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
short discourse of the four Empires The Babylonian The Persian That of the Greekes And the fourth of the Romanes in the destruction whereof rose up that last Beast which he affirmed to be the Romane Church for to none other power that ever hath yet beene do all the notes that God hath shewed to the Prophet appertain except to it alone And unto it they do so properly appertaine that such as are not more then blinde may cleerly see them But before he began to open the corruptions of Papistrie he defined the true Church shewed the true notes of it whereupon it was built why it was the Pillar of Verity and why it could not erre to wit Because it heard the voyce of the onely Pastor JESUS CHRIST would not heare a stranger neither would be carried with every winde of Doctrine Every one of these heads sufficiently declared he entred to the contrary and upon the notes given in his Text he shewed that the Spirit of God in the new Testament gave to this King other new names to wit The man of sin The Antichrist The Whore of Babilon He shewed That this man of sin or Antichrist was not to be restrained to the person of any one man onely no more then by the fourth Beast was to be understood the person of any one Emperour But by such names the Spirit of God would forewarne his chosen of a body and a multitude having a wicked head which should not onely be sinfull himself but also should be occasion of sin to all that should be subject unto him as Christ Jesus is the cause of Justice to all the Members of his Body and is called the Antichrist that is to say One contrary to Christ because that he is contrary to him in Life Doctrine Lawes and Subjects And there began to decipher the lives of divers Popes and the lives of all the Shavelings for the most part Their Doctrine and Lawes he plainly proved to repugne directly to the Doctrine and Lawes of God the Father and of Christ Jesus his Son This he proved by conferring the Doctrine of Justification expressed in the Scriptures which teach that man is justified by Faith onely That the blood of Iesus Christ purgeth us from all our sinnes And the Doctrine of the Papists which attribute Justification to the works of the Law yea to the works of mens inventions as Pilgrimage Pardons and other such baggage That the Papisticall lawes repugned to the Lawes of the Gospel he proved by the Lawes made of observation of dayes abstaining from meats and from Marriage which Christ Jesus made free and the forbidding whereof Saint Paul calleth the doctrine of devils In handling the notes of that Beast given in the Text he willed men to consider if these notes There shall another rise unlike to the other having a mouth speaking great things and blasphemous could be applyed unto any other but to the Pope and his kingdome For if these said he be not great words and blasphemous The Head of the Church most holy most blessed that cannot erre That can make right of wrong and wrong of right That of nothing can make somewhat And that had all verity in the Shrine of his brest yea That had power of all and none power of him Nay not to say That he doth wrong although he draw ten thousand Millions of souls with himself to hell If these said he and many other easie to be showne in his own Cannon-Law be not great and blasphemous words and such as never mortall men spake before let the world judge And yet said he is there one most evident of all to wit Iohn in his Revelation sayes That the Merchandise of that Babylonian Harlot among other things shall be the bodies and souls of men Now let very Papists themselves judge If any before them took upon them power to relax the pains of them that were in Purgatory as they affirme to the people that daily they do by the merits of their Masse and of their other trifles In the end he said If any here and there were present Master Iohn Maire the University the Sub-Prior and many Cannons with some Friers of both the Orders that will say That I have alleadged Scripture Doctor or History otherwise then it is written let them come unto me with sufficient witnesse and by conference I shall let them see not onely the Originall where my Testimonies are written but I shall prove That the Writers meant as I have spoken Of this Sermon which was the first that ever Iohn Knox made in publike was divers brutes Some said He not onely hewes the branches of Papistry but he strikes at the root also to destroy the whole Others said If the Doctors and Magistri nostri defend not now the Pope and his Authority which in their own presence is so manifestly impugned the devill may have my part of him and of his Lawes both Others said Master George Wischarde spake never so plainly and yet he was burnt even so will he be In the end others said The Tyranny of the Cardinall made not his cause the better neither yet the suffering of Gods servant made his cause the worse And therefore we would counsell you and them to provide better defences then fire and sword for it may be that else ye will be disappointed men now have other eyes then they had then This answer gave the Laird of Nydrie a man fervent and upright in Religion The bastard Bishop who yet was not execrated consecrated the Sub-Prior of S. Andrews who Sede vacante was Vicar Generall That he wondered that he suffered such Hereticall and Schismaticall Doctrine to be taught and not to oppose himselfe to the same Upon this rebuke was a convention of gray-Friers and black-Fiends appointed with the said Sub-Prior Deane Iohn Winrame in S. Leonards Yard whereunto was first called Iohn Rough and certain Articles read to him And thereafter was Iohn Knox called for The cause of their convention and why that they were called is expounded And the Articles were read which were these 1. No mortall man can be the head of the Church 2. The Pope is an Antichrist and so is no member of Christs mysticall body 3. Man may neither make nor devise a Religion that is acceptable to God but man is bound to observe and keep the Religion that from God is received without chopping or changing thereof 4. The Sacraments of the New Testament ought to be ministred as they were instituted by Christ Iesus and practised by his Apostles nothing ought to be added unto them nothing ought to be diminished from them 5. The Masse is abominable Idolatry blasphemous to the death of Christ and a prophanation of the Lords Supper 6. There is no Purgatory in the which the soules of men can either be pined or purged after this life But heaven resteth to the faithfull and hell to the reprobate and unfaithfull 7. Praying for the dead
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
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
and hit him so spitefully with the Popes thunder that the ignorant people dreaded lest the earth then would have swallowed him up quick Notwithstanding he stood still with great patience hearing their sayings not once moving or changing his countenance When that this fat sow had read thorowout all his lying menaces his face running down with sweat and froathing at the mouth like a boare He spate at M. Georges face saying What answers thou to these sayings Thou runagate traitour theefe which we have duely proved by sufficient witnesse against thee Master George hearing this sate downe upon his knees in the Pulpit making his prayer to God When he had ended his Prayer sweetly and Christianly he answered unto them all in this manner Master George his ORATION MAny and horrible sayings unto me a Christian man many words abominable for to heare have ye spoken here this day which not onely to teach but also to thinke I thought it ever great abomination Wherefore I pray your discretions quietly to heare me that ye may know what were my Sayings and the manner of my Doctrine This my Petition my Lords I desire to be heard for three causes The first is Because through preaching of the Word of God his glory is made manifest It is reasonable therefore for the advancing of the glory of God that ye heare me teaching truely the pure and sincere Word of God without any dissimulation The second reason is Because that your health springeth of the Word of God for he worketh all things by his Word It were therefore an unrighteous thing if ye should stop your eares from me teaching truely the Word of God The third reason is Because your Doctrine speaketh forth many pestilentious blasphemous and abominable words not coming by the inspiration of God but of the devill on no lesse perill than my life It is just therefore and reasonable for your discretions to know what my words and Doctrine are and what I have ever taught in my time in this Realme that I perish not unjustly to the great perils of your selves Wherefore both for the glory of God your owne health and safeguard of my life I beseech your discretions to heare me and in the meane time I shall recite my Doctrine without any colour First and chiefly since the time that I came into this Realme I taught nothing but the ten Commandments of God the twelve Articles of the Faith and the Prayer of the Lord in the mother Tongue Moreover in Dundie I taught the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romanes And I shall shew your discretions faithfully what fashion and-manner I used when I taught without any humane dread So that your discretions give me your eares benevolent and attentive Suddenly then with a loud voyce cryed the accuser the fat sow Thou Hereticke Runnagate Traytor and Thief It was not lawfull for thee to preach thou hast taken the power at thine owne hand without any authority of the Church We forthinke that thou hast been a Preacher so long Then said the whole Congregation of the Prelats with their complices these words If we give him license to Preach he is so crafty and in holy Scriptures so exercised that he will perswade the people to his opinion and raise them against us M. George seeing their malicious and wicked intent appealed to an indifferent and equall Judge To whom the accuser Iohn Lawder aforesaid with hoggish voyce answered Is not my Lord Cardinall the second person within this Realme Chancellor of Scotland Archbishop of Saint Andrewes Bishop of Merepose Commendator of Arbroth Legatus natus Legatus a Latere And so reciting as many Titles of his unworthy Honours as would have laden a Ship much sooner an Asse Is not he quoth Iohn Lawder an equall JUDGE apparently to thee Whom other desirest thou to be thy JUDGE To whom this humble man answered saying I refuse not my Lord Cardinall but I desire the Word of God to be my Iudge the Temporall estate with some of your Lordships mine auditors because I am here my Lord Governours prisoner Whereupon the pridefull and scornfull people that stood by mocked him saying Such man such Iudge speaking seditious and reproachfull words against the Governour and other of the Nobles meaning them also to be hereticks And incontinent without all delay they would have given sentence upon M. George and that without further Processe had not certain men there councelled my Lord Cardinall to reade againe the Articles and to heare his answers thereupon that the people might not complaine of his wrongfull condemnation And shortly for to declare These were the Articles following with his Answers as far they would give him leave to speak For when he intended to mitigate their leasings and shew the manner of his Doctrine by and by they stopped his mouth with another Article The first Article Thou false Hereticke Runnagate Traytor and Thief Deceiver of the people despisest the Church and in like case contemnes my Lord Governours Authority And this we know of surety That when thou preachedst in Dundie and was charged by my Lord Governours Authority to desist neverthelesse thou wouldest not obey but persevered in the same And therefore the Bishop of Breachen cursed thee and delivered thee into the Devils hand and gave thee then Commandment That thou shouldest preach no more yet notwithstanding thou didst continue obstinately The Answer My Lords I have read in the Acts of the Apostles That it is not lawfull for the threats and menaces of men to desist from the preaching of the Gospel Therefore it is written We shall rather obey God than men I have also read the Prophet Malachie I shall curse your blessings and blesse your cursings saith the Lord. Believing firmly That he would turn your cursings into blessings The second Article Thou false heretick didst say That a Priest standing at the Altar saying Masse was like a Fox wagging his taile in July The Answer My Lords I said not so These were my sayings The moving of the body outward without inward moving of the heart is nought else but the playing of an Ape and not the true serving of God For God is a secret searcher of mens hearts Therefore who will truely adore and honour God he must in spirit and verity honour him Then the accuser stopped his mouth with another Article The third Article Thou false hereticke Preachest against the Sacraments saying That there are not seven Sacraments The Answer My Lords It is not so by your pleasures I taught never of the number of the Sacraments whether there were seven or eleven so many as are instituted by Christ and are showne to us by the Gospel I professe openly Except it be the Word of God I dare affirme nothing The fourth Article Thou false hereticke hast openly taught That Auricular Confession is not a blessed Sacrament and thou saist That we should onely confesse us to God and to no Priest The Answer My Lords I say
commends to the poore Cardinall of Loraine The freedomes of Scottish Merchants were restrained in Roane and they compelled to pay Tole and Taxations others then their ancient Liberties did beare To bring this head to passe to wit to the Matrimoniall Crown the Queen Regent left no point of the Compasse unsailed with the Bishops and Priests She practised on this manner Ye may clearely see that I cannot do what I would within this Realme for these Hereticks and Confederates of England are so banded together that they stop all good order But will ye be favourable unto me in this suit of the Matrimoniall Crowne to be granted to my daughters husband Then shall we see how I shall handle these Heretickes and Traitours ere it be long And in very deed in these her promises she meant no deceit in that behalfe Unto the Protestants she said I am not unmindfull how oft ye have solicited me for Reformation in Religion and gladly would I consent thereunto but ye see the power and craft of the Bishop of S. Andrews together with the power of Duke Hamilton and of Church-men ever to be bent against me in all my proceedings so that I may do nothing unlesse the full authority of this Realme be delivered to the King of France which cannot be but by donation of the Crowne Matrimoniall which thing if ye will bring to passe then devise ye what ye please in matters of Religion and they shall be granted With this Commission and Credit was Lord Iames then Prior of S. Andrews directed to the Earle of Argyle with moe other promises then we list to rehearse By such dissimulation to those that were simple and true of heart inflamed she them to be more fervent in her Petition then her selfe appeared to be And so at the Parliament holden at Edinburgh in the moneth of October in the yeere of God 1558. it was clearely voed no man reclaiming except the Duke for his interest and yet for it there was no better Law produced except that there was a solemne Masse appointed for that purpose in the Pontificall This head obtained whereat France and she principally shot what faith she kept to the Protestants in this our second Book shall be declared In the beginning whereof we may more amply rehearse some things that in this our first are summarily touched The end of the first Booke The Second Booke OF THE HISTORY OF Things done in SCOTLAND in the Reformation of Religion Beginning in the yeere of our Lord God 1558. OUr purpose was to have made the beginning of our History from the things that were done from the yeere of God 1558. till The Reformation of Religion which of Gods mercy we once possessed and yet in Doctrine and in the right use of administration of Sacraments do possesse But because divers of the godly as before is said earnestly required That such persons as God raised up in the midst of darkenesse to oppose themselves to the same should not be omitted We obeyed their Request and have made a short Rehearsall of all such matters as concerne Religion from the death of that notable Servant of God Master Patricke Hamilton unto the aforesaid yeere when that it pleased God to looke upon us more mercifully then we deserve and to give unto us greater boldnesse and better albeit not without hazard and trouble successe in all our enterprizes then we looked for as the true Narration of this second Booke shall witnesse The PREFACE whereof followeth The Preface LEst that Sathan by our silence shall take occasion to blaspheme and to slander us the Protestants of the Realme of Scotland as that our fact tended rather to Sedition and Rebellion then to Reformation of Manners and abuses in Religion We have thought expedient so truely and briefly as we can to commit to writing the causes moving us as we say and great part of the Nobility and Barons of the Realme to take the sword of just Defence against those that most unjustly seek our destruction And in this our confession we shall faithfully declare What moved us to put our hands to the Reformation of Religion How we have proceeded in the same What we have asked and what presently we require of the sacred Authority To the end that our Cause being knowne as well our enemies as our brethren in all Realmes may understand how falsly we are accused of tumult and Rebellion and how unjustly we are persecuted by France and by their Faction And also that our brethren naturall Scotish-men of whatsoever Religion they be may have occasion to examine themselves If they can with safe conscience oppose themselves to us who seek nothing but Christ Iesus his glorious Gospel to be preached his holy Sacraments to be truely ministred Superstition Tyranny and Idolatry to be suppressed in this Realme And finally This our native Countrey to remaine free from the Bondage and Tyranny of Strangers While that the Queen Regent practised with the Prelats how that Christ Jesus blessed Gospel might utterly be suppressed within Scotland God so blessed the labours of his weak servants that no small part of the Barons of this Realme began to abhorre the Tyranny of the Bishops God did so open their eyes by the light of his Word that they could cleerly discerne betwixt Idolatry and the true honouring of God Yea men almost universally began to doubt whether they could God not offended give their bodily presence to the Masse or yet offer their children to the Papisticall Baptisme The doubts when the most godly and the most learned in Europe had answered both by word and writing affirming That neither of both we might do without perill of our souls we began to be more troubled For then also began men of estimation and those that bare rule amongst us to examine themselves concerning their duties as well towards Reformation of Religion as towards the just defence of their brethren most cruelly persecuted And so began divers questions to be moved to wit If that with safe conscience such as were Iudges Lords and Rulers of the People might serve the higher Powers in maintaining of Idolatry in persecuting their Brethren and in suppressing Christs Truth Or Whether they to whom God in some case hath committed the Sword of Iustice might suffer the blood of their Brethren to be shed in their presence without any declaration that such Tyranny displeased them By the plain Scriptures it was found That a lively faith required a plaine Confâ—ssion when Christs Truth is oppugned That not onely are they guilty that do evil but also they that consent to evil And plain it is That they consent to evil who seeing iniquity openly committed by their silence seem to justifie and avow whatsoever is done These things being resolved and sufficiently proved by evident Scriptures of God we began every man to look more diligently to his Salvation For the Idolatry and Tyranny of the Clergy called
without all doubt is the true Church of Christ who according to his promise is in the midst of them not of that universall of which we have before spoken but particular such as was in Corinthus Galatia Ephesus and other places in which the Ministerie was planted by Paul and were of himselfe named the Churches of God and such Churches we the Inhabitants of the Realme of Scotland professours of Christ Jesus confesse us to have in our Cities Townes and places reformed For the Doctrine taught in our Churches is contained in the written Word of God to wit in the Books of the New and Old Testaments in those Books we meane which of ancient have been reputed Canonicall in the which we affirme that all things necessary to be beleeved for the salvation of mankinde is sufficiently expressed The interpretation whereof we confesse neither appertaineth unto any private nor publike person neither yet to any Church for any preheminence or prerogative personall or locall which one hath above another but appertaineth to the Spirit of God by the which also the Scripture was written When controversie then hapneth for the right understanding of any place or sentence of Scripture or for the reformation of any abuse within the Church of God we ought not so much to looke what men before us have said and done as unto that which the Holy Ghost uniformly speaketh within the body of the Scriptures and unto that which Christ Jesus himself did and commanded to be done For this is a thing universally granted That the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of unitie is in nothing contrary to himselfe If then the interpretation determination or sentence of any Doctor Church or Councell repugne to the plain Word of God written in any other place of Scripture it is a thing most certain that there is not the true understanding and meaning of the Holy Ghost supposing that Counsels Realms and Nations have approved and received the same For we dare not receive and admit any Interpretation which directly oppugneth to any principall point of our faith to any other plain text of Scripture or yet to the rule of charitie XIX The Authoritie of the Scriptures ANd we beleeve and confesse the Scriptures of God sufficient to instruct and make the man of God perfect so do we affirm and avow the Authoritie of the same to be of God and neither to depend on men nor Angels We affirme therefore That such as alleadge the Scriptures to have no authority but that which is received from the Church to be blasphemous against God and injurious to the true Church which alwayes heareth and obeyeth the voice of her own Spouse and Pastour but taketh not upon her to be Mistresse over the same XX. Of the Generall Councells of their Power Authoritie and Cause of their Convention AS we not rashly condemne that which godly men assembled together in Generall Councells lawfully gathered have approved unto us So without just examination dare we not receive whatsoever is obtruded unto men under the name of Generall Councells for plain it is that as they were men so have some of them manifestly erred and that in matters of great weight and importance So far then as the Councell proveth the Determination and Commandment that it giveth by the plain Word of God so far do we reverence and imbrace the same But if men under the name of a Councell pretend to forge unto us new Articles of our Faith or to make Constitutions repugning to the Word of God then utterly we may refuse the same as the Doctrine of Devils which draweth our souls from the voice of our onely God to follow the Doctrines and Constitutions of men The cause then why Generall Councells convened was neither to make any perpetuall Law which God before had not made neither yet to forge new Articles of our beliefe neither to give the Word of God authority much lesse to make that to be his Word or yet the true interpretation of the same which was not before by his holy Will expressed in his Word But the cause of Councells we mean of such as merited the name of Councels was partly for Confutation of Heresies and for giving publike Confession of their Faith to the posterities following which both they did by the authority of Gods written Word and not by any opinion or prerogative that they could not erre by reason of their generall assembly And this we judge to have been the chiefe cause of Generall Councells The other was for good policie and Order to be constituted and observed in the Church in which as in the house of God it becometh all things to be done decently and in order not that we think that one Policie and one Order in Ceremonies can be appointed for all ages times and places for as Ceremonies such as men have devised are but temporall so may and ought they to be changed when they rather foster superstition then that they edifie the Church using the same XXI Of the Sacraments AS the Fathers under the Law besides the verity of the Sacrifices had two chief Sacraments to wit Circumcision and the Passeover the despisers and contemners whereof were not reputed for Gods people so we acknowledge and confesse That we now in time of the Gospel have two Sacraments onely instituted by the Lord Jesus and commanded to be used by all those that will be reputed to be Members of his Body to wit Baptisme and The Supper or Table of the Lord Jesus called The Communion of his Body and Blood And these Sacraments as well of the Old as of the New Testament were instituted of God not onely to make a visible difference betwixt his people and those that were without his league but also to exercise the Faith of his children and by participation of the same Sacraments to seale in their hearts the assurance of his â—romise and of that most blessed Conjunction Union and Societie which the Elect have with their Head Christ Jesus And thus we utterly condemne the vanity of those that affirme Sacraments to be nothing else but naked and bare signes No we assuredly beleeve That by Baptisme we are ingrafted into Jesus Christ to be made partakers of his Justice by the which our sinnes are covered and remitted And also That in the Supper rightly used Christ Jesus is so joyned with us that he becometh the very nourishment and food of our soules Not that we imagine any Transubstantiation of Bread into Christs naturall Body and of Wine into his naturall Blood as the Papists have perniciously taught and damnably beleeved but this Union and Communion which we have with the Body and Blood of Christ Jesus in the right use of the Sacraments is wrought by operation of the holy Ghost who by true Faith carrieth us above all things that are visible carnall and earthly and maketh us to feed upon the Body and
appointed to begin the 20 of May next following for at that time was the returne of the said Lord Iames looked for and so was that Convention dissolved without any other thing of importance concluded The said Lord Iames prepared him for his journey for albeit he past in the publike affairs he sustained the charge of his own expences and yet there never past from this Realme in the company of one man so many and so honest thorow England to France Before he departed he was forewarned as well of the danger in France as of the Queens craft not that we then suspected her nature but that we understood the malice of her friends he was plainly premonished That if ever he condescended that she should have Masse publikely or privately within the Realme of Scotland that then betrayed he the Cause of God and exposed the Religion even to the uttermost danger that he could do That she should have Masse publikely he affirmed that he would never consent But to have it secretly in her Chamber Who could stop her The danger was shewn and so he departed The Forme and Order of the Election of the Superintendent and all other Ministers at Edinburgh March the 9. 1560. John Knox being then Preacher FIrst was made a Sermon in the which these Heads were handled First The necessity of Ministers and Superintendents or Overseers The second the crimes and vices that might unable them of the Ministry Thirdly the vertues required in them Fourthly and lastly Whether such as by publike consent of the Church were called to such Office might refuse the same The Sermon finished it was declared by the same Minister maker thereof That the Lords of the Secret Councell had given Charge and Power to the Churches of Lowthian to to chuse Master Iohn Spottiswood Superintendent or Overseer And that sufficient warning was made by publike Edict to the Churches of Edinburgh Linliethquow Sterlin Tranent Hadington and Dumbar as also to the Earles Lords Barons Gentlemen and others that have or that might claim to have Vote in Election to be present that day and that same hour And therefore enquiry was made Who were present and who were absent After was called the said Iohn who answering the Minister demanded If he knew any crime or offence to the said Master Iohn that might unable him to be called to that Office and that he demanded thrise Secondly question was moved to the whole multitude If there was any other whom they put in Election with the said Master Iohn The people were asked If they would have the said Master Iohn Superintendent or Overseer If they would honour and obey him as Christs Minister and comfort and assist him in every thing pertaining to his Charge They answered We will and do promise unto him such obedience as becometh Sheep to give unto their Pastor so long as he remaineth faithfull in his Office Tne answers of the people and their consent received the questions were propounded to him that was to be elected Question Seeing that ye hear the thirst and desire of this people Do ye not thinke your selfe bound in conscience before God to support them that so earnestly call for your comfort and for the fruit of your labours Answer If any thing were in me able to satisfie their desire I acknowledge my selfe bound to obey God calling by them Question Do ye seek to be promoted to this Office and charge for any respect of worldly commodity riches or glory Answer God knoweth the contrary Question Beleeve ye not that the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles contained in the Books of the Old and New Testaments are the onely true and most absolute foundation of the Universall Church of Christ Jesus in so much that in the same Scriptures are contained all things necessary to be beleeved for the salvation of mankinde Answer I verely beleeve the same and do abhorre and utterly refuse all Doctrine alleadged necessary to salvation that is not expressedly contained in the same Question Is not Christ Jesus man of man according to the flesh to wit The Sonne of David The seed of Abraham Conceived by the holy Ghost Born of the Virgine his mother and that he is the onely Head and Mediatour of his Church Answer He is and without him there is neither salvation to man nor life to Angel Question Is not the same Lord Jesus The onely true God The eternall Son of the eternall Father in whom all that shall be saved were elected before the foundation of the world was laid Answer I confesse and acknowledge and confesse him in the Unitie of his God-head to be God above all things blessed for ever Question Shall not they whom God in his eternall Councell hath elected be called to the knowledge of his Sonne our Lord Jesus and shall not they who of purpose are called in this life be justified and justification and free remission of sins is obtained in this life by free grace Shall not the glory of the sons of God follow in the generall Resurrection when the Son of God shall appear in his glorious Majestie Answer This I acknowledge to be the Doctrine of the Apostles and the most singular comfort of Gods children Question Will ye not then containe your self in all Doctrine within the bounds of this foundation Will ye not studie to promove the same as well by your life as by your Doctrine Will ye not according to the graces and utterance that God shall grant unto you professe instruct and maintaine the puritie of the Doctrine contained in the sacred Word of God and to the uttermost of your power Will ye not gain-stand and convince the gain-sayers and the teachers of mens inventions Answer That do I promise in the presence of God and of his Congregation heere assembled Question Know ye not that the excellencie of this Office to the which God hath called you requireth that your conversation and behaviour be such as that ye may be irreprehensible yea even in the eyes of the ungodly Answer I unfainedly acknowledge and humbly desire the Church of God to pray with me that my life be not slanderous to the glorious Gospel of Christ Iesus Question Because you are a man compassed with infirmities will you not charitably and with lowlinesse of spirit receive admonition of your brethren And if ye shall happen to slide or offend in any point will ye not be subject to the Discipline of the Church as the rest of your brethren The Answer of the Superintendent or Minister to be elected I acknowledge my self a man subjected to infirmity and one that hath need of correction and admonition and therefore I most willingly subject my selfe to the wholsome Discipline of the Church yea to the Discipline of the same Church by which I am now called to this Office and Charge and here in Gods presence and yours do promise obedience to all admonitions secretly or publikely given unto which if I
joyne with those that had bound themselves to stand for the Kings Authority He was very earnest with divers by reason of their old friendship but to little purpose The twentinth of August he received the Regencie after mature and ripe deliberation at the desire of the Queen and Lords that were for the King and so was publikely proclaimed Regent and Obedience shewed unto him by all that stood for the young King The end of the History of the Church of Scotland till the yeer 1567. and Moneth of August THE APPELLATION OF IOHN KNOX From the cruell and most unjust Sentence pronounced against him by the false Bishops and Clergie of Scotland With his Supplication and Exhortation to the Nobility States and Communalty of the same Realme To the Nobility and States of SCOTLAND JOHN KNOX wisheth Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the Spirit of righteous Iudgement IT is not onely the love of this Temporall life Right Honourable neither yet the fear of Corporal death that moveth me at this present to expose unto you the injuries done against me and to crave of you as of lawfull Powers by God appointed redresse of the same But partly it proceedeth from that reverence which every man oweth to Gods Eeternall Truth And partly from a love which I bear to your Salvation and to the Salvation of my Brethren abused in that Realme by such as have no fear of God before their eyes It hath pleased God of his infinite mercy not onely to illuminate the eyes of my minde and so to touch my dull heart that cleerly I see and by his grace unfainedly believe That there is no other name given to men under the heaven in which Salvation consisteth save the Name of JESUS alone Who by that Sacrifice which he did once offer upon the Crosse hath sanctified for ever all those that shall inherite the Kingdom promised But also it hath pleased him of his superaboundant grace to make and appoint me most wretched of many thousands a Witnesse Minister and Preacher of the same Doctrine the sum whereof I did not spare to communicate with my Brethren being with them in the Realme of Scotland in the yeer 1556 because I know my self to be a Steward and that accounts of the Talent committed to my charge shall be required of me by him who will admit no vain excuse which fearfull men pretend I did therefore as God his minister during the time I was conversant with them God is record and witnesse truely and sincerely according to the gift granted unto me divide the Word of Salvation teaching all men to hate sin which before God was and is so odious that none other Sacrifice would satisfie his Justice except the death of his onely Son and to magnifie the mercies of our heavenly Father who did not spare the substance of his own glory but did give him to the world to suffer the ignominious and cruell death of the Crosse by that means to reconcile his chosen children to himself teaching further what is the duty of such as do believe themselves purged by such a Price from their former filthinesse to wit That they are bound to walk in the newnesse of life fighting against the lusts of the flesh and studying at all times to glorifie God by such good works as he hath prepared his people to walk in In Doctrine I did further affirm so taught by my Master Christ Jesus That whosoever denieth him yea or is ashamed of him before this wicked Generation him shall Christ Jesus deny and of him shall he be ashamed when he shall appear in his Majesty And therefore I feared not to affirm That of necessity it is that such as hope for life everlasting avoid all Superstition vain Religion and Idolatry Vain Religion and Idolatry I call whatsoever is done in Gods Service or Honour without the expresse Commandment of his own Word This Doctrine I did believe to be so conformable to Gods holy Scriptures that I thought no creature could have been so impudent as to have condemned any Point or Article of the same Yet neverthelesse me as an heretick and this Doctrine as hereticall have your false Bishops and ungodly Clergie condemned pronouncing against me a Sentence of death in testification whereof they have burned a Picture From which false and cruell Sentence and from all judgement of that wicked Generation I make it known unto your Honours That I appeal to a Lawfull and Generall Councell to such I mean as the most ancient Laws and Cannons do approve to be holden by such as whose manifest impiety is not to be reformed in the same Most humbly requiring of your Honours That as God hath appointed you Princes in that People and by reason thereof requireth of your hands the defence of Innocents troubled in your Dominion in the mean time and till the controversies that this day be in Religion be lawfully decided ye receive me and such others as most unjustly by those cruell Beasts are persecuted in your defence and Protection Your Honours are not ignorant That it is not I alone who doth sustain this Cause against the pestilent Generation of Papists but that the most part of Germany the Countrey of Helvetia the King of Denmarke the Nobility of Polonia together with many other Cities and Churches Reformed appeal from the Tyrannie of that Antichrist and most earnestly call for a Lawfull and Generall Councell wherein may all Controversies in Religion be decided by the Authority of Gods most sacred Word And unto this same as said is do I appeal yet once again requiring of your Honours to hold my simple and plain Appellation of no lesse value nor effect then if it had been made with greater circumstance solemnity and ceremony and that you receive me calling unto you as to the Powers of God ordained in your protection and defence against the rage of Tyrants not to maintain me in any iniquity errour or false opinion but to let me have such equity as God by his Word ancient Laws and Determinations of most godly Councells grant to men accused or infamed The Word of God wills That no man shall die except he be found criminall and worthy of death for offence committed of which he must be manifestly convinced by two or three witnesses Ancient Law do permit just defences to snch as be accused be their crimes never so horrible And godly Councells wills That neither Bishop nor person Ecclesiasticall whatsoever accused of any crime shall sit in Judgement Consultation or Councell where the cause of such men as do accuse them is to be tried These things require I of your Honours to be granted unto me to wit That the Doctrine which our adversaries condemn for heresie may be tried by the simple and plain Word of God That just Defences be admitted to us that sustain the Battell against this
Jesus who hath revealed his Fathers Will to the world neither yet of the Apostles nor primitive Church as before is declared But it is a thing conspired among themselves to the end that their iniquity detestable life and Tyrannie may never be repressed nor reformed And if they Object That godly Emperours did grant and confirm the same I answer That the godlinesse of no man is or can be sufficient Authoritie to justifie a foolish and ungodly fact such I mean as God hath not allowed by his Word for Abraham was a godly man but the denyall of his Wife was such a fact as no godly man ought to imitate The same might I shew of David Hezekiah and Iosiah unto whom I think no man of judgement will preferre any Emperour since Christ in holinesse and wisdom and yet are not their facts no even such as appeared for good causes to be approved nor followed And therefore I say as errour and ignorance remain alwayes with the most perfect man in his life so must their works be examined by another rule then by their own holinesse if they shall be approved But if this Answer doth not suffice then will I answer more shortly That no godly Emperour since Christs Ascension hath granted any such priviledge to any such Church or person as they the whole generation of Papists be at this day I am not ignorant that some Emperours of a certain zeale and for some considerations granted liberties to the true Church afflicted for their maintenance against Tyrants but what serveth this for the defence of their Tyrannie If the Law must be understood according to the minde of the Lawgiver then must they prove themselves Christs true and afflicted Church before they can claim any priviledge to appertaine to them for onely to that Church were the priviledges granted it will not be their glorious Titles neither yet the long possession of the name that can prevail in this so weighty a Cause for all those had the Church of Ierusalem which did crucifie Christ and did condemne his Doctrine We offer to prove by their fruits and Tyrannie by the Prophets and plain Scriptures of God what trees and generation they be to wit unfruitfull and rotten apt for nothing but to be cut and cast into Hell fire yea that they are the very kingdome of Antichrist of whom we are commanded to beware Therefore my Lords to return to you seeing that God hath armed your hands with the sword of Justice seeing that his Law most straightly commandeth Idolaters and false Prophets to be punished with death and that you be placed above your Subjects to reigne as fathers over their Children and further seeing that not onely I but with me many thousand famous godly and learned persons accuse your Bishops and the whole rabble of the Papisticall Clergie of Idolatrie of Murther and Blasphemie against God committed It appertaineth to your Honours to bee vigilant and carefull in so weighty a matter The question is not of earthly substance but of the glory of God and of the Salvation of your selves and of your brethren subject to your charge in which if you after this plain admonition be negligent there resteth no excuse by reason of ignorance for in the name of God I require of you That the Cause of Religion may be tried in your presence by the plain and simple Word of God That your Bishops be compelled to desist from their Tyrannie That they be compelled to make answer for the neglecting of their Office for the substance of the poor which unjustly they usurp and prodigally they do spend but principally for the false and deceivable Doctrine which is taught and defended by their false Prophets flattering Friers and other such venomous Locusts Which thing if with single eyes yee do preferring Gods glory and the Salvation of your Brethren before all wordly Commoditie then shall the same God who solemnly doth pronounce to honour those that do honour him pour his benedictions plentifully upon you he shall be your Buckler protection and Captain and shall represse by his strength and wisdom whatsoever Satan by his supposts shall imagine against you I am not ignorant that great troubles shall ensue your enterprise for Satan will not be expelled from the possession of his usurped Kingdom without resistance But if you as is said preferring Gods glory to your own lives unfainedly seek and study to obey his blessed will then shall your deliverance be such as evidently it shall be known That the Angels of the Eternall do watch make war and fight for those that unfainedly fear the Lord. But if you refuse this my most reasonable and just Petition what defence that ever you appear to have before men then shall God whom in me you contemne refuse you he shall pour forth contempt upon you and upon your posterity after you the spirit of boldnesse and wisedome shall be taken from you your enemies shall raigne and you shall die in bondage yea God shall cut down the unfruitfull trees when they do appear most beautifully to flourish and shall so burne the root that after you shall neither twigge nor branch again spring to glory Hereof I need not to adduce unto you examples from the former ages and ancient histories For your brethren the Nobility of England are a mirrour and glasse in the which ye may behold Gods just punishment For as they have refused him and his Evangell which once in mouth they did professe so hath he refused them and hath taken from them the spirit of wisedom boldnesse and of counsell they see and feel their own misery and yet they have no grace to avoid it They hate the bondage of strangers the pride of Priests and the monstriferous Empire of a wicked woman and yet are they compelled to bow their necks to the yoke of the devill to obey whatsoever the proud Spaniards and misled Mary list to command and finally to stand like slaves with cap in hand till the servants of Satan the shaven sort call them to Councell This fruit do they reap and gather of their former rebellion and unfaithfulnesse towards God They are left confusen in their own counsells he whom in his members for the pleasure of a wicked woman they have exiled persecuted and blasphemed doth now laugh them to scorn suffereth them to be pined in bondage of most wicked men and finally shall judge them to the fire everlasting except that speedily and openly they repent their horrible Treason which against God against his Son Christ Jesus and against the Liberty of their own native Countrey they have committed The same plagues shall fall upon you be you assured if ye refuse the defence of his servants that call for your support My words are sharp but consider my Lords that they are not mine but that they are the threatnings of the Omnipotent who assuredly will perform the voices of his Prophets how that ever carnall men
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
simple Somerset most unjustly was bereft of his life what the Devill and his Members the pestilent Papists meant by his away-taking God compelled my tongue to speak in more places then one and specially before you and in Newcastle as sir Robert Bradling did not forget a long time after God grant that he may understand all other matters spoken before him then and at other times as righly as he did that mine interpretation of the Vineyard whose Hedges Ditches Towres and Winepresse God destroyed because it would bring forth no good fruit And that he may remember that what ever was spoken by my mouth that day is now compleate and come to passe except that finall destruction and vengeance is not yet fallen upon the greatest offenders as assuredly shortly it shall unlesse that he and some other of his sort that then were enemies to Gods truth will speedily repent and that earnestly their stubborne disobedience God compelled my tongue I say openly to declare That the Devill and his Ministers intended onely the subversion of Gods true Religion by that mortall hatred among those which ought to have beene most assuredly knit together by Christian charity and by benefits received and especially that the wicked and envious Papists by that ungodly breach of charity diligently minded the overthrow of him that to his own destruction procured the death of his innocent friend Thus I say I was comâ—elled of conscience oftner then once to affirm That such as saw and invented the means how the one should be taken away saw and should finde the means also to take away the other and that all that trouble was devised by the Devill and his Instruments to stop and let Christs Disciples and their poor Boat but that was not able because she was not yet come to the midst of the Sea Transubstansiation the Bird that the Devill hatched by Pope Nicholas and since that time fostered and nourished by all his Children Priests Friers Monks and other his conjured and sworn souldiers and in these last dayes chiefly by Stephen Gardner and his black brood in England Transustantiation I say was then clearly confuted and mightily overthrown and therefore God had put wisdom in the tongues of his Ministers and Messengers to utter that vain vanitie and specially gave such strength to that Reverend Father in God Thomas Granmer to cut the knots of Devillish Sophistry linked and knit by the Devils Gardener and his blinde Buzzards to hold the verity of the everliving God under bondage that rather I think they shall condemn his works which notwithstanding shall continue and remain to their confusion then they shall enterprize to answer the same And also God gave boldnesse and knowledge to the Court of Parliament to take away the round clipped God wherein standeth all the holinesse of Papists and to command common Bread to be used at the Lords Table and also to take away the most part of superstitions kneeling at the Lords Supper excepted which before prophaned Christs true Religion Then dear Brethren was the Boat in the midst of the Sea and suddenly ariseth the horrible tempest most fearfull and dolorous Our King is taken away from us and the Devill bloweth in such Organs as alway he had found obedient to his Precepts and by them he enflameth the heart of that wretched and unhappy man whom I judge more to be lamented then hated to covet the Imperiall Crown of England to be established to his Posterity and what thereupon hath succeeded it is not now necessary to be written Of this short discourse Beloved in the Lord you may consider and perceive two speciall Notes 1. That the whole malice of the Devill hath alwayes this end To vexe and overthrow Christs afflicted Church for what else intended the Devill and his servants the pestilent Papists by all these their crafty policies during the time that Christs Gospell was preached in England then the subversion of the same Gospell and that they might recover power to persecute the Saints of God as this day in the hour of darknesse they have obtained for a time to their own destruction Let no man wonder though I say That the crafty policies of pestilent Papists wrought all the mischiefe for who could more easier and better worke greater mischief then such as bare authority and rule And who I pray you ruled the roste in the Court all this time by stout courage and proudnesse of stomack but Northumberland But who I pray you under King Edward ruled all by counsell and wit Shall I name the man I will writ no more plainly now then my tongue spake the last Sermon That it pleased God that I should make before that Innocent and most godly King Edward the sixt and before his Councell at Westminster and even to the faces of such as of whom I meant Handling this place of Scripture Qui edit mecum panem sustulit adversus me calcaneum suum that is He that eateth bread with me hath lift up his heel against me I made this affirmation That commonly it was seen that the most godly Princes had Officers and chief Councellors most ungodly conjured enemies to Gods true Religion and Traitours to their Princes not that their wickednesse and ungodlinesse was speedily perceived and espied out of the said Princes and godly men but that for time those craftie colourers could so cloke their malice against God and his truth and their hollow hearts toward their loving Masters that by worldly wisdome and policie at length they attained to high promotions And for the proofe of this mine affirmation I recited the Histories of Achitophel Shebna and Iudas of whom the two former had high Offices and promotions with great authority under the most godly Princes David and Hezekiah and Iudas was Purse Master with Christ Jesus And when I had made some discourse in that matter I moved this Question Why permitted so godly Princes so wicked men to be of their Councell and to bear Office and Authority under them To the which I answered That either they so abounded in worldly wisdom foresight and experience touching the government of a Common-wealth that their counsell appeared to be so necessary that the Common-wealth could not lack them and so by the colour to preserve the tranquilitie and quietnesse in Realms they were maintained in Authority or else they kept their malice which they bare towards their Masters and Gods true Religion so secret in their breasts that no man could espie it till by Gods permission they waited for such occasion and opportunitie that they uttered all their mischief so plainly that all the world might perceive it And that was most evident by Achithophel and Sobna for of Achithophel it is written That he was Davids most secret Councellour and that because his counsell in those dayes was like the Oracle of God and Sobna was unto good King
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
of the flesh or the pride of life Now seeing that these are not of the Father but of the world how can it be that our souls can feed upon chastitie temperance and humility so long as that our stomacks are replenished with the corruption of these vices Now so it is that willingly flesh can never refuse these forenamed but rather still delighteth it self in every one of them yea in them all as the examples are but too evident It behoveth therefore that God himself shall violently pull his children from these venemous breasts that when they lack the liquor and poyson of the one they may visite him and learn to be nourished of him Oh if the eyes of worldly Princes should be opened that they might see with what humour and liquor their souls are fed while that their whole delight consisteth in pride ambition and lusts of the stinking flesh We understand then how God doth visite men as well by his severe judgements as by his mercifull visitation of deliverance from trouble or by bringing trouble upon his chosen for their humiliation And now it resteth to understand how man visiteth God Man doth visite God when he appeareth in his presence be it to the hearing of his Word or to the participation of his Sacraments as the people of Israel besides the observation of their Sabbaths and daily oblations were commanded thrice a yeer to present themselves before the presence of the Tabernacle and as we do and as often as we present our selves to the hearing of the Word for there is the footstool yea there is the face and throne of God himself wheresoever the Gospel of Jesus Christ is truely Preached and his Sacraments rightly ministred But men may on this sort visite God hypocritically for they may come for the fashion they may hear with deaf ears yea they may understand and yet never determine with themselves to obey that which God requireth And let such men be assured That he who searcheth the secrets of hearts will be avenged of all such For nothing can be to God more odious then to mock him in his own presence Let every man therefore examine himself with what minde and what purpose he cometh to hear the Word of God yea with what ear he heareth it and what testimony his heart giveth unto him when that God commandeth vertue and forbiddeth impiety Repinest thou when God requireth obedience Thou hearest to thine own condemnation Mockest thou at Gods threatnings Thou shalt feel the weight and truth of them albeit too late when flesh and blood cannot deliver thee from his hand But the visitation whereof our Prophet speaketh is onely proper to the sons of God who in the time when God taketh from them the pleasures of the world or sheweth his angry countenance unto them have their recourse unto him and confessing their former negligence with troubled hearts cry for his mercy This visitation is not proper to all afflicted but appertaineth onely to Gods children For the reprobates can never have accesse to Gods mercy in time of their tribulation and that because they abuse as well his long patience as the manifold benefits they receive from his hands For as the same Prophet heretofore saith Let the wicked obtain mercy yet shall he never learn wisdome but in the land of righteousnesse that is Where the very knowledge of God aboundeth he will do wickedly which is a crime above all others abominable for to what end is it that God erecteth his Throne among us but that we should fear him Why doth he reaveal his holy will unto us but that we should obey it Why doth he deliver us from trouble but that we should be witnesses unto the world that he is gracious and mercifull Now when that men hearing their duty and knowing what God requireth of them do malapertly fight against all equity and justice what I pray you do they else but make manifest warre against God yea when they have received from God such deliverance that they cannot deny but that God himself hath in his great mercy visited them and yet that they continue wicked as before what deserve they but effectually to bee given over unto a reprobate sense that headlong they may runne to ruine both of body and soul It is almost incredible that a man should be so enraged against God that neither his plagues nor yet his mercy shewed should move them to repentance but because the Scriptures beareth witnesse of the one and the other let us cease to marvell and let us firmly beleeve that such things as have beene are even presently before our eyes albeit many blinded by affection cannot see them Ahab as in the book of the Kings it is written received many notable benefits of the hand of God who did visit him in divers sorts sometimes by his plagues sometimes by his word and sometimes by his mercifull deliverance He made him king and for the Idolatry used by him and his wife he plagued whole Israel by Famine He revealed to him his Will and true Religion by the Prophet Elijah he gave unto him sundry deliverances but one most speciall when proud Benhadad came to besiege Samaria and was not content to receive Ahabs gold silver sons daughters and wives but also required that his servants should have at their pleasure whatsoever was delectable in Samaria True it is that his Elders and people willed him not to hear the proud Tyrant But who made unto him the promise of deliverance and who appointed and put his Army in order who assured him of victory The Prophet of God onely who assured him That by the servants of the Princes of the Provinces who in number were onely two hundred thirty and two hee should deface that great Army in the which there were two and thirty Kings with all their Forces and as the Prophet of God promised so it came to passe victory was obtained not once onely but twice and that by the mercifull visitation of the Lord. But how did Ahab visite God again for his great benefit received Did he remove his Idolatry did he correct his Idolatrous wife Iezabel No we finde no such thing but the one and the other wee finde to have continued and increased in former impiety But what was the end hereof The last visitation of God was That dogs licked the blood of the one and did eate the flesh of the other In few words then wee understand what difference there is betwixt the visitation of God upon the Reprobate and his visitation upon his Chosen the Reprobate are visited but never truly humbled nor yet amended the Chosen being visited they sob and they cry unto God for mercy which obtained they magnifie Gods Name and after declare the fruits of repentance Let us therefore that hear these judgements of our God call for the assistance of his holy Spirit that howsoever it pleaseth him to visit us that we may stoop under his mercifull hands and