that our accounts must beginne before God himselfe wee must stand naked in his sight and who then can thinke to hide his sins from him Hee knoweth the heart and trieth the reines and his eyes are like a flame of fire Reuel 2. O how this should mooue euerie man and woman often to bethinke himselfe of this time when hee shall come to his accompt euen before the eternall God who cannot be deceiued nor bribed If a malefactor come before the Iudge that is guiltie of treason or murder how hee quakes to thinke of the terrour and seueritie of the Iudge hee is afraide and trembles to appeare in his presence How much more should we tremble and quake And how should hard-hearted sinners be at their wittes end to thinke they must come to stand before God to appeare at the barre of the euer-liuing and most mighty Iehoua who can cast both bodie and soule into hell fire O what secure and carelesse wretches are wee that are nothing mooued with these things to repent and to turne to God to leaue our foule and filthie sinnes And if a poore prisoner condemned should laugh and bee merrie would not all men thinke him to be a mad-man And shall not we be worse then madde-men if we neuer come to thinke of these things If a poore traueller that hath but one penny in his purse shal come to an Inne call for all manner of dainties and neuer thinke of the shotte would not all men thinke him madde and out of his wittes VVhat madnesse then is in euery one of vs all if in this our pilgrimage or trauaile on earth we spend our dayes in pleasure bathe our selues in sport and pastimes carking and caring for the things of this world and neuer to bethinke our selues as to say Alas what do I now I eate I drinke I carde I dice I take my pleasure and bathe my selfe in delight but woe is me I must com to iudgement I must giue my reckoning l I must stand before GOD one day and there giue an account O that we had hearts to thinke of this both young and old rich and poore Minister and people that wee must stand bellie-naked before God that wee must giue an account of all our sinnes to his Maiestie It would bridle vs and keep vs from many presumptuous sinnes which now we commit The end of the first Sermon The great Assize THE SECOND SERMON REVEL 20.12 c. 12 And I saw the dead both small and great stand before God and the Bookes were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the books according to their works WEe haue heard alreadie the person of the Iudge described vnto vs with what vnspeakable maiestie and glorie he shall come to the great comfort of the godly and also with what wonderfull terror he will come to the great terror of the wicked Secondly wee haue heere who shall be cited to appeare Both great and small 1. Thes 1.8 al must appeare Now follows in the third place the most speciall and principall matter of all namely after what manner all men shall be iudged in these words And the bookes were-opened c. We see that earthlie Iudges are brought vnto the Bench with great attendance They being set the prisoners are brought forth and are called ouer one by one and their matters are heard and witnesses produced and so according to their faults they receiue iudgement Euen so at this great day of the Lord Christ Iesus shall come with a thousand of Angels and before him shall stand all men and women Both great and small And then shal the Books be brought forth Indeed we see when an earthly iudge sits on the Bench it holds a long time to trie causes such witnesses and such euidences must be produced But it shall not be so at the last day for when all men shall stand at the barre of Christs iudgement they shal then be iudged according to the written Records euen according to the Bookes for they shall then be opened Books whaâ— is meant by them Now if you would know what these Bookes bee it is easie to know for they be euen the particular conscience of euery man and woman thy conscience is the booke that shall be opened and that shall be as good as ten thousand witnesses either to excuse or accuse thee before God For there shall neede no other witnesse no other euidence against vs at the last but our own conscience For as God hath his Booke of infinite Knowledge whereby he knoweth the sinnes of all men and women as certainly as if they were written in a booke and though men forget them yet the Lord remembreth them So hee hath giuen vnto euerie man and woman a booke their owne conscience wherein are written all our thoughts words and deedes so as none shall escape And the Bookes are two the Booke of the Law and the Book of Conscience the one shewing a man what he should doe the other what he hath done Against the booke of the Law none shall be able to except For the commandements of the Lord are pure and righteous altogether Psal 19.9 And as for the booke of Conscience who can deny it or except against it seeing the Lord will now iudge a man not by another mans Conscience but by his owne the which he hath alwayes had in his owne keeping euen in his owne bosome Now seeing heere what is meant by these bookes namely euery mans particular Conscience let vs come to search what bee the things written in this booke and first what vse we are to make vnto our selues from this Euery mans booke shall be opened c. First in these books are written euerie thought of our heart In the Bookes of our consâ—ince is written Our 〈…〉 none so secret or so close but it is here recorded Secondly euerie speech and word of our mouth Thirdly euery deed that men do Thou hast sealed vp all our sinnes in a bagge saith Iob to shew the exact kind of keeping of them against that day of account Surely if there be any thing in a man to be maruailed at I must needs confesse that this is a wonderfull worke of God that hee hath giuen to euery man and woman a Conscience which is like vnto a booke in which is recorded all our thoughts words and works A wicked man an vnchaste woman how many thousand vile filthy thoughts haue they in their mindes night and day their hearts burne in lust and in vncleannesse now they passe away to them they regard them not they make little or no account of them But alas they are all written in this Booke of thy conscience thy conscience markes them thy conscience writes them downe And if thou repent not of them and leaue them O woe to thy soule when these Bookes come to bee opened and read ouer
Saint Paul doth proue this with many reasons 1 Cor. 15. If the dead rise not againe then is not Christ risen And if Christ be not risen then is our Preaching vaine c. And why should we thinke it impossible for God to raise our bodies out of the dust Wee see a poore ignorant man is able of Ashes to make a verie beautiful Glasse How much more then is the Euer-liuing and almighty God able to raise our bodies out of the dust But you will say are mens bodies eaten of fishes men eate them againe How is it possible to saue the bodies of men thus consumed to dust and mingled with the bodies of fishes and of beasts I answere that though it be impossible to men yet it is not impossible to God For he that created all our bodies of nothing can make them againe of something namely of their owne matter and to seuer their bodies from all other matters As wee see that a Gold-smith can seuer one matter from another So then this place doth proue and confirme that Article of our faith that wee beleeue the Resurrection of the dead For howsoeuer a man dieth by Sea or by Land in his bed or in the field Saint Iohn saith heere the Sea shall giue vp all that haue beene drowned death and hell that is the Graue shall deliuer the dead in them so as all must come to Iudgement of what death soeuer they die O then see beloued how the diuel bewitcheth many a poore ignorant soule Vse When he is in miserie in great distresse and calamitie the Diuell hee perswadeth him to become his owne executioner to end his misery and to end his shame by hanging himselfe cutting his owne throate drowning himselfe c. And wee know and heare that hee preuaileth much by these meanes in these dayes Some being in disgrace as Achitophel some with the guilt of sinne and of conscience as Iudas and some being crossed with wife and children cut their throates or otherwise make an end of themselues Now they foolishly thinke by this means to end their griefe Alas alas they do by this means euen hasten their ovvne destruction And doe as if a man should to auoyd a little smoake cast himselfe head-long into a flaming fire So they to auoyd this little griefe of their body plunge body and soule into eternal torments For what ease is it for a man to kill himselfe or cast away himselfe seeing they must come to Iudgement though they kill themselues or drowne themselues Why the water and the Graue must one day deliuer vp their dead And therefore hence let vs learne to arme our selues if Sathan shall tempt vs to such horrible facts to cast away our selues c. Let vs answere him Wee may not cast away that which Christ hath bought with his owne bloud Nay let vs answere him That wee shall not thereby end our miserie but encrease it Now if you demand of me by what meanes the dead shall then arise at the last day I answer It is by the mighty power of the voice of CHRIST The houre shall come saith CHRIST in the which all that are in the Graues shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and come forth Iohn 5.28 And to shew the wonderful power of the voice of Christ it is compared to the sound of a Trumpet the lowdest and the shrillest of all Instruments And the Lord Iesus himselfe shall descend and come with a shout 1 The. 4.16 and with the voyce of the Archangell and with the Trumpet of God and then the dead in Christ shall arise first Such shall bee the power force of this voice of the Lord IESVS as that it shal be heard ouer all the whole world Nay though men haue laine many a thousand yeares rotten in the Graue yet they shall heare it and come forth to iudgement Nay the very diuels and damned spirits in spite of their teeth shall be constrained to appeare at his Voyce No Prince no Monarch no King no Angell shall bee able to absent themselues but they must all bee enforced to obey the Voyce of the Sonne of GOD and come to Iudgement Vse O then seeing wee must all heare the voice of the Lord IESVS at the day of Iudgement and wee cannot but come forth of our Graues vnto Iudgement Oh let vs now obey his Voyce in the Ministerie of the Gospel now embrace the Gospell and the voyce of his Ministers If wee will not now leaue sinne heare CHRIST IESVS speaking vnto vs in his Word and embrace his Gospell then let vs well know that wee shall one day heare another Voice when wee shal be compelled to come before him to be condemned Thus you may see that all the dead must arise and come to Iudgement and you see how and by what meanes our bodies shall be raised namely by the mighty and the wonderfull power of the voice of the Lord Iesus Let vs now come to the Vses First seeing of vvhat death soeuer men shall die either by fire or water or howsoeuer they must one day come to iudgement Let vs then beware of that vngodly thought and diuelish perswasion that runnes in most mens minds namely that thinke that when they die there is an end of all their miserie And though they haue beene grieuous and horrible sinners yet if they can escape till death all is well And thus they thinke that they and their sinnes shall be buried together No no poore soules they doe much deceiue themselues Howsoeuer thou diest thou shalt come to iudgement And death is so farre from ending thy misery that it is a broade gate to let thee in into it Luke 16. For so soone as the Glutton died hee was presently in hel in torment And therefore let vs take heed how we wish as foolish men do in their sicknesse or age or miserie O I would I were dead then I should bee out of my paine O no no if thou bee not the child of God and a repentant sinner it had beene better for thee neuer to haue beene borne or to bee a Toade or Serpent And thou shalt finde that death is so farre from easing thy paine that it shall bring thee ten thousand times more paine and torment euen in hell fire for euer Therefore let vs not thinke that death shall end the miseries of wicked men Secondly seeing all men must rise to iudgement and by what meanes soeuer they die they must bee called to accompt this is a wonderfull comfort to Gods poore children Who abides more trouble and griefe then they Who be more hated reuiled crossed and wronged then they So as their life here for the most part is nothing else but a life of miserie But their comfort is heere in this that they shall rise againe and then the case shall bee altered then our miserie shall bee turned into felicitie ioy and happinesse Hast thou beene poore heere then thou shalt bee rich and
me but the voice of a stranger will they not heare This affection was in godly Dauid O Lord how amiable are thy Tabernacles how doth my soule long after thy Altars O when shal I come appeare before the Lord in Sion And this duety is imposed vpon euery Christian to haue an earnest affection vnto the word of God As when a man is hungry the veines sucking moisture in the bottome of the stomacke he feeles a paine which makes him desire meate euen so our souls void of grace and nourishment vnto eternall life they should hunger and thirst after Christ and his righteousnes Iohn 6.26 after his word which is the Spirituall foode of our soules And till a man be hungry he longs not for meate hee desires not foode so till we see our wāts we neuer seek to haue our soules fedde with the word of God Now in that so few desire the word of GOD and so few esteeme of it it shewes that very few do feeele their want of food very few can discern their misery and wretched estate but most men run on in sinne blesse themselues in their euill wayes and neuer say Alas 1. Pet. 2.2 what haue I done we must desire the sincere milke of the word as the infant the mothers breast And as the Hart doth the riuers of waters Psa 42. and as the Church doth here Shew me O shew me where thou feedest thy flock We should doe as the earth doth in time of drought she opens her mouth begging and gaping vntill the Lord send a raine The beggar neuer begges hard till he see his owne want and then hee will spare no time labor nor words so till we see our owne wants we will neuer seeke for the spirituall foode of our soules But they bee blessed which hunger and thirst after Righteousnesse Mat. 5.6 though we think we be happy when we feele no want as it is a common thing to say I neuer doubted of my saluation I would be loath my conscience should trouble mee c. But certainly it is the beginning of grace to finde our selues to want grace Those that do eate meate with a full stomacke it doth them least good So they which are full and feele not the want of the word it doth them little good Reason 1 And the reason is that if we do not hunger and thirst after the VVord of GOD wee can neuer enioy the varietie of all those good things that are treasured vp in the Word to make vs truely happie forasmuch as all good things which we haue and doe enioy in this present life they are appendences to the Word by which Word and by Prayer they are sanctified to vs. Now it is got and obtained no other way but by thirsting after it As the blessed Virgine saith in her Song Luke 1. v. 53. Hee filleth the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent emptie away Which may serue to comfort the poore children of God which shew their thirsting desire by their great labour and trauell to heare the Word preached though they meete with mockings and scoffings for it by such as are farre from thirsting after it of themselues Reason 2 Secondly if wee should not eagerly seeke after the word of God wee should neuer know how much wee are beholding to the Lord for the manifold graces and blessings which we receiue daily from our most mercifull God thereby For so saith Salomon The person that is full despiseth the hony-combe Prou. 27.7 but vnto the hungry soule euery bitter thing is sweete So that when wee shall see our spirituall pouertie without the Word that we should euen faint starue and pine away it will then make vs prise the excellencie of that benefite wee enioy when wee haue the same truely and sincerely Preached and Taught amongst vs. Vse 1 Seeing this longing desire after Christ and his Word is the Eare-marke and the Wol-marke the Badge and the Brand of the Sheepe of Christ the true Church and children of God this doctrine then maketh a plain distinction betwixt the Sheepe of Christ and the stinking goates of Sathan The Sheep of Christ long after their Sheepheard desire to be instructed by him hunger after the VVord preached and taught wish for the Sabaoth enquire where Christ doth feede his Sheep in the greene pasture of his Word and Sacraments but the goats of Satan loathe the word and the preaching of it They treade downe the pasture of the Sheepe Ezech. 34. yea they are weary of it they will not goe to the dore to heare Malac. 2.13 they can be content as well ro want it as ro haue it so as hereby we may iudge our ovvne estates whether we be the true Sheep of Christ or the stinking goates of Sathan the children of God or the limbes of the diuell Dost thou loue the word of GOD more then thine appoynted foode Tell me dost thou desire to be taught in the Word Enquirest thou where Christ doth feede his Sheepe with good Pasture And dost thou delight in the Word Iohn 10.27 These are the eare-marks of Christs Sheepe and may minister comfort vnto thy soule that thou art one of those that belong to his Folde But if on the contrary part thou loathe the word of God and hast no desire at all to treade in GODS House but spendest the Saboth irreligiously vainely and prophanely at the Dice at Cards Bowles or Tables O deceiue not thy owne soule It is a signe thou art none of Christs sheep but one of the stinking goats of Sathan and there will come a day of separation when Christ Iesus the great Shepheard will diuide the Sheepe from among the Goats when he shall set the sheepe on the right hand and the goats on the left Mat. 25.33 This Doctrine doth serue to Vse 2 reprooue three sorts of men First Atheists Three sorts of men reproued which bleare out the tongue at all Religion and christian Pietie making a mocke of God of his Word 1 Atheists and of all holie Dueties That thinke it lost labour to be religious and that there is no good got by hearing Sermons and leading of a godly life Oh it hath euer beene the cursed thoughts of mans hart to think so as was vsed in the time of the Prophet Malachie It is lost labour to serue the Lord and what good commeth there by seruing of God Ah poore soules all this while they can minister no cōfort vnto their owne soules that they are the sheep of CHRIST but a ferefull expectation of Iudgement For in what a miserable and wretched estate is that man which knoweth not whether hee bee in the estate of Grace or not A Sheepe of Christ or a Goate of Sathan with what cheere can hee eate one meales meate or sleep one night that wants this assurance O then let such be warned betimes that if they looke to haue any comfort in death and after death that now they
we do liue heere For this life is the time of a Christian mans warfare neither must we looke to finde Heauen vpon Earth for if we will be Christs Disciples we must take vp his Crosse and follow him we must not dreame of a victory before we fight For it is the lot of the godly to suffer persecution yet this may bee the comfort and stay of a Christian Soule in the middest of them all That the Lord will dispose of them so as that they shall worke to the best to them that loue God and neuer depart from vs but shall leaue a blessing behind them so that wee shall bee sure of this that we shall gaine more in the Spirit then we can loose in the flesh Vse 3 Thirdly seeing it is the will of God that his owne true Church and faithfull children shall be tried and vndergoe the heate of persecution let vs heere learne to bee wise neither to thinke that wee are out of Gods fauour if wee bee tried or to thinke the worse of the Gospell of Christ because the crosse and triall goes with it Wee are ready to thinke the Lord loues vs not or that the Gospell the which wee professe is not a good profession because wee see it hated persecuted and railed on by wicked men Well it is that which God will haue it was the condition of Christ Iesus before vs and vnlesse wee looke that the seruant should bee greater then the Maister it must bee ours Secondly wee learne from Doctr. 4 hence Christ leaues not his Church in the heat of persecution but prouides comfort for them that though it may bee sometimes Noone-day with the Church of God hot and bloudy persecution yet Christ hath euer a shelter and shadow for his people Hee hath a Lair for them a place of shelter shadow and comfort he is euer present with his Church and people in the hottest times of persecutions and afflictions to comfort them to refresh them to ease them of their miserie to deliuer them This the Lord expresseth in the Prophet Esay 54.7.8 For a litle time haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee for a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee Psalme 2. This doth the Prophet Dauid make manifest that notwithstanding the rage and malice of Gods enemies Hee that dwelleth in heauen shall laugh them to scorne the Lord shall haue them in derision This comfort is excellently set forth by the Prophet Esay when hee saith in cha 43.1.2 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee O Iacob and he that formed thee O Israel feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by thy name thou art mine when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the flouds that they doe not ouerflow thee when thou walkest through the very fire thou shalt not bee burnt neyther shall the flame kindle vpon thee For I am thy Lord God Thus prouided hee for his Church in the dayes of Hester Ester 3. when they could see no meanes to escape What a mischiefe had Herod inuented against the Messiah so secretly Matt. 2.13 as that hee disclosed the secret of his heart to none but pretended to the Wise men that his intent was to worship Christ yet the Lord did bring his deuice to naught and Ioseph and Mary with the child Iesus was deliuered Acts 12.16 Peter being cast into prison should euen the next day haue beene executed yet through the prayers of the Church was deliuered This Doctrine is further cleared by the examples of Ioseph Iob the Church in Egypt Cen. 41.14 Exo. 12 41 Dan. 6.23 Dan. 3. Daniel the three children Sidrach Mishach and Abedâ—â—go who for a time indured shame and reproach of the crosse yet afterwards the Lord returned vnto them when the time of refreshing came So that howsoeuer Gods children may be vnder the heate of persecution for a time it shall be but for a time hee will not leaue them destitute of his helpe and comfort for euer but will in the end deliuer them The Reasons seruing to confirme this Doctrine are manifest Reason 1 First consider the Titles by which GOD is called as a Father to shew the care that he taketh ouer his Church as his children to prouide for them and to gouerne them For what father will not saue his childe if possible hee can from fire or water or some other eminent danger Rom. 8.15 Iohn 10 1. Matt. 7.11 Now then if wee that are euill know how to helpe our children how much more shall our heauenly Father that knoweth all things giue good things vnto his children Againe Christ is called by the name of a Shepheard as the Church doth confesse in this place Now wil the Shepheard see the sheepe goe astray and not bring them into the right way againe or suffer the wolfe to deuoure the sheep and not rescue them And what shall wee thinke that Christ the true Shepheard of his Church will bee more carelesse of his Flocke whom he hath purchased vnto himselfe with no lesse price then with his owne heart Bloud then an earthly man is of his Sheep Seeing then that Christ Iesus is the King of his Church the shepheard of his Sheep we need not doubt but that hee will defend his Church and saue his sheep so that none shal be able to destroy them or take them out of his hands Secondly our weaknesse and naturall corruptions are not hidden from the LORD Hee knoweth whereof wee are made hee remembreth that wee are but dust And therefore saith the Apostle God is faithfull which will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that wee are able but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that wee shall bee able to beare it So then whether wee consider the Office of Christ as a shepheard to keep his Church or the mercie of Christ that is euer ready to couer the wants of his Seruants making their afflictions to be but momentarie in these two respectes wee may safely gather that the Lord will neuer forsake his children nor leaue them in their daungers but prouide for them both shelter and comfort when they shall finde the heate of afflictions to shine most hottest vpon them The vse serues to direct vs to Vse 1 whom wee should goe in time of trouble and great distresse for if Christ be our sheepheard wee are to flie to him He is a faithfull preseruer of them that trust in him Shall wee goe to Saints or to Angells Doubtlesse Abraham is ignorant of vs and Israel knoweth vs not Esa 63.16 What then shal we trust in our chariots or in our horses doubtlesse a horse is counted but a vaine thing to saue a man Psal 37.17 Surely we cannot honour him more then when we depend on him and rest vpon his mercie Thus
their owne traditions and constitutions Vse How should this stir vp euery christian man and woman to study the word of God so that knowing the truth beleeuing the doctrine of God we may be able to discerne betweene light and darkenesse truth and falsehood idolatry and the seruice and worship of God Secondly to intreate the Lord in all humilitie to open our eyes to discerne the truth to giue vs his holie Spirit to leade vs into all truth to giue vnto vs the Spirit of Discerning to trie the spirit and the doctrine whether it be of God or not for otherwise we may be ledde awry and take light for darkenesse and darkenesse for light Let vs then confesse our ignorance and blindenesse and bewayle it Let vs striue against our carelesnesse Let vs prooue the Doctrine by the touch-stone of the Word if they be according to the law and the Prophets else abhorre them Acts 17. Let vs doe as the men of Berea did intreate the Lord to giue vs the Spirit of Discerning that we may trie all things and hold the truth And if euer wee had neede to pray for the Spirit of Discerning now is the time we see how bold the Diuell is how diligent to deceiue vs and the Papists they be impudent and shamelesse euen to thrust vpon vs their cursed Idolatrie and tell vs it is the true worship of God their abominable Masse their Merites Purgatorie prayer for the dead worshipping of Images calling vpon Saints vnwritten Verities their vile Traditions and filthy abhominations their Constitutions and vile Decrees as if they were the written word of God Now vnlesse we haue knowledge and bee able by Gods Spirit to discerne the spirits alas wee shall drinke in poyson idolatry and superstition O then let vs labour to know the Word of God beleeue it obey it bee reformed by it confesse our ignorance and with all humilitie pray vnto God to open our eyes to giue vs the spirit of discerning to know true Religion from false which if wee do certainely the Lord will reueale his Truth vnto vs. And thus much shall serue for Christs gentle reproofe of his Church 3 Christs answere vnto his church The third and last point is the direct answere of Christ to the request of the Church shee desired to know of Christ where he fed his flocke and comforted them in the time of persecution that so shee might ioyne with them and be defended by him from false worship and the idolatrous Church Heere Christ doth answere her to the full If thou know not Oh thou fairest among women get thee foorth by the steppes of the Sheep and feede thy Kids by the Tents of the Shepheards His counsell standeth in two parts to shew her where he feedeth q. d. Wouldest thou know where I feede my Sheep and where I cause them to lie downe at Noone that thou mightest feed with them and be in my Fold to be defended and protected by mee then I counsell thee First to walke in the steppes of the Sheepe that is thou must walke in the steppes of the faithfull seruants of God Abrabam Isaac and Iacob thou must embrace that faith religion worship of GOD which they beleeued and embraced that is meant by the steppes of the sheep Secondly thou must feede thy Kids that is thou must receiue and embrace that Doctrine which the ancient Shepheards Pastors Prophets and Apostles haue taught and deliuered And if thou shalt thus treade in the steps of the sheepe Abraham Isaac and Iacob and embrace and obey the doctrines taught by the Prophets and Apostles in the old and new Testament thou shalt then know where I feed my sheepe that thou maist feed with them and take mee for thy true Shepheard Doctr. 8 From this answere of Christ we learne a cleere direction A directiō to know which is the true Church to know true Religion and the true worship of God from false religion and false worshippe If men doe desire to know where Christ feedeth his sheepe and where GOD is truely worshipped where is true religion we must then treade in the steppes of the Sheep That is we must worship God as Abraham Isaac and Iacob did as Moses and the Prophets did treade in their steppes and follow their godly examples beleeue repent and walke with GOD as they did whom by the iudgement of Faith wee may conclude of that they were the Sheepe of Christ for of them doth Christ speake heere and not of a company of Popes Cardinalls Iesuites and the like of that rabble of whom to thinke that they should belong to this Folde I know not whence I should fetch my charity Againe wee must embrace and beleeue the doctrine taught by Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles who were the true Shepheards and faithfull Pastors of the Church of GOD To the Law Esay 8.20 and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them Iere. 6.16 And againe Thus saith the Lord stand in the wayes and behold and aske for the olde way which is the good way and walke therein and you shall finde peace and rest for your soules So then if we desire to know true Religion and the true worship and seruice of God this is the way which I heere teach and deliuer from the Lord IESVS CHRIST against the doctrine of all the Shauelings of Rome namely this and none but this To inquire of the faith Religion and maner of the worshipping of God performed by Abraham Isaac and Iacob Patriarkes and Prophets Preached and published by Christ and his Apostles beleeue that imbrace that and rest our soules on that This may serue to decide a great question and long controuersie betweene vs and the Papists They affirme that they are the true Church and we are Heretickes wee beleeue and hold that we are the true church of God and that they bee not but Babylon and the Synagogue of Sathan This then is the maine Question whether they or wee bee the true Church Who shall iudge euen Christ Iesus himselfe in his owne word wee rest vpon him and flie vnto him which if the Papists would do likewise they would neuer haue runne into a labyrinth of controuersies as they haue euen at this day For Christ would quickly haue put an end vnto all For he saith that they be the true Church which Treade in the steps of the Sheep and feede by the Tents of the Shepheards That is that people that beleeue and worship God as Abraham Isaac and Iacob did and also that old Religion which they beleeued and embraced as the true Religion for that was taught by the holy seruants of God who were the faithfull Shepheards and Pastors sent of God to his Church Now let triall be made whether the Papists or Protestants the Church of Rome or the Church of England do thus For the Papists although they call their Religion the old Religion yet alas it is newly deuised the gteatest parts of it within these foure or fiue hundred yeares It is such as was neuer knowne to Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses or the Prophets it was neuer knowne to Christ or his Apostles they haue lost the Steps of the Sheepe and the Tents of the Shepheards that Doctrine manner of Religion the worship and seruice of God which was vsed by the Patriarkes Abraham Isaac and Iacob taught by Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and they haue got a new Religion of their owne deuising They walke not in the steps of the Flocke but in the steps of their proud Popes couetous Cardinals filthy Friers mangy Munkes They haue deuised a thousand things in the seruice and worship of God against his Word and against the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Where shall we euer finde that Abraham Isaac Iacob and the Prophets did euer pray to Angells or Saints worshipped Images prayed for the dead looked to bee saued by their owne workes or merites If they can shew me any foule-mouth'd Iesuite of them all but any one example in the whole booke of God of any of all Gods children that haue performed them I will then lay my hand vpon my mouth In the meane time giue me leaue O ye Papists to tell you that you are none of Christs Church you are none of Christs Sheepe for you haue left the Steppes of the sheepe and the Tents of the shepheards the Doctrine taught by the Prophets of God Christ and his Apostls and are no better then the whoore of Babylon the Synagogue of Sathan But as for the Church of England wee doe beleeue and embrace that olde and true Religion that same Faith which Abraham Isaac and Iacob did vse we holde that Doctrine taught by the ancient Prophets and holie Apostles of CHRIST IESVS without either adding or detracting And if wee should dare to deuise a new kinde of Faith Religion and worship of God not vsed nor knowne to the ancient Prophets Patriarkes and Apostles as the Church of Rome doth it were to leaue the Steps of the Sheepe and to ioyne with the Flockes of the Companions euen to shake hands with Idolaters Vse 2 Well let vs then euer stand out against the Antichrist of Rome Reu. 18.4 and as Christ saith Come out of her ioyne not with her in her false Religion and Idolatrous seruice of God lest you partake of her plagues but let vs hold fast still the true Religion of God Treade in the steps of the Sheep Feed by the Tents of the Shepheards Let vs liue and die in the true Church of God for euer hold fast the true ancient holy religion which we haue receiued frō the holy Patriarks Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses the Prophets and the holy Apostles of Iesus Christ then we shall be safe and sure yea blessed and happy for euermore FINIS