The History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland: With Which Are Included Knox's Confession and The Book of DisciplineKnox, John
History
The History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland: With Which Are Included Knox's Confession and The Book of Discipline
Knox, John
Reformation -- Scotland; Scotland -- Church history
1. Thou, false heretic, runagate, traitor, and thief, deceiver of
the people, despisest the holy Church, and in like case contemnest
my Lord Governor's authority. And we know for surety that, when
thou preachedst in Dundee, and wast charged by my Lord Governor's
authority to desist, thou wouldest not obey, but persevered in the
same. And therefore the Bishop of Brechin cursed thee, and delivered
thee into the Devil's hand, and gave thee commandment that thou
shouldest preach no more. Yet, notwithstanding, thou didst continue
obstinately.--My Lords, I have read in the Acts of the Apostles,
that it is not lawful, for the threats and menacings of men, to
desist from the preaching of the Evangel. It is written, "We shall
rather obey God than men." I have also read in the Prophet Malachi,
"I shall curse your blessings, and bless your cursings, says the
Lord:" believing firmly that He would turn your cursings into
blessings.
2. Thou, false heretic, didst say that a priest standing at the
altar saying Mass was like a fox wagging his tail in July.--My
Lords, I said not so. These were my sayings. The moving of the body
outward, without the inward moving of the heart, is nought else but
the playing of an ape, and not the true serving of God; for God is a
secret searcher of men's hearts. Therefore, who will truly adorn and
honour God, he must in spirit and verity honour Him.
Then the accuser stopped his mouth with another article.
3. Thou, false heretic, preachest against the Sacraments, saying
that there are not seven Sacraments.--My Lords, if it be your
pleasure, I taught never of the number of the Sacraments, whether
they were seven or eleven. So many as are instituted by Christ, and
are shown to us by the Evangel, I profess openly. Except it be the
Word of God, I dare affirm nothing.
4. Thou, false heretic, hast openly taught that auricular confession
is not a blessed sacrament; and thou sayest that we should only
confess to God, and to no priest.--My Lords, I say that auricular
confession, seeing that it hath no promise of the Evangel, cannot
be a sacrament. Of the confession to be made to God, there are many
testimonies in Scripture; as when David saith, "I thought I would
acknowledge my iniquity against myself unto the Lord; and He forgave
the trespasses of my sins." Here, confession signifieth the secret
knowledge of our sins before God. When I exhorted the people on
this manner, I reproved no manner of confession. And further, St.
James saith, "Acknowledge your sins one to another, and so let you
to have peace amongst yourselves." Here the Apostle meaneth nothing
of auricular confession, but that we should acknowledge and confess
ourselves to be sinners before our brethren and before the world,
and not esteem ourselves as the Grey Friars do, thinking themselves
already purged.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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