The Epistle of a Banished Man
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE EPISTLE OF A Banished man A Faithful Admonition: Grace, mercy, and peace from God
THE EPISTLE OF A Banished man out of Leicestershire, sometime one of the Preachers of God's word there, to the Christian reader, wishes health, deliverance, and felicity.
There has been no time since the first fashioning of man which has not had its manifold miseries and great troubles, by which God chastened and punished all men for their evil life and unthankfulness to him, continually refusing his calling and warning. The righteous and just had their parts in this, although it was for their benefit and profit (but to the utter destruction of the wicked and ungodly). For judgment begins with the faithful, who are called the household of God in the Scripture, and the punishment by which God chastens them always comes for their best, either to bring patience, acknowledge their sins, or avoid eternal condemnation. When they
perceive the hand of the Lord upon them or others through any kind of trouble, such as poverty, sickness, banishment, loss of faithful friends, an increase in foes, or any other similar trouble, they immediately turn to God. They are heartily sorry for their sins and unthankfulness, confess themselves guilty, and earnestly call for mercy, which God grants to them in Jesus Christ out of His great goodness, according to His promise. In the midst of their troubles,
God uses various ways to comfort, help, and deliver them, as seen in Noah, Abraham, Lot, the patriarchs, David, Hezekiah, Elijah,
Jeremiah, Daniel, Susanna, Peter, Paul, and other good persons in all times and ages. They found relief, help, comfort, and deliverance in these and similar miserable situations after they turned to God, from whom those plagues came. This was their only remedy and defense, their chief refuge, and their hope. They continually called upon Him until they obtained their requests or what was most for God's glory and their own benefit and profit.
Contrarily, the perverse and ungodly react differently. When they are plagued or punished, they grumble against God, hate Him, speak spitefully against Him, attribute their plagues to bad luck or misfortune, and are not moved to acknowledge their great sins. They do not call upon Him but either fall into despair or contempt of God.
In such cases, it cannot be thought that their punishments are signs of the rest and peace they may have after this life. Rather, these punishments are seen as the beginning of the torments they will suffer. Examples of this can be found in holy Scriptures, such as Cain, the Jews before and after Christ's ascension, wicked Jezebel,
Judas the traitor, and the thief hanged on the left side of our Lord Jesus Christ. They grumbled, forsook, or spoke spiteful words against God and His prophets or fell into despair or contempt of Him, all of which are causes of God's further displeasure and the sending of even greater plagues to hasten their destruction.
Yet, we should observe the order of God's punishments, in which He demonstrates His merciful nature. He does not commonly plague all offenders with the same kind of plagues and at the same time, even if they are all equally guilty. He may strike some harder than others and may begin with one country or city so that the rest may be moved by the example of their punishments and have time and opportunity to turn to Him. God seeks not the death of a sinner but their amendment and life, as seen in the story of Ahab after his wife
Jezebel caused Naboth to be put to death. Nevertheless, when He threatens to punish the land with a particular plague, such as famine, noxious beasts, the sword, or pestilence, He threatens all at once, especially upon Jerusalem, which bears the name of His people but disobeys Him. This should make us fear even more, for we, the people of England, are in a similar condition. Among us, God has already sent the devouring sword and a great number of slow, cruel, and ravenous beasts to destroy.
But let us follow the examples of all good men: in doing as the Lord our God commands us, even in these our plagues, which is to turn to Him with all our hearts and call upon Him. It is He alone who may, can, and will deliver us. Let the vain trust in man's help be forgotten; stop seeking sweet water in filthy puddles. What comfort can the sick man have from one who is much sicker than himself and expects nothing but death? Let the noble men of England abandon inconstancy, lust, and covetousness and turn to God rightly. Let the people do the same. Just as there is no man who doesn't feel or fear some great plague to come upon him because of his sin, so let every man repent, turn to God, and call for help in time. Since the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, there has been no time when there have been greater plagues than there are now in our time.
Besides bloody war, sudden death, great untruth, open perjury, division, strange consuming fires, changes in great estates and