world and desyre of equalitie wth others to quenche the same and to beware of puttinge on the gay cloke of religion for any other cause then for religion yt self wch rightly possessed makes the differens betwene brute beasts and men or rather betwene devills and saincts And to invite preachers to your table more to learne of theme and to be reproved by theme nede so requiringe then to gett any fame or glorie thereby And forasmoche as marchants can hardly kepe theme selves from wronge spun sticking so fast to that trade as nayle in the wall they must bothe pray the more earnestly and say wth Job I did feare all my worcks and not to forgett that you be subiect to change and casualties and next to be thankfull for your daylie gettings lest otherwise in a tyme vnloked for you crie wth the rytch marchants of babilon alass alass for in one hower so greate ritches ys come to desolation The anabaptists do well in commendinge manuell trades and we confess it worthie of commendacion because yt ys furthest of from defylinge pitche but they fowlie err in denyenge marchandise to be Gods ordinans seinge buyenge and sellinge is one of the leggs whervpon every common welthe dothe stand for the better helpe of Prynce nobles and contrey otherwyse Abraham Iacob and the rest would not buy there lauds to bury in nor the sale of land in booze his tyme. Only the Lord requireth equitie right dealinge and ells what wch ys more commonly knowen then practysed The thrid sort be retaylers in the vpper shopps In wch place as there be honest men and auncient matrons that occupie substantiall and profitable wares to the beneficte of the buyers Retaylers so ys yt otherwyse of the rest reported But because men love better gentle admonitions then bytter vmbradings therfore I wyshe bothe yong men and reputed virgins there to wynn credit to the how 's and to theme selves by desert of better fame then is abrode and to be no less honest and chaste yong men sober damselles and virgins in dede and in proufe then they are in face and shew for to stopp the mowthes of suche yll reporters eschewinge levitie and wantonnes wth the pride of hart gate and apparell and not to sitt ydlie and gasinge about but eyther havinge leysure to be profitablie readinge or as the Apostle sayethe to labor and worck sum good thing wth there handes for there owne behoufe and others By wch yt apperethe that the holy Gost allowethe not the makinge and sellinge of badd and deceytefull things nedeles toyes for the increase of greater pryde lest God be offended To conclude God keye you from the contempt of this short and freyndly admonition and grant you his holy feare the love of true Godlynes and the hatred of all wyckednes wth carefull watche for the soveraigne Iudge so hastelie comminge to Iudge bothe quich and deade Fourthly the frenche and dutche marchants walkinge in that Royall place Strangers Moste of you be in the churche and I hope of the churche thoughe sum tymes the wolfe be wthin the fowld when the shepe ys wthout Many of your companie my self dothe know to be of as good disposition as of a sownd profession repayringe fyrst to our contrey from the rage of the enemie for the zeale you bare to Gods religion Wherfore as your churches be entituled reformed so accordinge as you be gravely instructed indever moche to refourme your lyves and maners your dedes and actions bothe husbands and wyves after the doctryne and order of a reformed church wherby to draw credite and more reverēt estimatiō to those large assemblies for the honor of the gospel and to avoyde the gevinge of offens to the slāder of the same and the dscredit of the churches in London and ells where otherwise thē this careful watch looke for nothing but a more heavie iudgement to light on your heades then on theme that want the good meane you have And as for suche strangers as be wthout the zeale of Gods honor and the care to lyve vertuousely suche as be vnsaciable rakers of rytches hynderers of the poore and servers of there belly more then of God the Lord purge the churche of suche Hypocrites yf any of those be amongest you And the others that have as little vnion or communion wth you but be eyther papists anabaptists or open atheists God change theme from cittie and contrey Wyshinge bothe prentices and other youthes of the Cittie bearinge grudge and yll will to religiouse strangers to purge there harts of all former malys and to favour theme whome bothe God and Prince dothe expressly so commande as Levit 19. Yf A stranger dwell with you in your land you shall not vex hym but he shall be as one of your soules and thow shalt lobe hyn as thy self Fyfthlie sum new Saduces and libertynes now and then do trepe and walke in the middest of you Sadduceans as Iob sayeth that sathā commes a monge Gods children The wch deade soule parsons vnder vitall lyfe proclaymes warninge for all that woulde lyve wth Christ Iesus to avoyde there fearefull estate and dambnable opinions no less then ovr bodies do shunn the poyson of spiders And seinge the Lorde hathe given over suche vnbelevers of the generall resurrection to the power of sathan exceptinge the saide vitall lyfe reserved longer for a fuller measure of there extreme iniquitie wherby to be chayned in there hellyshe inheritans I wishe and exhorte every worshipper of God possessinge the hope of our ioyfull rysinge agayne bothe to pray and to reade moche for to be rooted in a present and lyvely felinge of a greater confidens of that gladsome resurrection bothe to mitigate all worldly greyfes and the better to seale Gods eternall election wthin there harts And no less to beware of there copartners and staggeringe disciples neyther wholie wth theme nor flattly against theme but waveringe betwene bothe because the ladder of there rude reason ys not long ynoughe to reache to suche an highe misterie lyke the anabaptists denienge the humanitie of Christ to come from his mother because there shallow reason can not reache how then he cowld be wthout synn Therfore as the one reiectethe the true Christ professinge another wth his flesh from ells where so our new Saduces blott out from there harts all maner of thought of that moste terrible and ioyfull day of the Lorde studienge for no more then to eate drynck and be mery vntill to morrow they dye as the brute oxe thoughe not so well To the wch myschefe they are come by voluptuouse securitie wth the neglect or contempt of Gods worde and so be insnared wth darch and deadly dowtes in this light of the gospell These staggerers wth there grand Captaynes do call Gods providēs and his regiment over all into question aswell as the rysinge of our bodies as thus how can there be an outstretched providens from God above to vs
there hatred to herysie and Hypocrisie or by gevinge of sownd and good cowncell and by leavinge a religiouse and vertuouse conversation to the magnifieng of God and there holy profession These also be acceptable worcks to the lorde who in mercy will crowne theme as his owne gyfts and not as theres The regard of wch promised crowne sette before the eyes of your mynds will no less mitigate your greifes eyther in ward or ontwarde then kyndle spirituall ioye wth the longinge of your libertie from this terrestiall tabernacle wherby your noble soules to enioy the heavenly inheritans wth the invisible and tryumphant churche now singinge as the Isralitishe Virgins sang the song of Moyses for there delyverans out of Egipt and Pharo his bondage evenso the soules in Heaven do sing to the Lord everlastinge prayses for delyveringe them from the boude of sathan and there worldlie miseries and lykewyse do singe the songe of the Lambe wherby the vertue of Christ and his redemption ys continuallie magnified For as the oulde fathers eatinge the paschal Lambe made a iubilie and gave the Lord thancks so those enfranchised spirits felinge the light and libertie of Gods kingdom geve thancks to Christ the Lambe to the sytter on the throne and to the spirit procedinge from bothe Opraye for a fore tasie and sum sippinge of this greate supper where wth a farr of to be sum what acquaynted for the better certificate of a more fullnes to ensue by wch to increase your earnest longinge upwards and to decrease all overlyking here beneathe that so the more felingly you may saye wth David I shalve satisffied when thy glorie appereth wch wil be a greater sight to behowld then that wch Peter and Iohn saw at Christ his trāsfiguration on mowne Thabor even the fullnes of the incōprehensible dietie the essens of the gloriouse persons inscrutablie one God Let vs then be myndfull to saye wth the Prophett my soule ys a thirst for God o when shall I appere before his presons Iff you Mr. A. do still move and scur love and lyve to the Lorde then I mosie hartilie salute you and the rest so affected but if otherwise the spirit in heavē and the bodie in the grave ere this be aryved then God grant vs behynd in the battell to geve glory and thancks to hym for his contynuing grace and finall mercies here beneathe to his and for his everlastinge compforthes a bove to the soules of his servants restinge wth hym in peace and iope That so the Lorde havinge his spirit I may the bowlder to that coniecture set that oulde father as a glass for Lōdon professors to looke in not alone in his zeale to the gospell wth his frequent presens at Sermons and wth good further ans to suche instruments but to the poore presoners in and abowt London presons he was knowen to be bowntiful and mercifull Agayne how ofte and willingly hathe be Imployed his money for commune profict as well as for privat what paynes and travell hathe he takē to make peace and to end controversies how many men of worship and members of the lower how 's in most parlamēt tymes haue bene worshipfullie entertayned at his table for there zeale to religion how many poore schollers and students in the arts hath he no less perely thē liberally geven vnto besydes his large distributions to Godly and desolate widdowes And wch ys more how manie in the contrey of worr are bownd to prayse God for his outstretched hand so farr from London wherein he procured the knowlege of God for greate ignorans beinge suche a shew tokē to patrons of benefices as whē he franckly gave so good a lyvinge to a learned preacher he reserved neither legg nor arme of that lyvinge to hym self as all covetous patrons do God grant yt be accordingly perfourmed by labor and life as it was of hym first and last intended For as gyfts blynde the eyes of sum Iudges so fatt lyvings coole the fyrst zeale of manie persons and vicars For inward alterations do ofte follow the stayne of strange titles Now whether this was a tree bringing forthe fructe in due season or out of season iudge you besydes the erection of a schole as I remember in worr And there fore as St. Paul would hym self to be imitated non otherwise then he did Christ even so I wishe the Lords Stewards of better degre in that exchange to follow this theire fellow mēver as he followed Christ and the worthier examples of his predecessors Trustinge you will thinck this report to procede more for desire of imitation then of anie intent to tyckle hym wth adulation being peradventure gon or at least of suche distans a sunder To conclude bothe hearing and seinge suche evident practys of good worcks in this towne of Harlem so farr short of our monarchall government by sownde professors and others of erroniouse opinious I was drivē the rather to this presumptiō as one sory to behoulde suche blynd opiniates so farr to outrun very many professors in my natyve contrey in the outward worcks of charitie and by hearinge that the ignorants are so affected vnto theme for yt wher by the rather there might be a quycknyng wth a godly emulation on our syde ere the axe come to the roote of the tree 1597. By your worships vnfayned wellwyller Iohn Payne The contents of the Booke fyrst the preface for all as for one Next to severall degrees of persons Aldermen Marchants of three sortes Stranger Marchants Saduceans of this age Gentlemen three sortes Warnyng to avoyde new Englysche Anabaptists There seven opinions and fauls martyrdome An exhortation to theme Tyme to be well spent and why Hypocrites of sundry sortes Gross pryde wth the dreggs therof in Gods children Poore of two sortes Prynters of two sortes Shipinaysters and maryners Mariage corporall and spirituall How Christ is Godman and mangod Captaynes and souldyers To the Englyshe Anabaptist in norwith Preson Warrs ys lawfull and why Spirituall warrs Musers on Gods longanimitie and providens Ministers of England exhorted Curiouse medlers wth impertinent matters A deceyver in the exchange The Nordeners exhorted Now Gentle Reader LYke as the greate resorte to that famouse Edifice are of sundrie titles and degrees so the complete nomber walkinge and taulkinge there be as contrarie in mynd and disposition as of trade and caullinge A plase where God truth and Equitie wth there direct contraries are sum tymes spoken of to Gods glorie and to the service of Sathan For as amonge diseased and infectiouse persons all be not takē wth that sicknes but sum do escape and be scottfre so I partly know the lyke fredome frō spirituall infection by Gods mercie in sum members of that populouse assemblie The Lord multiply that nomber ād increase his begōn graces in theme and also convert or confownde all perniciouse lurckers preasinge thether so contrarie mynded As you take tyme and space to make your lawful bargaines ād cōtracts so
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 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 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
pithe and substans of our Christian race is to perseuere in the fructes of repentans and in the effectes of our holy profession Let vs wthall loke wel on the compass poynt directinge to the haven that so we may steere right and howld on our course thether wards and though now and then we make pawes agaynste our wills yet let vs not therfore geve over but to the helme agayne and take better hede of our sterage puttinge on more bonets and to hoyse vp the sayles for to breake agaynst the strong and contrary tyde Now and then valiant Captaynes and Gentlemen souldiers come thether to take there pleasure amonge you whose valure and venturable servys for Prince and state deservethe the favour and good wyll of all true subiects Captaynes and Souldiers For who but they vnder God endowed wth courrage and Captaynely knowlege that must stand betwene court cittie and contrey and the cruell force or desperate assault of the enemie who but they do take there lyves in there hands and runn on the poynte of the pykes for the love of our Soverainge and commons sustayning the deadly strokes of the bullet and do thrust in a mydd the flashinge swerds and pykes who but they cowld abyde suche hunger and colde watch and be wett abyde the roringe canons and thundring culverins wth the downefall of there terrible shotts on there pates and sum tymes throw there brests or bowells besydes the lynger of paye sycknes and mortalitie These are the bowlde bullwarcks that fight and fast when you be quiet and merie at your diversitie of meates and drincks who must wake and moyle when you slepe and walke at pleasure and gladder of the courfest breade and the runninge water then many ritche be thanck full wth the finest diet and best wyne or beere Wherfore let all states and degrees esteme of serviceable Captaines Gentlemen souldiers and there trayned inferiors accordinge to there valure and demeanure vnder military discipline and lykewyse willingly wthout grudge to yeld to suche taxations and payments wch must be levied for there mayntenans to defend all against the prowde and bloddie spanyards intendinge to make ryvers of Englishe blodd yf they might But I trust the Sea shall fyrst devowre those ships and cruell companie Now you worthie servitors bothe on sea and land of suche resolution to dye vnder the sayde combatts and conflicts I beseche you sett before your eyes the moste honorable causes of your adventures wherby to be the more magnaminiouse and constant and for your better felinge of inward compforthe at the hower of your quick dispatche to were that you fight for the true honor of your moste marveylouse and mercifull God for the glory and mayntenans of the heavenly gospell of his sonn Christ for your Soveraigne Lady defendrix vnder God of the same and for your native and noble contreye her Maces dominions All these famows respects beynge graffed in your harts wth fayth and repentans for sinnes then may you valiantly marche vnder the helmet of salvation and the armure of prayer after dromme fyfe and trompett that pleasant and warlyke musike and that wth courrage and ioye wth sure trust and confidens that the Lord of hostes ys wth you and on your syde because you fyght vnder the Lords banner agaynst Antichrist and his bloddy band In the meane tyme you worthie Captayned Leyvetenants and other Gentlemen of servis se that you magnifie God and his true religion by beynge studiouse to be religiouse and Godly in lyfe wthout yeldinge to whoredom dronckennes blasphamie quarrellinge or suche lyke and to restrayne those vices asmoche as you may in others For as the strengthe of the souldier consistethe in the wysdome of the Captayne so the right cariage of souldyers is moche drawen from the good behavior of there Captaynes and guydes And in vsing of militarie correction on your poore souldiers let clemencie and good discreation be ioyned wth Justis sekinge rather to remove the causes of there mutterings then to vse severitie vp sodayne parturbations studieng no less to be favoured and loved then to be breade and feared of your companyes and finally for to bringe honor and good fame to your Princes pay aswell as credite to your selves yeld the poore creatures there due wages to buye theme victualls for there more stowt standinge in her Maiestis service wthout could quakinge or compulsion of stealinge through want therof And you that be common souldiers love your Prince obey your Captaynes be contented wth your wages avoyde filthinge and robbinge and consider what baddnes and lewdnes ys layed every where to your charge so as by your yll behavior the worthie name of a souldier is bothe lothed and shunned For what vyldnes and wyckednes is not fownd in many of you beinge cownted the skumm and dross of the world by your fornications chrietie tearinge of the bodie of Christ your stealing and murderinge to come by your pray O my contrey men I pray you waxe wery of these horrible qualities ere the shott of greate or small ordinās teare in peces your wretched carkases to make spedie passage for your impenitēt souls to be sodainly partakers of hellishe torments Repente therfore and learne to know God in steade you be thought Godless spare and saue your wages to serve your pinchinge necessities and not so horriblie to waste your money to the distruction of bodie and soule that so God may be mercifull to you in Christ And althoughe warrs be the ordinans of God and therfore is caulled the Lorde of hostes or the God of batteyls being one of his plagues due for our sinnes Of Warrs yet we are to pray hartily to God for our deliverans from warr and to obtayne peace and concorde in steade of it the terror wherof should make vs to groane and to pray wth greate longinge for the spedie comming of our redemption aswell for our seasing to sinne as for the eternall felicitie layd vp in store for vs. By the wch lawfull and happie peace our lands to be tylled our feylds and cattle to florish our sede for provision to be sowen our vyneyards planted and then to enioy the reapinge and mery harvest wth the pleasant vintage In short all to lyve vnder orders and lawes in amitie and vnitie where contrary wyse warrs and discentions forrayn or civill is moste hydeouse and fearefull full of wrathe blodd and slaughter the feylds lyenge covered wth deade carcasses citties and townes sacked and ruyned corne and graff trampled and wasted famine and hunger cryenge and lamenting on every side virgyns and wyves horriblie ravished lawes and religion nothing sett by the slave and the rascall to raynge and to triumphe over the civill and worshipfull All wch terrible skourges considered yt should make all to looke to our lyves to repent the misvse of the same to craue pardon and to saye Da pacem Domine Seing now that God doth send warrs and famine sicknes and mortalitie
changers Cytezins and contrey to stande on there garde seinge this mercyless lyon vnder Angelical shew lyeth in previe wayt to catch and intrapp at every turne But thow tremblinge and fearefull Christian throwen downe by the felinge of thy synne no less desirouse to be freed from the burden therof then afrayed to offend the Lord thy God be thow of good chere wthout tormenting of thy felinge consciens forasmoche as by fayth and grace Sathan hathe no part nor portion in the hating and shunninge synne but rather on theme that love and frequent synne seinge Iesus Christ wthout all stayne of synn became synn for the that ys toke on hym thy sinnfull deserts even vndergoinge the torments of hell and deathe in his blessed body and soule for thy sake and thy moste happie deliverans from bothe therfore be not only daylie and hartilie thanckfull for this expiation of thy sinn but butifully watche and pray agaynst the dreggs and remnants of sinn lefte in the for to stryve and fyght to the end Although the strengthe and forte therof was broken I saye by Christ and fastned to his cross to the everlastinge compforthe of all suche as love and feare the Lord and be lothe to offend hym by there synne Husbands and wyves of all sorts lykewyse have there pleasurable walkinge there at convenient tymes whose honorable estate so dignified by the Sonne of God I must not forgette but put you in mynd of that famouse vnion ordayned of hym that is two in one fleshe and therefore to be of one mynde in the Lorde and for theme selves Mariage And generally yt must putt all the faythfull in remembrans of the more happie vnion and moste blessed mariage betwene Iesus Christ and his churche and every soule of his electe therein beinge an vnseparable bonde and knytt faster then all bonds amonge men and a love beyond all loves for so gloriouse and Princely a spowze to take and imbrase so poore and meane an espowzes even the highest to abase hym self to the lowest O memorable love and humilitie deservinge all prayse and obedyens in all faythfull parsons bothe maryed and vnmaried And as neyther water nor any flodds are able to quenche or to drowne this love so let neyther carnall love in the one nor love of the world in the other be ever able to quenche or to drowne there love and lovely harts to this our true lover the fowntayne of all love St Iohn sayeth he that loveth not knowth not God for as the ignorans of God is the cause why he ys not loved so the knowledge of God producethe love to hym and therfore so farr do we love God as we know God whereby yt ys playne that they who seke not to know God can neyther truely nor rightly love hym And I have noted sum tymes in men and wemen who never opened booke that the love of God was more shed abrode in there harts then in many that are puffed vp wth wynde knowledge Hartilie wishinge maryed folkes no less to mark and disgest then to reade the words of the Apostle in caullinge on man and wyfe to love one a nother by example of Christ his incomparable love to his churche in that he gave hym self for yt clensed and sanctifyed yt Then would yt in crease there affections and abate there discentions and generally make bothe theme the better to love one another and all others of that mysticall bodie to reioyce and be tenfowld more thanckfull for that spirituall coniunction namely that beggers bratts of no reputacion to be maryed and cowpled to suche a heavenly husband whome the 45. Psa tearmeth a Quene sayenge vpon thy right hand ys the Quene in a vesture of gould and the canticles speaking of Christ his love to his churche and people sayeth his lefte hand ys vnder my heade and his right hand dothe imbrase me wch mariageable tearmes by the holy Ghoste teacheth all but more specially husbands and wyves to be so lyncked in love as to lyve and love to gethers most affectionatly and lovingly wthout eyther seperation of bodies disiunction of mynds or to lyve vnder iarrs and contencions to gethers to the seperation of God and Christ from sum suche harts and howses in London as my self and others have bene weryed and greved in laboringe for peace But you Christian yokefellows of a contrary disposition I wyshe you by discreation and good watche to beware of suche fearefull discords doinge your best to love styll and to increase in love For as love ys the capitall affection in men and wemen so the effects therof ys most vehemēt as ys confirmed by Christ his words where a mans threasure ys there is his hart that is yf God be our heavenly threasure then ys our love a bove wth hym yf maried folkes be corporal threasures one to the other then the love and affection spreadeth accordingly as we se perthly mynded men have there love on yerthly things You that be maryed parsons Iplie as that tytle by the holy Ghoste ys tearmed honorable so let your love yeace and vnitie to gethers honor and dignifie that lawdable estate For as Christ cowld not chuse any creature more apt to express our spirituall mandutation of his fleshe and blod then breade and wyne so the holy Ghoste could not fynde a more apte similitude to express the spirituall bonde betwene Christ and every faythfull soule then the coniunction of two parsons by the knott of matrymonie Wherfore as mariage ys a moste compfortable and blessed estate to theme who are graced to vse yt well so ys yt a moste bitter and tormentuouse estate to such as love not to gethers and as crave not for grace rightly to vse yt Now bothe worshipfull and commun assemblie ordinarie and extraordinarie changers in that Ropall how 's I beseche you to remember that as your lyfe here is vncertayne and never in one staye but lyke to the moone subiect to chang and alteration and in the end to death evenso think that you must shortlie chāg this lyfe for a nother lyke your predecessors walking wth you as yesterday and now gonn and forgotten wch must put you in mynde to be so changed in affection and conversation as when the Lords change bell ys runge to make spedie change of the place where you are to a nother wthout any nayt that so you may fynde the happie and better Exchange for this miserable and worce throw the same Iesus Christ here after descrybed by a learned father worthie of marchinge in this tyme of fauls Christs Yt ys nedefull sayethe he to vnderstand how God was borne and how God dyed according as the toung of the scripture dothe vse to speake God-man wch speche of Christ ys dybersly before and after his incarnation For since that happie and miraculouse conception by the holy Ghoste we must remember that in this vnitie of parson by the wch the sonn of God is also the sonn of Marie
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