Appellation from the Cruel and Unjust Sentence Against Him — John Knox

Appellation from the Cruel and Unjust Sentence Against Him · John Knox

THE APPELLATION OF IOHN KNOXE FROM the cruell and most iniust sentence pronounced against him by the false bishoppes and clergie of Scotland, with his supplication and exhortation to the nobilitie, estates, and cōmunaltie of the same realme.

Printed at GENEVA, M.D.LVIII.

TO THE NOBILITIE AND ESTAtes of Scotlād Iohn Knoxe wisheth grace, merciemercy, and peace from God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the spirit of righteous iudgement.

IT is not only the louelove of life temporall (right honorable) neither yet the fear of corporall death, that moueth me at this present to expone vntounto you the iniuries done against me, and to craue of you, as of laufull powers by God appointed, redresse of the same, but partly it procedeth from that reuerence whiche euerie man oweth to Godds eternal trueth,EueryEvery mā oght to confesse and reuerēce goddes trueth. and partly from a louelove which I beare to your saluation, and to the saluation of my brethren abused in that realme by such, as hauehave no fear of God before their eyes. It hath pleased God of his infinite merciemercy, not onlie so to illuminate the eyes of my minde, and so to tuche my dull hart, that clearly I se, and by his grace vnfeanedly beleue, that their is no other name geuen to men vnderunder the heauen,Act. 4. in whiche saluation consisteth, saue the name of Iesus alone,

Who by that sacrifice which he did once offer vponupon the crosse,Hebr. 10. hath sanctified for euer those that shall enherite the kingdom promised: but also it hath pleased him of his superaboundant grace, to make and appointe me most wretched of many thousandes a witnes, minister and preacher of the same doctrine: the somme whereof I did not spare to communicate withe my brethren being with them in the realme of Scotland in the yeare 1556,1 Cor. 3. because I know my selfe to be a steward and that accompts of the talēt cōmitted to my charge shalbe required by him who will admit no vaine excuse which fearfull men pretend.Mat. 25. I did therefore (as God did minister) during the tyme I was conuersant with them (God is record and witnesse) truely and syncerly according to the gift grāted vntounto me, deuide the worde of saluation, teachinge all men to hate Syn, whiche before God was and is so odious that none other sacrifice coulde satisfie his iustice except the death of his onlie sonne, and to magnifie the greate mercies of our heuenlie Father,Iohn 3. who did not spare the substāce of his own glorie but did giuegive hym to the world to suffer the ignominious and cruell death of the crosse,Rom. 5, 8. 2. Cor. 5. by that meanes to reconcile his chosen children to hym selfe: teaching further what is the duetie of such as do beleue them selues purged by such a price from their former filthines.Rom. 6. To wit,Ephe. 4. 5 that they are bound to walke in the newnes of life fighting against the lustes of the fleshe and studyinge at all tymes to glorifie GodEphe. 2. by such good woorkes as he hath prepared his children to walke in.

In doctrine I did further affirme, so taught by my master Christ Iesus,Mat. 10. that whosoeuer denieth hym, yea or is ashamed of hym before this wicked generation, hym shall Christ Iesus denie, and of hym shall he be ashame whē he shall appeare in his maiestie. And therefore I feared not to affirme that of necessitie it is, that suche as hope for life euerlasting auoide all superstition, vaine religion, and idolatrie.Vaine religion or idolatrie. Vaine religion and idolatrie I call, what soeuer is done in Goddes seruice or honour without the expresse commaundement of his own worde.

This doctrine did I beleue to be so cō formable to Goddes holie scriptures that I thoght, no creature could hauehave bene so impudent as to hauehave dāned any point or article of the same. Yet neuerthelesse me, as an heritike, and this doctrine as heriticall, hauehave your fals bishoppes and vngodlie clergie damned,A sentēce pronūced. pronouncing against me a sentence of death, in testification wherof they hauehave burned a picture.Appellation from the same. From which fals and cruell sentence, and from all iudgement of that wicked generation I make it knowen to your honours, that I appeal to a laufull and generall counsil, to suche I mean, as the most auncient lawes and canones do approue to be holden, by suche as whose manifest impietie is not to be reformed in the same:The request of Iohn Knoxe. most humbly requiring of your honours, that, as God hath appointed you princes in that people, and by reason therof requireth of your handes the defence of innocētes troubled in your dominion, in the meane tyme, and till the controuersies, that this day be in religion, be laufully decided, ye receaue me and suche others, as most vniustlie by those cruell beastes are persecuted, in your defence and protection.

Your honours are not ignorāt that it is not I alone, who doth sustain this cause against the pestilēt generation of Papistes, but that the most part of Germanie,The petition of Protestantes. the countrie of Heluetia, the kinge of Denmarke, the nobilitie of Polonia, togither with many other Cities and Churches refromed, appeall from the tyrannie of that Antichrist, and most earnestly do call for a laufull and general coūsil, wherin may all cōtrouersies in religion be decided by the auctoritie of Goddes most sacred worde. And vntounto this same, as said is, do I appeal yet once againe, requirīg of your honours to hold my simple and playn appellation of no lesse value nor effect, then if it had bene made with greater circunstāce, solemnitie, and ceremonie, and that ye receaue me calinge vntounto you, as to the powers of God ordained, in your protection and defence against the rage of tyrantes, not to mentaine me in any iniquitie, errour, or fals opinion, but to let me hauehave such equitie, as God by his worde, auncient lawes, and determinations of most Godlie counsils, graunte to men accused or infamed.

The word of God will that no man shall die except he be found criminall and worthie of death for offence committed,Deut. 17. of the whiche he must be manifestly conuicted by two or three witnesses. Ancient lawes do permitt iust defences to such as be accused (be their crimes neuer so horrible) and godlie counsilles will that nether Byshopp nor Person ecclesiasticall whatsoeuer accused of any crime shall sit in iudgement, consultation, or counsil, where the cause of such men, as do accuse them,The petitions of Iohn Knoxe. is to be tried.

These thinges require I of your honours to be graunted vntounto me: to wit, That the doctrine which our aduersaries condemn for haeresie may be tried by the simple and playn word of God, that iust defenses be admitted to vsus that sustain the battaile against this pestilent generation of Antichrist, and that they be remoued from iudgement in our cause, seinge that our accusation is not intended against any one particular persō, but against that hole kingdome whiche we doubt not to proue to be a power vsurped against God,Note well. against his cōmaundement and against the ordenance of Christ Iesus established in his Church by his chefe Apostles: Yea we doubt not to proue the kingdome of the Pope to be the king dome and power of Antichrist. And therefore my Lordes I can not cease in the name of Christ Iesus to require of you that the matter may cōme in examination, and that ye the estates of the realme by your auctoritie compell such as will be called bishoppes, not only to desist from their cruell murthering of such as do studie to promote goddes glorie in detecting and disclosing the damnable impietie of that man of syn the Romane Antechrist, but also that ye cōpell them to answer to suche crimes as shall be laid to their charge for not righteously instructing the flock committed to their cares.

AnswerBut here I know two thinges shalbe doubted. The former:1. to obiections. whether that my appellation is lawfull and to be admitted seing that I am damned as an heritike: and secondarely whether your honours be bound to defēd such as call for your support in that case,2 seing that your bishoppes (who in matters of religion claime all auctoritie to appertaine to them) hauehave by their sentence allredy condemned me.

The one and the other I nothing doubt most clerely to proue. Fyrst that my appellation is most Lawfull and iust: and secondarely that your honours can not refuse to defend me thus calling for your aid,NOTE. but that in so doing ye declare your selues rebellious to God, mentainers of murtherers and shedders of innocent blood.

How iust cause I hauehave by the ciuile law (as for their canon it is accursed of God)The appellation is iust and lawfull. to appeale from their vniust sentence my purpose is not to make long discourse. Onlie I will touche the poyntes which all men confesse to be iust causes of appellation. Fyrst laufully could I not be sommoned by them being for that tyme absent from their iurisdiction, charged with the preachīg of Christes Euāgill in a free citie not subiect to their tyrannie.

Secondarely to me was no intimation made of their sommondes, but so secrete was their surmised malice that the copie of the sommondes being required was denyed.

Thirdlie to the realme of Scotland could I hauehave had no free nor sure accesse being before exiled frō the same by their vniust tyrannie. And last to me they nether could nor can be competent and indifferent iudges, for that, before any sommondes were raised against me, I had accused them by my lrēs published to the quene dowagier, and had intended against them all crimes, offring my selfe with hasard of life to proue the same, for the which they are not onlie vnworthie of ecclesiasticall auctoritie, but also of any sufferance within a commune welthe professing Christ. This my accusatiō preceding their sōmōdes, neither by the law of God, neither yet by the law of man can they be to me competent iudges till place be grā ted vntounto me opēlie to proue my accusatiō intended against them, and they be compelled to make answer as criminalls. For I will plainelie proue that not onlie bishoppes, but also Popes hauehave bene remoued frō all auctoritie and pronouncing of iudgement till they hauehave purged them selues of accusations layd against them. Yea further I will proue that bishoppes and Popes most iustly hauehave bene depriued frō all honours and administration for smaller crimes then I hauehave to charge the hole rable of your bishoppes.

But because this is not my chefe grounde I wil stand cōtent for this present to shew,Goddes m…ssin may appeall from uniust sentences, and ciuile powers are bound to admit them. that lawfull it is to Goddes Prophetes and to preachers of Christ Iesus to appeall frō the sentence and iudgement of the visible churche to the knolledge of the temporall Magistrate, who by Goddes law is bound to hear their causes, and to defend them from tyrannie.

The Prophete Ieremie was cōmmā ded by God to stand in the courte of the house of the Lord and to preach this sermon in effect.Ier. 26. That Ierusalem should be distroyed and be exponed in opprobrie to all nations of the earth, and that also that famous tēple of God should be made desolate like vntounto Sylo, because the preestes, the Prophetes, and the people did not walk in the Law, which God had ꝓposed vntounto thē, neither wold they obey the voyces of the Prophetes, whome God sent to call them to repentance.

For this sermon was Ieremie apprehended and a sentence of death was pronounced against hym and that by the preestes, by the Prophetes, and by the people, which thinges being bruted in the eares of the Princes of Iuda they passed vp frō the kinges house to the tēple of the Lord, and sat down in iudgement for further knowledge of the cause. But the preestes and Prophetes continued in theyre cruell sentēce, which before they had pronoūced saying, This man is worthie of the death: for he hath prophesied against this citie as your eares hauehave hard. But Ieremy so moued by the holie Ghost, began his defence against that their tyrannous sentence in these wordes. The Lord (saieth he) hath sent me to prophetie against this house, and against this citie all the wordes which you hauehave hard. Now therefore make good your wayes, ād hear the voyce of the Lord your God, and then shall he repent of the euill whiche he hath spoken against you. As for me behold I am in your handes (so doth he speak to the Princes) do to me as you think good and righteous.Aduert. Neuertheles know you this most assuredly, that if ye murther or sley me, ye shall make your selues, this citie, and the inhabitants of the same criminall and gyltie of innocent blood. For of a trueth the Lord hath sent me to speak in your eares all those wordes.The princes did absolue the Prophet whome the preests had condēned.

Then the princes and the people (saieth the text) said, this man is not worthie of death, for he hath spoken to vsus in the name of the Lord our God. And so after somme cōtention was the Prophete deliuered frō that dāger. This fact and historie manefestly proueth whatsoeuer before I hauehave affirmed. To wit, that it is Laufull for the seruantes of God to call for the help of the ciuile magistrate agaīst the sētēce of death if it be vniust, by whome soeuer it be ꝓnounced ād also that the ciuile sword hath power to represse the furie of the preests and to absolue whome thei hauehave cōdēned. For the prophete of God was damned by those who then only in earthe were knowē to be the visible churche, to wit preestes & prophetes who thē were in Ierusalē the successours of Aarō to whome was geuē a charge to speak to the people in the name of God,Deute. 17 ād a precept geuē to the people to heare the lawe frō their mouthes, to the which if any should be rebellious or īobediēt he should die the death without merciemercy. These men I say thus auctorised by God, first did excō municat Ierimie for that he did preache other wise then did the cōmune sort of prophetes in Ierusalem, and last apprehended him, as you hauehave hard, ꝓnouncing against hym this sētēce afore writen frō the which neuertheles the prophete appealed, that is sought help and defence against the same and that most earnestly did he craue of the princes. For albeit he saieth, I am in your handes do with me as ye think righteous, he doth not contemne nor neglect his life as thoghe he regarded not, what should become of hym, but ī those his wordes most vehementlie did he admonishe the princes, and rulers of the people geuing them to vnderstād what God should require of thē.The meanyng of these wordes I amin your handes, &c. As he should say, You princes of Iuda, and rulers of the people, to whom appertaineth in differentlie to iudge betwixt partie and partie, to iustifie the iust man and to cōdemne the malefactour, you hauehave hard à sentence of death pronounced against me by those, whose lippes oght to speak no decept, because they are sanctified and appointed by God hym selfe to speake his law and to pronounce iudgement with equitie,Deut. 17. but as they hauehave left the liuing God,Ierem. 1. and hauehave taught the people to follow vanitie,Deu. 1. 10 so are they becōmed mortall ennemies to all Gods true seruantes, of whom I am one rebuking theire iniquitie, apostasie and defection from God which is the onlie cause they seke my life. But a thing most contrarie to all equitie, law ād iustice it is, that I a mā sent of God to call them, this people, and you againe to the true seruice of God, from the which you are all declined, shall suffer the death because that my ennemies do so pronounce sentence. I stād in your presēce, whome God hath made princes, your power is aboue their tyrannie, before you do I expone my cause I am in your handes aud can not resist to suffer what ye think iust. But lest that my lenitie and patiēce should either make you negligent in the defence of me in my iust cause appealīg to your iudgemēt, either yet encorrage my ennemies in seakinge my blood, this one thinge I dar not consile: That if you murther me, (which thing ye do if ye defēd me not) ye make not only my ennemies gyltie of my blood, but also your selues and this hole citie. By these wordes I say, it is euident, that the prophete of God beīg dāned to death by the preestes ād by the prophetes of the visible Churche, did seke aid support and defence at the princes and temporall magistrates, threatnyng his blood to be required of theyre handes, if they by theyre auctorite did not defend hym from the furie of his ennemies: alledging also iust causes of his appellation, and why he oght to hauehave bene defended: to wit, that he was sent of God to rebuke theire vices and defection from God:The causes of his appellation and why he oght to hauehave bene defended. that he taught no doctrine which God before had not pronounced in his Law: that he desired theyre conuersion to God, continuallie calling vponupon them to walk in the wayes which God had approued and therefore doth he boldlie craue of the princes, as of Goddes lieutenā tes to be defended from the blynd rage & tyrannie of the preests, notwithstanding that they claimed to themselues auctoritie to iudge in all matters of religion. And the same did he what tyme he was cast in pryson and thereafter was brought to the presēce of king Zedechias, after I say that he had defended his innocētie, affirmyng that he neither had offended against the king, against his seruantes nor against the people, at last he made intercession to the king for his life, saying,

But now my lord the king take hede,Ierem. 38. I beseche thee let my prayer fall in to thy presence commaund me not to be caried againe in to the house of Ionathan the scribe, that I dye not there.

And the text witnesseth that the king commaunded the place of his imprysonment to be chaunged. Whereof it is euident, that the prophet did ofter then once seke help at the ciuile power and that fyrst the princes, and thereafter the king did acknowledge, that it appertained to their office to deliuer him from the iniust sentence, which was pronounced against him. yf any thinke that Ieremie did not appeall becaus he onelyonly declared the wronge done vntounto him, and did but craue defence according to his innocencie let the same man vnderstand, that none otherwise do I appeale from that fals and cruell sentence,Iust cause of appellation. which your Byshoppes hauehave pronounced against me. Neither yet can there be any other iust cause of appellation but innocēcie hurt, or suspected to be hurt, whether it be by ignorance of a iudge, or by malice and corruption of those, who vnderunder the title of iustice do exercise tyrānie. if I were a thefe, murtherer, blasphemer, open adulterer, or any offender whome Gods worde commaundeth to suffer for a crime committed, my appellation were vaine and to be reiected: but I being innocēt, yea the doctrine which your Byshoppes hauehave condemned in me, being Gods eternall veritie, hauehave no lesse libertie to craue your defence against that crueltie, then had the Prophet Ieremie to seke the ayde of the Princes and King of Iuda. But this shall more plainly appear in the facte of sainct Paule, who after that he was apprehended in Ierusalem,Act. 22. … & 25. did fyrst claime to the libertie of Romayne citezēs for auoiding tormēt, what tyme that the captayn would hauehave examined hym by questions: there after in the coūcile, where no rightious iudgement was to be hoped for, he affirmed that he was a Pharisie, and that he was accused of the resurrection of the dead, and last in the presence of Festus he appealed from all knowledge and iudgement of the Preestes at Ierusalem to the Emperour: of which last point, because it doth chefelie appertaine to this my cause, I will somwhat speak.

After that Paule had diuerse tymes bene accused, as in the Actes of the apostles is manifest, at the last the chefe Preestes and theyre faction came to Cesarea with Festus the presidēt, who presented to them Paule in iudgement, whome they accused of horrible crimes: which neuertheles they could not proue, the Apostle defending that he had not offended neither agaīnst the Law, neither against the Temple, neither yet against the Emperour.

But Festus willing to gratifie the Iewes,Act. 25. said to Paule: Wilt thou go vp to Ierusalem, ād there be iudged of these thinges in my presence? But Paule said: I stand at the iustice seat of the Emperour, where it behoueth me to be iudged, I hauehave done no iniurie to the Iewes as thou better knowest. Yf I hauehave done any thing iniustly, or yet committed crime worthie of death, I refuse not to die. But if there be nothing of these thinges true, where of they accuse me, no man may geue me to them: I appeall to Cesar.

It may appear at the first sight that Paule did great iniurie to Festus the iudge, and to the hole order of the preesthode, who did hope greater equitie in a cruell tyrant then in all that session and learned companie. Which thinge no dout Festus did vnderstād, pronouncing these wordes: Hast thou appealed to Cesar? thou shalt go to Cesar. As he would say, I as a man willing to vnderstād the truth before I ꝓnoūce sē tence, hauehave required of thee to go to Ierusalem, where the learned of thyne owne nation may heare thy cause and decerne in the same. The controuersie standith in matters of religion. Thou art accused as an apostatat from the Law, as a violator of the temple, and transgressor of the traditiōs of theyre fathers: in which matters I am ignorant, and therefore desire information by those, that be learned in the same religion, wherof the question is. And yet doest thou refuse so many godly fathers to hear thy cause, and doestappeale to the Emperour: preferring hym to all our iudgements, of no purpose belike, but to delay tyme. Thus I say it myght hauehave appeared that Paule did not only iniurie to the iudge and to the Preestes, but also that his cause was greatly to be suspected: partly for that he did refuse the iudgement of those that had moste knowledge (as all men supposed) of Gods will and religion: and partly because he appealed to the Emperour, who then was at Rome farr absent from Ierusalem, a man also ignorāt of God and ennemie to all vertue. But the Apostle cōsidering the nature of his ennemies, and what thinges they had intended against hym, euen from the fyrst day that he began freelie to speak in the name of Christ,why Paule wold admytt none of the Leuiticall ordre to iudge in his cause. did not fear to appeale from them, and from the iudge that would hauehave gratified them. They had professed thē selues plain ennemies to Christ Iesus and to his blessed Euangill, and had soght the death of Paule, yea euen by factiōs and treasonable cōspiracie: and therefore by no meanes would he admit them either iudges in his cause, either auditours of the same as Festus required:Vpō what reasons the appellation of Paule was grounded. but grounding him selfe vponupon strong reasons, to wit, that he had not offēded the Iewes, neither yet the Law, but that he was innocēt, and therefore that no iudge oght to geue hym in the hādes of his ennemies: grounding I say his appellation vponupon these reasons, he neither regarded the displeasure of Festus, neither yet the brute of the ignorāt multitude, but boldely did appeal from all cognition of them to the iudgement of the Emperour, as said is. By these two examples I dout not but your honours do vnderstand, that lawfull it is to the seruantes of God oppressed by tyrānie to seke remedie against the same, be it by appellation from theire sentēce, or by imploring the helpe of ciuile Magistrates. For what God hath approued in Ieremie and Paul, he can condemne in none that likewise be e…reated. I might alledge some histories of the primatiue Church seruing to the same purpose: as of Ambrose and Athanasius, of whom the one would not be iudged but at Millan, where that is doctrine was hard of all his Church and receaued and approu…d by many: and the other would in no wise geue place to those coūciles, where he knew that mē conspired against the trueth of God should sit in iudgement and cōsultatione. But because the Scriptures of God are my only fundation and assurance in all matters of weight and importāce, I hauehave thoght the two former testimonies sufficient, aswell to proue my appellation reasonable and iust, as to declare to your honours that with safe conscience ye can not refuse to admit the same. Yf any thinke it arrogācie or foolishnes in me to compare my selfe with Ieremie and Paule, let the same man vnderstād that as God is immutable, so is the veritie of his glorious Euangill of aequall dignitie,The cause is to be regarded and not the person. whensoeuer it is impugned, be the membres suffering neuer so weak. What I think touching myne owne person, God shall reueale when the secrets of all hartes shall be disclosed, and such as with whome I hauehave bene conuersant, can partly witnesse, what arrogācie or pryde they espie in me. But touching the doctrine and cause which that adulterous ād pestilent generatiō of Antichrists seruāts (who wilbe called Byshoppes amongst you) hauehave condened in me, I neither fear nor shame to cōfesse and auow before man and Angell to be the aeternall trueth of the aeternall God. And in that case I dout not to cōpare my selfe with any menbre in whome the trueth hath bene impugned sēce the begynnyng. For as it was the trueth which Ieremie did preach in these wordes,

The Preestes hauehave not knowen me (saieth the Lord) but the pastors hauehave traiterously declined and fallen back from me.Ierem. 2. The Prophetes hauehave prophesied in Baal,Ierem. 1. and hauehave gone after those things, which can not helpe. My people hauehave left the fontaine of liuing waters, and hauehave digged to them selues pits, which can containe no water:

As it was a trueth that the pastors and watchmen in the daies of Isaie were becomed dōme dogs blynd, ignorāt,Esa. 56. proud and auaricious And finally as it was a trueth, that the Princes and the Preestes were murtherers of Christ Iesus,Act. 3. & 4. ād cruell persecutors of his Apostles: so likewyse it is a trueth (and that moste infallible) that those that hauehave condemned me (the hole rable of the papisticall clergie) hauehave declyned from the true faith,Tim. 4. hauehave geuen eare to deceauable spirits and to doctrine of deuils, are the sterres fallen from the heauen to the earth,Iude 1. are fontaines without water:2. Pet. 2. and finally are ennemies to Christ Iesus, deniers of his vertue, and horrible blasphemours of his death and passiō. And further as that visible Churche had no crime, where of iustly they could accuse either the Prophetes, either the Apostles, except theyr doctrine only: so hauehave not such as seke my blood other crime to lay to my charge, except that I affirm, as alwais I offer to proue,Let the cause be noted. that the religion, which now is maintained by fier and sword, is no lesse contrarious to the true religion taught and established by the Apostles, then is darknes to light, or the Deuill to God: and also that such as now do claime the title and name of the Churche ar no more the elect spouse of Christ Iesus, then was the Synagoge of the Iewes the true Church of God what tyme it crucified Christ Iesꝰ, damned his doctrine and persecuted his Apostles. And therefore seing that my battail is against the proude and cruell hypocrites of this age, as that battaill of those most excellent instrumentes was against the fals Prophetes and malignant Church of theyr ages: neither ought any man think it strange that I cōpare my self with them, with whome I sustaine a cōmon cause, neither ought you my Lordes iudge your selues lesse addetted and bound to me calling for your support, then did the Princes of Iuda think thē selues boūde to Ieremie, whome for that tyme they deliue red notwithstāding the sētēce of death ꝓnoūced against him by the visible Church. And thus much for the right of my appellatiō, which in the bowelles of Christ Iesus I requier your honours not to esteme as a thing superfluous ād vaine, but that ye admitt it, ād also accept me in your ꝓtection ād defence, that by you assured I may hauehave accesse to my natiue coūtrie, which I neuer offēded to the end: that freely and opēly in the presēce of the hole realme I may geue my confession of all such pointes as this day be in controuersie, and also that you by your auctoritie which ye hauehave of God, compell such, as of long tyme hauehave blynded and deceaued both your selues and the people,Answer to an obiection or dout. to answer to such thinges as shalbe laide to theire charge. But lest that somme dout remayne, that I require more of you then you of conscience ar bound to graunt, in few wordes I hope to proue my petitiō to be such, as without Gods heauy displeasure ye can not deny.The petitiō of Iohn Knoxe. My petition is, that ye, whome God hath apointed heades in your cōmune welth, with single eye do studie to promote the glorie of God, to prouide that your subiectes be rightly instructed in his true religiō, that they be defended from all oppression and tirannie, that true teachers may be maintained, and such as blynde and deceaue the people, togyther also with all idle bellies which do robbe and oppresse the flock, may be remoued and punished as Gods Law prescribeth. And to the perfurmance of eueryevery one of these, do your offices and Names. The honours and benefites, which ye receue, the Law of God vniuersally geuen duplicate page duplicate page to all men, and the examples of moste godlie Princes bynde and oblish you.

My purpose is not greatly to labour to proue, that your hole studie oght to be to promote the glorie of God, neither yet will I studie to alledge all reasons that iustly may be broght to proue that ye are not exalted to reigne aboue your brethrē as men without care and solicitude. For these be principals so grafted in nature, that verie Ethnicks hauehave confessed the same.The singular honours which Magistrats receaue of God oght to moue them with all diligēce to promote his religiō. For seing that God only hath placed you in his chaire, hath appointed you to be his lieutenantes, and by his owne seall hath marked you to be Magistrats, and to rule aboue your brethren, to whom nature neuertheles hath made you lyke in all points (for in conception, birth, life, and death ye differ nothing from the commune sort of men, but God only, as said is, hath promoted you, and of his especial fauour hath geuen vntounto you this prerogatiue to be called Gods:) how horrible ingratitude were it then, that you should be founde vnfaithful to hym, that thus hath honored you? And further what a monster were it that you should be proued vnmerciful to them, aboue whome ye are appointed to reigne as fathers aboue theyre children? because I say that verie Ethnicks hauehave graunted, that the cheefe and fyrst care of Prīces, ād of such as be appointed to rule aboue others, oght to be to promote the glorie and honour of theyr goddes, and to maintaine that religion, whiche they supposed to hauehave bene true. And that theyre secōd care was to maintaine and defend the subiects committed to theyre charge in all aequitie and iustice. I will not labour to shew vntounto you what oght to be your studie in maītainyng Gods true honour: lest that in so doing I should seme to make you lesse careful ouer Gods true religion, then were the Ethnickes ouer theire idolatrie. But because other petitions may appere more hard and difficile to be graunted, I purpose brefely,The dueties of Magistrats. but yet freely, to speak what God by his worde doth assure me to be true. To wit▪ fyrst that in conscience you are bounde to punysh malefactors, and to defende innocents imploringe your helpe: secondarely that God requireth of you to prouide that your subiects be rightly instructed in his true religion, and that the same by you be reformed whensoeuer abuses do crepe in by malice of Satan and negligence of men: and laste that ye are bounde to remoue from honour, and to punish with death (if the crime so require) such as deceaue the people, or defraude them of that foode of theyre soules, I meane Gods liuely worde. The fyrst and seconde are moste playne by the wordes of S. Paule thus speaking of lawfull powers.Rom. 13.

Let euerie soule (saieth he) submit hym selfe vntounto the hygher powers. for there is no power but of god. The powers that be, are ordained of God. Whosoeuer therefore resisteth power, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receaue to them selues damnation. For rulers ar not to be feared of those that do well, but of those that do euill. Wilt thou then be without fear of the power? do that which is good, and so shalt thou be praised of the same. For he is the minister of God for thy welth. But if thou do that which is euil, fear. For he beareth not the sworde for noght: for he is the minister of God to take vengance on them that do euil.

As the Apostle in these wordes moste straytly commaundeth obedience to be geuen to lawfull powers, pronouncing Gods wrathe and vengance against such as shall resist the ordonaunce of God, so dothe he assigne to the powers theyre offices, which to be take vengance vponupon euil doers, to maintaine the well doers, and so to ministre and rule in theyre office, that the subiectes by them may hauehave a benefite and be praised in well doing. Now if you be powers ordeined by God (and that I hope all men will graunte) then by the plaine wordes of the Apostle is the sworde geuen vntounto you by God for maintenance of the innocent, and for punyshement of malefactors. But I and my brethren with me accused, do offre not only to proue our selues innocents in all thinges laid to our charge, but also we offre most euidently to proue your Byshoppes to be the verie pestilence, who hauehave infected all christianitie. And therefore by the plaine doctrine of the Apostle you ar boūde to maintaine vsus, and to punysh the other being euidently cōuict and proued criminall.In what pointes be Powers bounde to theyre subiestes. Moreouer the former words of the Apostle do teach, how far hie powers be bounde to theyre subiectes: to wit, that because they are Gods ministers by hym ordained for the profitt and vtilitie of others, moste diligently oght they to intēd vponupon the same. For that cause assigneth the holie Ghost commaunding subiectes to obey, and to pay tribute: saing,

For this do you pay tribute and tole.Rom. 13.

That is because they are Gods ministers, bearing the sworde for your vtilitie. Wherof it is plaine, that there is no honour without a charge annexed. And this one point I wishe your wisdomes dipely to consider: that God hath not placed you aboue your brethren to reigne as tyrantes without respect of theyre profitt and commoditie. You heare the holie Ghost witnesse the contrarie, affirmyng that all lawfull powers be Gods ministers ordened for the welth, profitt and saluatiō of their subiectes, and not for theyre destructiō. Could it be said (I besech you) that Magistrates,Let the similitude be noted. inclosing theyre subiects in a citie without all victuales, or geuing vntounto them no other victuales but such as were poisoned, did rule for the profitt of theyr subiet…es? I trust that none would be so foolishe as so to affirme: but that rather euerie discrete person would boldly affirme, that such as so did, were tyrantes vnworthie of all regiment. Yf we will not deny that, whiche Christ Iesus affirmeth to be a trueth infallible, to wit, That the soule is greater and more pretious, then is the bodie: then shall we easely espye how vnworthie of auctoritie be those, that this day debarre theyre subiectes from the hearing of Gods worde, and by fier and sworde compell them to feede vponupon the verie poison of theyre soules, the damnable doctrine of Antichrist. And therefore in this poīt I say, I can not cease to admonish your honours diligently to take heede ouer your charge, which is greater then the most parte of men suppose. It is not ynough that you abstaine from violēte wrong, and oppression which vngodlie men exercise against theyr subiectes:It is not inough that rulars oppresse not theyre subiects. but ye are further boūde, to witt, that ye rule aboue them for theyre welth. Which ye can not do, if that ye either by negligence not prouiding true pastors, or yet by your maintainance of such as be rauening wolues, suffer theyre soules to sterue and perishe for lack of the true foode, which is Christes Euangill syncerely preached. It wil not excuse you in his presence, who will require accompte of euerie talent committed to your charge, to say that ye supposed that the charge of the soules had bene committed to your Byshoppes. No no, my Lordes, so ye can not escape Gods iudgement. For if your Byshoppes be proued to be no Byshoppes, but deceauable theues and rauenyng wolues (which I offer my selfe to proue by Gods word,The offer of Iohn knoxe and his accusation intended against the papisticall Bysshoppes. by law, and coū cils, yea by the iudgement of all the godly learned frō the primatiue Church to this day) then shall your permission and defence of them be reputed before God a participation with theyr thefte and murther. For thus accused the Prophete Esaie the Princes of Ierusalem.

Thy prīces, saieth he, ar apostatats:Esaie 1. that is obstinat refusers of God, and they ar companions of theues.

This greuous accusation was laid against them, albeit that they ruled in that citie which sometyme was called holy, where then were the temple, rites and ordonances of God: because that not onlie they were wicked them selues, but chefely because they maintained wiked men theyr Preestes ād fals ꝓphetes in honours and auctoritie yf they did not escape this accusatiō of the holie Ghost ī that age, looke ye neither to escape the accusation nor the iudgemēt which is pronoūced against the maītainers of whicked men: to with that the one and the other shall drinck the cuppe of Gods wrathe and vengance togither.Ierem. 23. & 27. and lest ye should deceaue your selues,Ezech. 13. Hosa 4.esteming your Byshoppes to be vertuous and godlie, this do I affirme and offer my selfe to proue the same, that more wicked men, then be the hole rabble of your clergie, were neuer from the begynning vniuersally knowen in any age, yea Sodome and Gomorra may be iustified in theyre respect. For they permitted iust Lot, to dwell amongest them without any violēce done to his bodie, which that pestilent generation of your shauensort doth not, but moste cruelly persecute by fier and sworde the true membres of Christes bodie for no other cause, but for the true seruice ād honoring of God. And therefore I fear not to affirme that, which God shall one day iustifie: That by your offices ye be bound, not only to represse theyr tyrānie, but also to punishe them, as theues and murtherers, as idolators and blasphemers of God,NOTE. ād in their roumes ye are boū de to place true preachers of Christs Euā gile for the instruction, comfort,Yf powers prouide not for instructiō of theyre subiects, they do neuer rule aboue them for theyre profit. and saluation of your subiectes, aboue whome els shall neuer the holy Ghost acknolledge, that you rule in iustice for their proffit. Yf yee pretēd to possesse the kingdome with Christ Iesus, yee may not take exāple neither by the ignorāt multitude of Princes, neither by the vngodly aud cruell rulers of the earth, of whome sōme passe theyre tyme in slouth, insolētie, and ryote without respect had to goddes honour or to the saluatiō of theyre brethrē: and other moste cruelly oppresse with proude Nīrod such as be subiect to them. But your pattern and example must be the practise of those, whome God hath approued by the testimonie of his worde as after shalbe declared.

Of the premisses it is euident that to lawfull powers is geuen the sworde for punyshement of malefactors, for maintenance of innocents, and for the profitt and vtilitie of theyr subiects. Now let vsus consider, whether the reformation of religion fallen in decay, and punyshement of false teachers do appertaine to the ciuile Magistrate and nobilitie of any realme. I am not ignorant that Satan of old tyme for mentainance of his darknes hath obtained of the blynd world two chefe points.what Satan hath obtained of the blind world. Former, he hath persuaded to Princes, rulers, and magistrates, that the feeding of Christes flock appertaineth nothing to theyre charge, but that it is reiected vponupon the Byshoppes, and estate ecclesiasticall: and secondarelie that the reformation of religion, be it neuer so corrupt and the punishement of such, as be sworne souldiers in theyre king dome, are exempted from all ciuile power and are reserued to them selues, and to theyre own cognition. But that no offender can iustly be exempted from punyshement, and that the ordering and reformation of religion with the instruction of subiects, doth especially appertaine to the ciuile Magistrate, shall goddes perfect ordenaunce, his plaine worde, and the factes and examples of those that of God are highly praised, moste euidently declare.

When God did establish his Law,The matters and reformatiō of religion appertaine to the care of the ciuile power Exod. 21. 24. 25, &c. statutes and ceremonies in the middest of Israel, he did not exempt the matters of religion from the power of Moses, but as he gaue hym charge ouer the ciuile politie, so he put in his mouth and in his hand: That is, he fyrst reuealed to hym, and thereafter commaunded to put in practise whatsoeuer was to be taught or done in matters of religiō. Nothing did God reueale particularely to Aaron, but altogither was he commaunded to depend from the mouth of Moses: Yea nothing was he permitted to do to hym self or to his children either in his or theyr inauguration and sanctification to the preesthode,Note. but all was committed to the care of Moses, and therefore were these wordes so frequētly repeted to Moses,

Thou shalt seperate Aaron and his sonnes from the middest of the people of Israel,Exod. 28. that they may execute the office of the Preesthode, thou shalt make vntounto them garments, thou shalt annoynte them, thou shalt wash thē, thou shalt fill theyr handes with the sacrifice.

And so furth of euerie rite and ceremonie, that was to be done vntounto thē, especiall commaundement was geuen vntounto Moses, that he should do it. Now if Aarō and his sonnes were so subiect to Moses, that they did nothing but at his commaundement, who dar be so bold as to affirme that the ciuile Magistrate hath nothing to do in matters of religiō? For seing that thē God did so straytly require, that euen those, who did beare the figure of Christ, should receaue from the ciuile power as it were theyre sanctification, and entrāce to theyr office, and seing also that Moses was so far preferred to Aaron, that the one commaunded and the other did obey, who dar esteme that the ciuile power is now becomed so prophane in Gods eyes, that it is sequestred from all intromission with the matters of religion. The holie ghost in diuers places declarethe the contrarie.

For one of the chefe praecepts commaunded to the king, when that he should be placed in his throne, was to write the example of the boke of the Lordes law, that it should be with hym, that he might read in it all the daies of his life, that he might learn to fear the Lord his God, and to kepe all the wordes of his law, and his statutes to do them. This praecept requireth not onlye, that the king should hym selfe fear God, kepe his Law, and statutes, but that also he as the chefe ruler, should prouide that goddes true religion should be kept inuiolated of the people and flock, which by God was committed to his charge. And this did not onlie Dauid and Salomon perfectly vnderstād, but also somme godlie kinges in Iuda after the apostasie and idolatrie,The factes of Godlie kings are an interpretation of the law and declaration of theyre power. that infected Israel by the meanes of Ieroboam, did practise theyre vnderstanding and execute theyre power in somme notable reformations. For Asa and Iosaphat kinges in Iuda, fynding the religion altogither corrupt, did applie theyre hearts (saieth the holie ghost) to serue the Lord, and to walk in his waies: and thereafter doth witnes that Asa remoued from honours his mother, somme say grādmother, because shee had committed and laboured to mentaine horrible idolatrie.2. Paral. 14. & 17. And Iosaphat did not only refuse strange goddes hym selfe, but also distroying the chefe monuments of idolatrie, did send furth the.Note. Leuites to instruct the people, whereof it is playne that the one and the other did vnderstand suche reformations to appertaine to theire dueties. But the factes of Ezechias, and of Iosias do more clerely proue the power and duetie of the ciuile Magistrate in the reformation of religion. Before the reign of Ezechias so corrupt was the religion that the dores of the house of the Lord were shut vpp,2. Paralip 29. the lampes were extinguished, no sacrifice was orderly made, but in the first yeare of his reigne the first monethmonth of the same, did the king open the dores of the temple, bring in the Preestes and Leuites and assembling them togither did speak vntounto them as folloeth.Aduert that the kinge taketh vponupon him to cō mand the preestes. Hear me o yce Leuites and be sanctified now, and sanctifie also the house of the Lord God of your fathers and carie furth from the sanctuarie all filthynes (he meaneth all monumēts and vesselles of idolatrie) for our fathers hauehave transgressed and hauehave committed wickednes in thee eyes of the eternall our God, they hauehave left hym and hauehave turned theyre faces from the tabernacle of the Lord▪ and therefore is the wrath of the Lord cōmed vponupon Iuda and Ierusalem. Behold our fathers hauehave fallen by the sworde, our sonnes, daughters ād wifes are led in captiuitie, but now hauehave I purposed in my heart to make a couenante with the Lord God of Israel, that he may turne the wrath of his furie from vsus. And therefore my sonnes (he swetely exhorteth) be not faint, for the Lord hath chosen you to stand in his presence and to serue hym. Such as be not more then blynd clerely may perceaue that the king dothe aknolledge, that it appertained to his charge to reforme the religion, to appoint the Leuites to theyre charges and to admonish thē of theyre duetie and office, which thing he more euidently declareth, writing his lettres to all Israel, to Ephrtaim, an Manasses, and sent the same by the handes of messingers hauing this tenour.

You sonnes of Israel return to the Lord God of Abraham Isaac,2. Pa. 30. ād Israel, and he shall return to the residue that resteth from the handes of Assur. Be not as your fathers and as your brethren were who hauehave trāsgressed against the Lord God of theyre fathers, who hath made them desolate as you see. Holde not your heart therefore, but giuegive your hand vntounto the Lord, return vntounto his sanctuarie, serue hym and he shall shew merciemercy vntounto you, to your sonnes, and doughters that be in bondage, for he is pitifull and easie to be intreated.

Thus far did Ezechias by lettres and messingers prouoke the people, declined from God to repentance, not only in Iuda, where he reigned laufull king,NOTE. but also in Israel, subiect then to an other king. And albeit that by somme wicked men his messingers were mocked, yet as they lacked not theyre iust punishmēt (for within sixe yeares after Samaria was destroyed and Israel led captiue by Salmanazar) so did not the zelous king Ezechias desist to prosecute his duetie in restoring the religion to Gods perfecte ordenance, remouing all abominations.

The same is to be red of Iosias, who did not only restore the religion, but did further distroy all monumentes of idolatrie,2. par. 34. which of lōg tyme had remained. For it is written of him, that after that the boke of the law was found, and that he had asked counsil at the prophetesse Hulda, he sente ād gathered all the elders of iuda and Ierusalem, and standing in the temple of the Lord he made a conuenant,2. Reg. 23. that all the people frō the great to the small should walk after the Lord, should obserue his law, statutes and testimonies with all theyre heart, and all theyre soule, and that they should ratifie and confirme,The king commaunded the preestes. what soeuer was written in the boke of God. He further cōmaunded Helkias the hic preest, and the preestes of the inferiour order, that they should carie furth of the temple of the Lord all the vessels, that were made to Baal, which he burnt and did carie theire pouder to Bethel. He did further distroy all monuments of idolatrie, yea euen those that had remained frō the dayes of Salomō. He did burn them, stampe them to powder, whereof one part he scattered in the broke Kidron and the other vponupon the sepulcres and graues of the idolaters, whose bones he did burn vpō the altars, where before they made sacrifice not only in Iuda, but also in Bethel, where Ieroboam had erected his idolatrie: yea he further proceded, and did kyll the preestes of the hie places, who were idolaters, and had deceaued the people: he did kyll them, I say, and did burn theyre bones vponupon theyre owne altars, and so returned to Ierusalem. This reformatiō made Iosias, and for the same obtained this testimonie of the holie Ghost, that neither before hym neither after hym was there any suche kīg, who returned to God with his hole soule, and with all his strengthe according to all the law of Moses.

Of which histories it is euident that the reformation of religion in all points, togither with the punishement of false teachers doth appertaine to the power of the ciuile Magistrate. For what God required of them, his iustice must require of others hauing the like charge and auctoritie: what he did approue in them, he can not but approue in all others, who with like zeale and synceritie do interprise to purge the Lordes temple and sanctuarie. what God required of them, it is before declared, to wit: that most diligently they should obserue his Law, statutes and ceremonies. And how acceptable were theyre factes to God, doth he him selfe witnesse. For to somme he gaue most notable victories without the hande of man,2. Par. 32. and in theyre most desperat daungers did declare his especiall fauours towerdes them by signes supernaturall: to other he so established the kingdome, that theyre ennemies were compelled to stoupe vnderunder theyre feete. And the names of all he hath regestred not only in the boke of life, but also in the blessed remembrance of all posterities sence theyre daies, which also shall continue till the commyng of the Lord Iesus, who shall rewarde with the crowne of immortalitie not only thē, but also such, as vnfaynedly studie to do the will and to promote the glorie of his heuenlie father in the middest of this corrupted generation. In cōsideration whereof ought you, my Lordes, all delay set apart, to prouide for the reformation of religion in your dominions and boundes, which now is so corrupt that no part of Christes institution remaineth in the original puritie, and therefore of necessitie it is, that spedely ye prouide for reformatione or els ye declare your selues, not only voyde of louelove to werdes your subiectes, but also to liue without care of your owne saluation, yea without all feare and true reuerence of God. Two thinges perchance may moue you to esteme these histories before briuely tuched to appertaine nothing to you. Fyrst because you are no Iewes but Gentiles: and secondarely because you are no kinges,The factes of the godlie kings in Iuda do appertain to the powers among the gentiles professing Christ but nobiles in your realm. But be not deceaued. For neither of both can excuse you in goddes presence from doing your duetie, for it is a thing more then certein, that whatso euer God required of the ciuile Magistrate in Israel or Iuda concernyng the obseruation of true religion during the tyme of the Law, the same doth he require of lawfull Magistrates professing Christ Iesus in the tyme of the Gospell, as the holie Ghost hath taught vsus by the mouth of Dauid, saying Psal. 2.

Be learned you that iudge the earth, kysse the sonne, lest that the Lord waxe angrie, ād that yee perish from the way.

This admonition did not extend to the iudges vnderunder the law only, but doth also include all such as be promoted to honours in the tyme of the Gospell, when Christ Iesus doth reigne ād feight in his spirituall kyngdome, whose ennemies in that psalme be fyrst most sharply taxed, theyr furie expressed, and vanitie mocked: & then are kings and iudges, who think them selues free from all law and obediē ce, commaunded to repent theyre former blynd rage, and iudges are charged to be learned: and last are all cōmaunded to serue the eternall in feare, to reioyce before hym in tremblyng, to kysse the sonne, that is, to geue vntounto hym most humble obedience, whereof it is euident that the rulers, Magistrats and iudges now in Christes kingdome are no lesse bound to obediēce vntounto God, thē were those vnderunder the Law. And how is it possible that any shall be obediēt, who dispise his religion, in which standeth the chefe glorie, that man can geue to God, and is a seruice, which God especially requireth of kings and rulers?Epist. 50. Which thing saint Augustine plainely did note, writing to one Bonifacius a man of warr, according to the same argument and purpose, which I labour to persuade your Honours. For after that he hath in that his epistle declared the difference betwixt the heresie of the Donatists and Arrians, and hath somwhat spoken of theyr crueltie, he sheweth the way how theyr furie should and oght to be repressed, and that it is lawfull for the iniustly afflicted to seke support and defence at godlie Magistrates. For thus he writeth:

Either must the veritie be kept close,Aduert. or els must theyr crueltie be susteaned.

But if the veritie should be concealed, not only should none be saued nor delyuered by suchsilēce, but also shoulde many be lost through theyr decept. But if by preaching of the veritie theyr furie should be prouoked more to rage, and by that meanes yet somme were delyuered, and made stronge, yet should feare hinder many weaklīgs to folowe the veritie, if theyr rage be not stayed. In these fyrst wordes Augustine sheweth three reasons, why the afflicted Church in those daies called for the help of the Emperour and of godlie Magistrates against the furie of the persecuters. The fyrst,

The veritie must be spoken orNote well. ells mankind shall perish in errour.

The second, the veritie being plainlie spoken prouoketh the aduersaries to rage. And because that sōme did alledge that rather we oght to suffer all iniurie, then to seke support by man, he addeth the third reason: to witt that many weakones be not able to suffer persecution and death for the truethes sake, to whome not the lesse respect oght to be had, that they may be won from errour and so be brought to grater strength.

O that the rulers of this age should ponder and wey the reasons of this godly writer, and prouid the remedie, which he requyreth in these wordes foloīg, Now when the Church was thus afflicted yf any think that rather they should hauehave sustayned all calamitie,Augustines words. then that the helpe of God should hauehave bene asked by Christian Emperours, he doth not well aduert, that of such negligence no good cōptes or reason could be geuen. For where such, as would that no iust lawes should be made against theyre impietie, alledge that the Apostles soght no such thīges of the kinges of the earth, they do not consider that then the tyme was other then it is now, and that all thinges are done in theyr owne tyme. What Emperour then beleued in Christ, that should serue hym in making lawes for godlines against impietie?

whill yet that saying of the ꝓphet was cō plete, why hath nations raged, and people hauehave imagined vanitie? The kinges of the earth hauehave stand vp, & princes hauehave conuented together against the Lord, and against his annoynted. That which is after said in the same psalme, was not yet comme to passe. And now vnderstand, o you kinges, be learned you that iudge the earth, serue the Lord▪ in fear, and reioyce to hym with tremlinge.Aduert the mynd of Augustine. How do kings serue the Lord in fear? but in punishing and by a godlie seueritie forbidding those thinges which are done against the commaundement of the Lord. For otherwise doth he serue in so far as he is man, other wise in so far as he is king.

In so far as he is man,In two sortes oght kinges to serue God he serueth hym by liuing faithfully, but because he is also king he serueth establishing lawes, that commaund the thinges that be iust, and that with a conuenient rigour forbyd thinges contrarie. As Ezechias serued distroying the groues, the temples of idols and the places, which were buylded against goddes commaundement. So serued also Iosias doing the same: so serued the king of Niniuites compelling the hole citie to mitigate the Lord: so serued Darius geuing in the power of Daniel the idol to be broken, and his ennemies to be cast to the lions: so serued Nabucadnezer, by a terrible law forbidding all, that were in his realme, to blaspheme God. Herein therefore do kinges serue the Lord in so far as they are kings, when they do those things to serue hym, which none except kings be able to do. He further procedeth and cōcludeth, that as, when wicked kings do reign, impietie can not be brideled by lawes, but rather is tyrannie exercised vnderunder the title of the same,O that the worlde should vnderstand. so is it a thing without all reason, that kinges professing the knolledge and honour of God, should not regard nor care, who did defend, nor who did oppugne the Church of God in theyr dominions. By these wordes of this aunciēt and godlie writer your Honours may perceaue, what I require of you, to wit, to represse the tyrannie of your Byshoppes, and to defend the innocents professing the trueth. He did require of the Emperour and kings of his daies professing Christ, and manifestly concludeth, that they can not serue Christ, except that so they do. Let not your Byshoppes thinke that Augustine speaketh for them, because he nameth the Church. Let them read and vnderstand, that Augustine writeth for that Church, which professeth the trueth and doth suffer persecution for the defēce of the same, which your byshoppes do not, but rather with the Donatistes and Arrians do cruelly persecute all such, as boldly speak Christes eternall veritie to manifest theyre impietie and abomination. But thus much we hauehave of Augustine, that it appertaineth to the obedience and seruice,NOTE. which kinges owe to God aswel now in the tyme of the Gospell, as before vnderunder the Law, to defende the afflicted for matters of religion, and to represse the furie of the persecuters by the rigour and seueritie of godlie lawes. For which cause no doubt doth EsaieEsaie 49. the prophete say, that kinges should be norishers to the Church of God, that they should abbase their heades, and louingly embrase the children of God. And thus I say your Honours may euidently see, that the same obedience doth God require of rulers and princes in the tyme of the Gospell, that he required in the tyme of the Law.An answer to the second obiection.

Yf you do think, that the reformation of religion and defence of the afflicted doth not appertaine to you, because you are no kings, but nobils ād estates of a real me, in two thinges you are deceaued: former, in that you do not aduert, that Dauid requireth aswell, that the princes and iudges of the earth be learned and that they serue and fear God, as that he requireth, 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 Dauid you are charged to be learned, to serue and fear God, which ye can not do, if you despise the reformation of his religion. And thys is your fyrst errour. The secōd is, that ye neither know your duetie, which ye owe to God, neither yet your auctoritie, which of hym ye hauehave receaued, yf ye for pleasure or fear of any earthlie man despise goddes true religion, and contēne your brethrē, that in his name cal for your support. Your dutie is to hear the voyce of the Eternal your God, and unfainedly to studie to folow his preceptes: who, as is before said, of especiall merciemercy hath promoted you to honours and dignitie. His chefe and principall precept is, that with reuerence ye receaue and embrace his onlie beloued sonne Iesus: that ye promote to the vttermost of your powers his true religion: ād that ye defend your brethren and subiectes, whome he hath putt vnderunder your charge ād care. Now if your king be a man ignorāt of God, ennemie to his true religion, blinded by superstition, and a persecuter of Christes membres, shall yee be excused, if with silence yee passe ouer his iniquitie? Be not deceaued my Lordes, ye are placed in auctoritie for an other purpose then to flatter your king in his folie and blind rage: to witt, that as with your bodies, strength, riches, and wisdome ye are bound to assist and defend him in all things, which by your aduise he shall take in hand for Gods glorie and for the preseruation of his commune wealth and subiectes, so by your grauities, counsil and admonition yee are bound to correct and represse whatsoeuer ye know him to attempt expressedly repugning to Goddes word, honour, and glorie, or what ye shall espie him to do, be it by ignorance or be it by malice, against his subiectes great, or small. Of which last part of your obediēce yf ye defraud your king, ye cōmit against him no lesse treason, then yf ye did extract frō him your due and ꝓmised support, what time by his ennemies iniustly he wer pursued. But this part of their duetie I fear do a small nomber of the nobilitie of this age rightly consider: neither yet will they vnderstand, that for that purpose hath God ꝓmoted them. For now the cōmune song of al men is, We must obey our kinges be they good, or be they bad, for God hath so cōmaunded. But horrible shall the vengeance be, that shalbe powred furth vponupon such blasphemers of God his holie name, and ordinaunce. For it is no lesse blasphemie to say, that God hath commaunded kinges to be obeyed, when they cōmaund impietie, then to say, that God by his precept is auctour ād mentainer of all iniquitie. True it is, God hath cōmaunded kinges to be obeyed, but like true it is, that in things, which they cōmit against his glorie, or when cruelly without cause they rage agaīst theire brethrē the members of Christes body, he hath cō maunded no obediēce, but rather he hath approued, yea and greatlie rewarded such as hauehave opponed them selues to theyre vngodly commaundementes and blind rage: as in the exampls of the three children, of Daniel, and Abdemelech it is euident. The three children wold nether bowe nor stoupe before the golden image at the cōmaundement of the great king Nabuchadnezar. Daniel did opēly pray, his windoes being open, against the established law of Darius and of his counsil: and Abdemelech feared not to enter in before the presence of Zedechias ād boldly to defēd the cause ād innocētie of Ieremie the prophet,Ieremie 38 whome the king and his counsil had cōdemned to deth. Euerie one of these factes should this day be iudged foolishe by such, as will not vnderstād what cōfession God doth require of his children, when his veritie is oppugned, or his glorie called in doubt: suche men, I say, as prefer man to God, and thinges present to the heauenlie inheritaunce, should hauehave iudged euerie one of these factes stubburn inobedience, foolishe presumption and singularitie, or elles bold cōtrolinge of the king and his wise counsil. But how acceptable in Gods presence was this resistance to the vngodlie commaundementes and determinations of theyr king the ēd did witnes. For the three children were deliuered from the fornace of fyer, and Daniel from the den of liōs to the confusion of their ennemies, to the better instruction of the ignorant kinges, and to the perpetuall comfort of goddes afflicted children. And Abdemelech in the day of the Lordes visitation, when the kinge and his counsil did drink the bitter cupp of goddes vengeance,Ierem. 39 did fynde his life for a praye, and did not fall in the edge of the sword, when manie thousandes did perishe. And this was signified vntounto him by the prophet him self at the cōmaundemēt of God before that Ierusalem was destroyed. The promesse and cause were recited vntounto him in these wordes, I will bring my wordes vponupon this citie vntounto euill and not vntounto good: but most assuredly I shal deliuer thee because thou hast trusted in me, sayeth the Lord. The trust ād hope, which Abdemelech had in God, made him bold to oppone him selfe, being but a man, to the king and to his hole coūsill, who had cōdemned to death the Prophet, whome his cōscience did acknolledge to be innocent. For this did he speak in the presence of the king sitting in the port of Beniamī: My Lord the kinge, saith Abdemelech, these men do wickedly in all thinges, that they hauehave done to Ieremie the Prophet. Aduert and take hede my Lordes, that the men, who had condemned the Prophet, were the king, his prīces, and counsill, and yet did one man accuse them all of iniquitie, ād did boldly speak in the defēse of hī of whose innocētie he was persuaded. And the same, I say, is the duetie of eueryevery man in his vocation, but chefely of the nobilitie, which is ioyned with theyr kinges to bridel and represse that folie and blind rage. Which thing if the nobilitie do not, neither yet labour to do, as they are traitours to their kings, so do they prouoke the wrath of God agaīst them selues and against the realme, in which they abuse the auctoritie, which they hauehave receaued of God to mentaine vertue and to represse vice. For hereof I would your Honours were most certainly persuaded, that God will neither excuse nobilitie nor people, but the nobilitie least of al, that obey ād folow theyr kinges in manifest iniquitie, but with the same vengeāce will God punishe the Prince, people, and nobilitie conspiring togither against him and his holie ordenances: as in the punishment taken vponupon Pharao, Israel, Iuda and Babylon is euidently to be sene. For Pharao was not drowned alone, but his captayns, charetes, and greate armie drank the same cup with him. The kinges of Israel, and Iuda were not punished whitout cōpagny, but with them were murthered the counsilers, theyre Princes imprisoned and theire people ledd captiue. And why? because none was found so faithful to God, that he durst enterprise to resist nor against and the manifest impietie of theyr Princes. And therefore was Gods wrath powred furth vponupon the one and the other. But the more ample discource of this argument I differ to better opportunitie: onelyonly at this tyme I thoght expediēt to admonysh you, that before God it shall not excuse you to alledge, We are no kinges and therefore neither can we reforme religion, nor yet defend such as be persecuted. Consider my Lordes that yee are powers ordened by God (as before is declared) ād therefore doth the reformation of religion, and the defense of such, as iniusty are oppressed, appertaine to your charge and care, which thinge shall the law of God, vniuersally geuen to be kept of all men, most euidently declare: which is my last and most assured reason,Deut. 12. why I say yee oght to remoue from honours and to punish with death such as God hath condemned by his owne mouth. After that Moses had declared what was true religiō, to wit, to honor God as he commaunded, adding nothing to his worde, neither yet diminishinge any thīg from it, and after also that vehemently he had exhorted the same law to be obserued, he denounceth the punishment against the trāsgressours in these wordes, Yf thy brother, sonne, doghter wife or neghbour, whome thou louest as thyne own life, solicitate thee secretly, saying, Let vsus go serue other goddes,Deut. 23. & 27. whome neither thou, nor thy fathers hauehave knowen, consent not to hym, hear hym not, let not thyne eye spare hym, shew hym no indulgentie or fauour, hide him not, but vtterly kill hym, let thy hād be the first vponupon hym, that he may be slaine, and after the hāde of the hole people. Of these wordes of Moses are-two things, apperteanīg to our purpose, to be noted. Former, that such, as solicitate only to idolatrie oght to be punished to death without fauour or respect of person.Idolatrie oght to be punished without respect of person. For he that will not suffer mā to spare his sōne, his daughter, nor his wife, but straitly commaundeth punishmēt to be taken vponupon the idolatours (hauehave they neuer so nie cōiunction with vsus) will not wink at the idolatrie of others, of what estate or condition so euer they be.

It is not vnknowen,If anie estate might hauehave claimed priuiledge, it was the prophetes. that the prophetes had reuelations of God, which were not commune to the people, as Samuel had the reuelation, that Eli and his posteritie should be destroyed, that Saul should first be king and thereafter that he should be reiected, that Dauid should reign for him. Micheas vnderstode by vision that Achab should be killed in battaile against the Sirians. Elias saw that dogges should eat Iesabel ī the fortres of Iesrael.1. Sam. 3. Eliaesus did see hunger come vponupon Israel by the space of seuen yeares.1. Sam. 9. 15. Ieremie did foresee the destruction of Ierusalem and the tyme of their captiuitie,1. Reg. 22 and so diuerse other prophetes had diuerse reuelations of God,1. Reg. 21. which the people did not otherwise vnderstād,2. Reg. 8. but by their affirmatiō, and therefore in those dayes were the prophetes named Seears, because that God did opē vntounto thē that, which was hid from the multitude. Now if anie man might hauehave claimed anie priuiledge from the rigour of the Law, or might hauehave iustified his fact, it should hauehave bene the Prophete. For he might hauehave alledged for hym selfe his singular prerogatiue, that he had aboue other men to hauehave goddes will reuealed vntounto hym by visiō or by dream, or that God had declared particularely vntounto hym, that his pleasure was to be honoured ī that maner, in such a place, ād by such meanes. But all such excuses doth God remoue, cōmaūdīg that the Prophete, that shall solicitate the people to serue strange goddes, shall die the death, notwithstanding that he alledge for hym selfe dream, vision, or reuelation. Yea althogh he promisse miracles, and also that such thinges as he promiseth come to passe, yet I say commaundeth God, that no credit be geuen to hym, but that he die the death, because he teacheth apostasie, ād defection frō God. Hereof your Honours may easely espie, that none prouoking the people to idolatrie oght to be exempted from the punishmēt of death. For if neither that inseparable cō iunction, which God hym selfe hath sanctified betwixt man and wife, neither that vnspeakable louelove grafted in nature, which is betwixt the father and the sonne, neither yet that reuerence, which goddes people oght to bear to the Prophetes, can excuse anie man to spare the offendour or to conceale his offense, what excuse can man pretend, which God will accept? Euident it is that no estate, condition nor honour can exempt the idolatour from the handes of God, when he shal call him to accomptes, or shall inflict punishment vpō him for his offence: how shall it then excuse the people, that they according to goddes cōmaundemēt punish not to death such, as shal solicitate or violētly draw the people to idolatrie? And this is the fyrst, which I would your Honours should note of the former wordes. To witt, that no person is exēpted frō punishmēt, if he can be manifestly cōuicted to hauehave prouoked or led the people to idolatrie: ād this is most euidently declared in that solemned othe and cōuenante, which Asa made with the people to serue God ād to mētaine his religiō, adding this penaltie to the trāsgressours of it: To wit, that whosoeuer should not seke the Lord God of Israel,2. Par. 15. should be kylled, were he greate or were he small, were it man or were it woman. And of this oth was the Lorde cōpleased, he was foūd of thē ād gaue thē rest on euerie parte, because they soght hī with their hole heart, ād did swear to punishe the offēders according to the precept of his Law without respect of persons. And this is it, which I say I would your Honours should note for the fyrst, that no idolatour can be exempted frō punishement by goddes Law. The seconde is, that the punishment of such crimes as are idolatrie, blasphemie, ād others, that tuche the maiestie of God, dothe not appertaine to kinges and chefe rulers only, but also to the hole bodie of that people, and to euerie membre of the same accordīg to the vocatiō of euerie mā, and according to that possibilitie and occasion, which God doth minister to reuenge the iniurie done against his glorie, what time that impietie is manifestly knowen. And that doth Moses more plainely speak in these wordes,

Yf in anie of thy cities,Deut. 13. saieth he, which the Lord thy God geueth vntounto the to dwell in them, thou shalt hear this brute, There are sō me men the sonnes of Belial passed furthe from thee, ād hauehave solicited the citizens of theyr cities by these wordes, Let vsus go ād serue strange goddes, which you hauehave not knowen, search and inquire diligently, and if it be true, that such abomination is done in the middest of thee, thou shalt vtterly stryke the inhabitants of that citie with the sworde, thou shalt destroy it and whatsoeuer is within it, thou shalt gather the spoile of it in the middest of the marketplace, thou shalt burne that citie with fier, and the spoile of it to the Lord thy God, that it may be a heap of stones for euer, neither shall it be any more buylded. Let nothing of that execration cleaue to thy hand, that the Lord may turne from the furie of his wrath, ād be moued to werdes thee with inward affection.

Plaine it is that Moses speaketh nor geueth not charge to kinges rulers and iudges only, but he commaūdeth the hole bodie of the people,why euerie man in Israel was bo…d to obey goddes co… maundement. yea and euerie membre of the same according to their possibilitie: and who darbe so impudent as to denie this to be most reasonable and iust?

For seing that God had delyuered the hole bodie from bondage, and to the hole multitude had geuen his law, and to the twelue tribes had he so distributed the inheritance of the land of Canaan, that no familie could complaine, that it was neglected. Was not the hole ād euerie membre addetted to cōfesse ād acknolledge the benefites of God? yea had it not bene the part of euerie man to hauehave studied to kepe the possession, which he had receaued? which thīg God did plainely ꝓnoūce they should not do,Deut. 28. and 30. except that in their heartes they did sanctifie the lord God, that they embrased, and inuiolably kept his religiō established: and finally except they did cutt oute iniquitie from amongest them, declaring them selues earnest ennemies to those abominations, which God declared hym selfe so vehemently to hate, that fyrst he commaunded the hole inhabitants of that countree to be distroyed and all monuments of their idolatrie to be broken doune,Deut. 7. and thereafter he also streatly commaūdeth, that a citie declininge to idolatrie should fall in the edge of the sworde, ād that the hole spoile of the same,Godds iudgements to the carnall man appear rigorous. should be burned, no portiō of it reserued. To the carnal man this may appeare a rigorous and seuere iudgement, yea it may rather seme to be pronounced in a rage, then in wisdome. For what citie was euer yet, in which to mannes iudgement were not to be found manie innocent persons, as infants, children, and somme simple and ignorāt soules, who neither did nor could consent to such impietie? And yet we fynd no exception, but all are appointed to the cruel death. And as concernyng the citie and the spoile of the same, mannes reason can not think, but that it might hauehave bene better bestowed, then to be consumed with fier, and so to profitt no man. But in such cases will God that all creatures stoupe, couer their faces, and desist from reasonyng, when commaundement is geuen to execute his iudgement. Albeit I could adduce diuerse causes of such seueritie, yet will I search none other then the holie Ghost hath assigned. Fyrst, that all Israel hearing the iudgement should fear to commit the like abomination: and secondarely, that the Lord might turn from the furie of his anger, might be moued towerds the people with inward affection, be mercifull vntounto them, and multiplie them according to his oth made vntounto theire fathers. Which reasons as they are sufficient in goddes children to correct the murmuring of the grudging fleshe, so oght they to prouoke euerie man, as before I hauehave said, to declare hym selfe ennemie to that, which so highly prouoketh the wrath of God against the hole people. For where Moses saieth,

Let the citie be burned, and let no part of the spoile cleaue to thy hand, that the Lord may return from the furie of his wrath, &c.

He plainely doth signifie,For the idolatrie of a smale number is goddes wrath kindled against the multitude not punishing the offēdours. that by the defection and idolatrie of a few goddes wrath is kyndled against the hole, which is neuer quenched till such punishement be taken vponupon the offenders: that what soeuer serued them in their idolatrie, be broght to destruction, because that it is execrable and accursed before God. And therefore he will not, that it be reserued for anie vse of his people. I am not ignorant that this law was not put in execution as God commaunded. But what did thereof insue and folow histories declare: to witt, plage after plage till Israel, and Iuda were led in captiuitie, as the bokes of kings do witnesse. The consideration whereof maketh me more bold to affirm, that it is the duetie of euerie man, that list to escape the plage and punishement of God, to declare hym selfe ennemie to idolatrie not only in heart, hating the same, but also in externall gesture, declaring that he lamenteth, yf he can do no more,EZech. 9. for such abominations. Which thing was shewed to the ꝓphete Ezechiel, what tyme he gaue hym to vnderstād, why he would destroy Iuda with Israel, ād that he would remoue his glorie from the temple and place, that he had chosen,Ezech. 8. and 9. ād so powerfurth his wrathe and indignation vponupon the citie, that was full of blood and apostasie, which became so impudent, that it durst be bold to say, the Lord hath left the earth, and seeth not. At this tyme, I say, the Lord reuealed in vision to his prophete, who they were, that should fynd fauour in that miserable destruction. To witt, those that did murne and lament for all the abominations done in the citie, in whose foreheades did God commaund to print and seal Tau, to the end that the destroyer, who was commaunded to stryke the rest without merciemercy, should not hurt them, in whome that signe was found. Of these premisses I suppose it be euident, that the punishment of idolatrie doth not appertaine to kinges only, but also to the hole people, yea to euerie membre of the same according to his possibilitie. For that is a thing most assured, that no man can murne, lament, and bewaile for those thinges, which he will not remoue to the vttermost of his power.NOTE. Yf this be required of the hole people, and of euerie man in his vocation, what shall be required of you, my Lordes, whome God hath raised vpp to be Princes and rulers aboue your brethren, whose handes he hath armed with the sword of his iustice? yea whome he hath appointed to be as bridels to represse the rage and insolencie of your kinges, when soeuer they pretend manifestly to transgresse goddes blessed ordenance? An answer to an obiection.Yf any think that this my affirmation, tuchinge the punishmēt of idolaters, be contrarie to the practise of the Apostles, who fynding the Gentiles in idolatrie did call them to repentance, requiring no such punishmēt, lett the same man vnderstand,why no law was executed against the Gentiles being Idolaters. that the Gentiles, before the preaching of Christ, liued, as the Apostle speaketh, without God in the world, drowned in idolatrie, according to the blindnes ād ignorāce, in which then they were holden as a prophane natiō, whome God had neuer opēly auowed to be his people, had neuer receaued ī his houshold, neither geuen vntounto them lawes to be kept in religion nor politie: and therefore did not his holie Ghost, calling them to repentance, require of them anie corporall punishment according to the rigour of the law, vntounto the which they were neuer subiects, as they that were strangers from the commune welth of Israel.Ephe. 2. But if anie think, that, after that the Gentiles were called from theyr vaine conuersation, and by embrasing Christ Iesus were receaued ī the nombre of Abrahams children, and so made one people with the Iewes beleuing, yf ani think, I say, that then they were not bounde to the same obedience, which God required of his people Israel, what tyme he confirmed his leage and conuenante with them, the same man appeareth to make Christ inferiour to Moses, and contrarious to the law of his heauenlie father. For if the contempt or transgression of Moses law was worthie of death, what should we iudge the contempt of Christes ordenance to be? (I mean after they be once receaued.) And if Christ be not commed to dissolue, but to fulfill the law of his heauenlie Father, shall the libertie of his Gospell be an occasion, that the especiall glorie of his Father be troden vnderunder foote and regarded of no man? God forbid. The especial glorie of God is,The especiall honour, which God requireth of his people. that such, as professe them to be his people, should harken to his voice, and amongest all the voices of God reuealed to the worlde, tuching punishement of vices, is none more euident neither more seuere, then is that, which is pronounced against idolatrie, the teachers and mentainers of the same.1. Sam. 15. And therefore I fear not to affirm, that the Gentiles (I mean euerie citie, realme, prouince, or nation amongest the Gentiles, embrasing Christ Iesus and his true religiō) be bound to the same leage and cōuenant, that God made with his people Israel, what tyme he promised to roote owt the nations before them in these wordes.

Beware that thou make anie cōuenante with the inhabitantes of the land,Exod. 34. to the which thou commest, leste perchāce that this comme in ruin, that is, be destruction to the: but thou shalt destroy theyr altars, break their idols and cutt doune their groues. Fear no strange goddes, worship them not, neither yet make you sacrifice to them. But the Lord, who in his great power, and owtstretched arme hath broght you owt of the land of Egypt, shall you fear, hym shall you honour, hym shall you worship, to hym shall you make sacrifice, his statutes, iudgements, Lawes, and commaundementes you shall kepe and obserue. This is the conuenante, which I hauehave made with you, saieth the Eternall, forget it not, neither yet fear ye other goddes: but fear you the Lord your God, and he shall deliuer you frō the hādes of all your ennemies.

To this same Law, I say, and cōuenante are the Gētiles no lesse bounde, then somtyme were the Iewes, when soeuer God doth illuminate the eyes of anie multitude, prouince, people or citie, and putteth the sworde in their own hand to remoue such enormities from amongest them, as before God they know to be abominable. Then, I say, are they no lesse boūd to purge theyr dominions,▪ cities and countries from idolatrie, then were the Israelites, what tyme they receaued the possession of the land of Canaan. And moreouer I say, if any go about to erect and set vp idolatrie or to teach defection from God, after that the veritie hath bene receaued and approued, that thē not only the Magistrates, to whome the sword is cōmittet, but also the people are boūd by that oth, which they hauehave made to God, to reuenge to the vttermost of their power the iniurie done against his Maiestie. In vniuersal defections, and in a general reuolt, such as was in Israel after Ieroboam, there is a diuerse consideration. For then because the hole people were togither cōspired agaīst God, there could none be foūd, that woulde execute the punishement, which God had cō maunded, till God raised vpp Iehu, whom he had appoīted for that purpose. And the same is to be cōsidered in all other general defectiōs, suche as this day be in the papistrie, where all are blinded, and all are declined from God and that of lōge cōtinuance, so that no ordinarie iustice cā be executed, but the punishmēt must be reserued to God ād vntounto such meanes, as he shall appoint. But I do speak of such a nōbre, as after they hauehave receaued goddes perfect religiō, do boldly professe the same, notwithstādīg that sōme or the most part fal back: (as of late daies was ī Englād) vntounto such a nōbre, I say, it is Laufull to punish the idolatours with death, if by anie meanes God geue them the power. For so did Iosua and Israel determine to hauehave done against the childrē of Rubē, Gad ād Manasses for their suspected apostasie ād defectiō from God. And the hole tribes did in verie dede execute that sharpe iudgemēt agaīst the tribe of Bēiamin for a lesse offēce then for idolatrie. And the same oght to be done whersoeuer Christ Iesus ād his Euāgill is so receaued ī any realme, ꝓuince, or citie, that the Magistrates ād people hauehave solemnely auowed ād promised to defēd the same, as vnderunder king Edward of late dayes was done in Englād. In such places, I say, it is not only lawful to punish to the death such, as labour to subuert the true religiō, but the magistrates ād people are boūd so to do, onles they wil prouoke the wrath of God agaīst thē selues. And therfor I fear not to affirm, that it had bene the duetie of the nobilitie, iudges, rulers, ād people of Englād not only to hauehave resisted and againstanded Marie that Iesabel, whome they call their quene, but also to hauehave punished her to the death with all the sort of her idolatrous Preestes, together with all such, as should hauehave assisted her, what tyme that shee and they openly began to suppresse Christes Euangil, to shedd the blood of the saīcts of God, ad to erect that most diuellish idolatrie, the papistical abominatiōs, ād his vsurped tyrannie, which ones most iustly by cōmune oth was banished from that realme. But becaus I cā not at this present discusse this argument, as it appertaineth, I am cōpelled to omitt it to better opportunitie, and so returning to your Honours, I say, that if ye confesse your selues baptised in the Lord Iesus, of necessitie ye must confesse, that the care of his religion doth appertaine to your charge. And if ye know that in your hādes God hath put the sworde for the causes aboue expressed, thē cā ye not denie, but that the punishement of obstinate and malepert idolatours (such as all your bishoppes be) doth appertaine to your office, yf after admonition they cōtinew obstinat. I am not ignorāt, what be the vaine defēses of your proude prelates. They claime first a prerogatiue and priuiledge, that they are exempted, and that by consent of Councils and Emperours from all iurisdiction of the temporaltie. And secōdarely, when they are cōuicted of manifest impieties, abuses, and enormities aswell in their maners as in religion, neither fear, nor shame they to affirme, that thinges so longe established can not suddenly be reformed, althogh they be corrupted, but with processe of tyme they promisse to take order. But in few wordes I answer, that no priuiledge, graunted against the ordenance and statutes of God, is to be obserued althogh all Councils and men in the earth hauehave appointed the same. But against goddes ordenance it is, that idolatours, murtherours, fals teachers, and blasphemers shall be exē pted from punishement, as before is declared, and therefore in vaine it is, that they claym for priuiledge, when that God sayeth: The murtherer shalt thou riue from my alter, that he may die the death. And as to the order and reformatiō, which they promisse, that is to be loked or hoped for, when Satan, whose children and slaues they are, can chāge his nature. This answer I doubt not shall suffice the sober ād godlie reader. But yet to the end that they may further see their own confusion, and that your Honours may better vnderstād, what ye oght to do in so manifest a corruption and defectiō from God, I aske of them selues, what assurance they hauehave for this their immunitie, exemption, or priuiledge? who is the auctour of it? and what frute it hath produced?God is not auctour of anie priuiledge graunted to papistical bishoppes, that they be exempted from the power of the ciuile sword. And fyrst I say that of God they hauehave no assurance, neither yet can he be proued to be auctour of anie suche priuiledge. But the contrarie is easie to be seen. For God in establishing his orders in Israel did so subiect Aaron (in his preesthode being the figure of Christ) to Moses, that he feared not to call him in iudgement, and to constrain hym to giuegive accomptes of his wicked dede in consenting to idolatrie, as the historie doth plainely witnesse. For thus it is written,

Then Moses toke the calf,Exod. 32. which they had made, and burned it with fier, and did grind it to powder, and scattering it in the water, gaue it to drink to the children of Israel▪ declaring herebie the vanitie of their idol and the abomination of the same, and thereafter Moses said to Aaron, what hath this people done to the, that thou shouldest bring vponupon it so great a syn?

Thus, I say, doth Moses call and accuse Aaron of the destruction of the hole people, and yet he perfectly vnderstode, that God had appointed hym to be the high Preest, that he should bear vponupon his shoulders ād vpō his breast the names of the 12. tribes of Israel, for whome he was appointed to make sacrifice, praiers, ād supplications. He knew his dignitie was so great,The dignitie of Aarō did not exempt him from iudgemēt. that only he might entre within the most holie place: but neither could his office nor dignitie exempt hym from iudgemēt, when he had offended. Yf any obiect, Aaron at that tyme was not anointed ād therefore was he subiect to Moses, I hauehave answered, that Moses, being taught by the mouth of God, did perfectly vnderstād, to what dignitie Aarō was appointed, and yet he feared not to call hym in iudgement, and to cōpell hym to make answer for his wicked fact. But if this answer doth not suffice, yet shall the holie Ghost witnesse further in the matter. Salomō remoued from honour Abiathar being the high preeste, and cōmaunded him to cease from all function, and to liue as a priuate man. Now if the vnction did exempt the preest from Iurisdiction of the ciuile Magistrate, Salomon did offend, and iniured Abiathar. For he was anoynted, and had caried the ark before Dauid. But God doth not reproue the fact of Salomon, neither yet doth Abiathar claime anie prerogatiue by the reason of his office, but rather doth the holie Ghost approue the fact of Salomon, sayinge,

Salomō eiected furth Abiathar,1. Regū 2. that he should not be the Preest of the Lord,1 Sam. 3. that the word of the Lord might be perfurmed, which he spake vponupon the house of Eli.

And Abiathar did think that he obtained great fauour, in that he did escape the present death, which by his conspiracie he had deserued. Yf anie yet reason, that Abiathar was no otherwise subiect to the iudgement of the king, but as he was appointed to be the executour of that sentence, which God before had pronounced,Note well. as I will not greatly denie that reason, so require I that euerie man consider, that the same God, who pronounced sentence against Eli, and his house, hath pronounced also, that idolaters,Gal. 4. hooremongers, murtherers,1. Tim. 3. and blasphemers shall neither hauehave portion in the kingdome of God, neither oght to be permitted to bear anie rule in his Church and congregation. Now if the vnction and office saued not Abiathar, because that goddes sentence must nedes be perfurmed, can anie priuiledge graunted by man be a buckler to malefactours, that they shall not be subiect to the punishmentes pronounced by God? I think no man will be so foolishe as so to affirm. For a thing more then euident it is, that the hole preesthode in the tyme of the Law was bound to giuegive obedience to the ciuile powers. And if anie membre of the same was foūde criminal, the same was subiect to the punishement of the sworde, which God had put in the hand of the Magistrate. And this ordenance of his father did not Christ disanul,Mat. 17. but rather did cōfirme the same, cōmaunding tribute to be payed for hym selfe and for Peter. Who perfectly knowing the mynd of his maister, thus writeth in his epistle,

Submit your selues to all maner ordenance of man,1. Pet. 2. (he excepteth such as be expressely repugnyng to goddes commaundement) for the Lordes sake,Act. 4. and 5. whether it be to king as to the chefe head, or vntounto rulers as vntounto them, that are sent by hym for punishement of euill doers, and for the praise of them, that do well.

The same doth the apostle saint Paule most plainely commaund in these wordes,

Let euerie soule be subiect to the superiour powers.Rom. 13.

Which places make euident that neither Christ neither his Apostles hath geuen any assurāce of this immunitie ād priuiledge, which men of Church (as they wil be termed) do this day claime. Yea it was a thing vnknowen to the primitiue Churche many yeares after the daies of the Apostles. For Chrysostome,Chrysostome vpō the 13. to the Rom. who serued in the Churche at Constantinople foure hundreth years after Christes ascension, and after that corruptiō was greatlie increased, doth yet thus write vponupon the forsayd wordes of the Apostle,

This precept,Let Papistes answer Chrysostome. saieth he, doth not appertaine to such as be called seculars onlie, but euē to those, that be Preestes and religious men.

And after he addeth: Whether thou be Apostle, Euangelist, Prophete, or whosoeuer thou be, thou cāst not be exempted from this subiection.

Hereof it is playn that Chrysostome did not vnderstand that God had exēpted any person from obedience and subiectiō of the ciuile power, neither yet that he was auctour of such exemptiō and priuiledge, as Papistes do this day claime. And the same was the iudgemēt and vniforme doctrine of the primatiue Church many yeares after Christe. Your Honours do wōder, I doubt not, frō what fōtaine then did this theyr immunitie, as they terme it, ād singular priuiledge sprīg. I shall shortly tuch that, which is euident in their own law and histories. When the Byshoppes of Rome, the verie Antichrists had partly by fraud, and partly by violence vsurped the superioritie of some places in Italie, and most iniustly had spoiled the Emperours of their rētes and possessiōs,Lett theyr owne histories witnesse. and had also murthered somme of their officers, as histories do witnesse, the began Pope after Pope to practise and deuise, how they should be exempted from iudgement of Princes and from the equitie of lawes, and in this poynt they were most vigilant, till at length iniquitie did so preuaile in theyr handes, according as Daniel had before prophesied of them, that this sentence was pronounced,

Neither by the Emperour,The mouthe of the beast speakinge great thinges. neither by the clergie, neither yet by the people shall the iudge be iudged. God will, saieth Symmachus, that the causes of others be determined by men,Distin. 9. quest. 3. but without all question he hath reserued the Byshop of this seat, vnderstanding Rome,Theyre lawes do witnesse. to his own iudgement.

And here of diuerse Popes, and expositours of their lawes would seme to geue reasons. For saieth Agatho,Dist. 19.

All the preceptes of the apostolik seat are assured, as by the voice of God him self.

The auctour of the glose vpō their canon affirmeth, that if all the world should pronounce sentence against the Pope, yet should his sentēce preuaile. For saieth he,Cap. de translatione titul. 7.

The Pope hath a heauēlie will, ād therefore he may chaūge the nature of thinges, he may apply the substāce of one thing to an other, and of nothing he may make somwhat, and that sentēce, which was nothing (that is) by his mynd fals and iniuste, he may make somewhat that is true ād iust. For, saieth he, in all thinges, that please hym, his will is for reason. Neither is there any man, that may aske of hym, why doest thou so. For he may dispens aboue the Law, and of iniustice he may make iustice. For he hath the fulnes of all power.

And manie other most blasphemous sētēces did they pronoūce eueryevery one after other, which for shortnessake I omitt, till at the end they obtained this most horrible decrie: that albeit in life and conuersation they were so wicked,Distinct. 40. and detestable, that not only they cōdemned them selues, but that also they drew to hell and perdition manie thousandes with them,Note the equitie of this commaundement. yet that none should presume to reprehēd or rebuke thē. This being established for the head (albeit not without somme contradiction, for somme Emperours did require due obedience of them, as goddes word commaunded, and aunciēt Byshoppes had geuen before to Emperours, and to their lawes, but Satan so preuailed in his suete before the blynd world, that the former sentences were confirmed, which power being graunted to the head) then began prouision to be made for the rest of the membres in all realmes and contries, where they made residence. The frute whereof we see to be this, that none of that pestilent generation (I mean the vermine of the Papistical order) will be subiect to anie ciuile Magistrate, how enormious that euer his crime be, but will be reserued to their own ordenarie, as they terme it. And what frutes hauehave hereof ensued, be the world neuer so blynd, it can not but witnesse. For how their head that Romane Antichrist hath bene occupied euer sēce the graūting of such priuiledges, histories do witnesse, and of late the most part of Europa subiect to the plage of God, to fier and sworde, by his procurement hath felt and this day doth fele. The pride, ambition, enuie, excesse, fraude, spoile, oppression, murther, filthie life, and incest, that is vsed and mentained amongest that rabble of Preestes, freers, monkes, channons, byshoppes and Cardinalles, can not be expressed. I fear not to affirme, neither doubt I to proue, that the papisticall Church is further degenerate from the puretie of Christes doctrine,The matter is more then euident. from the footesteppes of the Apostles and from the maners of the primatiue Church, thē was the Church of the Iewes from goddes holie statutes, what time it did crucifie Christ Iesus the onlie Messias, and most cruelly persecute his Apostles. And yet will our Papistes claime theyr priuiledges and auncient liberties, which if you graunt vntounto thē, my Lords, ye shall assuredly drink the cupp of goddes vengeance with them,whosoeuer mētaineth the priuiledges of Papists, shall drīk the cupp of gods vē geance with them and shalbe reputed before his presence compagnions of theues and mētainers of murtherers, as is before declared. For theyr immunitie ād priuiledge, whereof so greatly they bost, is nothing els, but as if theues, murtherers or briggandes should conspire amongest them selues, that they would neuer answer in iudgement before anie laufull Magistrate, to the end that their theft and murther should not be punished, euen such I say is their wicked priuiledge, which neither they hauehave of God the father, neither of Christ Iesus, who hathe reuealed his fathers will to the world, neither yet of the Apostles nor primatiue Churche, as before is declared. But it is a thinge conspired amongest them selues, to the end that their iniquitie, detestable life, and tyrannie shall neither be repressed nor reformed. And if they obiect, that godlie Emperours did graunt and confirme the same, I answer that the godlines of no man is, or can be of sufficient auctoritie to iustifie a foolishe and vngodlie fact, such I mean, as God hath not alowed by his worde. For Abraham was a godlie man, but the deniall of his wife was such a fact, as no godlie man oght to imitate. The same might I shew of Dauid, Ezechias and Iosias, vntounto whom I think no man of iudgement will prefer anie Emperour sence Christ, in holines ād wisdome, and yet are not all theyr factes, no euen such, as they appeared to hauehave done for good causes, to be approued nor folowed. And therefore, I say, as errour and ignorance remayn all waies with the most perfect man in this life, so must their workes be examined by an other rule, thē by their own holines, if they shall be approued. But if this answer doth not suffice, then will I answer more shortly, that no godlie Emperour sence Christes ascensiō hath graunted anie such priuiledge to anie such Churche or person, as they (the hole generatiō of Papistes) be at this day. I am not ignorāt, that sōme Emperours of a certaine zeale and for sōme cōsideratiōs graunted liberties to the true Church afflicted for theyr mentainance against tyrants, but what serueth this for the defence of theyr tyrannie? Yf the law must be vnderstāded accordīg to the mynd of the lawgeuer, then must they fyrst proue thē selues Christes true ād 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, neither yet the longe possession of the name, that can preuaile in this so weghtie a cause. For all those had the Churche of Ierusalem, which did crucifie Christ, and did condemne his doctrine. We offer to proue by theyr frutes and tyrannie, by the Prophetes, and playn scriptures of God, what trees and generation they be, to witt vnfrutefull and rotten, apt for nothing, but to be cutt and cast in hell fier, yea that they are the very kingdome of Antichrist, of whome we are cōmaunded to beware. And therefore, my Lordes, to return to you, seing that God hath armed your handes with the sworde of iustice, seing that his Law most streatly commaundeth idolaters and fals prophetes to be punisshed with death, and that you be placed aboue your subiects to reigne as fathers ouer theyr children: and further seing that not only I, but with me manie thousand famous, godlie and learned persons, accuse your Byshoppes ād the hole rabble of the Papistical clergie of idolatrie, of murther and of blasphemie against God committed: it appertaineth to your Honours to be vigilant and carefull in so weghtie a matter? The question is not of earthly substāce, but of the glorie of God, and of the saluation of your selues, and of your brethren subiect to your charge, in which if you after this playne admonitiō be negligent, there resteth no excuse by reason of ignorance. For in the name of God I require of you, that the cause of religiō may be tried in your presēce by the playne ād simple worde of God: that your Byshoppes be compelled to desist from theyr tyrannie: that they be compelled to make answer for the neglecting of their office, for the substāce of the poore, which vniustly they vsurpe and prodigally they do spend, but principally for the fals and deceauable doctrine, which is taught and defended by theyr fals prophetes, flattering freers, and other such venemous locustes. Which thing if with single eyes ye do (preferring goddes glorie and the saluation of your brethren to all worldlie commoditie) then shall the same God, who solemnely doth pronounce to honour those, that do honour hym, power his benedictions plentifully vponupon you, he shall be your buckler, protection and captayne, and shall represse by his strength and wisdome, whatsoeuer Satan by his suppostes shall imagine against you. I am not ignorant, that great troubles shall ensue your enterprise. For Satan will not be expelled from the possession of his vsurped kingdome without resistance. But if you, as is said, preferring goddes glorie to your own liues, vnfeanedly seke and studie to obey his blessed will, then shall your deliuerance be such, as euidently it shall be knowen, that the angels of the eternall do watche, make warr, and feght for those, that vnfeynedly fear the Lorde. But if you refuse this my most reasonable and iust petition, what defēce that euer you appeare to hauehave before men, then shall God (whome in me you contemne) refuse you. He shall pourefurthe contempt vponupon you,Deu. 28. and vponupon your posteritie after you.Leuit. 26. The spirit of boldnes and wisdome shall be taken from you, your ennemies shall reign, and you shall die in bondage, yea God shall cutt doune the vnfrutefull trees, when they do appeare most beautifully to florish,Esa. 27. & 30. and shall so burn the roote, that after of you shall neither twigge, nor branch againe spring to glorie. Hereof I nede not to adduce vntounto you examples from the former ages, and auncient histories. For your brethren the nobilitie of England are a mirrour and glasse, in the which ye may beholde goddes iust punishment. For as they hauehave refused him, and his Euāgil, which ones in mouth they did professe, so hath he refused them, and hath taken from them the spirit of wisdome, boldenes, and of counsil. They see and fele theyr owne miserie, and yet they hauehave no grace to auoid it. They hate the bondage of strangers, the pride of preestes, and the mōstriferous empire of a wicked womā, and yet are they cōpelled to bowe their neckes to the yock of the Deuill, to obey what soeuer the proude Spaniards, and wicked Iesabel list to commaund, and finally to stand like slaues with capp in hand till the seruantes of Satan the shauen sort call them to counsil. This frute do they reape ād gather of their former rebellion, and vnfaithfulnes towardes God. They are left cōfused in their owne counsils. He, whome in his mēbres for the pleasure of a wicked woman they hauehave exiled, persecuted ād blasphemed, doth now laugh them to skorn, suffereth thē to be pyned in bondage of most wicked men, ād finally shall adiudge thē to the fier euerlastīg, except that spedely, ād opēly they repēt theyr horrible treasō, which against God, agaīst his sonne Christ Iesus, and against the libertie of their owne natiue realme they hauehave cōmitted. The same plages shall fall vponupon you, be you assured, if ye refuse the defence of his seruantes, that call for your support. My words are sharpe, but cōsider, my Lords, that they are not mine, but that they are the threatnynges of the omnipotent, who assuredly will perfurme the voices of his Prophetes, how that euer carnall men despise his admonitions.Lett Englād and Scotland both aduert. The sworde of Goddes wrath is alredie drawē, which of necessitie must nedes stryke, when grace offred is obstinatly refused. You hauehave bene long in bondage of the Deuil, blyndnes, errour and idolatrie, preuailing against the simple trueth of God in that your realme, in which God hath made you princes and rulers. But now doth God of his great merciemercy call you to repentance, before he power furth the vttermost of his vengeance:God calleth to repentance before he strike in his hote displeasure. he crieth to your eares, that your religiō is nothing but idolatrie. he accuseth you of the blood of his saincts, which hath bene shed by your permission, assistance, and powers. For the tyrannie of those raging beastes should hauehave no force, if by your strength they were not mentained.Papistes had no force, yf Princes did not mentain them. Of those horrible crimes doth now God accuse you, not of purpose to condemne you, but mercifully to absolue, and pardō you, as somtyme he did those, whom Peter accused to hauehave killed the sonne of God,Act. 2. so that ye be not of mind nor purpose to iustifie your former iniquitie.

Iniquitie I call not only the crimes and offenses, which hauehave bene and yet remaine in your maners and liues, but that also, which appeareth before men most holie, with hassard of my life I offre to proue abomination before God:No true seruant of God may communicate with the papistical religion. that is, your hole religion to be so corrupt and vaine, that no true seruante of God can communicate with it, because that in so doing he should manifestly denie Christ Iesus and his eternal veritie. I know that your byshoppes accompained with the swarme of the papistical vermine shal crie, A damned heretik oght not to be hard.An answer to the old obiection, that an heretik oght not to be hard. But remembre, my Lords, what in the beginning I hauehave protested, vpō which groūnd I cōtinually stād, to witt, that I am no heretike nor deceauable teacher, but the seruante of Christ Iesus, a preacher of his īfallible veritie, innocent in all that they can lay to my charge cōcerning my doctrine, and that therefore by them, being ennemies to Christ, I am iniustly damned. From which cruell sentence I hauehave appealed and do appeal, as before mention is made: in the mean tyme most hūbly requiring your Honours to take me in your protection, to be auditours of my iust defēses, graūting vntounto me the same libertie, which Achab a wicked king and Israel at that tyme a blynded people, grāted to Helias in the like case. That is, that your byshoppes, and the hole rabble of your clergie may be called before you and before that people,1. Reg. 18. whome they hauehave deceaued: that I be not condemned by multitude, by custome, by auctoritie or law diuised by man, but that God hym self may be iudge betwixt me and my aduersaries. Let God, I say, speak by his law, by his prophetes, by Christ Iesus or by his Apostles, and so let hym pronounce, what religion he approueth, and then be my ennemies neuer so manie, and appeare they neuer so stronge and so learned, no more do I feare victorie, then did Helias, being but one man against the multitude of Baales preestes. And if they think to hauehave aduantage by theyre councils and doctours,Tuching councils and doctours. this I further offer, to admitt the one and the other, as witnesses in all matters debateable, three thinges (which iustly can not be denied) being granted vntounto me. First, that the most auncient Councils nighest to the primitiue Church, in which the learned and godlie fathers did examine all matters by goddes word, may be holden of most auctoritie. Secondarely, that no determination of Councils nor man be admitted against the plaine veritie of goddes word, nor against the determination of those foure chefe Councils, whose auctoritie hath bene and is holden by them equal with the auctoritie of the foure Euangelistes. And last, that to no doctour be geuen greater auctoritie, then Augustine requireth to be geuen to his writinges:In prologo Retract. to witt, if he plainely proue not his affirmation by Gods infallible worde, that then his sentence be reiected and imputed to the errour of a mā. These thinges graunted and admitted, I shall no more refuse the testimonies of Councils and doctours, then shall my aduersaries. But and if they will iustifie those Councils, which mentaine theyr pride, ād vsurped auctoritie, and will reiect those, which plainly hauehave condemned all such tyrannie, negligence, and wicked life, as byshoppes now do vse: and if further they will snatche a doubtfull sentence of a doctour, and refuse his mynd, when he speaketh plainly, then will I say, that all man is a lyer, that credit oght not to be geuen to an vnconstant witnes, and that no Coūcils oght to preuaile, nor be admitted against the sentence, which God hath pronounced. And thus, my Lordes, in few wordes to cōclude I hauehave offred vntounto you a triall of mie innocencie: I hauehave declared vntounto you, what God requireth of you, being placed aboue his people, as rulers and princes: I hauehave offred vntounto you, and to the inhabitātes of the realme, the veritie of Christ Iesus, and with the hasard of my life I presently offer to proue the religion, which amongest you is mentained by fier and sworde, to be fals, dānable and diabolicall. Which thinges if ye refuse, defending tyrantes in their tyrānie, then dar I not flatter, but as it was commaunded to Ezechiel boldly to proclaime,Eze. 33. so must I crie to you, that you shall perishe in your iniquitie, that the Lord Iesus shall refuse so manie of you, as maliciously withstand his eternall veritie, and in the day of his apparition,Mat. 24 & 26. when all flesh shall appear before hym, that he shall repell you from his compagnie and shall commaund you to the fier, whiche neuer shalbe quēched,Dani. 12 and then neither shall the multitude be able to resist,Mat. 25. neither yet the counsils of man be able to preuaile against that sentence, which he shall pronounce.

God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ by the power of his holie spirit so rule and dispose your hearts, that with simplicitie ye may cōsider the thinges, that be offred, ād that ye may take such order in the same, as God in you may be glorified, and Christes flock by you may be edified and comforted to the praise ād glorie of our Lord Iesus Christ, whose omnipotent spirit rule your hearts in his true feare to the end.

Amen.

Appellation from the Cruel and Unjust Sentence Against Him, Part 1

p. 2TO THE NOBILITIE AND ESTAtes of Scotlād Iohn Knoxe wisheth grace, merciemercy, and peace from God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the spirit of righteous iudgement.

TO THE NOBILITIE AND ESTAtes of Scotlād Iohn Knoxe wisheth grace, merciemercy, and peace from God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ with the spirit of righteous iudgement.