Appellation from the Cruel and Unjust Sentence Against Him, Part 2
TO HIS BELOVED BRETHREN THE communaltie of Scotland Iohn Knoxe wisheth grace, merciemercy and peace with the spirit of righteous iudgement.
VVhat I hauehave required of the Quene Regēt, estates ād nobilitie as of the chife heades (for this present) of the realme, I can not cease to require of you dearli beloued Brethrē, which be the cōmunaltie and bodie of the same. To wit, that it (notwithstanding that fals and cruel sentence, which your disgised byshoppes hauehave pronounced against me) would please you to be so fauorable vntounto me, as to be indifferēt auditours of my iust purgation. Which to do if God earnestly moue your heartes, as I nothīg doubt, but that your entreprise shall redounde to the praise of his holie name, so am I assured, that ye and your posteritie shall by that meanes receaue most singular comfort, edificatiō, ād profit. For when ye shall heare the matter debated, ye shall easelie perceaue and vnderstand, vponupon what grounde ād foundation is builded that religion, which amongest you is this day defended by fier and sword. As for my own conscience I am most assuredly persuaded, that, what soeuer is vsed in the papistical Churche is al togither repugning to Christes blessed ordināce, and is nothing but mortal venem, of which whosoeuer drinketh, I am assuredly persuaded, that therewith he drīketh death and damnation, except by true conuersion vntounto God he be purged from the same. But because that long silence of goddes worde hath begotten ignorance almost in al sortes of men, and ignorance, ioyned with long custome, hath cōfirmed superstition in the heartes of many, I therefore in the name of the Lord Iesus desire audience aswell of you the communaltie, my Brethrē, as of the estates and nobilitie of the realme,Petition. that in publike preaching I may hauehave place amongest you at large to vtter my mind in all matters of cōtrouersie this day in religion. And further I desire, that ye cō curring with your nobilitie would compell your byshoppes and clergie to cease their tyrannie, and also that, for the better assurance and instruction of your consciēce, ye would compell your said bishoppes and fals teachers to answer by the scriptures of God to such obiectiōs ād crimes, as shalbe laid against their vaine religion, fals doctrine, wicked life, and sclanderous conuersation. Here I know, that it shalbe obiected, that I require of you a thing most vnreasonable. To witt, that ye should call your religion in doubt, which hath bene approued and established by so long continuance, and by the consent of so manie men before you.Answer to an obiection. But I shortly answer, that neither is the lōg processe of tyme, neither yet the multitude of men a sufficiēt approbation,Lactanti. which God will alow for our religiō.Firmian. For as somme of the most aunncient writers do witnesse,Tertuliā. neither can long processe of tyme iustifie an errour,Cyprian. neither can the multitude of such, as folow it, chaūg the nature of the same. But if it was an errour in the begynnyng, so is it in the end, and the longer that it be folowed, and the mo that do receaue it, it is the more pestilent, and more to be auoided. For if antiquitie or multitude of mē could iustifie any religion, then was the idolatrie of the Gentiles, and now is the abomination of the Turkes good religiō. For antiquitie approued the one, and a multitude hath receaued and doth defende the other. But otherwise to answer, godlie men may wonder, from what fontaine such a sentēce doth flow, that no man oght to trie his faith and religion by goddes worde, but that he safely may beleue and folow euerie thing, which antiquitie and a multitude hauehave approued. The spirit of God doth otherwise teach vsus.Iohn 5. & 7. For the wisdone of God Christ Iesus hym selfe remitted his aduersaries to Moses, and the scriptures, to trie by them, whether his doctrine was of God or not. The Apostles Paule and Peter commaunde men to trie the religion,Actes 17. which they professe, by goddes plaine scriptures,2. Pet. 1. and do praise men for so doing.1. Iohn 4. S. Iohn straytly commaundeth, that we beleue not euerie spirit, but willeth vsus to trie the spirits, whether they be of God or not. Now seyng that these euident testimonies of the holie Ghoste will vsus to trie our faith and religion by the plaine worde of God, wonder it is, that the papistes will not be content, that theyr religion and doctrine comme vnderunder the triall of the same. If this sentēce of Christ be true (as it is most true, seing it springeth from the veritie it self) who so euill doeth, hateth the light,Iohn 3. neither will he cōme to the light lest that his euill workes be manifested and rebuked, then do our papistes by their own sentence condemne them selues and theyr religion. For in so far as they refuse examination and trial, they declare, that they know somme fault, which the light will vtter: which is a cause of theyr feare▪ ād why they claime to that priuiledge, that no man dispute of theyr religion. The veritie and trueth, being of the nature of fyne purified gold,why Papistes will not dispute of the ground of theyr religion. doth not fear the trial of the fornace, but the stuble and chaf of mannes inuentions (such is theyr religion) may not abyde the flame of the fier. True it is, that Mahomet pronounced this sentence, that no man should in paine of death dispute or reason of the grounde of his religion.Mahomet and the Pope do agree. Which law to this day by the art of Satā is yet obserued amōgest the Turkes to theyr mortal blindnes and horrible blasphemyng of Christ Iesus, and of his true religion. And from Mahomet (or rather from Satan father of all lies) hath the Pope and his rabble learned this former lesson. To witt, that theyr religion should not be disputed vponupon, but what the fathers hauehave beleued, that oght and must the childrē approue. And in so diuising Satan lacked not his foresight. For no one thing hath more established the kingdome of that Romane Antichrist, then this most wicked decrie. To witt, that no man was permitted to reason of his power, or to call his lawes in doubt. This thing is most assured, that whensoeuer the papisticall religion shall comme to examination, it shalbe founde to hauehave no other grounde, then hath the religion of Mahomet. To witt mannes inuention, deuise and dreames ouershadowed with somme colour of goddes worde. And therefore Brethren seing that the religion is, as the stomake to the bodie, which, if it be corrupted, doth infect the hole membres, it is necessarie that the same be examined, and if it be founde replenished with pestilent humors (I mean with the fantasies of men) then of necessitie it is, that those be purged, els shal your bodies and soules perishe for euer.NOTE. For of this I would ye were most certaīly persuaded, that a corrupt religion defileth the hole life of man, appear it neuer so holie.Reformation of religion belongeth to all, that hope for life euerlastinge. Neither would I that ye should esteme the reformation and care of religion lesse to appertaī to you, because ye are no kinges, rulers, iudges, nobils, nor in auctoritie. Beloued Brethren, ye are goddes creatures, created and formed to his own image and similitude, for whose redemption was shed the most pretious blood of the onlie beloued sonne of God, to whome he hath commaunded his Ghospell and gladtidinges to be preached, ād for whome he hath prepared the heauenlie inheritance, so that ye will not obstinately refuse, and disdainefully cōtemne the meanes, which he hath appointed to obtaine the same: to witt, his blessed Euangile, which now he offereth vntounto you, to the end that ye may be saued. For the Ghospell and gladtidinges of the kīgdome truelie preached is the power of God to the saluation of euerie beleuer,Rom. 1. which to credit and receaue you the communaltie are no lesse addetted, then be your rulers and princes.The subiect is no lesse boūd to beleue in Christ, then is the kinge. For albeit God hath put and ordened distinction ād differēce betwixt the king and subiectes, betwixt the rulers and the commune people in the regiment and administration of ciuile policies, yet in the hope of the life to comme he hath made all equall. For as in Christ Iesus the Iew hath no greater prerogatiue,Galat. 3. then hath the Gentile, the man, then hath the woman, the learned, then the vnlearned, the Lord, then the seruante, but all are one in him, so is there but one way and meanes to attaine to the participation of his benefites and spirituall graces, which is a liuelie faith wurking by charitie. And therefore I say that it doth no lesse appertaine to you, beloued Brethren, to be assured that your faith and religion be grounded and established vponupon the true and vndoubted worde of God, then to your princes, or rulers. For as your bodies can not escape corporal death, if with your princes ye eat or drink deadlie poison (althoghe it be by ignorance or negligence) so shall ye not escape the death euerlasting, if with them ye professe a corrupt religion. Yea except in heart ye beleue, and with mouth ye confesse the Lord Iesus to be the onlie Saluiour of the world (which ye can not do, except ye embrace his Euangile offered) ye can not escape death and damnatiō.Abac. 2. For as the iust liueth by his own faith,Marc. 16. so doth the vnfaithfull perishe by his infidelitie.Iohn. 3. And as true faith is engendred, norished, and mentained in the heartes of goddes elect by Christes Euāgile truelie preached, so is infidelitie and vnbelefe fostered by concealing and repressing the same. And thus if ye loke for the life euerlasting, ye must trie if ye stand in faith, and if ye would be assured of a true ād liuelie faith, ye must nedes hauehave Christ Iesus truely preached vntounto you. And this is the cause (dear Brethren) that so oft I repeat, and so constantly I affirm, that to you it doth no lesse appertaine, then to your kinge or princes▪ to prouide that Christ Iesus be truely preached amongest you, seing that without his true knolledge can neither of you both attaine to saluation. And this is the poynt, wherein, I say, al man is a equal,
That as all be descended from Adam,Wherin all man is equal. by whose syn and inobedience did death enter into the world,Rom. 5. so it behoued all, that shall obtaine life, to be ingrafted in one, that is,Isa. 53. in the Lord Iesus, who being the iust seruant, doth by his knolledge iustifie many:Iohn 3. & 5. to wit, all that vnfeanedly beleue in hym.
Of this equalitie, and that God requireth no lesse of the subiect, be he neuer so poore, then of the prince and riche man in matters of religion, he hath geuen an euident declaration in the law of Moses. For when the tabernacle was buy lded, erected, and set in order, God did prouide, how it, and the thinges appertaining to the same, should be sustained, so that they should not fall in decay. And this prouision (albeit heauē ād earth obey his empire) would he not take from the secrete and hid treasures, which lie dispersed ī the vaines of the earthe,Exod. 30. neither yet would he take it frō the riche and potent of his people, but he did commaund, that euerie man of the sonnes of Israel (were he rich or were he poore) that came in compt from twentie yeares and vpward, should yearely pay half a sicle for an oblation to the Lorde in the remembrance of their redemption, and for an expiation or clensing to their soules, which money God cōmaunded should be bestowed vponupon the ornamentes and necessaries of the tabernacle of testimonie. He furthermore added a precept, that the riche should giuegive no more for that vse, and in that behalf, then should the poore, neither yet that the poore should giuegive any lesse, then should the riche in that consideration. This law to mannes reason and iudgement may appear verie vnreasonable. For somme riche man might hauehave geuen a thousand sicles with lesse hurt of his substāce, then sōme poore man might hauehave payed the half sicle. And yet God maketh all equall, and will that the one shall pay no more then the other, neither yet the poore any lesse then the riche. This law I say may appeare verie vnequall. But if the cause, which God addeth, be obserued, we shall fynde in the same the great merciemercy and inestimable wisdome of God to appear, which cause is expressed in these wordes,
This money receaued from the children of Israel thou shalt geue in the seruice of the tabernacle,Exod. 30. that it may be to the children of Israel for a remembrance before the Lord, that he may be mercifull to your soules.
This cause, I say, doth euidently declare, that as the hole multitude was deliuered from the bondage of Egypt by the mightie power of God alone, so was euerie mēbre of the same without respect of person sāctified by his grace, the riche in that behalf nothing preferred to the poorest. For by no merit, nor worthynes of mā was he moued to chose, ād to establishe his habitation and dwellinge amongest them. But their felicitie, prerogatiue ād honour, which they had aboue all other natiōs, proceded only frō the fontaine of his eternal goodnes, who loued thē freely, as that he freely had chosen them to be his preestlie kingdome ād holie people from all natiōs of the earth.Exod. 19. Thus to honour them, that he would dwell in the middest of them, he neither was moued (I say) by the wisdome of the wise, by the riches of the potent, neither yet by the vertue and holynes of any estate amongest them, but of mere goodnes did he louelove them, and with his presence did he honour that hole people, ād therefore to paynt owt the same his cōmune louelove to the hole multitude, and to cutt of occasions of contention,The presence of God represented in the tabernacle. and doubtes of conscience, he would receaue no more from the riche, then from the poore, for the maintenāce of that his tabernacle, by the which was represented his presence, and habitation amongest them. Yf the riche had bene preferred to the poore,The presence of God represented in the taber nacle. then as the one should hauehave bene puffed vp with pride, as that he had bene more acceptable to God by reason of his greater gift, so should the cōscience of the other hauehave bene troubled and woūded, thinking that his pouertie was an impedimēt, that he could not stand in so perfecte fauour with God, as did the other, because he was not able to geue somuch, as did the rich, to the mentenance of his tabernacle. But he, who of merciemercy (as said is) did chose his habitation amongest them, and also that best knoweth, what lieth within man, did prouide the remedie for the one, and for the other, making them equal in that behalfe, who in other thinges were most vnequal. Yf the poore should hauehave founde hym selfe greued by reason of that taxe, and that asmuch was imposed vponupon hym, as vponupon the riche, yet had he no small cause of ioy, that God him selfe would please to cō pare hym, and to make hym equal in the mentenāce of his tabernacle to the most riche and potent in Israel. Yf this equalitie was commaunded by God for mentenāce of that transitorie tabernacle, which was but a shadoe of a better to cōme,Hebr. 9. is not the same required of vsus, who now hath the veritie, which is Christ Iesus? who being clad with our nature is made Immanuel, that is, God with vsus.
Whose natural bodie albeit it be receaued in the heauens,Isaie 8. where he must abyde till all be complete,Act. 3. that is forespoken by the Prophetes,Mat. 28. yet hath he promised to be presēt with vsus to the ēd of the world.
And for that purpose, and for the more assurance of his promisse he hath erected amongest vsus here in earthe the signes of his owne presence with vsus, his spiritual tabernacle, the true preaching of his worde, and right administration of his sacramentes. To the mentenance whereof is no lesse bounde the subiect,The spiritual tabernacle and signes of Christes presence with vsus. then the prince, the poore, then the riche. For as the price, which was geuē for mannes redēption, is one, so requireth God of all, that shalbe partakers of the benefites of the same, a like duetie, which is a plaine confession, that by Christ Iesus alone we hauehave receaued, what soeuer was lost in Adam. Of the prince doth God require, that he refuse hym selfe, and that he folow Christ Iesus: of the subiect he requireth the same. Of the kinges and iudges it is required, that they kysse the sonne, that is, giuegive honour, subiection, and obedience to hym. And from such reuerēce doth not God exempt the subiect, that shalbe saued. And this is that aequalitie, which is betwixt the kinges and subiectes, the most riche or noble, and betwixt the poorest, and men of lowest estate: to wit, that as the one is oblished to beleue in heart, and with mouth to cōfesse the Lord Iesus to be the onlie sauiour of the world, so also is the other. Neither is there anie of goddes childrē (who hath attained to the yeares of discretion) so poore, but that he hath thus much to bestow vponupon the ornamentes,NOTE. and maintenance of their spiritual tabernacle, when necessitie requireth: neither yet is there anie so riche, of whose hande God requireth any more. For albeit that Dauid gathered greate substāce for the buylding of the temple:1 Par. 29. that Salomon with earnest diligence and incredible expenses erected and finished the same:2. Para. 3. 4. & 5. that Ezechias and Iosias purged the religion,2. Para. 29. 30. & 35. which before was corrupted, yet to them was God no further dettour in that respect, then he was to the most simple of the faithfull posteritie of faithfull Abraham. For theyr diligence, zeal, and workes gaue rather testimonie and confession before men, what honour they did bear to God, what louelove to his worde, and reuerēce to his religiō, then that any worke proceading from them did either establishe, or yet encrease goddes fauoure towardes thē, who freely did louelove thē in Christ his sonne before the foundation of the world was laied. So that these forenamed by theyr notable workes gaue testimonie of theyr vnfained faith, and the same doth the poorest, that vnfeanedly and openly professeth Christ Iesus, that doth embrase his gladtydinges offred, that doth abhorre superstition, and flie from idolatrie. The poorest; I say, and most simple, that this day in earth in the daies of this cruel persecution fermely beleueth in Christ, and boldly doth confesse hym before this wicked generation, is no lesse acceptable before God, neither is iudged in his presence to hauehave done any lesse in promoting Christ his cause, then is the king, that by the sworde and power, which he hath receaued of God, wrooteth owt idolatrie, and so aduanceth Christes glorie. But to return to our former purpose, it is no lesse required, I say, of the subiect to beleu… in Christ, and to professe his true religion, then of the prince and king. And therefore I affirme, that in goddes presence it shall not excuse you to alledge, that ye were no chefe rulers, and therefore that the care and reformation of religion did not appertaine vntounto you.
Ye dear Brethren (as before is said) are the creatures of God created to his owne image and similitude: to whome it is commaunded to hear the voyce of your heauenlie Father,Mat. 17. to embrase his sonne Christ Iesus, to flie from all doctrine and religion, which he hath not approued by his own will reuealed to vsus in his moste blessed worde. To which preceptes and charges if ye be founde inobedient, ye shall perish in your iniquitie as rebelles and stubborn seruantes, that hauehave no pleasure to obey the good will of their soueraigne Lord, who most louingly doth call for your obedience. And therefore, Brethren, in this behalf it is your part to be carefull and diligent.Note. For the question is not of thinges temporall, which allthoghe they be endaungered, yet by diligēce and processe of tyme may after be redressed, but it is of the dānation of your bodies and soules and of the losse of the life euerlasting, which once lost can neuer be recouered.
And therefore, I say, that it behoueth you to be careful and diligēt in this so weghtie a matter, lest that ye, contemnyng this occasion, which God now offereth, fynd not the like, althoghe that after with gronyng and sobbes ye lāguyshe for the same.The offer of Iohn Knoxe to his natiue realme. And that ye be not ignorant of what occasion I mean, in few words I shall expresse it.
Not only I, but with me also diuers other godlie and learned men do offer vntounto you our labours faithfully to instruct you in the waies of the Eternal our God, and in the synceritie of Christes Euangil, which this day by the pestilent generatiō of Antichrist (I mean by the pope, and by his most vngodlie clergie) are almost hyd from the eies of men. We offer to ieopard our liues for the saluation of your soules, and by manifest scriptures to proue that religion, which amongest you is mentained by fier and sworde, to be vaine, fals ād diabolical. We require nothing of you, but that paciently ye will heare our doctrine, which is not oures, but is the doctrine of saluation reuealed to the world by the onlie sonne of God:what he requireth. ād that ye will examine our reasons, by the which we offer to proue the papistical religion to be abominable before God. And last we require, that by your power the tyrannie of those cruel beastes (I mean of preests and freers) may be brideled till we hauehave vttered our mindes in all matters this day debateable in religion. Yf these thinges in the fear of God ye graunt to me, and vntounto others, that vnfeanedly for your saluation, and for goddes glorie require the same, I am assured, that of God ye shall be blessed, whatsoeuer Satan shall deuise against you. But and if ye contēne or refuse God, who thus louingly offereth vntounto you saluation and life, ye shall neither escape plages temporall, whiche shortly shall apprehend you, neither yet the torment prepared for the deuil, and for his angels, except by spedie repentance ye returne to the Lord, whome now ye refuse, if that ye refuse the messingers of his worde.
But yet I think ye doubt,An answer to two questions. what ye oght, and may do in this so weghtie a matter. In few wordes I will declare my conscience in the one and in the other. Ye oght to prefer the glorie of God, the promoting of Christ his Euangil, and the saluation of your soules to all thinges, that be in earth: and ye, althoghe ye be but subiectes, may lawfully require of your superiours, be it of your king, be it of your lordes, rulers and powers, that they prouide for you true preachers,Subiectes may lawfully require true preachers of theyr rulers. and that they expell such, as vnderunder the names of pastours deuoure and destroy the flock, not feeding the same as Christ Iesus hath commaunded. And if in this point your superiour be negligent, or yet pretend to maitaine tyrantes in their tyrannie, most iustly ye may prouide true teachers for your selues, be it in your cities, townes or villages: them ye may maitaine and defend against all, that shall persecute them, and by that meanes shall labour to defraude you of that most confortable foode of your soules, Christes Euangil truely preached. Ye may moreouer withhold the frutes, and profetts, which your fals Byshoppes and clergie most iniustly receyue of you, vntounto such tyme as they be compelled faithfully to do theyr charge and dueties, which is to preach vntounto you Christ Iesus truely, ryghtly to minister his sacramentes according to his own institution, and so to watche for the saluation of your soules, as is commaunded by Christ Iesus hym selfe and by his apostles Paule,Ioan. 21. and Peter.Act. 20. Yf God shall moue your heartes in his true fear to begynne to practise these thīges, and to demaund and craue the same of your superiours, which most lawfully ye may do, thē I doubt not, but of his greate merciemercy, and free grace he shall illuminate the eyes of your myndes, that his vndoubted veritie shalbe a lantern to your feete to guyde ād lead you in all the wayes, which his godlie wisdome doth approue.Thinges, that may draw men back from the synceritie of Christes euangil. He shall make your ennemies tremble before your faces, he shall establish his blessed Euāgil amō gest you to the saluation and perpetual cō fort of your selues, and of your posteritie after you. But and if (as God forbyd) the louelove of frendes, the fear of your princes, and the wisdome of the world draw you back from God, and from his sōne Christ Iesus, be ye certainly persuaded, that ye shall drink the cupp of his vengeance, so many I mean as shall contemne and dispise this louing calling of your heauenlie father. It wil not excuse you (dear Brethren) in the presence of God, neither yet will it auaile you in the day of his visitation, to say, We were but simple subiects, we could not redresse the faultes and crimes of our rulers, Byshoppes, and clergie: we called for reformation, and wished for the same, but Lords brethrē were Byshoppes, theyr sonnes were abbottes, and the frendes of greate men had the possession of the Churche, and so were we compelled to giuegive obedience to all, that they demaunded. These vaine excuses, I say, will nothing auaile you in the presence of God, who requireth no lesse of the subiectes, then of the rulers, that they decline from euil, ād that they do good, that they abstaine from idolatrie, superstition, blasphemie, murther and other such horrible crimes, which his law forbiddeth, and yet nottheles are openly committed and maliciously defended in that miserable realme. And if ye think that ye are innocent because ye are not the chefe auctours of such iniquitie, ye are vtterly deceaued.
For God doth not only punishe the chefe offenders, but with them doth he damne the consenters to iniquitie:Rom. 1. and all are iudged to consent, that knowing impietie committed giuegive no testimonie, that the same displeaseth them.Note. To speak this matter more playne, as your princes and rulers are criminal with your Byshoppes of all idolatrie committed,Princes, and Byshoppes are a lyke criminal. and of all the innocent blood, that is shed for the testimonie of Christes trueth, and that because they maintaine them in theyr tyrannie, so are you (I mean so many of you, as giuegive no playn confession to the contrarie) criminal and gyltie with your princes and rulers of the same crimes, becaus ye assist ād maintaine your prīces in theyr blynde rage, and giuegive no declaration, that theyr tyrannie displeaseth you.How subiectes offend with theyr Princes. This doctrine I know is strange to the blynde world, but the veritie of it hath bene declared in all notable punishments from the begynnyng. When the original world perished by water,Gen. 7. & 19. whē Sodom ād Gomorrha were consumed by fier, and finally when Ierusalem was horribly destroyed,Iosephus. Aegesippus. doth any man think, that all were a lyke wicked before the world? Euidēt it is, that they were not, if they shall be iudged according to theyr external factes. For somme were yonge, and ould not be oppressours, neiher yet could defile them selues with vnnatural and beastlie lustes: sōme were pitiful and gentle of nature, ād did not thrist for the blood of Christ, nor of his Apostles. But did any escape the plages and vengeance, which did apprehend the multitude? Let the scriptures witnesse and the histories be considered▪ which plainely do testifie, that by the waters all fleshe in earth at that tyme did perishe, (Noah and his familie reserued) that none escaped in Sodom and in the other cities adiacent, except Lot and his two daughters. And euident it is, that in that famous citie Ierusalem in that last and horrible destruction of the same none escaped goddes vengeance, except so many as before were dispersed. And what is the cause of this seueritie, seing that all were not a like offenders? Let fleshe cease to dispute with God; and let all man by these examples learne betymes to flie and auoid the societie and compagnie of the proude contemners of God, if that they list not to be partakers of theyr plages. The cause is euident: if we can be subiect without grudging to goddes iudgementes,why all perished in the flood, in Sodom, and Gomorrha. which in them selues are most holie and iust. For in the original world none was founde, that either did resist tyrannie and oppression, that vniuersally was vsed, either yet that earnestly reprehended the same. In Sodom was none founde, that did against ād that furious and beastlie multitude, that did compasse about and besiege the house of Lot. None would beleue Lot, that the citie should be destroyed. And finally in Ierusalem was none found, that studied to represse the tyrannie of the Preestes, who were coniured against Christ and his Euangil, but all fainted, (I except euer such, as gaue witnesse with theyr blood, or theyr flying, that such impietie displeased them) all kept silence, by the which all approued iniquitie, and ioyned hāds with the tyrātes, and so were all arrayed and set, as it had bene in one battayle against the omnipotent, and against his sonne Christ Iesus. For whosoeuer gathereth not with Christ in the day of his haruest, is iudged to scatter. And therefore of one vēgeāce tē poral were they all partakers. Which thīg as before I hauehave touched, oght to moue you to the depe cōsideratiō of your duties in these last and most perilous tymes. The iniquitie of your Byshoppes is more then manifest: theyr filthie liues infect the aier, the innocēt blood, which they shed, crieth vēgeāce in the eares of our God: the idolatrie and abominatiō, which opēly they cō mit, ād without punishmēt maītaine, doth corrupt ād defyle the hole lād: and none amongest you doth vnfainedly studie for any redresse of such enormities. Wil God in this behalf hold you as innocentes? Be not deceaued dear Brethren. God hath punished not only the proude tyrantes, filthie persōs, and cruel murtherers, but also such, as with them did draw the yoke of iniquitie,what subiectes shall God punishe with theyre Princes. was it by flattering theyr offenses, obeying theyr iniust cōmaundemētes, or in wynking at theyr manifest iniquitie. All such, I say, hath God once punished with the chefe offēders. Be ye assured, Brethren, that as he is immutable of nature, so will he not pardon in you that, which so seuerely he hath punished in others, and now the lesse, because he hath plainely admonished you of the daungers to come, and hath offred you his merciemercy before he pourefurth his wrath and displeasure vpō the inobediēt. God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ, who is father of glorie, and God of all consolation, geue you the spirit of wisdome, and open vntounto you the knolledge of hym self by the meanes of his dear sonne, by the which ye may attaine to the esperance and hope, that after the trubles of this trāsitorious life ye may be partakers of the riches of that glorious inheritance, which is prepared for such, as refuse them selues, and feght vnderunder the bāner of Christ Iesus in the day of this his battaile: that in depe consideration of the same ye may learn to prefer the inuisible and eternal ioyes to the vaine pleasures, that are present. God further graunt you his holie spirit, righteously to consider, what I in his name hauehave required of your nobilitie, and of you the subiects, and moue you all togither so to answer, that my petition be not a testimonie of your iust condemnation, when the Lord Iesus shal appear to reuenge the blood of his sainctes, and the contempt of his most holie worde. Amen.
Sleap not in syn, for vengeance is prepared against all inobediēt. Flie from Babylon, if ye will not be partakers of her plages.
Be witnesse to my appellation. Grace be with you. From Geneua The 14. of Iuly, 1558. Your brother to commaunde in godlines IOHN KNOXE.