Perkins - BX9315 P465 1597

A pIALOGVE OF THE STATE OF A CHRISTIAN man,gatheredhere and there outo£.the fwect and fauorie writings ofMajler Tindall andMailer Bradford. p Imothem. Becaufe ofour ancient acquaintance andft. miliaritie (deare friendEsfebitu) I will make bolde with you toaske filchquetlions as may bee for my edification and comfort,andofno other matters but evenofreligi- on,whereof I fee you are anolde profet or. And the fira ofall,letme be boldetoaske this queflion ofyou , how it pleafed God tomakeyou atrue Chriftian,and amember ofChrift Iefus whom I fee you feruecontinually with a feruent zeale. Earfebius. For that oldeacquaintance that wasbetweenvs,and for that you aredefiroustoliue a godlylife in Chrift Iefus, I will not conceale the good workeofmyGodinme : therefore I prayyou marke a littlewhat I (hall fay,& Iwill declarevntoyou the trueth euen foorthofthe feelingofmineowncon- fcience. The fall ofAdam did make me theheireofvengeance andwrath of God , and heire ofeternalldamnation, anddid bringme into captiuitie and bondage vnder theDiuell:and the Diuell wasmy Lord,my ruler,myhead,my gouernour,and my prince,yea,andmyGod.Andmy will was lockedand knit falter vnto the will ofthe Diuell,thencould ahundred thoufand chaires binde a man vntoa poaft. Vnto the Diuels will did I confent with all my heart, with all mymind,w-ith all my might,power,ftrength,will and life: fo that the Lawe and will oftheDiuell was written as well in my heart,as in mymembers, and I ranheadlong after the Diuell with fill' faire, and the whole fwing ofall the power I had : as á Bone cat} vp into the aire commeth downe naturallie ofit felfe withall the violent (wing ofhisowne weight. Owithwhat deadly and venemous heart did I hate mineenemies ? Withhow great malice ofminde inwardlie did Ifleyand murther? Withwhatviolence and rage,yea with what feruentlull committed I adulterie,fornication,8t fuch likevncleanneíle? With what pleafure and delectation like aglutton ferued I mybelly? Withwhat di- ligence deceiued I ? Howbufily fought I the thingsoftheworld ? Whatfoeuer I did worke , imagine orfpeak,wasabominable in the lightofGod, for I could referrenothing vnto thehonourofGod : neitherwas his Lavve orwill written inmymemnbers,er inmy heart,neitherwas there anymore power in meto fol- low thewill ofGod then in a lone to afcendvpward ofit felfe. And befides that I was afleepe in fodeep blindnes that I could neither feenor feele in what milerie,thraldóme andwrerchedneffe T was , till Mofes came andawakedme and publilbed the law. When I heard the lavve truelie preached howe that I ought toloue andhonour Godwith all mytlrengthandmight from thelove bottotne

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=