It was at the close of the same year, that he penned the most copious and elaborate of his. With these explanations, we submit our selection of Knox’s practical writings to the judgment of the public.
WRITINGS OF JOHN KNOX
TREATISE ON PRAYER
And that we should not think God to be absent, or not to hear us, Moses ocurreth, saying,. It is to be noted, that God sometimes doth grant the petition of the spirit, while he yet deferreth the desire of the flesh.
LETTER TO THE FAITHFUL IN ENGLAND
And the ground of the prophets was the same, which before I have rehearsed for my. From Jerusalem, many passed away at the admonition of the prophet, leaving all they had, rather than they would abide the dangers of God’s plagues that were threatened.
A FORT FOR THE AFFLICTED,
EXPOSITION UPON THE SIXTH PSALM OF DAVID,
Plain it is, that God’s elect before you, suffered the like cross, as presently you suffer; that they have. The first is, to provoke in God’s elect a hatred of sin, and unfeigned repentance of the same. Evident it is, that David in these his prayers sustained and felt the very sense of God’s wrath;.
No, impossible it is that the devil shall occupy God’s inheritance; or yet, that God shall so leave and forsake his holy temple that he will not sanctify the same. And therefore, most earnestly desired David to live in Israel, for the further manifestation of God’s glory.
A COMFORTABLE EPISTLE,
But, beloved in the Lord, the sword of anguish and of dolor hath now pierced the tender heart of Christ’s mother, (that is, of his very church,) that the cogitations of many hearts are sufficiently revealed. Be merciful unto us, and let us not drown in the deep for ever.” Which if we do with unfeigned hearts, then yet shall Christ Jesus appear to our comfort: his power shall be known to the praise and glory of his own name, in despite of all his conjured enemies. For there is a spiritual hatred which David calleth a perfect hatred, (<19D901>Psalm 139) which the Holy Ghost engendereth in the hearts of God’s elect, against the rebellious contemners of his holy statutes;.
Not so, dear brethren, not so; but even so assuredly as our God liveth, by whose Spirit was stirred up some of his elect, first to espy the great abominations of those tyrants in this our age; which, his messengers, in despite of their tyranny, God preserved, to proclaim and notify before their own faces such sins, as the world knew not to be sin — and as assuredly as we have espied them still to continue in malice against God, against his eternal verity, and against the messengers of the same so assuredly shall we see God’s extreme plagues poured forth upon them even in this corporal life, that some of us may witness to the generation that shall follow, the wondrous works that the Lord hath wrought, and will work in this our age. Ye shall consider, beloved brethren, that the counsels of God are profound and inscrutable: the most just man is not innocent in his sight.
LETTER TO THE QUEEN REGENT
The religion which this day men defend by fire and sword, is a cup envenomed, of which whosoever drinketh (except that by true repentance
But if your Grace shall consider, that ever from the beginning the multitude hath declined from God, (<010601>Genesis 6) yea, even in the people to whom he spake by his Law and Prophets; (<191401>Psalm 14) if you shall consider the complaint of the Holy Ghost, complaining that nations, people, princes, and kings of the earth, have raged, made conspiracies, and holden counsels against the Lord, and against his anointed, Christ Jesus, (<190201>Psalm 2): further, if you shall consider the question which Jesus himself doth move, in these words,. And therefore (often I repeat that which to be done is most necessary,) if your Grace pretend to reign with Christ Jesus, then it behoveth you to take care of his true religion, which this day within your realm is so deformed, that no part of Christ’s ordinances remains in their first strength and original purity: which, I praise God, to me is less difficult to prove, than dangerous to speak. I am not ignorant how dangerous a thing it appeareth to the natural man, to innovate any thing in matters of religion; and partly, I consider your Grace’s power is not so free, as a public reformation perchance would require.
And if further, you shall consider, that the very life consisteth in the knowledge of the only true God, and of his Son, Christ Jesus, and that true knowledge hath annexed with it God’s true worship and honor, which requireth a testimony of his own will expressed by his word that such honor doth please him; if these things aforesaid your Grace do earnestly meditate, then, albeit you may not do suddenly what you would, yet shall you not cease to do what you may. God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the power of his Holy Spirit, move your heart so to consider and accept the things that be said, that they be not a testimony of your just condemnation in that great day of the Lord Jesus; to whose omnipotent Spirit I unfeignedly commit your Grace.
A MOST WHOLESOME COUNSEL
And so, I say, that impossible it is that God’s chosen children can despise or reject the word of their salvation, by any long. But if such men as having liberty to read and exercise themselves on God’s holy Scripture, and yet do begin to weary, because from time to time they read but one thing; I ask, why weary they not also every day to drink wine, to eat bread every day, to behold the brightness of the sun, and so to use the rest of God’s creatures which every day do keep their own substance, course, and nature. But to you, dear brethren, I write my knowledge, and do speak my conscience, that so necessary as meat and drink are to the preservation of life corporal, and so necessary as the heat and brightness of the sun are to the quickening of the herbs and to expel darkness, so necessary is also to life everlasting, and to the illumination and light of the soul, the perpetual meditation, exercise, and use of God’s holy word.
And therefore, dear brethren, if that ye look for a life to come, of necessity it is that ye exercise yourselves in the book of the Lord your God. Nay, brethren, ye are ordained of God to rule and govern your own houses in God’s true fear, and according to his holy word — within your own houses, I say, in some cases ye are bishops and kings; your wives, children, and family are your bishopric and.
EPISTLE
For nothing to him is more despiteful, than Christ Jesus exalted, truly preached, and constantly affirmed to be the only Savior of the world. But this is not the chief cause why the fear of the Lord hath the fore-named title. But because that where the fear of the Lord is once deeply grafted in the heart, that there also are the graces of the Holy Spirit from time to time added, to the further instruction, comfort, and confirmation of God’s chosen children in all godliness.
If ye have tasted of his Spirit, Right Honorable, and by the motion of the same put your hands to the Lord’s work, then, whatsoever any creature imagine in your contrary, yet shall ye so prosper, that in the end, ye shall be called the blessed of the Lord. The mighty Spirit of the Lord Jesus rule your hearts in the true fear of God, open your eyes to consider your duties, and give you strength to execute the same.
ADDRESS
TO THE COMMONALTY OF SCOTLAND
Yea, except in heart ye believe, and with the mouth ye confess the Lord Jesus to be the only Savior of the world, (which ye cannot do, except ye embrace his Evangel offered,) ye cannot escape death and damnation. And this provision (albeit heaven and earth obey his empire,) would He not take from the secret and hid treasures which lie dispersed in the veins of the earth; neither yet would he take it from the rich and potent of his people. This money received from the children of Israel, thou shalt give in the service of the tabernacle, that it may be to the children of Israel for a remembrance before the Lord, that he may be merciful to your souls.”.
Of the prince, doth God require, that he refuse himself, and that he follow Christ Jesus; of the subject, he craveth the same. And evident it is, that in the famous city Jerusalem, in that last and horrible destruction of the same, none escaped God’s vengeance, except so many as before were dispersed.
SERMON
ON CHRIST’S TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS
- What this word Temptation meaneth, and how it is used within the Scriptures
- Who is here tempted, and at what time this temptation happened
- How, and by what means he was tempted
- And Last, Why he should suffer these temptations, and what fruit ensueth to us of the same
Then, that is (as Mark and Luke do witness) immediately after the voice of God the Father had commended his Son to the world, and had visibly appointed him, by the sign of the Holy Ghost. Go and preach the Evangel to all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. All these tidings inflamed the wrath and malice of Satan; for he perfectly understood, that the coming of the promised Seed was appointed to his confusion, and to the breaking down of his head and tyranny.
This much have I briefly spoken of the temptation of Christ Jesus; who was tempted; and of the time and place of his temptation. The conclusion of Satan is this: Thou art none of God’s elect, much less, his well-beloved Son.
ANSWER
TO SOME QUESTIONS ON BAPTISM, ETC
The fire of the Holy Ghost hath burnt away whatsoever we received at their hands besides Christ Jesus’ simple institution. The first I answer, That no man is so regenerate, but that continually he hath need of the means which Christ Jesus, the Wisdom of his eternal Father, hath appointed to be used in his kirk; to wit, the word truly preached, and the sacraments rightly administered. To the which when we present ourselves, as in heart we do believe (I speak of God’s chosen children,) so in mouth we do confess, and before the world solemnly we protest, that we are the household of God our Father, received in the league of his mercy according to the purpose of his own good pleasure; and that we, members of the body of Christ Jesus, were clad with his righteousness and innocency.
This holy table, I say, hath the wisdom of God commanded to be used in his kirk, to assure the members of his body, that his majesty changeth not as man doth, but that his gifts and vocation are such, as of the which he cannot repent him. Neither shall the deeds of our fathers, who did offer us to the same baptism, excuse.
A SERMON,
PREACHED BY JOHN KNOX, MINISTER OF CHRIST JESUS,
PREFACE
This no doubt is the beginning of the dolorous complaint, in the which he first complaineth of the unjust tyranny that the poor afflicted Israelites. The same is repeated to Joshua, in his inauguration to the government of the people, by God himself, saying,. For what liquor can we receive from the breasts of the world, but that which is in the world.
Salvations were not made to the earth, neither did the inhabitants of the earth fall.”. This is the second part of the prophet’s complaint, in the which he, in the person of God’s people, complaineth, that of their great affliction there appeared no end.
