Regent of Scotland.docx
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Regent of Scotland.docx
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RegentofScotland
RegentofScotland
(AugmentedVersion)
1558
JohnKnox
Extractedfrom:
SelectedWritingsofJohnKnox:
PublicEpistles,Treatises,andExpositionstotheYear1559
Editor'sNote
WhenKnoxvisitedScotlandin1555-56,hispreachingwaseagerlyreceivedthroughoutthecountry.Hepreachedinhomes,andadministeredthesacramentstoscatteredProtestantsinhishomeland.
Thepapalauthoritieswerealarmedbyhissuccess,andsummonedhimtoappearbeforeaconvocation.Tothesurpriseoftheprelates,KnoxappearedinEdinburgh,accompaniedbyacontingentofProtestants,withtheintentionofdisputingtheclaimsofhisRomishadversaries.ThePapistsquicklybackedoff,settingasidetheirsummons.Therefore,onthedayofthesummons,May15,1556,Knoxseizedtheopportunitytopreach"inEdinburgh,inagreateraudiencethaneverbeforehehaddoneinthattown"(seeKnox's History,in Works,vol.1,p.251).
Thatsamemonth,attherequestofScottishnobles,Knoxsentalettertothequeenregent,seekingherprotectionforProtestantpreachers,andaskingforafairhearingoftheirdoctrine.Theregentdismissedtheletter,passingitontotheprelatesandjestingthattheletterwasasatire.
AfterKnoxdepartedforGeneva,thePapistsrenewedtheirproceedings,triedKnox inabsentia,condemnedhim,andburnedhimineffigy.
In1558,fromGeneva,Knoxpublishedanenlargedversionofhislettertothequeenregent.Hereproducedthetextofhisoriginalepistle,interspersedwithadditionalcommentstobringthemainargumentshomewithgreaterforce.Knoxmadeitclearthathedidnotconsidertheissuesajokingmatter.Theaugmentedversionoftheletteristhatwhichfollowshere.
Thisepistleisparticularlyinterestingasitaddressesthedutyofmagistratestopromotetruereligion.Itrevealsthepropheticspiritwhichwastypicalofmuchofthereformer'sministry.
LettertotheQueenDowager,
RegentofScotland
(AugmentedVersion)
TOTHEEXCELLENTLADYMARY
DOWAGER,REGENTOFSCOTLAND
Thecausemovingme,righthonourable,topresentthismysupplicationuntoyourgrace,enlargedandinsomeplacesexplained(whichbeingintherealmofScotland,inthemonthofMay1556,Icausedtobepresentedtoyourgrace),istheincrediblerageofsuchasbearthetitleofbishops,whoagainstalljusticeandequityhavepronouncedagainstmeamostcruelsentence,condemningmybodytofire,mysoultodamnation,andalldoctrinetaughtbymetobefalse,deceitful,andheretical.Ifthisinjurydidtendtomealone,havingthetestimonyofagoodconscience,withsilenceIcouldpassthematter,beingassuredthatsuchastheycurseandexpel[from]theirsynagogues(forsuchcauses)shallGodbless,andChristJesusreceiveinhiseternalsociety.ButconsideringthatthistheirblasphemyisvomitedforthagainsttheeternaltruthofChrist'sevangel(whereofithaspleasedthegreatmercyofGodtomakemeaminister),Icannotceasetonotifyaswelltoyourgrace,asuntothem,thatsolittleIamafraidoftheirtyrannicalandsurmisedsentence,thatinplaceofthepicture(ifGodimpedenotmypurpose)theyshallhavethebodytojustifythatdoctrinewhichthey(membersofSatan)blasphemouslydocondemn:
advertisingyourgraceinthemeantime,thatfromthem,theirsentence,andtyranny,andfromallthosethatlistmaintaintheminthesame,Idoappealtoalawfulandgeneralcouncil,beseechingyourgracetotakeingoodpartthatIcallyouforwitness,thatIhaverequiredthelibertyoftongue,andmycausetobeheardbeforeyourgraceandthebodyofthatrealm,beforethatanysuchprocesswaslaidagainstme,asthismyletterdirectedtoyourgracedoestestify.
THEBEGINNINGOFTHELETTER
TheeternalprovidenceofthesameGod,whohasappointedhischosenchildrentofightinthistransitoryandwretchedlifeastronganddifficultbattle,hasalsoappointedtheirfinalvictory,byamarvellousfashion;andthemanneroftheirpreservation,intheirbattle,[is]moremarvellous(Gen.3:
15-24;Matt.10:
16-39;Acts14:
1-20).Theirvictorystandsnotinresisting,butinsuffering;asoursovereignMasterpronouncestohisdisciples,thatintheirpatienceshouldtheypossesstheirsouls(Matt.5:
10-12;John14,16).AndthesameforesawtheprophetIsaiah,whenhepaintedforthallotherbattlestobewithviolence,tumult,andbloodshedding,butthevictoryofGod'speopletobeinquietness,silence,andhope:
meaningthatallothersthatobtainvictorydoenforcethemselvestoresisttheiradversaries,toshedblood,andtomurder(Isa.9).ButsodonottheelectofGod,buttheysustainallthingsatthecommandmentofhimwhohasappointedthemtosuffer,beingmostassuredlypersuaded,thatthenonlytheytriumph,whenallmenjudgethemoppressed. [1]ForinthecrossofChristalwaysisincludedasecretandhiddenvictory,neverwellknowntillthesuffererappearsaltogethertobe(asitwere)exterminated.ForonlythendidthebloodofAbelcrytoGod,whenproudCainjudgedallmemoryofhisbrothertohavebeenextinguished(Gen.4:
9-10).
Andso,Isay,theirvictoryismarvellous.Andhowthattheycanbepreserved,andnotbroughttoutterconfusion,theeyeofmanperceivesnot.Buthe,whosepowerisinfinite(Isa.40,41,51),bysecretandhiddenmotions,touchestheheartsofsuchas,toman'sjudgment,havepowertodestroythem,ofverypityandcompassiontosavehispeople;asthathedidtheheartsoftheEgyptianmidwives,topreservethemenchildrenoftheIsraelites,whenpreceptwasgivenbyPharaohoftheirdestruction(Ex.1:
15-22);theheartofPharaoh'sdaughterlikewisetopityMosesinhisyounginfancy,exposedtothedangerofthewaters(Ex.2:
5-6);theheartofNebuchadnezzartopreservethecaptivesalive,andliberallytonourishthechildrenthatwerefoundapttoletters(2Kings25;Jer.52);andfinallytheheartofCyrus,tosetatlibertythepeopleofGod,afterlongbondageandthralldom(Ezra1). [2]AndthusdoestheinvisiblepowerandloveofGodmanifestitselftowardshiselectfromtimetotime,fortwocausesspecially:
first,tocomforthisweakwarriorsintheirmanifoldtemptations,lettingthemunderstandthatheisabletocompelsuchassometimeswereenemiestohispeople,tofightintheircause,andtopromotetheirdeliverance;andsecondarily,togiveatestimonyofhisfavourtothemthatbyallappearancedidlivebefore(asSt.Paulspeaks)wanting[without]Godintheworld,asstrangersfromthecommonwealthofIsrael,andwithouttheliegeofhismercifulpromiseandfreegracemadetohischurch(Eph.2:
12).
Forwhocouldhaveaffirmedthatanyofthesepersonsaforenamedhadbeenofthatnatureandclemency,beforeoccasionswereoffereduntothem?
ButtheworksofmercyshowntotheafflictedhaveleftusassurancethatGodusedthemasvesselsofhonour.ForpityandmercyshowntoChrist'safflictedflock,astheyneverlackedtemporalreward,soiftheyarecontinued(andarenotchangedintocruelty),[they]areassuredsignsandsealsofeverlastingmercytobereceivedfromGod,whobyhisHolySpiritmovestheirheartstoshowmercytothepeopleofGodoppressedandafflicted.
ADDITION
ThisprefaceIused,togiveyourgraceoccasionmoredeeplytoconsiderwhathasbeentheconditionofChrist'smembersfromthebeginning,thatinsodoing,youmightseethatitisnonewthingthatthesaintsofGodareoppressedintheworld;thatyou,movedbyearnestcontemplationofthesame,mightalsostudyrathertosavethemfrommurder(althoughbythewickedcounselsofmanyyouwereprovokedtothecontrary),thantobeaslaveofSatan,obeyinghisservantsyourclergy,whosefuryisbentagainstGodandhisverity[truth].Butthiswillafterfollowinourletter,whichthusproceeds.
LETTER
Yourgraceperchancedoeswondertowhatpurposethesethingsarerecited,andIinverydeedcannotwonderenoughthatoccasionisofferedtome(awormmostwretched)torecitethesameatthispresent[time].ForIhavelookedratherforthesentenceofdeath,thantohavewrittentoyourgraceintheselastandmostwickeddays,inwhichSatansoblindstheheartsofmany,thatinnocentsaredamned,[and]theircausenevertried.
ADDITION
[3]Hereofyoucannotbeignorant.ForbesidesthesewhomyouhearfromtimetotimetobemurderedmostcruellyinFrance,Italy,Spain,Flanders,andnowoflateyearsbesidesyouinEngland(fornocause,butthattheyprofessChristJesustobetheonlySaviouroftheworld,theonlyMediatorbetwixtGodandman,theonlyacceptablesacrificeforthesinsofallfaithful,andfinally,theonlyHeadtohischurch[1John2:
1-2;1Tim.2:
5;Heb.6:
26-27;10:
12;Eph.5:
23])besidesthese,Isay(ofwhomyouheardthebruit[report]),youhavebeenwitnessthatsomewithintherealmofScotland,forthesamecause,havebeenmurderedmostcruelly,whosecausewasneverheardwithindifferency[impartiality].ButmurderersoccupyingtheseatofjusticehaveshedthebloodofChrist'struewitnesses:
whichalbeitdidthenappeartobeconsumedawaywithfire,yetisitrecentinthepresenceofhimforwhosecausetheydidsuffer,andceasesnottocallforvengeance,withthebloodofAbel,tofallnotonlyuponsuchaswereauthorsofthatmurder,butalsouponallthatmaintainthosetyrantsintheirtyranny,orthatdoconsenttotheirbeastlycruelty.
Takethisnotastheaffirmationofanyman,buthearandconsiderthevoiceoftheSonofGod:
"Fulfill,"sayshe,"themeasureofyourfathers,thatallthebloodwhichhasbeenshed,sincethebloodofAbelthejust,tillthebloodofZechariah,"etc."maycomeuponthisgeneration"(Matt.23:
32,35).[4]Herebyitisevidentthatthemurderersofourtime,aswellasi
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