Letter to Lady Mary, Letter
The copie of a letter / ſent to the ladye Mary dowagire, Regent of Scotland, by Iohn Knox in the yeare. 1556.
¶ Here is alſo a notable ſermon, made by the ſayde Iohn Knox, wherin is euydentlye proued that the maſſe is and … ben abhominable before God and Idoelatrye.
Scrutamini Scripturas
To the excellent lady Mary Dougiare Regent of Scotland hir hūble ſubiect Iohn Knox wiſheth grace, mercy and peace frō god y• father of oure lord Ieſus Chriſt with the ſpirite of perfect iudgement.
THe eternall prouidence of the euerlyuynge god hath appointed his choſen children, to fight in this wretched and tranſitory lyfe a battel difficil, and the manner of their preſeruation in y• Gene. …. Math. 10▪ Actes. 1… ▪ …ſāe battel to be more meruelous. Their victory ſtandeth not in reſiſting, but in ſuffering. And how▪ they c…be preſerued & not brogh… …. 1… … ▪ 40. …l. 51. …90. ….to vttermoſte confuſiō the eye of man perceyueth not: but whoſe power is infinite by ſecrete and hidde motions toucheth the hartes of ſuch as to mans iudgment hauehave power to deſtroye them, of very pitie and compaſſion to ſaue his people. As he dyd the hartes of y• egyptian mydwyues to preſerue the men children of y• Iſraelites, when precept was geuen by Pharao of their deſtruction. The harte of Pharaos doghter to pitie Morſes, in his young infancy exponed to the danger of waters. The harte of Mabuchodonaſat…. Reg. 25. Iere. 52. Daniel. 1. to preſerue the captyues alyue, and liberally to noriſhe the children that were founde apte to lettres. And fynally y• harte of Cyrus to ſert at libertye y• people of god after long bōdage and thral…on: and thus doeth the inuiſible power, and louelove of god, manifeſt it ſelfe towardes his elect frome tyme to time for two cauſes: firſt to comforte his weate warryors, in their manifolde temptations: letting theym to vnderſtāde, that he is able to cōpell ſuche, as ſome tyme were eneme is to his people, to fight in their cauſe. And alſo (as by his prophet Eſaie he dothEſai. …. promyſe) to promote their delyueraūce. And ſecondarily to gyue a teſtimony of his fauour to thē that by all apperance did lyue before (as Gaint Paule ſpeateth)Ephe. 2. wāting god in y• world, ſtrāgers from the common wealth of Iſrael, and wythoute the legue of his mercy full promes, and free grace made to his church, for who could hauehave affirmed that one of theſe perſones a fore named, or yet RahabIoſua. 2. had ben ſo louing, faithful & gentle before that occaſion was offered vntounto theym to manifeſte theym nature and clemency… But the wortes of mercye, ſhewed to the afflicted, hauehave l…ſ… to vsus aſſurances, that God vſed theym as veſſels of his honor. For pitie and mercy ſhewed… ▪ to his afflicted flocke, as they neuer lacked reward temporal, …o if they be conty…ew…d and be not changed into crueltye, are aſſured ſignes and ſealles of euerlaſting mercy to be receyued from God Who by hys holy ſpirite moueth their harts, to ſheme mercye to the people of God oppreſſed and afflicted. Your grace perchance doeth wō der to what purpoſe theſe thiges berecyted: and I in very dede cā not wonder ynough that occaſion is offered to me (a worme moſte wretched) too recyte the ſame at this preſent. For I hauehave looked rather for the ſentence of deathe, then to hauehave writtē to your grac in theſe laſt and manifeſt wicked dayes, in which Sathan ſo blyndeth the hartes of many. I doubt not, but the, rumors whiche came to youre g…eares of me, hauehave ben ſuche: …if all reportes were trew, I were vnworthy to lyue on the earth. And wonder it is, that the voyces of the multitude ſhoulde not ſo hauehave enflammed your g. harte with iuſt hatered of ſuche a one, as I am accuſed to be: that al acceſſe to pitie ſhould hauehave ben ſhut vp. I am traduced as an heretyke, accuſed as a fals teacher and ſeducer of the people, beſides other opprobries, which affirmed by men of wordly honor & eſtymation may eaſely fyndle the wrath of magiſtrates, when innocēcy is not knowen. But bleſſed be God the father of oure Lorde Ieſus Chriſte, who by the dewe of hys heauenly grace hath ſo quenched the fyre of diſpleaſure in youre graces harte (whiche of late days I hauehave vnderſtand) that Sathan is fruſtrate of his enterpryſe and purpoſe: Whiche is to my harte no …inall comforte, not ſo muche (God is witnes) for any benefite that I can receaue in this miſerable lyfe▪ by protection of any earthely creature (for y• cuppe, which it behoueth me to drynke, is appointed, by the wyſdome of him, whoſe coun…es are not chāgeable as that I am for that benefit, whiche I am aſſured youre grace ſhall receyue, if that ye contine we in lyke moderation and clemency towardes others, that moſte vniuſtly are and ſhalbe accuſed, as that your grace hath begonne towardes me and my moſte deſperate matter. That is, if by godly wyſdome, ye ſhal ſtudy to brydle the fury and rage of theym, who for maintenance of their worldly pompe, regarde nothing the cruel murdering of ſymple innocentes.Math. 5. Math. 10. Than ſhall he, who pronunceth mercy to apperteyn to the mercifull, and promiſeth that a cuppe of colde water geuen for hys names ſake, ſhall not lacke rewarde, fyrſt cauſe youre happy gouernement to be prayſed in this preſent age▪ and in poſterities to come, & laſte recompens your godly paynes and ſtudy, with that ioy and glory, whiche y• eye hath not ſene, nor yet can enter into the harte of mortall creature. Superfluous & fooliſhe it ſhall appeare to many, that I, a man of baſe eſtate & condition, dare enterpriſe to admoniſhe a princes ſo honorable, endewed with wiſdome and graces ſingulerly. But when I conſider the honor that God commaūdeth to be geuē to magiſtrates, which no doubte▪ if it be trew honor, cō teyneth…. 20. Rom▪ 1. …. Pet. 2. in it ſelf, in lawfull thinges obedience, and in all thinges louelove and reu…r…ce: When further I conſider the troubleſome eſtate of Chriſt Ieſus trew religiō, this daye oppreſſed by blyndnes of men: … laſt the multitude of flatterers, and the rare numbre of thē that bolde… and playnelye dareThe ſtate. ſpeake y• naked …rit… in preſence of their princes, and principally in the cauſe of Chriſte Ieſus: Theſe thinges, I ſay, conſidered, whatſoeuer any man ſhall iudge of my enterpriſe, I am compelled to ſay, …neles in your regiment & uſing of power your g. be founde differē … frō the multitude of princes & head rulers, that this preeminēce, wherein ye are placed, ſhal be your deiectiō to tormēt & payn euerlaſting. This propoſition i… ſore, but alas, it is ſo trew, that i… I ſhoulde concele & hyde it frome your grace, I committed no leſſe treaſon againſt your g. then I did if I ſaw you by imprudency take a cuppe, which I knew to de poyſoned or enuenomed, & yet wolde …ot admoniſhe you to abſteyn frō Apo. 14. 1…drincking of the ſame The religiō whiche this day men defende by fyre and ſwearde, is a cuppe enue nomed, of which whoſoeuer dricketh (except by trew repētance, he after drincke of the water of lyfe) drincketh there with damnation & death. How & by whome it hath bē enuenomed, if it were no more tediouſe to youre grace to reade & heare, then it is paynfull to me to write or reherſe, I wold not ſpare the labor. But for this preſent I hauehave thought it ſōe diſcharge of a parte of my duety, If I of very louelove admoniſh your g. of y• dāger: whiche I do (as God one daye …all declare) preferring youre g. ſaluation, and the ſaluatiō of the people now committed to youre care, before any corporal benefyt, that can … dounde to my ſelf. Ye thinke peraduenture that the care of religion is not cōmitted to magistrates, but to the biſſhoppes & eſtate eccleſiaſtical as they terme it: no no, the negligēce of biſſhoppes ſhall no leſſe be requyred of ye handes of magiſtrates (becauſe they foſter and maintein them in …y…anny, them ſhall the oppreſſion of fals iudges, whiche kynges mainteyn and defend. I doubte not, but your grace doeth wōder, howe that the religiō, that is vniuerſal… receyued, can be ſo damnable and ſo corrupted. But if youre grace ſhall cōſider that euer from the beginning the multitude hath declined from God: yea, cuē in the people, to whome he ſpake by his lawe and prophetes: if ye ſhall conſider the complaynte of ye holy Ghoſte complayninge that nations, people, princes and kyngesPſalm. …; Acto. 4. of the earth hauehave raged, made conſpiracies, and holden counſailes againſt the Lord, and againſt his anointed Chriſte Ieſus. Further, if ye ſhall conſider the queſtion, whiche Chriſte Ieſus hymLuc. 16. ſelfe doeth moue in theſe wordes: when the ſonne of man ſhal come, ſhall he fynde fayth in the earth? And laſt, if youre g. ſhall cōſider the manifeſt contempt of God, & of all his holy preceptes, whiche this day raygneth withoute puniſhment vponupon the face of ye hole earth. For as O ſeas complaynethO ſe. 4▪ … ▪ there is …overitie, there is no mercy, there is no knowledge of God in the earth, but lyes periury, mur ther, theft and adultery ouerflow al, and bloud hath touched bloud that is, eueryevery iniquitie is ioyned to an other. If depely I ſay youre grace ſhall conſider, & contēplate the vniuerſal corruptiō, that thys day reygneth in al eſtates: then ſhal youre g. ceaſe to wonder that many are called & few are choſen. And ye ſhall begyn to tremble toMath. 20. Math. …. …. Theſ. …, folowe the multitude to perditiō. The uniuerſall defection, whereof ſainct Paule did propheſy, is eaſy to be …ſ…ed aſwell in religion as in manners. The corrupciō of lyfe is euident. … religion is not meaſured with the playne worde of God, but by cuſtome, cōſ…etude, will, conſent and determinations of men But ſhal he, who hath pro…nced all cogitations of mans ha… to be vayn at all tyme, accept the counſaylles and conſentes of men for a religion pleaſ…nge & acceptable before hym? Let not youre grace be diſceaued: GodDeu. 4. 12. can not deny hym ſelfe, he hathe witneſſed from the begynnynge, that no religion pleaſeth hym, except that, which he by hys owne worde hath commaunded & eſtabliſhed. The veritie it …elf pronunceth this ſentence: In vayne doMath. 15. they worſhippe me, teaching doctrines, the preceptes of men. And alſo all plantation, that my heauenlye father hathe not planted, ſhalbe routed out. Before the cumming of his welbeloued ſonne in the fleſhe, ſeuerallye he puniſhed al ſuch as durſt entrepriſe to alter or change his ceremonies or ſtatutes, as in Saule, Vzias, Nadab, &…e. 13. 1… Leut. 10. Math. 7 Ac. 1. 13. 14. 1. Cor. 11. Abihu is to be redde. And wil he now after that he hath opened his hole coūſail to ye world, by his only ſōne, whō he hath cōmāded to be hearde: And after yt he, by hys holy ſpirit ſpeakig in his apoſtles hath eſtabliſhed the religion, … whiche he willeth hys trew worſhippers to abyde to the end, wil he now I ſay admitte mens inuē tions, in the matter of religion, whiche before he re…ted, for dā nable Idolatry? If man oraungels wolde affirme that he will or may do it, his owne veritie ſhal conuict them of a lye: for this ſentence, whiche he once pronunced, ſhall abyde immutable to ye ende: Not that which appeareth good in thine eyes, ſhalt thou do to the Lorde thy God▪ but what ye Lord thy God hath commaunded the, that do thou: adde nothing to it, dyminiſhe nothinge from it: The whiche thinge (ſealinge vp hys new teſtamēt) he repeteth in theſe wordes: I wil lay none other butApoca. …. then vponupon you, but that which ye hauehave holde till I come. And therfore yet again it repenteth me not to ſay, that in this point, whiche is chief & principale, youre grace muſt diſſent from the multitude of rulers, or els ye can poſſeſſe no portion with Chriſt Ieſus in his kyngdome and glory. An orator & Goddes meſſinger alſo iuſtlye mighte requyre of you, nowe by Goddes hande promoted to hye dignitie, a motherly pitie vppon youre ſubiectes, a iuſtice inflexible to be vſed agaiſt murtherers & commō oppreſſours, a hart voyde of auarice and partialitie, a mynd ſtudiouſe and carefull, for maintenance of that realme & common wealth, aboue whiche God hath placed you, and by it hath made you honorable, with the reſt of ye virtues, whiche not onelyonly Goddes ſcriptures, but alſo wryters illuminated onelyonly with the lighte of nature requyreth in godlye rulers. But …ayn it is to craue reformation in manners, where the religion is corrupt. For like as a mā Nota.can not do the office of a man, except firſt he hauehave a being or a life: So to worke wo…tes pleaſante in the ſight of God the father, cā no man do without the ſpirite of the Lorde Ieſus, whiche doeth not abyde in ye hartes of Idolatrers. And therfore ye moſte godly princes Ioſias, …, & Ioſaphat,…. Re. 15. a. Pa. 17. 4. Re. 22 2. Pa. 29 …9. … ſe…ing goddes fa…or to reſt vponupon them & vponupon their people, before all thinges began to reforme the religion. For it is as the ſtomake within ye body, whiche if it be corrupted, of neceſſitie it infecteth ye hole maſſe. And therfore (oft I repete that which is moſt neceſſary) if your grace pretend to raigne wt Chriſte Ieſus, then it behoueth you to take care ouer his trew religiō: the which this daye within your realme is ſo deformed, that no part of Chriſtes ordinances remayn in their firſt ſtrength & originalNo parte of religion remaineth vncorrupt▪ puritie, the which, I praiſe god is leſſe difficil to me to proue then dāgerous to ſpeake. And yet neither the one, nor ye other I fear partly becauſe the louelove of life eternall quencheth the terrour of temporall death. And partely becauſe I wolde with ſainct Paule wiſhe my ſelf accurſed from Chriſte, as touching earthely pleaſure, for ye ſaluatiō of my brethern & illuminatiō A peticionof your grace. Which thing work & very dede & not bare word & wryting ſhall witnes & declare, if I maye purchaſe the libertie of tunge but fortye daies only. I am not ignorāt how dāgerous a thi… it appeareth to ye natural mā to in n…ate any thing in matters of religiō.An obiection of the fleſhe And partli I cōſidet yt your gr. power is not ſo fre as a publik reformation perchance woulde requyre.
But if your grace ſhal conſiderAn anſwer the daunger and damnation perpetuall, which ineurtably hāgeth vponupon all mainteyners of a fals religion: Then ſhall the greateſt daunger eaſely deuoure & ſwallow vp the ſmaller. If your graceMatth. 6. … 6. …. …. 1…. ſhall conſiver, that either ye muſt ſerue God to lyfe euerlaſting, or els ſerue the worlde to death and …: Then albeit man and a…gel … diſſ…ade you, ye will … lyfe and refuſe death. And … further ye ſhall conſider, th… the very lyfe cōſiſte…h in the knowledge of the onelye trewe God and of his ſonne Chriſt Ieſus: And that trewe knowledgeIohn. 17. Iohn 4. hath …red with it goddes trew … and honor, whiche requireth a teſtimony of his own will, expreſſed by his worde that … he honor doeth pleaſe him.
If youre grace, I ſay, ſhall earneſtly meditate theſe thigs afore ſayde: Then albeit ſodenlye ye may not do all thinges y• ye wold, yet ſhall ye not ceaſe to do what ye maye. Your grace can not haſetely aboliſhe all ſuperſtition, neither yet remoue from offices vnprofitable paſtors, whiche onelyonly fede them ſelfs: the which to publique reformation, are requiſite and neceſſary. But yet, if the zele of goddes glory be feruēt in your graces hart▪ by wicked lawes ye will not mainteyn manifeſt Idolatrye, neither yet will ye ſuffer y• fury of biſſhoppes, to murther & deuoure the poore membres of Chriſtes body. But withall cares full diligence, ye will ſtudy how that the trewe worſhippinge of God maye be promoted, and the tyranny of vngodly men repreſſed within the boundes of youre dominiō, to the vttermoſt of your power.
And if the contrary hereof, either by ignorance, or for pleaſure of others, ye do or permit to be dō: then except your ſpedy repētāce) ſhall ye & your … ſodenly f…ll the depreſſing hande of him, who hath exalted you. Ye ſhalbe compelled ▪ …, wil ye) to know that he is eternal, againſt whome ye add…ſſe your battel. And that…a…. 2. Iere. …. …. …. 2. he is alone▪ that …de…a…eth ye tymes, and … kingdomes. … … is he, that glorifieth them, that glorifie him. And yt he by his owne power poureth forth cōtēpt vponupon all …, yt …bell againſt his graces …er. And therefore how dangerous ſoeuer it ſhal appeare to the fleſhe and natural mā …o obey God in promoting his religion, and to make warre againſt the deuill in …emeuinge darknes, pryde & ſuperſtition: Yet if youreCoūſaill grace loke to hauehave your ſelf, or yet youre ſede after you to continue in a worldely honor, and after to poſſeſſe the lyfe euerlaſting, ſubmit youre ſelf by time, vnderunder the hande of hym, that is omnipotēt, embrace his will, deſpiſe not hys teſtament, refuſe not hys graces offerre.
Nowe when he calleth you, withdrawe not youre care, be not led awaye with that vayn opiniō that youre churche and prelates can not e…re: but laye the …ooke of God before youre eyes, and lette it bee iudge to their lyues, doctrine, and māners: as alſo to that doctryne, whyche by fyre and ſwearde moſte cruelly they perſecute.
I confeſſe that I deſyre your grace, to entre into a ſtraunge & greuous battel: neuertheles yet aſſured I am by the promes of him, by whome kynges do raygn, that if with reuerence and feare ye obey his preceptes, as did Ioſias the admonitsons of the prophetes,3 Par. …4. that then with doble benediction ſhall your bauell be rewarded: that is wiſedom, ryches, glory, he …or and longe lyfe ſhall accompany you in this your regiment temporal: and unmortalitie w…h …oy ineſtimable ſhalbe your portion, when the king of all kinges▪ the Lord Ieſus, ſhal appere to iudgemente, before whome ye ſhall make accompt of this youreMatth. 24 O…. 10. …. 9▪ regyment▪ when the proude and diſobedient ſhall cry mountaynes …ll vponupon vsus, and hyde vsus frome the face of the Lorde. But then it ſhalbe too late, becauſe they deſp…ſed the voyce of him that lo…ngly calleth.
GOd the father of oure Lorde Ieſus Chriſte, by the power of his holy ſpirite, ſo illumi…ate youre ſenſes and vnderſtanding, that the things, that rudely be here ſpoken, by youre grace ſo may be accepted, that they be not a teſtimony of youre iuſte damnation in that greate daye of the Lorde Ieſus, to whoſe mighty protection I vnfaynedlye committe youre grace nowe and euer.
Amen.