with the Lord God of Israel that he may turne the wrath of his furie from vs. And therefore my sonnes he swetely exhorteth be not faint for the Lord hath chosen you to stand in his presence and to serue hym Such as be not more then blynd clerely may perceaue that the king dothe aknolledge that it appertained to his charge to reforme the religion to appoint the Leuites to theyre charges and to admonish thē of theyre duetie and office which thing he more euidently declareth writing his lettres to all Israel to Ephrtaim an Manasses and sent the same by the handes of messingers hauing this tenour You sonnes of Israel return to the Lord God of Abraham Isaac ād Israel and he shall return to the residue that resteth from the handes of Assur Be not as your fathers and as your brethren were who haue trāsgressed against the Lord God of theyre fathers who hath made them desolate as you see Holde not your heart therefore but giue your hand vnto the Lord return vnto his sanctuarie serue hym and he shall shew mercie vnto you to your sonnes and doughters that be in bondage for he is pitifull and easie to be intreated Thus far did Ezechias by lettres and messingers prouoke the people declined from God to repentance not only in Iuda where he reigned laufull king but also in Israel subiect then to an other king And albeit that by somme wicked men his messingers were mocked yet as they lacked not theyre iust punishmēt for within sixe yeares after Samaria was destroyed and Israel led captiue by Salmanazar so did not the zelous king Ezechias desist to prosecute his duetie in restoring the religion to Gods perfecte ordenance remouing all abominations The same is to be red of Iosias who did not only restore the religion but did further distroy all monumentes of idolatrie which of lōg tyme had remained For it is written of him that after that the boke of the law was found and that he had asked counsil at the prophetesse Hulda he sente ād gathered all the elders of iuda and Ierusalem and standing in the temple of the Lord he made a conuenant that all the people frō the great to the small should walk after the Lord should obserue his law statutes and testimonies with all theyre heart and all theyre soule and that they should ratifie and confirme what soeuer was written in the boke of God He further cōmaunded Helkias the hic preest and the preestes of the inferiour order that they should carie furth of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made to Baal which he burnt and did carie theire pouder to Bethel He did further distroy all monuments of idolatrie yea euen those that had remained frō the dayes of Salomō He did burn them stampe them to powder whereof one part he scattered in the broke Kidron and the other vpon the sepulcres and graues of the idolaters whose bones he did burn vpō the altars where before they made sacrifice not only in Iuda but also in Bethel where Ieroboam had erected his idolatrie yea he further proceded and did kyll the preestes of the hie places who were idolaters and had deceaued the people he did kyll them I say and did burn theyre bones vpon theyre owne altars and so returned to Ierusalem This reformatiō made Iosias and for the same obtained this testimonie of the holie Ghost that neither before hym neither after hym was there any suche kīg who returned to God with his hole soule and with all his strengthe according to all the law of Moses Of which histories it is euident that the reformation of religion in all points togither with the punishement of false teachers doth appertaine to the power of the ciuile Magistrate For what God required of them his iustice must require of others hauing the like charge and auctoritie what he did approue in them he can not but approue in all others who with like zeale and
synceritie do interprise to purge the Lordes temple and sanctuarie what God required of them it is before declared to wit that most diligently they should obserue his Law statutes and ceremonies And how acceptable were theyre factes to God doth he him selfe witnesse For to somme he gaue most notable victories without the hande of man and in theyre most desperat daungers did declare his especiall fauours towerdes them by signes supernaturall to other he so established the kingdome that theyre ennemies were compelled to stoupe vnder theyre feete And the names of all he hath regestred not only in the boke of life but also in the blessed remembrance of all posterities sence theyre daies which also shall continue till the commyng of the Lord Iesus who shall rewarde with the crowne of immortalitie not only theÌ„ but also such as vnfaynedly studie to do the will and to promote the glorie of his heuenlie father in the middest of this corrupted generation In coÌ„sideration whereof ought you my Lordes all delay set apart to prouide for the reformation of religion in your dominions and boundes which now is so corrupt that no part of Christes institution remaineth in the original puritie and therefore of necessitie it is that spedely ye prouide for reformatione or els ye declare your selues not only voyde of loue to werdes your subiectes but also to liue without care of your owne saluation yea without all feare and true reuerence of God Two thinges perchance may moue you to esteme these histories before briuely tuched to appertaine nothing to you Fyrst because you are no Iewes but Gentiles and secondarely because you are no kinges but nobiles in your realm But be not deceaued For neither of both can excuse you in goddes presence from doing your duetie for it is a thing more then certein that whatso euer God required of the ciuile Magistrate in Israel or Iuda concernyng the obseruation of true religion during the tyme of the Law the same doth he require of lawfull Magistrates professing Christ Iesus in the tyme of the Gospell as the holie Ghost hath taught vs by the mouth of Dauid saying Psal. 2. Be learned you that iudge the earth kysse the sonne lest that the Lord waxe angrie aÌ„d that yee perish from the way This admonition did not extend to the iudges vnder the law only but doth also include all such as be promoted to honours in the tyme of the Gospell when Christ Iesus doth reigne aÌ„d feight in his spirituall kyngdome whose ennemies in that psalme be fyrst most sharply taxed theyr furie expressed and vanitie mocked then are kings and iudges who think them selues free from all law and obedieÌ„ce commaunded to repent theyre former blynd rage and iudges are charged to be learned and last are all coÌ„maunded to serue the eternall in feare to reioyce before hym in tremblyng to kysse the sonne that is to geue vnto hym most humble obedience whereof it is euident that the rulers Magistrats and iudges now in Christes kingdome are no lesse bound to obedieÌ„ce vnto God theÌ„ were those vnder the Law And how is it possible that any shall be obedieÌ„t who dispise his religion in which standeth the chefe glorie that man can geue to God and is a seruice which God especially requireth of kings and rulers Which thing saint Augustine plainely did note writing to one Bonifacius a man of warr according to the same argument and purpose which I labour to persuade your Honours For after that he hath in that his epistle declared the difference betwixt the heresie of the Donatists and Arrians and hath somwhat spoken of theyr crueltie he sheweth the way how theyr furie should and oght to be repressed and that it is lawfull for the iniustly afflicted to seke support and defence at godlie Magistrates For thus he writeth Either must the veritie be kept close or els must theyr crueltie be susteaned But if the veritie should be concealed not only should none be saued nor delyuered by suchsileÌ„ce but also shoulde many be lost through theyr decept But if by preaching of the veritie theyr furie should be prouoked more to rage and by that meanes yet somme were delyuered and made stronge yet should feare hinder many weakliÌ„gs to folowe the veritie if theyr rage be not stayed In these fyrst wordes Augustine sheweth three reasons why the afflicted Church in those daies called for the help of the Emperour and of godlie Magistrates against the furie of the persecuters The fyrst The veritie must be spoken or ells mankind shall perish in errour The second the veritie being plainlie spoken prouoketh the aduersaries to rage And because that soÌ„me did alledge that rather we oght to suffer all iniurie then to seke support by man he addeth the third reason to witt that many weakones be not able to suffer persecution and death for the truethes sake to whome not the lesse respect oght to be had that they may be won from errour and so be brought to grater strength O that the rulers of this age should ponder and wey the reasons of this godly writer and prouid the remedie which he requyreth in these wordes foloiÌ„g Now when the Church was thus afflicted yf any think that rather they should haue sustayned all calamitie then that the helpe of God should haue bene asked by Christian Emperours he doth not well aduert that of such negligence no good coÌ„ptes or reason could be geuen For where such as would that no iust lawes should be made against theyre impietie alledge that the Apostles soght no such thiÌ„ges of the kinges of the earth they do not consider that then the tyme was other then it is now and that all thinges are done in theyr owne tyme. What Emperour then beleued in Christ that should serue hym in making lawes for godlines against impietie whill yet that saying of the ê“phet was coÌ„plete why hath nations raged and people haue imagined vanitie The kinges of the earth haue stand vp princes haue conuented together against the Lord and against his annoynted That which is after said in the same psalme was not yet comme to passe And now vnderstand o you kinges be learned you that iudge the earth serue the Lord â–ª in fear and reioyce to hym with tremlinge How do kings serue the Lord in fear but in punishing and by a godlie seueritie forbidding those thinges which are done against the commaundement of the Lord. For otherwise doth he serue in so far as he is man other wise in so far as he is king In so far as he is man he serueth hym by liuing faithfully but because he is also king he serueth establishing lawes that commaund the thinges that be iust and that with a conuenient rigour forbyd thinges contrarie As Ezechias serued distroying the groues the temples of idols and the places which were buylded against goddes commaundement So serued also Iosias doing the same so serued the king of Niniuites compelling
the hole citie to mitigate the Lord so serued Darius geuing in the power of Daniel the idol to be broken and his ennemies to be cast to the lions so serued Nabucadnezer by a terrible law forbidding all that were in his realme to blaspheme God Herein therefore do kinges serue the Lord in so far as they are kings when they do those things to serue hym which none except kings be able to do He further procedeth and coÌ„cludeth that as when wicked kings do reign impietie can not be brideled by lawes but rather is tyrannie exercised vnder the title of the same so is it a thing without all reason that kinges professing the knolledge and honour of God should not regard nor care who did defend nor who did oppugne the Church of God in theyr dominions By these wordes of this auncieÌ„t and godlie writer your Honours may perceaue what I require of you to wit to represse the tyrannie of your Byshoppes and to defend the innocents professing the trueth He did require of the Emperour and kings of his daies professing Christ and manifestly concludeth that they can not serue Christ except that so they do Let not your Byshoppes thinke that Augustine speaketh for them because he nameth the Church Let them read and vnderstand that Augustine writeth for that Church which professeth the trueth and doth suffer persecution for the defeÌ„ce of the same which your byshoppes do not but rather with the Donatistes and Arrians do cruelly persecute all such as boldly speak Christes eternall veritie to manifest theyre impietie and abomination But thus much we haue of Augustine that it appertaineth to the obedience and seruice which kinges owe to God aswel now in the tyme of the Gospell as before vnder the Law to defende the afflicted for matters of religion and to represse the furie of the persecuters by the rigour and seueritie of godlie lawes For which cause no doubt doth Esaie the prophete say that kinges should be norishers to the Church of God that they should abbase their heades and louingly embrase the children of God And thus I say your Honours may euidently see that the same obedience doth God require of rulers and princes in the tyme of the Gospell that he required in the tyme of the Law Yf you do think that the reformation of religion and defence of the afflicted doth not appertaine to you because you are no kings but nobils aÌ„d estates of a real me in two thinges you are deceaued former in that you do not aduert that Dauid requireth aswell that the princes and iudges of the earth be learned and that they serue and fear God as that he requireth that the kings repent Yf you therefore be iudges and princes as no man can deny you to be then by the playn words of Dauid you are charged to be learned to serue and fear God which ye can not do if you despise the reformation of his religion And thys is your fyrst errour The secoÌ„d is that ye neither know your duetie which ye owe to God neither yet your auctoritie which of hym ye haue receaued yf ye for pleasure or fear of any earthlie man despise goddes true religion and conteÌ„ne your brethreÌ„ that in his name cal for your support Your dutie is to hear the voyce of the Eternal your God and unfainedly to studie to folow his preceptes who as is before said of especiall mercie hath promoted you to honours and dignitie His chefe and principall precept is that with reuerence ye receaue and embrace his onlie beloued sonne Iesus that ye promote to the vttermost of your powers his true religion aÌ„d that ye defend your brethren and subiectes whome he hath putt vnder your charge aÌ„d care Now if your king be a man ignoraÌ„t of God ennemie to his true religion blinded by superstition and a persecuter of Christes membres shall yee be excused if with silence yee passe ouer his iniquitie Be not deceaued my Lordes ye are placed in auctoritie for an other purpose then to flatter your king in his folie and blind rage to witt that as with your bodies strength riches and wisdome ye are bound to assist and defend him in all things which by your aduise he shall take in hand for Gods glorie and for the preseruation of his commune wealth and subiectes so by your grauities counsil and admonition yee are bound to correct and represse whatsoeuer ye know him to attempt expressedly repugning to Goddes word honour and glorie or what ye shall espie him to do be it by ignorance or be it by malice against his subiectes great or small Of which last part of your obedieÌ„ce yf ye defraud your king ye coÌ„mit against him no lesse treason then yf ye did extract froÌ„ him your due and ê“mised support what time by his ennemies iniustly he wer pursued But this part of their duetie I fear do a small nomber of the nobilitie of this age rightly consider neither yet will they vnderstand that for that purpose hath God ê“moted them For now the coÌ„mune song of al men is We must obey our kinges be they good or be they bad for God hath so coÌ„maunded But horrible shall the vengeance be that shalbe powred furth vpon such blasphemers of God his holie name and ordinaunce For it is no lesse blasphemie to say that God hath commaunded kinges to be obeyed when they coÌ„maund impietie then to say that God by his precept is auctour aÌ„d mentainer of all iniquitie True it is God hath coÌ„maunded kinges to be obeyed but like true it is that in things which they coÌ„mit against his glorie or when cruelly without cause they rage agaiÌ„st theire brethreÌ„ the members of Christes body he hath coÌ„maunded no obedieÌ„ce but rather he hath approued yea and greatlie rewarded such as haue opponed them selues to theyre vngodly commaundementes and blind rage as in the exampls of the three children of Daniel and Abdemelech it is euident The three children wold nether bowe nor stoupe before the golden image at the coÌ„maundement of the great king Nabuchadnezar Daniel did opeÌ„ly pray his windoes being open against the established law of Darius and of his counsil and Abdemelech feared not to enter in before the presence of Zedechias aÌ„d boldly to defeÌ„d the cause aÌ„d innoceÌ„tie of Ieremie the prophet whome the king and his counsil had coÌ„demned to deth Euerie one of these factes should this day be iudged foolishe by such as will not vnderstaÌ„d what coÌ„fession God doth require of his children when his veritie is oppugned or his glorie called in doubt suche men I say as prefer man to God and thinges present to the heauenlie inheritaunce should haue iudged euerie one of these factes stubburn inobedience foolishe presumption and singularitie or elles bold coÌ„trolinge of the king and his wise counsil But how acceptable in Gods presence was this resistance to the vngodlie commaundementes and determinations of theyr king the eÌ„d did witnes For
mindinge by that meanes to cutt for euer the knot of the frendship that might haue ensued betwixte England and Scotland by that godlie coniunction What the papistes feared is manifest For then Christe Iesus being more purely preached in England then at any tyme before would shortly haue suppressed their pride and vaine glorie and therefore they raged that he should not reigne aboue them also But what is like to apprehend you for because ye did not betymes withstaÌ„d their most wicked couÌ„sils wise men do coÌ„sider How heauie and vnpleasant shall the burthen and yock of a Frenchman be to your shoulders aÌ„d necks God graunt that experience do not teach you But to returne to my former purpose by all those means rehersed by his messeÌ„gers by the blood of his saincts shed amoÌ„gest you by fauours aÌ„d frendship by warre and the sword yea by famin aÌ„d pestileÌ„ce aÌ„d all other meaÌ„s hath God your mercifull father called you to labour in his vineyard but to this day alas we heare not of your huÌ„ble obedience but stil ye say with stubburn faces we will not labour we will not be bouÌ„de to such thraldome to abide the burthens of the vineyard Ye think perchaÌ„ce I am to sharpe and that I accuse you more then you deserue For amoÌ„gest you many do know the will of your father and many make profession of his Ghospel but coÌ„sider BrethreÌ„ that it is not enoug he to know the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t and to ê“fesse the same in mouthe but it is necessarie that ye refuse your selues your owne pleasures appetites and your owne wisdome if ye shall be iudged faithfull labourers in the Lordes vineyard aÌ„d that ye beare the burthens togiter with your brethren and suffre heate and sweate before ye taste the frutes with them God will not stand content that ye loke ouer the hedge and beholde the labours of your brethreÌ„ but he requireth that ye put your haÌ„des also to your labours that ye trauail continually to pluck vpp all vnprofitable wedes albeit in so doing the thornes pricke you to the hard bones that ye assist your brethreÌ„ in theyr labours thoghe it be with the icopardie of your lifes the losse of your substance and displeasure of the hole earthe Except that thus ye be minded to labour the Lord of the vineyarde wil not acknolledge you for his faith full seruantes And because this matter is of weight and greate importance I will speake soÌ„what more plainely for your instruction It is bruted to the greate comfort of all godlie that heare it that somme of you deare Brethren of Scotland do desire Christ Iesus to be faithfully preached amoÌ„gest you which thing if froÌ„ the heart you desyre and with godlie wisdome and stowt courrage folow your purpose and enterprise ye shall be blessed of the Lord for euer But in the begynnyng ye must beware that ye folow not the exaÌ„ple of your brethreÌ„ of EnglaÌ„d in whose handes albeit the worke of the Lord appeared to prosper for a time yet because the eye was not single we see to our grief the ouer throw of the same They began to plante Christ Iesus in the heartes of the people aÌ„d to baÌ„nish that Romish Antichrist they did driue owt the fylthie swyne froÌ„ theyr dennes and holes I mean the monkes and other such papisticall vermin from their cloisters aÌ„d abbayes This was a good be ginning but alas in the one and the other there was great faulte For the banishiÌ„g of that Romish Antichrist was rather by the feare of the lawes pronouÌ„ced against him by actes of parlameÌ„t theÌ„ by the liuelie preachiÌ„g of Christ Iesus aÌ„d by the discoueriÌ„g of his abominatioÌ„s And the suppressioÌ„ of the abbaies did rather smell of auarice theÌ„ of true religioÌ„ Those venemous locustes which before were holdeÌ„ within their cloisters were then set abrode to destroy all good aÌ„d grene herbes For superstitious freers ignoraÌ„t moÌ„ks aÌ„d idle abots were made archbishoppes bishoppes persons vicars aÌ„d such as oght to fede the soules of men â–ª who thus set at libertie did coÌ„tinually wrootup the Lords vineyard And one crafty Gardener whose name was Stephen hauiÌ„g wolflik coÌ„ditioÌ„s did maiÌ„taiÌ„ many a wolfe did sow wicked seed in the gardeÌ„ aÌ„d cherished many weedes to deface the vineyard And his maid Marie who after was his mastres now maried to Philip waÌ„tiÌ„g no wil to wickednes wheÌ„ she was at the weakest norsto make to do euill when she gatt the mastrie did cherishe many weedes Those two I say haue so broken the hedges of the same vineyarde God so punishing the sinnes of those that oght to haue made better prouision for the same that the husbandmen are hanged vp the diggars dressours and planters are banished prisoned and burned Such hauock is made that al wilde beastes haue power to pollute the sanctuarie of the Lorde O heauens beholde her crueltie o earthe cry for vengeance o seas and deserte mountains witnesses of her wickednes break furthe against this monster of England But whether do I runne by the bitternes of my grefe I must nedes leaue the o Scotland after that I haue aduertised the of this that thou folow not the example as I haue said of EnglaÌ„d but in the bowels of Christ Iesus I exhorte the that if thou preteÌ„dest any reformatioÌ„ in religion which is the chefe labour of the vineyarde that thou do it at the first with a single eye and all simplicitie that from yeare to yeare thou be not compelled to change as was England but let thy reformation be full and plaine according to goddes holie will and worde without addition Let all the plaÌ„tes which thy heauenly father hath not planted be rooted owt at once let not auarice blind the neither yet wordlie wisdome discourage thy hearte let none beare the name of a teacher that is knowen to be a fosterer of superstitioÌ„ or any kynde of wickednes And thou so doing shalt moue God of his greate mercie to send vnto the faithfull worke men in abundaÌ„ce to blesse the worke that thou preteÌ„dest in the vineyarde aÌ„d to preserue the to the glorie of his own name and to thy euerlasting comforte Thus must thou Scotland repent thy former inobedience if that thou wilt be approued of the Lord. And now do I return to the O EnglaÌ„d I do liken the to the secoÌ„de sonne in the parable which answered his father with flattering wordes saying I go father but yet he went not at all For sence the time that I had any remembrance our heaueÌ„lie father of his great mercies hath not ceased to call the in to his vineyard and to these late daies thou hast said alwayes that thou woldest enter and be obedient In the tyme of king Henrie the eght when by Tyndale Frith Bylnay and other his faithfull seruantes God called EnglaÌ„d to dresse his vineyard many promised full faire whome I could name But what frute folowed nothing but bitter grapes yea breeres and brambles the wormewood of auarice the
knowen 4 But if either rashely they haue promoted any manifest wicked personne or yet ignorantly haue chosen suche a one as after declareth hiÌ„ self vnworthie of regiment aboue the people of God and suche be all idolaters and cruel persecuters moste iustely may the same men depose and punishe hiÌ„ that vnaduysedly before they did nominate appoint and electe MATTH VI. If the eye be single the whole body shalbe clere PSALME OF DAVID XCIIII turned in to metre by W. Kethe O Lorde sith vengeance doth to thee and to none els belonge Now showe thy self o Lorde oure God with spede reuenge oure wronge Arise thow great iudge of the worlde and haue at length regarde That as the prowde deserue and do thow wilt them so rewarde How longe o Lorde shall wicked men triumphe thy flock to slea Yea Lorde how longe For they triumphe as thog he who now but they How longe shall wicked doers speake their great disdaine we se Whose boastiÌ„g prowd doth seem to threat no speach but theirs to be O Lorde they smite thy people downe not sparinge yonge or olde Thine heritage they so torment as strange is to beholde The widdowe and the stranger both they murther cruelly The father lesse they put to death and cause they know none why And yet saye they tushe tushe the Lorde shall not beholde this dede Ne yet will Iacobs God reuolue the thinges by vs decreed But now take hede ye men vnwise amonge the folke that dwell Ye fooles Lsaye when will ye waye or vnderstand this well He that the eare did plante and place shall he be slowe to heare Or he that made the eye to see shall he not see most clere Or he that whipte the hethen folke and knolledge teacheth men To nurture such as went astraye shall he not punishe then The Lorde oure God who maÌ„ did frame his very thoghts doth knowe And that they are but vile and vaine to him is knowne also But blessed is that man o Lorde whom thou doest bringe in awe And teacheste him by this thy rodd to loue and feare thy lawe That patience thou mayste him geue in tyme of troubles great Vntill the pitt be digged vp th'ungodly for to eate For why the Lorde will neuer fayle his people whiche him loue Ne yet forsake his heritaunce whiche he doth still approue Till righteousnes to iudgement turne as it must be in dede And such as be full true in hearte to folowe it with spede Who now will vp and rise with me against this wycked bande Or who against these workers ill on my parte stowte will stande Yf that the Lorde had not me holpt Dowtelesse it had bene done To witt my soule in silence broght and so my foes had wonne But thogh my foote did swiftly slide Yet when I did it tell Thy mercie Lorde so helde me vp that I therewith not fell For in the heapes of sorrowes sharpe that did my hearte oppresse Thy comfortes were to me so greate they did my soule refreshe Wilte thow vaine man haue ought to do with that most wicked chaire That museth mischief as a lawe with out remorse or feare Against the soules of righteous men they all with spede conuent And there the giltlesse blood condemne with one most vile consent But my refuge is to the Lorde in all these daungers deepe And God the strength is of my truste who allwaies dothe me keepe He shall rewarde their wickednesse and in their wrathe them kill Yea them destroye shall God oure Lorde for he bothe can and will FINIS Euery maÌ„ oght to confesse and reuereÌ„ce goddes trueth Act. 4. Hebr. 10. 1 Cor. 3. Mat. 25. Iohn 3. Rom. 5 8. 2. Cor. 5. Rom. 6. Ephe. 4. 5 Ephe. 2. Mat. 10. Vaine religion or idolatrie A senteÌ„ce pronuÌ„ced Appellation from the same The request of Iohn Knoxe The petition of Protestantes Deut. 17. The petitions of Iohn Knoxe Note well Answer 1. to obiections 2 NOTE The appellation is iust and lawfull Goddes mâ—ssin may appeall from uniust sentences and ciuile powers are bound to admit them Ier. 26. Aduert The princes did absolue the Prophet whome the preests had condeÌ„ned Deute 17 The meanyng of these wordes I amin your handes c. Deut. 17. Ierem. 1. Deu. 1. 10 The causes of his appellation and why he oght to haue bene defended Ierem. 38. Iust cause of appellation Act. 22. 〈…〉 25. Act. 25. why Paule wold admytt none of the Leuiticall ordre to iudge in his cause VpoÌ„ what reasons the appellation of Paule was grounded The cause is to be regarded and not the person Ierem. 2. Ierem. 1. Esa. 56. Act. 3. 4. Tim. 4. Iude 1. 2. Pet. 2. Let the cause be noted Answer to an obiection or dout The petitioÌ„ of Iohn Knoxe The singular honours which Magistrats receaue of God oght to moue them with all diligeÌ„ce to promote his religioÌ„ The dueties of Magistrats Rom. 13. In what pointes be Powers bounde to theyre subiestes Rom. 13. Let the similitude be noted It is not inough that rulars oppresse not theyre subiects The offer of Iohn knoxe and his accusation intended against the papisticall Bysshoppes Esaie 1. Ierem. 23. 27. Ezech. 13. Hosa 4. NOTE Yf powers prouide not for instructioÌ„ of theyre subiects they do neuer rule aboue them for theyre profit what Satan hath obtained of the blind world The matters and reformatioÌ„ of religion appertaine to the care of the ciuile power Exod. 21. 24. 25 c. Note Exod. 28. The factes of Godlie kings are an interpretation of the law and declaration of theyre power 2. Paral. 14. 17. Note 2. Paralip 29. Aduert that the kinge taketh vpon him to coÌ„mand the preestes 2. Pa. 30. NOTE 2. par 34. 2. Reg. 23. The king commaunded the preestes 2. Par. 32. The factes of the godlie kings in Iuda do appertain to the powers among the gentiles professing Christ Epist. 50. Aduert Note well Augustines words Aduert the mynd of Augustine In two sortes oght kinges to serue God O that the worlde should vnderstand NOTE Esaie 49. An answer to the second obiection Ieremie 38 Ierem. 39 Deut. 12. Deut. 23. 27. Idolatrie oght to be punished without respect of person If anie estate might haue claimed priuiledge it was the prophetes 1. Sam. 3. 1. Sam. 9. 15. 1. Reg. 22 1. Reg. 21. 2. Reg. 8. 2. Par. 15. Deut. 13. why euerie man in Israel was boâ—â—â—d to obey goddes coâ—maundement Deut. 28. and 30. Deut. 7. Godds iudgements to the carnall man appear rigorous For the idolatrie of a smale number is goddes wrath kindled against the multitude not punishing the offeÌ„dours EZech. 9. Ezech. 8. and 9. NOTE An answer to an obiection why no law was executed against the Gentiles being Idolaters Ephe. 2. The especiall honour which God requireth of his people 1. Sam. 15. Exod. 34. God is not auctour of anie priuiledge graunted to papistical bishoppes that they be exempted from the power of the ciuile sword Exod. 32. The dignitie of AaroÌ„ did not exempt him from iudgemeÌ„t 1. ReguÌ„ 2. 1 Sam. 3. Note well Gal. 4. 1. Tim. 3. Mat. 17. 1. Pet. 2. Act. 4. and 5. Rom. 13. Chrysostome vpoÌ„ the 13. to the Rom. Let Papistes answer Chrysostome Lett theyr owne histories witnesse The mouthe of the beast speakinge great thinges Distin. 9. quest 3. Theyre lawes do witnesse Dist. 19. Cap. de translatione titul 7. Distinct. 40. Note the equitie of this commaundement The matter is more then euident whosoeuer meÌ„taineth the priuiledges of Papists shall driÌ„k the cupp of gods veÌ„geance with them Deu. 28. Leuit. 26. Esa. 27. 30. Lett EnglaÌ„d and Scotland both aduert God calleth to repentance before he strike in his hote displeasure Papistes had no force yf Princes did not mentain them Act. 2. No true seruant of God may communicate with the papistical religion An answer to the old obiection that an heretik oght not to be hard 1. Reg. 18. Tuching councils and doctours In prologo Retract Eze. 33. Mat. 24 26. Dani. 12 Mat. 25. Petition Answer to an obiection Lactanti Firmian TertuliaÌ„ Cyprian Iohn 5. 7. Actes 17. 2. Pet. 1. 1. Iohn 4. Iohn 3. why Papistes will not dispute of the ground of theyr religion Mahomet and the Pope do agree NOTE Reformation of religion belongeth to all that hope for life euerlastinge Rom. 1. The subiect is no lesse bouÌ„d to beleue in Christ then is the kinge Galat. 3. Abac. 2. Marc. 16. Iohn 3. Wherin all man is equal Rom. 5. Isa. 53. Iohn 3. 5. Exod. 30. Exod. 30. Exod. 19. The presence of God represented in the tabernacle The presence of God represented in the taber nacle Hebr. 9. Isaie 8. Act. 3. Mat. 28. The spiritual tabernacle and signes of Christes presence with vs. NOTE 1 Par. 29. 2. Para. 3. 4. 5. 2. Para. 29. 30. 35. Mat. 17. Note The offer of Iohn Knoxe to his natiue realme what he requireth An answer to two questions Subiectes may lawfully require true preachers of theyr rulers Ioan. 21. Act. 20. Thinges that may draw men back from the synceritie of Christes euangil Rom. 1. Note Princes and Byshoppes are a lyke criminal How subiectes offend with theyr Princes Gen. 7. 19. Iosephus Aegesippus why all perished in the flood in Sodom and Gomorrha what subiectes shall God punishe with theyre Princes Deu. 28. Esa. 3. Deut. 28 I suppose they payed litle Kinge Henry his boke against Luther is noted Mat. 25. Mat. 3. Reuel 21. Iosu. 24.