The historie of the reformation of the Church of Scotland containing five books : together with some treatises conducing to the history.

The LIFE OF IOHN KNOX.

IOHN KNOX was borne in Gifford, neer Ha∣dington, in Lothian, the yeer of Christ, 1505. of honest Parentage: His father was a brothers son of the House of Ranferlie, which is an an∣cient Family of Gentlemen in the West. When he left the Grammar Schoole in the Countrey, he was sent to the Vniversity of Saint Andrews, to studie under M. John Mair, who in those dayes was very famous for his Learning, which particularly did consist in the ergotie or disputative part of Philosophy, and in School-Divinity, wherein formerly, for many yeers together, almost all Learning was placed. In a very short time, John Knox became such a Proficient, that in this kinde of know∣ledge wherein his Master most excelled, he surpassed him; and be∣ing yet very young, was thought worthy of Degrees in the School: Moreover, before the time ordinarily allowed by the Canons, he en∣tred in Church Orders. Thereafter, laying aside the idle Disputes and Sophistry of the School, he betook himself to the reading of the Ancients; namely, of Augustine, with whose Writings he was much taken, by reason of their plainnesse and solidity. Last of all, he betook himself to the earnest study of the holy Scriptures; where∣in having found the Truth of God concerning the salvation of Mankinde fully revealed, he in good earnest did embrace it, and freely professed it; yea, made it his main work to make it known to all men, and believed by them; in which work he was very active and vigilant, at home and abroad, namely, at home. For the Cause of the Truth he suffered very much by Sea and by Land, in minde and in body; among forraigners, and amongst his own Countrey∣men, as ye may see in this History of the Church, which now here we present unto you: Which History, namely, so much of it, I mean, as formerly was published, hath gone commonly under his

name, because he is the man of whom most is spoken thorowout the whole History, as being a most earnest and diligent agent in the businesse of Reformation in the Church: Next, because he hath penned with his own hand, or spoken by word of mouth, the most part of the most remarkable and most usefull things for Posterity in the History. Thirdly, the whole History is gathered out of his Papers and Manuscripts: And so ye see why it is generally recei∣ved to be of John Knox. But to return to his Life.

He being constrained for a time to leave his Countrey, by reason of the Persecution raised in Scotland, by the then Bishops, against the professors of the Truth, he came into England, where for some yeers he was busied, in preaching the Evangell of Christ, with a great deal of content and benefit to those that had the happinesse to hear him. His chief abode was in Berwick, Newcastle, and London: This was in the dayes of King Edward the sixth, with whom he was in great favour and esteem; By whom being offered a Bishopricke, he not onely refused and rejected it, but with a grave and severe speech declared, That the proud Title of Lord∣ship, and that great State, was not to be suffered to be in the Church of God, as having quid commune cum Antichristo; that is, somewhat common with Antichrist. King Edward being dead, the persecution of Mary made him leave England, with many other godly Ministers, who went beyond Seas. First, John Knox went to Frankford, where for a time he preached the Gospel to the English Congregation there; From whence he wrote the Ad∣monition to England: But being molested there, partly by open Papists, and partly by false Brethren, was constrained to retire: And from thence he went to Geneva, from whence he wrote his Letter to Mary Regent of Scotland, his Appeal to the Nobility of Scotland, and Admonition to the Commons of Scotland. From Geneva, after some yeers abode there, he was called home to his own Countrey, the yeer of Christ 1559. which was the 54 of his age, by the Noble-men, and others who had taken upon them the generall Reformation of the Church of Scotland; where, how soon that the reformed Church had any liberty, he was setled Minister at Edinburgh, where he continued exercising his Ministery to his dying day; but not without interruption, by reason of the Civill disorders that fell out in those dayes.

During this his being at Edinburgh, he Preached many excel∣lent Sermons; whereof there be but few that were printed and conserved to Posterity, he not being willing to busie himself with the Presse: Yet some of them we have, as this, namely, which he Preached Aug. 19, An. 1564. and for which he was forbidden to Preach for a time: He, to make known to the world what ground there was to deal so with him, took the care to have this Sermon printed, as you will finde it at the end of this History.

Here I cannot let slip a remarkable passage; which was this; Anno 1566. the Earle of Murray was slain upon the Saturday: The morrow after, John Knox preached in Edinburgh; where, as he was reading the Papers wherein was written the names of those that desired the Prayers of the Church, he findes a paper with these words, Take up the man whom ye accounted an∣other god: which he passed, without expressing any commotion, and went on with his Prayer and Sermon. At the end of the Ser∣mon, he made moan for the losse that the Church and State of Scotland had, by the death of that vertuous man; and said, That as God in his mercy giveth good and wise Rulers, so taketh he them away from a people in his wrath. Then he added, There is one in this company that maketh the subject of his mirth this horrible murther, whereat all good men have occasion to be sorry: I tell him, That he shall die where there shall be none to lament him. He who had written the aforesaid words in the paper, was Thomas Metellan, a young Gentlemen of most rare parts, but youthfull, and bearing small affection to the Earle of Murray; who, when he heard this Commination of John Knox, went home to his lodging, and said to his sister, That John Knox was raving to speak of he knew not whom. His sister replyed, with tears in her eyes, If you had followed my advice, ye had not writ∣ten these words; and withall told him, That none of John Knox his threatnings fell to the ground without effect. And so it fell out in this particular; For shortly thereafter the young Gentleman went beyond Seas to travell, and died in Italy, having no known man to assist him, much lesse to lament him. Towards the latter dayes of his age, his body became very infirm, and his voice so weake, that the people could not hear him, Preaching in the ordi∣place, wherfore he made choice of another more commodious within

the Town, reading to his auditors the history of the Passion, in which, he said, it was his desire to finish and close his Ministery. Thus he continued Preaching, though with much weaknesse, two moneths and more, after this retiring: And foreseeing that he was not to remain long with them, he was instant with the Counsell of the City to provide themselves of a worthy man to succeed in his Place. Master James Lauson, who at that time professed Philosophy in the Vniversity of Aberdene, being commended for a good Preacher, Commissioners were directed from the Body of the Church of Edinburgh, and from Master John Knox in particular, to desire him to accept of the Charge. To the Letter that the Commissioners carried, after that he had set his hand, he added this Postscript, Accelera mi frater, alioqui sero venies: Make haste, Brother, otherwise ye shall come too late: Meaning, That if he made any stay, he should finde him dead and gone. These last words moved M. Lauson to take journey the morrow thereafter. When he was come to the Town, and had preached two severall times, to the good liking of the people, order was taken by the Rulers of the Church for his admission, and the day appointed; at which day John Knox himself would not onely be present, but also preach, though he could scarce walk on foot to the Chayre; which he did with such fervency of spirit, that at no time before was he heard to speak with such great power, and more content to the hearers: And in the end of the Sermon, calling God to wit∣nesse, That he had walked in a good conscience amongst them, not seeking to please men, nor serving either his own, or other mens affections, but in all sincerity and truth preached the Gospel of Christ: With most grave and pithie words, he exhorted them to stand fast in the Faith they had received: And having conceived a zealous Prayer for the continuance of Gods blessing among them, and the multiplying of his Spirit upon the Preacher who was then to be admitted, he gave them his last fare-well. The people did convey him to his lodging, and could not be drawn from it, so loath were they to depart from him; and he the same day in the after∣noon, was forced to take bed. During the time he lay (which was not long) he was much visited by all sorts of persons, to whom he spake most comfortably: Amongst others, to the Earle of Morton, who came to see him, he was heard say, My Lord, God

hath given you many blessings; he hath given you Wisdom, Honour, high Birth, Riches, many good and great friends, and is now to prefer you to the Government of the Realme (the Earle of Marr, late Regent, being newly dead) In his Name I charge you, That ye will use these blessings better in times to come, then you have done in times past: In all your actions seek first the glory of God, The further∣ance of his Gospel, The maintenance of his Church and Ministery; and next, Be carefull of the King, to procure his good, and the welfare of the Realme. If you shall do this, God will be with you, and honour you: If otherwise ye do it not, he will deprive you of all these benefits, and your end shall be shame and ignominy. These speeches, the Earle, about nine yeers after, at the time of his Execution, called to minde, saying, That he had found them to be true, and him, therein, a Prophet.

A day or two before his death, he sent for Master David Lind∣say, Master James Lauson, and the Elders and Deacons of the Church, to whom he said, The time is approaching, for which I have long thirsted, wherein I shall be relieved of all cares, and be with my Saviour Christ for ever: And now, God is my witnesse, whom I have served with my spirit, in the Go∣spel of his Son, That I have taught nothing but the true and solid Doctrine of the Gospel; and that the end I pro∣posed in all my Doctrine, was, To instruct the ignorant, To confirm the weak, To comfort the consciences of those that were humbled under the sense of their sins, and born down with the threatnings of Gods Judgements: Such as were proud and rebellious, I am not ignorant that many have bla∣med, and yet do blame my too great rigour and severity; But God knoweth, That in my heart I never hated the per∣sons of those against whom I thundred Gods Judgements; I did onely hate their sins, and laboured, according to my power, to gain them to Christ: That I did forbear none, of whatsoever condition; I did it, out of the fear of my God, who hath placed me in the Function of his Ministery, and I know will bring me to an account. Now, brethren, for your selves; I have no more to say, but to warn you, That

you take heed to the Flock over which God hath placed you Overseers, which he hath redeemed by the Blood of his one∣ly begotten Son. And you, Master Lauson, fight a good fight, do the Work of the Lord with courage, and with a willing minde: And God from above blesse you, and the Church whereof you have charge: Against it (so long as it continueth in the Doctrine of the Truth) the gates of hell shall not prevail.

This spoken, and the Elders and the Deacons dimitted, he cal∣led the two Preachers unto him, and said, There is one thing that grieveth me exceedingly; You have sometimes seen the courage and constancy of the Laird of Grange in the cause of God; and that most unhappy man hath cast himself away: I will pray you two to take the pains to go unto him, and say, from me, That unlesse he forsake that wicked course wherein he is entred, neither shall the Rock in which he confideth defend him, nor the carnall wisedom of that man whom he counteth half a god (this was young Lethington) yeeld him help; but shamefully he shall be pulled out of that nest, and his carkase hung before the Sun (meaning the Castle he did keep against the Kings Authority: And so it fell out the yeer next following; for the Castle was taken, and he was publikely hanged, and his body hung before the Sun) The soul of that man is dear unto me; and, if it be possible, I could fain have him to be saved. They went, as he had desired, and conferred a long space with Grange; but with no perswasion could he be diverted from his course: Which being reported, he took most heavily. Yet Grange, at his death, did expresse serious repentance for his sins.

The next day, he gave order for making his Coffin wherein his body should be laid; and was that day, as thorow all the time of his sicknesse, much in prayer, crying, Come, Lord Jesu; Sweet Jesu, into thy hands I commend my Spirit. Being asked by those that attended him, if his pains were great, he answered, That he did not esteem that a pain, which would be to him the end of all troubles, and beginning of eternall Joyes. Often∣times, after some deep meditations, he burst forth in these words; O serve the Lord in fear, and death shall not be troublesome

unto you: Blessed is the death of those that have part in the death of Jesus. In the evening, which was the last of this wretched life, having slept some hours together, but with great unquietnesse, for he was heard to send forth many sighs and groans; one Campbell, and one John Johnston, which two waited very diligently upon him, asked, after he awaked, How he did finde himselfe, and what it was that made him to mourn so hea∣vily in his sleep? To whom he answered, In my life time I have oft been assaulted with Satan, and many times he hath cast in my teeth my sins, to bring me to despair; yet God gave me strength to overcome all his tentations: And now that sub∣till Serpent, who never ceases to tempt, hath taken another course, and seeks to perswade me, That all my labours in the Ministery, and the fidelity that I have shewn in that Ser∣vice, hath merited heaven and immortality: But blessed be God, that brought to my minde these Scriptures, What hast thou that thou hast not received? And, Not I, but the grace of God in me: With which, he is gone away ashamed, and shall no more returne: And now I am sure my Battell is at an end; and that without pain of body, or trouble of spirit, I shall shortly change this mortall and miserable life, with that happy and immortall which shall never have an end. After which discourse, a Prayer was said neer his bed where he lay: which being ended, it was asked, If he heard the Prayer? He answered, Would to God that ye had heard it with such an ear and heart as I have done; Adding, Lord Jesu receive my Spirit. With which words, without any motion of hands or feet, as one falling a sleep, rather then dying, he ended his life. He was a man endued with many excellent gifts, and with a very great measure of the Spirit: God raised him up to be a chief In∣strument of the glorious Work of Reformation. The Court claw-backs and parasites, have been, and are displeased with his Do∣ctrine touching the Authority of Princes and Civill Magistrates, although there was never man born, who did more heartily reve∣rence Civill Authority, nor obey more willingly the lawfull com∣mands thereof, then he: All his Doctrine concerning the Civill Authority, was, To correct the corruption brought in by the sla∣vish flatterers, who, abusing the simplicity and debonaritie of

those whom God has placed in Authority, maketh them inconsider¦ately to rebell wilfully and openly against God and his Son, and turn all things up-side down, and undo the poor people of God, for whose good and safety they are placed so high. Likewise were and are to this day the proud Prelats and idle belly-gods highly offend∣ed with his Doctrine concerning Church-Government, although he intended no other thing, but the pulling down of Antichristian∣isme fully, and casting all tyranny and Idlenesse out of the House of God. Never was a man more observant of the true and just Authority of the Church-Rulers, according to the Word of God, and practice of the purest Primitive times. He alwayes urged pressingly due Obedience by the people, to the faithfull Pastors and Elders of the Church. Although he was both learned and eloquent, yet did he not much apply his minde to compose Books for Posterity; for he was wont to say, That God had called him rather to instruct the ignorant, comfort the sorrowfull, re∣buke the sinners, and confirm the weak living in his time, then to make Books for ages to come. Neverthelesse, he wrote severall good Pieces; for besides what we have spoken of already, namely, he left these, A learned Treatise against the blasphemous Anabaptists, Two Treatises against the Masse, One, of the Eucha∣rist, Some Sermons upon Genesis, Some also upon the Psalms, An Exhortation to all afflicted Churches, An Advice in time of trouble, The first blast of the Trumpet, &c.

He died, Anno Dom. 1572, and of his age, 62. His body was interred at S. Giles, without the Church. To his Buriall assisted many men of all Ranks; among others, the Earle of Mor∣ton, who being neer to the grave, as the Corps was put in, said, by way of Epitaph, Here lies the body of him, who, in his life time, never feared the face of man.