We most humbly beseech y•, mercifully to behold thy poor and scattered flock, whom thou hast purchased with thy most precious blood▪ 1and to send them such shepherds as may diligently seek up the lost sheep,2 lovingly lay them on their shoulders, & faithfully bring them home again unto the sheepfold. Ah Lord, thou seest how great the harvest is,3 & how few the workmen be. Thou art lord of y• harvest, vouchsafe therefore we most humbly pray the to send labourers into thy harvest.4 Take a way these idle lubbers, which do nothing but devour thy sheep, cloth them selves with the finest of the well and eat of the fattest of the flock Thieves and robbers are they,5 & not pastors & preachers. For the weak they hold not up, the sick they heal not,6 the broken they bind not together, the out casts ⟨p. xxi⟩they bring not again, the lost they seek not, but churlishly, and cruelly do they rule thy flock. A good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep, but the hireling,7 yea he that is not the shepherd, nor owner of the sheep, seeth the wolf coming, and forsaketh the sheep, yea flieth, and the wolf catcheth and scattereth the sheep. Such hirelings, O good Lord,8 take away from us, which seek nothing but idly to live of the sweet of our brows, & of the labour of our hands, and notwithstanding suffer us to be miserably torn of antichrist and of his Ministers,9 both by their tyranny, and false doctrine. A thief cometh not but to steal, to slay, and to destroy. Take away from us, O good Jesus those thieves which steal away the livings of the true shepherds, which slay our souls for want of thy holy word, and destroy ⟨image 37⟩us with their corrupt manners, wicked living, and most detestable conversation. Take away from us those herdmen,10 yea rather those Idols as thy Prophet calleth them, which are not resident upon their benefices, nor give attē dance upon their cure, but forsake their flock, & yet rob from them all that they may catch, and give us such pastors as will watch upon their flock, abide among them, teach them thy blessed word, feed them with hospitality, lead a godly life, bring up their youth virtuously, and be at all times ready, if thy glory, & the health of their parishioners requireth to bestow their life.
We most humbly besech y•, mercyfullye to beholde thy poore and scattered flocke, whom thou hast purchased wyth thy mooste precyous blud▪ 1and to send them such shepherdes as maye diligentlye seke vp the loste shepe,2 louinglye lay thē on their shulders, & faythfully bryng them home again vnto the shepefolde. Ah Lord, thou seest how greate the haruest is,3 & how few ye workmē be. Thou art lord of y• heruest, vouchsafe therfore we most hūbly prai the to sēd laborers into thi haruest.4 Take a way these idle lubbers, which do nothīg but deuour thishepe, cloth thē selfes wt the finest of the wol and eat of the fattest of the flock Theues and robbers are they,5 & not pastores & preachers. For the weake they holde not vp, the sick they heale not,6 the broken they binde not to gether, the out c asts ⟨p. xxi⟩they brynge not agayne, the lost they seke not, but churlishly, and cruellye do they rule thy flocke. A good shepehearde geueth his life for the shepe, but the hyrelinge,7 ye he yt is not the sheperde, nor owner of the shepe, seeth the wolf cō minge, and forsaketh the shepe, ye flieth, and the wolf catcheth and scattereth the shepe. Such hyrelynges, O good Lorde,8 take away from vs, which seke nothīg but idelly to lyue of the swete of our browes, & of ye labour of our handes, and notwythstandynge suffer vs to be miserabli torne of antichrist and of his Ministers,9 both by their tirannye, and false doctrine. A thief cometh not but to steale, to sley, and to destroy. Take away frō vs, O good Iesu those theues whych steale awaye the liuynges of ye tru shepherds, whyche sley our soules for want of thy holye worde, and destroye
- 1[…]. xx.〈…〉. xx.
- 2Luke. xv.
- 3Math. ix. Luke. x.
- 4Jere. xxiii. Eze. xxxiii.Iere. xxiii. Eze. xxxiii.
- 5John. x.Iohn. x.
- 6Ez•. xxxiii.
- 7John. x.Iohn. x.
- 8Acts. xx. Roma. xvi. Philip. iii. ii. Peter. ii.Actes. xx. Roma. xvi. Philip. iii. ii. Peter. ii.
- 9John. x.Iohn. x.
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