How heavy and unpleasant shall the burden and yoke of a Frenchman be to your shoulders and necks, God grant that experience do not teach you. But to return to my former purpose, by all those means rehearsed, by his messengers, by the blood of his saints shed amongest you, by favours and friendship, by war and the sword, yea by famine, and pestilence, and all other means, hath God your merciful father called you to labour in his vineyard, but to this day, alas, we hear not of your humble obedience, but still ye say with stubborn faces, we will not labour, we will not be bound to such thraldom, to abide the burdens of the vineyard. Ye think perchance I am to sharp, and that I accuse you more then you deserve. For amongest you many do know the will of your father, and many make profession of his Gospel, but consider, Brethren, that it is not enough he to know the commandment, and to profess the same in mouth, but it is necessary, that ye refuse your selves, your own pleasures, appetites, and your own wisdom, if ye shall be judged faithful labourers in the Lords vineyard, and that ye bear the burdens together with your brethren, ⟨image 69⟩and suffer heat, and sweat, before the taste the fruits with them. God will not stand content, that ye look over the hedge, and behold the labours of your brethren, but he requireth, that ye put your hands also to your labours, that ye travail continually to pluck up all unprofitable weeds, albeit in so doing the thorns prick you to the hard bones: that ye assist your brethren in their labours, though it be with the jeopardy of your lives, the loss of your substance, and displeasure of the hole earth. Except that thus ye be minded to labour, the Lord of the vineyard will not acknowledge you for his faith full servants. And because this matter is of weight and great importance, I will speak somewhat more plainly for your instruction. It is bruited (to the great comfort of all godly, that hear it) that some of you (dear Brethren of Scotland) do desire Christ Jesus to be faithfully preached amongest you, which thing if from the heart you desire and with godly wisdom and stout courage follow your purpose and enterprise, ye shall be blessed of the Lord for ever.
How heauie and vnpleasant shall the burthen and yock of a Frenchman be to your shoulders ād necks, God graunt that experience do not teach you. But to returne to my former purpose, by all those means rehersed, by his messēgers, by the blood of his saincts shed amōgest you, by fauours ād frendship, by warre and the sword, yea by famin, ād pestilēce, ād all other meās, hath God your mercifull father called you to labour in his vineyard, but to this day, alas, we heare not of your hūble obedience, but stil ye say with stubburn faces, we will not labour, we will not be boūde to such thraldome, to abide the burthens of the vineyard. Ye think perchāce I am to sharpe, and that I accuse you more then you deserue. For amōgest you many do know the will of your father, and many make profession of his Ghospel, but cōsider, Brethrē, that it is not enoug he to know the cōmaūdemēt, and to ꝓfesse the same in mouthe, but it is necessarie, that ye refuse your selues, your owne pleasures, appetites, and your owne wisdome, if ye shall be iudged faithfull labourers in the Lordes vineyard, ād that ye beare the burthens togiter with your brethren, ⟨image 69⟩and suffre heate, and sweate, before ye taste the frutes with them. God will not stand content, that ye loke ouer the hedge, and beholde the labours of your brethrē, but he requireth, that ye put your hādes also to your labours, that ye trauail continually to pluck vpp all vnprofitable wedes, albeit in so doing the thornes pricke you to the hard bones: that ye assist your brethrē in theyr labours, thoghe it be with the icopardie of your lifes, the losse of your substance, and displeasure of the hole earthe. Except that thus ye be minded to labour, the Lord of the vineyarde wil not acknolledge you for his faith full seruantes. And because this matter is of weight and greate importance, I will speake sōwhat more plainely for your instruction. It is bruted (to the greate comfort of all godlie, that heare it) that somme of you (deare Brethren of Scotland) do desire Christ Iesus to be faithfully preached amōgest you, which thing if frō the heart you desyre and with godlie wisdome and stowt courrage folow your purpose and enterprise, ye shall be blessed of the Lord for euer.
