A Golden Chain

A DIALOGUE OF THE STATE OF A CHRISTIan man, gathered here and there out of the sweet and savoury writings of Master Tyndale and Master Bradford.

A DIALOGVE OF THE STATE OF A CHRISTIan man, gathered here and there out of the sweet and sauorie writings of Master Tindall and Master Bradford.

Timotheus. Because of our ancient acquaintance and familiarity (dear friend Eusebius) I will make bold with you to ask such questions as may be for my edification & comfort, and of no other matters but even of religion, whereof I see you are an old professor. And the first of all, let me be bold to ask this question of you, how it pleased God to make you a true Christian, and a member of Christ Jesus whom I see you serve continually with a fervent zeal.

TImotheus. Because of our ancient acquaintance and familiaritie (deare friend Eusebius) I will make bold with you to aske such questiōs as may be for my edification & cōfort, and of no other matters but euen of religion, whereof I see you are an olde professour. And the first of all, let me bee bold to aske this question of you, howe it pleased God to make you a true Christian, and a member of Christ Iesus whome I see you serue continually with a feruent zeale.

Eusebius. For that old acquaintance that was between us, and for that you are desirous to live a godly life in Christ Jesus, I will not conceal the good work of my God in me: therefore I pray you mark a little what I shall say, & ⟨p. 618⟩I will declare unto you the trueth even forth of the feeling of mine own conscience. The fall of Adam did make me the heir of vengeance and wrath of God, and heir of eternal damnation, and did bring me into captivity and bondage under the devil: and the devil was my Lord, my ruler, my head, my governor, and my prince, yea, and my God. And my will was locked & knit faster unto the will of the devil, then could a hundred thousand chains bind a man unto a post. Unto the devils will did I consent with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my might, power, strength, will and life: so that the Law and will of the devil was written as well in my heart, as in my members, and I ran headlong after the devil with full sail, and the whole swing of all the power I had: as a stone cast into the air cometh down naturally of it self with all the violent swing of his own weight. O with what a deadly and venomous heart did I hate mine enemies? With how great malice of mind inwardly did I slay and murder? With what violence and rage, yea with what fervent lust committed I adultery, fornication, and such like uncleanness? With what pleasure and delectation like a glutton served I my belly? With what diligence deceived I? How busily sought I the things of the world? Whatsoever I did work, imagine or speak was abominable in the sight of God, for I could refer nothing unto the honour of God: neither was his law or will written in my members, or in my heart, neither was their any more power in me to follow the will of God then in a stone ascend upward of it self. And besides that I was asleep in so deep blindness that I could neither see nor feel in what misery, thraldom and wretchedness I was, till Moses came and awaked me and published the law.