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
but with great unquietnesse for he was heard to send forth many sighs and groans one Campbell and one John Johnston which two waited very diligently upon him asked after he awaked How he did finde himselfe and what it was that made him to mourn so heavily in his sleep To whom he answered In my life time I have oft been assaulted with Satan and many times he hath cast in my teeth my sins to bring me to despair yet God gave me strength to overcome all his tentations And now that subtill Serpent who never ceases to tempt hath taken another course and seeks to perswade me That all my labours in the Ministery and the fidelity that I have shewn in that Service hath merited heaven and immortality But blessed be God that brought to my minde these Scriptures What hast thou that thou hast not received And Not I but the grace of God in me With which he is gone away ashamed and shall no more returne And now I am sure my Battell is at an end and that without pain of body or trouble of spirit I shall shortly change this mortall and miserable life with that happy and immortall which shall never have an end After which discourse a Prayer was said neer his bed where he lay which being ended it was asked If he heard the Prayer He answered Would to God that ye had heard it with such an ear and heart as I have done Adding Lord Jesu receive my Spirit With which words without any motion of hands or feet as one falling a sleep rather then dying he ended his life He was a man endued with many excellent gifts and with a very great measure of the Spirit God raised him up to be a chief Instrument of the glorious Work of Reformation The Court claw-backs and parasites have been and are displeased with his Doctrine touching the Authority of Princes and Civill Magistrates although there was never man born who did more heartily reverence Civill Authority nor obey more willingly the lawfull commands thereof then he All his Doctrine concerning the Civill Authority was To correct the corruption brought in by the slavish flatterers who abusing the simplicity and debonaritie of those whom God has placed in Authority maketh them inconsiderately to rebell wilfully and openly against God and his Son and turn all things up-side down and undo the poor people of God for whose good and safety they are placed so high Likewise were and are to this day the proud Prelats and idle belly-gods highly offended with his Doctrine concerning Church-Government although he intended no other thing but the pulling down of Antichristianisme fully and casting all tyranny and Idlenesse out of the House of God Never was a man more observant of the true and just Authority of the Church-Rulers according to the Word of God and practice of the purest Primitive times He alwayes urged pressingly due Obedience by the people to the faithfull Pastors and Elders of the Church Although he was both learned and eloquent yet did he not much apply his minde to compose Books for Posterity for he was wont to say That God had called him rather to instruct the ignorant comfort the sorrowfull rebuke the sinners and confirm the weak living in his time then to make Books for ages to come Neverthelesse he wrote severall good Pieces for besides what we have spoken of already namely he left these A learned Treatise against the blasphemous Anabaptists Two Treatises against the Masse One of the Eucharist Some Sermons upon Genesis Some also upon the Psalms An Exhortation to all afflicted Churches An Advice in time of trouble The first blast of the Trumpet c. He died Anno Dom. 1572 and of his age 62. His body was interred at S. Giles without the Church To his Buriall assisted many men of all Ranks among others the Earle of Morton who being neer to the grave as the Corps was put in said by way of Epitaph Here lies the body of him who in his life time never feared the face of man THE PREFACE THe SCOTS by the most judicious Writers and by those who have most diligently studied their Antiquities are acknowledged to be among the first who embraced the Faith of Christ yea they are said to be by some of the very first-fruits of the Gentiles For in few yeers after the Ascension of our Saviour Jesus Christ the Apostles and Disciples being constrained to leave Ierusalem and Iudea by reason of the Persecutions raised against them by the Jews according to the dispensation of the All-wise God went up and down the world and speaking to every People in their own Language declared unto them the glad Tydings of Salvation in Christ Jesus Those who came into our Northern Parts to wit into Scotland and first made known unto our Fathers the Mysteries of Heaven were of the disciples of Iohn the Apostle Some yeers thereafter to wit in the second Persecution raised against the Christians many Britons Provincials of the Empire professing the Name of Christ left their own countrey and went into Scotland for shelter from the generall Massacre then executed thorowout the whole Empire by that bloody Butcher Domitian and to enjoy the freedom of the Gospel which they knew to be received then in Scotland Among these fugitive Britons there were sundry learned and pious men who stayed in Scotland the Persecution ended propagating the Faith of Christ there by their Preaching This we have related unto us by the Historians of best trust We have not then from the Sea of Rome our first Institution in the Christian Faith yea we are so far from it that for many yeers together we hardly had any communication with Rome at all Palladius was the first some yeers after the beginning of the fifth Age who made our acquaintance with Rome although the generall current of the Romish Writers give out That the Gospel was first planted amongst us in Scotland by the means of Victor Bishop of Rome Yet Baronius that renowned Chronologer albeit he would fain have the Scots owe this Obligation unto Rome disclaimeth this opinion of his Party as untrue and disagreeing with the best Antiquity Tertullian who lived in the second Age and wrote Books divers yeers before the end thereof and so was so neer the planting of the Christian Faith amongst the Nations that in a manner he may be said to have been an eye-witnesse unto it in his Book against the Jews speaking how the Light of the Gospel was spread thorow the whole world saith thus The Euangel was diffused into all the parts of the world yea into Britanie and into that part of the Island whereunto the Roman Forces did never pierce By these last words of Tertullian are meant the inhabitants of that part of the Island which lieth benorth the walls first built by Adrian then by Antoninus Pius thirdly by Severus and these were the Scots by name For the Romans put walls betwixt them and the Scots
Bowe-men as our Poet expresseth it Roma sagitti feris praetendit maenia Scotis And Claudian many hundred yeers before this our Poet speaking of the Legion which then was called from its Garrison on the aforesaid walls saith thus The Legion came which was placed before the utmost Britans and which bridled the fierce Scot. Lucius Florus many yeers before Claudian who wrote towards the later end of the fourth Age to wit in the beginning of the second Age and Spartianus who alleadgeth Florus writ towards the later end of the third Age. Lucius Florus the Poet is the same with the Historian who writ the short History of the Romans as judgeth Salmasius is brought in by Aelius Spartianus in the History of the Life of Adrian the Emperor saying these words I would not be Caesar to walk among the Britans and suffer the Scots morning hoar Frosts The word pruina which the Author useth doth signifie so much for it is quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 morning What Florus in these words here alleadged calleth in his Language Scoticas pruinas Claudian calleth Caledonias pruinas speaking of another Roman in these words And he placed his Camp in the middle of the Caledonian morning â—oar Frosts I know that commonly in Spartian of whom we have these Verses of Florus it is read Scythicas for Scoticas but wrong notwithstanding that the great Criticks have not corrected it For how I pray you can Adrian be said to suffer Scythicas pruinas who never was in the Countrie which then went under the name of Scythia yea the Romans had never any War with the Scythes for albeit the Scythes heard of the Romans Arms yet they never felt them Besides what sense had it been in Florus to say unto Adrian That he would not be Caesar to walk in Britany and endure the morning hoary Frosts of Scythia For although the Romans heard say That Scythia was a cold Countrey yet they more perfectly knew Scotland to be cold having been upon the place Now it was very easie to those who copied Books of old and hardly understood what they writ to change one letter for another namely when two letters are so like one to another as these two Vowels O O for O not being Initiall or Capitall was written formerly without the draught under it which hath been written for distinction sake as we see it commonly now thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This change of these two Vowels hath been found elsewhere then in this place of Florus by the Criticks in the same words who seeing the name of the Sea upon the Coast of Scotland written Scythicum presently mended it and made it Scoticum Then Erasmus smelled out the same fault in Ierome his Epistle to Ctesiphon against Palladius and his disciple Caelestius in these words Britannie and the Scots Nations had not then known Moses and the Prophets Erasmus finding Scythicae he changed it into Scoticae Lucius Seneca about an hundred yeers before Florus that is about fourty yeers after Christ now 1600 yeers since in his Satyre upon the death of Claudius makes mention of the Scots in the composed word Scoto-Brigantes as thus followeth He i. e. Claudius commanded the Britans beyond the known Seas and the blue Scoto-Brigantes to submit their necks to the Roman Chains This word above named hath puzzled many of the Criticks how to reade it so that a right meaning or sense might be had of these lines with the true measure of the Verse some reading it one way some another way till at last the learned Ioseph Scaliger corrected it as you have it here giving to the words a plain and easie sense and keeping the law of the Verses against which all others did faile And to this Correction of Scaliger hath submitted many learned men yet some partly for envie against the Nation of whom is here spoken partly for vanity will stand out against the truth because of the authority of this Correction at whose great and most rare Learning they are offended as the former are at any advantage that the Nation whom these words doth concern may have The Scots are called Cerulaei or blue because they used much blue in their Garments and so doth the old Scots to this day witnesse their Plaids whereof the best sort ordinarily hath the ground blue as also their blue Caps Mamertin in his Panegyrick to Maximinian tells us That the Britans had War with the Scots and Picts before Iulius Caesar entered into the Island So by these Testimonies ye see how injurious they are unto the Scots that will not have their name known till many yeers yea some hundred yeers after the entry of the Romans into the Island The Romans having setled themselves in the Island they divided the whole into two parts Their part or the South part they called Britannia major and superiour and their Provincialls went most commonly under the name of Britones although sometimes under the name of Britanni but not so oft and they were sub-divided into severall Peoples The other part of the Island without the Roman Province that is the northern part was called Britannia minor and inferiour Now all the inhabitants of this northern part who were in continuall Bickerings and Warre with the Romans and their Provincialls were called Scoti sometime Transmarins sometime Forreigners and they did consist of two chief Peoples to wit Brigantes and Picti which both were sub-divided into severall lesser Peoples of which we forbear to speak at this time So the name of Scoti was at first appellative and given to more then to one People but in successe of time appropriated to one And this is not singular in this name for the proper names of divers Peoples at first hath been appellative and thereafter appropriate to one alone I will instance onely in one for brevity sake which is this The name Franck or French at first was common to all those that stood out together for Franchise and Liberty against the Romans about the Rhyne and other parts of Germany But at length it became peculiar unto one people as we see it is at this day Moreover that the name of Scoti was appellative and given to more then one people you may cleerly see by the ordinary expression of ancient Writers in the plurall number thus Scotorum gentes Scoticae gentes when otherwise all men ordinarily both by word and writing have ever used and to this day use the singular number speaking of one people as gens not gentes populus not populi nation not nations As all the northern people of the main Land or Continent both in Europe and Asia went anciently under the name of Scythae witnesse Strabo in these words The ancients commonly called the northern people Scythes And in another place he saith The ancients did call by one name of Scythes all the known places towards the North. He means in the Continent or main Land So the northern
Magistrate or Prince as well as the private man is bound to keep the Law of God of Nature c. not onely in particular things for his own singular carriage but also in publike businesses for the good and society of men or of the people for God hath given his Law and Nature her Dictates to all to the observance of which all men are tyed Yea farther they are not onely bound in their severall Conditions and tyed to the performance thereof in their own persons but also are bound to further it with all their might and take away all things that may lett and stop this performance or deterre and withdraw men from it Read Levit. 19.17 where every man is commanded to rebuke his neighbour and stop him from sinning Read Deut. 17.19 20. where the King is commanded to have continually the Copie of the Law before him for his Rule and Guide What is in 1 Sam. 8.10 is what a King is likely to do and not what he ought or should do This is cleer for in the place now named in Deuteronomy the King is told what he ought to do but that he is said to do in Samuel is contrary to the Ordinance of God Confer the places and you will easily see this truth Next a Prince is said to be absolute that is not in any kinde subaltern to another and whose subjects acknowledge under God no other but him Hence you may see That the Popish Kings and Princes are not absolute for beside the great number of people within their Dominions who are immediate sworn vassalls to the Pope I mean the Shavelings The Prince himself takes Oath at his Reception To uphold the over-ruling Government of the Pope under the masked name of Spirituality and the simple abused Prince shall have for a reward to make up all a little holy Oyl to anoynt him and bear the Title of most Christian or Catholike Princes Farther I say That the Prince who although in some things hath cast off the yoke of this god upon earth for so is the Pope now and then called but keeps up a part of his tyranny in the Church of God over his people wants and loses so much of his absolutenesse for this tye upon him from a forreign Prince the Pope But here the Pope sheweth the height of his cunning for he seeing that Princes are told frequently That they are either absolute or ought to be such bethinks himself to keep up his super-eminency above Princes as his vassalls and yet make the Princes finde an absolutenesse which he acts by his Emissaries and their inferiour instruments for their own private ends whom he makes inculcate in the ears of Princes That their absolutenesse consisteth in doing with the Life Liberty and Fortunes of the People as seems good in their eyes without any regard to the good of humane Society which is the true End of all Government But with this Proviso That those who have relation to him immediately be exempted and these are not onely his shavelings who are openly obedient to his commands and orders c. but also those yea in Kingdoms where his name is in a kinde rejected who keep up his tyrannicall Laws and Ordinances as we have felt of late namely in these Dominions wherein we live to our wofull experience for they to uphold and encrease their power have cast both Prince and People into great troubles making the Prince believe That without them he hath no being But to shew thee that Princes may use the people committed to their Charge like beasts and yet neverthelesse are not absolute cast thy eyes in the neighbour Countreys onely upon the Duke of Savoy and the Duke of Florence who although they be Sovereigns in a kinde over the people and deal most hardly with them taking their Lives and Fortunes away at their pleasure yet they are not acknowledged to be absolute Princes for they are vassalls of the Empire and their chief titles are to be Officers thereof So the Duke of Savoy is qualified Vicar of the Empire c. If you consider the Prince and people committed to his Charge as having relation one to another I say they are both bound one to another by Duty the Prince first bound to rule and govern according to the Law of God of Nature of Nations and Municipall Laws of the Countrey and the People is bound to obey him accordingly but if the Prince command any thing against these his commands are not to be obeyed God being onely he to whose commands Obedience is simply due and to be given but to men onely obedience with limitation and in externall things according to the Laws so oft above named at the least not against them or opposite to them The Chimaera or rather Solaecisme in reason of passive Obedience is not to be thought on among rationall men it being the invention of Court-parasites a meer nothing or non ens for Obedience consisteth in action as all other vertues do and not is suffering Farther whosoever for not obeying a wicked command of a Superiour suffereth if he can stop it or shun it is an enemy to his own being wherein he offends against nature for you see every naturall thing striveth to conserve it self against what annoyeth it then he sins against the Order of God who in vain hath ordained us so many lawfull Means for the preservation of our Being if we suffer it to be destroyed having power to help it But then it will be demanded What is there no absolutenesse in humane Authority I answer simple absolutenesse there is none under God For all humane Authority is limited by the Laws aforesaid and extends to farther then externall things yet comparatively humane Authority is said to be absolute when it is free from any Forreigne Superiour Power So when Henry the eighth having cast off the Romish yoak and putting down the vassallage of these his Dominions unto the Pope caused divers Books to be written of the absolute Empire or Authority of the Prince although after the freeing himself from the Pope he had not nor did not pretend to have any more absolute power over the people then he had before but albeit this Prince did much for the regaining the absolute Authority to the Crown again in chasing away the Romish Pontiff yet he did it not fully in so farre as he kept still the Romish Rites and the Hierarchy or Prelacy wherein the Romish Fox lurking hath kept himself in these Countreys unto this day and now having acted the Fox long enough he is acting the Woolf by dedestroying the people of God if the Successors of King Henry had not kept in the Romish Superstitious Rites and Hierarchy they and we all had had better times then we have all tasted of Although King Henry for his Vices be blame worthy to all posterity yet I must say in all humane appearance That if the Prelat-Bishops to whom he trusted the reforming of the abuses
carnall wisdome and worldly policie to the which both you are bruted too much inclined give place to Gods simple and naked Trueth very love compells me to say That except the Spirit of God purge your heart from that venome which your eyes have seen to have been destruction to others that you shall not long escape the reward of dissemblers Call to minde what your eares heard Proclaimed in the Chappell of S. Iames when this Verse of the first Psalme was handled Not so O wicked not so but as the dust which the winde tosseth c. And consider that now you travell in the same way which then they did occupie to speak plainely now you are in that estate and credit in the which you shall either comfort the sorrowfull and afflicted for righteousnesse sake or else you shall molest or oppugne the Spirit of God speaking in his Messengers the Comforters of the afflicted for godlinesse hath promise of comfort in their greatest necessities but the troubles of Gods servants how contemned that ever they appeare before the world are threatned to have their Names in execration to the posterities following The examples of the one and of the other are not onely evident in Scriptures but also have been lately manifested in England And this is the conclusion of that which to your self I say except that in the cause of Christs Evangell you be found simple sincere fervent and unfained you shall taste of the same cup which politick heads have drank in before you The other Point concerning my self and that poore flock now dispersed and as I heare say rudely used is this By divers Messengers I have requested such Priviledges as Turkes commonly do grant to men of every Nation to wit That liberty should be granted to me freely to passe through England to the end that with greater expedition I might repaire towards my owne Countrey which now beginneth to thirst for Christs Trueth This request I thought so reasonable that almost I had entered the Realme without license demanded and yet I understand that it hath been so rejected that the soliciters thereof did hardly escape imprisonment and some of that poore flocke I heare to be so extreamely handled That those who most rudely have shed the blood of Gods most deare Children findes this day amongst you greater favours then they do Alas this appeareth much to repugne to Christian Charity for whatsoever hath been mine offence this I fear not to affirme in their cause That if any that hath suffered exile in those most dolorous dayes of persecution deserve praise and commendation for Peace Concord sober and quiet living it is they And as for me how criminall that ever I be in Gods presence for the multitude of my sins yet before his Justice-seat I have a testimonie of a cleare Conscience That since my first acquaintance with England willingly I never offended person within it except in open Chaire to reprove that which God condemneth can be judged offence but I have say you written a Treasonable Book against the regiment and Empire of women If that be my offence the poore flock is innocent except such as this day do fastest cry Treason For Sir in Gods presence I do write with none in that company did I consult before the finishing of the same Therefore in Christs Name I require That the blame may be upon me alone The writing of that Book I will not deny but to prove it Treasonable I think it shall be hard for Sir No more do I doubt of the Trueth of my Proposition then that I doubt that this was the voice of God which first did pronounce this penaltie against women In dolour shalt thou beare thy children It is bruited That my book is or shall be written against or answered If so be Sir I greatly feare That flatterers shall more hurt then helpe the matter which they would seem to maintaine for except my errour be plainly shewne and confuted by better authority then by such Lawes as from yeere to yeere may and do change I dare not promise silence in so weighty a businesse lest that in so doing I shall appeare to betray the Verity which is not subject to the mutabilitie of time And if any thinke me either enemy to the person or yet to the Regiment of her whom God hath now promoted they are utterly deceived in me for the miraculous Work of God comforting his afflicted by an infirme vessell I do acknowledge and I will obey the power of his most potent hand raising up whom best pleaseth his Mercy to suppresse such as fight against his glory albeit that both nature and Gods most perfect Ordinance repugne to such Regiment More plainly to speak If Queen Elizabeth shall confesse That the extraordinary dispensation of Gods great mercy makes that lawfull unto her which both nature and Gods Lawes do deny unto all women then shall none in England be more willing to maintaine her lawfull authority then I shall be But if Gods wondrous worke set aside she ground as God forbid the justnesse of her Title upon consuetude Lawes and Ordinances of men Then I am assured That as such foolish presumption doth highly offend Gods supreame Majestie so do I greatly feare That her ingratitude shall not long lacke punishment And this in the name of the eternall God and of his Son Jesus Christ before whom both you and I shall stand to make an account of all counsell we give I require you to signifie unto her Majestie in my name Adding That onely humility and desertion of her selfe before God shall be the firmenesse and stability of the Throne which I know shall be assaulted mo wayes then one If this you conceale from her Majestie I will make it patent to the world That thus farre I have communicated with you having also further to speak if my judgement may be heard Alas Sir is my offence although in that time and in that matter I had written ten Bookes so hainous that I cannot have Licence by Preaching of Christ Jesus to refresh those thirsty soules which long have lacked the Water of Life No man will I presently accuse but I greatly feare That the Leprous have no greâ—t pleasure to behold faire faces in cleare glasse Let none be afraid that I require to frequent the Court or yet to remaine any long time in England but onely thirsts in passing thorow to my native Countrey to communicate with you and some others such things as willingly I list not to commit to Paper neither to the Credit and knowledge of many And then in the North parts to offer Gods favours to such as I suppose do mourne for their desertion And this I trust shall be no lesse profitable to the Queen and to all godly within England then it should be pleasing to me in the flesh This is the third time that I have begged Licence to visite the hungry and thirstie amongst you which if now be denied
one Citie For the bodily presence of Kings can no more be in divers cities at one instant then that they can be in divers Realms Hitherto we have understood that wheresoever the great Councellers of the King with his power and Commission are assembled to do any thing at his just commandment That there is the Kings sufficient presence and authority wheresoever his own body be living at freedome and liberty which if the Papists deny we will finde faults with them and with the Princes whom they have abused that more will annoy them then any thing that we can lose by the insufficiencie of that Parliament Which neverthelesse we are bold to affirme to have been more lawfull and more free then any Parliament that they are able to produce this hundred yeeres before it or yet any that hath ensued since it was he meanes untill 1566. when this Book was written for in it the voices of men were free and given in conscience in others they were bought or given at the devotion of the misled Prince All things in it concluded are able to abide the triall and not to be consumed at the proofe of the fire of others the godly may justly call in doubt things determined To the Sword and Scepter nor yet to the absence of some Lords we answer nothing For our adversaries know well enough that the one is rather a pompe and vaine-glorious ceremonie then a substantiall point of necessitie required to a lawfull Parliament And the absence of some prejudges not the powers of the present duely assembled Providing that due advertisement be made unto them But now we return to our History The Parliament dissolved consultation was had how the Church might be established in a good and godly policie which by the Papists was altogether defaced Commission and charge was given to Master Iohn Winram Sub-priour of S. Andrews Master Iohn Spottiswood Iohn Willock Master Iohn Dowglas Rectour of S. Andrews Master Iohn Row and Iohn Knox to draw in a Volume the Policie and Discipline of the Church as well as they had done the Doctrine which they did and presented it to the Nobility who did peruse it many dayes Some approved it and willed the same to have been set forth by a Law others perceiving their carnall liberty and worldly commodity somewhat to be impared thereby grudged in so much that the name of the Book of Discipline became odious unto them Every thing that repugned to their corrupt imaginations was termed in their mockage Devout imaginations The cause we have before declared some was licentious some had greedily griped the possessions of the Church and others thought that they would not lack their part of Christs Coat yea and that before that ever he was Crucified as by the Preachers they were oft rebuked The chief great man that had professed Christ Jesus and refused to subscribe the Book of Discipline was the Lord Erskin And no wonder for besides that he had a very evill woman to his wife if the Poore the Schooles and the Ministerie of the Church had their owne his Kitchin would lack two parts and more of that which he unjustly now possesseth Assuredly some of us hath wondered how men that professe godlinesse could of so long continuance hear the threatnings of God against theeves and against their houses and knowing themselves guilty in such things as were openly rebuked and that they never had remorse of conscience neither yet intended to restore any thing of that which long they had stollen and reft There were none within the Realme more unmercifull to the poore Ministers then were they which had greatest rents of the Churches But in that we have perceived the old Proverb to be true Nothing can suffice a wretch And again The belly hath no eares Yet the same Book of Discipline was subscribed by a great part of the Nobility To wit The Duke the Earle of Arrane the Earles Argyle Glencarn Mershell Menteth Morton Rothesse Lord Iames after Earle of Murray Lords Yeaster Boyd Uchiltrie Master of Maxwell Lord Lindsay elder and the Master after Lord Barrons Drunlaurige Lothingwar Garleisse Bargany Master Alexander Gordon Bishop of Galloway this Bishop of Galloway as he renounced Popery so did he Prelacie witnesse his subscription of the Book of Discipline as the rest of the Prelats did who did joyne to the Reformation Alexander Campbell Deane of Marray with a great number moe subscribed and approved the said Book of Discipline in the Town-Buith of Edinburgh the 27 day of January the yeere of our Lord God 1560. by their approbation In these words WE which have subscribed these presents having advised with the Articles herein specified and as is above-mentioned from the beginning of this Book thinks the same good and conforme to Gods Word in all points conforme to the Notes and Additions thereto asked and promise to set the same forward at the uttermost of our powers Providing that the Bishops Abbots Priors and other Prelates and Beneficed men which else have adjoyned themselves to us brooke the revenues of their Benefices during their life times they sustaining and upholding the Ministerie and Ministers as is heerein specified for Preaching of the Word and Ministring of the Sacraments What be the contents of the whole Book and how that this promise was illuded from time to time we shall after heare Shortly after the said Parliament were sent from the Councell Ambassadours to England the Earles Morton and Glencarne together with William Maitland of Lethington yonger The chief point of their Commission was earnestly to crave the constant assistance of the Queens Majestie of England against all forraigne invasion and common enemies That same time was the Castle of Semple hard besieged and taken Because the Lord thereof disobeyed the Lawes and Ordinances of the Councell in many things and especially in that that he would maintain the Idolatrie of the Masse and also that he beset the way to the Earle of Arrane with a great gathering as he was riding with his accustomed company The Papists were proud for they looked for a new Armie from France at the next Spring and thereof was no small appearance if God had not otherwise provided For France utterly refused the confirmation of the Peace contracted at Leith would ratifie no part of our Parliament dismissed the Lord of Saint Iohn without a resolute answer began to gather new Bands of throat-cutters and to make great preparation for Ships They further sent before them certain practisers amongst whom the Lord Seaton who had departed with the French out of Leith was one to raise up new troubles within this Realme And all this came partly of the malice of the house of Guise who had avowed to revenge the displeasure of their sister both upon England and Scotland and partly by instigation of proud Beton falsly called Bishop of Glasgow of Dury Abbot of Dunfermeling and Saulles Seaton and Master Iohn Sinclair Deane of Restalrige
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
owne desire we know not but the Queen spake with Iohn Knox and had long reasoned with him none being present except the Lord Iames two Gentlemen stood in the one end of the room The sum of their reasoning was this The Queen accused him That he had raised a part of her subjects against her Mother and her self That he had written a Book against her just Authority she meant the Treatise against the Regiment of Women which she had and would cause the most learned in Europe to write against it That he was the cause of great sedition and great slaughter in England And that it was said to her That all that he did was by Necromancy To the which the said Iohn answered Madame it may please your Majestie patiently to hear my simple answers And first said he my simple Answers And first said he if to teach the Word of God in sincerity if to rebuke Idolatry and to will a people to worship God according to his Word be to raise Subjects against their Princes then cannot I bee excused for it hath pleased God of his mercy to make me one amongst many to disclose unto this Realme the vanitie of the Papisticall Religion and the deceit pride and tyranny of that Romane Antichrist But Madame if the true knowledge of God and his right worshipping be the chief cause which must move men to obey their just Princesse from their heart as it is most certain that they are wherein can I be reprehended I thinke and am surely perswaded that your Majestie has had and presently hath as unfained obedience of such as professe Christ Jesus within this Realm as ever your Father or Progenitours had of those that were called Bishops And touching that Booke that seemeth so highly to offend your Majestie it is most certaine that if I wrote it I am content that all the learned of the world judge of it I heare that an Englishman hath written against it but I have not read him if hee hath sufficiently confuted my reasons and established his contrary Propositions with as evident testimonies as I have done mine I shall not bee obstinate but shall confesse mine errour and ignorance But to this houre I have thought and yet thinkes my selfe alone more able to sustaine the things affirmed in that my Work than any ten in Europe shall be able to confute it You thinke said shee that I have no just Authoritie Please your Majestie said he that learned men in all ages have had their judgements free and most commonly disagreeing from the Common judgement of the world Such also have they published both with Pen and tongue notwithstanding they themselves have lined in the common Societie with others and have borne patiently with the errour and imperfections which they could not amend Plato the Philosopher wrote his Booke of the Common wealth in the which hee condemnes many things that were maintained in the world and required many things to have beene reformed And yet notwithstanding he lived under such Politicks as then were universally received without farther troubling any State Even so Madame am I content to do in uprightnesse of heart and with a testimony of good Conscience I have communicate my judgement to the world if the Realme findes no inconveniencies in the Regiment of a woman that which they approve shall I not further disallow then within my owne brest but shall be all well content and shall live under your Majestie as Paul was to live under the Roman Emperour And my hope is that so long as ye defile not your hands with the Blood of the Saints of God that neither I nor that Booke shall either hurt you or your Authoritie for in very deed Madame that Booke was written most especially against that wicked Mary of England But said shee you speake of women in generall most true it is Madame said the other and yet plainly appeareth to me that wisedome should perswade your Majestie never to raise trouble for that which this day hath not troubled your Majestie neither in person nor in anxietie For of late yeeres many things which before were holden Stable have been called in doubt yea they have been plainely impugned But yet Madame I am assured That neither Protestant nor Papist shall be able to prove That any such Question was at any time moved in publike or in private Now Madame said he if I had intended to trouble your State because you are a woman I might have chosen a time more convenient for that purpose then I can do now when your own presence is within the Realme But now Madame shortly to answer to the other two accusations I heartily praise my God through Jesus Christ that Satan the enemy of mankinde and the wicked of the World have no other crimes to lay to my charge then such as the very World it selfe knoweth to be most false and vaine For in England I was resident onely the space of five yeeres The places were Barwick where I abode two yeeres So long in New-castle And a yeere in London Now Madame if in any of these places during the time that I was there any man shall be able to prove That there was either Battell Sedition or Mutinie I shall confesse That I my selfe was the Malefactour and shedder of the blood I am not ashamed further to affirme That God so blessed my weake labours then in Barwick wherein then commonly used to be slaughter by reason of quarrells that used to arise amongst Souldiers there was also great quietnesse all the time that I remained there as there is this day in Edinburgh And where they slander me of Magick Necromancie or of any other Art forbidden of God I have witnesse besides mine owne conscience all the Congregations that ever heard me what I speak both against such acts and against those that use such impietie But seeing the wicked of the world said That my Master the Lord Jesus was possessed with Beelzebub I must patiently beare Albeit that I wretched sinner be unjustly accused of those that never delighted in the Veritie But yet said she you have taught the people to receive another Religion then their Princes can allow And how can that Doctrine be of God Seeing that God commandeth Subjects to obey their Princes Madame said he as right Religion tooke neither Originall nor Antiquity from worldly Princes but from the eternall God alone So are not Subjects bound to frame their Religion according to the appetite of their Princes For oft it is that Princes are the most ignorant of all others in Gods true Religion as we may reade in the Histories as well before the death of CHRIST JESUS as after If all the seed of Abraham should have beene of the Religion of Pharaoh to whom they had beene a long time Subjects I pray you Madame what Religion should there have been in the world Or if all men in the dayes of the Apostles
should have beene of the Religion of the Romane Emperours What Religion should have been upon the face of the earth Daniel and his fellows were subjects to Nebuchad-nezzar and unto Darius and yet Madame they would not be of their Religion neither of the one nor of the other For the three Children said We make it knowne to thee O King That we will not worship thy Gods And Daniel did pray publikely unto his God against the expresse Commandment of the King And so Madame ye may perceive that Subjects are not bound to the Religion of their Princes albeit they are commanded to give them obedience Yea quoth she none of these men raised their Sword against their Princes Yet Madame quoth he ye cannot deny but they resisted For those that obey not the Commandments given in some sort resist But yet said she they resisted not by the Sword God said she Madame had not given them the power and the meanes Thinke you said she That Subjects having power may resist their Princes If Princes do exceed their Bounds quoth he Madame and doe against that wherefore they should be obeyed there is no doubt but they may be resisted even by Power For there is neither greater Honour nor greater Obedience to be given to Kings and Princes then God hath commadned to be given to Father and Mother But so it is That the Father may be stricken with a Phrenzie in the which he would slay his owne Children Now Madame if the children arise joyn themselves together apprehend the Father take the Sword or other Weapon from him and finally binde his hands and keepe him in Prison till that his Phrensie be over-past Thinke ye Madame that the children do any wrong Or thinke ye Madame that God will be offended with them that have stayed their Father from committing wickednesse It is even so said he Madame with Princes that would murther the children of God that are subject unto them Their blinde zeale is nothing but a very mad phrenzie and therefore to take the sword from them to binde their hands and to cast them into prison till that they be brought to a more sober minde is no disobedience against Princes but just obedience because that it agreeth with the Word of God At these words the Queene stood as it were amazed more then a quarter of an houre her countenance altered so that the Lord Iames began to entreat her and to demand What hath offended you Madame At length she said Well then I perceive that my Subjects shall not onely obey you and not me And shall do what they list and not what I command and so must I be subject unto them and not they to me God forbid answered he that ever I take upon me to command any to obey me or yet to set Subjects at liberty to do whatsoever please them but my travell is That both Princes and Subjects obey GOD. And thinke not said he Madame that wrong was done unto you when you are willed to be subject unto GOD for it is he that subjects the people under Princes and causes obedience to be given unto them yea God craves of Kings That they be as it were Foster-Fathers to the Church and commands Queens to be Nourishers unto his People And this subjection Madame unto God and to his troubled Church is the greatest dignity that flesh can get upon the face of the earth for it shall carry them to everlasting glory Yea quoth she but ye are not the Church that I will nourish I will defend the Church of Rome for I think it is the true Church of God Your will quoth he Madame is no reason neither doth your thought make that Romane Harlot to be the Immaculate Spouse of Jesus Christ. And wonder not Madame that I call Rome an Harlot for that Church is altogether polluted with all kinde of Spirituall Fornication as well in Doctrine as in Manners yea Madam I offer my selfe further to prove That the Church of the Jewes who crucified Jesus Christ when that they manifestly denied the Sonne of God was not so farre degenerated from the Ordinances and Statutes which God gave by Moses and Aaron unto his People as the Church of Rome is declined and more then five hundred yeers hath declined from the Purity of Religion which the Apostles taught and planted My conscience said she is not so Conscience Madame said he requires knowledge and I fear that of right knowledge you have but little But said she I have both heard and read So Madame said he did the Jewes that crucified Christ Jesus reade both the Law and the Prophets and heard the same interpreted after their manner Have ye heard said he any teach but such as the Pope and his Cardinalls have allowed And you may be assured That such will speak nothing to offend their owne state Ye interpret the Scriptures said she in one manner and they in another Whom shall I believe and who shall be Judge Believe said he God that plainly speaketh in his Word And further then the Word teacheth you ye shall neither believe the one nor the other The Word of God is plain in it self And if there appear any obscurity in one place the holy Ghost which is never contrarious to himself explains the same more clearly in other places So that there can remaine no doubt but unto such as obstinately will remaine ignorant And now Madame said he to take one of the chief Points which this day is in controversie betwixt the Papists and us for example The Papists alleadge and boldly have affirmed That the Masse is the Ordinance of God and the Institution of Jesus Christ and a Sacrifice for the quick and the dead We deny both the one and the other and affirme That the Masse as it is now used is nothing but the Invention of man and therefore it is an Abomination before God and no Sacrifice that ever God commanded Now Madame who shall judge betwixt us two thus contending It is not reason that either of the persons be further believed then they are able to prove by insuspect witnessing Let them lay downe the Book of God and by the plain words prove their affirmatives and we shall give unto them the play granted But so long as they are bold to affirme and yet do prove nothing we must say That albeit all the world believe them yet believe they not God but do receive the lyes of men for the Truth of God What our Master Christ Jesus did we know by his Evangelists What the Priests do at the Masse the world seeth Now doth not the Word of God plainly assure us That Christ Jesus neither said nor yet commanded Masse to be said at his last Supper seeing that no such thing as the Masse is made mention of within the whole Scriptures You are over-hard for me said the Queen but if they were here whom I have heard they would answer you
of your Bishops is more then manifest their filthy lives infect the ayr the innocent blood which they shed cryeth vengeance in the ears of our God the idolatry and abomination which openly they commit and without punishment maintain doth corrupt and defile the whole Land and none amongst you do unfainedly study for any redresse of such enormities Will God in this behalf hold you as innocents Be not deceived dear brethren God hath punished not onely the proud tyrants filthy persons and cruell murtherers but also such as with them did draw the yoke of iniquity was it by flattering their offences obeying their unjust commandments or in winking at their manifest iniquity All such I say God once punished with the chief offenders Be ye assured brethren that as he is immutable of nature so will he not pardon you in that which he hath punished in others and now the lesse because he hath plainly admonished you of the dangers to come and hath offered you his mercy before he pour forth his wrath and displeasure upon the inobedient God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the father of glory and God of all consolation give you the spirit of wisedom and open unto you the knowledge of himself by the means of his dear Son by the which ye may attain to the esperance and hope That after the troubles of this transitory life ye may be partakers of the glorious Inheritance which is prepared for such as refuse themselves and fight under the Banner of Christ Iesus in the day of this his Battell That in deep consideration of the same ye may learn to prefer the invisible and eternall joyes to the vain pleasures that are present God further grant you his holy Spirit righteously to consider what I in his Name have required of your Nobility and of the subjects and move all together so to answer that my Petition be not a testimony of your just condemnation when the Lord Iesus shall appear to revenge the blood of his Saints and the contempt of his most holy Word Amen Sleep not in sin for vengeance is prepared against the inobedient Fly from Babylon if ye will not be partakers of her plagues Grace be with you Your Brother to command in godlinesse JOHN KNOX Be witnesse to my Appellation The 4. of Iuly 1558. A faithfull ADMONITION made by IOHN KNOX To the true Professors of the Gospel of CHRIST within the Kingdom of England 1554. John Knox wisheth Grace Mercy and Peace from GOD the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the perpetuall Comfort of the Holy Ghost to be with you for ever and ever dear Brethren the afflicted Members of Christs Church in England HAving no lesse desire to comfort such as now be in trouble within the Realm of England and specially you for many causes most dear to me then hath the naturall Father to ease the griefe and pain of his dearest Childe I have considered with my selfe what argument or parcell of Gods Scriptures was most convenient and meet to be handled for your consolation in these most dark and dolorous dayes And so as for the same purpose I was turning my Book I chanced to see a Note in the Margine written thus in Latine Videas Anglia Let England beware which Note when I had considered I found that the matter written in my Booke in Latine was this Seldome it is that God worketh any notable work to the comfort of his Church but that trouble fear and labour cometh upon such as God hath used for his Servants and Workmen and also tribulation most commonly followeth that Church were Christ Iesus is most truely preached This Note was made upon a place of Scripture written in the fourteenth Chapter of Saint Matthews Gospell which place declareth That after Christ Jesus had used the Apostles as Ministers and Servants to feed as it had been by their hands five thousand men beside women and children with five Barley Loaves and two Fishes he sent them to the Sea commanding them to passe over before him to the other side Which thing as they attempted to obey and for the same purpose did travell and row forth in the Sea the night approached the wind was contrary the vehement and raging storme arose and was like to overthrow their poor Boat and them When I considered as dolour and my simplicity would suffer the circumstances of the Text I began to reckon and ask account of my self and as God knoweth not without sorrow and sobs whether at any time I had been so plain by my tongue as God had opened his holy Will and Wisdom in that matter unto me as mine own Pen and Note beare witnesse to my conscience And shortly it came to my minde that the same place of Scripture I had handled in your presences when God gave opportunity and time for you to heare Gods Messenger speak the words of eternall life Wherefore I thought nothing more expedient then shortly to call to minde againe such things as then I trust were touched albeit peradventure neither of me so plainly uttered neither of you so plainly perceived as these most dolorous dayes declare the same to us It shall not bee necessary to handle the Text word by word but of the whole summe to gather certain Notes and Observations which shall not farre disagree from the state of these dayes it shall be sufficient And first it is to be observed That after this great miracle that Christ had wrought he neither would retain with himself the multitude of people whom he had fed neither yet his disciples but the one he sent away every man to return to his place of accustomed residence and the others he sent to the danger of the Seas not as he that was ignorant what should chance unto them but knowing and foreseeing the Tempest yea and appointing the same so to trouble them It is not to be judged That the onely and true Pastour would remove and send away from him the wandering and weak sheep neither yet that the onely provident Governour and Guide would set out his rude Warriours to so great a jeopardie without sufficient and most just cause Why Christ removed and sent away from him the people the Evangelist Saint Iohn declareth saying When Iesus knew that they were come to take him that they might make him King he passed secretly or alone to the Mountain Whereof it is plain what chiefly moved Christ to send away the people from him because that by him they sought a carnall and worldly libertie regarding nothing his Heavenly Doctrine of the Kingdom of God his Father which before he had taught and declared unto them plainly shewing them That such as would follow him must suffer for his Names sake persecution must be hated of all men must deny themselves must be sent forth as sheep among Wolves But no part of this doctrine pleased them or could enter into their
the same did cut it and cast it into the fire notwithstanding that some of the Princes I think not all made request in the contrary But the Prophet was charged by God to write again and to say to Iehoiakim Thus saith the Lord Thou hast burnt this Book saying Why hast thou written in it according to this sentence Assuredly the King of Babylon shall come and shall destroy this land and shall make it void of men and beasts Therefore thus saith the Lord of Jehoiakim the King There shall not be one left alive to sit in the Seat of David Their carkases shall be cast to the heat of the day and to the frost of the night whereby the Prophet did signifie the most vile death and most cruell torment and I shall visite the iniquity of himself and of his seed and servants And I shall bring upon them and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem and upon all Iudah all the calamities which I have spoken against them Albeit they would not hear This is not written Madame for that time onely but to assure us That the like punishment abideth the like contemners of what state condition or degree that ever they be I did write unto you before having testimony of a good conscience That I did it in the fear of my God and by the motion of his holy Spirit for the request of the faithfull brethren in things lawfull and appertaining to Gods glory I cannot but judge to be the voice of the holy Ghost But how ye did accept the same my former writing I do not otherwise then by conjectures understand whether ye did reade it to the end or not I am uncertain One thing I know That ye did deliver it to one of your Prelats saying My Lord Will ye reade a Pasquill As charity perswadeth me to interpret things doubtfully spoken in the best sense so my duty to God who hath commanded me to flatter no Prince on the earth compelleth me to say That if no more ye esteem the Admonition of God then the Cardinalls do the scoffing of Pasquills that then he shall shortly send you messengers with whom ye shall not be able on that manner to jest If my person be considered I grant my thâ—eatnings are no more to be feared then be the merry sports which fearfull men do father upon Pisquillus in Rome But Madame if ye shall deeply consider That GOD useth men yea and most commonly those that be of lowest degree and most abject before the world to be his Messengers and Ambassadours not onely to notifie his will to the simple but also to rebuke the most proud Tyrants and potent Princes then will ye not judge the liquor by the outward appearance and nature of the vessell For ye are not ignorant That the most noble Wine is inclosed within the Tun made of Fraile wood and that the precious oyntment is often kept within the pot made of Clay If further ye shall consider that God will do nothing touching the punishment of Realms and Nations which he will not reveale to his servants the Prophets whose tongues he will compell to speak somtimes contrary to the appetites and desires of their own hearts and whose words he will perform be they never so unapparent to the judgement of men If these ye do deeply weigh then will ye fear the thing which presently is not seen Elias was but a man as Saint Iames doth witnesse like to his Brethren and yet at his prayer was Achab the Idolater and all Israel with him punished three yeares and six moneths God shutting up the heaven that neither rain nor dew fell upon the earth the space afore written And in the end God so wrought by him that Baals Priests were first confounded and after justly punished And albeit that Iesabel sought his blood and by oath had determined his death yet as she was frustrate of her intent so could she not keep her own bones from the dogs which punishment the Prophet God so ruling his tongue had before appointed to that wicked woman Albeit Madam that the Messengers of God are not sent this day with visible miracles because they teach none other doctrine then that which is confirmed with miracles from the beginning of the world yet will not he who hath promised to take charge over his poor and little flock to the end suffer the contempt of their Embassage escape punishment and vengeance For the truth it self hath said He that heareth you heareth me and he that contemneth you contemneth me I did not speak unto you Madam by my former letter neither yet do I now as Pasquillus doth to the Pope and his carnall Cardinals in the behalf of such as dare not utter their names but I come in the name of Christ Jesus affirming that the Religion which ye maintain is damnable Idolatry the which I offer my self to prove by the most evident testimony of Gods Scriptures And in this quarrell I present my self against all the Papists in the Realm desiring none other Armour but Gods holy Word and the liberty of my tongue God move your heart to understand my Petition to know the truth and unfeinedly to follow the same Amen REVEL JOH 21. I am the beginning and the end I will give to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely He that overcommeth shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my son But the fearfull and unbelceving and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all lyers shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death JOHN KNOX THE SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST In preaching of his Holy Evangell To the benevolent Reader desireth grace and peace with the spirit of righteous judgement WOnder not Christian Reader that all my studie and travell within the Scriptures of God these twenty yeers I have set forth nothing in expounding any portion of Scripture except this onely rude and indigested Sermon preached by me in the publike audience of the Church of Edinburgh the nineteenth day of August Anno 1565. That I did not in writing communicate my judgement upon the Scriptures I have ever thought my self to have most just reason for considering my self rather called of my God to instruct the ignorant comfort the sorrowfull confirm the weak and rebuke the proud by tongue and lively voyce in these most corrupt dayes then to compose Books for the age to come seeing that so much is written and by men of most singular erudition and yet so little well observed I decreed to contain my self within the bounds of that Vocation whereunto I found my self especially called I dare not deny lest that in so doing I should be injurious to the Giver but that God hath revealed unto me secrets unknown to the world and also that he hath made my tongue a Trumpet to forewarn
their greatest prosperity For the better understanding of this complaint and of the minde of the Prophet we must first observe from whence all Authority floweth and secondly To what end Powers are appointed by God The which two points being discussed we shall the better understand what lords and what authority rules beside God and who they are in whom God and his mercifull presence rules The first is resolved to us by the words of the Apostle saying There is no Power but of God David bringeth in the Eternall God speaking to Judges and Rulers saying I have said Ye are gods and Sons of the Most High And Solomon in the person of God affirmeth the same saying By me Kings raigne and Princes discern the things that are just Of which place it is evident That it is neither Birth influence of Stars election of people force of Arms nor finally whatsoever can be comprehended under the power of nature that maketh the distinction betwixt the superiour power and the inferiour or that doth establish the Royall Throne of Kings but it is the onely and perfect Ordinance of God who willeth his Terrour Power and Majestie in a part to shine in the Thrones of Kings and in the faces of Judges and that for the profit and comfort of man So that whosoever would studie to deface that order of Regiment that God hath established and by his holy Word allowed and bring in such a confusion as no difference should be betwixt the upper Powers and the subjects doth nothing but evert and turne upside downe the very Throne of God which he will to be fixed here upon earth as in the end and cause of this Ordinance more plainly shall appear which is the second Point we have to observe for the better understanding of the Prophets words and minde The end and cause then why God printeth in the weak and feeble flesh of man this Image of his own Power and Majestie is not to puff up flesh in opinion of it self neither yet that the heart of him that is exalted above others shâ—ll be lifted up by presumption and pride and so despise others but that he shall consider that he is appointed Lieutenant to one whose eyes continually watch upon him to see and examine how he behaveth himself in his Office Saint Paul in few words declareth the end wherefore the sword is committed to the powers saying It is to the punishment of the wicked doers and unto the praise of such as do well Of which words it is evident That the sword of God is not committed to the hand of man to use as it pleaseth him but onely to punish vice and maintain vertue that men may live in such society as before God is acceptable And this is the very and onely cause why God hath appointed powers in this Earth For such is the furious rage of mans corrupt nature That unlesse severe punishment were appointed and put in execution upon malefactors Better it were that man should live among brute and wilde Beasts then among men But at this present I dare not enter into the description of this common place for so should I not satisfie the Text which by Gods grace I purpose to absolve This onely by the way I would that such as are placed in Authority should consider Whether they raign and rule by God so that God ruleth them or if they rule without besides and against God of whom our Prophet here doth complain If any list to take tryall of this point it is not hard For Moses in the election of Judges and of a King describeth not onely what persons shall be chosen to that honour but doth also give to him that is elected and chosen the rule by the which he shall try himself whether God raign in him or not saying When he shall sit upon the throne of his Kingdom he shall write to himself an examplar of this Law in a Book by the Priests and Levites it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life That he may learn to fear the Lord his God and to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes that he may do them that his heart be not lifted up above his Brethren and that he turn not from the commandment to the right hand or to the left The same is repeated to Ioshuah in his inanguration to the Regiment of the people by God himself saying Let not the Book of this Law depart from thy mouth but meditate in it day and night that thou mayst keep it and do according to all that which is written in it For then shall thy way be prosperous and thou shalt do prudently The first thing then that God craveth of him that is called to the Honour of a King is The knowledge of his Will revealed in his Word The second is An upright and willing minde to put in execution such things as God commandeth in his Law without declining to the right or to the left hand Kings then have not an absolute Power to do in their Regiment what pleaseth them but their Power is limited by Gods Word So that if they strike where GOD hath not commanded they are but murtherers and if they spare where GOD hath commanded to strike they and their Throne are criminall and guilty of the wickednesse that aboundeth upon the face of the earth for lack of punishment O that Kings and Princes would consider what account shall be craved of them as well of their ignorance and misknowledge of Gods Will as for the neglecting of their Office But now to returne to the words of the Prophet In the person of the whole people he doth complain unto God That the Babilonians whom he calleth Other lords besides God both because of their ignorance of God and by reason of their cruelty and inhumanity had long ruled over them in great rigour without pity or compassion had upon the ancient men and famous matrons For they being mortall enemies to the people of God fought by all meanes to aggravate their yoke yea utterly to have exterminate the memory of them and of their Religion from the face of the earth After the first part of this dolorous complaint the Prophet declareth the Protestation of the people saying Neverthelesse in thee shall we remember thy Name others reade it But we will remember thee onely and thy Name But in the Hebrew there is no Conjunction Copulative in that sentence The minde of the Prophet is plaine to wit That notwithstanding the long sustained affliction the people of God declined not to a false and vain Religion but remembred God that sometime appeared to them in his mercifull presence which albeit then they saw not yet would they still remember his Name that is They would call to minde the Doctrine and Promise which at sometimes they heard albeit in their prosperity they did not sufficiently glorifie God
Chron. 34 35. chap. Mat. 13.24 25 26 c. Mat. 13 20 21 Rom. 10.9 13. Rom. 7 c. 2 Cor. 5.21 John 5.28 29. Apoc 20.28 Heb 19 25 26 27. Mat 25 31. Apoc. 14.10 Rom. 26.7 8 9 10. Phil. 3 21. 1 Cor 15.28 This we confirmed 1567. in the first Parliament of Iames 6 held by the Earle Murray and all Acts in any Parliament before whatsoever against the truth abolished The Lord of the Articles are a Committee of 24. whereof in former times there was eight Lords eight Church-men who were called Lords and eight Commons So from the greater part they were named Lords and of the Articles Because all Articles and Heads that are to passe in Parliament are first brought to them who having discussed them sends them to the House of Parlâ—ament The latin Histories calls their Lords of the Articles Apolecti The Earle Marshall his pious voyce in Parliament This Act is particularly confirmed 1567. in the Parliament under Iames 6. holden by the Earl Murrâ—y This also was confirmed by one particular Act 1567. by the Parliament holden by the Earle Murray Note this diligently Quest. Answ. Note this I pray you for these dayes sake See how this agreeâ— with the worldlings now adayes What blessings hath been since in the house of Erskin they know best Note how although the Prelats being convinced of the truth did subscribe unto it yet it was with this Proâ—iso That they should enjoy their rents for their lives Note men to their owne countrey Note this for our dayes Let this teach us to seek God The death of the yong King of France husband to our Queen 15. December 1560. Note this well Note Note Lesley his answer * That is An. 1566 when this book was written Note the liberality of the Earle Murray Note this diligently Where then are Pluralities and fatnesse of Livings in our dayes Let the Church-men now adayes look to this Wâ—at can the Pâ—elats say to this Ambassadour from France and his demands See the study of France to divide the two Kingdoms newly bound for mantenance of Religion against the common enemies Note The Protestants faithfulnesse ill rewarded A foolish play used in time of darknes Hence we say any foolish thing to be like a play of Robin-Hood Some say his name is Killone Of the Queen Regents death Note Note Note diligently Let this also be considered and referred to our times Note Note Reader remark the advantages that Scotland hath from France A good Character of Bishops Let us stick to God and he will not leave us Faire words to no purpose That was a secret Lardon She meant she would seek a safe conduct * Ever till that she may shew her evill will If France would have sustained rhem they had not yet departed The second secret Lardon The Arms of England were usurped Your Papists and ours have practised and still practise division So that she might have England to the Popes Religion I think she said not amisse The feare of God in the heart of Elias 〈◊〉 disobediâ—â—â— to cursed 〈◊〉 Nâ—te 〈…〉 his 〈…〉 well to 〈…〉 as 〈◊〉 the subjects Note The third Lardon of accusing England of inconstancy in Religion Notwithstanding his own disorder Note this false lye and see how it answers to the calumnies of these dayes The Peace and Contract at Leith Many Princes little regarded that All power is not then in the Prince if the States have any as they have Note this Note Note the Scots acknowledgement Isaiah 40 31. A true acknowledgment oâ— mans weaknesse to the glory of God and as it was then so hath it been in this last Reformation As it was then so it is now by Gods mercies â—o that Nation The first Petition of the Protestants of Scotland Let this be noted for example The cause of the trouble within Scotland flowed from the Courtiers who seemed to professe the Evangell He means the Loâ—d Iames Earle Murray The corruption that entred the Queens Court. The Theologie of the Court and their reasonâ— Wicked Councellors â—athers all thâ—ir mischievâ—us plots upon misled Princes and causeth them to take all things upon them This was written when the secoâ—d rank of the Lordâ— was banished Anno 1560 after Danâ—â—s sâ—aughter The Queens Arrivaâ—l from France 156â— Tâ—â—â—le lugubre Coelum The Queens first â—â—ace in despight of Religion The Queens first Masse Lord Iames notwithstanding his sonner zeal to tâ—e Truth complying with Court favoureth Idolatry â— godly resoâ—â—â—â—on The end is not yet seen The perswâ—sâ—ons of the Courtiers The Lord Arrans stout and godly Protestatiâ—n against the Quâ—ens Masse Good resolution if followed Robert Campbell to the Lord Vchiltrie The Queens practise at the first The iudgment of Iohn Knox upon the suffering of the Masse The Courtier making Note diligently how wise and godly mâ—n are so mistaken oft as to play after games And this M. Knox doth acknowledge here The first reasoning betwixt the Queen and Iohn Knox. Note how that Princâ—s are informed against Godâ— servant Let this be noted diligently Let the Prince note this Let this wiâ—e reply be noted Note this undertaking The Queens second Objection Answer Note this comparison Blinde zeal what it is When this was written there was no appearance of Maries imprisonment The Queens Church Strong Imagination called conscience Question Note this Iohn Knox his judgement of the Queen at the first and ever since The Queens first Progresse Note the disposition of a misled soul. Boâ—fours doctrine Note this diligently Yet in the Parliament holden 1563. there is an expresse Act for punishing of Adultery by death It is the Act 74. The devil getting entry to his little finger will screw in his whole arm Note this The Queenes first fray in Hallyrud-house Division between the Lords and the Ministers The Queen fain would have had all Assemblies discharged Note this diliâ—gently Note this dilâ—gently Note this passage Iohn Knox his judgement of the thirds Let this be noted * That is five old pieces A proverb upon Pittaro Controller The right that Princes have to the Patrimony of the Church Note The marriage of the Earl of Murray Note this diligently Note this diligently The Mask of Orleance The Hamiltons against Bothwell and the Marquesse The Earle of Bothwells communication with Iohn Knox 1562. Note the complement Note diligently Reconciliation betwixt the Earle of Arrane and Earle of Bothwell Note diligently Psal. 2. The second communing of Iohn Knox with the Queen Note diligently Note Note Note diligently Note Let Princes note this Let Court-Chaplains and unthrifts of the time note this The Earle of Lennox and his Lady imprisoned in the Tower of London for traffiquing with Papists Sharp left preaching and took him to the Laws Note This causeth the Quâ—ens Râ—ligion to have many â—avourers Note Note Note dâ—ligently Note Note this for our times Note this for our times An answer to Lethington Note this diligently Iohn Gordonne and Ogilvie Bothwell
maintenance and defence of most horrible Idolatry with the shedding of the blood of the Saints of God who laboured to notifie and rebuke the same This I say other iniquities omitted is such a crime before the eyes of his Majestie That for the same he hath poured forth his extreme vengenance upon Kings and upon their Posteritie depriving them from honours and dignitie for ever As by the Histories of the Books of the Kings is most evident To Ieroboam it is said Because I have exalted thee from the midst of the people and have made thee Prince over my people Israel I have rent the Kingdom from the house of David for Idolatry also and have given it unto thee but thou hast not been as David my servant c. But thou hast done wickedly above all that have gone before thee For thou hast made to thee other gods and molten images to provoke me and hast cast me behinde thy back Therefore shall I bring affliction upon the house of Jeroboam and I shall destroy to Jeroboam all that pisseth against the Wall signifying thereby the Male children and shall cast forth the Posteritie of Jeroboam as dung is cast forth till it be consumed This sentence was not onely executed against this Idolater but also against the rest of Idolaters in that Realm as they succeeded one after another for to Baasa whom God used as an Instrument to root out the seed of Ieroboam it is said Because thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam and hast caused my people to sin that thou shouldest provoke me in their sins therefore shall I cut down the posteritie of Baasa and the posterity of his house and shall make thy house as the house of Jeroboam He that shall die to Baasa in the City him shall dogs eat and be that shall die in the field him shall the fowls devour Of the same Cup and for the same cause drank Ela and Achab yea and the Posterity of Iehu following the footsteps of their forefathers By these examples you may evidently espy That Idolatry is the cause why God destroyeth the posteritie of Princes not onely of those that first invent abominations but also of such as follow and defend the same Consider Madame That God hath begun very sharply with you taking from you as it were together two children and a husband He hath begun I say to declare himself angry beware that you provoke not the eyes of his Majesty It will not be the haughty looks of the proud the strength of your friends nor multitude of men that can justifie your cause in his presence If you presume to rebell against him and against him you rebell if you deny my most humble request which I make in his Name and it is this With the hazard of mine own life I offer to prove That Religion which now you maintain to be false deceiveable and abomination before God And that I shall do by most evident testimonies of his blessed holy and infallible Word If this I say you deny rebelling against God The favour of your friends shall little avail you when he shall declare himself enemy to you Which assure your self he will shortly do if you begin to display the banner of your malice against him Let not the prosperity of others be they Princes Queens Kings or Emperours bolden you to contemn God and his loving Admonition They shall drink the Cup of his wrath every one in their rank as he hath appointed them No Realme in these quarters except it that next lieth to you hath he so manifestly stricken with his terrible rod as he hath done you and your Realme And therefore it becometh you first to stoup except that you will have the threatnings pronounced by Isaiah the Prophet ratified unto you To wit That your sudden destruction be as the rotten Wall and your breaking as the breaking of a Potsherd which is broken without pitty so that no portion of it can be found able either to carry fire or water Whereby the Prophet doth signifie That the proud contemners of God and of his Admonitions shall so perish from all honours That they shall have nothing worthy of memoriall behinde them in the Earth Yea If they do leave any thing as it shall be unprofitable so shall it be in execration and hatred to the elect of God and therefore Thus proceedeth my former Letter Letter HOw dangerous soever it shall appear to the flesh to obey God and to make warre against the divell the prince of darknesse pride and superstition yet if your Majesty look to have your self and seed to continue in honour worldly and everlasting subject your self betimes under the hand of him that is omnipotent Embrace his Will despise not his Testament refuse not his Graces offered When he calleth upon you withdraw not your ear Be not led away with the vain opinion that your Church cannot erre Be ye most assuredly perswaded That so farre as in life ye see them degenerate from Christs true Apostles so in Religion are they further corrupted Lay the Book of God before your eyes and let it be judge to that which I say Which if ye with fear and reverence obey as did Josias the admonitions of the Prophetesse then shall he by whom Kings do reign crown your Battell with double benediction and reward you with wisedome riches glory honour and long life in this Regiment temporall and with life everlasting when the King of kings whose Members now do cry for your help the Lord Iesus shall appear in judgement accompanied with his Angels before whom yee shall make accompt of your present Regiment when the proud and disobedient shall cry Mountains fall upon us and hide us from the face of the Lord. But then it shall be too late because they contemned his voice when he lovingly called God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ by the power of his holy Spirit move your heart so to consider and accept the things that be said That they be not a Testimony of your just condemnation in that great day of the Lord Iesus to whose omnipotent Spirit I unfainedly commit your Majesties Addition WHen Ieremiah the Prophet at the Commandment of God had written the Sermons threatnings and plagues which he had spoken against Israel and Iudah and had commanded them to be read by Baruch his Scribe because himself was excommunicated and forbidden to enter into the Temple by the providence of God it came to passe That Michaiah the son of Gemariah hearing the said Sermons passed to the Kings House and did communicate the matter with the rest of the Princes who also after they had read the same Volume of Ieremiah his Preachings did not conceal the truth from Iehoiakim who then did raigne in Ierusalem But the proud and desperate Prince commanding the Book to be read in his presence before he had heard three or four leaves of