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…

But in few words I answer, that no privilege, granted against the ordinance and statutes of God, is to be observed although all Councils and men in the earth have appointed the same. But against God's ordinance it is, that idolaters, murderers, false teachers, and blasphemers shall be exempted from punishment, as before is declared, and therefore in vain it is, that they claim for privilege, when that God sayeth: The murderer shalt thou rive from my alter, that he may die the death. And as to the order and reformation, which they promise, that is to be looked or hoped for, ⟨p. 37⟩when Satan, whose children and slaves they are, can change his nature. This answer I doubt not shall suffice the sober and godly reader. But yet to the end that they may further see their own confusion, and that your Honours may better understand, what ye ought to do in so manifest a corruption and defection from God, I ask of them selves, what assurance they have for this their immunity, exemption, or privilege? who is the author of it? and what fruit it hath produced?¹ And first I say that of God they have no assurance, neither yet can he be proved to be author of any such privilege. But the contrary is easy to be seen. For God in establishing his orders in Israel did so subject Aaron (in his priesthood being the figure of Christ) to Moses, that he feared not to call him in judgement, and to constrain him to give accounts of his wicked deed in consenting to idolatry, as the history doth plainly witness. For thus it is written,

But in few wordes I answer, that no priuiledge, graunted against the ordenance and statutes of God, is to be obserued althogh all Councils and men in the earth haue appointed the same. But against goddes ordenance it is, that idolatours, murtherours, fals teachers, and blasphemers shall be exē pted from punishement, as before is declared, and therefore in vaine it is, that they claym for priuiledge, when that God sayeth: The murtherer shalt thou riue from my alter, that he may die the death. And as to the order and reformatiō, which they promisse, that is to be loked or hoped for, ⟨p. 37⟩when Satan, whose children and slaues they are, can chāge his nature. This answer I doubt not shall suffice the sober ād godlie reader. But yet to the end that they may further see their own confusion, and that your Honours may better vnderstād, what ye oght to do in so manifest a corruption and defectiō from God, I aske of them selues, what assurance they haue for this their immunitie, exemption, or priuiledge? who is the auctour of it? and what frute it hath produced?