2 Grievous enough it is when our corn, our cattle, our goods and treasure shall come to the tables of our enemies, but what though we be yet freed from such Chaldeans, yet is there a great famine in the land, which they little think of that are the Church-robbers, whom we falsely call Patrons of the Church. Little think they of it, who in stead of feeding1 to salvation, starve many thousands to destruction, in whom if there were any love of God from their hearts, I dare say, and say it boldly, that for all the promotions under heaven, they would not offer that injury to one soul, that now they offer to many hundred souls. But Lord how do they think to give up their reckoning to thee, who in most strict account wilt take the answer of every soul committed unto them one by one?2 Or with what ears do they often hear that vehement speech of our Saviour Christ feed, feed, feed? With what eyes do they so often read that piercing speech of the Apostles feed the flock, whereof you are overseers, look unto the flock committed unto you? But if none of this will move them, then the Lord open their ears to hear the grievous groans of many souls lying under the grisly altars of destruction, and complaining against them: O Lord the revenger of blood, behold these men whom thou hast set over us to give us the bread of life, but they have not given it us, our tongues, and the tongues of our children have sticken to the roof of our mouths, for calling, and crying, and they would not take pity on us: we have given them the tenths which thou hast appointed us, but they have not given us thy truth which thou hast commanded them: reward them ô Lord as they have rewarded us, let the bread between their teeth turn unto rottenness in their bowels, let them be clothed with shame, and confusion of face ⟨p. 847⟩as with a garment, let their wealth as the dung from the Earth, be swept away by their executors, and upon their gold and silver which they have falsely treasured up, let continually be written, The price of blood, The price of blood; For it is the value of our blood: O LORD, if thou didst hear the blood of Abel (being but one man) forget not the blood of many, when thou goest into judgement.
2 Grieuous enough it is when our corne, our cattell, our goods and treasure shall come to the tables of our enemies, but what though we be yet freed from such Chaldaeans, yet is there a great famine in the land, which they little thinke of that are the Church-robbers, whom we falsely call Patrons of the Church. Little thinke they of it, who in stead of feeding1 to saluation, starue many thousands to destruction, in whom if there were any loue of God from their hearts, I dare say, and say it boldly, that for all the promotions vnder heauen, they would not offer that iniurie to one soule, that now they offer to many hundred soules. But Lord how do they thinke to giue vp their reckning to thee, who in most strict account wilt take the answere of euery soule committed vnto them one by one?2 Or with what eares doe they often heare that vehement speech of our Sauiour Christ feede, feede, feede? With what eyes doe they so often reade that pearcing speech of the Apostles feede the flocke, whereof you are ouerseers, looke vnto the flock committed vnto you? But if none of this will mooue them, then the Lord open their eares to heare the grieuous grones of many soules lying vnder the grislie altars of destruction, and complaining against them: O Lord the reuenger of bloud, behold these men whom thou hast set ouer vs to giue vs the bread of life, but they haue not giuen it vs, our tongues, and the tongues of our children haue sticken to the roofe of our mouthes, for calling, and crying, and they would not take pitie on vs: we haue giuen them the tenths which thou hast appointed vs, but they haue not giuen vs thy truth which thou hast commanded them: reward them ô Lord as they haue rewarded vs, let the bread betweene their teeth turne vnto rottennes in their bowels, let them be clothed with shame, and confusion of face ⟨p. 847⟩as with a garment, let their wealth as the dung from the Earth, bee swept away by their executors, and vpon their golde and siluer which they haue falsely treasured vp, let continually be written, The price of bloud, The price of bloud; For it is the value of our bloud: O LORD, if thou didst heare the bloud of Abell (being but one man) forget not the bloud of manie, when thou goest into iudgement.
- 1Patrones of Churches falsely so called.
- 2Negligent Pastors.
