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

there for want of ability, or for that they love ease and sleep, carry no tolerable Embassy at all: how many which carrying the light of the Gospel in their mouths, carry also in their hands, the filthy water of ambition & covetousness to quench it with. And those which by thy grace, are for their might and will in some good measure justifiable: notwithstanding, for the most part, bear it with such infirmity, through slips, aswell in a sound and substantial manner of teaching, as also in an even life answering thereunto, that if thy blessing were not marvellous upon their labours, we should not ⟨p. 70⟩need to fear, the quenching of this fire of the holy Gospel, kindled among us, by the enemies: as that which having so small attendance of blowing, would die of it self. Finally, the people bear so small love unto their Governors of all sorts, in love so small reverence, & in them both so little willing obedience: that it may be not (uneasily) seen, that all the practise of the Church and common wealth, have conspired to provoke thee Lord against them. These our great and overgrown sins, albeit they are gotten above our heads, yet rest they not here. For where thou hast by thy holy Servants, the Ministers of thy blessed ⟨p. 71⟩word, sharply chidden with us, and in a severe denouncing of thy judgments due unto them, fearfully threatened us for them: yet have we not trembled at thy voice; at which the Mountains do melt, and the Rocks do rent asunder. A strange thing, that the Lion should roar, and the weak Lambs should not be afraid: that the Lord of Hosts should proclaim War against us, & we should not go forth and meet him, for entreaty of peace. Nay, his wrath (as hath been showed) hath been, and yet is kindled amongest us: and yet as senseless men, and as dead flesh we are not moved. We are pricked, and we ⟨p. 72⟩feel it not. We are wounded, and we do not so much as ask, Who hath stricken us? The tempest that is coming toward us, threateneth our utter drowning: and yet as a drunken man, we lie sleeping in the very top of the Mast. Whereby it is evident against our selves, that unto the multitude of our sins, we have added an other degree of wickedness; which is, the continuance in them:

ther for want of abilitie, or for that they loue ease and sleepe, carrie no tollerable Ambassage at all: how manie which carrying the light of the Gospell in their mouthes, carry also in their handes, the filthy water of ambition & couetousnesse to quench it with. And those which by thy grace, are for their might and will in some good measure iustifiable: notwithstanding, for the most part, beare it with such infirmitie, through slippes, aswell in a sound and substantiall maner of teaching, as also in an euen life answering thervnto, that if thy blessing were not marueilous vpon their labours, we should not