To the courteous Reader.

COnsidering Christian
Reader that in euery
place, all those
who haue found any
sound comfort in the
Gospel, are desirous to expresse
the same in their conuersations, by
walking in thankefulnesse as it becommeth
the seruants of Christ, to
adorne their profession thereby,
& yet notwithsta~ding the greatest
part doe much faile herein: I haue
thought it my bounden duety to
afford vnto them such help as God
hath vouchsafed me in this behalfe.
For alas it is too manifest, that too
many, euen of them, do omit sundry
and those most necessary duties;
as by looking perhaps to some
of the duties of the first Table, neglect
the second: or to the second
only, omit the first, which is called
the great Commandeme~t. Or looking
only to the lawe, are too short
for the Gospel: or boasting of faith,
regard not works.
Others lie in fearful sins through
ignorance hereof. And very many
are obserued daily to fall into grieuous
offences, to the dishonour
of Christ & discredit of their profession:
yea, to the griefe of the
godly, offending the weake, hardening
the vngodlie, opening the
mouthes of the Papists, and Atheists,
with all the profane, to blaspheme
that glorious name wherby
wee are called. And not onely so,
but more also, to the wounding of
their own consciences, and giuing
aduantage to Sathan, to accuse the~
before the Lord. Sundry also, of
most vpright hearts, and who haue
made good proceedings in godlinesse,
are yet knowen to lie languishing
vnder the burthen of their
sins, & feare of Gods displeasure,
through want of knowledge how
to find out their speciall offences,
whereby their consciences are disquieted,
and Gods hand doth lie
so heauily vpon them. Many to
liue in continuall doubt, whether
they be in the fauour of God or no.
Great multitudes in all places ordinarily
to thrust themselues vnreuerently
into the presence of the
Lord, to the word, sacraments, and
all other exercises of the seruice of
God, without any examination,
or preparation of their hearts before,
to the prouoking of the grieuous
wrath of the Lord thereby.
Now for these and for all other,
whose desire is to walk with God,

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and be pleasing vnto him, finding
the true felicity that is in godlines,
I haue thought my selfe bound by
the Communion of Saints, to offer
this my poore labour: Which first
was vndertaken for my selfe and
some priuate friends; the better to
preuent all the former euils, and
for the more easie obtaining the
benefits following such a carefull
watch. Herein I haue vsed the
help of sundry learned and godly
Diuines, folowing chiefly the direction
of those two holy men of
God, M. Greeneham and M. Perkins;
whose writings were the first
occasions of thinking hereof: the
one requiring this examination
necessarily vnto true & sound repentance,
the other for the through
curing of the wounded co~science.
And hence also I haue bene more
incoraged to make this publike,
not vpon any vaine or by-respect,
but by some gratious experience
which I haue knowen of the profit
hereof in both accordingly: especially
in restoring some of no mean
note, from much trouble, and
horrour of conscience, to exceeding
ioy, and strong assurance,
when all other meanes haue fayled.
Neither can this seeme strange
to any, considering it aright. For
what is it that brings that peace
and ioy of conscience passing all
vnderstanding to a Christia~ soule,
but an assured testimony of our
conscience, that we doe not lie in
any one sinne, so farre as by wise
searching we are able to finde it
out, but hate and abhorre euen the
very least? and contrarily, that we
haue begun, and so striue on forward
to walke in euery commaundement
of God without reproofe:
and that of true loue to our Lord
and Sauiour. For to such a soule
only all the promises do appertain
as they are applied through the

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whole Booke of God. In a word,
I haue bene more imboldened, by
obseruing daily, how on the one
side the godly Preachers vpon euery
occasion, calling men to repentance,
exhort all earnestly with
the Prophet Ieremy to examine and
trie their wayes, and turne againe
vnto the Lord, if euer they wil find
mercy with him. Which worke of
examination hardly one of a thousand
knoweth how to performe in
any good measure, as may bring
true comfort vnto their soules. And
on the other side considering how
many of our simple seduced brethren,
haue bene drawn to a dislike
of our religion, & a liking of popery,
by this especially, because ours
as they say is a religion of carnall
liberty, theirs of holines; ours full of
diuisions & vncertainty, theirs of
perfect vnity: That they also may
see herby, that ours is indeed a religion
of perfect holines and vnitie
prescribed by the Lord himselfe,
wherunto so many of vs as are truly
cald to the sound professio~ of it,
do striue instantly to attain, day &
night; so worshipping the God of
our fathers, in spirit & truth: walking
in the selfe same narrow way
of eternall life: And that all their imagined
holines is nothing for the
most part, but mere superstition, in
outward shewes, of mens inuentions,
concerning which, God will
aske the~ one day, who hath required
them at their hands, altogether
neglecting most of the duties of
true piety; as those of the first table:
That so they perceiuing how
they haue bene deluded, may at
least some of them who~ God hath
ordained vnto life come out of
the snare of the diuell, and ioyne
themselues to vs againe: so to escape
that torment which al that receiue
the mark of the Beast, by any
such submission to that Romane

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Antichrist must endure for euermore.
With whom this holines of
our religion cannot preuaile, let the~
open their eyes, and behold what
euident witnesse God hath giuen
vnto it from Heauen, and against
Popery in these our dayes, co~fessed
by all for the present, vnlesse more
obstinate then Pharo: I appeale to
their consciences; First, in our three
miraculous deliuerances, as of Israell
from Egypt: [The first, from the
intended inuasion in An. 1588. by
the winds, after generall fasting &
prayer in all the land. The second,
from their long threatned day; by
bringing in our soueraine King in
such a peace, through a feare cast
on the enemie, that a dog did not
wagge his tongue against vs. The
third, from the gun-powder plot
at the very instant; by their owne
Letter, & immediate motion of the
hart of our King.] Secondly in making
their owne bloody deuises
their own & only ruine. Thirdly, in
manifesting to all the world that
Popery is vpholden by lying and
murder, the speciall workes of the
diuell, & brands of his seruants; &
that God, he himselfe hath alone
vpholden the Gospell against all
the subtiltie and power of Hell. If
notwithstanding these & all other
meanes wherby the Lord hath so
oft & so cleerely conuinced them,
they will still set themselues with
Pharo, to fight against him, & pursue
their bloody practises against
his Israel, they may proceed: yet
let them know for certaine that he
will once againe get himselfe greater
glory of them, in the heart of
the Sea, in their vtter ouerthrow &
our finall deliuerance from them,
when hee hath first sufficiently
humbled vs by them, and prepared
vs thervnto. But for you my brethre~,
who haue separate your selues
from communion with vs & with

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our Assemblies, or are inclining
therunto: I would craue these two
things of you; First, with what spirit
you can condemn that to be no
true Church of God, which protesting
against all idolatry of Antichrist,
professeth al this way of life,
which whosoeuer walketh in is vndoutedly
the child of God & shall
haue eternall life, notwithstanding
all his other errors, slips and infirmities.
Secondly, how you dare depart
or draw others out of the bosome
of this Church to so many euils,
as must needs follow vpon you
bodily & spiritual; seeing out of the
true Church is no saluation: & therfore
you are left vtterly destitute of
all the promises made vnto it, & so
of all true comfort, prouidence &
protection. I call you stil brethren,
because I am perswaded that many
of you truly professe and striue to
walke with vs in all this way of life,
& so keepe the inward Co~munion
with vs; howsoeuer thorow ouer
great a conceit of your owne perfection,
& discontentment therupon,
with too vncharitable ce~suring
of your brethren you haue made
this grieuous rend, forsaking our
outward fellowship: & because I
hope as I earnestly pray day and
night that God will perswade you
to returne againe vnto the tents of
Shem; hearken to the Lords Counsel
in time & try wel this our path,
least you repent to late. And for all
of you beloued in the Lord, who
holding soundly the Communion
of Saints, doe professe sincerely all
this trueth of God to your immortalitie,
& desire the peace & prosperitie
of Sion; I humbly beseech
you in the name of the Lord Iesus
Christ & by our appearing before
him, that we our selues looke wel to
these two things; First, that we euery
one of vs indeauour to walke
more warily and conscionably in
euery part of this way of life as in
words we professe it, that we be not
condemned of our owne consciences.
And secondly, that we learne
to loue them most who walk most
holily and vnblameably herein, as
they are most deare vnto the Lord.
And then shall we soone see all our
co~tentions at an end, the Lord glorified
in our holy agreement and
magnifying his power & mercy in
continuing our deliuerances & the
destruction of all our enemies, the
Kingdome of Christ to come with
power, the Kingdom of Sathan &
Antichrist to fall downe like lightning.
Pardon mee therefore, that
I haue presumed to offer this vnto
thee, seeing that how plaine soeuer
it is, yet it may proue profitable as
I hope to many thousand poore
soules, who want leasure or ability
to search greater volumes, being
so briefe and easie for all: and also
that it may bee for mee as the widowes
mite throwne into the treasurie
of the Lord, and the surest
pledge of my care for my Christia~
friends, and of my hearty desire towards
the Church of God, being
that wherein I my selfe haue euer
found true comfort. If thou be one
who by reason of thy ripenesse &
perfectio~, despisest it, as hauing no
neede of any such a helpe, yet haue
compassion of thy brethren: neither
knowest thou what a day may
bring foorth. Or if thou seest the
good that may come to very many
by such a course, helpe to perfect
that which is here thus begun: or at
least, if God shall perswade thee of
the benefit which thy self may reap
hereby, spend one houre with mee
constantly euery weeke in trying
thy waies, & turning thy feet vnto
the testimonies of the Lord. If thou
thinke the whole course ouer long,
yet thou mayest soone runne ouer
the seuerall heads, chiefly of the
law & Gospel, taking most pains
in those which most neerely touch
thine owne wants, and infirmities,
after thou hast marked the~ out by
diligent obseruation of thy selfe: so
striuing hard forwardes towardes
the marke. Or if thou say, that some
duties doe not concerne thee: the
4.5. & 6. benefits of this examination
will teach what vse to make of
the whole, And then as I cannot
doubt of thy hearts affection, and
supplications for me: so the whole
land shal fare the better for thee, &
thy prayers; though the chiefe co~fort
& blessing shal turne intothine
owne bosome. This watch of the
Lord duely obserued, being vnto
thee as the Ark of Noah, what euils
soeuer come vpon the world; thy
Lord & Sauior shal be glorified by
thee; the godly edified by thy holy
ensample; the wicked co~uerted, or
at the least haue their mouths stopped,
& be left more without excuse.