A04917:15
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.
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.
The prophets off God wondering at so manifest iniquity judged that such ingnorauncy and inobedience was only amongst the rascals sort off men / and therefore he saith:1 These be but poor ones / they are foolish / they know not the way of the Lord / nor the judgement off their God / I will goo to the nobles and I will talk with them / for they know the way off their Lord / and the judgements of their God. But what findeth he amongst them / he declared in these words,2 They have all broken the yoke, they have heaped sin upon sin / and one mischief upon another / from the least unto the most / all are bent upon avarice / and gape for lucre / from the priest to the prophet / every man dealt deceitfully.3 Behold / their ears be incircuncised / they can not advert / The word of God is a rebuke unto them / they delight not in it. They have committed abominable mischief / What this abomination was / God showeth to Ezekiel / 4all had forsaken God in their hearts / in so much that a great number openly / had turned their backs unto God / and made sacrifice to the sun / every man in his own secret closet. Yea / women mourned for that they were not permitted to commit open abomination / is it not to be wondered that all estates were so corrupt under so godly a prince.5 But our prophet Jeremiah proceedeth in his complaint / sayings / they can not repent / neither yet think shame. They have denied the Lord / and said it is not he / we shall neither see sword nor hunger. You hear the obedience that the prophet found amongst the princes off ⟨image 7⟩Judah / and yet I say / it is not to be wondered that the vineyard / which was so well manured / brought forth no better grapes.6 They had a king most godly minded / they had prophets (for Jeremiah was not alone) most faithful and fervent. They were admonished by divers plagues / and always the prophets called for repentance / and yet followed nothing / but open contempt off God / and of his messengers.