A treatise co[n]teining certain meditatio[n]s of true & perfect consolatio[n], ... Written in the…A treatice co[n]teining certain meditatio[n]s of trew & perfect consolatio[n], ... Written in the…

should be deprived and have no living there. Hospitality is incident to preaching, & the Pastor must aswell feed their belies as their souls, or else he shall do but little good among a number. But such as intend to bring the Ministry to slavery, by thrusting themselves into their livings: I trust our merciful ⟨image 11⟩and loving God, will prevent them and cut them of, from their wicked purposes and take mercy of his people. But now me think I hear the enemies of true religion the Papists say, these plagues are come upon us for your new learning. I answer, in the time of Papistry, yea when popery was most hiest had ye no plagues? Read Polichronicon and ye shall find that these be but trifles, in respect of those pestilences, yea some that felt within this lx. year. And I pray you had ye no War in those days? Read sense Cxx. years and see what slaughter, what civil discords with hunger and penury happened, •ea when ye sang mass most hiest and when your holy Fathers pardons were most holiest, that men buried them with them in their graves, but what shall I say now to the City of London? ⟨image 72⟩The plague hath long been there among them, I believe verily and dare affirm, that God is as diligently served, and his word as sincerely preached and obeyed as ever was in this realm, (of a good number there) But as the holy Ghost sayeth. Judgement beginneth at the house of GOD. God doth use most commonly to begin with his own house, but after that he scoureth his enemies, and as our saviour Christ said, by those upon whom the tower of Silo fell. Suppose ye (saith he) that those were greater sinners then the other? I say nay, but except ye repent ye shall like wise perish. So may I say. Suppose ye that Lon don hath more grievously offended then other Townes and Cities in England? I say nay, but except ye repe•t and that with speed, ye shall not escape Gods heavy hand, his ⟨image 73⟩sword hangeth even over your heads ready to strike, therefore let us with David prevent Gods wrath with hearty prayer & every man enter into his own conscience and say. It is I (Lord) that have caused thy heavy wrath and displeasure. And leave our old Adamishe excuses and vain shifts.