his grace and holie spirite where I might haue been borne in an ignorant time and region God would that I shoulde be borne in these daies and in this countrie where is more knowledge reuealed then euer was here or in manie places els is Where I might haue beene of a corrupt iudgement entangled with manie errours of Papistrie of the familie of loue of that hypocritical Brown by Gods goodnes my iudgement is reformed and he hath lightened mine eies to see my heart to imbrace his sincere truth By all which things I doe confirme my faith of this that God alwaies hath beene is and wil be for euer my father at my departing forth of this world will giue me the crowne of euerlasting glorie Secondlie when as man is euermore doubting of the promises of God be they neuer so certain God of his infinite mercie to preuent all occasions of doubting promiseth to giue his owne spirit as a pledge pawne or earnest pennie vnto his children of their adoption election to saluation Now since it pleased God to call me from hypocrisie to bee a member of his Church I feel that in my self which I neuer felt or heard of before In times past I came to praiers and to the preaching of Gods word euen as a Beare commeth to the stake now the word of God is meate and drinke to me and praier is no burden vnto me but my ordinarie exercise If I rise in the morning I am not well till I haue praied and giuen thankes to God if I doe any thing it commeth into my minde to pray In my praiers I finde great ioy and comforte and the exceeding fauour of God I neuer think I can well take my rest or doe anie thing else except first I aske it at Gods hande in Christ. Lastlie when my minde and heart is whollie occupied in worldlie matters I am stirred vp and as it were drawne to pray vnto God for the remission of my sinnes and the assurance of my saluation and in praier I haue had those grones which for their greatnes cannot bee expressed Nowe from whence commeth all this From the Diuell No. In these actions I haue found him my enemie and a continuall hinderer of them For he by his craft when I haue beene heauie and weake hath assailed to prouoke me to some sinnes whereunto my cursed nature was most giuen and I hauing yeelded to him haue beene so hardened and blinded by those sinnes that for a time I haue made light account of the worde of God and praier Well then peraduenture this came from mine owne selfe No neither This cursed nature of mine hath beene more pleased and delighted with sinne and with the pleasures of the world then with such exercises from which it draweth mee presseth me down as lead I cannot think that such a poisoning Cockatrice can laie such good egges or that wild crabbe trees such as all men are in Adam can bring foorth sweete fruites according to the will of God except God plucke them foorth of Adam and plant them in the garden of his mercie and stocke them and graft the spirite of Christ in them Wherefore these are the workes of Gods spirit and my conscience is thereby certified that God hath giuen me the spirite of adoption and therefore that his fauour and mercie shall continue towardes me for euer For the giftes of God are without repentance and whome God once loueth him hee loueth for euer Thirdlie there bee certaine fruites of Gods children which I finde in mee by which I am confirmed in Gods fauour Saint Iohn in his first epistle saith that hereby wee know that wee are translated from death to life because we loue the bretheren Truelie â— feele in my heart a burning loue towardes them which are good Christians though I neuer knewe them nor saw them and I am verie desirous to doe anie good for them and if drops of my heart bloude would doe them good they should haue them Moreouer I hate all sinne and wickednesse with a bitter hatred and I long to see the comming of my sauiour Christ to iudgement I am grieued and disquieted because I cannot fulfill the law of God as I ought all which I haue learned foorth of Gods word to be tokens of Gods children And thus you see what euidence I haue to shewe that I am a true member of the Church militant and in the fauour of God Timoth. Haue you a stedfast faith in Christ as these arguments seeme to proue without all wauering doubting and distrusting of Gods mercie Euseb. No no. This my faith which I haue in Christ is euen fought against with doubting euer assailed with desperation not when I sinne onely but also in tentations of aduersitie into which God bringeth me to nurture me to shew me mine owne heart the hypocrisie false thoughts that there lie hid my almost no faith at al and as litle loue euen then happily wheÌ„ I thought my self most perfect of all for when tentations come I cannot stand when I haue sinned faith is feble when wrong is done vnto mee I cannot forgiue in sicknes in losse of goods in al tribulation I am vnpatient wheÌ„ my neighbor needeth my helpe that I must depart with him of mine owne then loue is cold And thus I learne feele that there is no power to do good but of God only And in al such tentations my faith perisheth not vtterlie neither my loue and consent to the law of God but they be weake sicke wounded not cleane dead As I dealt with my parents being a child so now deal I towards God my louing father When I was a child my father and mother taught me nurture wisedome I loued my father all his commaundements and perceiued the goodnes he shewed mee that my father loued mee and all his precepts are vnto my wealth and profit and that my father commandeth nothing for anie need he hath thereof but seeketh my profit onelie and therefore I haue a good faith vnto all my fathers promises and loue all his commaundements and doe them with good will and with good will goe euerie daie to the schoole And by â—he waie happilie I sawe companie plaie and with the sight was taken and rauished of my memorie and forgot my selfe and stoode and beheld and fell to plaie also forgetting father and mother all their kindnes all their lawes and mine owne profite also How beit the knowledge of my fathers kindnes the faith of his promisses and the loue that I had againe vnto my father and the obedient minde were not vtterlie quenched but laie hid as all things doe when a man sleepeth or lieth in a traunce And as soone as I had plaied out all my listes or else by some had been warned in the meane season I came againe to my olde profession Notwithstanding manie temptations went ouer my heart and the lawe as a right hangman tormented
none If this be so it may be then required how these vnsounde professours differ from true professours I answere in this they differ that they haue not sounde hearts to cleaue vnto Christ Iesus for euer Which appeareth in that they are compared to stonie grounde Now stony groundes mingled with some earth are commonly hot and therefore haue as it were some alacrity and hastines in them and the corne as soone as it is cast into this ground it sprouteth out very speedily but yet the stones wil not suffer the corne to be rooted deepely beneath and therefore when Summer commeth the blade of the corne withereth with roots and all So it is with these professours they haue in their hearts some good motions by the holy Ghost to that which is good they haue a kinde of zeale to Gods worde they haue a liking to good things and they are as forwarde as any other for a time and they doe beleeue But these good motions and graces are not lasting but like the flame and flashing of strawe and stubble neither are they sufficiēt to saluatiō With the true professours it is farre otherwise for they haue vpright and honest hearts before the Lord. Luke 8. vers 15. And they haue faith which worketh by loue Galath 5. vers 6. And that Christian man which loueth God whatsoeuer shall befall yea though it were a thousand deaths yet his heart can neuer bee seuered from the Lord and from his Sauiour Christ as the spowse speaketh vnto Christ of hir owne loue Cant. 8. vers 6. Set me as a seale on thy heart and as a signet vppon thy arme for loue is as strong as death Iealousie is as cruell as the graue the coales thereof are fierie coales and a vehement flame Much water cannot quench loue neither can the floudes drowne it if a man should giue all the substance of his house for loue they would greatlie contemne it Wherefore good Reader seeing there is such a similitude and affinitie betweene the temporary professour of the Gospell and the true professour of the same it is the duetie of euery Christian to try and examine himselfe whether hee be in the faith or not 2. Cor. 13. vers 5. And whereas it is an harde thing for a man to search out his owne heart we are to pray vnto God that he would giue vs his spirit to discerne betweene that which is good and euill in vs. Nowe when a man hath found out the estate of his heart by searching it he is further to obserue and keepe it with all diligence Prouerb 4. vers 23. that when the houre of death or the day of triall shall come he may stand sure and not be deceiued of his hope And for this purpose I haue described the most of these small treatises which follow to minister vnto thee some helpe in this examining and obseruing of thine owne heart Reade them and accept of them and by the blessing of God they shall not bee vnprofitable vnto thee 1589. CERTAINE PROPOSITIONS DECLARING HOW farre a man may go in the the profession of the Gospel and yet be a wicked man and a reprobate I A Reprobate hath in his mind a certain knowledg of God of common equitie among men of the difference of good from bad and this is partly from nature partly from the contemplation of Gods creatures in which the wisedom the power the loue the mercie the maiestie of God is perceiued II This knowledge is only generall and imperfect much like the ruines of a Princes pallace it is not sufficient to direct him in doing of a good worke For example the reprobate knoweth that there is a God and that this God must be worshipped come to particulars who God is what a one hee is howe hee must bee worshipped Here his knowledge faileth him and he is altogether vncertaine what to doe to please God III By reason of this knowledge the reprobate doth giue consent and in his heart subscribeth to the equitie of Gods lawe as may appeare by the saying of Medea Video meliora probóque deteriora sequor That is I knowe what is best to be done and like it yet I doe the worst This approbation in the reprobate commeth from constraint and is ioyned with a disliking of the lawe in the elect being called the approbation of the lawe it proceedeth from a willing ready mind and is ioyned with loue and liking IIII And by reason of this light of nature a meere natural man and a reprobate may be subiect to some temptations for example he may be tempted of the Deuill and of his owne corrupt flesh to beleeue that there is no God at all As Ouid saith of himselfe Eleg 3. 8. Sollicitor nullos esse putare deos I am often tempted to thinke there is no God V The reprobate for all this knowledge in his heart may be an Atheist as Dauid saith the foole hath saide in his heart there is no God And a man may nowe a daies finde houses and townes full of such fooles Nay this glimering light of nature except it be preserued with good bringing vp with diligent instruction and with good company it will be so darkened that a man shall knowe very little and leade a life like a very beast as experience telleth and Dauid knew very well who saith Man is in honor and vnderstandeth not he is like to beasts that perish VI Wherfore this knowledge which the reprobate receiueth from nature from the creatures albeit it is not sufficient to make him doe that which shall please God yet before Gods iudgement seat it cutteth off all excuse which he might alleage why he should not be condemned VII Beside this naturall knowledge the reprobate may be made partaker of the preaching of the word and be illuminated by the holy Ghost and so may come to the knowledge of the reuealed will of God in his word VIII Thus when they heare the preaching of the word God profereth saluation to them and calleth them yet this calling is not so effectuall in them as it is in the elect children of God For the reprobate when he is called he liketh himselfe in his owne blindnes and therefore neither will hee and if he would yet could he not answer and be obedient to the calling of God The elect being called with speede he answereth and commeth to the Lord and his hart being ready giueth a strong and a loud eccho to the voice of the Lorde This eccho wee see in Dauids heart when saith he thou saidest seeke ye my face mine heart answered vnto thee O Lord I wil seeke thy face And God himself speaketh the same of his children Zacha. 13. 9. They shall call on my name and I will heare them I will say it is my people nowe marke the eccho and they shall say the Lord is my God IX After that he hath an vnderstanding of Gods word he may
all fled from him and Peter fearefully denied him They being in this estate are not saide to haue no faith but to be of litle faith Another example we haue in Dauid who hauing continued a lōg space in his two great sins adultery murther was admonished therof by Nathan the Prophet being admonished he cōfessed his sins and strait way Nathan declared vnto him from the Lord the forgiuenes of thē Yet afterward Dauid humbleth himselfe as it appeareth in the 51. Psalme and praieth most earnestly for the forgiuenes of those and all other his sins euen as though it had not beene true that they were forgiuen as Nathan tolde him The reason is howsoeuer they were remitted before God yet Dauid at his first repenting of them felt none assurance in his heart of the forgiuenes of them onely he had a persuasion that they might be pardoned And therefore hee vehemently desired and praied to the Lorde to remitte them and to sanctifie him anewe This then beeing the least measure of faith it must be remembred that he who hath not attained to it hath as yet no sauing faith at all XX The greatest measure of faith is a full perswasion of the mercie of God For it is the strength and ripenes of faith Rom. 4. verse 20. 21. Abraham not weake in faith but beeing strengthned in the faith was fullie perswaded that he who had promised was able to doe it This full assurance is when a man can saie with Paul I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor height nor depth nor anie other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And lest any should think this saying is peculiar to Paule the whole Church in the cāticles vseth the same in effect saying Loue is strong as death iealousie is as cruell as the graue the coals thereof are fierie coals a vehement flame Much water cannot quench loue neither can the flouds drown it if a man should giue all the substance of his house for loue they would contemne it XXI No Christian attaineth to this full assurance at the first but in some continuance of time after that for a long space hee hath kept a good conscience before God and before men and hath had diuers experiences of Gods loue and fauour towardes him in Christ. This Paul declareth to the Romans in afflictions God sheds abroad his loue in their hearts by the holie Ghost which is giuen to them hence ariseth patience from patience commeth experience from experience hope and hope neuer maketh ashamed or disappointeth him of eternall life This is euident in Dauids practise Doubtlesse saith he kindnes and mercie shall followe mee all the daies of my life and I shall liue a long season in the house of the Lord. Marke this his resolute perswasion and consider howe hee came vnto it namely by experience of Gods fauour at sundry times and after sundrie manners For before he set down this resolution he numbred vp diuers benefites receaued of the Lord that he fed him in greene pastures led him by the refreshing waters of Gods word That he restoreth him leadeth him in the pathes of righteousnes That he strengthneth him in great dangers euen of death and preserueth him that in despight of his enemies hee enriched him with many benefites By meanes of all these mercies of God bestowed on him he came to be perswaded of the continuance of the fauour of God towards him Againe Dauid said before king Saul let no mans heart faile him because of Goliah Thy seruant wil go and fight with the Philistine And Saul saide to Dauid Thou art not able to goe against this Philistine to fight with him for thou art but a boy he is a man of war from his youth Dauid answered he was able to fight with to slaie the vncircumcised Philistine And the ground of his perswasion was taken from experience for thus he said Thy seruant kept his fathers sheep and there came a Lyon and likewise a beare and tooke a sheepe out of the flocke And I went out after him and smote him took it out of his mouth and when he arose against me I caught him by the beard and smote him and slewe him So thy seruant slew both the Lion and the Beare Therefore this vncircumcised Philistine shal be as one of thē seeing he hath railed on the host of the liuing God The like proceeding must bee in matters concerning eternall life Litle Dauid resembleth euery Christian Goliah and the army of the Philistines resembleth Sathan and his power Hee therefore that will be resolued that he shall be able to ouercome the gates of hell and attaine to life euerlasting must long keep watch ward ouer his own hart he must fight against his own rebellious flesh and crucifie it yea he must haue experiēces of Gods power strēgthning him in many tēptatiōs before he shal be assured of his attaining to the kingdome of heauen XXII Thus much concerning faith it self now followe the fruits and benefites of faith By meanes of this speciall faith the elect are truely ioined vnto Christ and haue an heauenly communion and fellowshippe with him and therfore doe in some measure inwardly feele his holie spirite moouing and stirring in them as Rebecca felt the Twins to stirre in hir wombe Christ is as the heade in the bodie euerie beleeuer as a member of the same body now as the head giueth sense and motion to the members and the members feele themselues to haue sense and to moue by meanes of the head so doth Christ Iesus receiue and quicken euerie true beleeuer and by his heauenly power maketh him to doe the good which he doth And as from the stocke sappe is deriued to the graft that it may liue and grow and bring foorth fruite in his kinde so doe all the faithfull that are grafted into Christ the true Vine And as the graft loseth his wilde nature and is chaunged into the nature of the stocke and bringeth forth good fruit so in like manner it is with them that are in Christ who by little and little are whollie renewed from euill to good XXIII The elect being thus ioyned vnto Christ receiue three wonderfull benefites from him Iustification Adoption Sanctification Iustification is when the elect being in themselues rebellious sinners and therefore firebrandes of hell fire and Gods owne enemies yet by Christ they are accepted of the Lord as perfectlie pure and righteous before him XXIIII This Iustification is wrought in this maner Sinne is that which maketh a man vnrighteous and the childe of wrath and vengeance In sinne there are three things which are hurtfull to man the first is Condemnation which commeth of sinne the seconde is the
disobedience of the law in sinne the third is the root and fountaine of sinne originall corruption These are three deadly woundes and three running sores in the hearts and consciences of all sinners Now Christ Iesus is perfectly righteous and in him a sinner may find three inestimable benefits answerable to the three former euils First the suffringes of Christ vpon the Crosse sufficient for all mens sinnes Secondly the obedience of Christ in fulfilling the law Thirdly the perfect holines of the humane nature of Christ these are three soueraigne medicins to heale all wounded consciences and they are as three running streames of liuing water to bathe and to supple the bruised and contrite heart Now commeth faith and first laieth hold of the sufferinges of Christ and so a sinner is freed from the punishment and guilt of sinne and from eternall damnation and thus the first deadly wounde is cured Againe faith laieth hold of the perfect obedience of Christ in fulfilling the lawe thus the second wound is cured Thirdly faith applieth the holines of Christs humane nature to the sinner then his nature is accepted of God as perfectly sanctified and so his third deadly wound is cured Thus a sinner is made righteous by the righteousnes of Christ imputed to him XXV From true iustification proceede manie other benefits and they are either outward or inward Outwarde benefites are three The first is Reconciliation by which a man iustified is perfectly reconciled to God because his sinne is done awaie and he is arrayed with the perfect righteousnes of Christ. The second is that afflictions to the faithfull are no punishments for sin but only fatherly and louing chastisements For the guilt and punishment of sinne was borne of Christ. Now therefore if a Christian bee afflicted it is no punishment for then God shoulde punish one fault twise once in Christ and the seconde time vpon the Christian which thing doth not agree with his iustice it remaineth therefore that afflictions are only corrections in the faithfull The third benefite is that the man iustified doth deserue and merite at Gods hands the kingdome of heauen For being made perfectly righteous in Christ he must needs merite eternall life in and by Christ. And therefore Paul called it the iustification of life Rom. 5. 18. XXVI Inward benefites proceeding from iustification are those which are inwardlie felt in the hart and serue for the better assurance of iustification and they are principallie fiue The first is Peace and quietnes of conscience As al men naturallie in Adam are corrupt so all men naturallie haue corrupt and defiled consciences accusing them arraigning them before Gods iudgement for their sinnes in such wise that euerie suspition of death and feare of imminent danger maketh a naturall man stand agast at his wits end knowing not what to doe but by faith in Christ the Christian is perswaded of remission of his sins and so the disquietnes of his conscience is appeased and hee hath an inwarde peace in all extremities which cannot be taken from him XXVII The slumbring dead conscience is much like to the good conscience pacified manie through ignorance take the one for the other But they maie be seuered and discerned thus First let the beleeuing Christian examine himselfe whether his conscience was afflicted with the sense of Gods iudgements and pressed downe with the burden of his sinne before hee came to that quietnes for then he may be in good hope that it was the Spirit of God who brought that peace because God hath promised That he will dwell with the humble and contrite to reuiue and quicken them But if hee haue alwayes had that peace from the beginning of his dayes he maie easilie deceiue himselfe by taking the numnesse and securitie of a defiled conscience for true peace of coÌ„science Secondly let him search from whence this peace of his conscience proceedeth For if it come from anie thing else but from the certaintie of the remission of sinne it is no true peace as manie flattering themselues in sinne and dreaming of a pardon are therevpon quieted and the Deuill is readie enough to put this into their mindes but this can bee no true peace Thirdlie let him examine himselfe if he haue a care to keepe a good conscience which if hee haue he hath also reciued from the Lord a good and a quiet conscience For if God bestowe vpon anie man a gift concerning his saluation he giueth him also a care to keepe it XXVIII The seconde inwarde benefite is An entrance into Gods fauour and a perseuerance in it which is indeede a wonderfull benefite When a man commeth into fauour with his Prince then hee is bolde to come vnto his Prince and hee maie haue free accesse vnto his presence and he may sue to his Prince for anie benefite or preferment whereof he standeth in neede and may obteine it before anie other so they which are in Gods fauour by reason that they are freely pardoned and iustified in Christ do boldlie approach into Gods presence and they are readie to aske and sure to obteine anie benefite that is for their good The third is a spirituall ioy in their harts euen then when they are afflicted because they looke certainely to obtaine the kingdome of heauen The fourth is that the loue of GOD is â—hed in the hartes of the faithfull by the holie Ghost that is that the holie Ghost doth make the faithfull verie euidentlie to feele â—he loue of God towards them and doth as it were fill their harts with it XXIX The second maine benefite is Adoption whereby they which are iustified are also accepted of God as his owne children FroÌ„ Adoption proceed many other benefits First the elect child of God hereby is made a brother to Christ. Secondly he is a King and the kingdom of heauen is his inheritaÌ„ce Thirdly he is Lord ouer all creatures saue Angels Fourthly the holie Angels minister vnto him for his good they garde him and watch about him Fiftlie all things yea greeuous afflictions and sin it selfe turne to his good though in his owne nature it bee neuer so hurtfull threfore death which is most terrible vnto him is no entrance into hell but a narow gate to let him into euerlasting life Lastly being thus adopted he may look for comfort at Gods hand answerable to the measure of his afflictioÌ„ as God hath promised XXX The inward assurance of Adoption is by two witnesses The first is our spirit that is an heart and conscience sanctified by the sprinckling of the bloud of Christ. Now because it commeth to passe that the testimonie of our spirit is feeble and weake God of his goodnes hath giuen his owne spirite to bee a fellow witnes with our spirit for the
any euill his hart smote him 2. Sam. 24. 10. Out of this doctrine issueth a notable difference betwixt the wicked the godly In the godly when they are tempred to sin there is a fight between the hart the hart that is betwene the hart it self In the wicked also there is a fight when they are tempted to sinne but this fight is onely betweene the heart and the conscience The wicked man whatsoeuer hee is hath some knowledge of good and euill and therefore when hee is in doing anie euill his conscience accuseth checketh and controuleth him he feeles it stirring in him as if it were some liuing thing that crauled in his body and gnawed vpon his hart and therevpon he is verie often greeued for his sinnes yet for all that hee liketh his sinnes verie well and loueth them and coulde finde in his hart to continue in them for euer so that indeede when hee sinneth hee hath in his hart a striuing and a conflict but that is onlie betweene himselfe and his conscience But the godlie haue an other kinde of battell and conflict for not onelie their consciences pricke them and reproue them for sinne but also their hartes are so renewed that they rise in hatred and detestation of sinne and when they are tempted to euill by their flesh and Sathan they feele a luste and desire to doe that which is good LIIII The second temptation is a quietnesse in the hart of a Christian because hee cannot according to his desire haue fellowshippe with Christ Iesus hee is exercised in this temptation on this manner 1 Christ let him see his excellencie how he is affected towards him 2 Then the Christian considering this desireth Christ and his righteousnes 3 He delighteth himselfe in Christ and hath some inioying of his benefits 4 Then he comes into the assemblie of the Church as into Gods wine-celler that in the word and sacraments he may feele a greater measure of the loue of Christ. 5 But he falles loue sicke that is hee becomes troubled in spirit because he cannot eioy the presence of Christ in the saide manner as he would 6 In this his spirituall sicknes hee first feeles the power of Christ supporting him that the spirite bee not quenched and hee heares Christ as it were whispering in his heart as a man speakes to his friende when hee is comming towardes him a farre off 7 After this Christ comes neerer but the Christian can no otherwise enioy him then a man enioyes the companie of his friend who is on the other side of a wall looking at him through the grate or lattesse 8 Then his eyes are opened to see the causes why Christ so withdrawes himselfe to be his owne securitie and negligence in seeking to Christ his slacknes in spirituall exercises as in prayer and thankes-giuing the deceiptfulnesse and malice of false teachers 9 Then he comes to feele more liuelie his fellowship with Christ. 10 Lastlie he prayeth that Christ would continue with him to the end LV The third temptation is trouble of mind because there is no feeling of Christ at all who seemeth to be departed for a time The exercise of a christiā in this tentatiō is this 1 The poore soule lying as a mā desolate in the night without comfort seekes for Christ by priuate prayer meditation but it will not preuaile 2 He vseth the helpe counsel praier of godlie brethren yet Christ cannot bee found 3 Then hee seekes to godly ministers to receiue some comfort by them by their meanes he can feele none 4 After that all meanes haue bene thus vsed and none will preuaile then by Gods great mercie when he hath least hope hee finds Christ feeles him come againe 5 Presently his faith reuiueth and layeth faster hold on Christ. 6 And he hath an earnest fellowshipp◠with Christ in his hart as before 7 Then comes againe the ioye of the holie ghost the peace of conscience as a sweete sleepe falles vpon him 8 Then his hart ariseth vp into heauen by holie affections and prayers which doe as pillers of smoke mount vpward sweet as myrrhe incense 9 Also hee is rauished there with the meditatiō of the glorious estate of the kingdome of heauen 10 He labours to bring others to consisider the glorie of Christ his kingdome 11 After all this Christ reueiles to his seruāt what his blessed estate is both in this life in the life to come more cleerely thē euer before makes him see those graces which he hath bestowed on him 12 Then the Christian prayeth that Christ would breath on him by his holy spirite that hee may bring forth the fruites of those graces which are in him 13 Lastlie Christ graunteth him this his request LVI The fourth temptation is securitie of hart rising of ouermuch delight in the pleasures of the world The exercise of a Christian in this temptation is this 1 He slumbers and is halfe a sleepe in the pleasures of this world 2 Christ by his word and spirit labours to withdrawe him from his pleasures and to make him more heartilie receiue his beloued 3 But he delayeth to doe it beeing loth to leaue his ease and sweet delights 4 Then Christ awakes him and stirres vp his heart by making him to see the vanitie of his pleasures 5 He then beginnes to be more earnestlie affected towards Christ. 6 With sorrowe hee settes his heart to haue fellowship with Christ after his olde manner and this he expresseth by bringing foorth sweete fruites of righteousnes 7 Then hee feeleth that Christ hath withdrawen his spirit 8 He almost dispaires for this 9 Yet by priuate praier seeks for Christ. 10 When that will not helpe he resorts to the ministers of the word at whose hands hee finds no comfort but discomfort 11 Not recouering his first estate through impatience of the loue of Christ hee makes his miserie knowen to strangers to see if they can comforte him and hee somewhat comforts himselfe in describing Christes excellencie to them 12 They then are rauished with him to seeke Christ and require then to knowe where to finde him 13 Answere is made in the assemblies of the Church 14 After this cōmunication the Christians faith and feeling reuiueth Christ returning to him againe 15 Thē Christ assureth him in his hart of his loue and liking towards him 16 Giuing further assurance to him that he shall grow vp and be made fruitfull in euerie good grace 17 m After this the Christian comes in such a high measure to loue Christ that nothing shal be able to seuer him from Christ. LVII The first temptation is a fall into some great sin as Noah into drunkennes Dauid into adulterie and murder Peter into the deniall of Christ. The exercise of a
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
indeede yet in the faithfull it wil be so for they haue in their harts a perswasion that wheras they are daÌ„ned in theÌ„selues yet in Christ the mercie of God is most plentiful to their saluation and all this God confirmeth and sealeth vnto them by his holie spirite and therefore they cannot but loue God again and that with a feruent loue euen aboue al things in the world and so they loue all Gods creatures and euen their enemies because they beare the image of God whom they loue like as if I haue a friend and loue him I loue all of his name all his kinred and all that appertaine vnto him And by the waie here is a good waie to know whether we haue faith or not Though faith onelie iustifie and make the marriage betweene our Soule and Christ and is properlie the marriage garment yea and the signe Tau that defendeth vs from the smiting and power of euill Angels anâ— is also the rocke on which Christs Churcâ— is built and standeth against all weather oâ— winde and tempest yet is faith neuer seuâ— red from hope and charitie then if a man will be sure that his faith is perfect let him examine himselfe whether he loue the law and in like manner if he will know whether hee loue the lawe that is loue God and his neighbour then let him examine himselfe whether he beleeue in Christ onelie for the remission of sin and obtaining the promises made in the scripture And euen so let him compare his hope of the life to come with faith and loue to the hatred of sin in his life which hatred the loue of the law ingendreth in him And if they accompanie not one another all three together then let him be sure all is but hypocrisie Timoth. Yet by your leaue faith cannot make a man iust before God without hope and charitie then they also with faith haue some stroke in iustification Euseb. I answere though they be inseparable yet I praise God I doe conceiue howe these three haue three separable sundrie offices Faith onlie is an vndoubted sure â—oue in Christ in the father through him â—ertifieth the conscience that the sin is forgiueÌ„ the daÌ„nation of the law taken awaie And with such perswasions mollifieth the â—art maketh it loue God again his law And as oft as we sin faith only keepeth that we forsake not our profession and that loue vtterlie quench not hope faile onlie maketh the peace again for a true beleeuer trusteth in Christ alone and not in his own workes nor ought else for the remission of sins The office of loue is to powre out againe the same goodnes that it hath receiued of God vpon hir neighbor to be to him as it feeleth Christ to be to it self The office of loue is onelie to haue compassion and to beare with hir neighbour the burden of his infirmities 1. Pet. 4. Loue couereth the multitude of sins that is to saie coÌ„sidereth the infirmities interpreteth al to the best taketh for no sin at al a thousand thinges of which the least were inough if a man loued not to goe to lawe for to trouble disquiet an whole Towne and sometime a whole Realme too The office of hope is to comfort in aduersitie and to make patient that we faint not nor fall downe vnder the Crosse or cast it of our backes Thus these three inseparable haue separable offices effects as heat drynes being inseparable in the fire haue yet their separable operations for drynes onelie expelleth the moistnes of all that is consumed by fire and heaâ— onelie destroieth the coldnes And it is not all one to saie the drynes onelie and the drynes that is alone neither is it all one to saie faith onelie and faith that is alone Timoth. You are to be commended you are so perfect in these high points of religion but I know you speake of experience for in you faith hope towardes God charity towards your neighbor are inseparable Euseb. I require no commendations shame and confusion befall mee eternallie that all glorie may be vnto God Timoth. But let vs talke on further of our dueties which we must performe if we will liue Christian like among men And I praie you tell mee what doe you meane that you giue so much vnto the poore considering you are so poore your self I speake my conscience if you had abilitie you woulde doe more theÌ„ an hundred of those rich men do Euseb. God knowes my heart it is a hell vnto me to see my brother for whom Christ shed his bloud to want if I haue anie thing in the world to giue him Among Christian men loue maketh all things common euerie man is others debter and euerie man is bound to minister to his neighbour and to supplie his neighbours lacke of that wherewith God hath indued him Christ is Lord ouer all euerie Christian is heire annexed with Christ therefore Lord ouer all and euerie one is Lord of whatsoeuer another hath if then my brother or neighbour need I haue to helpe him and if I shew not mercie but withdrawe my hands from him then rob I him of his owne am a thief A ChristiaÌ„ maÌ„ hath Christs spirit now Christ is merciful if I shall not be mercifull I haue not Christs spirit if I haue not Christs spirit theÌ„ am I none of his And though I shew mercie vnto my brother yet if I doe it not with such burning loue as Christ did vnto me I must knowledge my sinne and desire mercie in Christ. Timoth. If a man must be franke and free then a man must giue of his owne stocke to the poore and diminish his own substance Euseb. Yea indeed we are made stewards of those goods which God hath giuen vs shal a steward take all vnto himself without reproof I am sure that they which were couetous at Peters first Sermon after Christs ascention diminished their substance when they sold them gaue them to the poore I am sure that the Churches which were in Macedonia which sent reliefe vnto their Churches euen aboue their abilitie they beeing in extreame pouertie did dimisse their possessions and God graunt our conuersations may be like theirs And that wee should be like theÌ„ their examples of great compassion are recorded in the Scriptures Tim. Many of vs haue our selues wife children father mother kinsfolke to relieue so y t it wil be hard to deale after this manner Euseb. Had not these men I named so yea I warraÌ„t you had they And the waÌ„t of loue which you deeme of the Gospell of Christ knoweth not y t a maÌ„ should begin at himself theÌ„ desceÌ„d I wot not by what steps Loue seeketh not hir own profit but maketh a ma to forget himself turn this profit to another maÌ„ as Christ sought not himself or his own profit but ours This terme
of the last commandement perceiued thereby that the desires and lusts of his hart to which he did not yeeld his consent were sinnes damnable before God and knowing this he then saw himself to be most miserable renoūcing his owne righteousnes he sought for righteousnes in Christ. Lastly it teacheth that originall sinne is done away in Baptisme and that is the least sinne of all other What is this but to extenuate mās corruption for when the root of corruptiō is takē away and it is made so little a sinne actuall sinnes cannot bee taken for such heinous matters And for the second point the Church of Rome dooth too too much extoll the power of man and his naturall strength It saith that all actions of men vnregenerate are not sinnes and that originall sinne needeth no repentance that a man hath some free will to do spirituall things that a man by meere naturales may loue God aboue all things feare God beleeue in Christ if we respect the very acte of the worke that the Gentiles might gather out of Philosophie knowledge sufficient for saluatiō that a man without the helpe of the holy Ghost may performe things acceptable to God that the minde of man vnderstandeth of it selfe manye things which be spirituall and heauenly that a man regenerate may fulfill the whole lawe of God that a man may prepare himself to receiue grace to merit grace at Gods hands that he may do works of Supererogation c. By this it appeareth y t the church of Rome ascribeth to much to the nature of mā which is only altogether euill dead in sinne chained vp in miserable bōdage vnder Sathā the prince of darknes and therefore it is euident that all the preaching that is vsed in that Church will not humble a sinner and make him denie himselfe therefore their preaching may peraduenture benumme a corrupt conscience and make it secure but it cannot pacifie the troubled conscience nor disquiet it by the threatnings of the law that by the promises of the Gospell it maie be quieted Againe this religion teacheth that a man must doubt of his saluation as long as he is in this life behold a Racke or Gibbet erected by the church of Rome for the tormenting of tender consciences for when a man doubteth of his saluatiō he also doubteth of Gods loue and mercie to him he which doubteth of Gods loue cannot loue God again for how can anie man loue him of whose good will he doubteth and when a man hath not the loue of God in him he hath no grace in him therefore his conscience must needes be defiled and voide of true peace yea he must needes be a wicked man and that saying of Salomon must needes agree to him The wicked flieth whē no man pursueth by reason of the guiltines of his conscience but the godlie is bold as a Lion Againe Blessed is the man saith Dauid whose sinnes are pardoned where hee maketh remission of sinnes to bee true felicitie nowe there is no true felicitie but that which is inioied and felicitie cannot be inioied vnlesse it bee felt and it cannot be felt vnlesse a man know himselfe to be in possession of it a man cannot know himselfe to be in possession of it if he doubt whether hee hath it or not and therefore this doubting of the remission of sinnes is contrarie to true felicitie is nothing else but a torment of the conscience For a man cannot doubt whether his sinnes be pardoned or not but strait waie if his conscience bee not seared with an hoat iron the verie thought of his sinne will strike a great feare into him for the feare of eternall death and the horror of Gods iudgements will come to his remembrance the consideration of which is most terrible Vndoubtedlie this religion must needes be comfortlesse Alas poore men as we are we are no better then passengers in this worlde our waie it is in the middle of the Sea where wee can haue no sure footing at all and which waie so euer wee cast our eies wee see nothing but water euen opening it selfe to deuoure vs quicke the Diuell and our rebellious flesh raise vp against vs infinite thousandes of tempestes and stormes to ouerthrowe vs but beholde God of his great and endlesse mercie hath brought vs to Christ as to a sure Ancker holde hee bibddeth vs to vndoo our Gables and fling vp our Anckers within the vaile and fasten them in Christ we do it as we are commanded but a Sister of ours I meane the Church of Rome passing in the Ship with vs as it seemeth who hath long taken vppon hir to rule the healme dealeth too too vnkindelie with vs shee vnlooseth our Anckers and cutteth in pieces our Gables shee telleth vs that wee maie not presume to fasten our Ancker on the rocke shee will haue vs freelie to roue in the middle of the Sea in the greatest fogges and the fearefullest tempestes that bee if wee shall follow hir aduise wee must needes looke for a Shippewracke for the least flawe of winde shall ouerturne vs and our poore soules shall bee plunged in the gulphs of hell Lastlie Iustificatiō by works causeth trouble disquietnes to the cōscience No mās conscience can bee appeased before Gods wrath be appeased Gods wrath cānot be appeased by anie workes for the best works the regenerate can doe are imperfect and are stained with some blemish of corruption as may appeare both in the Prophet Esai and in Paule both which had a great misliking of that good which they did because it was mingled with sin And againe euerie man is bound by duetie to keepe the whole lawe so that if a man could keepe it perfectlie he should doe no more then that he is by duetie inioined to doe and therefore he which looketh to merite eternal life at Gods hand by keeping the lawe trusteth but to a broken staffe and is like the Bankrupt that will paie one debt by another for by his sinne euerie man is indebted to the Lord and is bound to answere to the Lord the full punishment of all his sinnes this debt the Papist saith we maie discharge by obedience to the law that is by a new debt which we are as well bounde to paie to our God as the former To end this point let a man looke to bee saued by works and therefore let a man imploie himselfe to do the best works he can yet he shall neuer come to knowe when he hath done sufficient to satisfie Gods wrath and this vncertaintie all his life but especiallie in the houre of death must needes disquiet him And truelie when a man shall haue done manie thousand workes yet his heart can neuer be at quiet as it appeareth in the young man who though hee had laboured all his life to fulfill the law thereby to be saued yet