Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n
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A68306
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The copie of an epistle sent by Iohn Knox one of the ministers of the Englishe Church at Geneua vnto the inhabitants of Newcastle, & Barwike. In the end wherof is added a briefe exhortation to England for the spedie imbrasing of Christes gospel hertofore suppressed & banished.
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Knox, John, ca. 1514-1572.
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1559
(1559)
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STC 15064; ESTC S106733
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36,483
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128
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be taken that such to whome the office of preaching is committed discharge and do their dueties For it is not nor wil not be the chanting or mumbling ouer of certeyne psalmes the reading of Chapiters for mattens and euen song or of homelies onely be they neuer so godly that fede the soules of the hugrie shepe Christ Iesus him self his holy Apostles and that elected vessel Paul do teach vs an other lesson all commanding vs to preach to preach that to preach Christ Iesus crucified c. What efficacie hath y e lyuinge voice aboue y e bare letter red the hungry thirstie do feele to their coÌ„fort but the other maketh for master parsons purpose who reteining in his haÌ„des a noÌ„bre of benefices appointeth suche in his place as are altogether destitute of the gifte of preaching But let all suche belly gods be whypt out of Gods holy TeÌ„ple Fiftely let none y t be appointed to labour in Christes vineyearde be entangled with ciuil affaires and as ye call them the affaires of the Realme except it be wheÌ„ the ciuil magistrate and ministers of the worde assemble together for executioÌ„ of discipline w c is a thiÌ„g easie to be done without withdrawiÌ„g any persoÌ„ froÌ„ his charge if that w c is before expressed be obserued For as touching their yearly coÌ„mynge to the parlament for matters of religion it shal be superfluous and vaine yf Gods true religion be so once established that after it be neuer called in controuersie And as touching execution of discipline that must be done iÌ„ euerie Citie Shier where y e Magistrates ministers are ioyned together without any respect of persons so y t the ministers albeit they lack the glorious titles of Lordes the deuelish pompe w c before appeared in proude prelates yet must they be so stowte so bolde in Gods cause that yf the King him self wolde vsurpe any other autoritie in Gods religion then becometh a membre of Christs body that first he be admonished accordiÌ„g to Gods worde and after yf he contemne the same be subiect to the yoke of discipline to whome they shal boldly saye as Asarias the highe preste sayd to Vsaias the king of Iuda It is not lawful for the ô Vsaia to offer incense but it apperteyneth to the prestes the sonnes of Aharon who are consecrated to burne it Passe out therfore for thou hast offended which thing shal not redounde to thy glorie c. This is the duetie I say of all Christes faithful ministers whensoeuer any man be he kinge or Emperour vsurpeth to him self autoritie against God to rebuke him openly to resiste gainstaÌ„de him to the vttermost of their power whome the Lord by the spirite of his mouthe and power of his worde shal coÌ„founde euen as he dyd the pride of Vsaias yf they be strong valiant in Gods cause Now last omitting things of no lesse importance to your wisdomes for the preseruatioÌ„ of religion it is most expedieÌ„t that scholes be vniuersally erected in all Cities and chief townes the ouersight wherof to be committed to the magistrates and godly learned men of the said Cities townes that of the youth godly instructed amongst them a seade may be reserued and continued for the profet of Christes Church in all ages It remayneth briefly to answer to two things w c may giue you occasion to â—aint in this the Lordes woâ—ke First the lacke of workemen to put things in suche order as is requisite and secondly the feare of tumult and sedition within your selues or inuasion of forren Nations In Gods Name I feare not to affirme that nether the one nor the other shal hurt you in the end yf you with your whole hartes seke Gods glory to be promoted and all sortes of abominations to be rooted owte For yf you pray with earnest affection he shal indue suche as ye know not with wisdome and knowledge to rule in his Church to the comfort of his flocke There be mo laborers then the eies of man seeth that profitably wolde worke in the Lordes haruest And as for feare of ennemies they may with Choron Dathan and Abiron conspire against Moises and Aron with the Moabites and Ammonites against Iosaphat or with proude Sinnacherib against Ezechias and afflicted Zión But rather or thou shalt de confounded yf with a perfite hart thou seke the Lord thy God rather I say shal the earth open and deuoure such rebels rather shal thine ennemies euery one murther other rather shal y e Angels of the Lord fight for thy deliuerance or the worke be hindered and perishe in thy handes But yf thou ô England for any respect delay thy repentance and conuersion vnto God yf thou shalt stil foster in thy bosome the generation of vipers yf thou shalt reteine in honour autoritie suche as haue declared them selues ennemies to God and to his eternal trueth not by any infirmitie but of determined malice set purpose to murther destroy Gods chosen children yf finally thou shalt not study to wroote out and cut of such rotten membres as can do nothing but infect the whole body then call I to witnes against the both heaueÌ„ earth that I and others the seruantes of God who faithfully in tyme haue waâ—ned thee of thy duetie and vengeance to come are shal be cleane froÌ„ thy blood which shortely shal perishe yf thou contemne the admonitioÌ„s of Gods messingers To late it shal be for thee to howle crie when the flame of Gods hote displeasure shal begyn to burne It wil not theÌ„ be y e flattering intisemeÌ„tes and vayne policies of suche as sâ—ke more theÌ„ selues then Christs glorie that wil extiÌ„guishe it No it shal burne and shal destroy the head and the tayle the prince and the false prophet the roote the braÌ„ches of such impietie Be warned therfore yf thou list escape vengeance which is already prepared for the inobedient But ô you that in sorow of hart see these abominations that lament and do not pollute your selues with them let your hartes rest vpon the Eternal who shal be to you a rocke a strong castle of defence Althogh the heauen and the earth shulde be confounded yet shal his mercie deliuer you from danger in verie experience and ioy of hart ye shal singe ô Lord thou art our God we shal exalt confesse thy Name for thou hast done woÌ„derous thinges Thy counsels are profounde far of to mans iudgement but yet are they true sure The strong tenthes and the palaces of the proude hast thou broght to ruine so that they shal neuer be restored again and therfore the strong people shal glorifie thee yea the Cities of tyrannous nations shal feare the c. Beholde this is our God whome we haue abiddeÌ„ he hathe saued vs. This is y e Lord whome we looked for we shal reioyce and be