An answer to a letter of a Jesuit named Tyrie, be John KnoxAn answer to a letter of a Iesuit named Tyrie, be Iohne Knox

John Knox with deliberate mind to his God.

Iohne Knox with deliberat mynd to his God.

BE merciful unto me. ô Lord, and call not into Judgement my manifold finis: and chiefly those, whereof the world is not able to accuse me. In youth, ••yd age, & now after many battles, I find nothing into me, but vanity and corruption. For in quietness I am negligent, in trouble impatient, tending to desperation, and in the mean state, I am so carried away with vane fantasies, y• (alas) o Lord, they withdraw me from the presence of thy Majesty. Pride and ambition assault me on the an part, covetousness and malice trouble me on the o•her: briefly, o Lord, the aff•ctionis of the flesh do almost suppress the operation of thy spir•te. I take thee, o Lord (who only knows the secrets of hearts) to record, that in none of the foresaid I do delight: but that with them I am troubled, and that for against the desire of my in ward man, which sobs for my corruption and would repose in thy mercy alone. To the which I claim: and that in the promise that thou hes maid to all ⟨image 5⟩penitent sinners, (of whose number I proofs my self to be one) in the obedience and death of my only Saviour our Lord Jesus Christ. In whom be thy mere grace, I doubt not my self to be elected to eternal salvation: whereof thou hes given unto me (unto me, o Lord, most wretched and unthan• full creature) most assured signs. For being drowned in ignorance, thou hes given to me knowledge above the common sort of my brethren: my tongue hes thou used to set forth thy glory, to oppugn Idolatry, errors and false doctrine: Thou hes compelled me to forespeak, as well deliverance to y• afflicted, as destruction to certain inobedient: the performance whereof, not I alone, but the very blind world hes already sne. But above all, o Lord, thou, be the power of thy holy spirit, hes sealed into my heart remission of my sins, which I acknowledge and confess my self to have received be the precious blood of Jesus Christ ones shed. Be whose perfect obedience, I am assured, my manifold rebellionis are defaced: my grievous sins purged, and my aule maid the tabernacle of thy godly majesty: Thou, o father of mercies, thy Son our Lord Jesus, my only Saviour, Mediator, and Advocate, and thy holy spirit remaining in y same be trw faith: which is the only victory that overcometh the world. To the therefore, o Lord, I commend my spirit. For I thirst to be resolved from