Therefore, o ye false pastors, if there be any sparkle of godliness in you, that doeth savour, any knowledge of god, if any crumb of humanity doeth remain in your hearts, I pray, for the honour and glory of god, for the commune fellowship & amity of men, spare the poor people, which, so long a time, hath thorough you, suffered a most grievous hanger, of gods word: being in the mean season, miserably burdened and oppressed, with most heavy, & intolerable burdens of traditions. And afore all things, do I speak unto you, o most mighty Bishops and prelates of churches. Deliver ye now at length, & set at large, the people of god, whom, ye have boldē captive so long. Think no less, but that it is a detestable and ⟨image 91⟩ungodly thing, to bring all the whole world, for your covetousness. & pride sake, into peril, jeopardy & tumult. If ye do believe, that there is any god, & that the same god, is the commune judge of all men, what quiet, tranquility, & peace, can ye have, in your own consciences, and souls, when ye see all your whole ceate, and all thee conditions wherewith, it is sensed, to be an unreasonable burden, and also an intolerable yoke of all thee christian people. Think ye, that ye must release nothing. Are ye not ashamed to burden every day the people, with new burdens.1 This, truly, is a manifest token, that ye fear neither god, nor his righteous Judgement. For, where there fear of god is, three must needs follow an amendment of life. Sith then, that we see none of you, that will lighten those most unreasonable burdens, it is most evident, that ye care neither for god, nor for his judgements. And what other name is there, wherein ye may glory? Whose ministers, and servants are ye? But I see plainly wherein ye trust. For, ye lean, or stay your selves, upon thee read,2 or brickle staff of Egypt, that is ⟨image 91⟩to say, ye trust in the help of Princes & kings of this world. But the staff shall break in your hand, & not without a grievous & fore wound. For, what other power, might, & strength, hath a king but his own people? If therefore the people being taught & instructed by gods word, will not, at the kings commandment (for in this matter of god lynesse, better it is to obey God than man) help, succour, & aide you:3 shall not both ye, and your lives be in jeopardy? Or what shall be the power of the king?
THerfore, o ye false pastours, yf ther be any sparkel of godlines in you, that doeth sauour, anye knowledge of god, yf any crōme of humanytie doeth remayne in your hartes, I pray, for the honoure and glorye of god, for ye cōmune felowship & amytie of mē, spare the poore people, whyche, so lōg a tyme, hath thorough you, suffered a moste greuous hanger, of gods word: being in the meane seasō, myserablye burdoned and oppressed, with moste heauye, & intollerable burdens of traditions. And afore al thynges, doo I speake vnto you, o moste myghty Byshoppes and prelates of churches. Delyuer ye now at length, & set at large, the people of god, whom, ye haue boldē captyue so lōge. Thinke no lesse, but that it is a detestable and ⟨image 91⟩vngodly thyng, to brynge al the whole worlde, for your couetousnesse. & pryde sake, into peryll, ieopardye & tumulte. Yf ye do beleue, that ther is any god, & that the same god, is the cōmune iudge of al men, what quyete, tranquilitie, & peace, can ye haue, in your own conscyences, and soules, when ye se all youre whole ceate, and all thee condycyons wherewyth, it is sensed, to be an vnreasonable burden, and also an intollerable yoke of all thee christyan people. Thyncke ye, that ye muste releasse nothynge. Are ye not ashamed to burden euery daye the people, wyth new burdens.1 Thys, truelye, is a manyfeste token, that ye feare neyther god, nor hys ryghteous Iudgemente. For, where ther feare of god is, three muste nedes folowe an amendement of lyfe. Sythe then, that we see none of you, that wyll lyghten those moste vnreasonable burdens, it is moste euydente, that ye care neyther for god, nor for his iudgemētes. And what other name is ther, wherin ye may glorye? Whose ministers, and seruauntes are ye? But I se playnelye wherin ye trust. For, ye leane, or staye your selues, vppon thee rede,2 or bryckel staffe of Egipt, that is ⟨image 91⟩to say, ye trust in the helpe of Princes & kynges of this world. But the staffe shal breake in your hand, & not wtout a greuous & fore woūd. For, what other power, might, & strength, hath a kyng but his owne people? Yf therefore the people beynge taughte & instructed by gods word, wyl not, at ye kynges commaundemēt (for in this matter of god lynesse, better it is to obeye God than mā) helpe, succour, & aide you:3 shal not both ye, and your lyues be in ieopardye? Or what shalbe the power of the kynge?
- 1popish prelates do nether fear God nor his judgement.popish prelates do nether feare God nor hys iudgement.
- 2Esa. xxxvi.
- 3The Papists never observe their safe conducts nor keep their promises, for say they: No promise ought to be kept to an heretic, so was John Hull & Hierome served. The blood of martyrs is the seed of the gospel.The Papistes neuer obserue theyr safe conductes nor kepe theyr promyses, for saye they: Noo promyse oughte to be kepte to an heretyke, so was Iohn Hul & Hierome serued. The bloude of martyrs is the sede of the gospell.
