The Pulpit of the Reformation;
No. 1, October 30, 1834.
Containing
The Last Judgment,
By John Welch.
The Day Of Judgment,
By Bishop Latimer.
No. 2, December 1, 1834.
Containing
The Parable Of The Householders,
And The
Parable Of The Tares,
By Bishop Latimer.
No. 3, January 1, 1835, and No. 4, February 1, 1835.
Containing
A Sermon Preached Before Queen Mary
By John Knox
To Which Is Subjoined An Extract From Knox's Admonition To The People Of England.
Aberdeen:
Published By
George King, 28, St. Nicholas Street,
And
Robert King, Broad Street, Peterhead
Rev. xx. 11.—And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away.
The security of all flesh is wonderous great, for there is a fearful
sleep fallen both upon the good and the evil. The foolish virgins
are sound asleep, and the wise are asleep also. And suppose the
Lord be at the door, and the hour of judgment at hand, and the
seventh angel ready to blow the last trumpet, when time shall be no
more; yet it is scarcely one of a thousand, yea, one of ten thousand,
is to be found that is prepared, and busying themselves to meet the
Lord, who is making speed to come in the clouds: and how soon
that fire shall break forth, which shall kindle the heavens above your
head, and the earth under your feet, and shall set all on fire; how soon
the trumpet shall blow, and the shout shall cry, Rise, Dead, and come
to judgment,
is only known to God, and to no mortal man. Will
ye not then be wakened till this trumpet waken you? And will
none of you take pains to look over the leaves of your conscience,
and read what sins are written there, since ye came into the world,
before that day of doom come upon you? O that ye knew that eternity,
and that terror of the day of the Lord, when the heavens above
you, and the earth beneath you, shall not be able to stand before the
face of him that sits on the throne! Therefore I hope the Lord has
made choice to me of this text, at this time, to give you warning before
the judgment come. Ye know the watchman that the Lord
takes from among the people, that he sets over the city or house to credit
to them, If ye see the sword and pestilence coming, and
warn them not, the blood of them that perish under the judgment for
that is, the watchman's;
therefore it is time for me to be making warning to you, and,
in the measure of strength that God will give me, I am to make
warning not of a temporal judgment, but of an everlasting judgment
that is coming on, (God waken you and warn you in time!) that when
ye shall see the Judge sit on his throne, your hearts may not tremble
at his awful countenance, having gotten your souls washed in his
blood. But, to come to the purpose, there are many visions in this
book, and there are many things done here, that the Son shews to
his servant John. He shews him first the present state of the Church
at that time in the world, under the name of seven stars, and he tells,
they are suffering, and had patience; and they laboured for his
name's sake, and fainted not; but yet he had somewhat against them,
because they had forsaken their first love.
Some were in tribulation
and poverty, but yet rich in God; some kept the name of Jesus,
and denied not the faith, suppose they should had given their blood
for it, as the faithful martyr Antipas did; but yet he had a few things
against them, because they maintained the doctrine of the Nicolaitans,
which thing he hated. Some had love, service, faith, and patience,
and their work was more at the last than at the first; but yet they
suffered the false prophetess Jezebel to be among them, to whom he
threatens he will cast her into a bed of affliction, and them that commit
fornication with her, except they repent them of their works.
There were some whose works were not found perfect before God;
therefore he exhorts them to remember how they had heard, and
received; he bids them hold fast and repent, otherwise, he tells, that
he will come shortly against them. Some had a little strength, and
kept his word, and denied not his name; therefore he promises to
deliver them in the hour of temptation that shall come upon all the
world to try the whole earth. Some were neither cold nor hot;
and therefore, because they were lukewarm, he tells them that it
would come to pass, that he would spew them out of his mouth; they
thought they were rich and increased in goods, and had need of nothing,
but they know not that they were wretched, miserable, poor,
blind, and naked; and then he counsels them to buy of him gold
tried in the fire, that they might be rich, and white raiment, that they
might be clothed, and eye-salve that they might see. So what is
your case this day? Have ye not forsaken your first love? But as
for tribulation, it is not yet come; for our days have been days of
peace, of light, liberty, and glory; but as for tribulation it is not yet
come; but as the Lord lives, the days of tribulation are not far off.
As for false doctrine, God be praised, it is not among us yet, or, at
least, if it be, it dare not be avowed yet; but I fear, that, who lives
And first, in the vision of a sealed book, containing these acts concerning the Church, which none could open but the Lion of the tribe of Judah, for it was sealed with seven seals. Now, what was contained in these seven seals? This will take a larger time to declare than now is meet to ware upon it.
Mark always of these things spoken, there are three consolations
to the Church of God; howsoever it be that she be in tribulation, or
poverty, and affliction; and albeit it come to pass, that the devil cast
some of them in prison, that they may be tried, and some have tribulation
ten days, which is but a short time; and howsoever it be that
our adversary goes about continually like a roaring lion, seeking
whom to devour;
but yet, he that rides on the white horse,
with
the badge at his belt, and the arrows at his side, he shall get the victory
at the end of the world; and to them that are faithful to the
death, he shall give them a crown of life.
Mark next, suppose the sword, the famine, the pestilence, these
temporal judgments, be common to the godly as well as to the wicked,
yet there is consolation to the souls of them that are slain for the
testimony of Jesus, they are lying under the altar, and they cry with
a loud voice, Lord, how long, holy and true, dost thou not judge and
avenge our blood upon them that dwell on the earth?
Then it was
said unto them, that they should rest for a little season, until their
fellow-servants and brethren, that should be killed, as they were,
should be fulfilled.
Mark, thirdly, the sixth seal is opened, and there was a great
earthquake, and the sun was as black as sackcloth of hair, and the
moon was like blood, and the stars of heaven fell to the earth, and
heaven departed away as a scroll when it is rolled together; and
every mountain and island were moved out of their places; and then
the kings of the earth, and the great men, and rich men, and the
captains, and the mighty men, and every bond man, and every free
man, hid themselves in dens and rocks of the mountains; and said to
Then shall the Church of God be avenged on her enemies; then she
shall have power over the nations, and shall rule them with a rod of
iron, and as the vessels of a potter they shall be broken; then shall
the saints of God be brought out of great tribulation, and have their
long robes washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb; they
shall be in the presence of the throne of God, and serve him both day
and night in his temple; and he that sits on the throne shall live
among them, and he that is in the midst of the throne shall govern
them, and shall lead them to the lively fountains of waters, and God
shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Now, I go forward.
After this, he tells him, before this day the Gospel shall be wonderfully
restrained; And the bottomless pit shall be opened, and the
smoke of that pit shall arise as the smoke of a great furnace; and the
sun and the air shall be made dark with that smoke: and out of that
smoke shall come locusts upon the earth, and they shall have power
as the scorpions of the earth have, and the pain of them shall be as
the pain of a scorpion, when he have stung a man. And in these
days men shall seek death, and shall not find it, and shall desire to
die, and death shall fly from them.
Then he tells two woes that
shall come upon the earth, the one of the Antichrist, the other of the
Turk, who shall run through the world and slay the third part of
men, and shall lead their great army of twenty times ten thousand horsemen
of war, and there should be two witnesses raised up, and power
should be given them to prophesy so many days clothed in sackcloth;
and if any man should hurt them, fire should proceed out of their
mouth and devour their enemies; and when they have fulfilled their
testimonies, they should be slain by the beast that came out of the
bottomless pit, but they should rise again; and the spirit of life coming
up from God, should enter into them, and they should stand upon
their feet, and great fear fell upon them that seized them, and then
shall they ascend up to heaven in a cloud in the sight of their enemies.
And at last, The seventh angel shall blow his trumpet, and the
dead shall rise, and every man shall receive according to his works.
This he does till he comes to the twelfth chapter, then he tells him,
The fights of the dragon with the woman, and her seed that kept
the commands of her God, and kept the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Then he tells him, the two empires of the two beasts, Antichrist
and the Turk, and the manner of every one of them.
Then he tells,
The noble company of the Lamb that stands in mount Zion, even
the hundred and forty and four thousand, having their Father's name
He tells what they were, saying,
These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are
virgins; these follow the Lamb wherever he goes, and these were
redeemed from among men, being the first fruits to God, and to the
Lamb: and in their mouth was found no guile; for they are without
spot before the throne of God.
Then he tells, That another angel
flew in the midst of heaven, with the everlasting Gospel to preach
unto them which dwell on the earth;
and that is the same Gospel
which I preach unto you, even this, Fear God, and give glory to
him, for the hour of judgment is come; and worship him that made
the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Then he tells, that another angel cried, It is fallen, it is fallen,
Babylon that great city, she made all the nations to drink of the
wine of her fornication. Ay, Rome, thou shalt be taken and burnt
in a furnice of fire, and a mill-stone shall be bound about thy neck,
and thou shalt be cast into the midst of the sea, and shalt be drowned;
there thou shalt fall, and thy fall shall make heaven and earth, and all
the angels and saints to rejoice at thy fall. Ay, God shall put it into
the hearts of the kings to do it; we know not what kings they are;
and then the bride shall prepare her for the bridegroom's coming in
the clouds.
Next again, of seven vials he sets down again almost the same
things that he prophesied before; and now here, last of all, he lets
him see the last judgment. Would you know then what is here?
See ye yon great throne? Ye shall see the Judge standing on the
throne; ye shall all see both heaven and earth flee away from his
face, ye shall all see the dead, great and small, and yourselves among
the rest, standing before God; and ye shall all see the books opened,
and the dead judged according to their works, and death and hell
cast into the lake of fire, even those that had their hands in his heart's
blood, and those that pierced his side with a spear, and those that
rivetted him with nails, both hands and feet, they shall see it also.
The elect shall see it, as Job says, For I know that my Redeemer
liveth, and that he shall stand at the last day upon the earth. And
though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet I shall see God
in my flesh: whom myself shall see, and my eyes shall behold, and
not another, though my reins were consumed in me.
And this was
his consolation; even so those very eyes of yours, and no other,
That he sent not his
Son that he should condemn the world, but that the world through
him might be saved.
Christ himself says, Man, who made me a
judge, or a divider over you?
And in another place, The Son of
man came not to judge, but be judged himself.
In his first coming,
he comes from high majesty to baseness and humility; he came from
his Father's glory to shame and ignominy; he came from a palace to
a crib; from the seat of his majesty to a tree; he came like a Lamb to
be slain, and as a Saviour to save sinners: as the Apostle says, it was
a true saying, That Christ came into the world to save sinners, of
whom I am the chief;
Christ himself says, I came not to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance;
and therefore that is the name
that the angel gives him, when he appears to Joseph in a dream,
saying, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his
people from their sins; and they shall call his name Emmanuel, that
is, God with us,
our God made flesh, our God manifested in the
flesh. So I say, in his first testimony, he comes as a Saviour and
Mediator between God and man; but in his last coming, he shall not
come as a Lamb, but as a Judge, convoyed with all his angels and
saints in heaven; he shall come in flaming fire, kindling the heavens
before him, in melting the elements and earth beneath him; he shall
come with a blast of the trumpet, with the archangel, to gather all
people from the four corners of the earth; and he shall come with a
peremptory sentence, from the which there shall be no appellation,
and of which there shall be no revocation, ever again or again calling;
and he shall come with his reward in his hand, to every man
according to his works which he has done in this world, be they evil,
be they good. Now, ye see he has a throne, he has a throne of
grace; as the Apostle to the Hebrews says, Let us go boldly to
the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and find grace in
time of need.
Now he is sitting on a throne of grace, that we may
receive mercy, and find grace in time of need; and now he holds the
door of mercy open, and lets in every penitent sinner that comes;
therefore I testify unto you, if ye will flee from your sins, if ye will
cast away the works of darkness, if ye will hate and detest all sort of
iniquity, and if thou wilt run to the throne of grace now, I will assure
thee thou shalt find mercy, and grace in the time of need; so
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
how oft would I have gathered thee, as a hen doth her birds under
her wings, but thou wouldst not: behold, your habitation shall be
made desolate.
So wo to the souls that repine and refuse to be
fetched within the sweet and loving arms of the Son of God, even
those bloody arms which were stretched out upon a tree. Now, discern,
I pray you, betwixt his first coming and his last coming; for
now is the time of grace, and now is the spirit of grace offered, and
now is the throne of grace set up, and now is the rainbow, which is
the sign of the covenant of life, round about the throne, and now the
twelve ports of that new Jerusalem are standing open, that all may
come in; therefore, wo to the soul that shall sit till this time of grace
pass over, and will not come in in time.
But I will go forward. Now, ye see two things in that throne,
the one is a great throne, the other is a white throne. Let
kings keep silence of their thrones, and speak of this throne. O ye kings,
will ye look to the heavens above you, and see that white cloud, and
upon the cloud one standing like the Son of man, having upon his
head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle, who thrusts his
sharp sickle in the earth, and cuts down the vine of the vineyards of
the earth, and casts them into the great wine-press of the wrath of
God; so he calls it a great throne. Solomon's throne was great
which he made of ivory, and had six steps, and twelve lions, two on
every step, and the queen of the South was astonished when she saw
it; and it is said in the Canticles, Come forth, O daughters of
Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother
crowned him in the day of his marriage, and in the day of the gladness
of his heart.
But will ye come out, ye daughters of Zion, and
see here another throne nor Solomon's, another crown nor his crown?
It is a great throne, so that all the monarchs' thrones under heaven,
what are they in comparison with this throne? Nothing. Therefore
no wonder that the twenty-four elders take their own crowns,
and cast them down before his throne; and it is no wonder that they
fall down before him that sits on the throne, and worship him that
lives for evermore, saying, Thou art worthy to receive glory, honour,
and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy will's
sake they are created.
O that the men of the world saw this throne!
Now he calls it great, because of him that sits on it; great, because of them that stand about it; great, because of them that shall be judged there; and last of all, great, because of the judgment itself. Now, who sits on it? O! the Judge of the whole world, God himself, that infinite Essence that men and angels have borrowed their being from, even he whose glorious face the seraphims and cherubims cannot behold for the brightness thereof; and therefore they have wings to cover their faces, because they cannot bear to see him, much less so then can any mortal man see his face and live; he that rides on his white horse, and tramples under foot all his enemies, and treads them in the wine-press of his wrath without the city; therefore rejoice, all ye whose garments are made white in the blood of the Lamb, for his throne shall not terrify you, because of the Judge that sits thereon: for he is thy brother, thy Advocate, and thy Saviour. O blessed for evermore is the soul of the righteous, and of such as are reconciled with the great God, before he come to sit on this throne.
Now, I said, it was great in respect of him that sits thereon; next, in respect of them that stand about it. Ye see a judge has his assizers that sit in judgment with him, and consent to his sentence; so this great Judge has his assizers, for there is not one of his angels shall be left in heaven, but all shall stand about this throne, and all the saints on earth shall be caught up in the air, and they shall all have thrones set about his throne. O the fairest parliament that ever was in the world! O! behold the King crowned with many crowns, standing in the midst, and all the King's servants with their crowns on their heads, and also the saints with palms in their hands, sitting on thrones about that throne.
Thirdly, Great is this throne, because great is the number of persons that shall be there. All men and women in the world must be judged here; there is never a reprobate that ever took life, but he shall be judged here, and all the elect and saints of God shall be judged here also, (so fair is this parliament,) six thousand years' generations shall all stand there, waiting to receive an eternal and final judgment.
Last of all, Great is this throne, because great shall be the
judgment that shall come forth from this throne. Lords of the Session
think their judgments great; but come out here, and see to whom
the new city Jerusalem in heaven shall be given, and who shall be
cast into the lake of fire. Now, compare all these together, and see
if this throne be not great; great is he that sits on the throne, even
the Prince of life, and God of glory, and the Judge of all the world;
But I leave this. Again, you see this throne is white. What
means this whiteness? It is innocency or righteousness, and full of
shining brightness, of an unspeakable joy. Innocent and righteous;
how so? Because the Judge is white, innocent, and righteous; all
his assizers that shall sit round about him, they are white, innocent,
white and righteous; all his citations, summonses and convictions,
sentences and executions, are innocent and righteous; so all is white,
the Judge, the unspotted innocent and undefiled Lamb of God, sitting
on his throne of justice, and ordained deputy of his Father, to judge
both the quick and the dead, he in whose heart was never found
guile; therefore Abraham said, Shall not the Judge of the world
judge righteously?
So this Judge is white, innocent, and he is
bright and glorious. Peter, James, and John, saw him white on the
mount Tabor, when he was transfigured, and his face shined as the
sun, and his raiment white as the light; and when Peter said, Master,
it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make three tabernacles,
one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
He is white again, in respect of his citations. O that our hearts were ravished with the consideration of thy righteous and just citing and summoning of all men, when thou shalt cause the earth, grave, hell, and the sea, and all places, thrust out of them all their dead; just shalt thou be in glorifying the souls and bodies of them that glorify thee on earth; and just shalt thou be in glorifying thyself, by tormenting the souls and bodies of them that dishonoured thee on earth.
He is white in respect of his accusations, for there shall be nothing
read in thy ditty, but that which shall be found written either in
one leaf of thy conscience or other; there the sins of thy conception,
there the sins of thy youth, there the sins of thy ignorance, there the
sins against the light of thy conscience, and there the sins against the
Thou Lamb of God, thou
takest away the sins of the world,
thou tookest away my sins when
thou wast on the tree. And can any body tell how ye will compear
before this throne that were never cleansed with the blood of Jesus?
O! that blackness and darkness, which is abiding that soul which
never yet ran to the blood of the Lamb, to make itself white in it; so
the raising of all, the compearing of all, the accusation of all, the conviction
of all, shall be just, and God shall be glorified in all.
There is also the absolution of the righteous, and the condemnation
of the wicked; and therefore the throne is called white, because of
the innocency and righteousness of the Judge. Now, brethren, I
will go no further at this time than this that follows or remains to be
spoken of, the majesty and terror of the Judge sitting on his throne,
and him that sat on it.
Many shall sit on thrones in that day, but
one shall sit above all the rest, for the saints shall be caught up in the
air, and shall all sit on thrones, and give out sentence both of absolution
and condemnation, and they shall say, Hallelujah, salvation,
and glory, and power, be to the Lord our God, for true and righteous
are his judgments.
I could never yet rightly consider the majesty
of this Judge. O heavens! what aileth thee to flee from the face of
this Judge. O earth! what aileth thee to flee, and why art thou
chased away, and never seen again? What ails thee, O heavens,
that never sinned, and, O earth, that never sinned neither, for they
had never understanding to be capable of a law, nor to be subject to
keep a law. What means this? O but I must leave this! for who
can but wonder at this! Yet I will tell you the cause. You and I,
and the generations before that this firmament has seen, and this
earth seen or born, since the first day that God made the earth, and
established this heaven and earth, and since that day that Adam eat
of the forbidden tree, since that day heaven and earth have been eye-witnesses
of our sins, and subject to vanity, and since that day they
have been defiled with our iniquities, and since that time they have
been subject to bondage and corruption, and therefore they groan
with us also, and travail with pain together until this present; and
therefore, in that great day, they cannot abide the face of the Judge.
Now, what is the fruit ye should make of this? I thank my God
that I preach unto you so sure a gospel, even the oracles of the eternal
God; the earth and the heavens shall pass away, but this word
and oracles shall never pass away; therefore it is not a doubtsome
message that I carry unto you, for it is surer than the heavens, and
surer than the earth; and these eyes of yours, that have seen both the
truth of this spoken here. O
Ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before
the foundation of the world.
And it is nothing to the curse of
the mount Ebal, but it is that everlasting curse and malediction which
the Son of God shall pronounce, saying, Depart from me, ye cursed,
into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
(And
what shall I say to you?) This day is coming, and the Lord is preparing
himself to come down through the clouds, to sit on a great
white throne, and the archangel is putting the trumpet to his mouth,
and he is near to the blowing of it, and the rest of the angels are but
waiting when they shall give the last shout, Rise, dead, and come to
judgment,
the Bridegroom is coming, and the heaven and the earth
are waiting when the Lord shall come in his glory, in flaming fire, to
burn them up.
Now, brethren, what should ye do then? It is but this one thing
that I will charge you with, hear what I am to say to you, I bear the
message of God, and I preach the Gospel that shall judge you; and
I am here sent of God to tell you what is his will towards you; therefore
I charge you all before God, and his Son Christ Jesus, every
man and woman, let this be your occupation this day, turn over the
leaves of your conscience, and see there what is the ditty that thou
hast pinned up against thyself, since the day that thou wast born, and
look on thy sins before the Lord, and come and spread them before
the Judge, and crave pardon of them, now in the day of grace; for
he is ready to forgive thee and thy sins, were they never so great;
for aye the redder that thy soul has been, the virtue of his blood shall
appear the greater in cleansing thee from thy sins; therefore let none
of you scare at the greatness of your sins; for here I testify unto
you, that if any of you be condemned, it shall not be for your sins,
but it shall be for contempt of that blood which shall condemn you.
O God! full of mercy and goodness, and of fatherly care and providence,
and never a greater providence found I in my lifetime, than I
found this last time in my journey, I thank my God for it; and here
I avow, if this blood of mine should go for it, it was acceptable service
Father have mercy upon me; Father, forgive me,
and
cause me to repent; Father, send down thy Spirit to soften my heart.
Now, if ye would do this, ye should be welcome to him; for I assure
you he delights to shew mercy on poor penitent sinners, that would
repent, and hunger, and thirst for righteousness.
Now, I say no
more now, but I commend you all to him that is able to give you repentance
and remission of sins in the blood of his Son Jesus Christ:
to Father and with the Holy Ghost, be all honour,
Amen.
Luke XXI.
As we die so we shall rise again. If we die in the state of damnation,
we shall rise in that same state. Again, if we die in the state
of salvation, we shall rise again in that state, and come to everlasting
felicity, both of soul and body. For if we die now in the state of
salvation, then at the last general day of judgment we shall hear this
joyful sentence, proceeding out of the mouth of our Saviour Christ,
when he will say, Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess that
kingdom which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world.
(
I pray God, that we may be of the number of those who shall hear
this joyful and most comfortable voice of Christ our Saviour, when
he will say, Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom
which is prepared for you before the foundation of the world was
laid.
There are a great number amongst the Christian people, who
in the Lord's prayer, when they pray, Thy kingdom come,
pray
that this day may come; but yet, for all that, they are drowned in
Thy kingdom come,
with a faithful heart, no
doubt he or she desires in very deed that God will come to judgment,
and amend all things in this world, to pull down satan that old
serpent under our feet.
But there are a great number of us who are not ready. Some have lived in this world fifty years, some sixty, but yet for all that they are not prepared for his coming; they ever think he will not come yet. But I tell you, that though his general coming be not yet, yet for all that he will come one day, and take us out of this world: and, no doubt, as he finds us, so we shall have; if he find us ready, and in the state of salvation, no doubt we shall be saved for ever, world without end. But, if he find us in the state of damnation, we shall be damned, world without end, there is no remedy after we are once past this world; no penance will help then, nor anything that man is able to do for us.
And then shall they see the Son of man come in a cloud with
power and great glory.
St. Paul to the Thessalonians setteth out
the coming of Christ and our resurrection; but he speaks in the same
place only of the rising of the good and faithful that shall be saved.
But the Holy Scripture in other places witnesses, that the wicked
shall rise too, and shall receive their sentence from Christ, and so go
to hell, where they shall be punished world without end. Now, St.
Paul's words are these, This say we unto you in the word of the
Lord: that we which shall live and shall remain to the coming of the
Lord, shall not come before them which sleep. For the Lord himself
shall descend from heaven with a shout, and the voice of the
archangel and the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall arise
first: then we which shall live, even we which shall remain, shall
be caught up with them also in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air;
and so shall we ever be with the Lord; wherefore comfort one another
with these words.
By these words of St. Paul it appears, that they which died in the
beginning of the world shall be by Christ as soon saved, as they who
shall be alive here at the time of his coming. I would have you to
note well the manner of speaking which St. Paul uses; he speaks as
if the last day should have come in his time. Now, when St. Paul
thought that this day should have come in his time, how much more
shall we think that it shall be in our time? For no doubt it will
come, and it is not long thereunto; as it appears by all the scriptures
which make mention of this day; it will come, but it shall come suddenly,
And he showed them a similitude, Behold the fig-tree and all the
trees, when they shoot forth their buds, ye see and know of your
ownselves that summer is then near at hand.
So when you see the
tokens which shall go before this fearful day, it is time to make ready.
But here a man might ask a question, saying, I pray you wherein
standeth this preparation? How shall I make ready? About this
there has been great strife, for there have been an infinite number,
and there are some yet at this time, who think that this readiness
standeth in masses, in setting up candles, in going of pilgrimage; and
in such things, they thought to be made ready for that day, and so to
be made worthy to stand before the Son of man, that is, before our
Saviour Christ. But I tell you, this was not the right way to make
ready. Christ our Saviour showeth us how we shall make ourselves
ready, saying, Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts
be overcome with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this world,
and so this day come upon you unawares; for as a snare shall it come
upon all them that dwell upon the face of the whole world.
Watch and pray:
as if he had said, Be ye ever in readiness,
lest you be taken unawares. But those sluggards who spend their
time vainly in eating and drinking, and sleeping, please not God, for
he commands us to watch, to be mindful, to take heed to ourselves,
lest the devil, or the world, or our own flesh, get the victory over us.
We are allowed to take our natural sleep, for it is as necessary for
us as meat and drink, and we please God as well in that, as we please
him when we take our food. But we must take heed, that we do it
according as he has appointed us; for like as he has not ordained
meat and drink that we should play the glutton with it, so likewise
sleep is not ordained that we should give ourselves to sluggishness,
or over-much sleeping; for no doubt when we do so, we shall displease
God most highly. For Christ saith not in vain, Watch and
pray.
He would have us to be watchers, to have at all times in remembrance
his coming, and to give ourselves to prayer, that we may
Lord
God Almighty, thou hast promised to come and judge the quick and
the dead; we beseech thee give us thy grace and Holy Ghost, that we
may live according unto thy holy commandments, that when thou
comest, thou have not cause to bestow thy fearful anger, but rather
thy lovingkindness and mercy upon us.
So likewise when we go to bed, we should desire God that we sleep not the sleep of sin and wickedness, but rather that we may leave them, and follow his will and pleasure; that we be not led with the desires of this wicked world. Such an earnest mind we should have towards him, so watchful we should be. For I tell you it is not a trifling matter, it is not a money matter: for our eternal salvation and our damnation hang upon it. Our nature is to do all that is possible for us to get silver and gold; how much more then should we endeavour to make ourselves ready towards this day, when it shall not be a money matter, but a soul matter, for at that day it will appear most manifestly who they are that shall enjoy everlasting life, and who shall be thrust into hell. Now as long as we are in this world, we have all one baptism, we go all to the Lord's Supper, we all bear the name of Christians, but then it will appear who are the right Christians; and again, who are the hypocrites or dissemblers.
Well, I pray God grant us such hearts, that we may look diligently
about us, and make ready against his fearful and joyful coming—fearful
to them that delight in sin and wickedness, and will not leave
them; and joyful unto those who repent, forsake their sins, and believe
in him; who, no doubt, will come in great honour and glory,
and will make all his faithful like unto him, and will say unto them
that are chosen to everlasting life, Come, ye blessed of my Father,
possess that kingdom which is prepared for you from the beginning of
the world.
But, to the wicked who will not live according unto his
will and pleasure, but follow their own appetites, he will say, Go,
ye cursed, into everlasting fire.
O what a horrible thing will this
be, to depart from him who is the fountain of all goodness and mercy,
without whom is no consolation, comfort, nor rest, but eternal sorrow
and everlasting death! For God's sake I require you let us consider
this, that we may be amongst those who shall hear, Come to
me;
that we may be amongst those who shall enjoy eternal life.
Matthew xx. —The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that was an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
This parable is written by the evangelist Matthew in the twentieth
chapter, and is very dark and hard to be understood; yea, there is no
harder piece of scripture written by any evangelist. Therefore it
may well be called hard meat; not meat for mowers nor ignorant people,
who are not exercised in the word of God. And yet there is no
other diversity between this scripture and any other. For though
many scriptures have diverse expositions, (as is well to be allowed of,
so long as they keep in the tenour of the catholic faith,
Now to the principal cause, and to which our Saviour had respect
in this parable, and that is, he teaches us hereby that all Christian
people are equal in all things appertaining to the kingdom of Christ.
So that we have one Christ, one Redeemer, one baptism, and one
gospel, one Supper of the Lord, and one kingdom of heaven. So
that the poorest man and most miserable that is in the world, may
call God his Father, and Christ his Redeemer, as well as the greatest
king or emperor in the world. And this is the scope of this parable,
wherein Christ teacheth us this equality. And if this is considered,
the whole parable will be easily and soon understood.
Here is declared unto us that some laboured the whole day, which
are hired for a penny, that is of our money ten pence: for like as we
have a piece of money which we call a shilling, and is in value twelve
pence, so the Jews had a piece that they called denarium, and that
was in value ten of our pence. The first company wrought twelve
hours, and the others wrought, some nine hours, some six hours,
some three hours, and some but one hour. Now when evening was
come, and the time of payment drew on, the householder said to his
stewart, Go, and give to every man alike, and begin at those that
came last. And when the others that came early in the morning
perceived that they should have no more than those that had wrought
but one hour, they murmured against the householder, saying, Shall
they which have laboured but one hour, have as much as we that
have wrought the whole day?
The householder, perceiving their
discontented mind, said to one of them, Friend, wherefore grudgest
thou? Is it not lawful for me to do with mine own what pleaseth
me? Have I not given thee what I promised thee? Content thyself
therefore, and go thy way, for it hath pleased me to give unto
this man which hath wrought but one hour as much as unto thee.
This is the sum of this parable, which Christ concludes with this sentence,
The first shall be the last, and the last first.
First consider who are these murmurers? The merit-mongers,
who esteem their own works so much, that they think heaven scarcely
sufficient to recompense their good deeds; namely, for putting themselves
to pain with saying of our lady's psalter, and gadding on pilgrimage,
and such like trifles. These are the murmurers; for they
think themselves holier than all the world, and therefore worthy to
receive a greater reward than all other men. But such men are
much deceived and are in a false opinion, and if they abide and continue
therein, it shall bring them to the fire of hell. For man's salvation
cannot be gotten by any work: because the Scripture saith,
Life everlasting is the gift of God.
(
But there is a great difference between the judgment of God, and the judgment of this world. In this world they were accounted most holy above all men, and so most worthy to be first; but before God they shall be last, when their hypocrisy and wickedness shall be opened. And thus much I thought to say of murmurers.
Now I will not apply all the parts of this parable; for, as I said before, it is enough for us if we know the chief point and scope of the parable, which is, that there shall be an equality in all the things that appertain to Christ: insomuch, that the ruler of this realm hath no better a God, no better sacraments, and no better a gospel, than the poorest in the world; yea, the poorest man hath as good right to Christ and his benefits, as the greatest man in this world.
This is comfortable to every one, and especially to such as are in misery, poverty, or other calamities; which, if it were well considered, would not make us so desirous to come aloft, and to get riches, honour, and dignities in this world, as we now are, nor yet so malicious one against another as we are. For then we should ever make this reckoning with ourselves, each man in his vocation; the servant would think thus with himself, I am a poor servant, and must live after the pleasure of my master, I may not have my free will; but what then? I am sure that I have as good a God as my master hath; and I am sure that my service and business pleases God as much, when I do it with a good faith, as the preachers and curates, in preaching or saying of service. For we must understand that God esteems not the diversity of the works, but he hath respect unto the faith; for a poor man who does his duty in faith, is as acceptable unto God, and hath as good right to the death and merits of Christ, as the greatest man in the world.
So go through all states of men, whosoever applieth to his business with faith, considering that God willeth him so to do, surely the same is most beloved of God. If this were well considered and printed in our hearts, all ambition and desire of promotion, all covetousness and other vices, would depart out of our hearts. For it is the greatest comfort that may be unto poor people, especially such as are nothing regarded in this world—if they consider that God loves them as well as the richest in the world—it must needs be a great comfort unto them.
But there are some that say, that this sentence, The first shall be
last,
is the very substance of the parable. And here you shall understand,
that our Saviour Christ took occasion to put forth this parable,
What shall
I do to come to everlasting life?
Our Saviour, after he had taught
him the commandments of God, bade him, Go, and sell all that he
had, and give to the poor; and come and follow him.
He hearing
this, went away heavily, for his heart was cold. And then our Saviour
spake very terribly against rich men, saying, It is more easy
for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to
enter into the kingdom of heaven:
—a camel, or as some think, a
great cable of a ship, which is more likely than the beast that is called
a camel. The disciples hearing this, said, Who then can be
saved?
He made them answer, saying, God is almighty, and that
which is impossible to men, is possible with God;
signifying, that he
condemns not all rich men, but only those who set their heart upon
riches, who care not how they get them, and when they have them,
who abuse them to the satisfying of their own carnal appetites and
fleshly delights and pleasures, and use them not to the honour of God.
And again, such riches as are justly, rightly, and godly gotten,
those are the good creatures of God, when rightly used to the glory
of God, and comfort of their neighbours; not hoarding nor heaping
them up, to make treasures of them. For riches are not evil of themselves;
but they are made evil, when our hearts is set upon them,
and we put hope in them; for that is an abominable thing before the
face of God. Now after these words spoken by our Saviour Christ,
Peter came forth, saying, Lo, we have forsaken all that we had,
what shall be our reward?
Peter had forsaken all that he had,
which was but little in substance, but yet it was a great matter to
him, for he had no more than that little: like the widow who cast
into the treasury two mites, yet our Saviour praised the gift above all
that gave before her. Here thou learnest, that when thou hast but
little, yet give of the same little; for it is as acceptable unto God, as
though it were a greater thing.
So Peter, in forsaking his old boat and net, was approved as much
before God, as if he had forsaken all the riches in the world; therefore
he shall have a great reward for his old boat; for Christ saith,
that he shall be one of them that shall sit and judge the twelve tribes
of Israel; and to signify them to be more than others, he giveth
them the name of judges; meaning, that they shall condemn the
world: like as God speaketh of the queen of Sheba, that in the last
day she shall arise and condemn the Jews who would not hear Christ,
and she came so great a journey to hear the wisdom of Solomon.
Then he answered and said, Whosoever leaveth father, or mother,
or brethren, for my sake, shall receive an hundred-fold, and shall inherit
everlasting life.
Now what is this, to leave father and mother?
And now Christ saith, The first shall be last, and the last shall
be first,
alluding to St. Peter's saying, which sounded as though
Peter looked for a reward for his deeds; and that is it, which is the
let of altogether,the last.
If these sayings were well considered by us, surely we should not
have such a number of vain gospellers as we now have, who seek
nothing but their own advantage under the name and colour of the
Gospel. Moreover, he teaches us to be meek and lowly, and not to
think much of ourselves; for those that are greatly esteemed in their
own eyes, are the least before God: For he that humbleth himself
shall be exalted;
according to the scripture, which saith, God resisteth
the proud, and advanceth the humble and meek.
And this is
what he saith, The first shall be the last,
teaching us to be careful
and not to stand in our own conceit, but ever to mistrust ourselves;
as St. Paul teacheth, saying, Whosoever standeth let him take heed
he fall not; and therefore we may not put trust in ourselves, but
rather in God.
Further, in this saying of our Saviour is comprehended a great
comfort; for those that are accounted by the world to be the vilest
slaves and most abject, may by this saying have a hope to be made
the first and the principal; for although they are ever so low, yet
they may rise again, and become the highest. And so this is to us a
comfortable sentence, which strengthens our faith, and keeps us from
desperation and falling from God. And at the end he saith, Many
are called, but few are chosen.
These words of our Saviour are
very hard to understand, and therefore it is not good to be too curious
in them, as some vain fellows, who seeking carnal liberty, pervert,
toss and turn the word of God, after their own mind and purpose.
Such, I say, when they read these words, make their reckoning
thus; saying, What need I to mortify my body with abstaining
from all sin and wickedness? I perceive God hath chosen some, and
some are rejected. Now if I be in the number of the chosen, I cannot
be damned; but if I be accounted among the condemned number,
then I cannot be saved: for God's judgments are immutable.
Such
foolish and wicked reasons some have; which bring them either to
desperation, or else to carnal liberty. Therefore, it is as needful to
But if thou art desirous to know whether thou art chosen to everlasting life, thou mayest not begin with God: for God is too high, thou canst not comprehend him; the judgments of God are unknown to man; therefore thou mayest not begin there: but begin with Christ, and learn to know Christ, and wherefore he came; namely, that he came to save sinners, and made himself subject to the law, and a fulfiller of the same, to deliver us from the wrath and danger thereof, and therefore was crucified for our sins, and rose again to show and teach us the way to heaven, and by his resurrection to teach us to arise from sin: so also his resurrection teaches and admonishes us of the general resurrection. He sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for us, and gives us the Holy Ghost, that comforts and strengthens our faith, and daily assures us of our salvation.
Consider, I say, Christ and his coming; and then begin to try thyself
whether thou art in the book of life or not. If thou findest thyself
in Christ, then thou art sure of everlasting life. If thou be without
him, then thou art in an evil case. For it is written, No man
cometh unto the Father but through me.
Therefore if thou knowest
Christ, then thou mayest know further of thy election. But when
we are about this matter, and are troubled within ourselves, whether
we are elected or no; we must ever have this maxim, or principal
rule before our eyes; namely, that God beareth a good-will towards
us; God loveth us; God beareth a fatherly heart towards us.
But you will say, How shall I know that? Or how shall I believe
that?
We may know God's will towards us through Christ:
God hath opened himself unto us by his Son Christ; for so saith
John the Evangelist, The Son which is in the bosom of the Father,
he hath revealed.
(
Therefore we may perceive his good-will and love towards us; he hath sent his Son into this world, who suffered a most painful death for us. Shall I now think that God hates me? Or shall I doubt of his love towards me? Here you see how you shall avoid the scrupulous and most dangerous question of the predestination of God. For if thou wilt inquire his counsels, and enter into his consistory, thy wit will deceive thee; for thou shalt not be able to search the counsels of God. But if thou begin with Christ, and consider his coming into the world, and dost believe that God hath sent him for thy sake, to suffer for thee, and deliver thee from sin, death, the devil, and hell; then when thou art so armed with the knowledge of Christ, then, I say, this simple question cannot hurt thee; for thou art in the book of life, which is Christ himself.
Also we learn by this sentence, Many are called,
that the
preaching of the gospel is universal; that it pertains to all mankind;
that it is written, Through the whole earth their sound is heard.
Now seeing that the gospel is universal, it appears that he would
have all mankind saved, and that the fault is not in him if we are
damned. For it is written thus, God would have all men to be
saved:
his salvation is sufficient to save all mankind, but we are so
wicked of ourselves that we refuse the same, for we will not take it
when it is offered unto us; and therefore he saith, Few are chosen;
that is, few have pleasure and delight in it; for the most part are
weary of it, they cannot abide it. And there are some that hear it,
but they will not abide any danger for it, they love their riches and
possessions more than the word of God. And therefore few are
elected, there are but a few that stick heartily unto it, and can find in
their hearts to forgo this world for God's sake and his holy word.
There are some now-a-days that will not be reprehended by the gospel; they think themselves better than it. Some again are so stubborn, that they will rather forswear themselves, than confess their sins and wickedness. Such men are the cause of their own damnation; for God would have them saved, but they refuse it; like as did Judas the traitor, whom Christ would have had to be saved, but he refused his salvation; he refused to follow the doctrine of his master Christ. And so, whosoever heareth the word of God, and follows it, the same is elect by him. And again, whosoever refuses to hear the word of God, and to follow the same, is damned. So that our election is sure if we follow the word of God.
Here is now taught you how to try out your election, namely, in
Christ, for Christ is the accounting book and register of God; even
in the same book, that is, Christ, are written all the names of the
elect. Therefore we cannot find our election in ourselves, neither
yet in the high counsel of God; for Secret things belong to the most
High.
(God
hath so entirely loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, to
that end, that all that believe in him should not perish, but have life
everlasting.
Whereby appears most plainly that Christ is the book of
life, and that all that believe in him are in the same book, and so are
chosen to everlasting life; for only those are ordained which believe.
Therefore when thou hast faith in Christ, then thou art in the book
of life, and so art thou sure of thine election. And again, if thou art
without Christ, and have no faith in him, neither art sorry for thy
wickedness, nor have a mind and purpose to leave and forsake sin, but
rather exercise and use the same, then thou art not in the book of life
But there are none so wicked but he may have a remedy. What is that? Enter into thine own heart, and search the secrets of the same. Consider thine own life, and how thou hast spent thy days. And if thou find in thyself all manner of uncleanness and abominable sins, and so seest thy damnation before thine eyes, what shalt thou then do? Confess the same unto the Lord thy God. Be sorry that thou hast offended so loving a Father, and ask mercy of him in the name of Christ, and believe steadfastly that he will be merciful unto thee in respect of his only Son, who suffered death for thee; and then have a good purpose to leave all sin and wickedness, and to withstand and resist the affections of thine own flesh, which ever fight against the Spirit; and to live uprightly and godly, after the will and commandment of thy heavenly Father. If thou go thus to work, surely thou shalt be heard. Thy sins shall be forgiven thee; God will show himself true in his promise, for to that end he sent his only Son into this world, that he might save sinners. Consider therefore, I say, wherefore Christ came into this world; consider also the great hatred and wrath that God beareth against sin; and again consider his great love, showed unto thee, in that he sent his only Son to suffer most cruel death, rather than that thou shouldst be damned everlastingly.
Consider therefore this great love of God the Father, amend thy life, fly all occasions of sin and wickedness, and be loath to displease him. And in doing this thou mayest be assured that though thou hadst done all the sins of the world, they shall neither hurt nor condemn thee; for the mercy of God is greater than all the sins of the world. But we sometimes are in such a case that we think we have no faith at all, or if we have any, it is very feeble and weak. And therefore these are two things; to have faith and to have the feeling of faith. For some men would fain have the feeling of faith, but they cannot attain unto it; and yet they may not despair, but go forward in calling upon God, and it will come at length: God will open their hearts, and let them feel his goodness.
And thus may you see who are in the book of life, and who are
not. For all those that are obstinate sinners, are without Christ, and
so not elect to everlasting life, if they remain in their wickedness.
There are none of us all but we may be saved by Christ, and therefore
let us stick hard unto it, and be content to forego all the pleasures
and riches of this world for his sake, who for our sake forsook all the
heavenly pleasures, and came down into this miserable and wretched
world, and here suffered all manner of afflictions for our sake. And
Matthew xiii. —The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way, &c.
This is a parable or similitude wherein our Saviour compared the kingdom of God, that is, the preaching of his word, wherein consisteth the salvation of mankind, unto a husbandman who sowed good seed in his field.
But before we come unto the matter, you shall first learn to understand
what this word parable, which is a Greek word, and used in
the Latin and English tongue, means; that is to say, A parable is
a comparison of two things that are unlike outwardly;
while in effect
they signify but one thing, for they appertain to one end; as in this
place, Christ compared the word of God unto seed: which two things
are unlike, but yet they teach one thing; for like as the seed is sown
in the earth, so is the word of God sown in our hearts: and thus
much of this word parable.
The sum of this gospel is, first he speaks of a husbandman that
sowed good seed; after that he mentions an enemy that sowed evil
seed. And these two manner of seeds, that is, the husbandman's seed
that was good, and the enemy's seed which was naught, came up
both together: so that the enemy was as busy as the other in sowing
his evil seed. And while he was busy in sowing it, it was unknown.
And at the first springing up, it all seemed to be good seed, but at
length the servant of the husbandman perceived the evil seed sown
amongst the good; therefore he came and told his master, showing
him all the matter, and required leave to gather the evil seed from
amongst the other. The husbandman himself said, Our enemy
hath done this. But for all that, let it alone until the harvest, and
then will I separate the good from the evil.
This is the sum of
this gospel.
First, note that he saith, When everybody was asleep, then he
came and sowed his seed.
Who are these sleepers? The bishops
and prelates, the slothful and careless curates and ministers; they
with their negligence give the devil leave to sow his seed, for they
sow not their seed. That is, they preach not the word of God, they
instruct not the people with wholesome doctrine, and so they give
place to the devil to sow his seed. For when the devil cometh, and
findeth the heart of man not weaponed nor garnished with the word
of God, he forthwith possesses the same, and so getteth victory
through the slothfulness of the spirituality, which they shall one day
grievously repent. For the whole scripture, that is to say, both the
Old and New Testament, is full of threatenings against such negligent
and slothful pastors; and they shall make a heavy and grievous
account one day, when no excuse shall serve, but extreme punishment
shall follow, for a reward of their slothfulness.
This gospel gives occasion to speak of many things: for our Saviour
himself expounded this parable unto his disciples after the people
were gone from him, and he was come into the house. For the
disciples were not so bold as to ask him of the meaning of this parable
in the presence of the people; whereby we may learn good manners,
to use in everything a good and convenient time. Also we may
here learn to search and inquire earnestly, and with great diligence,
for the true understanding of God's word. And when you hear a
sermon and are in doubt of something, inquire about it, and be desirous
to learn; for it is written, Whosoever hath, unto him shall be
given; and he shall have abundance.
(
Now when our Saviour heard the request of his disciples, he performs
their desire, and begins to expound unto them the parable, saying,
I am he that soweth good seed: the adversary, the devil, is he
who soweth evil seed.
Here our Saviour, good people, makes
known that he goeth about to do us good; but the devil doth quite
the contrary, and he seeks to spoil and destroy us with his filthy and
naughty seeds of false doctrine. The field here is the whole world.
The harvest is the end of the world. The reapers are the angels of
God, who are his servants: for as every lord or master has his servants
to wait upon him, and to do his commandments, so the angels
of God wait upon Him to do his commandments. The angels at the
time of the harvest shall gather first all such as have been evil and
where shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.
For in the end of this wicked
world, all such as have lived in the delights and pleasures of the same,
and have not fought with the lusts and pleasures of their flesh, but
are proud and stubborn, or bear hatred and malice unto their neighbours,
or are covetous persons; also all naughty servants that do not
their duties, and all those that use falsehood in buying and selling,
and care not for their neighbours, but sell unto them false wares, or
otherwise deceive them; all these are called the offenders of this
world,
and all such shall be cast into the furnace where shall be
weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
In like manner, all idle persons that will not work for their living, but go about loitering and are chargeable unto others; and also drunken persons that abuse the benefits of God in dishonouring themselves, so that they lose the use of reason, and their natural wits wherewith God has endued them, and make themselves like swine and beasts; also those who break wedlock, and despise matrimony, which is instituted of God himself. Hereunto add all swearers, all usurers, all liars, and deceivers; all these are called the seed of the devil; and so they are the devil's creatures through their own wickedness.
But yet it is true that wicked men have their souls and bodies of God, for he is their Creator and Maker: but they themselves, in forsaking God and his laws, and following the devil and his instructions, make themselves members of the devil, and become his seed; therefore in the last day they shall be cast out into everlasting fire, when the trumpet shall blow, and the angels shall come and gather all those that offend from among the elect of God.
The form of judgment shall be in this manner: Christ our Saviour at the day of judgment, being appointed of God, shall come down with great triumph and honour, accompanied with all his angels and saints that departed in faith out of this world before time: they shall come with him then, and all the elect shall be gathered to him, and there they shall see the judgment; but they themselves shall not be judged, but shall be like as judges with him. After the elect are separated from the wicked, he shall give a most horrible and dreadful sentence unto the wicked, commanding his angels to cast them into everlasting fire, where they shall have such torments as no tongue can express.
Therefore our Saviour, desirous to set out the pains of hell unto us,
and to make us afraid thereof, calls it fire, yea, a burning and unquenchable
fire. For as there is no pain so grievous to a man as fire
For when a man dies without faith in Christ, all the masses in the whole world are not able to relieve him; and so to conclude, all the travails that we have had in time past by seeking of remedy by purgatory, and all the great costs and expenses that may be bestowed upon any soul lying in the state of damnation, can avail nothing, neither can it do any good. For as I said before, the judgments of God are immutable, that is—as you die, so shall you rise. If you die in the state of salvation, you shall rise so again, and receive your body, and remain in salvation. Again, if you die in damnation, you shall rise in the same state, and receive your body, and return again to the same state, and be punished world without end, with unspeakable pains and torments. For our natural fire, in comparison to hell-fire, is like a fire painted on a wall; but that shall be so extreme, that no man is able to express the terrible horror and grief thereof.
O what a pitiful thing is it, that man will not consider this, and
leave the sin and pleasure of this world, and live godly; but is so
blind and mad, that he will rather have a momentary, and a very
short and small pleasure, than hearken to the will and pleasure of
Almighty God; who can take away everlasting pain and woe, and
give unto him everlasting felicity! That a great many of us are
damned, the fault is not in God, for God would have all men be
saved.
But the fault is in ourselves, and in our own madness, who
had rather have damnation than salvation. Therefore, good people,
Late repentance is seldom sincere.
Therefore
consider this thing with yourself betimes, and study to amend
your life: for what avails it to have all the pleasures of the world
for a while, and after that to have everlasting pain and infelicity?
Therefore let every one examine his own conscience when he finds
himself unready. For all such as through the goodness of God have
received faith, and then wrestling with sin, consent not unto it, but
are sorry for it when they fall, and do not abide nor dwell in the
same, but rise up again forthwith, and call for forgiveness thereof,
through the merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ—all such are called
just: that is to say, all that die with a repentant heart, and are sorry
that they have sinned, and are minded if God give them longer time
to live, to amend all faults, and lead a new life; then are they just;
but not through their own merits or good works. For if God should
enter into judgment with us, none are able to stand before his face;
neither may any of his saints be found just; neither St. John Baptist,
St. Peter, nor St. Paul; no nor is the mother of our Saviour
Christ herself just, if she should be judged after the rigour of the
law. For all are and must be justified by the justification of our
Saviour Christ, and so we must be justified, and not by our own
well-doing, but our justice standeth in this, that our righteousness is
forgiven us through the righteousness of Christ, for if we believe in
him, then are we made righteous. For he fulfilled the law, and
afterwards granted the same to be ours, if we believe that his fulfilling
is our fulfilling; for the apostle Saint Paul saith, He hath not
spared his own Son, but hath given him up for us; and how then
may it be, but that we should have all things with him?
Therefore it must needs follow, that when he gave us his only
Son, he gave us also his righteousness, and his fulfilling of the law.
So that we are justified by God's free gift, and not of ourselves, nor
by our merits: but the righteousness of Christ is accounted to be our
Therefore take heed and be not proud, and be humble and low, and trust not too much in yourselves; but put your only trust in Christ our Saviour. And yet you may not utterly set aside the doing of good works; but especially look that you have always oil in readiness for your lamps, or else you may not come to the wedding, but shall be shut out, and thrust into everlasting darkness. This oil is faith in Christ, which if you lack, then all things are unsavory before the face of God: but a great many people are much deceived, for they think themselves to have faith when indeed they have it not. Some peradventure will say, How shall I know whether I have faith or not? Truly you shall find this in you, if you have no mind to leave sin; then sin grieves you not, but you are content to go forward in the same, and you delight in it, and hate it not, neither do you feel what sin is: when you are in such a case, then you have no faith, and therefore are like to perish everlastingly. For that man who is sore sick, and yet feels not his sickness, he is in great danger, for he has lost all his senses; so that man who has gone so far in sin, that he feels his sin no more, is like to be damned, for he is without faith.
Again, that man is in good case, who can be content to fight and strive with sin, and to withstand the devil, and his temptations, and calls for the help of God, and believes that God will help him, and make him strong to fight. That man shall not be overcome by the devil. And whosoever feels this in his heart, and so wrestles with sin, may be sure that he has faith, and is in the favour of God.
But if you will have a trial of your faith, then do this—Examine
yourself concerning your enemy; he does you harm, he slanders you,
or takes away your living from you. How shall you conduct yourself
towards such a man? If you can find in your heart to pray for
him, to love him with all your heart, and forgive him with a good-will
all that he has sinned against you—if you can find this readiness
in your heart, then you are one of those who have faith, if you would
have him to be saved as well as yourself. And if you can do this you
may argue that your sin is forgiven, and that you are none of those
that shall be cast out, but shall be received and placed among the
number of the godly, and shall enjoy with them everlasting life.
For St. Paul saith, Those that are just,
that is, those that are justified
by faith, and exercise faith in their living and conversation,
they shall shine like unto the sun in the kingdom of God;
that is
to say, they shall be in exceeding great honour and glory. For like
The dross and filth of the world;
but in the other world, when the angels shall gather together the
wicked, and cast them into the fire, then shall the elect shine as the
sun in the kingdom of God. For no man can express the honour
and glory that they shall have, who will be content to suffer all
things for God's sake, and reform themselves after his will; or are
content to be told of their faults, and glad to amend the same, and
humble themselves under the mighty hand of God.
Also the householder said unto his servants, Let them alone until
harvest.
Here you may learn that the preachers and ministers of
the word of God, have not authority to compel the people with violence
to goodness, although they are wicked. But they should admonish
them only with the word of God, not pull the wicked out by
the throat; for that is not their duty. All things must be done according
as God has appointed. God has appointed the magistrates
to punish the wicked; for so he saith, Thou shalt take away the
evil from amongst the people, thou shalt have no pity of him.
If he
be a thief, an adulterer, or a whore-monger, away with him. But
when our Saviour saith, Let them grow;
he speaks not of the
civil magistrates, for it is their duty to pull them out; but he signifies
that there will be such wickedness in spite of the magistrates,
and teaches that the ecclesiastical power is ordained, not to pull out
the wicked with the sword, but only to admonish them with the
word of God, which is called The sword of the Spirit.
So did
John Baptist, saying, Who hath taught you to flee from the wrath
of God that is at hand?
So did Peter in the Acts of the Apostles; Whom you have crucified,
he said unto the Jews. What follows? They were pricked
in their hearts;
contrition and repentance followed as soon as the
word was preached unto them. Therefore they said, Brethren,
what shall we do? How shall we be made clean from our sins, that
we may be saved?
Then he sends them to Christ. So that it appears
in this gospel, and by these examples, that the preacher has no
other sword, but the sword of the word of God: with that sword he
may strike them. He may rebuke their wicked living, and further
he ought not to go. But kings and magistrates have power to punish
with the sword the obstinate and vicious livers, and to put them to
due punishment.
Now to make an end, with this one lesson, which is, If you dwell
in a town where are some wicked men that will not be reformed, nor
[In the Prospectus of our Publication it was stated, that one discourse, at least, would be given in each number. A strict adherence to this arrangement, however, it is found, would exclude from our pages some of the most talented discourses of our early Divines; and it is therefore deemed expedient to depart from it as occasion may require. The following Sermon will occupy two numbers, and we hope, that from its intrinsic value, its historical interest, and the illustrious name of its author, it will prove generally acceptable to our readers. For the information of those who may not be acquainted with the circumstances attending its delivery, we subjoin the following extract from a late edition of the select works of Knox:—
Henry Darnley (king of Scotland by his marriage with queen Mary,) went
sometimes to mass with the queen, and sometimes attended the protestant sermons. To
silence the rumours then circulated of his having forsaken the reformed religion, he, on
the 19th of August, 1565, attended service at St. Giles's church, sitting on a throne
which had been prepared for him. Knox preached that day on
I will give children to be their princes, and
babes shall rule over them: children are their oppressors, and women rule over them.
In another part he referred to God's displeasure against Ahab, because he did not correct
his idolatrous wife Jezebel. No particular application of these passages was made by
Knox, but the king considered them as reflecting upon the queen and himself, and returned
to the palace in great wrath. He refused to dine, and went out to hawking.
That same afternoon Knox was summoned from his bed to appear before the
council. He went accompanied by several respectable inhabitants of the city. The
secretary informed him of the king's displeasure at his sermon, and desired that he
would abstain from preaching for fifteen or twenty days. Knox answered, that he had
spoken nothing but according to his text, and if the church would command him either to
preach or abstain, he would obey so far as the word of God would permit him. The king and
queen left Edinburgh during the week following, and it does not appear that Knox was
actually suspended from preaching.
The following are Knox's reasons for the publication of this Sermon, extracted from his preface to the first edition.
If any will ask, To what purpose this sermon is set forth? I answer, To let
such as satan has not altogether blinded, see upon how small occasions great offence is
]
A SERMON ON ISAIAH XXVI.
Isaiah xxxvi. 13, 14, 15, 16, &c.—O Lord our God, other lords besides thee have had dominion over us; but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise; therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.
Thou hast increased the nation, O Lord, thou hast increased the nation, thou art glorified; thou hast removed it far unto the ends of the earth.
Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them, &c.
As the skilful mariner (being master,) having his ship tossed with a
vehement tempest, and contrary winds, is compelled oft to traverse,
lest that, either by too much resisting to the violence of the waves,
his vessel might be overwhelmed; or by too much liberty granted,
might be carried whither the fury of the tempest would, so that his
ship should be driven upon the shore, and make shipwreck; even so
doth our prophet Isaiah in this text, which now you have heard read.
For he, foreseeing the great desolation that was decreed in the council
of the Eternal, against Jerusalem and Judah, namely, that the whole
people, that bare the name of God, should be dispersed; that the holy
city should be destroyed; the temple wherein was the ark of the
covenant, and where God had promised to give his own presence,
should be burnt with fire; and the king taken, his sons in his own
presence murdered, his own eyes immediately after be put out; the
nobility, some cruelly murdered, some shamefully led away captives;
and finally, the whole seed of Abraham rased, as it were, from the
fate of the earth. The prophet, I say, fearing these horrible calamities,
doth, as it were, sometimes suffer himself, and the people committed
to his charge, to be carried away with the violence of the tempest,
without further resistance than by pouring forth his and their
dolorous complaints before the majesty of God, as in the 13th, 17th,
and 18th verses of this present text we may read. At other times
These are the chief points of which, by the grace of God, we intend more largely at this present to speak;
First, The prophet saith, O Lord our God, other lords besides
thee have ruled us.
This, no doubt, is the beginning of the dolorous complaint, in which he complains of the unjust tyranny that the poor afflicted Israelites sustained during the time of their captivity. True it is, that the prophet was gathered to his fathers in peace, before this came upon the people: for a hundred years after his decease the people were not led away captive; yet he, foreseeing the assurance of the calamity, did before-hand indite and dictate unto them the complaint, which afterward they should make. But at the first sight it appears, that the complaint has but small weight; for what new thing was it, that other lords than God in his own person ruled them, seeing that such had been their government from the beginning? For who knows not, that Moses, Aaron, and Joshua, the judges, Samuel, David, and other godly rulers, were men, and not God; and so other lords than God ruled them in their greatest prosperity.
For the better understanding of this complaint, and of the mind of the prophet, we must, first, observe from whence all authority flows; and, secondly, to what end powers are appointed by God: which two points being discussed, we shall better understand, what lords and what authority rule beside God, and who they are in whom God and his merciful presence rules.
The first is resolved to us by the words of the apostle, saying,
There is no power but of God.
David brings in the eternal God
speaking to judges and rulers, saying, I have said, ye are gods, and
sons of the Most High.
(By me kings reign, and
princes discern the things that are just.
From which place it is
evident, that it is neither birth, influence of stars, election of people,
force of arms, nor finally, whatsoever can be comprehended under
the power of nature, that makes the distinction betwixt the superior
power and the inferior, or that establishes the royal throne of kings;
but it is the only and perfect ordinance of God, who willeth his terror,
power, and majesty, partly to shine in the thrones of kings, and
The end and cause then, why God imprints in the weak and feeble
flesh of man this image of his own power and majesty, is not to puff
up flesh in opinion of itself; neither yet that the heart of him, that is
exalted above others, should be lifted up by presumption and pride,
and so despise others; but that he should consider he is appointed
lieutenant to One, whose eyes continually watch upon him, to see
and examine how he behaves himself in his office. St. Paul, in few
words, declares the end wherefore the sword is committed to the
powers, saying, It is to the punishment of the wicked doers, and
unto the praise of such as do well.
Of which words it is evident, that the sword of God is not committed to the hand of man, to use as it pleases him, but only to punish vice and maintain virtue, that men may live in such society as is acceptable before God. And this is the true and only cause why God has appointed powers in this earth.
For such is the furious rage of man's corrupt nature, that, unless severe punishment were appointed and put in execution upon malefactors, better it were that man should live among brutes and wild beasts than among men. But at this present I dare not enter into the description of this common-place; for so should I not satisfy the text, which by God's grace I purpose to explain. This only by the way—I would that such as are placed in authority should consider, whether they reign and rule by God, so that God rules them; or if they rule without, besides, and against God, of whom our prophet hero complains.
If any desire to take trial of this point, it is not hard; for Moses,
in the election of judges, and of a king, describes not only what persons
shall be chosen to that honour, but also gives to him that is
elected and chosen, the rule by which he shall try himself, whether
God reign in him or not, saying, When he shall sit upon the throne
of his kingdom, he shall write to himself an exemplar of this law, in
a book by the priests and Levites; it shall be with him, and he shall
lead therein, all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the
Lord his God, and to keep all the words of his law, and these statutes,
The same is repeated to Joshua, in his inauguration to the government
of the people, by God himself, saying, Let not the book of
this law depart from thy mouth, but meditate in it day and night,
that thou mayest keep it, and do according to all that which is written
in it. For then shall thy way be prosperous, and thou shall do
prudently.
The first thing then that God requires of him, who is called to the honour of a king, is, The knowledge of his will revealed in his word.
The second is, An upright and willing mind, to put in execution such things as God commands in his law, without declining to the right, or to the left hand.
Kings then have not an absolute power, to do in their government what pleases them, but their power is limited by God's word; so that if they strike where God has not commanded, they are but murderers; and if they spare where God has commanded to strike, they and their throne are criminal and guilty of the wickedness which abounds upon the face of the earth, for lack of punishment.
O that kings and princes would consider what account shall be
craved of them, as well of their ignorance and misknowledge of God's
will, as for the neglecting of their office! But now, to return to the
words of the prophet. In the person of the whole people he complains
unto God, that the Babylonians (whom he calls, other lords
besides God,
both because of their ignorance of God, and by reason
of their cruelty and inhumanity,) had long ruled over them in great
rigour, without pity or compassion upon the ancient men, and famous
matrons: for they, being mortal enemies to the people of God,
sought by all means to aggravate their yoke, yea, utterly to exterminate
the memory of them, and of their religion, from the face of the
earth.
After the first part of this dolorous complaint, the prophet declares
the protestation of the people, saying, Nevertheless in thee shall we
remember thy name,
(others read it, But we will remember thee
only, and thy name;) but in the Hebrew there is no conjunction
copulative in that sentence. The mind of the prophet is plain, namely,
that notwithstanding the long sustained affliction, the people of
God declined not to a false and vain religion, but remembered God,
who sometime appeared to them in his merciful presence; which
although they saw not then, yet they would still remember his
name—that is, they would call to mind the doctrine and promise,
which formerly they heard, although in their prosperity they did not
Hereof have we to consider, what is our duty, if God bring us to the like extremity, as for our offences and unthankfulness justly he may. This confession is not the fair flattering words of hypocrites, lying and bathing in their pleasures; but it is the mighty operation of the Spirit of God, who leaves not his own destitute of some comfort, in their most desperate calamities. This then is our duty, not only to confess our God in time of peace and quietness, but he chiefly craves, that we avow him in the midst of his and our enemies; and this is not in us to do, but it behoves that the Spirit of God work in us, above all power of nature; and thus we ought earnestly to meditate before the battle rise more vehement, which appears not to be far off. But now must we somewhat more deeply consider these judgments of God.
This people dealt with thus, as we have heard, were the only people
upon the face of the earth to whom God was rightly known;
among them only were his laws, statutes, ordinances, and sacrifices,
used and put in practice; they only invocated his name; and to them
alone had he promised his protection and assistance. What then
should be the cause, that he should give them over unto this great
reproach; and bring them into such extremity that his own name, in
I gave unto them laws that were
good, in the which whosoever should walk, should live in them; but
they would not walk in my ways, but rebelled against me; and therefore,
I have given unto them laws that are not good, and judgments,
in the which they shall not live.
(The Lord sent unto them his prophets, rising early, desiring
of them to return unto the Lord, and to amend their wicked ways,
for he would have spared his people, and his tabernacle; but they
mocked his servants, and would not return unto the Lord their God
to walk in his ways.
(
Hereof it is evident, that their disobedience unto God, and unto the voices of his prophets, was the cause of their destruction. Now have we to take heed how we should use the good laws of God; that is, his will revealed unto us in his word; and that order of justice, which by him, for the comfort of man, is established amongst men. There is no doubt but that obedience is the most acceptable sacrifice unto God, and that which above all things he requires; so that when he manifests himself by his word, men should follow according to their vocation and commandment. Now so it is, that God, by that great Pastor our Lord Jesus, now manifestly in his word calls us from all impiety, as well of body as of mind, to holiness of life, and to his spiritual service; and for this purpose he has erected the throne of his mercy among us, the true preaching of his word, together with the right administration of his sacraments: but what our obedience is, let every man examine his own conscience, and consider what statutes and laws we would have to be given unto us.
Wouldst thou, O Scotland! have a king to reign over thee in
justice, equity, and mercy? Subject thou thyself to the Lord thy
God, obey his commandments, and magnify thou the word that calleth
unto thee, This is the way, walk in it;
(the strong man and the
man of war, the judge and the prophet, the prudent and the aged,
the captain and the honourable, the counsellor and the cunning artificer;
and I will appoint, saith the Lord, children to be their princes,
and babes shall rule over them. Children are extortioners of my
people, and women have rule over them.
If these calamities, I say, apprehend us, so that we see nothing but
the oppression of good men, and of all godliness, and that wicked
men without God reign above us; let us accuse and condemn ourselves,
as the only cause of our own miseries. For if we had heard
the voice of the Lord our God, and given upright obedience unto the
same, God would have multiplied our peace, and would have rewarded
our obedience before the eyes of the world. But now let us hear
what the prophet saith further: The dead shall not live,
saith he,
neither shall the tyrants, nor the dead arise, because thou hast visited
and scattered them, and destroyed all their memory,
verse 14.
From this 14th verse, unto the end of the 19th, it appears, that the
prophet observes no order; yea, that he speaks things directly
repugningThe dead shall not
live:
afterwards, he affirms, Thy dead men shall live.
Secondly,
he saith, Thou hast visited and scattered them, and destroyed all
their memory.
Immediately after, he saith, Thou hast increased
thy nation, O Lord, thou hast increased thy nation. They have visited
thee, and have poured forth a prayer before thee.
Who, I say, would not think, that these are things not only spoken
without good order and purpose, but also manifestly repugning one
to another? For to live, and not to live, to be so destroyed that no
memorial remains, and to be so increased that the coasts of the earth
shall be replenished, seems to import plain contradiction. For removing
of this doubt, and for better understanding the prophet's
mind, we must observe, that the prophet had to do with divers sorts
of men; he had to do with the conjured
And first, after the first part of the complaint of the afflicted as we
have heard, in vehemency of spirit he bursts forth against all the
proud enemies of God's people, against all such as trouble them, and
against all such as mock and forsake God, and saith, The dead shall
not live, the proud giants shall not rise; thou hast scattered them,
and destroyed their memorial.
In which words he contends against
the present temptation and dolorous state of God's people, and against
the insolent pride of such as oppressed them; as if the prophet should
say, O ye troublers of God's people! howsoever it appears to you in
this your bloody rage, that God regards not your cruelty, nor considers
what violence you do to his poor afflicted, yet shall you he
visited, yea, your carcases shall fall and lie as stinking carrion upon
the face of the earth, you shall fall without hope of life, or of a blessed
resurrection; yea, howsoever you gather your substance, and augment
your families, you shall be so scattered, that you shall leave no
memorial of you to the posterities to come, but that which shall be
execrable and odious.
Hereof the tyrants have their admonition, and the afflicted church
inestimable comfort: the tyrants that oppress, shall receive the same
end which they did who have passed before; that is, they shall die
and fall with shame, without hope of resurrection, as is aforesaid.
Not that they shall not arise to their own confusion and just condemnation;
but that they shall not recover power, to trouble the servants
of God; neither yet shall the wicked arise, as David saith, in the
counsel of the just. Now the wicked have their councils, their
thrones, and finally handle
Therefore, in these apparent calamities, (and marvel not that I say
apparent calamities, for he that sees not a fire is begun, that shall
burn more than we look for, unless God of his mercy quench it,Thou hast increased the nations, O Lord, thou
hast increased the nations; thou art made glorious, thou hast enlarged
all the coasts of the earth. Lord, in trouble,
&c. verses 15, 16.
In these words the prophet gives consolation to the afflicted, assuring them, that how horrible soever the desolation should be, yet should the seed of Abraham be so multiplied, that it should replenish the coasts of the earth; yea, that God should be more glorified in their affliction, than he was during the time of their prosperity. This promise, no doubt, was incredible when it was made; for who could have been persuaded, that the destruction of Jerusalem should have been the means whereby the nation of the Jews should have been increased? seeing that much rather it appeared, that the overthrow of Jerusalem should have been the very abolishing of the seed of Abraham: but we must consider, to what end it was that God revealed himself to Abraham, and what is contained in the promise of the multiplication of his seed, and the benediction promised thereto.
First, God revealed himself to Abraham, to let all flesh understand, by the means of his word, that God first called man, and revealed himself unto him; that flesh can do nothing but rebel against God; for Abraham, no doubt, was an idolater, before God called him from Ur of the Chaldees. The promise was made, that the seed of Abraham should be multiplied as the stars of heaven, and as the sand of the sea; which is not simply to be understood of his natural seed, although it was sometimes greatly increased; but rather of such as should become the spiritual seed of Abraham, as the apostle speaks. Now, if we be able to prove, that the right knowledge of God, his wisdom, justice, mercy, and power, were more amply declared in their captivity, than at any time before, then we cannot deny, but that God, even when to man's judgment he had utterly rased them from the face of the earth, did increase the nation of the Jews, so that he was glorified in them, and extended the coasts of the earth for their habitation. And, for the better understanding hereof, let us shortly try the histories from their captivity to their deliverance; and after the same, to the coming of the Messiah.
No doubt satan intended, by the dispersion of the Jews, so to have
profaned the whole seed of Abraham, that among them neither should
have remained the true knowledge of God, nor yet the spirit of sanctification,
but that all should have come to a like contempt of God.
For, I pray you, for what purpose was it, that Daniel and his fellows
were taken into the king's court, were commanded to be fed at the
king's table, and were put to the schools of their diviners, soothsayers,
and astrologers? It may be thought that it proceeded of the king's
humanity, and of a zeal which he had, that they should be brought up in
virtue and good learning; and I doubt not but it was so understood
by a great number of the Jews. But the secret practice of the devil
was understood by Daniel, when he refused to defile himself with the
king's meat, which was forbidden to the seed of Abraham in the law
of their God. Well, God began shortly after to show himself mindful
of his promise made by his prophet, and to trouble Nebuchadnezzar
himself, by showing to him a vision in his dream; which the more
troubled him, because he could not forget the terror of it, neither yet
could he remember what the vision and the parts thereof were.
Whereupon were called all the diviners, interpreters of dreams, and
soothsayers, of whom the king demanded, if they could let him understand
what he had dreamed: but while they answered, that such
a question used not to be demanded of any soothsayer or magician,
for the resolution thereof only appertained to the gods, whose habitation
was not with men, the charge was given, that they all should be
slain: and amongst the rest, Daniel, whose innocence the devil envied,
Of a truth your
God is the most excellent of all gods, and he is Lord of kings, and
only he that revealeth secrets, seeing that thou couldst open this
secret.
And when Nebuchadnezzar after that, being puffed up
with pride by the counsel of his wicked nobility, would make an
image, before which he would that all tongues and nations subject to
him should make adoration; and when Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego, would not obey his unjust commandment, and so were
cast into the flaming furnace of fire; and yet by God's angels were
so preserved, that no smell of fire remained on their persons or garments;
this same king gave a more notable confession, saying, The
Lord God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, is to be praised,
who hath sent his angels, and delivered his worshippers that put trust
in him, who have done against the king's commandment; who have
rather given their own bodies to torment, than that they would worship
another god, except their own God. By me therefore is there
made a decree, that whosoever shall blaspheme the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego, he shall be cut in pieces, and his house
shall be made detestable.
Thus we see how God began, even almost in the beginning of
their captivity, to notify his name, to multiply his knowledge, and set
forth as well his power as his wisdom, and true worshipping, by
those that were taken prisoners, yea, that were despised, and of all
men contemned; so that the name and fear of the God of Abraham
was never before notified to so many realms and nations. This wondrous
work of God proceeded from one empire to another; for Daniel
being promoted to great honour by Darius king of the Persians and
Medes, fell into a desperate danger; for he was committed to prison
among lions, because he was found breaking the king's injunction;
not that the king desired the destruction of God's servants, but because
the corrupt idolaters, who in hatred of Daniel had procured
that law to be made, urged the king against his nature; but God, by
his angel, stopped the lions' mouths, and so preserved his servant;
which being considered, with the sudden destruction of Daniel's enemies
by the same lions, king Darius, besides his own confession, wrote
to all people, tongues, and nations, after this form; It is decreed by
This knowledge was yet further increased in the days of Cyrus,
who giving freedom to the captives to return to their own native
country, gave this confession; Thus saith Cyrus the king of Persia,
All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given
unto me, and hath commanded me, that a house be built to him in
Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whosoever therefore of you, that are
of his people, let the Lord his God be with him, and let him pass up
to Jerusalem, and let him build the house of the Lord God of Israel;
for he only is God that is in Jerusalem.
(whosoever should
hinder that work, or change that decree, that a tree should be taken
out of his house, and that he should be hanged thereupon; yea, that
his house should be made a dunghill,
(The God of heaven, who hath placed his
name there, root out every king and people, (O that kings and nations
would understand!) that shall put his hand, either to change or
to hurt this house of God that is in Jerusalem.
And so, in despite
of satan, was the temple built, the walls repaired, and the city inhabited;
and in the most desperate dangers it was preserved, until the
promised Messiah, the glory of the second temple, came, manifested
himself to the world, suffered and rose again, according to the scriptures;
and so, by sending forth his gospel from Jerusalem, replenished
the earth with the true knowledge of God; and so did God in
perfection increase the nation, and the spiritual seed of Abraham.
Wherefore, dear brethren, we have no small consolation, if the state
But against this fearful temptation, let us be armed with the promise of God, namely, that he will be the protector of his church; yea, that he will multiply it, even when to man's judgment it appears utterly to be exterminated. This promise has our God performed, in the multiplication of Abraham's seed, in the preservation of it when satan laboured utterly to have destroyed it, and in deliverance of the same, as we have heard, from Babylon. He hath sent his Son Christ Jesus, clad in our flesh, who hath tasted of all our infirmities, (sin excepted,) who hath promised to be with us to the end of the world; he hath further kept promise in the publication, yea, in the restitution of his glorious gospel. Shall we then think that he will leave his church destitute in this most dangerous age? Only let us cleave to his truth, and study to conform our lives to the same, and he shall multiply his knowledge, and increase his people. But now let us hear what the prophet saith more:
Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer
when thy chastening was upon them,
verse 16.
The prophet means, that such as in the time of quietness did not
rightly regard God nor his judgments, were compelled, by sharp corrections,
to seek God; yea, by cries and dolorous complaints to visit
him. True it is, that such obedience deserves small praise before
men; for who can praise, or accept that in good part, which comes
as it were of mere compulsion? And yet it is rare, that any of God's
children do give unfeigned obedience, until the hand of God turn
them. For if quietness and prosperity make them not utterly to forget
their duty, both towards God and man, as David for a season,
yet it makes them careless, insolent, and in many things unmindful of
those things that God chiefly craves of them; which imperfection being
espied, and the danger that thereof might ensue, our heavenly
Father visits the sins of his children, but with the rod of his mercy,
by which they are moved to return to their God, to accuse their former
Before I fell in affliction I went
astray, but now will I keep thy statutes.
But yet, for the better understanding of the prophet's mind, we may consider how God doth visit man, and how man doth visit God; and what difference there is betwixt the visitation of God upon the reprobate, and his visitation upon the chosen.
God sometimes visits the reprobate in his hot displeasure, pouring upon them his plagues for their long rebellion; as we have heard before, that he visited the proud, and destroyed their memory. At other times God is said to visit his people, being in affliction, to whom he sends comfort or promise of deliverance, as he visited the seed of Abraham, when oppressed in Egypt. And Zacharias said, that God had visited his people, and sent unto them hope of deliverance, when John the Baptist was born. But of none of these visitations our prophet here speaks, but of that only which we have already touched; namely, when God layeth his correction upon his own children, to call them from the venomous breasts of this corrupt world, that they suck not in over great abundance the poison thereof; and he doth, as it were, wean them from their mother's breasts, that they may learn to receive other nourishment. True it is, that this weaning (or speaning, as we term it) from worldly pleasure, is a thing strange to the flesh. And yet it is a thing so necessary to God's children, that, unless they are weaned from the pleasures of the world, they can never feed upon that delectable milk of God's eternal verity; for the corruption of the one either hinders the other from being received, or else so troubles the whole powers of man, that the soul can never so digest the truth of God as he ought to do.
Although this appears hard, yet it is most evident; for what can
we receive from the world, but that which is in the world? What
that is, the apostle John teaches; saying, Whatsoever is in the
world, is either the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, or the pride
of life.
(
Now so it is, that flesh can never willingly refuse these fore-named, but rather still delights itself in every one of them; yea, in them all, as the examples are but too evident.
It behoves therefore, that God himself shall violently pull his children
from these venomous breasts, that when they lack the liquor
and poison of the world, they may visit him, and learn to be nourished
of him. Oh if the eyes of worldly princes should be opened, that
But men may on this sort visit God hypocritically; for they may come for the fashion, they may hear with deaf ears; yea, they may understand, and yet never determine with themselves to obey that which God requires: and let such men be assured, that He who searches the secrets of hearts will be avenged of all such; for nothing can be more odious to God, than to mock him in his own presence. Let every man therefore examine himself, with what mind, and what purpose, he comes to hear the word of God; yea, with what ear he hears it, and what testimony his heart gives unto him, when God commands virtue, and forbids impiety.
Repinest thou when God requires obedience? Thou hearest to
thine own condemnation. Mockest thou at God's threatenings? Thou
shalt feel the weight and truth of them, albeit too late, when flesh
and blood cannot deliver thee from his hand. But the visitation,
whereof our prophet speaks, is only proper to the sons of God, who,
in the time when God takes from them the pleasures of the world,
or shows his angry countenance unto them, have recourse unto him,
and, confessing their former negligence, with troubled hearts, cry for
his mercy. This visitation is not proper to all the afflicted, but appertains
only to God's children: for the reprobates can never have
access to God's mercy in time of their tribulation, and that because
they abuse his long patience, as well as the manifold benefits they receive
from his hands; for as the same prophet heretofore saith, Let
the wicked obtain mercy, yet shall he never learn wisdom, but in the
land of righteousness,
that is, where the true knowledge of God
abounds, he will do wickedly.
Which is a crime above all others
abominable; for to what end is it that God erects his throne among
us, but that we should fear him? Why does he reveal his holy will
unto us, but that we should obey it? Why does he deliver us from
trouble, but that we should be witnesses unto the world, that he is
gracious and merciful?
Now, when men hearing their duty, and knowing what God requires
of them, do malapertly fight against all equity and justice,
what I pray you, do they else, but make manifest war against God?
Yea, when they have received from God such deliverance, that they
Ahab, as it is written in the book of the Kings, received many notable benefits of the hand of God, who visited him in divers sorts, sometimes by his plagues, sometimes by his word, and sometimes by his merciful deliverance. He made him king, and, for the idolatry used by him and his wife, he plagued the whole of Israel by famine; he revealed to him his will, and true religion, by the prophet Elijah; he gave unto him sundry deliverances, but one most special, when proud Benhadad came to besiege Samaria, and was not content to receive Ahab's gold, silver, sons, daughters, and wives, but also required, that his servants should have at their pleasure whatsoever was delectable in Samaria. True it is, that his elders and people willed him not to hear the proud tyrant, but who made unto him the promise of deliverance? And who appointed and put his army in order? Who assured him of victory? The prophet of God only, who assured him, that by the servants of the princes of the provinces, who in number were only two hundred thirty-and-two, he should defeat the great army, in which there were two-and-thirty kings, with all their forces. And as the prophet of God promised, so it came to pass; victory was obtained, not once only, but twice, and that by the merciful visitation of the Lord.
But how did Ahab visit God again for his great benefit received?
Did he remove his idolatry? Did he correct his idolatrous wife
Jezebel? No, we find no such thing; but the one and the other we
find to have continued and increased in their former impiety: but
what was the end thereof? The last visitation of God was, that dogs
licked the blood of the one, and did eat the flesh of the other. In
few words then we understand, what difference there is betwixt the
visitation of God upon the reprobate, and his visitation upon his
chosen. The reprobate are visited, but never truly humbled, nor yet
amended; the chosen being visited, they sob, and they cry unto God
for mercy; which being obtained, they magnify God's name, and
afterwards manifest the fruits of repentance. Let us therefore that
bear these judgments of our God, call for the assistance of his Holy
Like as a woman with child, that draweth near her travail, is in
sorrow, and crieth in her pains, so have we been in thy sight, O
Lord; we have conceived, we have borne in vain, as though we should
have brought forth the wind. Salvations were not made to the earth,
neither did the inhabitants of the earth fall,
verses 17, 18.
This is the second part of the prophet's complaint, in which he, in the person of God's people, complains, that of their great affliction there appeared no end. This same similitude is used by our Master Jesus Christ; for when he speaks of the troubles of his church, he compares them to the pains of a woman travailing in child-birth. But it is to another end; for there he promises exceeding and permanent joy after a sort, though it appear trouble. But here is the trouble long and vehement, albeit the fruit of it was not suddenly espied. He speaks no doubt of that long and dolorous time of their captivity, in which they continually laboured for deliverance, but obtained it not before the complete end of seventy years. During which time, the earth, that is, the land of Judah, which sometimes was sanctified unto God, but was then given to be profaned by wicked people, got no help, nor perceived any deliverance: for the inhabitants of the world fell not; that is, the tyrants and oppressors of God's people were not taken away, but still remained and continued blasphemers of God, and troublers of his church. But because I perceive the hours to pass more swiftly than they have seemed at other times, I must contract that which remains of this text into certain points.
The prophet first contends against the present despair; afterwards he introduces God himself calling upon his people; and, last of all, he assures his afflicted, that God will come, and require account of all the blood-thirsty tyrants of the earth.
First, Fighting against the present despair, he saith, Thy dead
shall live, even my body (or with my body) shall they arise; awake
and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; for thy dew is as the dew of
herbs,
verse 19.
The prophet here pierces through all impediments that nature
could object; and, by the victory of faith, he overcomes, not only the
common enemies, but the great and last enemy of all, death itself; for
this would he say, Lord, I see nothing for thy chosen, but misery to
follow misery, and one affliction to succeed another; yea, in the end
I see, that death shall devour thy dearest children. But yet, O
For
thy dead shall live, yea, not only shall they live, but my very dead
carcase shall arise;
and so I see honour and glory to succeed this
temporal shame, I see permanent joy to come after trouble, order
to spring out of this terrible confusion; and, finally, I see that life
shall devour death, so that death shall be destroyed, and so thy servants
shall have life. This, I say, is the victory of faith, when to
the midst of death, through the light of God's word, the afflicted see
life. Hypocrites, in the time of quietness and prosperity, can generally
confess, that God is true to his promises; but bring them to
the extremity, and there the hypocrite ceases further to trust to God,
than he seeth natural means, whereby God useth to work. But the
true faithful, when all hope of natural means fail, flee to God himself,
and to the truth of his promise, who is above nature; yea, whose
works are not so subject to the ordinary course of nature, that when
nature fails, his power and promise fail also therewith.
Let us further observe, That the prophet here speaks not of all
the dead in general, but saith, Thy dead, O Lord, shall live:
in
which words he makes a difference betwixt those that die in the
Lord, and those that die in their natural corruption, and in the old
Adam. Die in the Lord can none, except those that live in him, (I
mean, of those that attain to the years of discretion;) and none live
in him, but those that, with the apostle, can say, I live, and yet not
I, but Christ Jesus that dwelleth in me: the life that I now live, I
have by the faith of the Son of God.
(
The prophet transfers all the promises of God to himself, saying,
Even my dead body shall arise;
and immediately after, gives commandment
and charge to the dwellers in the dust, that is, to the dead
carcases of those that were departed, (for the spirit and soul of man
dwells not in the dust,) That they should awake, that they should
sing and rejoice;
for they should arise and spring up from the earth,
even as the herbs do, after they have received the dew from above.
Time will not suffer that these particulars be so largely treated as
ought, and as I gladly would do; therefore let us consider, that the
prophet, in transferring the power and promise of God to himself,
But then call to mind what I said unto you before hand, that my body shall arise; even so shall you rise from your graves out of Babylon, and be restored to your own country, and city of Jerusalem; this, I doubt not, is the true meaning of the prophet. The charge that he gives to the dwellers in the dust, is to express the power of God's word, whereby he not only gives life, where death apparently had prevailed; but also, by it, he calls things that are not, even as though they were. True it is, that the prophet Isaiah saw not the destruction of Jerusalem, much less could he see the restitution of it with his corporeal eyes; but he leaves this, as it were, in testament with them—that when they were in the extremity of all bondage, they should call to mind what the prophet of God had before spoken.
And lest that his doctrine, and this promise of God made unto
them by his mouth, should have been forgotten, as we are ever prone
and ready to forget God's promises when we are pressed with any
sorrow, God raised up unto them, in the midst of their calamity, his
prophet Ezekiel, unto whom, among many other visions, he gave this—The
hand of the Lord first led him in a place, which was full of
dry and dispersed bones. (Thus saith the Lord God to these bones,
Behold, I will give you breath, and you shall live: I will give unto you
sinews, flesh, and skin, and you shall live.
And while the prophet
spake as he was commanded, he heard a voice, and he saw every bone
join its fellow; he saw them covered with flesh and skin, albeit there
was no spirit of life in them. He was commanded again to speak,
and to say, Thus saith the Lord God, Come, O Spirit, from the
four quarters, and blow on these that are slain, that they may live.
And as he prophesied, the spirit of life came; they lived, and stood
upon their feet. Then the Lord interprets what this vision meant,
saying O son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.
This vision, I say, given to the prophet, and by the prophet preached
to the people, when they thought that God had utterly forgotten
them, compelled them more diligently to advert to what the former
prophets had spoken. It is no doubt but that they carried with them
both the prophecy of Isaiah and Jeremiah, so that the prophet Ezekiel
is a commentary to these words of Isaiah, where he saith, Thy
dead, O Lord, shall live, with my body they shall arise.
The prophet
brings in this similitude of the dew, to answer unto that part of
their fidelity, who can believe no further of God's promises than they
are able to apprehend by natural judgment; as if he would say, Think
ye this impossible, that God should give life unto you, and bring you
to an estate of a commonwealth again, after that ye are dead, and as
it were rased from the face of the earth? But why do you not
consider what God worketh from year to year in the order of nature?
Sometimes you see the face of the earth decked and beautified with
herbs, flowers, grass, and fruits; again you see the same utterly taken
away by storms, and the vehemence of the winter: what does God
to replenish the earth again, and to restore the beauty thereof? He
sends down his small and soft dew, the drops whereof, in their descending,
are neither great nor visible, and yet thereby are the pores
and secret veins of the earth, which before by vehemence of frost and
cold were shut up, opened again, and so does the earth produce again
the like herbs, flowers, and fruits. Shall you then think, that the
dew of God's heavenly grace will not be as effectual in you to whom
he hath made his promise, as it is in the herbs and fruits which from
year to year bud forth and decay? If you do so, the prophet would
say your unbelief is inexcusable; because you neither rightly weigh
the power, nor the promise of your God.
The like similitude the apostle Paul uses against such as called the
resurrection in doubt, because by natural judgment they could not
apprehend that flesh once putrified, and dissolved as it were into
other substance, should rise again, and return again to the same substance
and nature: O fool,
saith he, that which thou sowest is
not quickened, except it die; and that which thou sowest, thou sowest
not that body that shall be, but bare corn, as it falleth, of wheat,
or some other, but God giveth it a body as it pleaseth him, even to
every seed his own body.
In which words and sentence, the apostle
sharply rebukes the gross ignorance of the Corinthians, who began to
call in doubt the chief article of our faith, the resurrection of the flesh
Now, if the power of God be so manifest in raising up of the fruits of the earth, unto which no particular promise is made by God, what shall be his power and virtue in raising up our bodies, seeing that thereto he is bound by the solemn promise of Jesus Christ his Eternal Wisdom, and the Verity itself that cannot lie? Yea, seeing that the members must once communicate with the glory of the Head, how shall our bodies, which are flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones, lie still for ever in corruption, seeing that our Head, Jesus Christ, is now exalted in his glory? Neither yet is this power and good-will of God to be restrained unto the last and general resurrection only, but we ought to consider it in the marvellous preservation of his church, and in the raising up of the same from the very bottom of death, when by tyrants it has been oppressed from age to age.
Now, of the former words of the prophet, we have to gather this
comfort; that if at any time we see the face of the church within this
realm so defaced, as I think it shall be sooner than we look for—when
we shall see, I say, virtue to be despised, vice to be maintained,
the verity of God to be impugned, lies and men's inventions holden
in authority—and finally, when we see the true religion of our God,
and the zealous observers of the same, trodden under the feet of such
as in their heart say, that There is no God,
(
Come, thou my people, enter within thy chamber, shut thy door
after thee, hide thyself a very little while, until the indignation pass
over.
Here the prophet brings in God, lovingly, calling upon his people
The chambers then are God's sure promises, unto which God's people are commanded to resort; yea, within which they are commanded to close themselves in the time of greatest adversity. The manner of speaking is borrowed from that judgment and foresight which God has printed in this our nature; for when men espy great tempests appearing to come, they will not willingly remain uncovered in the fields, but straightway they will draw them to their houses or holds, that they may escape the vehemence of the same; and if they fear any enemy pursues them, they will shut their doors, to the end that the enemy should not suddenly have entry.
After this manner God speaks to his people; as if he should say, The tempest that shall come upon this whole nation shall be so terrible, that nothing but extermination shall appear to come upon the whole body. But thou my people, that hearest my word, believest the same, and tremblest at the threatenings of my prophets, now, when the world does insolently resist—let such, I say, enter within the secret chamber of my promises, let them contain themselves quietly there; yea, let them shut the door upon them, and suffer not infidelity, the mortal enemy of my truth, and of my people that depend thereupon, to have free entry to trouble them, yea, further to murder, in my promise; and so shall they perceive that my indignation shall pass, and that such as depend upon me shall be saved.
Thus we may perceive the meaning of the prophet; whereof we
have first to observe, that God acknowledges them for his people
who are in the greatest affliction; yea, such as are reputed unworthy
of men's presence are yet admitted within the secret chamber of God.
Let no man think that flesh and blood can suddenly attain to that
comfort; and therefore most expedient it is, that we be frequently
This doctrine we shall not think strange, if we consider how suddenly our spirits are carried away from our God, and from believing his promise. So soon as any great temptation apprehends us, then we begin to doubt if ever we believed God's promise, if God will fulfil them to us, if we abide in his favour, if he regards and looks upon the violence and injury that is done unto us; and a multitude of such cogitations which before lurked quietly in our corrupted hearts, burst violently forth when we are oppressed with any desperate calamity. Against which this is the remedy—once to apprehend, and still to retain God to be our God, and firmly to believe, that we are his people whom he loves, and will defend, not only in affliction, but even in the midst of death itself.
Again, Let us observe, That the judgments of our God never were, nor yet shall be so vehement upon the face of the earth, but that there has been, and shall be, some secret habitation prepared in the sanctuary of God, for some of his chosen, where they shall be preserved until the indignation pass by; and that God prepares a time, that they may glorify him again, before the face of the world, which once despised them. And this ought to be unto us no small comfort in these appearing dangers, namely, that we are surely persuaded, that how vehement soever the tempest shall be, it yet shall pass over, and some of us shall be preserved to glorify the name of our God, as is aforesaid.
Two vices lurk in this our nature: the one is, that we cannot tremble at God's threatenings, before the plagues apprehend us, albeit we see cause most just why his fierce wrath should burn as a devouring fire; the other is, that when calamities before pronounced, fall upon us, then we begin to sink down in despair, so that we never look for any comfortable end of the same.
To correct this our mortal infirmity, in time of quietness we ought
to consider what is the justice of our God, and how odious sin is;
and, above all, how odious idolatry is in His presence, who has forbidden
it, and who has so severely punished it in all ages from the
beginning: and in the time of our affliction we ought to consider,
what have been the wondrous works of our God, in the preservation
This saw that notable servant of Jesus Christ, Athanasius, who
being exiled from Alexandria by that blasphemous apostate Julian
the emperor, said unto his flock, who bitterly wept for his envious
banishment, Weep not, but be of good comfort, for this little cloud
will suddenly vanish.
He called both the emperor himself and his
cruel tyranny a little cloud; and albeit there was small appearance of
any deliverance to the church of God, or of any punishment to have
apprehended the proud tyrants, when the man of God pronounced
these words, yet shortly after God did give witness, that those words
did not proceed from flesh nor blood, but from God's very Spirit.
For not long after, being in warfare, Julian received a deadly wound,
whether by his own hand, or by one of his own soldiers, the writers
clearly conclude not; but casting his own blood against the heaven,
he said, At last thou hast overcome, thou Galilean:
so in despite
he termed the Lord Jesus. And so perished that tyrant in his
own iniquity; the storm ceased, and the church of God received new
comfort.
Such shall be the end of all cruel persecutors, their reign shall be short, their end miserable, and their name shall be left in execrations to God's people; and yet shall the church of God remain to God's glory, after all storms. But now shortly, let us come to the last point:
For behold,
saith the prophet, the Lord will come out of his
place, to visit the iniquity of the inhabitants of the earth upon them;
and the earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more hide her
slain.
(Verse 21.) Because that the final end of the troubles of
The prophet brings forth the eternal God, as it were, from his own
place and habitation, and therewith shows the cause of his coming to
be, that he might take account of all such as have wrought wickedly;
for that he means, where he saith, He will visit the iniquity of the
inhabitants of the earth upon them.
And lest any should think the
wrong doers are so many, that they cannot be called to an account,
he gives unto the earth as it were an office and charge, to bear witness
against all those that have wrought wickedly, and chiefly against
those that have shed innocent blood from the beginning; and saith,
That the earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more hide her
slain men.
If tyrants of the earth, and such as delight in the shedding of blood, should be persuaded that this sentence is true, they would not so furiously come to their own destruction; for what man can be so enraged, that he would willingly do even before the eyes of God that which might provoke his Majesty to anger, yea, provoke him to become his enemy for ever, if he understood how fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God?
The cause then of this blind fury of the world is the ignorance of God, and that men think that God is but an idol; and that there is no knowledge above, that beholds their tyranny; nor yet justice that will, nor power that can, repress their impiety. But the Spirit of truth witnesses the contrary, affirming, that as the eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and as his ears are ready to receive their sobbing and prayers, so is his visage angry against such as work iniquity; he hateth and holdeth in abomination every deceitful and blood-thirsty man, whereof he has given sufficient document from age to age, in preserving the one, or at least in avenging their cause, and in punishing the other.
Where it is said, That the Lord will come from his place, and
that he will visit the iniquity of the inhabitants of the earth upon
them, and that the earth shall disclose her blood;
we have to consider,
what most commonly has been, and what shall be, the condition
of the church of God, namely, that it is not only hated, mocked, and
despised, but that it is exposed as a prey unto the fury of the wicked;
so that the blood of the children of God is spilt like unto water upon
the face of the earth.
The understanding whereof, albeit it is unpleasant to the flesh, yet
to us it is most profitable, lest that we, seeing the cruel treatment of
God's servants, begin to forsake the spouse of Jesus Christ, because
she is not so dealt with in this unthankful world, as the just and upright
And if any think it strange, that such as live this day can be guilty
of the blood that was shed in the days of the apostles, let them consider,
that the Verity itself pronounced, That all the blood that was
shed from the days of Abel, unto the days of Zacharias, should come
upon the unthankful generation that heard his doctrine and refused it.
(
The reason is evident; for as there are two heads and captains that rule over the whole world, namely, Jesus Christ, the Prince of justice and peace, and satan, called the prince of the world; so there are but two armies that have continued battle from the beginning, and shall fight unto the end. The quarrel which the army of Jesus Christ sustains, and which the reprobate persecute, is the same, namely, The eternal truth of the eternal God, and the image of Jesus Christ printed in his elect—so that whosoever in any age persecutes any one member of Jesus Christ for his truth's sake, subscribes, as it were with his hand, to the persecution of all that have passed before him.
And this ought the tyrants of this age deeply to consider; for they shall be guilty, not only of the blood shed by themselves, but of all, as is said, that has been shed for the cause of Jesus Christ from the beginning of the world.
Let the faithful not be discouraged, although they be appointed as
sheep to the slaughter-house; for He, for whose sake they suffer,
shall not forget to avenge their cause. I am not ignorant that flesh
and blood will think that kind of support too late; for we had rather
be preserved still alive, than have our blood avenged after our death.
Lastly, We have to observe this manner of speaking, where the
prophet saith, that the earth shall disclose her blood:
in which
words the prophet would accuse the cruelty of those that dare so unmercifully
and violently force, from the breasts of the earth, the
dearest children of God, and cruelly cut their throats in her bosom,
who is by God appointed the common mother of mankind, so that
she unwillingly is compelled to open her mouth and receive their
blood.
If such tyranny were used against any woman, as violently to pull her infant from her breasts, cut the throat of it in her own bosom, and compel her to receive the blood of her dear child in her own mouth, all nations would hold the act so abominable, that the like had never been done in the course of nature. No less wickedness commit they that shed the blood of God's children upon the face of their common mother, the earth, as I said before. But be of good courage, O little and despised flock of Christ Jesus! for He that seeth your grief, hath power to revenge it; he will not suffer one tear of yours to fall, but it shall be kept and reserved in his bottle, till the fulness thereof be poured down from heaven, upon those that caused you to weep and mourn. This your merciful God, I say, will not suffer your blood for ever to be covered with the earth; nay, the flaming fires that have licked up the blood of any of our brethren; the earth that has been defiled with it, I say, with the blood of God's children; for otherwise, to shed the blood of the cruel blood-shedders, is to purge the land from blood, and as it were to sanctify it: the earth, I say, shall purge herself of it, and show it before the face of God; yea, the beasts, fowls, and other creatures whatsoever, shall be compelled to render that which they have received, be it flesh, blood, or bones, that appertained to thy children, O Lord! which altogether thou shalt glorify, according to thy promise, made to us in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, thy well-beloved Son; to whom, with thee, and the Holy Ghost, be honour, praise, and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Let us now humble ourselves in the presence of our God, and
from the bottom of our hearts let us desire him to assist us with
the power of his Holy Spirit; that albeit, for our former negligence,
Let us pray with heart and mouth,
Almighty God, and merciful Father, &c. Lord, into thy hands I
commend my spirit; for the terrible roaring of guns,
The last day of August, 1565, at four of the clock in the afternoon, written indigestedly, but yet truly so far as memory would serve, of those things that in public I spake on Sunday, August 19; for which I was discharged
Forbidden. to preach for a time.
Be merciful to thy flock, O Lord! and at thy good pleasure put an end to my misery.
John Knox.
It Is I, Be Not Afraid.
Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good comfort, it is I, be not
afraid.
The natural man that cannot understand the power of God,
would have desired some other present comfort in so great a danger;
as, either to have had the heavens opened, to show unto them such
light in that darkness, that Christ might have been fully known by
his own face; or else, that the winds and raging waves of the seas
suddenly should have ceased; or some other miracle which had been
subject to all their senses, whereby they might have perfectly known
that they were delivered from all danger. And truly, it had been
the same to Christ Jesus to have done any of these, or any greater
work, as to have said, It is I, be not afraid:
but willing to teach
us the dignity and effectual power of his most holy word, he uses no
other instrument to pacify the great and horrible fear of his disciples
but his comfortable word, and lively voice. And this is not done
only at one time, but whensoever his church is in such a strait and
perplexity, that nothing appears but extreme calamity, desolation, and
ruin; then the first comfort that ever it receives, is by the means of
his word and promise; as may appear in the troubles and temptations
of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and Paul.
To Abraham was given no other defence, after he had discomfited
four kings, whose posterity and lineage, no doubt, he, being a stranger,
greatly feared, but only this promise of God made to him by his holy
word, Fear not, Abraham, I am thy buckler;
that is, thy protection
and defence.
The same we find of Isaac, who flying from the place of his accustomed
habitation, compelled thereto by hunger, got no other comfort
nor conduct but this promise only, I will be with thee.
In all the journeys and temptations of Jacob the same is to be espied; as when he fled from his father's house for fear of his brother Esau; when he returned from Laban; and when he feared the inhabitants of the region of the Canaanites and Perizzites for the slaughter of the Shechemites committed by his sons; he received no other defence, but only God's word and promise.
And this is most evident in Moses, and in the afflicted church under
him when Moses himself was in such despair, that he was bold
to chide with God, saying, Why hast thou sent me? For since
that time I have come to Pharaoh, to speak in thy name, he hath oppressed
this people; neither yet hast thou delivered thy people.
This same expostulation of Moses declares how sorely he was tempted; yea, and what opinion he had conceived of God; that is, That God was either impotent, and could not deliver his people from such a tyrant's hand; or else, That he was mutable, and unjust in his promises. And this same, and sorer temptations, assaulted the people; for in anguish of heart, they both refused God and Moses. And what means did God use to comfort them in that great extremity? Did he straightway suddenly kill Pharaoh, the great tyrant?—No. Did he send them a legion of angels to defend and deliver them?—No such thing: but he only recites and beats into their ears his former promises to them, which oftentimes they had before: and yet the rehearsal of the same wrought so mightily in the heart of Moses, that not only was bitterness and despair removed away, but also he was inflamed with such boldness, that without fear he went in again to the presence of the king, after he had been threatened and repulsed by him.
This I write, beloved in the Lord, since you know the word of
God not only to be that whereby heaven and earth were created, but
also to be the power of God to salvation to all that believe, the bright
lantern to the feet of those who by nature walk in darkness, the life
to those that by sin are dead, a comfort to such as are in tribulation,
the tower of defence to such as are most feeble, the wisdom and great
felicity of such as delight in the same. And, to be short, you know
God's word to be of such efficacy and strength, that thereby sin is
purged, death vanquished, tyrants suppressed; and, finally, the devil,
the author of all mischief, overthrown and confounded. This, I say,
I write, that you, knowing this of the holy word, and most blessed
gospel and voice of God, which once you have heard, I trust to your
comfort, may now, in this hour of darkness, and most raging tempest,
thirst and pray, that you may hear yet once again this amiable voice
of our Saviour Christ, Be of good comfort, it is I, fear not.
And
also, that you may receive some consolation from that blessed gospel
which before you have professed, assuredly knowing, that God shall
be no less merciful unto you, than he has been to others afflicted for
his name's sake before you; and albeit God speedily removes not
this horrible darkness, neither suddenly pacifies this tempest, yet shall
he not suffer his tossed ship to be drowned.