The appellation of John Knox from the cruel and most iniust sentence pronounced against…The appellation of Iohn Knoxe from the cruell and most iniust sentence pronounced against…

A certain man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said son ne go and work to day in my vineyard. Who answered, I will not, but afterward repented and went. Then came he to the second, and said likewise, and he answered, I will sir, but went not.

A certaine man had two sonnes, ād he came to the first, and said sō ne go ād worke to day in my vineyard. Who answered, I will not, but afterward repēted and went. Then came he to the second, and said likewise, and he answered, I will syr, but went not.

Wherein a wonderful comfort first is to be considered, how the Lord our God maker of heaven and earth doth humble him self ⟨image 66⟩not only to be called a man, a husband man, a householder, and such like, but he abaseth him self of mercy to us vile earth and ashes, that his Son becometh man to make mankind glorious in his sight, to make all those, that do not refuse his grace offered, of the slaves of Satan his sons by adoption. You are his sons, you are his vineyard, you are as dear unto him, as the apple of his eye, as Moses speaketh, if you can believe it: he sweareth that you shall be his inheritance, and he will be yours, if ye will only receive his grace and believe him, when he sweareth. Will ye call his trueth into doubt? his glory into shame by your misbelief? Better it were, that all creatures should perish, heaven, man and angels, then that God should not have credit, or that his glory in the least jot should be diminished. He hath called you by his word now many a time to work in his vineyard, I ask what you have answered: your conscience can witness and all the world seeth it. Somme of you have said plain like rebellious children, that ye would not do it, that ye would not work in your fathers vineyard. Shall I apply this part to Scotland? I may right well do it, and also to a great part in England. But Scotland in deed called most plainly and evidently through the mercies of God both ⟨p. 65⟩by their own faithful country men, and also by earnest travail of our English nation to come to the Lords vineyard in the time of king Edward, hath to the damage of both continually refused, as the con science of many this day beareth witness. That time, as ye know, the vineyard in England by the children of God was not all together neglected, and then most earnestly were ye (O Brethren of Scotland) required to join hands with us in the Lords work, but Satan alas would not suffer it. His old fostered malice, and Antichrist his son could not abide, that Christ should grow so strong by joining that isle together in perfect religion, whom God hath so many ways coupled and strengthened by his work in nature: