A04917:7
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 I remember the fearful threatenings of God / pro•oficed against Realms / 1and nations / to whom the light of Gods word hath ben offered / and contemptiously by them refused / as my hart unfeignedly / morneth for your present estate / dearly beloved in our saviour Jesus Christ / so doth the hole powers / of body & soul / tremble and shake / for the plagues that are to come. But that Gods true word hath ben offered to the realm of England can none deny / except such as by the devil holden in bond dage (God justly so punishing their proud inobedience) hath neither eyes to see / 2nor understā ding to discern good from bad / nor darkness from light. Against whom no otherwise will I contend at this present / then did the Prophet ⟨image 3⟩Jeremiah / against the stiff necked & stubborn people of Judah / saying:3 The wrath off the Lord shall not be turned away, till he have fulfilled the thoughts of his hart. And thus leave I them (as of whose repentance there is small hope) to the hands of him that shall not forget their horrible blasphemies spoken in despite of Christs truth / and of his true minister• And with you that unfeignedly morneth for the great shipwreck of God's true religion / purpose I to communicate such counsellor / and admonitions / now by my writing / as sometimes it pleased God / I did proclaim in your cares. The end of which my admonition is / that even as that you purpose / and intend to avoid Gods vengeance / both in this life / and in the life to come / that so ye avoid and flee (aswell in body as in spirit) all fellowship / and society with Idolaters in their Idolatry. You shrink (I know) even at the first. But if an orator / had the matter in handling / he would prove it honest / profitable / easy / and necessary to be done / and in every one point were store enough / for a long oration. But as I never laboured to persuade any man in matters of religion (God I take to record in my conscience) except by the very simplicity & plain infallible truth of Gods word. No more mind I in this behalf. But this I affirm / that to flee from idolatry / is so profitable and so necessary to a Christian / that onles he so do / all worldly profit turneth to his perpetual disprofit / and condemnation.