A Fruitful Treatise, Meditation 1
A meditation
A Meditatiō cōcerning ye kingdome of Chriſt, & that it is no corporall thing, as the Iewes & Anababtiſtes do faine: to whō ye Papiſtes (in maner) aſſent, makinge the church ſo glorious and gay a dame, far vnlike to be chriſtes Spouſe: who was here on earth in no ſuch felicitie & worldly glory, as their church is. They make more of the good wiſe then of the good men, and therefore ſet forth to vsus a ſtrumpet for Chriſtes ſpouſe.
OPen mine eies deare lord, to ſee thy kyngdome, for it is ſpirituall, and of carnall eies ſimply cannot be conſidered, & therfore leſſe ought we to maruell to ſee it contempned, and the children therof perſecuted: ye moſt part of men, and ſpecially ye great men of the world being carnall & not ſpirituall, althoughe by title manye bee called ſo. Geue me thy light to ſee, that thy kingdōe (O chriſt) is thy ſitting on the right hande of thy father & ours, & thy interpellation and mediation for vsus, & alſo thy geuing of pardon & forgeuenes of ſinnes, & the holye ſprite to thy church, that is, ſuch as beleue in thee and cal vpō god the father throughe confidence in thee: & hereto, thy ſanctifyinge of of them, that thou maiſt raiſe thē vp in ye laſte daye, to life & glory euerlaſting. Graūt me to know, yt for the atteining of al theſe bene fits (which be the liberties & priuilegies of thy kingedome) thou haſte ordeined ye miniſtery of thy goſpel & ſacramentes, thereby to cal & bringe men to ye knowledge of thy father & thee, which is eternal life. Graunt yt I may feele in my ſelf liuely & cōfortably ye efficacy and vertue of thy holy ghoſte, which is effectual by ye miniſtery & word. And leſt afflictiōs ſhuld diſmay me, & ye cōpany of euil mē mingled wt the godly, ouerthrow me or offend me: graunt yt I may not only know how yt thy church & the true chyldren therof ſhal in this world vntil ye laſt day, ſuffer perſecution, & that gotes will be amongeſt the ſhepe, vntil the day of iudgement: but alſo yt I maye in affliction reioyce and glorifye thy holy name, being preſerued alwaies frō ye councel of the vngodly, from the way of the wicked, & from the ſeate of the ſcorneful: to delite in thy lawe night and day, to be made ſpiritual & to hauehave the benefite of thy kingdome & prieſt hode, which be both ſpiritual, preſeruing thy people from ye tiranny of ſinne & Sathan, althoughe in this life y• permit their enemies to vexe thē, to thy further glory & their encreaſe in repentaunce and & godlines: which geue vntounto mee and encreaſe in mee for thy holye names ſake.
Amen.
¶ Scriptures prouing Chriſtes kingdome to be ſpiritual.
My kingdome is not of this worlde. Thou haſt geuen Iohn. 18.him power ouer all fleſh, that how many ſoeuer thou haſte geuē vntounto him, he might geue to Iohn. 17ye ſame euerlaſtinge life. What is it? any worldly policy? no: therefore it foloweth: & this is euerlaſtinge life, yt they may know thee Rom. 8. Eſay. 12.to be the only true God, & whom thou diddeſt ſende Ieſus Chriſt, which ſitteth on the right hande of god & prayeth for vsus. The rote Eſay. 11.of Ieſſe ſhal ſtande vp and ye gentils ſhal make their praiers vntounto him. &c. By theſe two ſentences we may ſee Chriſtes kingdome & prieſthode to be ſpirituall, and no polytike regimente. He prayeth for vsus to his father, and ſo raygneth that he will be called vponupon, wyll heare vsus, ſatiſfie vsus, & keepe vsus with his holy ſpirite, as gods children: for they are ledde by the ſpirite of God: in their hartes he will write his law &c. which benefits let vsus loke for, & no corporal kingdome. We are fellow heires with Chriſte. If ſo be we do ſuffer with him, we ſhalbe glorified with hym. We are ſaued by hope. For thy ſake we are kylled al the day longe. In this worlde Pſal. 44.you ſhal hauehave affliction. Al yt wil liue godly in chriſt muſt ſuffer per Iohn. 16. 2. Tim. 3ſecution. And many places there be, which teach vsus ye the glory of Chriſtes kingdome is no worldly dominion or power, but a ſpiritual thing, that we ſhould be reſuſcitated & hauehave a new & an eternal life, righteouſnes & glory, euē ſuch as Chriſt hath. Beſids this Paule telleth yt Antechriſt ſhall 2. Theſ. 2beare rule in the Churche, vntill Chriſt come to iudgement: then ſhal he deſtroy his kingdōe. So yt the true church of Chriſte ſhall not hauehave worldely dominion and kingedome, but rather be perſecuted, & eſpecially towardes thence of the worlde, as Peter telleth, yt as there was before Chriſtes cō ming 1. Peter 2in ye church, falſe prophets, & the regiment was with the aduerſaries whiche beare the name of ye church, vnderunder the whch they deſtroyed ye church: ſo ſhal it be in the church after Chriſtes tyme. There wilbe (ſaith he) many falſe teachers which wil deceane not a fewe or the fewer parte, but many & the greater part, as now the Papiſtes hauehave doone almoſte all Chriſtendom. Againe he ſayth yt there will come mockers, whych wyl make a mocke of religion, ſo that the church cannot but be perſecuted. Daniel plainly ſheweth 1. Dan. 7yt the beaſtes, that is the empires of ye world: ſhalbe caſt into ye fire, when Chriſt ſhal come to iudgemēt: ſo yt ſome wicked Empires ſhal continue vntil the laſte day. The true Church of Chriſte is carefull for inwarde beauty, as it is writtē of the kings daughter: wheras the papiſtical church nothinge Pſal. 45.paſſeth therof, but altogether careth for externall geare.
So ſayth our Papiſtes in England: Come to the church & do as other men do outwardly, & kept your conſcience to your ſelues.
¶ Scryptures prouinge that in Chriſtes Church vppon earth there ſhalbe good and bad mingled vntil the day of iudgemēt.
AS it was in the dayes of Lot, ſo ſhal it be in the cō ming &c. In ye night there Luke. 17 Math. 13ſhalbe two in one bed, one ſhalbe taken &c. Let them (the tares amongeſt the Corne he meaneth) grow together vntil the harueſt. The Harueſte is the ende of the world: then the ſonne of man ſhal ſende forth his angels, & they ſhal gather all offence geuers oute of his kingedome, and thoſe whiche worke wickednes. So ſhal it go in the ende of the world: the Angels ſhall goe forthe, and ſeperate the euil from the righteous, & caſt them into the fornace of fier. By theſe ſentences we may ſee ye Hypocrites ſhall be mingled wt the godly vntil the day of iudgement.
Whereas the Anabaptiſtes doe cite the Prophets, who ſpeaking of Chriſtes kingedome, vſe often figures and ſimilitudes of worldly Empires, that by temporall & viſible thinges we may ariſe to a depe conſideration of ſpirituall & eternall thinges in chriſtes king dome, let vsus learne ſo to doe: and agayne lette vsus knowe, that the Ghoſpell is the expoſition of the Prophetes, and therefore thoſe corporal metaphors in the Prophetes, paynting forth the kingdome of Chriſt, muſt be interpreted accordynge to the Ghoſpell, which teacheth clerely Chryſtes kingdome to bee a ſpirituall and no temporal thynge, as before is ſhewed.Eſay. 53.
Moreouer the Prophets euen them ſelues doe playnely ſhewe Chriſtes kingdome to be a ſpyrituall thinge. Do the not Daniell Daniel. 9ſaye that Chriſte ſhall be kylled? And Eſaye alſo, doth not he ſaye that Chriſte ſhall geue hys lyfe for ſinne? So that we may ſee no affirmation of corporal dominion here on earthe in thys lyfe. Beſides this, the Prophetes doe affirme alſo Chriſtes kingdome to be eternall, and therefore cannot be temporall. Figures and Metaphors can bee no otherwiſe thē Allegorically vnderſtanded. I nede not to tel howe that the prophetes vſe to ſpeake of Chryſtes kingdome, that they doe not dyſcerne the times of this life and of the life to come, becauſe Chriſtes eternall kyngedome is begonne in ſpirite and fayth in thys lyfe, and afterwarde endureth for euer. Howe be it ſome tymes, and often they do otherwyſe, & plainly ſhewe that Chryſtes kyngedome and Church ſhal ſuffer perſecution in thys life, as in the. 2. Pſal. and Pſal. 115. precious in the ſight of the Lorde is the death of his ſaintes. And Pſalme. 72. Eſay. 30. Daniel. 12.
¶ That there is an euerlaſtynge life, where it is, & what knowledge and vnderſtanding therof may be had in thys life.
THat there is an euerlaſtyng lyfe, none will deny but ſuch as wyl deny God. For if he be true and iuſte (or els he is not God) then can there not bee but an eternal life. That he hath both ſpoken it &. promyſed it in Math 25. 1. Cor. 15. Hebre. 4. 11. 13. 1. Peter. 1. it apereth, & els wher in very many places. So that to deny an euerlaſting life, is to deny God, to deny Chriſte, and all that euer he did: alſo to denye all pitie and religion: to condempne of folyſhnes all good men, Martyrs, Confeſſors, Euangeliſtes, Prophets, Patriarkes. Sūina, the deniall of eternall lyfe is nothing els, but a denyal of the immortality of the Soule, and ſo a playne makyng of man nothyng better then beaſtes. If it be ſo, let vsus then eate and drynke, for to 1. Cor. 16morowe we ſhal die. Lorde deliuer vsus from this Sadduceal and Epicureal impietie, & graunt vsus for thy mercies ſake (deare God) that we may be aſſuredly perſwaded that there is in dede an eternall life & blyſſe with thee for thē that putte their truſte in thee: amongeſt whom accompte me for thy mercies ſake.
Agayne, thys eternall life, Where this eternal life isand the place appointed for them that bee thy ſeruantes, all men doe graunt to bee with thee. Not, becauſe thou arte euerye where, they doe therefore thynke ſo of eternall lyfe that it is eueryevery where. For they by thy word do knowe, that in as muche as no 1 Iohn. 4man can ſee thee and lyue, this eternall life and thy bleſſed preſēce is moſte pleaſaunte and hadde in fruition after in an other world, wherunto by corporal death they doe depart, and are tranſlated to a place aboue them, where thou dwelleſte in a lyghte where vntounto no man can approch. Abrahams 1. Tim. 6wſome (they reade) was aboue, as the place for the wicked was alowe and beneath. Helias was caught vp into heauen: and thy ſone our deare ſauiour praied, that wher he is, thoſe alſo might be which thou haddeſt geuē him, and might ſee his glory. Nowe hee (deare father) we learne by thy ſpirite, was aſceuded and taken vp in his very body into heauen, whether Steueu loked vppe and ſawe thy Chriſt ſtanding on thy right hand, to whom he praied: Oh Lorde Ieſu receaue my Act. 8. 7Spirite. Graunte I beſeche thee gracious God and father, that I maye hauehave a cleane harte more & more to ſee thee, and ſo in ſpirite to ſee and loke vppon often thys place: whether brynge me at the length in body alſo, I hūbly pray thee.
Now, what a thing this euerlaſting What maner of thing this euerlaſtīg life is.lyfe is, no man is hable to conceaue, much leſſe hable to vtter: For the peace of God whych is eternal life, paſſeth all vnderſtanding. The eie hath not ſeene, the eare hath not hearde, neyther can mans hart cōceaue thoſe thin ges, which thou (deare god) haſte 1. Cor. 2.prepared for them that louelove thee. whatſoeuer therefore can be ſpokē or imagined of thy kingdome, of the clerenes, ioye, and felicitye of the ſame, is nothinge in compariſon: as we may ſee by thy Prophets, which (becauſe they could not otherwyſe) vnderunder corporall things hauehave ſhadowed the ſame. So that the confidence of eternal lyfe, what a thing it is, can in no wiſe be tolde. Howe ve it, ſomewhat we maye be broughte into ſome ſighte of it by earthly thinges, to thynke on thys ſorte: If God hauehave geuen here ſo manye thinges in a ſtraunge place, how many are the great good thinges that be at home? if in a priſon are ſo many mercies, how many are they in the palace? If the wicked hauehave ſo many benefites, what is ye ſtore prepared for thy ſeruāts, Oh Lorde? if thy children fynde ſuch comforts in ye daye of teares and mourninge, what ſhall they fynde in the daye of the mariage? If wyth beaſtes men being hauehave ye vſe of ſo innumerable bleſſings, oh howe many are the bleſſinges which they ſhal enioye wyth thy Angelles, and with thee thy ſelfe (O deare God) when they ſhall ſee thee, and hauehave the fruition of thee, in whom is fulnes without lothing of all good and faire thinges: ſo that nothinge can be more deſited, and that for euermore?
This thy Chyldren doe not ſo ſee, as they nowe beleue it: I ſay that euē in their bodies they ſhal ſee it for euer, as Iob ſaid: They Iob. 19.beleue that they ſhal ſee thee and their owne eies behold thee, whē theſe our corporall eyes, our bodyes being reyſed, ſhall doe theyr duties. Suche a knowledge of thee they beleue to hauehave, as ſhal not be onelyonly intellectuall and by faith, as nowe it is: but euen a ful ſight and fruition, yea a coniunctiō & felowſhip with thee. Now they ſee but in a glaſſe, euen in a 1. Cor. 13dark ſpeaking: but then they ſhal ſee face to face. For fayth though it be the ſubſtaunce of thinges hoped for, and a certaine dark ſight Heb. 11of thee: yet it may not be cōpared to the rewarde of fayth, and glorious ſighte which we ſhal ſee in the lyfe to come, when fayth and hope ſhal ceaſe, Now thy childrē 1. Iohn. 3knowe that they bee thy ſonnes, thoughe it yet appeare not what they ſhal be, we know (ſay they) that when our Chriſte God and man ſhal apeare, then ſhal we be like vntounto him, for we ſhal ſee him euen as he is. Oh great prerogatiue to ſee Chriſt as he is: which is not to bee conſidered ſo muche for the manhod, as for the Godheade it ſelfe: as Paule doth alſo write, that when all thinges are ſubiect vntounto the ſonne, then ſhall 1. Cor. 19he be ſubiect vntounto thee (deare father) allo, that God may bee all in all. And therfore Chriſte oure Sauiour prayed for vsus, that we myght knowe thee the only true God. Not that our Chryſte thy Sonne, is not with thee the true coequal and ſubſtancial God: but that we might know howe that after the iudgement, ſuche a myſterie of hys mediatorſhip ſhall not bee in heauen as is nowe in earth. Thē thou bleſſed trinitie, God the father, God the ſonne, & God the holy ghoſt, ſhalt be al in all: thou ſhalte be the ende of our deſires: thou ſhalt be loked vponupon without ende: thou ſhalt bee loued without lothing: thou ſhalte be prayſed without werines. Althoughe lothſomnes be wonte to followe fulnes, yet our fulnes in the contemplaciō of thy pleaſurs, ſhal bring with it no kinde at all of lothſomnes. Sacietie of ioyes Pſal. 16.ſhall be in the beholdinge of thee: pleaſures are in thy righte hande for euer: we ſhalbe ſatiſfyed whē wee aryſe after thyne Image, I Pſal. 17.meane, in the reſurrection. Oh deare Father, ſhewe thy ſelfe vn to vsus and we aſke no more. Oh graunt vsus with thy Sainctes in euerlaſtinge lyfe, to prayſe wyth perpetual praiſes, thy holi name. Happy then and happye agayne were we, if that day were come, that we myghte ſinge wyth thy Aungels, elders, and innumerable thouſands, a newe ſonge and ſay: thou chriſt Ieſu which waſte Apoca. 5.ſlayne, art worthy to receaue power, and ryches, and wyſedome, and ſtrengthe, and honoure, and glory, & bleſſing. In this bleſſed life al kind of maladyes, griefes, ſorrowes and euilles bee farre away, and all full of all kinde of mirthe, ioye, and pleaſure. Oh that we mighte ſee nowe a lyttle with S. Iohn that holye Cytie newe Ieruſalem diſcending from heauen, prepared of GOD as a bryde trunmed for her huſbande. Oh that we mighte nowe ſomething heare the greate voice ſpeakynge out of the throne: beholde the tabernacle of GOD is with men, & he will dwell with them, Apoc. 21and they ſhalbe his people, and he ſhall be vntounto them their God: he wyll wype awaye all teares from theyr eyes, and death ſhall be no more, nor wepinge nor crying, nor ſorrowe, for the former thinges are gone.