Church of Scotland; Knox, John, approximately 1514-1572; Reformation -- Scotland; Theology -- Early works to 1800
Albeit that the word of God trewlie preached, [and] the Sacramentis
rychtlie ministred, and discipline executed according to the word of
God, be the certane and infallible signes of the trew Kirk; yit do we
nott so meane, that everie[259] particulare persone joyned with sick
ane cumpany, be ane elect member of Christ Jesus. For we acknawledge
and confesse, that darnell, cokle, and chaff, may be sawin, grow, and
in great abundance lye in the myddis of the wheat; that is, the
reprobat may be joyned in the societie of the elect, and may
externallie use with thame the benefites of the word and sacramentis;
but sic being butt temporall professouris in mouth, but not in heart,
do fall back and continew not to the end: and thairfoir haif thei no
fruit of Christis death, resurrectioun, nor assentioun. But sick as
with heart unfeanedlie beleve, and with mouth boldlie confesse the
Lord Jesus, (as befoir we have said,) shall most assuredly resave
these giftis; first, In this lyfe, remissoun of synnes, and that by
faith onlie in Christis blude, insamekle, that albeit syne remane and
continuallie abyd in these our mortall bodyes, yit it is not imputed
unto us, but is remitted and covered with Christis justice. Secondlie,
In the generall judgement thair shalbe gevin to everie man and woman
resurrectioun of the flesche; for the sea shall geve hir dead, the
earth those that thairin be inclosed; yea, the Eternall, our God,
shall stretche out his hand upoun the dust, and the dead shall aryse
incorruptible, and that in the substance of the [self] same flesche
that everie man now bearis, to resave, according to thair warkis,
glorie or punishment: for sik as now delyte in vanitie, creueltye,
filthynes, superstitioun, or idolatrie, shalbe adjudged to the fyre
inextinguishable, in the whiche thei shalbe tormented for ever,
alsweall in thair awin bodyes, as in thair saullis, whiche now thei
give to serve the devill in all abominatioun. Butt sik as continew in
weall doing to the end, boldlie professing the Lord Jesus, [we
constantly beleve, that they sall receive glorie, honour, and
immortalitie, to reigne for ever in life everlasting with Christ
Jesus,][260] to whose glorifeid body all his Elect shalbe [made] lyke,
when he shall appeir agane to judgement, and shall render up the
kingdome to God his Father, who then shalbe, and ever shall remane all
in all thingis, God blessed for evir: To whome, with the Sone, and
with the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glorie, now and ever. AMEN.
[259] In the old printed copies, "the trew Kirk; we meane not that
every."
[260] This clause, omitted by Knox's amanuensis, is not contained in
Vautr. edit., or in the later MSS.
_Aryse, O Lord, and lett thy ennemyes be confounded: Lett thame flye
frome thy presence that hait thy godlie name: Give thy Servandis
strenth to speak thy word in boldnes; and lett all Nationis atteane
to[261] thy trew knowledge._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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