Amos Daniel Christe Iesus him selfe after him his Apostles expressedly to haue na med the bloude thristy tyrantes abhominable Idolatrers and dissemblynge ypocrites of their dayes Yf that we the preachers within the realme of Englande were appointed by God to be the salt of the earth as his other messengers were before vs. Alas why helde we backe the salt where manifest corrupcion dyd appere I accuse none but my selfe The blynd loue that I dyd beare to this my wicked carcase was y e chefe cause that I was not feruent faith ful enoughe in that behalfe For I had no wil to 〈◊〉 the hatred of al men against me And therfore so touched I the vices of meÌ„ in the pre sence of the greatest that they might se themselues to be offenders I dare not saye that I was the greatest flatterer but yet neuertheles I wold not be sene to proclaime manifest warre against the manifest wicked Wherof vnfainedly I aske my God mercye As I was not so feruent in rebu king manifest iniquitie as it became me to haue ben so was I not so indifferent a feeder as is required of Christes stewarde For in preaching Christes â—…ospel albeit myne Eye as knoweth God was not muche vpon worldly promocion yet the loue of frendes and carnal affeccioÌ„ of some men with whom I was most familiar allured me to make more re sidence in one place then in another hauing more respect to the pleasure of a fewe theÌ„ to the necessitie of many 〈◊〉 daye I thought I had not synned yf I had not bene idle but this daye I knowe it was my dutie to haue had consideracion how loÌ„ge I had remained in one place how many hongry soules were in other places to whome alasseâ—… none toke payne to breake and distribute the breade of lyfe 〈◊〉 remaining in one pla ce I was not so diligent as myn office required but sometyme by coun sel of carnal frendes I spared the bo dye some tyme I spent in worldlye busynesse of particuler frendes and somtyme in takyng recreacion pastyme by exercise of the body And albeit men may iudge these to be light and smale offences yet I knowlege and coÌ„fesse that onles par don should to me be grauÌ„ted in Chri stes bloude that euerye one of these thre offences aforenamed that is to saye the lacke of feruencye in reprouing synne the lacke of indifferency in fedyng those that were hongrye and the lacke of diligence in the execucion of myn office deserued damnacion And besyde these I was assaulted yea infected and corrupted with more grosse sinnes That is my wic ked nature desyred the fauours the estimacion and prayse of meÌ„ against whiche albeit that somtime the spirite of God dyd moue me to fyght earnestly dyd stirre me God know eth I lye not to sobbe and lameÌ„t for those imperfeccioÌ„s yet neuer ceassed they to trouble me when any occasion was offered And so priuely and craftely dyd they entre into my brest that I could not perceaue my selfe to be wounded tyl vaingloâ—…ie had almoste gotten the vpperhande O Lorde be merciful to my great offence and deale not with me accordyng to my great iniquitie but accordinge to the multitude of thy mercyes remoue from me the burthen of my synne for of purpose mynde to haue auoyded the vayne displeasure of man I spared lytle to offende thy Godly maiestie Thinke not beloued of the Lorde that thus I accuse my selfe without iuste cause as though in so doynge I myght appere more holy or that yet I do it of purpose and intent by occasion therof to accuse other of my brethren the true preachers of Christ of lyke or of greater offences â—…o God is iudge to my conscience that â—…do it euen from an vnfayned and sore troubled herte as I that knowe my selfe greuously to haue offended the maiestie of my God duryng the tyme that Christes Gospel had free passage in Englande And this I do to let you vnderstande that the ta king awaye of the heauenly breade and this greate rempest that nowe bloweth against the poore disciples of Christ within the realme of Englande as touching our parte commeth from the great mercye of oure heauenly father to prouoke vs to vn fained repentaunce for that that neither preacher noâ—…pâ—…ofessoure dyd rightly consider the tyme of our mer ciful visitacioÌ„ But altogether so we spent the tyme as thoughe Goddes worde had bene preached rather to satisfie our fantasies theÌ„ to reforme our euel maners which thing yf we earnestlye repente then shal Iesus Christ appeare to oure coÌ„forte be the storme neuer so great Haste O Lord for thy names sake The seconde thyng that I synd to be noted is the vehemencye of the feare whiche the disciples endured in that great daunger beyng of longer continuauÌ„ce then euer they had at any tyme before In saint Mathewes Gospel it appereth that an other tyme there arose a great stormy tempest and sore toffed the bote wherin Christes disciples were labouring but that was vpon the daye lyght and then they had Christe with them in the bote whome they awated and cryed for helpe uâ—…to him for at that tyme he slept in the bote and so were shortly delyuered from their sodain feare But nowe were they in the middest of the raging sea and it was nyght and Christ their comfortour absent from them and coÌ„meth not to them neither in the fyrst secoÌ„de nor third watche What feare trowe you were they in then And what thoughtes arose vp out of their so troubled hertes duringe that storme Suche as this daye be in 〈◊〉 daunger within the realme â–ª of Englande dothe by this storme better vnderstande then my penne can expresse But of one thynge I am wel assured that Christes presence wold in that great perplexitie haue ben to them more comfortable then euer it was before and that paciently they would haue suffe red their incredulitie to haue ben re buked so that they might haue escaped the present death But profitable it shal be and somwhat to our comforte to consyder euery parcel of their daunger And first ye shal vnderstande that when the disciples passed to the sea to obey Christes coÌ„maundemeÌ„t it was faire wether and no suche tempest sene But sodenly the storme arose with a contrarious flawe of wynde when they were in y e middest of their iour ney For if the tempest had bene as great in the beginninge of their entrauÌ„ce to y e sea as it was after when they were about the middest of their iourney neither wolde they haue auentured suche a great daunger neither yet had it ben in their power to haue attayned to the middest of the Sea And so it may be euydently gathered that the sea was calme when they entred into their iourney Secondly it is to be marked by what meanes and instrumeÌ„tes was this great storme
mariage coÌ„federacy or leage with such princes as do mayntayne and adâ—…uaunce ydolatrye suche as the Emperoure which is no lesse enemy vn to Christe then euer was â—…ero Yf for the pleasure and frendshippe I saye of suche princes thou returne to thyue olde abhominacions before vsed vnder the papistâ—… then assuredly O Englande thou shalte be plaged and brought to desolation by the meanes of those whose fauou res thou sekest and by whome thou arte procured to fall from Christ and to serue christ This and muche more in the doloure of myne herte that daye in audience of suche as yet maye beare re corde God wolde that I should pro nounce The thynge that I theÌ„ most feared and whiche also my tounge spake that is the subuercion of the true religion and bryngynge in of straungers to raigne ouer that realme this daye I se come to passe in mennes counsels and determinacions Whyche yf they procede take effecte as by men is concluded then so assuredlye as my God lyueth and as those Israelites that obstinatlye retourned into Egypte agayne were plaged to the death so shall Englande taiste what the Lord hath threatened by his pro phetes before God graunt vs true and vnfayned repentaunce of oure former offences God for his great mercies sake stirre vp some Phinees Helias or Iehu that the bloude of abhominable Idolaters maye pacifie goddes wrath that it consume not the hole multitude Amen But to retourne to oure matter Of the premisses it is plaine that suche as contemneth Goddes eternall veritie and grace can neither in their troubles receaue comforte by goddes messengers neither yet can they folowe the counsel of God be it neuer so profitable but God geueth them ouer and suffereth them to waÌ„ der in their owne vanities to their owne perdition Where as contrary wyse suche as beareth a reuerence to Goddes moste holye worde are drawen by the power and vertue of the same as before is said tobeleue folowe and obeye that whych God commaundeth be it neuer so harde so vnapparent or contrarie to their affeccions And therfore as God al waye kepeth appointment with theÌ„ so are they wonderouslye preserued when goddes vengeaunces are poured forth vpon the disobedient And this is moste euident in Abraham at Goddes coÌ„maundement leauynge his countreye and goynge forth he knewe not whyther Whiche was a thynge not so easye to be done as it is to be spokeÌ„ or redde It appeareth also in Abraham beleuyng Goddes promyses agaynst all appearaunce and in Abraham offeryng his chyld Isaac agaynst al fatherly loue and affeccion natural The same is to be sayd In Moses Samuel Helias Micheas and other of the prophetes whiche at the commaundement of Goddes worde boldly passed to the presence of tyrauntes and there to them dyd their message as charge was gyuen vnto them But lest that some should alledge that these exaÌ„ples appertayneth nothyng to a multitude bycause they were done in singuler men To aunswer to this obieccion we wyll consyder what the power of Goddes word hath wrought in maÌ„ny at one instaunte After that the Israelites hadde made the golden caulfe and so fallen to Idolatrie Moses coÌ„myng down from the mountaine and beholding their abhominacions the honoure that they gaue to an Idol the peo ple spoiled of their earerynges and iewels to their great rebuke and shame was inflamed with suche zeale indignacion and wrath that firste he brafe the tables of the coÌ„maunde mentes Then he bette their caulf to powder and gaue it them to drynke to cause them vnderstaÌ„de that their filthy guttes should receaue y t which they worshipped for God And final ly he coÌ„maunded that euery maÌ„ that was of God should approche come nygh vnto him And al the sonnes of Leui sayeth the text came to him To whom he sayd â—…yus sayeth the Lorde God of Israel Let euery maÌ„ put his sworde vpon his thygh and go in and out from porte to porte in the tentes And let euery maÌ„ kyl his brother his neyghbour and euery man his nigh kynsman And the son nes of Leui dyd accordynge to the worde of Moses And there fell the same daye of the people nyghe thre thousande It is euident by this historie that the power of Goddes worde pronounced by the mouthe of a man preuailed at one tyme in a great nombre againste nature and compelled them to be executores of Goddes vengeaunce regardynge nothynge the affinitie nor nyghnes of bloud And also that their doynge so wel pleased Moses the ambassadoure of God that he sayde vnto them Lonsecrate youre handes this daye euerye man in his owne sonne and in hys owne brother that a fortunate benediccioÌ„ may be geuen to you this daye As though Moses shoulde saye Your father Le â—…i prophaned and defyled his handes kyllyng the Sichemites in hys blind rage which moued his father Iacob in his laste testament to danâ—… pne execrate and curse that his most vehement and vngodly zeale But Because in this worke you haue preferred Goddes commaundement before bloude nature and also asfeccion in place of that rebuke and curse you haue obtayned blessyng prayse The lyke puissaunce and vertue of Goddes worde workynge in a multitude is to be redde in the prophete Ieremye Who perceauynge the tyme of Goddes vengeaunce to drawe nygh and the citie of Ierusa lem to be beseged boldly cryed oute in his open sermon sayeng He that remayneth in this cytie shal dye 〈◊〉 ther by sworde by honger or by pe stilence But he that shal go for the to the Laldeys shall lyue and shall fynde his soule for a praye Thys myght haue appeared a disceyuable sedicious and vngodly sermon to coÌ„ maunde subiectes to departe froÌ„ the obedieÌ„ce and defence of their natiue prince ryche cytizens and valiaunte souldeours from their possessions stronge holdes and to wyll them to render them selues wythout al maner of resistaunce into the handes of straungers beyng their enemies What carnall man would not haue iudged these persuasions of the prophete moste foolysâ—…e and false â–ª And yet in y e hertes of suche as God had elected and appointed to lyfe so effeâ—…ually wrought this sermon that a great nomber of Ierusalem lefte their â—…ynge their cytie ryches fren des and obeyed the prophetes coun sayle For so maye be espied by y e â—…swere of Zedechias the â—…inge when Ieremie counsayled that he should also rendre him selfe into the haÌ„des of â—…abuchodonozer he sayeth I fea re these Iewes that are fled to the Laldiâ—…s lest perchaunce they giue me into their handes â—…ereoff it is plain that many wer departed from hym whom he feared more than he dyd his enemies Many mo testimonies myght be brought to declare howe myghtelye Goddes worde spoâ—…en by man hath wrought in the hertes of great multitudes â—…s in the hertes of the â—…iniuites who at Ionas
sayeng wyth sobbes and gro nes from our troubled hertes O God the heathen are entred into thyne enheritaunce They haue defiled thy holye Tempel and haue prophaned thy blessed ordinaunce in place of thy ioyfull sygnes they haue erected their abhominable ydo les The deadly cuppe of al blasphe my is restored agayne to their harlottes hande Thy prophetes are per secuted and none are permitted to speake thy worde frelye The poore shepe of thy poore pasture are commaunded to drynke the venemouse waters of mennes tradicions But O Lorde thou knowest howe sore they greue vs. But suche is the tyranny of these moste cruel beastes that playnlye they saye They shall roote vs out at ones so that no remembraunce shall remayne of vs in earth O Lorde thou knowest that we are but fleshe and that we haue no power of our selues to withstand their tyranny and therfore O father open the eyes of thy mercy vpon vs and confirme thou in vs the worke whiche thyne owne mercy hath begon We acknowledge and confesse o Lord that we are punished moste iustlye bycause we lyghtly regarded the tyme of our mercyfull visitarion Thy blessed Gospell was in oure eares lyke a louers songe it pleased vs for the ryme but Alasse oure lynes dyd nothynge agree with thy statutes holy commaundementes And thus we acknowledge that our owne iniquitie hath compelled thy iustice to take the lyght of thy worde from the hole realme of Englande But be thou myndful O Lorde that it is thy truthe which we haue professed and that thy enemyes blasphemeth thy holy name and our possession with out cause Thy holy Gospel is called heresye and we are accused as traytours for professyng the same Be mercyfull therfore O Lorde and be saluaciō vnto vs in thys tyme of our anguyshe Albeit our synnes accuse and condempne vs yet do thou accordyng to thyne owne name We haue offended against thee Oure synnes and iniquities are without nombre and yet art thou in the mid des of vs O Lorde albeit that tyraūtes beare rule ouer oure bodies yet thrusteth our soules for the comforte of thy worde Correct vs therfore but not in thy hote displeasure spare thy people and permitte not thyn enheritaunce to be in rebuke for euer Let suche O Lorde as now are most afflicted yet ones agayne prayse thy holy name before thy congregation Represse the pride of these bloode thristye tyrauntes consume them in thyne anger according to y e reproche which they haue laid against thy ho ly name Powre forth thy vengeaūce vpon them and let our eyes behold the blood of thy saintes required of their handes Delaye not thy venge aunce O Lorde but let death deuoure them in haist let the earth swallowe them vp let them go downe quick to the helles For there is no hope of their amendement the feare and reuerence of thy holye name is quite banished from their hertes therfore yet againe O Lorde cōsume them cōsume them in thyne anger and let them neuer bringe their wic ked counselles to effect But according to the godly powers let them be taken in the snare whiche they he ue prepared for thyne electe Loke vpon vs O Lorde wyth the eyes of thy mercy and shewe petie vpon vs thy weake and sore oppressed flocke gather vs yet ones agayne to the holsome treasures of thy moste holye worde that openly we may confesse thy blessed gospell within y ◠realme of Englande Graunt this O heauenlye father for Christe Jesus thy sonnes sake Amen Yf on thys maner or otherwyfe as god shal put in our hertes with out hipocrisie in the presence of oure God respecting more his glory thē our priuate wealth continuallye we powre forth our complaint confession and prayers Then so assuredlye as our God lyueth and as we feall these present troubles shal our God hymselfe ryse to our defence he shall confounde the counseilles of our ene myes trouble the wyttes of suche as moste wrongfully troubleth vs. Be shall sende Iehu to execute hys iuste iudg◅nentes againste ydolatours and against suche as obstinatly defendeth them Iesabel her selfe shall not escape the vengeaunce and plages that are prepared for her por cion The flatterers and the mainteners of her abhominaciōs shal drink the cuppe of goddes wrath with her And in despite of the deuell shall yet the glorye of Christe Jesus and the bryghtnesse of his countenaunce so shyne in oure hertes by the presence of his grace and before our eyes by the true preaching of his gospel that altogether we shall fall before him saye O Lorde thou arte our God we shall extol thee and shall confesse thy name for thou haste brought wonde rous thinges to passe accordynge to thy counseilles which albeit appear to be farre of yet are they true and moste assured Thou haste broughte to ruyne the palaces of tyrauntes therfore shal the afflicted magnifie thee and the citie of tyranfull natiōs shal feare thee Thou haste bene O Lorde a stronge defence to the poore a sure place of refuge to the afflicted in the tyme of his anguis◅he This no dout dear brethrē shal one day be the songe of gods electe with in the realme of England after that God haue poured forth his vengeaunce vpon these inobediēt blood thrusty tyrauntes which now trium pheth in all abhominations therfore yet agayne beloued in the Lord abyde patientlye the Lordes deliueraūce auoiding and flyeng suche offences as may seperate and deuyde you from the blessed felowship of the Lorde Iesus at his seconde cōming Watche and praye resist the deuel and rowe against this vehement tē pest and shortly shal the Lorde come to the comforte of your hertes which nowe are oppressed with anguyshe and care but then shal ye so reioyse that through gladnes you shall saye Behold this our God we haue way ted vpon him and he hath saued vs. This is our Lorde we haue longe thristed for his cōmyng now shal we reioyce and be glad in his saluation So be it The great Bishop of oure soules Iesus our Lorde so strengthē and assist your troubled hertes with the myghtie comforte of his holye Ghoste that earthlye tyrauntes nor worldly tormentes haue no power to dryue you from the hope and expe ◅tracion of that kyngdome whiche for the electe was prepared from the begynnyng by our heauenly father to whome be all prayse and honour now and euer Amen Remember me deare brethren in your dayly prayers The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be wyth you all Amen Yours with sorowfull herte Iohn Knox. Imprynted at Kalykow the 20. daye of Iulij 1554. Cum gratia priuilegio ad Imprimendum solum 1. Petri. 4. Genes 4 Ezechie 18. 3. Reg. 21. Ezebie 14. Psal. 50. Exodi 14. Mathei 21. 4. Reg. 9. A note ma de vpō the sendyng of Christes disciples to the Sea the miraculous fedinge of