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 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 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 shal be 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 was don from Adam almoste 5600. yeres a go and that wch shal be 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 shal be 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
haue you now ād then conveniēt leysure to talke and cōferr betwene those pillers of the omnipotent ād allseinge God of religiō and good lyfe so necessarie at all seasons but in especial now whē the sweerde of Gods iustis semes to be shaken over you there aswell as vs here threatnyng direfull warrs famyne confusion of good order and strange sycknesses by wch the lōg suffering God will haue his hand to be selt when his gentle voyce cannot be hearde wherby bothe prowd and dissolute flesh to stowpe and to stād in dreade of hym so wilfully refusinge to serve ād obey hym The screptures geves no libertie nor exēptethe persō nor plase to be silēt of Godād his glorie moche less to be prophanly occupied but rather byndethe sum devine exercise in convenient measure every where As whether you eate or drinck or what soever you do etc. Lykewise in all tymes and places the texts you know wel ynouge for knowlege is rife the lord grant grace and vertu therwth to habownde To come now to perticulers Aldermen and first to begyn wth the right worshipfull Aldermen of the citie repayringe thether wth there fellow bretherne aswell on cittie causes as for there private To the wch the blessinge of compforthe and happie succeff ys due if God to those ends be first craved ād his deserved glory advanced by reyellinge of inturiouse sutes ād defēdinge the poore innocēts Then are they two fowld rytche and happie wthin and wthout and most worthy of dowble honor as ys required of the elders of the churche that lyve and governe well But no more of that whose grave and worshipfull persons as they do no less dignifie that plase and greate companie then dutifullie procure the reverens of all evenso they addinge there religiouse affections wth there fatherly indevers to better there well doyngs in due season yt shall wynn general love and lovinge harts besydes Gods perpetuall blessinge and favoure and when they are gon as generall prayses to hym for there Iustis pietie and equitie and for there redress of that wch ys contrarie The wch ys farr more of valure then all gyfts and bequests they leave behynde theme Salomon sayeth better ys a good name then moche rytches the wch St. Paul estemeth as dunge in respect to wynn Iesus Christ whyle he ys to bewonne that ys to daye and therfore he willeth to do good while time ys For if there predecessors in the dayes of suche ignorans were so diligent to draw credit to there popishe mass ād idolatrouse trashe how moche more wthout cōparison ought those worshipfull elders beget love and credite in this brightnes of the gospel first to Gods truthe professed by theme and next to there caullings and persons And seing the remembrans of deathe dothe moche further the reforminge of lyfe I wyshe bothe the exchange cytie and contrey to think often on the waddē horse or foure foted bere so sodaynly comminge from other mens doores to theires wthout gevinge of fore knowlege and to carie thē a waye for ever and ever on four mēs shoulders from there warme and lightsome habitations to the cowld and clapeshe māsions and from there pleasant cōpanie of wife childrē and familie to the fellowship of gredie ād crawlinge wormes inobscuritie next to bethinck on the wayters and attenders on there immortall soules at the departure from there carnall coffyns to a better or worce place beinge either the angells of light or the ministers of darckenes as yt fell out on Lazarus ād dives to cōducte theme to incogitable pleasure or to tearmless terror The remembrans of this tragedie will verylie instructe the faythful reader to watche and praye to be oft ner at fructeful Sermons wth purpose of practis to abate pryde and superfluitie to bestow the more where there ys necessitie to be as warie of the world as of a familier traytor breifly to regard better the worcks of mercie in due season seinge yt is written iudgement wthout mercie shal be to theme that will shew no mercie And here I wyshe you bannishe from your tables suche Atheists and machivells as be the Devills scicophants and trencher slaves to make men laughe at there tushinge and scoffinge of religiouse matters beinge so emptie of the grace of wepinge for there intollerable synnes Wherfore as your worshipfull tables be for a better companie so let your doores and portalls in lyfe tyme and not the churche porche after death be your almeries and sede grownd for the increase of yerthly and celestiall fructe and let your gates be knowen the place where you lend to the lord that trustie pay maister and moste highest threasurer who repayeth more then tenn thowsand for the hundred and vouchsafe to loke to the poore howshould of faythe in a nother place and after a better sorte for that they be a shamed in there nede to come to your doores or to begg in the strete whose prayers and prayses is more odoriferouse and acceptable before the lorde then all sumpteouse funeralls how gloriouse soever coveringe rotten bones and wthout any avayle to there departed soules Neyther condembninge here nor prevelie checkinge worshipfull and semely order then accordinge to the degrees of persons but the excess and wastefull spendinge of Gods creatures bothe in lyfe and deathe the wch beinge not yours absolutely to bestow theme as you list but the lords and that lent you his constituted bayliffes for your selves and others you shall surely answere and make accowmpte for the lavess and msspendinge of your maysters goods as the vnrighteouse Stuard was put out of office for the same faulte This abuse amended vp the vertu of Gods grace herevnto a nexed then by your workinge faythe ye provide after deathe to haue an heavenly habitacion as that worldly wyse Stuard providid for an earthly when he should be cast out for the wch providens to instruct others the lord commended hym accordinge to the maner of men and not his vnrighteouse dealinge Thus doinge you prove religiouse and profess religion for religion sake and not for sum other thinge as sum persons do the ministerie more for the lyvinge sake them for Gods glorie then are you right Royall exchangers changed from an ould into a new nature and from followinge your owne wylls to obeye the wyll of the lord your God And for the spedier practys of suche desyred duties I wyshe the preachers in cyttie and contrey to forbeare for a tyme St. Paul his swete doctrine of iustification of faythe and a nother while to take in hande S. Iames and his iustification of worcks so rarely seene who never the less asmoche confirmethe his fellow Apostles doctrine in that heavenly article proper to the greved and humbled soule as he terrifiethe the presumpteouse and careles liver whose fayth he compares to the faythe of tremblinge devills as appereth by there destitution of zeale to Gods glorie or brotherly love and compassion and yet thinck theme stlves
and by consequent the very Sonne of man that the two natures remaine distinct wth that wch ys proper to theme and yet to be but one Christ beinge hym self God-man that ys Man-god and yet notwthstandinge his Deitie ys not his humanitie nor his humanitie is not his Deitie This beinge moste true it followth that the proprieties of the humanitie as to be borne to eate drinch to die and to be buried ought to be attributed to God I meane the second parson and yet not simplie according to his Devinitie but in asmoche as he ys God-man and on the other syde that wch is proper to god may be attributed to this man as to be the Sonne of God eternall almightie and to be ever all not simplie in his humanitie but in asmoche as he ys Man-God The wch scripturely speche S. Paul vseth thus that the God of glory was crucified agayne that God redemed the church by his blodd and S. Luke sayeth that wch was conceyved in the wombe of the Virgin was the Sonne of the most highe and therfore yt may be sayde that Marie was the Mother of God in asmoche as he was Man-god That yf he wch was so conceyved and borne were not verie God how should he be our saviour and yf the same were so spoken in regard of his Deitie what maner of Deitie should that be to take his Deitie in the Virgins wombe As on the other side all the suffrings attributed to the only Sonn of God ought to be also vnderstode in asmoche as he is God-man and not simplie after his Deitie distinctlie considered in wch regard the Apostle dothe not barely saye that God was visible but addeth in his flesh And S. Iohn confesseth not simply to have sene the glory of the word but therto addeth the worde was made fleshe S. Peter speakinge of his fuffrings sayeth not simplie for as moch as Christ hathe suffred but addethe in the fleshe wch was nedefull for our salvation because he ys Man-god that suffred and not simplie God For a conclusion yt ys God-man that hathe fought and suffred in his humanitie and yt ys the Man-god wch hathe conquered by his Devinitie To the Anabaptist T.M. prisonner at Norwch SOm loving brother signifie vnto hym Fyrst he so soddanly stepping from his spirituall mother to a new stepdame reiecting the swete foode of the one and lickinge vp the poyson of the other that therefore his suffringe ys as compforthless as yt ys wshe and perilouse not only in regard of his badd opinions but in iustifienge his horrile errors and yll cause of bare 80. yeres continuans he condemnethe the vniversall churche consistinge on the faythfull Sede of Abraham in all quarters of the world frustratinge the preachinge of the gospell and Sacraments in all congregations before and after that tyme and deprivinge all martyrs sithens the comminge of Iesus Christ frome the hope of there salvation by grace and martyrdome Wyshinge that as he ought to distinguishe betwene true martyrdome and fauls so to discerne betwene the seared consciens from the malignant spirit and the salutiferous consciens from the holy Spirit the one gloriousely paintinge an evill cause by his subtill elippinge and wrest of scripture throw the wch he eubowldeneth the erringe and presumptuouse hart to suffer for error and the other revealinge the simple truthe by playne recorde of the worde of truthe no less rightlie illumininge then as trulie sanctifieng and compfortinge humblinge and mekeninge vntill Ioyfull and constant suffring the voice of Gods people being the voice of God crieng Amen to the same I am in feare that he and suche of my contreymen be more infected wth arrogant knowlege then by grace sanctifyed wth faythfull humblenes And let hym learne a lesson of the penitent theyse suffringe wth our savior for as the one in his desperat howldnes capled on Christ sayenge yf thow he that Christ save thy self and vs so the other humbled and fearinge God rebuked hym and there wth made suche a lyvely confession of Christ to be God and man as those herpticks may tremble at Gods greate iudgements for comminge so short or rather to be contrarie to the same Fyrst he caulled hym Lorde and prayed vnto hym as God the bringer of soules to his Kyngdom and next he caulled hym man sayeng this man hathe donn nothinge worthie of death wch was as excellent a confession as yt was a miraculouse conversion A rude ignorant theyfe of so wycked a lyfe as moch vnacquainted wth learning as wth vertu to make suche a sownd confession as yt may beseme you and your betters to esteme hym a holy Patterne to follow beinge therein nothing behynd Peter and the rest of the Apostles so longe tyme taught of there mayster Wherefore two fowld presoner and the rest in lyke bonds here at libertie advowchinge that the corporall eyes and hands of the Apostles saw and felt the incomprehencible Devinitie and that the same was deade in yt self and buried I pray you tell me fyrst in the parson of a man consistinge on a terrestiall and spirituall substans could ever his soule be eyther sene or felt in the handlinge of hym and will you not moche more confess that the Apostles cowld neyther se nor fele the gloriouse Devinitie of Christ so wth houlding yt self vnder the tabernacle of his bodie next tell me what glorie Maiestie brightnes or Kyngly estate dyd this poore theyfe se wth his corporall eyes in one so base and so vildly crucifyed at that tyme he neyther saw that splendor and glory as the Apostles dyd at his transfiguration nor the heavens open as Iohn dyd when Christ was baptised and thridly tell me how be saw hym to be his Lorde and God able to further hym to his Kyngdom and glory who was in the same reproche and ignominie wth hym and his fellow surely he had other clerer eyes to se God vnder the vayle of his flesh then yet ys granted to you Anabaptists even spirituall eyes and the inward sight of the hart Deceyve not your selves in sayenge that you confess Christ to be God and man when yt ys nothing so in averitie but rather vnder a clowd because yt ys wth this addition that he ys the celestiall Sede of the father or as may destone sayeth a man come from heaven Yf a fauls Christ be not fownd amonge the Anabaptists I know not where ells And what true peace of consciens can you have in suffringe for suche a forged Christ as the true Christ fore warnethe vs to be ware of and not to beleve Dare you confess that the soule of a man when the bodie is deade and buryed ys a lyve as yt ys in dede and yet will blasphemousely say that the God head of Christ dyed when his humane nature only was subiect to deathe when a man hanges on the geobet we comprehend bothe bodie and soule in sayeng the man ys hanged the man ys dead or thus the man eateth drincketh slepeth all wch ys true towching the parson of man but when we speake distinctly of the natures then neyther dothe the soule dye nor ys buried neyther eateth drincketh nor slepeth Further way and consider you Anabaptists whether you be the only spowze of Christ and the spirituall sede of Abraham specifyed to be lyke in nomber to the starrs of heaven or to the dust of the perthe or whether to you alone and to uone other churches the graces and giftes of the holy Ghoste were fyrst and last geven sythens Pentecost or whether so many thowsand martyrs sithens Christ his assention dyed in the Anabaptisticall fayth or in ours and whether yt was you that S. Iohn beheld so greate a multitude wch no men could nomber of all nations that stode before the Lambe yf you so thinck you arrogantly err wth the papists and arrians and asmoch deceive your selves as maliciousely accuse vs and the whole churche of God reiectinge you and your vilde opinions sythens the fyrst hatchinge therof by your grandsire Storck You seke to enclose the church wth in your straight corners as a childe that would lathe the whole sea into a little hole or as the papists that impryson Christ his Royall bodie in there wafer cake God open your eyes Lykewyse you my contreymen of another kynd and company removing from campion to Norden and from thence to Amsterdom and now miserably rent devided and scattered here and there Nordeners who though you howld the fundamentall poynts of our fayth wth affection to good things yet yt ys wth an vntempered zeale vnder moch weakenes contencions and discentions ioyned wth overwening and wrangling wherby you have brused the tender reedes quenched the smoking flaxe and driven sum into labarinthes and others into fowle errors God touche your harts to be warned by there perrylls and not by singularitie to fall wth them into suche errors to be less loftie and more lowly to esteme better of Gods churches abowte you and to bragg less of your owne wthout Pastor and sacraments for these 3. peres And the Lorde geve you repentans for the want of love yeare concorde and humilitie the lack wherof ys the cause you rather destroy then buylde marr then make scatter then gather Wherfore you se what your busie and vnskyllfull medling wth the discipline commes to So that as yt ys not fitt for little children to handle sharp edged tooles evenso as vnfitt for vnexperienced youthes to deale wth the hâ—â—es of opening and shutting of byndinge and loosinge and wth the sharpe swerde of excommunication a worck more beseminge grave and wyse heades vnder more stayednes then you of suche rashenes and vnadvysednes mowntinge above all churches I spare particularities The Lorde bless you and vs all wth wysdome and grace Amen FINIS