Dearly beloved, when I with a lamentable heart consider with my self the miserable stare of England my native con treye, and the great overthrow of Christs pure religion there, sith the most dolorous death of our most godly and virtuous prince, King Edward the sixth: and again remembering how Idolatry, superstition, Papistry, and all kinds of false worshipping of God hath in so short time overflowed so noble a realm: and what an infinite number (which within these two years ⟨image 5⟩past bare a fair face towards true religion) are now suddenly turned back to worship the beast, that is, to embrace the Babilonicall strumpet, and to taste again of the cup of her abominations, I can scantly refrain mine heart from sobbing, and mine eyes from distilling of tears. Alas for pity, what a great number of God's people is this day within England, that in their hearts do detest & abhor that false worshipping and great dishonouring of God now violently (I will not say tyrannously) thrust into every church and chapel, and would with all their hearts (if they knew which way to bring it to pass) fly out of that Babylon now the great city of sin and confusion? And contrary wise it would pity any true christen mans heart to remember how many there are within that realm (which are fully persuaded in their consciences concerning true religion) that might well enough escape and come away, & yet will not: but some of them had rather with most manifest and shameful idolatry pollute ⟨image 6⟩both their souls and their bodies, than they would forsake the pan paring of their paunches, & their best beloved God the wicked Man mon. Other there be that stand in defence that they may tarry well enough and communicate with the idolaters: but I marvel with what consciences they can other read or hear these and such like places of scripture here following:
DEarly beloued, whan I wyth a lamentable hert consyder wyth my selfe the myserable stare of Englande my natiue cū treye, and the great ouerthrowe of Christes pure religiō there, sythe ye moste dolorouse death of our moste godly and vertuouse prince, Kynge Edwarde the syxt: and agayne remembrynge howe Idolatrie, supersticion, Papistrie, and al kyndes of false worshippinge of God hathe in so shorte tyme ouerflowed so noble a realme: and what an infinite nombre (which wythin these two yeares ⟨image 5⟩past bare a fayre face towards true religion) are now suddenly turned backe to worship the beast, that is, to enbrace the Babilonicall strumpet, and to taste agayne of the cuppe of her abhominacions, I can scantlye refrayne myne herte from sobbynge, and myne eyes from distillynge of teares. Alasse for pytie, what a great nōbre of Goddes people is thys day within Englād, that in theyr hertes do deteste & abhorre that false worshippinge and great dishonourynge of God nowe violently (I wyl not saye tyrannously) thrust into euery churche and chappel, and wolde wyth all theyr hertes (yf they knew whyche waye to bringe it to passe) flye out of that Babylon nowe the great cytie of synne and confusion? And contrary wyse it wolde pytie any true christen mā nes herte to remembre how many ther are wythin that realme (which are fully persuaded in theyr consciences concerninge true religion) that myght wel enough escape and come away, & yet wyl not: but some of them had rather wyth moste manyfest and shamefull ydolatrie pollute ⟨image 6⟩both theyr soules and theyr bodies, than they wolde forsake the pā parynge of theyr paunches, & theyr best beloued God the wycked Mā mon. Other ther be that stāde in defence that they maye tary wel enoughe and cōmūnicate wyth the ydolatrers: but I maruell wyth what consciences they can other reade or heare these and suche lyke places of scripture here followynge:
