thee art thou my sonne my sonnes giue me their hearts and by this they know that I am their father if I dwell in their hearts for the heart is the temple of God therefore if thou be his fonne thou wilt giue him thy heart because thy Father defireth it thy Maker desireth it thy Redeemer desireth it thy Sauiour desireth it thy Lord and King and thy Maister desireth it which hath giuen his sonne for a ransome his spirit for a pledge his word for a guide the world for a walke and reserueth a kingdome for thine inheritance Now if wee would consider the right way whereby we may giue our hearts vnto God the counsell of him whoe speaketh nothing but the very truth and he himselfe is the truth that is our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ which saith where your treasure is there will be your hearts also therefore let our conuersation be in heauen and vpon heauenly thinges that wee may thereby make our trasure there and so wee shall haue our heartes there placed where our enemies cannot take it from vs thus much for this note as hath beene said now it followeth in the next Now if wee haue not remembred our Lord and Creator in the daies of our youth and withall haue not giuen our hearts vnto him whereby we might become religious and to increase in vs renewed hearts and mindes for the better vnderstanding and finding out the right path-way which leadeth vnto eternall happinesse therefore I say if wee haue not prepared our selues and done this already as hath beene declared in this second part it is then now high time to begin to remember God and to giue our hearts vnto him in age or else to forget him for euermore for the gray-head which looketh euery day for his last Sabaoth when hee shall rest in the graue had neede to pray twice asmuch heare twice as much do twice as much to prepare sacrifice of his body and soule ready and acceptable vnto GOD because the night is at hand when he cannot pray nor heare nor repent any more It is said the Diuell is very busie because his time is short but an ould mans is shorter therefore if youth had neede of legges age had neede of winges therefore in the next consequence it is further to bee obserued what further duties wee are to proceede in as followeth Moyses in the 90. Psalme vers 12 saith teach vs to number our daies that we may apply our hearts vnto wisdome this Psalme was compiled by Moyses as may appeare by the title At what time the spies returned from the land of Canaan and God for the murmuring of them pronounced that all which were aboue twenty yeares ould should die in the wildernesse except Caleb and Iosua that encouraged their bretheren to goe into Canaan Now when Moyses heard the sentence of death pronounced against him-selfe and all the Iewes which came out of Egypt except onely two That all should die before they came to the land which they sought for he prayeth thus for himselfe and the rest Teach vs O LORD to number our daies that wee may giue our hearts vnto wisdome that is seeing wee must needs dye and that our dayes are short teach vs therefore to thinke vpon death that wee may dye in thy feare O Lord and so to liue againe for euermore this sheweth vs that the consideration of our mortality will make vs apply our hearts to godlinesse therefore Moyses thinking of his death runneth to wisdome as a remedy against death Therefore wee must come to some Schoolemaister which is like Saint Iohn Baptist what shall wee doe that wee may growe in knowledge as wee grow in yeares Teach mee saith Moyses to number my dayes that I may apply my heart to wisdome whereby Moyses telleth vs that this was one of his helps which made him profit in the knowledge of God To remember his daies as a man which hath a set time for his taxe listneth to the clock counteth his houres So wee haue a set time to serue God worke while it is day Iohn 9.4 saith Christ what hee doth meane by this day the Apostle sheweth vs saying This is the day of saluation that is This life is the day wherein wee should worke our saluation this is a long taxe therefore wee had need to remember our dayes and loose not a minuit least we be be-nighted before our work be done As God hath numbered our dayes so we must learne to remember our dayes or else it seemes we cannot apply our hearts to wisdom that is vnlesse wee thinke vpon death wee cannot fashion our selues to a godly life though we were aswell instructed as Moyses was This we find dayly in our selues that the forgetfulnes of death maketh vs to apply our hearts vnto folly and pleasure and all voluptuousnesse that contrary to his aduice worke your saluation we worke our damnation therefore this is the fruite which commeth to a man by numbring or remembring his dayes God teacheth man to apply his heart to wisdome and that is his lesson which he giueth for that purpose Remember thy dayes that is thinke that wisdom is a long study and that thou hast but a short time to get it and this will make thee get ground of vertue Therefore fiue things are to be noted in these words first that death is the heauen of euery man whether hee sit in the throne or kept in a cottage at last hee must knock at deaths doore The second is That mans life is decreed and his bounds appointed which he cannot passe Thirdly that our dayes are few as though wee were sent into this world but to see it Fourthly the aptnesse of man to forget death rather then any thing else Lastly to remember how short a time wee haue to liue will make vs to apply our hearts to that which is good For the first poynt is that as euery man had a day to come into this world so hee shall haue a day to goe out of this world we are not lodged in a Castle but in an Inne where we are but guests therfore S. Peter calleth vs Pilgrims and strangers we are not citizens of the Earth but citizens of Heauen And therfore the Apostle saith We haue here no abiding citty but we looke for one to come as Christ saith My Kingdome is not of this world so we may say my dwelling is not of this world but the soule soreth vp-ward whence it came and the body stoopeth downeward whence it came euery man is but a tennant at will and there is nothing sure but death In Paradice we might liue or die euery thing and euery day suffers some eclips and nothing standeth at a stay but our Creator calleth to another let vs leaue this world our fathers summoned vs and we shall summon our children to the graue So in an houre wee are and are not wee may well bee called earthen vessells for we are soone changed what
profession of him before men Math. 10 This is that which S. Iames meaneth where hee saith Abraham our father was iustified by works when hee offered Isaack vpon the Aultar seest thou not saith hee that the faith wrought with his workes and through the workes was the faith made perfect c. that is Abraham by this meanes was knowne and declared to be iustified and his faith beeing effectuall and fruitfull by workes was thereby knowne to bee a true faith and not a ded faith for S. Iames speaketh not of the causes of iustification but by what effects we may know that a man is iustified true is the distinction therefore euen of Schoolemen themselues Christ doth iustifie a man effectiue effectiuely by working his iustification faith doth iustifie a man apprehensiue by apprehending because it taketh hold of Christ who is our iustifier And workes doe iustifie also but declaratiue declaringly because they shew that a man is iustified as hath beene said so Christ faith and workes doe all iustifie but diuersly Also it is that Barnard saith workes are via regni but not causa regnandi that is the way to the kingdome but not the cause of the raigning there And now wee see and vnderstand that faith being the onely speciall meane for euery true Christian to attaine vnto saluation and Christ Iesus the speciall cause thereof therefore it behooueth euery child of God to imbrace the benefit of the Gospel seeing God doth so mightely vse the preaching of the same to beget faith to confirm the same in the hearts of the elect so to bring them to saluation We shold greatly therfore esteem of the preaching of the word and haue it in great price as in the 1. Cor. 1.18.21.24 Tim. 4.16 2. Tim. 3.15 Ioh. 5.25 The grace of God and saluation is giuen vnto them onely that haue faith and beleeue in Christ for they onely are iustified Mark 16.16 Therefore neither doth saluation nor the doctrine therefore belong at all vnto infidels or vnbeleeuers Ioh. 3.18 As vnto the beleeuers the Gospel is the power of God vnto saluation so vnto the vnbeleeuers it is the sauor of death vnto death because they either condemn or corrupt it 2. Cor. 2.15.16 The promise of saluation belongeth not onely vnto certaine men as Prophets Apostles but generally vnto all beleeuers Mark 16.16 wherefore no man ought to dispaire or to thinke himself exeÌ„pted but repent beleeue only Lu. 8.50 The Maiesty and excellency of the gospell must needs be great seeing in times past it was promised by the Prophets as a singular and admirable guift being thus promised was commended in wryting for the perpetuall nourishing of the hope of the faithfull The Gospel or Euangel by the very sound and signification of the word is discerned from the law the gospell to speake properly is not a doctrine teaching precepts or perfecter Counsels then the law of God but a doctrine bringing from heauen most ioyfull newes touching the sauiour and grace of God in Christ towards all such as by faith lay hold on the Mediator Hereupon Christ said that the eies and eares of his disciples were happie when they had heard the preaching of the Gospell and seene the same confirmed with miracles for that they saw and heard those things which many Kings and Prophets desired to see heare and yet could not But wee at this day are no lesse happy then the Disciples yea we are much more happy now theÌ„ they were then for albeit they saw Christ in the flesh and heard him teach yea at that time they had not heard that hee died for vs and that our sins being altogether washed away by his death that he had risen againe froÌ„ death ascended into heauen and sat at the right hand of God the father all which are in the gospel declared to vs. By the bookes of the new Testament we bee taught also that Christ afore promised which is God aboue all things most blessed for euer euen he which was shadowed in the bookes of the old Testament and in sacrifices figured that he was sent at the last from the father the self same time which the father did constitute within himself at that time when all wickednesse abounded in the world then he was sent this Iesus our Sauiour being borne in the flesh suffered death and rose again from the dead which acts of his were not done by him in respect of the good works of any man for we are all sinners but that this God our father should appeare true in exhibiting the aboundaÌ„t riches of his grace which he promised and that through his mercy he might bring vs to saluation Wherevpon it is euidently shewed in the new Testament that Iesus Christ being the Lambe the true sacrifice of the world putting away the sins of men came into this world to purchase grace and peace for vs with the father washing vs from our sinnes in his blood should deliuer vs from the bondage of the Diuill whom by sinne wee did serue and so we should bee adopted by him to be the sonnes of God and heires with him of that most excellent and euerlasting kingdome Now that we should acknowledge this singular and excellent benefit of God towards vs Almighty God giueth vs his holy spirit the fruit effect of which is faith in God in his Christ for without the holy Ghost by which we are instructed sealed neither can we beleeue that God the father sent Messias nor yet that Iesus is Christ So no man saith S. Paul can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost the same spirit witnesseth to our spirits that we are the children of God and powreth into our bowels that charity which S. Paul describeth to the Corinthians Furthermore that holy spirit doth giue vs hope which is a sure looking for eternall life whereof hee himselfe is the certaine token and pledge Also hee giueth vs spirituall gifts of which Paul writeth to the Galathians therefore the benefit of faith is not to be despised or so little to be set by for by the meanes of this trust and fayth in Christ which worketh by charity and sheweth it selfe forth by the works of haritâ—â—y moouing men therevnto we are iustified and sanctified that is to say God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which is made our father also by him being our brother doth accompt vs to be iust and holy through his grace through the merit of his sonne Iesus Christ not imputing our sinnes to vs so farre forth that wee should suffer the paines of hell for them Finally Christ himselfe came into the world to the intent that we through him being sanctified and clensed from our sinnes following his will in good workes should deny the things pertaining to the flesh and freely serue him in righteousnes and holines all the dayes of our liues And that by good works which God hath prepared for
remember the comfort of Elisha that there bee more with thee then against thee and that the tempter can ouer-come nonê but them which yeeld Take example of Zacheus beeing called by Christ immediatly forsooke the world and embrased the Gospel for all that serue God are like the seruant which receiued a print in his eare after the maner of the Iewes in token that he would serue his Master for euer The Apostle doth not teach vs these phrases to doubt of our saluation or of the mercy of God but of our Constancy in his seruice nor least we fall from our election but least wee fal from our righteousnesse this is a godly feare and blessed is he saith Salomon not he which standeth in feare of Gods mercy but hee which standeth in feare of his owne frailty Pro. 28.14 As Iob which feared all his workes Iob 9 28. Wee must haue confidence towards God but diffidence towards our selues for God wil be true to vs if wee bee true to him This feare is not contrary to faith but cannot be without it therfore take heed least yee fal is take heed least yee sinne Therefore the holy ghost crieth so often be faithfull euen vnto the death be not weary of well doing take heed least yee fall for when thou art weary of thy goodnesse God doth not compt thee good but weary of thy goodnesse and when thou declines from righteousnesse God doth not compt thee righteous but reuoulted from righteousnes according to the saying of the Prophet If the righteous turne away from his righteousnesse and commit iniquity and doe according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shal he liue All his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not bee mentioned but in his transgression that hee committed and in his sins that he hath sinned in them he shall die Ezek. 18.14 As Gods mercy endureth for euer so our righteousnes should endure for euer euery thought word and deed of a faithfull man is a step towards heauen in euery place he meeteth Christ euery good thing putteth him in minde of God hee seeketh to finde him and when hee hath found him he seeketh him still hee is not satisfied because at euery touch there commeth some vertue from him Iacob serued seuen yeeres for Rachaell and after them seuen yeeres more and when hee had serued so many yeeres they seemed vnto him as nothing because he loued her he which serued so long for Rachael serued all his life for heauen and if he had liued vntill this day hee would haue serued God still and thought it nothing because he loued him To haue the Arke but a while doth more hurt to the Philistians then benefit them so to serue God but a while doth more damage vs then helpe vs for happier is the child that which neuer began then Iudas whose end was worse then his beginning Wisdome is angry with him which leaueth his righteousnes to become worse the vine would not forsake her grapes the Oliue would not forsake her fatnesse the fig-tree would not leaue his sweetnesse but the bramble did he is not the vine nor the Oliue nor the fig-tree but he was a bramble made for the fire which leaueth the ioyes Let the dogge turne to the vomet and the swine to the walow but thou like Abraham hold on thy sacrifice vnto the euening euen the euening of thy life and then a full measure shal be measured vnto thee The way to heauen if men would bend themselues as much to doe good as they beate their braines to doe euill they might goe to heauen with lesse trouble then they goe to hell our idle houres are enough to get wisedome and knowledge and faith til wee were like Saints among men But if thou looke only to thy steppes and tel the rubbes which lye in the way thou shalt goe fearefully and vnwillingly euery thing shall turne thee aside and euery Shale shal step before thee and take thy Crowne from thee But then lift vp thine eyes from the earth and looke to Christ calling the spirit assisting the father blessing the Angells comforting the word directing the Crowne inuiting and then the fetters shal fal from thee and thou shalt rise like the sonne and maruel how the thing could seeme so hard and be so easie when you doe well remember that ye change not for worse and doing so you shall continue vnto the end and receiue the blessing of eternall happinesse as our Sauiour Christ sayth he that continueth vnto the end shall be blessed And we may the better hold on be constant in going foreward vnto the end it is good to make speed and for this cause the Apostle sayth So runne that ye may obtaine 1. Cor. 9.24 which is the swiftest pace of a mā as though he should goe faster to heauen then to any place els in the world his meaning is this that as a man doth watch and runne and labour to be rich quickly so he should heare and pray and study and vse all means to be wise quickly Thus the Apostle vnderstandeth when he biddeth vs adde as if he should say when thou art in the way to continue and knowest good from euill euery day kill some vice and euery weeke sow some vertue and make thy two talents fiue talents and thy fiue talents tenne talents and euer be doing good and at last it shall be opened because thou hast knocked Christ sayth the kingdome of heauen is gotten by violence therefore a man must be earnest and zealous in religion for zeale is the loue of God and pleaseth God Saint Iames sayth be swift to heare we must be swift to pray swift to obey swift to doe good for he is not cursed only which doth not onely the Lords busines but he which doth it negligently Iere. 48.10 that is hee which doth any thing before it like him that would bidde his freinds first farewell and follow Christ after The Hound which runneth for the hare runneth as fast as possibly he can and shall hee that runneth for heauen creepe more stowly then the Diall our Sauiour saith not that his father is glorified that we bring forth frute but that we bring forth much ftuite for is it not better to bee vessels of gold then vessels of brasse God hath placed vs here in a race to runne we must therefore so runne that we may attaine the prise wee are grafts of the Lords planting we must grow to the height and breadth of a tree and bring forth fruit we are Pilgrims and strangers and passe by the wildernesse of this world into our heauenly resting place wee may not stay by the way but must remooue our Tents and continually march on forward vntill that day come when we shall enter into the land of promise Now that we may the better with strength walke constantly by continuall increase in godlinesse in this our holy iourney towards heauen let vs therfore embrace these comfortable duties
of a true Christiā which the Apostle S. Paul giueth vnto the Thessalonians the first the 5.16.17.18 saying Reioyce euermore pray continually In all things giue thankes from these are to bee gathered many profitable instructions For the first to reioyce euermore It is not an indifferent thing to reioyce and not to reioyce but we are commanded to reioyce to shew that wee breake a commandement if we reioyce not but here God commandeth to reioyce as though some men did not reioyce enough therefore you must vnderstand to whom he speaketh thus in the Psal 149.5 It is said let the Saints bee ioyfull with glory not let the wicked reioyce and in Esay the 40.1 Comfort my people not comfort my enemies shewing to whom this Commandement of Paul is sent Reioyce euermore it is not in this as Christ saith That which I say vnto you I say vnto all but that which I say vnto you I say vnto all Salomon saith fiue times that this is the portion of man vnder the sunne to receiue in the gifts of GOD with thankfulnesse and to reioyce in them Hee which would haue vs holy as Hee is holy would haue vs ioyfull as Hee is ioyfull Hee which would haue vs doe his will vpon earth as the Angels doe in heauen would haue vs reioyce vpon earth as the Angels reioyce in heauen Hee which hath ordained vs the Kingdome of Saints would haue vs reioyce that wee haue such a Kingdome to receiue Therefore he saith to his disciples reioyce that your names are written in the booke of life the spirit of God is called the comforter because wee should haue ioy in it I will send you the Comforter saith Christ to shew that they which haue the spirit haue comfort too and they which resist comfort resist the spirit therefore the sonne of God is called the consolation of Israell and that ioy is where Christ is as the light is where the sunne is therefore the cheifest ioy is called the ioy of the holy ghost to shew that they haue the chiefest ioy that haue the holy ghost and the greatest peace is called the peace of a good conscience to shew that they haue the greatest peace which haue a good conscience therefore the faithfull are to bee annointed with the oile of ioy Esay 61.3 As though ioy were their countenance therefore they are said to be clothed with the garment of gladnesse as though gladnesse did compasse them like a garment Saint Paul in all his Epistles doth ioyne grace and peace together to shew that the peace of God doth follow them which haue the grace of God It is said in Deut. 30.9 That God reioyceth to doe vs good and in the 28. Deut. the Iewes are reprooued because they reioyced not in the seruice of God As the Lord loueth a cheerfull giuer so he loueth a cheerefull seruer and a cheerefull preacher and a cheerefull hearer and a cheerefull worshipper as Dauid saith Let vs sing heartily vnto the Lord shewing as it were a tune which delighteth Gods eares that is you must giue heartily you must loue heartily you must obey heartily and when you doe all these things heartily then you shall doe all things cheerefuly Therefore now I may say vnto those which resist comfort and nourish griefe as the Prophet saith who hath required these things of you God doth require no sorow but the sorow for sinne no feare but the feare to sinne no care but the care to please God nay he hath forbidden all care else and therefore Saint Paul saith Cast your care vpon him although God did not alow vs to care he sent his Apostles with this charge to cast their care vpon him as we doe cast our sinnes vpon Christ for God hath commanded vs to labour and not to care but care hindreth our labours As we are taught to discerne of spirits and doctrines so we must discerne of care and sorrowes when we sorrow for any thing but sin our sorrow is murmuring for the sorrow of the heart saith Salomon is the consuming of the bones that is it will pull downe the strongest man that is therefore let no man drinke of sorrow before hee tast it for the charge is not to get thy lyuing with care of the minde but with the sweat of thy browes Now as Saint Iames saith Resist the diuell and he will flie from you so resist sorrow and it will flie from you This is all the care and all the feare and all the repentance which euer could be found in the Scriptures therefore let vs pray to God euery day to turne all our ioy into the ioy of the holy Ghost and al our peace into the peace of conscience and all our sorrow into the sorrow for sinne and all our feare into the feare to sinne and so wee may reioyce and sorrow together feare and hope together that is haue one eye to the law to keep vs from presumption and another eye to the Gospell to keepe vs from dispaire and then this comfort is sent to vs Reioyce euermore or else wee haue nothing to doe with it It followeth the next duty to pray continually AFter reioyce continually hee biddeth vs pray continually shewing that it must be such reioycing continually that we may pray continually too or else he doth not alow vs to reioyce how can these two ioyne together pray and reioyce some if they should pray cannot reioyce for their hearts nay their heartes are sick vntill their prayer be done this is the difference betweene the reioycing of the wicked and the godly The comfort of the wicked is like a compounded medicine made of many mixtures for there must be piping and dancing and piping feasting and dallying at the game or else they cannot be merry but the comfort of the godly is like a light in the ayre which shineth when no matter is seene so the godly reioyce when no cause is seene if they doe but thinke vpon God they reioyce straight-way if there be but a prayer and a thankfulnesse and a meditation these are instruments enough for them and they can be as merry as Birds in May the reason of it is this As Christ sayd I haue another meat which you know not of so the godly haue another ioy which the world knoweth not of of this ioy a man may reioyce continually And therefore Salomon sayth a good conscience is a continuall feast Pro. 15.15 that is a continuallioy Thus Saint Paul ioyneth reioyce continually with prayer continually as if he should say by this you shal know whether you reioyce well if you can pray to that is if thy reioycing mooue thee to pray as the ioy of the Angels maketh them praise God and sing holy holy holy alwaies vnto him All this doth conclude that as we should doe Gods will on earth as it it is done in heauen so wee should reioyce in earth as they reioyce in heauen and then this ioy is a signe of another ioye
man be able to giue a reason of his faith is this a reason of our faith to say I beleeue so because Rome beleeueth so or not rather because the word of God doth teach me so it will not answere for them that die in heresie to say the Papists taught vs so for God saith bee not deeeiued neither by Serpent nor by Prophet nor by Angels God doth giue vnto his children the spirit of discretion and of iudgment to be wise and know what is that good and acceptable will of God be not therfore deceiued with words of mens wisdome let not the basenesse or simplicitie of any cause you resuse the message which he brings and carry not your selues to liking of al that what so euer shal be told you of such as beare a great shew and countenance this was it that deceiued the people of God they gaue eare to false teachers which led them to worship the workes of their owne hands The Scribes and Pharises seemed so graue and wise that the people thought nothing good but what they allowed they were altogether aplyable to beleeue to doe to speake and to thinke whatsoeuer the Pharises willed them Christ saith bewane of false Prophets which come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues Mathew 7. Saint Iohn therefore saith Deerely beloued beleeue not euery spirit but trie the spirits whether they are of God for many false Prophets are gone out into the world Iohn 11.4 and further declareth vnto vs how wee should trie them herein shall yee know the spirit of God euery spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of GOD. Againe heereby you may trie them whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God hee that continueth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the father and the sonne if there come any vnto you bringing not this doctrine receiue him not into your houses neither bid him God speed hereby Saint Paul requireth the Galathians to trie betweene him and their false Apostles if any man saith hee preach vnto you otherwise then that you haue receiued let him be accursed Gala. 1. Paul putteth Tymothie in minde wherefore he left him at Ephesus that is to command some that they teach no other doctrine and to warne both the teachers and the hearers that they giue no heed to fables and genealogies which are endlesse which breed questions rather then godly edifying which is by faith Thus are the people of God called to trie the truth to iudge betweene light and darkenesse God hath made them the promise of the spirit and hath left vnto them his word they of Borea when they heard the preaching of Saint Paul searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so as hee taught them and many of them beloeued so doe you giue heed to instructions and yet receiue not all things without proofe and triall that they bee not contrary to the wholsome doctrine of the word of God Keepe that which is good VVHen you haue tried and found the truth be constant and setled in it A wauering minded-man is vnstable in all his waies follow the truth and bee not carried about with euery wind of doctrine The diuell will come in the name of God and change himselfe into an Angel of light let him not take away the loue of the truth from you let him not remoue you from faith a good conscience Returne not like Swine vnto your mire God hath purged your hearts and made them cleane and except they be preserued and kept occupied the vncleane spirit will returne and enter in and dwell in you so the last estate of you shal be worse then the first Wee haue great cause to hearken diligentlie to the Apostle to keepe that is good for wee see dailie great confusion in all places Sathan would faine intangle vs againe with the error of the wicked and seeketh to draw vs from our stead-fastnesse Now is the time wherein God maketh some trial of his seruants now iniquity seekes to haue the vpper hand they seduce people and say heere is Christ there is Christ heere is the Church there is the Church GOD giue vs his holy spirit to guide vs in iudgement that wee may discerne the truth from falshood and know the blessed and gracious will of GOD that wee may walke in his waies and serue him in reuerence and feare al the daies of our liues for as their are many seeke Christ with an vnfained heart so their are many that seeke Antichrist and as their bee many true professors of the truth of God so are their many dispisers of the same this may wee see heere at home within this Realme wee may see it and mourne for it in our hearts Their practises are opened they haue broken out into open rebellion to the breach of the peace both of God and man they say with their lippes GOD saue King IAMES yet they hold vp their swords against him alas what hath hee deserued at their hands hath hee not dealt mercifully without crueltie without shedding of bloud GOD preserue him that hee may long reigne ouer vs and bring all his enemies to confusion What pretence make they for this their doing that heereby they seeke to haue religion reformed thankes bee to God religion is reformed far better then euer our fathers knew of these many hundred yeeres for if those that liued before vs might haue seene and heard as wee see and heare they would haue reioyced and thought themselues happy But they would haue the Masse what finde they or see they in it wherefore they should so desire it Trie all things saith Paul therefore examine and trie the Masse what wee doe learne by it what doctrine what godlinesse in life what comfort of saluation it is dumbe and deadly seruice it is the very key of their religion the people are bound to bee present at it yet they neither receiue any thing nor eate nor heare nor vnderstand any thing you are wise you haue reason you are the children of God be you Iudges herein and iudge vprightly for it is Gods cause wil they call this the Lords supper Is this the Sacrament of our redemption is this that which Paul receiued of the Lord and deliuered vnto the Church is this the shewing forth of the Lords death till hee come They paint their banner with the Crosse and fiue wounds why bring they these Armes against vs Doe not wee beleeue the Crosse of Christ doe not we reioyce and comfort our heartes by the remembrance of his woundes do not we read and shew forth to the people the story of the passion God knoweth it and the world can witnesse it and they themselues cannot denye it but that we make this worke of our redemption wrought by the passion of our sauiour Christ the cheefe and principall rock and foundation of our faith therefore say we with the Apostle God forbid