aith Esay, "sought about for
water, but nowhere found they any; their tongue was even withered for
thirst." Even so these men have broken in pieces all the pipes and
conduits: they have stopped up all the springs, and choked up the
fountain of living water with dirt and mire. And as Caligula many years
past locked up fast all the storehouses of corn in Rome, and thereby
brought a general dearth and famine amongst the people; even so these
men, by damming up all the fountains of God's Word, have brought the
people into a pitiful thirst. They have brought into the world, as saith
the prophet Amos, "a hunger and a thirst: not the hunger of bread, nor
the thirst of water, but of hearing the Word of God." With great
distress went they scattering about, seeking some spark of heavenly life
to refresh their consciences withal: but that light was already
thoroughly quenched out, so that they could find none. This was a rueful
state; this was a lamentable form of God's Church. It was a misery to
live therein, without the Gospel, without light, and without all comfort.

Wherefore, though our departing were a trouble to them, yet ought they to
consider withal how just cause we had of our departure. For if they will
say, it is in nowise lawful for one to leave the fellowship wherein he
hath been brought up, they may as well in our names, and upon our heads,
condemn both the Prophets, the Apostles, and Christ Himself. For why
complain they not also of this, that Lot went quite his way out of Sodom,
Abraham out of Chaldea, the Israelites out of Egypt, Christ from the
Jews, and Paul from the Pharisees? For except it be possible there may
be a lawful cause of departing, we see no reason why Lot, Abraham, the
Israelites, Christ, and Paul, may not be accused of sects and sedition,
as well as others. And if these men will needs condemn us for heretics,
because we do not all things at their commandment, whom, in God's name,
or what kind of men ought they themselves to be taken for, which despise
the commandment of Christ, and of the Apostles? If we be schismatics
because we have left them, by what name, then, shall they be called
themselves, which have forsaken the Greeks, from whom they first received
their faith, forsaken the primitive Church, forsaken Christ Himself, and
the Apostles, even as if children should forsake their parents? For
though those Greeks, who at this day profess religion, and Christ's Name,
have many things