was troubled in his understanding The certainty of the death foresaid was signified unto us both by Sea and Land By Sea received Iohn Knox who then had great intelligence both with the Churches abroad and some of the Court of France That the King was mortally sick and could not well escape death Which Letters received that same day at afternoon he passed to the Duke to his own lodging at the Church of Field with whom he found the Lord Iames in conference alone The Earle of Arrane was in Iedburgh to whom he opened such news as he had received and willed them to be of good comfort for said he the advertiser hath never deceived me It is the same Gentleman that first gave us knowledge of the slaughter of Henry King of France and shewed unto them the Letter but would not expresse the mans name While they were reasoning in divers purposes and he comforting them For while we say they three were familiarly communing together there came a messenger from the Lord Gray forth of Barwick assuring him of the death of the K. of France Which noysed abroad a generall Convention of the Nobility was appointed to be holden at Edinburgh the fifteenth day of Ianuary following in the which the Book of discipline was perused newly over againe for some pretended ignorance by reason that they had not heard it In that assembly was Master Alexander Anderson Subprincipall and Under-Master of one of the Schools of Aberdein a man more subtill and craftie than either learned or godly called who refused to dispute anent his faith abusing a place of Tertullian to cloak his ignorance It was answered unto him That Tertullian should not prejudge the Authoritie of the Holy Ghost who by the mouth of Peter commandeth us to give reason of our faith to every one that requireth the same of us It was farther answered that we neither required him neither yet any man to dispute in any point concerning our faith which was grounded upon Gods Word and fully expressed in his holy Scriptures for all that we beleeved without controversie But we required of him as of the rest of Papists that they would suffer their Doctrine Constitutions and Ceremonies to come to triall And principally that the Masse and the opinion thereof by them taught unto the people might be laid to the square rule of Gods Word and unto the right Institution of Jesus Christ That they might understand whether that their Preachers offended or not in that that they affirmed The Action of the Masse to be expresly repugning unto the last Supper of the Lord Jesus The sayer of it to commit horrible blasphemie in usurping up-him the Office of Christ The hearers to commit damnable Idolatry and the opinion of it conceived to be a derogation and as it were a disanulling of Christs death While the said Master Alexander denied that the Priest took upon him Christs office to offer for sin as he alleaged a Masse book was produced and in the beginning of the Canon were these words read Suscipe Sancta Trinitas hanc oblationem quam ego indignus peccator offero tibi vivo Deo vero pro peccatis meis pro peccatis totius Ecclesiae vivorum mortuum Now said the reasoner if to offâ—r for the sinnes of the whole Church was not the Office of Christ Jesus yea that Office that to him onely might and may appertaine let the Scripture judge And if a vile Knave whom ye call Priest proudly taketh the same upon him let your own Books witnesse The said Mr. Alexander answered Christ offered the propitiatory and that could none do but he but we offer the remembrance Whereto it was answered We praise God that ye have denyed a sacrifice propitiatorie to be in the Masse and yet we offer to prove that in moe than a hundreth places of your Papisticall Doctors this proposition is affirmed The Masse is said to be a Sacrifice propitiatory But the second part where ye alleage that ye offer Christ in remembrance we ask first Unto whom do ye offer him and next by what authority are ye assured of well-doing In God the Father there falleth no Oblivion And if ye will shift and say that ye offer it not as God were forgetfull but as willing to apply Christs merits to his Church We demand of you What power commandment have ye so to do We know that our Master Christ Jesus commanded his Apostles to do that which he did in remembrance of him But plain it is that Christ took bread gave thanks brake bread and gave it to his disciples saying Take ye eate ye this is my body which is broken for you do this in remembrance of me c. Here we finde a commandment to take to eat to take and to drinke but to offer Christs Body either for remembrance or application we finde not And therefore we say To take upon you an Office which is not given unto you is unjust usurpation and no lawfull power The said Master Alexander being more then astonished would have shifted but then the Lords willed him to answer directly whereto he answered That he was better seen in Philosophie then in Theologie Then was commanded M. Iohn Leslie who then was Parson of Une and now Abbot of Londors and after was made Bishop of Rosse to answer to the former Argument and he with great gravity began to answer If our Master have nothing to say to it I have nothing for I know nothing but the Cannon Law And the greatest reason that ever I could finde there is Nolumus and Volumus and yet we understand that now he is the onely Patron of the Masse But it is no marvell for we understand that he is a Priests get and Bastard and therefore we should not wonder albeit that the old truan Verse be true Patrem sequitur sua proles The Nobility hearing that neither the one nor the other would answer directly said We have been miserably deceived heretofore for if the Masse may not obtaine remission of sins to the quick and to the dead Wherefore were all the Abbies so richly doted and endowed with our Temporall lands Thus much we thought good to insert here because that some Papists are not ashamed now to affirm That they with their reasons could never be heard but that all we did we did by meer force when that the whole Realme knoweth That we ever required them to speak their judgements freely not onely promising unto them protection and defence but also that we should subscribe with them if they by Gods Scriptures could confute us and by the same Word establish their assertions But who can correct the leasings of such as in all things shew them the sons of the Father of all lies Preserve us Lord from that perverse and malicious Generation Amen At this same Assembly was the Lord Iames appointed to go to France to the Queen our Soveraigne and a Parliament was
That ye and your posterity shall by that means receive most singular comfort edification and profit For when ye shall hear the matter debated ye shall easily perceive and understand upon what ground and foundation is builded that Religion which amongst you is this day defended by fire and sword As for mine owne conscience I am most assuredly perswaded That whatsoever is used in the Papisticall Church is altogether repugning to Christs blessed Ordinance and is nothing but mortall venome of which whosoever drinketh I am assuredly perswaded that therewith he drinketh death and damnation except by true conversion unto God he be purged from the same But because that long silence of Gods Word hath begotten ignorance almost in all sorts of men and ignorance joyned with long custome hath confirmed superstition in the hearts of many I therefore in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ desire audience as well of you the Commonalty my brethren as of the States and Nobility of the Realm that in publike Preaching I may have place amongst you at large to utter my minde in all matters of controversie this day in Religion And further I desire That ye concurring with your Nobility would competl your Bishops and Clergie to cease their tyranny And also That for the better assurance and instruction of your conscience ye would compell your said Bishops and false Teachers to answer by the Scriptures of God to such Objections and crimes as shall be laid against their vain Religion false Doctrine wicked life and slanderous conversation Here I know that it shall be objected That I require of you a thing most unreasonable to wit That ye should call your Religion in doubt which hath been approved and established by so long continuance and by the consent of so many men before you But I shortly answer That neither is the long continuance of time neither yet the multitude of men a sufficient approbation which God will allow for our Religion For as some of the ancient Writers do witnesse neither can long processe of time justifie an errour neither can the multitude of such as follow it change the nature of the same But if it was an errour in the beginning so is it in the end and the longer that it be followed and the mo that do receive it it is more pestilent and more to be avoided For if antiquity or multitude of men could justifie any Religion then was the Idolatry of the Gentiles and now is the abomination of the Turks good Religion For antiquity approved the one and a multitude hath received and doth defend the other But otherwise to answer godly men may wonder from what Fountain such a sentence doth flow that no man ought to trie his faith and Religion by Gods Word but that he safely may beleeve and follow every thing which antiquity and multitude have approved the Spirit of God doth otherwise teach us for the wisdome of God Christ Jesus himself remitted his adversaries to Moses and the Scriptures to trie by them whether his Doctrine were of God or not The Apostles Paul and Peter command men to trie the Religion which they professe by Gods plaine Scriptures and doe praise men for so doing Saint Iohn straightly commandeth That we beleeve not every spirit but to trie the spirits whether they be of God or not Now seeing that these evident testimonies of the holy Ghost will us to trie our faith and Religion by the plain Word of God wonder it is that the Papists will not be content that their Religion and Doctrine come under the triall of the same If this sentence of Christ be true as it is most true seeing it springeth from the verity it self Who so doth evill hateth the Light neither will he come to the Light lest that his works be manifested and rebuked then do our Papists by their own sentence condemne themselves and their Religion for in so farre as they refuse examination and triall they declare that they know some fault which the Light will utter which is a cause of their fear and why they claim that priviledge that no man dispute of their Religion the Verity and Truth being of the nature of fine purified Gold doth not fear the triall of the Fornace but the stubble and Chaffe of mans inventions such is their Religion may not abide the the flame of fire True it is that Mahomet pronounced this sentence That no man should in pain of death dispute or reason of the ground of his Religion which Law to this day by the art of Sathan is observed amongst the Turkes to their mortall blindnesse and horrible blaspheming of the Gospell of Christ Jesus and of his true Religion And from Mahomet or rather from Sathan the father of all lies hath the Pope and his rabble learned this former lesson to wit Their Religion should not be disputed upon but what the fathers have beleeved that ought and must the Children approve and in so divising Satan lacked not his foresight for no one thing hath more established the kingdome of that Romane Antichrist then this most wicked decree to wit That no man was permitted to reason of his power or to call his Laws in doubt This is most assured that whensoever the Papisticall Religion shall come to examination it shall be found to have no other ground then hath the religion of Mahomet to wit mans invention device and dreams overshaddowed with some colour of Gods Word And therefore Brethren seeing that the Religion is to man as the stomack to the body which if it be corrupted doth infect the whole Members it is necessary that the same be examined and if it be found replenished with pestilent humours I mean with the fantasies of men then of necessitie it is that those be purged else shall your bodies and souls perish for ever For of this I would ye were most certainly perswaded that a corrupt Religion defileth the whole life of man appear it never so holy Neither would I that ye should esteem the Reformation and care of Religion lesse to appertain to you because ye are no Kings Rulers Judges Nobles nor in Authoritie beloved Brethren ye are Gods Creatures created and formed to his own Image and similitude for whose redemption was shed the most precious blood of the onely beloved Sonne of God to whom he hath commanded his Gospell and glad-tydings to be preached and for whom he hath prepared the heavenly Inheritance so that ye will not obstinatly refuse and disdainfully contemne the means which he hath appointed to obtain the same to wit his blessed Evangell which now he offereth unto you to the end that ye may be saved For the Gospell and glad Tydings of the Kingdome truly preached is the power of God to the salvation of every Beleever which to credite and receive your the Communalty are no lesse addebted then be your Rulers and Princes for albeit God
He that sinneth is bound to sin The eleventh Article Thou false Hereticke sayest It is as lawfull to eat flesh upon Friday as on Sunday The Answer Pleaseth it your Lordships I have read in the Epistles of S. Paul That who is cleane unto him all things are cleane Of the contrary to the filthy men all things are uncleane A faithfull man cleane and holy sanctifieth by the Word the creature of God but the creature maketh no man acceptable unto God So that a creature cannot sanctifie any impure and unfaithfull man But to the faithfull man all things are sanctified by the prayer of the word of God After these sayings of M. George then said the Bishops with their complices What needed we any witnesse against him hath he not here openly spoken blasphemie The twelfth Article Thou false Hereticke doest say That we should not pray unto Saints but to God onely Say whether thou hast said this or no say shortly The Answer For the weaknesse and infirmity of the hearers he said without doubt plainely That Saints should not be honoured nor called upon My Lords said he there are two things worthy of note The one is certaine and the other uncertain It is found plainely and certain in Scriptures That we should worship and honour one God according to the saying of the first Commandment Thou shalt onely worship and honour thy Lord God with all thine heart But as for praying to and honouring of Saints there is great doubt amongst many whether they heare or no the invocation made unto them Therefore I exhorted all men equally in my Doctrine That they should leave the unsure way and follow the way which was taught us by our Master Christ. He is onely our Mediatour and maketh intercession for us to God his Father He is the doore by the which we must enter in He that entreth not in by this doore but climeth another way is a thiefe and a murderer He is the veritie and life he that goeth out of the way there is no doubt he shall fall into the mire Yea verily he is fallen into it already This is the fashion of my Doctrine the which I have ever followed Verily that which I have heard and read in the Word of God I taught openly and in no corners and now ye shall witnesse the same if your Lordships will heare me Except it stand by the Word of God I dare not be so bold to affirme any thing These sayings he rehearsed divers times The thirteenth Article Thou false Hereticke hast Preached plainely That there is no Purgatory and that it is a fained thing for any man after this life to be punished in Purgatory The Answer My Lords as I have oftentimes said heretofore Without expresse witnesse and testimony of Scriptures I dare affirme nothing I have oft and divers times read over the Bible and yet such a terme found I never nor yet any place of Scripture applicable thereto Therefore I was afraid ever to teach of that thing which I could not finde in Scripture Then said he to M. Iohn Lawder his accuser If you have any testimony of the Scripture by the which you may prove any such place shew it now before this auditory But that dolt had not a word to say for himselfe but was as dumbe as a Beetle in that matter The fourteenth Article Thou false Hereticke hast taught plainly against the Vows of Monks Friers Nuns and Priests saying That whosoever was bound to such like Vows they vowed themselves to the state of damnation Moreover That it was lawfull for Priests to marry wives and not to live sole The Answer Of this my Lords I have read in the Gospel That there are three kinde of chaste men some are gelded from their mothers womb some are gelded by men and some have gelded themselves for the kingdom of heavens sake Verily I say these men are blessed by the Scripture of God But as many as have not the gift of chastity nor yet for the Gospel have overcome the concupiscence of the flesh and have vowed chastity ye have experience although I should hold my tongue to what inconveniences they have vowed themselves When he had said these words they were all dumb thinking it better to have ten concubines then one wife The fifteenth Article Thou false Hereticke and runnagate sayest That thou wilt not obey our Generall Provinciall Counsells The Answer My Lords what your generall Counsells are I know not I was never exercised in them but to the pure Word of God I gave my labours Read here your generall Counsells or else give me a book wherein they are contained that I may read them if they be agreeable with the Word of God I will not disagree Then the ravening Wolves turned unto madnesse and said Wherefore let we him speak any farther Read forth the rest of the Articles and stay not upon them Amongst those cruell Tygers there was one false hypocrite a seducer of the people called Iohn Scot standing behinde Iohn Lawders backe hasting him to reade the rest of the Articles and not to tarry upon his wittie and godly answers For we may not abide them quoth he no more then the devil may abide the signe of the Crosse when it is named The sixteenth Article Thou Hereticke sayest That it is vain to build to the honour of God costly Churches seeing that God remaineth not in Churches made by mens hands nor yet can God be in little space as betwixt the Priests hands The Answer My Lords Salomon saith If that the heaven of heavens cannot comprehend thee how much lesse this house which I have builded And Iob consented to the same sentence saying Seeing that he is higher then the heavens therefore what canst thou build unto him he is deeper then the hell then how shalt thou know him he is longer then the earth and broader then the sea so that God cannot be comprehended in one place who is infinite These sayings notwithstanding I said never that Churches should be destroyed But of the contrary I affirmed ever That Churches should be maintained and upholden that the people should be assembled in them to hear the Word of God Preached Moreover wheresoever is the true Preaching of the Word of God and the lawfull use of the Sacraments undoubtedly there is God himselfe So that both these sayings are true together God cannot be comprehended in any one place And wheresoever are two or three gathered in his Name there is he present in the midst of them Then said he to his accuser If thou thinkest any otherwise Then I say Shew forth thy reasons before this auditory Then he without all reason was dumbe and could not answer a word The seventeenth Article Thou false Hereticke contemnest fasting and sayest thou shouldest not fast The Answer My Lords I finde that fasting is commanded in the Scripture therefore I were a slanderer of the Gospel if I contemned fasting And not so onely but
And albeit he was not the most learned yet was his doctrine without corruption and therefore well liked of the people At the Easter after Anno 1547. came to the Castle of S. Andrews Iohn Knox who wearied of removing from place to place by reason of the persecution that came upon him by the Bishop of S. Andrews was determined to have left Scotland and to have visited the Schools of Germany of England then he had no pleasure by reason that although the Popes name was suppressed yet his laws corruptions remained in full vigor But because he had the care of some Gentlemens children whom certain yeers he had nourished in godlinesse Their father 's solicited him to go to S. Andrews that himselfe might have the benefit of the Castle and their children the benefit of his Doctrine And so we say came he the time aforesaid to the said place and having in his company Francis Dowglas of Langnidrie George his brother and Alexander Cokburne eldest son then to the Laird of Ormeston began to exercise them after his accustomed manner Besides the Grammar and other books of humane Learning he read unto them a Catechisme account whereof he caused them give publikely in the Parish Church of S. Andrews He read moreover unto them the Gospel of Iohn proceeding where he left at his departure from Langnidrie where before his residence was and that Lecture he read in the Chappell within the Castle at a certain houre They of the place but specially M. Hen. Balnaves Iohn Rough Preacher perceiving the manner of his Doctrine began earnestly to travell with him that he would take the Function of Preacher upon him but he refused alleadging that he would not run where God had not called him meaning that he would do nothing without a lawfull vocation Whereupon they privily amongst themselves advising having with them in counsel Sir David Lindsay of the Mount they concluded that they would give a charge to the said Iohn and that publikely by the mouth of the Preacher And so upon a certain day a Sermon of the Eelection of Ministers what power the Congregation how small soever that it was passing the number of two or three had above any man namely in the time of need as that was in whom they supposed and espied the gifts of God to be and how dangerous it was to refuse and not to heare the voyce of such as desire to be instructed These other heads we say declared the said Iohn Rough Preacher directed by his words to the said Iohn Knox saying Brother ye shall not be offended albeit that I speak unto you that which I have in charge even from all those that are here present which is this In the Name of God and of his Son Iesus Christ and in the name of these that presently call you by my mouth I charge you that ye refuse not this holy Vocation but as ye tender the glory of God the encrease of Christs Kingdom The edification of your Brethren and the comfort of me whom ye understand well enough to be oppressed by the multitude of labours That ye take upon you the publike office and Charge of Preaching even as ye looke to avoyd Gods heavy displeasure and desire that he shall multiply his Graces upon you And in the end he said to those that were present Was not this your Charge to me And do ye not approve this Vocation They answered It is and we approve it Whereat the said M. Iohn abashed burst forth in most abundant tears and withdrew himself to his Chamber His countenance and behaviour from that day till the day that he was compelled to present himself to the publike place of Preaching did sufficiently declare the grief and trouble of his heart for no man saw any signe of mirth of him neither yet had he pleasure to accompany any man for many dayes together The necessity that caused him to enter in the publike Place besides the Vocation aforesaid was Dean Iohn Annan a rotten Papist had long troubled Iohn Rough in his Preaching The said Iohn Knox had fortified the Doctrine of the Preacher by his Pen and had beaten the said Dean Iohn from all defences that he was compelled to flie to his last refuge that is To the authority of the Church which Authority said he damned all Lutherans and Heretickes and therefore he needed no further disputation Iohn Knox answered Before we hold our selves or that ye can prove us sufficiently convinced we must define the Church by the right notes given to us in Gods Scripture of the true Church we must discerne the Immaculate Spouse of Iesus Christ from the mother of Confusion Spirituall Babilon lest that imprudently we embrace a Harlot instead of the chaste Spouse yea to speake it in plain words Lest that we submit our selves to Sathan thinking that we submit our selves to Iesus Christ For as for your Romane Church as it is now corrupted and the Authority thereof wherein stands the hope of your Victory I no more doubt but that it is the Synagogue of Sathan and the Head thereof called the Pope to be that man of Sin of whom the Apostle speaketh then that I doubt that JESUS CHRIST suffered by the procurement of the visible Church of Jerusalem Yea I offer my self by word or writing to prove the Romane Church this day farther to degenerate from the purity which was in the dayes of the Apostles then was the Church of the Iewes from the Ordinance given by Moses when they consented to the innocent death of JESUS CHRIST These words were spoken in the open audience of the Parish Church of Saint Andrewes after the said Dean Iohn had spoken what it pleased him and had refused to dispute The people hearing the offer cryed with one consent We cannot all reade your writings but we can all hear your Preaching Therefore we require you in the Name of God That ye let us heare the approbation of that which ye have affirmed For if it be true we have beene miserably deceived And so the next Sunday was appointed to the said Iohn to expresse his minde in the publike Preaching place Which day approaching the said Iohn took the Text written in Daniel the seventh Chapter beginning thus And another King shall rise after them and he shall be unlike unto the first and he shall subdue three Kings and shall speak words against the most High and shall consume the Saints of the most High and thinke that he can change Times and Lawes And they shall be given unto his hands untill a time and times and dividing of times c. In the beginning of his Sermon he shewed the great love of God towards his Church whom he pleased to forewarne of dangers to come so many yeers before they come to passe He briefly treated of the state of the Israelites who then were in bondage in Babylon for the most part and made a
should have beene of the Religion of the Romane Emperours What Religion should have been upon the face of the earth Daniel and his fellows were subjects to Nebuchad-nezzar and unto Darius and yet Madame they would not be of their Religion neither of the one nor of the other For the three Children said We make it knowne to thee O King That we will not worship thy Gods And Daniel did pray publikely unto his God against the expresse Commandment of the King And so Madame ye may perceive that Subjects are not bound to the Religion of their Princes albeit they are commanded to give them obedience Yea quoth she none of these men raised their Sword against their Princes Yet Madame quoth he ye cannot deny but they resisted For those that obey not the Commandments given in some sort resist But yet said she they resisted not by the Sword God said she Madame had not given them the power and the meanes Thinke you said she That Subjects having power may resist their Princes If Princes do exceed their Bounds quoth he Madame and doe against that wherefore they should be obeyed there is no doubt but they may be resisted even by Power For there is neither greater Honour nor greater Obedience to be given to Kings and Princes then God hath commadned to be given to Father and Mother But so it is That the Father may be stricken with a Phrenzie in the which he would slay his owne Children Now Madame if the children arise joyn themselves together apprehend the Father take the Sword or other Weapon from him and finally binde his hands and keepe him in Prison till that his Phrensie be over-past Thinke ye Madame that the children do any wrong Or thinke ye Madame that God will be offended with them that have stayed their Father from committing wickednesse It is even so said he Madame with Princes that would murther the children of God that are subject unto them Their blinde zeale is nothing but a very mad phrenzie and therefore to take the sword from them to binde their hands and to cast them into prison till that they be brought to a more sober minde is no disobedience against Princes but just obedience because that it agreeth with the Word of God At these words the Queene stood as it were amazed more then a quarter of an houre her countenance altered so that the Lord Iames began to entreat her and to demand What hath offended you Madame At length she said Well then I perceive that my Subjects shall not onely obey you and not me And shall do what they list and not what I command and so must I be subject unto them and not they to me God forbid answered he that ever I take upon me to command any to obey me or yet to set Subjects at liberty to do whatsoever please them but my travell is That both Princes and Subjects obey GOD. And thinke not said he Madame that wrong was done unto you when you are willed to be subject unto GOD for it is he that subjects the people under Princes and causes obedience to be given unto them yea God craves of Kings That they be as it were Foster-Fathers to the Church and commands Queens to be Nourishers unto his People And this subjection Madame unto God and to his troubled Church is the greatest dignity that flesh can get upon the face of the earth for it shall carry them to everlasting glory Yea quoth she but ye are not the Church that I will nourish I will defend the Church of Rome for I think it is the true Church of God Your will quoth he Madame is no reason neither doth your thought make that Romane Harlot to be the Immaculate Spouse of Jesus Christ. And wonder not Madame that I call Rome an Harlot for that Church is altogether polluted with all kinde of Spirituall Fornication as well in Doctrine as in Manners yea Madam I offer my selfe further to prove That the Church of the Jewes who crucified Jesus Christ when that they manifestly denied the Sonne of God was not so farre degenerated from the Ordinances and Statutes which God gave by Moses and Aaron unto his People as the Church of Rome is declined and more then five hundred yeers hath declined from the Purity of Religion which the Apostles taught and planted My conscience said she is not so Conscience Madame said he requires knowledge and I fear that of right knowledge you have but little But said she I have both heard and read So Madame said he did the Jewes that crucified Christ Jesus reade both the Law and the Prophets and heard the same interpreted after their manner Have ye heard said he any teach but such as the Pope and his Cardinalls have allowed And you may be assured That such will speak nothing to offend their owne state Ye interpret the Scriptures said she in one manner and they in another Whom shall I believe and who shall be Judge Believe said he God that plainly speaketh in his Word And further then the Word teacheth you ye shall neither believe the one nor the other The Word of God is plain in it self And if there appear any obscurity in one place the holy Ghost which is never contrarious to himself explains the same more clearly in other places So that there can remaine no doubt but unto such as obstinately will remaine ignorant And now Madame said he to take one of the chief Points which this day is in controversie betwixt the Papists and us for example The Papists alleadge and boldly have affirmed That the Masse is the Ordinance of God and the Institution of Jesus Christ and a Sacrifice for the quick and the dead We deny both the one and the other and affirme That the Masse as it is now used is nothing but the Invention of man and therefore it is an Abomination before God and no Sacrifice that ever God commanded Now Madame who shall judge betwixt us two thus contending It is not reason that either of the persons be further believed then they are able to prove by insuspect witnessing Let them lay downe the Book of God and by the plain words prove their affirmatives and we shall give unto them the play granted But so long as they are bold to affirme and yet do prove nothing we must say That albeit all the world believe them yet believe they not God but do receive the lyes of men for the Truth of God What our Master Christ Jesus did we know by his Evangelists What the Priests do at the Masse the world seeth Now doth not the Word of God plainly assure us That Christ Jesus neither said nor yet commanded Masse to be said at his last Supper seeing that no such thing as the Masse is made mention of within the whole Scriptures You are over-hard for me said the Queen but if they were here whom I have heard they would answer you
of the Church had been as forward as he was willing there had been a better Reformation then was in his time witnesse this instance The People desired freedome to read the Scripture the then Bishops refused this unto the People Whereupon the King was petitioned in the name of the People the King grants their Petition the Bishops hearing of the Kings grant thus limit it not daring to deny it flatly That all Gentlemen should have liberty to read the Scripture since it was the Kings pleasure but for others the permission was stopped As if Yeomen and Tradesmen had not as much interest in Gods Word as Gentlemen Then remarke all those that were put to death for the testimony of the Truth in Henry the eighth his dayes were persecuted by the Bishops of the time although the blame lieth upon the Prince for albeit they had in compliance to the King renounced the Pope by word of mouth yet in effect they kept up his tyranny by his doctrine with small alteration changed his Rites and Ceremonies Canons and Laws Prelacie or Hierarchie maintained And seeing the King so opposite to the Pope they condescended that the King should bear the blasphemous Title of the Pope Head of the Church although with reluctancy and so it proved for notwithstanding all the Statutes that were made in favour of this Title taken from the Pope and attributed to the King the Bishops with cunning and subtill proceedings kept a foot the power of the Pope and so soon as they saw the occasion of Queen Marie her Reigne they freely and easily brought all back again to Rome without Maske or Limitation and ever since their successors although by the course of affairs they have been obliged to disclaim the Pope his authority yea and his doctrine in some measure yet they ever since to this day have expressed their inclinations and done their endeavours to return thither again as we all know by dolefull experience But here it may be demanded What drift or policie can it be in the Bishops to desire to be subject to Rome rather then to their Prince and Laws of the Countrey The answer is The propensitie of us all to follow evill rather then good is known namely When the evill hath the mask of worldly dignitie pomp power and pleasure which hinders it to be seen in its own colours Now the Bishops and all the rabble of that corrupt Clergy are given to Temporall howsoever unlawfull advantages as their ambition avarice and lust from the very beginning hath shewn which exorbitant passions lead men headlong without measure when once way is given unto them unlesse they meet with some lett or stop which is both lesser and slower when it is a farre off namely when it cometh from one who is possessed with the same distempers and himself of the same order of men with the Delinquent and so the Bishops of this Island had rather have to do with the Pope then with the Prince First Because of mutuall infirmity the Pope proveth more indulgent then any Prince Next The Prince is too neer them and so it is best for them to be so free of the Prince his Jurisdiction that they may be able not onely to neglect him but also to oppose him For all let that example of the Canterbury-prelat serve who made the King for the time to hold the Stirrup when he gat up upon his horse The Story is known I called a little before the Title of Head of the Church used by the Pope and then given to Henry blasphemous To lay aside all other things that may be alleadged against this Title I shall onely say this The Church is the Spouse of Christ No Spouse can be said to have any other Head but him whose Spouse she is Now if the Church should acknowledge her self to be the Spouse of any other but of Christ she were a professed Whore and Adulteresse By no means then a Prince is to be called The Head of the Church For although the civill Magistrate is obliged according to his rank and place to see the Ministers of the Church do the work of the Lord truely diligently and carefully and to make them do it according to the Will of God declared in his Word yet for all this he is nothing but a servant overseer or grass and not the Head which is a Title belonging onely to Christ wherefore Princes or Magistrates that by slavish flatterers had this Title given unto them at the first had done well to reject it as their Successors who have followed had done well likewise according to God his Will if they had not suffered this Title to have been continued unto them namely in the publike prayers where the time-serving inconsiderate Minister prayeth in the name of the Church for her Head if the Head of the Church needs to be prayed for then the influences of the Head upon the Church will be but poor and weak c. But of this enough for this place Moreover The flattering Preachers unrequired in the publike prayers in the name of the Church call the Prince forsooth The Breath of our Nostrils taking for his ground the words of Ieremy in his Lamentations Chap. 4. vers 20. Which words by the Current of the Ancients and Septuagint are to be understood of Christ Jesus True it is The Rabbins have interpreted the words of one of the Kings of Iudah to wit Iosias or Zedekias and hence some of the later Expositors have explained these words That first and literally they may be applyed to one of the Kings of Judah who were all figures of Christ to come but principally and mainly the words are to be understood of Christ Iesus by the consent of all So to attribute these words to any Prince earthly cannot be without offense to Christ For who can be said properly and well To be the Breath of our Nostrils but he who inspireth into us life that is God In like manner the inconsiderate Ministers of the Gospel abusing the Text of the eightieth Psalm which by the consent of all is understood of Christ truely and of David as a figure of Christ to come call the King The man of thy right hand this in no wayes without Blasphemie can be attributed unto any earthly Prince for none is to be said a figure of Christ as David and his Successors were by a particular dispensation But if misapplying and mistaking of Texts of Scripture will do businesse since Magistrates are said to be gods you may as well call the Prince god as the Roman Emperour was of old by some so called and now the Pope by his Court-parasites which Titile of god no Prince will suffer to be given unto him Surely as it is a very great crime not to give due respect reverence and obedience unto him whom God hath set over us for our good according to his wise Ordinance so on the other side it is a huge sin to Idolize the Prince
secretly out of the way Also Katherine Hamilton his sister was accused and being questioned upon Works she answered That none was saved by his works Then Iohn Spencer spake to her of the works of congruo and condigno to which she answered Work here work there what kinde of working is all this no works can save me but Christ's At this the King being present laughed and after conveyed her away secretly One Henry Forest a Monk of the Order of Benet and Collet as they spoke then was also accused of heresie but without sufficient proof Then he was sent to Walter Ange whom Buchanan in his Satyre against the Gray Friers called Langius to be confessed Langius having asked him by way of confession What he thought of Patrick Hamilton He answered That he was a good man and that his Articles were to be maintained Lange discovers this simple mans confession and this confession being taken for a sufficient proof the poor man was condemned to be burnt and so he was immediately after they had degraded him according to their Custom As they were leading him to the Execution-place he complained of the Fryer who had betrayed him and said Let no man trust the false Fryers after me they are despisers of God and deceivers of men They burnt him at the North Style of the Abbey Church in Saint Andrews that the Hereticks of Angus might see the fire 1558. One Andrew Oliphant accused with heat Walter Mill an ancient man and formerly a Priest and said to him being at his devotion Rise up Sir Walter He answered when he had ended his prayer My name is Walter I have been too long one of the Popes Knights for all Priests are Sirs Andrew Oliphant said to him Thou keepest my Lords too long here therefore haste He answered I must obey God before men Being questioned by Oliphant concerning Priests Marriage he answered It was Gods Ordinance That every man that had not the gift of chastity should marry but you abhor it vowing chastity which you cannot keep but take other mens wives and daughters Then being asked if there were not seven Sacraments he answered Let me have two take you the rest to your selves Being asked about the Masse he answered A Lord sendeth and calleth many to his dinner and when all is ready he causeth ring the Bell the guests come into the hall but he turning his back upon them eateth all himself And so do you Then he added The Scripture is not to be understood carnally Christ hath put an end to all carnall Sacrifices by offering once for all his body upon the Crosse. Many other Queries were put to him to which he answered stoutly Being desired to recant he told them That he was corn and not chaff I will said he neither be blown by the winde nor bruised with the Flail but I will abide both I will not recant the Truth Being commanded to go to the stake by Oliphant he answered By the Law of God I am forbidden to put hand on my self therefore put thou me to it with thy hands and then thou shalt see my resolution After he had said his Prayer he gat leave with difficulty to speak to the people standing by In his Speech he told them That although he was a great sinner yet it was for Gods Truth contained in his Word of the Old and New Testament that he suffered and that God in the abundance of his mercy towards him did honour him so far as to make him seal his Truth with his life among other of his Servants He added Dear friends as you would escape eternall death be no more seduced with lies of Arch-bishops Bishops Abbots Priors Priests Monks Friers and the rest of the Antichristian rabble but onely trust in God This was the last man that died for Religion in Scotland And by his death was given the very dead blow to Popery for by his death the people of all ranks and conditions were so moved that they made open profession of the Truth without any more dallying and presently was upon this occasion made a Covenant or Bond of mutuall defence To defend one another by Arms against the Tyranny of the Bishops and their Parties Errata THe Life Page 2. line 7. dele he P. 5. l. 38. r. ordinarily P. 6. l. 24. r. would Preface P. 4. l. 23. r. 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whole Sermons he had taught before the whole Lent past adding That within Scotland there were no true Bishops if that Bishops should be known by such notes and vertues as S. Paul requires in Bishops This delation flew with wings to the Bishops ears who without further delay sent for the said Friar Alexander who began sharply to accuse that he had so â—landerously spoken of the dignitie of Bishops as to say That it behoved a Bishop to be a Preacher or else he were but a dumb dog and fed not the flock but fed his own bellie The man being witty and minding that which was his most assured defence said My Lord The reporters of such things are manifest liars Whereat the Bishop rejoyced and said Your answer pleaseth me well I never could think of you that ye would be so foolish as to affirm such things Where are the knaves that have brought me this tale Who comparing and affirming the same that they did before he still replyed That they were liers But while the witnesses were multiplied and men were brought to attention he turned him to the Bishop and said My Lord ye may hear and consider what ears these Asses have who cannot discern betwixt Paul Esay Zachary and Malachy and Frier Alexander Seton In very deed My Lord I said That Paul saith It behoveth a Bishop to be a Teacher Esay said That they that fed not the flock are dumb dogs and Zachary saith They are idle Pastors I of mine own head affirmed nothing but declared what the Spirit of God before pronounced At whom my Lord if ye be not offended justly ye cannot be offended at me And so yet again my Lord I say That they are manifest liars that reported unto you that I said That ye and others that preach not are no Bishops but belly-gods Albeit after that the Bishop was highly offended as well at the scoffe and bitter mock as at the bold liberty of that learned man yet durst he not hazard for that present to execute his malice conceived For nought only feareth he the learning and bold spirit of the man but also the favour that he had as well of the people as of the Prince King Iames the fifth with whom he had good credite for he was at that time his Confessor and had exhorted him to the fear of God to the meditation of Gods Law and unto purity of life But the said Bishop with his complices foreseeing what danger might come to their estate if such familiarity should continue betwixt the Prince and a man so learned and so repugning to their affections laboureth by all means to make the said Frier Alexander odious unto the King and easily found the means by the gray Friers who by their hypocrisie deceived many to traduce the innocent as an Heretick This accusation was easily believed of the young Prince who being much given to the lusts of the flesh abhorred all counsell that repugned thereto And because he did remember what a terrour the admonitions of the said Alexander was unto his blinded conscience without resistance he subscribed to their accusation affirming that he knew more then they did in that matter For he understood well enough that he smelled of the new Doctrine by such things as he had shewed to him under Confession And therefore he promised that he should follow the counsell of the Bishops in punishing of him and of all others of that Sect. These things understood by the said Alexander as well by the information of his friends and familiars as by the strange countenance of the King unto him provideth the next way to avoid the fury of a misled Prince and so in his habit he departeth the Realme and coming to Berwicke wrote back again to the King his Complaint and Admonition The very Tenour and Copy whereof followeth and is this MOst gracious Soveraigne Lord under the Lord and King of all of whom onely thy Highnesse and Majestie hast power and authority to exercise Justice within this thy Realme under God who is King and Lord of all Realms and thy Majestie and all mortall kings are but onely servants unto that onely immortall Prince Christ Jesus c. It is not I wot unknowne to thy gracious Highnesse how that thy Majesties sometime servant and Orator and ever shall be to my lives end is departed out of thy Realm unto the next adjacent of England neverthelesse I believe the cause of my departing is unknown to thy gracious Majesty Which onely is Because the Bishops and Church-men of thy Realm have had heretofore such authority upon thy subjects that apparently they were rather King and thou the subject which unjust Regiment is of it self false and contrary to holy Scripture and Gods Law Then thou art the King and Master and they thy subjects which is very true and testified expresly by the Word of God And also because they will give no man of any degree or state whom they often call Hereticks audience time nor place to speak and have defence which is against all Law both the old Law called the Law of Moses and the new Law of the Gospel So that if I might have had audience and place to speak and have shewed my just defence conformable to the Law of God I should never have fled to any other Realm suppose it should have cost me my life But because I believed that I should have no audience nor place to answer they are so great with thy Majestie I departed not doubting but moved of God unto a better time that God illuminate thy Majestie even to give every man audience is thou shouldst and mayst and is bound by the Law of God who are accused to the death And to certifie thy Highnesse that these are no vain words but of deed and effect here I offer me to thy Majestie to come in thy Realme again so that thy Majestie will give me audience and hear what I have for me of the Law of God and cause any Bishop or Abbot Friar or Secular which is most cunning some of them cannot reade their Mattins who are made Judges of Heresie to impugne me by the Law of God and if my part be found wrong thy Majestie being present and Judge I refuse no pain worthy or condigne for my fault And if that I convince them by the Law of God and that they have nothing to lay to my charge but the law of man and their own inventions to uphold their own glory and pridefull life and daily scourging of thy poor subjects I refer my self to thy Majestie as Judge Whether he hath the victory that holds him at the Law of God which cannot fail or be false or they that holds them at the Law of man which is very oft plain contrary and against the Law of God and therefore of necessity false and full of lies For all things that is contrary to the veritie which is Christ and his Law is of
after in Seaton But at length by Bribes given to the said Lord Seaton and to the old Laird of Lethington he was restored to Saint Andrewes from whence he wrought all mischief as we shall after heare The PARLIAMENT approached which was before EASTER there began question of the abolishing of certaine Tyrannicall ACTS made before at the Devotion of the Prelates for the maintaining of their Kingdome of Darkenesse To wit That under paine of Heresie no man should reade any part of the Scriptures in the Vulgar Tongue neither yet any Tractate or Exposition of any place of Scripture Such Articles began to come in question we say And men began to enquire If it were not lawfull to men that understood no Latine to use the word of their Salvation in the Tongue they understood as it was for the Latine men to have it in Latine Grecians or Hebrews to have it in their Tongues It was answered That the Church he means the Prelats first had forbidden all Tongues but the three viz. Hebrew Greek and Latine But men demanded when that Inhibition was given and what Counsell had ordained it considering that in the dayes of Chrysostome he complained That the people used the Psalmes and other holy Books in their owne Tongues And if ye will say they were Greeks and understood the Greek Tongue We answere That Christ Jesus commanded his word to be Preached to all Nations now if it ought to be Preached to all Nations it must be Preached in the Tongue they understand Then if it be lawfull to Preach and heare it Preached in all Tongues Why should it not be lawfull to reade it and hear it read in all Tongues to the end that the people may try the spirits according to the commandment of the Apostle Beaten with these and other Reasons they denied not but it might be read in the Uulgar Tongue provided if the Translation were true It was demanded What could be reprehended in it And when much searching was made nothing could be found But that Love say they was put in the place of Charity When the Question was asked What difference was betwixt the one and the other and if they understood the nature of the Greek term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were dumb Reasoned for the party of the seculars The L. Ruthwen father to him that prudently gave counsell to take just punishment upon that knave David for that he abused the unhappy K. Henry Stuart in mo cases then one a stout and a discreet man in the cause of God and M. Henry Balneves an old professour For the part of the Clergy one Hay Dean of Lastarrik and certain old Bishops with him The conclusion was the Commissioners of Broughes and a part of the Nobility required of the Parliament that it might be Enacted That it should be lawfull to every man to use the benefit of the Translation which then they had of the Old and New Testament together with the benefit of other Treatises containing wholsome Doctrine untill such time as the Prelats and other Church-men should give and set forth unto them a Translation more correct The Clergie hereto long repugned But in the end convinced by Reasons and by multitude of voyces in their contrary they also condescended And so by Act of Parliament it was made free to all men and women to read the Scriptures in their owne Uulgar Tongue and so were all Acts made to the contrary abolished This was no small Victorie of CHRIST JESUS fighting against the conjured enemies of his Veritie No small comfort to such as before were holden in such bondage that they durst not have read The Lords Prayer The ten Commandments nor The Articles of their Faith in the Uulgar Tongue but they should have been accused of Heresie Then might have beene seene the Bible lying almost upon every Gentlemans Table The New Testament was borne about in many mens hands We grant that some alas prophaned that blessed Word for some that perchance had never read ten Sentences in it had it most common in their hand they would chop their familiars on the cheeke with it and say This hath lyne under my beds feet these ten yeers Others would glory O how oft have I been in danger for this Booke how secretly have I stollen from my wife at midnight to reade upon it And this was done we say of many to make cowrt and curry favour thereby For all men esteemed the Governour to have been one of the most fervent Protestants that was in Europe Albeit we say that many abused that libertie granted of God miraculously yet thereby did the knowledge of God wonderously increase and God gave his holy spirit to simple men in great abundance Then were set forth works in our owne Tongue besides those that came from England that did disclose the pride the craft the tyrannie and abuses of that Romane Antichrist The fame of our Governour was spread in divers countreys and many praised God for him King Henry the eight sent unto him his Ambassadour M. Radulph Saidlair who lay in Edinburgh a great part of the Summer his Commission and Negotiation was to contract a perpetuall amitie betwixt England and Scotland The occasion whereof God had so offered that to many men it appeared that from heaven he had declared his good pleasure in that behalfe For to King Henry of Iane Seymer after the death of Queene Katherine and of all others that might have made his Marriage suspect was given a sonne Edward the sixth of blessed memory elder some yeeres then our Mistresse and unto us was left a Queene as before we have heard This wonderfull providence of God caused men of greatest judgement to enter into disputation with themselves Whether that with good conscience any man might repugne to the desires of the King of England considering that thereby all occasion of Warre might be cut off and great commodity might ensue to this Realme The offers of King Henry was so large and his demands so reasonable that all that loved quietnesse were content therewith There were sent from the Parliament to King Henry in Commission Sir Iames Lermont and M. Henry Balnevis who long remaining in England so travailed that all things concerning the Marriage betwixt Edward the sixth and Mary Queen of Scots was agreed upon except the time of her deliverance to the custody of English-men Upon the finall conclusion of the which head were added to the former Commissioners William Earle of Glencarne and Sir George Dowglas to whom was given ample Commission and good Instructions In Scotland remained M. Radulph Saidlaire advertisements past so frequently betwixt yea the hands of our Lords liberally were anointed besides other commodities promised and of some received for divers Prisoners taken at Solway mosse were sent home free upon promise of their fidelity which as it was kept the issue will witnesse But in the end so well were all once content the Cardinall the
That Auricular Confession seeing that it hath no promise of the Gospel truely it cannot be a Sacrament Of the Confession to be made to God there are many testimonies in Scripture as when David saith I thought that I would acknowledge mine iniquity against my self unto the Lord and he forgave the trespasses of my sins Here confessing signifieth the secret knowledge of our sins before God When I exhorted the people on this manner I reproved no manner of Confession And farther Saint Iames saith Acknowledge your sins one to another and so let you have peace among your selves Here the Apostle meaneth nothing of Auricular Confession but that we should acknowledge and confesse our selves to be sinners before our brethren and before the world and not to esteeme our selves as the Gray Friers do thinking themselves already purged When that he had said these words the horned Bishops and their complices cryed and gyrned with their teeth saying See ye not what colours he hath in his speech that he may beguile us and seduce us to his opinion The fifth Article Thou false heretick didst say openly That it was necessary for every man to know and understand his Baptisme which is contrary to Generall Councels and the Estates of holy Church The Answer My Lords I believe there be none so unwise here that will make Merchandise with any French-men or any other unknowne stranger except he know and understand first the condition or promise made by the French-man or stranger So likewise I would that we understood what thing we promise in the name of the Infant unto God in Baptisme Then said M. Peter Chaplin That he had the devill within him and the spirit of terrour Then answered him a childe saying The devil cannot speak such words as yonder man doth speake The sixth Article Thou false Hereticke Traytor and Thiefe thou said That the Sacrament of the Altar was but a piece of bread baken upon the ashes and no other thing else and all that is there done is but a superstitious Rite against the Commandment of God The Answer Oh Lord God! so manifest lyes and blasphemies the Scripture doth not teach you As concerning the Sacrament of the Altar my Lords I never taught any thing against the Scripture the which I shall by Gods grace make manifest this day I being ready therefore to suffer death The lawfull use of the Sacrament is most acceptable unto God But the great abuse of it is very detestable unto him But what occasion they have to say such words of me I shall shortly shew your Lordships I once chanced to meet with a Iew when I was sayling upon the water of Rhene I did enquire of him What was the cause of his pertinacie that he did not believe that the true Messias was come considering that they had seen all the Prophesies which were spoken of him to be fulfilled Moreover the Prophesies taken away and the Scepter of Iuda By many other testimonies of the Scripture I witnessed to him and proved that the Messias was come the which they called Iesus of Nazareth This Iew answered again unto me When Messias cometh he shall restore all things and he shall not abrogate the Law which was given unto our Fathers as ye do for why We see the poor almost perish through hunger amongst you yet you are not moved with pity towards them But amongst us Iewes though we be poor there are no beggers found Secondarily It is forbidden by the Law to fain any kinde of Imagery of things in heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the Sea under the earth but one God onely to honour But your Sanctuaries and Churches are full of Idolls Thirdly a piece of bread baked upon the ashes ye adore and worship and say that it is your God I have rehearsed here but the sayings of a Iew which I never affirmed to be true Then the Bishops shook their heads and spitted on the ground and what he meaned in this matter further they would not hear The seventh Article Thou false hereticke didst say That extreme Unction was not a Sacrament The Answer My Lords forsooth I never taught of extreme Unction in my Doctrine whether it was a Sacrament or no. The eighth Article Thou false hereticke didst say That holy water is not so good as Wash and such like Thou contemnest conjuring and sayest That holy Churches cursing availeth not The Answer My Lords as for holy water what strength it is of I taught never in my Doctrine Conjurings and Exorcisms if they were conformable to the Word of God I would commend them but in as much as they are not conformable to the Commandment and Word of God I reprove them The ninth Article Thou false Hereticke and runagate hast said That every man is a Priest and likewise thou sayest That the Pope hath no more power then another man The Answer My Lords I taught nothing but the Word of God I remember that I have read in some places of S. Iohn and S. Peter of the which one saith He hath made us kings and priests The other saith He hath made us the kingly Priesthood Wherefore I have affirmed Any man understanding and perfit in the Word of God and the true faith of Jesus Christ to have his power given him from God and not by the power or violence of men but by the vertue of the Word of God the which word is called The power of God as witnesseth S. Paul evidently enough And againe I say Any unlearned man and not exercised in the Word of God nor yet constant in his Faith whatsoever estate or order he be of I say he hath no power to binde or to loose seeing he wanteth the instrument by the which he bindeth and looseth that is to say The Word of God After that he had said these words all the Bishops laughed and mocked him When that he beheld their laughing Laugh ye said he my Lords Though that these my sayings do seem scornfull and worthy of derision to your Lordships neverthelesse they are very weighty to me and of a great value because that they stand not onely upon my life but also upon the honour and glory of God In the meane time many godly men beholding the woodnesse and great cruelty of the Bishops and the invincible patience of the said M. George did greatly mourne and lament The tenth Article Thou false Hereticke saidst That a man had no free-will but is like to the Stoicks which say That it is not in mans will to do anything but that all desire and concupiscence cometh of God of whatsoever kinde it be of The Answer My Lords I said not so truely I say That as many as beleeve in Christ firmely unto them is given liberty conformable to the saying of S. Iohn If the Sonne make you free then shall you verily be free Of the contrary as many as beleeve not in Christ Jesus they are bond-servants of sin
your Ceremonies cannot abide the Word of God Ergo They cannot abide the fire And if they may not abide the fire then are they not gold silver nor precious stones Now if ye finde any ambiguity in this terme Fire which I interpret to be the Word finde ye me another fire by the which things builded upon Jesus Christ should be tried then God and his Word which both in the Scriptures are called fire and I shall correct mine Argument Arbugkill I stand not thereupon but I deny your Minor to wit That our Ceremonies may not abide the triall of Gods Word Iohn Knox. I prove That abides not the triall of Gods Word which Gods Word condemnes But Gods Word condemnes your Ceremonies Therefore they do not abide the triall thereof But as a thief abides the triall of the Inquest and thereby is condemned to be hanged even so may your Ceremonies abide the triall of Gods Word but not else And now in few words to make plain that wherein ye may seem to doubt to wit that Gods Word damnes your Ceremonies it is evident For the plain and strait Commandment is Not that thing that appears good in thine eyes shalt thou do to the Lord thy God but what the Lord thy God hath commanded thee that do thou adde nothing to it diminish nothing from it Now unlesse that ye be able to prove that God hath commanded your Ceremonies this his former Commandment will damne both you and them The Frier somewhat abashed what first to answer while he wanders about in the mist he falls in a foule mire For alleadging that we may not be so bound to the Word he affirmed That the Apostles had not received the Holy Ghost when they did write their Epistles but after they received him and then they ordained Ceremonies few would have thought that so learned a man would have given so foolish an answer yet it is even as true as he did bear a gray Coull Iohn Knox hearing the answer start and said If that be true I have long been in an errour and I think I shall die therein The Sub-Prior said to him Father What say ye God forbid that ye affirme that for then farewell the ground of our faith The Frier astonied made the best shift that he could to correct his fault but it would not be Iohn Knox brought him oft again to the ground of the Argument But he would never answer directly but ever fled to the authority of the Church whereto the said Iohn answered ofter then once That the Spouse of Christ had neither power nor authority against the Word of God Then said the Frier If so be ye will leave us no Church Indeed said the other in David I reade that there is a Church of the Malignants for he saith Odi Ecclesiam malignantium That Church ye may have without the Word and doing many things directly fighting against the Word of God Of that Church if ye will be I cannot hinder you But as for me I will be of none other Church except of that which hath Iesus Christ to be Pastour which hears his voice and will not heare a stranger In this Disputation many other things were merrily skoft over For the Frier after his fall could speak nothing to any purpose For Purgatorie he had no better proofe but the authority of Virgil in the sixth of his Aeneiads and the paines thereof to him was an Evil wife Iohn Knox answered that and many other things as he himself witnesseth in a Treatise that he did write in the Gallies containing the sum of his Doctrine and the confession of his Faith and sent it to his familiars in Scotland with his exhortation That they should continue in the Truth which they had professed notwithstanding any worldly adversity that might ensue thereof Thus much of that disputation have we inserted here to the intent that men may see how Satan ever travelleth to obscure the Light and how God by his power working in his weak vessels confounds the craft and discloseth the darknesse of Satan After this the Papists and Friers had no great heart of further disputation or reasoning but invented another shift which appeared to proceed from godlinesse and it was this Every learned man in the Abbey and in the Universitie should Preach in the Parish Church his Sunday about The Sub-Prior began followed the Officiall called Spittall Sermons was penned to offend no man followed all the rest in their ranks And so Iohn Knox smelled out the craft and in his Sermons which he made upon the Weeke-dayes he prayed to God that they should be as busie in Preaching when there should be more want of it then there was then Alwayes said he I praise God that Christ Jesus is Preached and nothing is said publikely against the Doctrine that ye have heard If in my absence they shall speak any thing which in my presence they do not I protest that ye suspend your judgement till that it please God ye hear me againe God so assisted his weak Souldier and so blessed his labours that not onely all these of the Castle but also a great number of the Town openly professed by participation of the Lords Table in the same purity that now it is ministred in the Churches of Scotland with that same Doctrine that he had taught unto them Amongst whom was he that now either rules or else misrules Scotland to wit Sir Iames Balfour sometimes called M. Iames the chiefe and principall Protestant that then was to be found within this Realm This we write because that we have heard that the said Master Iames alleadgeth that he was never of this our Religion but that he was brought up in Martin Luthers opinion of the Sacrament and therefore he cannot communicate with us But his own conscience and two hundred witnesses besides know that he lies and that he was one of the chief if he had not been after his cups that would have given his life if men might credit his words for defence of the doctrine that the said Iohn Knox taught But albeit that those that never were of us as none of Monquhauneys house have shewed themselves to be depart from us it is no great wonder For it is proper and naturall that the children follow the father and let the godly beware of that race and progenie by eschewing it For if in them be either fear of God or love of vertue further then the present commoditie perswades them men of judgement are deceived But to return to our History The Priests and Bishops enraged at all these proceedings that were in Saint Andrews ran now upon the Governour now upon the Queene now upon the whole Counsell and there might have been heard complaints and cryes What are we doing Shall we suffer this whole Realme to be infected with pernicious Doctrine fie upon you and fie upon us The Queen and
a Plague so contagious that with great difficultie could they have their dead buried They were oft refreshed with new men but all was in vain Hunger and plague within and the pursuit of the enemy with a campe volant lay about them and intercepted all victuals except when they were brought by a Convoy from Barwick so constrained them that the Councel of England was conpelled in the spring time to call their Forces from that place And so spoiling and burning some part of the Town they left it to be occupied to such as first should take possession and those were the French-men with a meane number of the ancient inhabitants and so did God performe the words and threatnings of M. George Wischard who said That for that contempt of Gods Messenger they should be visited with sword and fire with pestilence strangers and famine All which they found in such perfection that to this day yet that Town hath neither recovered the former beauty nor yet men of such wisdom and ability as then did inhabit it Hereafter was Peace contracted betwixt France England and Scotland yea a severall Peace was contracted betwixt Scotland and Flanders together with all the Easterlings So that Scotland had peace with the world But yet would their Bishops make War against God For as soone as ever they got any quietnesse they apprehended Adam Wallace alias Fian a simple man without great learning but one that was zealous in godlinesse and of an upright life He with his wife Beatrice Levingstonne frequented the company of the Lady Ormeston for instruction of her children during the trouble of her husband who then was banished This Bastard called Bishop of S. Andrews took the said Adam forth of the place of Wynton men supposed that they thought to have apprehended the Lairde and carried him to Edinburgh where after certain dayes he was presented to judgement in the Church of the Blacke Theeves alias Friers before Duke Hamilton the Earle of Huntly and divers others besides The Bishops and their rabble they began to accuse him Master Iohn Lawder was his accusator That he took upon him to Preach He answered That he never judged himselfe worthy of so excellent a vocation and therefore he never took upon him to Preach but he would not deny that sometimes at Table and sometimes in some other privie places he would reade and had read the Scriptures and had given such exhortation as God pleased to give to him to such as pleased to heare him Knave quoth one What have you to do to meddle with the Scripture I think said he it is the dutie of every Christian to seek the will of his God and the assurance of his salvation where it is to be found and that is within the Old and New Testament What then said another shall we leave to the Bishops and Church-men for to do if every man shall be a babler upon the Bible It becometh you said he to speak more reverently of God and of his blessed Word if the Judge were uncorrupted he would punish you for your blasphemie But to your Question I answer That albeit ye and I and other five thousand within this Realm should read the Bible and speak of it what God should give us to speak yet left we more to the Bishops to do then either they will do or can do For we leave to them publikeâ—y to Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to feed the flock which he hath redeemed by his own blood and hath commanded the same to all true Pastors And when we leave this unto them me thinks we leave to them a heavie burden And that we do unto them no wrong although we search our own salvation where it is to be found considering that they are but dumb Dogs and unsavory Salt that hath altogether lost the season The Bishops hereat offended said What prating is this Let his accusation be read And then was begun False Traitour Hereticke Thou Baptizedst thine own Childe Thou saidst There is no Purgatory Thou saidst That to pray to Saints and for the dead is Idolatry and a vaine Superstition c. What sayest thou to these things He answered If I should be bound to answer I would require an upright and an indifferent Judge The Earle of Huntly disdainefully said Foolish man Wilt thou desire any other Judge then my Lord Dukes Grace great Governour of Scotland and my Lords the Bishops and the Clergie here present Whereto he answered The Bishops can be no Judges to me for they are open enemies to the Doctrine that I professe And as for my Lord Duke I cannot tell whether he hath the knowledge that should be in him that should judge and discern betwixt Lies and the Trueth the Inventions of men and the true worshipping of God I desire Gods Word and with that he produced the Bible to be judge betwixt the Bishops and me and I am content that ye all hear and if by this Booke I shall be convinced to have taught spoken or done in matters of Religion any thing that repugneth to Gods will I refuse not to die But if I cannot be convinced as I am assured by Gods Word I shall not then I in Gods name desire your assistance That malicious men execute not upon me unjust Tyrannie The Earle of Huntley said What a babling foole is this Thou shalt get none other Judges then these that sit here Whereunto the said Adam answered The good will of God be done But be ye assured my Lord with such measure as ye mete to others with the same measure it shall be met to you againe I know that I shall die but be ye assured that my blood shall be required at your hands Alexander Earle of Glencarne yet alive said to the Bishop of Orknay and others that sate nigh him Take heed all you my Lords of the Clergie for here I protest for my part that I consent not to his death And so without feare prepared the said Adam to answer And first to the Baptizing of his own Childe he said It was and is as lawfull to me for lacke of a true Minister to Baptize my owne Childe as that it was to Abraham to Circumcise his son Ismael and his family And as for Purgatory Praying to Saints and for the dead I have oft read said he both the New and Old Testaments but I neither could finde mention nor assurance of them And therefore I beleeve that they are but meere inventions of men devised for covetousnesse sake Well quoth the Bishop ye hear this my Lords What sayest thou of the Masse speires the Earle of Huntly He answered I say my Lord as my Lord Jesus Christ saith That which is in greatest estimation before men is abhomination before God Then all cried out Heresie Heresie And so was the simple servant of God adjudged to the fire which he patiently sustained that same day at after-noon upon
such firmitie as we desire it were And albeit some mocked yet others were godly moved who did assemble themselves together to consult what things were to be proposed to that present Parliament And after deliberation was this subsequent supplication offered The Barons Gentlemen Burgesses and other true Subjects of this Realm professing the Lord Iesus within the same To the Nobilitie and States of Parliament presently assembled within the said Realm desire Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the increase of his holy Spirit PLease your Honours to call to remembrance how divers and sundry times we with some of your selves most humbly Petitioned at the feet of the late Queen Regent for freedom and liberty of Conscience with a godly Reformation of abuses which by the malice of Satan and negligence of men are crept into the Religion of God and are maintained by such as take upon them the name of Clergie And albeit that our godly and most reasonable suit was then disdainfully rejected whereof no small troubles have ensued as your Honours well know yet seeing that the same necessity yet remaineth that then moved us And moreover that God of his mercy hath now put into your hands to take such order As God thereby may be glorified This Common-wealth quieted And the Policy thereof established We cannot cease to crave of your Honours the redresse of such enormities as manifestly are and of long time have been committed by the place-holders of the Ministerie and others of the Clergie within this Realm And first seeing that God of his great mercy hath by the light of his Word manifested to no small number of this Realme That the Doctrine of the Romane Church received by the said Clergie and maintained through their tyrannie by fire and sword contained in it selfe many pestiferous errours which cannot but bring damnation to the souls of such as therewith shall be infected such as are the Doctrine of Transubstantiation of the Adoration of Christs Body under the form of Bread as they terme it of the Merits of Works and Justification that they alleadge commeth thereby together with the Doctrine of the Papisticall Indulgences Purgatory Pilgrimage and Praying to Saints departed which all either repugne to the plain Scriptures or else have no ground in the Doctrine of our Master Jesus Christ his Prophets and Apostles 1. We humbly therefore crave of your Honours That such doctrine and Idolatry as by Gods Word are both condemned so may they be abolished by Act of this present Parliament and punishment appointed for the transgressors Secondarily seeing that the Sacraments of Jesus Christ are most shamefully abused and profaned by that Romane Harlot and her sworne vassals and also because that the true Discipline of the ancient Church is utterly now amongst that Sect extinguished For who within the Realme are more corrupt in life and manners then are they that are called the Clergie living in whoredom adultery deflouring Virgins corrupting Matrons and doing all abomination without fear of punishment We humbly therefore desire your Honors to finde remedy against the one and the other 3. Thirdly Because that man of sin falsly claimeth to himselfe the titles of The Vicar of Christ The Successor of Peter The Head of the Church That he cannot erre That all power is granted unto him c. By the which usurped Authority he taketh upon him the distribution and possession of the whole Patrimony of the Church whereby the true Ministry of the Word of God long time hath been altogether neglected the godly learning despised the Schools not provided and the poor not only frauded of their portion but also most tyrannously oppressed we likewise hereof desire remedy And lest that your Honors should doubt in any of these premises we offer our selves evidently to prove That in all the rabble of the Clergie there is not one lawfull Minister if Gods Word the practices of the Apostles the sincerity of the Primitive Church and their own ancient Laws shall judge of lawfull Election We further offer to prove them all thieves and murtherers yea rebels and traytors to the lawfull Authority of Emperors Kings and Princes and therfore unworthy to be suffred in any reformed Common-wealth How maliciously they murthered our brethren for no other cause but for that they offred to us the light of Gods Word your Honours cannot be ignorant and into what hazard their tyranny hath brought this whole Realm the Ages after will consider If ye look for other fruit in times to come then ye have seen in them whom we accuse we are assured ye shall be deceived Now hath God beyond all expectation of man made you who somtimes were suppliants with us for Reformation Judges as it were in the Cause of God At least he hath so subdued your enemies unto you that by violence they are not able to suppresse the Verity as heretofore they have done We therefore in the bowels of Jesus Christ crave of your Honors That either they may be compelled to answer to our former accusations and unto such others as justly we have to lay to their charges or else that all affection laid aside ye pronounce them such by censure of this Parliament and cause them to be so reputed as by us most justly they are accused Especially that they may be discerned unworthy of honour authority charge or cure in the Church of God and so from henceforth never to enjoy voice in Parliament Which if ye do not then in the fear of God and by assurance of his Word we forewarn you That as ye leave a grievous yoke a burden intolerable upon the Church of God in this realm so shall they be thorns in your eyes and pricks in your sides whom after when ye would ye shall have no power to remove God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ give you upright hearts seeking his glory and true understanding what this day he who hath delivered you from Bondage both Spirituall and Temporall craveth of you by his servants and your Honours answer most humbly require This our Supplication being read in audience of the whole Assembly divers men were of divers judgements for as some there were that uprightly favoured the Cause of God so were there many that for worldly respects abhorred a perfect Reformation for how many within Scotland who have the name of Nobility and are unjust possessors of the Patrimony of the Church and yet were the Barons and Ministers called and commandment given unto them to draw into plain and severall Heads the sum of that Doctrine which they would maintain and would desire the present Parliament to establish as wholesome true and onely necessary to be beleeved and to be received within the Realm Which they willingly accepted and within four dayes presented this Confession as it followeth without alteration of any one sentence The Confession of Faith professed and believed by the Protestants within the Realme of
they joyned with the Assembly and came unto it but they drew themselves like as they did before apart and entred into the inner Councell-House They were the Duke the Earls of Argyle Murray Mortoune Glencarne Mershall Lord Rosse the Master of Maxwell Secretary Lethington the Justice Clerk the Clerk of the Register and the Laird of Pittarrow Comptroller After a little consultation they directed a Messenger M. George Hay the Minister of the Court requiring the Superintendents and some of the learned Ministers to confer with them The Assembly answered They convened to deliberate upon the common affairs of the Church and therefore that they could not lack their Superintendents and chiefe Ministers whose judgements were so necessary that the rest should sit as it were idle without them And therefore willed them as oft before That if they acknowledged themselves Members of the Church that they would joyn with their Brethren and propose in publike such things as they pleased and so they should have the assistance of the whole in all things that might stand with Gods Commandment But to send from themselves a portion of their company they understood That thereof hurt and slander might arise rather then any profit or comfort to the Church for they feared that all men should not stand content with the conclusion where the conference and reasonings were heard but of a few This answer was not given without cause for no small travell was made to have drawn some Ministers to the faction of the Courtiers and to have sustained their Arguments and Opinions But when it was conceived by the most politick amongst them That they could not travell by that means they prepared the matter in other termes purging themselves That they never meant to divide themselves from the Society of their Brethren but because they had certain Heads to confer with certain Ministers But the Assembly did still reply That secret Conference would they not admit in those Heads that should be concluded by generall Voice The Lords promised That no Conclusion should be taken neither yet Vote required till that both the Propositions and the Reasons should be heard and considered by the whole Body and upon that condition were directed unto them with expresse charge To conclude nothing without the knowledge and advise of the Assembly The Laird of Dun Superintendent of Angus the Superintendents of Lothain and Fyfe Master Iohn Row Master Iohn Craig William Christieson Master David Lyndsay Ministers with the Rector of Saint Androes and Master George Hay the Superintendent of Glasgow Master Iohn Willock was Moderator and Iohn Knox waited upon the Scribe And so were they appointed to sit with the Brethren And yet because the principall complaint touched Iohn Knox he was also called for Secretary Lethington began the Harangue which contained these Heads first How much we are indebted unto God by whose providence we have liberty of Religion under the Queens Majestie albeit that she is not perswaded in the same Secondly How necessary a thing it is That the Queens Majestie by all good Offices of the part of the Church so spake he and of the Ministers principally should be retained in that constant opinion that they unfainedly favoured her advancement and procured her subjects to have a good opinion of her And last How dangerous a thing it is That the Ministers should be noted one to disagree from another in form of Prayer for her Majestie And in these two last Heads said he we desire you all to be circumspect But especially we most crave of you our Brother Iohn Knox to moderate your selfe as well in form of praying for the Queens Majesty as in Doctrine that you propose touching her State and Obedience Neither shall ye take this said he as spoken to your reproach quia mens pulchra interdum in corpore pulchro But because that others by your example may imitate the like liberty albeit not with the same discretion and foresight and what opinion that may engender in the peoples heads wise men may foresee The said Iohn prepared himself for answer as follows If such as fear God have occasion to praise him because that Idolatry is maintained the servants of God despised wicked men placed again in Honour and Authority Master Henry Sinclare was of short time before made President who before durst not have sitten in Judgement And finally if we ought to praise God because that vice and impiety over-floweth the whole Realm without punishment then we have occasion to rejoyce and praise God But if these and the like use to provoke Gods vengeance against Realms and Nations then in my judgement the godly within Scotland ought to lament and mourn and so to prevent Gods Judgements lest that he finding all in a like security strike in his hot indignation beginning perchance at such as think they offend not That is one Head said Lethington whereunto you and I never agreed for how are you able to prove That God ever struck or plagued any Nation or People for the iniquity of their Prince if that they themselves lived godlily I looked said he my Lord to have audience till that I had absolved the other two parts But seeing it pleaseth your Lordship to cut me off before the midst I will answer to your question The Scripture of God teacheth me That Ierusalem and Iuda were punished for the sins of Manasses And if you alleadge That they were punished because they were wicked and offended with their King and not because their King was wicked I answer That albeit the Spirit of God makes for me saying in expresse words For the sins of Manasses yet will I not be so obstinate as to lay the whole sin and plagues that thereof ensued upon the King and utterly absolve the people but I will grant withall That the whole people offended with their King but how and in what fashion I fear that ye and I shall not agree I doubt not but the great multitude accompanied him in all the abomination that he did for Idolatry and false Religion hath ever been and will be pleasing to the most part of men But to affirm That all Iudah committed really the acts of his impiety is but to affirm that which neither hath certainty nor yet appearance of any truth for who can think it to be possible That all those of Ierusalem should so shortly turn to Idolatry considering the notable Reformation lately before had in the dayes of Hezekias But yet sayes the Text Manasses made Iuda and all the inhabitants of Ierusalem to erre True it is the one part as I have said willingly followed him in his Idolatry the other suffered him to defile Ierusalem and the Temple of God with all abominations and so were they criminall of his sin the one by act and deed the other by suffering and permission even as Scotland is this day guilty of the Queens Idolatry and ye my Lords in speciall above others Well said
in the sight of the most jealous God and still continues in the same yet she despises all threatnings and refuseth all godly admonitions Why say ye That she refuseth admonition said Lethington she will gladly hear any man But what obedience said the other to God or to his word ensues of all that is spoken unto her or when shall she be seen to give her presence to the publike Preaching I think never said Lethington so long as she is thus used And so long said the other yee and all others must be content that I pray so as I may be assured to be heard of my God that is That his good will may be done either in making her comfortable to his Church or if that he hath appointed her to be a scourge to the same That we may have patience and she may be bridled Well said Lethington Let us come to the second head Where finde ye that the Scriptures calls any the bond slaves of Satan or that the Prophets of God spake of Kings and Princes so irreverently The Scripture said Iohn Knox saith That by nature wee are all the sonnes of wrath Our Master Christ affirmes That such as doe sinne are servants to sinne and that it is the onely Sonne of God that sets men at freedome now what difference there is betwixt the sonnes of wrath the servants of sinne c. And the slaves of Satan I understand not except I be taught And if the sharpnesse of the terme offend you I have not invented that phrase of speech but have learned it out of Gods Scriptures for these words I finde spoken unto Paul Behold I send thee unto the Gentiles to open their eyes that they may turne from darknesse unto light and from the power of Sathan unto God Mark the words my Lord and stirre not at the speaking of the holy Ghost And the same Apostle writing to his Scholler Timothius sayes Instruct with meeknesse those that are contrary minded if that God at any time will give them repentance that they may know the truth and come to amendment out of the snare of the Devill which are taken of him at his will If your Lordship do rightly consider these sentences you shall not onely finde my words to be the words of the holy Ghost but also the condition which I use to adde to have the assurance of Gods Scriptures But they speak nothing against Kings in Scripture in speciall said Lethington and your continuall crying is The Queens Idolatry The Queens Masse will provoke Gods vengeance In the former sentence said the other I hear not Kings and Queens excepted but all unfaithfull are pronounced to stand in one rank and to be in bondage to one Tyrant the Devill But beleeve me my Lord you little regard the state wherein they stand when you would have them so flattered that the danger thereof should neither be knowne neither yet declared to the people Where will you finde said Lethington that any of the Prophets did so use Kings Queens Rulers or Magistrates In more places then one said the other Ahab was a King and Iezabel a Queen and yet what the Prophet Elias said to the one and to the other I suppose you are not ignorant That was not cried out before the people said Lethington to make them odious unto their subjects That Elias said Doggs shall lick the blood of Ahab said Iohn Knox and eate the flesh of Iezabell the Scriptures assures me but that it was whispered in their Eares or in a Corner I read not but the plain contrary appears to me which is that both the people and the Court understood well enough what the Prophet had promised for so witnessed Iehu after that Gods vengeance had stricken Iezabell These were singular motions of the Spirit of God said Lethington and appertaineth nothing to our age Then hath the Scripture said the other deceived me for Saint Paul teacheth me that whatsoever is written within the holy Scriptures the same is written for our instruction And my Master saith That every learned Scribe brings forth of his Treasure both things old and things new and the Prophet Ieremy affirmes That every Realme or Citie that likewise offends as then did Ierusalem should likewise be punished Why then that the facts of ancient Prophets and the fearfull judgements of God executed before us upon the disobedient appertain not unto our age I neither see nor yet can understand But now to put an end to this Head my Lord saith he the Prophets of God have not spared to rebuke Kings as well to their faces as before the people and subjects Elizeus feared not to say to King Iehoram What have I to doe with thee get thee to the other Prophets of thy Mother for as the Lord of Hostes liveth in whose sight I stand if it were not that I regard the presence of Iehosaphat the King of Iudah I would not have looked toward thee nor seene thee Plaine it is that the Prophet was a Subject in the Kingdome of Israel and yet how little reverence he giveth to the King we heare Ieremy the Prophet was commanded to Cry to the King and Queene and to say Behave your selves lowly execute justice and judgement c. or else your Carcasses shall be casten to the heate of the day and unto the frost of the night Unto Conias Sullim and Zedekias he speaketh in speciall and shewes to them in his publike Sermons their miserable ends and therefore yee ought not to thinke strange my Lord said he albeit the servants of God taxe the vices of Kings and Queenes even as well as of other offenders and that because their sinnes be more noysome to the Common-wealth then are the sinnes of inferiour persons The most part of this reasoning Secretary Lethington leaned upon the Master of Maxwells Breast who said I am almost weary I would some other would reason in the chief head which is yet untouched Then the Earle of Mortoune Chancellor commanded Master George Hay to reason against Iohn Knox in the head of obedience due to Magistrates who began so to doe Unto whom Iohn Knox said Brother that ye shall reason in my contrary I am well content because I know you to be both a man of learning and of modesty but that you shall oppose your selfe unto the Trueth whereof I suppose your owne conscience is no lesse perswaded then is mine I cannot well approve for I would be sorry that yee and I should be reputed to reason as two Schollers of Pythagoras to shew the quickenesse of our wit as it were to reason on both parts I protest here before God That whatsoever I sustaine I doe the same in conscience yea I dare no more sustaine a proposition knowne to my selfe untrue then I dare teach false Doctrine in the publike place And therefore Brother if Conscience move you to oppose your selfe to that Doctrine which yee have heard out of my mouth in that
of your Bishops is more then manifest their filthy lives infect the ayr the innocent blood which they shed cryeth vengeance in the ears of our God the idolatry and abomination which openly they commit and without punishment maintain doth corrupt and defile the whole Land and none amongst you do unfainedly study for any redresse of such enormities Will God in this behalf hold you as innocents Be not deceived dear brethren God hath punished not onely the proud tyrants filthy persons and cruell murtherers but also such as with them did draw the yoke of iniquity was it by flattering their offences obeying their unjust commandments or in winking at their manifest iniquity All such I say God once punished with the chief offenders Be ye assured brethren that as he is immutable of nature so will he not pardon you in that which he hath punished in others and now the lesse because he hath plainly admonished you of the dangers to come and hath offered you his mercy before he pour forth his wrath and displeasure upon the inobedient God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the father of glory and God of all consolation give you the spirit of wisedom and open unto you the knowledge of himself by the means of his dear Son by the which ye may attain to the esperance and hope That after the troubles of this transitory life ye may be partakers of the glorious Inheritance which is prepared for such as refuse themselves and fight under the Banner of Christ Iesus in the day of this his Battell That in deep consideration of the same ye may learn to prefer the invisible and eternall joyes to the vain pleasures that are present God further grant you his holy Spirit righteously to consider what I in his Name have required of your Nobility and of the subjects and move all together so to answer that my Petition be not a testimony of your just condemnation when the Lord Iesus shall appear to revenge the blood of his Saints and the contempt of his most holy Word Amen Sleep not in sin for vengeance is prepared against the inobedient Fly from Babylon if ye will not be partakers of her plagues Grace be with you Your Brother to command in godlinesse JOHN KNOX Be witnesse to my Appellation The 4. of Iuly 1558. A faithfull ADMONITION made by IOHN KNOX To the true Professors of the Gospel of CHRIST within the Kingdom of England 1554. John Knox wisheth Grace Mercy and Peace from GOD the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the perpetuall Comfort of the Holy Ghost to be with you for ever and ever dear Brethren the afflicted Members of Christs Church in England HAving no lesse desire to comfort such as now be in trouble within the Realm of England and specially you for many causes most dear to me then hath the naturall Father to ease the griefe and pain of his dearest Childe I have considered with my selfe what argument or parcell of Gods Scriptures was most convenient and meet to be handled for your consolation in these most dark and dolorous dayes And so as for the same purpose I was turning my Book I chanced to see a Note in the Margine written thus in Latine Videas Anglia Let England beware which Note when I had considered I found that the matter written in my Booke in Latine was this Seldome it is that God worketh any notable work to the comfort of his Church but that trouble fear and labour cometh upon such as God hath used for his Servants and Workmen and also tribulation most commonly followeth that Church were Christ Iesus is most truely preached This Note was made upon a place of Scripture written in the fourteenth Chapter of Saint Matthews Gospell which place declareth That after Christ Jesus had used the Apostles as Ministers and Servants to feed as it had been by their hands five thousand men beside women and children with five Barley Loaves and two Fishes he sent them to the Sea commanding them to passe over before him to the other side Which thing as they attempted to obey and for the same purpose did travell and row forth in the Sea the night approached the wind was contrary the vehement and raging storme arose and was like to overthrow their poor Boat and them When I considered as dolour and my simplicity would suffer the circumstances of the Text I began to reckon and ask account of my self and as God knoweth not without sorrow and sobs whether at any time I had been so plain by my tongue as God had opened his holy Will and Wisdom in that matter unto me as mine own Pen and Note beare witnesse to my conscience And shortly it came to my minde that the same place of Scripture I had handled in your presences when God gave opportunity and time for you to heare Gods Messenger speak the words of eternall life Wherefore I thought nothing more expedient then shortly to call to minde againe such things as then I trust were touched albeit peradventure neither of me so plainly uttered neither of you so plainly perceived as these most dolorous dayes declare the same to us It shall not bee necessary to handle the Text word by word but of the whole summe to gather certain Notes and Observations which shall not farre disagree from the state of these dayes it shall be sufficient And first it is to be observed That after this great miracle that Christ had wrought he neither would retain with himself the multitude of people whom he had fed neither yet his disciples but the one he sent away every man to return to his place of accustomed residence and the others he sent to the danger of the Seas not as he that was ignorant what should chance unto them but knowing and foreseeing the Tempest yea and appointing the same so to trouble them It is not to be judged That the onely and true Pastour would remove and send away from him the wandering and weak sheep neither yet that the onely provident Governour and Guide would set out his rude Warriours to so great a jeopardie without sufficient and most just cause Why Christ removed and sent away from him the people the Evangelist Saint Iohn declareth saying When Iesus knew that they were come to take him that they might make him King he passed secretly or alone to the Mountain Whereof it is plain what chiefly moved Christ to send away the people from him because that by him they sought a carnall and worldly libertie regarding nothing his Heavenly Doctrine of the Kingdom of God his Father which before he had taught and declared unto them plainly shewing them That such as would follow him must suffer for his Names sake persecution must be hated of all men must deny themselves must be sent forth as sheep among Wolves But no part of this doctrine pleased them or could enter into their
the same did cut it and cast it into the fire notwithstanding that some of the Princes I think not all made request in the contrary But the Prophet was charged by God to write again and to say to Iehoiakim Thus saith the Lord Thou hast burnt this Book saying Why hast thou written in it according to this sentence Assuredly the King of Babylon shall come and shall destroy this land and shall make it void of men and beasts Therefore thus saith the Lord of Jehoiakim the King There shall not be one left alive to sit in the Seat of David Their carkases shall be cast to the heat of the day and to the frost of the night whereby the Prophet did signifie the most vile death and most cruell torment and I shall visite the iniquity of himself and of his seed and servants And I shall bring upon them and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem and upon all Iudah all the calamities which I have spoken against them Albeit they would not hear This is not written Madame for that time onely but to assure us That the like punishment abideth the like contemners of what state condition or degree that ever they be I did write unto you before having testimony of a good conscience That I did it in the fear of my God and by the motion of his holy Spirit for the request of the faithfull brethren in things lawfull and appertaining to Gods glory I cannot but judge to be the voice of the holy Ghost But how ye did accept the same my former writing I do not otherwise then by conjectures understand whether ye did reade it to the end or not I am uncertain One thing I know That ye did deliver it to one of your Prelats saying My Lord Will ye reade a Pasquill As charity perswadeth me to interpret things doubtfully spoken in the best sense so my duty to God who hath commanded me to flatter no Prince on the earth compelleth me to say That if no more ye esteem the Admonition of God then the Cardinalls do the scoffing of Pasquills that then he shall shortly send you messengers with whom ye shall not be able on that manner to jest If my person be considered I grant my thâ—eatnings are no more to be feared then be the merry sports which fearfull men do father upon Pisquillus in Rome But Madame if ye shall deeply consider That GOD useth men yea and most commonly those that be of lowest degree and most abject before the world to be his Messengers and Ambassadours not onely to notifie his will to the simple but also to rebuke the most proud Tyrants and potent Princes then will ye not judge the liquor by the outward appearance and nature of the vessell For ye are not ignorant That the most noble Wine is inclosed within the Tun made of Fraile wood and that the precious oyntment is often kept within the pot made of Clay If further ye shall consider that God will do nothing touching the punishment of Realms and Nations which he will not reveale to his servants the Prophets whose tongues he will compell to speak somtimes contrary to the appetites and desires of their own hearts and whose words he will perform be they never so unapparent to the judgement of men If these ye do deeply weigh then will ye fear the thing which presently is not seen Elias was but a man as Saint Iames doth witnesse like to his Brethren and yet at his prayer was Achab the Idolater and all Israel with him punished three yeares and six moneths God shutting up the heaven that neither rain nor dew fell upon the earth the space afore written And in the end God so wrought by him that Baals Priests were first confounded and after justly punished And albeit that Iesabel sought his blood and by oath had determined his death yet as she was frustrate of her intent so could she not keep her own bones from the dogs which punishment the Prophet God so ruling his tongue had before appointed to that wicked woman Albeit Madam that the Messengers of God are not sent this day with visible miracles because they teach none other doctrine then that which is confirmed with miracles from the beginning of the world yet will not he who hath promised to take charge over his poor and little flock to the end suffer the contempt of their Embassage escape punishment and vengeance For the truth it self hath said He that heareth you heareth me and he that contemneth you contemneth me I did not speak unto you Madam by my former letter neither yet do I now as Pasquillus doth to the Pope and his carnall Cardinals in the behalf of such as dare not utter their names but I come in the name of Christ Jesus affirming that the Religion which ye maintain is damnable Idolatry the which I offer my self to prove by the most evident testimony of Gods Scriptures And in this quarrell I present my self against all the Papists in the Realm desiring none other Armour but Gods holy Word and the liberty of my tongue God move your heart to understand my Petition to know the truth and unfeinedly to follow the same Amen REVEL JOH 21. I am the beginning and the end I will give to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely He that overcommeth shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my son But the fearfull and unbelceving and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all lyers shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death JOHN KNOX THE SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST In preaching of his Holy Evangell To the benevolent Reader desireth grace and peace with the spirit of righteous judgement WOnder not Christian Reader that all my studie and travell within the Scriptures of God these twenty yeers I have set forth nothing in expounding any portion of Scripture except this onely rude and indigested Sermon preached by me in the publike audience of the Church of Edinburgh the nineteenth day of August Anno 1565. That I did not in writing communicate my judgement upon the Scriptures I have ever thought my self to have most just reason for considering my self rather called of my God to instruct the ignorant comfort the sorrowfull confirm the weak and rebuke the proud by tongue and lively voyce in these most corrupt dayes then to compose Books for the age to come seeing that so much is written and by men of most singular erudition and yet so little well observed I decreed to contain my self within the bounds of that Vocation whereunto I found my self especially called I dare not deny lest that in so doing I should be injurious to the Giver but that God hath revealed unto me secrets unknown to the world and also that he hath made my tongue a Trumpet to forewarn