TO THE HONOURABLE, AND HIS VERY GOOD LL. SIR JOHN POPHAM Knight, Lord chief justice of England, and Sir William Periam Knight, Lord chief Baron of her majesties Court of Exchequer, T.W. heartily wisheth the abundant riches of all God's mercies in this life, & eternal blessedness in that which is to come thorough Christ.  
THough I doubt not (my good Lords) but that you have ere this heard of the fearful and lamentable fire, that in September last light upon the town of Wooburne, in the county of Bedford, and am fully persuaded, that according to the measure of heavenly wisdom, that God hath vouchsafed to you both, you have made spiritual profit, not only thereof, but of sundry other such like judgements passed already, in divers quarters of our kingdom, and justly feared, that hereafter may fall out upon us for our sins: yet because the particularities of that punishment are not so well and certainly known as were meet, men's minds are so various, and fame increaseth by going, as we say in the Proverb, besides that even in these things, likewise there is a truth fit to be understood, & also because the generality of men, either see them not, because they are blind, or else be amazed at them for a while, because they have no further insight, or else make not good use of them, because they are of careless hearts, I have thought it sit, and that under your Lordships protections, and with your good acceptation also I trust, to publish though a short, yet a true narration of that pitiful spectacle, and therewithal, some meditations of mine own concerning that matter begun within a day or two after the aforenamed fire itself, and finished in how short a space I will not write, lest I might seem to vaunt. In regard of the matter, I have aimed at nothing but this, that the truth itself being laid open, and some observations made thereupon, men might be lead by the hand to make some profitable use of it, they being drawn on to repentance for that which is past, and carefully to look to themselves for that which is to come, lest otherwise the flame of God's wrath should break forth further against us, and that to our utter wasting and destruction. For the manner observed in this discourse, it is not so methodical I confess, as it should be: but the reason thereof was the sudden fear and great grief, that I conceived upon the very view and sight of the ruins it had made, all making me unfit indeed for that present, especially for matter or manner to handle such a subject, as it ought, both the one and the other than took such a deep impression in me, and that is the reason also and nothing else I assure you, why I seem as it were so confusedly to deal in the cause, for how can a distempered mind be sit, especially in method to propound any matter, sith that to the orderly delivery of things, there must of necessity concur a quiet heart, and a stayed head? Howbeit this I dare notwithstanding protest, that for the body of the treaty, there is in it nothing unsound or uncertain, and therefore in that respect may the more safely be received. As for the reasons leading me to present this little labour to your Lordships, though they be many & the same weighty also, yet take them I beseech you, in a word as it were. You have vouchsafed me sundry honourable favours, and I would not willingly seem or be thought, either unmindful of them, or unthankful for them in any duty that God hath or shallbe pleased to enable me to perform. You execute the justice of the land, nay which is more, the very justice of God himself, even derived from himself, by her majesties holy hand and power. How fit therefore it is, that his example should be set before you, whose person you do in some sort bear, and whose judgement also you execute in your functions, that so you might in your places tread also in some good measure in his paths, yourselves can more wisely judge, than I am able to relate. You both profess the holy gospel of Christ, and may in some sort and sense be reckoned amongst them, that mourn for your own sins, and for the transgressions of the land also. How meet it is, that you and others with you should see, that you have not taken up this lamentation without cause, as welfor that which is past & present, as for that which is feared to come. But I will repress myself in these things, and will not cease according to all the graces that I have received from God, to commend these causes into his most merciful hands, who only worketh wonderful things both in heaven and in earth, that so turning us from our evil ways unto himself, and knitting our hearts daily more and more unto him, we may have assured hope of the bettering of our estate in this life according to his own good pleasure, or at the least of the everlasting saving of our souls, notwithstanding all the troubles and turmoils that may fall out in the world. The Lord always and in all things also direct your Lordships both by his holy spirit, and until the day of Christ make perfect in you all good works that he hath begun for the prosperity of Zion, or the commodity of the common wealth, to his glory, and your everlasting comfort thorough Christ. London the 1. of November. 1595.  
Your Lordship's bounden and ready ever in jesus Christ, Tho. Wilcocks, the Lords unworthy.   

A short narration of the fearful fire, that fell in the town of Wooburne, in the County of Bedford, on Saturdaie, the 13. of September last. 1595. Lord jesus begin and make an end.  
MEN, brethren and fathers, yea & whosoever amongst you truly feareth God, unfeignedly loveth his law, steadfastly believeth his promises, and sincerely obeyeth his will to you, and to every one of you, I say, are the words of truth, and exhortation following directed: not of a hateful heart I assure you against any, for I wish & would labour your good generally, and especially the salvation of your souls, as mine own: nor yet of a mind curious in other men's causes, with the neglect of them that belong to myself, for I know it to be displeasing before God, and unprofitable to myself, but of an earnest desire in christian charity, by all means lawful, and that according to my uttermost ability, to assay to do good unto others, as unto mine own soul, and to labour what I can, the setting forth of his glory, that hath created us and placed us in this world, for that special end and purpose, that so at the last also, after we have a little glorified him here, we might through his mercy, and Christ's merits, obtain the fruition of everlasting life, and the immortal glorification of our bodies and souls, in that great and last day. Wherein, if either thorough the uncleaneness of my heart, or the pollution of my hands, or thorough any other weakness or want in me, or of me, I shall miss of my purpose: or else thorough the carelessness, contempt, or any other corruption beside, of those into whose hands this treatise shall come, these poor labours shall not sort these desired effects, I shall for mine own and their transgressions (which are lets and hindrances to so worthy a work) mourn in my soul in secret, to see or hear the hand of God come forth so heavily against us for our sins, and yet I shall again comfort myself, as well as I can, not only in this of heathen men, that in great and hard matters to have a will is sufficient, but especially in that heavenly speech of the holy apostle, that God (if there be first a willing & cheerful mind) accepteth us according to that we have, and not according to that we have not: this being always provided also, that that good, whether it be of affection, or of action, that we have, we have from him, who worketh in us both the will and the deed, according to his own good pleasure, and therefore will accept it in us, as his own good work, notwithstanding our imperfections and defects cleaving thereto.  
What a fearful fire fell in the town of Wooburne, in the County of Bedford, on Saturday, as they call it, the thirteenth of September last passed, sundry of the people there felt, to their extreme losses, yea utter undoing, divers did behold to their great grief, and many have heard of, even to the sorrow of their hearts. This was so much the more lamentable, not only because it burned up sundry houses, & bay of building, to the number as I take it, of some hundred and thirty, one with another such as they were, of dwelling houses, and out houses, as barns, stables, hovels, and such like, but also because it consumed whatsoever store was laid up in the same, as corn, hay, wood, fern, and such other like provision, for man and for beast, for the back and the belly, to bake and to brew with, and for such other both necessary use, and profitable maintenance: yea (which may add to & increase the pitifulness of the spectacle, and the very matter of the narration itself) not only many things within the house, being almost utterly spoiled, broken to pieces and consumed, as tables, stools, bedstead, wainscot, presses, glass in the windows, pewter, brass, copper, leather, and such like, but even of that which was carried into the streets to save it, if it might be, from the force of the fire, as linen, bedding, platters, dishes, kettles, much stolen away, and sundry sorts of ware, of the traders of the town, as frise, durance, sheewes, and such like, purloined & imbeseled. By means whereof it cometh to pass, that the most of them are greatly weakened, as in respect of that poor estate worldly, which before they enjoyed, yea that divers of them having their store and provision consumed, and as it were eaten up with the flame of the fire, hardly have for themselves, their wives, children, and servants, bread to slake hunger, drink to cool thirst, wood to warm them with all, or houses to hide their heads in, I will not say convenient (for that were a great mercy in this judgement) but not such as over head, are able to keep out the rain, snow, and other moisture that falleth from heaven, or on the sides to beat back the boisterous winds, and cold air, this indeed being rather wrought, by the indiscretion or rage of some, that came in to succour and help their distress, by bursting in pieces the tiles of the house, and breaking down walls, windows, glass, and all (and yet no doubt of it, meant to do their best endeavours, for aid and relief) than by the violence or vehemency of the fire.  
Many I doubt not, are greatly eager, and greedy as it were, to hear of, and to understand the mean whereby this miserable fire, and fearful flame was enkindled: which desire of theirs, as I cannot mislike, if it be free from newfangledness and curiosity, and have this adjoined there withal, that they labour what they can, to make a good and profitable use of the same: so will I to my uttermost ability, though not in all and every particular, yet in truth and plainness, assay to satisfy, and certify them thereof. A simple old woman, as simple and seely, as ever I knew almost, slow in speech, deaf in hearing, and which is worst of all, very dull of understanding and sense (named for her age, old joane) dwelling in a poor cottage, at the further end of the town, towards Brickhill, having shifted her bed straw, and put new thereinto, laid the old in the chimney of her said house, supposing in deed, as she affirmeth, that there had been no fire in the same. Afterwards going abroad, about some businesses that she had to do, though verily they were but mean and small (as such poor folks have no great affairs) the cinders and sparks that were in the same chimney, took hold of that straw, so carelessly cast thereinto, and inflamed, and by means thereof set on fire that thatched house, and in very short time took hold of others adjoining unto it, that were thatched also, and so proceeded in fearful both measure and manner, from one to another, till it had made that lamentable desolation, that is yet to be seen. And as this was the beginning of this woeful work, so was it without all doubt very much furthered, by the absence of sundry the inhabitants of that town, who being at that time far from home, and abroad in the fields about their worldly affairs, could neither so providently prevent the rage of that fire, nor so powerfully put it out, as by all probability they might have done, had they been at the very beginning thereof. Besides this is most certain, that the Lord raised up even almost at that very instant, a great and mighty wind, to carry it as it were from one house or place to another (the fire also itself, naturally gathering wind unto it) (as to me was told) was even made thereby the more forcible and furious, whilst all things, that either they had for defence, or had gotten in for provision, were so far off from lessening the fury of the fire, that they did rather increase the same. For beside, that the thatch of their barns and out houses, was greatly dried with much and long parching heat and drought going before, & so they were the more meet matter, for the flame to set upon, besides this I say, their corn, their hay, their wood, their fern, and other provision laid thereinto, and being very drily inned, as they use to say, was fit food for the fire to feed upon, not only for the increase of the extreme heat, and violent rage of the fire itself, but even to the turning and burning of the matter itself into dust and powder. And not only the sudden, but the great puffs and blasts of the said wind also, did carry sparks & flames from one house to another, yea (which is more strange) from the one side of the town to the other: this being by the faithful testimony of sundry credible persons, not only ear, but eye witnesss also, truly reported, that there was by the violence and vehemency of the same wind taken up, from one of the houses so consumed, and standing not far from the Church, a flake of thatch inflamed, as broad as it were a sheet, and carried quite and clean over the Chancel of the Church, the schoolhouse, and some other housing of the west side of the town, and fell upon some of the housing of the east side of the said town, where also it burned some fifteen or sixteen bay of building as I take it. To all this we may add, as means to increase this enkindled flame, the carefulness of the people, come together out of the fields, and their carelessness also. If any man think it strange, that such contraries should either be in one and the self same subject, or further one and the self same action, let him weigh, that the care that they had, to carry some of their goods out of their dwelling houses, into the streets and other places, lest the fire also should have taken hold thereof, made them careless to stop the passage of the fire, which driven as I say, by the force of the wind, did not only pass speedily from one place to another, but made as it were a glade from the end of the town, on the backside of it especially, even to the Church or temple yet standing there (thanks be to God) not much decayed or defaced, to the end the people might more diligently resort and repair thereto, and more fruitfully profit by the heavenly exercises there performed, than there have done, or else God will proceed further, yea more fiercely against it, the town and all. And which is not of least consequence concerning this cause: Though the people of the country came in very lovingly and readily, (many of them leaving their own labours, and freeing their hired workmen from their task, and paying them notwithstanding their days wages) to help to extinguish and quench the fire, and indeed though divers of them wrought and toiled very sore and hard there about: yet some thorough want of experience, in such particular actions and causes, and other some for lack of good guidance and direction, (a special remedy doubtless in such extreme and dangerous causes) took not the readiest and easiest way to stop or hinder the passage of this fearful flame, but being as commonly people are, in other cases of greater quiet, and therefore no marvel in this hurly-burly, of many minds, what thorough ignorance and strangeness of the sight, and want of experience in such unusual actions, confounded in themselves, cried some one thing and some another, and indeed did some one thing and some another, all supposing they said and did for the best, but indeed, though not of purpose (for I dare not so much as think that any carried such bad minds) increased rather the desolation and waist, than any manner of way lessened the same.  
In all this lamentable discourse or narration, there are surely many points worthy the observation and marking: all and every one whereof directly tend to the manifestation of most excellent things in God himself, for example, his great power, his gracious providence, his perfect justice, his heavenly wisdom, and mercy more than fatherly, yea more than can be spoken or thought of: and to the declaration of many foul and fearful corruptions, that lie lurking in us, and altogether serve for our Christian admonition and instruction, as well for that which is past and present, as also for all time hereafter to come, specially if we have eyes to see the ways of God in his works, or hearts to tremble at his judgements, or minds that can be affected with his favours, or any grace and ability to make good use either of the one, or of the other. For tell me I pray you first, was not this a plain proof of his power, upon so small beginnings to make so great a flame, and wasting fire? to execute his judgement by so weak instruments and means? to raise up the creatures for the further dispersing of the judgement? to accomplish his own purpose and counsel, in so short a season, and small a time? to strike such fear and amazedness into the minds, not only of weak women and little children, but of men (who seem to have more courage and wisdom) that their heads should not be able to devise what were most profitable, nor their hands fit to execute any thing to speak of in comparison? If any and every one of these be evident declarations of his might and majesty, what then are all these together, but strong instruments more effectually to persuade our hearts in his all-working and almighty power? And doth not this show his wonderful providence, that he did not only bear the persons of all and every one of them, as it were upon the wings of his gracious goodness, so as we may by a manner of speech say, and confess it to the glory of his name, and the strengthening of our persuasion in trouble against time to come, that not one of them did so much as dash his foot against a stone, but spared much of that, that the fire had, as we may say, laid hands on, and the flame no doubt, would have consumed that, that it had fearfully taken hold of, had not he restrained it, and kept it as it were in his fist? Doth not this argue hisiustice, in striking for sin? he that knoweth God's nature will easily give glory to God in it, and confess the truth. For we know by the truth of the word, and our experience and observation in the world, that he delighteth not in punishing the sons of men, and if their transgressions were not as it were gable ropes to hale down judgements, surely men should never taste of this, howsoever it might be always in the divine nature. Nay I will say more. May we not as well in the manner of the judgement, as in the judgement itself, yea in the very things stricken with his wrath, behold the haude of God punishing the sins of men, in those members and matters, they had most abused to licentiousness and evil. Yea to speak more plainly of this particular, was it not a token of wrath from above, by fire to consume their bread, meat, and strong drink, that they had prepared against the fair, thereby to put them in mind how they have offended, yea do offend (notwithstanding this chastisement and correction) in abusing these blessings to gormandize, and drunkenness? And doth not this manifest his wisdom, that in that outward judgement he hath scourged, as sundry profane and careless men, so some also that in some measure, do unfeignedly fear his name, hearty love his truth, and carefully walk in obedience of his will? And why hath he done it? Surely that in both sorts, they themselves and all men might see, that if God, as in respect of outward punishment, spare not his own people (who are as dear to him as the apple of his eye) he will much less in this, or that which is to come, wink at the sins of the wicked, (for if judgement begin at the house of God, as Saint Peter saith, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God?) and that his servants might understand, that therefore they are chastened of the Lord in this life, to the end that the dross of their corruption being scoured from them, they should not perish with this wicked world. And as for his mercy, what can we cast our eye upon (I will not say, if we look upon it with sanctified and enlightened minds from above, but even in the light of reason or nature) and that in this very desolation itself? or think upon with our minds, in which we may not see the glory of it break forth as the sun in his greatest brightness? For if the Prophet jeremiah for himself and his people, did frankly confess it, as he doth indeed, Lament. 3. that it was the Lord's mercy that they were not consumed: And the faithful in Isaiah, willingly acknowledge, that unless the Lord of hosts had reserved some, though but few, they had been as Sodom, and made like unto Gomorrah? Have not we as good cause, with unfeigned minds and mouths, also to speak and declare the same? More than the one half of the town, by much, was neither touched by fire (howsoever it was threatened therewith) nor received any great loss: and yet I hope they think not themselves more righteous than the rest, sure I am they should not imagine any such thing, for even amongst them that felt not the flame, I am sure there were as great transgressors, as they that tasted of it. And as for them upon whom the loss did light, and indeed lieth very heavily, a great part of their dwelling houses, I confess was sore set upon & assaulted, yea very much scorched with fire, but yet not destroyed: much also of their goods or household stuff graciously spared, though greatly defaced & impaired. And which is a very rare & strange thing, specially in so exemplary a judgement, none of them or theirs, in their bodies or persons, hurt with this fearful flame. Nay which is more: of all that confused multitude that was there for needful help and succour, some running one way and some another, some crying one thing, and some another, some doing this, and some that, and all as if it were a beast of many heads for the time, by reason they were without good guides or government, not one of them all I say, for aught I heard, maimed or hurt. Surely, if a better eye had not watched over them than human, and a more not only mighty, but gracious hand upheld them, than their own, a thousand to one as we say in our proverb, but that in climbing of houses, beating down of tiles, occupying of axes, casting of water, (all which and many the like are used in such fearful extremities) every one besides running thick and threefold in another's neck, but that divers had been wounded, if not slain. And yet to the end we might behold, even as it were with our bodily eyes, as well as with the eyes of our mind, God's great and gracious goodness, not one of so many did miscarry, or was as we may say, scarce touched at all, with any dangers either deadly or grievous. What shall we say then? without all controversy, he that cannot learn by that which is past, to fear and tremble before God in so fearful a judgement, must needs be deemed to have at the least, a careless heart, if not benumbed and senseless. For shall the Lion roar, and not all the beasts of the forest fear? And he that cannot be thankful for the gracious reservation, that God of his mere mercy hath made both of men, buildings, goods, etc. and that as well for other men's as for his own, may justly be said to be of an unthankful mind and mouth to Godward, and of an uncharitable heart towards his brethren. And whosoever cannot use it to further him in faith unfeigned, and sincere repentance, as in regard of the former part of his life misspent, and for carefulness & circumspection for that which is to come, let him doubt at the least if not despair of his present and subsequent condition. For if God shall give us so lively documents as these are, and we not receive instruction thereby, or be in some good measure bettered thereby, both for knowledge, belief, and obedience, he shall have just occasion to take up that grievous complaint against us, which he hath done to men of like quality and disposition, and to say, Hearken O heavens, & thou O earth, hear, for the Lord speaketh: I have brought up children, yea I have exalted them, but falling away they have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his Master's crib, but Israel knoweth not, my people consider not. Ah sinful nation, ah people laden with iniquity, a very wicked seed, corrupted children: they have forsaken the Lord, they have contemptuously provoked the holy one of Israel: wherefore should ye be smitten any more, sith you increase your falling away: the whole head is dangerously sick, and the whole heart languisheth, from the sole of the foot to the top of the head, there is no soundness, but wounds and swellings, and a sore that runneth continually, etc. which miserable mischiefs, and grievous inconveniences, that we may thorough God's goodness speedily avoid, as also by the same assuredly attain the contrary good things: it shall be good for us to mark, first the hand that striketh us, lest otherwise not knowing that, we run whither we should not, and forsake that we ought to cleave unto. Secondly, the causes moving such exemplary judgement, because the ignorance thereof may make us to lay it where we should not, and to clear them that we ought to charge. And lastly, the ends that are aimed at in these chastisements, because as we are not afflicted without cause, so we are not chastised but to some good and holy purpose.  
He that thus correcteth men, is even the eternal God himself, as we may well see, not only by this general sentence of the Prophet Amos, saying, Is there any evil in the city that the Lord hath not done? chap. 3. meaning by the term evil, the evil of punishment and affliction, and not the evil of sin and transgression, because God cannot that way (he is so absolutely good) be an actor at all: but also by the particular confession, that job the holy man of God maketh, when he saith, even of the greatest judgements almost, that can fall out upon men in this life: The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord. And as God's word doth almost every where in plain and audible terms affirm the same, saying, The Lord doth whatsoever pleaseth him, both in heaven, and in earth, and in all deep places: so reason grounded upon religion confirmeth it likewise. For if this be not so, why do we say we believe with our hearts, and confess with our mouths that God is almighty? Is it not because we are certainly persuaded both by the will of GOD revealed in his word, and by his works manifested in the world, that no such things as these, are or can be performed, but by not only his permission and providence (which indeed reach not unto the actions of God, otherwise than as he suffereth and foreseeth the same, but to his determination, council, foresight, or appointment) but by his all-sufficient might and power also, at all times, in all places, and in all things, ruling, yea overruling the same, according to the good pleasure of his own will: which if it were not true, we should in our profession of it, have been found falsifiers of truth, and in our persuasions of it, deceivers of our own hearts. Neither doth this hinder it (howsoever in human reason it may seem so) that in the execution of his counsels, he useth means. For as we are sure, that with means, and without means, yea and against means too, he can perform whatsoever he will, either as in regard of the grievous punishment of the wicked, or as in respect of the merciful deliverance of his own people (which we may plainly and particularly see, in the passage of the Israelites thorough the red sea, that not only giving them way, but being as a wall for them on the right hand, and on the left, and serving of or the drowning of the Egyptians therein) so he both appointeth and useth the means, not for any impotency, or weakness in himself, for he is the God of all might and power, communicating it in great measure to many, and yet having never a whit the less in himself, and bridling that that he hath given them, making their rage also to turn to his praise, but that he might the more effectually humble, who being gross of nature, are hardly brought under, or made to stoop, but by such apparent and forcible means. And this may appear, not only then when he useth gross and outward means (and yet the same powerful also) because they better sort with our nature, & more lively affect all our senses, but even then when he maketh the weakest, and the meanest able to effect most great and excellent matters. And therefore unless we be in sin hardened as flints, these and such like things, cannot choose, but pinch and pierce us very far. To apply all this to our particular, as purpose, so past, yea and if you will present visitation also: which howsoever, as in regard of time it be passed already, yet are the monuments, & the very cinders thereof so present before us, that all our senses, sight, hearing, feeling, smelling, tasting, may still, yea and I fear me will a long while be satisfied therewith. Wherein though the Lord used the carelessness and negligence of a silly poor wretched woman, for the beginning of this punishment, as you have heard already; and though for the continuance, increase and carrying of it, yea scattering of it abroad, he raised up a mighty wind, & other instruments and means above expressed, to serve his own turn with, for the declaration of his majesty, and the chastisements of the sins of the people: yet still if we have any grace, we must steadfastly look upon him, & unfeignedly confess, that he as it were alone, hath wrought this great work. And the knowledge and practice of this point doth holy job teach us, and that not only in matters of the like nature and event, but in such plain terms also, as will admit or receive no other construction. For howsoever he was not ignorant of, yea by the credible report of his escaped servants, he knew well enough, and was persuaded, that the Chaldeans, Sabeans, Satan and all, had as it were conspired and consented, but yet every one, in and about the things wherein they were employed, as for example, in driving away his cattle, as it had been a pray or spoil obtained in just war, in the overthrowing of that house wherein his children were banqueting, and in the rest of the miseries and afflictions that God was pleased to exercise him withal, yet doth he from the heart, frankly and freely confess and say, The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away: And to his uncomfortable and wicked wife affirm, Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and not receive evil also? And indeed if we be not thoroughly persuaded of this in our hearts, as by the clear light of the word, so by the gracious working of God's blessed spirit in our several souls, we shall with the blind and superstitious of the world, irreligiously ascribe as they do, the matters and occurrences that fall out in this life, to fortune and secondary causes, which is nothing else in truth, but to spoil and rob the divine majesty of his power, providence, wisdom, justice, and whatsoever therein is most excellent. And if we do not with a sound mind and mouth, give glory to God therein, and confess it to the praise of his name, surely it is impossible, either to minister sound consolation to others that are distressed, a duty that in charity we are bound to perform towards men, or with patience and comfort to undergo our own calamities and miseries, a cause that we ought greatly to care for, or quietly and confidently to expect a joyful issue of them and way to escape therefrom, a matter that we must patiently hope for, or else all will be nought on our sides. For how is it likely that a man should quietly endure the crosses and losses that fall upon him, who knoweth not that they are inflicted, not only by a superior, but by an absolute overruling power, and the same not usurped, but most holy, lawful, & just? or how can he so much as think of a comfortable deliverance, that is not well and thoroughly persuaded of the almighty power and providence of God, who if he work it not for him, it can never be effected? And if he cannot as a skilful Physician, heal the maladies and sicknesses of his own soul, and minister consolation to his own conscience, how shall we imagine him able to do it to others? For as for men's mischievons minds (if our crosses and calamities come altogether from them) they cannot be satisfied, till we be ruinated and overthrown: and Satan's malice specially against God's people, hath neither end nor measure, if it be not restrained. This persuasion therefore, that we are under God's almighty hand and power, in whatsoever state or condition we be, being well settled in our hearts, will undoubtedly cause us, that in the time of our prosperity, we shall not be puffed up in pride above measure, and in the days of our adversity, not to be too much depressed, but even for the time present patiently to bear, and for the time to come, with comfort to expect and wait for such a delivery and issue out of all troubles, as the Lord shall see to be fit for the glory of his name, the benefit of his people, and our own everlasting good. Whereas without this, we shall either with some of the wicked languish away in distrustfulness; murmuring, and all manner of impatiency, or with other some fall to ungodly devices and shifts, imagining either to have our necessities satisfied by consonage, fraud, force, theft, or some such like wicked way, or else that our griefs may and shall be recovered by repairing to witches, sorcerers, conjurers, and sundry other such wicked persons, the practice whereof we may behold to too many in our time overtaken withal, and running riot to that great and grievous excess of evil. Wherefore we may well see and say, that it much standeth us in hand indeed, yea and greatly importeth all and every one of us, to be rightly and religiously persuaded, as of other grounds & principles of Christian religion, so of this one point particularly, and that not only for the avoiding of iniquity and sin, in loving & liking, in seeking and striving to them, whom for their gross and grievous transgressions, we ought to loath and abhor, but even for the faithful accomplishment of many good duties in piety towards God, in charity towards men, and in comfort and patience, as in respect of ourselves. For otherwise, how shall we steadfastly trust in, or religiously call upon him, whom we believe not to be almighty? or how can we comfort ourselves or other men, if there be any power that is either equal with, or can overrule the same?  
Now we are to see what causes should move the Lord, in such fearful measure and manner, as many times he doth, to exercise & execute his judgements. Of a truth it proceedeth not of himself, and his own nature, as though he took pleasure in punishing the sons of men. For the scripture telleth us in many places, that he is as it were of another disposition, namely, slow to wrath, & of great goodness, and inclinable to much mercy, (for which purpose see Exod. 34. and Psalm. 86.) neither indeed delighteth he to afflict his own creatures, specially man the excellentest and chiefest of the rest. Some thing then from elsewhere, must of necessity draw him and drive him to do it, or else it could never be performed From ourselves therefore surely, and our most grievous transgressions, is the first, yea and as a man may say, indeed is the only cause of all our misery, of what kind, sort, or condition soever it be, either outward in the body, or inward in the mind, temporal in this life, or everlasting in that which is to come. Which because men are not easily persuaded of, nor willingly yield to (pride and conceitedness concerning some good things in themselves, taketh so strong hold of them, and possesseth them so mightily) God in sundry places of the holy scripture, doth not only plainly describe the corruption of man's nature, saying, The thoughts and imaginations of man's heart are only evil, every day from his youth upward: and again, There is none that doth good, no not one, they are all become corrupt & abominal le, etc. But also by his Prophet peremptorily telleth us, that our sins are they that make a separation betwixt the Lord and us: and again in another place, Thy destruction O Israel is of thyself. For the further cleared and confirmation of which point, we are to mark that God at the first made man, just, holy, innocent, righteous, etc. but he not continuing in that excellent estate, corrupted himself and all his posterity, who as they were by creation in his loins, so were they all standing with him in innocency, had he stood, and falling together with him thorough transgression. So that now it is no more natural for man, as man, that is to say, vitiated and corrupted as he is, to breath or speak, than it is for all and every one of them, every way and every day to sin. On the other side, God is a God, with whom there can dwell no manner of wickedness, yea whose eyes can at no hand behold that which is evil, whether it be in devise, or desire, in thought, in word, or in deed. As soon therefore as man hath sinned any manner of way, so soon hath he plunged himself, as in regard of God's absolute and exact justice, into most grievous and fearful judgements. And though God strike not presently therefore (as we see many times, according to his nature inclinable to mercy, yea mercy itself, he doth with much patience and lenity forbear) we must not think as the wicked do, that either he doth it not, because he cannot, (for what is it that he cannot accomplish?) or because he careth not for the sins of our souls, for we know that he hateth sins, and sinners to, but rather to express the wonderful overflowing mercy that is in him, waiting for men's conversion if it may be, yea assaying to work it by all good means possible, or else that forbearing them, and they not amending, he way the more sharply and severely in his justice punish them for abusing of his goodness, and turning his grace into wantonness, as the Apostle saith. Which thing the world either not sound knowing, or else not sincerely confessing the same to be true, falleth into fearful, dangerous, yea deadly extremities: sometimes accusing God of injustice, as as that either he striketh them without cause, or more than by reason of the offence committed, they have deserved: sometimes they post the cause of their punishment, from themselves to others, supposing that other men's sins rather than their own, have thus provoked the Lord: and sometimes again, they ascribe or attribute all to secondary causes, as to such a conjunction and influence, of such and such planets, to the negligence or reachlesnes of such and such persons, to the strength and power of such and such winds and waters, etc. And sometimes they do profanely charge and accuse their miserable mishap or fortune, as they call it, making her with the heathen a God, or goddess: and sometimes they fling out into one corruption, and sometimes to another. By means whereof, they as much as in them lieth, rob God of his government, as though there were any thing that without him or against him did bear sway in the world, and spoil him of his justice, as though that he, which indeed is the only just judge of the world, could do injustice or wrong, and forget his long forbearing hand: and so besides that they deprive him of his honour in thankfulness, profit not thereby to amendment, & make other things, namely creatures, God, & a creator as it were, yea sometimes such things as never were in the nature of things, but in man's imagination and conceit only, and hinder themselves, & it may be others likewise, by their bad example also, from the sight and sense of sin, yea from religious repentance, and godly sorrow for the same, whereby they might be led unto amendment of life, not to be repent of, and plunge themselves into innumerable pains of body and soul here, and without special favour and grace of forgiveness from God (who only forgiveth sins) into everlasting tormenrs in the world to come. Whereas God's children are so far off from entering into these corrupted courses, that many times before judgements, I will not say have seized upon them, but even before they have been threatened against them, have yet in the reverend fear which they have had in their hearts of them, either humbled themselves, and as we may say, prevented the pouring forth of God's wrath upon them: or else at the thundering out of the same, or the first stroke thereof laid upon them, have sound and speedily cast down themselves at the feet of God's mercy, in faith unfeigned, and sincere repentance, & so if not removed the temporary or outward punishment (and yet upon their submission, God hath been pleased many times, graciously to grant the same) have notwithstanding found favour from the Lord to undergo it for the present with patience and prayer, and sincerely to profit by it (yea indeed to overcome it) to Christian mortification and holy obedience.  
As for the ends, why God should strike us, we must know and believe, that it is impossible that they should be (whether we respect them in themselves, or as they proceed from him that is only good) of any other nature than he is. For as all his affections and actions are merely and absolutely good, so must also all his purposes, and the ends that he aimeth at be likewise, though always happily by reason of Satan's malice and man's corruption, they bring not forth this effect in man. To make this plain by some particulars. His love is absolutely good, and no man that knoweth what either GOD or nature meaneth, can deny it: for if the love of earthly creatures, as of parents to children, husbands to wives, friends to friends, etc. be good and lawful, then that which is in and from the divine majesty must much more be so, because it is more certain, more holy, and indeed infinite, he having it also in himself, and of himself absolutely & perfectly good, whereas others have it but by communication, and that in measure, and in men much vitiated and corrupted thorough the taint of original sin. And yet this so excellently and absolutely good, he laboureth to manifest, as in the correction of all men generally, so particularly of his own people and children, according to which the spirit saith, in the Apostle to the Hebrews. My son despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither faint when thou art rebuked of him, for whom the Lord loveth he chastiseth, and he scourgeth every son that he receiveth: And if we be without correction whereof all are partakers, than are we bastards, and not sons and dauhgters. Wherefore sith in this and such like actions, he aimeth at the manifestation of his love, and that is indeed the principal end of his chastisements, specially as in regard of his own people, it cannot be but good. True it is that flesh and blood seethe not this, nor thinketh so. The reason is, because their eyes are blind, and their understandings dark. But as it is not reason, because a blind man beholdeth not the Sun, to conclude, there is no Sun: so is it absurd to say, because the wicked worldlings, neither feel nor fear these things, therefore they are not. For these are as all the rest of the things of God, specially as in respect of his purpose & end, spiritual, and therefore must be spiritually discerned: but they are carnal, and sold under sin. Again, in as much as since the depravation & corrupting of God's image, we are nothing else but both in body and soul tainted with all manner of evil: and sith that even since our regeneration and new birth, we carry about with us (so long as we dwell in these houses of clay, and earthly tabernacles) the relics and remainders of sin: and we know by the light of the word, every where almost revealing it, and by the stinging testimony of our own heart (which even telleth it us every day that we rise up, and every night that we lie down) that sin displeaseth his blessed majesty, and God hath appointed punishments and corrections, both outward & inward, as one special mean to repress the rage and power of evil in us, whilst it scoureth from us the dross of our corruption, and so mortifying in some measure sin in us, fashioneth us the better and more effectually unto sanctification (for this we may assure ourselves of, that the decay of the one, is the increase of the other) we may even thereby see, as if it were in a most clear and lively looking glass, that he aimeth at in these corrections, which he hath sealed, not only his own glory, but our good, both temporal and eternal, in this work of fatherly chastisement and affliction. And this sure cannot choose but be good also, howsoever sometimes by reason of the thick cloud of our own corruption, interposed between God's works and our reformed judgement, we cannot so sensibly see, or so plainly perceive the same, as we would or should. Neither is this all, the bettering of us in this life, but for as much as our good estate here, is in the purpose and council of God, yet through his own mercy and grace only, infinitely as I may say, to be bettered in the life that is to come, and afflictions do not only frame us to obedience in this world, but in some sort pledge up unto us the salvation of our souls in eternal blessedness, according to which the Apostle affirmeth: We are chastened of the Lord in this world, that we should not perish with the wicked in that which is to come. And again the spirit in another place saith: By many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God. Men by all this should be persuaded, of the holy purposes & blessed ends of God's visitation, and earnestly labour by these (sith God also himself is pleased by them, to aim at that end, and to effect that grace in us) to be out of love and liking with this present evil world, and all the vanities and delights of the same, using it and them no further, than as by it and them we may be furthered in more excellent graces, and to hunger and thirst after that eternal felicity, that is laid up in the heavens for all those, that in faith, patience, prayer, and other good works, look for and long after his blessed appearing.  
Thus we see what God mindeth to effect by striking us: but whether these fruits follow in men, let our own practice declare. We are so far off from taking these things as pledges of his love, that the more he layeth upon us that way, the more we think he hateth us. And the reason is, because we measure these matters, not by the line or elne of reason reform, or religious reason, but by our understanding much corrupted & defaced, from that integrity which it had in creation. And then how can we in that darkness see light, seeing that hindereth us from beholding graces more clear than these, that are to be seen in afflictions and corrections? And if we cannot see in them his love, till the thick scales of our ignorance be pulled from the eyes of our minds, and understanding, how shall we perceive that he assayeth our good therem, till the same also be removed and taken away? For as we are hardly persuaded of this, that strokes testify the favour of him that sound & roundly layeth them upon us: so shall flesh & blood never yield to this, that blows better us, till the heart specially enlightened believe the same, and we know either by experience in ourselves, or by observation in others, that they have not by nature, but by grace, gained that glorious issue. The like may we say of pledging up unto us the hope of heaven. For what man, if he have not more in him than man, will imagine that so hard a measure of afflictions and sorrows, as lie not only upon the backs, but are in the souls of men, yea godly men, should testify unto them such heavenly graces? we rather say and see, that the father that beateth the child much and often, hardly mindeth to give him the inheritance, and to make him Lord and heir of all. Howbeit God's word telleth us, that it is far otherwise with Gods elect: for if we suffer with Christ, we shall reign with him, and being made conformable unto him in his afflictions, we shall also be like him in glory, we knowing that the momentany and light afflictions of this life, do cause unto us, or bring with them a far most excellent and eternal weight of glory. Now whether in these points it be better for us, to believe God and his holy word, or to trust our own reason, and human judgement, I had almost said, let all the world judge, but let the godly especially speak their minds, and deliver their sentence according to truth and right.  
Whatsoever hitherto hath been delivered, concerneth especially, either the narration itself, and the thing done as we say, or else some profitable points arising therefrom, or appertaining thereto. All which no doubt of it, are profitable, if they be laid to heart, to build us up in knowledge and judgement. But there is another thing beside, that as in all causes generally, so particularly in this, we must carefully labour to attain to: and that is conscience of the things that we know, & care to profit by them, to the bettering of us in this life before God and man, and in our own hearts also, that so in the comfortable feeling of it, we may have assurance of hope and heart, that we shall not be confounded in that which is to come. And to this we cannot come or be brought, but by making special use of and particular applying unto our own souls, the points of instruction, or the several and sundry actions that God doth for, or amongst the sons of men. Without which indeed, as in the public ministery, all pains taken is but labour lost, and as it were words spoken in the air, as the examples of former ages, and the experience of our own times, do but too sufficiently show: so in all private doctrines or documents, whether they be delivered by the audible voice of man, or propounded unto us by the works of God, in his mercy towards his own people, or in his judgements towards the wicked, will be at the most, but as a wonder of nine days, as we say in the Proverb, and like unto water spilled upon the ground. True it is, and I am sure every good man will confess it, that neither the one nor the other, can indeed, either do us good in this life, or further us unto eternal salvation (to make us without excuse and defence before God, and in ourselves, I deny not, but some power they have) otherwise than as they are sanctified, by the almighty working of the blessed spirit. And therefore, when, or where, or howsoever God dealeth with us, we should presently and unfeignedly humble ourselves in prayer, and call and crave for grace to profit thereby. Howbeit though that I mean the gracious work of God's spirit in our hearts, be a principal mean of our spiritual profiting, yet neither is it the only, neither indeed doth it fol low thereupon, that the others above recited, should be rejected or refused. For even as in our natural life, the first and chief cause of all is God himself, who as he giveth it us, so upholdeth it and maintaineth it, according to his good will, that being here true that the Apostle saith, In him we live, we move, & have our being: and yet no man so unwise as to refuse meat, drink, cloth, sleep, and other necessary helps and aids that way, for that were to tempt God, and to live (if some one or other could do it) rather a miraculous than a natural life, so in our spiritual life, though God by his holy spirit work all in all, in the hearts of them that he hath marked out unto eternal blessedness, yet no man that feareth God, or careth for his own salvation, neglecteth, much less despiseth the word, sacraments, prayer, admonitions, exhortations, rebukes, public, private, etc. but more carefully frequenteth, and more religiously useth the same, and laboureth more to treasure than up in his heart for goodness, than he doth all or any of the outward things appertaining to the body or natural man. And even so is it in this case, of applying to our purpose, and making use in our souls of the ways and works of God, general or particular, open or secret. To that therefore we come, as indeed unto the life and soul of the other things before going, and therein direct our speech, as first to the whole land generally, who upon every such particular occasion should make special profit, as well because all the several members in a kingdom, or in a Church, make but one political or ecclesiastical body, and therefore if one suffer, all should suffer, and if one rejoice, all should do likewise, as also because some in God's purpose and judgement are stricken, that all or many others, at the least might amend, because all have sinued and gone astray, and stand in need of the grace of God. And this is that surely that our Saviour meaneth, when in the Gospel he saith, were those Galileans, whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices, greater sinners than all the other? I tell you nay, but except ye amend your lives, ye shall all likewise perish: so secondly to the particular persons, and places touched & afflicted with this present and searefull judgement, who if others, than they much more, should unfeignedly stoop down, and heartily and hastily also humble themselves, under the hand that hath stricken them, by how much not only in their own knowledge and conscience, their sins are greater than other men's, but also because the punishment was present in their eyes, fell upon their bodies, goods, and houses, and should (which whether it doth yea or no I know not, but if it do not, I pray God it may) more effectually therefore pierce and enter into their souls and spirits, for all time, present, and to come. What a mighty hand of God hath gone forth against the whole land, by manifold and fearful fires in the several quarters and corners of it? which whosoever will but seriously think upon them that are past, & recall to memory those that howsoever men forget them, are yet fresh, and as it were bleeding in the hearts and eyes of them that fear God, he caunot choose but see and confess strange and wonderful judgements. In some particulars behold the rest: the burning of Beckles, the wasting of Nantwich, the consuming of Marleborough in the west, and which though it come in the last place is not the least judgement, the destroying of Stratforde upon Auon twice in one year, with that great and grievous punishment. Nay let us proceed further, London the blazing beacon to the whole land, and the mother city of all the kingdom, hath been made thorough the justice of God against it for sin, a fearful spectacle of God's wrath to others, not only while divers private men's houses, goods and possessions have been defaced thereby, but while the steeple of their cathedral Church (a place that many imagined for the devotion and holiness of it could not have been touched with any such judgement) was not only inflamed and consumed itself, but ministered matter of fear also, and that not without good cause & respect, that it would have fired the whole city itself. Sundry other sorts of judgements hath God exercised that famous place, and the whole land withal, as with that infective and destroying sickness the plague or pestilence, that noisome disease of the small pocks, measles, etc. great penury and scarcity of victuals, and by means thereof and together with the same, a general dearth of all things, belonging either to the pleasures or the profits of this present life: to which also add the threatening of the sword for a fearful invasion, and the fear of domestical stirs to disturb our long and happy peace, with infinite others, according to the innumerable multitude of sins and transgressious multiplied against his majesty, the very sting whereof standeth up in our souls to accuse us every night when we lie down, and every day when we rise up. And yet who hath, I will not say sound profited by these things, for unfeigned humiliation before God, but thought seriously upon them for the bettering of us, or for any other good respect before men in the world. Certainly whosoever will look into these things with a single eye, I do not think the contrary, but he shall clearly perceive, that whatsoever iniquity was in any particular person, state, or degree amongst us, or whatsoever disorder was either in church or common wealth, it resteth notwithstanding this hand of justice and judgement gone forth against us still unreformed: as though we thought that God in heaven did not either behold our sins, or did strike us without cause, or as though there were no end why he did punish us. And though it be true indeed, that in the midst of these judgements, he hath remembered mercy, and hath not let his wrath lie hard upon us, lest we also might reach out our hands to iniquity, but hath given us great abundance of manifold favours, turning our sickness into health, our penury into plenty, our dread of danger and distress into all manner of holy joy, and over and beside hath bestowed upon us the blessed light of his holy word both in the public ministery & private exercises of it, the very know ledge and light of it breaking forth as the flow of the sea, if we could so have accepted of it: and all this hath been done to this end, that we might have been led by the lines of love, and cords of men, to have walked more uprightly and carefully with the Lord; who is the God of our life, and of our health, and of our peace and all: yet have we misled by the malice of Satan, and thorough the corruption of our own hearts, and deceived by the pleasures of sin, which endure but for a while, lift up our heels and our hands against him, and hardened our hearts and our faces against all his ways, in all his works, either of mercy or of judgement, for he that was filthy, is filthy still, and all the abominations of the land (under the burden whereof also the very earth itself groaneth, and therefore men should much more mourn, if they were not senseless and graceless) are so far off from being lessened and diminished, that they daily increase and get head amongst us and over us, which whosoever will but in uprightness of heart and judgement, in the particulars consider of, cannot but give glory unto God, and herein acknowledge and confess the truth. As for the pride of the land, it is increased, not only by the excess and abuse of our commodities at home, but by bringing in of foreign wares, and old and new fond devices, which in the fineness and in the variety and vanity of them, do over and beside waste and wear the wealth of our own country, our gold, silver, tin, lead, and other things of worth and durableness, being transported for such trumpery. Gluttony and drunkenness, I think, did never so much abound, no not when England had the name for great hospitality and housekeeping, there being come now in the steed of it, not only amongst the poor, but amongst the rich, noble and all, either no housekeeping at all, or the same so pinching and miserable, as not only the poor being ready to starve in our streets, cry out of it, but even the very maniall servants, many times do very bitterly, and that not without good cause, complain of the same also.  
Touching the extortion, oppression, bribery, usury and other iniquities that every where amongst high and low do daily prevail, what shall we say, the very stones in the street, and the beasts in the field, and other dumb and insensible creatures, though men should hold their tongues, do in their kind, seriously cry out against it and say, even as the Prophet did in his days, justice is turned into gall and wormwood, and the poor are bought and sold for silver, and the needy for shoes: whoredom and filthy life, in all sorts and degrees of men, both openly and secretly, did never so much over flow and increase as at this day. The civil Magistrate saith, either he hath no law to punish it, or correcteth it at the most with a simple whipping: and as for those that have the ecclesiastical censures in their hands, they surely have no will to do it, but use their authority rather to pick men's purses, than to instruct their consciences, and to convert men unto God. Yea, I wish with all my heart, that even the very ministers themselves, to whom for aught I see, there is no other thing left to repress evil by, than crying out against iniquity, were not in this as in other matters of as great consequence tonguetied and mute, or else as the prophet saith in another place, that they were light and wicked persons, and had polluted the sanctuary, and wrested the law. To rehearse all transgressions in the several sorts and particularities of them, would be too long and tedious, take one therefore, and the same as the most common, so the most grievous, that by it we may judge also of the rest: the profanation of the Sabbath is the sin that I mean. Where is the man, woman, or child, that hath care and conscience publicly to sanctify it, either by reverent and religious preparing of themselves to come to public assemblies as they should, or to repair thither dutifully as they ought, or to carry themselves there as beseemeth such heavenly exercises of prayer, preaching, etc. What househoulder, man or woman, what child, what servant hath any regard privately to spend it well in meditation and conference of things publicly taught them, in singing of psalms, in prayer, in thinking seriously upon the creatures, in visiting the sick, in doing the works of charity and christian love? Or rather who profaneth it not in public, and in private, by themselves and in company and in every place almost: some by thinking it to be a day of bodily rest only, and therefore give themselves and theirs over to sleep more and longer then, than on other days beside: other some making no more account of the holy assemblies of the church, and religious exercises therein, than of profane and common meetings, nor so much many times, and receiving the word with no more reverence & attention than a profane tail, other some sitting idle at their doors, gaping and gazing, suffering, yea some times commanding their servants and children to abuse it, by dicing, dancing, carding, stoolball playing, and other unlawful and wicked recreations: others also posting over their worldly affairs, as matters of accounts, repairing to justices for execution of law, visiting and entertaining their friends, and such other worldly things, to that day, with a thousand such like abominations, fearfully committed and performed upon that day, that of all others should be best spent. For these may not we say, as the Prophet speaketh in cases of meaner importance: Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? Or as another Prophet speaketh against the people that descended from jaakob, for their pride, contempt of God's word; and other iniquities, Aram before, and the Philistines behind, and they shall devour Israel with open mouth, and yet for all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still: and good reason, for the people turneth not unto him that striketh them justly for their sins, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts: therefore will the Lord cut off from Israel, head and tail, branch and body in one day. The ancient and the honourable man he is the head, and the Prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail, with many such other things as follow in that ninth chapter of Isatah, which I would desire the godly reader, with care to look upon, and in conscience to make use of. For who knoweth whether this be yet, the day of God's grace offered, and the acceptable time if it be received? Or who can tell whether this be not a foretelling and a foreruning sign also, that the land may (and that or ever it be long, for aught we know) be consumed with fire from the West, by the Turk, Pope, Spaniard, & other instruments of God's wrath to punish a sinful and rebellious nation: All which would be glad, not only for the enlarging of their territories and kingdoms, but even of hatred more than cruel, and bloody against us to whet their teeth upon our bodies and bones, and to bathe their swords in our blood: or else who can or dare say, that this may not be an assured testimony, that the Lord jesus shall shortly come in the clouds, in a melting and consuming fire going before him, and destroying all things, with great power and glory to judge the quick and the dead? Sin not at the height it is at, doth in full provoke the one, & with earnestness calleth for our adversaries to come out against us in troops and armies, and on the other side all signs (if I be not deceived) that should go before that great and terrible day of the Lord be accomplished already. Sith things than are so uncertain, that we know not when nor where, nor how the Lord will come upon us, and yet we cannot but fear that he is nigh, even at the door, why should we defer with the wicked, even therein, or thereby, causing the lords wrath to break forth against us to our utter confusion: or rather considering that all these things must be dissolved, why do we not make this use of it, to learn what manner of people we should be in holy conversation and godly life, looking for, & hastening unto the coming of that day of the Lord, by the which the very heavens being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with heat? But who (I will not say practiseth these things, for the number of such persons is almost as rare in the world, as a black swan amongst fowls) thinketh upon these things seriously? Surely, surely, the most part busy their minds and their mouths also far otherwise: for some give themselves over to filthy and foolish speech, which not only bringeth no grace or godly edification to the hearer, but rather corrupteth good manners. Other some though they fall not so foully, yet are overtaken in their discourses of pleasure, of profit, hawking, hunting, merchandise, purchasing lands, etc. which though in themselves they be not evil, yet because they continually put better matter out of place, they are become the sin of their souls. And if it so fall out, that now and then, they or some of them stumble upon good things, be it either in word or deed, by the motion of their own mind, or occasion from others, it is certainly but as a flash lightning, no man knoweth whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth, and even vanisheth away, as if it were in the first appearing of it. And therefore surely thorough their sins of ignorance, negligence, carelessness, contempt & profaneness, it is likely that vengeance shall break forth from the Lord in a grievous both measure and manner, & fearfully consume both bough and branch, root and body, trunk stock, and all in a day.  
And if this be the state and condition of the generality, as indeed it is, what shall become of the particulars, the whole body consisting of them as it were of several parts, but that they also must remain under the same judgement? To you therefore that now are under this hand & hammer of God's heavy indignation is it that I writ and speak. Can you deny, but that even many days and years already passed, you have long ago pulled this and a more grievous judgement by much, down upon you from almighty God? If you should, the heavens would blush at you, and the earth would bear witness against you, and testify unto your faces, the filthiness of your words and works. Me thinketh it should be far better for you to give glory to God, and unfeignedly confess that it is his singular favour to have spared you so long, and that it is his more than common mercy, that ye were not all consumed. What hath been threatened against you out of God's word, you cannot be ignorant of. What punishments have light upon you, by the plague, the small pocks, and now this last fearful fire, you cannot but feel. What? Hath God stricken you without a cause? Be it far from you, either to speak it or think it, for that were to condemn the most just judge of the world for your own clearing, yea and to go against the stinging testimony which every day when you rise up, and every night when you lie down, telleth you the clean contrary. But if you should proceed to that height, are not other men that have watched over you, & preached & spoken unto you in the name of the Lord, able to convince you of falsehood to your faces, and to throw the dung of your iniquity upon your countenances? Give them therefore leave to declare the truth to you, and labour to bear with patience, and to profit by the word of exhortation, sith it is directed to you for your good, and unfeigned humiliation also: for they know you, and your offences far better than you yourselves. Perhaps you will think this speech strange, but deceive not your own hearts, I beseech you, for if you will weigh, that naturally we are blind to discern sin, and after they see it, yet many times they are partial in their own ways, and even blear up their understanding, and harden their hearts, and again that they are more quick and better sighted, to discern other men's transgressions than their own: as also that God revealeth not the sins of the people unto his faithful servants the Prophets by the halves, I think you would, or at the least I am sure you should be of another mind. To reckon up all the particulars were hard and impossible, for who can understand his faults? And yet not to lay down some, were to fail in the iustififying of the charge, which were unjust, and to let you alone in your iniquities, which should be uncharitable. This therefore I say, that amongst the infinite and innumerable sins of your souls, there are some particulars that have been and are most odious before God, and most apparent in the view of the world. Amongst which I reckon in the first place a fearful contempt of godliness in the most of you, and a great and grievous carelessness thereof even in the best. How often and long hath God spoken unto you, by the public ministery of his word, in the holy exercises of prayer, preaching, administration and participation of his blessed sacraments? If you could have seen your happiness in that behalf, both for the length of them, & the graces of the men that God used as means to publish his truth unto you, your favours both ways not far inferior to any congregation of the land, and in these respects indeed going before many it had been well: but how little you have profited by them, nay how carelessly you have heard them, & how coldly you have frequented them, your gross ignorance in the grounds of Christian religion showeth the first, few or none of you being able to render a reason thereof, to them that shall ask you, & your sleeping in the church, talking one with another, and turning of your books there, and using of your own private devotions or prayers in the time of public preaching & prayer, a grievous transgression no doubt proveth the second: and your daily and continual absence therefrom, and specially upon the lords day then lying in your beds, haunting of alehouses, riding and going abroad for your worldly affairs of pleasure and profit manifesteth the third. And how weary you are when you are there let this testify: none prevent the time of public assemblies, and some come in the midst of your exercises, to the great disturbance of the same, and others that are there: and that some again before the sermons are finished, other some after the prayers made, and before the singing of the Psalm, and the usual blessing to be pronounced depart thence, whereof you as well as they that tarry should be partakers, posting also out of the Church, as it were from a play or may game, as though you supposed, that no more reverence should be showed there than in other places, or that some part of divine service belonged unto you and not other some, whereas in truth you ought to be alike partakers of the whole. And how should we look for any goodness where this that is the seed of sin, and the nurse of all abominations swayeth so much? Surely when men have once cast God's law behind their backs, and have it not in deed in a high and reverend regard, what can there be to restrain them from evil? or to direct them in good? Nay what shall not then be right and lawful, though indeed it be never so corrupt and vile. From this therefore, as from a stream and fountain of filthiness, have flowed all your oaths, particular transgressions, as first for example your swearing and cursing: by the first blaspheming of God's name, and haling down wrath and vengeance from the Lord upon yourselves, your wives, children, family, friends, yea all the goods and cattle that you have and possess, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain, and sure we are that the plague of God shall not departed from the house of the swearer: as also we may perceive by the sign of the flying book mentioned Zachar. 5. in which were contained curses against every one that sweareth, who also should be cut off as well on this side, as on that: yea that this judgement should enter into, and remain in the midst of such swearers houses, and should consume the same with the timber thereof, and stones thereof. And by the second not only testifying the malice and madness of your own hearts, against men and other creatures of GOD, upon which you power out the poison of your minds and mouths, but drawing iniquity with the cords of vanity, and sin as it were with cart ropes, that so that might be fulfilled in you, that in the book of Psalms is spoken of the notorious wicked, As he loved cursing, so shall it come unto him, and as he loved not blessing so shall it be far from him: and as he clothed himself with cursing like a raiment, so shall it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones. And by both of them defiling the air above you, and polluting the earth beneath you, with the creatures thereupon, yea by your bad examples, infecting and corrupting your wives, children, servants, and all that have any conversation or acquaintance with you, who having nothing to learn from you but that which is evil, will in the proneness of their own nature to naughtiness, easily tread in your bad steps, and much more easily resemble you in corruption, than other men in goodness, by how much you do more nighly and straightly by many ways touch them than others. And as for your own idleness, and the bad bringing up of your youth and children, both sons and daughters, it is pitiful to behold, and I cannot without great grief of heart, think or speak of it: what a shame before men, nay indeed what sin is it before God, to see amongst you day labourers and men of manual occupations (who according to God's ordinance, and his just punishment upon them for sin, should eat their bread in the sweat of their brows, and get it as we say with their finger's ends) haunt and frequent alehouses, spending there not only hours, but days, and in that time besides the neglect of their callings, by which they should maintain themselves and theirs, wasting that also which they have gotten, & should be as the reward of their honest labours, so the necessary and needful relief of their wives, children, and other at home, where they should rather spend it in deed, to the increase of mutual comfort amongst themselves, than upon the sons of Beliall, and wicked and lewd persons in those houses of unthriftiness, yea some of them of dishonesty? Now for your youth, is it not lamentable to see boys and girls, of ten, twelve, yea a fourteen years of age, and many under these years also, to swarm in your streets, and to run up and down daily in mire and dirt, both wearing out their shoes, and spoiling their apparel, and that without laying their hands to any honest labours to get some thing towards their maintenance and relief? Yea and some of them I fear me that follow not this bad trade, worse occupied by much, in pilfering, breaking of hedges, learning to lie, swear, and make no concsience of any sin. And as for those few that you seem to put to learning, if you consider the places whither they go, the persons to whom (I need nor particularise this, for you know what I mean) and the small profit they take thereby, it were almost as small a transgression before God and men, to let them live idly with the rest, as to train them up in sort as they are. God hath graciously provided far better for you, if you could either see it or have care and conscience to use it well. As for yourselves, you have long ago done what you could to put religion from you, by offering not only manifold unkindnesses to the persons that offered it unto you, but contempt to the truth itself, and yet though it be full sore against your wills, it is by honourable, and others, and those that love you, and care for you more than yourselves, upheld still. And now what go you about, namely to banish learning from you and yours? Perhaps you will think it a hard charge, but surely it appeareth not only by this, that you suffer your schoolhouse, the place appointed for the good bringing up of your youth, to go to foul decay, but have no regard at all in a manner that they might attain to some good measure of knowledge in human learning, what will be the issue consider: in a word. Contempt of the word carrieth with it always all manner of impiety: and lack of knowledge, breedeth all barbarousness: and then what can you look for, but even to have that fulfilled in you, that the scripture speaketh of a rebellious and stiff-necked people, Ephraim shall eat up Manasseh, and Manasseh Ephraim, and so you to become a savage and wild people devoid of piety, charity, religion, righteousness, love, etc. and filled with all manner of ungodliness and sin, to which as seemeth to me by your crooked paths, you have made more than post haste already. And though God by many crosses and losses laid upon you and yours, labour to stay you therefrom, and particularly hath plagued almost all of you, with great and grievous poverty, (more I am sure than many of you will be known of) so that (some few of you excepted) you live for the most part by shifting, if not unhonest devices and trades: yet you will not see the hand that striketh you with beggary as it were, and contempt for your idleness and carelessness, and so turn unto him, but shifting it from yourselves unto others, unjustly lay the fault upon those that in many respects have been but too bountiful and beneficial unto you and yours. And yet I would even from the bottom of my heart, if GOD saw it so good, that your iniquity and sin had stayed here, and had not proceeded further. But surely it is far otherwise with you: for as the godly thorough the light of God his truth, and the powerful working of his blessed spirit, are mightily carried from faith to faith, & from one good work to an other, so are you in Satan's malice against you, and the strength of your own corruption violently harried from one transgression to another evil, that so that may be true in you, that the Apostle speaketh. The wicked must wax worse and worse, and filling up the measure of their transgressions, be at the last overwhelmed with his most fearful and just judgements. What shall I say of your excessive drinking, abusing therein and therewith that and many other his good creatures, given you sometimes for necessity especially, and some times for delight also, I confess? yea, is it not written in many of your faces and foreheads, so that he that regardeth but the redness of your eyes, the heat of your countenances, the swelling of your veins, and sundry such other outward signs of intemperancy, might with small a do point and paint out, what manner of men you are, and as if it were with great capital letters written in your foreheads, so as he that runneth may read the same, see and behold bouling and quaffing written therein? And yet herein is this your sin amongst others, become exceedingly sinful, that many of you leave your own houses, and go up & down to other places for strong drink and company, and not contented therewith, you delight to draw others from towns and places abroad and round about you, to be partakers with you of the self same iniquity, and that not only upon your market and fair days, and times of resort, but even upon other days of the week, yea upon the Lord's day itself, wherein you are so far off from withstanding evil, that not one of you yet for aught I know, hath been found either to repress this foul vice of quaffing and drunkenness in yourselves, or to shut your doors against them that fall into riot and excess that way. Add unto these, the adulteries, whoredoms and fearful filthinesses that have heretofore, and daily do fall out amongst you, and then you shall see also, whether God have causelessly stricken you, with this and other judgements: or whether you have not indeed good cause for the same, unfeignedly and speedily to humble yourselves lest otherwise the wrath begun, proceed and break forth, to an utter wasting of you and yours. For your secret sins that way, I will say nothing, but leave them to God to whom they are best known, and to your own hearts, which should be touched with a godly sorrow for them, and for your other iniquities likewise. Consider a little I pray you of your open transgressions, and weigh them for amendment of life. divers of your daughters and maidservants, have been in former time and of late, shamefully defiled. Your sons and other of your families, have been the authors and the actors of this grievous villainy, wherein also sundry of them have grown to this shamelessness in their sin, that they have gone with out stretched necks, and brazen foreheads, as though they had done none iniquity at all. Your town by this mernes too much impoverished already, hath been charged with the keeping of a bastardly brood, beside other foul inconveniences that have followed & flown from this grievous transgression. To reckon up the rest of your iniquities would be to too tedious, by these labour to learn, to loath, and to leave them, and all the other whatsoever, & sound and speedily to turn unto the Lord, and no doubt but you shall find favour, for yet with the Lord there is mercy, that he may be feared. Otherwise, know and assure yourselves, that if thorough the pleasures of sin which endure but for a while, your hearts shall be hardened, and you either put the evil day far from you, or do not with speed turn unto God, in a holy conversation and amendment of life, you and yours shall both feel the hand of God pursuing you in this life, and eternally perish in that which is to come. Good and bad are this day propounded unto you, and the way of life and death set before your eyes, Look well to it, and beware that the Lord have not just occasion thorough your carelesesse and contempt of his truth, to say, Thy destructon, O Israel, is of thyself, I know that the ways and the works of a man's life, are not in his own hands or power, but that it is God that worketh in us, both the will and the deed according to his own good pleasure. Notwithstanding, sith 〈◊〉 hath been so gracious to offer, let not 〈◊〉 〈…〉 least otherwise 〈…〉 hard against 〈…〉 we shall 〈…〉. And that which i● the Angle●es of 〈…〉 in ●●me particular hand, 〈◊〉 to you 〈◊〉 do in the largeness of my 〈◊〉 speak and wish unto the whole land, whose peace and prosperity I will pray for & to my utter most (God assisting me) procure all the days of my life.  
FINIS.