The Works of John Knox Volume II Part 53

"In mo placeis than ane," said the uther. "Achab wes ane King, and Jesabell wes ane Quene, and yit what the Prophet Helias said to the one and to the uther, I suppois ye be nocht ignorant?"

"That wes nocht cryit out befoir the peopill," said Lethingtoun, "to mak thame odious unto thair subjectis."

"That Helias said, 'Doggis sail lyck the blude of Achab,'" said Johne Knox, "'and eat the flesche of Jesabell,' the Scriptouris a.s.suris me; but that it wes whisperit in thair awin eir, or in ane cornar, I reid nocht. But the plane contrair appeiris to me, quhilk is, that boith the Peopill and the Court understude weill eneuch what the Propheit had promeissit;[1009] for so witnessit Jehu, efter that G.o.dis vengeance had strickin Jesabell."

[1009] In MS. G, "p.r.o.nuncit."

"Thay wer singular motiounis of the Spreit of G.o.d," said Lethingtoun, "and appertene nothing to this our aige."

"Then hes the Scriptour far dissavit me," said the uther; "for Sanct Paule teichis me, that 'Whatsoevir is wryttin within the Holie Scriptouris, the same is writtin for our instructioun,' And my Maister said, that 'Everie leirnit and wyise scribe bringis furth his tresour, baith thingis auld and thingis new.' And the Propheit Jeremye affirmis, that 'Everie realme and everie cytie that lykwyse offendis, as then did Jerusalem, sould lykewyse be punischit.' Why then that the factis of the ancient Propheittis, and the feirfull jugementis of G.o.d executed befoir us upoun the disobedient, appertene nocht unto this our aige, I neither see nor yit can understand. But now, to put end to this heid, my Lord, (said he,) the Propheittis of G.o.d hes nocht spairit to rebuke wickit kingis, alsweill in thair face as befoir the pepill and subjectis. Elischa[1010] feirit nocht to say to king Jehoram, 'What haif I to do with thee? Get thee to the Propheittis of thy [Father, and to the Propheittis of thy] Mother; for as the Lord of Hostis levis, in quhose sicht I stand, gif it wer nocht that I regaird the presens of Jehosaphat, the king of Juda, I wald nocht haif luikit toward thee, nor sene thee.' Plane it is, that the Propheitt wes ane subject in the kingdom of Israell, and yit how little reverence he gevis to the King, we heir. Jeremye the Propheit wes commandit to cry to the King and to the Quene, and to say, 'Behaif your selfis lawlie; execute justice and jugement; or ellis your carcageis salbe ea.s.sin to the heit of the day, and unto the froist of the nicht.' Unto Cononias, Sallum, and Zedechias, he speikis in speciall, and schawis into tham, in his publict sermoundis thair misserable endis; and thairfoir ye aucht nocht to think it strainge, my Lord, (said he,) albeit that the servandis of G.o.d mark the vice[1011] of Kingis and Quenis, evin als weill as of uther offendouris, and that because thair synnis be moir noisum to the Commounwelth, than ar the synnis of inferiour persounis."

[1010] In MS. G, "Helisias."

[1011] In MS. G, "tax the vices."

The moist pairt of this ressounyng, Secretour Lethingtoun leanit upoun the Maister of Maxwellis breist, who said, "I am almoist werie: I wald that sum uther wald ressoun in the chief heid, quhilk is nocht tuychit."

Then the Erle of Mortoune, Chancellour, commandit Mr. George Hay to rea.s.soun aganis Johne Knox, in the heid of Obedience dew unto Magistratis; who began so to do. Unto whom Johne Knox said, "Brother, that ye sall ressoun in my contrair I am weill content, because I know you boith ane man of leirnyng and of modestie: but that ye sall oppone your self in the treuth whairof,[1012] I suppoise, your awin conscience is no less perswaded than is mine, I can nocht weill approve; for I wald be sorie that I and ye suld be reputed to ressoun as two scolleris of Pythagoras, to schaw the quicknes of our ingyne, as it wer to ressoune on boith the pairtis. I protest heir befoir G.o.d, that whatsoevir I sustene, I do the same of conscience; yea, I dar no moir sustene ane propositioun knawin unto my self untrew, than that I dar teich false doctrine in the publict place: And thairfoir, Brother, gif conscience move you to oppone your self to that doctrine, whilk ye haif heard of my mouth in that maitter, do it bauldlie: it sall nevir offend me. But that ye sall be found to oppone[1013] your self unto me, ye being perswaidit in the same treuthe, I say yit agane, it pleisses me nocht; for thairin may be gritter inconvenient than either ye or I do considder for the present."

[1012] In MS. 1566, "quhairfoir."

[1013] In MS. 1566, "oppone" is usually written "appone."

The said Mr. George ansuerit, "That I wald oppone my self unto you as willing to impugn or confute that heid of doctrine, whilk nocht onlie ye, but monie utheris, yea, and I my self haif affirmit, far be it from me; for so sould I be found contrarious to my self. For my Lord Secretour knawis my jugement in that heid."

"Marye!" said the Secretour, "ye ar the weall worst of the twa; for I remember weill your ressonyng whan the Quene wes in Caryke."[1014]

[1014] In MS. G, "I remember yit our resouning quhen the Quene was in Carrick."

"Weill," said Johne Knox, "seing, Brother, that G.o.d hes maid you to occupy the chyre of verittie, whairin, I a.s.sure, we will aggrie in all princ.i.p.all heidis of doctrine, lat it nevir be said that we disaggrie in disputatioun." Johne Knox wes moved thus to speik, because he[1015]

understood moir of the craft than the other did.

[1015] In MS. 1566, "because thai."

"Weill," said Lethingtoun, "I am sumwhat better provydeit in this last heid, then I wes in the uther twa. Mr. Knox, (said he,) yisterday we heard your jugement upoun the 13 to the Romanis; we heard the mynde of the Appossill weill opened; we heard the causses why G.o.d hes establissed Poweris upoun the earth; we heard the necessitie that mankynde hes of the same; and we heard the deutie of Magistratis sufficientlie declareit: But in two thingis I wes offendit, and I think sum mo of my Lordis that than wer present. The ane was, ye maid difference betwix the ordinance of G.o.d and the persounis that wer placeit in authoritie; and ye affirmed, that men mycht refuise[1016]

the persounis, and yit nocht to offend againis G.o.dis ordinance. This is the ane; the uther ye had na tyme to explane; but this methocht ye menit, that subjectis wer nocht bound to obey thair Princes gif thai commandit unlauchfull thingis; but that thai mycht resist thair Princes, and wer nocht ever bound to suffer."

[1016] In MS. G, "micht resist."

"In verie deid," said the uther, "ye haif rychtlie bayth markit my wordis, and understand my mynd; for of that same jugement I haif lang bene, and so yit I remane."

"How will ye prove your divisioun and difference," said Lethingtoun, "and that the persoun placeit in authoritie may be resist.i.t, and G.o.dis ordinance nocht transgressit, seing that the Appossill says, 'He that resistis [the poweris,] resisteth the ordinance of G.o.d.'"

"My Lord," said he, "the plane wordis of the Appossill makis the difference, and the factis of many approved be G.o.d, prove my affirmative. First, The Appossill affirmis, that the poweris ar ordanit of G.o.d, [for the preservation of quyet and peacebill men, and for the punischment of malefactours; quhairof it is plane, That the ordinance of G.o.d,][1017] and the power giffin unto man, is one thing, and the persone clad with the power or with the authoritie, is ane uther; for G.o.dis ordinance is the conservatioun of mankynd, the punischment of vyce, the mentenyng of vertew, quhilk is in it self holie, just, constant, stable, and perpetuall. But men clad with the authoritie, ar commounlie prophane and unjust; yea, thai ar mutabill and transitorie, and subject to corruptioun, as G.o.d threitneth thame be his Prophet David, saying, 'I haif said, Ye ar G.o.dis, and everie one of you the sones of the Moist Heichest; but ye sall die as men, and the princes sall fall like utheris.' Heir I am a.s.sureit, that persounis, the saule and bodie of wyckit Princes, ar threitnit with death: I think, that so ye will nocht affirm is the authoritie, the ordinance and the power, whairwith G.o.d hes indeuit sik persounis; for as I haif said, as it is holie, so it is the permanent will of G.o.d.

And now, my Lord, that the Prince may be resist.i.t, and yit the ordinance of G.o.d nocht violat.i.t, it is evident; for the peopill resist.i.t Saule, when he had sworn be the leving G.o.d that Jonathan sould die. The peopill, (I say,) swair in the contrair, and delyverit Jonathan, so that ane hair of his heid fell nocht. Now, Saule wes the anoynt.i.t King, and thai wer his subjectis, and yit thai so resisted him, that thai maid him no better than mansworne."

[1017] The words inclosed within brackets are omitted in MS. 1566.

"I doute," said Lethingtoun, "if in so doing the peopill did weill."

"The Spreit of G.o.d," said the uther, "accuses thame nocht of onie cryime, but rather praisses thame, and dampnis the King, alsweill for his foolish vow and law maid without G.o.d, as for his crewell mynd, that so seveirlie wald haif punischit ane innocent man. But heirin I sall nocht stand: this that followis sall confirm the former. This same Saule commandit Abimelech and the Preistis of the Lord to be slane, becaus thay had committ.i.t tressoune, as he allegit, for intercommuning with David: His gaird and princ.i.p.all servandis walde nocht obey his unjust commandiment; but Doeg the flatterar put the Kingis creweltie to executioun. I will nocht ask your jugement, Whidder that the servandis of the King, in nocht obeying his commandiment, resisted G.o.d or nocht? or whidder Doeg, in murthering the Preastis, gaif obedience to ane just authoritie? for I haif the Spreit of G.o.d, speiking be the mouth of David, to a.s.sure me of the one alsweill as of the uther; for he, in his 52d Psalme, dampnis that fact as ane moist crewell murther; and affirmis, that G.o.d wald punisch, nocht onlie the commander, but the mercyles executour. And thairfoir, I conclude, that thai who ganestand his commandiment, resist.i.t nocht the ordinance of G.o.d.

"And now, my Lord, to ansueir to the place of the Appossill, who affirmis, 'That such as resistis the Power, resistis the ordinance of G.o.d;' I say, that the power in that place is nocht to be understande of the unjuste commandiment of men, but of the just power whairwith G.o.d hes armit his Magistratis and Lievtenentis to punische syn, and mentene vertew. As gif onie man sould interpryise to tak fra the handis of ane lauchful juge ane murderare, ane adulterar, or onie [uther] malefactour that be G.o.dis law deserved deith, this same man resist.i.t G.o.dis ordinance, and procureit to him self vengeance and dampnatioune, because that he stayit G.o.dis sworde[1018] to stryke. But so it is nocht, gif that men in the feir of G.o.d oppone[1019] thame selfis to the furie and blynd rage of Princes; for so thai resist nocht G.o.d, but the Devill, who abusis the swerd and authoritie of G.o.d."

"I understand sufficientlie," said Lethingtoun, "what ye mene; and to the one pairt I will nocht oppone[1019] my self. But I doute of the uther. For gif the Quene wald command me [to] slay Johne Knox, because sche is offendit at him, I wald nocht obey hir. But, and sche wald command utheris to do it, or yit be ane collour of justice tak his lyffe fra him, I can nocht tell gif I be found to defend him aganis the Quene and aganis hir officiaris."

[1018] In MS. 1565, "G.o.dis worde."

[1019] In MS. 1566, "appone."

"Under protestatioun," said the uther, "that the auditour think nocht that I seik favouris to my self,[1020] I say, my Lord, that gif ye be persuadeit of my innocency, and gif G.o.d hes giffin unto you sik ane power and credyt as mycht deliver me, and yit sufferit me to perisch, that in so doing ye soulde be cryminall and gyltie of my blude."

[1020] In MS. G, "that I speik in favours of my self."

"Prove that, and win the play," said Lethingtoun.

"Weill, my Lord," said the uther, "remember your promeis, and I sail be schoirt of my probatioun. The Propheit Jeremey wes apprehendit be Preistis and Prophettis, (who wer ane pairt of the authoritie within Jerusalem,) and be the mult.i.tude of the peopill, and this sentence wes p.r.o.nunceit aganis him, 'Thou sall dey the deith; for thou hes said, This hous salbe lyk Siloch, and this cytie salbe desolat without ane habitant.' The Princes heiring the uprore, come from the Kingis hous, and sit doune in jugement in the entrie of the new gait of the Lordis hous, and thair the Preistis find the Prophettis befoir the Princes, and befoir all the peopill, intendit thair accusatioun, in these wordis, 'This man is worthie to dye, for he hes propheissit aganis this cytie, as your eiris haif heard.' Jeremey ansuerit, 'That whatsoevir he had spokin proceidit from G.o.d; and thairfoir, (said he,) as for me, I am in your handis: do with me as ye think gude and rycht: But knaw ye for certane, that if ye put me to deith, ye sall surelie bring innocent blude upoun your saulis,[1021] and upoun this cytie, and upoun the habitatiounis[1022] thairof; for of treuth, the Lord hes send me unto you, to speik all these wordis.' Now, my Lord, gif the Princes and the hole peopill sould haif bene gyltie of the Propheittis blude, how sall ye or utheris be jugeit innocent befoir G.o.d, gif ye sall suffer the blude of sik as haif nocht deservit deith to be sched, when that ye may save it?"

[1021] In MS. G, "yourselves."

[1022] In MS. G, "inhabitants."

"The cases ar nothing lyke," said Lethingtoun.

"And I wald learn," said the uther, "whairin the dissymilitude standis."

"First," said Lethingtoun, "the King had nocht condampnit him to the deith. And nixt, the false Propheittis and the Preistis and the peopill accuseit him without ane caus, and thairfoir thai could nocht but be gyltie of his blude."

"Nether of these," said Johne Knox, "fechtis aganis my argument; for albeit the King wes nether present, nor yit had condampnit him, yit wer the princes and cheif counsallouris thair sytting in jugement, who present.i.t the Kingis persoune and authoritie, heiring the accusatioune laid unto the chairge off the Propheit; and thairfoir he foirwairnis thame of the dainger, as befoir I said, to wit, that in case he soulde be condampnit, and so put to deith, that the King, the Counsell, and the whole cytie of Jerusalem, soulde be gyltie of his blude, becaus he had committ.i.t no cryme worthy of deith. And gif ye think, that thai souldo haif bene all cryminall onelie, becaus that thay all accuseit him, the plane text witnesses the contrair; for the princes defendit him, and so no doute did a greit pairt of the peopill; and yit he bauldlie affirmis, that thai soulde be all gyltie of his blude gif that he soulde be put to deith. And the propheit Ezechiell gifis the ressoune why all are guilty of ane commoune corruptioune, 'Becaus,'

sayis he, 'I socht ane man amangis thame that soulde mak [up] the hedge, and stand in the gappe befoir me for the land, that I soulde nocht distroy it, but I fand none; thairfoir, haif I powrit my indignatioune upoun thame.' Heirof, my Lorde, (said he,) it is plaine, that G.o.d craveis nocht onlie that a man do no iniquittie in his awin persoune, but also that he oppone[1023] him self to all iniquitie, sa far furth as into him lyis."

[1023] In MS. 1566, "that to heip upone."

"Than will ye," said Lethingtoun, "mak subjectis to controlle thair prynces and reuleris."

"And what harm," said the uther, "soulde the Commounewelth ressaif, gif that the corrupt effectiounis off ignorant reuleris wer moderat.i.t, and so brydillit be the wisdome and discretioun of G.o.dlie subjectis, that thai soulde do wrang nor violence to no man?"

"All this ressonyng," said Lethingtoun, "is nocht of the purpois; for we ressoune as gif the Quene soulde bec.u.m sik an ennemye to oure religioune, that sche soulde persecute it, and put innocent men to deith; whilk I am a.s.sureit sche nevir thocht, nor nevir will do. For gif I soulde see hir begin at that end, yea, gif I soulde suspect onie sik thing in hir, I soulde be also far fordwarte in that argument as ye or onie uther within this Realme: Bot thair is nocht sik ane thing.

Oure questioune is, Whidder that we may and aucht to suppres the Quenis Messe? Or whidder hir Idolatrie salbe laid to our chairge?"

"What ye may," said the uther, "be force, I disput nocht; bot what ye may and aucht to do be G.o.dis express commandiment, that I can tell.

Idolatrie aucht nocht [only] to be suppressit, but the idolater aucht to dey the deith, unless that we will accuse G.o.d."

"I knaw," said Lethingtoun, "the idolater is commandit to dey the deith; but be whome?"

"Be the peopill of G.o.d," said the uther; "for the commandiment wes gevin to Israell, as ye may reid, 'Heir, Israell,' sayis the Lorde, 'the statutis and the ordinancis of the Lord thy G.o.d,' &c. Yea, ane [commandment] wes gevin, That gif it be heard that idolatrie is committ.i.t in onie ane cytie, inquisitioune salbe taikin; and gif it be founde trew, that than the whole bodie of the peopill sall aryse and destroy that cytie, spairing in it nether man, woman, nor chylde."

"But thair is no commandiment gevin to the peopill," said the Secretour, "to punisch thair King gif he be ane idoliter."