Category: John Knox

“For avoiding of idolatry you may fall in the hands of earthly tyrants; but obeyers, maintainers, and consenters to idolatry shall not escape the hands of the living God.”

John Knox
John Knox

“The only way to leave our children blessed and happy is to leave them rightly instructed in God’s true religion. For what avails all that is in the earth, if perpetual condemnation follows death – yea, and God’s vengeance also goes before the same? as of necessity they must where true knowledge of God is absent. And therefore God straitly commands the fathers to teach their sons the laws, ceremonies, and rites. And unto Abraham he opened the secret of his counsel touching the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah: “Because,” says the  Lord,“I know that Abraham will teach his children, that they fear my name.” [Gen. 18:19] Then God would that the life and conversation of the fathers should be a schoolmaster to the children. Plain it is, that the true knowledge of God is not born with man, neither yet comes it unto him by natural power, but he must have schoolmasters to train him up in that which he lacks. The chief schoolmasters (the Holy Ghost excepted) of the age following, are the works,  practices, and life of the forefathers. And experience does so teach us, that the  children are so bound and addicted to the works and practices of their fathers (and especially if it is in idolatry), that scarcely can the power of God, speaking by his own word (as the prophets oft complain), reave or pluck any back from their fathers’ footsteps.

Now, if you, altogether refusing God, stoop under idolatry, what schoolmasters are you to your posterity? Assuredly even such as the cruel and foolish fathers
that, consenting to Jeroboam and to his idolatry, left to their children a pattern of perdition. What image [do] you show to your children; yea, in what estate [do] you leave them, both touching body and soul? Blinded in idolatry (alas, I fear and tremble to pronounce it), and bound slaves to the devil, without hope of redemption, or light to be received, before God takes vengeance upon their disobedience!

I speak to you, O natural fathers: Behold your children with the eye of mercy, and consider the end of their creation. Cruelty it were to save yourselves, and damn them! But O, more than cruelty and madness that cannot be expressed, if,  for the pleasure of a moment, you deprive yourselves and your posterity of that eternal joy that is ordained for them that continue in confession of Christ’s name to the end, which assuredly you do if, without resistance altogether, you return to idolatry again. If natural love, fatherly affection, reverence of God, fear of torment, or yet hope of life move you, then will you gainstand that abominable idol; which if you do not, then, alas! the sun is gone down and the light is quite lost, the trumpet is ceased, and idolatry is placed in quietness and rest. But if God shall strengthen you (as unfeignedly I pray his Majesty may), then there is but a dark misty cloud overspread the sun for a moment, which shortly shall  vanish, so that the beams afterwards shall be sevenfold more bright and amiable nor [than] they were before. Your patience and constancy shall be a louder trumpet to your posterity, than were all the voices of the prophets that instructed you; and so is not the trumpet ceased so long as any boldly resist idolatry.

And, therefore, for the tender mercies of God, arm yourselves to stand with Christ in this his short battle. Flee from that abominable idol, the maintainers whereof shall not escape the vengeance of God. Let it be known to your posterity that you were Christians and not idolaters; that you learned Christ in time of rest, and boldly professed him in time of trouble. Think you these precepts are sharp and hard to be observed? And yet again, I affirm, that compared with the plagues that assuredly shall fall upon obstinate idolaters, they shall be found easy and light. For avoiding of idolatry you may perchance be compelled to leave your native country and realm; but obeyers of idolatry, without end, shall be compelled, body and soul, to burn in hell. For avoiding idolatry, your substance shall be spoiled; but for obeying idolatry, heavenly riches shall be lost. For avoiding of idolatry you may fall in the hands of earthly tyrants; but obeyers, maintainers, and consenters to idolatry shall not escape the hands of the living God. For avoiding idolatry, your children shall be deprived of father, of friends, riches, and of earthly rest; but by obeying of idolatry they shall be left without the knowledge of his word, and without hope of his kingdom.

Consider, dear brethren, how much more dolorous and fearful it is to be tormented in hell, than to suffer  trouble in earth; to be deprived of heavenly joy, than to be robbed of transitory riches; to fall into the hands of the living God, than to obey man’s vain and uncertain displeasure; to leave our children destitute of God, than to leave them unprovided before the world. So much more fearful is it to obey idolatry, or by dissembling to consent to the same, than by avoiding and fleeing from the abomination, to suffer what inconvenience may follow thereupon by man’s tyranny. For the extremity of the one is but transitory pain, and the most easy of the other is to suffer in the fire that never shall have end.” John Knox

Selected Writings, 1:185-86, 189-91

“…the Holy Ghost pronounces and gives warning unto us, that maintainers of idolatry, and provokers to the same, intend to draw us from God; and therefore he wills that we neither obey them, neither yet that we conceal their impiety…”

Knox,_John
John Knox

“In these words most evidently is expressed unto us, why God wills that we avoid all fellowship with idolatry, and with the maintainers of the same; in which are three things appertaining to our purpose chiefly to be noted. First, that the Holy Ghost pronounces and gives warning unto us, that maintainers of idolatry, and provokers to the same, intend to draw us from God; and therefore he wills that we neither obey them (be they kings or be they queens), neither yet that we conceal their impiety (were they son, daughter, or wife), if we will have the league to stand betwixt God and us [Deut. 13:6-18]. And here is the confirming of my first cause, why it is necessary that we avoid idolatry, because that otherwise we declare ourselves little to regard the league and covenant of God; for that  league requires that we declare ourselves enemies to all sorts of idolatry. Secondly, it is to be noted, that idolatry so incenses and kindles the wrath of God, that it is never quenched till the offenders, and all that they possess, are  destroyed from the earth; for he commanded them to be stoned to death, and their substance to be burnt; and if a city offended, that it shall be altogether destroyed without mercy. This may appear a severe and rigorous judgment. But if you shall consider the cause, God’s great mercy towards us shall be espied; for thereunto he declares himself [an] enemy unto our enemies. For all those that would draw us from God ( be they kings or queens), being of the devil’s nature, are enemies unto God, and therefore God wills that in such cases we declare ourselves enemies unto them; because he would that we should understand how odious is idolatry in his presence, and how that we cannot keep the league betwixt him and us inviolate if we favour, follow, or spare idolaters. ‘Lord, open our eyes that we may understand the great necessity of this thy precept. Amen.'”

Selected Writings, 1:172

“…whatsoever is added to this word [God’s Word] by man’s device, seem it never so good, holy, or beautiful, yet before God, which is jealous and cannot admit any companion or counsellor, it is evil, wicked, and abominable.”

Knox,_John“We … present unto you … a form and order of a reformed church, limited within the compass of God’s word, which our Saviour has left unto us as only [alone] sufficient to govern all our actions by; so that whatsoever is added to this word by man’s device, seem it never so good, holy, or beautiful, yet before God, which is jealous and cannot admit any companion or counsellor, it is evil, wicked, and abominable.” John Knox

Works, 4:160-61

“I am persuaded that they which retain these ceremonies in a free choice, when they may otherwise do, they are over-greedy and desirous to drink of the dregs.”

Knox,_John“Verily no man well instructed, or of sound judgment, will deny (as I think) that lights and crossings, or such like trifles, sprang or issued out of superstition.  Whereupon I am persuaded that they which retain these ceremonies in a free choice, when they may otherwise do, they are over-greedy and desirous to drink of the dregs. Neither do I see to what purpose it is to burden the church with trifling and unprofitable ceremonies – or, as I may term them with their proper name, hurtful and offensive ceremonies, when there is liberty to have a simple and pure order.”  John Knox

Works, 4:59

“To hear his voice (which is also the voice of God the Father) is to understand and obey the same; and to flee from a stranger is to admit none other doctrine, worshipping, nor honouring God than has proceeded from his own mouth…”

Knox,_John“ ‘My sheep hear my voice, and a stranger they will not hear, but flee from him.’ [John 10:5] To hear his voice (which is also the voice of God the Father) is to understand and obey the same; and to flee from a stranger is to admit none other doctrine, worshipping, nor honouring God than has proceeded from his own mouth – as he himself testifies, saying, ‘All that are of the verity, hear my voice.'[ John 18:37] ” John Knox

Works, 3:40-41; Selected Writings, 1:30.

“ ‘All that the Lord thy God commands thee to do, that do thou to the Lord thy God: Add nothing to it; diminish nothing from it.’ By this rule, think I, the kirk of Christ will measure God’s religion, and not by that which seems good in their own eyes.”

Knox,_JohnStrong words from John Knox during an early debate with a Roman Catholic … Comments?

Roman Catholic: “Why may not the kirk, for good causes, devise ceremonies to  decor the sacraments, and others [of ] God’s service?”

Knox: “Because, the kirk ought to do nothing but in faith, and ought not to go before, but is bound to follow, the voice of the true Pastor.

It is not enough that man invents a ceremony and then gives it a signification, according to his pleasure. For so might the ceremonies of the Gentiles, and this day the ceremonies of Mohammed, be maintained. But if that anything proceeds from faith, it must have the word of God for the assurance. For you are not ignorant, that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” [Rom. 10:17] Now, if you will prove that your ceremonies proceed from faith, and do please God, you must prove that God in expressed words has commanded them; or else you shall never prove that they proceed from faith, nor yet that they please God; but that they are sin, and do displease him, according to the words of the apostle, “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” [Rom. 14:23]

The question was not, nor is not, of meat or drink, whereunto the kingdom of God consists not; but the question is of God’s true worshipping, without the which we can have no society with God…. May we cast away what we please, and retain what we please? If it be well remembered, Moses, in the name of God, says to the people of Israel, “All that the Lord thy God commands thee to do, that do thou to the Lord thy God: Add nothing to it; diminish nothing from it.” By this rule, think I, the kirk of Christ will measure God’s religion, and not by that which seems good in their own eyes. [Cf. Deut. 12:32; 12:8.]

That God’s word damns your ceremonies, it is evident; for the plain and strait commandment of God is,“Not that thing which appears good in thy eyes shalt thou do to the Lord thy God, but what the Lord thy God has commanded thee; that do thou; add nothing to it; diminish nothing from it.” Now unless you are able to prove that God has commanded your ceremonies, this his former commandment will damn both you and them. [Cf. Deut. 4:2; 12:8, 32.]”

Selected Writings of John Knox (Dallas: Presbyterian Heritage Publications, 1995), 1:12-16.