A godly letter sent too the faithful in London, Newcastle, Berwick, and to all…A godly letter sent too the fayethfull in London, Newcastell, Barwyke, and to all…

Thus did these two prophets (as also did others) before them plainly speak the desolation of that place / for such offences / as before hath ben rehearsed. But how pleaseth such message the city of Jerusalem? the priests / princes & people of Judah? & what reward receiveth Jeremiah for his long travail and painful preaching.¹ Verily / even such as Pashur & his counsel judgeth mete. He spake against the temple, he prophesied mischief against the city, he fainted the hearts of the soldiers, and of the people, but principally,² he was unfriendly to the faith, that Passhur taught the people: To weak / the faith of their forefathers / who always rebelled against God. And therefore he was reputed a heretic / accused of sedition / and damned of treason. Plain preachings were made against all that he had spoken / and such felicity was promised / that within ⟨image 12⟩two years should the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar be broken from the necks of all people and the vessels of the lords house (together with all prisoners) should be brought again to Jerusalem.³ Now did this abound with wine & oil / O pleasing and blessed amongst the people were such prophets / Jeremiah had troubled them, and therefore he must dye. To prison shall he go / for the king can deny nothing to his princes / of whom Pashur appeareth / to have ben chief chancellor / by whom was not only the king / but also the hole multitude so blinded / that boldly they durst cry: No mischance shall come too us, we shall neither see pestilens nor hunger. The king of Babylon shall never come against this land. ⁴In the middest of these stormy troubles / no other comfort had the prophet / then to complain to his God / at whose commandment he had spoken. And in this his complaint he is so kindled against their Idolatry / and great unthankfulness that he crieth / as in a rage. O thou Lord of hosts, ⁵the trier of the just, thou that seest the reins and the hart, Let me see thy vengeance taken upon them, for unto the have I referred my cause […] this prayer was most fearful to his enemies / if they had seen the efficacy thereof so by the same was the prophet assured / that God's wrath was kindled against that sinful nation & that it should not turn back / till he had performed the cogitations of his own hart.