A04931:91
A sermon preached
A sermon preached by John Knox minister of Christ Jesus in the public audience of the Church of Edinburgh, within the realm of Scotland, upon Sunday, the. 19. of August. 1565 For the which the said John Knox was inhibit preaching for a season. To this is adjoined an exhortation unto all the faithful within the said realm, for the relief of such as faithfully travail in the preaching of Gods word. Written by the same John Knox, at the commandment of the ministry aforesaid.A sermon preached by Iohn Knox minister of Christ Iesus in the publique audience of the Church of Edenbrough, within the realme of Scotland, vpon Sonday, the. 19. of August. 1565 For the which the said Iohn Knoxe was inhibite preaching for a season. To this is adioyned an exhortation vnto all the faythfull within the sayde realme, for the reliefe of suche as faythfully trauayle in the preaching of Gods worde. Written by the same Iohn Knoxe, at the commaundement of the ministerie aforesayd.
London: printed by Henry Denham?, 1566
Title page typeset from the transcription.
A SERMON PREACHED by John knoxe.A SERMON PREACHED by Iohn knoxe.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
We have to consider what most commonly hath been, and what shall be the condition of the church of God, to wit, that it is not only hated, mocked, and despised, ⟨p. 45⟩but that it is exposed, as it were in a pray, unto the fury of the wicked, so that the blood of the children of God,1 is spilt like water upon the face of the earth. The understanding whereof, albeit it be unpleasant to the flesh. Yet to us it is most profitable, least that we, seeing the cruel entreatings of Gods servants, begin to misknow the spouse of Jesus Christ, because that she is not entreated in this unthankful world, as that the just and upright dealing of Gods children doth deserve. But contrariwise, for mercy, they receive cruelty, for doing good to many, of all the reprobate they receive evil. And this is decreed in Gods eternal counsel, that the members may follow the trace of the head, to the end, that God in his just judgements, should finally condemn the wicked. For how should he ⟨image 52⟩punish the inhabitants of the earth, if their iniquity deserved it not▪ How should the earth disclose our blood, if it should not be unjustly spilt? We must then commit our selves into the hands of our God, and lay down our necks, yea & patiently suffer our blood to be shed, that the righteous judge may require account, as most assuredly he shall of all the blood that hath been shed, from the blood of Abel the just, till the day that the earth shall disclose the same.2 I say every one that sheddeth or consenteth to shed the blood of Gods children, shall be guilty of the whole. So that all the blood of God's children shall cry vengeance, not only in general, but also in particular, upon every one, that hath shed the blood of any that unjustly suffered.
We haue to consider what moste commonly hath beene, and what shal be the condition of the church of God, to wit, that it is not onelye hated, mocked, and dispised, ⟨p. 45⟩but that it is exposed, as it were in a pray, vnto the furie of the wicked, so that the bloud of the children of God,