Two treatises. 1. The holy exercise of a true fast, described out of God's…

in such sort,) that through want of Preaching) they are as raw in the knowledge of the true service of thee, as they were expert before, in the service of the Devil. And where knowledge is, to any such sufficiency as is requisite for the inheritors of the kingdom of Heaven: there is it (for a great part) joined with such hypocrisy, as maketh them more detestable before thee, (which searchest the very Reins,) then if they had still continued in their ignorance. Now, for the remnant of us, which through Grace, have truly and faithfully believed, it is with so great weakness ⟨p. 63⟩of Faith, and so small reformation of Manners; that our glorious profession of the Gospel, supported and borne out with so small show of the fruits, which the excellency thereof doth require, maketh not only the enemies to condemn us, but our selves to suspect one another, whether we belong unto thee or no. Wherein, O Lord, we acknowledge that to be our great and horrible sin, that being put in trust with this unspeakable treasure of thy holy Gospel, and preferred to our neighbours, professors about us; yet we are in thankful obedience unto thee, behind them all: first, in knowledge; last, in zeal: before them in the ⟨p. 64⟩doctrine of thy holy Gospel; behind them in the discipline of the same. The yoke of the slavery of our bodies, which the Popish Religion laid upon us, we willingly shake off: but the holy bands of thy Law, whereby our riotous life and affections, should be brought into bondage, we do hardly, and heavily admit. The Gospel which brought a freer use of our lawful honours, pleasures & commodities, was welcome unto us: but the same Gospel, which restraineth the unlawful licentiousness of our ambition, intemperance and covetousness, is not so. Finally so much of the Gospel, as doth more nearly respect our salvation, we ⟨p. 65⟩seem to have some care to retain: but so much of it as doth more directly respect thy glory, and the profit one of an other, (those especially which are not of the same land with us) we make small account off. And seeing the naked treasure of the holy Gospel, had been a rich reward of a most serviceable subjection:

in such sort,) that through want of Preaching) they are as raw in the knowledge of the true seruice of thee, as they were expert before, in the seruice of the Deuill. And where knowledge is, to any such sufficiencie as is requisite for the inheritours of the kingdome of Heauen: there is it (for a great part) ioyned with such hypocrisie, as maketh them more detestable before thee, (which searchest the very Raines,) then if they had still continued in their ignoraunce. Now, for the remnant of vs, which through Grace, haue truly and faythfully beleeued, it is with so great weaknesse