euen of religion whereof I see you are an olde professor And first of all let me be bold to aske this question of you how it pleased God to make you a true Christian and a member of Christ Iesus whom I see you serue continually with a feruent zeale Eusebius For that olde acquaintance that was betweene vs and for that you are desirous to liue a godly life in Christ Iesus I will not conceale the good worke of my God in me therefore I pray you marke a little what I shall say and I will declare vnto you the truth euen foorth of the feeling of mine owne conscience The fall of Adam did make mee the heire of vengeance and wrath of God and heire of eternall damnation and did bring mee into captiuitie and bondage vnder the Diuell And the Diuell was my Lorde and my ruler my heade my gouernor and my prince yea and my god And my will was locked knit faster vnto the will of the Diuell then coulde an hundred thousand chaines binde a man vnto a post Vnto the Diuels will did I consent with all my heart with all my minde with all my might power strength will and life so that the lawe and will of the Diuell was written as well in my heart as in my members and I ran headlong after the Diuel with full soule and the whole swing of all the power I had as a stone cast vp into the aire commeth downe naturally of it self with al the violent swing of his own weight O with what deadly venemous heart did I hate mine enimies with howe great malice of minde inwardlie did I sley and murther With what violence and rage yea with what seruent lust committed I adulterie fornication and such like vncleannes With what pleasure and delectation like a glutton serued I my bellie With what diligence deceiued I Howe busilie sought I the things of the world whatsoeuer I did worke imagine or speak was abhominable in the sight of God for I could referre nothing vnto the honour of GOD neither was his lawe or will written in my members or in my hart neither was there anie more power in me to followe the will of GOD then in a stone to ascend vpward of it selfe And besides that I was a sleepe in so deepe blindnesse that I could neither see nor feele in what miserie thraldome and wretchednes I was till Moses came and awaked mee and published the lawe When I heard the lawe truelie preached how that I ought to loue and honour God with all my strength and might from the lowe bottome of the heart because hee did create mee lord ouer it and my neighbour yea mine enemies as my selfe inwardlie from the ground of my heart because God hath made them after the likenesse of his owne Image and they are his sonnes as well as I and Christ hath bought them with his bloud and made them heires of euerlasting life as well as I and howe I ought to doe whatsoeuer God biddeth and to abstaine from whatsoeuer God forbiddeth with all loue and meekenesse with a feruent and burning lust from the entire of the heart Then beganne my conscience to rage against the lawe and against God No sea bee it neuer so great a tempest was so vnquiet for it was not possible for mee a naturall man to consent to the lawe that it should be good or that God should be righteous which made the lawe in as much as it was contrarie vnto my nature and damned mee and all that I could doe and neuer shewed mee where to fetch helpe nor preached any mercy but onelie set mee at variance with God and prouoked and stirred mee to raile on God and to blaspheme him as a cruell tyrant And indeed it was not possible to doe otherwise to thinke that God made me of so poisoned a nature and gaue me an impossible lawe to performe I beeing not borne againe by the spirite and my wit reason and will beeing so fast glewed yea nailed and cheined vnto the wil of the Diuell This was the captiuitie and bondage whence Christ deliuered mee redeemed and loosed me His bloud his death his patience in suffering rebukes and wronges and the full wrath of God his prayers and fastings his meekenes fulfilling the vttermost points of the lawe appeased the wrath of God brought the fauour of God to mee againe obtained that God should loue mee first be my father and that a mercifull father that would consider my infirmitie weaknesse and would giue mee his spirit againe which hee had taken awaie in Adam to rule gouerne and strengthen mee and to breake the bandes of Sathan wherein I was so straight bound When Christ was on this wise preached and the promises rehearsed which are cōtained in the booke of God which preaching is called the gospell or glad-tidings and I had deepelie considered the same then my heart began to waxe soft melt at the bounteous mercie of God and kindnesse shewed of Christ. For when the gospell was preached the spirite of God me thought entred into my heart and opened my in warde eyes and wrought a liuely faith in me and made my woful conscience feele and taste how sweet a thing the bitter death of Christ is how merciful louing God is through Christs purchasing and merits and made mee beginne to loue againe and to consent to the lawe of God how that it is good and ought so to bee and that GOD is righteous that made it lastlie it wrought in me a desire to bee whole and to hunger and thirst after more righteousnesse and more strength to fulfil the law more perfectlie and in all that I doe or leaue vndone to seeke Gods honour and his will with meeknesse euermore condemning the imperfectnes of my deeds by the law Now then this good work of God to my saluation standeth in two pointes the working of the law and the working of the gospell the preaching of the lawe was a key that bound and damned my conscience the preaching of the gospell was an other key that loosed me againe These two salues I meane the lawe the gospell vsed God his preacher to heale and cure mee a wretched sinner withall The lawe did driue out my disease and made it appeare and was a sharpe salue and fretting corasiue killed the dead flesh and losed and drewe the sore out by the roote and all corruption It pulled from me all trust and confidence I had in my selfe and in mine owne workes merits deseruings and ceremonies and robbed me of all my righteousnes made me poore It killed me in sending me downe to hell and bringing mee almost to vtter desperation prepared the way of the Lord as it is written of Iohn Baptist. For it was not possible that Christ should come vnto mee as long as I trusted in my selfe or in any worldly thing or had anie righteousnes of mine owne or riches of holie workes
as may appear in Caine Saul Achitophel Iudas and now of late in Iohn Hoffmeister a monke Latomus who for the space of certaine daies neuer left crying that hee was damned because that hee had wilfully persecuted the Gospell of Christ and so he ended his life Therefore most worthie is Paules counsell for the moderating of this sorrow It is sufficient saith he vnto the incestuous man that hee was rebuked of manie so that now contrariwise ye ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him lest he shoulde be swallowed vp of ouermuch heauines And further hee giueth another reason which followeth lest Sathan should circumuent vs for we are not ignorant of his enterprises And indeed cōmō experiēce sheweth the same that whē any man is most weak then Sathā most of all bestirreth himselfe to worke his cōfusion The third is that all mē which are hūbled haue not like measure of sorrow but some more some lesse Iob felt the hand of God in exceding great measure whē he cried O that my grief were well weied my miseries were laid together in the ballance for it would be now heauier then the sand of the sea therefore my words are now swallowed vp for the arrowes of the Almightie are in me and the venome thereof doth drinke vp my spirite and the terrors of God fight against me The same did Ezechia when on his death bed he said he brake al my bones like a Lion and like a Crane or a swallow so did I chatter I did mourne like a doue c. Contrariwise the thiefe vpon the crosse and Lydia in her conuersion neuer felt any such measure of grief for it is said of her that God opened hir heart to be attentiue to that which Paule spake presently after she intertained Paul and Silas cheerefully in hir house which she coulde not haue done if shee had beene pressed downe with any great measure of sorrowe neither are any to dislike themselues because they are not so much humbled as they see some others for God in great wisedome giueth to euery one which are to bee saued that which is conuenient for their estate And it is often seene in a festred sore that the corruption is let out as well with the pricking of a small pin as with the wide lance of a Raser XII The fourth thing in true humiliation is an holy desperation which is when a man is wholly out of all hope euer to attaine saluation by any strength or goodnes of his owne speaking and thinking more vilely of himselfe then any other can doe and heartily acknowledging himselfe to haue deserued not one onely but euen tenne thousand damnations in hell fire with the diuell and all his Angels This was in Paule when hee said of himselfe that he was the chiefe of all sinners This was in Daniell when in the name of the people of Israell he praied and said O Lorde righteousnes belongeth vnto thee and to vs open shame as appeareth this daie c. Lastly the same was in the prodigall childe who saide Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee and I am no more worthie to bee called thy sonne XIII Many are of opinion that this sorrow for sin is nothing else but a Melancholike passion but in trueth the thing is farre otherwise as may appeare in the example of Dauid who by all coniectures was least troubled with Melancholie and yet neuer any tasted more deepelie of the sorrow and feeling of Gods anger for sinne then hee did as the booke of Psalmes declareth And if anie desire to knowe the difference they are to bee discerned thus Sorrow for sinne maie be where health reason senses memorie and all are sound but Melancholike passions are where the body is vnsound and the reason senses memorie dulled troubled Secondlie sorrow for sinne is not cured by any Phisicke but onelie by the sprinkling of the bloud of Iesus Christ Melancholike passions are remoued by Physicke diet musicke and such like Thirdlie Sorrowe for sinne riseth of the anger of God that woundeth pearceth the conscience but Melancholike passions rise onelie of meere imaginations stronglie conceiued in the braine Lastlie these passions are long in breeding and come by little and little but the sorrow for sinne vsuallie commeth on a sudden as lightning into a house And yet howsoeuer they are differing it must be acknowledged that they may both concurre together so that the same man which is troubled with Melancholie maie feele also the anger of God for sinne XIIII Thus it appeareth how God maketh the hart fit to receiue faith in the next place it is to be considered howe the Lord causeth faith to spring and to breed in the humbled hart For the effecting of this so blessed a worke God worketh foure things in the hart First when a man is seriously humbled vnder the burden of his sinne the Lord by his spirit makes him lift vp himselfe to consider to ponder most diligentlie the great mercie of God offered vnto him in Christ Iesus After the consideration of Gods mercie in Christ he commes in the second place to see feele and from his heart to acknowledge himselfe to stande in neede of Christ and to stand in neede of euerie drop of his most pretious bloude Thirdlie the Lorde stirreth vp in his heart a vehement desire and longing after Christ and his merites this desire is compared to thirst which is not onelie the feeling of the drines of the stomacke but also a vehement appetite after drinke and Dauid fitlie expresseth it when he saith I stretched foorth my handes vnto thee my soule desireth after thee as the thirstie land Lastlie after this desire he beginnes to praie not for anie worldly benefite but onelie for the forgiuenesse of his sinnes crying with the poore publican O God be merciful to me a sinner Now this praier it is made not for one day onelie but continuallie from daie to daie not with the lippes but with greater sighes groanes of the heart then that they can be expressed with the tongue Nowe after these desires and prayers for Gods mercie ariseth in the heart a liuelie assurance of the forgiuenesse of sinne For GOD who cannot lie hath made his promise Knocke it shall bee opened and againe Before they call I will aunswere and while they speake I will heare Therefore when an humbled sinner commes crying knocking at his mercie gate for the forgiuenesse of sinne either then or shortlie after the Lord worketh in his hart a liuelie assurance thereof And whereas hee thirsted in his hart being scorched with the heate of gods displeasure beating vpon his conscience Christ Iesus giueth him to drink of the well of the water of life freelie hauing dronken thereof he shall neuer be more a thirst but shall haue in him a fountaine of water springing vp
vnderstanding then all his teachers because Gods testimonies were his meditations that hee vnderstoode more then the auncient because he kept Gods precepts The properties of the mind enlightened are speciallie two The first is that by it a Christian sees his owne blindnes ignorance vanitie as appeareth in Dauid who being a prophet of God yet prayed open mine eyes O Lord that I may see the wonders of thy law And hence it is that the godly so much bewailes the blindnes of the minds Cōtrariwise the wicked man in the middest of his blindnesse thinkes himselfe to see The second is that it runneth and is occupied in a continual meditation of Gods word So Dauid saith the righteous mās delight is in the law of the Lord in his law doth he meditate day and night XXXV The memorie also is sanctified in that it can both keepe and remember that which is good and agreeable to Gods will whereas naturallie it best remembreth lewdnes wickednes vanitie This holie memorie was in Dauid I haue hid thy promises in mine hart that I might not sinne against thee And Marie Kept all the sayings of Christ pondered thē in hir hart And to the exercise of this memorie Salomon hath a good lesson My son hearken vnto my words incline thine eares vnto my sayings let them not depart from thine eyes but keepe them in the midst of thine hart XXXVI Furthermore the will of a Christian is renewed purified by Christ which appeareth in that it is so far foorth freed from sin that it can wil choose that which is good and acceptable to God refuse that which is euill according to that of Paul It is God which worketh in you the will the deede euen of his good pleasure Now if a man be considered naturally he can neither will nor performe that which is good but onely that which is euill for he is sold vnder sinne as the Oxe or the Asse committeth iniquitie as the fish draweth in water yea he is in bondage vnder sathan who inspireth his minde with vile motions boweth his will affections and the members of his bodie to his cursed will so that for his life he is not able to do anie thing but sinne rebell against God And it must be remembred that although the christian mans will be freed from the bondage of sinne in this life yet it shall not be free frō the power of sin vntil the life to come for Paul that worthie saint saith of himselfe being regenerat that he was carnall and sold vnder sin XXXVII Sanctified affections are knowen by this that they are moued and inclined to that which is good to imbrace it are not cōmonlie affected and stirred with that which is euill vnlesse it be to eschew it Examples hereof are these which follow To reioyce with thē that reioice And to weepe with thē that weepe To reioice because a mans name is writtē in heauen To desire Gods presence fauour as the drie land desireth water To feare and tremble at Gods word To long and to faint after the places where God is worshipped To be vexed in soule from daie to daie in seeing hearing the vnlawfull deedes of men to shed riuers of teares because men breake Gods commandements In feruencie of spirite to serue the Lord. To put on the bowels of compassion towards the miseries of men To be angrie and sinne not To sorrow for the displeasing of God To loue the brethren in Christ. To admire at the word of God To loue Gods commandments aboue gold To admire at the graces of God in others In feare to serue God and to reioice in trembling To walke in the feare of God and to be filled with the ioie of the holie ghost To bee heauie through manifold temptations To reioice in being partaker of the sufferings of Christ. To waite on the Lord to reioice in him to trust in his holie name To waite for the full redemption To sigh desiring to enioie eternall life To loue the habitation of gods house the place where his honor dwelleth To esteeme al things as losse dong in respect of Christ. XXXVIII But among al these sanctified affections there are foure speciallie to be marked The first is a zeale for Gods glorie by which a Christian is thus affected that rather then God shall loose his glorie he is content to haue his own soule damned As it was with Moses who feared least God should loose his glorie if he did vtterlie destroy the Israelits for their Idolatrie whom he had chosen to be his people therefore in this respect praied vnto the Lord. Therefore nowe if thou pardon their sinne thy mercie shall appeare but if thou wilt not I pray thee rase me out of the booke which thou hast written And Paul could haue wished with all his hart to bee cut off from all fellowship with Christ and to bee giuen vp to eternal destructiō for his countrie men the Iewes for Gods glory speciallie Some may say this affection is not cōmon to all but particular to such as are led with such an affection as these holie men were led which haue their harts so pearced kindled with diuine loue and so rauished with the same out of themselues that they forget al other things yea themselues hauing nothing before their eyes but God and his glorie To this I answere that this affectiō is cōmon to al though the measure of it be diuers in some more in some lesse which appeareth in that our sauiour Christ teacheth euery one in his praier which hee made before he craue any other thing either concerning God or himselfe to pray that Gods name may be sanctified For by this all Christians are taught that they are to ouerpasse all considerations of themselues their owne pleasure and profit their saluation or damnation and with an heartie affection to seeke after the glorie of God in all their doinges that as Gods glorie is most deare vnto himselfe so it may appeare also that it is most deare vnto them If any think it strange that Moses Paule or any other shoulde bee content to fall into miserie to loose their liues and to be cast into eternall perdition in hell fire with reprobate and damned spirites rather then Gods honor shoulde bee turned into dishonor and blasphemie let them consider that wonderful is the power of true loue which makes all things easie which is as strong as the graue that ouercomes all and was neuer yet ouercome which is as a flaming fire that a whole sea of waters cannot quench And the loue which these men had to God did so rauish them that they felt no feare of hell fire XXXIX The second affection is the feare
his flesh hee is haled and pulled on to doe wickednesse Paule saith of himselfe that hee was solde vnder sinne that is hee was like a slaue who desireth to escape out of his Maisters handes and yet is faine in great miserie to serue him Thirdly after hee hath sinned hee is sore displeased with himselfe for it and truelie repenteth As Peter before the denying of his Maister had no purpose to doe it but rather to die in his cause In the act hee had a striuing with himselfe as appeareth by this that first hee answered faintly I knowe not what thou saist and yet after when the assault of Sathan more preuailed he fell to swearing cursing and banning After his fall he repented himselfe and wept bitterly for it All was contrarie in Iudas who went to betraâ—e his maister with full intent and purpose for the diuell long tempting him vnto it entred into him that is made him yeelde and resolue himselfe to doe it Afterward when Christ was betraied and condemned Iudas was not sorrowfull for his sinne with a godly sorrow but in dispaire of mercie hanged himselfe XLVI Fruites worthy of amendment of life are such fruites as the trees of righteousnes beare namely good workes for the doing of a good worke there be three things requisite First it must proceede from iustifying faith For the worke cannot please God except the person please him and the person cannot please him without this faith Secondly it is to bee done in obedience vnto Gods reuealed word to obeie is better then sacrifice and to hearken is better then the fatte of Rams Thirdly it is to be referred to Gods glorie Whether ye eate or drinke saith Paule or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glorie of God The speciall workes of Christians which they and none but they truly performe are these fiue which follow XLVII The first is the good hearing of the worde my sheepe saith Christ heare my voice and followe me And againe he which is of God heareth his voice And this was one note of the faithfull in the primatiue Church to assemble to heare the worde This good hearing of the worde is the sauing hearing that bringeth life eternall In this action Christians are vsually thus disposed Before they come to heare the worde of God they make themselues readie to heare it as the men of Berea did who receaued the worde with all readines This preparation standeth in two points First they disburden themselues of all impedimentes that like vnto runners in a race they may be swift to heare these impedimentes are sinne and troubled affections and they come with humble heartes as fooles that they may become wise Secondly they quicken vp themselues and come vnto the assemblies hungring and thirsting after the worde of God as men doe after meate and drinke When they are in hearing Gods worde their minds are fixed and attentiue onely to that which is spoken as Lydias was Thirdly they truly beleue the word of God carefully applie it to their owne souls Fourthly they feel the liuely power of it in theÌ„selues It is as salt in them to drawe out their inward corruption it is to them the sworde of the spirite and as a sacrifising knife in the hande of Gods Minister by which their flesh is killed and they are offered vp in a liuing sacrifice to God it is spirite and life to quicken and reuiue their soules that are dead in sin And the reason of this is plaine The word of God preached is as a cuppe of wine the true Christian is the Lords guest but he hath sauce of his owne He bringeth his suger with him namely his true faith which he tempereth and mingleth with Gods worde and so it becommeth vnto him as a cuppe of sweete wine and as water of life Nowe the hypocrite because hee bringeth no faith with him drinketh of the same but thinketh the wine to bee sowre and tarte and voyde of relishe and in truth it is vnto him as a cuppe of ranke poyson Againe they heare the worde of God as in Gods presence and therefore their hearts are full of feare and trembling And they receiue the worde not as from man but as from Christ Iesus the onely Doctor of the Church And they regarde not so much the Embassadour or his abilitie as the Embassage of reconciliation sent from the king of Heauen After they haue hearde the worde they are bettered in knowledge and in affection and they remember it and meditate vpon it continuallie that they may frame all their doinges by it Worldlie men vse to buie bookes of statutes and to haue them in their houses to reade on that they may knowe howe to auoide daunger of lawe And so the faithfull doe alwaies sette before them Gods worde and in all their dooinges it is their Counseller lest they shoulde come into daunger of Gods displeasure XLVIII The second worke is the receauing of the Sacraments of Baptisme once onely when a man is admitted into the Church and of the Lords Supper often The first sealeth vp to the heart of a Christian that he is vnited vnto Christ and hath true fellowshippe with him in being fullie iustified before God and inwardly sanctified The second serueth to seale vp in the heart of a Christian the continuall growing and increasing of the same graces This thing euerie true beleeuer shall haue often experience of either in or after the receauing of the Sacrament and yet it shall not bee so alwaies for sometimes the Church being brought into Christes wine-celler shall fall into a sounde and not feele any refreshing there Yet the beleeuer is not to bee dismaied if he feele not alwaies comfort presentlie after the Sacrament A sicke man feeles no comfort or nourishment when hee eateth meate and yet it preserueth his life So the weake Christian though hee feele himselfe not nourishe at the Sacrament by Christes bodie and bloud yet hee shall see in time that his soule shall be preserued thereby vnto euerlasting life Furthermore when a Christian feeleth no comforte by the Sacrament let him then humble himselfe before the Lorde more heartily then euer before confessing his sinnes and praying for increase of grace and then hee shall feele the fruite of the Sacrament XLIX The third worke is a relieuing of the poore bretheren in Christ proceeding of a brotherly kindenesse towardes them This is a speciall woorke not to bee done to all men alike as saint Paule saith Doe good to all men but especiallie to them of the housholde of faith Directions for this matter are the faithfull of Hierusalem who were all in one place and had all thinges common namely in vse And they solde their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as euerie one had neede Also the bretheren at Corinth in their extreame pouertie relieued the
Churches of Macedonia liberallie not onelie according to their power but also straining themselues beyonde their power Yea this reliefe must goe further euen to the bestowing of a mans life if neede so require As saint Iohn saith Hereby wee haue perceaued Loue that hee laide downe his life for vs therefore wee ought also to laie downe our liues for the bretheren L The fourth worke is true praier and saint Luke setteth out the faithfull and the children of God by this description That they call on the name of the Lorde As on the contrarie it is saide of the wicked That they call not vpon GOD. The true Christian calleth on the Lorde in truth For the spirite of adoption which is the spirite of Praier is his Schoolemaister to teach him to doe it In Praier hee is thus disposed First before hee praieth hee is stricken with some feare and reuerence in regarde of GODS Maiestie for hee considereth that praier is a familiar talking with God Secondlie hee is inwardlie touched with a liuelie feeling of his owne wants but especially hee is vexed and grieued at his owne sinne and rebellion and this sense of his miserie is as a spurre to quicken his benummed heart Thirdly hee humbleth himselfe before his God and laieth open his heart before the Lorde shewing a feruent and longing desire to obtaine those thinges of which he findeth an extreame want in himselfe as the Prophet Dauid did whose desire was like the yawning of the drie ground and this proceedeth from the spirite of God which stirreth vp groaninges in the heart which a man oftentimes for his life cannot expresse Fourthlie when hee maketh his request hee doubteth not but by faith hee beleeueth that God will graunt his requestes which hee maketh according to his worde The ground of this perswasion is double First Christ Iesus by whose merites as hee hath obtained remission of sinnes so he looketh to obtaine all things else The other ground is the comfortable promises of God which he hath made that he will heare them who truely call vpon him Fifthlie hee praieth not for a brunt or two but hee continueth in praier And although God seeme not to heare him at the first yet hee patiently waiteth on the Lord and still calleth vpon him LI The first worke is to walke in some lawfull calling with painefulnesse and vprightnesse so that in performing all the dueties of it a man may keepe a good conscience before God and men Thus Dauid determined to walke in the gouernement of his house and kingdome I will doe wiselie saith hee in the perfect waie till thou commest to mee I will walke in the vprightnesse of mine heart in the middest of mine house I will sette no wicked thing before mine eies I hate the worke of them that fall awaie it shall not cleaue vnto me This sinceritie of Dauids behauiour in his calling made him bold to offer himselfe to be tried not onely by men but much more by the Lord God himselfe and to bee punished accordingly Iudge mee O Lorde saith hee for I haue walked in mine innocencie prooue mee O Lorde and trie mee examine my reines and mine heart So vpright and cleare was hee in all his doings LII Thus much of faith and the benefites that come by faith Nowe followeth the spirituall exercise of a Christian in his manifolde temptations which are in this life inseparable companions of grace The reason is because the diuell hateth Christ with a deadly hatred and sheweth this hatred in a continuall persecution of his members as saint Iohn saith the Dragon was wroth with the Woman and went and made warre with the remnant of hir seed which kept the commandementes of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ. Now therefore as soone as Christ Iesus beginneth to shewe anie token of his loue to anie man the Deuill contrariwise sheweth foorth his enmitie and stirres vp his fellow champions the flesh and the worlde to war against him for his confusion And furthermore the Lord in great wisedome permits temptations to the last ende of a Christian mans life to trie his faith to purge him of sinne to humble him and to make him depende of his maiestie to quicken and reuiue the graces of his spirit which otherwise would be dead and decay LIII The temptations of a Christian are specially sixe The first is when inwardly in his hart he is drawen away and entised by his owne concupiscence vnto anie sinne The Christians exercise in temptation is fight and battell betwixt the flesh and the spirit And this fighting standeth in foure things First the flesh stirres vp euill thoughtes and desires as a burning furnace continually â—endeth vp smoke and sparkes of fire and it â—ggeth a man forward to euill wordes and deeeds according to that of Saint Marke For from within euen from the hart of man proceed euill thoughts adulteries fornications murders theftes couetousnes wickednes deceite vncleannesse a wicked eye backbiting pride folishnes 2 The flesh hindreth and choketh the good motions desires of the hart as Paul saith I see an other law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members Again the same flesh mingleth euerie good motioÌ„ and desire with some corruptions so that the godlie mislike the best thing they doe Esay saith of his owne the peoples righteousnes that it is but as a menstruous cloute The prayers of the saintes must be performed with swete odours before they can ascend vp sweete sauorie into the nostrilles of God And Paul said of himself he did that which he disliked not that he was ouertaken with grosse sins but because when hee was to do his dutie the flesh hindred him that he could not do that which he did exactly and soundly according to his wil and desire euen as a man who hath a iorney to go his mind is to dispatch it in all hast yet when he is in his trauel he goes but slowly by reason of a lamenesse in his ioints 3 The spirit on the contrarie kindles in the hart good motions desires puts a man forward to good words and deeds as it was in Dauid I will praise the Lord saith he who hath giuen me counsell my reines also teach me in the night season 4 The spirit rebuks a man for his euil intents desires and represseth the face of them and as it were nips them in the head Thus Esay describeth the inward motions of the spirit And thine eares shal heare a word behind thee saying this is the way walke yee in it when thou turnest to the right hand and when thou turnest to the left And Saint Iohn saith The spirit iudgeth the world of sinne This was in Dauid who when he did
shall haue such an excellent communion with God that he shal be vnto them all in all For in the end of the world whē the whole number of the elect is accomplished Christ shall present them to his father and as he is mediator he shal cease to be a King a Priest a Prophet as Paule saith then shall be the ende when he hath deliuered vp the kingdome to God euen the Father when he hath put downe all rule al◠authoritie and power Againe among the elect there shall not bee king and subiect father mother child maister seruant noble ignoble rich poore liuing dead Some will say what then shall there be I answere one glorious and euerlasting God the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost shall be in all the elect all that heart can wish and desire Men shall not be in darkenesse neither shall they neede the light of the Sunne Moone or Starres God himselfe immediately shall be their light as Iohn saith And the Citie hath no neede of the Sunne neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glorie of God doth light it and the Lambe is the light of it Men shall not then neede meate drinke clothing sleepe recreation fire shade respiration or any other such like but God himselfe immediately shal be their life and all things concerning life by Christ. Which Iohn signifieth when he saith that he saw a pure riuer of water of life cleere as Christal proceding out of the throne of God of the Lamb there being by either side of it the tree of life which bare two manner of fruites and gaue fruit euerie moneth And whereas God is continually to be worshipped in heauen they neede no other tabernacle or temple thereunto but God himselfe shall be their temple as Iohn saith I saw no temple therein for the Lorde God almightie and the Lambe are the temple of it Fourthly from this glorious communion which is betweene God and Christ as he is man and all the saints which are his members there ariseth an vnspeakeable ioy and gladnes wherewith they are filled Dauid saith that Gods children shall be satisfied with the fatnes of his house and that he shall giue them drinke out of the riuers of his pleasures This ioye vndoubtedlie is infinite and the Saintes are not onelie replenished with it but they are also swallowed vp of it as with an huge and infinite sea of waters as may appeare in Peter who at the transfiguration of Christ was so rauished out of measure with ioy at the sight of it that he quite forgot himself saying to Christ Maister it is good being here let vs make three tabernacles here one for thee one for Moses and an other for Elias Lastly out of this communion ariseth a perfect loue of God whereby the Saints loue God with all their hearts with all their soules and strength and this loue sheweth it self in that they are eternally occupied in worshipping God by singing of songes of praise and thankes giuing vnto him Now thē seeing the kingdome of heauen is so glorious and none can haue it but the true Christian let all men accompt the best thinges in this worlde as drosse and dung so that they may obtaine Christ and his righteousnes The last reason is the endlesse loue of Iesus Christ shewed in his death and passion Thou art by nature the childe of wrath and vengeance Sathan hath wounded thee with manie a deadlie wounde of sinne thou liest bleeding at the heart and and art like to die eternally Thou being in this estate there is no Man on earth no no Saint in heauen no Angell no creature at all is able to helpe thee Christ onely was able hee therefore came downe from heauen and became man for this cause to worke thy deliuerance Furthermore in the curing of the wounde of sin no hearbe no water no plaister no Phisicke can doe thee any good onely the bodie and bloude of Christ is soueraigne for this matter being stieped in the wrath of GOD. Hee therefore subiected himselfe to the death euen the death of the Crosse vpon which hee suffered the wrath of God due to the sinne of mankinde and of his owne heart bloude hee tempered for thee a soueraigne medicine to heale all thy woundes and sores Nowe therefore despise not this mercie seeke vnto Christ lay open all thy sores pray him that hee woulde vouchsafe thee if it bee but one droppe of his bloude then he will come vnto thee by his holy spirite he will wash and supple thy wounds in his bloud and binde them vp He is the tree of life the leaues whereof heale the nations If thou get but one leafe of him thou art well it will heale thee and restore thy dead soule that thou maiest liue eternallie in the kingdome of heauen If this reason will not mooue thee to be a Christian thy case is desperate It is the best reason that Paule could vse to this purpose As obedient children saith he fashion not your selues vnto the former lustes of your ignorance but as hee which hath called you is holie so bee yee holie in all manner of conuersation His reason followeth Knowing that yee were not redeemed with corruptible thinges as siluer and golde from your vaine conuersation receaued by the tradition of the Fathers but with the precious bloud of Christ as a Lamb vndefiled and without spotte Thus much haue I spoken to the worldling who in his heart makes no more account of Christ then of his olde shooes and who had rather bee without Christ then be without his pigges with the Gaderenes Nowe for the true Christians I haue nothing to saie but this The Lorde increase the number of them And the Lorde fulfill them with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spiritual vnderstanding that they may walke worthie of him and please him in all thinges beeing fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of God And whereas they are at continuall warre against the flesh the world and the Diuel Lord Jesus strengthen them with all might through thy glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnes And deere father of all mercie plant that gouernement in thy Church euerie where which thou hast reuealed in thy worde That thy Saintes may worshippe thee in o those meanes in that order and comelines which thou hast appointed abounding in righteousnes peace of conscience and ioy of the holy Ghost Amen Amen A Dialogue of the state of a Christian man betweene Eusebius a perfect Christian and Timotheus a wise Christian and the most of it was gathered here and there out of the sweete and sauorie writings of Maister Tindalland Maister Bradford TImotheus Because of our auncient acquaintance and familiaritie deare friende Eusebius I will make bolde with you to aske such questions as may be for my edification and comfort and of no other matters but
spoken that which God out of his holie word hath opened vnto me if you finde anie helpe thereby giue God the praise therfore and carrie this with you for euer that by manie afflictions both in the bodie and the mind you must enter into the kingdome of heauen Rawe flesh is noisome to the stomacke and is no good nourishment before it be sodden and vnmortified men and women be no creatures fit for God and therefore they are to be soaked and boiled in afflictions that the fulsumnes rancknes of their corruption maie be delaied and they maie haue in them some rellish acceptable vnto God And to conclude for the auoiding of all these temptations vse this sweet praier following which that godlie saint Maister Bradford made Oh Lorde God and deere Father what shall I saie that feele all thinges to bee in manner with me as in the wicked Blind is my minde crooked is my will and peruerse concupiscence is in me as a spring of stinking puddle O howe faint is faith in mee how little is my loue to thee or thy people how great is my selfe loue how hard is my heart by reason whereof I am mooued to doubt of thy goodnes towards me whether thou art my mercifull father and whether I be thy childe or no indeed worthilie might I doubt if that the hauing of these were the cause and not the fruit rather of thy children The cause why thou art my father is thy mercifull goodnes grace and truth in Christ Iesus which cannot but remaine for euer In respect whereof thou hast borne mee this good will to bring mee into thy Church by Baptisme and to accept me into the number of thy children that I might be holie faithfull obedient and innocent and to call me diuers times by the ministerie of thy word into thy kingdome besides the innumerable other benefites alwaies hitherto powred vpon me All which thou hast done of this thy good will which thou of thine owne mercie barest to me in Christ before the world was made The which thing as thou requirest straitlie that I shoulde beleeue without doubting so wouldest thou that I in all my deedes shoulde come vnto thee as to a father and make my mone without mistrust of being heard in thy good time as most shall make to my comfort Lo therefore to thee deere father I come through thy sonne our Lorde our mediatour and Aduocate Iesus Christ who sitteth on thy right hand making intercession for mee I praie thee of thy great goodnes and mercie in Christ to be mercifull to mee a sinner that I maie indeede feele thy sweet mercie as thy childe the time oh deere father I appoint not but I praie thee that I maie with hope still expect and looke for thy helpe I hope that as for a little while thou hast left me so thou wilt come and visite me that in thy great mercie wherof I haue great need by reasoÌ„ of my great miserie Thou art wont for a little season in thine anger to hide thy face from them whome thou louest but surelie O Redeemer in eternall mercies thou wilt shewe thy compassions For when thou leauest vs Oh Lord thou doest not leaue vs very long neither doest thou leaue vs to our losse but to our lucre and aduantage euen that thy holie spirite with bigger portion of thy power and vertue maie lighten and cheere vs that the want of feeling of our sorrowe maie be recompenced plentifullie with the liuelie sent of hauing thee to our eternall ioie and therefore thou swearest that in thine euerlasting mercie thou wilt haue coÌ„passion on vs Of which thing to the ende wee might be most assured thine oath is to be marked for thou saiest as I haue sworn that I will neuer bring anie more the waters to drowne the worlde so haue I sworne that I will neuer more be angrie with thee nor reproue thee The mountaines shall remooue and the hilles shall fall downe but thy louing kindnes shal not mooue and the bond of thy peace shall not faile thee thus saiest thou the Lorde our mercifull Redeemer Deere father therefore I praie thee remember euen for thine owne truth mercies sake the promise and euerlasting couenant which in thy good time I praie thee to write in my heart that I maie know thee to bee the onelie true GOD and Iesus Christ whome thou hast sent that I maie loue thee with all my heart for euer that I maie loue thy people for thy sake that I maie bee holie in thy sight through Christ that I maie alwaies not onelie striue against sinne but also ouercome the same dailie more and more as thy children doe aboue all things desiring the sanctification of thy name the comming of thy kingdome the doing of thy will on earth as it is in heauen c. through Iesus Christ our Redeemer Mediatour and Aduocate Amen FINIS Faultes to be corrected PAg. 12. lin 8. for or reade are Pa. 15. l. 28. Autonius Antonius Pa. 21. l. 27. or are Pa. 32. l. 27. word world Pa. 46. l. 6. sowing sauing Pa. 87. l. 24. first fift P. 90. l. 17. performed perfumed p. 91. l. 8. face force p. 92. l. 22. quietnes disquietnes p. 97. l. 22. first fifth p. 121. l. 4. wise weake p. 122. l. 25. soule saile p. 124. l. 10. entire center p. 149. l. 12. worketh wotteth p. 160. 8. seduce subdue p. 160. l. 26. exhortation experience p. 161. l. 13. burned buried p. 165. l. 3. babbling bibbing p. 182. l. 25. â—â—uetous conuerted p. 183. l. 3. dimisse diminish a Mat. 25. 1 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Luk. 13. 24. A caueat to all Protestants of what estate or coÌ„dition soeuer b 2. Cor. 13. 5. Psa. 119. 59 c Act. 20. 32. 1. 2. 3. 4. Mark that there is a true faith wrought by the holie Ghost verie like sauing faith yet no sauing faith a Ro. 1. 21. Psal. 19. 1. 3. b Ro. 7. 15. c Psal. 14. 1. Rom. 3. 10. 11. d Psal. 49. 20. e Act. 14. 71. Rom. 1. 21. f Heb. 6. 4. 2. Pet. 2. 23. g Matt. 22. 14. Luk. 13. 34. Prov. 1. ver 24. Iohn 9. 41. Luke 14. 6. h Psa 27. 8. i He. 10. 26 Act. 1. 16. 17. k 1. Sam. 29 21. l Gen 4. 13. m Eus. li. 8. cap. 17. 18. Socrat. lib. 3. ca. 11. o Act 2. 37. Rom. 8. 15. p Mark 6. 20. 26 q Mat. 27. 19. 24. r Mat. 27. 3. Heb. 12. 17 s Gen. 27. 38. 27. 41. 28. 9 t Exo. 8. 8. Math. 7. 7. u Gen. 4. 4. 1. Sa. 31. 4. Mat. 27 5. x 1 Re. 21. 27. 29. y Ex. 9. 27. Num. 22. 34. z Num. 23. 10. a Num. 11. 13. b Num. 11. 33. Psa. 78. 31. c Isa. 7. 11. 1 d Luk. 8. 13 2 3 e Iob. 13. 15 f Hâ—b 6. 4. Math. 13. 20. g 2. Pet. â— 14. 1. Ioh. â— â— Luke 1. 〈◊〉 Esa. 60.