purge the heart of the Queen's Majesty
from the venom of idolatry, and deliver her from the bondage and
thraldom of Satan in the which she has been brought up and yet
remains, for the lack of true doctrine; that she may avoid that
eternal damnation which abides all obstinate and impenitent unto the
end, and that this poor realm may also escape that plague and
vengeance which inevitably follow idolatrie maintained against Thy
manifest Word and the open light thereof." "This," Knox adds, "is
the form of my common prayer as yourselves were witness. Now what is
worthy of reprehension in it I would hear?"

"There are three things," said Lethington, "that never liked me; but
the first is, 'To pray for the Queen's Majestie with ane condition
saying, "Illumine her heart if Thy good pleasure be," whereby it may
appear that ye doubt of her conversion.' Where have ye the example
of such prayer?"

"Wheresoever the examples are," said the other, "I am assured of the
rule which is this, 'If we ask anything according to His will He
will hear us'; and our Maister Christ Jesus commanded us to pray
unto our Father 'Thy will be done.'"

After this discussion has gone on for some time, Lethington, impatient,
returns to the original question.

"But yet," said Lethington, "why pray ye not for her without moving
any doubt?"

"Because," said the other, "I have learnt to pray in heaven. Now
faith, as ye know, depends upon the words of God, and so it is that
the word teaches me that prayers profit the sons and dochters of
God's election, of which number whether she be ane or not I have
just cause to doubt; and therefore I pray God illuminate her heart
if His good pleasure be."

"But yet," said Lethington, "ye can produce the example of none that
has so prayed before you."

"Thereto I have already answered," said John Knox, "but yet for
further declaration I will demand ane question, which is
this--Whether ye think that the Apostles prayed themselves as they
commanded others to pray?"

"Who doubts of that?" said the haill company that were present.

"Weil then," said John Knox, "I am assured that Peter said these
words to Simon Magus, 'Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and
pray to God that if it be possible the thought of your heart may be
forgiven thee.' Here we may clearly see that