A Comfortable Epistle to Gods Faithful People in England, Summary
¶ A brief rehersall of the whole Epistle.
THus hauehave ye hearde (moste dere brethren) howe it came to passe / that the true re ligiō of our Sauiour Christ was taken awaye from vsus / and in the stead therof / a supersticious and idolatrous kynde of worshippyng. God placed amonge vsus vntounto the great disconforte and vnspeakable sorowe of all faythfull Christians. Ye hauehave hearde also by what meanes this plague maye be turned awaye / and howe the true and syncere doctrine of Christe maye be restored vntounto vsus. The cause of Gods wrath toward vsus / as ye hearde / was oure ingratitude and vnthankefulnes / yea / oure synnefull lyfe & wickednes / whiche was groune vp vntoo suche an heyghte / that God coulde no longer dissemble the matter / but muste nedes take awaye hys blessing from vsus. We were vnthankefull for the heauenly benefyte off hys blessed worde / yea / we in a manner l… thed and abhorred hys Godly ordinaunces / euen as the vngodly Israelites were weary N…me. 11of the celestial Manna / agayn our lyfe was nothynge agreable to the holy wil of God / but defyled with pryde / enuye / couetousnes fornication / adultery / swearing / glotonye / dronckennes. With all their kynde of wyckednes / vntounto the greate dishonoure of the name of God / whiche we professe / it therefore coulde none otherwyse but come too passe / that God should be auenged of these thynges / take awaye his holy woorde / and throwe vsus agayne into the deuelishe darkenes of the papishe Egipte. For as he fylleth Luc. 1.the hungry with good thynges: so sendeth he the ryche emptye awaye. And as our Sa Math. 5uioure Christe pronouncheth them blessed / whiche hunger and thyrste / after righteous nes / and promiseth that all suche shalbe satisfyed and hauehave their desyre / euen soo are they cursed / whiche hauehave no delighte in the worde of God / and from such shal the bles singe of Christes Gospel be taken awaye / and the cursed tradicious of menne shal be throwen vponupon them / as the Psalmographe sayeth / he wolde none of the blessing / it shal therfore be taken awaye from him. Hereto Psal. 109.agreeth the saying of our Sauiour Christ / the kyngdō of God shall be taken frō you / & Math. 21.shal be geuen to a natiō / that bringeth forth the frutes of it. Agayn / this is condēnation that lighte is come into the worlde / & men hauehave loued darkenes more than lyghte. For Ioan. 3their workes were euel.
Nowe to recouer the fauoure of God / and to turne awaye hys heauy displeasure from vsus / that he maye once agayne lyghten hys glorious & louing countenaunce vponupon vsus / and blesse vsus with the moste blessed benefite of hys sonnes Gospell / the meanes / as ye hearde / is earnest repentaunce of oure former lyfe / humble knowledginge of oure synnes vntounto God / vndoubted faythe in the mercifull promises of God the father / setforth vntounto vsus / in the moste precious bloude of oure Sauiour Christe / diligent inuocation and constante callinge on the name of God / for remission of our synnes / for mercye / grace / fauoure / peace / reste of consciēce / &c. Pacient abyding of the Lordes leasure / and fynally a continuall meditacion & practise of a new lyfe.
If we on thys manner returne vntoo the LORDE oure God / let vsus not doubte but that he will shortly turne vntounto vsus / mer cifully beholde vsus / and once agayne blesse vsus wyth the heauenly benefyte of hys blessed woorde / that we here on earthe maye knowe hys wayes / and hys sauynge healthe amonge all nacions. Turne vntoo me / sayeth the LORDE of hostes / and I wyll turne vntounto you. Zacha. 1.Remember howe fauorably God at all tymes dealte with hys people / bothe whan they were captiues in Egipte / and also in Babylon / yea / and at all other tymes / whā soeuer they were in anye distresse. For though he worthely plagued them for their wickednes / yet so sone as they vnfaynedlye returned vntounto hym / he deliuered them frō their enemies / and gaue them their hartes desyre. For God is neuer so angry with his people / but that in the myddes of hys anger / he wyll remember hys merciemercy. And though he somtyme punisheth vsus / yet will he be pleased agayn / if he seeth oure vnfayned cōuersion / as Tobie sayde in his praier / Tobi. 3.After a storme / O Lorde / thou makest the weather fayre and calme. After weping and heauines / thou geuest great ioye. Thy name O God of Israell / be praysed for euer. OnelyOnly let vsus returne vntounto the Lorde oure God / and become new men / and withoute all doubt / we shall se out of hāde the myghtye working of God. Repent betymes therfore / repent / humble your selfs in the sight of God / beleue hys promyses / call on hys holy name / abyde paciently hys godly pleasure / become new men in lyfe and conuersacion / walke worthy your profession / and so behaue youre selfes in all thinges / that God maye be glorified by you. Fare ye well dere Brethren / and accordynge too the admonicion of the holy Apostle / watche ye / 1. Cor. 16stande faste in the faythe / quyte you lyke menne / and be stronge. The Grace of the Lorde Iesus Christe be wyth you all. Amen.
¶ Gyue the glorie to GOD alone.
¶ Manne.
Howe longe o Lord?
Psal. 13.
Christe.
I come quickely.
Apoc. 22
Manne.
Oh / come Lord Iesu.
Apo. 22.
Prophet.
He will come and not tarye.
Abac. 2.