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 resurrectiō. 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 predesti­natiō: 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 [Page 23]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 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 [Page 24]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 [Page 25]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 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 [Page 26]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 hows 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 hows: 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 [Page 27]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 wilbe 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 [Page 28]hows / 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 ys of a tyrant / or a condemned theyfe of the Iudge / but as of a graciouse childe / in feare and love to obey / that ys in beynge lothe to offend our good father and lastinge lover / and also in feare of his rodd. So myxinge hope and feare to gethers as to feele an humble reuerens in our harts / to the God of correction and of merry / beinge Ioyfull and thanckfull when by grace we cease to do evyll / and to do the good / and sory and fearefull / yea pemtent and tearefull when by weakenes we be drawen to the contrary. And as every Christian ought to crave and covet this singuler vertue: so to lament to se suche tur­pitudes and myscheyfs aboute vs in the world / throw the want of this feare. Let vs then feare and serve the Lorde wth all our harts / as many as intend to be partakers of his glory: I speake to theme vnto whome God hathe geven right eares to heare.

Agayne sum tymes the prowde and loftie do walke there to be sene in there beyght and braverie / aswell as others of good degre bothe men and wemen spend an hower there for necessitie of recreation.Prowd. And therfore they walkinge and wearinge in that [Page 29]common place agreable to there caullinge and state / are not to be adiudged amonge suche prowd and loftie so over stately lokinge. Wyshinge all infected parsons wth that greate and capitall synn changinge angells into devills hastely to discerne that infec­tion / wherbie in tyme to seke and fynd the remedie / and to esteme there hawtie hart as a certame dronckennes / be witchinge or dullinge the same / so as neyther precept from God / nor dutie to mā ys regarded: and yt procedeth from the aucthor of pryde / and by a fauls imagination of theme selves: the possessors whereof can neyther pray rightly to God / nor effectually heare the word / nor lyve quietlie and familierly wth there neighbors / moche less to guyde there harts and tounges charitablie and orderly. God grant you then to hate and abhor pryde and to laugh yt to skorn / seinge there ys nothing more agaynst true Godlynes and your salvation then the same / by reason yt besotteth men and wemen / thrustinge theme to rashenes / vnrulines / and to take overmoche heade and bridle. And here let the best regenerat kepe in mynde / that this pryde will incrediblie lurck and be hydd in theme to there hurt / wthout good hede and watche / for that yt ys hard to be knowen in all things and at all tymes. I for beare to speake moche of this subtill sinn: but only towch suche dreggs and rem­nants therof as remayne in Gods children to kepe theme in bat­tle / to stryue and wrestle agaynst yt / being to theme suche a stinge as yt prycketh and pyncheth / wowndeth and healeth (where the sayde health by grace must consequently follow) lyke fyer expel­linge fyer / or one synn healing another / as poyson geves remedie to poyson. Wherfore the better to know sum subtiltie of that lurcking syun even in the Godly / whosoever ys so styffly opinia­ted as to stande in there owne conceite / or lothe to be iustly and freindly reproved for there fault / or trusteth more in there owne wayes / then ruled vy advice and cowncell / or that glorie exces­sively for there well doinge / or that contend more for victorie in disputacion or resoninge / then to yelde to the playne truthe: they vndowtedly are stayned wth this pryde and had nede wth the aucthor to pray for a contrite / humble and lowlie hart. We shall never hate and shunn pryde / love and imbrase humilitie to prac­tis yt / before men narrowly visite and ransike there owne harts: wherby the better to know theme selves. At wch tyme behowl­dinge the storehows and heape of synn wthin vs / we shall the so­ner stowpe and abase our gap plumes / and check downe the [Page 30]prowde hart so previlie sckinge to mownt a lofte / and crie o dust and ashes cum back stay thy self / and clymbe no hygher: by wch consideration we will at lengthe confess / that as pryde is the Ca­pitall and heade vice in wycked men: so humilitie ys the chifest vertu in the Godly / wthout wch fowndation all other vertues be blowen a waye wth the blast of vayneglorie / as dust or fethers wth the wynde of the ayre. But as for the gross and common prowde (who as Iob sayeth loke vp to the sonne) so prowde as the pecock and as stowt as the lyon / exaltinge your selves and castinge downe others / the Prophet Esaye cryeth against you / sayenge the day of the Lorde shalbe on suche as be lyfted vp in there harts / vpon the highe Cedars of Liban / and on the greate okes of Basan. Downe therfore / and be thinck that as waters stand not on highe mownt aynes / but sekes downe to the low valleyes: so the graces of Gods spirit abydeth not in the loftie hart / but goeth into the humble and lowlie. The wch God in merrie grant to the writer and reader / to teachers and learners.

The poore though they be neyther walkers nor dealers amōgst you / yet they pass to and fro through the Exchange / bothe the Godly poore / and prophane poore / the one vnder Gods blessing and favour / the other vnder his frowne and displeasure / who thoughe they be rude and lewd / and as voyde of disposition to learne / as of common knowlege amongest men:Poore. yet as the crea­tures of God / they are not alone to be corrected and forced to labor / but to be pittied releved ād helped / especially the syck lame and aged amonge that sort: assuringe your selves that we are none otherwyse the children of God / then by doing good to such as be vnworthie therof by Gods owne example causinge the sonn and rayne to shew there nedefull efferts vpon bothe iust and vniust. For where the Apostle byndeth a speciall good to be donn to the nedie in Gods hows / he excludeth not but commandeth the lyke to those miserable people notwthstandinge they wth others seme to beginne there hell here / vntill the Lorde towche there harts wth repētans and conversion: yet in the meane tyme we are to shew theme pittie and compassion. Moste worthie ex­amples of this dutifull regard to all sorts of poore I se in this towne of Harlem / even multitudes provided for every Lords daye / besides hospitalls for men wemen and children wth sick howses for the diseased / never none sene to dye in the strete or starve vnder stall. The other kynd of poore be in and of the [Page 31]churche / our bretherne and susters / aswell by the second as the syrst byrthe / gevinge your selves to prayer to labor and travell as you may for your mayntenans / and are ashamed to be sene beg­gynge or cravinge in strete or doore: there vp your selves / howld out and parsist to the end wth paciens vnder Gods cross / wth­out eyther envyenge the ritche or grudgiuge agaynst the Lorde / consideringe Iesus Christ hathe sanctifyed the povertie of his poore / in that for there sake he became poore hym self. But se that you fele the inward povertie of the spirit / to be ioyned wth the outward / wherby to haue the blessinge pronownced 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 [Page 32]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 [Page 33]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 pithe and substans [Page 32] [...] [Page 33] [...] [Page 34]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 [Page 35]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 [Page 36]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 for our punishements / and that no suche afflictions can come into the cittie wthout the Lords sendinge. The Ana­baptists are outrageouse by there rashe sensures to condemne warrs and warrlyke affaires / or the souldiers obediens to Prin­ces therein / whether offensive or defensive / and that vnder collor that we in the gospell should not warr as the Isralites dyd: wherin they neyther respect the providens and ordinans of God in this / nor the greate desert of there sinnes wth ours procuringe the swerde. Besydes that they do greatly abuse these words / law [Page 37]and gospell seperatinge theme further a sunder / then they ought / forasmoche as the gospell was in the law / and the law in the gos­pell / seinge the gospell was from Abam. Secondly they deceyve theme selves in this vse of warrs by a fauls understandinge of Christ his reprehencion to Peter drawinge forthe his swerde / whervpon they conclude that Maiestrates ought neyther to warr / nor to punishe malefactors wth deathe. Surely Princes and all Estates are smally behowldē to suche fauls teachers and erroniouse people for maynteyninge those dangerouse opinions agaynst Maiestracie in these spanishe warrs / aswell as notori­ouse herisies agaynst the articles of the Christian faythe: Prin­ces and States spendinge there threasures and people in the de­fens of theme and there goods aswell as in ours / otherwyse bothe clamerouse Anabaptists and Papists should no less be swallowed vp of the enemie / then vs the professors of Christ his religion. God make theme less contemptible and more thankfull wth vs for the Lords Leyvetenants vpon yerthe.

Now to the spirituall warr / wherein we must be all exercised souldiers / if we looke to be partakers of Gods Kingdom / wher­of our savior Christ the Lord of true peace speaketh / sayenge I came not to send peace in to the yerthe but warr:Spirituall warr. in wch kynd of warr he appoynted none other weapons then thus / he that ta­keth not vp his cross and follow me ys not worthie to be my dis­ciple / ordayninge the chefest poynt of this warr to consist in suf­fringe iniuries / and not in doinge theme. Well we must become spirituall warriors and fight vnder Christ his ensigne wth the complete armure mentioned by his worthie warrior S. Paul: sayenge put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to refist in the evell day: remember that in baytysme we bownd our selves so to become Christian souldiers / as continually to fight agaynst suche mightie enemis / as never cease the crafty assaults but ever seke to scale the walls of our poore soules / wth whome to take peace / is to breake the truce and covenant betwene vs and our heavenly Captayne to our vtter destruction. Let vs not then snarle and intangle our selves wth over moche toyle and care of the world / that so we may the more easily please him that hathe chosen vs to be fyghtinge souldiers. Christian reader note well this / seinge by slender footing in the Lords feylde many on every syde / do take suche foyles and deadly wownds / as they de­part from there souldierly ranck / by necglect of armure and by [Page 38]faynines of fight in the tyme of assault: but let vs be ready to say wth the Apostle / at the surrēdrie of our last gaspe: I have fought a good fyght / I have finished my course / kept the fayth and then the crowne of glory shalbe ours.

Musers on Gods provides.There vs another sorte walkinge there betwene the ordinary howers of the Exchange / who be greate musers on Gods longs suffringe / and on his highe providens by weakenes of fayth and knowlege / being racked and troubled to be howld sum egregious wycked men to have the fayrest shew and greatest florishe / and therfore do marvell on Gods longe suffringe. At wth common block many weakelings do stumble / when they se the Lord one while to delaye his punishements / another while hastily to exe­cute the same / and next in that he putts of the fuccouringe of his churche / or sum distressed member thereof: not consideringe the words in Tim. 5. sum mens sinnes are open before hand / and go before vnto iudgement / and sum sinnes follow after. We must beare wth that wch the Lord thinks not good by and by to cor­rect / nor to geve the remedie or succor when we lyft / but when he hym self will. Agayne sum mens enormities are discouvered and come vnto iudgement soner then men loked for: and others be re­vealed and punished alonge tyme after / as though yt slept. But albeit Gods gentle chasticements or heavie iudgements do not hasten theme selves / yet they come on / thoughe sayre and softlie after. Symon the sorcerer his sinnes came before hande / whyle Saul / Iudas and other hypocrites there finnes came after / and were detected at length / thoughe for a tyme they deceyved many / evenso Godlynes holynes and vertu have there tymes limited of commendation and fame / and although it be long fyrst by reason of sum clowde obscuringe theme for the tyme / yet in comminge they come and bring the greater ioye / therfore standfast and faint not. And further to answere fuche weake parsons so ready to stumble at this poynt: the 13. of Esaye speakethe of the destruc­tion of the Babylonpans / as though it were presently to be donn when in dede yt fell out more then 200. yeres after: sayenge the day of the Lorde is at hand / meaninge the tyme of the Babylo­nicall extermination vy Eprus so long tyme ere it came: the wch scripturely phrases of present speches / for things to come ys to be vnderstand / fyrst that the events and decrees of the Lorde do not pass beyonde the tyme of hym prefixed and limited / but shall as certainely come to pass as of they were already. For that wch [Page 39]was don from Adam almoste 5600. yeres a go / and that wch shalbe from hence to the worlds end yt ys present before God / because S. Peter sayeth / one day before the Lord ys as a thow­sand peres: and Abacut 2. sayeth / the vision is yet differred to a cectayne tyme / speakinge of that wch he wyll finish wthout any fayle / sapenge thoughe yt tarry / wayte / for yt shall come and not staye. Wth ys bothe a compforth and a terror to dyvers sorts of parsons: quayle not brother vnd thy cross / for the 8. of No. sayeth I esteme that the afflictions of this tyme are not worthie of the glorie that shalbe shewed on vs / and 4. of the Cor. for our light affliction wch is but for a moment causethe vnto vs a farr more excellent and aneternall wayght of glorie. Wherfore cease thy admirations on Gods louge suffrings and providens / neyther mervell any more why God delayeth his help or succor sum tymes from his people: for in Esaye his tyme the faythefull be­howldinge Senacharib to be victoriouse over dyvers people in Iudea / and parceyvinge the churche of God vpon the poynt of vtter ruym / they in lyke weakenes thought thus in effect: Esay hathe promised vs ease and deliverans / but when shall this come to pass? the Prophet intendinge to remidie suche a temptacion in the 18. Chap. dothe consent that there shalbe 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 [Page 40]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 [Page 41]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 [Page 42]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 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 [Page 43]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 / [Page 44]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 hows / 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 / [Page 45]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.