A04917:140
A godly letter sent too the faithful in London, Newcastle, Berwick, and to all…A godly letter sent too the fayethfull in London, Newcastell, Barwyke, and to all…
A godly letter sent too the faithful in London, Newcastle, Berwick, and to all other within the realm off England, that love the co[m]minge of our Lord Jesus by John KnoxA godly letter sent too the fayethfull in London, Newcastell, Barwyke, and to all other within the realme off Englande, that loue the co[m]minge of oure Lorde Iesus by Ihon Knox
Rome: printed by J. Lambrecht? for H. Singleton, 1554
Title page typeset from the transcription.
A declaration of prayer / made by John Knox.A declaration of prayer / made by Ihon Knox.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And when we see the plagues of God / hum ger / pestilence / or war / coming or appearing to reign / then should we with lamentable voices & repenting hearts call unto God / that it would please his mercy to withdraw his hands / for with such as do allege / that God may not change his sentence & our prayers / therefore to be in vain / can I in no wise agree / being otherwise taught in the scripture by his infallible & eternal verity. ⟨image 45⟩He sayeth: I shall destroy this nation from the face of the earth / and when Moses addressed to pray for them the Lord proceedeth saying: Suffer me that I may utterly destroy them / and then Moses falleth on his face flatling / and forty days continueth in prayer / for the salvation of the people / to whom at the last obtained forgiveness. David in the vehement plague / lamentable calleth unto God / & the king of Nineveh sayeth:1 who knoweth / if God shall be converted and led back by repentance.2 And be turned from the furor of his wrath / that we perish not / which examples & scriptures are not written in vain / but too certify us / that God of his native goodness will mitigate by our prayers offered by Jesus Christ / although he hath threatened to punish or presently by punishing / which he doth testify by his own words saying:3 If I have prophesied against any nation or people / that they shall be destroyed. And if they repent of their iniquity / it shall repent me of the evil / which I have spoken against them.4 This I write lamenting the great coldness of men / which under so long scourges of God / is nothing kindled to prayer by repentance / but careless sleep in wicked life / even as though their continuant wars / urgent famine / cotidian plagues off pestilence / and other contagious insolent and strange maladies / were not the present signs of Gods wrath provoked by our iniquity.
ANd when we se the plagues of God / hū ger / pestilence / or warre / commynge or apearing to raygne / then should we with lamentable voyces & repēting hartes call vnto God / that it wolde please hys mercy to withdrawe his hādes / for with suche as do aleage / that God may not chaūge hys sentēce & oure prayers / therefore to be in vayne / can I in no wyse agree / beynge otherwyse taughte in the scripture by hys infallable & eternall veritie.