Sermon in Edinburgh, Exhortation
The Superintendents Ministers and commissioners of the Churches reformed within this realme of Scotlande assembled in Edenbrough the .xxv. daye of December .1565. to all faithfull within the same realme desire grace and peace. from God the Father and from our Lorde Iesus Christ with the perpetual cōfort of the holye Ghost.
THE SOROWfull complayntes of all Ministers in generall, and of some nowe more to be lamented in others in particuler, being considered in this oure last assembly (beloued in the Lord Iesus) diuers men were of diuers iudgementes, howe the griefe and pouertie of such as faithfully trauayle in their vocation within the Church of God, might somewhat be relieued. After long reasoning it was concluded, that a supplication shuld be direct to the Quenes Maiestie,The an…were is, the Quene can …pare no…hing. requiring that respecte might be had to the extreme necessity of our Ministers. But bicause that the necessity of our brethren is great, and their pouertie present, and that the remedie can not be sodaine nor yet certaine, it was thought expedient, that a generall admonition should be made to all the faithful, to hauehave respect to the necessitie of the Ministers vniuersally. But especially, that the faithfull in eueryevery parish hauehave consideration to the necessitie of suche as trauaile amongst them in true doctrine & holsome exhortatiō,This is the commaundement of the spirit o… God. Hebr. 13. which admonition, whosoeuer dispiseth, dispiseth no doubt, the chiefe dutie of a christian. For alas with what conscience can we eate oure owne bread, and know the bowels of such as offers to vsus the breade of lyfe, and minister to vsus spirituall things, to craue of God and vsus but a reasonable sustentation, and yet can not finde suche fauour at oure handes, as Turkes finde amongest Turkes, and Iewes amongest that blinded nation.
Alas where are the bowels of mercy that sometyme were founde amongst the faithfull? How farre is this our filthye auariounesse, distant from that liberalitie which appeared in the primitiue Church, when that the faithfull cast their substance at the feete of the Apostles?Act. 2. Where is that charitie whichRom 15. moued the Churches of Macedonia2 Corint. 9. and Achaia and other cuntries to make most liberall collectours, and to send the same to relieue the indigence of the pore at Ierusalem, and in Iudea Where is the zeale that was in the Galathians & Philippians,Galat. 4. of whome the one would hauehave giuē their eyes to the Apostle Paule,Phil. 4. if that might hauehave supported him, the other spared not to sende to their preacher being prisoner in Rome, their supporte and comfort most liberally. If we thinke to be partakers with suche men in glorye, why studye we not to followe their vertues? If this be the same Euangel of saluation, (as no doubt it is, that the Apostles preached, that now of Gods great mercy, is preached to vsus, alas why brings it not forth some part of the former fruites,Let euerie mā descend within him selfe. if we thinke they are but men and not Apostles, that nowe preach vntounto vsus, let vsus consider that the Apostles were men, and receyued of men support and comforte, and also that others than the Apostles were grounded for by the liberalitie of the faithfull,Act. 6. as in the Actes of the Apostles maye be seene.
We hauehave not Paule to write vntounto vsus newe Epistles, neyther yet Mathewe, Marke, Lucas, or Iohn to dite vntounto vsus a newe Euangell, bicause things written are sufficient if we vnderstande and followe the same: but of Gods great mercy we hauehave men that open and explane vntounto vsus not onelyonly writings of the new, but also of the old testament. We hauehave the seruaunts of God indued with rare and notable graces, whom if we contempne, it is to be feared that God shall so punish our ingratitude, that he shal take from vsus the light of his worde, and the true messengers of the same, and suffer darkenesse agayne to apprehende vsus,…t Scotlād …duert. and the slaues of Sathan tirannously to impire aboue vsus, & then woe to vsus and our posteritie. For better it had beene that the word of lyfe had neuer bene shewē vntounto vsus, thā that we in our default, shoulde suffer our selues to be defrauded of so great a benefite. Let vsus therfore begin to reuerence the blessed Euangell of our saluation. Reuerence nor magnifie it wee can not, when that we suffer the true preachers therof to be oppressed with pouertie before our eyes,…ho are …ey that …uerence …t the euā …list of Ie…s Christ. …od. 22. and yet we shut vp the bowels of mercy from them.
Let vsus consider deare brethren how carefully God commaundeth in his law that the Leuites & such as serued that material tabernacle, should be prouided of sufficient liuings, yea let vsus cōsider with what plagues God punished Israell and Iuda when his statutes and his seruaunts were dispised.Leuit. 27. Shal we think that the eternall God wil spare vsus,Nu. 28. if we be found contemners of such as truely preache the Lorde Iesus,Deut. 12. or lawfully beare any charge within his Church, we maye be assured that he will not. For as the bodye is more excellent, than is the shadow, and as the veritie is to be preferred to the signe, so are the Ministers of the new testament & their spirituall seruice, to be preferred tu the leuites, and their carnall ceremonies, the contempt whereof, can not but craue at Gods handes moste seuere punishment, bicause (as sayde is) the office of the one doth farre excell the office of the other. They did but reade the law, kill the sacrifice, sley the beastes, take of the skinnes, wash the flesh, and offer the same as was cōmaunded in the law, and for such seruice were the tenthes first fruites, and other dueties appointed for their sustentation: but the Ministers of Iesu Christ hauehave an office without al comparison more excellent, for they bring to vsus the glad tidinges of saluation, by the two edged sworde of Goddes worde, which is mighty in operatiō, they sley that old man that neuer fightes against God, they make his thought patent to his owne confusion, that the newe man of God maye take lyfe.Hebr. 4. They wash the soules with theRom. 8. bloude of Iesus Christe which aboundantly drops from their lips,As Christ was crucified amongest the Galathians. when truely they preache the vertue and effect of the death of Iesus Christ,Gala. 3. and rightly minister his sacramentes lefte to be vsed in his Church,Rom. 12. to holde vsus in recent memorie of that so great a benefite.
Finallye by them are we taught and conducted, to offer not onelyonly prayers and thanks giuing: but also our bodies and soules in a reasonable and liuely sacrifice vntounto God by Iesus Christ. And yet (O cruell ingratitude) shal we care no more for their sustentation, than that we were nothing addicted vntounto them, neyther yet that God had raised them vppe after ouer long blindnesse, to reduce vsus againe to the right way of saluation, and to conduct vsus in the same to the end.
If we thinke that al these things may be due without ministers or without preaching, we vtterly deceyue our selues. For the same order that God hath obserued since that he hath collected his visible church, he will shall be obserued so long as it continueth vponupon the face of the earth, that is,Deut. 17. that euē as vnderunder the lawe the people were commaunded to require wisdome from the mouthes of the priestes,Math. 2. and Leuits had a charge to teach & so tourne many from their iniquitie: so in this most acceptable time, did Iesus Christ ascending to the heauens, distribute his glory in diuers sortes: for some he made Apostles,Cor. 12. some Prophetes,…ph. 4. some Euaungelistes, that is preachers of glad tidings, some pastours, some teachers, to the end that we might all come to the vnitie of the faith, and to the knowledge of the sonne of God.
Now if we think that none within Scotlande lackes true faith,…et yet Scot…and ad…ert. yea if we thinke that our children can attayne to the right knowledge of God, without true doctrine, then maye we dreame with our selues. that ministers are not necessarie, and so are we nothing addicted vntounto them. But if that faith commeth by hearing,Rom. 10. and that by the hearing of Gods worde, and that Gods word is not sent vntounto vsus absolutely from heauen by Aungels, but is planted by the holy spirite in the heartes and mouthes of men whome God of his mercye sendes forth into the world, to sowe therin the seede of his Euangell, we can not but cōfesse our selues detters to our ministers. The dispisers of whome, yea all suche as to their power supporte them not in their necessities, are before his throne iudged contempners of his owne maiestie. And therfore yet once againe, let eueryevery faithfull consider what is his duetie, and let vsus abhor that ingratitude that we shuld suffer the seruants of the Lorde Iesus to begge, or trauaile in pouerty before our eyes, for if we doe, we banishe from vsus Iesus Christ and the light of his euangell. The Apostle commaundeth a bishop, and eueryevery true preacher of Iesus Christ is a christian bishop among the rest of his vertues to be one that keepeth hospitalitie, and is able to receyue straungers. This can he not doe without reasonable prouision, and by whome the bishop shoulde be prouided, S. Paule aunswereth in these wordes.Gala. 6. Let him that is taught cōmunicate in al his goods, with him that teacheth him, and againe, is it anye great thing, that while we sowe vntounto you spirituall things, that we shuld reape of you carnall things? of which and many moe places it is euident, that the flock is boundē to prouide for their pastor.
I wil not excuse vsus deare brethrē to cry and complaine, we are compelled to answere our bishops, persons, and vicars. Our teachers are taken vp most rigorously, how shal we then be able to susteyne oure ministers. These complaintes and appearing reasons deare brethren, will vanish with winde, when we shal come to the straight examination of cōsciences before God.Pro. 3. For are we not commaunded to honor God with our substance? & thinke we that we doe honor him when with our substāce we fil the bellies of dumb dogges, yea of Gods coniured enimies, and suffer his seruauntes to fall into pouertie, before our eyes, if ye thinke we shall be excused bicause that the order of lawe constrayneth vsus therevnto, the Godly feare in case this reason shall be admitted before God, lest tirannie vnderunder collour of lawe, wil take from vsus our tithes, and so can we not sustayne our ministers. This reason brethren will be weake, yea so weake, that we feare it shal be repelled before the incorrupt iudge. For howe manye of vsus hauehave complayned vponupon that tiraunt? Who hath made intercessiō to the Maiestrats for redresse of that enormity. Yea alas, howe many of vsus are not maintayners of those theues, and partakers of their murders, called Bishops, Abbottes, and Pryors. Let no man wōder that we terme such men with so odious termes, no, let them rather wonder, that God poureth not forth the vttermost of his vengeaunce vponupon the realme, and vsus that maintaine such tirants in their tirannie, in this great light of his Euangell. Theues they are, for they take large fee and serues not, murtherers they are, bicause that by withholding the bread of lyfe, they cause the soules of men to dye, for hunger of Gods worde. And yet how conspire we with thē, what doe we to maintayne that abuse: of those theues,Or Leases. we hauehave tacks by them, we hauehave interest and title to tithes, and for louelove of the spoile, we mainetaine their murthers in oppression of the pore. Let vsus not be deceyued deare brethren.Howsoeuer▪ the worlde mocke this God shall aproue it. There is no lawe made by man, that can make these lawful, neyther yet the substance of one to be the iust possession of an other, without a iust title.
The tenthes were once appointed by God to the Leuites, to the pore, to the widow, fatherlesse, and straungers, and the lawes of Emperours, Kings and Princes, did after Christ, appoint the same to the like vse, to wit, to the sustentation of such, as trauaile in the Church, for the reliefe of the pore, and for maintenaunce of learning. Nowe say we, to transfer the tythes from these vses, the persons before named not being prouided for, is both to commit theft & sacriledge, yea, the spoile of the pore is in the houses of so manye, as vniustlye possesse them, and who they are ye hauehave before heard, neyther shall they in the ende escape that sentence of the Prophete.Zacha. 5. The malediction of the Lorde is vponupon the house of the thefe. But yet brethrē, let vsus suppose that in no sorte we did consent with those oppressiōs, but that we opponed our selues vntounto them to the vttermoste of our powers, and yet we were oppressed in our iust cause by the tirannie of vniust lawes? should we yet be excused before God if we communicate not with the necessitie of the ministers of Iesus Christ? Let vsus be moste assured that we can not, for that sentence of our Lorde and iudge standes euer in force.… Corin. 9. Worthy is the laborer of his wages. And againe you shall not mussell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth forth the corne. The execution of these precepts he wil alway require of you, howsoeuer we flatter oure selues in our owne imaginations, neyther doth extremitie of lawes, nor corruption of tymes excuse vsus before God, of the duetie he requires of vsus. Which thing did Abdias, seruaunt to Achab, and Iesabell, rightly consider, for when by them (but Iesabell, chieflye) the Prophets of the Lord were destroied,1. Reg. 25. he hid in caues an hundreth Prophets of the Lorde, and fed thē with bread and water, that is, liberallye, and sufficientlye, for then was water more scant in Israel than ale or wyne is (as yet) amongest vsus. Did a man feede an hundered seruauntes of the Lorde, and in that tyme when things were most scant, and yet both the King and the Queene sought the subuersion of true religion, and the destruction of all Gods true seruants, and shal not a thousand of vsus and moe that hauehave professed the Lord Iesus with in this realme, vponupon our charges, sustaine two or three hundereth of such as hauehave trauailed, and yet trauaile to aduance the kingdome of Iesus Christ amongst vsus? if we doe not, fearefull shall the sentence be, that shall be pronounced against vsus, by him, whose voyce we shall not then be able to gainstand, whē from his throne he shall saye.Math. 25. Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie, for I was hungry and ye fed me not, thirstie ye gaue me no drinke, naked ye clothed me not, I lacked harbrowe, and ye receyued me not into your house.
Playne it is that Christ Iesus in his owne person neyther suffers hunger nor thrist, he needes neyther clothes nor house, but as him selfe in the same place saith, whatsoeuer ye did not to the lest one of these, that ye did not to me. Let vsus deare brethren ponder these wordes, and let vsus nowe beginne to shew the fruites of repentance, and vnfaynedly to magnifie the worde of our saluation. Let the bowels of our mercye be opened to oure brethren. Let neuer the pestilente Papists hauehave cause to reioyce ouer vsus, that they shall hereafter saye, that our own ingardenes banished Iesus Christ from vsus. Which thing if without hipocrisie and of good courage we begin to doe, then no doubt but God shall blesse the labors of our hande, he shall restore to vsus our former courage, & strike the hartes of our enimies with the same feare, that they hauehave felt before.
It is we deare brethren, it is we, that hath exponed the glorious Euangell of Iesus Christ to this daū ger within this realme, for while that the moste parte of vsus studied for the building of our own house,… graūt …hat this …ay yet …e vnderunder…ande, for …ft before it was heard and mocked of manye. the house of the Lord was neglected and dispised. And in the meane time hath the enimie so preuayled that we and it stand in equall daū ger, saue that the spirituall house of God can neuer vtterly be suppressed. But we may fal, both temporally and eternally, if we dispise the sermon of exhortation, which calles vsus agayne to our first profession. If we heare & obey his voice, there is mercy, power, and good will in our God. Mercy, to pardon our former negligence, power to represse the pride of our enimies, and good will, to maintaine the cause of his truth, that once of his mercy he hath made to prosper in our handes.
O Lorde for thine owne name sake moue our heartes to consider our dueties. Preserue the flock to whome thou of thy mercy hast reueled thy selfe. Purge this realme of damnable Idolatry, and continewe to our posteritie the light of thy worde in the same puritie that thou haste offered it vntounto vsus. Take our rude exhortatiō in good part, deare brethren, and be bolde vponupon vsus in all thinges not repugning to god. The grace of our Lord Iesus rest with you and vsus now & euer.
At Edingbrough in our generall assembly the laste cessions thereof the .28. of December 1565.
Iohn Knoxe at the commaundement of the brethren before mencioned. ❧
End of the text · John Knox, Sermon in Edinburgh (1566)