A SOVEREIGN CORDIAL FOR a Christian Conscience. Content thy self with patience, with Christ to bear the cross of pain which can and will the recompense, A thousand fold with joys again Let nothing cause thy heart to quail Launch out thy boat, hoist up the sail Put from the shore. And be thou sure thou shalt atain Unto the port that shall remain, For evermore. From Roan the. xi. day of May Anno Domi. M. D. liv. A SOVEREIGN CORDIAL for a Christian conscience. BE not a afraid (most dearly beloved in our Saviour Christ) at these most perilous days, wherein by the sufferance of God, the Mar. xiii prince of darkness is broken lose, and rageth in his members against the elect of God, with all subtlety, Apo. xx. to set up again the kingdom of Antichrist, against whom see that ye be strong in faith, to resist their i Pet. v. devilish doctrine with the pure gospel of god, arming yourselves Philpi. i. with patience to abide whatsoever be laid unto your charge, for Act. xiiii. the truths sake, knowing that thereunto you be called, not only i Pet. iii to believe in him▪ but also to suffer for him. O how happy are ye, that Acts. v. in the sight of God are counted worthy to suffer for the testimony of Christ▪ quiet therefore yourselves (oh my loving brethren) & rejoice in him for whom you suffer, Ezi. lxiiii i. Cor. two. Apo. xvii for unto you do remain th●se unspeakable joys▪ neither eye hath seen, neither ear hath herd, neither the heart of man is able to comprehend. Be not afraid therefore of the bodily death, for your names are written in the book of life. And the prophet doth record that in the sight of the Lord, precious is the death of his saints. Psa. cxv. Luke xxi. Mat. seven. whatch therefore and prai, that ye be not prevented in the day of temptation. Now cometh the day of your trial, wherein the waters rage & the stormy winds blow. Now shall it appear whether you have builded upon the fleeting sands, or upon the unmovable rock Christ, which is the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, where on every house that is builded groweth into an holy temple to the Ephe. two. Lord by the mighty working of the holy ghost. Now approacheth the day of your battle, wherein it is required that you show yourselves the valiant soldiers of TWO Tim. i● Ephe. vi. Philip. two jesus Christ▪ armed with the armour of God, that ye may be able to stand stead fast against all the crafty assaults of the devil. Christ is your captain, and you be his christians, whose cognisance is the Hebr. xii. Collos. i. 1. Pete. v. Math. x. cross, to the which he willingly humbled himself, even unto the death, & hath therbi spoilt his e nemies. & now triumpheth he over them in the glory of his father, making intersession for us that here are to be fulfilled in his mystical body. Vt behoveth therefore every one that will be counted his scholar, to take up each one his cross and follow Christ, as ye have him for an example, being assured that he being on your side▪ nothing Rom▪ viii Matthew xxviii. Apoc. vi. i. ●oti. i. two. Tit. iii. shall be able to prevail against you▪ and that he will be with you unto the world's end▪ ye have his promise in the▪ xx● iii of Matthew▪ he will go forth with his host like a conqueror to make a conquest. He is the man that sitteth on the white horse crowned with immortality▪ and ye brethren are his fellowship▪ whereof he is the head. He hath your hearts in his hands as a bow bend after his godly will, he shall direct the same after the riches of his grace into all spiritual and heavenly cogitations▪ he is faithful and will not further suffer i Cor. x. you to be assaulted, then shall be a 'bove your power, and in the most danger he will make a way, that ye may be able to bear it. Shrink i Pet. three Exod. iiii not therefore dear hearts, whether you shall be called, for the hope that is in you, for ye have a comfortout▪ even the spirit of truth, Psa. xxxi which was sent from the heaven, to teach us, he shall speak in us, Luk. xiii. he shall strengthen us▪ what is he then that will be able to confound Acts. two. us? nay▪ what tyrant is he that now boasteth himself of his strength Psal. cl. to do mischief▪ whom the Lord shall not in the sayings by the mouth of his servants strike down to hell fire? ye suddenly will the Lord bring down the glory of the proud Philistian▪ by the hand of his servant David. Their i Re. xvii strength standeth in the spear & shield▪ but our help is in the name of the Lord▪ which hath made Psal. lx. both heaven and earth He is our buckler▪ wall, & tower of defence, two Cor. vi he is our god▪ and we are his people, he shall bring the counsel of Heb. viii. the ungodly unto nought. He shall Psa. lxxx take them in their own net, he shall destroy them in their own inventions, the right hand of the Lord Psal. cxi. shall work this wonder, his power is known among the children of men, their fathers have felt it, and Psalm. lii are confounded. In like manner shall their children know that there is no Psal. lxv. counsel against the lord, when their secrets are opened unto the world i Cor. xi. and are found to be against the living God, work they never so crafteli, build they never so strong lie▪ yet shall their Babel fall down, and the builders themselves shall be scattered upon the face of the Psa. xciii earth, as accursed of God. The just shall see this and be glad, and praise the name of the lord, that so mercifully hath dealt with his servants, as to bring their enemies Gen. iiii. Gen. xxi. under their feet. Then shall the fearful seed of Cain tremble and quake. Then shall the more king Ismalittes be cast out of the Gene. xi. door: Then shall the proud Nempro these his labour lost. Then shall Phil, iii. the host of Babylon be trodden under foot, then shall the Scribes and pharisees for madness fear & rage. Then shall their wisdom be Psalm. two. known for extreme folly. Then shall the bloody dragon be void 1. Cor. iii. of his prey. Then shall the whore of Babylon, receive a double vengeance, Psal. xc. then shall the market men of the beast, come unto an open job. v. Apoc. xii shame, then shall they scratch their crowns for the very fall of the monstrous harlot (whom now Ap. xviii. Apo. xiii. Ap. xviii. they serve for filthy lucre) when no man will buy their wares any more. Then shall the popish priest hood cry well away with care, Psa. cxlv. even when the lord shall help his servants, which day is not far. The day wherein the kingdom of Antichrist shall have an end, and never arise any more. In the mean time, abide in certain and sure hope cleaving unto the promises of god, which in their dutime shall 1. Cor. xvi be fulfilled, and acquit yourselves like men▪ against the enemies of 1. Cor. viii God in all humbleness of mind, puissant in spirit, to acknowledge Heb. ix. x one God, one only saviour jesus Christ, one only sufficient & everlasting sacrifice for the remission of sins, even the precious body of the lord jesus Christ▪ once offered for all & for ever. which now sitteth on the right hand of god, Psa. lxvii Acts. iii. and from thence shall he come to judge both the quick & the dead, and the last day he shall▪ etc. and Hebru. i. until that time occupieth that blessed body none other place to i Pet. iii. dwell in, to be kept in, to be enclosed in, but only in the heavens, even Ephesi. i. in the glorious maiesti of god, personalli abiding there in the self same body without coming down from thence till the last hour and as he never ceaseth to lie man, so doth he never lose the similitude of a man, his body there hath his lineaments, and leaveth them Philip. ill. not, so hath that body there his bigness, and shrincketh not▪ & his manly shape at any time, he altereth not. He is in that he took of the virgin Mary a natural man in Ro●●. ●● all conditions (except sin) and what he took of his blessed mother by the working of the holy ghost, he took it for ever, and will not exchange for any other, he took the shape of a man, with Phil. two. the substance of his manhood in one sacred womb, there were they coupled together by the holy ghost, never to be divided a sunder, he retaineth the one from the other inseparably, as he will not alter the substance of his flesh in to the substance of bread, so he will no more alter the shape of his body into the form of bread, the● cannot be a greater absurdity against the truth, then to think that he would leave the shape that he took in the virgin's womb (being an accident unto his manhood) and join unto the same the form of a wafer cake baken in an oven, or betwixt a pair of irons. As he is in heaven very God, so is he in heaven veri man, joh. xvi. i. john, two. ●. Tim. two. one only mediatout betwixt god and man, even the man Christ jesus, he it is that is the propitiati on for our sins. Behold therefore to confess this most apostolycke doctrine, and also that all favour, mercy and forgiveness Collo. xi. cometh only by him. The only son of God the father for us all, was made wisdom, righteousness, i Corin. i sanctification and redemption, all these are the gifts of God the father, Ephe. two. freely given unto us by Christ jesus, God and man, through faith in his blood, and not by the merits of men, gifts they are (I say) freely given, given unto us of favour, with Abac. two. out desert by believing, and not deserving. To this the law▪ and Gala. iii. Apostles bear witness. This doctrine have all the blessed Martyrs of Ephes. two. Acts. x. Christ's church witnessed with their blood to be true. To this truth hath all the consciences of all true believers confessed, ever since the ascension of Christ, this witness is not but of God, what better quarrel can ye then have to give your lives for, then for the truth itself? That man that giveth his life for Luke. ix. the truth: taketh the readiest way unto life. He that hath the Pope's curs for the truth: is surer of Christ's blessing, well than my brethren Phili. iii. i Cor. ix. what shall you let, but that you go forward as ye have begun, nay rather run with the runers, that Ihon. iiii. Psalm. xv ye may obtain the appointed glory. Hold on the right wai, that ye neither look back, have the eye Ephe. iiii of your faith fixed upon God, and so run that ye may get hold of Collo. three Math. x. Mar. viii. it. Cast away all your worldly pelf, as the favour of friends, fear of men▪ sensual affection, poverty, riches lands, posessions, carnal fathers and mothers, wife & children, with the love of your own selves, and in respect of heavenly treasures, ye look for. Let all these be denied and utrerlye refused of you, so that in no condition they do abate your zeal, or quench your love towards God. In this case make no account of them, but rather Ephe. iii. repute than as vile, in comparison of everlasting life, away with them as thorns that choke the hevenli seed of the gospel, where they be suffered to grow. They are burdens Luke. viii of the flesh▪ which encumber the soul▪ exchange them there Rom. seven. fore for advantage. Doth not he gain that findeth immortal treasures, for heavenly & corruptible Psa. xxvi. riches. loseth that man any thing which of his carnal fathers & mothers is forsaken, when therefore Ephes. i. he is received of god the father to be his child & heir in Christ, heavenly Gala. iiii for earthly, for mortal immortal, Phili. iii. for transitory things, things permanent, is great gains to a Christian conscience. Therefore (as I begun) I exhort you in the Lord, not to be afraid. Shrink not my brethren and sistern, mistrust Hebr. vi. i Cori. two. not God, be of good comfort, rejoice in the Lord, hold fast your faith, and continue unto the end. Deny the world, and take your cross and follow him, which is two. Tim. two your loads man, and is gone before. If ye suffer with him, ye shall reign with him. What way can you glorify more the name of your heavenly father, then by suffering the death for his sons sake? what a spectacle shall it be to the world, to behold so godly a fellowship as the servants of God, in so just a quarrel as the gospel of Christ▪ with so pure a conscience, so strong a faith, and so lively an hope, to offer themselves, to suffer most cruel torments at the hands of God's enemies, and so to end their days in peace, to receive in the resurrection of the rightuons life everlasting. Be strong therefore in Hebru. x. your battle, the Lord God is on your side, & his truth is your cause and against you be none, but the enemies of the cross of Christ, as Phili. iii. the serpent and his seed, the dragon with his tail, the market men of the beast, the offspring of the pharisees, the congregation Math. iii. malignant, the generation of Vipers, murderers, as their father the devil hath been from the beginning, to conclude, such are they as the john. vi. Lord god hath all ways abhorred & in all ages resisted and overthrown. God, from whom nothing is hid, he knoweth what they are, he Ps. xxxiiii that searcheth the hearts of men, he hath found them out to be crafty Heb. iiii. tie▪ subtle▪ full of poison▪ proud▪ disdainful▪ stiff-necked▪ devourers, raveners, barkers against Christ's Testament, filthy and shameless▪ and therefore doth the spirit of god by the mouth of his holy prophets & Apostles call them by the names of Foxes, Serpents, Cockcatrices, Lions, Leoperdes, Bulls, Bears, Wolves, Dogs, Swine, Beasts, teaching us thereby to understand that their natural inclination is to Psalm. vi deceive, poison, and destroy (as much as in them lieth) the faithful and elect of God, but he with his right arm shall defend his little flock against the whole rabilment of these world linges, which have conspired against him. He hath numbered up the hears of his Math. xx drens' head, so that not one of them shall perish without his fatherly Luke. xxi will. He keepeth the sparrows, much more will he preserve them Math. x. whom he hath purchased with the blood of the immaculate lamb. i. Peter. i. He will keep them, until the hour appointed, wherein the name of god shall be glorified in his saints, in the mean time let them work their wills, let them envy, let them maling, let them blaspheme, let Math. x. them curs, ban, betray, whip, scourge, hang and burn. For by these means God wyil try his elect as gold is tried in the furnace Sapi. iii. and by these fruits shall they bring themselves to be known what Math. seven they be, for all their sheeps skin. For as he that in suffering patiently for the gospel of God, is thereby known to be of Christ: even so jeromes' words up on the seven. psal. in like manner is the persecutor of them known thereby to be a member of Antechriste. Besides that, these their extreme cruelty shallbe a mean the sooner to provoke god to take pite upon his servants, & to destroy those that so tiranouslie entreat his people, as we may learn by the histories, as well in the bondage of Israel, under Pharaoh Exo. xiii. in Egypt, as also in the miserable captivity of juda in Babylon, Esd. xxiii whereas when the people of God were in most extreme thraldom, than did the Lord stretch fourth his mighty power to deliver his servants. Though god for a time suffer them to be exalted in their Mach. seven own pride. yet shall they not escape his vengeance. They are his jaco. iiii. rods, and when he hath woren them to the stumps, then will he i. Pete. v. Apoca▪ i. cast them into the fire. This shallbe their final reward, your duty is in Hebr. xii. jacob▪ i. the mean while patientli to abide the will of god, which worketh all things for the best. Thus dealeth he with us, partly for our trial, and partly also for our sins, which we most grievously have committed to the great slander of his gospel Ezechias xxxvi. Roma. two. , whereby the name of God is evil spoken of among his enemies, for the which he now punisheth us with his fatherly correction in i Cori. i. Luke▪ xv. this world, that we should not be dampened with the world. By this mean seeketh he his sheep that were lost, to bring them home to the fold again. By this way seeketh he to reform us▪ that we may be like unto him after the image of his son jesus Christ in Eph. iiii. all holiness and righteousness before him. Finally▪ this wave useth his godly wisdom, to make us thereby to know him▪ and ourselves in him that afore time had a manner forgot Osi. xiii. him, praised be his name. As For these Balamites which now do molest us, let us now commit them unto the hands of GOD, give Rom. xii Phili. iii him the vengeance, and he will reward them. Fall ye to prayer, and let these belly gods prate, for he is in heaven and sleepeth not, that keepeth Israel, he is in heaven that made the seas calm, when the disciples Luk. viii. Mar. iiii. were afraid. Let us now faithfully call upon him▪ & he will hear us, let us cry unto the Lord, for he is gracious and merciful when we Psa. lxxx Psa. xc. are in trouble. He is with us, he will deliver us, and he will glorify us. If we be turned unto him, we shall jere. xii. find him turned unto us, if we repent us of our wickedness done against jer. xviii him, then shall he take away the plague that he hath devised against us. Let us therefore earnestly repent▪ and bring forth the worthy Math. iii fruits of repentance. Let us studi to be his▪ then shall we not fear what these hypocrites do against us▪ which with their pretenced holiness deceive the hearts of the people that be simple▪ and abuse the autoriti of god in his princes▪ causing Mat. xii. them by their procurement to establish the ambitious prelasy, & to erect up their idol again, with the romish mass. God (in whose job. xii. Prou. xv. hands are the hats of kings) open the heart of the queens majesty to espy them out what they be, & so to weed them out, that they no longer be suffered to trouble the congregation of God, and to poison the realm with their pope ho lie doctrine. God almighty for his son jesus Christ's sake, deliver the queens highness and this her realm from the proud prelate's, which are as profitable in the church Psa. xiiii. l. lxxviii. of Christ, as a polecat in a warren. Their fellowship is noisome, their absence is right necessary. Acts. xx. To conclude (my brethren) I commit you to God, and to the power of his word, which is able to establish you in all truth▪ his spirit be with you, & work in you that ye may always be mindful of your duties toward him▪ whose you are Math. x. both body & soul. whom see that ye love & serve, dread & obey, before Exod. i. Deut▪ iiii. all earthly powers, and for nothing under the heaven defile your consciences in the sight of god. Dis Rom. xii. semble not with his word▪ god will not be mocked, nay, they the dissemble i. Pete. two. with him, deceive themselves▪ such the lord deny & cast out at the last Mar. viii. Math. x. Apoa. iii. Heb. xiii. day. Such as bear two. faces in one hood, such as play on both hands, such as deni the known truth such as obstinately rebel against it, all such with their partakers, shall the Lord destroi. God defend you from all such▪ & make you perfect unto the end. Amen. Fear not for death, pass not for bands, Only in God put thy whole trust. For god will require thy blood at their hands. And this thou dost know, that once die thou must▪ Only for Christ thy life if thou give: Death is no death, but a meano for to live. FINIS. In your prayers remember me your brother and servant in the Lord jesus Christ. A GODLY PRAYER. BE merciful unto is (O Lord God of mercies) and destroi us not in thy wrath. we have offended (O lord) we have trespassed against thee, therefore hast thou now visited us with thy heavy hand, suffering our enemies to triumph over us. But yet (O Lord) our hope is in thee, that thou wilt not forsake us, nor leave us, which put our trust in the. Hear us (O Lord) for thy son our Lord jesus Christ's sake, and give not thy people to be a pray unto the wicked for ever, O Lord in thee have we trusted, let us never be confounded. Have mercy upon us, and after this great miseri, show us the light of thy countenance, that we may see the brightness of the gospel again, to thy great glory, and our great comfort▪ and to the salvation of thy people. Turn unto us (O Lord) that be turned unto thee, & by thy holy spirit work in us, that we never return from thee any more▪ but always walk in thy holy fear, as it beseemeth thy children▪ withdraw (O Lord God) this thy heavy displeasure, and be merciful unto us. Let not thy enemies of thy word, spoil thy servants, neither give thy people to be an everlasting stock to the foolish. Finally (O Lord God) deal with us after thy accustomed kindness. As thou art justly displeased for our sins, so be favourable to us that repent the same, that thou mayest be known a righteous God, full of pity and compassion. Grant this we beseech thee, for the blood of jesus Christ▪ to whom with the & the holy ghost be all honour, praise and glory, world without end Amen,