A04923:122
The appellation of John Knox from the cruel and most iniust sentence pronounced against…The appellation of Iohn Knoxe from the cruell and most iniust sentence pronounced against…
The appellation of John Knox from the cruel and most iniust sentence pronounced against him by the false bishops and clergy of Scotland, with his supplication and exhortation to the nobility, estates, and co[m]munaltie of the same realm.The appellation of Iohn Knoxe from the cruell and most iniust sentence pronounced against him by the false bishoppes and clergie of Scotland, with his supplication and exhortation to the nobilitie, estates, and co[m]munaltie of the same realme.
Geneva: printed by J. Poullain and A. Rebul?, 1558
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.
And therefore, I say, that it behoveth you to be careful and diligent in this so weighty a matter, lest that ye, contemning this occasion, which God now offereth, find not the like, although that after with groaning and sobs ye languish for the same.1 And that ye be not ignorant of what occasion I mean, in few words I shall express it.
And therefore, I say, that it behoueth you to be careful and diligēt in this so weghtie a matter, lest that ye, contemnyng this occasion, which God now offereth, fynd not the like, althoghe that after with gronyng and sobbes ye lāguyshe for the same.1 And that ye be not ignorant of what occasion I mean, in few words I shall expresse it.
- 1The offer of John Knox to his native realm.The offer of Iohn Knoxe to his natiue realme.
Not only I, but with me also divers other godly and learned men do offer ⟨p. 55⟩unto you our labours faithfully to instruct you in the ways of the Eternal our God, and in the sincerity of Christs Evangel, which this day by the pestilent generation of Antichrist (I mean by the pope, and by his most ungodly clergy) are almost hid from the eyes of men. We offer to jeopard our lives for the salvation of your souls, and by manifest scriptures to prove that religion, which amongest you is maintained by fire and sword, to be vain, false and diabolical. We require nothing of you, but that patiently ye will hear our doctrine, which is not ours, but is the doctrine of salvation revealed to the world by the only Son of God:1 and that ye will examine our reasons, by the which we offer to prove the papistical religion to be abominable before God. And last we require, that by your power the tyranny of those cruel beasts (I mean of priests and friars) may be bridled till we have uttered our minds in all matters this day debatable in religion. If these things in the fear of God ye grant to me, and unto others, that unfeignedly for your salvation, and for God's glory require the same, I am assured, that of God ye shall be blessed, whatsoever Satan shall devise against you. But and if ye contemn or refuse God, who thus lovingly offereth unto you salvation