The present difficulties dangers.YOVR doubtfull loue to your owne ancient and well deserved religion, and your just feare of this uncouth change was after manie hard assayes with threatnings, and terrours strangely enforced, rankles your ten­der heart weary of contending with heavie per­plexities of wrath, and temporall losses if ye shall continue to walk, as ye haue learned, and are best perswaded; of scandall and defection, if ye leaue your own old profession, which ye haue judged, and judge to be most agreeable to the truth; and of shame, and of gnawing of con­science, if ye shall pollute your self with practises different from your faith, and contrary to the best light, and likeing of your own mind. In these difficulties, your case is the more lamenta­ble, that ye are drawn under the displeasure of high authoritye, which, next to God ye would fainest please, & under the dislike of some Peers, and Iudges of the land, hauing such particular care to their owne charges, giuing them small leasure to sound the depth of ecclesiastical contro­versies, & only for a matter of conformitie, that known enemy to the vnitie and peace of the kirks [Page 2] of Christ in all the world, where it hath found credit. And surely your griefe must be the grea­ter, that in the day of your sorrow the wise men of your own mind are silent and slack for your help, and your great opposites in this distressed cause, your neerest friends, and old acquaintance, but without equall reason on their part, or iust de­sert on yours. Who would not be pierced in heart with the pittifull lookes of your wearied counte­nance, as at the last gaspe of your wonted since­ritie, and chearfull constancie. In this againe, if you be left to your selfe, affliction is added to the afflicted, and our mother the Kirke, and her mother the Truth are forsaken. And notwith­standing of this strait, if any friends of a willing minde shall timously contribute to your comfort, some Doeg, or some Amazia is euer ready with their biting censure, and check of high presump­tion. But praised be the Lord, there is no small number of religious and honest men in the kirke and common-weale, and the hearts of all are in the hands of the Lord, who may at his pleasure moue any that hath the tongue of the learned to speake a word in season to you that are wearie, also dispose your friends and brethren of their old ingenuitie, and tender compassion of your blee­ding heart, by their holy wisedome to remoue your doubts, confirme your faith, and helpe you to be perswaded in your owne minde, and to ad­vise [Page 3] you rather now to hold fast that which you haue heard and receiued, then afterward with vntimous repentance to change their tune, and stile, as if you were not a brother, but an aduersa­rie, and Apostate, if it shall happen, as God for­bid that you be driven from the bright candle of your knowne profession to the deepe darknesse of an unknowne way, and by that unhappy change so much the more blinded, as your light hath been greater, and with the purest Ivorie turned with fire into saddest black, or shal be mis-shapen in a new face, stained with the contempt of your first puritie, and blushing at the disparagement of your new forme. A vile confusion that cannot bee eschewed if you shall suffer your selfe to bee drawne back againe to the deformities for iust causes casten out of the kirk, and from that beau­ty of reformation, which you haue before held, and with ioy so long professed, and vpon no better warrant then a bare example, and very authori­tie of mens names, although for the time fathers and favourers of your profession, but after long standing now suddenly moved, and so taken with the novelties of the time, that for ioyning with them, they dare not onely separate from their old masters and fellow brethren, but from themselues, in respect of that which they were. And yet in this maine current some way to be excused by their embarking like simple men in a warre ship, [Page 4] and miserable mistaking of these base additions, to be layd downe againe when it should please them like good schollers to returne to their owne masters, the standard-bearers in our faith, with imagined liberty, not onely to concurre, but to confirme and encourage their owne brethren a­fresh for the advancement of the interrupted worke of the ministry and edification of the body of Christ, as they are bound in conscience and calling.

Resolution to suffer requiredBut howsoever men haue been inclined to giue place to the streame of the time, yet from the day that the kirk hath been crossed, and many of all sorts grievously afflicted with the perturbations daily arising about the violent inbringing of these intrused alterations: neverthelesse you haue found some sweet refreshment under the shadow of a heavenly dispensation so ruling the pathes of these proceedings, that you haue kept the truth, suffered reproches and discredit with patience in standing against these misliked novelties so long as they remained without the compasse of your owne practise, esteeming your particular losses contented gain, and your iniuries excusable for keeping the liberties of Gods service, and the secret ioy of your owne conscience to be brooked by your quiet carriage, and sober conversation. But now if the day of that poore ease be passed, and patient walking can haue no further fauour, [Page 5] and if you shall be drawen out to a publick stage before the Lord, who would keepe you to be his witnesse, and in the eyes of men, who would gain you to be their disciples, you must needs by your owne practise either shamefully recant, or honest­ly confesse the religion wherein you haue stood. Choose you this day whether with humbled Est­her you will wisely resolue to proue constant, and glad the hearts of many people, by cleaving to that way wherein you haue found the Saviour with his blessings and benefits of all sorts; or if you will against your owne experience of Gods favour to you, and hard successe seene upon these novations, where they haue beene most greedily embraced, hazard by your vnseasonable example to giue occasion of stumbling to many, and to loose the patience and labours of your former constancie, and now like Peter overwhelmed with feare, adventure to seek your comfort, and quietnesse in the sway of time, as though the Lord could be syled, as Absolom was with Chusayes policie. If you dare suffer committing your soule to the will of God, as vnto a faithfull Creator, it is his place to temper the cuppe of all your trou­bles, and when he shall be pleased to try and de­termine your matter before the highest barre. But if you shall deny before men the Lord, and his truth once received, he will deny you before his heavenly father, and will not deliver you from [Page 6] the houre of temptation.

Impediments arising from other mens persons remo­ved.It may be that you find not such throng in the narrow way of suffering, as in the broad way of common profession, when religion dwelt in the pleasant land of peace in Halcyone dayes like the Spouse of Christ commanding all, and sub­ject to none. For you must thinke, that many looke well in their owne climate, that haue nei­ther head nor health to crosse the line, and many goe brauely with guilded swords about their owne doores, who flye the campe, and dare not face the Cannon. To beleeue in Christ is a great gift, not common to all, but to suffer for his sake is a greater, and given to few. Perhaps it may be, that many living by gesse, and more ready upon their own respects to professe, then carefull to be informed in a truth, and no small number of silly spirits by giuing credit to others, and misled in the by-paths of errour, & some un­stable Camelion-like hypocrites inclined to be di­ed with the colour of every occasionall profession, when they shall see the world to frowne, may take another way. But pitie them, & spare them, praise God for his favour to you, and increase of faith, and patience, and let no gall, and bitternes of speech, scarcely becomming the witnesse of a truth, make any of whatsoever sort lesse inclina­ble to returne to you, and your way, who by me­morie of their former proceedings, in a different [Page 7] course, may be recalled to loue and honor both you and your way. The Apostles traine may suffice you. If Christ be on your side, who can be a­gainst you? You are debter to him that hath guided the steps of your soule, & all that is with­in you to praise him, because in these contentions you haue done what you could in defense of the truth, and haue kept it, and never wronged any man in any matter; so that if it be the pleasure of God you shall suffer, it is because you dare not forsake a knowne truth, whereby you haue recei­ved many rich comforts, and looketh for to reape endlesse ioy, esteeming it your dutie to cleaue to that which is called in question, as well as to the rest, which seem to be spared: for your encourage­ment you haue a worthy cause to honor you, suf­ficient reasons to defend you, and the experience of your owne conscience to uphold you.

Impediments arising from the qualitie of the cause removed.It is true that your large course is so cunning­ly covered, that nothing is permitted to appeare at this time, but a smal point, the gesture of knee­ling at the communion, and receving out of the ministers hand with such as shall bee at table, vpon the festivall day appointed. Yet you must thinke of these particulars, as of members of the grosse bodie of conformitie, obscuring the frame of Reformation delivered vnto you by the Fathers, who begat you in the Lord, to bee kept in integritie for your owne use, [Page 8] and for the instruction and comfort of your suc­cessors. For you cannot deny, but you haue seene your mother the kirk in her gayest dresse, firm­ly setled vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, and strongly fortified with faire confessions, her badges famous in the world, and most meet for keeping vnity among her members in doctrine, sacraments, kirke-service, discipline, and in the holy ministrie, and for abiuring of all poysonable superstition, and damnable confusion. And with no small joy haue you beheld her watchmen assembled in her sacred meetings for managing her affairs, according to the will of her Lord, and for that effect strongly fenced with liberties & privileges, the royal testimonies of his Maiesties loue for strengthening her jurisdiction, and furtherance of all her causes. How happy were these dayes, when her painfull Shepheards were knit together in one minde and judgement with mutuall encouragements, all feeding their flockes, and pleasantly marching against all ene­mies without exception, as an army with banners. How bright were then the starres, and how beau­tifull the candlestickes? But now alas you are for­ced to behold bold mints to draw her off the old foundation to the sandy heapes of hu­mane wisedome, her renowned confessions of faith, the strong barres of her vnitie aforenamed without just cause reproved, and layd aside, the [Page 9] doctrine distempered with the vnsavorie mixture of mans learning, and presented to the people without relish of the Word and Spirit, like an egge without salt to a man of a sound taste, yea of­ten with spleene so misapplied against Christians for furthering of mens particulars, and worldly projects, that hearing bringeth no lesse griefe then edification. By new additions & mutations both the sacraments are made vncouth, and distastfull to many a poore Christian fearing to offend God by passing beyond the measure of their own faith, if they should receiue any thing in the sacraments not delivered by the Lord. The necessarie disci­pline, and necessarie vse of the same for purging & preservation, as behoveful for the kirk as phy­sick for a mans body, diseased, weakned, and al­most rejected. The holy ministry transformed, rent, and divided by a swelling humour over­running that somtime solid body, and restraining the members thereof from their proper functions; the kirke-service, prayers, and other exercises, atled to a new mould, and as farre from former edification, as pitifully diseased with the daily fits of restlesse change; the prerogatiue of the Lords day, and due sanctification thereof misera­bly brought low by setting vp of other dayes of extraordinary respect to be observed with festi­vall solemnities, the jurisdiction, liberties, and priviledges of the kirke her comfortable, and [Page 10] awfull assemblies, with the whole pretious sub­stance so wounded and made pale, for setting vp of some silly circumstances, and that with great losse of concord and quietnesse among all the members of the kirke, and no small gaine to superstition, confusion and prophannesse. And this is the cause moving you to like the first con­dition of the kirke, and to refuse the novations in­troduced, as they are prejudiciall in part or in whole to the religion and order formerlie esta­blished.

The cause in the end wil be iustified how­soever for the present it bee maligned.For this your judgement your speeches are racked, and made to speake against the State, and you are brought in the case of Ziterius, when the Court was against him, making the Emperour Nebuchadnezar. And when this flame is kindled against you, if you re­fuse to follow the droue in anie new practise, for to defend your libertie by anie good ancient order or custome, you are summarilie condem­ned of Brownish Separation, singularitie, Pu­ritanisme, and of blinde and fained zeale. Yet not by all, but by such, as either hauing forgot, or never knowne your prefession in her integritie, take advantage by the advantageous name of Conformitie to please themselues, and grieve them who cleaue to the forme of godli­nesse whereunto you were delivered. And even here we must bee patient, and repent our [Page 11] own slacknes in following our dutie of good ser­vice toward God, when so manie pains haue been taken to instruct and strengthen in a contrarie course, hoping that although Constantine being at the first for the determination of the Councell of Nice, wherunto the contrarie parties put their hands, and afterward by oversight, & negligence to possesse the minds of them that were about him with careful remembrance of the truth, he was by the continuall neernesse & pains of them that were cōtrarie minded, changed to an other course; yet our most high, wise, & gracious Emperour, when his majestie shall see that wee are tied by such affection to our harmles profession, that wee choose rather patientlie to suffer then rashlie to change, as his highnes royal clemencie hath refre­shed manie, and rid others out of thrall, will bee pleased to be our Physitian, & with his own hand cure the distempered body of this poore kirke, re­storing to Christs spouse in the land of his high­nes happie birth, her priviledges and servants for her Lords emploiments, that everie one of them receiving that favour, may enjoy one another for edification of the kirke, his maiesties better ser­vice, and their mutuall comfort.

The cause is grounded upon sufficient reasons.For your owne confirmation, and the credite of your cause in whole and everie part of it, you haue a sufficient store of strong reasons in your own hand; yet because you haue adoe with humbled Christians, who as they are taguht of [Page 12] God, so they would be faine followers of him, and for their vse loue better the pure fountaines of the scripture, then the dark compositions, and subtile distinctions of Philosophicall Schoole-men, you shall not doe amisse to set before your owne eyes for your present use the following Articles of the Lords Supper,Rules for right admini­stration of the Lords supper. as straight rules to rectifie the un­comely eye-lasts required to be introduced upon the sound work of this Sacrament.

1 Christs practise in the first Supper, quali­fied with his commandement, Doe this in re­membrance of me, and with Pauls precept, Bee yee followers of me, even as I am of Christ, together with the common maxime right­ly understood, Every action of Christ is our instruction, should be the perfect patterne of our practise.

2 The command, Doe this, being grounded upon Christs practise, and hauing respect therto, cannot be understood, but by the understanding of the particulars practised by him. For as practise and custome obserued in any matter before a law be made, are the best exponers of the law, and not the customes and practises that creepe in af­terward, so in this Sacrament, the things done by Christ and his Disciples expone the institution better then the practises & customes in the dayes of Dionysius Areopagita, of Iustinus Mar­tyr, of Tertullian, and of the practises of kirkes [Page 13] in these, or other ages.

3 The example and institution of Christ are fully set downe by Matthew, Marke and Luke, Euangelists, and by Paul the Apostle con­ioyntly.

4 In the night that the Lord was betrayed, for the eating of the Lords Supper, Christ and his Disciples came together in one place, prepa­red for the eating of the Paschall Lambe, and that holy banket.

5 In that place where Christ and his Disci­ples met, there was a Table prepared both for the service of the Lambe, and for this Sacra­ment.

6 For the reverent eating of this Supper, Christ by choyce and no otherwise sate at that Table with his Disciples in the most comely and convenient forme of sitting.

7 For visible Elements he vsed both bread and wine such as were at hand for the time, and onely these two without any mixture.

8 To the bread by way of preparation Christ did foure things: he did take it, he blessed it, he brake it, he gaue it: and for the right vsing of it, he spake three things to the Disciples, a com­mandement, Take ye, eate yee, a declaration, This is my body which is given (or broken) for you, a second commandement, Doe this in remembrance of me.

[Page 14]9 When he had supped, for preparation of the cup he did three things; he did take it, hee blessed it, he gaue it them; and for right vsing of it hee spake three things, a commandement, Drinke ye all of it, a declaration, This is my blood in the new Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins; a second commandement, Doe this as oft as yee drink it in remembrance of me.

10 This service is recōmended to be continued in the kirke, and frequently used. For as often as yee shall eate this bread, and drinke this cuppe, yee shew the Lords death till hee come.

11 A warning of a fearful danger, Whoso­ever shal eate this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall bee guiltie of the body and blood of the Lord.

12 A soueraigne remedy against this dan­ger, Let every man therefore examine him­selfe, and so let him eate of this bread, and drink of this cup.

13 This is the truth of this holy sacrament, and in the most fauourable times this kirke sought this truth, and by the testimonie and com­mendation of other reformed kirkes found it, and not onely the mind of Iesus Christ anent this sa­crament, but in all the particular heads of religi­on aboue rehearsed.

[Page 15]14 If either the sacrament it selfe, the ministers and receiuers thereof were priviledged from mens corrupti­ons, there were no feare of craft, negligence, or compul­sion to receiue this sacrament, neither necessity to exa­mine▪ what were agreeable or dissonant to the measure of their faith that receiued.

15 It is an infallible observation, that whosoever after the truth once found, seeketh farther then truth, shall finde errors and lies.

16 Of these Fathers, who in Christ Iesus begot you, and brought you up, through the Gospell delivered to you, as they receiued it from the scriptures, and from this kirke, being reformed, yee receiued the sound do­ctrine, and right use of this sacrament, and other heads of religion, not as a meere doctrine, and meere rites, but as the annointing of the holy spirit which dwelleth in you. If yee shal receiue divers teachers, di­vers doctrines and sacraments, you must quite the spi­rit that dwelleth in you, and seek another.

the present differences an impedi­ment to communi­cate here.As the Cotinthians by the distemper of their members, and corruptions marked among them by the Apostle, transgressed against the first article aboue written, so if yee come together in a mixture of nick­named Puritans and conforme people, standing under contention, expressed there by the Apostle, and vnremoved from among you, your comming to­gether▪ cannot bee with profite, but with great hurt.

The first differenceThe first maine difference, and cause of [Page 16] dissention betwixt you and them, ariseth from the fifth article, anent a Table, and the necessarie vse of it. For the sacrament, yee holding that it is necessarie for the eating and drinking the sa­cramentall elements, both for the exercise of your faith toward God, & charitie among your selues, is necessarily required in that sacramentall and heavenly banquet, and they thinking it onely commodious for the people to kneele at in reve­rence of the sacrament, and others neither neces­ry nor commodious, but a meere Metaphore. But you doe well, that beleeue, that there was a Table at Christs supper, as certainly as the hand of him that betrayed him was with him at the Table, and as truly for vse as the Apostle Paul tearmeth the sacrament by the name of the Ta­ble of the Lord, which Table by some Fathers is called the Holy Table, and by others the Lords Table, a fit meane to represent our vni­on and communion with Christ, and among our selues in this life. Thou doest prepare a Table before me in the sight of my adversaries: and in the life to come, I haue appointed to you a kingdome, that ye may eate and drink at my table in my kingdome; which mysterie of spirituall fellowship can no wise be so well ad­umbrate, nor so sensibly perceiued of any belee­ving Christian by a common Table in any mans house whosoever.

[Page 17] The second difference.The second controversie betwixt you & them ariseth from the sixth Article; yee holding that Christ and his disciples sate at Table, and they obscuring that assertion by alledging of a forme of sitting used by Christ different from your forme, and by their law of indifferent things rejecting all forme of sitting, and bringing in kneeling as a more humble and convenient gesture for the sa­crament, then Christ vsed. By vertue of the first Article, binding you to Christs patterne, as you are bound by the Prophet to bee taught of God, and consequently not to teach God, so by the A­postles precept, you should be a follower of Christ, and not a reformer either of his practise, or insti­tution conforme thereto. And, as for the diversity of formes of sitting, neither kneeling nor stand­ing being opposite gestures to sitting, can haue the name of sitting, and consequently Christs sitting was no sort of kneeling. As for the alledged in­differencie, it is taken away by Christs free choyce of sitting expressed in his owne practise, when he was neither straited by any occasion, compulsion, or other inclining cause, but at his li­bertie might haue kneeled, it pleased him in his owne wisedome to choose sitting, as the meetest gesture for his communicants. As for the humi­litie of kneeling aboue your humility of sitting, we haue no great warrant in the word: for there, sitting is vsed in preaching, in praying, & in the [Page 18] sacrament, but kneeling onely in prayer. And yet Christ in his agonie vsed for a more humble forme, falling on the ground upon his face. Of the three gestures used by the Christian world in religious worship, sitting, standing, and kneel­ing, Christ did choose sitting. And if a choyce were to be made of any of the three, kneeling for us is most dangerous, being the outward badge of their confession, who contrary to our faith be­leeue Christ to be bodily present, either by tran­substantiation, consubstantiation, or some vn­knowne maner, as also it being the formall adora­tion of a person, and not a signe of reverence to be giuen to the sacramentall elements, or any o­ther thing which moved the Schoolemen to af­firme, that if there remained the substance of bread after the consecration, the people would therefore take occasion of Idolatry, and in stead of Christs body would giue godly worship to the bread, and for avoiding of that idolatry, they thought best to remoue away the bread, and bring in transubstantiation.

The third difference.Thirdly, ye differ from them about the distri­bution of the bread, you holding that Christ gaue it to them that were next him, and the disciples divided it among themselues; and they holding that it should be given by the minister his hand delivering it immediatly into the hand of every single person there present to receiue the commu­nion. [Page 19] Your practise, as it is conforme to the order of the sacrament, observed in this kirk since refor­mation began, so it is most conform to the necessa­ry order of Christs actions and forme of words, as they are set down in the eight article. But their assertion & practise anent distribution, can nei­ther agree with the order of Christs actions, the forme of his words, nor the practise of this refor­med kirk. As for the order of Christs actions, for preparation of the bread, he doth three things, he took it, he blessed it, he brake it, which of necessi­ty must be understood to be a mystical fraction. And being thus prepared, as he took the bread for them, he exhibiteth, and giveth it to them, wher­by they may be assured to haue good right to that bread, and being thus prepared, and made theirs, he giveth a generall commandement to them all to take it, and for the particular form of their tak­ing, that they should divide it amōng themselues, according to the direction set downe in Luke for the right vse of the cup, Divide it among your selues; which forme of distribution for exercise of brotherly loue, is as necessarie to be vsed upon the bread, as upon the cup. And if by the act of giving the distribuoion of the cup were perfected by Christ, giving sigillatim to every single per­son, and their sole receiving of it immediatly out of his hand, what could be the use of the generall commandement, Divide it among you? [Page 20] And to ascribe one sence to the act of giving the Cuppe, and another of the bread, and to thinke that the Apostles could boldly take the one or the other, not knowing what right they had to it, or what it was, it were amisse to think. And if the practise of kirkes were a sufficicient rule, in sundry kirkes, in sundry ages, the Deacon deli­vered the sacrament to the people.

Consent in heart and ar­ticles of reli­gion required in communi­cants.Since yee professe, and faine would bee [...], and submitting yourselfe to bee [...], a follower of God by your professi­on, wish, and submission, rather to follow Christ and his Apostles followers of him, then any other man, or societie of men, and rather the forme of our owne kirke observed since reformation, wher­in yee haue gotten the comfort that ever yee had, or haue by that sacrament, and for thir particu­lars, and other causes of contention betwixt you and them, that would draw you to a mixture with them in their forme, you must deprecate favour while you be better informed, and advi­sed, and they both to the effect that before you come to communication at the Table, yee may be one in faith and articles of religion, and of one consent of heart in Ierome his sence, calling Au­gustine of his communion, and of Augustines meaning, calling a certaine woman of his com­munion.

As these differences betwixt you and them [Page 21] are evill in themselues, so are they evill in the al­ledged ground, whereby they are occasioned.The ground of the alledged differences evill. The peoples rudensse, and lack of devotion, which should be rather removed by diligent instruction, then established by a practise founded vpon a ne­cessitie that the sacrament must be alwayes cele­brated to a sort of rude people, void of reverence to receiue the same in a comely forme. By that sort of rusticitie, and want of devotion, the com­munion table that in primitiue times stood in the middest of the kirke, was separate from the con­gregation by a Chancellarie, since from the mid­dest of the kirke to the east end, which was called the Quier, then the minister and table both was separate from the people, the table turned into an altar, the sacrament into a sacrifice, the cup sim­ply removed from the people, and the bread also by transubstantiation, or some other way. And so for curing that alledged rudenesse, Christs sa­crament was turned into mans imagination, and so ceased to bee Christs sacrament, and became mans.

No part of the truth is to be forsaken.Yee know the truth, and if yee sinne willing­ly after that yee haue received and acknowled­ged it, by forsaking all, or any part thereof, fun­damentall, substantiall, or accidentall, all being copulatiue not to be changed in the meanest cir­cumstance, but upon a necessarie occasion, good warrants, and to good ends: you know the dan­ger [Page 22] set down by the Apostle, and what it is to make your owne conscience naked before God, and by your example to giue offence to many. Take heed to your selfe, and draw neere to God, that you may keepe your conscience pure against the great day.

The falles of backsliders to be set before the eyes of the sufferer.For this purpose set before you the image of mans frailtie, and the character of Christian constancie, that yee may striue to be strengthned, and stand by grace. In that unhappy division of the Tribes of Israel, Heresie rooted in Ieroboam, and spreading it selfe over the people in all the ten tribes, who were taught in the truth of God before their fall, found no contradiction in all the ten tribes, notwithstanding of their forme of religion, and of the heavie judgements of God powred out upon that fowle defection, but it continued in force, and they without sense aboue three hundred yeares and an halfe.

The Arrian abhomination broched by the envy and stomack of a man prone to contradicti­on, possessing the Emperours heart by subtile sug­gestion, made Arrius personall quarrels to pro­duce reall questions anent the Godhead of Christ, a filthy blasphemy at the beginning resisted by pa­stors & people, and long detested, but by processe of time, by authority, and by the subtiltie of few Arrian Apostates, not onely the multitude of Bishops, very few excepted, some sooner, some [Page 23] later, some as leaders, and some as common soul­diers, either yeelding through feare, or brought vnder with penurie; or by flatterie ensnared, or else beguiled through simplicitie, become subject to the current of time. Yea Osius the ancient­est Bishop of Christendome, the most forward in defence of the Catholicke cause, and on the con­trarie part most feared, by whose hand the Ni­cene creed was set downe, and framed for the whole Christian world to subscribe unto, yeelded in the end with the same hand to ratifie the Ar­rian confession, leaving the catholick faith to be kept and defended against the force of the world. Whether a fretting cancker enter in the head, as in Ieroboam, or in the foote, as in Arrius, it is dangerous for the bo­die. Beware, thou that standest, lest thou fall.

The constan­cy of others t [...] be set before the eyes of th [...] sufferer.But you haue before you a faire table, liuely expressing the amiable portraits of more valo­rous Worthies, and better deserving in conflicts for religion, Christ the righteous, his Apostles, the Hebrewes, those valorous and worthy people defenders of the truth against the Arrian heresie, and terrours of Valence, and Vrsatius, the great patrons of that impurity. Memorable Athanasius whose motto is his high honor, Athanasius against the world, and the world against Athanasi­us, and old Eleazar, who being desired by his [Page 24] old acquaintance to deliver himselfe from death by eating of flesh which was lawfull for him to vse, and make as if hee did eate the flesh taken from the sacrifice, commanded by the king, an­swered, that it becommeth not our age in any wise to dissemble, whereby many young persons might thinke that Eleazar being fourescore yeare old and ten, were now gone to a strange re­ligion. Seeing yee are compassed with such a cloud of witnesses, cast away the turmoyling of the world, and every thing that presseth downe, and run with patience the race that is set before you, looking unto Iesus the author and finisher of your faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the crosse, and despised the shame, and is set at the right hand of the Throne of God.

A good con­science to be regarded in time of triall.If you would be to your wearied brethren the comfort of their miseries, and the guide of their difficulties, if yee would liue and dye a warriour against Sathan, and an enemy against sinne, and unchangeable servant to your owne master; and if in this world yee would haue peace, and in the world to come everlasting joy, take heed to your conscience, for it is Gods Officer, for the purpose put into you to keepe you in awe. You may dye, your conscience cannot dye. The light of it may be shadowed, because it is not God, but not quite put out, because it is of God. Howsoe­ver [Page 25] many be afraied for their fame, and few for their conscience, yet suffer not yourselfe in your whole life to slippe the breadth of your naile from your good conscience. It is a diet booke, wherein the sinnes of everie day are written, and for that cause to the wicked a mother of feare, but the children of God though the world should never credit them, require no better witnesse. Augu­stine esteemeth not what Secundinus thinketh of him, so long as his conscience accuseth him not before God. Jt is the secretarie of a mans heart, a sealed booke, close now, but to bee opened wide upon the great day. It is the treasure of the libertie of our spirits, which should be vnto us as farre aboue the libertie of the body, and things be­longing thereunto, as the soule is aboue that dust which must goe to the dust. If you would haue this libertie of your spirit, yee must not stand for a name among men, but you must striue to store vp in your conscience, the true testimonies of your sincere loue to your owne religion, and to your fellow brethren: for your conscience shall bee for you, if you doe well, and as you shal stand dissem­ble, or revolt without partialitie, it will beare wit­nesse. The reformation of our religion was buil­ded by difficulties, and maintained by patience, and paines. If our loue of ease, and of worldlie goods, and if our feare of temporall losses, shall de­stroy it, it had been better for us that we had never [Page 26] sought glory by that faire profession, then by a foule revolt to staine not onely our owne name and conscience, but by our hypocrisie to endan­ger the people of God. My deare brother, watch yee, stand fast in the faith, quit you like a man. The sonne of God sitteth at the right hand af the Father, and all power is given vnto him: hee appoynteth and moderateth all our wrastlings, hee giveth victorie, and will come shortly, and his reward with him. As you haue happily begunne, so goe on your whole course, that nothing may bee ob­served in you, other then such as becommeth a wise man to doe, and a righteous man to suffer. Goe on happily, and loue your owne religion. If by his grace hee shall streng­then you to proue a pattern of constancy at this time, he shall make you an heire of glory for ever. Feare not, put your selfe, and all that yee haue in the hands of the Lord, yee shall ne­ver loose ought at his hand, he shall liberally re­turne to you your gifts with advantage. Bee stedfast in the Lord, and let God and man see, that yee honour him, and your enemies shall see, and you shall finde that great things shall be done to the man whom the King of Kings will honour. To him that overcommeth will Christ grant to sit with him in his throne. Now vnto him that is able to keepe you that yee fall [Page 27] not, and to present you faultlesse before the pre­sence of his glory with joy, that is, to God one­ly wise, our Saviour, bee glorie and majestie, and dominion and po­wer, both now and for ever. Amen.