Knox to Sir Jajvies Douglas of Dkumlanrig.^
LETTEES, ETC.
through the grace of God alive, and, since that vital heat, namely, that same doctrine, good order and harmony between all ranks, which you observed when here, continues unabated, we doubt not that all the members having at length recovered their vigour, the whole body will be restored to health.
Help us then by your prayers to God, as we also in our turn bear you upon our heart, and have been accustomed day and night perseveringly to pray for the state of the kingdom of Scotland, and the welfare of all good men.
We will, however, be glad if as often as possible you advertise us of your affairs.
We shall do the same to you much more diligently than ever before, seeing that peace in France seems to have opened to us a way for that purpose, though separated by so great a distance.
Farewell, excellent man, and brother much to be esteemed.
Let all our very dear and much-to-be-loved brethren and fellow-ministers, and all who love our Christ in sincerity, be saluted along with you both in my name, and in the name of all our colleagues.
Geneva, 12th of AprH 1572.
CI.
Knox to Sir Jajvies Douglas of Dkumlanrig.^ Efter all truhles, thair abydis a lyfe, blissed and hapioie without end, to thame that dependis upoun Jesus Christ.
Eycht worschipfull, gif I had nocht thocht to have sene your awin face befoir this, ye had not laiked my waike judgment so long, in thir present trubles.
This is that which God reveillis to me, that the actione that is defendit against thea traytouris and murthereris of the Castle of Edinburghe is just, and in the end sail prevaille against Sathan, and all thame that mainteanis that wickit society.
But, in the meanetyme, I sie, '
Sir James Douglas took an active ants were afterwards raised to the part in public affairs ; and also his son, Peerage, first as Marquess, and then as Sir William Douglas of Hawick, who Duke of Queensberry. predeceased him in 1.572.
His descend-
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that as Jesus Chryst behovit to be crucified, so this just actione most anes be brocht to the extremitie.
The secreit causis I knaw nocht, except our synis ; but I sie that tressone, fostered and mainteaned within our awin bowalis, craves of God that he sail lat iis taist therof Dead Scotland, waikin ! who befoir wald nocht be admoniseth of trubles to cum
But now, inthe middis of trubles, it seikis a wronge remeid ; for it is neather England, France, nor Spaine, in whome God hes placed ony comfort to pure Scotland ; bot onlie it restis in Him self, and only of Him most we receave it !
I sie that the traffique with that Babilone, the Castle of Edinburghe, sail ones bring Scotland in that miserie that we and our posteritie sail nrarne for a tyme.
Bot yit, Schir, be nocht ye, nor the faythfull, discouraged, for to destructione (as befoir I have said) sail it cum
; and they that presentlie sufferis sail re(joice) in this lyfe, and eternallie !
Communicat this with your faythfull bedfellow, with my hartelye commendationes.
And sua I committ you both to the protection of the Omnipotent.
Youris, [JoHNE Knox.] Lying in Sanct Androis, half deid, the 26th ofMaii 1572.
Oil. —Knox to Sir John Wischart of Pittarrow.
The end of all worldlie trouble and j^l^osure both approacheth.
Blessed are they that pat ientlie abide in the truthe, not joyning hands nor hearts vnth imjyietie, how that ever it trium2ihe.
Eight worshipfull, after heartie commendatiounes :
Your letters, dated at Pittarrow the 14th of Julie, receaved I in Sanct Andrewes, the 15th of the same.
The brute and rumor of Adam Gordon and his doings, and of preparations made to resist him, was diverse, But nothing that I heard moved me, for I perceave the cuppe of iniquitie is not yitt full.
Of one thing T am assured, that God in his mercie will not suffer his
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owne to be tempted above measure, nather will he suffer iniquitie ever to be unpunished.
Frome me can come no other counsell, than that which ye have heard frome the beginning of our acquaintance ; to witt, that not onlie action defileth, and maketh guiltie before God, but also consent of heart, and all paction with the wicked.
Out of bed, and frome my booke, I come not but once in the weeke, and so few tydings come to me.
Wliat order God sail putt into the mind of the Authoritie to tak for staying of thir present troubles, I know not.
But ever still my dull heart feareth the worst, and that, because I see no appearance of right conversioun to God, but both the parteis stands as it were fighting against God himself in justification of their wickednesse : the murtherers assembled in the Castell of Edinburgh, and their assisters, justifeing all that they have done to be Weill and rightlie done, and the contrare party as little repenting the troubling and oppressing of the poore Kirk of God as ever they did.
For if they can have the kirklands to be annexed to their houses, they appeare to tak no more care of the instructioun of the ignorant, and of the feeding of the flocke of Jesus Christ, than ever did the Papists, whom we have condemned, and yitt are worse ourselves in that behalfe.
For they, according to their blind zeale, spared nothing that might either have mainteaned or holden up that which they took for God's service ; but we, alas ! in the middest of the light forget the heaven and draw to the earth.
Daylie looking for an end of my battell, I have sett furth an Answere to a Jesuite,^ who long hath railed against our religion, as the reiding of tliis tractat will more plainlie lett you under stand.
The letter in the end,^ if it serve not for this estate of Scotland, yitt it will serve a troubled conscience, so long as 1 This mention of Knox's Answer to of Mr. Knox his Letters," under the year
Tyrie fixes the date of the letter to 1571.
See supra, p. 479.
1572, although Calderwood gives a part ^ His letter to Mrs. Bowes, supra, of this and of No. ciii. as "Fragments p. 515.