and against the libertie of their owne natiue realme they haue cōmitted The same plages shall fall vpon you be you assured if ye refuse the defence of his seruantes that call for your support My words are sharpe but cōsider my Lords that they are not mine but that they are the threatnynges of the omnipotent who assuredly will perfurme the voices of his Prophetes how that euer carnall men despise his admonitions The sworde of Goddes wrath is alredie drawē which of necessitie must nedes stryke when grace offred is obstinatly refused You haue bene long in bondage of the Deuil blyndnes errour and idolatrie preuailing against the simple trueth of God in that your realme in which God hath made you princes and rulers But now doth God of his great mercie call you to repentance before he power furth the vttermost of his vengeance he crieth to your eares that your religiō is nothing but idolatrie he accuseth you of the blood of his saincts which hath bene shed by your permission assistance and powers For the tyrannie of those raging beastes should haue no force if by your strength they were not mentained Of those horrible crimes doth now God accuse you not of purpose to condemne you but mercifully to absolue and pardō you as somtyme he did those whom Peter accused to haue killed the sonne of God so that ye be not of mind nor purpose to iustifie your former iniquitie Iniquitie I call not only the crimes and offenses which haue bene and yet remaine in your maners and liues but that also which appeareth before men most holie with hassard of my life I offre to proue abomination before God that is your hole religion to be so corrupt and vaine that no true seruante of God can communicate with it because that in so doing he should manifestly denie Christ Iesus and his eternal veritie I know that your byshoppes accompained with the swarme of the papistical vermine shal crie A damned heretik oght not to be hard But remembre my Lords what in the beginning I haue protested vpō which groūnd I cōtinually stād to witt that I am no heretike nor deceauable teacher but the seruante of Christ Iesus a preacher of his īfallible veritie innocent in all that they can lay to my charge cōcerning my doctrine and that therefore by them being ennemies to Christ I am iniustly damned From which cruell sentence I haue appealed and do appeal as before mention is made in the mean tyme most hūbly requiring your Honours to take me in your protection to be auditours of my iust defēses graūting vnto me the same libertie which Achab a wicked king and Israel at that tyme a blynded people grāted to Helias in the like case That is that your byshoppes and the hole rabble of your clergie may be called before you and before that people whome they haue deceaued that I be not condemned by multitude by custome by auctoritie or law diuised by man but that God hym self may be iudge betwixt me and my aduersaries Let God I say speak by his law by his prophetes by Christ Iesus or by his Apostles and so let hym pronounce what religion he approueth and then be my ennemies neuer so manie and appeare they neuer so stronge and so learned no more do I feare victorie then did Helias being but one man against the multitude of Baales preestes And if they think to haue aduantage by theyre councils and doctours this I further offer to admitt the one and the other as witnesses in all matters debateable three thinges which iustly can not be denied being granted vnto me First that the most auncient Councils nighest to the primitiue Church in which the learned and godlie fathers did examine all matters by goddes word may be holden of most auctoritie Secondarely that no determination of Councils nor man be admitted against the plaine veritie of goddes word nor against the determination of those foure chefe Councils whose auctoritie hath bene and is holden by them equal with the auctoritie of the foure Euangelistes And last that to no doctour be geuen greater auctoritie then Augustine requireth to be geuen to his writinges to witt if he plainely proue not his affirmation by Gods infallible worde that then his sentence be reiected and imputed to the errour of a mā These thinges graunted and admitted I shall no more refuse the testimonies of Councils and doctours then shall my aduersaries But and if they will iustifie those Councils which mentaine theyr pride ād vsurped auctoritie and will reiect those which plainly haue condemned all such tyrannie negligence and wicked life as byshoppes now do vse and if further they will snatche a doubtfull sentence of a doctour and refuse his mynd when he speaketh plainly then will I say that all man is a lyer that credit oght not to be geuen to an vnconstant witnes and that no Coūcils oght to preuaile nor be admitted against the sentence which God hath pronounced And thus my Lordes in few wordes to cōclude I haue offred vnto you a triall of mie innocencie I haue declared vnto you what God requireth of you being placed aboue his people as rulers and princes I haue offred vnto you and to the inhabitātes of the realme the veritie of Christ Iesus and with the hasard of my life I presently offer to proue the religion which amongest you is mentained by fier and sworde to be fals dānable and diabolicall Which thinges if ye refuse defending tyrantes in their tyrānie then dar I not flatter but as it was commaunded to Ezechiel boldly to proclaime so must I crie to you that you shall perishe in your iniquitie that the Lord Iesus shall refuse so manie of you as maliciously withstand his eternall veritie and in the day of his apparition when all flesh shall appear before hym that he shall repell you from his compagnie and shall commaund you to the fier whiche neuer shalbe quēched and then neither shall the multitude be able to resist neither yet the counsils of man be able to preuaile against that sentence which he shall pronounce God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ by the power of his holie spirit so rule and dispose your hearts that with simplicitie ye may cōsider the thinges that be offred ād that ye may take such order in the same as God in you may be glorified and Christes flock by you may be edified and comforted to the praise ād glorie of our Lord Iesus Christ whose omnipotent spirit rule your hearts in his true feare to the end Amen TO HIS BELOVED BRETHREN THE communaltie of Scotland Iohn Knoxe wisheth grace mercie and peace with the spirit of righteous iudgement VVhat I haue required of the Quene Regēt estates ād nobilitie as of the chife heades for this present of the realme I can not cease to require of you dearli beloued Brethrē which be the cōmunaltie and bodie of
goddes their worshippers but both alike accursed shall thē perish for euer And thoghe our mercifull father hathe longe suffred heretofore in the tyme of ignorāce yet now in the ende of the world he calleth all people so plainely by his worde to repentance that he must nedes take spedie vengeance if his callinge be contemned especially because the day can not longe be delayed wherein he hath determined to iudge all people and nations of the whole world and to put an end to wickednes Wherefore to conclude behold your onlie remedie remaineth to repent your tyme of ignorāce of stubburnnes of crueltie of idolatrie wherein ye haue so long continued And now with all diligence to seke for knolledge of the worde of God and opēly to professe the Ghospell which is the power of God whereof ye oght not to be ashamed Cease at the last from your olde stubburnnes wherbie ye haue deserued vengeance and labour in the vineyarde with all mekenes that ye may receaue mercie and grace cease from your crueltie against Christes membres and learne to suffer for Christes sake if ye will be true Christians banishe all idolatrie and popishe superstition from amongest you els can ye haue no parte in Christes kingdome no more then Christ can be partaker with Antichrist Pray to the Lorde of hostes and armies to giue you the courrage strengthe and meanes The Lords arme is not shortened now no more then of olde Be stronge therefore in the Lord for the defence of the trueth thogh all the worlde ryse agaīst itt Now when the battaile is fierce against the liuinge God for dead idols euen for the vile wafercake the most vaine idol that euer was against the Ghospel of Christe for the inuentions of Antichrist against Christes mēbres for Popishe ceremonies can any of you that wilbe compted gods children styll halt of bothe handes If that cake baked in yron tonges not able to abyde a blast of winde be the aeternal God folow it but if he only be God that hath created the heauens abhorre suche vile idols that haue no force to saue thē selues if Christes Ghospel and doctrine be sufficient to saluation and by receauing of it ye are called Christians away with all Antichristes inuentions broght into your Romish churches if you hope to haue any parte with Christ cherishe his mēbres and maintaine thē against theire ennemies the papistes ād the bishoppe of Rome the verie Antichriste What strengthe what force what power what coūsil so euer ye haue of God bende all to this ende and purpose as ye wyll make answere to your heauēly kīg for the talent receaued If you haue no regarde of those prīcipal pointes which only or chiefly should be before your eyes go to with your forraine mariages ioyne Frāce to Scotlād and Spayne to England if it be possible yet shall ye all be confounded The Lord shall plage you one with an other vntill you be consumed your strēgth wherein ye trust shall be shakē to naught your courrage shalbe cowardise your wisdom shall be folie ād the Lord of hostes by your ruine ād destructiō will be renowmed ād praised ād his iust iudgemēts through owt the earth shalbe honoured ād feared Where of the contrarie if you will maintaine Gods trueth in the earthe he will receaue you as his children into the heauens if you confesse his Christe before this wicked generation Christ shall confesse you before his father in the heauens in the presēce of his angels But if you persiste stubburnly to banishe goddes worde and his sonne Christ in his membres furth of your earthlie kyngdomes how cā ye loke for any parte in his heauēlie king dome muche more if ye continue to murther his messīgers what cā ye loke for emōgst your selues but that ye shoulde digge one ī anothers bellie to be your own murtherers So that if ye wil stil remaine after all these admonitiōs in your murthers and idolatries be suer that in this worlde ye shall haue enoghe of your idolatries and you shalbe filled with blooddy murthers aud in the end ye shall be iudged without the gates of the heuenlie Ierusalem amongest the dogges enchaunters hooremōgers and murtherers and idolaters with all those that loueth lies But he that ouercommeth all these shall inherit all thinges and I will be his God saieth the Lord and he shall be my sonne Where as the fearefull in gods cause the vnbeleuing the abominable the murtherers hooremongers sorcerers and idolaters shall haue their parte in the lake that burneth with fier and brymstone Lo here is the choise of life and deathe of miserie and welthe offred vnto you by gods mercies and the meanes how yow may winne goddes fauour opened wherebie onely ye may preuaile against your ennemies God graūte you heartes to answer as the people did to Iosua offering the lyke choyse God forbyd say they that we shoulde forsake God we will serue the Lorde our God and obey his voice for he his our God And we your banished brethren by the power of God to prouoke you forward will thus pronounce with Iosua That we and our families will serue the Lorde God thoghe all natiōs runne to Idols thoghe all people do persecute vs. We knowe that Satan hathe but a shorte tyme to rage and that Christe our captaine right spedely will crowne his souldiours to whome as he is the eternal God with his father be all honour and glorie for euer and euer So be it IOHN KNOXE TO THE READER BEcause many are offended at the first blast of the trompett in whiche I affirme that to promote a woman to beare rule or empire aboue any realme nation or citie is repugnant to nature contumelie to God and a thing moste contrariouse to his reuealed and approued ordenāce and because also that somme hath pomised as I vnderstād a confutation of the same I haue delayed the second blast till suche tyme as their reasons appere by the which I either may be reformed in opinion or els shall haue further occasion more simply and plainly to vtter my iudgement Yet in the meane tyme for the discharge of my conscience and for auoyding suspitiō whiche might be ingendred by reason of my silence I could not cease to notifie these subsequent propositiōs which by Gods grace I purpose to entreate in the secōd blast promised 1 It is not birth onely nor propin quitie of blood that maketh a kīge lawfully to reign aboue a people professing Christe Iesus and his eternall veritie but in his election must the ordenance which God hath established in the election of inferiour iudges be obserued 2 No manifest idolater nor notoriouse transgressor of gods holie preceptes oght to be promoted to any publike regimēt honour or dignitie in any realme prouince or citie that hath subiected the self to Christe Iesus and to his blessed Euāgil 3 Neither can othe nor promesse bynd any such people to obey and maintein tyrantes against God and against his trueth
THE APPELLATION OF IOHN KNOXE FROM the cruell and most iniust sentence pronounced against him by the false bishoppes and clergie of Scotland with his supplication and exhortation to the nobilitie estates and cōmunaltie of the same realme Printed at GENEVA M.D.LVIII TO THE NOBILITIE AND ESTAtes of Scotlād Iohn Knoxe wisheth grace mercie and peace from God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the spirit of righteous iudgement IT is not only the loue of life temporall right honorable neither yet the fear of corporall death that moueth me at this present to expone vnto you the iniuries done against me and to craue of you as of laufull powers by God appointed redresse of the same but partly it procedeth from that reuerence whiche euerie man oweth to Godds eternal trueth and partly from a loue which I beare to your saluation and to the saluation of my brethren abused in that realme by such as haue no fear of God before their eyes It hath pleased God of his infinite mercie not onlie so to illuminate the eyes of my minde and so to tuche my dull hart that clearly I se and by his grace vnfeanedly beleue that their is no other name geuen to men vnder the heauen in whiche saluation consisteth saue the name of Iesus alone Who by that sacrifice which he did once offer vpon the crosse hath sanctified for euer those that shall enherite the kingdom promised but also it hath pleased him of his superaboundant grace to make and appointe me most wretched of many thousandes a witnes minister and preacher of the same doctrine the somme whereof I did not spare to communicate withe my brethren being with them in the realme of Scotland in the yeare 1556 because I know my selfe to be a steward and that accompts of the talēt cōmitted to my charge shalbe required by him who will admit no vaine excuse which fearfull men pretend I did therefore as God did minister during the tyme I was conuersant with them God is record and witnesse truely and syncerly according to the gift grāted vnto me deuide the worde of saluation teachinge all men to hate Syn whiche before God was and is so odious that none other sacrifice coulde satisfie his iustice except the death of his onlie sonne and to magnifie the greate mercies of our heuenlie Father who did not spare the substāce of his own glorie but did giue hym to the world to suffer the ignominious and cruell death of the crosse by that meanes to reconcile his chosen children to hym selfe teaching further what is the duetie of such as do beleue them selues purged by such a price from their former filthines To wit that they are bound to walke in the newnes of life fighting against the lustes of the fleshe and studyinge at all tymes to glorifie God by such good woorkes as he hath prepared his children to walke in In doctrine I did further affirme so taught by my master Christ Iesus that whosoeuer denieth hym yea or is ashamed of hym before this wicked generation hym shall Christ Iesus denie and of hym shall he be ashame whē he shall appeare in his maiestie And therefore I feared not to affirme that of necessitie it is that suche as hope for life euerlasting auoide all superstition vaine religion and idolatrie Vaine religion and idolatrie I call what soeuer is done in Goddes seruice or honour without the expresse commaundement of his own worde This doctrine did I beleue to be so cōformable to Goddes holie scriptures that I thoght no creature could haue bene so impudent as to haue dāned any point or article of the same Yet neuerthelesse me as an heritike and this doctrine as heriticall haue your fals bishoppes and vngodlie clergie damned pronouncing against me a sentence of death in testification wherof they haue burned a picture From which fals and cruell sentence and from all iudgement of that wicked generation I make it knowen to your honours that I appeal to a laufull and generall counsil to suche I mean as the most auncient lawes and canones do approue to be holden by suche as whose manifest impietie 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 therof requireth of your handes the defence of innocētes troubled in your dominion in the meane tyme and till the controuersies that this day be in religion be laufully decided ye receaue me and suche others as most vniustlie by those cruell beastes are persecuted in your defence and protection Your honours are not ignorāt that it is not I alone who doth sustain this cause against the pestilēt generation of Papistes but that the most part of Germanie the countrie of Heluetia the kinge of Denmarke the nobilitie of Polonia togither with many other Cities and Churches refromed appeall from the tyrannie of that Antichrist and most earnestly do call for a laufull and general coūsil wherin may all cōtrouersies in religion be decided by the auctoritie of Goddes most sacred worde And vnto this same as said is do I appeal yet once againe requirīg of your honours to hold my simple and playn appellation of no lesse value nor effect then if it had bene made with greater circunstāce solemnitie and ceremonie and that ye receaue me calinge vnto you as to the powers of God ordained in your protection and defence against the rage of tyrantes not to mentaine me in any iniquitie errour or fals opinion but to let me haue such equitie as God by his worde auncient lawes and determinations of most Godlie counsils graunte to men accused or infamed The word of God will that no man shall die except he be found criminall and worthie of death for offence committed of the whiche he must be manifestly conuicted by two or three witnesses Ancient lawes do permitt iust defences to such as be accused be their crimes neuer so horrible and godlie counsilles will that nether Byshopp nor Person ecclesiasticall whatsoeuer accused of any crime shall sit in iudgement consultation or counsil where the cause of such men as do accuse them is to be tried These thinges require I of your honours to be graunted vnto me to wit That the doctrine which our aduersaries condemn for haeresie may be tried by the simple and playn word of God that iust defenses be admitted to vs that sustain the battaile against this pestilent generation of Antichrist and that they be remoued from iudgement in our cause seinge that our accusation is not intended against any one particular persō but against that hole kingdome whiche we doubt not to proue to be a power vsurped against God against his cōmaundement and against the ordenance of Christ Iesus established in his Church by his chefe Apostles Yea we doubt not to proue the kingdome of the Pope to be the king dome and
and disdainefully cōtemne the meanes which he hath appointed to obtaine the same to witt his blessed Euangile which now he offereth vnto you to the end that ye may be saued For the Ghospell and gladtidinges of the kīgdome truelie preached is the power of God to the saluation of euerie beleuer which to credit and receaue you the communaltie are no lesse addetted then be your rulers and princes For albeit God hath put and ordened distinction ād differēce betwixt the king and subiectes betwixt the rulers and the commune people in the regiment and administration of ciuile policies yet in the hope of the life to comme he hath made all equall For as in Christ Iesus the Iew hath no greater prerogatiue then hath the Gentile the man then hath the woman the learned then the vnlearned the Lord then the seruante but all are one in him so is there but one way and meanes to attaine to the participation of his benefites and spirituall graces which is a liuelie faith wurking by charitie And therefore I say that it doth no lesse appertaine to you beloued Brethren to be assured that your faith and religion be grounded and established vpon the true and vndoubted worde of God then to your princes or rulers For as your bodies can not escape corporal death if with your princes ye eat or drink deadlie poison althoghe it be by ignorance or negligence so shall ye not escape the death euerlasting if with them ye professe a corrupt religion Yea except in heart ye beleue and with mouth ye confesse the Lord Iesus to be the onlie Saluiour of the world which ye can not do except ye embrace his Euangile offered ye can not escape death and damnatiō For as the iust liueth by his own faith so doth the vnfaithfull perishe by his infidelitie And as true faith is engendred norished and mentained in the heartes of goddes elect by Christes Euāgile truelie preached so is infidelitie and vnbelefe fostered by concealing and repressing the same And thus if ye loke for the life euerlasting ye must trie if ye stand in faith and if ye would be assured of a true ād liuelie faith ye must nedes haue Christ Iesus truely preached vnto you And this is the cause dear Brethren that so oft I repeat and so constantly I affirm that to you it doth no lesse appertaine then to your kinge or princes ▪ to prouide that Christ Iesus be truely preached amongest you seing that without his true knolledge can neither of you both attaine to saluation And this is the poynt wherein I say al man is a equal That as all be descended from Adam by whose syn and inobedience did death enter into the world so it behoued all that shall obtaine life to be ingrafted in one that is in the Lord Iesus who being the iust seruant doth by his knolledge iustifie many to wit all that vnfeanedly beleue in hym Of this equalitie and that God requireth no lesse of the subiect be he neuer so poore then of the prince and riche man in matters of religion he hath geuen an euident declaration in the law of Moses For when the tabernacle was buy lded erected and set in order God did prouide how it and the thinges appertaining to the same should be sustained so that they should not fall in decay And this prouision albeit heauē ād earth obey his empire would he not take from the secrete and hid treasures which lie dispersed ī the vaines of the earthe neither yet would he take it frō the riche and potent of his people but he did commaund that euerie man of the sonnes of Israel were he rich or were he poore that came in compt from twentie yeares and vpward should yearely pay half a sicle for an oblation to the Lorde in the remembrance of their redemption and for an expiation or clensing to their soules which money God cōmaunded should be bestowed vpon the ornamentes and necessaries of the tabernacle of testimonie He furthermore added a precept that the riche should giue no more for that vse and in that behalf then should the poore neither yet that the poore should giue any lesse then should the riche in that consideration This law to mannes reason and iudgement may appear verie vnreasonable For somme riche man might haue geuen a thousand sicles with lesse hurt of his substāce then sōme poore man might haue payed the half sicle And yet God maketh all equall and will that the one shall pay no more then the other neither yet the poore any lesse then the riche This law I say may appeare verie vnequall But if the cause which God addeth be obserued we shall fynde in the same the great mercie and inestimable wisdome of God to appear which cause is expressed in these wordes This money receaued from the children of Israel thou shalt geue in the seruice of the tabernacle that it may be to the children of Israel for a remembrance before the Lord that he may be mercifull to your soules This cause I say doth euidently declare that as the hole multitude was deliuered from the bondage of Egypt by the mightie power of God alone so was euerie mēbre of the same without respect of person sāctified by his grace the riche in that behalf nothing preferred to the poorest For by no merit nor worthynes of mā was he moued to chose ād to establishe his habitation and dwellinge amongest them But their felicitie prerogatiue ād honour which they had aboue all other natiōs proceded only frō the fontaine of his eternal goodnes who loued thē freely as that he freely had chosen them to be his preestlie kingdome ād holie people from all natiōs of the earth Thus to honour them that he would dwell in the middest of them he neither was moued I say by the wisdome of the wise by the riches of the potent neither yet by the vertue and holynes of any estate amongest them but of mere goodnes did he loue them and with his presence did he honour that hole people ād therefore to paynt owt the same his cōmune loue to the hole multitude and to cutt of occasions of contention and doubtes of conscience he would receaue no more from the riche then from the poore for the maintenāce of that his tabernacle by the which was represented his presence and habitation amongest them Yf the riche had bene preferred to the poore then as the one should haue bene puffed vp with pride as that he had bene more acceptable to God by reason of his greater gift so should the cōscience of the other haue bene troubled and woūded thinking that his pouertie was an impedimēt that he could not stand in so perfecte fauour with God as did the other because he was not able to geue somuch as did the rich to the mentenance of his tabernacle But he who of mercie as said is did
all fainted I except euer such as gaue witnesse with theyr blood or theyr flying that such impietie displeased them all kept silence by the which all approued iniquitie and ioyned haÌ„ds with the tyraÌ„tes and so were all arrayed and set as it had bene in one battayle against the omnipotent and against his sonne Christ Iesus For whosoeuer gathereth not with Christ in the day of his haruest is iudged to scatter And therefore of one veÌ„geaÌ„ce teÌ„poral were they all partakers Which thiÌ„g as before I haue touched oght to moue you to the depe coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of your duties in these last and most perilous tymes The iniquitie of your Byshoppes is more then manifest theyr filthie liues infect the aier the innoceÌ„t blood which they shed crieth veÌ„geaÌ„ce in the eares of our God the idolatrie and abominatioÌ„ which opeÌ„ly they coÌ„mit aÌ„d without punishmeÌ„t maiÌ„taine doth corrupt aÌ„d defyle the hole laÌ„d and none amongest you doth vnfainedly studie for any redresse of such enormities Wil God in this behalf hold you as innocentes Be not deceaued dear Brethren God hath punished not only the proude tyrantes filthie persoÌ„s and cruel murtherers but also such as with them did draw the yoke of iniquitie was it by flattering theyr offenses obeying theyr iniust coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes or in wynking at theyr manifest iniquitie All such I say hath God once punished with the chefe offeÌ„ders Be ye assured Brethren that as he is immutable of nature so will he not pardon in you that which so seuerely he hath punished in others and now the lesse because he hath plainely admonished you of the daungers to come and hath offred you his mercie before he pourefurth his wrath and displeasure vpoÌ„ the inobedieÌ„t God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ who is father of glorie and God of all consolation geue you the spirit of wisdome and open vnto you the knolledge of hym self by the meanes of his dear sonne by the which ye may attaine to the esperance and hope that after the trubles of this traÌ„sitorious life ye may be partakers of the riches of that glorious inheritance which is prepared for such as refuse them selues and feght vnder the baÌ„ner of Christ Iesus in the day of this his battaile that in depe consideration of the same ye may learn to prefer the inuisible and eternal ioyes to the vaine pleasures that are present God further graunt you his holie spirit righteously to consider what I in his name haue required of your nobilitie and of you the subiects and moue you all togither so to answer that my petition be not a testimonie of your iust condemnation when the Lord Iesus shal appear to reuenge the blood of his sainctes and the contempt of his most holie worde Amen Sleap not in syn for vengeance is prepared against all inobedieÌ„t Flie from Babylon if ye will not be partakers of her plages Be witnesse to my appellation Grace be with you From Geneua The 14. of Iuly 1558. Your brother to commaunde in godlines IOHN KNOXE AN ADMONITION TO ENGLAND AND Scotland to call them to repentance written by Antoni Gilby VVhere as many haue writteÌ„ many profitable admonitioÌ„s to you twaine O England and ScotlaÌ„d both makinge one Iland most happie if you could know your own happines somme against the regimeÌ„t of womeÌ„ wherewith ye are bothe plaged somme against vnlauful obedieÌ„ce and the admitting of strangers to be your kinges somme declaring the vile nature of the Spaniards whome thou o EnglaÌ„d to thy destructioÌ„ mainteinest somme the pryde of the Frenchmen whome thou o Scotland to thy ruine receauest and many hundrethes with penne with tonge with worde with writing with ieopardie and losse of landes goods and lyues haue admonished you bothe twaine of that caÌ„kred poyson of papistrie that ye foster and pamper to your own perdition and vtter destruction of soules and bodies of your selues aÌ„d yours for now and euer I thoght it my duetie seing your destructioÌ„ to mans iudgemeÌ„t to draw so neare how much or litle so euer they haue preuailed yet once againe to admonishe you both to giue testimonie to that trueth which my brethren haue writteÌ„ aÌ„d specially to stirre your hearts to repentance or at the least to offre my selfe a witnesse against you for the iustice of God and his righteous iudgementes which doubtles if your hearts be hardned against you both are at hand to be vttered Thus by our writiÌ„gs whome it pleaseth God to styrre vp of your nations all men that now liue and that shall comme after vs shall haue cause also to praise the mercie of God that so oft admonisheth before he do stryke and to coÌ„sider his iust punyshment when he shall pourefurth his vengeance Giue eare therefore betymes O Britanie for of that name both reioyseth whiles the Lord calleth exhorteth aÌ„d admonisheth that is the acceptable tyme when he will be founde Yf ye refuse the tyme offred ye can not haue it afterward thogh with teares as did Esau ye do seme to seke it Yet once againe in goddes behalfe I do offre you the verie meanes which if God of his mercies graunte you grace to folow I doubt nothing but that of al your ennemies spedely ye shallbe deliuered Ye reioyce at this word I am sure if ye haue ani hope of the perfourmaÌ„ce TheÌ„ harkeÌ„ to the matter which I do write vnto you not furth of mennes dreames nor fables not furth of prophane histories painted with mannes wisdome vaine eloquence or subtile reasons but furth of the infallible trueth of goddes worde and by such plaine demonstrations as shall be able to conuince euerie one of your owne consciences be he neuer so obstinate I will aske no further iudges Is not this goddes curse and threatninge amongest many other pronounced against the sinfull land and disobedient people That strangers should deuoure the frute of thy laÌ„d that the stranger should clyme aboue the and thou should comme downe and be his inferiour he shall be the head and thou the taile The Lord shall bring vpon the a people farr of whose tongue thou canste not vnderstand thy strong wales wherin thou trusted shall be destroied c. And doth not Esaie reckeÌ„ this also as the extremitie of all plages for the wickednes of the people to haue womeÌ„ raised vp to rule ouer you But what saieth the same ê“phete in the begynnyng of his prophesie for a remedie against these and all other euilles Your handes are full of blood saieth he O you princes of Sodom and you people of Gomorrha but washe you make you cleane take away your wicked thoghts furth of my sight Cease to do euil learn to do well seke iudgemeÌ„t help the oppressed c. Then will I turn my hand to the and trie owt all thy drosse and take away thy tynne aÌ„d I will restore thy iudges as afore tyme and counsilours as of old And Moses said before in the place alledged That if thou wilt heare the voice
Prophetes with the sayinges of Dauid or of this holy sainct of God Iohn the Baptist but with our sauiour Christs two most swete parables of the two sonnes and of the tilme to whome he set his vineyard I will labour to set before your eyes your rebellion hypocrisie and crueltie if so I caÌ„ bring any of you to repentance Our sauiour Christe putteth furth this parable A certaine man had two sonnes aÌ„d he came to the first and said soÌ„ne go aÌ„d worke to day in my vineyard Who answered I will not but afterward repeÌ„ted and went Then came he to the second and said likewise and he answered I will syr but went not Wherein a wonderful comforte first is to be coÌ„sidered how the Lord our God maker of heaueÌ„ aÌ„d earth doth huÌ„ble him selfe not only to be called a maÌ„ a husbaÌ„d man a housholder aÌ„d such like but he abaseth hiÌ„selfe of mercie to vs vile earth and asshes that his sonne becometh maÌ„ to make mankynd glorious in his sight to make all those that do not refuse his grace offred of the slaues of Satan his sonnes by adoption You are his sonnes you are his vineyard you are as dear vnto hym as the apple of his eye as Moses speaketh if you can beleue it he sweareth that you shall be his inheritaÌ„ce and he will be yours if ye will only receiue his grace and beleue hym when he sweareth Will ye call his trueth into doubt his glorie into shame by your misbelefe Better it were that all creatures should perish heauen man and angels then that God should not haue credit or that his glorie in the least iote should be diminished He hath called you by his worde now many a tyme to worke in his vineyard I aske what you haue answered your conscience can witnesse and all the world seeth it SoÌ„me of you haue said plaine lyke rebellious childreÌ„ that ye would not do it that ye would not worke in your fathers vineyarde Shall I applie this part to Scotland I may right well do it and also to a greate parte in England But Scotland in dede called most plainely and euidently through the mercies of God both by their own faithfull countrie men and also by earnest trauail of our English nation to comme to the Lords vineyard in the tyme of king Edward hath to the domage of both coÌ„tinually refused as the coÌ„science of many this day beareth witnesse That tyme as ye know the vineyarde in EnglaÌ„d by the children of God was not all togither neglected and theÌ„ most earnestly were ye O Brethren of Scotland required to ioyne haÌ„des with vs iÌ„ the Lords worke but Satan alas would not suffer it His old fostred malice and Antichrist his sonne could not abyde that Christ should grow so strong by ioynynge that ile togither in perfect religioÌ„ whome God hath so many waies coupled aÌ„d streÌ„gthended by his worke in nature the papistes practised all theyr fyne craftes in England Scotland and in France that the Ghospellers should not with so strong walles be defensed lest this one iland should becoÌ„me a safe sanctuarie as it began to be to all the persecuted in all places They moue sturdie stomackes they dispens with periuries they worke by theyr craftie coÌ„fessions they raise vp warre in the end whereby ye deare Brethren of Scotland were sore plaged Of all these traiterouse sleghtes ye can not be ignorant For yet it is not passed the memorie of man that your king made promisse to haue mett king HeÌ„rie the eght att Yorke â–ª whose purpose albeit in other things I do not alow him in that case was most godlie and praise worthie For it was to make an end of that vngodlie warre and cruell murther which loÌ„ge had coÌ„tinued betwixt the two realms Your king I say made promisse to mete him the breche whereof as it was the occasion of much trouble so is it euidently knowen that your Cardinal and his clergie laboured and procured the same For it is not vnknowen to somme amongest you how many thousand crownes the churchmen did promisse for maintenance of the warre which king Henrie did denouÌ„ce by the reason of that breche Superfluous it were to me to recite all the causes mouing your pestilent preestes to solicitat your king to that infidelitie But this is moste euident that they feared nothing but the fall of their glorie and the trouble of their kingdome which then in England beganne to be shaken by suppressing of the abbaies This moued your preestes ernestly to labour that your kinge should falsly breake his promisse But what affliction ye sustained by that and other their practises your selues can witnesse For your borderrs were destroyed your nobilitie for the most parte were takeÌ„ prisoners and your king for sorowe sodenly died But these your miseries did nothing moue your preestes to repentance but rather did inflame them against God and against the ê“pfit of their natiue realme For when againe after the death of your kiÌ„ge your freÌ„dship and fauours were soght first by king HeÌ„rie and after his death by king Edward his sonne aÌ„d by him who theÌ„ was chosen Protectour how craftely I say did theÌ„ your preestes vndermine all ye are not ignoraÌ„t When your Gouernoure with the consent of the most part of the nobilitie had soleÌ„nely sworne iÌ„ the abbay of Haliroode house syr Raphe Sadler theÌ„ being embassadour for EnglaÌ„d to perfurm the mariage coÌ„tracted betwixt king Edward and your yonge quene and faithfully to stand to euerie point coÌ„cluded and agreed 〈◊〉 perfurmaÌ„ce of that vnioÌ„ when seales were interchanged and the embassadour dimissed what sturr tumult and sedition raised your Cardinal in that your realme it is not vnknowen To witt how that by his craft and malice the realme was deuided the Gouernour compelled to seke his fauour to violate his oth and so to becomme iÌ„famous for euer And finally by the pride of the papistes was that leage broken But what did thereof ensue Edinburgh Leith DuÌ„die yea the most part of the realme did fele Your shippes were stayed your gooddes were lost your chefe townes were burned and at the end the beautie of your real me did fall in the edge of the sworde the hand of God manifestly feghting against you because against your solemne oth ye did feght against them who soght your fauours by that godlie coÌ„iunction which before was promised But still proceaded your ennemies the clergie and theire adhereÌ„tes in theyr purposed malice WoÌ„der not that I terme them your ennemies For albeit they be your countrie men yet because they seke nothing more then the maiÌ„tainaÌ„ce of their owne kiÌ„gdome which is the power of darckns aÌ„d the king dome of Antichrist they are becomme coÌ„iured ennemies to euerie citie nation or man that labour to comme to the knolledge of the trueth That pestilent generation I say did not cease till they obteined their purpose by deliueringe your yonge quene to the handes of the French king assuredly
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.