[...]hn Knox to the inhabitantes of N [...]wcas [...]le ād Barwike and vnto [...]her who sometyme in the Realme [...]nglande prof [...]ssed Christ Iesus, ād [...] be returned to the bondage of [...], wisheth true, and earnestre­ [...]ancely the powre and operation [...]at same spirite, who called from [...]he Iesus the onely pastour of our [...].

IF the reason of man shalbe called to iudg what frute ensuethe the payneful trauail of Gods most faith­ [...]ll seruantes, who at his com­ [...]andement studie to repayre his [...]itie, and to purge his temple, [...]t onely shal their labours be [...]stemed for a tyme to be vainly [...]pent, The reason of man is not a­ble to iudge of the won­derful workes of God to­wardes his Church. but skarsely shal the wis­dome of God throughe mans [...]ashe iudgement escape condem­nation, nether shal the veritie of [Page 4] his promesses be free frome sus­pition of falsehod and vanitie. For to mans reason nothing ap­peareth more absurde, folishe nor vnreasonable, then y ^t God (whose powre no creature is able to re­sist) shal send fourth his messin­gers to performe his worke and wil, The preaching of the worde semeth folish­nes to the worlde. and that the same shalbe so impugned, that their building in their owne eyes shalbe ouerthrowne, and destroyed, and that the natural man can not se how the promesses of Christ Iesus, made to his Apostles, and vnder their names to all true preachers of his holy Gospel, in these wordes can be prouen constant, and true. I haue (saith he) appointed you to go and to bring fourthe frute, Iohn. 15. & that your frute shal abyde. The stabilitie and truth (I say) of this promesse dothe not sodenly ap­peare, but rather the playne con­trary. For if the frute of the Gos­pel [Page 5] and glad tydinges preached be first in this lyfe the glorye of God (I meane such good workes as may declare the spirite of re­generation) shining in man af­ter that he be planted in Christ Iesus, and after this battel the ioy prepared for Gods children: if these (I say) be the frutes of Christ Iesus preached, then appeare the most parte of trees to be destroy­ed before the tyme of frute do­the approche. For some by tyran­nie and violence are rooted out frome the societie of earthely creatures before they beginne to florish, & so is their frute to mās iudgement impeaded and hinde­red, some are blasted and wythe­red withe stormy windes and so­me are corrupted ether by vermi­ne, or by venemous humors pro­ceding frome a corrupt fountay­ne, so that the frute of none al­most dothe appere to our eyes. [Page 6] To speake the matter simply and without figure, the men that ap­peared to the faithfull laborers to haue bene planted in Christ, who callethe him self the verie vyne, and those, that professe his truthe, the vine branches, are sub­iect to so many tentacions, that skarsely emongst a thowsand do­the one take roote and bring for­the frute with paciēce. Notwith­standing suche, as by ty [...]annye & violent persecution are suddayn­ly rest from this lyfe, do neuer­theles produce and bring forthe frute delectable, and pleasing in the sight of him, who hathe ap­pointed an ende to the trauayl & miseries of his deare children, The deathe of the martyrs [...] [...]reaseth the age and ma­l [...]ce of the re­probat aga [...]st Christ Iesus▪ and for tyme tro [...]bleth the hartes of the cle [...]. al­beyt this frute to the natural mā is so sow [...]e and vnsauery, so hard and vnpleasant, that the onely sight of it, not onely gyuethe oc­casion to the reprobat to vtter their venome and malice against Christ Iesus: but also for a season [Page 7] it vexeth and tormenteth Gods most deare children. For as the one doeth insolently reioyce as thoghe God dyd fauor & maī ­tein their tyrānye, so dothe the other vndiscretely lament ād pro­nounce wrong iudgement, este­minge, that more it shulde stan­de with Gods glorie and honour, and more also with the profet of his Churche, y ^t suche, as to who­me he hathe of mercie graunted notable graces, shulde rather be preserued in lyfe, then permitted and giuen ouer to the wicked ap­petites of cruel persecutors Howbeit as y ^e frute of these trees is best knowne to God alone, so is it iustified and approued by him whatsoeuer the folishe wisdome of the natural man shal iudge in the contrary. Esai. 57. For the prophet Esai pronounceth that the iust perisheth (so dothe it appere to mās iudgement) and yet that no [Page 8] man putteth it in harte, that is dothe earnestly consider it, that the men of mercie are taken a­waye and the worlde neuerthe­les dothe reioyce and tryumphe. But the holy ghost assigneth an other cawse, The frute and benifite of deathe vnto the iust. that the iust is taken away before that his eyes behold greater miseries, that he entreth into his peace before that Gods vengeance beginne to be powred forthe vpon the prowde and disobedient, Esai. 57. and so doth their frute abyde and continew, not onely to their perpetual ioye, but also to the comforte and consolation of the afflicted y ^t suffer for rightuousnes sake euen to thēde. For y ^e same God y ^t of mercie had respect to their infirmitie, and so dyd preuent the daungers that might haue apprehended them, proui­ding also for his Churche aboue the expectation of mortal man, wil not dispise the sobbes of his [Page 9] [...]fflicted now in these most wret­ [...]hed, and most wicked dayes. But of these trees and of their frute I cease at this tyme farther [...]o speake, because that the dolo­ [...]ous. estate of many that be alyue [...]awsethe me some tymes to giue thankes vnto God for the happie deliuerance of suche as constant­ly departed in the Lorde, whe­ther it was by persecution of ty­rantes, or by natural deathe.

Consider with me deare bre­thern (I speake to you of New-castle and Barwicke) your mise­rable estate and most dolorous condition. Your profession dyd once declare before men, The outwarde profession of Newcastle ād Barwike in the tyme of the Gospel. that ye were branches planted and in­grafted in Christ Iesus, whose holy gospel (whiche is the powre of God to the saluation of all y ^t beleue it) ye appeared to haue receaued with all reuerence and gladnes. Rom. 1. The displeasure of your [Page 10] natural and carnal frendes, who then were ennemies to Christ Ie­sus ād to his eternal veritie, some of you dyd paciently beare. Ye feared not to go before statutes and lawes, yea openly and solemnedly you dyd professe by recei­uing the sacramentes not as mā had appointed, but as Christ Ie­sus the wisdome of God the fa­ther had institute to be subiect in al thinges concerning religiō to his yoke alone, to acknowledg and auouche him before y ^e world to be your onely lawe gyuer, so­ueraigne prince and onely sa­uiour. Thus I say ye appeared at that tyme, to haue bene the delicate plantes of the Eternal, the workemanship of his owne handes, and the trees that in sea­son and tyme shulde haue produced good frute in abundance. But o alasse howe are ye chan­ged? how are ye corrupted: whi­ [...]ervnto [Page 11] are ye fallen? and how [...]aue ye deceiued the expectation [...]f those that then dyd labour in [...]lā [...]inge and watering you, and [...]ow do sobbe vnto God for your [...]gratitude, callinge withe teares [...]nto his mercie for your cōuersiō [...]nd that vnfayned repentance [...]ay sodēly appeare in you. O miserable change, that ye who were once feruēt professors of Christ Iesus ād of his gospel, shulde now [...]e subiectes to Antichrist, geuīge obediēce to his false, and deceua­ble doctrine. O greuous fall and more thē greuous, y ^t from y ^e dig­nitie of the sōnes of God (which prerogatiue ye had by grace and not by nature) ye are become slaues to Satan, iustifiing by your presence most abominable Ido­latrye. Yf ye se not the daunger whiche hereupon dependeth, ye are more then blynd, and if ye se it, ād studye not w ^t al diligēce to auoyd it, ye are not onely folishe, [Page 12] but altogether bewitched and enraged. God dyd not call you frome darkenes to light, he dyd not send his sonne Christ Iesus vnto you, contemning and re­fusinge many thowsandes, more noble, more wise, more ancient, and more puissant then ye are or euer were: God (I say) dyd not so familiarely cōmunicate hym self with you in his onely beloued sōne Christ Iesus, to the end that ye at your pleasure and appetite or for the feare of wordly men, for losing of goods, or corporal lyfe shuld returne to darkenes, that ye shulde refuse to serue that soueraing prince in the day of his battayle, Philip. 2. before whome all knees shal bowe. But contrarywise that according as ye were called to y ^e participation of light, that so cō ­stantly ye shuld walke in y ^e same that as ye were appointed soul­dyers to fight against Sathan the [Page 13] [...]rince of this worlde, and against [...]is progenye, ennemies to Christ Iesus, so shulde ye boldly abyde [...]n the rancke, in whiche God had placed you, being farther moste [...]ertenly persuaded, y ^t he that [...]li­eth the battail and denieth Christ Iesus before men, shalbe denyed before his heuenly father, Matt. 10. yea also y ^t suche as refuse not father, mo­ther, sister and brother, are not worthy of hym: and moreouer y ^t suche as do not boldly confesse him before this wicked generati­on, shal neuer be confessed to ap­pertayne to him, nor to the glorie of his kingdome, when he shalbe accōpaned w ^t his angels. Which thinges I thoght once had bene so depely grafted in your hartes, that albeit angels frome heauen shulde haue persuaded you to the contrary, y ^t ye shuld haue holden them accu [...]sed, and so in that be­halfe haue reiected their persua­sion [Page 14] & doctrine, as a poison most pestilent, which is death & dam­nation to all that receiue it. For so dyd ye once professe and suche was my hope of you, y ^t so in hart you had determined: for Christ Iesus was not preached amongst you without his crosse. The Gospel of Christ hath e­uer the crosse folloing.

Howe oft hath it bene bett in your eares that the seruāt can not be aboue the Lord: Matth. 10. Iohn 13. Act. 14. that the mem­bres must be conformed to the head, that by many tribulations we must enter into the kīgdome of God: that all y ^t will lyue god­ly in Christ Iesus must suffer per­secution, 2. Timo. 3. and that pa [...]tly because Sathan the prince of this worlde can neuer be so brydeled during this battayle, but that he will stri­ue to recouer strength, and partly because that synne remayneth in vs he is permitted to sting with his venomous tayle, whē his head is brused. Was not this doctrine [Page 15] [...]ommon vnto you? Yea haue ye [...]ot hard ofter thē once, that your [...]yes shuld se Christ Iesus perse­ [...]uted in his pore membres? that [...]is veritie shulde be oppugned? [...]hat superstition, lyes and Idola­ [...]rie shuld preuayle and haue the [...]pper hand? that the kindome of heauen, the true preaching of his Euangil shuld be taken from you [...]or the ingratitude and stubbur­ [...]es of men, who more delyted in [...]arkenes then in light? None of [...]hese things at that tyme dyd [...]ppeare strange vnto you, nether [...]yd they discorage you, but ye [...]emed (being admonished what [...]aunger it was to refuse Christ Iesus) most stedfastly to cleaue to [...]he veritie, notwithstanding that [...]he whole world shuld haue refu­ [...]ed the same.

How oft haue ye assisted to Ba [...]tisme? how oft haue ye bene par [...]akers of y ^e Lords table prepared, [Page 16] vsed & ministred in all simplicitie, not as mā had deuised, nethe [...] as the kinges procedinges dyd a [...] lowe, but as Christ Iesus dyd institute, and as it is euident, tha [...] Sainct Paule dyd practise. The [...] two sacramētes▪ seales of Christe Euangil, ye commonly vsed, bap­tisme for your children, and the table of the Lorde to your own [...] comforte, and for the open con­fession of your religion. And so oft I say deare brethern dyd y [...] witnesse before mē, & sweare b [...] fore God, that ye woulde dye [...] Christ Iesus, to the end that y [...] might lyue by him: that ye would refus [...] the doctrine of men, and the participation of all Idolatry▪ and woulde constantly stand, and stickfast to that religion, which then ye p [...]ofessed, and approued But ô alasse what miserable ru [...] ne hathe this suddayne and sho [...] storme made of that building [...] [Page 17] [...] was beg on amongst you? The windes haue blowne and the flo­des are come, and the walles are fallen in one heape (God graunt that the fundatiō abyde) the fyer is come, but in you alasse is ne­ther founde golde, siluer, nor precious stone, but all is brent, and all is consumed, so that if I shal iudge the frute of my pore lo­bors amongst you by myne owne iudgment reason or ap­prehension, I shulde iudge my selfe, and my labors accursed of God, for that that I se no better successe. O consider deare bre­thren, what grief it is, that in suche a multitude none shal­be found faithful, In the tyme of persecution and tryal not one was foūd faithful and constant. none con­stant, none bolde in the cawse of the Lorde Iesus, whome so boldlye before they had pro­fessed.

God is witnesse, and I refuse not your owne iudg­mentes, [Page 18] how simplye & vpright­ly I conuersed and walked a­mongst you, thogh in his pre­sence I was and am nothing, but a masse of corruption, rebel­lion and hypocrisie: yet as cōcer­ning you and the doctrine taght amongst you, as then I walked, so nowe do I write in the presen­ce of him, who onely knoweth & shal reueale y ^e secretes of all har­tes, This rule oght of all prea­chers to be obserued. y ^t nether for feare dyd I spare to speake the simple truthe vnto you, nether for hope of worldly promotion, dignitie or honour dyd I willingly adulterate any parte of Gods scriptures whether it were in expositiō, in preaching, contention or writing: but that simply & plainly, as it pleased the merciful goodnes of my God to giue vnto me the vtterāce, vnder­standing & spirite, I dyd distri­bute the bread of lyfe (I meane Gods most holy worde) as of [Page 19] Christ Iesus I had receiued it. I soght nether preheminence, Beholde whe­rein the prea­chers of Christ shulde reioyce. glo­rie, nor riches: my honour was, that Christ Iesus shuld reigne: my glorie, that the light of his truthe shuld shyne in you: and my greatest riches, that in the same ye shuld be constant. Let him amongst you that is farthest declined, conuict me if he can, if that euer he dyd perceyue me by craftie or vnlawfull meanes to seke the substance or riches of any, yea if I haue not refu­sed that, which by diuers hathe bene offred, and that also by the commone opinion might lawfully haue bene receyued. But to what purpose is this re­cited? Is it to brag of mine ow­ne iustice? or yet to defende mi­ne owne innocencie? not so deare bretherne, not so (for what I ack­nowledge my self to be before God, I haue already confessed) [Page 20] but to let you vnderstand, that if I haue this testimonie of cōscien­ce as concerning my office, mi­nisterie and doctrine, & am not­withstanding wounded almost to the deathe for that that my labors haue not better succeded, If he that is innocent hath this feare, howe oght the offenders, to tremble? what oght to be your feare, lamē ­tacion, & trembling? I feare that God hathe cursed me because he hathe not better blessed my la­bors amongst you, and yet in that behalf haue I the lot, and sort cōmune withe the most parte of Gods true Prophetes, and the conditiō like with sainct Paul to cōfort me in my greatest despe­ration. 3. Reg. 19. For Helias dyd thinke that he alone amongst the Israe­lites was left a lyue truly to wor­ship God. And Paul dyd com­playne that all that were in Asia had left him. [...] Timo. 3. He dyd se in his owne dayes his beloued Churche of Gallacia bewitched by false [...]a­ [...]hers, [Page 21] and also that most notable Cōgregatiō of Corinthus, short­ [...]y after his departure frome the same, he sawe deuided in sectes, corrupted in lyfe, giuen to deba­ [...]e, contencion and strife, yea, to be infected withe most pestilent heresye, I meane withe y ^e deniall of the resurrection of the deade. These and other like exemples [...]eache vs howe Gods most true and paynefull seruantes haue be­ [...]e frustrate of their expectation & so humbled before God, who­se frutes I haue to pull, and as it were by violence to drawe me frome the bothome of hell, to the whiche some tymes I sinke for remembrance of your fall, & for my other offences against God committed. But these exemples can not so remedy my wounde, [...]ut that frome tyme to tyme I [...]ele the pricke of Gods heuy dis­pleasure. And oght you thē to ly­ue [Page 22] voyde of all feare, as men that had nothing offended? My con­science dothe nether accuse me, that amongst you was I a false prophet, mercenary nor idle per­son, and yet I quake, I feare & trē ­ble, remembring your horrible fall, & oght you to rest, be quyet, & reioyce, against whome Gods vengeance is so plainly pronoun­ced? For if no Realme, no Natiō, Citie, nor particular person trayterously declinyng from God, & obstinatly remaining in rebelliō after the truthe knowne and pro­fessed, hathe escaped Gods ven­geance, flatter not your selfes, as that your treason and rebellion shulde or can be ouersene by his iustice, which from the begin­ning ys one, and to the ende shal remayne inuiolable.

Repentance is the [...] to finde mercie.Many haue offended, and v­pon repentance haue obteyned mercie & grace: but I demāde & [Page 23] [...]ske, who cōtēning mercie offred, [...] as the Apostle speaketh, dispi­ [...]ing the lenitie, and long suffering of God, hath in the ende escaped vengeance. Your treasonable fall is manifest, but the signes of your repentāce do not yet appere, and therfore I saye flatter not your selues, as that ye had made pactiō with death, with hell & destructiō, as the Prophet Esai accuseth tho­se of his tyme, Esai. 28. who disdainfully dyd answer, when he called them to sackcloth and asshes, that is to shewe forth the tokens of true re­pentāce & conuersion vnto God. In despit (I saye) they answered, Esai. 5. Let the coūsel of the holy one of Israel cōme: in the meane tyme, let vs eate & drinke, & make me­ry dayes, for to morrowe we shal dye, if the wordes of these ba­blers (so were Gods seruantes termed) be true, and take effect. Esai. 22. [Page 24] But we are out of dāger: destru­ction nor deathe shal not appre­hende vs. The accomplishement of their visions are far of: Ierusa­lē is the pott, & we are the flesh, meaning therby, that they wolde dye & lyue in their natiue coun­try. But the prophets boldely a­gainst suche prowde contempt dyd affirme, that their leage and couenāt made (as they supposed) with deathe and vastacion shul­de be dissolued and broken. For the floods of vengeance shulde cary them to perdition: Esai. 28. straun­gers shulde inherite their lande, and they shuld dye in miserable bondage, in a lande polluted with all Idolatrie, because they refused to serue the Lord their God in the land, which he had gi­uen to them in possession, and be­cause they would nether gyue re­uerence nor credit to his seruan­tes the prophetes, whome frome [Page 25] tyme to tyme he sent vnto them. Ezech. 11. And farther the prophetes dyd affirme that those po [...]e afflicted seruantes of God, who c [...]uelly were murthe [...]ed ī their presēce by tho­se cruel persecutors, that thē bare dominiō in tyrannie, were onely they amongst the Is [...]aelites, that shulde dye with honour in their owne contrie. As for the rest, they shuld ether be led captiues, or els dye by hunger, pestilence or swo­ord & so leaue their names in ex­ [...]ecration and contempt to the po­sterities foloinge.

Beware deare bretherne that ye be not like to these mē in stub [...]urnnes in contynuance of sin & in cōtempt of grace. Ye haue de­clined, yea, and trayterously fal­len backe frome God, and frome his veritie once professed, as they dyd: but beware (I saye) that ye defend not your impietie, that ye contemne not the threatninges of [Page 26] God, promising to your selues felicitie & life, when he by his wor­de, & holy prophetes pronoūce­the against you woe, deathe & se­uere iudgement. For then be you most assured, that ye shal not escape y ^t irreuocable sentēce of God, once pronounced by the mouthe of Ieremie in these wordes: Eue­ry natiō like vnto this shal I iud­ge saithe the eternal. Iere. 5. Then shal you fele in the ende, howe horri­ble and feareful it is to fall in the handes of the omnipotent. Then shal ye grope and wander to and fro seking remedy, but shal finde none: ye shalbe like blinde mē in extreme darkenes, ye shal stūble, ye shal fal, ye shal crye and rore for anguishe, but none shalbe a­ble to releaue your miseries, all creatures shalbe ennemies vnto you because you haue despised y ^e goodnes and mercie of him, who so louīglye hathe intreated you: [Page 27] first in openinge vnto you y ^e true knowledge of him self, and nowe after your horrible defection so mercifully callinge you to repē ­tance agayne. O call to mynde, deare bretherne, that fearefull sē ­tence pronounced against that fig tree, Luk. 13. which dyd occupie the groūde, but was vnfrutefull. The request and earnest supplication of the gardiner coulde obteyne no more, but that he might dig a­bowte her, and laye donge to the [...]ootes therof the space of one ye­re, but thē, if it produced no fru­te, he was compelled to giue pla­ce by his owne sentence to the wisdome and iustice of his lorde, who would not suffer suche an vnprofitable tree to occupie place in his chosen and delectable gar­den or vineyarde. This was not spoken by Christ, nor ment (deare bretherne) of deade & in­sensible trees, but vnder y ^t simili­tude [Page 28] most liuely is painted & set forthe, what shalbe y ^e end of tho­se, that by vocation and exter­nal profession are planted in the Churche of God, Iohn. 15. and so made members of Christ Iesus? who is the verie vvnestocke, & such as do professe him, are called branches grafted in him. This similitude (I say) do the expresse what shalbe the end of such, as bring not forth frute in him, to wit, they shalbe cut of y ^e stocke, whome by baronnes they disho­nor, they shal wither and drye, & so be cast on the fyer to bur­ne for euer.

I haue no pleasure (God is witnesse) to threaten you, muche lesse to pronoūce plages and Gods seuere iudgmentes against you, but seing and con­sidering your horrible defecti­on frome God and frome his veritie knowne and professed, [Page 29] [...] dar not cease to exhort you to [...]epentance. For althogh I shulde [...]epe silence, yet shulde stones [...]ccuse your vnthankefulnes. Yf [...] shulde flatter you and speake ac [...]ordīg to your appetites, No vayne ex­cuses or flat­terie of the preachers can turne awaye Gods ven­geance. saiyng [...]as we can not redres the in­ [...]quitie of these tymes, we haue [...] pleasure in Idolatrie, we are [...]orye, that the blood of innocēts [...]s shed in our lande, we woulde [...]e content that true religion [...]hulde be vsed, but wicked men [...]ow bere dominion, and ther­fore we must serue and obey the [...]yme: when God shal please to [...]estore his truth we wilbe gladd of it, but in the meane tyme we must obey the lawes set forth by [...]ur superiours: God knoweth [...]ur hartes, and we trust he wil­ [...]e merciful vnto vs. Yf on this [...]aner (I say) I shulde flatter you [...]aying pillowes vnder your hea­ [...]es, who alredy do sleape in a [Page 30] deadely securitie, shulde ye ther­fore escape Gods vengeance? No no deare brethern, but by suche meanes be you assured that Gods indignation is more kin­deled, both against the people, and the prophet. For when al are coniured against his truthe, then must his iuste iudgementes re­uenge his owne cause, and ther­fore brethern suffer the worde of exhortation, suffer it I say withe trembling & feare, not esteming the threatninges pronounced a­gainst the disobedient forthe of the boke of God to be voice [...] sparsed in the ay [...]e, The threat­ninges of Gods pro­phets are ef­fectual. which soden­ly shal euanishe and take no effect. God forbyd, that suche cogita­tiōs remayne ād preuaile in your hartes, for then haue ye refused God, with whome ye can haue no societie, except ye imbrace, and receiue his worde, whiche threat­neth no lesse damnation; deathe▪ [Page 31] shame and destruction to prowd [...]ōtemners and obstinat refusers of grace and mercy offered, The worde of God hathe two offices. then [...]hat it dothe promesse saluation, [...], honor and immortalitie to [...]he penitēt synner, and vnto such [...] vnfaynedly mourne for their [...]aynous offences against God cōmitted. It behoueth you ther­fore, deare brethern, to giue this honour to your God, that the viritie of his worde be not mea­sured by the weakenes, frailtie or infirmitie of the instrumentes, whiche most commonly he vseth in publicatiō of the same. For his ministers are men subiect to in­firmities, but the worde, whiche they preache, is the powre of God to saluation of al that beleue and obediētly imbrace the same. His ministers, as they be the sonnes of men, of nature are they lyers, instable and vayne, but his e­ternal worde, whiche he putteth [Page 32] in their mowthes, and whereof they are made imbassadors, is of suche truthe, stabilitie and assu­rance, that albeit heauen ād earth shulde euanishe and perishe, yet shal it abyde and remayne for e­uer, Matt. 24. and that in such sorte, that the same men, who blynded by prosperitie ād carnal affections, coulde not beleue God speaking by his ministers, are oft compel­led in their owne bodyes and in their posterities folowinge to fele the stripes and susteyne the plages, Suche as wil not acknowledge God by his worde shall knowe him by his iudgementes. whiche they contemned, when they were first pronoūced. The prophet Zacharie, accusing the Iewes of his tyme of negli­gēce, in reedifiing the temple af­ter they were delyuered frome y ^e captiuitie and bondage of Babi­lon, sayethe, where be your fa­thers, to whome the prophete [...] spake? and where be the prophete that spake to your fathers? are not [Page 33] the one and the other deade? But my wordes and statutes (saithe the Eternal) which I haue commā ded to my seruantes the prophe­tes, haue not they apprehended your fathers? insomoche that they conuerted and said, Zach. 1. As the Lord of [...]ostes hath determined to do vnto vs accordyng to our waies and according to our imagina­tions, so hath he done. By which question and wordes the Prophet euidently affirmeth that, which before I haue said to witt, that nether the mercie of God promi­sed to the penitent, nether the se­uere punishementes pronounced against the stubborne and [...] oght to be measured by the weakenes and condition of the m [...]s [...]nger, whome God sendeth: The worde is not to be mea­sured by the m [...]s [...]ng [...]r, but by the powre of God that sendeth it. but that whatsoeuer they bring fo [...]the of Gods boke against ini­quitie and syn, & chiefly against Idolatrie (which seperateth man [Page 34] altogether frome God) shalbe holden so constant and so true, as thogh God frome the heauē had giuen witnesse to the same by the presence of his owne maiestie. The mē to whome Zacharie d [...]d speake, had neuer sene Esai y ^e prophet, yea, Esai him self was dead long before his prophetie toke full effect: notw ^tstanding as their fathers felt the plagues, which he pronounced against them and a­gainst that famous Citie Ierusa­lem for the bloodshede and Ido­latrie in the same committed: so were the eies of their children, to whome Zacharie speaketh, wit­nesses, y ^t Gods wrath was in perfection powred forthe vpō their fathers, which also dyd abide v­pon them, euē vnto that day, that the Prophet dyd admonishe thē. For they sawe Ierusalem lie [...] and waste, as the Caldeies had left it, they sawe the ruines & [Page 35] miserable stones ouercouered w ^t powder of that bewtifull & holy temple of God, which by Salo­mon was builded. They farther felt them selues in pouertie & bō ­dage of strāgers. For albeyt they had obteyned libertie to returne to their countrie: yet perceyued they their condition [...] litle a­mēded. Their ēnemies were mo­re strong then they, 1. Esd. 3. 1. Esd. 4. 2. Nehe. 4. euen in their owne lande. Their worke was imp [...]aded, & they dyd lyue in grea­ter feare, then those which stil remayned in dispertion▪ & thus I saie were bothe their fathers & they compelled to confesse in the ende, that the wordes of the pro­phetes were no vayne threatnīgs. For the fathers dyd fele in a stra­unge countrie the heauie yoke of bondage the space of 70. yeres, after that the bodies of many thow sandes had fallen vpon the edge of the sworde, and the eies [Page 36] of the children dyd see the force and vehemencie of Gods wrathe once kyndled. Of one thing be assured, The same God that spake in tymes past by his prophetes, speaketh as effectually now by his mes­singers. deare brethern, that the self same God, who then spake by his prophets, dothe now speake to you by his messingers, how con­temptible soeuer they be in your eies. and fa [...]ther be assured, that in all his proprieties he remay­neth immutable for euer & euer, & therfore persuade your selues, that what he hated in thē, he can not loue in you, and what he pu­nished in them, he can not spare nor pa [...]do in you. In them he ha­ted murther, deceite, oppression, licencious lyfe, declyning frome the true religion and manifest I­dolatry committed and suffred in all their lande. In them he puni­shed (and that most extremely) defence of their synnes, cōtempt of mercie and persecution of his prophetes. Yf these things be cō ­mon [Page 37] amongst you, as alas they are to manifest, flatter not your selues, as that your prosperitie shulde longe contynue, no bre­therne but rather let the sharpe iudgementes of God, all ready e­xecuted agaīst the like offenders, put you in minde, that y ^e plagues and vengeances, which are con­teined in his holy Lawe, & which your eares haue often harde, do presently hāge ouer your heades: that the bloode of Gods inno­cēt childrē, which cruelly is shed in your lande (wherof ye are all giltie by reason of your permis­sion and silence) dothe continu­ally crye in the eares of our most iuste God, None can ex­cuse thē selues of the innocēt blood, that kepe silence in such cruel murthers. Howe longe shall it be, ô Lord, A [...]o. 6. that thowe wilt not reuenge our bloode vpon those that dwel in the earth? that the teares of the widowes oppressed, of the orphelines left comfortles, of prisoners wrongefully tormē ­ted, [Page 38] and of the banished, who sus­teyne hunger and other calami­ties in strange contries, onely because they woulde auoyde suche abhominations, as amongst you are cōmitted. Ye oght, I say, to be most assuredly persuaded, y ^t y ^e lamētable voices of al these haue so beaten the eares of our God, and that the teares, which in an­guishe they powred forthe, haue so replenished ād fylde the bot­tel, which hangethe continually in the eies of the almightie, that he hath sworne by his owne ho­lynes, that he wil arise in his hote fury, that he wil reuenge their cause (and that spedely) and that he wil also confounde his ennemies the persecuters of his Churche, as fyer cōsumeth stub­ble and strawe.

No tyme wil I appoīt to these the iudgmentes of our most iust God, but this I feare not to affir­me [Page 39] in the assurance of his spirite, who of mercie hath called me to be a minister of his worde and veritie, that as ye haue harde the [...]ayes of these presēt dolors fore­spoken, when ye could feare no suche daūgers to come. For Bar­wike and Newcastle be you both witnesses, Barwike Newcastel how oft and how plainly ye haue hard affirmed, that y ^e light, which the most part ha­ted (or at least dyd not followe) shulde be taken from you, and that ye for your vnthankefulnes shulde be left in uttermost darkenes to your destruction: y ^t strā ­gers shulde beare rule ouer you, and that ye shulde of al nations be most miserable and accursed of God, because ye dyd not know the tyme of your merciful visitatiō. Howe oft haue ye hard proclamed in your eares, O Englād if y ^u dydest knowe the honour, wherū ­to this day thowe art called: yf [Page 40] thou dydest consider the graces & benefites of God this day of­fred vnto the, thou shuldest be most happie & most blessed of all realmes. For within thy lād hath God erected his sanctuarie, buil­ded his temple and chosen his ha­bitation & dwelling place. England was once made the sanctuary of God▪ which is a title most honorable and blessed. From amongst you hathe God by the power of his worde driuen out deuilles, superstition and Idola­trie: but alas for thy vnthank­fulnes thy God wil departe from the: he wil giue the ouer agay­ne to the bondage of Sathan. In lyes thou delitest and therfore shal the veritie be taken from the. Which sentences and threat­nings albeyt then yee feared not, yet dare ye not denie in Gods presence, howsoeuer ye dissemble in the face of the wicked world, but that amongst you spake the Spirit of truthe, how weake that euer the instrumēt was, whome it pleased [Page 41] his wisdome to vse for your aduertisement, as your eies do this day beholde the accōplishe­ment and execution of one part of Gods most iuste iudgementes. For the veritie, Because the multitude de­liteth rather in lies, then in truthe therfore fall they sud­dainly to er­rors. in which a smal nombre dyd delyte, is taken from you, and Idolatrie, which many gaped for, is erected to your con­fusion and shame. God hath re­moued the presence of his glorie from you, and the deuil hath ta­ke his full possession. As this part (I saye) of Gods iudgements, w before were pronoūced, is exe­cuted in your eies, so shal some of you, that this day beholde the ty­rannie that is vsed, mainteyned & permitted amongst you, likewise beholde the terrible plagues & se­uere iudgemēts of God powred forthe in full perfectiō, The plagues of God shal apprehend euen such as by si­lence & flatte­ry con [...]ent to the murther of his [...] not one­ly vpon the cruel murtherers, but also vpō suche as by silēce, & flattery cōsent to their impietie. Yf [Page 42] ye be not more then blynde, ye may euidētly se y ^e potēt hande of God displayde & stretched owt against you. Dothe not the sud­dayne & miserable fall of Cali­ce, Calice, called the key of England. sometymes called the keye of Englāde, yea, & y ^e open dore into forrayne countreys, moue you to cōsider, what is Gods powere, & how easie it is to him to ouer­throw all the pryde of mā in one moment? Yf it moue not others, yet let it moue the, Barwike let the suddayne fall of thy sis­ter moue the to repentance. ô Barwike▪ she was thy syster, and your conditiō was one, except y ^t as in strength, order and ciuil pollicie thow wast nothinge comparable: so in theft, debate, hatred & all iniqui­tie thou didest farr surmount her & yet she hathe dronkē the cuppe of Gods vengeance, Note because y ^t being admonished, she dyd not repēt: & shal or canst thou esca­pe the same, if thou continue, as thou hast begun? No, albeyt man and angell woulde promesse the [Page 43] assurance, thy pryde shalbe beatē doune to hell, thy treasonable de­fection from God shalbe puni­shed, as before hathe bene pro­nounced in thyne eares, except y ^t by spedy repētāce thou preuent Gods iudgemētes. And therfo­re, deare bretherne, if y ^t ye inten­de or thinke to escape Gods vē ­geance, his heauy hande and hote displeasure, delaye no tyme to retu [...]ne vnto him, Psal. 32. call vpon him whyle he is nie, seke him vnfey­nedly, whyle he is to be founde, hardē not your hartes, whē he rebukethe your vnthākfulnes. Now he offerethe him self vnto you, now he is neare, now he is to be sounde, whyle he callethe you to repentaunce by his messingers & worde. Which occasiō & oppor­tunitie if ye omit, as Gods iusti­ce shall shine in your punishemēt & iust condemnation, Iere. 11. so shall it be, y ^t you howle & crye for an­guishe and payne, and yet shal [Page 44] fynde nether counsel nor cōfort. for so dothe God often reuenge the cōtempt of his graces offred.

Prowde Esau, after he had sold his birth right and had con­firmed the ba [...]gan with a so­lemned othe, dyd eate & drinke regardyng nothing his owne fo­lishenes, nether rightly dyd he e­steme (for the tyme) the honor & dignitie which he had lost. But after, when he perceyued that his father (euen against his promesse and determined purpose) wolde stil blesse Iacob, Gene. 27. he [...]ett, he fu­med, he accused Iacob, he reaso­ned with his father, he begged but one blessing and that with teares, with roringe and lamentable cri­es: but all was in vayne, he foun­de no place of repentāce: the dore of mercie was shit vp by his for­mer contempt, he bowled and cryed, but not for his syn & for­mer vnthankefulnes, he begged [Page 45] blessīg, but his eie being fixed v­pō this present world, he remay­ned accursed before God, burnīg in hatred & imagining murther and the death of his brother, who­me God had honored with his spiritual benedictiō. This histo­rie (as by y ^e Apostle we are taght) is not written for Esau onely, but for ensample and admonition to a [...]l those that prefer the propha­ne and contemptible pleasures of this earthe to the benediction & inheritāce promised to Abrahám and vnto his seale. All are Esau children that prefer earth­ly pleasures to spiritual blessings.

Enter in iudgement with your selues, deare bretherne, & cōsider earnestly, what exchange ye haue made. Ye haue refused & [...]enied God the father & his deare sonne Christ Iesus, & so y ^e whole ioye & cōfort of his kingdome: ye haue quit y ^e portion of your inheritāce & haue despised y ^e benedictiō promised to suche, as shulde abyde [Page 46] in the truethe to the ende. And what reward haue ye receyued? a measse of pottage, yea, muche lesse, if the matter shalbe wel cō ­sidered. For the fauour of your Quene accursed by God, y ^e frēd­shipe of the counsel destitute of wisdome, and your wretched and miserable lyues, compared w ^t y ^e thīges, w ^c ye haue lost, are muche inferiour to the pottage, for y ^e w ^t Esau solde his birthright. For his appetites and lustes were sacia [...] for a tyme, but I am assured that your bellies, for the whiche ye haue refused God, are more ēptie, thē they were before. Now are ye cōpelled to fede y ^e proude Spanyard bothe within and w ^tout your cōtry. Taxe followeth taxe and one exaction calleth for an other. The lādes ād inheritances must pay at pleasure of y ^e parla­ment▪ y ^e mouable goodes can not escape valuation and censure, The frutes of [...] reign where oppression and extorsion [Page 47] beare rule & dominiō. These are y ^e great benifites, w ^c of Iesabel ye haue receyued for refusinge of God & bowing at her cōmandement to Baal. But let it be y ^t you had receyued sinse your reuolt & falling from God y ^e greatest ri­ches, y ^e greatest honor, y ^e greatest victorie, & the most established rest, y ^t euer natiō had sinse the be­gynning: yet had ye chāged your former glorie for a mease of pottage. For do ye not know y ^t al the­se things shal cuanish as a dreame in the night ceasō? And as cōcer­nyng y ^e preseruatiō & safetie of your lyues, for y ^t w ^c ye haue refu­sed God, who onely is y ^e auctor of life, y ^e day shal shortly come, whē ye shal proue this sentence of Christ Iesus to be true in experience, Math. 10. To take away life is onely in the pow [...] of God that gaue it. that whosoeuer to kepe or find his life denyeth Christ Iesus before mē, shal lose his life bothe corporal & eternal. For as your Iesabel can nothinge without the [Page 48] wil & permission of him, who is omnipotēt: so can nether she nor you reteine nor holde the breath in her nor your moste frayle bo­dies, when that most potent Lord shal saye, Returne to dust ô ye vn­thankful sonnes of mo [...]tal men.

Seing it is so (deare brether­ne) that Gods iudgemētes ye can not escape humble your selues be tymes before that his vengeance be armed to your destruction. Yf ye cōtinue in this deadlie securi­tie, regarding nothing what ho­nour ye haue lost, it shalbe to late for you to howle and crye, when youre blessing [...] in your owne cares be giuen to others. Repent therfore betymes, and as ye haue opēly declined from God by re­fusal of his v [...]itie so let your cō ­uersiō be manifest by remouynge from amōg [...] you all kīde of Ido­latrie. This I knowe appeareth to you so vnpossible to be ꝑformed, [Page 49] [...] ye iudge me rather to mock you [...]nē to exhort you to repentāce by this meāes. But, deare bretherne, God easely bring thē to passe that, which to mā [...] reason is im­possible. cōsider with me, that the thinges, which to man seme most impos­sible, are easie to our God to [...] to passe, if we wil refuse our selues, and onely giue obedi­ence to his commandemētes. Im­possible it appeared to the afili­ated children of Israel, that they [...]oulde be deliuered from the ty­rannie of Phorao and from the bondage of the Egyptians. And [...]n verie dede their yoke was aug­mēted and their burthens made more greuous, many dayes after they had at Moses commande­ment asked libertie to make sa­crifice to the liuing God [...]. But were they dispised or frustrate of their expectation in the end? or dyd suche as suppressed them or assisted their king in persecution of Gods people, escape vēgeāce? Gods powre is not dimi­nished. [Page 50] we knowe the contrarie. Beholde the meanes to at­teyne Gods fauor and mercie. The hād of our God is no more feble now▪ then it was then▪ his good wil ād loue remayneth one at al tyme [...] towarde such as depēd vpō him. Acknowledge then your synnes, mourne for your vnthākefulnes, absteyne frō Idolatrie, call boldely that the libertie of Christ Ie­sus, of his holy gospel preached may be restored vnto you, con­sent not by your silence to the sheding of the blood of innocē ­tes, whiche for the testimonie of Christes trueth is shed amongst you in great abundāce, but boldly beare witnes, that iniurie is done vnto them, and so shal you knowe shortly in experiēce, that God is no vayne promiser of support to such, as shalbe iniust­ly oppressed, especially for the cause of his Euangil. But alas deare brethern (I speak to you, of whose boldenes I once reioysed, & for whose fall, God knoweth, I [Page 51] now mourne) if ye shal continue in rebelliō against God, because ye dare not displease men, as ye shal not escape damnation eter­nal, so shal ye fele in your owne bodies, yea, the bodies of your posteritie after you shal feele, that his prophetes haue not vaynely threatned bondage and thraldō against the inobedient. And be you assured that by mainteyning of Idolatrie you shal neuer attein to that quietnes, which ye seke in this earthe, but contrarywise God shal plage you, God many tymes plageth euen by such as men seke to please. euē by those whome ye studie to please. Therfore in few wordes to cōclude yf ye intende to escape Gods seuere iudgementes, & if ye loke to find [...]ō fauorable, other to you or yet to your posteritie, sleape no lon­ger in your syn, cōsider frō what honour you are fallē, what daun­ger hangeth ouer your heades, remember how feareful and horri­ble [Page 52] it is to haue God your enne­mie, & in depe consideratiō ther­of, call for mercie, studie vn­faynedly to rise agayne, pro­fesse the trueth, whiche ye haue denyed, remoue to your powre iniquitie f [...]ome amongste you, ād abstayne in your bodies from Idolatrie committed, and maynteyned by your wicked rulers. And in so doing, as ye shal day­ly increase in knowledge, and strength: so shal ye finde grace, whiche ye haue not deserued, ād that by the meanes of our Lorde Iesus Christ, whose omnipotent spirit so illuminate your senses and vnderstandinge that clearly ye may se, what is the riches of y ^t glorie, which God hath prepa­red for such as vnfaynedly loue him, and how horrible are the tormentes, whiche the slaues of Satan (I meane Idolaters, ād such as for feare refuse the knowne [Page 53] veritie) shal suffer with the deuil and with his angels without end.

Farther of my mynde con­cernīg your dueties in these most [...]olorous dayes, ye may vnder­stande by my appellation and by myne admonition to the nobili­tie and communaltie of Scot­lande. God graunt you his holy spirit rightly to cōsider and boldly to folowe the waye, which leadeth to lyfe euerlasting. Amē. From Geneua the .x. of Nouem­bre M.D.LVIII.

The dayes are so wicked, that I dare make special com­mendations to no man.