Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A68306
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The copie of an epistle sent by Iohn Knox one of the ministers of the Englishe Church at Geneua vnto the inhabitants of Newcastle, & Barwike. In the end wherof is added a briefe exhortation to England for the spedie imbrasing of Christes gospel hertofore suppressed & banished.
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Knox, John, ca. 1514-1572.
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1559
(1559)
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STC 15064; ESTC S106733
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36,483
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128
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THE COPIE OF AN EPISTLE SENT BY IOHN KNOX ONE OF the Ministers of the Englishe Church at Geneua vnto the inhabitants of Newcastle Barwike In â—â—e end wherof is added a briefe exhortation to England for the spedie imbrasing of Christes Gospel hertofore suppressed banished MATTH CHAP. VII â—uerie tree which bringethe not fourthe good frute is hewne downe and cast into the fyer AT GENEVA M.D.LIX. MATH x. VVho so euer shal confesse me before men him wil I confesse also before my father whiche is in heauen but who soeuer shal denie me before men him wil I also denye before my father whiche is in heauen â—â—hn Knox to the inhabitantes of Nâ—wcasâ—le aÌ„d Barwike and vnto â—â—her who sometyme in the Realme â—nglande profâ—ssed Christ Iesus aÌ„d 〈◊〉 be returned to the bondage of 〈◊〉 wisheth true and earnestreâ—ancely the powre and operation â—at same spirite who called from â—he Iesus the onely pastour of our 〈◊〉 IF the reason of man shal be called to iudg what frute ensuethe the payneful trauail of Gods most faithâ—â—ll seruantes who at his comâ—andement studie to repayre his â—itie and to purge his temple â—â—t onely shal their labours be â—stemed for a tyme to be vainly â—pent but skarsely shal the wisdome of God throughe mans â—ashe iudgement escape condemnation nether shal the veritie of his promesses be free frome suspition of falsehod and vanitie For to mans reason nothing appeareth more absurde folishe nor vnreasonable then y t God whose powre no creature is able to resist shal send fourth his messingers to performe his worke and wil and that the same shal be so impugned that their building in their owne eyes shal be ouerthrowne and destroyed and that the natural man can not se how the promesses of Christ Iesus made to his Apostles and vnder their names to all true preachers of his holy Gospel in these wordes can be prouen constant and true I haue saith he appointed you to go and to bring fourthe frute that your frute shal abyde The stabilitie and truth I say of this promesse dothe not sodenly appeare but rather the playne contrary For if the frute of the Gospel and glad tydinges preached be first in this lyfe the glorye of God I meane such good workes as may declare the spirite of regeneration shining in man after that he be planted in Christ Iesus and after this battel the ioy prepared for Gods children if these I say be the frutes of Christ Iesus preached then appeare the most parte of trees to be destroyed before the tyme of frute dothe approche For some by tyrannie and violence are rooted out frome the societie of earthely creatures before they beginne to florish so is their frute to maÌ„s iudgement impeaded and hindered some are blasted and wythered withe stormy windes and some are corrupted ether by vermine or by venemous humors proceding frome a corrupt fountayne so that the frute of none almost dothe appere to our eyes To speake the matter simply and without figure the men that appeared to the faithfull laborers to haue bene planted in Christ who callethe him self the verie vyne and those that professe his truthe the vine branches are subiect to so many tentacions that skarsely emongst a thowsand dothe one take roote and bring forthe frute with pacieÌ„ce Notwithstanding suche as by tyâ—annye violent persecution are suddaynly rest from this lyfe do neuertheles produce and bring forthe frute delectable and pleasing in the sight of him who hathe appointed an ende to the trauayl miseries of his deare children albeyt this frute to the natural maÌ„ is so sowâ—e and vnsauery so hard and vnpleasant that the onely sight of it not onely gyuethe occasion to the reprobat to vtter their venome and malice against Christ Iesus but also for a season it vexeth and tormenteth Gods most deare children For as the one doeth insolently reioyce as thoghe God dyd fauor maiÌ„tein their tyraÌ„nye so dothe the other vndiscretely lament aÌ„d pronounce wrong iudgement esteminge that more it shulde stande with Gods glorie and honour and more also with the profet of his Churche y t suche as to whome he hathe of mercie graunted notable graces shulde rather be preserued in lyfe then permitted and giuen ouer to the wicked appetites of cruel persecutors Howbeit as y e frute of these trees is best knowne to God alone so is it iustified and approued by him whatsoeuer the folishe wisdome of the natural man shal iudge in the contrary For the prophet Esai pronounceth that the iust perisheth so dothe it appere to maÌ„s iudgement and yet that no man putteth it in harte that is dothe earnestly consider it that the men of mercie are taken awaye and the worlde neuertheles dothe reioyce and tryumphe But the holy ghost assigneth an other cawse that the iust is taken away before that his eyes behold greater miseries that he entreth into his peace before that Gods vengeance beginne to be powred forthe vpon the prowde and disobedient and so doth their frute abyde and continew not onely to their perpetual ioye but also to the comforte and consolation of the afflicted y t suffer for rightuousnes sake euen to th eÌ„de For y e same God y t of mercie had respect to their infirmitie and so dyd preuent the daungers that might haue apprehended them prouiding also for his Churche aboue the expectation of mortal man wil not dispise the sobbes of his â—fflicted now in these most wretâ—hed and most wicked dayes But of these trees and of their frute I cease at this tyme farther â—o speake because that the doloâ—ous estate of many that be alyue â—awsethe me some tymes to giue thankes vnto God for the happie deliuerance of suche as constantly departed in the Lorde whether it was by persecution of tyrantes or by natural deathe Consider with me deare brethern I speake to you of New-castle and Barwicke your miserable estate and most dolorous condition Your profession dyd once declare before men that ye were branches planted and ingrafted in Christ Iesus whose holy gospel whiche is the powre of God to the saluation of all y t beleue it ye appeared to haue receaued with all reuerence and gladnes The displeasure of your natural and carnal frendes who then were ennemies to Christ Iesus aÌ„d to his eternal veritie some of you dyd paciently beare Ye feared not to go before statutes and lawes yea openly and solemnedly you dyd professe by receiuing the sacramentes not as maÌ„ had appointed but as Christ Iesus the wisdome of God the father had institute to be subiect in al thinges concerning religioÌ„ to his yoke alone to acknowledg and auouche him before y e world to be your onely lawe gyuer soueraigne prince and onely sauiour Thus I say ye appeared at that tyme to haue bene the delicate plantes of the Eternal the workemanship of his owne handes and the trees that in season and tyme shulde haue
place in his chosen and delectable garden or vineyarde This was not spoken by Christ nor ment deare bretherne of deade insensible trees but vnder y t similitude most liuely is painted set forthe what shal be y e end of those that by vocation and external profession are planted in the Churche of God and so made members of Christ Iesus who is the verie vvnestocke such as do professe him are called branches grafted in him This similitude I say do the expresse what shal be the end of such as bring not forth frute in him to wit they shal be cut of y e stocke whome by baronnes they dishonor they shal wither and drye so be cast on the fyer to burne for euer I haue no pleasure God is witnesse to threaten you muche lesse to pronouÌ„ce plages and Gods seuere iudgmentes against you but seing and considering your horrible defection frome God and frome his veritie knowne and professed â— dar not cease to exhort you to â—epentance For althogh I shulde â—epe silence yet shulde stones â—ccuse your vnthankefulnes Yf â— shulde flatter you and speake acâ—ordiÌ„g to your appetites saiyng â—as we can not redres the inâ—quitie of these tymes we haue 〈◊〉 pleasure in Idolatrie we are â—orye that the blood of innoceÌ„ts â—s shed in our lande we woulde â—e content that true religion â—hulde be vsed but wicked men â—ow bere dominion and therfore we must serue and obey the â—yme when God shal please to â—estore his truth we wil be gladd of it but in the meane tyme we must obey the lawes set forth by â—ur superiours God knoweth â—ur hartes and we trust he wilâ—e merciful vnto vs. Yf on this â—aner I say I shulde flatter you â—aying pillowes vnder your heaâ—es who alredy do sleape in a deadely securitie shulde ye therfore escape Gods vengeance No no deare brethern but by suche meanes be you assured that Gods indignation is more kindeled both against the people and the prophet For when al are coniured against his truthe then must his iuste iudgementes reuenge his owne cause and therfore brethern suffer the worde of exhortation suffer it I say withe trembling feare not esteming the threatninges pronounced against the disobedient forthe of the boke of God to be voiceâ— sparsed in the ayâ—e which sodenly shal euanishe and take no effect God forbyd that suche cogitatioÌ„s remayne aÌ„d preuaile in your hartes for then haue ye refused God with whome ye can haue no societie except ye imbrace and receiue his worde whiche threatneth no lesse damnation deathe â–ª shame and destruction to prowd â—oÌ„temners and obstinat refusers of grace and mercy offered then â—hat it dothe promesse saluation 〈◊〉 honor and immortalitie to â—he peniteÌ„t synner and vnto such 〈◊〉 vnfaynedly mourne for their â—aynous offences against God coÌ„mitted It behoueth you therfore deare brethern to giue this honour to your God that the viritie of his worde be not measured by the weakenes frailtie or infirmitie of the instrumentes whiche most commonly he vseth in publicatioÌ„ of the same For his ministers are men subiect to infirmities but the worde whiche they preache is the powre of God to saluation of al that beleue and obedieÌ„tly imbrace the same His ministers as they be the sonnes of men of nature are they lyers instable and vayne but his eternal worde whiche he putteth in their mowthes and whereof they are made imbassadors is of suche truthe stabilitie and assurance that albeit heauen aÌ„d earth shulde euanishe and perishe yet shal it abyde and remayne for euer and that in such sorte that the same men who blynded by prosperitie aÌ„d carnal affections coulde not beleue God speaking by his ministers are oft compelled in their owne bodyes and in their posterities folowinge to fele the stripes and susteyne the plages whiche they contemned when they were first pronouÌ„ced The prophet Zacharie accusing the Iewes of his tyme of negligeÌ„ce in reedifiing the temple after they were delyuered frome y e captiuitie and bondage of Babilon sayethe where be your fathers to whome the propheteâ— spake and where be the prophete that spake to your fathers are not the one and the other deade But my wordes and statutes saithe the Eternal which I haue commaÌ„ded to my seruantes the prophetes haue not they apprehended your fathers insomoche that they conuerted and said As the Lord of â—ostes hath determined to do vnto vs accordyng to our waies and according to our imaginations so hath he done By which question and wordes the Prophet euidently affirmeth that which before I haue said to witt that nether the mercie of God promised to the penitent nether the seuere punishementes pronounced against the stubborne and 〈◊〉 oght to be measured by the weakenes and condition of the mâ—sâ—â—nger whome God sendeth but that whatsoeuer they bring foâ—the of Gods boke against iniquitie and syn chiefly against Idolatrie which seperateth man altogether frome God shal be holden so constant and so true as thogh God frome the heaueÌ„ had giuen witnesse to the same by the presence of his owne maiestie The meÌ„ to whome Zacharie dâ—d speake had neuer sene Esai y e prophet yea Esai him self was dead long before his prophetie toke full effect notwtstanding as their fathers felt the plagues which he pronounced against them and against that famous Citie Ierusalem for the bloodshede and Idolatrie in the same committed so were the eies of their children to whome Zacharie speaketh witnesses y t Gods wrath was in perfection powred forthe vpoÌ„ their fathers which also dyd abide vpon them eueÌ„ vnto that day that the Prophet dyd admonishe theÌ„ For they sawe Ierusalem lie 〈◊〉 and waste as the Caldeies had left it they sawe the ruines miserable stones ouercouered w t powder of that bewtifull holy temple of God which by Salomon was builded They farther felt them selues in pouertie boÌ„dage of straÌ„gers For albeyt they had obteyned libertie to returne to their countrie yet perceyued they their condition 〈◊〉 litle ameÌ„ded Their eÌ„nemies were more strong then they euen in their owne lande Their worke was impâ—aded they dyd lyue in greater feare then those which stil remayned in dispertion â–ª thus I saie were bothe their fathers they compelled to confesse in the ende that the wordes of the prophetes were no vayne threatniÌ„gs For the fathers dyd fele in a straunge countrie the heauie yoke of bondage the space of 70. yeres after that the bodies of many thow sandes had fallen vpon the edge of the sworde and the eies of the children dyd see the force and vehemencie of Gods wrathe once kyndled Of one thing be assured deare brethern that the self same God who then spake by his prophets dothe now speake to you by his messingers how contemptible soeuer they be in your eies and faâ—ther be assured that in all his proprieties he remayneth immutable for euer euer therfore persuade your selues