By these examples, you may evidently espy, That Idolatry is the cause, why God destroyeth the posterity of Princes; not only of those that first invent abominations, but also of such as follow and defend the same. Consider Madame, That God hath begun very sharply with you, taking from you, as it were together, two children and a husband; He hath begun I say, to declare himself angry, beware that you provoke not the eyes of his Majesty; It will not be the haughty looks of the proud, the strength of your friends, nor multitude of men that can justify your cause in his presence; If you presume to rebel against him (and against him you rebel) if you deny my most humble request which I make in his Name, and it is this: With the hazard of mine own life,1 I offer to prove, That Religion which now you maintain, to be false, deceivable, and abomination before God; And that I shall do by most evident testimonies of his blessed, holy, and infallible Word: If this, I say, you deny, (rebelling against God) The ⟨p. 93⟩favour of your friends, shall little avail you, when he shall declare himself enemy to you. Which assure your self, he will shortly do, if you begin to display the banner of your malice against him.2 Let not the prosperity of others,3 be they Princes, Queens, Kings, or Emperors, bolden you to contemn God, and his loving Admonition. They shall drink the Cup of his wrath, every one in their rank, as he hath appointed them. No Realm in these quarters (except it,4 that next lieth to you) hath he so manifestly stricken with his terrible rod, as he hath done you, and your Realm; And therefore, it becometh you first to stoop, except that you will have the threatenings pronounced by Isaiah the Prophet, ratified unto you. To wit, That your sudden destruction be as the rotten Wall, and your breaking, as the breaking of a Potsherd, which is broken without pity;5 so that no portion of it can be found able either to carry fire or water. Whereby the Prophet doth signify, That the proud contemners of God, and of his Admonitions, shall so perish from all honours; That they shall have nothing worthy of memorial behind them in the Earth. Yea,6 If they do leave any thing, as it shall be unprofitable, so shall it be in execration and hatred to the elect of God;7 and therefore, Thus proceedeth my former Letter.
By these examples, you may evidently espy, That Idolatry is the cause, why God destroyeth the posteritie of Princes; not onely of those that first invent abominations, but also of such as follow and defend the same. Consider Madame, That God hath begun very sharply with you, taking from you, as it were together, two children and a husband; He hath begun I say, to declare himself angry, beware that you provoke not the eyes of his Majesty; It will not be the haughty looks of the proud, the strength of your friends, nor multitude of men that can justifie your cause in his presence; If you presume to rebell against him (and against him you rebell) if you deny my most humble request which I make in his Name, and it is this: With the hazard of mine own life,1 I offer to prove, That Religion which now you maintain, to be false, deceiveable, and abomination before God; And that I shall do by most evident testimonies of his blessed, holy, and infallible Word: If this, I say, you deny, (rebelling against God) The ⟨p. 93⟩favour of your friends, shall little avail you, when he shall declare himself enemy to you. Which assure your self, he will shortly do, if you begin to display the banner of your malice against him.2 Let not the prosperity of others,3 be they Princes, Queens, Kings, or Emperours, bolden you to contemn God, and his loving Admonition. They shall drink the Cup of his wrath, every one in their rank, as he hath appointed them. No Realme in these quarters (except it,4 that next lieth to you) hath he so manifestly stricken with his terrible rod, as he hath done you, and your Realme; And therefore, it becometh you first to stoup, except that you will have the threatnings pronounced by Isaiah the Prophet, ratified unto you. To wit, That your sudden destruction be as the rotten Wall, and your breaking, as the breaking of a Potsherd, which is broken without pitty;5 so that no portion of it can be found able either to carry fire or water. Whereby the Prophet doth signifie, That the proud contemners of God, and of his Admonitions, shall so perish from all honours; That they shall have nothing worthy of memoriall behinde them in the Earth. Yea,6 If they do leave any thing, as it shall be unprofitable, so shall it be in execration and hatred to the elect of God;
- 1The offer of John Knox.The offer of Iohn Knox.
- 2Advert.
- 3Prosperity for a time proveth not Religion good.
- 4No Realm, England except, so grievously plagued at Scotland.No Realme, England except, so grievously plagued at Scotland.
- 5Isai. 30.
- 6Isai. 14.
- 7Isai 6.
