IT was the saying of Cambises, that Citties would flourish well in prosperity, if the Inha­bitants were watchefull, and still imagined their enemies to be at hand. That which he said for the prosperous estate of a common­weale, our Sauiour said for the happy successe of all Christi­ans. And both tend to shew that whether we respect the saftie of our bodies here on earth, or the saluation of our soules in the kingdome of Christ, we may not be in our cal­lings either idle, carelesse, or secure. But yet such is our na­ture, we rather respect the words of Cambises, for temporall prosperity, then the warning of Christ, for eternall felicity. Whereby it comes to passe, that wee haue commonly fayrs bodies, but soule soules: much goods, but little goodnesse: [Page] seeming glorious in the sight of men outwardly, but odious inwardly in the sight of God. According to that of the Psal­mist. Psal. 10.6. The vngodly hath said in his heart, tush, I shal neuer be cast downe, there shall no euill happen vnto me. But the fay­rest Oke is soonest cut downe: the fattest Oxe is readiest for the slaughter, and the felicity of fooles, is their owne distru­ction.Pro. 1. Psal. 73.For how soone doe they consume, perish, and come to fearefull ende? Yea euen as a dreame are they when one awaketh. Annos 6.8.9, Though the Lord hath sworne by himselfe that he doth abhor the excellency of Iacob, and hate his Pallaces, and therefore will deliuer vp the Citty, with all that is therein, and if there remaine ten men in one house, they shall all dye. Yet still such is our security that we say with the vnthriftie ser­uant tardat Dominus Venire: Our Lord doth deferre his com­ming, thinking we may repent when we please, and that we shall haue leasure inough, not remembring with our selues, That like as God is mercifull, Eccl, 5.6. so goeth wrath from him also, and his indignation cometh downe vpon sinners. Therefore let vs make no tarrying to turne to the Lord, and not put of from day to day, for sodainely doth his wrath come, and in the time of vengeance he will distroy vs. Semper vigilemus bené viuendo, ne nouissimus dies cuiusque nostrum inueniat nos impa­ratos. Let vs watch and wayte for his comming in honest conuersation of life, that the latter day of euery one of vs find vs not vnprepared. For he is not slacke, as they count slacke­nesse, 2. Pet. 3.9. but he is patient to vs-ward, because he would haue mercy of all and none to perish. There is not one among vs so iust as Iacob was, nor scarce one on whome the Lord will pronounce the like sentence, so lamentable is our time, and so detestable our iniquities. Our eyes haue beheld such signes as Ierusalem did: but we esteeme them as fantasies, des­canting whence they come, but not remembring wherefore they were sent. Our eares haue heard many Ionasses, threat­ning death, distruction, and damnation to Niniui, crying ouer vs with teares for our abhomination, yet wee rather desire silkes then sackecloth: and when wée should repent, wée study to increase our pride. We haue them which cry daylie with the prophet Esay woe is me, Esay 16. woe is me, the transgressors greeuou­sly [Page] haue offended, threatning that feare, the Pit, and the snare, is vpon the inhabiters of the earth, he that flyeth from the noise of the feare, shall fall into the Pit: and he that com­meth out of the Pit, shalbe taken in the snare, for the win­dowes of Heauen are open, and the foundations of the earth doe shake &c. Can we reade this of our selues? can wée learne this of others? can we see the daily proofe of these Pro­phesies come to effect: and dare we continew still rocked in the cradell of Security? like Epicures caring for nought but the belly? O monstrous time full of deformity! O reprobate people deleting in impiety, and more bruitish then beasts for­getting their duty: else how durst the vsurer deuour the body and thirst for the bloud of his brother, when he readeth how the rich man burned in Hell?Luke 16. How durst the Adulterer per­sist in his lasciuious enterprises, when he seeth the sinne of Dauid so seuearely punished, the incest of Lot so greeuously lamented, and the wisedome of Salomon so foulely obscured? How durst the couetuous person heape vp riches for other, when he heares our Sauiour call him foole, that so pro­uided for his soule? How gracelessely dare the Glutton maintaine his delicacie, when he remembers how Iobes children were flayne at their banquet? How dare the Ty­rant continue his crueltie, if he regard the reuenge of the rigorous debtor? How dare our worldlings continue their pride considering the fall of Lucifer? How dare the Idolater doe reuerence to Images, when he heareth the heauie curse that the God of truth pronunceth against him? How dare we sweare and forsweare our selues, when wée remember the wretched end of Nabal? How dare greedy Man to couet his neighbours house, when he thinketh how hungerly the dogges licked the bloud of King Ahab? How dare the most base swynish gormondizing drunkard, sit all the day, and night, and weeke, swilling, sing, and prophanely abusing Gods Creatures, when he heareth the holy Ghost pro­nounce woe vnto them that rise earely to be drunken? How dare all foule offenders but to tremble and quake, when they heare the fearefull noyse of the Thunder, and see the dreadfull blasts of is lightning to descend from the heauens, [Page] and sent from an angrie God as tokens of his fearefull in­dignation? In a word, how dareth euery obstinate sinner to delite and boaste of his wickednes, when he knoweth that vpon the vngodly shall raine Snares, Psal. 11.7. Fier, and Brimstone, & stormy, tempest: this shall be their portion to drinke. But such is our vngodlines, that what we should doe, wée slide backe from, forgetting God, and calling vengeance vpon our selues, haling sorrow vpon sorrow, enuying those that liue well and louing those that hate goodnes. Who euer read of more Royaltie in a King, then we may iustly write of our learned, gracious and godly King Iames? whose blessed, peace­full, and happie raigne, the Lord for his mercie long continue ouer vs. What land had euermore plenty of all things then this Realme of England? and yet what country vnder the Sun may be compared with it for vnthankefulnes? Wée haue the light of the glorious Ghospell set vpon an hill, and yet too manie rather then they will see it, will sit blind-fold in the valley of ignorance. Can any Cronicles make report of a more worthie, wise, vertuous, godly, & religious Prince, then the late Prince Henry? in whome the worthines of all the eight Henries before him met as in their confluence: I may speake of him as the Apostle spake of those (with whome he is now in companie) The world was not worthy of him: And although our sinnes no doubt were the cause why he was taken from vs, yet who is the more sorrowfull? And where­as God (blessed be his name) hath left vnto vs not onely the Sunne and Moone of our firmament, but also Charles-wayne to remaine in one Horizon:D. P. A Prince, if Starres be of any truth, like to be of long life, and great learning, most hopefull for his time, most fruitfull for his hopes: so that I hope God hath said to our Iacob, as Iacob said to his Iudah. Sceptrum non auferetur a Iuda, the Scepter shall not be taken from our Iacob till Shiloah come againe into the world: yet who I say is the more thankefull? Our gratious King hath made many good lawes to cutte of Malefactors, but some estéeme little of Gods ordinances, lesse of his Maiesties au­thority, and least of all of his decrees: for proofe whereof we haue seene (such is our gracelessnes) how wickedly some haue [Page] growne to rebellion, whome the earth hath swallowed, as Corath, Dathan, and Abiram. Many haue conspired the death both of his Maiestie and his posteritie, but the sword hath, and I trust euer shall cut them of before their wicked fruit come to diuellish ripenes. Yea, their owne tongues shall make them fall. And let vs beseech the Lord of hosts to looke downe alwayes vpon his anoynted, and to cloath his enimies with shame, but vpon him and his (good Lord) let his Crowne flourish vpon, till thou Crowne vs all in heauen.

Let vs learne by the consuming of Sodom and Gomorrah, to flye from their sinnes, and let vs leaue the wickednes of the old world, least God deuise a worse end for vs, let vs be warned by the sinnes of Ierusalem, to be armed with the word of truth, at the preaching of Ionas to Niniui, let the ignorant leaue to be obstinate, and the learned cease to be slothfull, and labour by all meanes to make the world know that the feare­full day of the Lords comming is at hand, exhorting therefore to watch, continuing in prayer. For assuredly this fearefull accident (I meane) the burning of this man and childe by fire from Heauen, ought not to be attributed to any naturall cause, but it is euen the Finger of God, threatning greater plagues to ensue, without our earnest and hearty repentance. Neither may we thinke that this iudgement lighted vpon them for their owne proper sinnes which might be greater then ours, but rather that our sinnes are farre greater then were theirs, and God whose mercy is greater then all, hath sent this for our example to call vs to repentance: wherefore let vs not thinke that those one whome the Tower in Siloam fell, were greater sinners then all those that dwell in Ierusa­lem, but rather let vs assure our selues, that vnlesse we re­pent, we shall also perish. And to speake of the life and con­uersation of the man. I cannot finde or by any meanes vn­derstand, no not by reports of the nearest or the worst affected of his neighbours, but that he behaued himselfe euery way in the iudgement of the world as an honest poore man, and a painefull laborer in his vocation. The manner of the acci­dent is as followeth: He hauing bene on Saterday the 26. [Page] of Iune last, at worke at the house of one Iohn Deane of Parly-Court, where he truely and painefully labored at his trade being a Carpenter, and hauing ended his dayes-worke went home to his house as an honest man, to comfort his Familie with the money which he had painefully gotten, and went not (as too many Trades-men vse to doe) to be drunken and carelesse of their poore housholds at home, wherein he shew­ed and gaue testimony to the world, of a Religious care. And after his comming home, betooke himselfe to his rest, and being in bed with his wife and childe, in the deepe of the night, the lightning came on so fiercely, that an old woman named Agnes Russell mother to the wife of the said Iohn Hitchell hauing receaued a terrible blowe on her chéeke (by what meanes I knowe not) was therewith awakened and cryed to the said Iohn Hitchell and his wife to helpe her, but they not answering, the poore old woman start out of the bed and went vnto the bed where they lay, and awakened her daughter, who was vpon the sodaine most lamentably burnt all one side of her, and her husband and childe dead by her side: yet neuertheles, his poore wife when shee sawe her husband and childe had thus strangely finished their dayes, shee (as it seemeth) thought not so much of the hurt she had receaued her selfe, as shee was carefull to haue preserued the life of her husband if by any meanes possibly shee could: and therefore (notwithstanding all her grieuous wounds, shee dragd him out of the bed into the streete, and there by reason of the vehemency of the fier, shee was inforced to her no small greese to forsake him, where he lay burning vpon the ground for the space of three dayes after or thereabouts, not that there was any appearance of Fyer outwardly to be séene on him, but only a kinde of smoake ascending vpwards from the Carcas, vntill it was consumed to ashes, except only some small shewe of parte of his bones which were cast into a pitte made by the place. O fearefull iudgement! Hearken to this O ye that forget God, least he teare you in peeces, and there be none to deliuer you.

If this happened vnto a man of so vpright a conuersation, who laboured painefully all day in a lawfull calling, O what [Page] may befall you which fit day and night at the Tauerne, whose prophane mouthes are filled with impious oathes and filthie Ridawdrie, whose whole liues and conuersations are no­thing els but sinkes of impietie. What Christian heart can chuse but greeue to see the horrible wickednes, which not only before, but euery day sithence this wofull spectacle, hath bene vsed in the very next adioyning-Towne where it happened. O you that beare office and haue the gouern­ment of the place, I beseech you looke into your selues, that no filthie conuersation ofts, may giue into you aragement to the meaner sort, to commit the vgly sinnes wherewith our gracious God is so highly offended. O remember remem­ber I say, the soule taynt wherewith Ieroboam is branded in the booke at God, namely, that his example made Israel to sinne: your painfull Pastor hath euen worne out as his dayes, so his strength and body, in exhorting you to repen­tance, and perswading you to flye from the Vengeance to come. I assure you it shall be easier for Sodom and Gomor­rah in the great day of the Lord, then for those Townes, and persons, which haue heard remission of sinnes preached in Iesus, and yet haue not repented. For The seruant that knoweth his Masters will & doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes. If the reuerend, and childish feare of God can­not winne vs to eschew euill and to the good, yet let the ser­uile, and slauish feare of punishment, stay and make vs afraid to perseuer in our euill, least according to the righteousnes of the same in our selues, at last we receaue double damnation in our bodyes. But to our purpose, if I say this hapned in a greene tree, what shall become of vs, that are drie and wi­thered: and sith it lighted vpon some of vprighter conuersa­tion then our selues, O what shall become of vs vile wretch­ed creatures, that delight in nothing but sinne, and haue as it were sold our selues to worke wickednes in the sight of God? The Lord giue vs grace to iudge our selues, that we be not iudged of the Lord.

Now let vs consider the Time when this fearefull iudge­ment happened, surely about Mid-night. The like we may reade in the booke of Exodus where the Lord saith, at Mid­night [Page] he will goe forth into the middest of Egypt, and all the first borne in the land of Egypt shall die.

but that we may learne how as well in the Night as in the Day the Lord executeth both Iudgement and mercy: Iudge­ment as we see in Ioshua his direction against Ai, Ioshua 8.5. whereby their fearfull ouerthrow followed: many thousands of them being deuoured by the sword, and their Citty consumed with fyre: So when they slept, the wrath of God awaked and marched towards them speedily. So againe the fiue Kings came vpon them sodainly, and destroyed them with a great slaughter.

Thou foole, the Night shall they take away thy Soule, and in the Night God directed his seruant against them, Who then whose are all these? &c. Other Kingdomes and Coun­tries about vs, what fearefull Night-cries they haue had when we slept in peace, wisedome and thankfulnes should consider.

Then for mercies receaued, in like manner you see the Scriptures: [...]. Reg. 3.5. Solomon had that comfortable conference with God in the Night, wherein God granted him the thing he sought for, appearing to him in a dreame. Daniel in the Night found mercy with God,Dan. 2.19. [...]cts 18, 8. to haue the Kingsdreame reuealed vnto him. Peter in the Night, was deliuered from danger: Paul and Silas in the Night singing Psalmes, sound the comfort there spoken of. So both Iudgement and Mercy wake and walke in the Night. The vse whereof, vnto vs should be euer to stir vs vp, both to goe to bed as wée ought, and to vse the night as the godly haue done: For the first, we may take Dauids example. I will lay me downe and take my rest, for it is thou Lord only that makest me dwell in safetie. [...]salme 4.8. and for the second, he also in many Psalmes may instruct vs, for euery night saith he, wash I my bed, and wa­ter my couch with teares: [...]alme 6 6. which Dauid did not for any pu­sillanimitie, or weakenes: (for we knowe he was a man of a valiant courage) but only out of a sweete feeling that he had in his night Meditation, of the great goodnes of God towards him many wayes, and his owns to great inability to doe to him againe for the same, as he desired. And what [Page] better time can we take to plow vp the fallow ground of our hearts before him, and to consider his fauors and our faultes, opening euen all our woes and griefes vnto him? that as the night naturally, is moyst and shewry more then the day, so we likewise, may raine downe abundance of teares, pray­ing for our sinnes, and thanking him for his goodnes, know­ing it is a most assured truth, that no dewe of the night can so glad the earth, as this sweete moysture of thy wet eye in these respects doth please thy God.Psal. 119.62. At Midnight saith Dauid will I rise to giue thankes to thee, because of thy righteous iudgements: In the night I commune with mine own heart, Psalme 77.6. & serch out my spirits. Therfore I say again, sith mercy [...] iudge­ment thus stir in the night, the one for Gods children, y^e other for his enemies, awake thou that sleepest in most dull secu­rity, going to the bed as the dogge to his kennell, without any thought either of God, or Diuell. Full little dost thou know what may happen to thee before it be day. It may be with thee, as with the first borne of Egypt, with the fiue Kings, with the Citty Ai, with this poore (though now rich) man and his Child, thy selfe may be dead as he is, thy house on fier as his was, thy goods spoyled and Children de­stroyed as his were, and as many wofull miseries vpon thy wife and friends as there are vpon his. Wherefore goe to bed with prayer, awake with prayer, and rise with prayer. Let God and grace be in thy first thoughts, and not malyce and wrath, not Shéepe and Oxen, not mony and mucke, which all perish with thée when God is angrie. We see what hath happened before our eyes, God giue vs all grace to bée warned. What, shal we now be vnmindefull of these things? vnthankefull to God and vnfaithfull to our owne soules? shall we continue in lyes, lusts, oathes, aspiring proiects, or malitious trappes? No, we will make and obserue this vow, We will not suffer our eyes to sleepe, nor our eielids to slum­ber, we will neither continue our tongue to betray our bro­ther, nor our bodies to betray our soules: we will endeuour to leade a iust, and holy, and sober life, this we desire, for this we hunger and thirst, this we vowe, for this we pray the Lord heare and graunt vs this petition.

Eze. 9.4.O then let vs mourne and weepe for our offences and for all the abhominations, so shall we be marked in the foreheads to be preserued from the euill to come, nay, so shall wee be blessed, for so the mouth of truth hath pronounced, we shalbe comforted. Mat. 7. Our sinnes are the vnfruitfull thornes that choake the good seede of vertue and grace, the corrupters of Iudgement, the seducers of will, the betrayers of vertue, the flatterers of vice, the vnderminers of courage, slaues to weakenes, infection of youth, madnes of age, the curse of life, and the reproach of death: the least of our bosome-sinnes is fier in the hand, and a Serpent in the heart, a Cancer, a Spider, [...]sa. 3. an euill Spirit, and the fruite thereof is death. O ye then that with those Mincing dames in Ierusalem, are loath that the soles of your feete should treade vpon the earth, ye may be hurryed betweene Heauen and Earth, but neuer willbe carried as Elias, vnlesse in a fiery-Chariot. Ye that set more by Agar then Sara, more esteeme your bodies then your soules, feare and tremble at the Lords Iudgements. O that blindenes of mans minde, and that madde doubting of Gods diuine promises of eternall life! O that hardened and flynty heart of ours, which is not moued, no not with these horrible threats of Gods heauie displeasure, but conti­nuing securely in all impiety, neuer asketh pardon for his willfull offending, and amendeth euen as though the Scrip­ture were but lyes, and the diuine Oracles prophane fables! For by those things which haue come to passe, and by true demonstration of Gods holy spirit, it is apparant that no­thing is more certaine, then that the end of all thinges han­geth on our shoulders. Truly great is the force of sinne, and maruelous is the rage of Sathan in these latter dayes, who endeuoreth by all meanes that possibly he can, to bring the whole world into a desperate security of li [...]e, that so he may haue many partakers of his torments in Hell, from whence there is no redemption. But how much better had it bene for vs we had either neuer béene borne, or at the least beene voide of reason with beast and Serpents, or béene dis­patched so soone as we were horne, if either we [...]i [...] not that place, for which we were created, or come not to the [Page] celestiall Paradice, and to the marriage of our spouse, our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, where shallbe the full abundance of all delights, and perfection of all pleasure?

Wherefore let vs cast from vs our careles security and mistrust of the promises of God: Let vs renounce the deuill, and all the workes of the flesh, which are not sufferable by the word of God, and let vs listen to the freindly admonition of our Sauiour, Christ warning vs to be watchfull at all times,Luke. 21. Mat. 25. because we know not the hower when our Lord will come praying that we may escape al these things which are to come, and may stand before the sonne of man. For if the com­ming of Theiues and stealers of our earthlie goods be to be feared, with how great diligence and watchefulnes, should we seeke to escape those enemies, which would spoile vs of our eternall riches, and kingdome of Heauen? Here we vse great heed and wisedome to preserue our mortall bodies from hurt and danger: but to saue our soules which are immortall from eternall paines in Hell, we are altogether carelesse and nothing circumspect.

And yet more would it beseeme the children of light, to be more carefull in séeking and kéeping those things which are Celestiall, then the worldlings are painefull in enriching themselues with such thinge as they are neither sure to enioy while they are aliue, nor can assure them of any ioy when they are dead. Yea let vs think and perswade our selues, that in the sight of God it is not shamefull, but abhominable, that the elect or chosen people of God, which should be wise and circumspect, shall in this care be surpassed of wicked world­lings: and the more highly we displease our God, by how much the things which we so little estéeme, are more excel­lent then that which they so hunt after, betweene which (so surpassing is the treasure prepared for the godlie) there is no comparison.

This erhortation though it pertaine to all men at all times, yet now speciallie in these dangerous daies, in which we sée so many by sodaine and strange death to be taken out of the world: and because euery man shall die (though the certaine time none knoweth) and shall either woefullie be sent [Page] among the Diuels to Hell, or ioyfullie to be receaued into the fellowship of the faithfull in Heauen.

And to come a little nearer vnto our selues, hath not the Lord shaken once more, néere our Towne, his rod of Corre­ction sithence this lamentable accident? namely by the bur­ning of one Edward Burtons house and all his substance whilest they were in their beds? it is an old saying, that when our neighbours house is on fier, it is high time to looke to our owne. Gods Iudgements we see haue lighted on both sides of vs alreadie, and shall wee be still carelesse? Moreouer it is not vnworthie the noting, that as on both sides of the Towne these fearefull iudgements haue happened, so like­wise vpon the first day of May last within the Towne was borne a Monster, which may well teach vs that although these things haue hapned without the Towne, yet the Monsters for whose vglie sinnes sake these iudgements haue come to passe (may seeme) to remaine within the Towne. God open our eyes that we may behold these things aright, and mollifie our hearts (good Lord) we beseech thee that we may repent as we ought?

And although I will not particularize the vnaturall pro­portions of that Monster, yet I obserue that it wanted lippes, to teach vs (as I suppose) that we want sanctified lippes to glorifie the powerfull name of our gratious God. Moreouer it wanted the place of euacuation, by meanes whereof the body could not be exonerate or clensed of the excrements. To teach that whatsoeuer pretence or shew we make of Religion outwardly, yet the filth of sin remaineth still within because there wanteth true Repentance in vs whereby our soules might be clensed in the bloud of Iesus Christ.

Truly I am perswaded that in this Towne and the parts adioyning, where these Iudgements fell, there is as much sinne raigning, as there is in a greater parte of the kingdome besides: but I beseech God of his infinite mercy, that his long suffering of our sinnes be not an occasion that we plucke his feirce wrath vpon our heads, which we daylie goe about, prouoking him to anger that will not be tempted, so vngrate­full are we, and so gratious is he. I doubt the same sentence [Page] wil be pronounced against vs, which our Sauiour vsed, saying Woe vnto Carazaine, woe vnto Bethsaida, it is better for Tire and Sidon then for them, at the dreadful day of the Lord.

A seueare sentence pronounced by a mercifull Iudge, who will doubtles in a more dreadfull time, not onely vtter the like words against vs, but will cast vs into vtter darkenes, where shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth: except that of his infinite goodnes and great mercie, he call vs home to re­pentance.

Could the people of Israel tremble at the voice of the Lord when he talked with Moses, insomuch that they accorded to all his lawes and ordinances which were giuen them, so that they might not indure his presence? and dare we the off-scum of the earth, rebell against our Creator so obstinately, that neither signes, the word, nor wonders, can conuert vs? doe we not remember the benigne blessings which he promiseth, that our land shalbe fertile, our fruites shall increase, our foes shall flye before vs &c. if we please him, serue him, and keepe his commandements: neither doe we feare his heauie wrath and horrible curse which he threatneth to the contrarie, if we transgresse his precepts and breake his ordinances, saying, thy Wife shalbe widdow, thy land barren: thou shalt flie, when none followe thee, and feare without cause: famine shall confound thee, warre shall waste thy countrie, and hunger so assaile thee, that the after-birth of thy wife shall serue for thy foode. O terrible, dreadfull and heauie wrath of God, but more monstrous, filthie and vglie hearts haue we that imbrace the blessings, when we deserue cur­sings: reape good, where we sowe euill, and yet cannot afforde thankes to the sender of all thinges, who giueth liberallie and casteth no man in the teeth. Doe we not know that he is of power to turne our Heauen into brasse, and our earth into Iron? or are we ignorant that if it please him not to bring foraine force vpon vs? yet he can plague vs by our freinds, send Grashoppers to spoile our groundes, Frogs to fellow vs whethersoeuer we flie, Caterpillers to consume our fruite in the blossome, or Raine to rot our Corne and [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] Grasse when it is readie for the haruest, or that he can send Lice to liue by our flesh, and Mice in such multi­tudes, that neither power nor pollicie can keepe them from vs, for thereby he shewes his omnipotencie, not in a huge armie of enemies: but in a mightie arme with the weakest of his creatures. Hath he not sent famine to Sa­maria, so that a little Doues doung was worth fiue pence, an Asses head sold for fourescore shillings: destruction to Ierusalem so sharpe, that the mother was faine to eate her Babe to satisfie her hunger.

Fier and Brimstone to Sodome and Gomorrah, a de­luge ouer the olde world, with infinite other Citties that he hath iustlie plangued for their iniquities: and we thinke to escape that haue not onlie practised to be perfect in their sinnes, but dailie studie to deuise new offences.

The times we sée haue almost changed their natures and our Sommer become euen a Winter, yet nothing can pro­uoke vs to repent.

O stife-necked people put on sackcloth with Nineuie, leaue pride, and fall to prayers, let Saule become Paule cease to oppresse, and turne to preach, let euerie man amend one, so shall we all doe well at the last, and seeing the spirit in the faithfull is willing, but the flesh weake and blinde in heauenly thinges, let vs beseech our heauenlie Father in continuall prayers, that by his holie spirit he will daylie more and more increase and strengthen our weake and féeble faith.

And therefore we heartely desier thee O eternall Father, that thou wilt not vtterlie breake vs, though we bowe not as we should, neither deale with Iustice, though we doe not our duties, according to thy will, but keepe vs good Lord in thy wel beloued sonne, illuminate our mindes with thy holie spirit, by which we may be prepared to all good workes in the holinesse, and newenesse of life: that so with Paule wée may desire to leaue this wicked world, and to be with Christ, and so in the comming of the Lord, being found readie with. Oyle in our Lampes, and ador­ned with our wedding garmentes, we may finde entrance [Page] into the Lords marriage, which thou for thy deare sonne and his beloued spouse the Church, hast prepared and ap­pointed from the beginning of the world. To thee therefore O holy Father, and to thine onlie be­gotten Sonne Iesus Christ, and to the Holy Spirit our comforter, be all praise, honour, and glorie, for euer and euer Amen.

IF this dolorous discourse aforesaid, of Gods fiery iudgement (written by ma­ster Hilliard) late hapning in Hamp­shire, haue any whit penetrated the reader with remorse, I am here pre­sumingly bolde (without disparagement to the Author,) to adde vnto his booke a second sorrow to our country, a sodaine calamity late befalne v­pon the towne of Dorchester in the West of Eng­land: the heauy newes whereof, euen strikes trembling hearts of people, that so famous a Towne, and the onely store-house of those parts for Marchantly commodities, should in lesse then foure and twentie houres be ruinated by this great commaunding Element, cosuming fier.

Dorchester, (as it is well knowne,) is one of the principall places of traffick for westerne mar­chants, by which meanes it grew rich and popu­lous, beautified with many stately buildings, and faire streetes, flourishing full of all sorts of trades­men [Page] and artificers, plenty with aboundance re­uelled in her boasom, maintained with a wise and ciuill gouerment, to the well deseruing commen­dation of the inhabitants: but now marke how their golden fortunes faded, and their cheerefull sunne of prosperitie, eclipsed with the black vale of mournfull aduersitie: for vpon the sixt of August last, being Friday, this then flourishing Towne of Dorchester, about the mid-day flourisht in her greatest state, but before three of the clocke in the afternoone, she was couered with a garment of redde flaming fier, and all their Iolity turned in­to lamentation.

This Instrument of Gods wrath, began first to take hold in a Trades-mans worke-house: for a Tallow Chandler there dwelling, making too great a fier vnder his kettle or lead, tooke holde vpon the melted and boyling tallow, in such vio­lent manner, that without resistance it fiered the worke-house, and immediately one roome after another, till the Chandlers whole dwelling was all on a light burning flame.

Then began the cry of fier to be spread through the whole Towne: man, woman and childe, ran amazedly vp and downe the streetes, calling for water, water: so fearefully, as if deaths trumpet had sounded a command of present destruction. Many were the affrights of the inhabitants; a­mongst which, next vnto the Chandlers house (then all on a fier flaming) was a Ware-house of Gun-powder filled into barrells belonging to a marchant of the towne, which to preserue they much aduentured, and with wet sheets and other [Page] linnen, saued the house from burning till they had caried the pouder safe into the fieldes, otherwise taking fier it had bene sufficient, with one blast to haue blowne vp a whole towne, with all the in­habitants therein remaining, but God be praised, it was preserued, and not one liuing creature therein perished.

The fier, as I said before begun betweene the houres of two and three in the afternoone, the winde blowing very strong, & incresed so mightily that in very short space, the most part of the was, town fiered, which burned so extreamely, the wea­ther being hot and the houses drie, that helpe of man grew almost past, but yet as in such extremi­ties, people will shew their endeuours, so these amazed towns-men striued to succor one another, but to small purpose, for the tyranous fier had taken too great a head, and likewise there was too much want of water.

The reason, the fier at the first preuailed aboue the strength of man, was, that it vnfortunately hapned in the time of haruest, when people were most busied in reaping of their Corne, and the Towne most emptyest: but when this burning Beacon of ruyne, gaue the haruest men light into the field, little booted it them to stay, but in more then reasonable hast, poasted they homeward not onely for the safegard of their goods and houses, but for the preseruation of their wiues and chil­dren, more dearer then all temporall estate or worldly aboundance.

In like manner, the inhabitants of the neigh­bouring townes & villages at the fearful sight red [Page] blazing eliment, ran in multitudes to assist them, proferring the deare aduenture of their liues to oppresse the rigour of the fier if posiible it might be, but all to late they came, and to small purpose, shewed they their willing mindes, for almost euery streete was filled with flame, euery house couered with the robe of distruction, euery place borning beyond helpe and recouery, their might they in wofull manner behold marchants Ware­houses full of riches commodities, being shops of silkes and velluets on a flaming fier, garners of breade Corne consuming, multitudes of Linnen and Wollen clothes burned into ashes, Gold and Siluer melted, with Brasse Pewter, and Copper, Tronkes and Chestes of Damaskes and fine Linnens with all manner of rich Stuffes made fewell to increase this vniuerse sole conquerour, which leueld and made wast of all things it laid hold of, the fiercenes of the fier was such that it euen burnet and scortht trees as they grew, and conuerted their greene liueries into blacke burned Garments, not so much as Hearbes and Flowers florishing in Gardayns but were in a moment withered with the heate of the fier, many liuing creatures as house, Suine, pollayne and such like at this wofull time were consumed into ashes to the great greife of the beholders, was it not a sor­row for a trades-man to see all his estate burning at one instant, which he had laboured for twenty yeares before, was it not a sorrow for a man to rise rich in the morning, and to be brought vnto po­uerty before night and was it not a sorrow for pa­rents, to see the portion of their children thus con­sumed, [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] oh greife, vpon greife: When t [...] burning inuader comes, he shewes no pitty, he spareth nei­ther rich nor poore: the rich he makes poore, and the poore most miserable. Dorchester was a fa­mous Towne, now a heape of ashes for trauellers that passe by to sigh at: oh Dorchester wel maist thou mourne for those thy great losses: for neuer had English Towne the like vnto thee: the valew, by the Iudgement of the inhabitantes, without partiallity, is reckoned to come to two hundred thousand pounds, besides wel neere three hundred houses, all ruynated & burned to the ground: only a few dwelling houses that stand about the Church was saued, and withall the Churche by Gods prouidence preserued for people therein to magnifie his name: All the rest of the towne was consumed and conuerted into a heape of ashes: a losse so vnrecouerable, that vnlesse the whole land in pitty set to their deuotions, it is like neuer to reobtaine the former estate, but continue like ruinated Troy, or decayed Carthage. God in his mercy raise the inhabitantes vp againe, and graunt that by the mischance of this Towne, both vs, they, and all others may repent vs of our sins. Amen.