bent their bowes and made readie their quiuers ful of sharpe arrows although they haue whetted their swordes prepared powder peeces and shot let vs not I say be any whit at all dismayd at these their hautie attemptes For beholde God who is iealous of his owne cause will not suffer his honour to be throwen in the dust his Church to be ouerthrowen his trueth troden downe nor mans owne inuentions grounded vppon the weake foundation of good intent and not vppon the rocke the worde of God to goe awaye with the glorie For surely great is the truth and it shall preuaile let Herode rage let Iudas dissemble let Pilate Iudge let all the crue of Antichristian potentates conspire consulte condemne controule coniure afflicte persecute and seeke by all meanes to suppresse the trueth It shall in dispighte of them and all their forces breake foorth appeare and shew it selfe most triumphantly to the vnspeakeable comforte of the little flocke of Christ and to as great terror of these men mightie multitudes as the renting of the temple shaking of the earth and the other strange euentes at the crucifying of Christ were vnto that huge multitude of the aduersaries of the truth in those dayes yea farre greater forasmuch as it is nowe plentifullie preached manifest and auncient then newe and straunge and not reuealed to all Wee are nowe voyde of all excuse and although Christe himselfe prayed his Father not to laye the cryme of his death vppon them or to their charge in respect of their ignorance it shalbe farre otherwise with those that in these daies so obstinately seeke to crucifie him againe But to imagine or thinke that eyther the trueth is tyed to the multitude or to bee ouercome by the wisedome the pollicie the force or multitude of men or that the rage of Tyrauntes can extinguishe that ardent and godlie zeale that by the instinction of the holie Ghost is imprinted in the heartes and consciences of the faithfull members of the assured heade and vnmooueable rocke Christe Iesus were meere incredulitie nay a meere denyall of Christe and of his power and vertue Wherefore be it farre from vs to yeelde anie prerogatiue at all vnto the multitude further then may stande with the woorde of God And for our instruction and farther comfortes sake let vs with pure heartes and innocent intentes looke backe consider what our good God hath doone for our Fathers of olde that did professe his name aright whereby wee shall haue due proofe that it is not the multitude that imbrace his trueth nor that can resist suppresse or preuayle against the same although from the beginning the church of God hath bin farre the least part of the worlde the least part of euerie countrey and kingdome the least part of euerie Citie yea the least part of euerie congregation Yet such hath beene the care and louing affection of God towardes his fewe and small number that he hath not suffered them at anie time to take the foyle at the handes of his aduersaries beeing neuer so manie and mightie But doubtles this their argument of the force and soundnesse of the multitude doth not a little harme with the weaker sort of people whose heartes are not grounded vppon the sure foundation of Gods mightie protection And by reason thereof is the verie sounde of the multitude terrible only for that they knowe not nor consider the mightie workes of the Lord whose hand bringeth mightie thinges to passe they are ignorant of the truth and therefore can not conceyue the goodnesse of the Lord but desperately break out into this dangerous resolutiō namely to take part with the multitude be it with or against the truth They consider not how that god hath said that he hath chosen the weake thinges of the earth to confound the mightie the foolish such as in the world are accounted foolish to confound the wise in their own conceits the vile and base ones and such as are not regarded but despised in the world he hath raised vp and appointed to bring those things to nought which in the iudgment of man are of great estimation and account and the cause is that none should too much glorie in his owne strength wisdome or power No flesh should glorie in the presence of God Is not this sufficient to mooue the heartes of all those that couet to be accounted Christians to stande in the truth although they be therefore despised in the worlde threatned of the worlde and are as strangers and outcastes to the world rather then to accompanie the multitude and become glorious in the world and hated of god strong in the worlde and weake in the truth familier with the world at discord with Christ conuersant in the worlde and straungers in the Church of God Seeing that it is not the number of the persones the power or glorious showe of the persons but the inwarde godlye zeale of the heart the vnfeyned affection of the heart which bringeth foorth perseueraunce in the truth vnto the ende whome God regardeth to whom he giueth aide to stand and victorie wherein truely to boast and say the mightie hande of the Lorde hath done this thing and in so doing he will not suffer his little contemned children to be confounded of the high and hautie minded multitudes but will confound them in their own imaginations And therfore saith he feare not my little flocke be not discōforted or discouraged I wil fight for you wil scatter your enemies before your faces I wil throwe downe and confounde these wicked people that delight and long for warre that thirst after bloud and hunger after the destructiō of the Saints of God But we see that our heauenly father comforteth vs he louingly willeth vs counsaileth vs gladly to leaue the bondage of Aegypt speedely to flye from the filthines of Sodome and with Noah to enter into the arke of our safety euen to the amiable courtes of the Lord to hold our selues by the piller of the trueth euen the Gospell of his Christ and to visit his temple So will he be our God and we shall be his children he will be our father and we shall be his sonnes and daughters whome hee will mightelye protect and defende from the force and erronious course of the multitude And whatsoeuer Sathan Antichrist and their adherets doe deuise or imagine against vs howsoeuer they seeme to feare vs and dismay vs with their multitudes let vs be patient wayting the Lordes leasure for our deliuery Let vs be both carefull and constant in our callinges and euery one from the highst to the lowest the heade and members euery one according to his office and function frame our selues diligentlye to haue cleare heartes and readye handes in the feare and due reuerence of him that hath promised vs ayde to stand not only vpon our own garde but as one body compact of many members stand
inward zeale the steps of our head our husband master Christ Iesus who as he is pure so hee expecteth perfect sanctitie in all that professe him he can not abide hipocrisie a double hart a disseÌ„bling tong or lips that speake feyned things And therfore what profiteth it vs to haue the name of Christians to haue the name of Protestantes of Catholikes such like glorious titles whereof many in these our daies brag boast namely that they knowe Christ and confesse him only in the outward show wheÌ„ in deed in our actions inward cogitations we deny him in framing theÌ„ according to the world according to the course of the multitude for euery one that saith Lord Lord shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of god which is in heauen And againe why call yee mee Lord Lorde sayth he and do not that which I commande you We see then that we discharge not our duties to god in saying we knowe him but in performance of the trueth which we learne of him And therefore as wee in respecte of our profession challenge the name of Christians seeme as it were offended when the messengers and ministers of Christ charge vs out of the worde of God that we degenerate from the perfect conuersation of a true Christian by the loosenesse of our liues and slacke performance of our duties to Christ let vs frame al our affections as becommeth true Christians And let vs not deceyue or slatter our selues with a foolish conceit of being Christians when in deede our conuersation differeth farre from the doctrine of Christ. It behoueth vs to examine our liues not according to fleshly fantasies but according to the truth of gods word which is a glasse whereby we may set al our actions right and in good order iudge betweene trueth and falshoode betweene light and darknesse betweene the Gospell of Christe and the traditions of men Wee haue a good president hereof namely to try and examine our zeale by the example of the men of Thessalonica Berea not in that som of theÌ„ persecuted the Apostles but in that as they receiued the worde of God they searched the scriptures for the increase of their knowledge of the truth wherby they might not onely frame their owne liues but directe others not onely in worde but in godly life and conuersation which was the cause also that the disciples were called Christians in Antiochiafirst namely for that they came neere vnto Christ in godlines of life Search the scripturs for they are they which testifie of Christ of his manner of conuersation here in the earth and of his eternall truth the syncere profession whereof maketh a perfect Christian. Then this name of a Christian onely is not due of right vnto him that can onely speake of Christe or that can dispute of his godheade and manheade howe he came into the worlde when he came to what ende he came and such like for so can euen the Diuels doe But as we see wee are Christians in this that as we knowe Christ and professe Christ in worde so should we followe him in life If we haue the spirite of Christ then are we Christians For he that hath the spirite of Christ will conforme himselfe according to the image of Christ. And as Saint Augustine defineth a Christian he is a perfecte Christian which sheweth mercie vnto all men and who is not mooued he that regardeth another mannes greefe as his owne whose table is open and readie for the poore who seemeth contemptible base and of no accompt before men hee that despiseth earthly to winne heauenly thinges who suffereth not the poore to bee oppressed hee that succoureth the needie he that weepeth when others doe weepe shewing himselfe of mercifull affection towardes all men who is weake sayeth Saint Paule and I am not diseased This is a true description of that whereof wee would be accompted professors namely true Christianitie which as we see chiefely consisteth in mercie in loue and charitable affection one towardes another In so much as we see that by the rule of this Christian dutie wee must showe our selues assistaunt to all so farre forth as our habilitie will extend and especially to those that are of the householde of faith we must do to others that which we wold that others should doe vnto vs. But alas howe farre too short come manie of our time to this Christian dutie yea of such as will not onely be termed but which terme theÌ„selues Protestantes and Christians It were too hard and a verie vnmannerly enterprise for me to enter into the discourse of that wherin I know I shall offend many especially froward stubborne and stiffnecked natures who I knowe will bid mee plucke out the beame of mine own eye first and for my own part I thanke them for their good remembrance I trust I stande not to iustifie my selfe but openly condemning my selfe as a wicked wretch iustified yet in faith by the bloude and merites of Christ. But good Christian brethren the dearest thing to satisfie my greatest expectation is patience for my boldnesse And to returne to my purpose to controule in the name of Christ such as will outwardly showe themselues what inwardlye they be not namely Christians for surely great hath beene the tryall of Christians of late dayes And the former pollicie of Constantius for tryall of Christians came farre too short of the meere prouidence of God the yeare past and very likely to continue the yeare to come namely the general dearth of corne and other necessaries for the reliefe of man in which extremity many were the mouths that wanted reliese yea the mouths of good christians which the gluttonous cormorancie of Epicuâ—es deuoured in excesse nay the trysling toyes the needles and bootles creatures as haukes houÌ„ds other offensiue things in the sight of god hath deuoured more in many mens houses in a weeke theÌ„ some of the masters of the same haue giuen to the needy in a month which is a testimonie of colde christianitie the backe and the belly will be constant witnesses against some in the day of the Lorde that their hearts externall professions with the tongue haue beene at discorde namely the excesse of gluttony and pride in apparell will testifie that their actions were not guided by the infallable rule of that true Christianitie Furthermore be there not in the world that can do professe Christ with the mouth resort to his word argue thereof can cunningly dispute thereof that in this miserable estate of the poore oppressed members of Christ see them to want heare theÌ„ to mourne lament cry out for relife they will not consider it they will not heare the cry of the poore hauing their barnes full of corne old newe and their bagges full in their chestes of white
and Archenemy of the church of Christ who in the beginning seeing our first parentes in a blessed estate in a sincere godly course of life hee neuer lefte by pernicious practises vntill hee had pluckt thē from their obedience to their maker into wilfull rebellion and sinne and consequentlye vnto deathe And hath not since in anye age ceased to seeke the meanes to preuent the passage of the truth and to hinder as much as in him lyeth the saluation of all men He raysed vp wicked Cain to laye violent handes vppon godly Abell and to shed his innocent bloud onely because he saw that Abell began to serue God aright When Ioshna the high preist prayed vnto the Lorde for the prosperity of the Church Sathan stoode at his elbowe to resist him and of a surety so endeuoreth to resist euery action euery enterprise and motion tending to the setting forth of the glorye of God and the saluation of our soules He raysed vp wicked Saul to persecute godlye Dauid Herod to seeke the death of Christ and his many ministers euen mighty multituds to persecute his Apostles We may read how he incited vngodly Iesabell to seeke the death of Eliah and to conclude hath neuer omitted tyme and meanes to persecute as many as haue professed the truth such is his malice towards the church of God And for that the church of Christ is so subiect to the stormy tempests of Sathans persecutions and euery godly action so encountred and kept back with the blusterous blasts of his buffets It is rightly resembled vnto a ship that is beaten battered and continually subiecte to the rough and boyling waues of the raging Sea But herein is our comfort that when the greatest tempestes and stormes doe arise when wee seeme to be in most perill and likely to be ouerwhelmed with the belowes fomy flashings of affliction and when we think that our heauenly father is a sleepe and regardeth not our troubles our daungers or present and imminent perills he suddenly ariseth and rebuketh the windes and chaungeth the stormes into calme weather our despaire of helpe into a manifest token of our certaine safetie And as in respect of the trobles incident vnto the professors of the trueth their estate is resembled vnto a ship tossed in the sea Euen so let vs further consider that as the ship that is greeuously tossed and the mariners and passengers that thereby are most perilously endaungered haue then the greatest care and take circumspectest heede that they runne not against the rocks nor be driuen into any gulph and if they safely ariue vnto their expected harbour their ioy is then the more great gladesome by howe much they were in desperate perill Euen so the poore soules that are most cruelly handled and the bark of their fraile fleshe most sharply tossed and driuen to and fro with the force of bitter persecution for the testimony of the truth their care and diligence to keep the euen and direct course is thē most regarded they carry then an eye vnto their course least the wind of these troubles shoulde driue them vpon the rockes of error And when they shall safely namely truely constantly ariue at their wished harbour namely of the passage from this mortall life vnto the immortal hauen whether it be by Martirdome or by any other kind of determination of their course their ioyes shall bee so much the greater by how much their afflictions and persecutions haue bene for the testimony of their godly professions with constancy due pacience tollerated accepted for blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen This thē is our sufficient warrant patiently to accept of Sathans buffets knowing that the grace of God shal hold vs vp and preserue vs from confusion And therefore although through persecution and crosses wee be thought contemptible in this world and through the slaunders reproches of the wicked we be thought and accompted abiects in the worlde let vs perswade our selues that all the persecutions afflictions troubles cares calamities scornings scoffings scurgings and crosses which wee can beare in this life are not worthy of the ioy of the life to come Yet may we fully resolue our selues that as a sparrowe lighteth not on the ground without the prouidence of God no more doeth the least of these afflictions light vppon vs without our heauenly fathers will for our saluation And therefore wee may not think it straunge when this firy tryall of persecution commeth but rather to reioice in somuch as we be thereby made pertakers of Christ our dear maisters sufferings For when his glory shall appeare wee with him shall appeare in glory But why shoulde God permit his children to be so hardly dealt withall by the wicked Why doth Christ suffer his sheepe thus guiltlesse to be slaine and his spouse the church to be so persecuted afflicted for that shepheard that hath speciall regard vnto his flocke will not suffer thē to be so hunted and vexed by the tiranny of rauening wolues Neither will that father that loueth his children see them abused and ill dealt withall by any but will with speed show himself a carefull father and the shepheard a watchfull shepheard vnto his flocke Euen so naturall reason would seeme to controll Christ in that hee wincketh at the wicked when with open mouths they run vpon the godly as though they woulde swallow them and deuoure them vp quick but should rather presently take their cause in hand and reuenge himself of such as defile his sanctuary But Christ to resolue our weaknesse and to confirme a farther hope in vs touching his good pleasure herein saith that it muste bee so vntill the number of the faithfull bee fulfilled that the wicked shall persecute the godly as who should say I do allowe that my children shall taste of the whippes of the vngodly and by them to bee cast out of their Sinagogue to be excōmunicated and put to death and why For my names sake saith hee And in that they thus afflicte them they shal think they do god good seruice namly in that they knowe neither God the Father neither Christ whereby we see that none that trulie know God or seeke his glory will moue as much as their hands or tongues against any of his seruaunts much lesse against his annointed against lawfully established kings princes and magistrates which couet to maintaine the setting foorth of his truth and exalting his name Then to conclude what may wee holde them that seeke the murthering of Christs annointed namely our Queene and gouernesse and suche like defenders of his true religion May wee not say they be such as know not God such as seeke nothing but how to crucifie Christ in his members Nabuchadnezar not knowing God neither being acquainted with his trueth did euen the like in persecuting the
with the multitude as the chiefest refuge and meane of our safetie in the time of trouble wherein the perilous resolution of such as intende to holde with the most be it with the truth or against it is plainly proued to be meerely wicked AS touching the glory of the multitude wherupon these wicked men do build the chifest foundation of their profession as a strong argument that they haue and hold the truth and that they are victorious inuincible I thinke there be none so blockish or barbarous so voide of the knowledge of gods word especially such as account themselues christians can not bee so besotted with the pestiferous poyson of Sathans instigations to holde this argument as a sounde reason that eyther their Religion should bee of Christ or that the force of their multitudes of the huge troup of deceiued souls shoulde be such as that there should seeme no possibilitie with the small number of the faithfull Christians to withstand them but that perforce in dispite of Christ Christians they will breake down the hedges of our quiet estate and godly gouernement intrude themselues into the vineyard of God and the inheritance of his sonne Christ Iesus violate his Church and defile his Spouse as they by their rebellious practises haue endeuoured and by their vauntes haue vainely protested Surely yet I thinke there is none hauing any feeling of the grace and mightie power of God that can be so farre carried away with Sathans instigations with Antichrists inchauntmentes or with his wicked ministers perswasions to thinke it But that euery sensible man hauing but the principles of the trueth in his heart and but entring into the rules of the profession of Christ will holde it a weake foundation to build vpon the power the wisedome and direction of the multitude and a meere absurditie to followe the opinions of the most as a meane to attaine vnto the trueth considering that as the Philosopher sayth it is monstrum multorum capitum a monster with many heades and tot capita tot sententiae many men many mindes But the truth hath one head one spring one issue one ende and one meane to leade vs thereunto euen the holy Ghost the spirite of truth the taste feeling knowledge or direction wherof howe many had in the time of Christ When they all with one voyce cryed out and sayde let him be crucified And some of them to prooue their difference in opinions sayde he is a druncarde he is a Diuell hee doeth these and these thinges by the power of Belsubub And of Paule they sayde he was madde others that hee had the spirite of God and Agrippa and Festus found no cause of death in him Wherefore if any will so rashly take partes with the multitude leauing the heade of the truth and come to that spring of errors he taketh Lucifer by the tayle and with him leaueth the blessed estate of the faithfull to fall downe and become a reprobate We may not followe a multitude to do euill neither consent or agree in a controuersie to decline after many and ouerthrowe the truth Yet we see howe these men bragge and boast themselues of the multitudes and that their religion is professed generally in most countryes and kingdomes of the worlde and so conclude bonum iustum rectum approbatum est It is good iust right and allowed and why Because the most part holde it so But if this argument holde always true thē was Christ rightly put to death when we knowe that all Christians holde and cannot but confesse the contrarie and that in him there was founde no guile no deceite or sinne or cause of death And yet cryed the multitude out against him that he should be crucified for say they wee haue hearde him speake blasphemy But when they had their desire whē he was executed these busie followes which so mainely cryed out against him when they sawe the graues to open and the vale of the temple to rent and cleaue a sunder when they sawe the clouds of darknes suddenly to ouerwhelme the bright beames of the sunne when they sawe the earth to shake to tremble when they saw such a miraculous alteration of thinges they changed their opinions and altered their cōmon voices saying surely this was a righteous man but then it was too late they could not call againe the innocent bloud which they had shed nor restore the guiltles to life whō they had falsly condemned So surely although many great multituds congregate themselues together linke domesticall forrain power together with the bandes of treacherous conspiracies against the Lorde and against his annointed falsely crying out and saying she is an Heretique and all those that allowe of the present estate of Englande are heretiques whereby they allure the weake to their wicked practises hoping by their deuises to deuour poore Christians and eate them vppe as it were like breade shooting especiallye first of all to the heade hoping that then the members woulde be the sooner cut off which both the Lorde defende But if their wickednesse should which God forbid take effect they should see then the chaunge of the bright beames of peace turned into the clouds of blody warres the light of truth into the darkenes of errors and they themselues feeling the grounds and rootes of their heartes to shake and tremble by the guylt of bloudy consciences insomuch as they would not onely confesse with the multitude shee was a righteous Gouernesse but with Iudas that they haue doone most wickedlie in betraying the innocent bloud and with Cayne like runnagates roue to and fro saying and accusing their offence to be greater then they are able to beare Furthermore they shoulde then generally as some of them haue alreadie particularly finde the falsehoode of their Father of lyes who deceyueth them with his fayre but false promises of pardon of their sinnes and merite in heauen for their execrable and bloudie practises When the Apostle affirmeth the contrarie Namely that Idolaters murderers and such like shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Then doth this man of sinne greatly deceyue those whom he perswadeth to perseuere in their bloudie intentes and where he perswadeth some vnder the promise of preferment some of rewarde here some nay all vnder collour of deseruing heauen he doth it but to worke his mischiefe in the end to content himself with them to take the due reward of Iudas hire in vtter destruction But forsooth some shall be made Dukes some Earles some of higher some of more inferiour preferments and that none that setteth his helping hand to this infernall action shall goe without some reward They shalbe crowned with Parries perpetuall ignominie with Throgmortons deserued reprooch and with the due desertes of such rebellious rascalles whose ende without the surpassing mercies of Christ against whome they kicke shall
persecuting executioners that it is not their tyrannie that can suppresse or the cruell force of the multitude that can resiste the approoued and manyfest trueth which wee professe and will shewe and openlye declare that the deuises and imaginations of man are but vayne Naye further to shew his iudgementes of these bloud-thirstie men he will sende their destruction with the same torment they prepared for his children For let vs beholde and to our comfort and for our learning consider that notwithstanding these three poore men were caste into so feruent a burninge flame that there appeared no possibilitie for them to escape euen suddaine consumation of their bodyes with the force of the fier yet suche was the power and prouidence of him that hath all thinges in subiection vnder his feete that he preserued them in suche sort as in the midest of the fire they walked safelye and to shewe his iustice threwe out the slame vpon those ministers of the king that executed his will therin so that they that digged the pit for others fel themselues into the same they were taken with the snare that they prouided for others Euen so shall that proude Haman of Rome in the ende bee hanged in the gallowes that he hath set vp for godly Mardocheus of England We must thinke that these examples were written for our learning and verye sitte for our time to be considered according to the present course of men for as then Nabuchadnezer thoght that the consent of so many great men vnto his idolatry approoued the same to bee very sound and good And when these three men stoode in defence of the true religion of God as now we see that our small Islande of Englande amonge many other famous countries of the world holdeth and possesseth the gospell with part of other nations as it pleaseth God to afforde his grace among vs. And as then these three men were condemned of the multitude and our selues in like maner misliked of the moste as the liuing God then prouided for their safety so no doubt he dooth and will doe for ours though not in present outwarde deliueraunce yet no doubt in inwarde comfortes whereby there appeareth no cause why the children of GOD should feare the multitude although the people in a common prouerbe agree that many heades are better then one whereby they goe about and seeme to approoue the venemous and brutish serpent Hydra to be the wisest beast that euer was in respecte of the multitude of his heades when we know many silly creatures of the earth in many vertues to exceede such monsters But this seemeth not agreeable to my matter beeing Euangelical for that this application is poeticall But surelie it is not without good morall for the multitude in deede may be well compared to a beaste of manye heades vnstayed in respect of manye guides vnconstaunt in respect of many mindes vnruly in respect of manye members And therfore this argument of many heads better then one holdeth not in causes of heauenlye reuelations for the trueth commeth not from the multitude it proceedeth not from the wise nor is to be expected of the learned in respect of the many professing one things or in re spect of the wise in naturall pollicies nor in respect of profound study It commeth not from men of whatsoeuer iudgement but euen from the very spirite of God the teacher thereof The truth is Gods it is of God and his gift it is that the men of base callinges and iudgementes in worldlie causes conceiue the trueth speake the truth and are able to teach the trueth which in deede of it selfe is simple pure cleare and not mixed with the traditions nor the deuises nor tyed to the power or strength of mortall men And therefore to shew the weaknesse of manye heades and their errours and to confirme his truth by the handes of one and that of the weakest and moste frayle sexe he caused an example in that behalfe to bee written for our experience namely that where there were manye magistrates in the Citie of Bethulya and they all layinge there heades together determined a course contrarye to the truth namely rashlye to tye the will of God and his hande to their owne prefixed time or els to giue ouer their Citie to the Captayne of the enimie of God This was their resolute determination when indeed it behooued them by the rule of Gods worde to haue referred them-selues in faith vnto the good prouidence of God as these forenamed three men did and to tarry the Lords leasure for their deliuery But a sillie woman perceiuing this their rashe resolucion by the instincte of the holye Ghoste the teacher of the truth openly reprooued them in that they shewed in themselues no sparke of patience neither allowed that power and omnipotencie to God for their deliuerie which he shewed to manye before them but tying as it were his will vnto their wils indented with him the tyme and maner of their deliuerie And shee referring the whole state of the Citie vnto the mightye hande of the Lorde in a perfect hope sounded vpon the truth miraculouslye preuayled in deliuering the poore besiged Citie from the blouddy handes of the wicked idolaters This was a weake meane in the iudgement of man yet did the Lorde vouchsafe vnto her proceedinges the successe acceptable vnto the poore oppressed heartes of manye people And let vs then but thinke the lyke or farre more power is giuen vnto the hande of our godlye Iudith to cut off the hautye aspiringe heade of mightye Holophernes of Rome and his adherentes the graunde Captaine of all the aduersaries of Christ and Christians These examples reprooue those that in their actions goe about either to tie Gods truth vnto their many heads or build their resolucion vpon the might of the multitude If Noah had builded his resolucion vppon the resolucion of the multitude and had ioyned his consent vnto the resolute determinations of the multitude hee shoulde haue had his portion with the multitude in the swelling and mercylesse waters and not haue tasted the sweetnesse of the prouidence of GOD in the Arke So surelye if we shoulde looke into the common sort of men into the generalitie of consents or into the common vse of countries not guide our selues by the rule of Gods worde we coulde not but perish in the merciles waters of errours and neuer enioy the sweet comfort of the Arke with the true Church of Christ. And therefore had Lot a care a diligent eye and carefull consideration vnto the course of the Citye of Sodome and feared to giue consent vnto the multitude because he knew their generall inclinations declininge from the right waye And so leauing the multitude vnto their owne course tooke a priuate course with himselfe according to the direction of the trueth and was saued from the destruction that fell vpon the multitude so that we maye
rebell to the death of Christe a deceiuer of the people a blinde guyde who togeather with those that he guydeth shall fall into the pit and puddell of desperate ignoraunce and so consequently into the lake of perdition And therefore let not the fayre shew of these counterfeyt christians cloaked Catholiques the crue of the cursed sect of Iugling Iesuites shauen Seminaries and perdicious priestes betraye vs or allure vs to their profession the fruites whereof beeing so ripe that they fall from the tree of the Romish sea rotten within and faire without hauing hony in their lips gall in their hearts the poyson of aspes the loue of Iudas the zeale of Caine appeareth in their practizes they are no christians why then shoulde we giue them the name of Catholiques They seeke bloude they thirste for the death of christians they are murtherers they are not worthye the name of men they are Vipers they couet to eat out the very bowelles of their mother that bare them the common weale that fostered them and woulde fill the lande wherein they were fostered with the bloud of thē by whose protection they haue liued and by whose ayde they haue beene mainteyned they are no subiects they are traytors and rebels their name of Catholiques we see maketh not their calling sure but the name shall be a witnes against them when the vaile of their outwarde shew shall be plucked awaye and the inward intent of their hearts appeare But he that will be a true christian in deede must cast away all dissimulation all hipocrisie all malice all desire of bloud all consent of rebellion treason enuie and idolatrie and put on not onely the outwarde habite but the inwarde zeale of godlinesse as loue faith obedience and true and vnfeyned subiection to GOD and his annoynted of the earth But alas too many are the dissembling christians of these daies I woulde it were not true for there hath beene manifest proofe of the cancred hearts of such as outwardly appeared dutifull subiects whose practizes are so new that the heartes of all true christians are yet bleeding to consider it But now vpon this manifest triall of their treacherie let euen the name of the counterfeyt Catholiques be euen as a lesson to warne vs by their rebellions to become good subiectes by their fals endeuor to stand by their harmes seek to be warie and wise in Christ. Constantius the Emperour intendinge on a time to trie the hearts of those that were about his court whether they were in deede christians or idolaters whereby he might the better discipher and iudge of their loue and faithfull obedience towards him knowing that they that appeared the true seruants of God woulde be most faithfull vnto him and the other the more warely to be auoyded vsed this pollicy when hipocrisie and feyned subiection was not as now it is dispensed with he called togeather all his seruants and officers feyning himselfe to chose out such as would do sacrifice to diuels who should onelye remaine in the court execute the offices there and they that refused should be expulsed Whervpon the courtiers deuided them into companies some of them shewed themselues very ready to fulfill the kinges will and proffered to do sacrifice to diuels others constauntly and boldly refused to doe it The Emperour seeing the rebellion of some of them against God and the faithfull obedience of the other he foorthwith expelled these sacrifices out of his Court and reteyned the other affirming that they onely were fit to be about a prince And therefore from thence foorth he accepted those his moste trustie counsailors and defendors of his person and Empire saying that such were more worthy to be had in estimation and to be accompted of then the substaunce that he had in his treasurie Thus we may note that euery one that sheweth outwarde loyaltie vnto a prince is no more a true subiect by the onelye outwarde shew without the inwarde loue of God then he is to bee accompted a true Christian which in outwarde ceremonies appeareth a Catholike in inwarde affection declyneth from Christe and his truth But God be thanked there hath beene sufficient proofe of perfect heartes neare her maiestie in these late daungers and such heartes as will not doe sacrifice to the Diuell of Rome nor giue consent vnto the tolleration thereof in others But with the swoorde of their authoritye endeuor to cut off both the causers and effectors the tree and the braunches of these conspiracies and no doubt if we shew our selues true christians in deede not key cold or newters but zealous in the defence of Gods truth and stand assistan according to our bounden dueties as true subiectes to her Maiestie in heartes and handes We shall see these Romish Babylonians to cry out lament and mourne as they alreadie begunne to sing this dolefull song Heu heu vrbs illa magna Babylon vrbs illa potens c. Alas alas that great citie the mighty citie Babylon that was so beautifully dected and finely clothed in lynnen purple and scarlet guilded with golde and beautified with pearles and precious stones whose destruction draweth neere But these that thus cry out and lament her ruyne stande a farre off for feare of her torment the kinges of the earth shall bewayle the fall of this great and glorious Citie with whome they haue committed fornication and played the harlottes and taken their delight and pleasures in her Then will her Marchants her spirituall buyers and sellers of soules her Seminaries her Priests and Iesuytes and such like companions who liued by the whoredome of this great whore of Babylon the Pope for losse of their accustomed rewardes and wonted gayne howle and weepe and for their punishments at hand shall stand desperate of all helpe This shall be the estate of those that to some seeme nowe verie perfect Catholikes who haue secretely withdrawen men from their true obedience to Princes lawefully established and haue mooued the spouse of Christe to commit spirituall fornication with the man of Rome and of such as will not nowe suffer wholsome doctrine but hauing their eares itching get them teachers after their owne luste turning their eares from the truth giuing heede vnto fables vnto spirits of error and doctrines of Diuelles hardening their hearts through blindnes of whom Christ himselfe speaketh saying The hearts of the people are waxed fat and their eares are dull of hearing with their eyes haue they wincked least they should see with their eyes heare with their eares and vnderstande with their hearts and so returne that they might be saued What a daungerous thing therfore is this obstinate blindnes and blinde obstinacie wilfull ignorance desperate wilfulnesse and yet woulde these men be accompted Catholiques and Christians But such crookednes and peruersenesse caused Ieremie to crye out and say It is a rebellious people lying children children that will not
heare the lawe of the Lord but say vnto the seers see not and to the Prophetes prophecie not vnto the people the trueth but speake flattering wordes vnto them prophecie errors go out of the way forsake the right path cause the holy one of Israell to cease from vs. Is not this the manner of these men to keepe such frō the truth which are tyed to their vsurped authoritie with the cordes of obstinate blindnes which was the cause that in the dais of Christ himself the multitude cried out to crucifie him yet thought they did wel Christ praied his father to forgiue thē saying they knowe not what they doe But it is now otherwise with vs for we haue the trueth before vs we may read it we haue the truth preched we may heare it we haue it reuealed we may vnderstande it and therefore the neglecting thereof is now inexcusable and the Lord will not suffer his truth now to be darkened with feyned holines And therefore let vs returne vnto our selues enter into cōsideration of our own cōuersations whether they be framed according to the trueth which we haue learned We are fruitfully most plentifully fed with the bread of life the gospell of Christ beyond al other Nations of the world let vs not be therfore glorious in our words only or in our outward actiōs expecting the praise of mē but let vs be pure in hart obediēt in soule mind to God that searcheth the raynes and entrals thereof and accepteth not of those that can but brag and say we haue the Gospell wee haue the Gospell and bringe not foorth the fruites of the Gospell It was not enough for the Iewishe Priestes to crye out the temple of God the temple of GOD as though the bare title of the temple maketh it the true temple of God or the name of a Christian a member of Christ or the title of a Protestant wherof some doe boast a man in deede that protesteth in life and inward zeale that he is a true Christian. The Papists cry out we are catholiques we are catholiques we are of the Church for looke vpon our external works of charity actions of deuotiō we fast we praye wee giue almes we pinch our bodies we scurge our selues wee are they that shall ascende vnto the holy hill But alas howe far these things are of thēselues from that which God requireth he himself declareth saying such as haue pure heartes and cleane handes such as are inwardly zealous togither with the outward testimonies of their godly life such shall inherite heauen And therefore there may bee manie wolues in lambes skinnes many deuils vnder the habite of Pharazaicall deuotion and therefore not in wordes or outwarde behauiour only standeth the perfect estate of a Christian but euen in the sinceritie and perfect purenesse of the heart depending in faith vppon the merits of Christ The outward action is the messenger of the hart it is a witnesse of the minde but not at all times a like for the outwarde kysse of Iudas was outwardly a token of loue and yet it proceeded of an heart full of gall and bitternesse of deceyte and murther his words of all hayle master came as if his lippes had testified obedience to his master but the poyson of Aspys was vnder his tong The muncke of Swynsted that poysoned Kinge Iohn came with his poysoned potion with the sweete words of wassayle my Leige and inwardly pretended the death of the King are there not in these dayes manie that can couer their poysoned practises with the outward show of all hayle Madam and God saue your Maiestie and such like faire words that come frō a poysonsom stomach doth not counterfeite deuation couer many diuelish deuises Is not sometimes dutifull obedience made the cloke for wilfull rebellion and diligent attendance made the collour of conspiracie Looke vpon Parrie his practises and there is a proofe of these pollicies Man seeth not the heartes of men but God findeth them out in their secrete counsailes he bewrayeth some to be traytors that make outward show of true subiectes And therefore let no man deceiue himselfe in a perswasion of his saftie when his heart is burned with the hoat yron of a guiltie conscience against God or his Prince God will not be flattered with although man flatter man dissemble with man or play the hypocrite before men for he will vncouer their cunning and reueale their inwarde deuises and showe them vnto the worlde as a due reproch and rewarde them in fine with the condigne guerdon of their endlesse tormentes Oh let vs therefore be wise in the truth let vs be circumspect as serpentes that wee be not ouer taken with these alluring Cerenes that sing sweetly in our eares absolution absolution pardon pardon dispensation dispensation for sin they deceyue vs they drawe vs with the flouds of errors beware that their pleasant tunes preuayle not with any of vs but like wise Vlysses let vs binde our soules to the maste of the trueth of Gods word least we yeeld the sayles of our consentes vnto the winde of their wylinesse and so being pertakers of their practises wee become likewise pertakers of their punishments Let vs be simple as doues let vs harbour no kind of wil to ioyne our selues with these dangerous men although the greatest part of the world that vnder the pretence of holines vnder the title of catholikes seeke to ouerthrowe the kingdome of god the church of Christ the knowledg of his word preching of his gospel Although they say Lord Lord they are not thereby made the seruants of the Lord. If we do not that which the Lord cōmandeth we are meere enemies vnto the Lorde It is not ynough to beare the greene leaues and the beautifull blossomes of a godly life but we must bring forth the fruits which come frō the roote heart of our in warde affections zealous obedience wherwith euery true christian is so adorned that whensoeuer Christ our sauiour passeth by vs with consideration of our good-workes he findeth thē so frutefull that he blesseth the figge tree of our hearts making it profitable though no◠of it selfe yet by the inspiration of his holy spirite in such sort as men may see our good fruites glorifie our father for his mercifull watering our soules to the bringing foorth therof And on the contrary where there are the leaues the glorious showe of a godly life only in externall actions without the true fruts proceeding frō the heart the Lord hath no pleasure in that tree but curseth it withereth it euen with the breath of his mouth so that they that passe by shall say that in such paynted Sepulchers the Lorde hath no delight We must therefore endeuor to bring forth the fruts of a godly holy innocent life following as in outward profession so in
ship tossed vpon the sea Deliuery froÌ„ deepest danger procureth greatest ioye Mat. 5. 10. The hope of the kingdom of God aâ—meth vs to â—eâ—e persecution 1. Pet. 4. 12. They that truly suffer shall appeare vvith Christ in glory A friuolous question VVherein our comforte standeth in persecution Reu. 6. 7. Io. 16. 2. 3 They that knovve not Christ persecute his members Dan. 3. 1. Ignorance of the trueth mother of persecution Tirannous emperors not knovving God The Papistes absurdities The conscience as a booke laide open The practises of the papists sufficient testimony of their condeÌ„nation Pauls persecution before his conuersion Act. 9. 4. Pauls conuersion Christ and his church all one A good salue for a conscience guiltie of â—auoring traytors A singuler benefit of God Sâ—â—â—rity dan gâ—rous Pauâ—e repaired to God vvhen Sathan assaulted him Trust in God is the cause that the vvorld hate th vs. Conspiracye and treasons haâ—â— alvvais the gloose of good inteÌ„t God detesteth the desire of shedding innocent bloud Indifferenciâ— lukvvatâ—â— nesse very perillous A godly admonition to auoid conseÌ„t vnto the deuises of counter â—ait catholickes A vveake vvicked resolution Flattery a couer for deceit Counterfaite Catholikes like vnto Camelions The blindnesse of the Papists Catholickes knovvne by their fruits A president for our present conspiracies God is on out side therfore the les cause to feare man The practises of the vvicked turne to their ovvne perdition The prouidence of god tovvards vs and our enemies A fevv good Christians shall be stroÌ„ger then many counterfait catholiks The godnesse of God tovvards our godly fathers The goodnes of God extended tovvards vs in thes present dangers shovveth vs as in a booke his aide for eueâ— more ready The light of the gospel course of teÌ„poral gouernement VVhat good good examples vvorke euen vvith fidels Ezech. 2. 5. Notable coÌ„fort Lu. 12. 32. Gods protection maketh the beleeuers strong Ier. 1. 18. Iosh. 1. 5. Heb. 13. 6 Ps. 118. 6. 1. King 13. 4 The Lorde drieth vp the arme of antichrist by cutting of his ministers Although all our aduersaries yet bee not found ouâ— to abide the lavv their ovvne consciences vvil be such a law as shal make them consume avvay Ps. 26. 5 VVe muste â—oâ—â—â— vvith the godlye in the 〈◊〉 of prâ—â—â—e The vâ—iâ—e excuse of romish catholickes for their conspiracyes Num. 16. â—1 The conspiracy of Korah Dathan and Abyram Act. 9. 4. The glorye of counterfait catholik A golden viâ—ard vpon a â—eaden â—ace Esa. 1. 16. â— Pet. 1. 15 Pro. 2â— 1â— A godly â—â—â—eat vnto those that â—re polluted with the poyson of popish practise 1. Tim. 2. 4. The benefit of the worde of God Mat. 11. â—8 The water of life is in the basoÌ„ of gods booke Act. 2. 40. Esa. 1. 19. 20 The revvard of rebellion 1 pet 1. 13. VVherupon these men ground the hope of their defence Multitude the glory of Popish profession VVhat gods enemies haue protested to do The multitud a monster of many heades The truth hath but one head Hovv dangerous it is to cleaue vn to the multitude Esa. 14. 12. Ex. 23. â— Hovv the paâ—â—ls do conclude that their religioÌ„ is good Such slaunderous false accusations are novv coÌ„mon vvith the Papistes against christians The slaunderous accusations oâ— the Papistes against the Queene and Realm c. They shoote at the heade that it being cut of the members should decay The gain that these men shoulde get by their change Hovv their guilty conscience would vvorke in them In fine they shall find the falsehood of their father of lies the pope merely to deceiue their expectation Gal. 5. 19. Proofe of the condemnation of conspirators The effects of the popes Promises The crovvne of their glory The cause of their collour Their determinat counsell christians â—evvishâ—oâ—n sell to take christians Dissimulation the beginning and destruction the end of their practises VVilful blindnesse Gods goodnesse in reueling their conspiracies Hovv euery Christian ought to pray for these meÌ„ The venâ—uâ—e of hipocrisie Not only the act but the desire is to bee auovded Indifferencie perillous The effecte of the popes dispensations an increase of sinne The Popes assistants VVe muste bevvare of the multitude The goodnes of God tovvards vs. For Gods protection tovvards vs we must be carefull of our duties to him God being iealous of his ovvne glory vvill not suffer the vvâ—ked to preuaile Ma. 2. 1. 16. Lu. 23. 18. The truth vvil preuaile notvvithstaÌ„ding all resisters No excuse novve for the obstinate blinde It is meere in credulity to thinke that the truth may be suppressed by the force of man Gods care tovvards hiâ— smal number The argument of the multitude hurtfull to the vveake Ro. 2. 11. Not the outvvarde show but the inwaâ—de zeale maketh to perseuere The good pleasure of the lord is to haue vs leaue bondage 〈◊〉 take liberty There muste be a godlye care in all sortes of men and a vvatch full eye after the example of Paule VVee muste dayly haue in minde Sathans diligeÌ„ce to seduce vs and with grace to arme our selues against him VVee had need of many vvatchmen The endeuor of the popes ministers The good godly resolution of Sidrach mesech Abednago To follovv the multitude is no good excuse Christians ought to haue this resolution VVeaknes of potentates in yeelding seruitude to Antichrist The resolutioÌ„ of recusants A speciall thing to bee noted in the resolution of our recusaÌ„ts Dispensation for distunulation This is taken from the serpentssubtilty in seducing Adâ— â—uâ— A damnable pollicy practised by the Papists The foundation of dissimulation is dispensation It cannot found with the vvill of God to dissemble before men Parries counterfait obedience His due revvarde Conspiracy of Ballard the rest of his confederats Their damnable resolutioÌ„ Act. 23. 12. An encouragement to be constant Tirants vsâ— threats to teâ—â—iâ—y the godly but all in vaine The faithfull constancy of the godly A right resolution Hovv vvee must resolue our selues against the tyr ranny of Romaine conspirators Our resolution Our vndoubted comforte in Christ in all sorts of torments is not to bee doubted Gods iudgementes against the vvicked conspirators of his seruantes confusions Good examples to be applied to our time Gods prouidence alvvaies ready to help his God is alvvaies ready either in outvvard deliuery or invvard comfort to aid ye The multitude vvith their many heads resembled vn to Hydra the serpent The spirit of God teacheth the truth God doeth shevv his povver not to consist in the multitude his truth not to be founded vpon many heads The citizens magistrats of Bethulia in their many heads deceiued The godly Iudith of England shal cut off the head of Holophernes of Rome Noahs resolution not builded vpoÌ„ the multitude Lots care diligence to auoide the generall course of the people of Sodom The daunger of looking back into auncient errors Many vvere brought out of Romishe Egipt in the
daies of king H. 8. The continuance of our reduction oâ— of Romishe Egipt by K. â— 6. Our recaptiuity in the daies of Qu. Mary Our redemption by Q. Elizabeth To beware of murmuring against her Maiesty and other godly magistrats The danger or looking back into Egipt or SodoÌ„ appeareth by Lots wife Sathan raiseth euen kings to persecute the godly Dauids complaint against conspirators to be applied to these daies The foolishe vaunts of the Egiptians The strength of Nabucadnesaâ—s multitude was his own confusioÌ„ Ier. 27. 1 2. King 24. 7 A resemblaÌ„ce betwene the actions of old Nabuc of Babilon the nevv Nabu of Rome The fauour of God tovvardes such as build their enterprises vpoÌ„ the truth Gods iustice in casting dovvne the proud Nabuchadnezars revvard for his pryde A metamorphosis of Nabuchadnezar The applications of the â—â—ll of Nab. The vauntes ofromish Nabucaâ—dnezar His vsurpations The pride fall of Nab vvas aâ—â—pe of the pride subâ—â—ersion of the Pope Hoâ—v the Pope his adâ—erents are become trans fâ—â—med into bruit beasts Their food The hair of â—â—â—ir heads The â—â—yles of their haÌ„ds The 〈…〉 ce of our deliuery in Christ. Iericho throvven dovvne with the breath of Gods mouth God vvill turne the flame of these conspiracies to consumâ— the actors thereof Let vs caste avvay the cords of conspirators froÌ„ v s. Ps. 2. 3. How we must encourage out selues in God 2. Kin 1â— 13 The proâ—de vaunts of Senacharib A comparison between Senach k. of Assiria and the Pope The spoile ouerthrovve of Senacheribs army The death of Senach k. of Assiria The vaunts of Romish Senacherib England a pricke in the popes eye therefore he threatueth it The Popes holinesse A mirror for the Romanists God is â—â—lâ— to 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 from the popes ovvne 〈…〉 to conâ—â—uÌ„d him The vnâ—â—klihooâ— o◠〈…〉 to â—â—l Go 〈…〉 Gods prouidence against naturall reason The glory of the Pope Ios. ◠〈…〉 and the strength thereof The ouerthrovv of Iericho Iud. â— 15. A huge company oâ— Madâ—…ouercome by Gideon and a 〈◊〉 number of 〈◊〉 men Reu. 18. 7. The meane to ouerthrow Romish Iericho Reu. 18. 2. Esa. 21. 9 Gen. 11. 4. God throvveth downe aspiring mindes The confusioÌ„ of â—ongues The multitud of Nimrods company God detesteth the deuises of those that couet to climbe into heauen by their ovvne deserts The confusioÌ„ of the language that the Romanists vse The difficult agreeing of the builders and labourers or seruitors of the Romishe tower Ahoâ—chpotch oâ— inuentions instead of the sincere religâ— The counterfait bricke morter of the Romanists The resolutioÌ„ in building the tower of vvilfull rebellion against the death of Christ. 1. Sam. 13. The troubleâ— of Dauid by Saule 1. Sam. 24. 4. 1. Sa. 19. 1. Dauids extreme distresse and his deliuery by the prouidence of god The greatest foe of our felicity is partly vnarmed VVhen our aduersaries are in the prime of their hope they shâ—l â—liâ— back â—…t be disâ—… Psal. 2. God cannot abide any practises against his church Psal. 73. 3. It is admirable to see the prosperity of the wicked The vvicked namely conspirators are in slippery places Ps. 7â— 18. 19. 1. Sa. 31. 4. Psal. 73. 27. God is good vnto the godly Dan. 6. 12. The revvard of conspirators Daniel 14. Daniel hardly beset for reprehending idolatry The boldnes of Daniell in the zeale of gods truth A gluttonouâ— God The confusioÌ„ of an imaginatiue God Amiraculous vvorke of God to stop rauening lyons mouthes God neuer saileth the faithfull The conclusion God by manie means shovveth himselfe helpfull to his Christians aâ— enuironed with many snares God vvilbee neere vnto vs if vve bee neere vnto him with singlenesse of heart and not as hipocrites The holy Ghost reproueth the romish religion True religion is not grunded in the hart by the vvill or power of man The spirit of God the tryer of true religion The fruits of papistry are fair without soule with in The description of Romish catholickes Their name shall be a witnes against them Cancred harts vnder the outvvard showe of due tifull subiects The policy of Constantius in trying the hearts of his seruaunts The faithfull seruaunts of God are most true subiectes to their princes VVho they be that are fittest to attend vpon a prince Faithfull subâ—eâ—â—â— as deare as the beste treasure A good prose of faithful hearts about her maiesty Reu. 18. 10. The dolefull song of the ruine of Romishe Babylon The estate of romish merchaunts namely buiers and sellers of soules in the day of their ruine â— Tim. 4. Christ prophecied of these daies Mat. 13. Esai 30. Simple men tyed to the romish religion with cords of ignorance Difference betvvene the ignorance of the Iewes in the daies of Christ and these of this present vvilfull ignoraÌ„ce VVee muste call our seluâ— to an accouÌ„t The title of a christian noâ—â— enough vvithout the deedes The braggeâ— of romish catholicks Good works ill done VVho they be that shhall ascend into heauen VVords and onâ—vvarde â—hovves ofteÌ„ de ceaue Counterfait deuotion couereth diuelish deuiseâ— Parries outvvard attendance a cloke for treason God discouereth hipocriâ—â— and giueth them their revvard The vvisdome of Vlisses God blesseth our heartes vvaâ—eâ—eth them so with his holy spirit that they bringforth the outvvard fruits The Lord hath no de light in painted holines VVe muste follow Christ in our conuer sations and professions Mat. 7 11. Luc. 6 It is not enough to say vve knovve Christ but we must doe that vve learne of Christ Act. 17. 11. The men of Thessal and Berea an example to try and search for the truth The sciptures testifle of Christ. 105. 39. Aug. de vit Christiana The definitioÌ„ of a christian Christianity consisteth in mercy and loue Many that are called Christians come too short oâ— beeing true christians A thanklese office to â—eprone offences The confession of the author The authors cheefest expectation Gods prouidence in sâ—n ding dearth a try all of true christians A great abuse in many in these daies of dearth A token of cold christianity Let vs pray for reformation The greatest testimony of an vnchristiaÌ„ like conscieÌ„ce The hungry bodies of the poore muste pine to fill the filthy desires of the rich He that is a true christian must fight against concupiscence The vvhole vvorld is the lords A perilous conceit of the rich VVee doe not vveepe vvith them that vveepe God vvill call an aâ—e compt 〈◊〉 vs hovv vve haâ—â— bestovved our goods Sovvre sauce after svveete meat Go 〈…〉 god The aduersaries of gods â—â—uth note our professioÌ„ to be accompanied with vngodly actions Outvvarde sanctetie and invvard sin Gods visitation by dearth a goodâ—â—yall of true christians The experience vvhich vve haue by dearth findeth fevv true christians Psal. 40. A comfortable blessing to encourage christians yet little regarged A câ—â—se against counterâ—aâ—â— christians Such measure as we meate such vvill God measure to vs. That vvhich many do imagine glorious novv shalbe in the end no excuse Our externall glory nothing Many make fair shovves a farre of Daungerous people VVeeds amongst good corne Card. Comos letters to Parrie The cheefest lesson of the romish tutors VVhat it is to deny Christ. True religion shovveth itselfe in charity Hovv to knovv a true and a false Christian Neuters deny Christ. The aduersaries of the truth doe striue invaine against true christians God maintaineth the true doctrine of his vvord Ro. 15. The vvorld the multitude cannot abide the truth All that hear the vvorde of God of not the seruants of god God that vvrought so vvonderfully for our fathers of old vvill vvorke for vs. Our deliuery from the Romishe bondage is farre more pretious then of the children of Israell out of Egipt A good exchaunge Our saluatioÌ„ standeth in the true knovvledge and seruice of God Reformation of our liues is the svvetest song that pleaseth the Lorde