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
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
that there shal be sum delaye but wthall he promiseth two things in Gods behaulf fyrst that the churche shall be preserved in the myddest of the greatest danger next that yt shall surely be delivered and so sayethe that the churche will make a solemne reknowledginge of Gods goodnes towards yt Ministers I have many tymes beheld certayne ministers resort to that common plase though very seldome sene there any learned preacher whome I know to be as carefull and dutifull as the former careless and vnprofitable and therfore the more nede of this freyndly warninge for to be less in the Exchange and of tener in the pulpet rather in there studies to prepare sownd doctryne for mens foules then amonge marchants to vse tounge and eare abowt vncertayne news Your standinge and mayntenants ys to be more watch full and paynefull for your severall flocks who as they yelde you large portiōs of there tēporall things so ought you be as liverall to theme in devine and spiritual things wch can not be but by your better attendans on Godly studies Be not lyke suche dumbe and ydle loyterers in the contreys as think the readinge of there service to be as sufficient a discharge for theme as meate good ynoughe for there people rather resemble suche studiouse labourers as premeditate for doctrine and exhortarion and as carefull for good lyfe and conversation I wyshe you made more consciens in takinge so moche for so smal payne and in that you buyld eyther little or nothinge vpon the fowndation mentioned by S. Paul vpon the wch sum do laye gould silver preciouse stones and tymber and you eyther hay stubble or worce matter The Lord quicken suche that they may be fownd buylders and furtherers and not destroyers or hinderers wth Vrim and Thumin knowlege and vertu for to lighten and hely forwards ignorant foules to the Kyngdom of heaven Consider the better on your mutenes or base handlinge of the text by hearinge in many pulpetts the swere sownd of learned doctrine from the yong and forward youthes but pester day out of the Vniversities wch should rather make you emulate to be nerer there good begynnings then eyther to envie the same or to continew at a staye Wherfore pray to the holy Ghost fyrst to pardon your former negligens next in mercie to awaken you wherby to offer vnto God more quyck sacrifices and chasts Vyrgins to Christ by your diligens and vigilacie lest otherwyse you lye more open to Gods displeasure fyrst for bearinge the name to be that you are not next for kepinge out of those lyvings suche good schollers and Godly men as would be more paynefull and gayneful to yourpoore flocks compelled as shepe to leape over your greate hedges from the hard fallow to grene and better Pasture Now must I make you previe of a subtill and craftie deceyver amongst you bothe marchants and others Deceyver who as he will take interest in the Exchange not mussingz his lurckinge and walkinge in that plase evenso to often he prevayleth and gaynethe Beinge once a chayned flave next sett at livertie and ys suche a conning Iuggler as wthout moche a do you can not escape his leger demaines I meane the devill so invisible and prowde an intruder as he dare walk not a lone amonge marchants but in Princes courts and a middest the best occupied assemblies in your cittie This fellow begann his prybe and envie in heaven retaynes it in hell and foweth it abrode in the world who so powerfully worcketh as the Apostle tearmes hym the God of this world by reason his kingly regiment by permission of the true and righteouse God ys amonge yerthlie and worldly mynded men more lyke the blynd mowle in the low grownd then the pleasant lartk a lofte in the skie This wylie feynd geves not his onsect after his vglie and terrible maner but by fyne fatches and angelicall insinuation so experimented of mens dispositions by longe continuans as lyke the fisher he hathe a contrarie bayte for sundrie hookes a slaight for every sinn and a temptacion for all sorts of people And whome he once gettethe wth full fange into his gripinge clowches he howldeth faster then catt the mowce norrishing and fittinge theme for his pallase or dungeon as the holy spirit frameth Gods children for the Kingdom of glorie Now to discribe further to my friends of this invisible changer Vnderstand that the devill is an Angell seperated from Gyd by pryde a very nere and provokinge companion of the fleshe stirringe it forward to wyckednes and drawinge it back from goodnes the aucthor of murther threasons and envy the roote of malys and the heade of all mischeife so expert in his trade and proceding in all artes as he cā make greate enormities to seme but light and fooles to think theme selves wyse the greatest danger to appere none at all and bitter things to taste swete makinge herysie to appeee veritie obstinate standinge to be true martyrdome and the prowde parson to thinck hym self humble Agapne note that he rather intycethe the consent of the mynde then enforsinge or constrayning the same and yet he is cruell subtill moste spitefull and enviouse In all wch good bretherne I trust yon will rowse vp secure nature and take a freshe occasion to add prayer to prayer to redeme the tyme to apply your selves to the same and to esteme better of your spirituall armure to make resistans rather in the fyrst then second assault especially when that conninge Cooke goeth abowte to sweten sinn and to make it dulce and pleasant in the taste as men cover ratts bane vnder suger or hony so that this compaffer can most finely sawce synne and make ranck poyson to seme a pleasant morsell as he dyd the fayre apple to our greate grand mother Eve and the sacramentall bread and wyne to be thought foode of lyfe to the vnworthie receyver as to Iudas and suche lyke This fyne cooke vs busie every where to make swete morsells as his alluringe baytes to his hydden hookes For example whoremongers and suche carnall parsons suffring theme selves wthout the fyrst resistans to be chafed by ther lusts thene Sathan comes wth his tempered sawce and conninge compownds wherby he makes that sytute of concupiscens to seme so delightfull as they affect and imbrase yt to there lyves and what thundringe soever the scripture sownds agaynst yt wth the lyke to cōmon dronckards whose tossed cupp ys so spiced and tempered wth there maysters arte as they dare defie bothe lawes devine and humane despise Sermons wyfe and freinde reprovinge theme for there fault Of the wch sathanicall souldiers there be dyvers sorts as night dronckards raylinge and strykinge wretches of there wyves children and servants who are fayne to runn into corners and hoales to avoyde there madd dronckennes God geve suche repentans In fine let vs all be warned that Sathans wyles forged in his owne shopp be infinite and therfore yt behoveth