and by consequent the very Sonne of man that the two natures remaine distinct wth that wch ys proper to theme and yet to be but one Christ beinge hym self God-man that ys Man-god and yet notwthstandinge his Deitie ys not his humanitie nor his humanitie is not his Deitie This beinge moste true it followth that the proprieties of the humanitie as to be borne to eate drinch to die and to be buried ought to be attributed to God I meane the second parson and yet not simplie according to his Devinitie but in asmoche as he ys God-man and on the other syde that wch is proper to god may be attributed to this man as to be the Sonne of God eternall almightie and to be ever all not simplie in his humanitie but in asmoche as he ys Man-God The wch scripturely speche S. Paul vseth thus that the God of glory was crucified agayne that God redemed the church by his blodd and S. Luke sayeth that wch was conceyved in the wombe of the Virgin was the Sonne of the most highe and therfore yt may be sayde that Marie was the Mother of God in asmoche as he was Man-god That yf he wch was so conceyved and borne were not verie God how should he be our saviour and yf the same were so spoken in regard of his Deitie what maner of Deitie should that be to take his Deitie in the Virgins wombe As on the other side all the suffrings attributed to the only Sonn of God ought to be also vnderstode in asmoche as he is God-man and not simplie after his Deitie distinctlie considered in wch regard the Apostle dothe not barely saye that God was visible but addeth in his flesh And S. Iohn confesseth not simply to have sene the glory of the word but therto addeth the worde was made fleshe S. Peter speakinge of his fuffrings sayeth not simplie for as moch as Christ hathe suffred but addethe in the fleshe wch was nedefull for our salvation because he ys Man-god that suffred and not simplie God For a conclusion yt ys God-man that hathe fought and suffred in his humanitie and yt ys the Man-god wch hathe conquered by his Devinitie To the Anabaptist T.M. prisonner at Norwch SOm loving brother signifie vnto hym Fyrst he so soddanly stepping from his spirituall mother to a new stepdame reiecting the swete foode of the one and lickinge vp the poyson of the other that therefore his suffringe ys as compforthless as yt ys wshe and perilouse not only in regard of his badd opinions but in iustifienge his horrile errors and yll cause of bare 80. yeres continuans he condemnethe the vniversall churche consistinge on the faythfull Sede of Abraham in all quarters of the world frustratinge the preachinge of the gospell and Sacraments in all congregations before and after that tyme and deprivinge all martyrs sithens the comminge of Iesus Christ frome the hope of there salvation by grace and martyrdome Wyshinge that as he ought to distinguishe betwene true martyrdome and fauls so to discerne betwene the seared consciens from the malignant spirit and the salutiferous consciens from the holy Spirit the one gloriousely paintinge an evill cause by his subtill elippinge and wrest of scripture throw the wch he eubowldeneth the erringe and presumptuouse hart to suffer for error and the other revealinge the simple truthe by playne recorde of the worde of truthe no less rightlie illumininge then as trulie sanctifieng and compfortinge humblinge and mekeninge vntill Ioyfull and constant suffring the voice of Gods people being the voice of God crieng Amen to the same I am in feare that he and suche of my contreymen be more infected wth arrogant knowlege then by grace sanctifyed wth faythfull humblenes And let hym learne a lesson of the penitent theyse suffringe wth our savior for as the one in his desperat howldnes capled on Christ sayenge yf thow he that Christ save thy self and vs so the other humbled and fearinge God rebuked hym and there wth made suche a lyvely confession of Christ to be God and man as those herpticks may tremble at Gods greate iudgements for comminge so short or rather to be contrarie to the same Fyrst he caulled hym Lorde and prayed vnto hym as God the bringer of soules to his Kyngdom and next he caulled hym man sayeng this man hathe donn nothinge worthie of death wch was as excellent a confession as yt was a miraculouse conversion A rude ignorant theyfe of so wycked a lyfe as moch vnacquainted wth learning as wth vertu to make suche a sownd confession as yt may beseme you and your betters to esteme hym a holy Patterne to follow beinge therein nothing behynd Peter and the rest of the Apostles so longe tyme taught of there mayster Wherefore two fowld presoner and the rest in lyke bonds here at libertie advowchinge that the corporall eyes and hands of the Apostles saw and felt the incomprehencible Devinitie and that the same was deade in yt self and buried I pray you tell me fyrst in the parson of a man consistinge on a terrestiall and spirituall substans could ever his soule be eyther sene or felt in the handlinge of hym and will you not moche more confess that the Apostles cowld neyther se nor fele the gloriouse Devinitie of Christ so wth houlding yt self vnder the tabernacle of his bodie next tell me what glorie Maiestie brightnes or Kyngly estate dyd this poore theyfe se wth his corporall eyes in one so base and so vildly crucifyed at that tyme he neyther saw that splendor and glory as the Apostles dyd at his transfiguration nor the heavens open as Iohn dyd when Christ was baptised and thridly tell me how be saw hym to be his Lorde and God able to further hym to his Kyngdom and glory who was in the same reproche and ignominie wth hym and his fellow surely he had other clerer eyes to se God vnder the vayle of his flesh then yet ys granted to you Anabaptists even spirituall eyes and the inward sight of the hart Deceyve not your selves in sayenge that you confess Christ to be God and man when yt ys nothing so in averitie but rather vnder a clowd because yt ys wth this addition that he ys the celestiall Sede of the father or as may destone sayeth a man come from heaven Yf a fauls Christ be not fownd amonge the Anabaptists I know not where ells And what true peace of consciens can you have in suffringe for suche a forged Christ as the true Christ fore warnethe vs to be ware of and not to beleve Dare you confess that the soule of a man when the bodie is deade and buryed ys a lyve as yt ys in dede and yet will blasphemousely say that the God head of Christ dyed when his humane nature only was subiect to deathe when a man hanges on the geobet we comprehend bothe bodie and soule in sayeng the man ys hanged the man ys dead or thus the man eateth drincketh slepeth all wch ys true towching the parson of man but when we speake distinctly of the natures then neyther dothe the soule dye nor ys buried neyther eateth drincketh nor slepeth Further way and consider you Anabaptists whether you be the only spowze of Christ and the spirituall sede of Abraham specifyed to be lyke in nomber to the starrs of heaven or to the dust of the perthe or whether to you alone and to uone other churches the graces and giftes of the holy Ghoste were fyrst and last geven sythens Pentecost or whether so many thowsand martyrs sithens Christ his assention dyed in the Anabaptisticall fayth or in ours and whether yt was you that S. Iohn beheld so greate a multitude wch no men could nomber of all nations that stode before the Lambe yf you so thinck you arrogantly err wth the papists and arrians and asmoch deceive your selves as maliciousely accuse vs and the whole churche of God reiectinge you and your vilde opinions sythens the fyrst hatchinge therof by your grandsire Storck You seke to enclose the church wth in your straight corners as a childe that would lathe the whole sea into a little hole or as the papists that impryson Christ his Royall bodie in there wafer cake God open your eyes Lykewyse you my contreymen of another kynd and company removing from campion to Norden and from thence to Amsterdom and now miserably rent devided and scattered here and there Nordeners who though you howld the fundamentall poynts of our fayth wth affection to good things yet yt ys wth an vntempered zeale vnder moch weakenes contencions and discentions ioyned wth overwening and wrangling wherby you have brused the tender reedes quenched the smoking flaxe and driven sum into labarinthes and others into fowle errors God touche your harts to be warned by there perrylls and not by singularitie to fall wth them into suche errors to be less loftie and more lowly to esteme better of Gods churches abowte you and to bragg less of your owne wthout Pastor and sacraments for these 3. peres And the Lorde geve you repentans for the want of love yeare concorde and humilitie the lack wherof ys the cause you rather destroy then buylde marr then make scatter then gather Wherfore you se what your busie and vnskyllfull medling wth the discipline commes to So that as yt ys not fitt for little children to handle sharp edged tooles evenso as vnfitt for vnexperienced youthes to deale wth the hâ—â—es of opening and shutting of byndinge and loosinge and wth the sharpe swerde of excommunication a worck more beseminge grave and wyse heades vnder more stayednes then you of suche rashenes and vnadvysednes mowntinge above all churches I spare particularities The Lorde bless you and vs all wth wysdome and grace Amen FINIS
Royall exchange To suche worshipfull Citezins Marchants Gentlemen and other occupiers of the contrey as resorte therunto Try to retaine Or send back agayne The contents ys after the Preface Sene and allowed here AT HARLEM Printed wth Gylis Romaen M.D.XCVII To the worshipful and grave Cittizin of London Mr. A. T. wth others of my lovinge acquayntans in the Royall Exchange grace and peace wyshed to be compfortablie felt bothe in lyfe and at the instant of deathe through Iesus Christ our Lord accordinge to Moyses the Psalmes and the Prophetts Amen NEyther sea particion nor distans of plase cann be anye lawfull excuse to be so silent here as absent there but rather the bonde of love considered wth remembrans of your gentle favour I dare no longer refrayne my penn but as to sum I wrote the last Septēber so thus printed to you and the rest of my freynds this December Whervnto as I am sturred by dent of Christian dutie and the fullfillinge of the oulde proverbe Better to late then never so I trust your approved curtesies wyl requite that sayenge wth a nother as auncient foone ynoughe yf well ynoughe Knowinge that you accept aswell the playne and wel meaninge as of eyther gloriouse words or eloquent writinge Otherwise I conceyve not how this small valure to yours over valuynge can eyther be soone ynoughe or well ynoughe By whose acceptation God grant bothe the many wryters and the few readers of this age no less to abhor the ticklinge and erringe pēne the ytchinge eare and flatteringe tounge for glori or gayne then to be only gladd vnder assurans the searcher of thoughts dothe se so clerely the depthe and intent of harts whether guyded by devyne grace or moved by corrupted nature Wherfore seinge every good gyft as preachinge writinge edifying speches or the woreks of charptie procedinge from learned or vnlearned cōmes from the Lorde I wyshe suche good instrumēts possessing honest lyfe wth there rare gyfts to reioyce and be gratefull for beinge the mowthe or hand of God so mercifully chusinge theme to be vessells for his glorie furtherouse to his churche and profitable membres for the commune welthe And greate reason they should do so seinge good teachers and famouse writers on the one syde labor to wynn Disciples to Iesus Christ and not to theme selves vndergoinge there greate paynes throw love and good conscyens to beneficte many and not for the expect of any vayne glorye And on the other syde the godly rytche to reioyce for that by the visible word and invisible grace they be taught to add St. Iames worcks wth St. Pauls faythe cōcording theme to gethers by there words and practys as vnseperable companions in steade the greater forte by there cowld charitie and careles lyves seme to rent theme a sunder the wch in dede ys more vnpossible then to devyde heate from the sonne or shaddow from the bodie For as the one iustifiethe before men here on yerthe so dothe the other before Gods trybunall seate in heaven the wch worcks of Gods children of what qualitie or quātitie soever are to be considered as the effects from the cause whether the hand in gevinge the toung in speakyng the pēn in writinge or the hart in longinge to do more or better all wch as obedyent daughters do wayte and attend in there degrees on there mother faythe the very apprehēdinge instrumēt of Iesus Christ God and man and the hyddē roote gevinge ioyce and sapp to the manifould brāches of the lords trees farr or nere or whether more or less as the provident God hathe appoynted And yet the least portion of this faythe dyscearned by her effects ys ynouhe to attaine to the endless crowne of glory So graciouse ys our God in acceptinge the readines of willinge where wantethe the habilitie of doinge My worsipfull bretherne you know there be many goodlye trees now a dayes in the wyde orchard of this worlde eyther out or but only in and not of Christ his lyttle garden who beare grene leaves and fayre blossomes but alack eyther smale fruict or none at all and that by a wronge vnderstandinge of the compfortable article of iustification of faythe presuminge there by to be that they are not to have that they want and to obtayne that they shall not vnlest they do better reconsyle St. Paules faythe and St. Iames worcks to gether wherby to reiect there sauls hope for to be saved vp there naked and bare faythe wch the Apostle compares to a deade corps wthout the spirit more fytt for the low grave then for the vpper grownd But blessed ys that tree planted by the watersyde of Gods spirit and word wch bringeth for the her fructe in due season As though fruicts out of season be rather vnsavery then pleasāt or sauery as they are in dede not only the worcks of our present Papists and Aunabaptists the one wthout faythe and the other as voyde of the true Christ but suche persons as be neyther of bothe that is neglecters of the worde absenters from the Sermons followers of there pleasures prorogers of charitable and compassionat duties vntill there death when they are de prived of the vse of there goods And yet I grant to sum yt ys a seasonable tyme by suche as were so exercised in there life and wthout superstitiouse meanyng at there decease Otherwise question leff it ys out of season For now ys the tyme vnder lyfe to help one another by praper cowncell gevinge or lendinge but when soule or breathe ys gon neyther angells nor Apostles can geve any help or remidie The poore may say to sum ritche in these dayes aswell as in former tymes by funerall aulmes gathamercy deathe as the hostes reckonyng wth her gest less willinge to lodge in her how 's then his tyred horse made low curtesy in the mornynge to the beaste and seyde gathamercy horse foryf thow haddest not bene tyred thy Mt. had not brought me this money Luke as these prorogers of wel doinge having wherwth are here iustly reproved so the right vsers of Gods blessinghs in tyme oportune are to be cōmended and God for there liberall hand to be praysed and magnified Wherfore fyrst let Stuards of larger portions make proufe to theme selves ād to others of there savinge faythe worckinge by charitie and that in due tyme whether yt be in gevinge therefully or by lendinge to the godly poore in the pinche of extremetie or by doore aulmes to the commune miserable and hungerie without this coulde and vsuall forewell God help you Next let men of meaner degre spare sum excess and vn necessarie expences for to follow the good example of there betters And lastly the meanest of all wantinge corporall habilitie let theme lykewyse approve there faythe to be moving and justifieng by the works of the spirit as true love and zeale to Gods glorie earnest affectiō to Gods worde and veritie pitifull and mercifull harts the thyrst and hunger of well doinge
haue you now ād then conveniēt leysure to talke and cōferr betwene those pillers of the omnipotent ād allseinge God of religiō and good lyfe so necessarie at all seasons but in especial now whē the sweerde of Gods iustis semes to be shaken over you there aswell as vs here threatnyng direfull warrs famyne confusion of good order and strange sycknesses by wch the lōg suffering God will haue his hand to be selt when his gentle voyce cannot be hearde wherby bothe prowd and dissolute flesh to stowpe and to stād in dreade of hym so wilfully refusinge to serve ād obey hym The screptures geves no libertie nor exēptethe persō nor plase to be silēt of Godād his glorie moche less to be prophanly occupied but rather byndethe sum devine exercise in convenient measure every where As whether you eate or drinck or what soever you do etc. Lykewise in all tymes and places the texts you know wel ynouge for knowlege is rife the lord grant grace and vertu therwth to habownde To come now to perticulers Aldermen and first to begyn wth the right worshipfull Aldermen of the citie repayringe thether wth there fellow bretherne aswell on cittie causes as for there private To the wch the blessinge of compforthe and happie succeff ys due if God to those ends be first craved ād his deserved glory advanced by reyellinge of inturiouse sutes ād defēdinge the poore innocēts Then are they two fowld rytche and happie wthin and wthout and most worthy of dowble honor as ys required of the elders of the churche that lyve and governe well But no more of that whose grave and worshipfull persons as they do no less dignifie that plase and greate companie then dutifullie procure the reverens of all evenso they addinge there religiouse affections wth there fatherly indevers to better there well doyngs in due season yt shall wynn general love and lovinge harts besydes Gods perpetuall blessinge and favoure and when they are gon as generall prayses to hym for there Iustis pietie and equitie and for there redress of that wch ys contrarie The wch ys farr more of valure then all gyfts and bequests they leave behynde theme Salomon sayeth better ys a good name then moche rytches the wch St. Paul estemeth as dunge in respect to wynn Iesus Christ whyle he ys to bewonne that ys to daye and therfore he willeth to do good while time ys For if there predecessors in the dayes of suche ignorans were so diligent to draw credit to there popishe mass ād idolatrouse trashe how moche more wthout cōparison ought those worshipfull elders beget love and credite in this brightnes of the gospel first to Gods truthe professed by theme and next to there caullings and persons And seing the remembrans of deathe dothe moche further the reforminge of lyfe I wyshe bothe the exchange cytie and contrey to think often on the waddē horse or foure foted bere so sodaynly comminge from other mens doores to theires wthout gevinge of fore knowlege and to carie thē a waye for ever and ever on four mēs shoulders from there warme and lightsome habitations to the cowld and clapeshe māsions and from there pleasant cōpanie of wife childrē and familie to the fellowship of gredie ād crawlinge wormes inobscuritie next to bethinck on the wayters and attenders on there immortall soules at the departure from there carnall coffyns to a better or worce place beinge either the angells of light or the ministers of darckenes as yt fell out on Lazarus ād dives to cōducte theme to incogitable pleasure or to tearmless terror The remembrans of this tragedie will verylie instructe the faythful reader to watche and praye to be oft ner at fructeful Sermons wth purpose of practis to abate pryde and superfluitie to bestow the more where there ys necessitie to be as warie of the world as of a familier traytor breifly to regard better the worcks of mercie in due season seinge yt is written iudgement wthout mercie shal be to theme that will shew no mercie And here I wyshe you bannishe from your tables suche Atheists and machivells as be the Devills scicophants and trencher slaves to make men laughe at there tushinge and scoffinge of religiouse matters beinge so emptie of the grace of wepinge for there intollerable synnes Wherfore as your worshipfull tables be for a better companie so let your doores and portalls in lyfe tyme and not the churche porche after death be your almeries and sede grownd for the increase of yerthly and celestiall fructe and let your gates be knowen the place where you lend to the lord that trustie pay maister and moste highest threasurer who repayeth more then tenn thowsand for the hundred and vouchsafe to loke to the poore howshould of faythe in a nother place and after a better sorte for that they be a shamed in there nede to come to your doores or to begg in the strete whose prayers and prayses is more odoriferouse and acceptable before the lorde then all sumpteouse funeralls how gloriouse soever coveringe rotten bones and wthout any avayle to there departed soules Neyther condembninge here nor prevelie checkinge worshipfull and semely order then accordinge to the degrees of persons but the excess and wastefull spendinge of Gods creatures bothe in lyfe and deathe the wch beinge not yours absolutely to bestow theme as you list but the lords and that lent you his constituted bayliffes for your selves and others you shall surely answere and make accowmpte for the lavess and msspendinge of your maysters goods as the vnrighteouse Stuard was put out of office for the same faulte This abuse amended vp the vertu of Gods grace herevnto a nexed then by your workinge faythe ye provide after deathe to haue an heavenly habitacion as that worldly wyse Stuard providid for an earthly when he should be cast out for the wch providens to instruct others the lord commended hym accordinge to the maner of men and not his vnrighteouse dealinge Thus doinge you prove religiouse and profess religion for religion sake and not for sum other thinge as sum persons do the ministerie more for the lyvinge sake them for Gods glorie then are you right Royall exchangers changed from an ould into a new nature and from followinge your owne wylls to obeye the wyll of the lord your God And for the spedier practys of suche desyred duties I wyshe the preachers in cyttie and contrey to forbeare for a tyme St. Paul his swete doctrine of iustification of faythe and a nother while to take in hande S. Iames and his iustification of worcks so rarely seene who never the less asmoche confirmethe his fellow Apostles doctrine in that heavenly article proper to the greved and humbled soule as he terrifiethe the presumpteouse and careles liver whose fayth he compares to the faythe of tremblinge devills as appereth by there destitution of zeale to Gods glorie or brotherly love and compassion and yet thinck theme stlves
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
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
in the gospell Blessed are the poore in spirit The wch noble vertu ought to be desirable to Lords ladies and the greatest Threasurers in the world That yf by grace thow haste the rytches of the soule be never ashamed nor greved but rather humbled at the povertie of thy bodie For thy head and Captayne was poore in his byrthe in his lyfe and death and previe to thie base estate because he in wysdome ordayned yt so sayeng by his servant St. Iohn I know thy tribulation paciens and povertie And you worshipfull ritche yt ys rather Christian honor then any dishonor to your degrees for to have now and then suche Godly poore at your tables to be made partakers of Gods creatures wth you as havinge sum interest in theme and so to distinguish betwene the Lords speciall poore and the prophane poore and bothe to be succoured for his sake Sum Printers and stacioners at certayne tymes haue there meting there and therfore are wthin the compass of this freyndly gretinge Prynters Fyrst I acknowledge the Arte to be moste profitable excellent and necessarie for church and common welthe and God highly to be praysed for revealinge that synguler knowledge vnto mē and also to be prayed vnto for less abuse and more right vse of the same by Printinge and fellinge suche good bookes grownded on scripture as in crease knowledge vertu and the feare of God no less then for the mayntenans of laws and civill order But as the greate nomber of Printers haue compiled more bookes then men haue braynes to conceyue memories to retayne or money to buy so the multitude of there worcks over dulleth and burdeneth and ys a greate stopp to the best and fittist readings And therfore for the better vtterās of so many ydle bookes in shopps and stalls me thincks in good pollicie the wyse and worshipfull sorte of that compame might do well to procure a staye and sum rest to be had for there over werped presses but especially for mens weake memories For manie vnhappie wytts practys to followe good writers and to the greate hurt of the churche do make huge heapes or cartlodes of fond and folyshe bookes from the wch fault I esteme the Godly Printer to be free and therfore he hym self ys to be well estemed of as his good travell and labor to be commended But suche of that caullinge in my natyve contrey as haue neyther care nor consciēs to print and publishe vayne and vnprofitable prophane and hurtfull pamphletes to the offens of God and men fillinge the peoples heades emptieng there purses wth the abuse of there eyes and eares by there fables or skossinge devices are bothe to be reproved and restrayned For as God hathe his holy and learned servants in citties and contreyes that studie and penne forthe worthie worcks for his glorie and to the benefirt of his church so the devill hathe his seducing secretaries or pennslaves in secret corners to serve the humors of suche had instruments and the affections of rude readers I have knowen in Powles churche yarde sum perilouse aswell as popish and supersticiouse bookes sould previly to the yll disposed by suche as I pray God to geue theme true repentans Shipmaisters and maryners of good interest in the exchang you also be nedefull members for Prynce people and state venturinge your ships goods and lyves by transporting of commodities from sundry contreyes and nations behowldinge more plentie of Gods wonderfull worcks his corrections and deliverances his helpe at a pinche to sum and his sodaine and corporall Iustis to others and therfore the more bownd to dread and feare hym as a Iudge and Lord to obey hym as our soveraigne mayster and to loue hym as a favorable father who returninge you saufe to contrey wyfe and acquayntants Marytiers then as Noye escapinge the greate flod dyd buyld an alter and offred to the Lorde so you to offer hartie thancks to reioyce and to lyve in good order to stand still on your watch and to remember that you must to the Sea agayne to abyde all tydes and weather For they that serve the Lorde and avoyde ryot in the quyet haven shall surely be hearde and helped in the tyme of storme In all my tyme on seaboorde the Lords greate schoule howse as I have knowen nōbers that were of another disposition so I trust the tyme hath not changed you yet lyvinge as yt hathe donn sum others changinge lyke the moone The Sea was the fyrst correctinge preacher for the space of xvj yeres wch caulled me from moche follie and that gave sum entrans to know and feare the Lord and therfore amongst so many learned and lyvinge preachers blessed be his name for the Sea my dumbe and fearefull teacher in wch navigable arte I spent the pryme of myne peres when schole had bene more firt yf habilitie had served wch will not suffer me to forget that wch I would you ever to remember namely that God is merveylouse in all his worcks and worthie to be moche thought on in your Sea stormes swellinge waves cross tydes dangerouse races longe travers in contrarie wynds the ship on hull the heline on lee full hawse in tumbling roades when shipwrack is fearedwthout fast howld of cable and aricker stepeless and fearefull nights fower beere and beanes ofte tymes in steade of byskett cowld watches and wett clothes paynefull and pumpinge leakes hale bollinge to double the poynt a luff from the rock rowmer from the sand steere at an yuch or miss the haven a fogg at the entrans storme and bellow on poope besyde myne acquayntans wth your sprung masts torne sales from the parde and suche lyke quicknings to draw all maryners nere vnto God or to harden theme further of to the devill as schollers eyther bettered or made worce by correction for as sum roote of Godlynes draweth the Godly to be more Godly so that begon roote not beinge norrished as fyer wth wodd yt becomes weaker and vanisheth at lengthe tyll they be sylthie and more fylthie yea a traytor to all goodnes as Iudas to his mayster Wherfore lovinge mates and bretherne bethinck that the crowne of glorie is set forthe vnto vs neyther in the beginninge nor in the middest but in the end of the race Sathan and flesh cast many blocks in our way not alone to hynder vs from the holy parseverans after we haue runnthe greater part of the waye but sumtymes to breake of sodaynly mens good begynnings Our cheyfe stryving must be for parseverans and the same wth good courage for the crowne that we strive and labor for ys worthie of running The Apostle to Timoth. sayeth continew thow in the things wch thow haste learned And the Hebr. sayeth that we are made partakers of Christ yf we kepe sure vnto the end that begynninge wherewth we are vpho wlden Let vs then learne to complaine agaynste the burden of our corruptions for that they hynder our marchinge forwards vnto goodnes For the
changers Cytezins and contrey to stande on there garde seinge this mercyless lyon vnder Angelical shew lyeth in previe wayt to catch and intrapp at every turne But thow tremblinge and fearefull Christian throwen downe by the felinge of thy synne no less desirouse to be freed from the burden therof then afrayed to offend the Lord thy God be thow of good chere wthout tormenting of thy felinge consciens forasmoche as by fayth and grace Sathan hathe no part nor portion in the hating and shunninge synne but rather on theme that love and frequent synne seinge Iesus Christ wthout all stayne of synn became synn for the that ys toke on hym thy sinnfull deserts even vndergoinge the torments of hell and deathe in his blessed body and soule for thy sake and thy moste happie deliverans from bothe therfore be not only daylie and hartilie thanckfull for this expiation of thy sinn but butifully watche and pray agaynst the dreggs and remnants of sinn lefte in the for to stryve and fyght to the end Although the strengthe and forte therof was broken I saye by Christ and fastned to his cross to the everlastinge compforthe of all suche as love and feare the Lord and be lothe to offend hym by there synne Husbands and wyves of all sorts lykewyse have there pleasurable walkinge there at convenient tymes whose honorable estate so dignified by the Sonne of God I must not forgette but put you in mynd of that famouse vnion ordayned of hym that is two in one fleshe and therefore to be of one mynde in the Lorde and for theme selves Mariage And generally yt must putt all the faythfull in remembrans of the more happie vnion and moste blessed mariage betwene Iesus Christ and his churche and every soule of his electe therein beinge an vnseparable bonde and knytt faster then all bonds amonge men and a love beyond all loves for so gloriouse and Princely a spowze to take and imbrase so poore and meane an espowzes even the highest to abase hym self to the lowest O memorable love and humilitie deservinge all prayse and obedyens in all faythfull parsons bothe maryed and vnmaried And as neyther water nor any flodds are able to quenche or to drowne this love so let neyther carnall love in the one nor love of the world in the other be ever able to quenche or to drowne there love and lovely harts to this our true lover the fowntayne of all love St Iohn sayeth he that loveth not knowth not God for as the ignorans of God is the cause why he ys not loved so the knowledge of God producethe love to hym and therfore so farr do we love God as we know God whereby yt ys playne that they who seke not to know God can neyther truely nor rightly love hym And I have noted sum tymes in men and wemen who never opened booke that the love of God was more shed abrode in there harts then in many that are puffed vp wth wynde knowledge Hartilie wishinge maryed folkes no less to mark and disgest then to reade the words of the Apostle in caullinge on man and wyfe to love one a nother by example of Christ his incomparable love to his churche in that he gave hym self for yt clensed and sanctifyed yt Then would yt in crease there affections and abate there discentions and generally make bothe theme the better to love one another and all others of that mysticall bodie to reioyce and be tenfowld more thanckfull for that spirituall coniunction namely that beggers bratts of no reputacion to be maryed and cowpled to suche a heavenly husband whome the 45. Psa tearmeth a Quene sayenge vpon thy right hand ys the Quene in a vesture of gould and the canticles speaking of Christ his love to his churche and people sayeth his lefte hand ys vnder my heade and his right hand dothe imbrase me wch mariageable tearmes by the holy Ghoste teacheth all but more specially husbands and wyves to be so lyncked in love as to lyve and love to gethers most affectionatly and lovingly wthout eyther seperation of bodies disiunction of mynds or to lyve vnder iarrs and contencions to gethers to the seperation of God and Christ from sum suche harts and howses in London as my self and others have bene weryed and greved in laboringe for peace But you Christian yokefellows of a contrary disposition I wyshe you by discreation and good watche to beware of suche fearefull discords doinge your best to love styll and to increase in love For as love ys the capitall affection in men and wemen so the effects therof ys most vehemēt as ys confirmed by Christ his words where a mans threasure ys there is his hart that is yf God be our heavenly threasure then ys our love a bove wth hym yf maried folkes be corporal threasures one to the other then the love and affection spreadeth accordingly as we se perthly mynded men have there love on yerthly things You that be maryed parsons Iplie as that tytle by the holy Ghoste ys tearmed honorable so let your love yeace and vnitie to gethers honor and dignifie that lawdable estate For as Christ cowld not chuse any creature more apt to express our spirituall mandutation of his fleshe and blod then breade and wyne so the holy Ghoste could not fynde a more apte similitude to express the spirituall bonde betwene Christ and every faythfull soule then the coniunction of two parsons by the knott of matrymonie Wherfore as mariage ys a moste compfortable and blessed estate to theme who are graced to vse yt well so ys yt a moste bitter and tormentuouse estate to such as love not to gethers and as crave not for grace rightly to vse yt Now bothe worshipfull and commun assemblie ordinarie and extraordinarie changers in that Ropall how 's I beseche you to remember that as your lyfe here is vncertayne and never in one staye but lyke to the moone subiect to chang and alteration and in the end to death evenso think that you must shortlie chāg this lyfe for a nother lyke your predecessors walking wth you as yesterday and now gonn and forgotten wch must put you in mynde to be so changed in affection and conversation as when the Lords change bell ys runge to make spedie change of the place where you are to a nother wthout any nayt that so you may fynde the happie and better Exchange for this miserable and worce throw the same Iesus Christ here after descrybed by a learned father worthie of marchinge in this tyme of fauls Christs Yt ys nedefull sayethe he to vnderstand how God was borne and how God dyed according as the toung of the scripture dothe vse to speake God-man wch speche of Christ ys dybersly before and after his incarnation For since that happie and miraculouse conception by the holy Ghoste we must remember that in this vnitie of parson by the wch the sonn of God is also the sonn of Marie