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
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
sit one on y e right hand of Christ the other on the left They would pray that fire might descend froÌ„ heaueÌ„ consume the Samaritans WheÌ„ Christ asked who say men that I am Peter answered Thou art the sonne of the liuing God as though Peter had beene as perfecte as an Angell But imediatlie after when Christ preached â—nto them of his death and passion Peter was angry and rebuked Christ and thought earnestlie that hee had raued and not wist what hee had said as at another time when Christ was so feruentlie busied in healing the people that he had no leasure to eate they went out to holde him supposing that hee had beene beside himselfe And one that cast foorth Diuelles in Christes name they forbadde because hee waited not on theÌ„ so glorious were they yet And though Christ taught alway to forgiue yet Peter after long going to schole asked whether men should forgiue seauen times thinking that eight times had beene too much And at the last supper Peter woulde haue died with Christ but yet within fewe houres after he denied him both cowardly shamefullie And after the same manner though he had so long hearde that no man must auenge himselfe but rather turne the other cheeke to the smiter againe yet when Christ was in taking Peter asked whether it were lawfull to smite with the sworde and taried no answere but laide on rashlie So that although wee bee once reconciled to God yet at the first we be but children and yong scholers weake and feeble and must haue leasure to growe in the spirite iâ— knowledg loue and deeds thereof as yong children must haue time to growe in their bodies and so in like manner the sting of the serpent is not pulled out at once but the poyson of our nature is minished by little and little and cannot before the houre of death be wholie taken awaie Timoth. I perceiue by your godlie discourse the manifolde conflictes betweene the flesh and the spirite and that the flesh is like to a mightie Giant such a one as was Goliah strong lustie stirring enimie to God confederate with the Diuell and the spirite like to a little childe such a one as was little Dauid new borne weake and feeble not alwaies stirring nowe then what meanes do you vse to weaken the flesh and strengthen the spirit Euseb. I vse to tame my flesh with praier and fasting watching deedes of mercie holie meditations reading the scriptures and in bodilie labour and in with-drawing all manner of pleasures from the flesh and with exercises contrarie to the vices which I finde in my bodie most inclined to and with absteining from all things that encourage the flesh against the spirit as reading of toyes and wanton bookes seeing of plaies and enterluds wanton communication foolish iesting effeminate thoughts and talking of couetousnes which Paul forbiddeth Eph. 5. magnifying of worldly promotions If these will not mortifie my flesh then God sendeth me some troubles and so maketh me to grow waxe perfect and fineth and trieth me as gold in the fire of tentations and tribulations Thus verie often he maketh me to take vp my crosse naileth my flesh vnto it for the mortifying thereof Marke this if God send thee to the sea promise to go with thee he wil raise vp a tempest against thee to prooue whether thou wilt abide by his word and that thou maist feele thy faith weakenes and perceiue his goodnes for if it were alwaies faire weather and thou neuer brought into such ieopardie whence his mercie onlie deliuereth thee thy faith should bee onelie a presumption thou shouldest be euer vnthankefull to God and merciles vnto thy neighbour If God promise riches the waie therevnto is pouertie whom he loueth him he chasteneth whom he exalteth hee casteth downe whom he saueth he first damneth hee bringeth no man to heauen except he send him to hell first if hee promisâ— life he slayeth first when he buildeth he casteth downe all first he is no patcher hee cannot abide another mans foundation he will not worke till all bee past remedie and brought to such a case that meÌ„ may see how that his haÌ„d his power his mercy his goodnes his truth hath wrought altogether hee will let no man be partaker with him of his praise and glorie his works are wonderfull contrarie to mans workes who euer saue he deliuered his own sonne his only sonne his deere son his darling vnto the death for his enimies to win his enimies to ouercome theÌ„ with loue that he might see loue loue again and of loue likewise to doe to other men to ouercome them with well doing Ioseph saw the Sun and the Moone and seauen starres worshipping him neuertheles ere that came to passe God laid him where he could see neither sun nor moone neither anie star of the skie and that many yeres and also vndeserued to nurture him to make him humble meeke to teach him Gods waies and to make him apte and meete for y t roome honor again he came to it that he might be strong in the spirit to minister it well God promised the children of Israel a land with riuers of milke honie yet hee brought them foorth the space of fortie yeares into a lande where in riuers of milke and honie were but where so much as a drop of water was not to nurture and teach them as a father doth his sonne and to doe them good at the latter ende to seduce their cankred nature to make them strong in the spirite to vse his benefites aright Lastlie God promised Dauid a kingdome and immediatelie stirred vp Saul against him to persecute him and to hunt him as men doe hayres with gray-houndes and to ferret him out of euerie hole and that for the space of manie yeares to turne him to make him to mortifie his lustes to make him feel his own diseases in fine to make him a good man and a good King Timoth. But how if it come to passe that you be tempted to anie great sinne and the fleshe ouercome the spirit in what case are you then Euseb. There is no bodie here but you I and I take you to bee a Christian and a faithfull friende therefore I will shewe a little of my exhortation The last yeare by reason of the dearth I and my familie were put to great pinches and most commonly we had nothing but bread and water here vpon I bethought mee howe I might get somewhat to releiue my familie It came into my minde that in our Towne a rich man had a great flocke of sheepe and that I might take one of them without any hurt of him I was verie loath at the first but because there was such great stealing of sheepe I was in extremitie in the night I went among his sheep and tooke a lambe and told my familie that it was giuen me I presently killed it the
skinne and the entralles I burned on my backeside the fleshe wee dressed by quarters and did eate it with thanksgiuing as my manner is but surely verie coldlie and mee thought my prayer was abhominable in Gods sight After I had thus done we fared wel for the space of two daies but I felt my heart hardned and my lips were almost locked vp that I could not as I was wont praise the Lord. The third night after I went with a quiet conscience mee thought to my bedde and then I slept soundlie till three of the clocke in the morning but I dreamed that one came to carrie me to pryson vpon that on a sudden I awaked and beeing afraide looked about mee and fell to consider why I should be afraide and I remembred that I had sinned against God by robbing my neighbor ô then my feare increased and I thought that hell gaped to deuoure me and the law looked vpon me with such a terrible countenaunce and so thundred in myne eares that I durst not abide in my bed but vp to goe Then the Diuell assailed me on euerie side to perswade that God had cast mee awaie saying they that be Gods haue power to keepe his law thou hast not but breakest them Therefore thou art a cast-awaie and a damned creature hell gapeth and setteth opē his mouth to deuour thee And I thought with my selfe that I had beene alwaies a ranke hypocrite for as the cloudes of the ayre doe couer the sunne so that sometimes a man cannot tell by anie sense that there is anie Sun the clouds windes hiding it from our sight euen so my cecitie and blindnesse and corrupt affections and the rage of my conscience did so ouershadow the sight of Gods seed in me and so ouerwhelme his spirite as though I ha◠beene a plaine reprobate And thus i◠came to passe that Dauid making his praier to GOD according to his owne sens◠and feeling but not according to the truth desired of God to giue him againe his spirite Which thing GOD neuer doth indeede although hee made mee to thinke so for a time for alwaies hee holdeth his hande vnder his children in their falles that they lie not still as other doe which are not regenerate I being thus turmoiled and stong with the conscience of sinne and the cockatrice of my poisoned nature hauing behelde hirselfe in the glasse of the righteous law of God there was no other salue or remedie but to runne to the brasen Serpent Christ Iesus which shedde his blood hanging vppon the crosse and to his euerlasting testament and mercifull promise that it was shed for mee for the remission of my sinnes therefore I got me speedilie into a close corner in my house and there vpon my face groueling I confessed my sinne and prayed after this manner in effect Father what an horrible monster am I What taytor what rascall and villaine thy mercie is woonderfull that hell hath not deuoured me hauing deserued a thousand damnations I haue sinned I haue sinned against thy godly holy righteous law and against my brother by robbing him whome I ought to loue for thy sake as dearlie as my selfe forgiue mee father for thy son Christ his sake according to thy most mercifull promisses and testament forget not good Lorde thy olde mercies shewed vppon me let them not at this time in me be quite remooued On this manner praiing I continued fiue howers and GOD which is neere to all them that call vppon him heard me eased my paine and assured mee of the remission of my sin After presently for the more easing of my conscience I went to my neighbour betweene him and me vpon my knees confessed my fault with teares desiring him to forgiue me I woulde as Gods lawe requireth restore that which I stole foure folde he I thanke him was contented and toke pittie on me and euer since hath beene by Gods mercie my good friend So by little and little God restored mee to my first estate but mee thinkes I haue not that feeling which I had before and haue bene worse euer since God of his mercie amende me and increase his graces in me Timoth. Praised be God that we fel into this communicatiō for I had thought that no mā had ben in such a case but I for I frō my hart detest that babbling which in time past I haue vsed and I haue vowed with my selfe to vse it no more and God hath giuen mee strength and will to paie my vowes to keepe them halfe a yere or tweluemonth together and then falling into a companie of the honester sort of good fellows I take otherwhiles a cuppe of Nimis for which afterwards I am so touched in my conscience and so grieued inwardlie that often I haue no delight in my meate and then I vse praier and reading and meditating of the scriptures and do receiue much comfort But I praie you what thinke you will not God condemne his children if they sinne Euseb. No for the ground-worke of our saluation is laide in Gods eternall election and a thousande sinnes nay all the sinnes in the worlde nay all the Deuilles in hell cannot ouerthrow Gods election And it maie bee that sins doe harden our hartes weaken our faith make sadde the spirite of God in vs but take awaie faith or altogether quench the spirit they cānot God cōdemneth no man for his sinnes if he bee adopted in Christ. For then Ioseph Abrahā Dauid Peter Marie Magdalene should bee condemned God is like a father a father if his childe be sicke and therefore be froward and refuse and cast away his meate hauing eaten it spew it vp againe and in his fit be impacient and raue and speake euill of his father yet I say the father wil not cast him forth of his dores but pittieth him and prouideth such things as may restore him to health and when hee is whole remembreth not his disordered behauior in his sicknes Timoth. What means do you finde most effectuall to strengthē your faith to increase Gods graces in you and to raise you vp againe when you are fallen Euseb. Surely I haue very great comfort by the sacrament of the Lords Supper for whereas I am spirituallye diseased and am prone and readye to fall and am most cruelly oftentimes inuaded of the feend the flesh and the law when I haue sinned and am put to flight and made to runne awaye from God my father therefore hath God of all mercie and of his infinite pitty bottomlesse compassion set vppe his sacrament as a signe vpon a hie hill whence it may be seene on euery side far and neare to call againe them that be runne awaye And with this sacrament he as it were clocketh to them as a hen dooth for hir chickens to gather them vnder the wings of his mercy and hath commanded his sacrament to be had in continuall vse to put vs in minde of his cōtinuall mercy
my self is not in the gospel neither yet father mother sister brother kinsmā y t one should in loue be preferred before another The loue that springeth out of Christ excludeth no man neither putteth difference betweene one other In Christ wee are all of one degree without respect of persons Notwithstanding though a Christian mans hart be open to all men receiueth all men yet because his abilitie of goods extendeth not so farre this prouision is made that euerie man should care for his owne housholde as father mother thine elders that haue holpen thee wife children and seruants When a man hath done his duetie to his houshold and yet hath further aboundance of the blessing of God that he oweth to the poore that cannot labour and cannot get worke and ar◠destitute of friendes to the poore I meane which he knoweth and to them of his owne parish For that prouision ought to be had in the Church that euerie parish prouide for the poore If his neighbours which hee knoweth bee serued then is hee debter to the brethren a thousand miles off if he heare of their necessity haue himself anie plentie yea to the verie Infidels he is a debter if they need as farre forth as he doth not maintaine them against Christ. Thus is euerie mā that needeth my help my father mother sister brother in Christ euen as euerie man that doth the will of the father is father mother sister and brother vnto Christ. Timoth. Now ye somewhat perswade me of that which me thought at the first blush was against common sense Euseb. By Gods grace I will perswade you more yet How if our sauiour Christ Iesus should now dwell vpon the earth in pouertie want could you not be contented to bestow halfe your goods on him Timoth. Halfe my goods Nay truely all and my heart blood for I knowe if I should loose my life for him I should saue it Euseb. Verie well Christ is all in all Euerie Christian man to another is Christ himselfe and whatsoeuer is doone to the poore is doone to Christ himselfe and therefore your neighbours neede hath as good right in your goods as hath Christ himselfe which is heire and Lord ouer all And looke what you owe to Christ that you owe to your neighbours neede to your neighbour owe you your heart and life and whatsoeuer you haue or can doe Timoth. Wee need not giue our reliefe except the poore require it Euseb. Aske or not if they want you are bound to relieue them As Christ loued you so loue them Christ loued you being his enimie when I am sure of it you neuer asked remission of sinnes Timoth. Wee neede not releeue them often need we Euseb. Yes as long as you are able and as oft as they want If Christ should forgiue vs but once we should come short of heauen Timoth. The world is full of naughtines and lewde people take pleasure in dooing wrong and in slandering and in hindering their brethren how can you liue among them in quietnes do you vse to giue like for like Euseb. No you must vnderstand that there bee two states or regiments in the worlde the kingdome of heauen which is the regiment of the Gospell and the regiment of the worlde which is the temporall kingdome In the first state there is neither father nor mother neither maister mistres maide nor seruant nor husband nor wife nor Lord nor subiect nor inferior woman but Christ is all each to other is Christe himself there is none better then other but all alike good all brethren and Christ onlie is Lord ouer all neither is there any other thing to doo or other law saue to loue one another as Christ loued 〈◊〉 In the temporall regiment is husband wife father mother sonne daughter mistres maide man-seruant subiect Lord Now euery person is a double person and vnder two regimēts in the first regiment I am a person of mine owne selfe vnder Christe and his doctrine and maye neither hate nor be angrie and much lesse fighte or reuenge but must after the example of Christe humble my selfe forsake and denie my selfe and hate my selfe and caste my selfe awaye and bee meeke and patient and let euery man goe ouer mee and treade mee vnderfoote and doo mee wronge and yet I am to loue them and praye for them as Christ did for his crucifiers for loue is all and whatsoeuer is not of loue is damnable and cast foorth of that kingdome In the temporall regiment thou art a person in respect of an other thou art husband father mother daughter wife lord subiect and there thou must doe according to thine office If thou be a father thou must doe the office of a father and rule or else thou damnest thy selfe thou must bring all vnder obedience whether by faire meanes or by foule thou must haue obediencc of thy wife of thy seruants and of thy subiects if they will not obeye in loue thou must chide fight and correct as farre as the lawe of GOD and the lawe of the lande will suffer thee Now to the purpose whether a man maie resist violence and defend or reuenge him-himselfe I saie naie in the firste state where thou art a person for thy selfe alone and Christs disciple there thou must loue and of loue doe studie and enforce yea suffer all thinges as Christ did to make peace that the blessing of God may come vppon thee Which saith blessed are the peacemakers for they shall bee the children of God If thou suffer keepe peace in thy selfe onely thy blessing is the possession of this worlde but if thou so loue the peace of thy brother that thou leaue nothing vndoone or vnsuffered to further it thou shalt possesse heauen But in this worldlie state where thou art no priuate man but a person in respect of other thou must and art bounde vnder paine of damnation to execute thine office Of thy seruants thou must exact obedience and must not suffer thy selfe to bee dispised If thou art a ruler thou must take imprison and sley to not of malice and hate to reuenge thy selfe but to defende thy subiectes and to maintaine thine office the ruler must not oppresse his subiects with rentes fines and customes at all neither pill them with taxes and such like to maintaine his owne lustes but bee louing and kinde vnto them as Christ was to him for they be the price of his bloode I will shewe my minde more plainelie by one example You are in your fathers house among your brethren and sisters there if one fight with another or if anie doe you wrong you maie not reuenge or smite for that pertaineth to the father onelie But if your Father giue you authoritie in his absence and commaunde you to smite if they will not bee ruled but abuse you then you are another person Notwithstanding yet you haue not put off the first person but are a brother still and must
of godlines this seruice is prescribed by the religion of the Church of Rome which standeth onelie in outward and corporall ceremonies as the outwarde succession of Bishops garments vestures gestures colours choise of meate difference of daies times and places hearing seeing saying touching tasting numbring of Beades gilding and worshipping of Images building Monasteries rising at midnight silence in Cloisters abstaining frâ— flesh and whitmeat Fasting in Lent keeping Imber-daies hearing Masse and diuine seruice seeing and adoring the bodie in forme of bread receiuing holie water and holie breade creeping to the Crosse carrying Palmes taking Ashes bearing Candles Pilgrimage going censing kneeling knocking alâ—ers superalters candlestickes pardons In orders Crossing annointing shauing for swearing maâ—â—iâ—ge in Baptisme salting crossing spatling exâ—â—â—iâ—â—ng washing of hands at Easter confessioÌ„ 〈…〉 â—irge satisfaction and in receauing with 〈…〉 â—ew shauen to imagine a bodie where they 〈…〉 â—nd though he were there present to bee seene 〈…〉 â—he outwarde seeing and touching of him of 〈…〉 â—ithout faith conduceth no more then it did 〈…〉 Iewes At Rogation daies to carrie banners to follow the Crosse to walke about the fields after Pentecost to goe about with Corpus Christi plaie At Hallowmas to watch in the Church to saie a dirge or commendation and to ring for all soules to paâ—â— tithes truelie to giue to the high Altar And if a man will bee a Priest to saâ—e Masse and Mattens to serue the Saint of that daie and to lifâ— well ouer the heade In sickenesse to bee anneled to take his Rites after his death tâ—… haue Funerall and Obites saide for him anâ— to bee rong for at his Funerall Moneths minde and Yeare minde This is the summe oâ— the Catholique Religion standing in bodilie Actions not in anie motion or woorke oâ— the holie GHOST woorking in thâ— heart The Morall Lawe conteining perfect righteousnesse is flatte opposite to mans corrupt Nature therefore whatsoeueâ— Religion shall repeale and make of none effect the commaundements of the Morall Lawe that same Religion must needeâ— ioine handes with the corruption of Nature and stand for the maintenance of it This doth the Religion of the Church oâ— Rome it maie bee it doth not plaineliâ— repeale them yet in effect it doth anâ— if it shall frustrate but anye one pointe of anye one commaundement the whole commaundement yea the whole law therby is made in vaine 1 The first commandement requireth that wee haue the true Iehoua for our onely God the church of Rome maketh other gods beside this true God it maketh the bodie of Christ to be God because they hold it may be in many places in heauen in earth at the same time which thing is onely proper to God It maketh euery Saint departed to bee God because it holdeth that Saintes doo heare vs now being vpon the earth and that they knowe our thoughtes when wee praye to them which none but the true GOD can doo It maketh the Pope to bee God and that in plaine woordes Pope Nicholas saith Constat summum Pontificem à pio principe Constantino Deum appellari It is well knowne that the Pope of the godlie Prince Constantine was called GOD. Againe in the extrauagants of the same Cannon lawe it is written Dominus Deus noster Papa Our Lorde GOD the Pope And againe Christopher Marcellus saide to the Pope Tu es alter deus in â—erris Thou art another God vpon earth the Pope toke it to himself As the Pope in plaine words is made God so the power giuen to him declareth the same Hee can make holie that which is vnholie iustifie the wicked and pardon sins hee maie dispense contrary to the saying of an Apostle he can change the nature of things and of nothing make somewhat What is all this but to place the Pope in Gods roome and to rob the Lord of his maiestie Againe the Church of Rome maketh Marie the Mother of Iesus to be as God In the Breuiarie reformed published at the commandement of Pius shee is called A Goddes in expresse words and she is further tearmed the Queene of heauen the Queene of the world the gate of heauen the mother of grace and mercie Yea shee is farre exalted aboue Christ and he in regarde of her is made but a poore vnderling in heauen for Papistes in their seruice vnto her they praie on this manner saying Shew thy selfe to bee a mother and cause thy sonne to receiue our prayers set free the captiues and giue light to the blinde Lastlie the verie Crosse is made as a God For they salute it by the name of their onelie hope and praie it to increase iustice to the godlie and to giue sinners pardon Wherefore the Church of Rome beside the one true God distinguished into three persons the father the sonne the holy Ghost maketh also manie other and so in truthe hath repealed this first commandement And they haue verie plainely repealed the second commandement in that they teach it lawfull to make images of the true God and to worship him in them For the flat contrarie is the verie scope of this commandement namelie that no image must be made of the true Iehoua nor any worship be performed vnto him in an image which appeareth thus In Deutronomie Moyses maketh a large commentarie of this commandement and this verie point he sets downe expresselie saying take heed to your selues for yee sawe no image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the middest of the fire that yee corrupt not your selues and make you a grauen image or representation of anie figure c. His argument I set downe thus As God appeared in mount Horeb so he is to be coÌ„ceiued and represented but he appeared in no image in mount Horeb onelie his voice was hard therefore he is not to be conceiued or represented in anie image but men are to bee content if they may heare his voice Againe that sinne to which the people of Israell were speciallie giuen euen that dooth the Lorde especially forbid but to this were the people of Israell speciallie giuen not so much to make Images of false Gods as to make Images of the true God and to worship him in them which I proue thus In the booke of Iudges it is saide that the children of Israell did wickedlye in the sight of the Lord and serued Baalim Now these Baalim what are they Surely Idoles resembling the true God as the prophet Hosea declareth and at that daie saith the Lord thou shalt call me Ishai and shalt call mee no more Baali Heere it appeareth that the Israelites meaning was not to worship a false God but the true God in Baalim And Aaron when he made the golden Calfe proclaimed that the next daye should be holie daie not of anie false God but of the Lorde that brought them out of Egypt The prophet Esaie after
that he had set foorth Gods maiestie verie worthelye he comes in with this conclusion To whome then will yee liken GOD or what similitude will yee set vp of him which declareth that the Iewes after the manner of the Gentiles ran a whoring after Idoles that is Images not onely of false Gods but also of the true God I conclude therefore as I began that the Church of Rome by maintaining Images hath repealed this commaundement Neither dooth it shewe lesse fauour to the third commaundement which also is repealed First in that they teach men to giue the glorie which is proper to GOD to some thing else it is proper to GOD after the daie of Iudgement to be all in all this they giue to Marie saying that shee is all in all It is proper to Christe in respect of other creatures to bee a light lightning all that come into the worlde yet they praye to Marie to giue light to the blinde It is proper to Christe to bee the redeemer of mankinde and this worke of redemption is ascribed to Marie whome Papists call their hope their ioye their mediatresse a medecine for the diseased a defence from the enemie a friend in the houre of death Againe they make Saint Martin A Priest according to the order of Melchisedecke which is proper to Christe Secondly they holde that the people is to be barred from the reading of the scriptures vnlesse it be in an vnknowne tongue and so they mainteine ignorance and the profaning of Gods name For the free preching of the worde and therefore also the hearing learning reading searching of it is the glorifiyng of the word and so the glorifying of Gods name The fourth commaundement is repealed in that they require that their feast daies should be kept as solemnlie as the Lords sabaoth day For they must be kept in all honour and comlines and men must rest from all their laboures from morning to euening as on the Sabaoth whereas contrariwise the Lord hath giuen permission to his seruants to labour the sixe daies sobeit on the seauenth they wil rest from the works of their callings and do the workes of the spirit They repeale the fift commaundement in that they teach that their cleargie hath an immunitie and therfore is not bound to performe obedience to Magistrates for so they haue decreed that Clarkes are to be iudged onely of Bishops and that they are onely to reskue them from iniuries Againe that the Bishop must not bee iudged of the secular power and that the Pope himselfe oweth no subiection to Kings Princes Emperors but hath power to make them and to put them downe at his pleasure But S. Paule for the maintening of the fift commandement bids euery soule be subiect to the higher powers and therefore the pope with his cleargie as Chrysostome hath expounded it must be subiect to ciuill Magistrates vnlesse they wil exclude themselues out of the number of men for Paul speakes to all Against the sixte commandement they haue decreed asyles for murderers plainly permitting them which feare authoritie to haue safetie in the lap of their mother the Church Thus they annihillat Gods commandement yea and more then this whether tends all that they teach but the very murthering of soules For example saluation by workes of grace is one of their chiefe â—oints But that man that is perswaded that he must be saued by his workes must also â—ut his trust in them and he which trusteth â—o his workes is accursed before God For â—ursed is that man that trusteth in man whether â—t be himselfe or other The seauenth commaundement is reâ—ealed diuerse waies First in that they maintaine the occasions of adulterie and fornication namelie the vowe of single life both in men and women when as they haue not receiued the gift from God to be continent which gift when they want yet are bouÌ„d to single life they must needs breake out into much loosenesse This sin made Mantuan Palingenius and Petrarch to crie out against the Church of Rome Againe some Papistes defende the tolleration of the Stewes in Rome for the auoiding of greater euils And in the Councell of Trent chastitie and Priestes marriage are made opposite so that marriage with theÌ„ is a filthie thing although God hath ordained it for the auoiding of fornication in all Furthermore that which is most abhominable and proues the Church of Rome to be an Antichristian Church they maintaine marriages within the degrees forbidden both by the law of nature and of gods word For in the table of consanguinitie they which are placed in the transuerse vnequall line cannot marrie because they are as Parents and children yet if they bee distant foure degrees on diuers sids from the common stocke they may marrie together by the Cannon lawe As for example the graund vncle maie marrie his Sisters nephewes neece a thing verie filthie in nature considering that a man cannot marry with any honestie his sisters child To go further by gods word they which are distaÌ„t 4. degrees in the transuerse equall line may marrie together as Cosin germanes Thus the daughters of Zelophehad were married to tâ—eir fathers brothers sons this example I take it is warrant of the lawfulnesse of this marriage else where Yet the Cannon lawe condemnes this marriage of Cousin germanes and the marriage of their children after them though they bee eight degrees distant Thus the Church of Rome doth ouerwhart the Lord where he giues liberrie they restraine it and when hee restraiâ—eth men then they giue libertie They repeale the eight commandement by their spirituall Marchandize in which they sell those things which are not to bee solde as Crosses to deade men images praiers the sound of belles remission of sinnes and the merites by which men maie come to the kingdome of heauen their shaueling Priests will do no duetie without they be feed with monie hence comes the â—rouerbe No pennie no pater noster They teach men to beare false witnesse and so to sinne against the ninth commandement in that they holde that Marie is the Queene of heauen whereas indeede shee is no queene but doth continuallie cast downe hir crowne before Christ with the rest of the saintes And a man may as wel beare false witnes in speaking too much as in speaking too little In the tenth commandement the first motions that go before consent are forbidden otherwise there shall be no difference betweene it and the rest For they also are spirituall and forbid inward motions but the difference is that they forbidde onelie the motions that goe with consent Now the Papistes saie that these motion are no sinne properlie vnlesse consent followe and therefore they in expresse words repeale this commandement For if concupiâ—cence and the first motions bee no sinnes properlie then there neede no prohibition of them The fourth Argument THat religion which is contrarie to it selfe onelie a meere
Father 10 It holdeth that in the Masse the Priest â—ffereth vp Christ to his Father an vnbloudie â—acrifice This is a thing impossible for if Christ in the Masse be sacrificed for sin theÌ„â—…e must die his bloud must be shed Heb. 9 〈…〉 2. And in the Scriptures these two sayings 〈…〉 Christ is dead Christ is offered vp in sacriâ—ice are all one So then the Papist when he â—upposeth that there maie be an vnbloudie sacrifice in effect he saith thus much therâ— is a sacrifice which is no Sacrifice 8 In the Canon of the Masse the church of Rome praieth on this wise We humblie beseech thee most mercifull father by Iesus Christ thy son our Lord y t thou wouldest accept these gifts and oblations these holy Sacrifices which we thy Church offeâ— to thee c. where first they offer vp Christ to God the Father in the name of Christ so they make Christ to be his owne mediator Againe they desire God to blesse to accept his owne Sonne for they offer vp Christ. If they say he needeth now the blessing of his Father they make Christ a weak and imperfect Christ if hee neede not the blessing of his Father their praier is needelesse Also they desire GOD to accept not one gift or one sacrifice but in the plurall number these gifts and sacrifices whereas they hold that Christs body is one only bodie and therfore but one sacrifice And thus they are at variance with themselues 9 Papists in word they say that they beleeue and put their trust in God yet wheras they looke to be saued by their workes they set the confidence of their hartes in truth vpon their owne doings 10. They put such holines in Matrimoâ—ie that they make it one of their 7. Sacraâ—eÌ„ts which confer grace to the partakers â—f them yet they forbidde their Cleargie to â—arrie because to liue in marriage is to â—ue according to the flesh and the Counâ—el of Trent opposeth marriage chastitie 11. It teacheth that soules kept in Purâ—atorie maie bee redeemed by Sacrifices â—nd Suffrages Against this is a Canon of â—heir lawe taken out of Saint Hieromes We â—nowe that in this life wee maie helpe one â—nother either by Praiers or by good â—ounsell but when wee shall come beâ—ore the iudgement seate of Christ neiâ—her Iob nor Daniel nor Noe maie intreate â—or anie but euerie man to beare his owne burthen And according to another Canon going vnder the name of Gelasius Bishop of Rome Either there is no Purgatorie or the soules which goe thither shall neuer returne 12. And to conclude the most points of their religion are contrarie to their Canons as by searching may appeare in these examples 1. The dead cannot heare the praiers of them which call vpon them 2. Peter and Paule were two of the chieâ— Apostles and it is hard to saie which was aboue the other 3. Leo the fourth liuing in the yere 846â— acknowledged Lotharius the Emperour for his Prince 4. No Bishop maie be called vniuersall 5. The Church of Rome hath no more authority ouer other Churches than other Churches ouer it 6 A Priest and a Bishop were in timeâ— past all one 7 The Pope hath no power to giue oâ— sell Pardons 8. There can be no merite by fasting oâ— abstinence from flesh 9. The Masse is nothing but the forme of diuine sacrifice By this which hath beene saide it doth in part appeare that the religion of the Church of Rome is repugnant to it self and it could not so be if it were from the worde of God A Corollarie gathered out of the former assertion 1. A man beeing indued with no more grace then that which he maie obteine by the religion of the Church of Rome is still in the state of damnation ⧠A Dialogue containing the conflictes betweene Sathan and the Christian. Sathan OVile helhound thou art my slaue and my vassall why then shakest thou off my yoke Christian. By nature I was thy vasal but Christ hath redeemed me Sathan Christ redeemeth no Reprobates such as thou art Christian. I am no Reprobate Sathan Thou art a Reprobate for thou â—halt be condemned Christian. Lucifer to pronounce damâ—ation belongeth to God alone thou art no Iudge it is sufficient for thee to bee an accuser Sathan Though I cannot condemne thee yet I know God will condemne thee Christian. Yea but God will not condemne me Sathan Goe too let vs trie the matter Is not God a Lorde and a King ouer thee and maie he not therefore giue thee a lawe to keepe and punish thee with hell fire if thou breake it Christian. Yes Sathan And hast thou kept the lawe oâ— this thy Lord and King Christian. No. Sathan Let vs proceede further Is not the same Lord also a most righteous iudge therfore a most sharpe reuenger of sinne Christian. Yes truelie Sathan Why then wilt thou flatter thy selfe thou hypocrite God cannot winke aâ— thy sins except he should be vniust Wherâ—fore there is no remedie thou art sure to bâ— damned hell was prouided for thee now it gapeth to deuoure thee Christian. There is remedie inough to deliuer me from condemnation For God iâ— not onelie as thou affirmest a Lord and Iudge but also a sauing and a most mercifull Father Sathan But thou fire brande of hell fire and childe of perdition looke for no mercie at Gods hands because thou art a most grieuous sinner for 1. Originall sinne runneth whollie ouer thee as a lothsome botch or leprosie 2. Thy minde knoweth not the thinges that be of God 3. In the lawe of God thou art starke blinde sauing that thou hast a fewe principles of it to make thee inexcusable 4. The Gospel is foolishnes and madnes vnto thee thou makest no better accompt of it then of thine owne dreame 5. Thy conscience is corrupt because it flattereth thee and excuseth thy sinne 6. Thy memorie keepeth and remembreth nothing but that which is against Gods word but thinges abhominable and wicked it keepeth long 7. Thy will hath no inclination to that which is good but onelie to sinne and wickednesse 8. Thy affections are set onelie on wickednes they are as mighty Giants and Princes in thee they haue thee at commandement Remember that for verie anger thou â—ast beene sicke that the lust of thy flesh hath driuen thee to madnes forget not thy Atheisme thy contempt of Gods worde thy inward pride thy enuie hatred malice thy couetousnes and infinite other wicked desires which haue led thee captiue and made thee outragious in all kind of naughtines 10. Thy actuall sinnes committed partlie in secrete partlie in publike are most filthie and most infinite Remember howe in such a place at such a time thou didst commit fornication in another place thou diddest steale c. God saw this I warrant theeâ— yea all thy sinnes are written in his bookeâ— wherefore thou cursed wretch all hope of mercie is
cut off from thee Christian. But Gods mercie farre exceedeth all these my sinnes and I cannot bee so infinite in sinning as God is infinite in mercie and pardoning Sathan Darest thou presume to thinke of Gods mercie why the least of thy sinnes deserueth damnation Christian. None of my sinnes can feare me or dismaie me Christ hath borne the full wrath and vengeance of his Father vpon the Crosse euen for me that I might be deliuered from condemnation which was due vnto mee Sathan If Gods purpose were not to condemne thee perswade thy selfe hee would neuer laie so manie afflictions and crosses on thee as he doth What is this want of good name this weaknes and sicknesse of the bodie these terrours of thy minde this dulnesse and frowardnes of thy hart what are all these I saie and manie other euils but the beginnings and certaine flashings of the fire of Hell Christian. Nay rather my afflictions are â—liuelie testimonies of my saluation For god as a louing Father partlie by them as with â—courges chastneth my disobedience and bringeth me into order partly conformeth me vnto my Sauiour Christ and so by little and little layeth open to mee mine owne sinnes that I may dislike my selfe and hate them and maketh mee to renounce the â—orâ—de thy eldest sonne and stirreth me vp to call vpon him to praie earnestly with â—grones and sighes which I am not able to expresse with anie wordes as I feele them Sathan Thy afflictions are heauie and â—omfortlesse therefore they can not be arguments of Gods fauour Christian. Indeed their nature is to bring griefe and heauines to the soule but I haue had ioy in the middest of my afflictions strength sufficient to beare them and after them haue ben many waies bettered which befalleth to none of the wicked and for that cause it is a great perswasion to mee that â— shal not be damned with the wicked world but in spite of all thy power passe froÌ„ death to euerlasting life Sathan After these thy manifold afflictions thou must suffer death which is moâ—â— terrible and a verie entrance to Hell Christian. Death hath lost his sting bâ— Christes death and vnto me it shall be nothing els but a passage vnto euerlasting life Sathan Admit thou shalt bee deliuereâ— from hell by Christ what will this auailâ— thee coÌ„sidering that thou shalt neuer comâ— to the kingdome of heauen for Christeâ— death only deliuereth thee from death eternal it can not aduance thee to euerlastinâ— life Christian. I am nowe at this time a member of Christs kingdome and after this lifâ— shall raigne with him for euer in his euerlasting kingdome Sathan Thou neuer didst fulfill the lawâ— therefore thou canst not come into the kingdome of heauen Christian Christ hath perfectlie fulfilled euerie part of the lawe for mee and by this his obedience imputed vnto mee I my selfe do keepe the lawe Sathan Be it so for all this thou art farre inough from the kingdome of heauen into which no vncleane thing shall euer enter thou although that Christ hath suffered death and fulfilled the lawe for thee yet thou art in part vncleane thy cursed nature and the seedes of sinne are yet remaining in thee Christian. Christ in the virgins wombe was perfectly sanctified by the holie ghost and this perfect holines of his humane nature is imputed to me euen as Iacob put on Esaus garments to get his Fathers blessing so I haue put on the righteousnes of Christ as a long white robe couering my sinnes making me appeare perfectlie righteous euen before Gods iudgement seat Sathan Indeed God hath made promise vnto mankinde in all these mercies and benefits in Christ but the condition of this promise is faith which thou wantest and therfore canst not make anie accompt that Christes sufferings Christes fulfilling of the lawe Christes perfect holinesse can doe thee anie good Christian. I haue true sauing faith The conflicts of Sathan with the strong Christian. Sathan THou sayest that thou hast true faith but I shall sift thee and disproue thee Christian. The gates of Hell shall neuer preuayle against my faith doe what thou canst Sathan Tell me then doest thou thinke that all the world shall be saued Christian. No. Sathan What shall some be saued and some condemned Christiam So saith the worde of God Sathan Thou then are peswaded that God is true euen in his mercifull promises and that he will saue some men as Peter and Paul Dauid c. and this is the onely be leefe by which thou wilt be saued Christian. Naie this I beleeue and more too that I particularly am in the number of those men which shall be saued and this is the beleefe that saueth me Sathan It may bee thou art perswaded that God is able to saue thee but that God will saue thee that is that he hath determined to aduance this thy body and this thy soule into his kingdome that he is most willing to performe it in his good time heerein thou wauerest and doubtest Christian. Nay Sathan I in mine owne heart am fully perswaded that I shall be saued and that Christ is specially my redeemer and O Lord for Christes sake helpe thou my doubting and vnbeliefe Sathan This thy full perswasion is onely a phantasie and a strong imagination of thine owne head it goeth not with thee as thou thinkest Sathan It is no imagination but trueth which I speake For me thinks I am as certaine of my saluation as though my name were registred in the Scriptures as Dauids and Pauls are to be an elect vessell of God and this is the testimonie of the holy spirit of Iesus Christ assuring me inwardly of my adoption and making me with boldnesse and confidence in Christ to pray vnto God the father Sathan Still thou dreamest imaginest thou louest and likest thy self and therefore thou thinkest the best of thy selfe Christian. Yea but God of his goodnesse hath brought foorth such tokens of faith in me that I cannot be deceiued 1. I am displeased with my selfe for my manifold sinnes in which sometime I haue delighted and bathed my self Rom. 7. 15. 24. 2. I purpose neuer to commit them againe if God giue me strength as I trust he will 3. I haue a verie great desire to be doing those things which God commandeth 4. Those that bee the children of God If I doe but heare of them I loue them with my hart and wish vnto them as to my selfe 1. Iohn 3. 14. 5. My heart leapeth for gladnesse when I heare of the preaching of the word 6. I long to see the comming of Christ Iesus that an end may be made of sinning and of displeasing God Apoc. 22. 20. 7. I feele in my heart the fruites of the spirit ioy loue peace gentlenes meekenes patience temperance the workes of the flesh I abhorre them fornication adulterie vncleannesse wantonnesse Idolatrie strife enuie anger drunkennesse bibbing
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.