A Comfortable Epistle to Gods Faithful People in England, Chapter 2
¶ The. ii. Chapter.
IF the kingdom of God be proffered vntounto vsus / and we set not by it / are we not worthy Englande blessed▪ …to loose it? What realme synce the Apostles tyme was euer so abundantly replenished with the knowledge of Christes Gospel yea / & that in so few years / as this realme of England was? But alace howe was it regarded? Who repēted? who know ledged hys synne from the very hart? Who called on the name of God in spirite and truthe? Who framed hys lyfe / accordynge to hys knowledge? It is therefore come too passe / as our Sauiour Christ longe before threatened / the kyngdō of God shalbe takē Math. 21.frō you & shalbe geuē to a natiō / that bringeth forth the frutes thereof. God planted this realme of Englād / a pleasāt & goodly vineyarde / dressing and trymming it after Esa. ….the beste manner / lokynge contynuallye to hauehave some worthy frut therof / but w… in the stead of naturall grapes / it broughte forthe wylde beryes / vnwholsome and vnnaturall / was it not worthye too be layde wayste / to be troden vnderunder foote / and to be deuoured of wylde beastes? Were not the people of the olde worlde worthye too be Gen. 7. 2. Pet. 2.ouerwhelmed with waters / which beynge of righteous No he so ofte afore admonisshed / wolde not repent / and make prouisiō for the auoyding of that plague? Were not the filthy Sodomites worthy to be consumed Gen. 19. 2. Pet. 2.with fyre and brymstone from heauē / which being afore tolde of their destructiō wolde not cease thorowe their abhominable liuynge to prouoke the heauy wrathe & fearse vengeaunce of God agaynste theim? Were not the Israelites worthy to be plagued euen vntounto the death / whan they despisyng / lothyng & abhorring Manna / which Exod. 17came doùne from heauen / lusted after the vile flesh of the earth? Were not the Iewes worthy to be ledde awaye miserable captiues & wretched prysoners / to serue straūge princes in farreyne countryes / which wold 4. Re. 25not serue their Lord God in theyr owne coū trye / a lande that floweth with mylke and hony? Was it not conuenient / that the Matt. 21. Marc. 12. Luc. 20.people of Iuda shoulde be oppressed / yea / destroyed bothe they and their cy…es of theyr enemyes the Romaynes / which refused Ie sus Christ / their trueliege and souerayg…e Lorde to reygne ouer them / & most cruelty put hym to death? Were they not worthye Mat. ….to be seduced by a sorte of fals ra…es / as they are at thys daye / wh…che wolde neue… geue eare too the true Prophetes of God / but miserably kylled them? …s it not also mete / that they lyke vagabundes shoulde Acto. 7.wander thorowoute the worlde withoute priesthode / kyngedome or common weale / that wolde neuer truly serue hym / which before all other nacions dyd chose them … be hys peculiare people / geuīg them a …e that flowed wyth the abondaūce of all thin ges? Are they not worthy to walke in … kenes / … … … the … …f … ….which willingly despise the light? t… taste …oure thinges / whiche abhorre the swete? to wander out of the waye / whiche r…fuse the playne pathe? Euen so is it come to passe / lykewise with vsus at this day. We abhorred the light of Goddes worde / therfore are we now iustly ouerwhelmed with the darkenes of mens tryffeling … and … decrees. We lightely … the godly prayers and thankes geuinges … oure Engli… tounge / wherby we … Latin se… …hauehave bene greatly … / therefore are we now fedde with Latyn seruice / whiche …e know not / whether it be blessing or cursi…. Certeyn are wē / that it is altogether with out edifyēg / & clean cōtrary to the cōmaūde 1. Cor. 14mēt of God / & the doctrine of the holy Apos…le▪ which wolde nothīg to be spokē in the cōgregaciō / but in such a tōge / as al the people vnderstād / that al may be edified. We set nought by the ministraciō of the holy & bles Ma… ▪ ….sed cōmuniō / therfore this plage is worthe ly come vpō vsus / that in the stead of the Lordes supper we hauehave moste wicked & abhomi nable masses setvp / inuēted by the deuel / bro ught in by Antichrist / practised by his shorne shaue…īges / maintained by such as hauehave receaued the beastes marke / full of supersticion / Idolatrie / blasphemie / spiritual whor dome / and of all that displeaseth God / & is horrible in the iudgement and sighte of all good men. We regarded not the godly learned and fatherly Bisshops / nor the faythfull & verteous ministers of Gods worde / whiche fedde vsus with the pure wheate off Christes gospel / and taught vsus the holy ordinaunces of God / Repētaūce / fayth / louelove / inuocation of the name of God / mortification of the olde man / brotherly charitie / pa ciēce / lōg suffering / obediēce / ioy in the holy Ghost / the true & Christen good workes / & such other f…utes of the spirite / wherby we might learne to serue the Lord our God in Luc. 1.holynes & righteousnes all the daies of our lyfe: therfore al those mē of God / being put to silence / somē out of office / some in exile / some in pryson abyding the good pleasur of God / & euen as shepe apoynted to be slayne: Psal. 44. Rom. 8.we are cō …elled dayly to heare suche Antichristiā trōpet…lowers / such cāckred cormoraūtes / such Caymlyke caterpyllers / suche idle Idols / such loytering lordennes / suche lecherous lubbers / & such deuel…h destroiers of Christē mēs soules / as the eares of agood Christian abhorre for too heare / the eyes to beholde / the fete to go vntounto. O miserye passing all miseries / that flocke whiche the hye bishop Christ purchased with his most Acto. 20precious bloud to be scattered / rēt / torne / & deuoured of those cruel lyōs & rauenīg wol fes / who lamēteth not? those people / whom God hath chosen for his enheritaūce / to be seduced & led out of the way by such… ministers of sathā / as clothe thē selfs outwardly with shepes apparel / & inwardly are …auenig Math. 7. Math. 2…wolfs / ful of hipocrisy / rauyn / deceate & of al fylthines / whose hart distilleth not droppes of bloude to consider? O to muche lamentable case.