Raigne we wish may be prosperous and long to the glory of God and comfort of his Church we heartily commit you to the protection of the Omnipotent From Edinburgh the 17 of Iuly 1559. With this our Letter Iohn Knox wrote two one to the said Secretary and another to the Queens Majesty her self The Tenour whereof follows thus Iohn Knox his second Letter to M. Cecile for the delivery of one other to the Queen SIR AFter my humble commendations please you deliver this other enclosed to the Queen It containeth a few and simple words of my Confession what I think of her Authority how it is just and what may make it odious in Gods presence I hear that there is one Confutation set forth against the first blast God grant that the writers thereof have no more sought the favours of this present world no lesse the glory of God and the stable good of his Countrey then he who enterprised in that blast to utter his conscience When I shall have time which now is somewhat precious unto me to peruse that work I will communicate my judgement with you The time is now Sir that all who either thirst for Christ to raigne in this Isle or yet the hearts of the Inhabitants be joyned together in love unfained ought rather to study how the same might be brought to passe then vainly to travell for the maintenance of that whereof already we have seen the danger and feel the smart If the most part of women be wicked and such as willingly we would not should raigne over us And if the most godly and such as have are graces be yet mortall we ought to take heed lest in establishing of one judged godly and profitable to her Countrey we make an Interest and Title to many by whom not onely will the Truth be impugned but also will the Countrey be brought into bondage God give you and other favourers of your Countrey eyes to see and wisedome to avoid the dangers appearing By divers Letters I have required license to have visited the North parts of England but as yet I have received no favourable answer The longer Sir this it be delayed the lesse comfort will the faithfull there receive yea the weaker will the Queens favour be If I were not an unfained friend to her Majestie I would instantly beg such liberty which to me I know will neither be profitable nor pleasing in the flesh The common things here I doubt not you know some things I have as often times I have written which gladly I would communicate but I minde not to commit them to Paper and Inke finde therefore the means that I may speake with such a one as you will credit in all things The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ rest with you I heartily beseech you to have my service recommended to the Queens Majesty adding That whosoever maketh me odious to her Majestie seeketh somewhat besides the glory of God and her Majesties prosperity and therefore cannot be assured and unfained friends from c. The Letter sent from the said Iohn to the Queens Majestie of England being enclosed in the foresaid M. Ceciles Letter To the vertuous and godly Elizabeth by the Grace of God Queen of England John Knox desireth the perpetuall comfort of his holy Spirit MADAME AS your Majesties displeasure against me most unjustly conceived hath been and is to my wretched heart a burden grievous and almost intolerable so is the testimony of a clear conscience to me a stay and uphold that I sinke not in despair how vehement soever the temptations appear For in Gods presence my conscience beareth me record That maliciously nor of purpose I never offended your Majesty nor your Realme And therefore howsoever I be judged of man I am sure to be absolved of him who onely knoweth the secrets of hearts I cannot deny the writing of a Book against the usurped Authothority and unjust Regiment of Women neither yet am I minded to recant or call back any principall Point or Proposition of the same till truth and verity do further appear But why that your Majesty or any such who unfainedly favour the liberty of England be offended at the Author of such a Work I can perceive no just occasion For first my Book touched not your Majesties Person in speciall neither is it prejudiciall to any Liberty of the Realme if the time of my writing be indifferently considered How could I be enemy to your Majesties Person for delivery whereof I did more studie and undertake further then any of those who now accuseth me And as concerning your Government How could or can I envy that which most I have wished for and for which as my weak memory will suffer I render thanks unfainedly to God to wit That it hath pleased him of his eternall goodnesse to exalt your head which sometime was in danger to the manifestation of his glory and extirpation of Idolatry And as for my offence which I have committed against England either by writing that Book or by any other work I will not refuse that moderate and indifferent men judge and discerne betwixt me and those that accuse me viz. Whether of the parties do most hurt to the Liberty of England I who affirme that no woman may be exalted above any Realme to make the Liberty of the same thrall and subject to a strange proud and cruell Nation Or they that approve whatsoever pleaseth Princes for the time If I were as well disposed to accuse as some of them to their own shame have declared themselves I nothing doubt but that in few words I should let reasonable men understand That some that this day lowly crouch and bow to your Majestie and labour to make me odious in your eyes did in your adversity neither shew themselves faithfull friends to your Majesty neither yet so loving and carefull of the native Countrey as they would be esteemed But omitting the accusation of others for my owne purgation and your Majesties satisfaction I say That nothing contained in my book is or can be prejudiciall to your Majesties just Regiment providing that you be not found ungrate unto God ungrate you will be proved in the presence of his Throne howsoever that flatterers justifie your fact if you transfer the glory of that honour in which you now stand to any other thing then to the dispensation of his mercy which onely maketh that lawfull to your Majestie which Nature and Law denieth to all women to command and bear rule over men Neither would I that your Majesty should fear That this your humiliation before God should in any case infirm or weaken your Majesties just and lawfull Authority Nay Madame such unfained confession of Gods benefits received will be the establishment of the same not only to your self but also to your seed and Posterity Where contrariwise a proud conceit and elevation of your self will be the occasion that your Raigne will be unstable troublesome
retire marched forward with great expedition and approached within a mile before that ever their horsemen stayed and yet they kept betwixt us and them a water for their strength It appeared to us That either they marched for Cowper or S. Andrews and therefore our Horse-men in their Troope and a part of the Foot-men with the Ordnance marched somewhat alwayes before them for safety of the Towne The Lords with the Gentlemen of Fyfe and so many of Angus and Mearns as were present kept themselves close in a knot neere to the number of a thousand Speares The Townes of Dundie and S. Andrews were arrayed in another battell who came not to the sight of the enemy till that after twelve of the clock the mist began to vanish and then passed some of their Horse-men to a mountaine from the height whereof they might discerne our number Which perceived by them their Horse-men and Foot-men stayed incontinent Posts ran to the Duke and Monsieur Dosell to declare our number and what order we kept And then were Mediators sent to make appointment but they were not suffered to approach neere to the Lords neither yet to the view of our Camp which put them in great feare Answer was given unto them That as we had offended no man so would we seek appointment of no man but if any would seek our lives as we were informed they did they should finde us if they pleased to make diligence This answer received were sent againe the Lord Lindsay and Laird of Wâ—nchton who earnestly requested us to concord and that we would not be the occasion that innocent blood should be shed We answered That neither had we quarrell against any man neither yet sought we any mans blood onely we were convened for defence of our own lives unjustly sought by others We added further That if they could finde the meane that we and our brethren might be free from the tyrannie devised against us that they should reasonably desire nothing which should be denied for our part This answer received the Duke and Monsieur Dosell having Commission of the Queen Regent required That Assurance might be taken for eight dayes to the end that indifferent men in the mean time might commune upon some finall agreement of those things which were then in controversie Hereto did we fully consent albeit that in number and force we were far superiour and for testification hereof we sent unto them our hand writs and we likewise received theirs with promise That within two or three dayes some discreet men should be sent to us to S. Andrews with further knowledge of the Queens minde The tenour of the assurance was this The Assurance WE James Duke of Chattellerault Earle of Arrane Lord Hamilton and my Lord Dosell Lieutenant for the King in these parts for our selves our assistaries and partakers being presently with us in company By the tenor hereof promits faithfully in honour to my Lords Archibald Earle of Argyle and James Commendater of the Priory of S. Andrews to their assistants and partakers being presently with them in company That we and our company aforesaid shall retire incontinent to Falkland and shall with diligence transport the French men and our other folkes now presently with us and that no French men or other Souldiers of ours shall remaine within the bounds of Fyfe but so many as before the raising of the last Army lay in Disert Kirkcaldie and Kinghorne and the same to lie in the same places onely if we shall think good And this to have effect for the space of eight dayes following the date hereof exclusive That in the meane time certaine Noble-men by the advice of the Queen and the rest of the Councell may convene to talk of such things as may make good order and quietnesse amongst the Queens Lieges And further We nor none of our assisters being present with us shall invade trouble or disquiet the said Lords nor their assisters during the said space And this we binde and oblige us upon our loyall fidelitie and honour to observe and keepe in every point above-written without fraud or guile In witnesse whereof we have subscribed these presents with our own hands At Garlebanke the 13 day of Iune 1559. Subscribed Iames Hamilton Meneits Dosell And this received we departed first because we were thereto requested by the Duke and so we returned to Cowper lauding and praising God for his mercy shewed and thereafter every man departed to his dwelling place The Lords and a great part of the Gentlemen passed to S. Andrews who there abode certain dayes still looking for those that were promised to come from the Queen for appointment to be made But we perceiving her craft and deceit for under that assurance she meant nothing else but to convey her selfe her Ordnance and French-men over the water of Forth took consultation what should be done for delivering S. Iohnston from these ungodly Souldiers and how our brethren exiled from their own houses might be restored again It was concluded That the brethren of Fyfe Angus Mernes and Stratherne should Convene at S. Iohnston the foure and twentieth day of June for that purpose and in the mean time were these Letters written by the Earle of Argyle and Lord Iames to the Queen then Regent Letters to the Queen Regent MAdame after our hearty commendations of service this shall be to shew your Majestie That upon the 13 day of Iune we were informed by them that were Communers betwixt the Duke Monsieur Dosell and us That we should have spoken unreverently of your Majestie which we beseech your Majestie for the true service that we have made and are ready to make at all times to your Majestie That of your goodnesse you will let us know the sayers thereof and we shall do the dutie of true Subjects to defend our own innocency As we take God to witnesse of the good Zeale and Love we beare towards you to serve you with true hearts and all that we have as well lands as goods desiring no other thing for our service but the liberty of our conscience to serve our Lord God as we shall answer to him which your Majestie ought and should give us unrequired Moreover please your Majestie That the Duke and the Noble-men being in Sterlin for the time by your Majesties advice solicited us to presse the Congregation assembled at the Town of Perth to Commune of Concord where we did our exact diligence and brought it to passe as your Majestie knows And there is a point that we plainly see it not observed to us which is That no Souldier should remain in the Town after your Majesties departing And suppose it may be inferred That it was spoken of French Souldiers onely yet we took it otherwise like as we do yet That Scottish-men or any other Nation taking wages of the King of France are reputed and holden French Souldiers Therefore seeing we of good will and minde brought
is Madame that this crime so recently committed and that in the eyes of the whole Realm now publikely assembled is so hainous for who heretofore hath heard within the bowels of Edinburgh Gates and Doors under silence of night broken Houses ripped or searched and that with hostillity seeking a woman as appeareth to oppresse her Seeing we say that this crime is so hainous that all godly men fear not onely Gods dispeasure to fall upon you and your whole Realm but also that such licentiousnesse breed contempt and in the end sedition if remedie in time be not provided which in our judgement is possible if severe punishment be not executed for the crime committed Therefore we most humbly beseech your Majestie that all affection set aside you declare your self so upright in this case that ye may give evident demonstration to all your Subjects that the fear of God joyned with the love of common tranquility hath principall seat in your Majesties Heart This further Madame in conscience we speak That as your Majesty in Gods Name doth crave of us obedience which to render in all things lawfull we are most willing so in the same name doe we the whole Professors of Christs Evangell within this your Majesties Realme crave of you and of your Councell sharp punishment of this crime And for performance thereof that without delay the most principall Actors of this haynous crime and the perswaders of this publike Villany may be called before the Chief Justice of this Realm to suffer an Assise and to be punished according to the Laws of the same and your Majesties Answer most humbly we beseech These Supplications was presented by divers Gentlemen the Flatterers of the Court at first stormed and asked who durst avow it To whom the Master after Lord Lyndesay answered A thousand Gentlemen within Edinburgh others were ashamed to oppose themselves thereto in publike but they suborned the Queen to give a gentle answer untill such time as the Convention was dissolved and so she did and then after in fair words shee alleaged That her Uncle was a Stranger and that he had a young Company with him but she should put such order unto him and unto all others that hereafter they should have no occasion to complain And so deluded she the just Petition of her Subjects And no wonder for how shall she punish in Scotland that vice which in France she did see so free without punishment and which Kings and Cardinalls commonly use as the Mask and Dancing of Orleans can witnesse wherein virgins and mens wives were made common to King Harry Charles the Cardinall and to their Courtiers and Pages as common women in Bordells are unto their Companions The manner was thus At the entry of King Henry of France in the Town of Orleans the Matrons Virgins and mens wives were commanded to present themselves in the Kings Palace to dance And they obeyed for commonly the French Nation is not very hard to be entreated to vanity After Fidling and Flinging and when the Cardinall of Loraine had espied his prey he said to the King Sire le premiere est a vous fault queje soy le second that is Sir the first choyce is yours and I must be the second And so the King got the preeminence that he had his first Election But because Cardinalls are companions to Kings the Cardinall had the next And thereafter the Torches were put out and every man commanded to provide for himself the best he might What cry there was of husbands for their wives and wives for their husbands of ancient matrons for their daughters of virgins for their friends for some honest men to defend their pudicity Orleance will remember more Kings dayes then one This horrible villany a fruit of the Cardinalls good Catholike Religion we shortly touch to let the world understand what subjects may look for of such Magistrates for such Pastime to them is Jollity It had been good for our Queene that she had been brought up in better company both for her credit and for the course of her life And it may be that her excellent naturall enduements had been better employed for her reputation and happinesse then they were to her great misfortune and to the grief of those that wished her truely well But punishment of that enormity and fearfull attempt we could get none Yea more and more they presumed to do violence and frequented nightly Masking and began to bear the matter very heavily At length the Dukes friends began to assemble in the night time on the calsay or street The Abbot of Kylwinning who then was joyned to the Church and so as we understand yet abideth was principall man at the beginning To him repaired many faithfull and amongst others came Andrew Stewart Lord Uchiltrie a man rather borne to make peace then to brag upon the calsey he demanded the quarrell And being informed of the former enormity said Nay such impiety shall not be suffered so long as God shall assist us The Victory that God hath in his owne mercy given us we will by his grace maintaine And so he commanded his son Andrew Stewart then Master and his servants to put themselves in order and to bring forth their spears and long weapons and so did others The word came to the Earle Bothwell and his son that the Hamiltons were upon the street vows was made that the Hamiltons should be driven not onely out of the Town but also out of the Countrey Lord Iohn of Coldingham married the E. Bothwels sister a sufficient woman for such a man Alliance drew Lord Robert and so they joyned with the E. Bothwell But the stoutnes of the Marq. le Beuf d'Albuff they call him is most to be commended for in his Chalmer in the Abbey he start to an Halbert and ten men were scarce able to hold him that night and the danger was betwixt the Crosse and Tron and so he was a long quarter of a mile from the shot sklenting of Bolts The M. of Maxw after L. Herreis gave declaratiō to the Earle Bothwell That if he stirred forth of his Lodging he and all that assist him should resist him in the face Whose words did somewhat beat down that blast The Earles of Murray and Huntley being in the Abbey where the Marquesse was came with their company sent from the Queen to stay that tumult as they did for Bothwell and his were commanded under pain of Treason to keep their lodgings It was whispered by many That the Earle of Murray's displeasure was as much sought as any hatred that the Hamiltons did bear against the Earle of Bothwell or yet he against them And in very deed either had the Duke very false servants or else by Huntley and the Hamiltons the Earle of Murray's death was oftener conspired then once the suspition whereof burst forth so far that upon a day the said Earle being upon horse to have come to
therefore the end shall be her confusion unlesse betimes she repent and desist These things I require of you in the Name of the eternall God as from my mouth to say unto her Majestie adding That I have been and am a more assured friend to her Majestie then they that either flattering her as servants to her corrupt appetites or else inflame her against us who seek nothing but Gods glory to be advanced Vice to be suppressed and Veritie to be maintained in this poore Realme They all three did promise to report his words so far as they could which afterwards we understood they did yea the Lord Sempill himselfe a man sold unto sin enemie to God and all godlinesse did yet make such report That the Queen was somewhat offended that any man should use such libertie in her presence She still proceeded in her malice for immediately thereafter she sent her Lion Herald with Letters straitly charging all men to avoid the Towne under the paine of Treason Which Letters after he had declared them to the chiefe men of the Congregation he publikely proclaimed the same upon Sunday the 27 of May. In this meane time came sure knowledge to the Queen to Duke Hamilton and to Monsieur Dosell That the Earle of Glencarne the Lords Uchiltrie and Boyde the young Sheriffe of Air the Lairds of Craggy Wallace Sesnock Carnell Bar Gairgirth and the whole congregation of Kyle and Cuninghame approached for our reliefe and in very deed they came in such diligence and such a number That as the enemy had just cause to fear so have all that professe Christ Jesus just matter to praise God for their fidelity and stout courage in that need For by their presence was the tyrannie of the enemy bridled Their diligence was such that albeit the passage by Sterlin and six miles above was stopped for there lay the Queen with her bands and caused the Bridges to be cut upon the waters of Forth Gudy and Teith above Sterlin yet made they such expedition through desert and mountaine that they prevented the enemy and approached within sixe miles of our Campe which then lay without the Towne awaiting upon the enemy before that any assured knowledge came to us of their coming Their number was judged to twentie five hundred men whereof there was twelve hundred Horsemen The Queene understanding how the said Earle and Lords with their company approached caused to beset all wayes that no advertisement should come to us To the end That we despairing of support might condiscend to such appointment as she required And sent first to require that some discreet men of our number would come and speak to Duke Hamilton and Monsieur Dosell who then with their Army lay at Achtererdoch ten miles from S. Iohnston to the end that some reasonable appointment might be had She had perswaded the Earle of Argyle and all others That we meant nothing but Rebellion and therefore had he promised unto her That in case we would not stand content with a reasonable appointment he would declare himselfe open enemy unto us notwithstanding that he professed the same Religion with us From us were sent the Laird of Dun the Laird of Inuerquhartye and Thomas Scot of Abbotshall to hear what appointment the Queene would offer The Duke and Monsieur Dosell required That the Towne should be made patent and that all things should be referred to the Queenes pleasure To the which they answered That neither they had commission so to promise neither durst they in conscience so perswade their brethren But if the Queene would promise That no inhabitant of the Town should be troubled for any such crimes as might be alleadged against them for the late mutation of Religion and abolishment of Idolatrie and for down-casting the places of the same If she would suffer the Religion begun to go forward and leave the Towne at her departing free from the Garrisons of French Souldiers That they would labour at the hands of their brethren that the Queene should be obeyed in all things Monsieur Dosell perceiving the danger to be great if that a sudden appointment should be made and that they were not able to execute their tyrannie against us after that the Congregation of Kyle of whose comming we had no advertisement should be joyned with us with good words dismissed the said Lairds to perswade the brethren to quiet concord To the which we were all so well minded that with one voice they cried Cursed be they that seek effusion of blood Let us possesse Christ Iesus and the benefit of his Gospel and none within Scotland shall be more obedient Subjects then we shall be With all expedition were sent from Sterlin againe after that the coming of the Earle of Glencarne was knowne for the enemie for feare quaked the Earle of Argyle and Lord Iames aforesaid And in their company a crafty man Master Gauin Hamilton Abbot of Kilwinning who were sent by the Queen to finish the appointment aforesaid But before that they came was the Earle of Glencarne and his honourable company arrived in the Towne and then began all men to praise God for that he had so mercifully heard them in their most extreame necessitie and had sent unto them such reliefe as was able without effusion of blood to stay the rage of the enemie The Earle of Argyle and Lord Iames did earnestly perswade the agreement to the which all men were willing but some did smell the craft of the adversary to wit That they were minded to keep no point of the promise longer then they had obtained their intent With the Earle of Glencarne came our loving brother Iohn Willock Iohn Knox was in the Town before These two went to the Earle of Argyle and Lord Iames accusing them of infidelity in so far as they had defrauded their brethren of their dutifull support and comfort in their greatest necessity They answered both That their heart was constant with their brethren and that they would defend that Cause to the uttermost of their power But because they had promised to labour concord and to assist the Queen in case we refused reasonable offers in conscience and honour they could do no lesse then be faithfull in their promise made And therefore they required that the brethren might be perswaded to consent to that reasonable appointment promising in Gods presence That if the Queen did break in any jot thereof that they with their whole powers would assist and concurre with the brethren in all times to come This promise made the Preachers appeased the multitude and obtained in the end that all men did consent to the appointment foresaid which they obtained not without great labours and no wonder for many foresaw the danger to follow yea the Preachers themselves in open Sermon did affirme plainly That they were assuredly perswaded that the Queen meant no truth But to stop the mouth of the adversary who unjustly did burthen
rebuked in generall seldome it is that man descendeth within himself accusing and condemning in himself that which most displeaseth God but rather he doubteth that to be a cause which before God is no cause indeed For example The Israelites fighting against the Tribe of Benjamin were twice discomfited with the losse of 40000 men They lamented and bewailed both first and last but we finde not that they came to the knowledge of their offence and sin which was the cause that they fell by the edge of the sword but rather they doubted that to have been a cause of their misfortune which God had commanded for they asked Shall we go and fight any more against our brethren the sonnes of Benjamin By which question it is evident That they supposed that the cause of their overthrow and discomfite was Because they had lifted the sword against their brethren and naturall Countrey-men And yet the expresse Commandment of God that was given unto them did deliver them from all crime in that cause There is no doubt but that there was some cause in the Israelites that God gave them so over into the hands of these wicked men against whom he sent them by his own expresse Commandment to execute his Judgements Such as do well mark the History and the estate of that people may easily see the cause why God was offended All the whole people had declined from God Idolatry was maintained by the common consent of the multitude and as the Text saith Every man did that which appeared good in his own eyes In this mean time the Levite complained of the villany that was done unto himself and unto his wife which oppressed by the Benjamites of Gibeah died under their filthy lusts which horrible fact enflamed the hearts of the whole people to take vengeance upon that abomination and therein they offended but in this they failed That they go to execute judgement against the wicked without any repentance or remorse of conscience of their owne former offences and defection from God And farther Because they were a great multitude and the other were far inferiour unto them They trusted in their own strength and thought themselves able enough to do their purpose without any invocation of the Name of God But after that they had twice proved the vanity of their own strength they fasted and prayed and being humbled before God they received a more favourable answer and assured promise of the Victory The like may be amongst us albeit suddenly we do not espie it And to the end that every man may the better examine himself I will divide the whole company into two sorts of men The one are those that from the beginning of this trouble have sustained the common danger with their brethren The other be these which be joyned to our fellowship In the one and in the other I fear that just cause shall be found why God should thus have humbled us And albeit that this appear strange at the first hearing yet if every man shall examine himself I speak as that his conscience dyteth him I doubt not but he shall subscribe to my sentence Let us begin at our selves who longest hath continued in this Battell When we were a few number in comparison of our enemies when we had neither Earle nor Lord a few excepted to comfort us we called upon God and took him for our Protector Defence and onely Refuge Amongst us was heard no bragging of multitude nor of our strength nor policy we did onely sob to God to have respect to the equity of our Cause and to the cruell pursuit of the tyrannicall enemy But since that our number had been thus multiplied and chiefly since the Duke with his friends have been joyned with us there was nothing heard but This Lord will bring these many hundred Speares This man hath the credit to perswade this Countrey If this Earle be ours no man in such bounds will trouble us And thus the best of us all that before felt Gods potent hand to our defence hath of late dayes put Flesh to be our Arme. But wherein yet had the Duke and his friends offended It may be That as we have trusted in them so have they put too much confidence in their owne strength But granting it be not so I see a cause most just why the Duke and his friends should thus be confounded amongst the rest of their brethren I have not yet forgotten what was the dolour and anguish of my owne heart when at Saint Iohnston Cooper-Moure and Edinburgh Craigs those cruell murtherers that now hath put us to this dishonour threatned our present destruction The Duke and his friends at all three Journeys was to them a great comfort and unto us a great discouragement For his name and authority did more astonish us then did the force of the other yea without his assistance they could not have compelled us to appoint with the Queen upon so unequall Conditions I am certaine if the Duke hath unfainedly repented of that his assistance to those murtherers unjustly pursuing us yea I am certaine if he hath repented of the innocent blood of Christs blessed Martyrs which was shed by his fault But let it be that so he hath done as I hear that he hath confessed his offence before the Lords and Brethren of the Congregation yet I am assured That neither he neither yet his friends did feel before this time the anguish and grief of hearts which we felt when their blinde fury pursued us and therefore hath God justly permitted both them and us to fall into this confusion at once us for that we put our trust and confidence in man and them because that they should feel their owne hearts how bitter was the cup which they made others to drinke before them Resteth that both they and we turn to the Eternall our God who beateth down to death to the intent that he may raise up again to leave the remembrance of his wonderous deliverance to the praise of his owne Name which if we do unfainedly I no more doubt but that this our dolour confusion and fear shall be turned into joy honour and boldnesse then that I doubt that God gave Victory to the Israelites over the Benjamites after that twice with ignominy they were repulsed and driven back yea whatsoever shall become of us and our mortall carkasses I doubt not but that this Cause in despight of Sathan shall prevaile in this Realme of Scotland For as it is the eternall Trueth of the eternall God so shall it once prevaile howsoever for the time it be impugned It may be that God shall plague some for that they delight not in the Trueth albeit for worldly respects they seem to favour it Yea God may take some of his dearest children away before that their eyes see greater troubles But neither shall the one nor the other so hinder this action but in the end it shall
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
of Adultery of Witchcraft and to seek the restitution of Gleibes or Manses to the Minister of the Church and of the reparation of the Churches and thereby they thought to have pleased the Godly that were highly offended at their slacknesse The Act of Oblivion passed because some of the Lords had entresse but the Acts against adulterie and for the Manses and Gleibes were so modified that no Law and such a Law might stand in eodem predicamento To speak plain no Law and such Acts were both alike The Acts are in Print let wise men read and then accuse us if without cause we complain In the progresse of this corruption and before the Parliament dissolved Iohn Knox in his Sermon before the most part of the Nobilitie began to enter in a deep discourse of Gods mercies which that Realme had felt and of that ingratitude which he espied in the whole multitude which God had marvellously delivered from the bondage and tyrannie both of body and soule And now my Lords said he I praise my God through Jesus Christ that in your own presence I may powre forth the sorrows of my heart yea your selves shall be witnesse if I make any lie in things by-past from the beginning of Gods mighty Works within this Realme I have been with you in your most desperate temptations Aske your own Consciences and let them answer you before God if that I not I but Gods Spirit by me in your greatest extremity willed you not ever to depend upon your God and in his Name promised unto you victory and preservation from your enemies so that onely ye would depend upon his protection and preferre his glory before your lives and worldly commoditie in your most extreme danger I have been with you Saint Iohnstouâ— Cowper-More and the charges of Edinburgh are yet recent in my heart yea that dark and dolorous night wherein all you my Lords with shame and feare left this Town is yet in my minde and God forbid that ever I forget it What was I say my Exhortation unto you and what is fallen in vain of all that ever God promised unto you by my mouth ye your selves live and testifie There is not one of you against whom death and destruction was threatned perished in that danger and how many of your enemies hath God plagued before your eyes shall this be the thankfulnesse that ye shall render unto your God To betray his Cause when ye have it in your own hands to establish it as you please The Queen sayes you will not agree with us aske ye of her that which by Gods Word ye may justly require and if she will not agree with you in God you are not bound to agree with them in the Devill Let her plainly understand so farre of your mindes and steal not from your former stoutnesse in God and he will prosper you in your enterprises But I can see nothing but a recalling from Christ Jesus that the man that first and most speedily fleeth from Christs Ensigne holdeth himselfe most happy yea I hear some say That we have nothing of our Religion Established neither by Law nor Parliament Albeit the malicious words of such can neither hurt the truth of God nor yet us that thereupon depend yet the speaker of this Treason committed against God and against this poore Common-wealth deserves the Gallows for our Religion being commanded and so established by God is received with this Realme in publike Parliament And if they will say That it was no Parliament we must and will say and also prove That that Parliament was also as lawfull as ever any that passed before it within this Realme I say if the King then living was King and the Queen now in this Realm be lawfull Queen that Parliament cannot be denyed And now my Lords to put end to all I hear of the Queens marriage Dukes Brethren to Emperours and Kings strive all for the best gain But this my Lords will I say note the day and beare witnesse after Whensoever the Nobilitie of Scotland who professe the Lord Jesus consents that an Infidell and all Papists are Infidels shall be Head to our Soveraigne ye do so farre as in you lyeth to banish Christ Jesus from this Realme yea to bring Gods vengeance upon the Countrey a plague upon your selves and perchance you shall do small comfort to your Soveraigne These words and this manner of speaking was judged intollerable Papists and Protestants were both offended yea his most familiars disdained him for that speaking Placeboes and Flatterers posted to the Court to give advertisement That Iohn Knox had spoken against the Queens Marriage The Provest of Glencludan Douglas by sirname of Drumlangrig was the man that gave the charge That the said Iohn should present himselfe before the Queen which he did immediately after Dinner The Lord Uchiltrie and divers of the faithfull bare him company to the Abbey but none past in to the Queen with him in the Cabinet but Iohn Arskin of Dun then super-intendent of Angus and Mernes The Queen in a vehement fume began to crie out That never Prince was used as she was I have said she born with you in all your rigorous manner of speaking both against my selfe and against my Uncles yea I have sought your favours by all possible means I offered unto you presence and audience whensoever it pleased you to admonish me and yet I cannot be quit of you I Vow to God I shall be once revenged and with these words scarce could Marnocke one of her Pages get Handkirchiefs to hold her Eyes drie for the Tears and the howling besides womanly weeping stayed her Speech The said Iohn did patiently abide all this fume and at opportunitie answered True it is Madame your Majesty and I have been at divers controversies into the which I never perceived your Majestie to be offended at me but when it shall please God to deliver you from that bondage of darknesse and errour wherein ye have been nourished for the lack of true doctrine your Majestie will finde the libertie of my tongue nothing offensive without the preaching-place Madame I thinke few have occasion to be offended at me and there Madame I am not Master of my selfe but must obey him who commands me to speak plaine and to flatter no flesh upon the face of the Earth But what have you to do said she with my marriage If it please your Majestie said he patiently to hear me I shall shew the truth in plaine words I grant your Majestie offered unto me more then ever I required but my answer was then as it is now That God hath not sent me to awaite upon the Courts of Princes or upon the Chamber of Ladies but I am sent to preach the Evangell of Jesus Christ to such as please to hear it hath two points Repentance and Faith Now Madame in preaching repentance of necessity it is that the sinnes of men be noted that they may
Lethington that is the chief Head wherein we never agreed but of that we shall speak hereafter What will ye say as touching the moving of the people to have a good opinion of the Queens Majesty and as concerning obedience to be given to her Authority as also of the form of Prayer which ye commonly use My Lord saith he more earnestly to move the people or yet otherwise to pray then heretofore I have done a good conscience will not suffer me for he who knows the secrets of hearts knows That privately and publikely I have called to God for her conversion and have willed the people to do the same shewing unto them the dangerous state wherein not onely she her self stands but also the whole Realm by reason of her indurate blindnesse That is said Lethington wherein we finde the greatest fault your extremity against her Masse in particular passeth measure ye call her a slave to Sathan ye affirm that Gods vengeance hangs over the Realm by reason of her impiety And what is this else but to raise up the hearts of the poeple against her Majesty and against them that serve her Then there was heard an acclamation of the rest of the flatterers that such extremity could not profit The Master of Maxwell said in plain words If I were in the Queens Majesties place I would not suffer such things as I hear If the words of Preachers said Iohn Knox shall be alwayes wrested in the worst part then will it be hard to speak any thing so circumspectly providing that the truth be spoken which shall not escape the censure of the calumniator The most vehement as ye speak and most excessive manner of Prayer that I use in publike is this O Lord if thy good pleasure be purge the heart of the Queens Majestie from the venome of Idolatry and deliver her from the bondage and thraldom of Satan into the which she hath been brought up and yet remains for the lack of true Doctrine and let her see by the illumination of thy holy Spirit That there is no means to please thee but by Iesus Christ thy only Son and that Iesus Christ cannot be found but in thy holy Word nor yet received but as it prescribes which is To renounce our own wisedom and preconceived opinion and worship thee as it commands that in so doing she may avoid the eternall damnation which is ordained for all obstinate and impenitent to thee and that this poor Realm may also escape that plague and vengeance which inevitably followeth Idolatry maintained against thy manifest Word and the light thereof This said he is the form of common Prayer as your selves can witnesse Now what is worthy of reprehension in it I would hear There are three things in it said Lethington that never liked me and the first is Ye pray for the Queens Majesty with a condition saying Illuminate her heart if thy good pleasure be Wherein it may appear That ye doubt of her conversion Where have ye the example of such Prayer Wheresoever the examples are said the other I am assured of the Rule which is this If we shall ask any thing according to his Will he shall grant us And our Master Christ Jesus commands us to pray unto our Father Thy will be done But said Lethington Where ever finde ye any of the Prophets so to have prayed It sufficeth me said the other my Lord that the Master and Teacher both of Prophets and Apostles hath taught me so to pray But in so doing said Lethington ye put a doubt in the peoples heads of her conversion Not I said the other but her own obstinate rebellion causeth more then me to doubt of her conversion Wherein said he rebells she against God In all the actions of her life said M. Knox but in these two Heads especially The former is That she will not hear the Preaching of the blessed Evangel of Jesus Christ. 2. That she maintaineth that Idol the Masse She thinks not that rebellion said Lethington So thought they said the other that sometimes offered their children unto Molech and yet the Spirit of God affirms That they offered them unto devils and not unto God And this day the Turks think they have a better Religion then the Papists have and yet I think ye will excuse neither of both from committing rebellion against God neither yet can ye do the Queen unlesse ye will make God to be partiall But said Lethington Why pray ye not for her without moving any doubt Because said the other I have learned to pray in faith now faith ye know depends upon the Word of God and so it is that the Word teacheth me That prayer profiteth the sons and daughters of Gods Election of which number if she be one or not I have just cause to doubt and therefore I pray that God would illuminate her heart if his good pleasure be so to do But yet said Lethington ye can produce the example of none that so hath prayed before you Thereto I have already answered said Iohn Knox But yet for further declaration I will demand a question which is this Whether ye think that the Apostles prayed themselves as they commanded others to pray or not who doubts of that said the company that were present Well then said Iohn Knox I am assured that Peter said these words to Simon Magus Repent therefore of this thy wickednesse and pray God That if it be possible the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee Here we may cleerly see That Peter joynes a condition with his Commandment That Simon should repent and pray to wit If it were possible that his sin might be forgiven for he was not ignorant that some sinnes are unto death and so without all hope of repentance or remission And think ye not my Lord Secretary said he but that same doubt may touch my heart as touching the Queens conversion that then touched the heart of the Apostle I would never said Lethington heare you or any other call that in doubt But your will said the other is no assurance to my conscience And to speak freely My Lord I wonder if yee your self doubt not of the Queens conversion for more evident signes of Induration have appeared and do appear in her then Peter outwardly could have espyed in Simon Magus for albeit sometimes he was a Sorcerer yet joyned he with the Apostles beleeved and was baptized And albeit That the venome of Avarice remained in his heart and that he would have bought the holy Ghost yet when he heard the fearfull threatnings of God pronounced against him he trembled desired the assistance of the Prayers of the Apostles and so humbled himself so farre as the judgement of man could peirce like a true penitent and yet we see that Peter doubts of his conversion Why then may not all the godly justly doubt of the conversion of the Queen who hath used Idolatry which is also most odious
hearts but their whole minde was upon their bellies for sufficing whereof they devised and imagined that they would appoint Christ Jesus to be their worldly King for he had power to multiply bread at his pleasure Which vain opinion and imagination perceived by Christ Jesus he withdrew himselfe from their company to avoid all such suspition and to let them understand That no such honours did agree with his Vocation who came to serve and not to be served And when this same people sought him againe he sharply rebuked them because they sought him more to have their Bellies fed with corruptible meat then to have their souls nourished with lively Bread that came down from Heaven And thus in the people there was just cause why Christ should withdraw himself from them for a time Why the Disciples should suffer that great danger feare and anguish Saint Marke in his Gospel plainly sheweth saying That their hearts were blinded and therefore did neither remember nor consider the miracle of the Loaves That is Albeit with their hands they had touched that bread by which so great a multitude was fed and albeit also they had gathered up twelve Baskets full of that which remained of a few Loaves which before the Miracle a Boy was able to have borne yet did they not rightly consider the infinite power of Christs Jesus by this wonderfull Miracle And therefore of necessity it was that in their owne Bodies they should suffer trouble for their better instruction When I deeply consider dearly beloved in our Saviour Christ how abundantly and how miraculously the poor and small flock of Christ Jesus was fed within the Realm of England under that elect and chosen Vessell of God to glory and honour Edward the sixt and now again behold not onely the dispersion and scattering abroad but also the appearing destruction of the same under these cursed cruell and abominable Idolaters me thinke I see the same causes to have moved God not onely to withdraw his presence from the multitude but also to have sent his welbeloved servants to the travels of the Seas wherein they were sore tossed and turmoyled and apparently most like to perish What were the affections of the greatest multitude that followed the Gospel in this former rest and abundance is easie to be judged if the life and conversation of every man should have beene thorowly examined For who lived in that rest as that he had refused himself Who lived in that rest as that he had been crucified with Christ Who lived in that rest as that he had certainly looked for trouble to come upon him Yea who lived not rather in delicacy and joy and seeking the world and pleasures thereof caring for the flesh and carnall appetites as though death and sin had clean been devoured And what was this else then to make of Christ an earthly King The Word that we professed daily cryed in our ears that our Kingdome our joy our rest and felicitie neither was is nor should be upon the earth neither in any transitory thing thereof but in heaven into which we must enter by many tiibulations But alas we sleeped in such securitie that the sound of the Trumpet could of many never be perfectly understood but alwayes we perswaded our selves of a certaine tranquility as though the troubles whereof mention is made within the Scriptures of God appertained nothing at all to this age but unto such as of long time are passed before us and therfore was our heavenly Father compelled to withdraw from us the presence of his veritie whose voyce in those dayes we could not beleeve to the end that more earnestly we may thirst for the same and with more obedience embrace and receive it if ever it shall please his infinite goodnesse in such abundance to restore the same againe I mean nothing of those that followed Christ only for their bellies for such perceiving that they could not obtain their hearts desire of Christ have grudged and left him in body and heart which thing their blasphemous voices spake against his eternall verity doth witnesse and declare For such brethren be ye not moved for in the time of their profession they were not of us but were very dissemblers and Hypocrites and therefore God justly permitteth that they blaspheme the Truth which they never loved I mean not that ever such dissembling Hypocrites shall embrace the verity but I meane such as by infirmitie of the flesh and by naturall blindnesse which in this life is never altogether expelled then could not give the very obedience which Gods Word required neither now by weaknesse of faith dare openly and boldly confesse that which their hearts know to be most true and yet lamenteth mourneth both for the imperfection by passed and present from such shall not the amiable presence of Christ for ever be withdrawn but yet again shall the eyes of their soretroubled hearts behold and see that light of Christs Gospell wherein they most delight We the Ministers who were the distributers of this bread the true Word of God wherewith the multitude within England was fed lacked not our offences which also moved God to send us to the Sea And because the offences of no man are so manifest unto me as mine own I will onely censure my self It is not unknown unto many that I the most wretched was one of that number whom God appointed to receive that Bread as it was broken by Christ Jesus to distribute and give the same to such as he had called to this banquet in that part of his table where he appointed me to serve It is not in my knowledge nor judgement to define nor determine what portion or quantity every man received of this bread neither yet how that which they received agreed with their stomacks but of this I am assured That the benediction of Christ Jesus so multiplyed the portion which I received of his hands that during the banquet this I write to the praise of his Name and to the accusation of mine owne unthankfulnesse the bread never failed when the hungry soule craved or cried for food and at the end of the banquet mine own conscience beareth witnesse that mine hands gathered up the crummes that were left in such abundance that the banquet was full among the rest To be plain mine own conscience beareth record to my self how small was my learning and how weak I was of judgement when Christ Jesus called me to be his steward and how mightily day by day and time by time he multiplied his graces with me if I should conceale I were most wicked and unthankfull But alas how blinded was my heart and how little I did consider the dignity of that Office and the power of God that then multiplied and blessed the bread which the people received of my hands this day mine own conscience beareth witnesse to my selfe God I take
to record in my conscience That I delivered the same bread that I received of Christs hands and that I mixed no poyson with the same that is I teached Christs Gospel without any mixture of mens dreames devises or phantasies But alas I did it not with such fervency with such indifferency and with such diligency as this day I know my duty was to have done Some complained in those dayes That the Preachers were undiscreet persons yea some called them raylers and worse because they spake against the manifest iniquity of men and especially of those that then were placed in Authority as well in Court as in other Offices universally thorowout the Realme both in Cities Towns and Villages And among others peradventure my rude plainnesse displeased some who did complain That rashly I did speak of mens faults so that all men might know and perceive of whom I meant But alas this day my conscience accuseth me That I spake not so plainly as my duty was to have done For I ought to have said to the wicked man expressely by his name Thou shalt die the death For I finde Ieremiah the Prophet to have done so to Pashur the high Priest and to Zedechiah the King And not onely he but also Elijah Elisha Michah Amos Daniel Christ Jesus himself and after him his Apostles expressely to have named the blood-thirsty tyrants abominable Idolaters and dissembling hypocrites of their dayes If that we the Preachers within the Realme of England were appointed by God to be the Salt of the earth as his other Messengers were before us Alas Why with-held we the Salt where manifest compunction did appear I accuse none but my selfe The blinde love that I did bear to this my wicked carkase was the chiefe cause that I was not fervent and faithfull enough in that behalfe For I had no will to provoke the hatred of all men against me And therefore so touched I the vices of men in the presence of the greatest that they might see themselves to be offenders I dare not say that I was the greatest flatterer But yet neverthelesse I would not be seen to proclaim manifest Warre against the manifest wicked Whereof unfainedly I ask my God mercy As I was not so fervent in rebuking manifest iniquity as it became me to have been So was I not so indifferent a feeder as is required of Christs Steward For in preaching Christs Gospel albeit mine eye as knoweth God was not much upon worldly promotion yet the love of friends and carnall affection of some men with whom I was most familiar allured me to make more residence in one place then in another having more respect to the pleasure of a few then to the necessity of many That day I thought I had not sinned if I had not been idle But this day I know it was my duty to have had consideration how long I had remained in one place and how many hungry souls were in other places to whom alas none took pain to break and distribute the bread of Life Moreover remaining in one place I was not so diligent as mine Office required but sometime by counsell of carnall friends I spared the body sometime I spent in worldly businesse of particular friends and sometime in taking recreation and pastime by exercise of the body And albeit men may judge these to be light and small offences yet I acknowledge and confesse That unlesse pardon should be granted to me in Christs blood that every one of these three offences aforenamed that is to say Lack of fervency in reproving sin The lack of indifferency in feeding those that were hungry And the lack of diligence in the execution of mine Office deserved damation And beside these I was assaulted yea infected and corrupted with more grosse sins that is My wicked nature desired the favours the estimation and praise of men against which albeit that sometime the Spirit of God did move me to fight and earnestly did stir me God knoweth I lye not to sob and lament for those imperfections yet never ceased they to trouble me when any occasion was offred And so privily and craftily did they enter into my brest that I could not perceive my self to be wounded till vain-glory had almost gotten the upper hand O Lord be mercifull to my great offence and deal not with me according to my great iniquity but according to the multitude of thy mercies remove from me the burthen of my sin for of purpose and minde to have avoided the vain displeasure of man I spared little to offend thy Majestie Think not beloved in the Lord That thus I accuse my selfe without just cause as though in so doing I might appear more holy or that yet I do it of purpose and intent by occasion thereof to accuse others of my brethren the true Preachers of Christ of like or greater offences No God is Judge to my conscience That I do it even from an unfained and sore troubled heart as I that know my selfe grievously to have offended the Majesty of my God during the time that Christs Gospel had free passage in England And this I do let you understand That the taking away of the heavenly Bread and this great tempest that now bloweth against the poor disciples of Christ within the Realme of England as touching our part cometh from the great mercy of our heavenly Father to provoke us to unfained repentance for that neither Preacher nor Professor did rightly consider the time of our mercifull Visitation But altogether so we spent the time as though Gods Word had been Preached rather to satisfie our fantasies then to reforme our evill manners Which thing if we earnestly repent then shall Jesus Christ appear to our comfort be the storm never so great Haste O Lord for thy Names sake The second thing that I finde to be noted is The vehemency of the fear which the disciples endured in that great danger being of longer continuance then ever they had at any time before In Saint Matthewes Gospel it appeareth That another time there arose a great stormy Tempest and sore tossed the Boat wherein Christs disciples were labouring But that was nigh the day light and then they had Christ with them in the Ship whom they awaked and cryed for help unto him for at that time he slept in the Boat and so were shortly delivered from their sudden fear But now were they in the midst of the raging Sea and it was night and Christ their Comforter absent from them and cometh not to them neither in the first second nor third Watch What fear think ye were they in And what thoughts arose out of their so troubled hearts during that storm Such as this day be in like danger within the Realme of England doth by this storm better understand then my pen can expresse But of one thing I am well assured That Christs presence would in that great
gave to Peter teacheth us That God doth not flatter nor conceal the faults of his Elect but maketh them manifest to the end that the Offendors may repent and that others may avoid the like offences That Christ called Peter of little faith argueth and declareth as we before have noted That Peter was not altogether faithlesse but that hee fainted or was uncertain in his faith for so soundeth the Greek terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof we ought to be admonished That in passing to Christ thorow the storms of this world is not onely required a fervent faith in the beginning but also a constancy to the end as Christ saith He that continueth to the end shall be saved and Saint Paul Unlesse a man shall strive lawfully he shall not be crowned The remembrance of this ought to put us in minde That the most fervent man and such as have long continued in profession of Christ is not yet sure to stand at all hours but that he is subject to many dangers and that he ought to fear his own frailty as the Apostle teacheth us saying Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall for if Peter that began so fervently yet fainted ere he came to Christ what ought we to fear in whom such fervency was never found No doubt we ought to tremble and fear the worst and by the knowledge of our own weaknesse with the Apostles incessantly to pray O Lord increase our faith Christs demand and question asking Peter Why doubtest thou containeth in it self a vehemency as if he should have said Whether doubtest thou of my power or of my promises or of my good will If my power had not been sufficient to have saved thee then could I neither have come to thee thorow the stormy Sea neither have made the waters obey thee when thou beganst to come to me and if my good will had not been to have delivered thee and thy Brethren then had I not appeared unto you neither had I called upon thee but had permitted the Tempest to devour and swallow you up but considering that your eye saw me present your ears heard my voice and thou Peter especially knewest the same and obeyedst my commandment why then doubtest thou Beloved brethren If this same demand and question were laid to our charge we should have lesse pretence of excuse then had Peter for he might have alleadged That he was not advertised that any great Storme should have risen betwixt him and Christ which justly we cannot alleadge for since that time that Christ hath appeared unto us by the brightnes of his Word and called upon us by his lively voyce he hath continually blown in our ears That persecution and trouble should follow the Word that we professed which dayes are now present Alas then why doubt we thorow this storme to go to Christ Support O Lord and let us sink no further Albeit that Peter fainted in faith and therefore was worthy most sharply to be rebuked yet doth not Christ leave him in the Sea neither long permitted he that fear and tempest to continue but first they entred both into the Ship and thereafter the winde ceased and last their Ship arrived without longer delay at the place for which they long had laboured O blessed and happy are those that patiently abides this deliverance of the Lord The raging Sea shall not devour them Albeit they have fainted yet shall not Christ Jesus leave them behinde in the stormy Sea but suddenly he shall stretch forth his mighty hand and shall place them in the Ship amongst their brethren that is He shall conduct them to the number of his elect and afflicted Church with whom he will continue to the end of the world The Majestie of his presence shall put to silence this boysterous winde the malice and envy of the devill which so bloweth in the hearts of Princes Prelates Kings and of earthly men that altogether they are conjured against the Lord and against his Anoyned Christ in despight of whom he safely shall conduct convey and carry his sore troubled Flock to the life and rest for which they travell Albeit I say that sometimes they have fainted in their journey albeit that weaknesse in faith permitted them to sink yet from the hand of Christ can they not be rent he may not suffer them to drown nor the deep to devour them But for the glory of his own Name he must deliver for they are committed to his charge protection and keeping and therefore must he keep and defend such as he hath received at his father from sin from death from devil and hell The remembrance of these promises is to mine own heart such occasion of comfort as neither can any tongue nor pen expresse but yet peradventure some there is of Gods elect that cannot be comforted in this tempest by any meditations of Gods election or defence but rather beholding such as sometimes boldly have professed Christs Verity now to be returned to their accustomed abominations And also themselves to be overcome with fear that against their knowledge and conscience they stoup to an Idol and with their presence maintaineth the same and being at this point they begin to reason Whether it be possible that the members of Christs body may be permitted so horribly to fall to the denyall of their Head and in the same to remain of long continuance And from this reasoning they enter in dolour and from dolour they begin to sink to the gates of hell and Ports of despair The dolour and fear of such I grant to be most just For oh how fearfull is it for the love of this transitory life in the presence of man to deny Christ Jesus and his known and undoubted Verity But yet to such as be not obstinate contemners of God and of all godlinesse I would give this my weak counsell That rather they should appeal to mercy then by the severe judgements of God to pronounce against themselves the fearfull sentence of condemnation and to consider that God includeth all under unbelief that he may have mercy upon all That the Lord filleth and giveth life he leadeth down to hell and yet lifteth up again But I will not that any man think That by this my counsell I either justifie such as horribly are returned back to their vomit either yet that I flatter such as maintaineth that abominable Idoll with their dayly presence God forbid For then were I but a blinde guide leading the blinde headlong to perdition Onely God knoweth the dolour and sobs of my heart for such as I hear dayly do turn back But the cause of my counsell is That I know the conscience of some to be so tender that whensoever they feel themselves troubled with fear wounded with anguish or to have sliden back in any point that then they judge their faith to be quenched
abomiâ—ations were revolted then was the Boat in the midst of the Sea Two speciall Notes of this discourse The first Note Who ruled all by wit under K. Edward 6 John 13. Psalm 40. Godly Princes commonly have most uugodly Counsellors Note well 2 Reg. 17. Esa. 22. Matth. 26. John 12. Quest. Answ. The enemies of the verity many times appear to be most profitable for a Common-Wealth Mischief at the length will so utter it self that men may espie it Esa. 22.36 Esa. 22. If David and Hezekiah were deceived by traiterous Councellors how much more a young and innocent King The Author might fear this indeed Paulet is painted The Treasurers words against the authority of Mary Caiaphas prophesied Judge at the end The second Note Tyrants cannot cease to persecute Christs Members Gen. 21. Gen. 28. Exod. 5 6 7 8 c. John 5. 12. The power of Gods Word put the Papists to silence in England except it had been to brag in corners Princes are ready to persecute as malicious Papists will command Job 12. 2 Cor. 4. Ephes. 2. 1 Reg 16 18. John 13. John 8. Wily Winchester Dâ—eaming Duresme Bloody Bonner This is the cruse before omitted why the winde blew to trouble Christs disciples The prayer of the author Exhortation Isai. 48 51.54 62. The coming of Christ to his dâ—sâ—iplâ—s upon the Sâ—â—s is opâ—ned Christ is sute upon the mountain God never brought his people into trouble to the intent that they should perish therein Mark these words Christ came not to his disciples till the fourth watch The causes why Christs disciples misknew him What chanced to Christ that also in all ages chanceth to his holy Word The fear is greatest when deliverance is â—ost nâ—gh Exod. 5 6 c. 5 Reg. 7. Isai. 36 37. Note Why God suffereth tribulation to abound and continue Exod. 14. Note Exod. 10â— Iezabel Athalia and Iudas Gardâ—â—r Tunstal Bucherly Bonâ—r The praise of Winchester Durysme and oâ—â—dy Mary before these dayes 4. Reg. 11. Matth. 14. 3. Reg. 18 3. Reg. 18. A digression to the Papists of Qu. Maries chaste dealing A lively Picture of Mary the utter mischief of England What commodities the Spanish King shall bring to the Realm of England A true saying Under an English name she bâ—areth a Spanyards heart Spanyards sons of pride and superstition Why Winchester would have Spanyards to reigne over England To Winchester The Book of true obedience both in Latine and in English shall remain to thy perpetuall shame and condemnation of thy cankered Conscience The wicked must declare their selves Apocalip 13. Note Abraham Gen. 15. Isaac Gen. 16. Iacob Gen. 23 31.32.35 Moses Exod 5. Rom. 1. Psal. 119. The power and effâ—ctuall operation of Gods Word Exod. 4 Reg 9. Luke 24 Simile Math. John 〈◊〉 Note that Peter considâ—red not his own weaknesse The sherp at length know the voyce of their own Pastor The Elect. The Reprâ—bate 1 Reg 28. Saul 2 Reg. 18. Ahaz Isai. 7. God sometime sheweth mercy to an hypocrit for the cause of his Church Jerem. 37 38. Jerem. 42. Reade the Text Jer 42. Jerem. 43. Great blindnes Jer. 44. As Papists would have League with the Emperor What was said in Hammeâ—sham when uproar was for establishing of Mary in authority A Common-wealth compared to a Ship sayling on the Sea The end shall declare Enemies to the Truth receive no comfort of Gods Messengers The godly and chosen of God Gen. 12. Gen. 15. Gen. 22. Exod. 5.7.10 1 Reg. 16. 3 Reg 21. Object Answer Exod. 32. Gods Word sometimes moveth great multitudes Why Moses caused the Israelites do drink the powder of the golden calf Exod. 32. A sharp sentence against Idolaters Gen. 34. Gen. 49. Jerem. 21.38 Jerem. 21. Jerem. 38 Jerem. 38. Jon. 3. Act. 2. Jerem. 32. The cause of fear Gen. 12. Exod. 34. Isa. 36 37. Matth. 11. Apoc. 18. Note Lively faith maketh a man bold 3. Reg. 18. 3. Reg. 19. The creature can never dispute wâ—th God without sin Quest. Answ. Gods works by them self are a sufficient reason Peters vertue The vice that long rested with Peter Matth. 16. Note Matth. 26. Why Peter was suffered to sink Luke 22. What resteth with Gods Elect in their greatest danger The nature of faith Peter knew the power and good will of God Psal. 144. How nigh God is in extream perill to deliver his Elect that syithfully call upon him Exod 14. Hester 7.8 â— Daniel 6. John 3. Act 12. Psalm 18. God flattereth not his Elect. Peter was not faithlesse Matth 10. 2 Tim 2. Such as have stood long may yet fall Luke 17. Note We have lesse pretence of excuse then Peter had Note Consolation Matth. 28. Worldly Princes are conjured against God Psal. 2. The sheep of Christ cannot be rent from his hand Joh. 10. Joh. 7. The temptations of Gods elect now in England Good counsell to thee in faith Rom. 11. 1 Reg 2. Note To whom appertaineth the former counsel Matth. 28. Note Objection Answer The root of faith remaineth with Gods elect in greatest danger 3 Reg. 19. The root of faith is not idle A tryall of faith in trouble It appertaineth not to man to know not to enquire how God will deliver Note Divers wayes of deliverance Note The means offered by God to avoid Idolatry are not to be refused Repetition Isai. 78. Psal. 74. Apocal. 17. Psal 74 87. Prayer and Confession Appealing to mercy Isai. 33. Jerem. 4. Psal. 74. Psal. 59. Psal. 79. Jerem. 10 11 12. Psal. 95. Against the enemies of God Esay 25. Of Gods Elect Exhortation Esa 26. Gen. 3. Mattâ— 10. Act. 4. Matth. 5. Joh. 14 16. Esay 9. In the Crosse of Christ iâ— victory hid Esay 40.41.51 Exod. 2. 4 Reg. 25. Jerem 52. Esd. 1. Note â—phes 2. The causes why the Saints of God bâ— this day persecuted 1 Joh. 1.2 Heb. 6. 10. Ephes. 5. Matth. 23. Whosoever sheddeth the Blood of one of Christs members for his Names sake consenteth to the blood of all that have suffered since the beginning Note Gen. 4. Matth. 15. Answer to an Objection Gen. 19. Exod. 14. Iosephus The Petition of such as be persecuted Matth. 5. Matth. 10. â— Cor. 2. Matth 10. Exod. 20. Rom. 13. 1 Pet. 2. The first proportion The second proposition John 4. Apo. 14. 17. Note Take heed of unlawfull obedience Dan. 3. Dan. 6. Answ. Matth. 10. Act. 14. Note The Papisticall Religion a mortall Pestilence The Admonition Answer to an Objection Gen. 6. Psâ—l 14. Psal 2. Act. 4. Luk. 18. Hosea 4. Matth 20 Matth. 7. 2 Thess 2. Note Deu 4 and 12 Matth. 15. 1 Reg. 13 15 2 Par. 26. Levit. 10. Matt. 17 Act. 1 2 3. 1 Cor. 11. Col. 2. Deâ—â— 4. 12. Apoc. 2. The craft of Sathan The ground of â—â—â—â—â—ticall Religion Note Tertul. in Apol. The chief Preposition Nâ—cen 1. The dutie of Magistrates The Spirit of God abideth not with Idolaters 3. Reg. â— 5. 2 â—ar 17. 4 Reg 22. 2 Paâ— 34. 4 Reg 18. 2 Par. 29 30 c. 31. The second proposition Stob. ser. 12. Niceph. Calist. Histor. Ecclâ—s Lib 10. cap. 42. Note Mich. 3. Note Flatterers contagious stilence Ezek. 22. Note Idolatry is mother to all â—ice Matth 6. Rom. 8. â— Reg. 18. John 17. Ezek. 34. Note this for our time Daniel 2. 1 Reg. 2. Job 12. Psal. 107. Daniel 2. Note Note Note 1 Reg. 14. 1 Reg. 16. 2 Reg. 10. 2 Reg. 17. The offer of Iohn Knox. Advert Prosperity for a time proveth not Religion good No Realme England except so grievously plagued at Scotland Isai. 30. Isai. 14. Isai 6. Exhortation Josh. 1. 2 Par 34. 2 Par. 1. Jerem. 36. Amos 2. Zach 15 James 5. 1 Reg 17. 1 Reg. 18. 1 Reg. 19. 2 Reg 9. 1 Reg 19. Mat 10. The disposition Note Verse 23. From whencâ— all Authority floweth Psal. 82. 2. Point Rom. 13. Note Note Josh. 1. What is required of a King or Prince The Authority and Power of Kings is limited Note Usc. The duty of Gods people Ezek 20. 2 Reg. 17. Isai. Jere. 9. Eccles 3. Isa. 3. Verse 14. Verse 15. Ezel 8. Note Apoc. Vers. 15. Vers. 16. Josh 24. Rom 9. Dan. 1. Dan. 2. Dan. 3. Dan. 6. 1 Esd 2. 1 Esd 6. A Prayer Vers. 16. 1 Joh. 2. 1 Reg. 22. 2 Reg. 9. Verse 17. Verse 18. John 16. Vers. 19.20 Verse 19. Gal. 2. 1 Pet. 1. Ezek. 37 Psal. 14. 1 John 5. Eccles. histor Sozomoni lib. 5. cap. 5. A terrible but must true sentence The Castle of Edinburgh was shooting against the exiled for Christ Jesus sake