A04917:77
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.
¶Hypocrisy is not allowed with god.
¶Ipocrisie is not alowid with god.
Thirdly in prayer is to observed / that what we ask of God / that we most earnestly desire / the same knowleginge us to be indigent void thereof / and that God alone may grant the petition of our hearts.1 For nothing is more odious before God then ⟨p. vi⟩Hypocrisy and dissimulation (that is) when man doth ask of God a thing / whereof he hath no need / or that he believeth to attain / by others then by God alone. As if a man ask of God remission of his sins / thinking nevertheless to obtain the same by his own works / papistical pardons / merits of masses / or whatsoever other means / doth mock God / and in such causes doth a great number offend principally / the might and rich of the earth / who for a common consuetude & custom / will pray this part of God's prayer give us this day our daily bread / 2that is a moderate and reasonable sustentation / & yet their own hearts will testify that they need not so to pray / seeing they abound in all worldly solace and felicity. I mean not that rich men should not pray this part of prayer / but I would they understood / what they ought to pray in it (whereof we intend after to speak) and that they asked nothing whereof they felt not them selves marvellous indigent and needful, / for onelesse we call in verity / he will not grant / & without we speak with our hole heart / we shall not find him. The fourth rule / necessary to be followed in prayer / is a sure hope to obtain what we ask for nothing more offendeth God / then when we ase doubting whether he will grant our petitions / for in so doing we doubt if Gd be true / if he be mighty and good.