A04917:69
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.
¶When sinners are not hard of God
¶Whē sinners are not hard of God
SO that of necessity true repentance most needs be had / & pass before perfect prayer / or sincere invocation of gods name. And unto these two precedences must be annexed the third which is the direction of our selves in God's presence. Utterly refusing & casting of own justice with all cogitations & opinion thereof / that nothing proceeding of our selves / that we should be hard / for all such as advance / boast or depend any thing upon their own justice / from ⟨image 33⟩the presence of his mercy / repelleth & holdeth with the high proud Pharisee. And therefore the most holy men / we find in prayers most dejected & humble.1 David sayeth: o Lord our saviour help us / for the glory of thy own name deliver us / be merciful unto our since for thy own name. Remember not our old iniquities / but hast thou o Lord / & let thy mercy prevent us. Jeremiah sayeth: if our iniquities bear testimony against us / do thou according to thy own name. And behold I say / thou art crabbed / O Lord / because we have sinned / & are replenished with all wickedness.2 And our justice is like a filthy clothe. &c. But now O Lord / thou art our father / we are clay / thou art the work man / & we the workmanship of thy hands.3 Be not crabbed O Lord / remember not our iniquities for ever. And Daniel greatly commended of God / maketh in his prayer most humble confession in these words / we be sinners / & have offended / we have done ungodly / & fallen from thy commandment / but not in our own righteousness make we our prayers before thee / but thy most rich & great mercy bring we forth for us. O Lord hear / Lord be merciful / & spare us Lord / attend / help & cease not my God / even for thy names sake / do it for thy people & thy city called after thy name. Behold / that in these prayers is no mention of their own justice / their own satisfaction / or their own merits / but most humble confession / proceeding from a sorrowful and penitent heart / having nothing whereupon it might depend / but the mercy of