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COLLECTION OF PURITAN AND ENGLISH THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE

LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY

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Purchased by the Mary Cheves Dulles Fund

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THE A P-

PELLATION OF

JOHN K.K 0 X E F \0 M

the cruell and mo ft iniuft fentence pronounced againft him by the falfe bifhoppes and clergie of Scot land,withhis fupplication and ex- hortation to the nobilitie3e- ftates,and comunaltie of the fame re- alme.

Printed at GENEVA, M. D. LVIIL

2f

TO THE NOB I*

LITIS ^i N T) £ S T *A-

tes ofScotlid lohn Kjwxcxijheih grace yrwcie,

and peace from Godthe father of our

Lord It fa Chrift with the

fyirit of righteous

judgement.

If^v^iSfS ^ 1S not onty f^e ^oue °^^e &^\ \S7li temporal l(right honorable) f|2 neither yet the fear of corpo f£~) ral^ Geath, l^at moueth me ac !§jbJtliisprefent to expone vnto you the imurics done againft me, and to craueofyou, asof Iaufull powers by God appointed;redreife of the fame, but partly it procedeth from that reuerence whiche cuerie man oweth to Godds eternal trueth, Euety ma and partly from a loue which I beare tooo-btto your faluation, and to the faluarion of my confffe brethren abufed in that realme by fuch,as andreue* haueno fear of "God before thcireyes.lt rece god- hath plcafcd God of his inrinite mercie, des trteth, notonliefo to illuminate the eyes of my mindc,andfoto tuchemydull hart, that clearly Ife,and by his grace vnfeanedly beleue, that their is no other namegeuen to men vnder the hcauen, in whiche falua- *Att.\i tion confifteth, faue the name of Iefusa- lone,

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THE sAP P ELL-4T ION

tfebr.io. Who by that facrifice which he did once ofFcrvpon the crofTe,hath fanctitied foreuerthofe thatfliall enherite the kingdom promifed:

but alfo it hath pleafed him of his fuper- aboundant grace, to make and appoin- teme moft wretched of many thoufandes a witnes, minifter and- preacher of the fame doctrine: the fomme whereof I did notfparc to communicate withe my bre- thren being with them in the realmc of Scotland in the yeare 1556, becaufe I I Cor-1' know my felfetobeaftewardand thatac- *Mat.z^. compts of the talte comitted to my charge fhal be required by himwho willadmitno vaineexcufe which fearfullmen pretend. I did therefore (as God did minifter ) du- ring the tyme I was conuerfant with them (God is record and witnefle) truely and fynccrly according to the gift grated vn- tome,deuidethewordeof faluation, tea- chinge all men to hate Syn,whiche before God was and is fo odious that none other facrifice coulde fatifHe his iuftice except the death of his onlie fonne,and to magni fie the greate mercies of our heuenlieFa- the^whodidnotfparethefubftaceof his lohni. own glorie but did giuehym to the world ^jwi.5,8. to fufFer the ignominious andcruell de- z.^V.f. atbofchecrofIe,bythatmeanes to recon- cile

OF JOHN J^N OX S. 5

cilehischofcn children to hym felfe: tea- ching further what is the duetie of fuch as do beleue them fcluespurged by fuch a pri- ce from their former filthines.To wit,that \om.G. they are bound to walke in the newnes of Ephc.q.f life fighting againit the luftesof the fleflie andftudyingeatall tymestoglorifieGod Sphe.i. by fuch good woorkes as he hath prepared his children to walke in.

In do&rine I did further afTirme , Co taught by my mafter Chriit. Iefus , that jHat.iO. whofoeuer denieth hym,y ea or is afhamed of hym before this wicked generation, hym mall Chrifl Iefus denie, and of hym mail he be afhamed whe he mail appearein his maieftie.And therefore I feared not to afTirme that of necefiitie it is, that fuche as hope for life cuerlafting auoide all fuper- ftition,vaine religion,and idolatrie. Vai- Vainere- ne religion and idolatrie I call, what foe- ligionor ueris done in Goddes feruice or honour ijolatrit. without theexpreffe commaundementof hisownworde.

This do&rine did I beleue to be fo co- formable to Goddes holie fcriptures that I thoght, no creature could haue benefo impudent as to haue daned any point or article of the fame. Yetneuerthelefifeme, as an heritike,and this do&rine as heriti- call, haue your falsbifhoppes and vngod- ^ifentece lie clergie damnedj pronouncing againft pronuced' A 3

rue ~4P PELL^iTION me a fcntence of death, in te unification lApftella- wherofthcy haue burned a picture. From tiou from which fals and crueii fcntence, and from the fame, all Judgement of that wicked generation I make it knowentoyour honours,that I appeal to a laufull and generall counfil, to fuchc I mean,as the molt auncient lawes andcanonesdo approuetobe holden, by fucheaswhofemanifeil impietie is not to The re- be reformed in the fame: moil humbly re- aueji of quiring of your honours,that,asGod hath John appointed you princes in that people, and J^jtoxe. by reafon thcrof requireth of your handes the defence of innocetes troubled in your dominion, in the meane tyme, and till the controuerfies, that this day be in re- ligion, be laufully decided, ye recealie meandfuche others, as moll vniultlieby thofecruellbeaftesareperfecuted,inyour defence and protection.

Your honours are not ignorat that it is n6tIalone,who doth fuftain this caufea- gainft the peftilet generation of Papiftes, The peti- but that the raoft part of Germanie ,the tionofPro countrie of Heluetia, the kinge of Den Uflantes. marke,thcnobilitieof Polonia,togither with many other Cities and Churches re- formed, appeall from the tyrannic of that Antichrifl,andmoflearne{lIy do call for a laufuli and general coufiljwherin may all cotrouerfiesin religion be decided by the

aufto-

OF 10HN K^NOXE. 4

auctoritie of Goddesmoft facred worde. And vnto this fame,asfaid is, do I appeal yet once againe,requirlg of your honours to hold my iimple and playn appellation of no Jeffe value nor effe&.then if it had bene made with greater circunftace,folem nitic, andceremonie,and that yereceaue me calinge vnto you , as to the powers o£ God ordained, in your protection and de- fence againft the rage of tyrantes , not to mentaineme in any iniquitie,errour , or fals opinion, but to let me haue fuch cqui- tie,as God by hisworde,auncient lawes, and determinationsof molt Godliecoun- fils, grauntc to men accufed or infamed.

The word of God will that no man fhalldieeKcepthebefoundcriminallcnd worthie of death for offence committed, Bmf.ij, of thewhichehemuft bemanifeflly con- ui&cd by two or three witneiTes. Ancient lawes do permitt iuit defences to fuch as beaccufed (be their crimesneuerfo horri blejand godliecounfilles will that ne- ther Byfliopp nor Perfon eccleiiafticall whatfoeuer accufed of any crime fhali fit in Judgement, confultation, or counfil, where the caufeoffuchmen,as do accufc them,istobetried. The pet U

Thcfe thinges require I of your ho- ttom of nours to be graunted vnto me: to wit, Iolm That the doctrine which our aducrfaries Knoxe, A 4 '

run sApp e ll^t ion

condemn for he/efie may be tried by the fimpleand playnword of God, that iuft defenfes be admitted to vs that fuftain the battaile againft this peftilent generation of Antichnft , and that they be remoued fromiudgement in our caufe,feingc that our accufation is not intended againft any one particular perfo, but againft that hole kingdome whiche we doubt not toproue Note tobe a power vfurped againftGod,againft yaffil, his comaundement and againft the orde nance of Chrift Iefus eftablifhed in his Church by his chefc Apoftlcs: lea we doubt not to proue thekingdome of the Pope to be the kingdome and power of An tichrift. And therefore my Lordeslcan not ceafe in the name of Chrift Iefus to require of you that the matter may come in examination , and that ye theeftates of the realme by your au&oritie compell fuchaswill be called bifhoppes, not only to defift from their cruell murthering of filch as do ftudie to promote goddes glo- rie in detecting and difclofingthe dam- nableimpietieofthatmanof fyntheRo- mane Antechrift, butalfo thatyecopell them to anfwer to fuche crimes as fhall be laid to their charge for not righteoufly inftrufting the flock committed to their cares. Unfaet But here I know two thinges flialbe

doubted.

OF lOtiN K^NOXE. f

doubted. The former : whether that my i. to ohic- appellationis lawful 1 and to be admitted CHons. feing that I am damned as an heritike: and fecondarely whether your honours 2. be bound to defed fuch as call for your fup port in that cafe, feing that your bifhop- pes( who in matters ofreligionclaimeall au&oritieto appertaineto them)haue by their fentence allredy condemned me. The one and the other I nothing doubt moftclerelyto proue. Fyrft that my ap- pellation is moft Lawfull andiuil: and fecondarely that your honours can not refufe to defend me thus calling for your aid, but that info doing ye declare your NOTE. felues rebellious to God,mentainers of murtherers and {hedders of innocent blood.

How iuft caufe I haue by the ciuile law (as fortheircanon it is accurfedof God) Theappd to appeale from their vniuft fentence my l^tonis purpofe is not to make long difcourfe. iuft and Onlie I will touche the poyntes which all UvrfttU. menconfeflfetobeiuft caufes of appella- tion. Fyrtt. laufully could I not be fom- rnonedby them being for thattyme ab- fent from their iurifdiction, charged with thepreachig of ChriftesEuagill in a free citienotfubiectto their tyrannie. Secondarely to me was no intimation ma- de of their fommondesjbut fofecretewas

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their furmifed malice that the copie of the fommondes being required was denyed.

Thirdlicto thcrcalme of Scotland could T hauehadnofree nor furc acccfle being before exiled fro the fame by their vniuft tyrannie. And laft to me they ne- ther could nor can be competent and in- different iudges, for that , before any fommondes were raifed againft me, I had accufed them by my Ires publifhed to the cjucne dowsgier, and had intended againft them all crimes, orfring my felfe with hafardof life to proue the fame, for the which they are not onlie vnworthie of eccletiafticallau£toritie,butalfoofany fuf ferance with i n a commune welthe p rofef- fing Chrift. This my accufatio preceding their fomodes, neither by the lawof God, neither yet by the law of man can they be to me competent iudges till place be gra- ted vnto me opclic to proue my accufatio intended againft them, and they be com- pel led to make anfwer as criminalls.For I will plainelieprouethat not onlie bifhop pesjbut alfo Popes haue bene remoued fro all auftoritieand pronouncing of Judge- ment till they haue purged them feluesof accufations layd againft them. Yea fur- ther I will proue that bifhoppes and Po- pes moft iuftly haue bene depriued fro all honours and adminiftration for fmaller

crimes

OF I OHM F^NOXR. 6

crimes then I haue to charge the holera- bleof your bifhoppes.

Butbecaufe this is not my chefe grounde Goddes I wil ftand cotent for this prefent to llnw, m fingers thatlawfull it is to Goddes Prophctcs and may ap- to preachers ofChnft Iefus to appeall fro peall from the fentence and Judgement of the vihble mtmfifen churcheto the knoliedgeof thetemporall tencesjmd Magistrate, who bv Goddes law is bound cutUe to hear their caufes, and to defend them powers are from tyrannic. bound

The Prophete leremie was comma- to admit ded by God to ftand in the courte of the them. houfeofthe Lord and to preach this fcr- monineffecT:. That lerufalem mould be Ier.16. diftroyed and be exponed in opprobrie to ai 1 nations of the earth , and that alfo that famous teple of God mould be made defolate like vntoSylo, becaufe thepree- ftes,theProphetes, and the people did not walk in the Law, which God had yppofed vnto the, neither wold they obey the voy- ces of the Prophetes,whomeGod fentto call them to repentance.

For this fermon was Teremie appre- hended and a fentence of death was pro- nounced againft hym and that by the pree it.es> by the Prophetes, and by the people, which thinges being bruted in the eares of the Princes of Iuda they pailed vp fro thekingeshoufe to the teple of the Lord,

and

THF ^iPP ELLsAT I 07^

and fat down in Judgement for further knowledge ofthe caufe. But the preeftes and Prophetes continued in theyre cruell fcntece,which before they had pronouced faying,Thismanisworthie of the death: for he hath prophefied againft this citic as your eares haue hard. But Ieremy Co mouedby theholie Ghoft, began his de- fence againft that their tyrannous fentcn- cein thefe wordes. The Lord (faieth he) hath fent me to prophetie againft this houfe,and againft this citie all the wordes which you haue hard. Now therefore make good yourwayes, ad hear the voyce of the Lord your God, and then fhallhe repent of the euill whichehe hath fpoken againft you. As for me behold I am in .Adttcrt. your handes(fo doth he fpeak to the Prin- ces )do to me as you think good and rig h teous. Ncuertheles know you this moft aflurcdly,that if ye murther or fley me, ye fliall make your felues, this citie, and the inhabitants ofthe fame criminall and gyltieof innocent blood. Forof atrueth The prin the Lord hath fent me to fpeak in your ces did .tip- eares all thofi- wordes. (olue the Then the princes and the pcople( faieth Prophet the text) fa icL this man is not worthieof yelvmethe death, for he hath fpoken to vs in the name prc:(l> hud ofthe Lord our God. And fo afrcr fomme rondaml.^ cotcntion was the Prophete dcliuered fro

that

OF 10H N K^NOX £. 7

that d agcr.This fact and hiftorie manefeft ly proucth whatfoeuer before I haue aftir med- To wit,that it is Laufull for the fer- uantes of God to call for the help ofthc ciuile magiftrateagaiit the fetece of death if jtbevniuuSbywhomefocueritbejpno- uncedadalfo that theciuile fwordhathpo wer to reprefTe the furie of the preetts and to abfolue whome thei haue codened. For the prophete of God was damned by thofe who then only in earthe were knowe to be the vifible churche, to wit precftes & pro- pheteswho the were in Ierufalc the fuccef- Deute.ij fours of Aaro to whome was geue a charge to fpeak to thepeople in the nameof God, ad a precept geue to the people toheare the lawe fro their mouthes,to thewhich if any fhould be rebelliousoriobediet hefhould die the death without mercie.Thefemen I fay thus au&orifed by God, firft did exco municatlerimieforthathedid preacheo- ther wife then did thecomunefortofpro- phetes in Ierufalem,and laft apprehended him,asyou haue hardJfpnouncing againfl hymthis fetece afore writen fro thewhich neuertheles the prophete appealed, that is fought help and defence againft the fame and that moft earneftly did he craue of the princes. For albeit he faieth, I am in your handes do with me as ye rhink righ- teous, he doth not contemnenor neglect

his

his life as thoghc he regarded not, what fhould become of hym, but i thofe his wof des mod vehementlie did he admonifhe the princes, and rulers of the people ge- uing them to vndcrftad what God mould > The mw- require of the. As he mould fay, You prill nyKg °f ces of luda, and rulers of the peoplc,to tbeje whom appcrtaineth indifferent lie to iud- ■mrdes gc betwixt partie and partie, to iuftifie the lamin iuft manand tocodemncthcmalefa&our, ycurban- you haue hard a fentencc of death prono- des^c. unced againfr. me by thofe, whofe lippes Dcut. 17. oght to fpeakno decept, becaufe they arc Jererrku fan&ihed and appointed by God hym fel Deu.1.10 fcto fpcake his law and to pronounce Jud- gement with equitie3but as they haue left theliuing God, and haue taught the peo- ple to follow vanitie, fo are they becomed mortall ennemies to all Gods true fcruan tes,ofwhom I am one rebuking theireini- c]uitic,apoftafieand defection from God which is the onliccaufethcy fcke my life. But a thin^ moil contrarie to ail cquitic, law ad iufticc it is, that I a ma fent of God to call them, this people, and youagaine to the true feruiceofGod,from the which you are all declined, mail fufFcr the death becaufe that my ennemies do fo pronoun- ce fentencc. I ftad inyourprefece, whome God hath made princes, your power is a- bouc their tyrannie,bcfore you dolcxpo-

ne

OF JOHN K^KOXE. 8

ne my caufc I am in your handes aud can notrelift to fufferwhat ye think iuft. But left that my lenitie and patiece mould ci^ thermakeyou negligent in the defence of me in my iuft caufe appealig to your iud- gemet,ehhcryet encorragemy ennemies in feakinge my blood, this one thingel dar not confile: That if you murtherme, (which thing ye do ifycdcfed me not)ye make not only my ennemies gvlnc ofmv blood,but alfo your felues and this hole ci tie.By thefe wordes I fay,it is uiidcm,that thepropheteof God belgdanedto death by the preeftes ad by.the prophetes of the viable Church e5 did feke aid fupport and defenceatthe princes and temporall ma- giftrates,threatnyng his blood to ^c requi red of theyre handes, if they by thcyre au- clorite did not defend hym from thefurie of his ennemies: alledging alio iuft cau- fesof his appellation, and vchy he oght to haue bene defended : to wit, that he was fent of God to rebuke theire vices and dc- The cm- fe&ion from God : that he taught nodo-y^ oflns c"trine which God before had not pronoun appella- ced in his La\v:that hedeiircd.theyrecon- iionav.il uerfionto God,conunuallie calling -vpon whjbe them to walk in the way es which God had cgfotoha approued and therefore doth he boldiiewe bene crauc of the princes, as of Goddcslieutena defended. testo be defended from the blynd rage&

TH£ *AP P ELL^iT I ON tyrannie ofthe preefts, notwithstanding thatthey claimed to themfcluesau&ontie to iudge in all matters of religion. And the fame did he what tymehewas caft in pry Ton and thereafter was brought to the prefece of king Zedechias, after I fay that he had defended his innocetic, afFirmyng that he neither had offended againft the king, againft his feruantes nor againft the people, at laft he made interceflion to the king for his lifejfaying,

/fr g But now my lord the king take *hedc,Ibefechethee let my prayer fall in to thy prefence commaund me not to be caried againe in to the houfe of Ionathan the fcribe, that I dye not there.

And the text witnefTeth that the king commatinded the place of his impryfon- ment tobechaunged. Whereof it iseui- dent,thatthe prophet did ofter then onee feke help at the ciuile power and that fyrft the princes,and thereafter the king did a- cknowledge,thatir appertained to their v office to deliuer him from the iniuft fen-

tence,wh ich was pronounced againft him. yfanythinkethatleremiedidnotappeall becaus he onely declared the wronge done vnto him, and did but craue defence

according

OF 10HN KiNOX Er 9

according to his innoccncie Jet the fame man vndcrftand, that none otherwifedol appeale from that fals and cruell fentence, which your Byfhoppes haue pronounced Iuflcaufe againftme. Neither yet can there be any of appeU4 other iuft caufe of appellation butinno-f>o». cecie hurt,or fufpected to behurt,whether it be by ignorance of a iudge, or by mali- ce and corruption ofthofe3whovnderthe titleofiufticedoexercifetyranie. if I we-» re a thefe, murtherer, blafphemer, open a- dulterer,or any offender whome Gods worde commaundeth tofufferfor a crime committed, my appellation were vaine and to be reiected;but I being innocet,yea thedo&rine which your Byfhoppes haue condemned in me, being Gods eternall ver itie, haue no leffe libertic to craue your defence againft that crueltie, then had the Prophet Ieremie to fcke the aydeofthe Princes and King of Iuda . But this fhall more plainly appear in the fade of fainct Paule, who after that he was apprehen- .« ded inlerufalem,did fyrftclaime to the L ' * libertie of Romaynecitczesforauoiding *' ^ tormetjwhattyme that the captayn would ** haue examined hym by queftions.-rhere af- ter in the coucile, where no rightious Jud- gement was to be hoped for, he affirmed that he was aPharifie,and that hewasac- cufed of the rcfurreftionofthe dead, and

B.i.

T H £ ^tPP EL LOTION laft in thcprefcnceof Fcftus he appealed from all knowledge and judgement of the Preeftes at Ierufalem to the Hmperour : of which laft point, becaufe it dothchefelie appertaine to this my caufe, I will fom- what fpeak.

After that Paule had diucrfe tyrne* bene accufed,as in the Acles of the apo- ftles ismanifeft, at the laft the chefe Pree- ftes and theyre fa<5tion came to Cefarea with Feftus the prefidet, who prefented to them Paule in iudgement,whome they ac- cufed of horrible crimes: which neuerthe- les they could not proue, the Apoftle de- fending that he had not offended neither againft the Law,neitheragainft theTem- ple,neither yet againft the Emperour. *Acl.t$. gut Fcfius willing to gratifie the lewes, faid to Paule: Wilt thou go yp to Ierufalem,ad there be iud gcd ofthefe thinges inmyprefen ce?But Paule faid: I ftand at the iu fticefeatofthe Emperour, where it behoucth me to be iudged,I ha- uedonenoiniurie to the Iewesas thou better knoweft. Yf Ihaue do ncany thing iniuftly, or yet com- mitted crime worthieof death, I

refufc

CF 10HN X^NOXE. ip

refufe not to die. But if there be nothing of thcfe thinges tine, whe re of they accufe me, no man may geue me to them: I appeall to Cefar.

It may appear at the firft fight that Paule did great iniurie to Feftustheiudge,and to the hole order of the preefthode3wha did hope greater cquitie in a cruell tyrant then in all that ferTion and learned compa nie.Which thingeno dout Feftus did vn- derftad, pronouncing thefe wordes: Haft thou appealed to Cefar? thou (halt goto Cefar. As he would fay, I as a man willing to vnderftad the truth before I jpnouce (e tence, haue required of thee to go to leru- falem,where the learned of thyneowne na tion may heare thy caufeand decerncin the fame. The controuerfie ftandith in matters of religion. Thou artaceufedas an apoftatat from the Law, as a violator of the temple, and tranfgreffbr of thetra- ditiosoftheyrc fathers: in which matters I am ignorant, and therefore defire infor- mation by thofe,that be learned in the fame religion, wherof the queftion is. And yet doeft thou refufe fo many god- ly fathers to hear thy caufe,anddoeftappe ale to theEmperourrprefernng hym to all

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our iudgements, of no purpofe belike,but todelay tyme. Thus I fay it myghthaue appeared that Pauledidnot onlyiniurie to the iudgeand to thePreeftes,butalfo that his caufe was greatly to be fufpe&ed; partly for that he did refufe the Judge- ment of thofe that had molte knowledge (as ail menfuppoledjof Gods will and re ligion : and partly becaufe he appealed to the Emperour,who then was at Rome farr abfent from Ierufalenija man alfo ignorat of God and ennemie to all venue. But the Apoftle colidering the nature of his enne- mics,and what thinges they had intended againfthym,euen from the fyrftday that he began freelic to fpeakinthe name of *hy Pan- Chrift,did not fear to appeale from them, hwoldad and from the iudge :that would hauegra- myttnone tified them. They had profelTed the felues oftbe Le- plain ennemies to Chrift Icfus and to his Wticallor- blefled Euangill,andhad foght the death drttoiud- of Paule,yeaeuenby faetiosandtrealona- geinhu blecofpiracie:and therefore by nomea- cavfe. nes would he admit them either iudges in his caufe,either auditoursofthe fame as Vpowhat Feftus required: but grounding him felfc reafons vpon ftrong reafons , to wit , that he had tl?e'appel- not offeded thelewes,ncither yet theLaw, lotion of but that he was innocet,and therefore that Patikvas no iudge oght togeue hym in the hadesof grounded, his ennemies: grounding, I fay, his appel- lation

OF JOHN t^NOXE. i|

lation vponthcfe reafons, he neither re- garded thedifplcafure of Fertus, neither yet the brute of the ignorat multitudc,,but boldely did appeal from all cognition of them to theiudgement of the Empcrour, as faid is. By thefe two examples I dout not but your honours do vnderftand, that lawfull it istotheferuantes of God op- preifedby tyranietofekercmedie againft the fame, be it by appellation from theire fentece,or by imploring the helpc of ciui le Magiftrates.For what God hath appro- ued in Iercmie and Paul,hecan condemne in none that likewife be entreated. I might alledge fome hiftories of'the primatiue Church feruing to the fame purpofe : as of AmbrofeandAthana(ius,ofwhomtheone Wouldnotbeiudgedbutat Millan,where thatisdoctrinewashardofallhisChurch and receaucd and approued by many: and the other would in no wife geue place to thofe couciles,where he knew that mc con fpired againft thetrueth of God mould fir in Judgement and cofultatione. But be- caufe the Scriptures of God are my only fundation and aflurance in all matters of weight andimportace,I hauethoght the two former teitimoniesiurVicicnt,afwell to proue my appellation reafonable and iuft,as to declare to your honours that with fafe confcicnceye can notrefufetb

B.j.

TUB UPP S ILLATION

*dmit the fame. Yf any thinke it arrogacie orfooliflines in me to compare my felfc with Icremie and Paule, let the fame man vnderftad that as God is immutable, fo is Thtcaufe the veritie of his glorious Euangill of £- iito he re- quail dignitie, whenfoeuer it is impu- eanled gnedjbethe mcmbres fuffering ncuerfo and not weak.What I think touching mvne owne thefcrfon. perfon,God mall reueale when the fecrets ofallhartes (hall be difclofed, and fuel* as with whomel haue bene conuerfant, can partly witnefTe,what arrogacie or pry de they efpie in me. But touching the do- ctrine and caufe which that adulterous ad peililent generatioof Antichrifts feruats (who wilbe called Byftioppes amongft you )hauecondcncd in me, I neither fear nor mame to cofefle and auow before man andAngell to be the ^ternall trueth of the ^ternall God. And in that cafe I doutnot to copare my felfe with any menbre in w- home the trucrhhath bene impugned fece the begynnyng. For as it was the trueth w- hichlercmie did preach in thefewordes,

t~^ 9 The Precftes hauc not knowen me (faieth the Lord) but the pa- llors haue traiteroufly declined and fallen back from me.The Pro

?mm.u Pn^tes haue prophefied in Baal,

and

OF JOHN K^NOXE. it

andhaue gone after thofe things, which can not hclpe. My people haue left the fontaine of Hiring waters , and haue digged to them felues pits , which can containe no water:

As it was a trueth that the paftors and watchmen in the daies of Ifaie were be- 3lM* corned dome dogs, blyndJgnorat, proud and auaricious.'And finally as it was a trueth, that the Princes and the Preeftes weremurtherersofChrift Iefus,adcruell "«'•!• perfecutors of his Apoftlcs: fo likewyfe it & 4« is a trueth ( and that mode infallible) that thofe that haue condemned me(the holerableofthepapifticallclcrgiejhaue declyned from the true faith, haue geucn , eareto deceauable fpiritsand tododtrine r'"M» ofdeuils,are thefterres fallen from the heauento the earth.are fontaines without ludeu water: and tinally are ennemiesto Chrift *•*««■ Icfus,deniersof his vertue,and horrible blafphemours of his death and paiTio. And further as t hat viable Churche had no cri me , where of iuftly they could accufe ei- ther theProphetes,either the Apoftles,cx- cept they rdodrine only. fo haue not fuch as feke mv blood other crime to lay to my charge,exceptthatIaffiim,asalwaisIof-

THE iAPPELL>AT10?l

fer to proue, that the religion, whichno^ Let the is maintained by fier and fword,is no lefle cat+febe contrarious to the true religion taught noted. and eftabliflied by the Apoftles,then is darknes to light,or the Deuill to God:and alfothat fuchas now do claime the title and name of theChurche arno more the elect fpoufe of Chriftlefus, then was the Synagoge of the Iewcs the true Church of God what tymc it crucified Chrift IcP, damned hisdocltrine and perfecuted his A- poftles . And therefore feing that m y bat- tail is againft the proude andcruell hy- pochrites of this age, as that battaillof thofe moft excellent inftrumentes was a- gainft thefals Prophetes and malignant Church of they rages: neither ought any man think it Grange that I copare' my felf with therewith whorne I fuftaine a comon caufe,neither ought you my Lordesiudge your felues lefle addetted and bound to me calling for your fupport, then did the Princesof luda thinkthe feluesboudeto Ieremie, whomc for that tyme they deliue red notwithftading the fetece of death fi - noticed againft him by the vifibleChurch. Andthusmuchfortherightofmy appel- latio,whichinthebowellesof Chriftlefus Irequieryour honours not to eftemeasa th ing fuperfluous ad vaine,but that ye ad- piittitjad alio accept me in your fpte&ion

and

OF lOHN K^NOXE. ij

3d defence,that by you afl'ured I may haue accefic to my natiue coutrie,which I neucr offcded to the end: that freely and opely in the prefece of the hole reaime I may geue my confeffion of all fuch pointesasthis day be in controuerfie , and al fo that you byyourau&oritiewhichyehaueof God, compellfuch,asoflong tyme haueblyn- ded and deccaued both your felues and *Anf*er the people, to anfwer to fuch thinges as to an oh- {balbe laide to theire charge. But lcit that tecUonor fomme dout remayne,that I require more c/o«f. of you then you of confcience ar bound tograunt,infew wordes I hope to proue my petitio to be fuch, as withoutGods hea uy difpleafureyecannocdeny. Mypeti- The peti- tion is,that yc,whorne God hath apointed tiooflofo heades in your comune welth, with tingle Kjioxe. eye do ftudie to promote the gloric of God, to prouide that your fubie&es be rightly inflru&ed in his true religio, that they be defended from all opprerfion and tirannie , that true teachers may be main- tained,and fuch as blynde and deceaue the people,togyther alfo withallidlebellies which do robbe and oppreffe the flock, may be remoued and punimed as Gods Law prefcribeth.And to the perfurmance ofeuery oneofthefe,doyour offices and Names.The honours andbenefitcs,which yercceue,the Law of God vniucrfally ge

uen to all men, and the examples of mofte godlie Princes bynde and oblifb you.

Mypurpofeis not greatly to labour t©

proue,that your hole ftudie oghttobeto

promote the glorie of God, neither yet

will I ftudie to alledge all reafons that

iuftly may be broght to proue that ye are

not exalted toreigneaboue yourhrethrc

as men without care and folicitude. For

thefe be principals fo grafted in nature,

- r that vcrie Ethnicks haue confoiTed the

Tf"& fame. For feing that God only hath pla-

r J0" ced you in his chaire, hath appointed you

mursv- tODe ^js ljeutenantcs j gn^ by fy$ owne

bub Ma- feaJ1 hafh marI.ed you tobe Magiftrars,

pj rats ^j to rule aboue your brethren,to whom

nceaue £/naturencucrtheles hath made you lyke in

Cod ogbt ajj p0jm$ ^ for ]n conception, birth, life,

tomoue and £cat^ ye jj£fcr nothing from the

,,f?,]""i 'commune fort of men, but God only, ai alldtkgece ^ {% ? hath promoted you > and Qf his

t° promote c£pecjai fauoUr hath geuen vnto you

bh. Sethis prerogatiue to be called Gods:)

how horrible ingratitude were it then,

thatyoufliouldbe founde vnfaithful to

hym, that thus hath honored you? And

further what a monfter were it that you

fhould be proued vnmerciful to them,

aboucwhomeyeare appointed toreignc

as fathers aboue they re children 3becaufe

I fay that verie Ethnicks haue graunted,

that

OF 10 UN I^NOXS. 14 that the checfe and fyrft care of Prices,ad of fuch as be appointed to rule abouc others, oght to be to promote the glorie and honour of they r goddes,and to main- taine that religion,whiche they fuppofed to haue bene true. And that theyre fe- codcarewastomaintaineand defend the fubie&s committed to theyre charge in all equine and iuftice. I will not labour to mew vnto you what oght to be your ftudiein maitainyng Gods true honour: left that in fo doing I fhouM feme to make you lefle careful ouer Gods true religion , then were the Ethnickes ouer theireidolatrie. Butbecaufe other peti- tions may apperemore hard and difficile to be graunted, I purpofe brefely, but yet The <"*-- freely, to fpeak what God by his wordef^°M-« dothafrure me to be true. To wit.fyrft #/&*'• that in confeience you are bounde to pu- ny fh malefactors, and to defende inno- cents imploringe your hclpe: feconda- rely thatGod requireth of you to prouidc that your fubiects be rightly inftruCted in his true religion,and that the fame by you be reformed whenfoeuerabufes do crepe in by malice of Satan and negligence of men/and lafte that ye are bounde to remo- ue from honour,and to punifli with death ( if the crime fo require ) fuch as deceaue the people,ordefraudc them of that foode

THS UP P ELLUT ION of theyre foules,! meane Gods liucly worde. The fyrltandfecondc arcmoitc Hem.ll- playne by the wordes of S. Paulc thus /peaking of lawfull powers.

Letcueriefoule(faieth he) fub- mithymfclfe vntothe livelier po- wers, for there is no power but of god. The po wersthat be,are ordai ned of God.Whofoeuer therefore refifteth power, refifteth the ordi- nance of God, and they that refi ft fhall receaue to them felues damna tion. For rulers ar not to be feared riftjhofe that do wel'l,but of thofe that do euill. Wilt thou then be without fear of the power?dothat which is good, and fo fhalt thou be praifed of the fame. For he is the minifter ofG od for thy welth. But if thou do that which is cuil, fear. For he beareth not the fwor- de for noght.-for he is the minifter ofGodtotake vengance on them thatdoeuil.

As the Apoftlein thefe Wordes mofte ftraytly commaundeth obedience to be

gcucn

OP IOHN K^NOXC. 15

geuen to lawfull powers, pronouncing Gods wrathc and vengance againftfuch as fliallrefift the ordoruunce of God , fo dothe he aifigne to the powers theyre ofti ces, which be to take vengance vponeuit doers, to maintainc the well doers, and Co tominiftreand rule in theyre office, that the fubieSes by them may haue a benefite and be praifed in well doing. Nowif you be powers ordcined by God (and that I hope all men will graunte )then by the plainewordes of the Apoftle is the fworde geuen vnto you by God for maintenance of the innocent,and for punyfliement of malefactors. But I and my brethren with me accufed,do offrenot only to proue our felues innocents in all thing es laid to our charge,but alfo we offre moft euidently to proue your Byfhoppes to be theveriepe- ftilence,who haueinfe&edallchriftiani- tie. And therefore by the plaine doctrine of the Apoftle you are boude to maitaine vs,and to puny fh the other being euident- ly couicf and proued criminall. Moreouer * » the former words of the Apoftle do teach, * -wr 1 how far hie powers be bounde to theyre p9<WTJ fubiectes : to wit, that becaufe they are ymm{e t(t Gods mi in iters by hym ordained for the f;re/-^ profitt and vtilitie of others, moftc dili- .^ gently oght they to inted vpon the fame. Vox that caufeaffigneth theholie Ghoft

THS JLV?ZLL*ATlOTf eommaunding fubieftcs to obey, and to pay tribute.faing,

For this do you pay tribute and

That is becaufe they are Gods mi- niftersjbearing rhefwordefor yourvnlr- tic.Whcrof it is plaine,that there is no ho- nour without a charge annexed. And this one point I wifheyour wifdomes dipely to confider : that God hath not placed youaboue your brethren to reigneasty- rantes without refpeft of theyre protite and commoditie. You heare the holie Ghoft witnefTe the contrarie,-, affirmyng that all Jawfull powers be Gods mini- sters ordened for the welth,profitt and fal- uatio of their fubie&es, and not for theyre deftru&i6.Coulditbefaid(Ibefechyou) Zetthefi- thatMagiftrates,inclofing theyre fubiects militude in a citie without all victuales,orgeuing benoted. vntothemno other vicluales but fuchas were poifoned , did rule for the profitt of theyrfubiettes ? Itruft that none would be fofooliflieasfotoafFirme.but that ra- ther euerie difcrete perfon would bold- ly affirme, that fucrTas fo did, were ty- rantes vnworthie of all regiment. Yf we will not deny that,whiche Chriftlefus af- firmeth to be a trucrh infallible, to wit, That the foule isgreater and more pre-

tious,

€F 10HN M^NOXR. ii

tious,then is the bodie-.then (hall we eafe- lyefpyehow vnworthie of au&oritiebe thofe, that this day debarretheyre fub- ie&es from the hearing of Gods worde, and by fier and fworde compel! them to fecde vponthe veriepoifonoftheyrefou Jes, the damnable dodrine of Antichrift. And therefore in this poit I fay, I can not ceafe to admonilh your honours dili- gently to take heede ouer your charge, which is greater then the moft parte of men fuppofe. It is not ynough that you abftainefrom violete wrong, and oppref- fion which vngodlic men exercifeagainft ititnot they r fubie&es: but ye are further boude, inough to witt,that ye rule aboue them for they re that m- welth. Vhich ye can not do,if that ye ei- Ursop- ther by negligence not prouiding true prejft not paflors, or yet by yourmaintainancc of tbeyrefub fuch as be rauening wolues, fuffer theyre ietts. foules to fterue and perifheforlackof the true foode, which is Chriftes Euangill fyncerelypreached.lt wilnotexcufeyou inhisprefence,who will require accom- pte of euerie talent committed to your charge, to fay that ye fuppofedthat the charge of the foules had bene committed to your Byfhoppes. No no, my Lordes> fo ye can not efcape Gods ludgement.For if your Byfhoppes be proued to be no Byfhoppes, but deceauable theues and

THE ^APPELLATION

rauenyng wolues ( which I offer my fclfe The offer to proue by Gods word , by law, and cou- oflohn cils,yea by the iudgcment of all the godly \mxeanl learned fro the primatiue Church to this hti accufa day) then mail your permiffionand de- taw in- fence of them be reputed before God a tended participation with theyr theftc and mur- aga'mft^ ther. For thus accufed the Prophete Efaie thepapi- the Princes of Ierufalem.

(kotpe*. IhypnceSjfaieth he,ar apoftatats:

' £f<tiei. thatisobftinatrefufersofGodjandthey

ar companions of theues.

This greuous accufation was laid a-

gainft them, albeit that they ruled in that

citie which fometyme was called holy,whe

re then were the temple, rites and ordo-

nances of God : becaufe that not onlie

they were wicked them felues, butchefe-

Jy becaufe they maintained wiked men

theyr Preeftes ad fals jpphctes in honours

and auctoritie- yf they did not efcapc this

acufatio of the holie Ghoft 1 that age,loo-

ke ye neither to efcape the accufation nor

the iudgemet which is pronoiiced againft

the maitainersofwhickedmenrto wit that

Jtrem.12. c^e onc anc^ tnc ot^er ma^ dr»nck the cup-

C>-Z7. Pe °^ Gods wrathe and vengance togi-

£Vf/,#I?. ther. and left ye mould deceauc yourlel-

Hofa 4. ues> cftcming your Byflioppes to be ver-

tuous

Of 10HH KNOXE. ij tuous and godlic, this do I affirme and of fermy felfeto prouethe fame,thar more wicked men, then he the hole rabble of your clcrgie, were neuer from the bcgyn- ning vniuerfally knowen in any age, yea SodomeandGomorra may beiuftiriedin theyre refpeft. For they permitted iuft Lot,to dwell amongeft them without any violecedonetohis bodie, which that pe- flilentgenerationofyourlhauenfortdoth not, but mofte cruelly perfecute by her andfworde the true membres ofChriftes bodie for no other caufe, but for the true feruice ad honoring of God. And therefo- re I fear not to affirme that, which God {hall one day iuftifie: That by youroffi- ces ye be bound, not only to reprcfTe they r tyranie,but alfo to punifhe them, as theues and murtherers , as idolators and blafphe- mersofGod,adintheirroumesyearebou N OT E. de to place true preachers ofChrrftsEua- rfpo-werr gile for the inftruction,comfort,and falua prouide tionof your firbie&es, aboue whome ehnotfirin- mall neuer the holy Ghoft acJmol]edge,yrrwc7/o of thatyou rule in iuftice fortheir proffit.Yf theyrefuh yeepretedtopoiTefTethe kingdomewithrVcfr, they Chrift Iefus, y ce may not take exaple nei do never therby the ignorat multitude of Princes, rule a- neither by the vngodlyaud cruell rulers Louethem of the earth, of whome fome paffe theyrefor theyre tymeinflouthjinfoletie,andryore with-pro/r. C. i.

THE UP P ILLATION out refpcd had to goddes honour or to the faluatiobftheyrcbrethre:and other mofte cruelly opprofle with proudc NIrod fuch as be fubiect to thcm.But your pattern and example muft be the pradife of thofe, w- home God hath approued by theteitimo- nie of his worde as after Ihal be declared.

Of the premilfes it is euident that to- lawfull powers is geuen the fworde for punymement of malefactors, for mainte- nance of innocents, and for rhe prohtt and vtilitieoftheyrfubie&s; Now let vs con(ider,whether the reformation of reli- gion fallen in decay,and punyfhemene of falfe teachers do appertaine to the ci- uile Magiltrate andnobiIitie:of any re- alme.tam not ignorant that Satan of old tyme for mentainance of his darknes hath obtained of theblynd world two chefe , points. Former,hehathpcrfuaded to Prin

l #*" ces> rulers, and magiftrates,that the fce- ta, ) ding of Chnftes flock appertained no- obtamea fofa- to trieyre charge, bur that it is re- Jj. }j iected vpon the By lhoppes, snxi cftate ec-

ttorld

clefialticall.andfecondarelie that there*-

formation of relig ion, be it neuer fo cor- rupt and the punifhementof fuch, as be fworne fouldicrs in theyrekingdome, are exempted from all ciuile power and are referuedtothemfeluesjandtotheyreown cognition. But that no offender can iuftly

be

6t ion a Knoxz. it

be exempted from punyfheme nt, and that the ordering and reformation of religion with the innrudion of fubieds, doth ef- pcciaHy appertaine to the ciuile Magi- strate, (hall goddes perfed ordenaunce, his plaine worde,and the fades and exam pies of thofe that of God are highly prai» fed,mofteeuidently declare.

When God did eftablifh his Law,fta- The mat* tutes and ceremonies in the middeft of If- tersand raci, he did not exempt the matters of re- reformatio ligion from the power of Mofes,butashe ofrdinion gaue hym charge ouer the ciuile yolitiQ, afpertamt fo he put in his mouth and in his hand: tothe care Thatis,hefyrftreuealed tohym,and the- oftbeci- reaftercommaunded to put in pradife w- M'lepovet hatfoeuer was to be taught or done in mat Exod.zi. tersofreligio.Nothing did God reueale 24.1^ particularely to Aaron, but altogither &c. was he commaunded to depend from the mouth of Mofes:Yca nothing was he per- mitted to do to hym feffor to hischildren either in his or tfieyr inauguration and NtUl fandiHcation to the preefthode, but all was committed to thecare ofMofes,and therefore were thefe wordes fo frequetly repeted to Mofes,

Thou (halt feperate Aaron and Exolrt. his fonnes from the middeft of the people of Ifrael, that they may

C. 2,

THS *AP PE LL^iT ION

execute the office of the Preeftho- de,thou fhalt make vnto them gar ments, thou ftialt annoynte them, thou ftialt wafh the, thou fhalt fill theyr handes with the facrificc.

And Co furth of euerie rite and ceremo nic3that was to be done vnto thc,efpeciall commaundcment was geuen vnto Mofes, that he fhould do it NowifAaroand his fonnes were Co fubiect to Mofes, that they did nothing but at his commaundement, whodarbe fobold as to affirme that the ciuile Magiftrate hath nothing to do in matters of religio^ For feing that the God did fo itraytly reouire, that euen thofe, who did beare the hgure of Chrift, fhould receauefrom the ciuile power as it were theyrefonctification, and entraceto theyr office, and feing alfo that Mofes was Co far preferred to Aaron, that the one com- maunded andtheotherdid obey, who dar etteme that theciuile power isnow beco- medfoprophanein Gods eyes, that it is fequeftred from all imromiffion with the matters of religion The holie ghoft in diuers places declarethe the contrarie. For one of thechefe prexepts commaun- dedtothc king, whenrhat he fhould be placed in his throne, was to write the ex- amp I o

OF JOHN K,NOX& i9

ampleofthebokeofthe Lordcs law, that it mould be with hym, that he might read in it all thedaiesof his life, that he might learn to fear the Lord his God, and to kepe all the wordes of his law, and hisilatutestodo them. This precept re- quireth not onlye,that the king fliould hym felfe fear God,kcpe his L.iw,and fla- tutcs, but that alfo he as the chefe ruler, fhould prouidethatgoddestrue religion {hould be kept inuiolated of the people and flock, which by God was committed tohischarge. And thisdidnotonlieDa- uid and Salomon perfe&ly vnderftad, but alfo fomme godlie kinges in Iuda after theapoftafieand idolatrie, that infected Thefacfes Ifrael by the meanes of Ieroboam, did pra of Godlie &ifc theyre vnderftanding and execute \ingsare theyre power in fomme notable reforma- aninter- tions. For Afa and Iofap hat kinges in lu- pretation da, fynding the religion altogither cor- oftbelaw rupt, did applic theyre hearts ( faieth the and dccU holieghoftjto feructheLord,and to walk ration of in hiswaies : and thereafter doth witnes theyrepo- that Afa remoucd from honours hismo-iv^r. ther, fomme fay gradmother, becaufe fliee had committed and laboured to men- z. Parol. taine horribleidolatrie.And Iofaphatdid 14.(^17. not only refufeftrangegoddes hym felfe, but alfo diftroying the chefe monuments of idolatrie, did fend furth the. Leuices Note.

c. i

Tltt \APP € LIGATION

jto inftrud: thepeople,whereof it is playnf that the one and the other did vnderftand fuche reformations to appertaine to theire dueties.But the fades of Ezechias, and of Iofias do more clerely proue the power andduetieof the cfuile Magiftrate in the reformation of rel igion. Before the reign of Ezechias fo corrupt was the religion that the dores of the houfe of the Lord ^.prfjvt/ijj^'erefhutvpp, thelampes were extingui- s>g# flied, no facrifice was orderly made, but

in the firft yeare of his reigne the firft moneth of the fame,did the king operi the dores of the temple, bring in the Prce •Acluert ftesand Leuitesand afTembling themto- that the gather did fpeak vnto them as folloeth. ktn*e to- Hear me o yce Leuitcs and be fan&ificd tetbypon n°w> and fan&ifie alfo the houfe of the himto co- Lord God of your fathers and cariefurth tnandthe from thefanciuarieall filthynesfhemea- nethallmonumetsand vcflellesof idola- trie ) for our fathers haue tranfgreifed and haue committed wickednes in thee eyes of the eternall our God, they haue lefthym and haue turned they re faces from the ta- bernacle of the Lord. and therefore is the wrath of the Lord corned vponludaand Ierufalcm .Behold our fathers haue fallen by the fworde , our formes , daughters 54 wifesare led incaptiuitie, but now haue I purpofediumy heart to makeacouenan

te

freefte

OF 10HN I^NOXr. 10 le with the Lord God of Ifrael5that he may turnethe wrath of his furiefrom vs. And therefore my formes (he fwetely ex- hortethJbenotfaint,fortheLordhathcho fen you to {land in hisprcfenceand to fer- ue hym. Such as be not more thenblynd clerely mayperceaue that the kingdothc aknolledge, that it appertained to his char ge to reforme the religion, to appoint the Lcuites to theyre charges and to admo- niflithe of theyre duetieand office,wIiich thing he more euidently declarcth , wri- ting hislettresto all Ifrael,to Ephfaim, an Manafles, and fent the fame by the han des of meflmgershauing thistenour.

You formes of Ifrael return to z'Pa' I0' the Lord God of Abraham Ifaac, ad Ifrael, and he fhall return to the refidue that reftcthfrom the han- des of Affur. Be not as your fathers and as your brethren were who haue trafgrefled againft the Lord God of theyre fathers, who hath made them defolate as you fee, Holde not your heart therefore, but giue your handvnto the Lord, return vino his fan&uarie, feruc

C4

THZ. UPP ELL^tTZOT^

hym and he fhall fhe w mercie vnto you, to your formes, and dough- ters that be in bondage, for he is pitifull and eafie to be intreatcd.

Thus far did Ezechias by lettres and meffingers prouoke the people, declined fromGodtorepentance,notonly inluda,

NOTE, wkere he reigned laufull king, but alfo in Ifrael, fubie&then to an other king. And albeit that by fomme wicked men his mef fingers were mocked, yet as they lacked not theyre iufl punifhmet(fbr within fixe yeares after Samaria was deftroyed and If racl led captiue by Salmanazar )fo did not the zelous king Ezechias defiilto profe- cute his duetie in reftoring the religion to Gods perfectc ordenance, remouing all abominations.

The fame is to be red of Iofias,who did not only reftore the religion, but did fur-

fc.jwr.34. therdiftroy all monumentes of idolatrie, which ofU5gtyme had remained. For it is written of him,that after that the bokeof the law was found, and that hehadafked counfil at the propheteflfe Hulda , he feme ad gathered all the elders of iuda and Ieru

^»\eSr falcm,and (landing in the temple of the

2-5. Lord he made aconuenantjthat all the peo

plefrothegreatto the fmall fliould walk after the Loru.fhould obferac his law, fta-

tutes

OF 10HN J^NOXE. it

tutes and teilimonies with all they re heart, and all theyre foulc, and that they mould ratifie and conhrme, what foeuer was writ- The \imr ten in the bokc of God. He further comaun commaun ded Hclkias the hie preeft,and the preeftcs ded the of the inferiour order, that they fliould cupreeTles. riefurthofthe temple of the Lord all the veflels, that were made to Baal,which he burnt and did carie thcire potider to Beth el. He did further diftroy all monuments ofidolatrie, yea euenthofe that had remai nedfro thedayes ofSalomo. He did burn them,ftampethemtopowder,whcrcofone part he fcattered in the broke Kidron and the other vpon the fepulcrcs and graucs of the idolaters ,whofe bones he did burn vpo the altars, where before they made fa - crifice not only in Iuda,butalfo in Beth el,whereIeroboamhad erected hisidola- trie: yea he further proceded, and did ky II the preeftes of the hie places, who were idolaters,andhaddeceauedthepeople.he didkyll them, I fay, and did burn theyre bones vpon theyre owne altars, and Co re- turned to Ierufalem. This reformatio ma de Iofias, and for the fame obtained this te ftimonie oftheholie Ghofl,that neither before hym neither after hymwas there any fuche kig, who returned to God with his hole foule, and with all his ftrengthe according to all the law of Mofes.

THE UP PELLET ION

Of which hiftoriesitiseuidentthat thereformationofreligioninall points, togither with the punifhement of falfe teachers doth appcrtaine to the power of thechiileMagiftrate. For what God re- quired of them,his iuftice muft require of others hauing the like charge andau&o- ritie: what he did apprque in them, he can not but approue in all others, who with like tealeand fynceritiedo interprife to purge the Lordes temple and fanctuarie. what God required of them , it is before. declared,towit:thatmoft diligently they fliould obferue his Law,ftatutes and cere- monies. And how acceptable were they re factes to God , doth he him felfe witneflfe. For to fomme he gaue moft notable vi&a ries without the hande of man, and in i. ^-S1, theyremoftdefpcratdaungers diddecla- rc hisefpeciall fauours towcrdes them by figncs fupcrnaturall: to otherhcfoefta- blilhcd the kingdome,that they re enne- rnies were compelled to ftoupe vnder theyre fectc. And the names of all he hath rc^eftred not only intheboke of life, but alfo in the bleflfed remembrance of all po- fteritics fence theyre daies , which alfo {hall continue till the commyng of the Lord Iefus,who (hall rewarde with the crowneofimmortalitienot only the,but alfofuch^asvnfaynedly ftudie to do the

wi!

OF IOtfN KiXOXE. zz

will and to promote the glorie of his he- uenlie father in the middeft of this corru* pted generation. In cofideration whereof ougiit you, my Lordes,all delay fee apart, to prouide for the reformation of reli- gion in your dominions and boundes, which now is fo corrupt that no part of Chriiles inftitution remaineth in the original puritie,and therefore of nccef- fitieitis,thatfpedelyye prouide for re- formationeor clsye declare yourfelues, not only voyde of louc towcrdes your fubiectes, but alfo toliucwithoutcareof your owne faluation, yea without all fearc and truereuerence of God. Two fhinges perchance may moue you to efte- methefe hiftories before briuely tuched to appertaine nothing to you. Fyrft be- cause you are no Iewes but Gcntiles:and fecondarely becaufe you arc no kinges, Thefacres but nobiles in your realm. But be not ofthegod- deceaued. For neither of both canexcufe tiefyngs you in goddes prefence from doing i>iit*U yourduetie, for it is a thing more then do apper- certein,that whatfoeuer God required taintothe oftheciuileMagjftrate in Ifrael orludzpowers concernyng the obferuation of true re- among ligion during the tyme of the Law,the the genu- fame doth he require of IawfuIlMagiftra- In proQf- tesprofefTingChriftIefusinthetymeof/w£^/>r//i the Gofpell , as tiic holie Ghoft hath

THS APPELLATION

taught vs by the mouth of Dauid, faying PfaU.

Be learned you that iudge the earth, kyfTe the fonne, left that the Lord waxeangrie,ad thatyeepe- rifh from the way •

This admonition did not extend to theiudges vnder the law only , but doth alfo include all fuch as be promoted to honours in the tyme of the Gofpe,ll,when Chrifllcfusdoth reignead feight in his fpirituajl kyngdome,whofeennemiesm thatpfalme be fyrft moft {harply taxed, theyrfurieexprefTed,andvanitiemocked: & then are kings and iudges, who think them felues free from all law and obedie- ce,rommaundedto repent theyre former blynd rage, and iudgesarechargedro be Icarned:and laft are all comaunded to fer- ue the eternal 1 in feare, to reioyce before hym in tremblyng,to kyfl'e the fonne, thatis,togeuevnto hym mofthumbleo- bedience, whereof it is euident that the rulers , Magiftrats and Judges now in Chriftes kingdome are no lefTe bound to obediece vnto God, the were thofe vnder the Law. And howisitpofllble that any fliallbcobediet,whodifpifehis religion, in which ftandeth the chefe glorie,that man can geue to God, and is a fcruice,

which

OF JOHN K^NOXe. 25

which God e/pccially requireth of kings and rulers ? Which thing faint Auguftine Epift.jO. plaineJy did note, writing tooneBoni- faciusaman ofwarr, according to the fa- me argument and purpofe,which I labour toperfuadeyour Honours. For afrer that he hath in that his epiftle declared the dif ference betwixt the herefieof the Dona- tifts and Arrians, and hath fomwhae fpo- ken of theyr crueltie>he fheweth the way- how theyr furie mould and oght to be reprefled,and that it is lawfullforthein- iuitly afflicted to fekefuppoft and defen- ce at godlie Magiftrates. For thus he writeth;

Either muft theveritiebekept Mmt, clofe,or els muft theyf crueltie be luiteaned.

But iftheveritie mould be concealed, not only mould none be faued nordely- uered by fuchfilece^but alfo-flioulde many be loft through theyr decept., But if by preachingoftheveritie theyr furie mould be prouoked more to rage , and by that meanes yet fomme were delynered,and made ftronge,yer mould feare hinder ma- ny weakligs to folowe the veritie, if theyr ragebenotftayed. In thefe fyrft wordes Auguftine fheweth three reafons,why the afflicted Church in thofe daies called for

THE ^PPEZLsATlON

the help of the Emperour andofgodli Magistrates againft the furie of the perfc cuters.Thefyrft,

ewe ' Theveritie muftbe fpoken o ells mankind fhall perifri in errour

The fecond, theveritie being plarnli< fpoken proUbketh theaduerfar«ss*o rage And becaufe that f6me did alleJge that ra- ther we bght to fufter all iniurie, theiirc iekefiipport by man, he addeth thethirc reafon J to witt that many wcalconev be not able to furTer perfection and death for the truerhes- fake, to whome not the le< ferefped oght to be had , that they may be won from errour and fo be brought to grater ftrength.

O that the rulers of tms age mould jxmderandwev thereafons of this godly writer, and p'tWid the rerrttdie, which he re^uyreth in'thefe wordes folo!g,No^ w^rfthe Church was thus afflicted y f any think that rather they mould haue fuftay- ^tugiili- ncd all -calamine , then that the helpeof »esvords. God fhould haue bene afked by Chriftian Empcroursyhe doth not well aduert,that or fuch negligence no good coptes »r rea- fon could be gcuen. For where Cuch,z9 would that no iuftlawes mould be mato* gain{ttheyreimpietie5allcdge that the A- poftles fog he no fuch thigesof the kinges

OF 1 OtfN KNOXE. 24

of the'earth,they do not confider that then the tyme was other then it is now, and that all thinges are done in theyrownc? tyme. What Emperour then bcleued in Chrift, thadhouid ierue hymjn making lawes for godlinesagainft impietie? whill yet that hyibg of the jpphct was co plete,why hath nations raged, and people haue imagined vanitie^Thekingesof the? earth haueftand vp,& princes hauecon- uented together againft the Lord, and a- gainfthis annoynted. That which is«f- rerfaidin the fame pfalme, was not yet <omme to paiTe. And now vnderftand,d youkinges,be learned you that iudgethe earth, ferue the Lord .in fear, and rcioyce to hym with tremlinge. How do kings ^Juert ferue the Lord in fear ? but in punifhing the myui and by a godlie feueritie forbidding ofU»*- thofe thinges which are done againft £«/?«<•. the commaundement of the Lord. For otherwife doth he ferue in fo far as he is man,other wife in fo far as he is king. In fo far as he is man, he ferueth hym Jntvofor by liuing faithfully, but becaule he ii tes oght alfo king he ferueth eitablifhing lawes, fyugesto thatcommaund the thinges thatbeiuit, (crue Gel and that with a conuenicnt rigour for- ' bydthinges contrarie. As Ezechias fer- ued diftroying the groues, the temples of idols and theplaces, which wcrebuyl-

THE ^APPELLATION <jed againftgoddes commaundemcnt.So ierued alfo Iqfus doing the fame : fo fer- ved the king ofNiniuites compelling the hoi ecitie to mitigate the Lord .-fofcnied Danusgeuing inthe power ofDaniel the Jdol to be broken, and his ennemies to be cafttothelionsrfoieruedNabucadnezer, by aterrible law forbidding all,that were* Jn his realme, to blafpheme God. Herein therefore do kinges feruethe Lord info faras they, are kings, when they do thofe things. to ferue hym, which none except kings be aMero do. He further proccdesh and cocludeth,thatas, when wicked kings .do reign, impietiecan not be brideied by O that the lawesjbut rather is tyrannie exercifed vn- vorlde ^rtnetitleofthefame,foisitathingwi- {hoM y» thout *U reafon, that kinges profcifing Jerftand. tneknolledgeand honour of God,fhould not regard nor care^who did defend, nor who did oppugne the Church of God in thcyr dominions. By thefe wordes of this auncict and godlie writer your 'Honours may perceaue, what I. require of you, to wit, to repreffe the tyrannie of yonr By fhoppes,and to defend the innocents pro- fcifing the trueth. He did require of the Emperour and kings of his daiesprofef- (ing Chrift, and manifestly concludeth, that they can not ferueChrift, except that fo they do.Letnot yourByflioppes thinkc

that

OP JOHN K^NOXE. if

that Auguftine fpeaketh for them, bccau- fehenameth the Church. Let them read and vnderftand, that Auguftine writeth for that Church , which profefTeth the trueth and dothfufFer pcrfecutionforthe defeceofthe fame, which your by fhoppes do not,but rather with the Donauftes and Arrians do cruelly perfecute all fuch,as boldly fpeak Chriftes eternall veritie to manifeft theyre impietie and abomina- tion. But thus much we haue of Augu- ftine, that it appertained to the obedi- ence and feruice, which kinges owe to N OTS, God afwel now in the tymeof the Gof- pell, as before vnder the Law,todefende the affli&ed for mattersof religion,and to reprefTe the furie of the perfecuters by the rigourand feueritieof godlie lawes. For which caufeno doubt doth Efaiethef/rfw^?* prophete fay, that kinges mould be no- rimers to the Church of God, that they mould abbafe their heades, and louingly embrafe the children of God. And thus I fay your Honours may euidently fee, that the fame obedience doth God require of rulers and princes in the ty me of the Gof- pcll, that he required in the tyme of the Law. *>*» anfi-

Yfyou do think, that the reformation vertothe of religion and defence of the afflide Afecond oh doth not appertaine toyou,becaufe youKtfw*. D i

THE APPELLATION

are no kings,but nobils ad eftates of a real me,in two thinges you are deceaued: for- mer,in that you do not aduert, that Dauid requircth afwell, that the princes and iud- gesofthe earth be learned and that they feme and fear God, as that herequireth, that the kings repent. Yf you therefore be iudges and princes, as no man can deny you to be, then by the playn words of Da- uid you are charged to be learned, to fer- ue and fear God,which ye can not do, if you defpifc the reformation of his reli- gion. And thy s is your fyrft errour. The iecod is,that ye neither know your duetie, which ye owe toGod,neither yet your auc torit je,which of hy m ye haue receaued, y f ye for pleafure or fear of any earthliemari defpifc goddes true religion, and contene your brethre,that in his name cal for your fupport.Your dutie is to hear the voyce of the Eternal your God, and unfainedly to ftudie to folow his preceptes:who,as is be- fore faid,of efpeciall mercie hath promo- ted you to honours and dignitie. His che- feand principall precept is, that with re- uerence ye receaue and embrace his on- liebelouedfonnelcfus.that ye promote to the vrtermoft of yourpovcers his true religion: ad that ye defend your brethren and'fubiectes,whomehe hath putt vnder your charge ad care. Now if your king be

a man

OF 10HN K^XOXE. li

amanignoratof God,cnnemietohistrue: religion, blinded by fuperftition,and a perfecuterofjChriltesmembreSjfhall yet be excufed,if with filcnce yeepaffe oucr his iniquities Be not deceaued my Lor- des,ye are placed in au&oritie for an 6- ther purpofe then to flatter your king in his folie and blind rage: to witt, that as with your bodies, ftrength, riches, and wifdomeyeare bound to afTift and defend him in all things,which by your aduifehc (hall take in hand for Gods glorie arid for the preferuationof his commune we- alth and fubiectes,fo by your grauities, counfil and admonition yee are bound to correct and reprefle whatfocuer ye know him to attempt exprefTedly repugning to Goddes word, honour, and glorie, or what ye fhall efpie him to do,be it by igno ranee or be it by malice, againft his fubie- ctes great, or fmall. Of which laft part of" your obediece y f y e defraud your king, ye comit againft him no lefle treafon, then y f ye did extract fro him your dueand^pmi- fedfupport,whattime by his ennemiesin- iuftly he wer purfued.But this parr of their duetie I fear do a fmall nomber of the no- bilitieofthis age rightly confider.neither yet will they vnderftand, that for that purpofe hath God ypmoted them. For now the comune fong of al men is, We muft 0-

THS <AP P ELL*AT10N

bey our kinges be they good, or be they bad, for God hath fo comaunded. But hor rible mall the vengeance be, that fhalbe powred furth vpon fuch blafphemers of God his holie name, and ordinaunce. For it is no Ieflc blafphemie to fay, that God hath commaunded kinges to be obeyed, when they comaund impietie, then to fay, that God by his precept isau&ourad men- tainer of all iniquitie.True it is,God hath comaunded kinges to be obeyed, but like true it is, that in things, which they comit againft his glorie, or when cruelly wi- thout caufe they rage agalft theirebrethre the members of Chriftes body,he hath co- maunded no obediece, but rather he hath approued, yea and greatlie rewarded fuch as haue opponed them felues to they re vn- godly commaundementes and bl ind rage: as in the exampls of the three children, of Daniel,and Abdemelech it is euident. The three children wold nether bowe nor ftou- pe before the golden image at the comaun dement of the great kingNabuchadnezar. Daniel did opely pray,his windoes being open,againft the eftablifhed law of Darius and of his counfil : and Abdemelech fea- red not to enter in before the prefenceof Zedechias ad boldly to defed the caufe ad Ieremieifi innocetieof Ieremie the prophet, whome tht king and his couniil had codemned to

dethc

OF JOHN K^NOXE. z7

deth.Euerie one of thcfe fades (hould this day be iudged foolifhc by fuch,as will not vnderftad what cofeifion God dothrequi re of his children3when his veritie is oppu gned,orhis glorie called in doubt: fuchc men,I fay,as prefer man to God,and thin- ges present to theheauenlie inheritaunce, fhould haue iudged euerie one of thefc fa- des itubb urn inobedience,foolifhe pre- fumptionand iingularitie, or elles bold cotrolinge of the king and his wifecoun- fil. But how acceptable in Gods prefence was this refiftance to the vngodlie com- maundemcntes and determinations of they r king theed did witnes.For the three children were deliuered from the fornace of fyer,and Daniel from the den of lios to the confulion of their ennemies, to the better inftrudion of the ignorant kinges, and to the perpetuall comfort of goddes afflided children . And Abdemclech in the day of the Lordesvifitation, when the kingc and his counfil did drink thebitter cuppofgoddes vengeance, did fynde his ierem.2) life for a pray c, and did not fall in the edge of the fword,whenmaniethoufan- des did perilhe. And this was (ignified vntohim by the prophet him felf at the comaundemet of God before that Ierufa- lcm was deftroyed. The promeffe and cau fe were recited vnto him in thcfe wordes,

THS ^APPELLATION I will bring my wordes vpon this citie vn to euill and not vnto good: but moft affii- redly I fhaldeliuer thee becaufe thou haft trufted in me, fayeth the Lord. The truftad hope, which Abdemelech had in God,made;himbo]dtoopponehimfeife, being but a man,to the ki ng and to his ho- le coufill,who had codemnedto death the Prophet,whomehis cofciencedid acknol ledgetobeinnocent.Forthisdidhefpeak in the pretence of the king fitting in the portofBeniami:My Lord the kinge,faith Abdemclech,thefemendowickedlyinall thinges, that they haue done to Ieremie the Prophet. Aduert and take hedemy Lordes,that the meH,who had condemned the Prophet,were the king, his prices, and counfill, and yet did one man accufe them allof iniquitie,5d did boldly fpeak in the defefeof hlof whofeinnocetiehewasper fuaded. And the fame,I fay,is the duetie of euery man in his vocation, but chefelyof the nobilitie, which is ioynedwith theyr fcinges to bfidel and reprefTe that folie and blind rage. Which thing if the nobili tie do not,neither y ct labour to do, as they are traitours to their kings,fo do they pro iioke the wrath of God agaift them felues and againft the realme,in which they abu fethe au&oritie, which they haue recea- iied of God to mentaine vcrtueandtore- preffe vice. For hereof I would your Ho-

OF IONH K^KOXE. i* nours were moft certainlyperfuaded, that God will neither excufenobilitienorpco pie, butthenobilitie leaftofal,that obey ad folow they r kinges inmanifeft iniqui- tie, but with the fame vengcace will God punifhe the Prince, people , and nobilitie confpiring togither againft him and his holie ordenances: as in the punifhment taken vpon Pharao>Ifrael,Iudaand Babyr Ion is euidently to be fene.For Pharao was not drowned alone,but his captayns, cha- retes, and greate armie drank the fame cup with him. The kinges of Ifrael, and Iudawere not puniflied whitout copagny, but with them were murthered the counfi- lers3theyre Princes imprifoned and thei- re people leddcaptiue.And why?becaufe none was found Co faithful toGod,that he durft enterprife to refift nor againftand the manifeft impietie of theyr Princes. And therefore was Gods wrath powred furthvpon the one and the other. But the more ample difcource of this argument I differ to better opportunitie:oneIy at this tymelthoghtexpediettoadmonyfhyou, that before God it (hall not excufe you to alledge, We are no kinges and therefore neither can wcreforme religion, nor yet defend fuch as be perfecuted . Confider my Lordes thatyee are powers ordencd by God( as before is declared)ad therefore D 4

THE UPP ELL^tT I ON

doth the reformation of religion, and the defenfe of fuch,as iniufty areopprefled, appertaine to your charge and care,w h ich thinge (hall the lawof God, vniuerfally geuentobekeptofall men,moft euident- ly declare : which is my laft and moft af- Dcnt.li. fured reafon,why I fay yeeoght to remo- ue from honours and to punilh with death fuck as God hath condemned by his owne mouth. After that Mofes had declared what was true religio,to wit,to honorGod as he commaunded,adding nothing to his worde,neitheryet diminilhingc anythig from it,and after alfo that vehemently he had exhorted the fame law to be obferued, he denounceth the punifhment againit the trafgrcffours inthefewordes, Yf rhy bro- ther, fonne, doghter wife orneghbour, whome thou loueftas thyne own life,foli- citate thee fecretiy, faying, Let vs go fer- Deut. 2,3. ue other goddes,whome neither thou, nor ty^l* thy fathers haue knowen,confentnot to hym,hearhymnot,letnot thyne eye fpa- re hym, (hew hym no indulgentie or fauour,hide him not,but vtterly kill hym, let thy had bethefirft vponhym, that he may be flaine,and after the hade of the ho le people. Of thefe wordes of Mofes are- two things,apperteanig to our purpofe, to be noted. Former, that fuch,as folicitateon Jy to tdolatrie og ht to be punifhed to death

without

OF JOHK J^NOXE. 19

without fauour or refpcct of perfon . For Ictolatrit hcthatwillnotfufrermatofparehis fone, oght tobe- hisdaughter,norhiswife,butftraitlycompa>«yW maundcth puniflimct to be taken vpon the without 1 idolatours (^haue they neuer fo nie coiunc refyeft of ; tion with vs )will not wink at the idolatric perfon. of others ,of what cftate or condition fo e- !uerthcy be.

It is not vnknowen.that the prophetes if ante 'had reuelationsof God, which were not estate 1 commune to the pcoplc,as Samuel had the might reuelation , that Eli and his pofteritietaw*? fhouldbe deftroyed,that Saul mould firft clihned beking and thereafter that he mould bsrepriuiled- ieded,that Dauidfhould reign for him. gejtvae Micheas vnderftodeby vifTonthat Achabtheproplx fhouldbe killed in batcaile againfttheSi- te$. rians.Elias faw that dogges m>u!d cat Iefabelithefortrcsof lelrael. ElieTus did i.S.im.^, fee hunger come vpon Ifrael by the fpa- i.Sam, 9. ce of fcuen yeares . Ieremie did forefee i$- the deftruction of Ierufalem and the tyme t.\eg.zi. of their captiuitie, and fo diuerfe other i-\'g* prophetes had diuerfereuelationsofGod, it. which the people did not otherwifevndcr i.\^.8. {lid, but by their aflfirmatio,and therefore inthofe dayeswere theprophetes named Seears,becaufe that God did ope vnto th5 that, which was hid from the multitude. Nowifaniema-n might haueclaimed anie

priui-

THS UP PZLLUT 10K priuiledge from the rigour of the Law, or might haueiuftified his fad, it mould haue bene the Prophete. For he might haue alledged for hym felfe his fingular prerogatiue,thathehadaboue other men to haue goddes will reuealed vnto hym by vifio or by dream, or that God had de- clared particularly vnto hym, that his pleafure was to be honoured i thatmaner, in fuch a place,ad by fuch mcanes. But all fuch excufesdoth God remoue,comaudig that the Prophete, that fhal I folicitate the people to ferueftrangegoddes,fhall die thedeath,notwitftandingthathealledge for hym felfe dream, vilion, or reuela- tion. Yea althoghhe promiflfe miracles, andalfo that fuch thinges as he promi- feth come to pafTe,yct I fay commaun- dcth God>that no credit begeuen to hym, but that he die the death ,becaufe he tea- cheth apofta(ie>5d defeftion fro God He- reof your Honours may eafelyefpie, that none prouoldng the people to idolatrie •ght to be exempted from the puniflimet ofdeath.For if neither that infeparableco junction, which God hym felfe hath fan- ctified betwixt man and wife,neithcr that vnfpeakable loue grafted in na{ijre,which isbetwixt the father and the' fonne,nei- ther yet that rcuerence, which goddes people oght to bear to the Prophetes3 can

OF !OHN K^NOXE. 30

excufe anic man to fpare the offendour or to conceale his oflfenfe, what excufe can man pretend,which God will accept>Eui- dent it is that no eftate, condition nor honour can exempt the idolatour from the handes of God, when he fhal call him toaccomptes,or{hall inflid punifliment vpo him for his offence : how (hall it then cxcufethe people, that they according to goddes comaundemet punilh not to death fuch,as (rial folicitateorvioletly draw the people to idolatrie? And this is the fyrifc, which I would yourHonours mould note of the former wordes.To witt,that no per fon is exepted fro punifhmet , if hecan be manifcftly coiiicied to haue prouoked or led the people to idolatrie: ad this is mod cuidently declared in that folemned othe and couenante, which Afa made with the people to ferue God ad to mctaine his re- ligio,adding this penaltieto thetrafgref fours ofit: To wit,thatwhofoeuer mould not feke the Lord God of Ifrael,mould i.**u$- bekylledjwerehegreateorwerehefmall, were it man or were it woman. And of this oth was the Lorde copleafed,he was foud oftheadgauethe refioneuerie parte,be- caufe they foghr. hi with their hole heart, ad did fwear to punime the offeders accor ding to the precept of his Law without refpect of p er fons. And this is it , which

THE sAPP € LLUT10N

I fay I would your Honours mould note for the fyritjthatno idolatourcan be ex- empted fro punifhement by goddes Law. The feconde is, that the punifliment of fuch crimes as areidolatrie,blafphemie, adothers,thattuchetherhaieftieof God, dothenotappertaine to kingesandchefc rulers only, but alfotothe holebodieof that people, and to eucric membreofthe fame accordig to thevocatio of euerie ma, and according to that poffibilitie andoc- cafton, which God doth minifter to re- uenge the iniurie done againft hisglorie, what time that impietic is manifeftly kno wen. And that doth Mofes moreplainely fpeak in thefe wordes, 2>«tf.i$- Yf in anie of thy cities, fa'ieth he, which the Lord thy God geueth vnto the to dwell in them, thou fhalt hear this brute,There are To- me men the Tonnes of Beli a 1 paf- fed Turthe from thee, ad haue ToK- cited the citizens of theyr cities by thefe wordes, L et vs go ad feme ftrange goddes, which you haue not kno wen , fearch and inquire diligently, and if it be true, that fuch abomination is done in the

midddl

OF 10HN f^NOXE. $i

middeft. ofthee,thoufhaltvtterly ftryke the inhabitants of that ci- tic with the fworde, thou (halt deftroy it and whatfoeuer is wi- thin it , thou fhalt gather the fpoileofit in the middeft of the marketplace,thou fhalt burnethat citie with fier, and the fpoile of it to the Lord thy God, that it may be a heap of ftones for euer, nei- ther (hall it be any more buylded. Let nothing of that execration cleaueto thy hand, that the Lord may turne from the furie of his wrath,ad be moued towerdesthee with inward affection.

Plaineit is that Mofes fpeaketh nor geueth not charge to kinges rulers and judges only, but hecommaudeth the hole bodieofthe people, yea and euerie mem- w^ eue^ bre of the fame according to their poiTibi- neman litic.-andwho dar be fo impudent as to de- in jCra<i nie this to be moft reafonable and iuft* ^itf i0^ For feing that God had delyuered the ho- 10 ^ lebodie from bondage, and to the hole ^oddestu' multitude had geuenhis law, and to the ma^^ twelue tribes had he fo diftributed the in- ment.

THE sAP PELLET I07£

neritanceofthe Ian d of Canaan, that no familie could complaine,that it was rte-

fJeded. Was not the hole ad euerie mem- re addettcd to cofeffe ad acknolledge the benetitesofGod?ycahad it not bene the' part of eucric man to haue ftudicd to kepe the pofTefTion, which he had receaued? w- hichthig God did plainely jpnouce they r&etit. 28. {hould not do, except that in their heartes audio, they did fan&ifie the lord God, that they embrafedj and inuiolably kept his religio eftablifhedrand finally except they did cuttouteiniquitie from amongeft them, declaring them felues earned ennemies to thofe abominations, which God declared hym felfe Co vehemently to hate,that fyrft hecommaunded the hole inhabitants of thatcountreetobediftroyed and allmo- &cut.j* numents of their idolatrie to be broken doune,and thereafter he alfo ftreatly com- maudeth,that aciticdccliningeto idola- • jtr^cftou^ fall in the edge of the fworde, Goddsind 5d that the ho]e fpoi je of the fame,fhould gements fce burned,no portio of it referucd.To the tothecar- carna[ man t},js mav appearea rigorous nalLman and feuere judgement, yea it may rather appear rt- femetODe pronounced in a rage, then in gorou*. wifdome. For what citiewas eueryet,in which to mannes iudgement were not to be found manie innocent perfons , as in- fantsjchildrenj and fomme fimple and i-

g no rant

OF tOHbt t^NOXE. $i

gnorat foules, who neither did nor could confent to fuch impietie^And yet we fynd no exception, but all are appointed to the cruel death. And as concernyng the citieand the fpoile of the fame,manne$ reafon can not think, but that it might haue bene better beftowed, then to be con fumed with Her, and fo to profitt no man- But in fuch cafes will God that all crea- tures ftoupe, couer their faces , and defift from reafonyng,whencommaundemenc is geuen to execute his iudgement. Al- beit I could adduce diuerfecaufes of fuch feueritie , yet will I fearch none other then the holie Ghoft hath afligned.Fyrft, that all Ifrael hearing the iudgement fhouldfearto commit the like abomina- tion: and fecondarely , that the Lord might turn from the furieof his anger, might be moued towerds the people with inward affection, be mcrcifull vnto them, and multiplie them according to hisoth made vnto theire fathers. Which rea- fonsasthey are fufficient in goddeschil- dren to correct the murmuring of the grudging rlelhe , fo oght they to prouoke euerie man , as before I haue faid , to de- clare hym felfe ennemie tothat,whichfo highly prouokeththe wrath of God a- gainft the hole people. For where Mofes iaieth,

Let the citie be burned, and let no part of the fpoile cleaue to thy hand, that the Lord may return from the furie of his wrath,&c. Tor the He plainely doth fignifie, that by the

idolatne defection and idolatric of a few goddes cfajmale wrath is kyndled againftthe hole, which number is isneuer quenched till fuch punifhement goddes be taken vpon the offenders : that what •wrath foeuer ferued them in their idolatrie, be fyndled a- broght to destruction ,becaufe that it is gainft the execrable an^ accurfed before God. And multitude therefore he will not, that it be referued' not punt- for anie vfe of his people.I am not igno- fhingthe rant that this law was not put in execu- ojfedoM's. tion as God commaunded. But what did thereof infue and folow hiftories declare: to witr, plage after plage till Ifrael,and Itida were led in captiuitic, as the bokes of kings do witnefTe. The consideration whereof maketh me more bold to affirm, that it is the ductie of eucrie man, that lift to efcapethe plage and punifhement of God, to declare hym felfeennemieto idolatrie not only in heart, hating the fame, but a!fo in cxternall gefture, de- claring that he lamenteth,yf he can do E7u! 9 no morc^or^l,criaDomm2tions. Which ^ thing was Hiewed to the (PpheteEzechiel,

what ty me hegaue hym to vnderftad,why

he

OF 10 HN K^NOXe. ft

he would dcftroy Iudawith Ifracl,ad that he would remoue his g loric from the tem- Exfdt. S. pleandplace,thathebadchofen,idfopo- and 9. werfurtn his wrathe and indignationv- pon the citie,that was full of biood arid a~ p oft afie, which became fo impudent, that itdurft be bold to fay,thc Lord hath left the earth,and feerh not. At this tyme,I Ciyt the Lord reuealed in vifion to his prophe- te,who they were,that mould fynd fauour in that miserable deftruction. To witt, thofethat did murne ahd lament for all the abominations done in the citie, in whofeforeheadesdidGod commaund to print and feal Tau,to the end that the de- ftroyer,whowas commaunded to ftryke the reft without mercic, mould not hurt them, in whome that figne was found. Of thefe premifles I fuppofe it be euidenr, that the punifhment of idolatrie doth not appertainetokinges only, but alfo to the hole people,yeatoeuerie membreofthc fame according to his poffibilitie. For that is a thing moft allured, that no man can murne, lament, and bewaile for thofe thinges, which he will not remoue to the vttermoftofhis power. Yfthisberequi- N OT J§, red of the hole people, and of euerie man in his vocation , whatfhall be required of you, my Lordes, whome God hathraifed vpp to be Princes and rulers aboue your E 1

THE viWELL^AT ION brethren , whofe handes he hath armed with the fword of his iufticc5 yea whome he hath appointed to be as brideis to re- preffe the rage and infolencie of your kinges, when foctier they pretend mani- feftly totranfgrefTc goddes blelfedorde- «An <tnf- nance? Yfany think that this my affirma- tpertoan tion,tuchinge the p'unifhmet of idolaters, olieSHon. be contrarie to the praclife of the Apo* ftles,Whofyndingthe Gentiles inidola- trie did call them to repentance, requi- ring no fuch punifhmct,Iettthe fame man ■why no Vnder{tand,that the Gentilcs,before the law vas preaching ofChrift,liued, as the Apoftle executed fpCakethjWit|iout God in the world,drow agatnjt necj jn iJolafrie, according to the blind- xbtGem- nes -j ignoracc, in which then they were ksbnng \^0\^t^ as a prophane natio,wh«me God Idol* had neueropely auowed to be his people, '""'• had ncuer rcccaued this houfhol ^neither

geuen vnto them lawes to be kept in re- ligion norpolitie: arid therefore did not hisholie Ghoit.calling them to repentanr ce,rcquireof themanie eorporallpunifh- ment according to the rigour of the law, vnto the which they were neuerfubieds, , as they that were ftrangers from the com-

£*e*z* munc wclthof Ifracl . But if anie think, that,after that the Gentiles w^re called from theyr vaine conuerfation; and by «rhb rating Chrift IcThs wcrereceau^d 1 the

OF 10 UN K.M OXE. 34

libmbre of Abrahams children,and fo ma- de one people with the Iewes beleuing, yfanithinkjl fay, that then they were not bounde to the fame obedience , which God required of his people Ifracl, what tyrrje he confirmed his leage and conue- nante with them, the fame man appea- feth to make Chnft inferiour toMofes, and contrarious to the law of his heauen- lie father. For if the contempt or tranf- greifron of Mofes.law was worth ie of deathjwhat fhould we iudgerhe contempt of Chriftes ordenance to beJ( I mean after they be oncereceaued.) And if Chriflbc notcommedto dilTolue: but to fulfill the Jaw of his heauenlie Father, mall the \i- tertieofhis Gofpell beanoccafion, that the efpeciall glorie of his Father be troden vnder foote and regarded of no manJGod forbid.ThecfpecialglorieofGodis,that r, ~ \ fuch, as proferte them to be his people, -Vf- fhould harken to his voice, and amongeft *

all the voices of God reuealed to the m^\ worlde,tuching punifhement of vices, is * J*f none more euident neither more feuere, , Zj thenis that,which is pronounced againft f rdolatricjtlie teachers and mentaincrs of**0/ the fame. And therefore I fear not to af- uSafrkli* firm, that the;Gentiles( Tmean cueriecitie, realme,prouince , or nation amongeft the Gehtiles , embrafing Chrift Icfus

THE sAPPZZT-ATlON

and his truereligio) be bound to the fame leageand couenant,that God made with his people Ifrael, what tymehe promifcd to roote owt the nations before them in thefewordes.

*° &• Beware that thou make aniecoue nante with the inhabitantes of the land, to the which thou com- me(t,lefte perchace that this com- me in ruin, that is,bedeftruc*tion to thcrbut thou (halt dcftroy theyr altars, break their idols and cutt doune their groues. Fear no ftran- ge goddes,worfhipthemnot,nei- ther yet make you facrificc to them. But the Lord, who in his great power, and owtftrctched

/ armc hath broght you owt of the land of Egypt, mall you fear, hy m (hall you honour, hym fhall you worfhip , to hym fhall you make facrifice,his Itatutesjiudgcments, Lawes , and commaundementes you fhall kepe and obferue. This is the connenante, which I haue

made

OF 10HN K^XOXE. gj

made withyou,faieth the Eternall, forget it not, neither yet fear ye o- ther goddes: but fear you the Lord your God,and he fhall deliuer you fro the hade J of all your ennemies. To this fame Law, I fay , and couenante are the Getiles no leife bounde,thcn fom- tymc were the Iewes, when foeuer God doth illuminatetheeyes of aniemultitu- de,prouince, people orcitie,and putteth thefworde in their own hand to rcmoue fuch enormities fromamongeft them, as before God they know to be abominable. Then, I fay, are they no lefTcboud to pur- ge theyr dominionsxities and countries from idolatrie, then were the Ifraelites, what tyme they receaued the pofTeffion of the land of Canaan.And moreouer I fay, jf any go about to ere&and fetvp ido- latrie or to teach defection from God, af- ter that the veritie hath bene receaued and approued,that the not only the Mag Htra- tcs,to whom the fword is comitted,but al fo the people are boud by that oth, which they haue made to God,torcuenge to the , vttermoft of their power the iniurie done againit his Maieftic.In vniuerfal defecti- ons, and in a general reuolt, fuch as was in Ifrael after Ieroboam,rhere is a diucrfe confideration . Forthenbecaufethehoie ,

Ttf£ sAPPELL^iTION

people weretogithercofpiredagaiftGo d, there could none be foud,that wouldeexe cute the punifhcmcnt, which God had co- maunded,till God raifed vpp Ichu,whom he had appoited for that purpofe. And the fame is to becofidered in all other general defe&ios, fucheas this day be in the papi- ftrie, vc here all are blinded, and all are de- clined from God and that of loge cotinu- ance, fo that no ordinarie iuliice ca be exe cuted, but the punifhmet muft be referued toGod ad vnto fuch meanes,as he (hall ap point.But I do fpeakof fuch a nobre,as af- ter they haue receaucd goddes perfect reli gio, do boldly profeife the fame,notwith- ftadig that fome or the moft part fai back: fasoflate daieswasl Englad^vntofucha nobre, I fay,it is Laufull to punifh the ido latoursvfithdeath,ifby aniemeanes God geue them the povcer.For fo did Iofua and Ifrael determine to haue done againft the childreofRube,Gad ad Manaffes for their fufpc<5ted apoftafie ad defefrio from God. And the hole tribes did in veriedcde exe- cute that fharpe iudgemet agalft the tribe of Beiamin for a lefle offcce then for idoU trie. And the fameoghtto be donewher- foeuer Chrifl Iefus ad his Euagill is fo re- cpaued 1 any realmCjpui'nce^r citie, that «fie Magiftrates ad people haue folemncly Mowed ad promifed to dcfed the fame,a$ < vnder

OF 10HK K,NOXE. ;f

vnder king Edward of late dayes was done inEnglad.In fuch places, I fay, it is not on- ly lawful to punifh to the death fuch,as la- bour to fubuert thetrue religio,but the ma giftratesad people are boudfo to do,onles they wilprouoke the wrath of God again; the felues. And therfor I fear not to affirm, that it had bene the duetie of the nobilitie, iudgcs,rulers,adpeopleof Englad not on- ly to haue refifted and againftanded Marie that Iefabcl,whome they call their quene, butalfotohauepuwifhed her to the death withallthe fort of her idolatrous Pree- ftes, together with all fuch, as mould haue afTifted her, what tyme that fhee and they openly began to fupprcfle Cbriftes Euan- gil,tofhedd the blood ofthefai&sofGod, adtoere&thatmoftdiuellifhidolatrie,the papiftical abominatiof, 5d his vfurped ty- rannic, which ones moft iuftly by comune oth was baniftied from that rcalme But be- caus lea not at this prefent difcufle tiiisar gument, as it appertained), I am copelled toomittitto better opportunitie,and fo returning to your Honours, I fay> that if ye confefle your felues baptifed in the Lord Iefus, ofneccflitie ye mu ft confefle, thatthe careof his religiondoth apper- tained your charge. And if ye know that in your hades God hath put the fworde fot* the caufes aboue expreflcd,the ca y c not de E 4

TtfT. +4PP SUCTION

Xiie,butthatthepunifhementof obftinate and maleperc idolatours (fuch as all youc bifhoppes be) doth appertaine to your of- fice, yt after admonition they cotinewob- ftinat.Iam not ignorat,whatbcthevaine defefes ofyourproude prelates. They clai me firft a prerogatiue and priuiledge,that .they are exempted, and that by corifentof Councils and Emperours from all iurifdi- ftionofthetemporaltie And fecodarely, when they arecoui&ed of manifeftimpie- ties, abufes, and enormities afwell in their manersas inreligion,neitherfear,norfha- me they to afFirme, that thinges fo longe eftablifhedcannot fuddenly be reformed, althogh they becorrupred, but with pro- ceiTeoftymethey promifl'eto take order. But in few wordes I anfwer, that no priui- ledge,grauntcd ag*inft the ordenance and ftatutes of God, is to beobferued althogh all Councils and men in the earth haue ap pointed the fame.Butagainftgoddesorde .nance it is,thac idolatours, murtherours, fals teachers, and blafphemcrs (hall be exe- pred from puni(hement,as before is decla- red, and therefore invaine it is, that they claym for priuiledge, when that God fay- cth: The murthercr fhaltthou riue from my altar, that he may die the death. And as to the order and reformati6,which they promiife, that is to be lolled of hoped for,

when

OF 10HK KjHOXE. 27

vhen Satan, whofc children and flaues they are,can chage hisnature.This anfwcr I doubt not mail fuffice the fober ad god- lie reader-But yet to the end that they may further fee their own confufion, and that your Honours may better vnderiUd,what ye oght to do in Co manifeft a corruption anddefe&io from Godjlafkeofthemfel- ues,whara(Turancethey haue for this their immunitie,exemption,orpriuilcdge:who istheauctourof itf> and what frute it hath produced ? And fyrft I fay that of God Godtinot they haue no affurance, neither yet can he nttctohref be proucd to be au&our of anie fuchc ante print priuiledge. Butthecontrarie iseafieto be hdgegra- feen. For God in efhbli filing his orders anted to in Ifracl did fo fubicft Aaron(in his pree- papiflical fthodebeing thefigureof Chrift) to Mo- bifhoppef9 fesjthat hefearcd nottocall him in iud- that they gement,andtoconftrain hymto giueac- he exnn- comptesof his wicked dede in consenting ptedfrum to idolatrie,as the hiftorie doth plaine- the povsr ly witneffe. For thus it is written, oftheciui

Then Mofes toke the calf, which k^^' they had made,and burned it with fier, and did grind it to powder, and fcattering it in the water, ga- ue it to drink to the children of If- jrael«<kclaring herebie the vanitie of their

TH€ <APP1LL*ATI6}J idol and the abomination of the fame, and thereafter Mofes faid to Aaron, what hath this people done to the, that thou fhouldefl: bring vpon it foi greatafyn?

Thus,l fay,doth Mofes call and accufe Aaron of the deftruclion of the hole peo- ple, and yet heperfe&Iy vnderftode,that God had appointed hymto be the high Preeft,that he mould bear vpon his moul- ders ad vpo his breafl the names of the u. . tribes of Ifrael,for whome he was appoin- ^ ted to make facrifice, praiers,ad fupplica- TMi£tti'tions.Heknewhis dignitiewas. fo great, tieof^ia- that only he might entre within themoft rodidmt holie place: but neither could his office exempt nor dignitie exempt hym from iudgemet, him from when he had offended. Yf any ohieft, Aa- wdgemei. ron at that tyme was not anointed ad the- refore was he fubieS to Mofes, I haue anf- wered, that Mofes,being taught by the mouth of God, did perfectly vndcrftadjtq what dignitie A^ro wasappointed,andyet he feared not to call hym in judgement, and to copell hym to make anfwer for his wicked fad. But if this anfwer doth not fuf h*ce,y et fliall the holie Ghoftwitnefle fur- ther in the matter. Salomo remoued from honour Abiathar being the high precfte, and comaunded him to ceafe from all fun- ction,

OF JOHN K^MOXE. 38

&ion,'and to liue as a priuate man.Now if the vndiondid exempt the precft from Iurifdi&ionof the ciuile M3giftrate,Sa- lomon did offend, and iniured Abiathar. For he was anoynted, and had caried thearkbefore Dauid. But God doth not reproue the fact of Salomon, neither yet doth Abiathar claime anie prerogatiue by the reafon of his ojf ice,but rather doth the holie Ghoft appfoue the faft of Salo- mon,fayinge,

Salomo elected furth Abiathar, i.\eg»z. that he fhould not be the Preeft oh Sarn-l- the Lord, that the word of the Lord might be performed, which he fpake vpon the houfe of Eli.

And Abiathar did think that he obtai- ned great fauour,in that he did cfcape the prefent death, which by his confpiracie he had deferued. Yf anie yet reafon, that Abiathar was no otherwife fubicdtto the iudgement of the king, but as he was ap- pointed to be the executour of that Cen- tencc, which God before had pronoun- ced, as I will not greatly denie that rea- Note-well. fon,fo require I that euerie man confi- der, that the fame God, who pronoun- ced feptence againft Eli,and his houfe, hath pronounced aIfo,that idolaters, hoo- Gal.4. remongersjmurthcrcrs, and blafphemers i.Tim.^.

THE UtPZLLiATlOH fliall neither haue portion in the king- dome of God , neither oght to be per- mitted to bear anie rule in his Church and congregation. Now if the vnction and office faued not Abiathar, becaufc that goddes fentencemuftnedes be per- formed, can anie priuiledgc graunted by man be a buckler to malera&ours,thac they fliall not be fubied to the punifh- mentes pronounced by God? I think no man will be Co fooliflie as fo to afFirm.For a thing more then euident it is, that the holepreefthode in the tymeof the Law was bound to g iue obedience to the ciuile powers. And if anicmembreofthe fame wasfoude criminal, the fame was fubieft tothepunifliemcnt of the fworde, which God had put in the hand of thc/Magiftra- te. Andthisordenancc of his father did JHat.17. not Chriftdifanul, but rather did cofirme thefame,c6maunding tribute to be payed forhym felfe and for Peter. Who per- fectly knowing the myndof his maifter, thus writcth in his epiftle, t. Pet. t. Submit your felues to all maner -*M» ordenance of man^heexcepteth fuch ^* as be cxprcffely repugnyng to goddes conmaundement) for the Loides fake, wlicthcr it be to king as to the chefe head3or vnto rulers as

vnto

OF 10HN K^NQXE. ;>

vnto them , that are fent by hym for punifhement of euill doers, and for the praife of them,that do well.

The fame doth the apoft le faint Paule moftplainelycommaundinthefewordcs,

Let euerie foulebc fubied to thefuperiourpowers. \ ly

Which places make euident that net* ther (Thrift neither his Apoftles hath ge- uen any afTuracc of this immunitiead pri ui ledge , which men of Church ( as they wilbe termed ) do this day claime. Yea it was a thing vnknowen to the primitiue Churche many yeares after the daies of , - the Apoftles. For Chryfoftome, whofer- /p7^ - ved in the Churche at Constantinople V^ y^° foure hundreth years after Chhftes afcen , *' ° fion, and after that corruptio was great! ie ; ^•onu increafed , dorh yet thus write vpon the forfayd wordes of the Apoft le,

This precept/aiethhe,doth not LetP^ appertaine to fuch as be called fe-/kr*»- culars onlie,but eue to thofe, that/^ **ry be Preeftes and religious men. ^ And after he addeth: Whether thou be Apofrle,Euangelift, Prophete,or whofoeuer thou be, thou cart not

tome

THE sAPP S iLsATlOX

be exempted from this fubiec"liorr«

Hereof it isplayn that Chryfoftbme did not vnderftand that God had exepted any pcrfon from obedience and fubie&io ofthc ciuile power, neither yet that he was auclourof fuch cxemptio and priui-r ledgc,as Papiftes do this day claime. And the fame was the iudgemet and vniforme do&rincof the primatiue Church many yeares after Chrifte. Your Honours do woder, I doubt not, fro what fotaine then did this theyr immunitie,as they terme ity adfingularpriuiledge fprig. I fhallfhort- ly tuch that,which is euident in their own law andhiftories. Whenthe Byfhoppes of Rome,the verie Antichrifts had partly by fraud , and partly by violence vfurped thefuperioriticoffome places in Italie, andmoft iniuftly'had fpoiledtheEmpe- Lmtheyr rours of their reres andpofleiTi6s,and had vnnehh- alfo murthered fomme of their offjcers,as porics-wit- hiftorics do witncfle>the beganPope after neffe. Pope to pra&ifc and deuifejiow they fhouldbe exempted from iudgement of Princes and from the cquitie of Iawes, and in this poynt they were moft vigi- lant,t>ll at length iniquitie did To preuai- lein theyr handes, according as Daniel had before prophelied of them, that this fentence was pronounced,

Neither

OF 10HN K,NOXE. 40

"Neither by the Emperour,nei- ther by the clcrgie, neither yet ^ iheoflhe the people fhall the iudgebe iud- yeaji fpea ged .G od w ilJ,faieth S) mmachusjthat King the caufes of others be determi-^^ ned bv men, but without all quc-f^/n> $m ftion fie hath refcrued the Byfhop ^/f.j. of this feat, vnderftanding Rome,to Tbeyre 1 . .1 laioes do

hisowniudgcmcnt. w,„#.

And hereof diuerie Popes,and expoh- tours of their Iawes would feme to geuc reafons.Forfaktli Agatho, vift.19.

All the preceptes of the apo- - ftolik feat are affured, as by the voice of God him fclf.

The auctour of the glofe vpo their ca- non arTirmcth;that if all the world (hould pronounce fentence againft the Pope-yet fliould his fentece preuailc. For faieth he, %

ThePopehathaheauclic will,^^* ad therefore he may chauge the na tiontutul ture of thinges,he may apply the 7- fubftace of one thing to another, and of nothing he may make fom- what,and that fentece, which was nothing(that is) by his mynd fals

THZ *APP tLL^iTlOH

and iniufte, he may make fomew- hatthatis tmeadiuft.Fonfaicrhhc, in all thinges , that pleafe hym,his will is for reafon. Neither is there any roan, that may. afke of hym, why doefr. thou fo . For he may difpens aboue the Law, and of . iniuftice he may make iuftice. For he hath the fulnes of all power.

And manic other moft blafphemous feteces did they pronouce euery one after other,which for fhortnesfake I omitt, till at the end they obtained this moft hor- rible decrie; thatalbeit in life and con- 2?'/?' # uwfation they were-fo wicked, and detc- ■* 1 ' ftable,that not only they codemncd them feluesjbut that alfo they drew to hell and ^ j perdition manie thoufandes with them, . . ; ,-yet that none fhould prcfume to repre- iqmte °y hed or rdyulce the.T^his being eftablifhed i " for the head (albeit not without fomme ■• y *~ contradi<ftion,forfommcF.mpero\irsdid require due obedience of them, as goddei word commaunded, and auncicr Byfhop- pes had geuen before to Emperours , and ro their lawcs,but Satan fo preuailed in his fuete before the blynd world,thatthe former fentences were confirmed, which

power

OP 10HN t^NOXE. ^t

power being graunted to the head ) then began promfion to be made for the reft or" the membres in all realmes and con- tries, where they made rcfidence. The #ute whereof we fee to be this , that none of that peftilent generation (I mean the vcrmine of the Papiftical order ) will befubiec"ttoanieciuileMagiftrate,howe- normiousthateuer hjs crime be, but will be refcrued to their own ordenarie,as they terme it. And what frutes haue hereof enfued, be the world neuer fo blynd,it can not but witneffe. For how their head that Romane Antichrift hath bene occu- pied euer fece the grauting of fuch priui- iedges, hiftoriesdo witnefTe,and of late the moft part of Europa fubied to the plage of God , to fier and fworde , by his procurement hath felt and this day doth fcle. The pride,ambirion, enuie, excelTe, fraude , fpoile , oppreiTion , murthcr , fil- thie life, and inceft, that is v fed and men- tained amongeft that rabble of Preeftes, freers, monkcs,channons,byfhoppes and Cardinallcs,cannotbe exprefTed. I fear nottoaffirme, neither doubt I to proue, that the papifticall Church is further de- generate from the puretie of Chriftes The mtt- do&rine, from the footefteppes of the A- terk more potties and from the maners ofthepri- thmtui- matfuc Churchjthe was theChurch of the dm» F i

THE iAPP ZLLsATlOX

tewes from goddes holie ftatutes,what ti- me it did crucihe Chrift Iefus the onlie Me{fias,and moil cruelly pcrfecutehis A- poftles. And yet will our Papiftes claims theyr priuiledgcs and auncient liberti^k, which if you graunt vnto the, my Lords, ithofieuer ye (nail alfuredly drink thecuppofgod- metaineth des vengeance with them, and fhalbere- the print- puted before his prefcnce compagnions ledges of oftheucs and metainers of murtherers,as Papifts, is before declared.For theyr immunitiead fhall dri{ priuilcdge, whereof Co greatly theyboft, thecupp is nothing <ls,but as if theues, murtherers ofgodsve or briggandes mould confpire amongeft geance them felues,that they would neuer anfwer ■*i;b them in iudgement before anie laufull Magi- ftrate,to the end that their theft and mur- ther mould not be punimed,euen fuchl fay istheirwicked priuiledge, which nei- ther they haue of God the father, neither: of Chrift Iefus, who hathe reuealed his fathers will to the world .neither yet of the Apoftlesnor primatiueChurche,as before is declared. But it is a thinge . confpired amongeii them felues,to the end that their iniquitie, deteftable life, and tyrannie mail neither be reprefTed nor reformed. And if they obie&,that godlie Emperours did graunt and con- firmethe fame, I anfwer that the godli- ftes of no man is, or can be of fufficicnt

au&oritic

(5> lOtfH K^NOXE. 4* audoritie to iuftifie a foolifhe and vn- godlie fad, fuch I mean,as God hath noc alowcdby his worde. For Abrahamwas a godlie man, but the dcniall of his wife was fuch a fad, as no godlie man oghtto imitate. The fame might I (hew of Da- uid,Ezechias and Iofias, vnto whom I think no man of Judgement will prefer anie Emperour fence Chnft,in holines ad wifdome,andyet are not all they r fade*, no euen fuch, as they appeared t© haue done for good caufes, to be approued nor folowed. And therefore,I fay, as errour and ignorance remayn ailwaie? with the moft perfed man in this life,fo roiifr their workes be examined by another rule, the by their own holines , if they mall be ap- proued.But if this anfwer doth not fnffice, then Willi anfwer more fhortly , that no godlie Emperour fence C hriftes afcenfio hathgraunted anie fuch priuiledgetoa- nicfuch Churche or pcrfon,asthey(the holegeneratioof Papiftes)beatthisday. I am not ignorat,that fome Emperours of acertainezealeandfor fomecofideraxios graumed liberties to the true Church af- flided for they r mentainanceagainft ty* rants, but what ferueth this for the defen- ce oftheyrtyrannie3 Yfthelawmuft be vnderftaded arcordlg to the myndofthe lawgeuer, then mult they fyrft prouethe

THE *APPELL>ATI07^

fclucs Chriftes true ad afflicted Churche, before they can claime anie priuiledge to appertaine to them. For only to that Churche were the priuiledges graunted. It will not be their glorious titles, nei- ther yet the longe polieffion of the name, that can preuaile in this fo weg htie a cau- fe. For all thofe had the Churche of Ie- rufalem, which did crucifie Chrift,and did condemnehis do&rine. We offer to proueby theyrfrutes andtyrannie,by the Prophetes, and play n fcriptures of God, what trees and generation they be, to witt vnfrutefull and rotten , apt for nothing, but to be cutt and caft in hell Her, yea that they are the very king dome of Anti- chrift,of whome we are comaunded to be- ware. And therefore,my Lordes, to return to you, feing that God hath armed your handeswith the fworde of iuft ice, feing that his Law moft ftreatly commaundeth idolaters and fals prophetes to bepunif- flied with death, and that you be placed aboue your fubiects to reigne as fathers ouer theyr children: and further feing that not only I, but with me manie thou- fand famous, godlieand learned perfons, accufc your Byfhoppesad the hole rabble of the Papiftical clergie of idolatrie,of munher and of blafphemieagainft God ommit ted : it appertained to your Ho- nours

OF 10HN K^NOXM. 4j

nours to be vigilant and careful 1 in fo wcghtie a matter? Thequeition is not of earthly fubitice,butoftheglorie of God, and of the faiuation of your felues, and of your brethren fubied to your charge, in which if you after this playneadmonitio be negligent, there refteth no excufe by reafon of ignorance. For in the name of God I require of you, that the caufe of re- ligiomay be tried inyourpre(ecebythc playne ad fimple worde of God:that your Byflioppes be compelled to defift from theyr tyrannic- that they be compelled to make anfwer for the neg Acting of their office, for the fubftace ofthc poore,which vniuftly they vfurpe and prodigally they dofpend,but principally for the falsand deceauiblcdoctrine,whichis taught and defended by theyr fals prophetes, flatte- ring freers, and other fuch venemous lo- cuftrs. Which thing if with (ingle eyes ye do( preferring goddes glorie and the faiuation of your brethren to all world- lie commoditie^then (hall the fame God, who folemnely doth pronounce to ho- nour thofe , that do honour hym , powre his benedictions plentifully vpon you, he (hall be your buckler, protection and captayne,and (hall repreife by his ftrc- ngthand wifdome,whatfoeuer Satan by his fuppofles (hall imagine againft you. F 5

7HZ UfPELZtATlOH lam not ignorant, that great troubles (hall enfue your cntcrprife. For Satan will not be expelled from the poflfefTion ofhisvfurpcdkingdome without refiftan ce. But if you,as is [&d , preferring god- des glorie to your own liues , vnfeaned- ly feke and ftudie to obey his bleiTed will, then fliali your dcliuerance be fuch,- as euidently it fhall be knowen, that the angels of the eternal I do watche, make warr , and feght for thofe,thtt vnfeyned- lyfearthe Lorde. But if you refufe this my moft reafonable and iuft petition, what defece that euer you appeare to haue before men, then fhall God( whome in meyoucontcmne) refufe you. Ke fhall Deu.iS. pourcfurthe contempt vpon you , and ~L?uit.i6. vpon your pofteritie after you . The Spi- rit of boldncs and wlfdome (hall be ta- ken from you, your ennemies {hall reign, and you fhall die in bondage, yea God fhall cutt doune the vnfrutefull trees, _, when thev do appeare moft beautifully

e£?a to florifh, and fhall fo burn the roote,that after of you fhall neither twigge, nor branch againe fpring to glorie. Hereof trede not to adduce vnto you examples from the former ages, and auncient hi- ftories. Foryour brethren the nobilitie of England are a mirrour and glafle, in the which ye may beholde goddes iuft.

punifhmet

OF IOHN K^NOXe. 44 pun i foment. For as they haue rcfufed him, and rns Euagil, which ones in mouth they did profcfle, fo hath he refufed them, and hath taken from them the fpirit of wif- domc,boldenes, and of counfil. They fee andfeletheyrownemifcrie,and yet they haue no grace to auoid it. They hate the bondage of ftrangers,theprideof prec- ftes, and the moftriferous empire of a wic- ked woma3and yet are they copeilcd to bo- we their ncckes to the yock of the Deuill, to obey whatfocuer the proude Spaniards, and wicked Iefabel lilt to commaund, and finally to ftand like flaues with capp in hand till the fcruantes of Satan the fhauen fort call them to counfil. This frute do they reapead gather of theirformer rebel- lion, and vnfaithfi'lnes towardes God. They are left cofufed in their owne coun- cils.He,whomc in his mebres fortheplea- fureof a wicked woman they haue exiled, perfecuted ad blafphemed,dothnowlaugh them to fkornjfuffercth the to be pyned in bondage of moft wicked men, ad finally {hall adiudgethe to the fiereuerlaftig, ex- cept that fpedcly,adopely they repet theyr horrible treafo.which againft Gad,agai{r. his fonneChrift Iefus, andagainft theli- bertie of their ownc natiue realme they hauecomitted. The fame plages (hall fall vponyoujbeyouaflurcdjif ye rcfufc the F 4

THE APPELLATION

defence of his fcruantes, that call for your fupport. My words are fharpe, but cofider, my Lords,that they are not mine,but that they are the threatnynges of the omnipo- tent,who afluredly will perfurme the voi- ces of his Prophetes, how that euer car- Em En- nail men defpife his admonitions. The gladand fwordc of Goddes wrath is aired ie dra- Scotland wc, which of neceffitie muft nedes ilryke, both ad- when grace oft'red is obftinatly refufed. Htrt. You haue bene long in bondage of the De uil>blyndnes,errour and idolatrie,prcuai- ling againftthcfimplc tructhof God in that your realme, in which God hath ma- de you princes and rulers. But now doth Godofhisgreatmerciecall you to repen- Godcal- tancc,bcforehcpowrefurththevttcrmoft Uih tore- of his vengeance.he crieth to your eares, fentance tfoatyourreligio isnothing but idolatrie. before fa he accufeth you of the blood of his fainds, Jlrifc in which hath bene died by your permiffion, hishote afl'iftance,and powers. For the tyrannieof dijl'lea- thofe raging bealtes fhould haue no force, (urc. if by your ftrength they werenot men- Tapislcs tained. Of thofe horrible crimes doth now b-idnofvr God accufe you, not of purpofe to con- cc,yfPrin demneyou,but mercifully to abfolue,and ces did not pardo you,as fomtyme he did thofe,whom tmntain Peter accuftd to haue killed the fonnc them. of <5od,fo that ye be not of mind nor pur- wl&*. pofeto iuftiHe your former iniquitie.

Ini-

OF 10NH I^NOXJt. 45 Iniquitie I call not only the crimes and ofFcnfes,which haue bene and yet remaint in your maners and liues, but that alfo, which appeareth before men moft holie, withhaflardof my lifelofFreto prouea- No truef bomination before God:that is,your hole [eruant & religion tobefo corrupt and vaine, that God may no true feruante of God can communicate comtm- with it, becaufc that in fo doing he mould mcate manifeftly denie Chritt I<;fus and his c- vithtbe ternal veritie. I know that your byflroppes papistical accompained with the fwarmeof thepapi religion* itical verminefhalcric, A damned here- tikoghtnottobehard.Butremembrejmy *^» anf* .Lords, what in the beginnig I haue protc vrto the fted,vpo which ground Icotinually Had, oldobie- to witt,that I am no heretike nor deceaua- clion,tbat ble teacher, but the feruante of Chriftle- anhtwi{ fus,a preacher of his lfallible veritie,inno ogtonoc cent in all that they can lay to my charge to be bard cocerning my do&rine, and that therefo- re1 by them,being ennemies to Chrift, I am iniuftly damned. From which crucll fentence I haue appealed and do appeal, as before mention is made.in the mean ty- memoft hubly requiring your Honours to take me in your protection, to be audi- toursof my iuft defefes,grauting vnto me the fame libertie, which Achab a wicked king and I frael at that tyme a biynded peo ple,grated to Helias in the like cafe. That

TrfE UPP SLL^ITIOH

is,thatyourbyflioppes, and the hole fab- i.\cg* ble of your clergie may be called before i%. you and before that people, whome they

haue deccaued: that I be not condemned by multitude, by cuflome, by auctontie or law d iui fed by man, but that God hym felf may be iudge berVixt me and my aducrfaries. Let God, I fay, fpeak by his law, by his prophetes, by Chrift Ie£js or by his Apoftles,and fo let hym pro- nounce, what religion he approueth,and then be my ennemies neuer fo manie, and appeare they neuer fo ftrongc and fo leaf ned,nomore dolfeare vi&orie, then did Helias,being but one man againft the mul titude of Baales preeftes. And if they Titdmg think to haueaduantage bytheyre coun- courncils cils and doclours,this I further ofFer,to and dj- admitt the one and the other, aswitnef- ttottrs. fesin all matters debateable, three thin- ges (which iuftly can not be denied) being granted vnto me.Firft,thatthe moft auncient Councils nighefttothe primi- tiue Church , in which the learned and ;odIie fathers did examine all matters >ygoddes word, may beholden of moft audoritie. Secondarely , that no deter- mination of Councils nor man be admit- ted againft the plaine veritie of god- des word,nor againft the determination ofthofe fourechefe Councils, whofe ?.u-

ftoritie

8

OF 10KN \,XOXZ. 4$ Aoritie hath bene and is holden by them equal with the auttoritie of the foure E- uangehfles. And laft,rhat to no doctour be geuen greater auiftoritie,then Auguftine inp^t* requireth to be geuen to his writinges: <vetraftm to witt , if he plainely proue not his affirmation by Gods infallible worde, thatthenhis fentencebereie&ed and im- puted to the errour of a n a-Thcfe thinges graunted and admitted, I fliall no more re Ttife thctellimonies of Councils and do- rtours, then fhall my aduerfaries. But and ifthey will iuftifiethofe Councils,whicfi mentainetheyr pride, ad vfurped auctori- tie, and will reieel thofe, which plainly Jiauecondemnedall fuchtyrannie, negli- gence, and wicked life,as byftioppes now dovfe: and if further thev will fnatchea. doubtfull fentence of ado&our, and refu- fe his mynd, when he fpeaketh plainly, then will Ifay,thatall man is a lyer,that credit oght not to be geuen roan vncon- ftantwitnes, and that no Coucils oght to preuaile, nor beadmitted againft the Con- tence, which God hath pronounced. And thus,mv Lordes,in few wordesrococlude Ihaue ortredvnto you a trial 1 of mie in- nocencie: I haue declared vnto vou, whac God requireth of you,being placed aboue his people, as rulers and princes : I ha- ue offred vnto you; and to the inhabitates

THS *AP PELLET ION

of therealme,thc veritieof Chrift Icfus*

and with the hafard of my life I prefently

offer to prouethe religion, which amon-

geftyouis mentained by fier and fworde,

to be fals,danable and diabolicall.Which

thinges if yerefufe,defending tyrantes in

their tyranie,then dar I not flatter,but as it

Etfll* was commaunded to Ezechiel boldly to

proclaime, fo muft I crie to you, that you.

jfhall perilhe in your iniquitie, that the

Lord Iefus (hall refufe fo manie of you,a§

malicioufly withftand hiseternall veritie,

juat.14 and in the day of his apparition, when all

&.z6. flemlhallappcarbeforehym,thathefhall

repcll you from his compagnie andfhall

commaund you to therier,whiche neuer

Dani.il flialbec]ueched,and then neither mail the

*M>tt.z<i. multitude be able to refift, neither yet the

counfilsof man be able to preuaile againft

that fentence,which he (hall pronounce.

God the father of our Lord Icfus Chrift by the power of his holie fpirit fo rule and difpofe your hearts, that with fimplicitie ye may colider the thinges,that be ofFrcd, ad that ye may take fuch order in the fame, as God in you may be glorified,and Chri- ftcs flock by you may be edified and com- forted to the praife ad glorie of our Lord Icfus Chrift,whofcomnipotent fpirit rule your hearts in his true feare to the end. Amen.

47

TO MIS BELO- VED BRET HREN THE

corarmnaltic of Scotland lohn Kjnoxt •vifhctbgrace,mercie and peace ftith tbejfrrit of righteous jud- gement.

Vhat I haue required of the Quene Reget,eftates ad no- bilitieasof thechifeheades (for this prefent) of the re* alme,I can notceafe to re- quire of yoi' dearli beloued Brethre,which be the comunaltieandbodie of the fame- To wit, that it (notwithftanding that fals and cruel fentence, which your difgifed byftioppes haue pronounced againft me) would pleafe you to be fo fauorable vnto me, as to be indifTeret auditours of my iuft purgation. Which to do if Godearneftly moue your heartes,as I nothig doubt, but that your entreprife (hall redoundetothe praifeofhis holie name, foam I allured, that ye and your pofteritie fhall by that meanes receaue moft fingular comfort, e- diricati6,adprofit.For when ye mall hcare the matter debated, ye (hall eafelie percea- ue and vnderftand,vpon what grounde ad foundationisbuildedthatrcligion,whichr

lOtfN K^NOXE

amongeft you is this day defended by ficr and (word. As for my own confciencc lam moft afluredly pcrfuaded,that,whacfoeuer is vfed in thepapiftical Churche is al to- gither repugning to Chnftes blerTed ordi nacc, and is nothing but mortal vercm,of which whofoeuer drinkethj am afluredly perfuaded that therewith he driLcth death and damnation, except by true conuerfion vnto God he be pureed from the fame.But becaufethat long ulenceof goddes worde hath begotten ignorance almoft inal for- tes of men, and ignorance, ioyned with long cuftome, hath cofirmed fuperftition in the heartesof many, I therefore in the name of the Lord Iefus defire audience a£- well of you the communaltie,my Brerhre, as of the eftares and nobilitie of the real- ty y me, that in publikeprcaching I may haue ' place amongeft you at large to vtrer my mind in allmattcrs of cotrouerfie this day in relig ion. And further I defire,that y e co curring with your nobilitie would com- pell yourbyflioppes andclergie to ceafc their tyrannie, and alfo that, for the bet- ter affurance and instruction of your con- fciece, ye would compell your faid bilhop pes and fals teachers to anfwer by thefcri- pturesof God to fuch obic&ios ad crimes, as malbe laid againittheir vaine religion, fals doctrine, wicked life, and fclande-

rous

TOT/*e COMMfH^ETlS. 48 torn conuerfation . Here I know, that it fhalbe objected , that I require of you a thin* moft vnreafonable.To witt, that yc ihould call your religion in doubt, which hath bene approued and eftabl lflicd by Co long continuance,and by theconfent of fo manie men before you. Butlfhortly anf- yAnfiter weTjthat neither is the log procefle of ty- toaiiobie me.neither yet the multitude of men a fuf {Hon. hciet approbation, which God will alow lafcuUt, for our religip. Forasfommeofthcmoft Firmian. aunncient writers do witnefle,ncither can Tertulia. long procefle of tyme iuftjfie'an errour, Cyprian. neither can the multitude of fuch,as folow ir,chaug fhe nature of the fame. Eut if it was an errour in the begynnyng, fo is it in the end,and the longer that it be folowed, and the mo that do receaue it, it is the more peftilent, and more to be auoided. For ifantiquitie or multitude of me could iuitifie any religion, then was the idola- trie of the Gennles, and now is the abo- mination of the Turkes good religio.For antiquitie approued the one, and a mul- titude hath receaue*d and doth defende the other.But otherwife to anfwcr,god!ie men may wonder, from what fontaine fuch a fentece doth flow,that no man oght to trie his faith and religion by goddes worde, but that he fafely may beleue and folow euerie thing , which antiquitie

IOHH K^NOXE.

andamultuudehaue approucd. Thefpi* John*;, rit of God doth otherwife teach vs. For &j. thcwifdomeof God Chrift Iefushymfel- fe remitted his aduerfancs to Motes, and the fcriptures,to trie by them,whether his dodnne was of God or not.The Apoftles *Jfksxj. Paulcand Peter commaundemen to trie X.Pct.i. thereligion,which they profeiTejby god- des plaine fcriptures, and do praife men \J0bn4. for fo doing. S.Iohn ftraytly commaun- deth,that webeleue not cueriefpirit3but willeth vs to trie the fpirits, whether they be of God or not.Now feyng thatthefc euident teftimonies of the holie Ghofte will vsto trieour faith and religion by the plaine wprde of God,wonder it isjthac the papiftes will not be contentjthat theyr religion and do&rinccomme vnder the triall ofthe fame. If this fentcce of Chrift betrue(asit ismoft true, feing it fprin- geth from the veritie it fclf)who fo e- lotmi u'^ doeth,hateththelighf,neitherwjl]he come to the light left that his euill workes be manifefted and rcbuked,thcn do our papiftes by their ownrfentence condemne them felues and theyrreligion. For in fo far as they refufe examination and trial, they dcc!arc,that they know fomme fault, which the light will vtter. which is a caufe of theyr feare.ad why thev claime fothat priuiledge,that no man difpure of theyr

religion.

TO THE COMMVN^iLTlE 49

religion. The veritie and trueth, being of the nature of fyne purified gold, dorh not Tfhy Fa- fear thetrial of the fornace,but the ftu- ptTksvtili ble andchaf ofmanncs inuentions ( fuch notdifp* is theyr religion) may not abyde the u ofthe flame ofthe tier. True ic is, that Maho- ground met pronounced this fentence, that no oftheyr man mould in paine of death difpute or religion. reafon of the grounde of his religion. Mahomet Which law to this day by the art of Satais andthe yet obferucdamogeft the Turkcs to theyr Popedo mortal blindnes and horrible blafphe- agree myngof Chrift Iefus, and of his true reli- gion. And from Mahomet (or rather from Satan father of all lies) hath the Pope and his rabble learned this former leflon- To witt,that theyr religion mould not be difputed vpon, but what the fathers ha- uebelcued,thatoghtand muft thechildre approue. And in fo diuifing Satan lac- ked not his foresight. For no one thing hath more eftabliflied the kingdome of that Romane Antichrift ,then this moft wicked decrie. To witt, that no man was permitted to reafon of his power,or to cal L his lawes in doubt. This thing is moft aflu red, that whenfoeuer the papifticall re- ligion (hall comme to examination, it fhalbe founde to haucno other grounde, then hath the religion of Mahomet. To witt manncs inuention, deuife anddrea-

G 1

JOHN flNOXE.

mes ouerfhadowed with fomme colour of goddes wordc. And therefore Brethren feing that the religion is, as the ftomake fo the bodie,which,if it be corrupted, doth infeel the hole membres,it is neccrTarie that the fame be examined, and if it be fo- unde replcnilhed with peitilent humors ( I mean with the fantalies of men)then of ncceiTitieitisjthatthofe be purged, els dial NOTE, your bodies and foules perifhe for euer. For of this I would yeweremoft certaily perfuaded,that a corrupt religion defileth the hole life of man, appear it neucr fo ho- \efirma lic.Ncithcr would I that ye mould efteme ttonofrc- the reformation and care of religion lef- ligion be- fc to appcrtai to you, becaufe ye are no kin longetbto ges, rulers, iudges, nobils, nor in au&ori- all,tbatbo tie. Bcloucd Brethren, ye are goddes crea- te for life tures , created and formed to his own ima- etKrlasim ge and fimilitude, for whofe redemption ge. was fhed the molt pretious blood of the

onlic bcloued fonne of God, to whome he hathcommaunded hisGhofpellandglad- tidinges to be preached, ad for whome he hath prepared the heauenlie inheritance, fo thatycwill notobitinately rcfufe,and difdainefully cotemne themeuties, which he hath appointed to obtaine the fame: to witt,his blcfled Euangile, which now he ofFercthvntoyou,tothe end that ye may bcfaued.FortheGhofpelland gladtidin-

TO Ttfi CO UMV tf^lLTI S. 50

ges ofthekigdometruelie preached is the power of God to the faluation of cuene \onui, beieucr, which to credit and receaueyou the communaltie are no leffe addetted, then be your rulers and princes. For albeit The fuh- God hath put and ordened diftinctionad kit h ti9 differece betwixt the king and fubie&es, leffe bcud betwixt the rulers and the commune peo- to btLue plcintheregimentand adminiftration of in Cbrijl, ciuile policies, yet in thchopeof the life thtmtha to comme he hath made all equal 1 . Vor tytigc. asinChrift Iefus the lew hath no grea- <jaLat.$t terprerogatiue,thcn hath the Gennie,the man , then hath the woman, the lear- ned,then the vnlearned ,the Lord, then the feruante, but all are one in him, fo is there but oneway and meanes to attaine to the participation of his benefites and fpirituall graces, which is a liuclie faith wurking bycharitie. And therefore I fay that it doth no lefle appertaine to you, beloued Brethren, to be allured that your faith and religion be grounded andefta- bliihed vpon the true and vndoubtedwor- de of God, then to your princes, or ru- lers.For as your bodies can not cfcapecor poral depth, if with your princes ye eat or drink deadlic poifon(althoghc it be by ignorance or negligence) fo (hall ye not efcape the death euerlsfting,if with them ye profefic a corrupt religion. Yea except G z

1 OH N J^A' 0 X E

In heart yc beleue, and with mouth ye con feflc the Lord Icfus to be the onlie Sal- uiourofthe world (which ye cannot do, except ye embrace his Euangile offered) ^Abacx. ye can not efcapc death and damnatio. For M<trc.i6. as theiuft liueth by his own faith, fo doth loh».$. the vnfaithfull perifhe by his jnHdelitie. And as true faith is engendred ,nori{hed, and mentained in the heartes of goddes e- ]cc~tby ChriftesEuagile truelie preached, foisinfideiitie and vnbeiefe foftercdby concealing and reprefTing the fame. And thus if ye lokefor the life euerlafting,ye muft trie if ye ftand in faith, and if yc would be allured of a true ad liuelie faith, ye muft nedes haue Chrift Iefus truely preached vnro you. And this is thccau- f?(dearBrerhren)that fooft I repeat, and foconftantly I affirm, that to you it doth no lcffe appertaine, then to your Idnge or princes, to prouidethat Chrift [cfu!> be truely pivached amongeft you^feing that .without his true knolledgecan neither of you both attaine to faluation. And this is thepoynt, wherein, I fay,al man is £- Dual, <Wherw That as all be defcended from allwaiiH Adam, by whofe fvn and inobedi- equal. cnce ^-j de:Llh enter into the V"""*' world> fo it behoucd all,that fhall

ootaine

TO T H E C OJIMV N~4 LT IE ^

obtainc life, to be ingrafted ino- ne, that is, in the Lord Iefus, who (£•?*• being the iuit feruant, doth by his ioh* ** knolJedge iuftifiemanyrto wit, all that vnfeanedly beleue in hym.

Of this equalitie,and that God requi- red no lefleof the fubiect ,be he neuer Co poore,then of the prince and riche man in matters of religion, he hath geuenan eui- dent declaration in the lawofMofcs. For when the tabernacle wasbuylded,erec"ted, and fet in order, God did prouide.howit, and the thinges appertaining to the fame, mould be ft>fhjned,fo that they mould not fall indecay. And this prouifion (al- beit heaue ad earth obey his empire )would he not take from the fecrete and hid treafu res,which lie difperfed 1 thevainesof the carthe;ncither yet would he take it fro the Evod.jO. richeand potentofhispeoplc,buthe did commaund, that eueric man of the fonnes of Ifrael (were he rich or were he poore) that came in compt from twentie yeares and vpvcard,fhouldycarely pay half a fi- de for an oblation to the Lorde in the remembrance of their redemption, and for an expiation or clenfing to their fou- lcs,which money God comaunded fljould be bellowed vpon the ornamentes and G 5

10HN K^NOXE.

necefTaries of the tabernacle oftcflimonie. He furthermore added a precept, that the riche Paould giue no more for that vfe, and in that behalf, then mould the poore, neither yet that the poore (ljouldgiue any le(Tc,then mould the riche in thatconfi- deration.This lawtomannes reafonand judgement may appear verie vnreafona- ble. For fomme riche man might haue gcucn athoufand faleswith leflehurtof his fubltacc, then fome poore man might haue payed the half licle. And yet God makcth all cquall, and will that the one fhall pay no more then the other, nei- ther yet the poore any lefle then the ri- che . This law I fay may appeare verie vnequall. But ifthecaufe, which Godad- dcth-,beobfcrucd,wclhallfynde in the fa- me the great mercie and incftimable wif- domc of God to appear, which caufe is ex prefled in thefc wordes, Z\'iJ.$c. This money rcceaucd from the children of Tfrael thou fhalt gcue in the feruice of the tabernacle, that it may be to the children of If racl for a remembrance before the Lord, that he may be mercifullto yourfoulcs.

Thiscaufcjl fay, doth euidently decla- re,

JO TtfL CO M MV N*A LT1L. }i rc,thatasthc hole multitude was deliuc- red from the bondage of Egypt by the mi ghtie powcrof God alone, fo was euerie mebrc of the fame without refpect of per- fon fadiricd by his grace, the riche in that behalf nothing preferred to the pooreft. For by no ment,nor worthynes of ma was hemouedtochofe,ad to eftablifhe his ha- bitation and dwellingc amongeft them. But their felicitie,prerogatiue ad honour, which they had aboueallothcrnatios,pro ceded only fro the fontaine of his eternal goodncs,who loued the freely, as that he freely had chofen them to be his prceftlie kingdome ad holie people from all natios of the carth.Thus to honour them,that he txod, i?« would dwell in the midden1 of them, he neither wasmoued( I fay)by thewifdome ofthewife,bythe riches of the potent,nei ther yet by the venue a nd holynes of any eftate amongeft them, but of mere good- nes djd he loue them,and with his prcfen- ce did he honour that hole people, 5d the- refore topaynto*tthe fame his comune loue to the hole multitude, and to curt of occafions of contention, and doubtes Thepre-] ofconfeience, he would rcceaueno more fenceof from the riche, then from the poore,for GUrtpu themaintenaceof that histabernacle, by fintedim the which was rcprcfentcd his p re fence, tbetabcr- and habitation amongeft them . Yf the ri- nask.

04

10 UN K^NOXE.

The pre- che had bene preferred to the poorc,then fence of as the one mould hauc bene puffed vp with Go^rtpr* pride, as that he had bene more acceptable fenced in to God by reafon of his greater gift,fo thetab*r niould the cofcience of the other haucbe- myfAg, ne troubled and wouded, thinking that his pouertiewas an impedimec, that he could not ftand in fo pcrfe<5tc fauour with God> as did the othcr,bccauie he was not able to geue fomuch.asdid the richjtothe men- tenancc of his tabernacle. But he, who of niercie (as faid is) did chofehis habita- tion among tit them, and alfo that beft knoweth,what hcth within man^ did pro- uidethe remediefor the one, and for the other, making them equal in that behalfc, who in other thinges wercmoft vnequaL Yf the poore mould haue founde hym felfe greyed by rcafon of that taxe,and that afmuch was impofed vpon hym, as v- pon the richc,y et had he no fmall caufe of ioy,tbac God him felfe would pleafe to c<$ pare hym, and to make hym equal in the mentcnace of h is tabernacle to the mod ri the and potent in Ifrael.Yfthisequalitie wascommaunded by God for mentcnace of that tranfrtorie tabernacle, which was ifebr.s. but a fhadocof a better to come, is not the fame required of vs,who now hath the ve- ritie,which isChrift lefus'who being clad with our nature is made Immanuel,that

is.

TO THE COJUJAV KULT1U o

is, God with vs.

Whofe natural bodic albeit it ifat. be receaued in the heauens, where "^M- he mutt abyde till all be complete, Mat'x*' that is forefpoken by the Prophe- tes,yet hath he promifcd to be prc- fet with vs to the ed of the world.

And for that purpo(e,and forthc more af furance of hispromitfe he hath created a- mongeft. vs here in earthe the figncs of his owne prcfence with vs , his fpiritnal ta- bernacle, the true preaching ofhisworde, and right adminifh-ation of his facra- mentes . To the memenance whereof is no lefle bounde the fubieft, then the prin- Theftm- ce,thepoorejthentheriche.Foras thepri tualrabar ce, which was gene for mannes retention, >tM^- '7;;i^ isone,forequirerh God of all,thaf malbe/';:7^'0/* partakers of the benchtes of the fame, a chfMet like duetie, which is a plaine confciTion>Pr'fi"<e thatbyChrift Iefusalome wehauerecea *A£wfc. ucd, what foeuer was loftin Adam. Of the prince doth God require, thar here- fufchym felfe,and that he folow Chrift Icfus:ofthefiibiec"therequireththefame. Of the kinges and Judges it is required, that they kyfTe the fonne, that is , «:tie honour,fubie<ftion,and obedience ro hym. And from fuch reucrcce doth not God ex- empcthe fubie<3,thatlhaibcfaued. And

JOHN K^NOXZ

this is that £ qualirie, which is betwixt the kinges and fubic&es, the moft riche or noble, and betwixt the pooreft,and men of lowefl eftate: to wit, that as the one is oblifhed to beleue in heart, and with mouth to cofeffe the Lord Iefus to be the onlic fauiour of the world, fo al fo is the o- ther.Neither is there anie of goddcs chil- dre(whohath attained to theyeares of dif cretionjfo poore,but that he hath thus much to beftow vpon the ornamentesand N OT E. maintenance of tlieir fpiritual tabernacle, when neceflfitie requircth: neither yet is there anie fo riche, of whofe hande God requireth anymore. For albeit that Dauid gathered greate fuMUce for the buylding of the temple: that Salomon withearneft i Tar-ty- diligence and incredible expenfes ere- s-p-*r,*'i- cled and fini flicd the fame: that Ezeehias 4-0*5« and Iofias purged the religion, which be- i.Psra. rore was corrupted ,yet to them was God 29->°* no further dcttour in that refpec~t,thcn €^•35* he was to the moft fimple of the faithfull poftcritie of faithfull Abraham. For thcyr diligence, zeal ,and workes gaue rather tcftimonie and confefTion before men, what honourthey didbearto God,what Iouetohisworde,and reucreceto his reli- g i.Ojthen that any worke proccading from them did cither eftabliftie,oryet encrea- fe goddcs fauoure towardes the, who free- ly

TO THE COMMV N^tLT IE 54

ly did loue the in Chrift his fonnc before the foundation of the world was laied. So that thefe fofenamed by thcyr notable workesgaueteftimonieoftheyrvnfained faith, and the fame doth the pooreft,that vnfeanedly and openly profeiTcth Chrift Icfus, that'doth embrafe his giadty dinges orTredjthat doth abhorre fuperftition,and flie from idolatrie. The pooreft, I fay, and moft fimplc , that this day in earth in the daies of this cruel perfecution fer- mely beleucth in Chrift, and boldly doth confeflehym before this wicked genera- tion, is no lefife acceptable before God, neither is iudged in hisprefence to haue done any lefle in promoting Chrift his caufe, then is the king, that by the fwor- dc andpower,whichhe hathreceaued of God,wrooteth owt idolatrie, and foad- uanceth Chnftes glorie. But to return to our former purpofe, it is no leffe re- quired,! fay, of the fubied to beleuc in Chrift, and to profefle his true religion, then of the prince and king. And there- for^ I affirme, that in goddes prefence it -{hall not excufe you to allcdge, that ye were no chefe rulers , and therefore that the care and reformation of reli- gion did not appertainc vnto you. Ye dear Brethren ( asbeforc is faid ) arc the creatures of God created to his owne

JOHN K^NOXE.

image and fimilitude:to whomc it is conr Mat.17. maundcd to hear the voycc ofyourhea" uenlie Father,to embrafc his fonne Chrift Icfus,toflie from all doctrine and reli- gibn,whichhehath not approucd by his own will reuealed to vs in his moltc blef- fed worde. To which preceptes and char- ges if ye be founde inobcdient,ye (hall pcrilh in your iniquitie as rcbclles and ftubborn feruantes,thathaueno pleafure to obey the good will of their foueraigne Lord, who mofl louingLy doth call for y our obedience. And therefore, Brethren, in this behalf it is your part to be carefull Note, and diligent. For the queft ion is not of th inges temporal*, which al Ithoghc they be endaungered, yet by diligece and pro- cefleof tymemay after be red rciTcd,but it is oft he danat ion of your bodies and fou- lcsand of the loiTe of the life cuerlafting, which once loft can neucr be recoucred. And therefore, I fay, that it behoucth you to be carefu 1 and dil igct in th is fo weghtie a matter, left that y e.eontcmnyng this oc- cafion, which God nowoffereth,fyndno,t the like,altho^ he that after with gronyng The nffir and fobbes ye laguy fhe for the fame. And ofiohn that ye be not ignorant of wh.it occafion K^noxcto I mean, in few words I fhallcxpreiTeit. hu ttatine Nor only I, but with me alio diuers o- realtne. ther godlie and learned men do offer

vnto

TO TtfE CO M*MVN*ALT1Z. tf vntoyou our labours faithfully to inftruS you in the waies of the Etecnal our God, and in the fynceritie of Chriltes Euangil, which this day by the peftilemgeneratio of Antichnft(Imean by thepope,andby his moft vngodlie clergie)are almoft hyd from the eies of men.We offer to ieopard our liucsforthefaluation of your foules, and by raanifelt fcriptiwes to prouethat religion, which amongeityou is mentai- ned by tier and fworde,to be vaine, fals ad diabolical. We require nothing of you, but that paciently ye will heare our do- ctrine, which is not oures,but is the do- ctrine of faluation reuealed to the world by theonliefonneofGod:adthatyewill ^^y examine ourreafons, by the which we of- Uqumth fertoprouethepapiftical religion to be abominable before God. And lalt we re- quire, that by your power the tyrannie of thofc cruel beaftes(I mean ofpreeftsand frecrs)may bebrideled till wehaue vtte- red our mindes in all matters this day de- bateablein religion. Yf thefe thinges in the fear of God yegraunttome,and vnto others, that vnfeanedly for your faluation. and forgoddes glorie require the fame, I am allured, that of God ye (hall be blef- fed,whatfoeuer Satan fhall deuife againlt you.Butand if yeconteneor refufe God, who thus iouingly offerethvnto you fal-

10HN K^KOXE.

nation and life, ye fhall neither cfcape plages temporal! , whiche fhortJy fhall apprehend you, neither yet the torment prepared for the deuil , and for his an- gels, except by fpedie repentance ye re- turneto the Lord,whome now ye rcfu- fe, if that ye refufc the meffingers of his worde. , lAnan- But yet I think ye doubt, what ye

fwerto oght,and may do in this fo wcghtie a twoquc- matter. In few wordes I will declare my fiions. confeiencein the one and intheother.Yc oghtto prefer theglorieof God, the pro- moting of Chriit his Euangil, and the Valuation of your foules to all thinges, that be in earth;and ye,aIthoghe yc be but fubiedes, may lawfully require of your fuperiours,be it of your king,be it of your lordes , rulers and powers, that they pro- Suhi.ttet uide for you true preachers, and that they mayli-w- expellfuch, as vnder the names of pa- fuliy re- flours deuoure and deftroy the flock, not quire true feeding the fame as Chrift Icfus hath com preachers maunded. And if in this point your fu- ofthyr periour be negligent, or yet pretend to ruhrs. maitaine tyrantes in their tyrannie,molt iuitly ye may prouide true teachers for your felues,be it in your cities, townes or villages : them ye may maitaine and defend againft all, that fhall pcrfe- cutc them, and by that meancs fhall la- bour

TO THE C OJA MV N *A IT IE. jG n

bour to defraude you of that moft confor table foode of your foules,Chriftes Euan- g il truely preached . Ye may moi eouer withhold thefrutes,and profetts,which your fals Bymoppcs and ciergie moft in- iuftly rcce}Hieof you, vntofuch tyme af they be compelled faithfully to dotheyr chargeand dueties^which is to preach vn- to you Chrift Iefus truely,ryghtly to mi- nifter his facramentes according to his own infticution , and fo to watche for the faluationofyour foules,asis commaun- ded by Chrift Iefus hym felfc and by his Ioa»'zr' apoftles Paule,and Peter. YfGodfhalHc7-ao* mouc your heartes in his true fear to be- gynne to pra&ife thefe th iges , and to de- maund and craue the fame of your fupe- riours which moft lawfully ye may do,the I doubt notjbut of his greate mercie , and free grace he fhall illuminate the eyes of your myndes, that his vndoubted veritie malbe a lantern to your feete toguyde ad lead you in all the waves, which his god- licwifdome doth approue. He fhall make Tti;igesy your ennemies tremble before your faces, that may hefhalleftablifh his blelTed Euagilamo- dravmtn geft you to the faluation and perpetual co bac\ from fort ofyour felues, and of your pofteritie the(yn<e- after you. But and iffasGod forbyd )the ritie of loueoffrendes,the fear of your princes, chriTkt and thewifdomcofthe world draw you twtngL

IOHN F^NOXE.

back from God, and from hisfoncChrift Icfus,bcye certainly perfuaded , that ye ihall drink thecnppof liis vengeance, fo many I mean as {hall conremne and difpi- fe this louing calling of your hcauenlie father. It wil notexcufcyou ( dear Bre- thren jin the prefence of God, neither yet willitauaileyou in the day ofbisvifita- tion,tofay , We Were but (imp Iefubi eels, wecould notredreflcthc faultes andcri- mesofour rulers,Byihoppes,and clergie: we called for reformation,and wifhed for the fame, but Lords brethre were Byftiop- pes,theyr fonnes were abbottes,and the frendesofgreatemen had thepoflefTion of the Churche,and fo were we compel- led to giuc obedience to all, that they de- maunded.Thefevaineexcufes,I fay, will nothing auaile you in the prefence of God, whorequireth no lefleof the fub- iecles,then of the rulers, that they decline from euil ,ad thatthey do good, that they ab(tainefromidolatrie,fuperflition,blaf- phemic, mtirthcr and other fuch horrible crimes, which his law forbiddeth, and yet nottheles are openly committed and ma- licioufly defended in thatmiferablc rcal- me. And if ye think that ye are innocent becaiife ye arc not the chefe auctours of fuch iniquitie, ye are vtrcrly deceaued. For God doth not only punifhe the chefe

offenders,

TO THE CO MJHV X~4LT IE tf

offenders , but with them doth hedamne the confenters to iniquitie: and all are T^om.J. iudged to confentjthat knowing impietie committed giue no teftjmonie,that the fame difplcafeth them. To fpeak this Note, matter more playne , as your princes and rulers are criminal with your Byfhoppes Princes, of all idolatrie committed, and of all the and Bjy/*- innocent blood, that is (bed for the tefti- boppesare monie of Chrift es tructh,and that becaufc a ly{e cri- they maintainethem in they r tyrannie,ib mind. are you ( I mean fo many of you, as giue no pi ay n confeflj onto the contrari e ) cri- mmaland gyltie with your princes and rulers of the fame crimes, becaus yeaffift ad maintaine your prices in they r blynde rage, and giue no declaration , that theyr tyrannie difpleafeth you. This do&rine Mov fuhn I know is ftrange to the blynde world, iettesof- but the veritieofit hath bene declared in fend iiitb all notable puniihments from the begyn-f^r nyng.Whcn the original world pcrifhed Princes. by water,whe Sodom ad Gomorrha were Gen.-j.O3- confumed by tier, and finally when Ieru- *9- falcm was horribly deftroyed, doth any loftfhttf. man think,that all were a lykc wicked be- *s£gefif~ fore the world?Euidct it is,that they were />«*. not,ifthey {hall be iudged accoraing to thcyr external fades, for fomme were yongc, andouldnot beopDreflours,nei- her yet could defile them felues withvn- H i

10H X K^N OXE.

natural and beaft lie Iufte$:fome were pi- tiful and gentle of narure,ad did not thr- ift for the blood of Chrift,nor of his Apo flics. But did any cfcape the plages and vengeance, which did apprehend the mul titude: Letthefcriptures witneilcand the hiftories bcconfidered,which plainely do teititic , that by the waters all flefhe in earth at that ryme did periflic,(Noah and his familie referucd jthat none efcaped in Sodom and in the othercities adiacenr, except Lot and his two daughters. And €uidentitis,thatin that famous citie Ie- rufalemin that,laft and horrible destru- ction of the fame none efcaped goddes vengeance,except fo many as before were difperfcd.And what is the caufe ofthis fe- ueritie,feing that al 1 were not a like ofFcn ders?LctflefheceafetodifputcwithGod, and let all manbythefe examples learne bctymestotiieandauoid thefocietieand compagnic of the proude contemners of God, if that they lift not to be parta- kers of theyr plages. The caufe is cui- dent.ifwecanbe fubicd without grud- vjjyallpe ging to goddes iudgementes, which in rifhtdin them felues are moft holie and iuil. For in the flood, theoriginal world nonewas foundcthat jn Sodom, either did refift tyrannie andoppreffion, and Go- thatvniuerfally was vfed, either yet that monhu earncftly reprehended the fame. In So- dom

TO THE CO MMVN~4LT IE. 58

dom was none founde, that did againftai that furious and beaftlie mulmude,thac didcompaife about and bcfiegc the hou- feofLot.None would beleucLot.that the citiefhould bedeftroycd. And finally in Icrufalem was none found, that ftudied to repreflethc tyrannieof thePreeftes,who were coniurcd againft Chrift and his E- uangil,but all fainted, ( I except euer i"uch,as gaue witnefle with theyr blood, or theyr Hying,that fuch impietie difplea- fedthem^ali kept filence,by the which all approued iniquitie,and ioyned hads with the tyrates,and fo were all arrayed and fer, as ithad bene inone battayle againftthe omnipotent ,and againft his fonne Chrift Iefus. For whofoeuergathereth not with Chrift in the day of his harucft, is judged to fcarter.And therefore of one vegeacete poral were they all partakers. Which thig as before I haue touched, oght tomouC you to the depe cofideratio cf your duties in thefe laft and moft perilous ty mes.The iniquitie of your Byftioppes is more then manifeft:rheyr fcilrbieliues infe&theaier, thcinnocetblood,which they (hed,crieth vegcacein the cares of our God:theidola- trie and abominatio, which opely they co mit,ad without pur. ifhmctmaitaine, dorh cormptad defyle theholeladrand nonea- mongeft vcu doth vnfainedlvftudie for H z

JOHN J^NOXE

any redrcfle of fuch enormities.Wil God

in this behalf hold you as innocences >Be

not deccaued dear Brethren. God hath pu-

niftied not only the proude tyrantes, Hl-

thic perfos,and cruel murtherers, but alfo

fuch, as with them did draw the yoke of

whatfttb- iniquitie,was it by flattering theyr ofFcn-

iettesfball fes,obey ing theyr iniuit comaundemctes,

Godpu- orinwynkingattheyrmanifeftiniquitie.

nifhe-with All fuch, I fay, hath God once puniflied

theyre with thechefcorVedcrs.Beyeaflurcd, Bre

Princes. thren,thatas he is immutable of nature,fo

will he not pardon in you that, which Co

feucrely he hath puniflied in others, and

now the lefre,becaufe he hath plainely ad-

monifhed youlof thedaungcrs to come,

and hath ofiYed you his mercie before he

pourcfurth his w>ath anddifplcafurevpo

the inobediet. God the father of our Lord

lefusChnftjWhois father of glorie,and

God of all confolation, gcue you the fpi-

rit of wifdome,and open vnto you the

Imolledgeof hym fclf by the mcancs of

his dear fonne, by the which ye may at-

taine to the efperance and hope, that after

/ thetrublesof thistrafitorious life ye may

be partakers of the riches ofrliatglorious

inheritancc,which is prepared for fuch, as

refufe them fclues, andfeght vnder the

baner of (Thrift Iefus in the day of this his

battaile : that in depe conhderation of the

fame

TO THE C0MMVN^4LTll 53

fame ye mav learn to prefer the inuifible and eternal ioyes to the vainepleafures, that are prefent. God further grauntyou hisholie fpirit,righteoufly to consider, what I in his name haue required of your nobilitie,and of you the fubie«ftSjand mo- ueyou alltogither fo to anfwcr,thatmy petition be not a tcftimonieof your iuft condemnation, when the Lord lefusfhal appear toreuenge the blood of his fain- c1es,andthe contempt of his moft helic worde. Amen.

Slcap not in fyn,for vengeance is prepared againft allinobediet. Flie from Babylon, if ye will not be partakers of her plages.

Bewitnefletomy appellation.

Grace be with you.

From Gencua

Thei4.of

Iuly,

1558.

•Your hrolhtr to commauviein go&linti JOHN K^KOXE.

H l

AN ADMONITION

TO ENGLAND AND

Scotlattdto call them to repentant-

ce^ritten by ~i,doni

GiVby.

/SjkRSJS^ Vhcrc as many hauc writte \3$J*M*£) many profitable admoni- \V$S£ tios to you twaine, ( O En- ( ^5 -iv/C^ V3 gland and Scot lad, both ma- '-^' : ■\</^J% kingc one Hand mo ft hap- pie, if you could know yourown happi- nes jfornme againft the regimet of wome, wherewith ye are bothe plaged,fomme againft vnlauful obedioce,and the admit- ting of ftrangerstobe your kinges, ibm- me declaring the vile nature of theSpa- niards,whomethou,o Englad, to thy de- ftru&iomaintcineft, fomme the pryde of the Frenchmen, whome thou, o Scotland, to thy ruincrcccaueft: and many hundre- thes with penne, with tongewich worde, with writing, with ieopardieand Ioffeof landes, goods , and lyucs, hane admoni- fhed you bothe twaine of that cakred poy ion of papiftrie,that ye fofter and pamper to your own perdition, and vttcr deftru- clionof foulcsand bodies, of your felues id vou rs for nowandcuer. Ithoght it my duetiXfcingyourdcftru&i°t°mans jud- gement

U N D SC OT L*AND. 60

gemct to draw fo ncarc Jhow much or Iitlc ioeuer they haue prcuaiied, yet once agai- ncto admonifheyou both,togiuetcftimo nic to that tructh, which my brethren ha- ue writtc,ldfpccially to ftirrcyour hearts to repentance, or at the lcaftto ofFre my felfe a witneffe againft you : for the iufti- ccofGodandhisrightcous iudgementcs, which doubtlcs (if your hearts be hard- ned)againit you both are at hand to be vt- tered-Thus by ourwritigs,whome it plea feth God to ftyrrc vp of your nations, all men.thatnow liuc, and that mallcomme after vs, {hall haue caufe alfo to praife the mercie of God,that fo oft admonifheth be foie he do itn ke,and to cofider his iuft pu nyfhmcnt, when he fiiall pourcfurth his vengeance. Giueeare therefore betymes, O Britanie ( for of that name both reioy- fethjwhilcstheLordcallctl^cxhortethjad admonifheth, that is the acceptable tymc, whenhewill befounde . Yfye refufethe tyme offrcd, ye can not haue it after ward thoghwith teares (as did Efau)yedofc- metofekeit. Yet once againe in goddes behalfe I dooffre you the vcrie meancs, which if God of his mercies grauntcyou gracctofolow,Idoubt nothing butthatof alyourcnncmiesfpedely ye flnllbe deliue red.Yereioyce at this word, lam furcifye haue atli hope of the perfourmSccThc har ive to the mattcrjWhich Ido write vn:o vou

TO EN G l^AND ttotfurth of mcnnes dreamesno* fables, not furtli of prophanc hiftorics painted vcith mannes wifdome,vaine eloquence,or fubtile rcafonsjbut furth of the infallible trueth of goddes vcorde,and by fuch plai- ne demonftrations, as (hall be ableto con- uince euerieone of your owne confeien- ces , be he neuer fo oblti nate. I wi 1 1 afke no further liidges. Is not this goddes curfe, and threatninge amongeft many other pro nounced againft the finfull land and difo- bedient people?

T>en.i%. That ftr angers fhould deuoure the frutc of thy lad,that the ftr an- ger fhould clymc aboue the, and thou fhould comme do wne and be his inferiour, he (hall be the head and thou the taile.The Lord fhall bring vpon the a people farr of, whofe tongue thou canfte not vn- derftand, thy ftrong wales,wherin thou trufted,fhall be deftroied &c. And doth not F.faierecke thisalfoas the cxtrcmitieof all plages for the wicked-

$fa.*. ncsofthe people to haue womeraifed

vp to rule ouer y ou? But what faieth

the fame jpphetc in the begynnyng of his

prophetic foraremedie againftthefcand

all

*A N D SCOT L^iN D. C\

all other euilles11

Your handes arc full of blood, faieth"he>0 you princes of Sodom, and you people ofGomorrha,but wafhe you, makeyou clcanc, take away your wicked thoghts furth of my fight.Ccafetodo cuil, learn to do well,feke iudgemet,hclp the oppreffed &c. Then will I turn my hand to the, and trie owt all thv drofl'e,and take away thy tynne,ad I will reftorethy iudges, as afore tyme,andcouniilours,as of old.

AndMofesfaid beforeinthc place al- ledged- That if thou wilt heare the voice D^jg of theLordcthy God, and do his eommaundementes , thou fhalt be blefledinthe townc, and blefTed inthefeclde. The Lord (riallcau fe thyne enncmies , that rife vp a- gainft the,to fall before thc.&c.

Lo the "ocav in few wordcs,0 Bnranic/o winne go Jdes fauour, and therefore to o- uercome thyne ennemies. But to prynt this more deeply into your heanes, o>e

TO 6N gt^AND princes and people of that Iland,whonu God hath begone to punifhe, feke I warne younofhifting holes to excufeyourfaul- tes, no political praftifes to rehft goddes vengeance. And firft I fpeak to you ( 6 Ru lers and Princes of both therealmes)rcpct your treafon,and bewaile your vnthank- iulnes. For by no other meanes can you ef- capegoddes ludgementcs. You ftomack I know to be called traitours, but what {hall it auaile to fpare the name,where the fads arc more then euident.You hath God ere- &ed amogeft your brethre,to the end that by your wifdome and godlic regiment your fubicclesfhould be kept afwcll from domeftical opprcfTion, as from bondage and flauerie of ftrangers.But ye al as decli- ninge from God arc made the inftrumetcs to betray and fell thclibertie ofthofe,for whome yeoght tohaue fpent your liues. For your eonfent and afTiftanceis thecau- fe3that ftran»ers now oppreffe ad deuourc the poore within your reaImes:who fhort- ly,if God call you not to repetance, ihall recompenccvou,asyehauedeferued. For the cupp, which your brethren do now drinUhal!beputinyourhandes,andyou /hall drink the dreggsof yt to your de- duction. And wader it is if yebe become fo fooliflie Id Co blynd, that ye think your fclucsablc long tocontinue,andtobe fa- fejwhen your brethren rounde about you

UND SCOT LsAX D. £z

flull per iilic: that you can pack your mat- ters well enough with the princes, thac ye can make youftronge with manages, with tiatcries,and other fonde practifes, or that with your multitude or ftrengthc ye canefcape the daies of vengeance, or that you can hide your felues in holes or corners. Nay thogheyou mould hyde you inthchels,God candrawe youthence,if you hadthecgles wynges to flic beyode the eaftfcas,you cannot auoid goddes pre- fence. Submitt your felues therefore vnto hym, which holdcth your breath in your nollrclsjwho with oncblaft of his mouth cj deftroy all his ennemies.Embrafc hisfo neChrift,Icftyeperime,ad for your obfti nacie agaift hym ad his worde repent be- tymes,asweall do admonilhe. Repent for your crueltie againlt hisferuantsandthc contempt of his worde fo plainely oflfred, as itwasneuer fence the begynnyngof the world. Repent we cry repent. For repen- tance is the onlie way of your redreffe and deliuerance- Did God euer longe fpare any people, whome he hath taught by his Prophetes, without fomme euident re- pentance? orvfeth any father to pardon his childe, whome he hathebegonncto chaftice, without fomme token of repen- tance:Conf!der how the Lord hath intrea- ted Ifrael and Iuda his owne people.how oft they trefpafled, and how he gaue them

TO ENG Lv4N&

ower into the hand of their ennemies. But whenfoeuer they repented and turned a- gaine to God vnfeanedly,he fent them iudges and deliuerers, kinges ad Sauiours. This way then of repentance and vnfea- ned turning to God by obedience is the onlie way before God accepted and alo- wed. Therefore was Noah fent to the old world to bring this doctrine of repentan- ce, and all the old prophctes,as Elias, Eli- f^us,Efaias, IeremiasandMalachias,and he, who excelled all the prophetes, Iohn Baptifl. Any of whofe ftiles,and fliarpe re- bukes of fynners if I (hould now vfe, it woflldbe thoght full ftrange and harde- ly would be fufferediyet were any of their lefTbns, wherebie they called to repentan- c.e,moit mete for our ty me and age,and no thingcd.fagreinge from thismy prefent ptirpofe.Forthe fame fpiritftill ftriueth againft the malice of our tymesjthoghe in d mcrfe inftrumetcs and fundne fortes and fafnions-Noah pronounceth, that within anhundrethand twentie yeares all fleflie mould be deltroyed."We haue many No- hacs, that fo cricth in our tymes, yet no marepetcth.AHthetyme, that Noah was preparing for the arketo auoide goddes vengeancc,the multitude derided this ho- lie prophete, as thcmultitude of you two rcalmcsdothat this day deride all them,

that

>AUD SCOTLAND tf$

that by obedience to goddes worde feke themeanes appointed to auoid gods Jud- gements. Then the people would notre- pent, but as they fhould liue for euer, they maried,rhey banketed, they builded, they planted, deriding gods meileger. Do not you the likc^Iappeale to your own con- fciences.You marie,but not in God,but to betray your countries, you baket and buil- de with the blood of the poore.

The Lorde calleth to failing (faieththeprophete Efaiejtomortifiethe felues, and to kill their luftes, but they kill Ihepe and bullockes.Ieremie cneth for teares and lamentation, they Jaughe and mock. Malachie criethtothe people of his ty me,Turne vnto me ad I will turne to you,faieth the Lor- de of hofles j and they proudly anfwer, wherein fhall we returne? Are yenot fuche-Do not ye afke wherein (hall we re- turne, when ye will not know your finnes3 when ye can not confeffe,noracknol ledge your faitltcs,thogheyego a hooringein eucrie(treet,towneand village with your idols^rhoghethe blood of the oppreffed cri'eeueriewhcreagainftyouforvengean ce-So that feyng no token of repentance I cannotcrie vnto you with Iohn Baptift, Oyegeneratia of vipers who hath

TO ENgL^tND ,

taught you to flic from the wrathe tocomme?

O that I mighr fee Co good tokens, that ye would fear goddes wrathe and venge- ance. But this mull I fay to you bothe to your confu(ion,and fl)ame,t hat y c arc fuch vipers and fcrpcntes,vntillfee better to- kens. You do what ye can to deftroy your parentes, you caftof God yourheauenlie father,ye will not fear hym calling you to repentance, you deitroy and baniflic your fpiritual fathers, which once had begot- ten you as fpiritual children by the worde of tructh ,you confume your countree, which hath geuenyou corporal life, you ftlge with tounges ad taylcs all, that would draw you from your wickednes. Finally man,woma,and childe are cither vencmed with your poyfons or ftingged with your tayles.In you are fulfilled thewordes of Dauid,

Their throtc is an open fepul- chre, with theyrtciiges thcyhauc decciucd,thcpoyfonof afpis is vn- der their lippes, their mouthes are full of curfe ad bitterncs5thcir fete are fwift to iTiedd blood, deftru- ction and wretchednes are in their waves, and the way of peace they

\AND SCOTLAND *4

haucnot knowen,the fearc ofGod is not before there eyes3&c.

I do know your tendre eares, you can not be grated with fuch (harpe fentecesof condenation,rhat thus prick you to the he- arts: ho wbeit thus it behoueth,thatye be taughttoiudgeyourfeluesjthatintheend yebe not daned with the wicked world.But I willwounde you no more with the words of the Prophctes,with the fay inges of Da- uid>or of this holy fainct of Godlohnthe Baptift, but with our fauiour Chrifts two moft fwete parables of the two fonnes and of the tilme,to whomc he fet his vineyard, I will labour to fet before your eyes your rebe]lion,hypocriGe,and crueltie,if fo IcS bring any of you to repentance . Our fa- uiour Chriftc putteth furth this parable,

A certainc man had two fonnes, ad he came to the firft,and faid lo- ne go ad worke to day in my vine- yard. Who anfwcredj willnot,but afterward repeted andwent.Then came he to the fecond, and faid li- kewife,and he anfweredj will fyr,

but went not.

Wherein a wonderful comforrefirftis

tobecofideredhovc'thcLord our God ma ker of heaue ad earth doth huble him felfe

TO ENG L^iN D not otily to be cal led a ma,a hufbad man,a Jioulholdcr, ad fuch like, but he abafeth h* feifeof mercieto vs vile earth andaflhes, that his fonne becometh ma to make man- kynd glorious in his fight,fo make ail tho fc,tha: do not rcfufc his grace ofFrcd,of the ilaues of Satan his fonnes by adoption. You are his fonnes, you are«his vineyard, you are as dear vnto hym, as the apple of his eye,as Mofes fpcakcth ,if you can be- leue it: he fweareth that you fhall be his inheritace,andhewilIbeyours, if ye will only receiue his grace and beleuc hym, when he fweareth. Will ye call histrueth into doubt? hisglorie into fhame by your miO)elefc: Better it were, that all creatures {hould perim, heauen, man and angels, then that God mould not haue creditor that his glorie in the lealtiote mould be diminished. He hath called you by his wordenow manyatyme toworkein his vineyard, I afke what you haue anfwered. your confcience can witnefle and all the world fceth it. Some of you haue faid piai nc lyke rebellious childre, thatye would not doit,thatyewould notworke in your fathers vineyarde.Shall I applie this part to Scotland.3 1 may rig ht well do it,and al- fo to a grcatc parte in England. But Scot- land in dedecalled molt plainely and eui- dently through the mercies of God both

by

+AND SCOTLAND 6$

by their own faithfull countrie men, and alfoby earneft trauail of our Englifh na- tion tocomme to the Lords vineyard in the tyme of king Edward, hath to the do- mage of both cotinually refufed, as the co fcience of many this day beareth witnefle. That tyme, as ye know, the vineyarde in Eng lad by the children of God was not all togither neglected, and themoft earneftly wereye(OBrethrenofScotland)required to ioyne hades with vs I the Lords worke, but Satan alas would not fuffer it. His old foftred malice, and Antichrifthis fonne could not abyde, that Chrifl mould grow foftrongby ioynyngethatile togitherin perfed religio^whome God hath fo many waiescoupledadftrcgthened by his worke innature:the papiftes practifed alltheyr fyne craftes in Eng land , Scotland, and in France, that the Ghofpellcrs fhould not with fo ftrong walles be defenfedjeft this oneiland fhould become a fafefanctuarie, as it began to be, to all the perfecuted in all places. They mouefturdie ftomackes, they difpens with periuries,they worke by theyr craftie c6ferTions,they raife vp war- re in the end, whereby ye(deare Brethren of Scotland ) were fore plag cd. Of all the- fetraiteroufefleghtes ye can not be igno- rant. For yet it is not palfed the memo* rieofman3thatyour king made promiflc

TO ENC L^iND

to haue mett kig Herie theeght att Yorke: whofe purpofe ( albeit in other things I do not alow him) in that cafe was moil god- Jieand praifeworthie. For it was to make an end of that vngodliewarre, and cruell murther,which logc had cotinued betwixt the two realms.Your king, I fay, made pro mifleto me:e himrthebrechc whereof as it was the occafion of much trouble, fo is iteuidently knowcn, that your Cardinal, and his clerg k laboured and procured the fame. For it is not vnknowen to fommea- mongeft you, how many thoufandcrow- J fupffofe nes the churchmen did promiffe for main- top.*)*- tenance of the warre, which king Henrie tdlitle. did dcnouce by the reafon of that breche. Superfluous it were to me, to recite all the caufes mouing your peftilent preeftes to folicitat your king to that infidelitie. But thisismofte euidcnt,rhat they feared no- thing, but the fall of their glorie,and the trouble of their kingdome, which then in England beganne to be fhaken by fupprcf- fing of the abbaies.This moued your pree ftes erneftly to labour, that your kinge fhould fallly breake his promiffe. But what affliction ye fuftained by that and o- fher their pra<5tjfes,your feluescanwitnef- fe.For your borderrs were dcftroyed^your nobilitie for the moft parte were take pri- foners3and your king for forowe fodenly » died

Jl N I) S COT t^tND. 66

died. But thefe your miferies did nothing moue your precftcs to repentance, but ra- ther did inflame them againft God,and a- gainft the jpHt of their natiuerealme. For when againe after the death ofyourkige, your fredfhip and fauours were foght,hrit by king Herie,and after his death by king Edward his fonne,ad by him,who the was chofen Protec~tour,how craftely,I fay, did the your preeftesvndcrmine all,yeatenot ignorat.When your Gouernoure with the confent of themoft. part of the nobilitic hadfolenely fworncitheabbay ofHaliro- ode houfe,fyr Raphe Sadler the being em- bafladourforEngladto pcrfurm the ma- nage cotrac~ted betwixt king Edward and your yonge quene, and faithfully to ftand toeuerie point cocluded and agreed for perfurmace of that vni6,when feales were interchanged, and thcembaffadourdimif- fed,what fturr, tumult, and fedicionraifed your Cardinal in that your realme,it is not vnknowen. To witt, how that by his craft and malice the realme was deuided, the Goucrnour compelled to feke his fa- uour,to violate his oth.and fo to becomme ifamous for euer. And finally by the pride of thepapifteswas that leage broken. But what did thereof enfue:Edirburgh,Leirb, Dudie, yea themoft part of the reaJme did fele.Your mippes were flayed, your good- I i

TO ENgL^iND

des were loft, your chefetowneswere bur- ned, and at the end the beautie of your real medidfallin the edge of the fworde,the hand of God manifeiUy feg hting againft you,bccaufe againft your folemne oth ye did feght againft them, who foght your fauoursby thatgodlie coiun&ion, which before was promifed. But ftill proceeded your ennemiesthe clergie,andtheire ad- heretes in theyr purpofed malice. Woder not that I termethem yourennemies,For albeit they be your countriemen,yet be- caufe they feke nothing more, then the maitainace of their ownekIgdome,which is the power of darckns , ad the kingdome of Antichrift,they are becommecoiured ennemies to euerie citie, nation or man, that labour to comme to the knolledge of the tructh. That peftilent generation, I fay,didnotceafe,ti!l they obteined their purpofe, by deliueringe your yonge que- ne to the handcs of the French king, aflu- redly mindinge by that meanes to cutt for cuer the knot of the frendfliip, that might haueenfued betwixte England and Scot- land by thatgodlie conjunction . What the papiftes feared is manifcil. For then Chrifte Iefus being more purely prea- ched in England, then at any tyme before, would fhortlyhauefupprefled their pride and vaine glorieiand therefore thev ra- ged

<A N D SCOT L^iN D. £7

ged,that he mould not reignc aboue them alfo.But what is like to apprehend you, for becaufe ye did not betvmes withftad their molt wicked coufils, wife mendocofidcr. How heauie and vnpleafant (hall the bur- then and yock of a Frenchman be to your moulders ad necks, God graunt that expe rience do not teach you. But to rcturne to my former purpofe,by all thofe means re- herfed,by his meflegers, by the blood of his fain&sfhed amogeft you, by fauours ad frendfnip,by warre and the fword, yea by famin,ad peftilece,ad all other meas, hath God your mercifull father called you to labour in his vineyard,but to this day,ala$, we heare not of your huble obedience, but ftil ye fay with ftubburn faces,we will not labour,wewilinotbeboiidetofuch thrai- dome,to abide the burthens of the viney- arcLYe think perchace I am to fharpe, and thatlaccufeyou more then you deferue. For amogeft you many do know the will of your father, and many make profeffion ofhisGhofpel,butcofider, Brethre,that it is not enoughe to know the comaudemet, and to jpfcifc the fame inmouthe,but it is neccflarie, that ye rcfufe your felues,your owne pleafurcs, appetites, and yourowne wifdome,ifyeflul! beiudged fairhfull la- bourers in the Lordes vineyard, ad that ye beare the burthens togiter with your brc-

TO ENG L^iND

thren, and fuffreheate, and fwcate,before ye tafte the frutcs with them. God will not (land content, that ye loke ouer the hedge, and beholde the labours of your brethre,but he requirethjthat ye put your hades alfo to your labours, thatyetrauail continually to pluck vpp all vnprofi- table wedes, albeit in Co doing the th6rnes pricke you to the hard bones: that yeaf- fift your brcthre in theyr labours, thoghc it be with the icopardieof your lifes, the lofTeofyourfubftance3and difpleafureof the hole earthe. Except that thus ye be minded to labour,the Lord of the viney- ardewil nor acknolledgeyou for his faith full feruantes. And becaufe this matter is of weight and greate importance, I will fpeake fowhat more plainely for your in- #ruclion.It is brutcd (to thegreate com- fort of all godlie, that hcare it) that fom- meof you(deare Brethren of Scotland) do defireChrift Iefusto be faithful lyprea ched amogeft you, which thing if fro the heart you defyrc and with godlie wifdo- me and ftowtcourragefolow your purpo- feandemerprife,yemall bcbleflTed of the Lord foreuer. But in thebegynnyng ye mull beware that ye folownottheexaple ofyourbrethrcof Englad, in whofehan- des albeitthe worke of the Lord appeared to profpcrforatime,yet becaufe the eye was not fingle,we fee to our grief the ouer

aNT> SCOTLAND 68

throw of the fame. They began toplante Chriftlcfus in the heartes of the people, Sd to banift that Romifh Amichrift, they diddriueowtthefylthiefwynefrotheyr denncs and holes ( I mean the monkes and other fuch papifticall vermine from their cloifters ad abbayes. This was a good be- oinning,butalas intheone and the other fherc was great faultc. For the bamfflug of that Romim Antichnit was rather by the feareofthelawes pronouced againithim byaaesofparlamet,thcbythcliuclicprc-

achie of Chrift Icfuss5d by the difcoueng ofhisabominatios.Andthefuppreffioof

the abbaics did rather fmcll of auarice, the oftruerelis'io.Thofevenemouslocuites, whichbeforewereholdewithintheircloi

fterSjwere then fet abrodc to deftroy all eood ad erene herbes.For fuperft -tious fre crs,igno?at moks, ad idle abots were made archbifhoppes, bimoppes, pcrfon$,Vicars, 5d fuch as oghttofedethe foulesof men: who thus fet at libertic did cotinually wro- otup the Lords vineyard. And one crafty Gardener.whofenamewasSrephen,hau.g wolflikcoditi5s,didmaitaimanyawolfe, didfowwickedfeedinthegarde,adcheri (bed many wcedes to deface the vineyard. And his maid Marie,who after was his ma ftres,nowmaricd toPhilip,wa«g no w,l to wickedneswhcfliewasatthcweakcftnorito

I 4

TO EN G LUND,

make to do euill,when flic gatt the maftric

did cheriftie many weedes.Thofe two Ifay

haue Co broken the hedges of the fame vi-

ney arde, ( God Co punifliing the finnes of

thofe, that oght to haue made better pro-

uifionforthe fame) that the hufbandmen

are hanged vp,the diggars, dreflours, and

planters are banifhed,prifoned and bur-

ned.Such hauock is made,that all wild bea

fteshaue power to pollute the fan&uarie

of the Lorde.O heauensbeholde hercru-

eltie,oearthe cry for vengeance, o feas,

and deferte mountains witneffes of her

wickednes,breakfurtheagainft this mon-

fler of England. But whether do I runne

by the bitternesof my grefe?Imuftnedes

leaue the o Scotland, after that I haue ad-

ucrtifed the of this, that thou folow not

the example,as I haue faid,of Englad:buc

in the bowels of Chrift Iefus I exhorre

the,that if thou pretcdeft any reformatio

in religion, which is thechefe labour of

the vineyarde,that thou do it at the flrft

with afingleeye, and all fimplicitie,thac

from yeare to ycare thou be not compel -

led to change, as was England, but let thy

reformation be full and plaine, according

togoddes holie will and wordc without

addition. Let all the plates,which thy hea-

ucnly father hath not planted, be rooted

owt at once, let not auarice blind thc,nei-

ther yet wordlie wifdome difcourage thy

iA N D SCOTLAND. 69

h carte, lee none bearc the name of a tea- cher, that is knowen to be a foftcrer of fu- perllitio, or any kynde of wickcdnes.And thou fo doing (halt mouc God of his grea temercietofend vnto thefaithfull worke men in abundIce,to blefle the worke, that thou pretedeft in the vineyarde, ad to pre- feruethe to the glorie of his own name, and to thy euerlatting comfcrtc. Thus muft thou Scotland repent thy former ino bedience,ifthat thou wilt be approued of the Lord. And now do I return to the (O Englad)Idolikentheto thefecode fonne in the parable which anfwered his father with flattering wordes5faying,

I go father,but yet he went not at all. For fence the time,that I had any re membrance, our heauc 1 ie father of his gre at mercies hath not ceafed to call the in to his vineyard, and to thefe latedaies thou haft faid alwayes, that thou woldeft enter and be obedient. In the tyme of king Hen- rietheeght,whenby Tyndale,Frith,ByI- nay,and other his faithful 1 feruantcs God calledEngladto drefTe his vineyard, many promifed full faire,whome I could name- But what frutefolowed3 nothing but bit- ter grapes, yea breeres and brambles, the wormewood of auarice, the gall ofcruel- tie,thepoifo of filthiefornicatio, flox/ing from head to foote,thecontemptof God

TO ENGLAND and open defenfe of the Cake Idol byo- pe proclamatio to be red in the Churches in the Head orgoddes fcripturcs.Thus was there no reformation, but a deformation inthetyme of that tyrant and lecherous mofter. The bore I grate was bufie wroo- ting ad digging in theearth,ad all his pig ees,that folowed hy m.Buc they foght on- ly for the pleafac frutes, that they winded with their longe fnowtes. And for their own bellies fake they wrooted vp many weedsjbut they turned thegroude fo3mig ling good ad baddtogither, fweteand fo Kjngt wre? medecine, ad poyfon, they made, I- ■ Henry hh (ayt(Uch cofufio ofreligio and lawes,that bo\e a- no good thing could grow, but by great gainfl miracle,vnderfuchGurdners.Andnomer Lu.t\TTtt Uail,ifit be rig htlyco(idered:for this bore noted* raged againit God,againftDeuill,againfl Chrift and againft Antichrift,as the fome thathecaftowtagainft Luther.the racing furthofthename ofthcPope,and yetalo wig his lawsj5d his murtherof many Chri itianfouldiours,and of many papiftes, do clearly ad cuidetly teftifie vnto vs.Efpeci- ally the burnig of Barnes, Ierome,ad Gar rat three faithfulpreachersof the trueth,& Jiagigthefamedayformaintainaceofthe PopePowel, Abel,andFether(lone, doth clearly paynr h is beafllynes,that he cared for no manerof rcligio.This moftrousbo re for al this muft nedes be called the head

^AND S COT L^i NT) 70

of the Churche inpaine of treafon, dif- placingChrift our onlie head, who oghc alone to haue this title.Whereforc inthis pointe(oEngland)yewere no better then the Romiflie Antichrift, who by the fame title maketh hym felfea God,fittcth in menescofciences,binyfheththewordeof God,as did your king Herie,whome ye fo magnifie.Forinhis belt time nothing was hard, but the kings booke,ad the kings sp- eedings,thekinges homelies in the Chur- ches,wheregoddes word fhouldonely ha- ue bene preached. So made you your kig a God beleuing nothig,but that he alowed. But how he died, I will not write for fha- me. I will not name how he turned to his vomet.I wi 1 1 not write your other wicked nesofthofetimes,yourmurthers without meafure, adulteries and inceftcs of your kinge,his Lordes,aud comunes.lt greueth mctowritethofe euilsof my coutrie,faue onlie that I muft ncdes declare , what fru- teswere foude inthe vineyarde after you promifed to worke therin,to mouc you to repentance, and to iufti fie Godds iudge- ments,howgreuou fly fo euer he (nail pla- ge you hereafter. Wherefore I dedre you to call to remebrance y our beft ftate v nder • king Edward, when all men with gen erall cofet promifed to worke in the vineyarde, and ye (hall haue caufe I doubte not to la- met your wickednes, that fo contened th*

TO ENGLAND

voice of God for your owne luftes,for your crueltic , for your couetoufnes, that the name of God was by your vanities e- uillfpoken of in other nations. I will na- me no particulare thinges, becaus I reue- rence thofe tymes, faue only the killing of both the kinges vncles,and the prifon- nementofHoperforpopiftiegarments. God graunt you all repentant heartcs, for no order nor ftate did any part of his due- tie in thofe dayes. But to fpeak of the beft, whereof ye vfe to boafl, your religion was but an Engliflimatyns, patched fur- the of the popes portcflc,many thinges were in your great booke fuperfticious ad fool ifhe, all Were driuen to a prefcripte feruice lykc thepapiftes, that they mould thinke theyr dueties difcharged,if theno- bre were faid of pfalmes and chapters. Fi- nally there could no difcipiine be broght into the Churche,nor correction of ma- ners. I will touche no further abufes,yet willing and defiering you to confider the in your heartes,that knowing your negli- gence ye may bring furth frutes of repen- tance.ForthisIadmonifheyou (oyepeo- pleof England)wherefoeueryou be fcat- tered or placed,that onles ye do right fpe- dcly repent of your former negligence, it is not the Spanyardes only, that ychauc to feare,as roddes of goddes wrath,but all

other

iAND SCOT L^iN D. 71

other nations, France , Turkie, and Den- marke, yea all creatures fhall be armed a- gainft you for the contempt of thofety- mes,when your heauenlie father fo merci- fullie called you. To what contempt was goddeswordeand the admonition of his prophetei comme in all eftates, before God did ftryke,fomme men are not igno- rant. The preachers them felues for the moft part could fynd no fault in religion, but that theChurche was poore and lac- ked liuing.Trueth it is, that theabbay la- des and other fuch reuenues, as afore ap- pertained to the papiftical Churche, were moft wickedly and vngodly fpentjbut yet many thinges would haue bene reformed, before that the kitching had bene better guided for to our prelates in England. It was mofte euidet, that many of you vnder theclokeof religion ferued your own bel lies-.fommewerefobufieto heap benefice vpon benefice,fome to labourin parlamet for purchefing of lands, that the tymc was fmall,which coulde be founde for there- formation of abufes, and very litle, which was fpent vpon the feeding of your floc- kes. I nedc not now to examine particular crimes of preachers. Only I fay,that the Ghofpell was fo lightly eftemed ,that the moft part of men thoght rather, that God mould bow and obey to theyr appetites.

Td ENGLAND

then that they fhould be fubied to his h^ lie commaundementes. For the commu- nes did continew inmalice,and rebellion, incraft and fubtikic, notwithstanding all lawes, that could be deuifed for reforma- tionof abufes. Themerchants had their own foules to fell for gaines, the gentle- men were becomme Nerods and Gyants, andthenobilitieand coufile would fuffer no rebukes of Gods meflegers thogh theyr offenfeswere neuer fo manifeft. Lettho- fe 3 that preached in the court, the lent be- fore king Edward deceafed,ipeak theyr confeience, and accufc me, if I lie, yea let * writing written by that miferablc man, then duke of Northumberland to mafter Harlow for that time Byfhoppeof Har- ford,be broght to lighte, and it fhall tefti- £e,thathe alhamednot to fay, that the li- bertie of the preachers tonges would caufc the counfile and nobilitie to ryfe vppe againft them:for they could not fuf- fer fo to be intreated. Thefe were the fru- teseueninthetymeof harueft a litle be- fore the winter came. And of the tyme of Marie what fhould I write? England is now fo miferable,that no pennecan paynt it. Itceafcth to be in thenombcr of chil- dren, becaufe it openly difpiteth God the father. It hathcaft of thetructh knowen and confeffed,and folowcthlies and er-

rours,

^HT> SCOTLAND. jz

rours, which once it detefted. Itbuyldeth the buy lding, which it once deftroyedrit raifethvp the idolsjwhich once we're the- re confounded:it murthereth the fain&es, it maintcineth Baals propheresby theco- maundementof Iefabel. Such are the cuil hufbandes, that now hauntc the vineyard, fo that this is true3that ourSauiour Chrift faicrh:

The Lord hymfelfe hath plan- ted a faire vineyard , he hedged it round about, and buylded a tou- re,&c.And when the tymeof the frute drew nere, he fent his fer- uantsto thetilmento receyue the frutes thereof , but they caught his fcruantes, they bctt one, they killed an other, and ftoned o- thers. Againe he fent other fer- uantes mo, and theyferued them likewife.

"What nede any expofition to ap- plic this vnto England ? Ail is fulfilled, that isfpokenin that parable, onles they dowaite for the fonnc hym felfe, for to comme, that they may handle hym lyke- wife, asthey haue done his feruantes. But all is onejfaieth our Sauiour Chrift,

TO ENGLAND

Thatjwhichyedotooneofthe- Jtat.il. fe i jtje on$5 tjlc ^ame ye ^0 tQ me^

be it good or bad.VVhy doeft thou per fecutcmc, faiethChrift to Saul, when hcwas,as he now is, at the right hand of God his father in the heauens. Therefore they perfecutc , they banifhe , they burne Chrift the fonne of God in his mem- bres. The iudgement therefore now re- maineth, which the wicked then gaue a- gainftthcmfelues,

That the Lord of the vineyar- de will cruelly deftroy thofe euill perfons , and will let furth his vi- neyarde vnto other hufbandes.

And the confirmation of the fame by the fentence of the chefe judge , that The kingdomeofGodfhall be taken from fuch , and geuen to a people, that fhall bringe furth the frutes thereof.

The which iudgement is begonne in Englande, and fhortly alas will be fully executed and finifhed without right fpe- die repentance. Somme hope is in Scot- land, which hath not (hewed furth any fuch crueltie, and hath not contemned the knowen trcafures:but lykewanton chil- dren

>AND SCOTLAND. ?j

dren haue contemned the commaunde- mentoftheyr father, pattely of frailtic, partcly of ignorance. But Englad the fer- uante, that knew the will of his Lord and rnaifter, which was once lightened with moft clere beames, which hath tafted of the fwetcnes of the worde of God, and of theioyesofthe worlde to comme, which hath abiured Antichrift, and all idolatrie, which hath boafled to proferfc Chrift with greate boldnes before all the worl- de,muft be beaten with many ftripes,it cannotbeauoided.

But to be fhorte this only remaineth forbothe thefe nations, that they repent and returne into the vineyarde with the fyrft fonne. For neither fliall ignorance excufe any land or nation, as is playniri the fyrft to the Romanes, neither can any people be receyued without thefrutesof repentance,as lohn Baptiftproclaimeth. The frutes of repentance I call not only to know your fynnes,and to lament them, but to amend your liues, and to make i^rcg ht the Lordes pat hes by refitting Sa- tan and fynne,and obeying God in doing the workes of righteoufnes, and execu- ting g oddes precepts. and iudgementes,fb longe amongeft you contemned.

Forcuen now is the axe put to Mat. K i

TO ENGLAND

the f oote of the trec,fo that eueritf tree , that bringeth not furthc goode frute , (Vialbe hewe downe, and caft into the ficr. The Lord hath nOw his fahnein hishande, and will purge his flore, ad gather the wheate into his garner, but will burne the chaffe with vnque- chablefier.

Repent therefore, whiles ye haue ty- me, before ye be fanned, hewe downe and fiercd. When I do behold both your two rcalmes,! fccthefanne,I fee the axe. But this I am fuer is the begynnyng of your ruine,that ye do mary with Grangers, and giueyour power to forraine nations, fuch as fcarc not God, but are open idolaters, blafphemers, perfecuters of the fain&s of God, that careth neither for hcauennor hell, God nor dcuill,fo that they may wynne landes,townes and countries. God Jhall hew you downe by the therefore , a* he hath done other nations by likemea- nesand caufes,and they (hall fanne you furtheofyourownhufkes and homes, to make you vagaboundes and beggars, and after poflefle your land cs and goods, as God threatned by Mofes,as was before

alledged.

^iND SCOTLAND. 7^

alledgcd. Truftnotto thy ftrengthe af-j terwarde,when thy enncmy is fetled, if ( thou haue no ftrengthe to reiift hisbegyn- nynges,no more the thou canft ouercomc acanker,thathath oucrrunncmany mem- bres. That God would not haue you to trufte to your force of men,townes, orca- ftels, there is enough exaples, that you bo- the haue felt toyourgrefe. And I waAnot write without murnyng.For how litle a- uayled the multitude, and ftowt courtage of you ( dear Brethre of Scotlad) att Muf- felburghjorPinkefieldjthecarcaiesalasof many thoufandsj who that day fell in the edge of the fworde, may teach you. And how vaine be all ftrcngthes, (be they iud- ed neuer fo ftronge,or inexpugnable} ettCalice lately taken admonifli you. But I do leaue fuch exaples to your confe- derations to tcacheyou to call to the li- uinge Lord, whooffereth hym felfe, as a mercifull father vnto you ,ftill calling you to repentance by wordes, by writin- ges,and moft gentle corrections, if ye will not be harde harted*

Yet here haue we to lamet the mifera- ble ftate of makynde, which is fo feduced bv the fubtileferpct,that he can not know his miferie,when he is admonifhed, nor perccauchis perdition, when it draweth fo ncre. ^'hen the feruantes of God fet K 1

I

TO ENGLAND

furthe his trueth,they arecharged to trou ble realmcs, and countries, as was Elias; when they warnemennot to ioync han- des with wicked kinges and princes, they ace counted traitours, as was Efaias and Icremias. Such is mannes malice. But if there be a God, that is fyrft of all to be foght,and without whome nothing can be profitable vnto vs,but without h) m all thinges are vnhappie and accurfed : if thekingdomeofGodand the righteouf- nes thereof muft fyrit be foght,and then all thinges fhal I be miniftred.ifourhea- uenlie kinge muft before man be obeyed, then all fuch doctrine, as calleth vs from man to God, is eafie to be perceaued, and oght not to be rcfifted. Wherefore I do admonifh and exhorte you bothe in the name oftbeIiuingeGod,that how foeuer you haue hitherto {hewed yourfelues the feruants of men to beare and to flatter with the worlde,that now ye Jearne in goddes caufet^defpifethc faces of men, to bend your felues againft this wicked world, neither regarding the vifars of honours, vaine titles nor dignities any further,thcnthcyfeke Godhisonelieglo rie. For his gforie will he not fufter to be contemned for any caufe. No he will powre contempt on thofe princes, that Oriuc againft histrueth: but thofe, that

glorifie

*AVD SCOT L^iNH. 7*

gIoriiiehym,willhe gloririe. And what kingdome, realme or nation Co euer it be, that will not fckc to fun&iric his name, they fliall in the day of goddcs greuous visitation , which is now at hand , be vtter ]yc6founded,theyrftregth flialbeftraw, tneyr honours (hall be {hame,and all their idolatrous preeftes, in whofe lies they delyte, togither with their idols, with whome they are bewitched, fliall beftub- bleand brymftone to burne togither,whe the wratheof the Lordeof hoftcs fliall fee themonrier. The preeftes (hall not faue theyr goddes,northe goddes their wor- shippers,but both alike accurfed fhallthe perifliforeuer.And thogheourmercifull father hathelonge fuffred heretofore in the tymeof ignorace, yet now in the endc oftheworldhecalleth all people foplai- nelybyhis worde to repentance, that he muft nedes take fpedie vengeance, if his callinge be contemned: efpccially becau- fe the day can not longe be delayed, whe- rein he h^ath determined to iudge all peo- ple and nations of the whole world, and to put a*n end to wickednes.

Wherefore to concludo,behold,your onlieremedie remaintth to repent your tyme of ignorace,of ltubburnnes,of cruel tie, ofidolatrie, wherein ye haue fo long continued. And now with all diligence K j

TO ENgi^tND

to feke for fcnolledge of the worde of God,and opely to profeffe the Ghofpell, which is the power of God, whereof ye oght not to be afhamed.Ceafe at the laft from your oldeftubburnnes,wherbie ye haue deferucd vengeance, and labour in the vineyarde with all mekenes,that ye may receaue mercie and gracerceafe from your crueltie againft Chriftes membres, and learne to fuffer for Chriftes fake, if ye willbetrueChriftians.-banifheallido- latrie and popifhe fuperftition from a- mongefl you, els can yc haue no parte in Chriftes king dome, no more then Chrift can be partaker with Antichrift. Pray to the Lorde of hoftes and armies to giue you thccourrage, ftrengthe, and meancs. The Lords arme is not (hortencd now, no morethenofolde.Beftrongethereforein the Lord for the defence of the trueth, thogh all the wo ride ry fe agaift itt. Now when the battaileis fierce againft the li- uinge God for dead idols, ( euen for the vile wafercake ,the moft vaine idol, that cucrwas) againft the Ghofpcl of Chrifte fortheinuentions of Antichrift , againft Chriftes mebres for Popifhe ceremonies, can any of you , that wilbecompted gods children,ftyll halt of bothehandes?If that cake baked in yron tonges,not able to a- by de a blaflfbf winde^be (he eternal God,

folow

>AND SCOT LsAN Z> jt

folow it : but if he only be God, that hath created theheauens,abhorre fuchevilei- dols, that haue no force to faue the felues: ifChriftes Ghofpel anddo&rine befuf- ficientto faluation,and by receauing of it ye arecailed Chriftians,away with all An tichriftcs inuentions brog lit into your Ro mifli churches: if you hope to haue any parte with Chri{t,cherime his rhebres and maintaine the againft theireennemies the papiftes,ad thebifhoppe of Rome the vcric Antichrifte. What ftrengthe, what force, what power, whatcoufil fo cuer ye haue of God,bendealltothisendeandpurpofe,as yewyll make anfwere to your heauelykig for the talent receaued. If you haue no re- ardeofthofeprlcipalpointcsjwhichon- y, or chiefly mould be before your eyes, go to with your forraine manages, ioyne Frace to Scotlad, and Spayne to Eng land, if it bepoiTible, yet (hall ye all beconfoun ded. The Lord mall plage you one with an other, vntill you be confumed,your {tregth, wherein ye truft, mall be make to naught, yourcourragefhalbecowardifc, yourwifdomfliallbcfoIie,adthe Lord of hoftes by your rufnead deftruclio will be renowmedadpraifed,adhisiurt iudgemets through owt the earth malbe honoured ad feared. Vhere of the contraric if you will maintaine Gods trueth in the cart he, he' K 4

I

TO sn qtun D will receaueyou as his children into the heauens, if you confefife his Chrifte befo- re this wicked generation,Chrift fhall con feflfe you before his father in the heauen$, jn the prefeceof his angels.But if you per- {lfteilubburnly tobaniflie goddes wordc, and his fonne Chrift in his membres furth ofyourearthliekyngdomes,howcayelo- ke for any parte in his heauelie kingdome? muchemore if yecontinuetomurtherhis meflfigersjwhat ca ye Ioke for emogftyour felues,but that ye fhoulde diggeonel ano- thers bellieto be your own murtherers?So thatifyewilftilremaineaftcrallthefead- monitios in your murthers and idolatries, befucr,that in this worldc yc fhall haue enogheof your idolatries, and you fhalbc filled vcith blooddy murthers aud in the end yefhallbe iudged without the % eueUu gates of the hcuenlie Icrufalem a- mongeft the dogges, enchaunters, hoorem5gers and murtherers and idolaters with all thofe,that lo- ueth lies. But he, that ouercom- meth all thefc,fhall inherit all thin %es> and I will be his God,faieth the Lord, and he fhall be my fon- ne. Where as the fe are full in gods

caufe

*4ND SCOTLAND. 77

caufe,the vnbeleuing,the abomi- nable, the murtherers, hooremon- fers, forcerers and idolaters inall aue their parte in the lake, that burncth with fier and brymftone.

Lo here is the choife of life and deache, of miferie and welthe offred vnco you by gods mercies, and the meanes how yow may winne goddes fauour opened,wherc~ bieonely ye may preuaile againftyouren nemies.Godgrauteyou heartes toanf^er as the people did to Iofua offering the ly- kechoyfe. Godforbyd ( fay they) tojkzq, that wefhoulde forfakeGod, we will feme the LordeourGodand obey hisvoice, for he his our God. And we your banifhed brethren by the power of God to prouoke you forward, will thus pronounce wi th Iofua.

That we and our families will ferue the Lorde God, thogheall natios runne to Idols, thogheall peo le do perfecute vs. We knowe that Satan athebuta fhorte tyme to rage, and that^ Chrifte our captainc right fpedely will" crownehisfouldiours, towhome, as he is theeternal God with his father,be all ho- nour and gloric for euer and euer. So be it.

I

iOHN K^NOXZ TO THe

UADEI.

Ecaufe many are offended

at the rlrft blaft of the trompett, in whiche Iafr*irme,thatto pro- mote a woman to beare rule, or empire a- boueany realme, nation or citie, is repu- gnant to nature,contumelic to God,and a thing mofte contrarioufe tohisreuealed and approued ordenacc.and becaufe alfo, thatfommehathpomifed(aslvnderftad) a confutation of the fame, I haue delayed the fccond blaft, till fuche tyme as their reafons appere, by the which I either may be reformed in opinion, or els ftiall haue further occafion more fimply and plainly to vtter my Judgement. Yet in the mcane tyme for the difcharge of my confeienee, and for auoy ding fufpitio, whiche might be in^endred by reafon of my filence, I could not ceafe to notifie thefe fubfequent propo(itios,which by Gods grace I purpo fe to entreate in the fecod blaft promifed.

1 It is not birth oncly nor propin . quitieofblood,that maketh a kige lawful ly to reign aboue a people profefTing Chrifte Ieius, and his eternall vcritie, but in his ele&ion mnft the ordenancc,which God hath eftablifhcd, in the elc&ion of

inferiour

78

inferiour iudges be obferued.

i No manifcft idolater nor noto-

rioufe tranfgrefTor of gods holie preceptes ogh t to be promoted to any publike rcgi- metjhonour or dignitie in any realme,pro uinceor citie,thathath fubiectcd thefelf to Chrifte Iefus and to his bleffed Euagil.

3 Neither can othenor promefle bynd any fuch people to obey and main- teintyrantes againft God and againft his trueth knowen.

4 But if either rafhely theyhaue promoted any manifeft wicked perfonne, or yet ignorantly haue chofen fuche a one, as after declarethhifelf vnworthieofregi ment aboue the people of God (and fuche be ail idolaters and cruel perfecuters) mo- fteiuftelymay the fame men depofe and punifhehi,that vnaduyfedly before they did nominate, appoint and elette-

JVL^i T T H. VI.

If the eye be (ingle,the whole body fhalbe dere.

PSALME OF DAVID

X C 1 1 1 1, turned in to metre,

by W. Kethe.

OLorde fith vengeance doth to thee, and to none els belonge: Nowftiowethy feif(oLordeoureGod) with fpede reuenge oure wronge.

Arifethow great iudgeof the worlde,

and haue at length regarde, Thatastheprowdedeferueand do,

thow wilt them fo rewarde.

•

How longe (o Lorde) flial I wicked men

triumphe thy flock to flea? Yea Lorde,how Ionge3For they triumphe

as thoghe,who now but they.

Ho w longe (ball wicked doers fpcake?

their great difdaine we fe, Whofe boaftig prowd doth feem to threat

no fpeach but theirs to be.

O Lorde they fmite thy people downe,

not fparingeyonge oroide: Thine heritage they fo torment,

as Grange is to beholde.

The widdowe and the ftranger both they murthcr cruelly: T lie fatherlcfTe they put to death and caufc they know none why.

79 And vet faye they:tuflie,tuflie, the Lords

(hall not beholde this dedc, Ne yet will Iacobs God reuolue

thethinges by vs decreed.

But now take hede ye men vnwife,

amonge the folke that dwell: Yefooles(Ifaye)when willyewaye

or vnderftand this well?

He that the eare did plante and place,

(hall he be flowe to hcarc? Or he that made the eye to fee,

fhall he not feemoft clere?

Or he that whipte the hethen folke,

and knolledgeteacheth men, To nurture fuch, as went aftrayc,

fhall he not punilhe then?

The Lorde oure God,who ma did frame-, his very thoghts dothknowe,

And that they are but vile and vaineB to him is knowne alfo.

Butblcfled is thatman(o Lorde) whom thou doelt bringe in awe*

And teacbefte him by this thy rodd to louc and feare thy lawe.

That patience thou mayfte him geue

in tyme of troubles great, Vntill the put be digged vp

th'ungodly for to eate.

For why,the Lorde will neuer fay le

his people,whiche him loue; Ne yet forfakehis hcritauncc,

whiche he doth ftill approue,

Till righteoufnes to iudgement turne,

as itmuftbeindede, And fuch as be full true in hearte

to folowe it with fpede.

Who now will vp and rife with me

againft this wycked bande? Or who againft thefe workers ill on my parte ftowte will ftande?

Yf that the Lorde had not me holpt,

Dowteleflc it had bene done, To witt,my foule in filence broght,

and fomy foes had wonne.

Butthogh my foote did fwiftly Aide,

Yet when I did it tell, Thy mercie( Lorde) fo heldeme vp,

that I therewith not fell.

For in theheapes of forrowes fharpe,

that did my hearte opprefle, Thy comfortes were to me fo greatc,

they did my foule refrefhe.

Wilte thow( vaine man )haue ought to do with that moft wicked chaire,

Thatmufethmifchicfasalawe with out remorfe orfeare?

So

Againft thefoulcs of righteous men

they all with fpedc conuent, And there the giltlefle blood condemned ]

with one moll vileconfent.

But my refuge is to the Lordc in all thefe daungers deepe, And God the flrength is of my trade, who allwaies dothe me keepe.

Hefhall rewarde their wickednefTe,

and in their wrathe them kill, Yea,them deftroye fhall God oureLordes

tor he borhc can and will.

JF / fi I S .

\*

p

V

m v.

^^^Xt^A-i******^^^^^^

KNOX (John). The Appellation most uniust sentence pronoune and clergie of Scotland, with the nobilitie, estates, and com at Geneua, M.D.LVIII.

Sm. 8vo., chiefly Roman le uncut ; dark blue levant moroc

The book was possibly pri

!

f Iohn Knoxe From the cruell and

against him by the false bishoppes

is supplication and exhortation to

i altie of the same realme. Printed

r, a fine copy with some lower edges extra, gilt edges, by Bedford

Geneva, 1558 lid by J. Pullain and A. Reboul.

^A^lifl^il^. . kWAAJk.

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