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
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
meat was within their teeth God in his anger stroke them with a sore plague And which is more strange then this God hath performed that which he hath promised to the vnbeleeuers though they refused to aske it at his handes of this thing wee haue a worthie example in King Achas who vtterly refused to haue a signe of his deliuerance and the confusion of his eneâ—ies when God offered it to him and yet â—e Lord deliuered him XVIII The reprobate may yet goe further in the â—rofession of religion and may seeme for a â—ime to bee planted in the Church for hee doth beleeue the promises of God made in Christ Iesus yet so that hee cannot applie them to himselfe In this thing the elect and the reprobate differ The reprobate generally in a confused maner beleeueth that Christ is a sauiour of some men and he neither can nor desireth to come to the particular applying of Christ. The Elect beleeueth that Christ is a sauiour of him particularly The reprobates faith may perish in this life but the faith of the elect cannot The reprobate may be perswaded of the mercie and goodnes of God towardes him for the present time in the which hee â—eeleth it the elect is not onely perswaded of the mercies he presently inioyeth but also he is perswaded of his eternall election before the foundation of the world of his euerlasting life which yet he doth not inioy Yea if God would confound him and he sawe nothing but present death and hell fire yet such is his nature that still he would beleeue for faith and hope are noâ— grounded vppon sence and feeling but are the euidence of those thinges which were neuer yet seene or felt The life of the faithfull is hid in Christ as the sappe in the roote of the tree their life is not in sence and feeling but in hoping and beleeuing which often times or contrary to mans sence and feeling is in Dauid who saith Create a newe heart in me Psal. 51. XIX After that hee hath receiued a generall a temporal faith in Gods heauenly word and his most mercifull promises of euerlasting life contained therein by the power of the spirite of God he commeth to haue a tast in his heart of the sweetnes of Gods mercies and a reioycing in consideration of the election adoption iustification and sanctification of Gods children But what is this tast I expresse it thus after the meaning of Gods word Suppose a banket prepared in which are many sweete and pleasaunt and dainty meates At this banquet they which are the bidden guests they must be set downe they see the meates they tast them they chawe them in their mouthes they digest them they are nourished fed and strengthned by them they which are not bidden to this â—east may see the meates handle them and â—ast of them to feele how good they are but â—hey must not eate and feede of them The first resemble the elect which truely eate digest and are nourished by Christ vnto euerâ—asting life because they haue great aboundance of the vitall heate of Gods holy spirit in them and doe feele sensibly his grace and vertue in them to strengthen them and guide them The second sort truly resemble the reprobates which neuer in truth enioy Christ or any of his benefites appertaining to saluation but onely see them and haue in their heartes a vanishing but no certaine or sound feeling of them so that they may be changed and strengthened and guided thereby To vse another similitude The reprobates haue no more feeling and enioying of Christ and his benefites than those men haue of the Sunne which see onely a glimmering of his light at the dawning of the day before it riseth Contrarywise the elect they haue the day-star euen the sonne of righteousnes Iesus Christ rising in their hearts the day spring from an high doth visite them the glorie of God doth rise vpon them they haue their eies annointed with the ointment of the spirite which is the true eie salue and doâ— plainely behold this sonne of righteousnes they inioy his presence they effectually feele his comfortable heate to quicken anâ— reuiue them XX From this sence and taste of Gods grace proceede manie fruites as first generallie he may do outwardly all things which true Christians doe and he may leade such a life here in this world that although he cannot attaine to saluation yet his paynes in hell shall bee lesse which appeareth in that our Sauiour Christ saith it shall bee easier for Tyrus Sydon for Sodome and Gomorrah than for Capernaum and other Cities vnto which hee came in the day of iudgement XXI Also the reprobate may haue a loue of God but this loue can bee no sincere loue for it is only because God bestoweth benefites and prosperitie vpon him As appeareth in Saule Who loued God for his aduauncement to the kingdome and here is a difference betweene the elect and reprobate the elect loue GOD as children their fathers but reprobates as hirelings their maisters whome they affect not so much or themselues as for their wages XXII Also a reprobate hath often a reioycing â—n doing those things which appertayne to â—he seruice of God as preaching praier Herod heard Iohn Baptist preach gladlie and the seconde kinde of naughtie ground receiueth the word preached with ioy XXIII A reprobate often desireth them whom he thinketh to be the children of God to pray for him As Pharao desired Aaron Moses to pray to God for him So did Simon Magus desire Peter to pray that none of the things which hee had spoken against him should come to passe But yet they cannot pray them selues because they want the spirit of Christ. XXIIII He may shew liking to Gods Ministers he may reuerence them and feare to displease them Thus did Simon Magus who at Phillips preaching beleeued wondered at his miracles and kept companie with him And Herod is saide to feare Iohn knowing that he was a iust man holie also he gaue reuerence to him Antonius the Emperour called Pius though hee was nâ— Christian yet in a general Parliament helâ— at Ephesus he made an act in the behalfe of ChristiaÌ„s that if anie maÌ„ should trouble oâ— accuse a ChristiaÌ„ for being a Christian the party accused shuld go free though he were found to bee a Christian and the accuseâ— should be punished And Plinius Secundus gouernour of Spaine vnder Traianus the Emperour when he sawe an innumerable company of Christians to be executed being moued with compassion he wrote in their behalfe being no Christian vnto Traianus to spare them that coulde be charged with no crime and his letter is yet extant XXV Hee may bee zealous in the religion which he professeth and fall from that profession as the Galathians did who after that they had receiued Paule as an Angell and woulde haue