The Works of John Knox Volume II Part 11

[Sidenote: Joan. 10.]

[Sidenote: Joan 1.]

[Sidenote: Joan 20.]

[Sidenote: Esai. 53.]

For that samyn Eternall G.o.d, and Father, quha of mere mercy elect.i.t us in Chryst Jesus his Sone, befoir the fundatioun of the warld was laid, appoynt.i.t him to be oure Heid, our Brother, our Pastoure, and greit Bishop of oure Saullis. Bot becaus that the enmitie betwix the justice of G.o.d and our synnes was sick, that no flesche by it self could or mycht have atteanit unto G.o.d, it behovit that the Sone of G.o.d sould discend unto us, and tak him selff ane body of oure body, flesche of oure flesche, and bane of oure baneis, and sua became[226] the perfyte Mediatour betwix G.o.d and man; giffing power to sa mony as beleif in him to be the sonis of G.o.d, as him selff dois witnesse--"I pas up to my Father and unto your Father, to my G.o.d and unto your G.o.d." By quhilk maist halie fraternitie, quhatsoever we have lost[227] in Adam is restoirit to us againe. And for this cause ar we not effrayit to call G.o.d our father, not samekill in that he hes creat.i.t us,[228]

(quhilk we have common with the reprobat,) as for that he hes gevin to us his onlie Sone to be our brother, and gevin unto us grace to [acknawledge and] embrace him for oure onlie Mediatour, as befoir is said. It behovit farther, the Messias and Redeemer to [be] verray G.o.d and verray Man, becaus he was to underly[229] the punishment dew for oure transgressiouns, and to present him selff in the presence of his Fatheris jugement, as in oure persone, to suffer for our transgressioun and in.o.bedience, by death to ovirc.u.m him that was author of death. Bot becaus the onlie G.o.dheid could not suffer death, neyther could the onlie Manheid ovirc.u.m the same; he joynit baith togidder in ane persone, that the imbecilitie of the ane sould suffer, and be subject to death, (quhilk we haid deservit,) and the infinite and invincible power of the uther, to wit, of the G.o.dheid, sould tryumphe and purchese till us lyfe, libertie, and perpetuall victorie.

And so we confess, and maist undowtedlie beleif.

[226] In the old printed copies, "become."

[227] In the Acts 1567, "have tint."

[228] In the editions 1561, "not so much because he hath created us."

[229] In the London edition 1561, "to beare upon him."

CHRYSTIS DEATH, Pa.s.sIOUN, BURYALL, &C.--CAP. IX.

[Sidenote: Heb. 12.]

[Sidenote: Esai. 53.]

[Sidenote: Deut. 21.]

[Sidenote: Gal. 3.]

[Sidenote: Heb. 10.]

That our Lord Jesus Chryst offerrit him self ane voluntarie sacrifice unto his Father for us; that he sufferrit contradictioun of synneris; that he was woundit and plaigit for our transgressiouns; that he being the clene and innocent Lamb of G.o.d, was dampnit in the presence of an earthlie juge, that we mycht be absolvit befoir the tribunall seat of our G.o.d; that he sufferit not onlie the creuell death of the croce (quhilk was accursit be the sentance of G.o.d,) bot alssua that he sufferrit for a sea.s.sone the wrath of his Father, whilk synnaris had deservit. Bot yitt we avow, that he remaneit the onlie and weilbelovit and blissit Sone of his Father, evin in the myddis of his anguysche and torment, quhilk he sufferrit in body and saull, to mak the full satisfactioun for the synnis of his pepill.[230] Efter the quhilk, we confesse and avow, that thair remaneis na uther sacrifice for synnis; quhilk gif any affirme, we nathing dowt to avow that thay are blasphemaris against Chrystis death, and the everlesting purgatioun and sattisfactioun purchessit till us by the same.

[230] In the old printed copies, "the people."

RESURRECTIOUN.--CAP. X.

[Sidenote: Act. 2. 3.]

[Sidenote: Rom. 6.]

[Sidenote: Mat. 28.]

[Sidenote: Mat. 27.]

[Sidenote: Joan. 20. 21.]

We undoutedlie beleif, that insamekill as it was impossibill that the dolouris of death sould reteane in bondage the Author of lyff, that our Lord Jesus Chryst crucifeit, deid, and buryit, quha discendit into h.e.l.l, did raise agane for our justificatioun, and distroying [of] him who was [the] author of death, brocht lyfe agane to us that war subject to death and to the bondage of the same. We knaw that his resurrectioun was confirmit be the testimonye of his verray ennemeis; by the resurrectioun of the deid, quhais sepulturis did oppin, and thay did arise and apperit to many within the Citie of Jerusalem. It was alssua confirmit be the testimonie of [his] Angellis, and be the senses and jugementis of his Apostleis, and [of] utheris, quha had conversatioun, and did eit and drynk with him efter his resurrectioun.

ASCENSIOUN.--CAP. XI.

[Sidenote: Act. 1.]

[Sidenote: Mat. 28.]

[Sidenote: 1 Joan. 2.]

[Sidenote: 1 Tim. 2.]

[Sidenote: Psal. 110.]

[Sidenote: Apoc. 20.]

[Sidenote: Esai. 66.]

[Sidenote: Esai. 7.]

[Sidenote: Collos. 1.]

[Sidenote: Heb. 9. 10.]

We nathing dowt, bot that the selff samyn body, quhilk was borne of the Virgine, was crucifeit, deid, and buried, and quhilk did ryse agane, did ascend into the heavinis for the accompleischment of all thingis; quhair, in oure names, and for our confort he hes resavit all power in hevin and in earth, quhair he sittis at the rycht hand of the Father inaugurat in his kingdome, advocat and onlie Mediatour for us; quhilk glorie, honour, and prerogatyve he allone amangis the brethren sall possesse, till that all his ennemyes be maid his futestule, as that we undoubtedlie beleif thay sall be in the finall jugement; to the execution quhairof we certainlie beleif that the same oure Lord Jesus sall visibillie returne as that he was sene to ascend: And than we firmlie belief, that the tyme of refresching and rest.i.tutioun of all thingis sall c.u.m, in samekill that thay that from the begynning have sufferit violence, injurie, and wrang for rychteousnes saik, sall inherit that blissit immortalitie promesit from the begynning; bot contrariewyse, the stubburne, in.o.bedient, cruell, oppressouris, filthy personeis, adulteraris, and all sortis of unfaithfull [men] sall be cast in the dungeoun of utter darknes, quhair thair worme sall not dye, neather yitt thair fyre [sall] be extinguischeit. The remembrance of the quhilk day, and of the jugement to be execut.i.t in the same, is not onlie to us ane brydill quhairby oure carnall l.u.s.tis ar refranit; but alsso sick inestimabill confort, that neather may the threatning of wardlie princeis, neyther yitt the feir of temporall death and present daingear move us to renunce and forsaik that blissit societie, quhilk we the members have with oure Head and onlie Mediatour Christ Jesus, whome we confesse and avow to be the Messias promissed, the only Head of his Kirk, our just Lawgevar, oure onlie Hie Preast, Advocat, and Mediatour. In whiche honouris and offices, yf man or angell presume to intruse thame selfis, we utterlie detest and abhorre thame, as blasphemous to oure Soverane and Supreame Governour, Christ Jesus.

FAITH IN THE HOLY GHOST.--CAP. XII.

[Sidenote: Mat. 16.]

[Sidenote: Joan. 14. 15. 16.]

[Sidenote: Rom. 5.]

[Sidenote: 2 Corin. 3.]

This our Faith, and the a.s.surance of the same, proceidis not frome flesche and blood, that is to say, frome no naturall poweris within us, but is the inspiratioun of the Holy Ghost: Whome we confesse G.o.d, equall with the Father and with the Sone; who sanctifieth us, and bringeth us in all veritie by his awin operatioun; without whome we should remane for ever enemyes to G.o.d, and ignorant of his Sone, Christ Jesus. For of nature we ar so dead, so blynd and so perverse, that neather can we feill when we ar p.r.i.c.ked, see the lycht when it schynes, nor a.s.sent to the will of G.o.d when it is reveilled; onlie[231]

the Spreit of the Lord Jesus quickinneth that which is dead, removeth[231] the darknes from our myndis, and boweth oure stubburne heartis to the obedience of his blessed will. And so as we confesse that G.o.d the Father created us when we war not; as his Sone, our Lord Jesus redeamit us when we war ennemyes to him: so also do we confesse that the Holy Ghost dois sanctifie and regenerat us, without all respect of any merite proceading from us, be it befoir, or be it after oure regeneratioun. To speak this one thing yit in more plane wordis, as we willinglie spoyle oureselves of all honour and glorie of oure awin creatioun and redemptioun; so do we also of oure regeneratioun and sanctificatioun: For of our selves we ar nott sufficient to think ane good thoght; but he who hes begune the good work in us, is onlie he that continueth us in the same, to the praise and glorie of his undeserved grace.

[231] In the old printed copies, "unless the Spirite, &c. quickin that;" and "remove the," &c.: "and bow."

THE CAUSE OF GOOD WORKIS.--CAP. XIII.[232]

[232] In the old printed copies, including the Acts of Parliament 1567, this Chapter is numbered 14, and the mistake is continued throughout, so that the last Chapter 25, is numbered 26.

[Sidenote: John. 15.]