A04917:28
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.
Shall we then believe that England may avoid the vengeance that is threatened / No dear brethren, If Idolatry continue / as it is begun / no more can England escape Gods vengeance / then God him self may lease his justice. And therefore (dearly beloved in our saviour Jesus Christ) If profit to your self or to your posterity can move you any thing / then must ye avoid and flee Idolatry. For if the Lords ⟨image 14⟩messengers / that shall be sent too execute his wrath / find you amongst filthy Idolaters / your bodies committing like abomination with them. Ye have no warrant that ye shall escape the plagues / prepared for the wicked. But rather it is to be feared that ye shall be plagued with them.1 The hole tribe of Benjamin, perished with the adulterers / & yet were they not all adulterers in fact.2 Hole Amalek was commanded to be destroyed / & yet was not one of those living that troubled the Israelites / in their passage from Egypt. Pharaoh was not drowned alone (as in another letter / I have more plainly written) neither yet found Jonathan mercy / as touching life corporal / in the day when Gods vengeance punished Saul the reprobate / and why? the Apostle answereth:3 Because men knowing the justice of God, (sayeth he) and doing the contrary are worthy of death / not only those that doth wickedly / but also such as consenteth to the same.4 And no man can be excused / but that he consents / who daily frequenting in the company of wicked men / giving neither sign in words nor in deed / that iniquity displeaseth him. And therefore yet I say / if profit may move us. &c. most profitable shall it be even for the body in this present life too avoid Idolatry / for so doing / As we shall escape the plagues / which the ungodly shall suffer / so is God by his promise obliged unto us to be our father / our portion / 5our inheritance & defence / he promiseth (& will not deceive) ⟨image 15⟩