Gildas Salvianus: The Reformed Pastor

Is it not a very sad History of the troubles at Frankford, to read that so many godly learned men that had forsaken all for the Reformed profession, and were Exiles in a foreign Land, even in a City where they had but borrowed the liberty of one Church should even then fall in pieces among themselves, and that about a Liturgy and Ceremonies, so far as to make a division; and after many plottings and counter-plottings, and underminings of one another, one part of them must leave the City, and go seek another for their liberty! What had not those few Exiles that left their native Country, lands and friends, and all for the Gospel, that fled so far for the liberty of Gods worship, and had as great advantage as most men in the world to be sensible of the excellency of Reformation and liberty, had these I say no more Christian love and tenderness, no more esteem of what they suffered for, then to fall out with one another, and almost fall upon one another, for such things as these! Would not suffering abate their pride and passions, and close their hearts, nor yet make them so far patient as to tolerate each other in so small a difference: Even when their dearest friends and fellow-servants were frying in the flames at home, and the prisons filled with them, and they had daily news of one after another that was ⟨p. 150⟩made a sacrifice to the fury of the Papists, could they yet proceed in their own dissentions, and that to such a height! O what is man! and the best of men! Yea before this, in King Edwards days, what rigour was used against Bishop Hooper about such Ceremonies! But the prison abated Bishop Ridleys uncharitableness, and they then learned more charity when they were going to the flames.

Is it not a very sad History of the troubles at Frankford, to read that so many godly learned men that had forsaken all for the Reformed profession, and were Exiles in a forraign Land, even in a City where they had but borrowed the liberty of one Church should even then fall in pieces among themselves, and that about a Liturgy and Ceremonies, so far as to make a division; and after many plottings and counter-plottings, and underminings of one another, one part of them must leave the City, and go seek another for their liberty! What had not those few Exiles that left their native Country, lands and friends, and all for the Gospel, that fled so far for the liberty of Gods worship, and had as great advantage as most men in the world to be sensible of the excellency of Reformation and liberty, had these I say no more Christian love and tenderness, no more esteem of what they suffered for, then to fall out with one another, and almost fall upon one another, for such things as these! Would not suffering abate their pride and passions, and close their hearts, nor yet make them so far patient as to tolerate each other in so small a difference: Even when their dearest friends and fellow-servants were frying in the flames at home, and the prisons filled with them, and they had daily news of one after another that was