ends for Gods glorie and oure mutuall compforth Amen To the wch gloriouse parson we must often in these kinds make speciall sute vnto for as his graciouse presens in hearinge and readinge dothe keye from vs wronge interpretacion werynes and tediousenes so his absens ys cause of the one and the other with our disprofict and greate anoye At suche tymes then let vs crye come holie Ghoste enleghten and support our ignorans and weakenes not that God the thryd parson coeternall wth the father and the sonn can be comprehended in any man who is so incomprehencible of hym self but rather we desire his effects operation and working as we se the manyfould beames procedinge from the bodie of the sonn so farr distant from the yearth dothe yet send downe her heate and power to all the treatures And as I wyshe you profitablie to reade and heare so in walkinge in eyther Exchange feyld or how 's to remember to walk out your race and the rest of your dayes more carefully and religiousely to the Kyngdom of heaven warde for the commandement of God to our father Abraham that he should walk holilie before hym dothe also appartayne to you his children by faythe that hope to be wth hym in glory and so to practys Hezychia his sacred prayer sayenge I beseche the o Lord remember how I have walked before the in truthe and wth a parfect hart A prayer and lesson worthie to be thought on seinge the Lorde no less requireth this of vs then of the Isralitishe church sayenge what dothe the Lorde thy God require of the but to feare the Lorde thy God to love and serue hym to walk in his wayes and to cleaue vnto hym as thoughe wthout wch stickinge and cleavinge he ys no nerer God to vs then to his vniversall creatures Wherfore as the Apostle sayeth yf we lyve of the spirit let vs walke in the spirit And to walke in this sort ys to walke acceptablie and securelie My self in greate weakenes walkinge sum tymes in that worshipfull how 's although I made there the best choyce I coulde of parsons and taulk for our mutuall good yet my hart toung and eare slippinge so ofte besides the due byas wth the loss of tyme wherein to have bene better occupied makes me now to crave pardon of God and thus publykely to confess yt a fault vnto the world And therfore good bretherne of such loving acquayntans as I am hartelie thankfull for your curtesie and gentlenes so do I wishe that you occupie or spare that populouse place none otherwyse but as caullinge and necessitie requirethe The Apostle exhorteth all to applie our selves to the tyme the brevitie wherof considered yt will hasten vs to Imploy the best exercises therein Tyme For as nothinge ys more preciouse then the tyme so of manie nothinge ys more vyldlie abused and every thing more certayne then the continuans thereof It lacks but a little of xvi hundred yeres a go sithens St. Paull sayde the tyme ys but short then yt must nedes be so moche the more shorte now by so many yeres wher vpon as all Godly changers wil be the more quickned and awakened to Exchange there vnprofitable vse of the tyme to a better evenso I exhorte all misspenders abusers and voluntarie necglecters of the tyme in that royall Exchange so to change or cast away that greate faulte in theme as there right vsage of the tyme from this readinge forwards may be a testimonie of there true faythe and repentans for tyme ys so preciouse that yt must be redemed and stryven for And thus Christian reader I wyshe you to esteme moche and to devyde the tyme for severall exercises therein bothe for God and for your selves for Prince cittie and familie No dowte the devill perswades sum carnall and viciouse parsons that there tyme ys well spent beinge vsuall in the taverne and that there Impietie ys closely covered when they do bable out a few cowld prayers and come once a weke to the churche wthout regard of other duties As a daplie dronckard in Billeter lane answered one requiringe his hastie rysinge the next daye I must sayde he haue a tyme to put on my clothes a tyme to pray and a tyme to sett myne how should in order By whome we se that as all heritikes thinck theme selves to have the best religion and to be nerest vnto God so common dronckards and carnall lyvers by sum shew of civilitie esteme theme selves as honest and as truly religiouse as the best and bothe by a subtill prompt of the divill Who hathe fayre paynted hypocrites in the churche in the alchows and taverne dronkards besides adulterers blasphemers and robbers all these will make shew of religion and seme to love the churche and sermon but none otherwyse then as sum gay professors kepinge secret minions do love there wyues more for fame and to a voyde shame then for any right affection they beare to the one or the other These miserable people will also come bowldly to the Exchange and be no more a shamed to be there then a frayed in the churche at the hearinge of Gods iudgements denownced against theme because for the tyme they have no less adamant harts wthout felinge then brasen forheads wthout blusshinge Nevertheless beinge in the compass of this freyndly exhortation I beseche you as bretherne by creation although not yet by regeneration to take sorrow and greyf to hart wth syedie and vnfayned repentans that so you may be changed bothe in churche how 's and in the Exchange from that you haue bene to that you should be tremblinge at Gods iudgements and so hartylie to crave mercie and grace Estemynge now a most dangerouse thinge to think on to morrow and to neglect this days conversion Wyshing you to forgeit no longer what ys written except you be borne agayne you cannot enter into the Kyngdome of God For yf you beleyue in Christ crucifyed then must you be in better forte crucifyed wth hym that ys to slay and mortifie those enormities whervy to haue the similitude of his deathe by kyllinge suche grose synnes and also the similitude of his resurrection by rysinge agayne in to the newnes of lyfe The wch the Lord grant for his mercy sake Generally then all do stand in nede to begg and intreate that the feare of the Lorde be graven and grownded wthin our harts the wch as yt ys the spirituall bytt to curbe vs back from suche execrations so ys yt a devyne spurr to quicken vs forwards to all Christian actions The wch beinge absent ys surely the deathe of all vertue the increase of all vyce the shipwrack of conscyens and all confusion in lyfe Therfore blessed ys the man to whome the feare of the Lord ys granted because yt ys glory gladnes reioysinge and the Ioyfull crowne as Sirack sayeth and that aswell of the ritche and noble as of the meane and poore Vnderstand not here suche a feare as the bondman
he fast in his goode lyfe thoughe he saw few so affected to gether wth righteouse Lott nothing returned from his holy conversation notwthstanding the multitude of wycked Sodomites on every side but the one and the other proceded and parsisted in there pietie In lyke sorte stand you fast quite you lyke men procede as spirituall souldiers and so to finishe as true Christians and then the garland to come ys yours wth the present peace of consciens wch in this lyfe vs the cheyfe reward of true Godlynes The other part of gentlemen so naked of the weddinge garment as they be voyde of oyle in there lampes lovinge better to follow the crye of there hownds then eyther to heare the voyce of the preacher or to imitate your Godly example I wyshe vs all to pittie and pray for theme that make so small accowmpt of religion and good lyfe otherwyse then of there belly God and ladie pleasure who therby as they seme to be flatt Atheysts and therefore in most wofull case so the papisticall gentlemen as fauls harted to gospell and Prynce as they be addicted to romishe Idolls be as vnfitt for civill office and auctoritie as by want of faythe they are yet for the Kingdom of glorie whervnto the Lord frame and convert theme in the tyme of his yourpose and pleasure But you good gentlemeÌ„ must think on the dignitie of your profession of the servant knowing moch to do his maysters will on the brevitie of your dayes of the best exercises to be had therein and in tyme of your recreations to glorifie God and to beware of prophanations takinge greate delight in your graciouse God not alone for your welthe health leysure and libertie but cheyfly for his illumininge spirit the feare of the Lorde and for that by grace you discearne your selves to stand the contreyes in steade and your good examples to be as glasses for theme to looke in Then may that circuit be cownted happie conteyninge so vertuouse an examplar as the congregation most blessed to have before theme a Godly and learned teacher Therfore for the better approbatioÌ„ of your state and degrees to be a warrantable caullings from God so myghtelie denyed of sum fyrst as you are curteouse and gentle vp the guyde of your names so in other things to be fownde wthin rule and good order ofte wthin the lords how 's as a sure recorde you be of the same lyvinge stones and helpinge members lovers of the Prynce proctors for her good causes but more specially for Gods and that in good sort wth whome you must lyve beyond the tyme of all Prynces helpinge gentlemen but not hurtinge neyghbors of the poore in the coÌ„treys Lykewise you worshipful of â—yne acquayntans both discrete and of good carriage of your selues I pray you preferr the holynes of religion by being found truly religiouse that so your fellowe gentlemen may be ashamed to speake evill of your good profession wheÌ„ they shall se you hate vice love vertu releyve the poore to bringe vp your familie in the knowlege and reverens of God as I have knowen you to have donn sum in the cittie and more in the contrey of wch nomber there be to few and theme over basely estemed though of great price before the Lorde and his people redemed In the meane tyme my worshipfull freynds I humblie crave the helpe of your prayers in this farr distans occasioned partly by sum doctorly frownes partly by my daughters letters and by greate boasts to se suche en Englishe churche here as nompareille and so yt ys par derrriere and finally throughe rashe trust in sum not so trustie wherby the oulde man was hether transported to be of his God iustly and gently corrected And further to premonishe bothe you and the worshipfull in the exchange I wijshe you beware of the dangerouse opinions of suche Englyshe Anabaptists bred here as whose parsons in part wth more store of there letters dothe creps and spreade amongest you in cittie and contrey The wch perilouse herysies wherewth they be so lately infected dyd not only procede of obstinacie in error but of pryde and singularitie wth the want of love and humilitie to kepe vnitie and peace amonge theme selves when they came over And as by my privat letters I have forewarned sum particuler frepuds so by this symple and forrayne labor I intended a more generall sithens I heard that one of this companie in Norwich intendeth to indure shortly an execution against hym By wch premonishement I would gladly make you more carefull and watchefull to prevent the invisible sower of darnell a monge the good wheate And so no leff to seke the right armure of prouffe and shilde of defens for our devine causes wherby to foyle theme that intend to defyle others then they seke fauls armure by wrest of scripture wth wyle weapons to make vnlawfull resistans against the most holy and auncient fayth of the vniuersall churche the wch not to manteyne and defend in sum measure by the O Christian reader and every true member of the same were suche threason to the Catholyke faythe and to her obiect Iesus Christ as the Turcks Iews and Papists should be farr better then theye bp reason in there blynde zeale they studie and labor all they can to support there fauls religions and to gaynesay the contrarie And darest thow of what condision so ever tushe and make light of this as thoughe yt appartayned not to the God forbid Gentlemen warned of the opinions of the Anabaptists Fyrst our Englishe and Outche here howld that Christ toke not his pure fleshe of the Virgin Mary and do denie her to be his naturall mother Secondly that the Godheade was subiect to passions and to deathe wch ys Impassible Thyrdly that the infants of the faythfull ought not to be baptysed Fourthly that the soules do slepe in grave wth the bodies vntill the resurrectioÌ„ Fyfthly that Maicstrates ought not to put malefactors to deathe Sixtly they condemne all warrs and Subiects in armure in the feyld Seventhly they denyt the article of predestinatioÌ„ they denye the L. day And finally they savour moch of the opinions of fre wyll and the merit of works You se now how nedefull yt ys for men to be armed and to be strong in the fayth so wastinge and wthstode in these latter dayes to be more otenpied in prayer and scripture then of custome seinge Sathan now whettens his hornes by Gods parmission to goore the more dyrefully for our further exercise and tryall And in charitie foresee as you may that suche smothe parsons and papers do not infect the poore symple so vnable to wthstand there subtill and and paynted reasons For once stayned therewth they shall as hardly be delyvered as the intangled byrd from the lyme bushe because yt ys as a rustie cancker eatinge throw wthout recoverie by eyther gentle ople or the hard stele no nor by the flaminge fyer no more then there
pithe and substans of our Christian race is to perseuere in the fructes of repentans and in the effectes of our holy profession Let vs wthall loke wel on the compass poynt directinge to the haven that so we may steere right and howld on our course thether wards and though now and then we make pawes agaynste our wills yet let vs not therfore geve over but to the helme agayne and take better hede of our sterage puttinge on more bonets and to hoyse vp the sayles for to breake agaynst the strong and contrary tyde Now and then valiant Captaynes and Gentlemen souldiers come thether to take there pleasure amonge you whose valure and venturable servys for Prince and state deservethe the favour and good wyll of all true subiects Captaynes and Souldiers For who but they vnder God endowed wth courrage and Captaynely knowlege that must stand betwene court cittie and contrey and the cruell force or desperate assault of the enemie who but they do take there lyves in there hands and runn on the poynte of the pykes for the love of our Soverainge and commons sustayning the deadly strokes of the bullet and do thrust in a mydd the flashinge swerds and pykes who but they cowld abyde suche hunger and colde watch and be wett abyde the roringe canons and thundring culverins wth the downefall of there terrible shotts on there pates and sum tymes throw there brests or bowells besydes the lynger of paye sycknes and mortalitie These are the bowlde bullwarcks that fight and fast when you be quiet and merie at your diversitie of meates and drincks who must wake and moyle when you slepe and walke at pleasure and gladder of the courfest breade and the runninge water then many ritche be thanck full wth the finest diet and best wyne or beere Wherfore let all states and degrees esteme of serviceable Captaines Gentlemen souldiers and there trayned inferiors accordinge to there valure and demeanure vnder military discipline and lykewyse willingly wthout grudge to yeld to suche taxations and payments wch must be levied for there mayntenans to defend all against the prowde and bloddie spanyards intendinge to make ryvers of Englishe blodd yf they might But I trust the Sea shall fyrst devowre those ships and cruell companie Now you worthie servitors bothe on sea and land of suche resolution to dye vnder the sayde combatts and conflicts I beseche you sett before your eyes the moste honorable causes of your adventures wherby to be the more magnaminiouse and constant and for your better felinge of inward compforthe at the hower of your quick dispatche to were that you fight for the true honor of your moste marveylouse and mercifull God for the glory and mayntenans of the heavenly gospell of his sonn Christ for your Soveraigne Lady defendrix vnder God of the same and for your native and noble contreye her Maces dominions All these famows respects beynge graffed in your harts wth fayth and repentans for sinnes then may you valiantly marche vnder the helmet of salvation and the armure of prayer after dromme fyfe and trompett that pleasant and warlyke musike and that wth courrage and ioye wth sure trust and confidens that the Lord of hostes ys wth you and on your syde because you fyght vnder the Lords banner agaynst Antichrist and his bloddy band In the meane tyme you worthie Captayned Leyvetenants and other Gentlemen of servis se that you magnifie God and his true religion by beynge studiouse to be religiouse and Godly in lyfe wthout yeldinge to whoredom dronckennes blasphamie quarrellinge or suche lyke and to restrayne those vices asmoche as you may in others For as the strengthe of the souldier consistethe in the wysdome of the Captayne so the right cariage of souldyers is moche drawen from the good behavior of there Captaynes and guydes And in vsing of militarie correction on your poore souldiers let clemencie and good discreation be ioyned wth Justis sekinge rather to remove the causes of there mutterings then to vse severitie vp sodayne parturbations studieng no less to be favoured and loved then to be breade and feared of your companyes and finally for to bringe honor and good fame to your Princes pay aswell as credite to your selves yeld the poore creatures there due wages to buye theme victualls for there more stowt standinge in her Maiestis service wthout could quakinge or compulsion of stealinge through want therof And you that be common souldiers love your Prince obey your Captaynes be contented wth your wages avoyde filthinge and robbinge and consider what baddnes and lewdnes ys layed every where to your charge so as by your yll behavior the worthie name of a souldier is bothe lothed and shunned For what vyldnes and wyckednes is not fownd in many of you beinge cownted the skumm and dross of the world by your fornications chrietie tearinge of the bodie of Christ your stealing and murderinge to come by your pray O my contrey men I pray you waxe wery of these horrible qualities ere the shott of greate or small ordinās teare in peces your wretched carkases to make spedie passage for your impenitēt souls to be sodainly partakers of hellishe torments Repente therfore and learne to know God in steade you be thought Godless spare and saue your wages to serve your pinchinge necessities and not so horriblie to waste your money to the distruction of bodie and soule that so God may be mercifull to you in Christ And althoughe warrs be the ordinans of God and therfore is caulled the Lorde of hostes or the God of batteyls being one of his plagues due for our sinnes Of Warrs yet we are to pray hartily to God for our deliverans from warr and to obtayne peace and concorde in steade of it the terror wherof should make vs to groane and to pray wth greate longinge for the spedie comming of our redemption aswell for our seasing to sinne as for the eternall felicitie layd vp in store for vs. By the wch lawfull and happie peace our lands to be tylled our feylds and cattle to florish our sede for provision to be sowen our vyneyards planted and then to enioy the reapinge and mery harvest wth the pleasant vintage In short all to lyve vnder orders and lawes in amitie and vnitie where contrary wyse warrs and discentions forrayn or civill is moste hydeouse and fearefull full of wrathe blodd and slaughter the feylds lyenge covered wth deade carcasses citties and townes sacked and ruyned corne and graff trampled and wasted famine and hunger cryenge and lamenting on every side virgyns and wyves horriblie ravished lawes and religion nothing sett by the slave and the rascall to raynge and to triumphe over the civill and worshipfull All wch terrible skourges considered yt should make all to looke to our lyves to repent the misvse of the same to craue pardon and to saye Da pacem Domine Seing now that God doth send warrs and famine sicknes and mortalitie
Christians good ynoughe for there presens in the congregations for there thrustinge to the communion or for there bare taulke of the scriptures God bless vs from suche an hypocriticall faythe The possessors wher of stand in more nede of the terror of the law as fyrst a hammer to beate theme downe then of de gentle voyce and hand of the gospell to lyft theme vp The second cumpanie be marchant venturers and marchant retaylers who most rightly beare the name of changers in that reputable exchange changinge wares for money and money for wares Marchants And therfore our soueraigne Ladie in abolishing the fyrst title Buss and imposinge a new as ther by she had prudent consideration to tearme yt the exchange accordinge to the nature of that marchantlike trade so in greate favour she bare to it and the whole Cittie she added thereto a regall title and then tearmed it the Royall exchange God preserve and bless her Princely hart wth his grace and spirit for the further and more ample advancement of his glorie bothe in England and her wonted helpe for other troubled contreys a bowt her And the lord chāge there harts or cutt of ther bodies from the yerthe that wyshe or practys the contrarie to the pleasinge of Gogg the Pope and his Catholike kinge wth his spanishe mynes the horne of his strengthe Now that your traffyke ys hyndered navigation restrayned and your former gaynes greatly Impayred I wyshe you fyrst to acknowlege the finger of God in all this for synn and next to wey and consider of the spirituall marchantdise mencioned of in the gospell wth the hydden threasure not fownd wthout paynfull digginge and of the good marchant buyeng the preciouse pearle Implieng therby that devine rytches cannot be obtayned wthout zeale and earnest affection wthout searche and diligent sekinge and vnlest they be redemed wth the best things you affect and to esteme all other marchantdise but trifles whether from Turckie or Denice in comparison of that devine threasure And marck that no adventurers nor the secure or careless can fynd the sayde hydden threasure The Kyngdom of God must be sought ere yt can befownde therfore let the name marchant teacht all to make singuler accowmpt of spirituall and sacred things and of the gospell Sacraments readinge hearing prayeng Psalmes and songs from the hart O that we could love and regarde these preciouse pearles the supernaturall threasure hyd from the worldly hart and the gospell of Christ as they are to be estemed wch ys the gladdest news and ioyfullest tydings the light of the churche and every soule therof the preservative of the Prince and the pyller of her Kyngdom the wch beinge taken a way despised or lothed as manna was of the lothinge Iscalites yt must nedes fall out wth vs as it did on that full gorged people when the ark of God was taken from theme namely bloddie warrs hunger famine pestilences and confusions before and behynde Iff you dyd but sum tymes wey and consider this then would you be as desirouse of the continuans of the gospell by due estimation of suehe a threasure for to save and defend you from Gods wrathe as the elders of Israell coveted the presēs of the lords ark the figure therof to save theme from the Philistines who in there miserie crped out sayeng wherfore hathe the lord smitten vs let vs bringe againe the ark of Gods covenant a mongest vs that when it commeth it may save vs from the hands of our enemies And then as dagon could not stand but fall downe and breake his neck at the presens of Gods arck so can neyther the second spanishe flete the power of papists wth the indian gould be able to stand but rather flee and consume from the Quene of England and her religiouse subiects when they put this Evangelicall arck in reverēt and hartie maner betwene theme and there adversaries otherwise then the wch love and reverens yt wil be as meake a buckler at the fierce assaulte as the arck of God was to the Isralites when they there Kinge and preist were all over chrowen Secondly remember that you must be changed you know not when from your ritches from this vitall lijfe and the whole worlde vnto a nother place paynefull or Ioyfull none otherwise then the sayde preciouse pearle and hydd threasure is of price and valure wth you for the present tyme. Thinck of this and on hym that exhortethe to be changed and renewed in the inward man carefully studienge to change the owld life for a new even as you tender the changinge of this mortalitie to Immortalitie of this drudgerie beneathe to the felicitie above seing yt is written that suche as shal be burgeses there they must be so enfranchised here as to be made Kings and preists to overcom and to offer no less then Prophetts to instruct theme selves and there familie and al to shew forthe the vertues of hym that hathe caulled theme out of darckues into his marvelouse light Evill Marchants And further vnderstand that as there be honest and Godlie men of your trade so the very contrarie are bothe knowen and felt who yet marche vnder the ensigne of honest marchants and would appere as religiouse as they be covetouse or impiouse beinge as greate a scandale to that worshipfull companie as corrupt lyvers and teachers do greyve the Godlie learned in the ministerie These marchants deceyve moche by there paynted faulshode and lipp religion wherby they endamage others to inritche there estate Suche ys the choyce that these make of duplicitie and hypocrisie when they affect so little the grace of truthe and simplicitie These fellows wyll brave yt out how slender so ever they be wthin and prease to be eyther equall or higher then there betters fleinge the meane estate wch is the happiest and steale credit by other mens valure vntill they become eyther breakers or banckerers God in mercie geve suche repentans for borrowinge and dealinge wth many and to kepe towche wth few Exceptinge here nevertheles suche honest men as come to decaye neyther by the pryde of there backs wyfe nor table but by shipwrack on the sea or by trustinge the vntrustie that borrow moche and repay eyther little or nothinge But God that never chastiseth wthout cause dyd se yt tyme to correct for eyther beinge over gredie to aspire or by covetouse desyre of excessive gaynes dyd rather chuse to write there bad creditors names in there bookes then to take present pay in there purses of honest customers or otherwyse the Lord saw cowldnes and backwardnes in religion by nuszlinge to depely in the world wherby at lengthe to borrow of three and scarce to paye one Seinge then that God so sharplie correcteth suche professors as by toyles and cares retire from there religiouse affections yt ys good to pray for a contented mynde to norrishe your first love and zeale to God by all due meanes and not to suffer the
world and desyre of equalitie wth others to quenche the same and to beware of puttinge on the gay cloke of religion for any other cause then for religion yt self wch rightly possessed makes the differens betwene brute beasts and men or rather betwene devills and saincts And to invite preachers to your table more to learne of theme and to be reproved by theme nede so requiringe then to gett any fame or glorie thereby And forasmoche as marchants can hardly kepe theme selves from wronge spun sticking so fast to that trade as nayle in the wall they must bothe pray the more earnestly and say wth Job I did feare all my worcks and not to forgett that you be subiect to change and casualties and next to be thankfull for your daylie gettings lest otherwise in a tyme vnloked for you crie wth the rytch marchants of babilon alass alass for in one hower so greate ritches ys come to desolation The anabaptists do well in commendinge manuell trades and we confess it worthie of commendacion because yt ys furthest of from defylinge pitche but they fowlie err in denyenge marchandise to be Gods ordinans seinge buyenge and sellinge is one of the leggs whervpon every common welthe dothe stand for the better helpe of Prynce nobles and contrey otherwyse Abraham Iacob and the rest would not buy there lauds to bury in nor the sale of land in booze his tyme. Only the Lord requireth equitie right dealinge and ells what wch ys more commonly knowen then practysed The thrid sort be retaylers in the vpper shopps In wch place as there be honest men and auncient matrons that occupie substantiall and profitable wares to the beneficte of the buyers Retaylers so ys yt otherwyse of the rest reported But because men love better gentle admonitions then bytter vmbradings therfore I wyshe bothe yong men and reputed virgins there to wynn credit to the how 's and to theme selves by desert of better fame then is abrode and to be no less honest and chaste yong men sober damselles and virgins in dede and in proufe then they are in face and shew for to stopp the mowthes of suche yll reporters eschewinge levitie and wantonnes wth the pride of hart gate and apparell and not to sitt ydlie and gasinge about but eyther havinge leysure to be profitablie readinge or as the Apostle sayethe to labor and worck sum good thing wth there handes for there owne behoufe and others By wch yt apperethe that the holy Gost allowethe not the makinge and sellinge of badd and deceytefull things nedeles toyes for the increase of greater pryde lest God be offended To conclude God keye you from the contempt of this short and freyndly admonition and grant you his holy feare the love of true Godlynes and the hatred of all wyckednes wth carefull watche for the soveraigne Iudge so hastelie comminge to Iudge bothe quich and deade Fourthly the frenche and dutche marchants walkinge in that Royall place Strangers Moste of you be in the churche and I hope of the churche thoughe sum tymes the wolfe be wthin the fowld when the shepe ys wthout Many of your companie my self dothe know to be of as good disposition as of a sownd profession repayringe fyrst to our contrey from the rage of the enemie for the zeale you bare to Gods religion Wherfore as your churches be entituled reformed so accordinge as you be gravely instructed indever moche to refourme your lyves and maners your dedes and actions bothe husbands and wyves after the doctryne and order of a reformed church wherby to draw credite and more reverēt estimatiō to those large assemblies for the honor of the gospel and to avoyde the gevinge of offens to the slāder of the same and the dscredit of the churches in London and ells where otherwise thē this careful watch looke for nothing but a more heavie iudgement to light on your heades then on theme that want the good meane you have And as for suche strangers as be wthout the zeale of Gods honor and the care to lyve vertuousely suche as be vnsaciable rakers of rytches hynderers of the poore and servers of there belly more then of God the Lord purge the churche of suche Hypocrites yf any of those be amongest you And the others that have as little vnion or communion wth you but be eyther papists anabaptists or open atheists God change theme from cittie and contrey Wyshinge bothe prentices and other youthes of the Cittie bearinge grudge and yll will to religiouse strangers to purge there harts of all former malys and to favour theme whome bothe God and Prince dothe expressly so commande as Levit 19. Yf A stranger dwell with you in your land you shall not vex hym but he shall be as one of your soules and thow shalt lobe hyn as thy self Fyfthlie sum new Saduces and libertynes now and then do trepe and walke in the middest of you Sadduceans as Iob sayeth that sathā commes a monge Gods children The wch deade soule parsons vnder vitall lyfe proclaymes warninge for all that woulde lyve wth Christ Iesus to avoyde there fearefull estate and dambnable opinions no less then ovr bodies do shunn the poyson of spiders And seinge the Lorde hathe given over suche vnbelevers of the generall resurrection to the power of sathan exceptinge the saide vitall lyfe reserved longer for a fuller measure of there extreme iniquitie wherby to be chayned in there hellyshe inheritans I wishe and exhorte every worshipper of God possessinge the hope of our ioyfull rysinge agayne bothe to pray and to reade moche for to be rooted in a present and lyvely felinge of a greater confidens of that gladsome resurrection bothe to mitigate all worldly greyfes and the better to seale Gods eternall election wthin there harts And no less to beware of there copartners and staggeringe disciples neyther wholie wth theme nor flattly against theme but waveringe betwene bothe because the ladder of there rude reason ys not long ynoughe to reache to suche an highe misterie lyke the anabaptists denienge the humanitie of Christ to come from his mother because there shallow reason can not reache how then he cowld be wthout synn Therfore as the one reiectethe the true Christ professinge another wth his flesh from ells where so our new Saduces blott out from there harts all maner of thought of that moste terrible and ioyfull day of the Lorde studienge for no more then to eate drynck and be mery vntill to morrow they dye as the brute oxe thoughe not so well To the wch myschefe they are come by voluptuouse securitie wth the neglect or contempt of Gods worde and so be insnared wth darch and deadly dowtes in this light of the gospell These staggerers wth there grand Captaynes do call Gods providēs and his regiment over all into question aswell as the rysinge of our bodies as thus how can there be an outstretched providens from God above to vs
grād mother Ione Butcher could thereby be reclaymed And therefore yt ys wyshed that neyther tortures nor violens to be vsed yf aucthoritie so please to there bodies otherwyse then bannishement out of those contreyes by reason our noble Prince Iudges nor state should not be so reputed of wth suche hard tearmes of Anabaptists and others as I on loth here to express and allreadie greved to heare what I deareby occasion of report that one of this Englysh company ys shortly lyke to die beinge presoner at Norwych Besides that there pertinacie and desperate resolution to suffer for there bad causes will intice the ignorant not only to thinck that there outtagiouse zoyle is a sanctified zeale proper onlie to the true martyrs but lykewise to dowte the more of the Christian faythe and so make there diabolicall bowldnes to appere an holie suffringe and right martyrdome where yt ys rather a stronge delusion of Sathan who mightilie begyleth therby for as Christ in these xvj hundred peres space hathe had moste holie and constant martyrs in his churche so the devill as an ape imitatinge every good thinge in the sayde church hathe lykewyse many fauls and rashe headed sufferers in his malignant churche in all ages and now ys evident by the bowld Iesuttes chusinge rather stubbernlie to die in the defens of there abhominations then to lyve in the Catholyke faythe by cravinge pardon of the Prince for there tryed threasons Baulls preists suffred moche in there devillishe zeale to there fauls Gods whē they so lawnced skorched there fleshe to the bones wth there kuyves Did not Kinge Manasses in a wicked zeale cause his sonnes to pass throw the fyer Besydes the hardynes of the Iacobins that slew the late Frēche kinge and that desperat murderer committinge the lyke to the Prince of Orrenge who thoughe his fleshe by gobbets was nipt of wth burnynge pyncheons yet that greved hym not when he was could the Prince was dispatched The same subtill spirit that wrought then will no dowre worck the lyke giddines and self blodshed in the Anabaptists But true martyrdome is a witnessinge by voyce and deathe for the defens of the three gloriouse parsons in one God and for the mayntenans of Christ his debinitie and Immanitie in one parson and for his gloriouse gospell sake I esteme suche kind of sufferers no better then they that be aucthors of there owne death St. Peter sayethe yf anie man suffir let hym suffer as a Christian and not as an evill doer I wysh suche to thinck on Hackett his frantyke zeale lately executed in cheapsyde since whose vilde death manie a good Christian have bene no less vmbraded and reproched then the sacred discipline mocked and despised To conclude let vs confess the gospell entierlie in yt fullnes and to the deathe stand to that Christ hathe the substans of God and the substans of man of hym selfe from above and of David here beneathe yet spottless of our gilte And therfore let vs solace our selves wth these words in the tenn of the Hebr. Seinge therfore brethern that by the blodd of Iesus we may be bowld to enter into the holye place by the new and lyvinge waye wch he hathe prepared for vs throw the vaile that ys his fleshe Wherein we se that the fleshe of Christ dothe shew vs his devinitie as hidden vnder a vayle wch otherwise we could not indure to behowld that splendor and glorie by the wch vaile we are directed and ledd vnto God as he sayeth in Iohn xij He that seythe me seythe hym that sent me Wherfore o heavie and faythfull hart vnder the burden of synn chere vp thy self for asmoche as our heavenlie father dothe graciousely and frelie Impute Christ his righteousenes vnto vs for to geve vs lyfe eternall in that he behowldeth vs not in our selves but in his sonn as contrarie wyse he strykinge hym our redemer for vs and behouldinge vs in hym dyd exempt vs from hell and condembnation The wch imputation of righteousenes commes not to vs by anie mixture of his vnspotted humanitie wth ours so spotted but by the vertu of his spirit he ys in suche sort vnited so nere vnto those that apprehend hym by faythe as he and they be one bodie spirituallie Ioyned for the substants of bodie and soule have nothinge commune wth this spirituall mariage but rather we are made his vnder the vertu of this vnton by fre Imputacion as lykewyse by Imputacion he and all his threasures are ours wch ys confirmed to the faythefull lovinge and fearinge God in the supper eate cōpfortablie of this meate as also by readinge marckinge and applieng And seke out these texts to strengthen thy self and others namely how Christ ys caulled the sone of God and the sonn of man to have a father in heaven and a mother in yerthe A child and a sonn to be borne and geven vs. The word was God and was made fleshe Tearmed the Sede of David and the sonn of David Christ descended from the fathers after the fleshe He was in the fourme of God and in the fourme of a servant And in sondry places caulled the sonn of Mary David his lorde no less then Davids sonn a woman compassed a man Christ as a man dyd eate drinck slepe was wery and veryly died And he bothe God and man walked on the sea and caused the deade to come out of the grave he ys Alpha and Omega the rote of David and the generation of David wch ys playne two natures God and man May I not say now wth the Apostle O ye folishe and fonde conceyted Anabaptists who hathe bewitched you To denie this cheyfe article the sowndation of our Christian faythe and the end of our salvation God mollifie your hard harts and make vs hartilie thanckfull for his truthe to vs revealed beinge our soveraigne happines yf yt be preciouselie estemed and not slenderly regarded or cowldly professed It behoves the Godly bothe in the Exchange cittie and contrey to reade and to make more estimation of reading of the scripture and the devine consequēces from the same that as you take tymes there for buyenge and sellinge walkinge and communing so in Gods behaulf and your owne to observe the tymes of reading prayenge hearinge and of praysinge the Lorde consideringe the Apostle sayeth geve attendans to readinge aswell as to exhortation and doctrine And note that fructeless reading of vayne books from prophane aucthors is as hurtfull as necgligent hearinge of the worde ys vnprofitable The right vse of wch two vertues ys to be traved of God the one publykely by the office of the eare and the other privat by vse of the eye and tounge and bothe to be nothinge wthout the will mynde and affection Better therefore ys a short and diligent readinge now and then wth good attencion then to turn manie leaves wth small regard and less apprehētion The holie Ghosts in mercy open oure eares dispose our harts and guyde our tongs to these