YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY THE WRITINGS OF JOHN BRADFORD, M.A., MARTYR, 1555. jFor fht vuwfcation of Vht ssaorfts of tfi^ dFafhtv» anO ©arlp Sisarttcre of t|jc iUformro QSmU&f) ffiijurcii THE WRITINGS OF JOHN BRADFORD, M.A., FELLOW OF PEMBBOKE HALL, CAMBRIDGE, AND PREBENDAEY OF ST PAUL'S, MARTYR, 1555. CONTAINING SERMONS, MEDITATIONS, EXAMINATIONS, &c. EDITED FOR &t)e WavUvv £otittv> BY AUBREY TOWNSEND, B.D., OF TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN, CURATE OF ST MICHAEL'S, BATH. CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. M.DCCC.XLVIII. CONTENTS. Preface of the Editor ..... I. Two Prefaces by Bradford, 1548. Preface to Artopoeus on the Law and Gospel . Preface to Orations of Chrysostom on prayer II. Preface to Melancthon on Prayer, 1553 III. Sermons on Repentance and the Lord's Supper, &e. Sampson to the Christian reader Bradford to the Christian reader Sermon on repentance, 1553 .... Sermon on the Lord's supper Bradford preaching before the court of Edward VI. rv. Godly Meditations on the Lord's Prayer, Belief, an Ten Commandments, with other Exercises. Advertisement to the reader, 1562 Instructions concerning Prayer Meditation on the Lord's Prayer Meditation on the Belief Meditation on the Ten Commandments Meditation on prayer . Paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer On the second coming of Christ On the sober use of the body On the pleasures of life On true mortification On the Providence of God On the presence of God . On the power and goodness of God On Death ..... On the passion of Christ A general Supplication A Confession of sins A prayer for the mercy of God . A thanksgiving in the time of persecution [BRADFORD.] PAGE ix 5 13 19 29 38 43 82 111 ES. 115 . 116 118 . 140 148 . 173 180 . 185 187 . 188 190 . 191 193 . 194 195 . 196 200 . 202 203 . 205 CONTENTS. + A prayer on the work of Christ A prayer for Faith A prayer for Repentance . Dialogue between Satan and Conscience A treatise on Election and Free-will . A brief sum of Election PAGE 206 . 209210 . 210211 . 219 Private Prayers and Meditations, &c. Prayer on the wrath of God against sin . When you awake out of your sleep, pray When you behold the day-light, pray When you arise, pray . When you apparel yourself, pray . When you are made ready to begin the day, pray Cogitations meet to begin the day with . When you go forth of the doors, pray . When you are going any journey, pray When you are about to receive your meat, pray In the meal-time, pray .... After your meat, pray . Cogitations for about the mid-day time . When you come home again, pray At the sun going down, pray . When the candles be light, pray . When you make yourself unready, pray . When you enter your bed, pray When you feel sleep to be coming, pray . Prayer for divine protection A thanksgiving, being a godly prayer for all times . 224230 . 231231 . 232 232 . 233 234 . 235 236 . 237237 . 238 238 . 239 240 . 240241 . 242 242 . 245 VI. Meditations from the autograph of Bradford in a copy of the New Testament of Tyndale. * The second Birth ...... 250 # On following Christ ...... 252 * On Affliction ...... 253 ¦f- The larger part of the ' prayer on the work of Christ' is now first printed from a MS. in Emmanuel College, Cambridge. • The articles marked with an asterisk are now, it is believed, printed for the first time. CONTENTS. Vll * The life of Faith # On the conflict of Faith * On a good Conscience . PAGE . 253 254 , 255 VII. Meditations and Prayers from MSS. in Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and other sources. * Meditation on the Lord's supper .... 260 Admonition written in a New Testament . . 264 * Prayer for the presence of God .... 264 A sweet contemplation of Heaven . . . 266 Place and joys of the life everlasting . . . 269 Felicity of the life to come .... 273 * Prayer for deliverance from trouble . . . 276 * Prayer in the time of persecution . . . 278 * Paraphrase of Psalm lxxix. ..... 282 Prayer of one standing at the stake . . . 292 VIII. Five Treatises. The old man and the new * The flesh and the spirit Defence of Election, Dedication , Part I. Part II. Against the fear of Death The Restoration of all things 297 300 307 310318 332351 IX. Ten Declarations and Addresses. Declaration concerning religion, 1554 . . . 367 Exhortation to Patience ..... 375 Letter to men who relieved the prisoners . . 379 * Address on Constancy ..... 385 Letter on the Mass, to Hopkins, &c, at Coventry, 1554 389 Declaration on the Reformation, 1554 . . 399 Letter to the Queen and Parliament, 1554 . . 401 Supplication to the King, Queen, and Parliament, 1554 403 * Remarks on a memorable trial .... 405 Admonition to lovers of the Gospel, 1555 . . 407 Vlll CONTENTS. PAGE X. Exhortation, 1554 — 5; and Farewells, 1555. Exhortation to the brethren in England . • 41 AQ/L Farewell to the city of London . . • • Farewell to the university and town of Cambridge . 441 Farewell to Lancashire and Cheshire . ¦ • 448 Farewell to the town of Walden . . • 45S 465 473 482493496497 500502515518530538 541 XI. Examinations and Prison-Conferences, 1555. The first examination The second examination The last examination Talk with Hussey and Seton . Talk with Bp. Bonner Conference with Willerton . Talk with Cresswell and Harding Conferences with Adn. Harpsfield . Talk with Clayden and others . Conference with Abp. Heath and Bp. Day Conference with Alphonsus a Castro Conference with Weston . ' Conference with Pendleton Conferences with Weston, and Reasons against Transubstantiation ...... 544 Talk with a Servant ..... 553 Appendix. Prefaces by Dr Wilkinson and DrHarris, Oxford, 1652 . 558 Preface by Lever, 1567 ..... 565 Meditation on the tenth commandment, by Lever . 569 Prayer for the afflicted in France, 1562 . . 571 Ludovici Vivis Preces et Meditationes diurnse . . 572 Prayer compiled by R. P. . . . . 578 Institutio contra vim Mortis, Bradfordo authore . 681 Preface by Bp. Ironside, 1688 . ... 583 Officium et Sentcntia contra Johannem Bradford, 1555. 585 Notes ......... 588 PREFACE OF THE EDITOR. This volume contains a large portion of the doctrinal and de votional writings of the martyr Bradford ; including sermons, meditations, prayers, treatises, public addresses, examinations, and prison-conferences. These are collected and arranged from a variety of sources in print and manuscript. Fourteen pieces, and parts of others, are now for the first time published. The three Prefaces, p. 5 — 24, are also first reprinted since the sixteenth century. It is hoped that the text presented throughout the volume is pure and correct. Fifty-one MSS., some in the autograph of Bradford, and some very early transcripts, varying severally in length from one to twenty-nine pages of this book, have been col lated. The first editions of Bradford's works are exceedingly scarce : some do not exist in our public libraries : and the copies used were obtained after much research. Every reference has been verified ; and the originals are quoted in the notes. Some important pieces have usually been printed in the collection of his Letters 1 : but, as they are more properly public addresses than private epistles, they are classed in this volume as distinct treatises. Such are the following : < The old man and the new,' p. 297 — 300 : the ' Defence of election,' p. 310 — 18 : ' The restoration of all things,' p. 351 — 64 : the ' Exhortation to patience,' and ' Letter to men who relieved the prisoners,' p. 375 — 84 : the Letter * on the mass,' p. 389 — 99, and ' to the queen and parlia ment,' p. 401 — 3 : the ' Admonition to lovers of the Gospel,' p. 407 — 11 : the 'Exhortation to the brethren in England,' and ' Four farewells,' p. 414 — 60. Further particulars with regard to the contents of this volume are supplied in the editorial prefaces, pp. 3, 16, 28, 112, 223, 248, 258, 294, 305, 331, 350, 366, 412, 463. 1 Foxe, Acts and monuments, 1583, p. 1624 — 65 ; Bp. Coverdale, Letters of the martyrs, 1564, p' 251—489, 650—2. X PREFACE OF The remaining letters of Bradford, about eighty-four in number, some of which have not hitherto been printed, will appear in the concluding portion of his works. That volume will also include the ' Hurt of hearing mass,' the translations from Chrysostom, Artopceus, and Melancthon, some minor pieces, a short memoir of Bradford, and an Index to both volumes. The writings of Bradford, as a chaplain and friend of Bishop Ridley1, are of interest to all churchmen; and they embrace topics of deep import, which have more or less exercised the minds of devout believers in every period of the church of Christ. They fully justify the encomium of Foxe ; ' Sharply he opened and reproved sin ; sweetly he preached Christ crucified ; pithily he impugned heresies and errors ; earnestly he persuaded to godly hfe2.' They shew, ' how godly he occupied his time, being prisoner ; what special zeal he bare to the state of Christ's church; what care he had to perform his office ; how earnestly he admonished all men; how tenderly he comforted the heavy-hearted; how fruitfully he confirmed them whom he had taught3.' Such considerations encourage the hope, that the bless ing of Almighty God may attend this endeavour to present to the public the entire remains of one, whom Bishop Latimer publicly designated 'that holy man4;' and of whom Bishop Ridley, within three years after admitting him to the order of deacon, wrote: 'In my conscience I judge him more worthy to be a bishop, than many of us that be bishops already to be a parish-priest5.' Strype describes him as 'a man of great learning, elocution, sweetness of temper, and profound devotion toward God;... of whose 1 "I thank God heartily that ever I was acquainted with him, and that ever I had such a one in my house."— Bp. Ridley, Lett, to Bern- here, Works, p. 380, Parker Soc. See also p. 331—7, 363—9, 377_ 91, of Works of Bp. R. ; and p. 82, 464 of this volume. 2 Foxe, Acts, &c. 1583, p. 1603. 3 Id. ibid. p. 1624. * Protest of Bp. Latimer, a. d. 1554, Works, n. 258, Parker Soc 5 Bp. Ridley, Lett, to Gate and Cecil, Works, p. 337, Parker Soc. THE EDITOR. XI worth the papists themselves were so sensible, that they took more pains to bring him off from the profession of religion, than any other6.' That impartial historian also refers to 'Bradford' in conjunction with 'Latimer, Cranmer, and Ridley, as four prime pillars of the reformed church of England7.' It is the editor's welcome duty to return his best thanks, in behalf of the Parker Society, to the Reverend the Librarians of the Bodleian, Oxford, and the Cambridge University Library, and to the Reverend the Masters and Fellows of Emmanuel, and of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, for the privilege of access to manuscript remains of Bradford. The Society are also greatly indebted to the late 0. H. Williams, Esq. of Ivy Tower near Tenby, for allowing a transcript to be taken of the Meditations in the autograph of Bradford, now first printed, p. 248 — 57. Sincere thanks are likewise due to the Rev. Canon Havergal, the Rev. W. Maskell, and the Rev. P. Hall, for the use of early editions of the writings of this martyr ; to the guardians of Archbishop Harsnett's Library, Colchester, for lending the Excitationes animi in Deum, by Ludovicus Vives, Lugduni 1558 ; to J. G. Mansford, Esq. for the loan of the rare first English edition, 1563, of the ' Acts and monuments' of Foxe ; and to the Rev. W. Goode, for the use of the scarce Latin edition of Foxe, the Rerum in ecclesia gestarum commentarii, Basil. 1559. The editor has much pleasure, in conclusion, in expressing his obligation to Dawson Turner, Esq. F.R.S., J. Bruce, Esq. F.S.A., and G. Offor, Esq.; and he desires, in particular, to record his very grateful sense of the assistance rendered by his esteemed and lamented friend, the late George Stokes, Esq., the founder of the Parker Society. 6 Strype, Ecc. Mem. m. i. 363 — 4. 1 Id. ibid. 423. ERRATA. p. 83, note 4, instead of p. 1780, read 1583, p. 1604. p. 315, instead of note 2, read [2 'heirs,' MS. : ' heirs ; for if we be heirs of God, then are we fellow-heirs,' 1562, 1564. ] p. 316, note 3, line 3, instead of p. 327, 1. 35, read p. 325, 1. 37. PREFACES TO TRAN S L ATION S FROM ARTOPCEUS AND ST CHRYSOSTOM, BY JOHN BRADFORD. 1548. [BRADFORD.] Cfje tiiutty* on of m plaeea of m latue attt of tfie ©ospell, aatfjeretr orot of tfie fioolg stxiptuws 6g Ptrutn &rto= poeum : foj&e* onto is attaii tfoo orations of ^ragmg to ®o& mate bg ^. 3Jofjn ©6riso= stome, no lesse n£«ssa= tg tfien ItrneU. Ura* slateb into ©n= glisfi. agaattfie anil prag tfiat gou fal not in to temptation. g[ {mprfnttfi tip mg1 (Sfoalter £pnne» Sftmo* ;#L]9» jdtmu [From a copy in the Library of tho Rev. W. Maskell, Broadleaze, Devizes.] [l Misprint for 'me'.] [The Translations from Artopoeus and Chrysostom will appear in the following collection of the Writings of Bradford, after his Letters. The Prefaces are now reprinted, first, since 1548: and, as the earliest compositions of Bradford, known to have been published by himself, are placed at the beginning of this volume. The name of the translator is not supplied in the original edition : but the initials "J. B." occur at the end, above the colophon. Bishop Bale (Catalogus, 1557, vin. 87.) states, Bradfordus transtulit in An- glicum sermonem Artopceum de lege et evangelio, Kb. I, [et] Chry- sostomum de Oratione, lib. I. Bishop Tanner (Bibliotheca, 1748) adds to the entry of Bale the first words of the title, and of the printed version of Artopceus, and of the Preface to that of Chrysostom, with the date, London, 1548. Bradford, also, in a Letter "from the Temple, this 12th of May, 1548," addressed to Traves, speaks of Translations executed by him self: "Hereafter, and that shortly, by God's grace, I will send you, primitice lahorum meorum, a work or two, which I have translated into English, so soon as they be printed, which will be afore Whit- sontide2." Bradford writes in another Letter, " This Book, which I have sent, take it in good part. It is the first ; I trust, it shall not be the last God hath appointed me to translate. The print is very false ; I am sorry for it. I pray you, Be not offended at my babbling in the Prologues, &c3."] [2 It will be remembered, that Edward VI. had come to the throne, Jan. 28, 1547. Bradford was entered at the Inner Temple, in London, the following 8th of April. The Order of Communion was printed March 8, 1548. The Preface of Bradford to Chry sostom on prayer is dated at the end, May 16, 1548: (vide p. 15.) and Whitsunday, 1548, fell on May 20 : (vide tables in Sir H. Nicholas' Chronol.) Bradford went to Cam bridge about the ensuing midsummer. The first Book of Common Prayer of Edward VI. was set forth by authority in 1549.— The dates in this and other notes are (unless the contrary be noted,) according to our present reckoning.] [3 Foxe, Acts &c. (ed. 1583) 1661 : or (ed. 1847) vii. 281—2.] 1—2 PREFACE TO THE PLACES OF ARTOPCEUS. Here hast thou, good reader, the Division of the Places of the Law and of the Gospel, gathered out of the holy scrip tures by the godly learned man master Petrus Artopeus : which (the Places of the Law and Gospel, I mean) whoso truly understandeth, cannot by any man's doctrine be se duced from the truth, or read the scriptures but to edify both himself and others : whereas he that is ignorant of the same cannot, though he were a great doctor of divinity, and could rehearse every text of the bible without book, but both be deceived, and deceive others ; as the experience hereof (the more pity) hath taught, nay, seduced the whole world. For how can it be, that such as find no terror of conscience, and see not their just damnation in the law of God, which com- mandeth things impossible to man's nature and power ; how can it be, I say, that such should find sweetness in the gospel of Christ? How can the benefit of Christ shew itself to him that needeth it not ? What needeth the whole Matt. i man the physician ? " The law," saith St Paul, " was our schoolmaster unto Christ." But unto such as perceive and feel Gai. m not the law, how is it a schoolmaster unto Christ ? How is the law a schoolmaster unto such as will not learn ? How have they learned, which think the law not to be impossible for man to fulfil ? Or else, if they had looked on it, which is a spiritual doctrine, with spiritual eyes, would they have stirred any time contentions about the justification of faith ? Would they have taught any satisfactions, which man can do, towards God, if they had learned the law ? It appeareth, therefore, by these things, that either the law hath not been their schoolmaster ; or else, that they have been negligent, forgetful, or proud and disdainful scholars. For they have not applied free pardon of sins to Christ, as all the world knoweth. But if they were brought to him, they would grant him to be a perfect workman : they would be ashamed to say or think Christ to be but a patcher. Yet it appeareth (though openly in words they will not say so ; G PREFACE TO THE PLACES OF ARTOPCEUS. An objection Matt. vii. Objection. Heb. vii. The nature of the law. Psnl. xxx. [Wisd. xvi. 13.] Note. for that all christian hearts would abhor : it appeareth, I say), that they believe so. Yea, sir, will they say, why judge you so ? Judge not, saith Christ : and, wherein you judge another, saith Paul, therein you condemn yourself. It seemeth, you speak of malice, and declare yourself to be but a railer. No, sir, heroin I do not slander you, nor do none other wise than Christ himself teached : "You shall know the tree," saith he, " by his fruit." If I see a man rob his neighbour, do I evil, if I think him to be a thief? If I see a man lie with his neighbour's wife, do I evil, if [I] judge him to be a fornicator ? If I hear a man unadvisedly (as not called in judgment) to swear by the mighty and most reverend name of God, do I naught, if I judge him to be a blasphemer? Nay, you will say, what is this to the excusing of your rash ness and uncharitableness in judging us ? For, though you belie us, yet we trust to be saved by Christ our Saviour. You say well, sir : I would your doings agreed to your sayings, and then were I a liar. But if you do so, let other men judge. Wherefore, I pray you, say you mass? Is not the mass, as you have taught and as you say it, a sacri fice propitiatory to take away sins, both of the quick and dead ? Where is this taught you ? Doth this law bring to Christ ? Yea, you will say, for we offer there Christ. And St Paul saith, " Christ offered himself once for all." But, I pray you, look on the nature of the law, which is, by God's teaching and speaking, to open to man the 'poison of his own heart : the law will not leave man in arroo-ancy or presumption, but will rather bring him to desperation. The law pulleth man down, and leadeth him into hell's mouth, as it is written, "Thou art he that leadest to hell," &c. The law filleth man full of grief and heaviness ; and, if succour come not from heaven, full of blasphemy even against God and his ordinances, as the history of Job, well weighed of a godly wit, will declare. Thus, you see, the law, where she is school master, bringeth man into all humbleness of mind at the least. Therefore, ye offerers, (for you say ye offer Christ,) what humbleness of mind is in you (if a man should grant you offered Christ), when you will offer that thing that no angel, no saint, no patriarch, no prophet, no man might or could offer ? Are you not good scholars, when you are taught to be humble PREFACE TO THE PLACES OF ARTOPCSUS. 7 and yet extol yourselves above angels ? I say, none could be found meet in heaven nor in earth to offer that offering, wherewith God's wrath, deserved by our sins, was appeased and extinct, but even he that was of both natures, both God and man, Jesus Christ. He was the sacrificer and the sacri fice : he was the offerer and the lamb slain : slain, I say, for our sins. Alas, that ever such arrogancy should be crept into man's heart, not only to spoil Christ of his most glorious Note. office, but to extol yourselves above angels, and to make your selves check-mate with1 Christ ! The law, I say, never taught you this horrible presump tion. No, say ye, Christ taught us. Did Christ teach you ? When, or where? I provoke ye all to answer. Ye can never find it, I must needs still say, till I see you write it or speak it, out of the scripture, that you have authority to offer. In the mean time, I beseech you, good brethren, to leave off your arrogant presumption, and repent, and give to our good Christ his due honour and dignity. Mark, also, doth not your offering, as you would have it, make, as I said, Christ a patcher ? St Paul saith, " By Heb. x. one offering he hath made perfect them which are sanc tified for ever." How say you to this ? Doth not your offering make the offering which Christ made imperfect ? For whatsoever is added to a perfection doth imply an im perfection. Take heed, good reader, therefore, if thou be Mark this. sanctified, purged from thy sins, anointed with the Holy Ghost, and made the child of God, it is done all by that one oblation of Christ's body on the cross, brought in to thee by the faith that thou hast in the same oblation. Or, if that thou be not now sanctified, if ever thou look to be sanctified or saved, it must be only by this work, wrought of Christ in his own person. P i. e. to conquer, to take prisoner, to put an end to. "Vide Todd ; Nares, v. mate ; Richardson. So in Marshall's Primer, 1535, "Neither is it meet to make them check with our Saviour Christ, much less then to make them checkmate." — Three Primers, Oxf. (1834) 8. So too Bp. Coverdale, " Therefore would not Josue that any thing should be set checkmate with the cross and oblation of Jesus Christ, but that all honour of cleansing and forgiveness of sins should be ascribed only unto him."— Bp. C, Works (Parker Soc.) The Old Faith, 50.] PREFACE TO THE PLACES OF ARTOPOZUS. Cen. iv. Luke xvi. Heb. ix. Yet a little more. Where learned you to apply the mass for the sins of the quick and dead? Yea, even the bread and wine afore the words of consecration, as you call them, when you say, Suscipe sancta Trinitas1, is applied for the salva tion of the quick and the rest of the dead. Scripture never teacheth you this word of application, nor giveth you this authority to apply the sacrifice of Christ's Note wen. body, as you say, to whom you will. You will make Christ, Matt, xxviii. to whom the Father hath given " all power in heaven and earth," under your power and your bondman, to serve as it pleaseth you, to whom, when, where, and how much shall be your will. So may you set Cain, if any man would give you a groat, out of hell. So may you falsify the true history of the rich glutton. You have not learned this of the law. For the law bringeth to Christ : but you bring from Christ, Leave off and cease your application therefore. Repent, and embrace by faith that only sacrifice which Christ himself made once for all : or else, I will be so bold to say, you shall never be saved. Thus you see, I judge you not amiss. Hereby it is evident, that these men, for all their great learning (as some of them have had), that yet they did never understand the law of God. For they never found sweetness in the gospel of Christ. Hath there not been great learned men, think you, that, besides this, have taught abstaining from certain kinds of meat, auricular confessions, worshipping of images, creeping to the cross, holy water, holy bread, pil grimages, pardons, and I cannot tell what, necessary to salva tion ? And this verily hath come hereof, that they have not known the law nor the gospel, though they could both preach, and teach, and say all the bible without book. For he that feeleth the law working in his heart, can never be satisfied, but despair, except the gospel and joyful tidings of Christ be brought unto him. In this book, therefore, thou hast the places of the Law and the Gospel divided, wherein I exhort thee to prove thy- C1 Suscipe, sancta Trinitas, hanc oblationem quam ego indignus peccator offero in honore tuo, beatse Maris, et omnium sanctorum tuorum pro peccatis et offensionibus meis, ct pro salute vivorum et requie omnium fidelium defunctorum.— Missale ad vs. Eccl. Sar. 1555. Ordin. Miss. fol. cl ; Ancient English Liturgy, Maskell (1844) 22, or (1846) 66.] PREFACE TO THE PLACES OF ARTOPODUS. 9 self. For though thou learnest them by heart, yet that is not the thing which maketh thee happy : for so the other men which make Christ but a party2 saviour, could do. But if thou wilt profit, it behoveth thee to have experience and practice of them. Prove, therefore, thyself in the law : see if the texts and sentences of the law do fear thee, make thee dread, yea, tremble and quake at the justice of God : for God himself hath spoken it, and his word must needs be true, "Heaven and earth shall pass, afore one tittle or iota of the Matt. v. law be unperformed." For in whose heart the law worketh no fear, yea, horrible fear of God's wrath, surely they are in an evil case. Unto such the doctrine is no law, nor God is no God : their hearts be hardened, God unto them seemeth false : for if they knew, that God would damn all such as walk not in his ways, they would not do as they do; they would not only leave off their wickedness, but also in looking in the law they would horribly fear the vengeance of God for transgressing the law. But, alas! it is to be pitied, it : to be lamented: we ought to fear the plagues of God hanging over our heads. For notwithstanding God's most abundant mercy upon us, which should provoke us to repentance, when or where was there more security, and less fear of God, than is even in this realm of England at this day ? The laws of God were never more plentifully nor more plainly set forth amongst any other people, than they be amongst us. The commandments of God are continually, in the ears of all people, read openly in the churches, yea, written upon the walls, so that all men know them : yet is there none amendment. " Who shall I speak unto," saith the Jer. vi. prophet Hieremy, " whom shall I warn, that he may take heed? Their ears are so uncircumcised, that they may not hear. Behold, they take the word of God but for a scorn, and have no lust thereto." It is true, say these our carnal gospellers, these papists will never have lust unto God's word, they will never look upon the Testament. Mary3, saith the papists, these fellows of this new learning, see how they live ; they read the scrip tures, and they are worse than all other, they will swear [2 i. e. in part.] [3 An oath, meaning, By the Virgin Mary : corrupted afterward into marry. — Nares.] 10 PREFACE TO THE PLACES OF ARTOPCEUS. Note well this. [Psal. viii.] Lev. xxiv. Objection. wounds, heart, sides, &C1 The scripture would make us heretics: we will not be like these knaves, &c. Hgp Look, I pray you, what hatred is betwixt these two kinds of people : the one loveth the other so well, that, as the saying is, they would eat the other's heart2 in garlick. Yet, for all this envy and malice, (which God of his gracious mercy reform !) mark, and you shall, I warrant you, see them agree both against God, even as the Pharisees and Sad- ducees, notwithstanding their contrary religions, agreed against Christ. Do not you both hear and read, ^gfp "Thou shalt not take the name of God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless, that taketh his name in vain?" Again, ¦ do you not hear, " The man which useth swearing shall be filled with iniquity, and the plague shall not depart from his house?" What think you, is there a God ? You tear a-pieces his most holy name in your mouths : for "By God," is a most common oath with you both. What, do you think in deed, that God is true ? I am sure you do not : for then were you worse than devils, for the devil feareth God ; but -vou do not, seeing you know God saith, that his plague shall not depart from that man which useth swearing, and yet continue still to blaspheme that most holy, reverend, and terrible name of God. But unto you which yet continue to swear by God, it is not so. " O Lord," saith David, " how wonderful reve rend is thy name in all the earth !" Alas! why do you then make so light a thing of it ? For in all your talks, at every word's end almost, you rap out, as irreverently as you can, that most honourable and fearful name of God. 1®= Do you not read, that God commanded him which blasphemed his name to be stoned to death ? Yea, you will say, to swear by God is not to blaspheme God's name : the story saith, he blasphemed and cursed by that name. Yes, to swear by God is to blaspheme God, as may be proved by the very text : for some texts have for blasphemavit3, diserte [x Vide " A christen exhortation vnto customable swearers," attri buted by Bp. Tanner (Bibliotheca) to Bp. Coverdale; without date, 1ST. Hyll, signature Aii.] [2 An ancient expression of hatred: vide Horn. II. a. 212.] [3 Et nuncupavit (explanavit, Chald. vers, exsecrans, Jun. et Trem, expressit, Pagnin. Syriac. Tigurin. diserte, Tigurin.) nomen, et male- dixit, Ar. Montan. Samarit. Pagnin. (vel, despexit, Oleast. Tigurin vel, blasphemavit, Chald. Syriac. Jun. et Trem.) Poli Synons in Levit- xxiy. 11.] J V ¦ PREFACE TO THE PLACES OF ARTOPC3US. 11 expressit nomen illud, et vilipendit : "he did plainly express that glorious name, and set nought by it," as you all do, that so swear. I pray you, mark the history, and know, that it 1 cor. x. is written to be your warning and for your doctrine ; as, if you repent not, you shall feel it : for God hateth the blas pheming his holy name as much now as he did then ; and the longer he suffereth, the greater, if we repent not, will be our punishment. If a man blame a papist now for swearing by God, Oh, Note. saith he, I will be no loller4 : you may see I remember him. Blame a carnal gospeller for swearing, and he will say, No, I will be no papist. Alas ! whose heart shaketh not for fear of God's vengeance ? For, as God is above all things, so is "By God " the greatest oath, and the greatest sin next unto ido latry. Say not but ye be warned. I cannot leave it, saith another; howbeit I think none The greatest evil. O thou man, that sayest so, thou haddest most need GoS- to tremble : for upon thee God hath already poured his most horrible plague. Yea, sayest thou, how so ? I feel no sickness, pocks, plagues, &c. No, no, man, the horriblest plague of God is, to be given up of God, as thou art that sayest, thou canst not leave it : for thou despisest God, and nothing regardest his threats. And yet thou canst leave from speaking that which the king enacteth for treason. But God hath enacted, " Thou shalt not swear at all : for whatso ever is more than Yea, yea, or Nay, nay; cometh of naught." And yet thou regardest not that. Say not but thou art warned. Again, what malice, hatred, envy, whoredom, unclean ness, lechery, divorcements, bribing, theft, ravin, slanders, filthy talk, pride, covetousness, gluttony, drunkenness, lying (and who can tell all?) is amongst us! Surely, the most horrible plagues of God, that ever were upon any nation, are upon us (us Englishmen, I say), except we earnestly repent. Thus it is manifest, the law of God is not feared ; so is Note. not God feared, which proveth there is no faith : for how canst thou believe that God will perform his promise to thee, when thou fearest not his truth to perform his word and threat ? God is no liar. Deceive not thyself, therefore : but prove whether thou be in faith. For except thou 2 cor. xm. [* i. e. Lollard.] 12 PREFACE TO THE PLACES OF ARTOPCEUS. who hath tremble and quake at God's justice in the law, thou hast no faith, but art an hypocrite : for faith is not, where the fear of God is not ; and the fear of God is not, where God's law is not believed. Therefore, I say, take to thee the glass of God's law ; look therein, and thou shalt see thy just damna tion, and God's wrath for sin, which, if thou dreadest, will drive thee not only to an amendment, but also to a sorrow and hatred of thy wickedness, and even to the brim of despair, out of which nothing can bring thee but the glad tidings of Christ, that is, the gospel : for as God's word doth bind thee, so can nothing but God's word unbind thee; and until thou comest to this point, thou knowest nothing of Christ. Therefore, exercise thyself in this book. Make unto thee a sure foundation ; begin at the Law : and if it fear thee, and bring thee to hell's mouth in consideration of thy sin and sinful nature, then come to Christ, come to the gospel : then shalt thou be a good scholar, and praise thy schoolmaster: then shalt thou feel the benefit of Christ; then shalt thou love him, and thy neighbour for his sake. Then will it make thine ears to glow, and thy heart to bleed, to hear or see any thing set in Christ's place. Then shalt thou look for the coming of thy Lord, and weep to hear his name evil spoken of. The which thing he grant for his mer cy's sake .•. AMEN. PREFACE TO CHRYSOSTOM ON PRAYER. 13 TO THE READER, GKACE AND PEACE, &c. Forasmuch, good reader, as the Almighty Lord, of his secret wisdom and mere goodness, hath so liberally, so fatherly, so lovingly, so mercifully visited us most unworthy wretches, and of all nations the most abominable sinners, with his most gracious blessing of his precious, sacred, holy word and gospel, in such abundance and plenteousness, as no people heretofore hath had or now hath such cause and so great occasion (if we will ponder the same) to be thankful, as we have : It is our duties again to kiss and embrace the Son, lest the Lord be angry, and so we perish from the right way. pSai. a. It is our duties to arise forth of sleep, and to know the time Bom. xiii. of our visitation. It is our duties to bring honour and praise unto the Lord, well worthy his name, to bring forth gifts, Psai. xcvi. and come into his temple. Let the manifold examples of ingratitude and unthankfulness, and of God's vengeance for the same, both in the old Testament and in the new, be a warning unto us. Let the examples of late days, as well in this realm as in other countries, be monitions and lessons for us. God is the same God now he always hath been. And as much doth our sins, our obstinacy, and our wanton receiving of God's holy gospel, kindle the wrath of that patient and long-suffering Lord against us, as did the wicked ness of others, upon whom, for our example, he hath taken punishment already. Let us learn, that "the long sufferance of God doth draw us to repentance" and to amendment of life: beware, lest we harden our hearts, and heap agamst and upon ourselves "the just judgment of God, the treasure of his wrath, against the day of vengeance," when his righteousness shall be opened, and he shall "reward every man according Rom. ii. to his deeds." How long shall God thus cry unto us : 0 ye Englishmen, "-How long will you blaspheme mine honour ? Psai. w. Why have ye such pleasure in vanity, and follow lies?" "Let us," I say, therefore, which have been drowned in dark- 14 PREFACE TO CHRYSOSTOM ON PRAYER. Rom. xiii. 1 Sam. xv. Hos. vi. Isau i. John iv. Rom. x. ness, and now come into the sunshine of God's most glorious gospel, " cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armours of light ; let us walk honestly as in the day time." Let us with all humbleness bewail our wickedness, our obsti nacy, and resisting God's truth, our wanton carnal gospelling : and let us embrace it, let us follow it, let us not only be hearers, but also doers of the word. It crieth for amend ment of living : let us therefore give it his due honour. God regardeth more obedience than sacrifice. If we will obey him, we shall eat the good things of the land. Let us, there fore, get up, and arise with the lost son, and say unto him, " Father, we have sinned against heaven, and before thee," &c. Let us fall before the throne of his mercy, and beg of him, by continual prayer, a thankful and an obedient heart, and therein to exercise our faith. For "this kind of devils is not cast out, but by prayer and fasting." Yea, faithful prayer is the only mean, whereby through Christ we both obtain all things necessary and convenient, and also retain and keep still the grace of God given unto us. j Now, seeing that amongst the many good and godly travails taken by divers men, as well in compiling as in trans lating into this our English tongue sundry learned and profitable books, there is but little of this most necessary exercise of faith, true prayer I mean ; (for in all the external worshippings of God there is none so difficile and hard:) therefore I have thought necessary to translate something of the same; whereby we might learn, as well what true prayer is, as also the dignity and worthiness thereof. Which thing once known may give occasion and spur (if I may say so) to the slothful and negligent, to be more earnest therein ; and also may instruct others which have continually exercised themselves, as they think, in true prayer, to be no longer vain mumblers, but true worshippers of God in spirit and verity; for God requireth such. But, forasmuch as the most part of this sort, of a blind zeal, but not according to knowledge, seeking to establish their own righteousness, and not that which cometh only by Christ, despise and may not abide the names and works of godly men of this late time, whom they call new fellows, which most fruitfully, as of other matters, so no less godly have written of this ; but do take all that they say to be PREFACE TO CHRYSOSTOM ON PRAYER. 15 rank heresy : to the intent these men, also, might by some means come into the knowledge of their abuses in prayer, wherein they put too much confidence and trust; I have, therefore, according to my little power and knowledge, where with I desire to edify, though most rudely, yet truly and plainly, translated these two notable Orations or Homilies of the most eloquent learned doctor, St John Chrysostom, which he entitled, Of praying to God. The which Homihes, being diligently read and weighed, shall, I doubt not (obsti nacy put aside), cause thee, O good reader, to give thanks to that Spirit, which moved, yea, wrote herein, by that doctor ; and also give thee occasion, not only to love prayer the better, but also to exercise thyself more earnestly in the true worshipping of God, and in exhorting and giving good example to all others to be the like, to the praise of God's most holy name. Which thing the most merciful Father grant through his dearly beloved Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, which reigneth with him and the Holy Ghost for ever. AMEN, xbi. JWag. JRH.xIbttt. [The Translation from Melancthon will appear in the present collection of the Writings of Bradford (with those from Artopceus and Chrysostom), after his Letters. The Preface is taken from the edition, without a date, by John Wight'. The volume of which it is a part probably was printed in July or August, 1553 ; because the Preface, which, from internal evi dence, certainly was written at that time, speaks of the Treatise, as being then "putte foorth2". It is placed here, both on account of connection, in point of time, with the Sermon on Repentance, which it mentions to be "presentely put foorth2"; and as probably pub lished, as well as written by Bradford. This short Address (not, I believe, reprinted hitherto in our day,) is of interest, in shewing the feeling entertained in England, by the faithful worshippers, during the brief period3 between the decease of Edward VI. and the imprisonment of the godly Protestant Bishops and other Clergy.] [' He printed books, from 1551 to 1589.-Herbert, (Typogr. Antiq. II. 779, et seq.) Maunsell, (Catal. 1595) 86, mentions " Phil. Melangton, his treatise of praier, translat. by loh. Bradford, prin. by Rob. Walg. in 12." The entry of Maunsell is repeated by Herbert (Typ. Ant. II. 1145), among the works issued by Robert Waldegrave, who began to print books about the year 1578.] [z p. 20.] P Edward VI. died July 6, 1553. The Preface to Bradford's Sermon on Repentance is dated July 12 Queen Mary was proclaimed July 19, and came to London, August 3, Bradford saved the life of Bourne August 13, and was committed to the Tower, "within St vne M 16 OT «*• 18*6> «• 392, VI. H4, 145 , Strype, Mem. (Oxf.) Ill, i. 3, 20, 26, 32.] PEEFACE TO A TRANSLATION FROM MELANCTHON BY JOHN BRADFORD. 1553. [BRADFORD.] 3 <§otitye txtatn&t of Urager, tran& latrtJ into <£ttglte!K, ISg ifoim aSrafcfovto, )¦••( {[ gjames. fin. You asfee anb receaue not, Because gou asfee amtsse, euen to consume it bpon goure boluptuousnesse. ([ gofin. xbf. f^gt&erto gou fiaue asftetr notfimge tn mg name : asfte antf gou sj&al receaue ft tjjat gour foge mage lie full. \_The colophon is as follows :] gmprmtetr at fcon&im fa $aule$ Cftttrcf) peartre, at tfce gpgne of ChiHeram.]C0Py ^ ^ Llb1^ °f the ^ °«"S> Stokes, Es,, PREFACE TO MELANCTHON ON PRAYER. 19 UNTO THE CHRISTIAN READER, JOHN BRADFORD WISHETH THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST. In this book following thou hast, good reader, a godly piece of work made by the godly learned man, Master Philip Melancthon, concerning prayer. The which as he lamenteth to be either too little or too corruptly spoken of among many writers ; even so do I lament the too little and too corruptly using of it in these days with many Englishmen, notwith standing the same be very diligently and godly set forth by public authority, by private writings, by diligent preaching and exhortations. Whereunto, in that on all sides, spiritually and corporally, publicly and privately, these perilous days of necessity so nip us and provoke us to pray, and by prayer to fetch down help from above, that if now we will not with diligence use it, watching thereunto with all sobriety, surely we needs must feel that which we cannot be able to bear. For already God's anger is set on fire, as once it was against the Israelites, and hath begun to burn in the camp of God's Num. xvi. church in England : I mean it not so much concerning the body, as concerning the head, even concerning king Edward the sixth, our late lord and most dear king. So that I fear me, it will go on forwards: for we have few Moses' and Aarons, which stand as gaps between God and us. And when God's judgment beginneth at such dear children of God as our most precious pearl and king was, I cannot be lieve it will stay there. Though he was Adam's child, (for who may say, ' My heart is pure from sin ?') yet am I per- pTOv. xx. suaded that it was not his but our sins which hath pro cured God to take him away from us, before he began to reform his commonweal, as graciously he had well begun and gone forwards in the reforming of the church, for that part which concerneth doctrine and the ceremonies of the same. °™ip'^e we We never did know what a benefit of God he was unto us ; and therefore we were unthankful, and that most impiously: wherethrough we have provoked God to take him away, that 2—2 20 PREFACE TO MELANCTHON ON PRAYER. by the want of his benefit we should be brought to the feeling of our unthankfulness and impiety ; but to this end, surely, that we might repent, ask mercy, pardon, and truly to turn 2 sam. xxiv. to the Lord, that he might cause his striking angels to put up his sword, and eftsones1 yet bless us far above our expectation, (if, I say, we will now lament our unthankfulness, sorrowing our sinful life, and with earnest prayer beg as well mercy for that which is past, as also grace hereafter for that which is to come,) by lightening the light of his holy countenance upon us. But if we, seeing now God's anger thus kindled against us, and daily more and more sending out great smokes, which commonly do immediately precede great flames ; as the tumults almost every where presently do shrewdly prog nosticate : If, I say, we seeing this will not repent us of our unthankfulness and monstrous sinfulness, " seeking the Lord Psai. i. whilst he may be found," " in the day of our trouble calling upon him," as he commandeth us, not without a promise that also he will hear and help us ; assuredly the ears of them that be to be born will tingle at the hearing of the great wrath that God will shew upon us. To the intent therefore that God might turn his favourable countenance towards us ; in that the means thereunto is hearty repentance and prayer; because I cannot be every where to stir up men thereunto by preaching, I have thought it my duty to signify my good- will by writing that, which something God might use as a mean to help thereunto. Unto a Sermon therefore of Repentance, which even pre sently I have put forth, I have also put forth this Treatise of Prayer, the which hath been a good space translated ; as a good part more of the Common-places of this Master Melanc- thon, which one day may fortune to come abroad, if I shall perceive any commodity by this to come to the church of Christ. Not that I stand in doubt whether the Common places be profitable or not : but because I stand in doubt of my unfitness and unableness exactly and plainly to play the translator. This Treatise of Prayer might and should have had more labour and diligence on my part, if that the present time of itself had not even, as it were, enforced me to send it forth presently ; that thereby in time some that should read it or hear it read might be taught, or at least occasioned, C1 i. c. soon afterward.] PREFACE TO MELANCTHON ON PRAYER. 21 the more truly and diligently to pray to the God of mercy, that he would mitigate his anger justly conceived against us, and, as the prophet prayeth, " in his anger to remember his Hai>. m. mercy." It is enough, 0 Lord ! and a plague most heavy, that we have lost our good king : but indeed we have deserved it ; and with him that thou shouldest take also as well the benefit of tranquillity and politic peace, as also thy holy gospel and true religion. For never was there nation that so horribly abused thy gospel and contemned this as we have done. Yea, alas, Lord ! presently we do it : so that righteous art thou if thou take it away, and give it to a nation that will bring forth the fruits of it. This three years, 0 Lord, Lukc xiii- yea, and three too, hast thou come to look for fruit : but thou findest none, save only leaves. Nay, Lord, no leaves dost thou find : for all our wickedness is so manifest that all nations see now to our shame, that we never received thy gospel but to cloak our covetousness, ambition, and carnality, Dear Father, yet cut us not down : let the sweet figs of thy sweet gospel tarry with us : and dig thou about us, and lay thy dung about us : so shall we, I trust, bring forth fruit to the praise of thy name. Let not now the wicked people say, " Where is their God ?" Thou " our God art in heaven, and canst do whatsoever thou wilt :" do thou turn us to thee. 0 Lord, save us, and continue thy gospel and religion among us, for thy Son's sake, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Say 'Amen,' good reader, and use this book thereafter. It teacheth thee what God thou shouldest call upon : it teacheth thee wherefore he heareth thee : it teacheth thee wherefore thou shouldest call upon him : it teacheth thee what things thou shalt ask, and in what order : it teacheth thee how to honour the saints, and what is their worship. It teacheth thee to be thankful, and giveth thee occasion to be thankful, if thou wilt read it, weigh it, carry it away, and . practise that which it teacheth. Go to therefore, take this book in thy hand to stir thee t up to prayer ; remember thine own weakness and need, as - well in soul as in body ; I will not say in thy goods, name, , family, vocation, &c. Remember the state of God's church, "„¦ of the commonweal, of thy friends, parents, &c. Remember that Satan sleopeth not, but as a roaring lion seeketh our 22 PREFACE TO MELANCTHON ON PRAYER. destruction publicly and privately, spiritually and corporally. Remember how many have stand both before God and man as surely as thou dost, and yet have fallen and have been overthrown horribly. Remember how that the children of God have been diligent in prayers always from the begin ning, as well in their needs corporal as spiritual. Remember that their prayers have not been in vain, but graciously have they obtained their requests as well for themselves as for others. Remember that God is now the same God, and no less rich in mercy and plentiful to them that truly call upon him : and therefore in very many places doth he command us to call upon him : so that except we will heap sin upon sin, we must needs use prayer. His promises are both uni versal towards all men, and most free without respect of our worthiness, if so be we acknowledge our unworthiness, and make our prayers in the faith and name of Jesus Christ; who is our Mediator, and sitteth on the right hand of his Father, praying for us, being the same Christ he hath been in times past, and so will be unto the end of the world, to help all such as come to him. Only in thy prayer away with the purpose of sinning, for he that prayeth with a purpose to continue in any sin cannot be heard ; his own conscience presently condemnetli him; he can have no true testimony or assurance of God hearing him. For even as in vain he that hath a wound desireth the healing of the same, so long as in the wound there remaineth the thing that is the cause of the wound, as a knife, a pellet, a dart, or a shaft-head, &c. : even so in vain is the prayer of him that retaineth still the purpose to continue in sin; for by it the soul is no less wounded than the body with a sword or any such instrument. As therefore to the healing of the wound in a man's body this. is first gone about, that the knife or iron which is in it be first pulled out, so do thou in prayer away with pur- 7ZgJy T6 m Sm- G°d COndemned » A» old law all spotted sacrifices : away therefore with the spots of pur- prlver VST t" ^ ** ^ ^ ^ugoel to prayer, bid adieu, I say, and farewell to thy covetousness gUX'trr s;earing' j™ -^zi0: t^^tlt'J^' .«"* 8"™%. sl°thfulness, neg- ligence, &c. If thou feelest thy wilful and per™ ^1 PREFACE TO MELANCTHON ON PRAYER. 23 unwilling thereunto, out of hand complain it to the Lord, and for his Christ's sake pray him to reform thy wicked will, put him in remembrance of his promise sung by the angels, Ho- minibus bona voluntas, that by Christ it should be to his Luke u. glory to give " to men a good will," to consent to his will, and therein to delight night and day. The which is that happiness which David singeth of in his first Psalm : there- And in ws j. *p law he will lore more earnestly crave it, and cease not till thou get it : d^a' nl|W for at the length the Lord will come in an acceptable time, I warrant thee, and give it thee, and whatsoever else thou shalt also ask to his glory, in the name and faith of his dear Christ, who is "the door of the tabernacle" whereat the ac- !««. xvii. ceptable sacrifices to God were offered, as this book doth well teach thee if thou wilt diligently mark it. Therefore to it I will now refer thee, beseeching the ever- living God of mercy to endue thee and me and all other his children with the Spirit of grace and prayer, that we may dihgently use this sacrifice of "the calves of our lips," which is Ho*.xiv. not abrogate with the old sacrifices of the old Testament: that we may use it, I say, dihgently every day, not only "at even- Num. xxvm. ing and morning," as the old law used to teach us, in the be ginning and ending of all things we go about, to seek for God's help; but also, as David saith, meridie ["at noon"] even in Ps.cxix.c62. the midst of all our works, yea, in all parts of our works, at all times, as Christ teacheth us "always to pray and never to be weary." Not that I mean this so, as though I would have any to follow the Psallians or Euchites1, which, to obey this commandment of Christ for praying always, did nothing else night and day but recite psalms and certain prayers, thinking him most holy which had read and re hearsed most psalms and prayers : but that I would have us to have our affections upon God, and our desire for his help ("for without him can we do nothing") not quenched or John xv. pressed down by oblivion or forgetfulness of God, which is the worm and moth of a christian conscience. And where- unto we shall be holpen, if that we do often ejaculate, and, as it were, send out of our hearts and lips some short sighs and words for God's help, as we read of good and holy men that were accustomed so to do. Amongst whom [i Vide Mosheim, Eccl. Hist. cent. iv. 11. v. 24.] 24 PREFACE TO MELANCTHON ON THAYER. was great care and diligence of perseverance in prayer, as the history of St. James (whose knees by kneeling in prayer was as hard as though they had been of a camel rather than of any man1) and of many other doth teach us. God open our eyes to see our great need and his great mercies and ready help : and then doubtless we will be as diligent as heretofore we have been negli gent, and yet are. The Lord amend us. Amen. [1 MoVoj elo-r)pxero els rbv vaov' ijupio-Kero re Keipevos irrl rots yovacn, Kal alrovpevos vrrep tov Xaov a(pecriv' as diTeo-KXrjKevai rd yovara avrov o"ikt)V KapJjXov, hut to del Kapirrew e'rrl ydVu npoaKwovvra t£> Beat, koL alreioSai acpecriv ra Xa<3. — Hegesipp. in Euseb. Ecc. Hist. II. xxm. ed. Vales. Paris. 1659, p. 63—4.] TWO SERMONS ON REPENTANCE (1553) AND ON THE LORD'S SUPPER BY JOHN BRADFORD. « QL Sermon of rqpcntaunce, ntato tog 0o!w ISratrforto, (-) Slufee viii* (fixttptt pou wpent pott fi&all all gpot* ii. Mtmrnbre hjhma thou art* fallen, anli vtpmt tbn* [Title-page of the first edition of 1553.] Ctoo no- table Sermons, $)atre frg tf)at Vaov thy Martyr of Christ Mai- Ster Iohn Bradford, the one of ICUpmtance, anU the o» ther of the Uot&es sup= per neuet before imprmteti (tar) T Perused and allowed accor ding to the (Sueenes Jffla= iesties Iniunction. (.) 1574 £ $mprintt& at Eottiron by Iohn Awdeley, and [The Sermon on Repentance, with a Letter from Bradford ' to the Christian Reader', was originally published in 1553. Bradford, in the Preface dated July 12 of that year, says, "I...haye now caused this Sermon to be printed1 :" and he observes in the Preface to the Translation from Melancthon, which certainly was written and pro bably was printed in July or August 1553, "Unto a sermon of repentance, which even presently I have put forth, I have also put forth this treatise of prayer2." And Sampson states3, that Bradford " in his life time" " did both preach and publish '' that on Repent ance. The Two Sermons were published together in one volume in 1574, with a Preface by Sampson describing the character and life of Bradford. More than one impression of this book, closely alike in type, signatures, and catchwords, were printed in that year. That which the editor conceives to be probably the earliest of these (from a very few errata corrected in another impression of 1574) may be known by not having side-notes or references on signatures B i recto, B iii recto, B v recto, C i reverse, among others. A copy is in the collection of the late George Stokes, Esq., of Cheltenham. The Sermon on Repentance, in the present reprint, follows tho text of an imperfect copy of the very rare edition of 1553 4, in the possession of the editor, formerly the property of the late Archdeacon Pott, the last two pages being taken from an impression of 1574 also belonging to the editor, free from the errata referred to above. The text of 1553 has been closely compared with that of 1574, and occa sionally with the editions of 1581, 1599, 1617, 1619, and 1652. The Sermon on the Lord's Supper was first published8 in 1574. The present reprint follows the text (unless where otherwise noted) of a MS. in the Library of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, which supplies twelve lines now printed, at p. 90, for the first time. That MS. has been collated throughout with the edition of 1574 used for the Sermon on Repentance, and has been sometimes compared with 1581, 1599, and 1617; and the chief respects in which the MS. differs from 1574 have been noted. There is reason to believe that the Sermon on the Lord's Supper was revised by Bishop Ridley: see p. 82, note 1.] [' P- «.] p p. 20.] p p. 29.] p A copy, imperfect, was formerly in the possession of Herbert (Typogr. Antiq., III. 1572): and there was a copy also not perfect (possibly that which Herbert once had) in the library of the Duke of Roxburghe, 1812, noted (in Supplem. to Catal. 597), "Bradforde's Sermon on Repentance, imp. 1553. "J [5 Vide black letter title (1574), p. 27, and statement of Sampson, p. 29.1 TO THE CHRISTIAN READER, THO. SAMPSON i WISHETH THE FELICITY OF SPEEDY AND FULL CONVERSION TO THE LORD. Godly learned men do write and publish books to profit the age in which they do live, and the posterity. This desire was in the author of this Treatise, Master John Bradford, who was the preacher and publisher of this Sermon of Repent ance. And now, to the end that we which do live in earth after him, and are the posterity, may take as much or more profit by it than they did to and for whom, in his lifetime, he did both preach and publish it, the same his labour is by new imprinting published again. Nothing is added to this Sermon or altered in it; only to the Sermon of Repent ance before printed is added another Sermon of the Lord's Supper which he also made, and was never printed before. And aptly shalt thou see, good reader, these two Sermons joined together. For, in diligent perusing of the last, thou shalt see how necessarily he draweth the doctrine of repent ance to them all which do with due preparation receive the holy sacrament of Christ. I do not know which of the ser- [i Was ordained Deacon by Abp. Cranmer, assisted by Bp. Ridley, 1549. Rector of Alhallows, Bread St. 1551. Dean of Chichester, 1552. A chief translator of the Bible, 1560, Geneva. Refused the Bishoprick of Norwich, 1560. Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, 1561 ; but (refusing to wear the appointed habits) was deprived by special order from the Queen, 1565. Prebendary of St Paul's, 1570. Pub- , lished "these remarkable memorials of this heavenly confessor and ! martyr" (Strype, Ann. in. i. 102) in 1574. Master of Whittington College, London; Master of the Hospital of William de Wygston, at Leicester. Died, April 9, 1589, aged 72.— Vide Strype, Cranmer, Oxf. 1812, I. 273, 356, 419, Parker, I. 368, Annals, I. ii. 150, 151 ; Wood, Athenre Oxon. Bliss, I. 548; Newcourt, Repertorium, 196, 246; Life of Bp. Ridley, by Ridley, 302; Zurich Letters, Parker Soc. see index; Anderson, Annals, Eng. Bible, 1S45, n. 321.] 30 SERMONS ON REPENTANCE AND THE LORD'S SUPPER. mons 1 should most praise: I wish that by reading both thou mayest make thy great profit. In both these sermons thou shalt read Bradford preaching repentance with his own pen. They are counted the most profitable teachers, which have themselves good experience by practice in themselves of that which they do teach to others ; such as may safely Phii. m. 17. say, " Brethren, be ye followers of me, and look on them which walk so as ye have us for an example." And surely such a pattern was Master Bradford in his life time, of this doctrine of repentance which in both these ser mons he teacheth, that I which did know him familiarly must needs give to God this praise for him, that among men I have scarcely known one like unto him. I did know when and partly how1 it pleased God, by effectual calling, to turn his heart unto the true knowledge and obedience of the most holy gospel of Christ our Saviour ; of which God did give him such an heavenly hold and lively feeling, that, as he did then know that many sins were forgiven him, so surely Luke v«. be declared by deeds that he "loved much." For where he had both gifts and calling to have employed himself in civil and worldly affairs profitably ; such was his love of Christ and zeal to the promoting of his glorious gospel, that he changed not only the course of his former life, as the woman did (Luke vii.), but even his former study, as Paul did change his former profession and study. Touching the first, after that God touched his heart with that holy and effectual calling, he sold his chains, rings, broaches, and jewels of gold, which before he used to wear, and did bestow the price of this his former vanity in the necessary relief of Christ's poor members, which he could hear of or find lying sick or pining in poverty. Touching [} " Sampson . . . studied the municipal laws in one of the Templea, where being converted to the Protestant religion, did shortly after, as 'tis said, convert John Bradford the martyr." Wood, Athense O^on. Bliss, 1. 548 — 9.] SAMPSON TO THE CHRISTIAN READER. 31 the second, he so declared his great zeal and love to promote the glory of the Lord Jesus, whose goodness and saving health he had tasted, that to do the same more pithily he changed his study ; and being in the Inner Temple in Lon don at the study of the common laws, he went to Cam bridge to study divinity; where he heard Doctor Martin Bucer diligently, and was right familiar and dear unto him. In this godly course he did by God's blessing so profit, that that blessed martyr, Doctor Ridley, then Bishop of London2, did as it were invite him and his godly companion, Master Thomas Horton, to become Fellows of Pembroke Hall, in Cambridge : and afterwards the said Doctor Ridley called our Bradford to London, gave him a prebend in Paul's church, lodged him in his own house there, and set him on work in preaching. And besides often preaching in London, and at Paul's cross, and sundry places in the country, and specially in Lancashire ; he preached before king Edward the sixth, in the Lent, the last year of his reign, upon the second Psalm : and there in one sermon, shewing the tokens of God's judgment at hand for the contempt of the gospel, as that certain gentlemen upon the Sabbath-day going in a wherry to Paris Garden3, to the bear-baiting, were drowned ; and that a dog was met at Ludgate carrying a piece of a dead child in his mouth ; he with a mighty and prophetical spirit said, ' I summon you all, even every mother's child of you, to the judgment of God, for it is at hand :' as it fol lowed shortly after in the death of king Edward. In which [a «Dr Nicholas Ridley... was not then Bishop of London, as Bradford's friend mistakes, being Bishop of Rochester from near » twelvemonth before Bradford went to the University [which last took place about midsummer 1548] to the beginning of the year 1550, (God win de Praesul. Angl. et Rymeri Feed. Tom. xv. p. 164, 222) and also Master of Pembroke Hall."— Biogr. Britann. ii. 1748, art. Bradford.] [3 " The famous bear-garden on the Bankside in Southwark, con tiguous to the Globe theatre. So called from Robert de Paris, who had a house and garden there in the reign of Richard II." Nares, Glossary. Vide Brand, Pop. Antiq. Ellis, n. 285.] 32 SERMONS ON REPENTANCE AND THE LORD S SUPPER. state and labour of preaching he continued till the cruelty of the papists cut him off, so as thou mayest read in the history of his hfe and death compiled by that faithful servant of the Lord Jesus, Master John Fox l. Indeed he had many pullbacks, but God still helped for ward his chosen servant in that trade of life to which he had called him ; in which he ran forward so happily that he did outrun me and other his companions. For it pleased God with great speed to make him ready and ripe to martyrdom, in which through Christ he hath now gained the crown of life. But in all stops and stays he was much helped forward by a continual meditation and practice of repentance and faith in Christ, in which he was kept by God's grace notably exercised all the days of his life. Even in this mean time he heard a sermon which that notable preacher Master Lati mer made before king Edward the sixth, in which he did earnestly speak of restitution to be made of things falsely gotten : which did so strike Bradford to the heart for one dash with a pen, which he had made without the knowledge of his master2 (as full often I have heard him confess with plenty of tears), being clerk to the treasurer of the king's camp beyond the seas3, and was to the deceiving of the king, that he could never be- quiet till, by the advice of the [i Acts, &c. 1583, p. 1603 — 1623, or ed. 1847, vn. 143 — 194.] [2 Sir John Harrington of Exton in Rutlandshire. It is only right to place beside the above the words of Bradford in his last Examination before Bp. Gardiner : " My lord, I set my foot to his foot, whosoever he be, that can come forth and justly vouch to my face that ever I deceived my master. And as you aro chief justicer by office, in England, I desire justice upon them that so slander me, because they cannot prove it."— Exam, of Bradford, London, Griffith, 1561, signature a vi. Vide also Foxe, Acts, &c. ed. 1583, p. 1610, or ed. 1847, vn. 162. The subject will receive further notice in this col lection of the Writings of Bradford.] t3 At Boulogne. Vide Foxe, Acts, &c. ed. 1583, p. 1603, or ed. 1847, vn. 143 : and see A. d. 1544, et seq., in Grafton, Chron. 1569, p. 1273; m Holinshed 1587, n. 964; in Stow ed. 1615, p. 587; in Speed, Hist. 1623, p. 1050 ; and in Carte 1752, m. 179: and see Playfair, Baronet- ' age, i. 72.] J SAMPSON TO THE CHRISTIAN READER. 33 same Master Latimer a restitution was made. Which thing to bring to pass, he did willingly forbear and forego all the private and certain patrimony which he had in earth4. Let all bribers and polling5 officers, which get to themselves great revenues in earth by such slippery shifts, follow this example, lest, in taking a contrary course, they take a contrary way, and never come where Bradford now is. But besides this, our Bradford had his daily exercises and practices of repentance. His manner was, to make to himself a catalogue of all the grossest and most enorme sins, which in his life of ignorance he had committed ; and to lay the same before his eyes when he went to private prayer, that by the sight and remembrance of them he might be stirred up to offer to God the sacrifice of a contrite heart, seek assurance of salvation in Christ by faith, thank God for his calling from the ways of wickedness, and pray for in crease of grace to be conducted in holy life acceptable and pleasing to God. Such a continual exercise of conscience he had in private prayer, that he did not count himself to have prayed to his contentation, unless in it he had felt inwardly some smiting of heart for sin, and some healing of that wound by faith, feeling the saving health of Christ, with some change of mind into the detestation of sin, and love of obey ing the good will of God. Which things do require that inward entering into the secret parlour of our hearts of Matt. vi. which Christ speaketh ; and is that smiting of the breast which is noted in the publican ; and is the same to the which the Psalmist exhorteth those men loose in sin : (Psalm iv. 4.) "Tremble ye, and sin not ; speak in yourselves ;" that is, enter into an account with yourselves: "when you are on your couches;" that is, when ye are solitary and alone : "and [4 The letter of Bradford to Traves, of May 12, 1548, and those which begin, severally, " Cratia, misericordia ... If mine heart," and " The selfsame mercy," seem to lead to a different conclusion. — Foxe, Acts, &c. 1583, p. 1661—4, or ed. 1847, vn. 277—285.] [6 i. e. plundering.] o [BRADFORD.] 34 SERMONS ON REPENTANCE AND THE LORD'S SUPPER. be quiet or silent ;" that is, when ye have thus secretly and deeply considered of your case and dealing, ye shall cease to think, speak, and do wickedly. Without such an inward exercise of prayer our Bradford did not pray to his full con- tentation, as appeared by this : he used in the morning to go to the common prayer in the college where he was, and after that he used to make some prayer with his pupils in his chamber ; but not content with this, he then repaired to his own secret prayer and exercise in prayer by himself, as one that had not yet prayed to his own mind : for he was wont to say to his familiars, ' I have prayed with my pupils, but I have not yet prayed with myself.' Let those secure men mark this well, which pray without touch of breast, as the Pharisee did ; and so that they have said an ordinary prayer, or heard a common course of prayer, they think they have prayed well, and, as the term is, they have served God well ; though they never feel sting for sin, taste of groaning, or broken heart, nor of the sweet saving health of Christ, thereby to be moved to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving, nor change or renewing of mind : but as they came secure in sin and senseless, so they do depart without any change or affecting of the heart; which is even the cradle in which Satan rocketh the sins of this age asleep, who think they do serve God in these cursory prayers made only of custom, when their heart is as far from God as was the heart of the Pharisee. Let us learn by Bradford's example to pray better, that is, with the heart and not with the lips alone ; Quia Deus non vocis, sed cordis auditor est1, as Cyprian saith: that is, "Because God is the hearer of the heart and not of the voice :" that is to say, not of the voice alone without the heart, for that is but lip-labour. This con science of sin and exercise in prayer had Bradford, clean contrary to that cursed custom of those graceless men, which do joy to make large and long accounts of their lewdness, [l Cyprian, de Orat. Domin. Op. Oxon. (1688) 140.] SAMPSON TO THE CHRISTIAN READER. 35 and glory therein, so feeding their delights with their lives past, as a dog returneth to smell to his cast gorge, and the horse to his dung : such as the prophet Esay (iii. 9) saith, " They declare their sins as Sodom, they hide them not : woe be to their souls!" It goeth with them as in the days of Jeremiah it went with those, "Thou haddest a whore's fore- jcr.m.a head ; thou wouldest not be ashamed." God give these men better grace ; else let them be assured they shall find woe, woe to their very souls. Another of his exercises was this : he used to make unto himself an ephemeris or a journal, in which he used to write all such notable things as either he did see or hear each day that passed. But whatsoever he did hear or see, he did so pen it that a man might see in that book the signs of his smitten heart. For if he did see or hear any good in any man, by that sight he found and noted the want thereof in himself, and added a short prayer, craving mercy and grace to amend. If he did hear or see any plague or misery, he noted it as a thing procured by his own sins, and still added, Domine, miserere mei, " Lord, have mercy upon me." He used in the same book to note such evil thoughts as did rise in him ; as of envying the good of other men, thoughts of un thankfulness, of not considering God in his works, of hardness and unsensibleness of heart when he did see other moved and affected. And thus he made to himself and of himself a book of daily practices of repentance. Besides this, they which were familiar with him might see how he, being in their company, used to fall often into a sudden and deep meditation, in which he would sit with fixed countenance and spirit moved, yet speaking nothing a good space. And sometimes in this silent sitting2 plenty of [2 " In the midst of dinner he used often to muse with himself, having his hat over his eyes, from whence came commonly plenty of tears dropping on his trencher." — Foxe, Acts &c. ed. 1583, p. 1604, or cd. 1847, VII. 145.] 3—2 36 SERMONS ON REPENTANCE AND THE LORD'S SUPPER. tears should trickle down his cheeks. Sometime he would sit in it and come out of it with a smiling countenance. Oftentimes have I sitten at dinner and supper with him in the house of that godly harbourer of many preachers and servants of the Lord Jesus, I mean Master Elsyng1, when, either by occasion of talk had, or of some view of God's benefits present, or some inward cogitation and thought of his own, he hath fallen into these deep cogitations : and he would tell me in the end such discourses of them that I did perceive that sometimes his tears trickled out of his eyes, as well for joy as for sorrow, Neither was he only such a practiser of repentance in himself, but a continual provoker of others thereunto, not only in public preaching, but also in private conference and company. For in all companies where he did come, he would freely reprove any sin and misbehaviour which appeared in any person, especially swearers, filthy talkers, and popish praters. Such never departed out of his company unreproved. And this he did with such a divine grace and christian majesty, that ever he stopped the mouths of the gainsayers. For he spake with power, and yet so sweetly, that they might see their evil to be evil and hurtful unto them, and understand that it was good indeed to the which he laboured to draw them in God. To be short : as his life was, such was his death. His life was a practice and example, a provocation to repent ance : at his death (as the foresaid history witnesseth), when he was burned in Smithfield, and the flames of fire did fly about his ears, his last speech publicly noted and heard was this: Repent, England2! Thus was our Bradford a C1 A Letter from Bradford, inscribed " To my dear friends anil brethren, R. and E. with their wives and families," i.e. "to two faith ful friends of his, one Royden and Elsing" (Foxe), is given in Bp, Coverdale, Letters of the Martyrs (1564) 338j and fa ^ &(, 1583, p. 1642, or ed. 1847, vn. 235.] [2 Foxe, Acts &c. 1583, p. 1623, or ed. 1847, vir. 194.] SAMPSON TO THE CHRISTIAN READER. 37 preacher and an example of that repentance which he did preach. Jonas preached to JSTinive repentance; and all Ni- nive, the king, princes, people, old and young repented. To England Bradford did preach, and yet doth preach repent ance. And surely England hath now much more cause to repent than it had when Bradford lived and preached re pentance ; for all states and sorts of persons in England are now more corrupt than they were then. Let therefore now Bradford's Sermon, his life, his death, move thee, 0 England, to repent, at thy peril. I wish and warn that as in Ninive, so in England all from the highest to the lowest do unfeignedly repent ; they which are of the court, they which are of the church, they which are of the city, they which are of the country, princes, prelates, and people. Let all and every one repent, and depart from that evil which he hath in hand, and turn wholly to the Lord. And I do humbly beseech thy Majesty, 0 glorious Lord Jesus, which didst come to bless Israel, turning every one of them from their sins, to work now by thy Spirit in our hearts the same sound repentance which thy holiness did preach to men, when thou saidest, " Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand." This work in us, 0 gracious God our Saviour. Amen. And now, reader, I leave thee to the reading and prac tising of that repentance which Bradford here teacheth. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER, JOHN BRADFORD W1SHETH THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE AND PEACE OF JESUS CHRIST, OUR ALONE AND OMNISUFFICIENT SAVIOUR. Great and heavy is God's anger against us, as the most grievous plague of the death of our late king (a prince of all that ever was sithen1 Christ's ascension into heaven, in any region, peerless) now fallen upon us doth prognosticate. For, when God's judgment hath begun with his child thus, our dear darling, let other men think as they can, I surely cannot be persuaded otherwise but that a grievous and bitter cup of God's vengeance is ready to be poured out for us Englishmen to drink of. The whelp God hath beaten, to fray 1 Pet. iv. the bandog. " Judgment is begun at God's house." In God's mercy to himwards he is taken away, that his eyes should not see the miseries we shall feel. He was too good Heb. xi. to tarry with us, so wicked, so froward, so perverse, so ob stinate, so malicious, so hypocritical, so covetous, unclean, untrue, proud, carnal, &c, a generation. I will not go about to paint us out in our colours. All the world which never saw England by hearsay seeth England. God by his plagues and vengeance, I fear me, will paint us out and point us out. We have so mocked with him and his gospel, that we shall feel it is no bourding2 with him. ^ Of long time we have covered our covetousness and car nality under the cloak of his gospel, so that all men shall see us to our shame. When he shall take his gospel away, and give it to a people that will bring forth the fruits of it, then shall we appear as we be. To let his gospel tarry with us he cannot : for we despise it, contemn it, are glutted with - i1 ' SUh' °°CUrs in the authorised version of Ezek. xxxv. 6. Vide, m Tooke, i 267, or Richardson, Diet. v. sin, the derivation of 'since.'] L2 Bourding .- jesting.] BRADFORD TO THE CHRISTIAN READER. 39 it. We disdain his manna : It is but a vile meat, think we. We would be again in Egypt, and sit by the greasy fleshpots, to eat again our garlic, onions, and leeks. Sithen God's gospel came amongst us, we say now, we had never plenty : therefore again let us go and "worship the queen of heaven." Jer.xiiv. "Children begin to gather sticks, the fathers kindle the fire, jer.vit and the women make the cakes, to offer to the queen of heaven, and to provoke the Lord to anger." The earth can not abide now the words and sermons of Amos ; the cause of Amos ™. all rebellion is Amos and his preaching. It is Paul and his Acts xvii. fellows that make all out of order. Summa, the gospel is now Tvavrwv ireptyripa and KaOap/xa too Koapov' the outcast [icor.iv. 13.] and curse of the realm ; and so are the preachers : therefore out of the doors with them. So that, I say, God cannot let his gospel tarry with us, but must needs take it away, to do us some pleasure therein. For so shall we think for a time, as the Sodomitanes thought when Lot departed from them ; Gen. xix. as the old world thought when Noe crept into his ark ; as Gen. vii. the Jerosolomitanes thought when the apostles went thence to Peltis3. Then were they merry, then was all pastime : when Moses was absent, then went they " to eating and drink- E*°d. x!"»- ing, and rose again to play :" then was all peace, all was well, nothing amiss. But, alas ! suddenly came the flood and drowned them, the fire and burnt them up, Titus and be sieged them* ; God's wrath waxed hot against them. Then was welaway5, mourning, and woe : then was crying out, wringing of hands, renting of clothes, sobbing and sighing for the miseries fallen out of the which they could not escape. But, 0 you mourners and cryers out, ye renters of clothes, why mourn you? what is the cause of your misery? The gospel is gone, God's word is little preached, you were6 not disquieted with it : Noe troubleth you not, Lot is de parted, the apostles are gone. What now is the cause of these your miseries? Will you at the length confess it. is [3 Vide Euseb. Eccl. Hist. in. v. ed. Vales. Paris. 1659, p. 75: and also annot. Vales.] [4 The last ten words are omitted in all editions after 1553.] [5 i. e. 'woe on woe,' or 'alas, alas,' from the Anglo-Saxon welawa, or walawa. Vide Johnson, Nares, Richardson, v. ' welaway.'] [* So 1553, 1574, 1581 : 'are,' 1599.] 40 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. your sins? Nay, now it is too late. God called upon you, and you would not hear him ; therefore yell and cry out now, for he will not hear you. You bowed your ears from hearing of God's law ; therefore your prayer is execrable. But, to come again to us Englishmen. I fear me, I say, for our unthankfulness' sake, for our impiety and wickedness, as God hath taken away our king, so will he take away his gospel. Yea, so we would have it : then should all be well, think many. Well, if he take that away, for a time per chance we shall be quiet, but at length we shall feel the want to our woe : at length he will have at us, as at Sodom, at Jerusalem, and other places. And now he beginneth to brew such a brewing, wherein one of us is like to destroy another1, and so make an open gap for foreign enemies to devour us and destroy us. The father is against the son, the brother against the brother : and, Lord, with what conscience ! 0 be thou merciful unto us, and in thine anger re member thy mercy ; suffer thyself to be entreated ; be recon. ciled unto us ; nay, reconcile us unto thee. 0 thou God of justice, judge justly. 0 thou Son of God, which earnest to i John in. destroy the works of Satan, destroy his furours2 now smoking, and almost set on fire in this realm. We have sinned ; we have sinned : and therefore thou art angry. 0 be not angry for ever. Give us peace, peace, peace in the Lord. Set us to war3 against sin, against Satan, against our carnal desires ; and give us the victory this way. This victory we obtain by faith. This faith is not with out repentance, as her gentleman usher4 before her: before her, I say, in discerning true faith from false faith, lip-faith, Englishmen's faith : for else it springs out of true faith. [i Lady Jane Grey having been proclaimed July 10, 1553, four days after the death of Edward VI.— This preface is dated July 12: and Queen Mary was proclaimed July 19.— Strype, Mem. Oxf. III. I. 4, 21.] ™ [2 Vide Richardson, v. fury.] [3 So 1553, 1574: 'work,' 1581, 1599, 1617.] _ [« "Faith is a noble duchess : she hath ever her gentleman usher going before her, the confessing of sins : she hath a train after her, the fruits of good works, the walking in the commandments of God." -Bp Latimer, 7th Serm. before Edw. VI. ed. 1578. sig. L viii: ed. Parker Sec. i. 237.] fi BRADFORD TO THE CHRISTIAN READER. 41 This usher then, of repentance, if we truly possessed, we should be certain of true faith, and so assured of the victory over death, hell, and Satan. His works then, which he hath stirred up, would quail. God would restore us politic peace. Right should be right, and have right. God's gospel should tarry with us : religion should be cherished, superstition sup pressed ; and so we yet something happy, notwithstanding the great loss of our most gracious liege sovereign lord. All these would come to pass, you see, if the gentleman usher I spake of (I mean Repentance) were at inn with us : as, if he be absent, we may be certain that lady Faith is absent. Wherefore we cannot but he vanquished of the world, the flesh, and the devil : and so will Satan's works prosper, though not in all things to blear our eyes, yet in that thing which he most of all desireth. Therefore to repentance for ourselves privately, and for the realm and church publicly, every one should labour to stir up both our selves and others. This to the end that for my part I might help, I have presently put forth a Sermon on Repentance, which hath lien by me half a year at the least, for the most part of it. For the last summer, as I was abroad preaching in the country, my chance was to make a Sermon of Repentance, the which was earnestly of divers desired of me, that I should give it them written, or else put it forth in print. The which thing to grant as I could not, (for I had not written it,) so I told them that had so earnestly desired it. But when no way would serve but I must promise them to write it as I could, I consented to their request that they should have it at my leisure. This leisure I prolonged so long, that as I ween I offended them, so did I please myself as one more glad to read other men's writings, than in such sort to publish my writings for other men to read. Not that I would others not to profit by me ; but that I, knowing how short my supellexs and store6 is, would be loth for the enemies to have just occasion of evil speaking and wresting that which simply is spoken. But when I considered this present time to occasion men now to look upon all things in such sort [5 i. e. furniture.] [6 'slender my store' 1574 and after editions.] 42 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. as might move them to godliness, rather than to any curi ous questioning, I for the satisfying of my promise, and profiting of the simple, ignorant, and rude, have now caused this Sermon to be printed1- The which I beseech God for his Christ's sake to use as a mean whereby of his mercy it may please him to work in me and many others true hearty repentance for our sins, to the glory of his name. Thus fare thou well in the Lord. The 12th of July, Anno M.D.LIII. [i Vide p. 28 above.] A SERMON OF REPENTANCE MADE BY JOHN BRADFORD. The life we have at this present is the gift of God, "in whom we live, move, and are :" and therefore is he called Acts xvii. Jehovah1. For the which life as we should be thankful, so i?xod.iii.[vi.] we may not in any wise use it after our own fantasy, but to the end for the which it is given and lent us; that is, to the setting forth of God's praise and glory, by repentance, conversion, and obedience to his good will and holy laws : whereunto his long-suffering doth, as it were, even draw us, if our hearts by impenitency were not hardened. And there fore our life in the scripture is called a " walking :" for that as the body daily draweth more and more near his end, that is the earth, even so our soul draweth daily more and more near the death, that is salvation or damnation, heaven or hell. Of which thing in that we are most careless, and very fools, (for we, alas! are the same to-day we were yesterday, and not better or nearer to God, but rather nearer to hell, Satan, and perdition, being covetous, idle, carnal, secure, negligent, proud, &c. ;) I think my labour cannot be better bestowed than with the Baptist, Christ Jesus, and his apos tles, to harp on this string, which of all other is most neces sary, and that in these days most specially. What string is that ? saith one. Forsooth, brother, the string of Repentance, the which Christ our Saviour did use first in his ministry ; and as his minister at this present I will use unto you all : " Repent ; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" Matt. iii. This sentence thus pronounced and preached by our Saviour Jesus Christ, as it doth command us to repent, so to the doing of the same it sheweth us a sufficient cause to stir [! Nomine enim niiT1 a yerbo iTi! fuit, ducto, significari cense- bant Deum ceternum, immutabilem, qui nunquam non idem futurus sit. — Gesen. Lex.] 44 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. us up thereunto : namely, for that "the kingdom of heaven," which is a kingdom of all joy, peace, riches, power, and plea sure, "is at hand" to all such as do so, that is as do repent. So that the meaning hereof is as though our Saviour might thus speak presently : " Sirs, for that I see you all walking the wrong way, even to Satan and unto hell-fire, by following the kingdom of Satan which now is coloured under the pilled1 pleasures of this life and foolishness of the flesh, most subtilely, to your utter undoing and destruction, behold and mark well what I say unto you, ' The kingdom of heaven,' that is another manner of joy and felicity, honour and riches, power and pleasure, than you now perceive or enjoy, is even 'at hand,' and at your backs; as, if you will turn again, thai is 'repent you,' you shall most truly and pleasantly feel, see and inherit. Turn again therefore, I say, that is, 'Repent:' for this joy I speak of, even ' the kingdom of heaven, is at hand.' " Here we may note, first, the corruption of our nature, in that to this commandment, " Repent you," he addeth a cause, " for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." For, by reason of the corruption and sturdiness of our nature, God unto all his commandments commonly either addeth some promise to provoke us to obedience, or else some such sufficient cause as cannot but tickle us up to hearty labouring for the doing of the same : as here to the commandment of doing pen ance he addeth this aetiology or cause, saying, " For the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Again, in that he joineth to the commandment the cause, saying, " For the kingdom of heaven is at hand," we may learn that of "the kingdom of heaven" none to whom the ministry of preaching doth appertain can be partaker but such as repent and do penance. Therefore, dearly beloved, if you regard " the kingdom of heaven," in that you cannot enter therein except you repent, I beseech you all of every estate, as you would your own weal, to repent and do penance. The which thing that you may do, I will do my best now to help you, by God's grace. < [! I',6' ' bai'e' aS if pickcd or striPPed,' Nares, Gloss. So the word peeled in Isai. xviii. 2, 7, 'a nation scattered and peeled-' exi J un. et Trem— 1574 and after editions read ' vain '] SERMON ON REPENTANCE. 45 But first, because we cannot well tell what repentance is through ignorance and for lack of knowledge, and false teaching, 1 will, to begin withal, shew you what repentance is. Repentance or penance is no English word, but we bor row it of the Latinists, to whom penance is a forthinking2 in English ; in Greek a being wise afterwards ; in Hebrew a conversion or turning3. The which conversion or turning, in that it cannot be true and hearty, unto God especially, without some good hope or trust of pardon for that which is already done and past, I may well in this sort define it, namely, That penance is a sorrowing or forthinking2 of our sins past, an earnest purpose to amend or turning to God, with a trust of pardon. This definition may be divided into three parts : that penance or repentance should contain4, First, a sorrowing for our sins : Secondly, a trust of pardon, which otherwise may be called a persuasion of God's mercy by the merits of Christ for the forgiveness of our sins : and Thirdly, a purpose to amend, or conversion to a new life. The which third or last part cannot be called properly a part ; for it is but an effect of penance, as towards the end you shall see by God's grace. But lest such as seek for occasion to speak evil should have any occasion, though they tarry not out the end of this ser mon, I therefore divide penance into the three foresaid parts ; Of sorrowing for our sins : Of good hope or trust of pardon ; " and, Of a new life. Thus you now see what penance is, a sorrowing for sin, a purpose to amend, with a good hope or trust of pardon. [I.] This penance not only differeth from that which ; men commonly have taken to be penance, in saying and s' doing our enjoined Lady Psalters5, seven Psalms6, fastings, 0 ji [2 i. e. regret, repentance : see Nares, v. 'for' and 'forthink.'] [3 Poenitentia : perdvoia' H1W (Is. xxx. 1 5), or 0113 (Hos. xiii. P? T .. 14). Vide Gesen. Lex.] [4 The last six words only occur in 1553.] [5 See note A.] s(,£ [6 Ps. vi. xxxii. xxxviii. Ii. cii. cxxx. cxliii : Horse beat. V. Mar. ad \s leg. Sarisb. Eccl. lit. Paris. 1519, fol. ex. " These Psalms were very 46 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. pilgrimages, almose1 deeds, and such like things; but also from that which the more learned have declared to con sist of three parts, namely contrition, confession, and satis faction2. Contrition they call a just and a full sorrow for their sin. For this word, just and full, is one of the differences between contrition and attrition3. Confession they call a numbering of all their sins in the ear of their ghostly father. For as, say they, a judge can not absolve without knowledge of the cause or matter, so can not the priest or ghostly father absolve from other sins than those which he doth hear4. Satisfaction they call amends-making unto God for their sins6 by their 'undue works', opera indebita6, works more than they need to do, as they term them. This is their penance which they preach, write, and al low. But how true this gear is, how it agreeth with God's word, how it is to be allowed, taught, preached, and written, let us a little consider. If a man repent not until he have a just and full sorrow ing for his sins, dearly beloved, when shall he repent? For inasmuch as hell-fire and the punishment of the devils is a anciently selected, and known by name as the seven Psalms, or Peni tential." — Monum. Rit., Maskell, 1846, n. 78.] [! i. e. alms.] [2 Sunt . . . quasi materia hujus sacramenti, ipsius poenitentis actus, nempe Contritio, Confessio, et Satisfactio : qui, quatenus in poenitente ad integritatem sacramenti, ad plenamque et perfectam peccatonim remissionem ex Dei institutione, requiruntur, hac ratione partes Poem- tentise dicuntur.— Concil. Trident. Sess. rv., Jul. Tert. ann. 1551, cap, m. Antv. 1561, fol. 66. Vide Thorn. Aquin. Summ. Theol. Pars HI, Queest. xc. Art. 2, Colon. 1622, p. 207. I The subject is elaborately treated upon by Hooker, Ecc. Pol. VI: and by Willet, Synopsis Papismi, 1600, contr. xiv. See also Bp. Tay lor, Dissuasive from Popery, I. n. and II. i. 11 ; and Bp. Burnet on Art. xxv., Oh. of Eng.] [3 Attritio significat in spiritualibus quandam displicentiam de peccatis commissis, sed non perfectam : Contritio autem perfectam.- Thom. Aquin. Summ. Theol. Partis III. Suppl. theol. Lovan. QuasU Art. u. Colon. 1622, p. 3.— Concil. Trid. ibid. cap. iv fol 66 1 0 See note B.] SERMON ON REPENTANCE. 47 just punishment for sin ; inasmuch as in all sin there is a con tempt of God which is all goodness, and therefore there is a desert of all illness ; alas, who can bear or feel this just sor row, this full sorrow for our sins, this their contrition, which they so do discern from their attrition ? Shall not man by this doctrine rather despair than come by repentance ? If a man repent not until he have made confession of all his sins in the ear of his ghostly father ; if a man cannot have absolution of his sins, until his sins be told by tale and num ber in the priest's ear ; in that, as David saith, none can understand, much less then utter all his sins, Delicta quis intelligit ? " Who can understand his sins ?" in that David Psai- xix. of himself complaineth elsewhere how that his " sins are over- Psal xxxvm. flowed his head, and as a heavy burden do depress him ;" alas, shall not a man by this doctrine be utterly driven from repentance ? Though ,they have gone about something to make plasters for their sores of confession or attrition to assuage this gear, bidding a man to hope well of his contrition though it be not so full as is required, and of his confession though he have not numbered all his sins, if so be that he do so much as in him lieth : dearly beloved, in that there is none but that herein he is guilty, (for who doth as much as he may?) trow ye that this plaster is not like salt for sore eyes? Yes, undoubtedly, when they have all done they can for the appeasing of consciences in these points, this is the sum, that we yet should hope well, but yet so hope i that we must stand in a mammering5 and doubting whether our sins be forgiven. For to believe remissionem peccato- !' rum, that is, to be certain of ' forgiveness of sins,' as our ¦ creed teacheth us, they count it a presumption. 0 abomi- "; nation! and that not only hereat, but in all their penance as they paint it. As concerning satisfaction by their opera indebita, ' undue . works,' that is, by such works as they need not to do but of i' their own voluntariness and wilfulness, (wilfulness indeed !) who seeth not monstrous abomination, blasphemy, and even * open fighting against God? For if satisfaction can be done * by man, then Christ died in vain for him that so satisfieth : !¦ and so reigneth he in vain ; so is he a bishop and a priest [s Mammering : hesitation.] 48 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. Deut. vi. in vain God's law requireth love to God with all our heart, j§* SI"" soul, power, might, and strength ; so that there is nothing can be done to God-ward which is not contained in this command ment ; nothing can be done over and above this. Again John xiii. Christ requireth that to man-ward " we should love one another as he loved us : " and trow we that we can do any good thing to our neighbour-ward which is not herein comprised? Yea, let them tell me when they do any thing so in the love of God and their neighbour but that they had need to Matt. vi. cry, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, "Forgive us our sins:" so far are we off from satisfying. Doth not Christ say, Luke xvii. "When you have done all things that I have commanded vou, Dlu't^'xii say *^at v ou ke 'Dut unProntable servants ? " " Put nothing to my word," saith God. 'Yes, works of supererogation'1 (su- phn. iv. perabomination !) say they. "Whatsoever things are true," saith the apostle St Paul, " whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are conve nient, whatsoever things are of honest report, if there be any virtue, or if there be any praise, have you them in your mind, and do them, and the God of peace shall be with you." I ween this well looked on will pull us from popish satisfactory works which do deface Christ's treasures and satisfaction. In heaven and in earth was there none found that could satisfy God's anger for our sins, or get heaven for man, but only the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, who by his blood hath wrought the work of satis- **v- v. faction, and alonely is " worthy all honour, glory, and praise," for he hath " opened the book with the seven seals." Dearly beloved, therefore abhor this abomination, even to think that there is any other satisfaction to God-ward for sin [} Ratio . . . quare [indulgentite] valere possint, est unitas corporis mystici, in qua multi in operibus poenitentiae supererogaverunt ad mensuram debitorum suorum, et multas etiam tribulationes injustas sustinuerunt patienter, per quas multitudo poenarum poterat expiari, si eis deberetur: quorum meritorum tanta est copia, quod omnem poenam debitam nunc viventibus excedunt, et prtecipue propter meritum Christi. -Thorn. Aquin. Summ. ibid. Quasst. xxv. Art. 1. p. 32. Vide Hooker, Ecc. Pol. VI. v. 9, ed.Keble; Willet, Synopsis, €02 917, 1089; Field, Of the Church, in. app. 13 (1636) m 'Bennotj Conf. Popery, 1701, n. 19; Bp. Burnet on A.t.xiv., Ch of Eng] SERMON ON REPENTANCE. 49 than Christ's blood only. Blasphemy it is, and that horrible, to think otherwise. " The blood of Christ purifieth," saith St John, " from all sin." And therefore he is called " the Lamb Rev. xin. slain from the beginning of the world ;" because there was never sin forgiven of God, nor shall be, from the beginning unto the end of the world, but only through Christ's death : prate the pope and his prelates as please them with their pardons2, purgatory2, purgations3, placebos4, trentals5, diriges4, works of supererogation, superabomination, &c. " I am he," saith the Lord, " which put away thine isai. xii.i. offences, and that for mine own sake, and will no more re member thine iniquities. Put me in remembrance, for we will reason together; and tell me what thou hast for thee to make thee righteous. Thy first father offended sore," &c. And thus writeth St John : " If any man sin, we have an advocate," 1 joim a. saith he, " with the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation (or satisfaction) for our sins:" as in the fourth chapter he saith that " God hath sent his Son to be a propitiation" or mean for the taking away of6 our sins, according to that which Paul writeth, where he calleth Christ " a merciful and faithful priest to purge the people's Heb. n. sins.'' So that blind buzzards and perverse papists they be, which yet will prate our merits or Works to satisfy for our sins, in part or in whole, before baptism or after. For, to omit the testimonies I brought out of John and Paul, which the blind cannot but see, I pray you remember the text out [2 See note C] [3 " Our Saviour Christ by his own blood purged both body and soul . . . But the bishop of Rome, to make himself also a mediator with Christ, hath taken upon him to purify the soul and conscience with holy water, holy salt, and other his holy creatures of his own devising, to the intolerable injury of Christ's blood which only hath the effect." — Abp. Cranmer, Answ. to the Devon, rebels, Remains, Oxf. n. 226; or Parker Soc. n. 177. Vide Becon, "Reliques of Rome," 1563, fol. 158, ch. " Of holy water."] [4 See note D.] [5 'Trental' or 'month's mind': an office of thirty masses said on thirty different days for a person deceased. Vide Du Cange, Gloss., v, tricenarium; Becon, "Reliques of Rome," 1563, fol. 207, ch. "Of trentals;" Brand, Pop. Antiq. ed. Ellis, 1813, n. 213, et seq.] [6 'mean for the taking away of 1553: 'satisfaction for' 1574, and after editions.] r i 4 [BRADFORD.] 50 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. of Esay which even now I rehearsed, being spoken to such as were then the people of God and had been a long time, but yet were fallen into grievous sins after their adoption into the number of God's children. " It is for mine own sake," saith God, " that I put away thy sins." Where is your parting of the stake now? If it be for God's own sake, if Christ be the propitiation, then recant, except you will become idolaters, making your works God and Christ. Say as David teacheth, " Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to thy name be the glory." And it is to be noted that God doth cast in their teeth even the sin of their first father, lest they should think that yet perchance for the righteousness and goodness of their good fathers their sins might be the sooner pardoned, and so God accept their works. If they had made1 ' satisfaction' for that which is dono to the congregation publicly by some notable punishment, as in the primitive church was used to open offenders2, sparkles whereof and some traces yet remain, when such as have sinned in adultery go about the church with a taper in their shirts3; or if they had made 'satisfaction' for restitution to man-ward of such goods as wrongfully is gotten, the which true penance cannot be without; or if by satisfaction they had meant a new life to make amends to the congregation thereby, as by their evil life they did offend the congregation, in which sense the Apostle seemeth to take that which he writeth, 2 Cor. vii., where the old interpreter calleth diroXoyiav ' satisfaction4,' which rather [} 'taken' 1574 and after editions.] [2 Vide Bingham, Orig. Eccl. xviii. ii. 1726, II. 210; Nicholls, Comm. (1712), and Wheatley, Illustr., on Ash-Wednesday, and on the Commination Service.] [3 " In the case of incest, or incontinency, the sinner is usually enjoined to do a public penance in the cathedral or parish-church, or public market, bare-legged and bare-headed, in a white sheet, and to make an open confession of his crime in a prescribed form of words." But the penance " may be totally altered by a commutation." — Burn, Eccles. Law, v. Penance. Vide Remains of Abp. Grindal, Parker Soc. 455; Bp. Gibson, Codex, Oxf. 1761, tit. xlvi. c. ii.; Orig. Liturg., Palmer, 1846, ch. xxiii. on "public and private penitence."] [4 Sed defensionem. Quidam habent, sed excusationem : in Grseco autem inoXoyiav, id est satisfactionem prsecepti, scilicet dicit.— Hieron. Op. V. col. 1025, ed. Bened. Par. 1693—1706, comm. incerti auctoris in epist. n. ad Cor. cap. vii.] SERMON ON REPENTANCE. 51 signifieth a 'defence' or 'answering again :' If, I say, they had taken 'satisfaction' any of these ways, then they had done well, so that the satisfaction to God had been left alonely to Christ. Again, if they had made ' confession,' either for that which is to God privately, either for that which is to the congregation publicly, either for that which is a free consulta tion with some one learned in God's book and appointed thereunto, as first it was used, and I wish were now used amongst us5, either for that which is a reconciliation of one6 to another, it had been something. Yea, if they had made it for faith, because it is a true demonstration of faith, as in Paul we may see, to the Romans the tenth and to the He brews7, when he calleth Christ the captain " of our confession," [Heb. m.] that is of our faith ; and so confessors were called in the primitive church, such as manfully did witness their faith with the peril of their lives : if, I say, they had taken it thus, then had they done right well. And so ' contrition : ' if they had left out their subtle dis tinction between it and ' attrition' by this word just or full, making it a hearty sorrow for their sins, then we would never have cried out against them therefor. For we say, penance hath three parts8 : contrition, if you understand it for a hearty sorrowing for sin ; confession, if you understand it for faith of free pardon in God's mercy by Jesus Christ ; and satisfaction, if you understand it not to God-wards (for that only to Christ must be left alone), but to man-ward in restitution of goods wrongfully or fraudulently gotten, of name hindered by our slanders, and in newness of life : although, as I said before and anon will shew more plainly by God's grace, that this last is no part of penance indeed, but a plain effect or fruit of true penance. I might here bring in examples of their penance, how perilous it is to be embraced : but let the example of their grandsire Judas9 serve, in whom we see all the parts of their penance as they describe it, and yet notwithstanding was [5 Vide Bp. Jewel, Defence, part n. "Works (1609) 141 ; Bp. Ridley, Works, Parker Soc. 338; Hooker, Ecc. Pol. vi. iv. 14, ed. Keble.] [6 'one' 1553: 'of one' 1574 and after editions.] [1 The last nine words occur only in 1553.] [8 Vide Hooker, Ecc. Pol. vi. iii. 5, Keble.] [9 Vide Homily of Repentance, Part n. Ch. of England.] 4 — 2 52 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. he damned. He was sorry enough, as the effect shewed; he had their contrition fully, out of the which he confessed his fault, saying, "I have betrayed innocent blood;" and thereunto he made satisfaction, restoring the money he had received. But yet all was but lost ; he hanged up himself, his bowels burst out, and he remaineth a child of perdition for ever. I would wish that this example of Judas, in whom we see the parts of their penance, ' contrition, confession, and satisfaction,' would move them to penance, and to describe it a little better, making hope or trust of God's free mercy a piece thereof; or else with Judas they will mar all. Perchance these words, ' contrition, confession, and satis faction,' were used as I have expounded them at the first1. But in that we see so much danger and hurt by using them without expositions, either let us join to them open exposi tions always, or else let us not use them at all, but say as I write, that penance is a hearty sorrow for our sins, a good hope or trust of pardon through Christ, which is not without an earnest purpose to amend or a new life. This penance is the thing whereto all the scripture calleth us. This penance do I now call you all unto. This must be continually in us, and not for a Lent season, as we have thought; this must increase daily more and more in us: without this we cannot be saved. Search therefore your hearts all : all swearers, blas phemers, liars, flatterers2, idle talkers, jesters, bribers, covetous, drunkards, gluttons, whoremongers, thieves, mur derers, slanderers, idle livers, negligent in their vocation, &c. All such and all other as lament not their sins, as hope not in God's mercy for pardon, as purpose not heartily to amend, to leave their swearing, drunkenness, whoredom, covetousness, idleness, &c. ; all such, I say, shall not nor cannot enter into God's kingdom, but hell-fire is prepared for them, weeping, and gnashing of teeth. Whereunto, alas! I fear me, very many will needs go, in that very many will be as they have been, let us even to the wearing of our tongue to the stumps preach and pray never so much to the con trary, and that even in the bowels of Jesus Christ : as now I [i See Hooker, Ecc. Pol. vi. iv. 13, ed. Keble; Bingham, Orig. Eccl. xviii. iii. 1726, II. 215.] [2 Two words of the original are omitted.] SERMON ON REPENTANCE. 53 beseech you all, all, all, and every mother's child, to repent and lament your sin, to trust in God's mercy, and to amend your lives. Now, methinks, ye are somewhat astonied ; whereby I gather that presently you desire this repentance, that is, this sorrow, good hope, and newness of life. The which that you may the rather attain and get to your comforts, as I have gone about to be a mean to stir up in you3 by God's grace this desire of repentance, so through the same grace of God will I go about now to shew you how you may have your desire in this behalf. And first, concerning this part, namely, sorrow for your sins and hearty lamenting of the same ; for this, if you de sire the having of it, you must beware that you think not that of yourselves or of your own free-will by any means you can get it. You may easily deceive yourselves and mock yourselves, thinking more of yourselves than is seemly. " All good things," and not pieces of good things, but " all james i. good things," saith St James, " cometh from God the Father of light." If therefore penance be good, as it is good, then the parts of it be good : from God therefore do they come, and not of our free-will. "It is the Lord that mortifieth, isam. ii. that bringeth down, that humbleth," saith the scripture in sundry places. "After thou hadst stricken my thigh," jer. xxxi. saith Jeremy, " I was ashamed." Lo, he saith, " After thou hadst stricken me ;" and therefore prayeth he even the last words almost he writeth, " Turn us, Lord, and we shall be Lam. v. turned :" the which thing David useth very often. Wherefore, first of all, if thou wouldest have this part of Acts xi. penance, as for the whole, because it is God's gift, so for this Acts v. ' part go thou unto God and make some little prayer, as thou canst, unto his mercy for the same, in this or like sort : ' Merciful Father of our Saviour Jesus Christ, because I have sinned and done wickedly, and through thy goodness have received a desire of repentance, whereto this long suf ferance doth draw my hard heart, I beseech thy mercy4 in Christ to work the same repentance in me ; and by thy Spirit, power and grace, to humble, mortify, and fear my conscience [3 ' stir up' 1553 : ' stir up in you' 1574 and after editions.] [4 'beseech thee for thy mercy's sake' 1574 and after editions.] 54 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. for my sins to salvation, that in thy time thou mayest comfort and quicken me again, through Jesus Christ, thy dearly be loved Son. Amen.' After this sort, I say, or otherwise as thou thinkest good, if thou wilt have this first part, contrition or sorrow for thy sins, do thou beg it of God through Christ. And when thou hast asked it, as I have laboured to drive thee from trusting in thyself, so now I go about to move thee from flattering of thyself, from sluggishness and negligence, to be diligent to use these means following. Unto prayer, which I would thou shouldest first use as thou canst, secondly, get thee God's law as a glass to toot ' in; for in it and by it cometh the true knowledge of sin, without which knowledge there can be no sorrow. For how can a man sorrow for his sins, which knoweth not his sins? As when a man is sick, the first step to health is to know his sickness; even so to salvation, the first step thereto is to know thy damnation due for thy sins. The law of God therefore must be gotten and well tooted in ; that is, we must look in it spiritually, and not corjiorally or carnally as the outward word or letter doth declare and utter. And so our Saviour teacheth us in the fifth of Matthew, expounding the sixth and seventh com mandments, not only after the outward deed, but also after the heart ; making there the anger of the heart a kind of murder, lusting after another man's wife a kind of adultery. And this is one of the differences between God's law and man's law, that of this (man's law, I mean) I am not con- demnable so long as I observe outwardly the same. But God's law goeth to the root and to the heart, condemning me for the inward motion, although outwardly I live most holily. As for example: if I kill no man, though in my heart I hate, man's law condemneth me not, but otherwise doth God's law. And why ? For it seeth the fountain whence the evil doth spring. If hatred were taken out of the heart, loftiness in looks, detraction in tongue, and mur der by hand could never ensue. If lusting were out of the heart, curiosity in countenance, wantonness in words, then2 boldness in body, would not appear. In that therefore this outward evil springs out of the in- t1 Toot: search, look.] [2 A word of the original is omitted.] SERMON ON REPENTANCE. 55 ward corruption, seeing God's law also is a "law of liberty," James n. as saith St James, and "spiritual," as saith St Paul, perfectly Rom.™. and spiritually it is to be understand, if we will truly come to the knowledge of our sins: for of this inward corruption reason knoweth but little or nothing. " I had not known," Rom. ™. saith Paul, "that lusting" (which to reason, and to them which are guided only by reason, is thought but a trifle,) " I had not known," saith he, " this lusting to have been sin, if the law had not said, Non concupisces, Thou shalt not lust." To the knowledge therefore of our sin, without which we cannot repent or be sorry for our sin, let us, secondly, get God's law as a glass to toot in ; and that not only literally, outwardly, or partly, but also spiritually, inwardly, and throughly. Let us consider the heart, and so shall we see the foul spots we are stained withal at least inwardly, whereby we the rather may be moved to hearty sorrow and sighing. For, as St Austin saith, "It is a glass which feareth nobody ; but even look what a one thou art, so it paints thee out3." In the law we see it is a foul spot not to love the Lord our God, with all (I say) our heart, soul, power, might, and strength, and that continually. In the law it is a foul spot not only to make to ourselves any graven image or similitude, to bow thereto, &c, but also not to frame ourselves wholly after the image whereto we are made, not to bow to it, to worship it. In the law we see that it is a foul spot not only to take God's name in vain, but also not earnestly, heartily, and even continually to call upon his name only, to give thanks unto him, to believe, to publish, and to live4 his holy word. In God's law we see it is a foul spot to our souls not only to be an open profaner of the Sabbath-day, but also not to rest from our own words and works that the Lord might both speak and work in us and by us ; not to hear his holy word, not to communicate his sacraments, not to give occasion [3 Proferatur speculum scripturse divinse. Speculum hoc neminem palpat : qualis es, talem te tibi demonstrat.— August. Serm. de Temp. Barbar. cap. iii. Op. VI. col. 609, ed. Bened. Par. 1679—1700: and vide tom. IV. col. 1131, enarr. in Ps. ciii. serm. I. 4.] [4 So 1553, 1574 : ' live in' 1581 and after editions.] 56 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. to others to holiness by our example in godly works, and re verent esteeming of the ministry of his word. In God's law we see it a foul spot to our souls not only to be an open disobeyer of our parents, magistrates, masters, and such as be in any authority over us ; but also not to honour such even in our hearts, not to give thanks to God for them, not to pray for them, to aid, to help or relieve them, to bear with their infirmities, &c. In God's law we see it a foul spot in our souls not only to be a man-queller1 in hatred, malice, proud looks, brags, backbiting, railing, or bodily slaughter ; but also not to love our neighbours, yea, our enemies, even in our hearts, and to declare the same in all our gestures, words, and works. In God's law we see it a foul spot to our souls not only to be a whoremonger in lusting in our hearts, in wanton looking, in unclean or wanton talking, in actual doing un- honestly with our neighbour's wife, daughter, servant, &e. ; but also not to be chaste, sober, temperate in heart, looks, tongue, apparel, deeds, and to help others thereunto accord ingly, &c. In God's law we see it is a foul spot to our souls not only in heart to covet, in look or word to flatter, lie, colour, &c, in deed to take away any thing which pertaineth to another ; but also in heart, countenance, word, and deed, not to keep, save, and defend that which pertaineth to thy neigh bour, as thou wouldest thine own. In God's law we may see it a foul spot not only to lie or bear false witness against any man, but also not to have as great care over thy neighbour's name as over thine own. Sin in God's law it is, we may see, and a foul spot, not only to consent to evil lust or carnal desires; but even the very natural or carnal lusts and desires themselves (for so I may call them, nature2 itself being now so corrupted,) are sin, as self-love, and many such-like. By reason whereof, I trow, there is none that tooteth well herein, but though he be blameless to the world and fair to the shew, yet certainly inwardly his face is foul arrayed, and so shameful, saucy, mangy, pocked, and scabbed, that he cannot but be sorry at the contemplation thereof; and [! Man queller: murderer.] [2 So 1574: 'natural' 1553.] S3RMON ON REPENTANCE. 57 that so much more, by how much he continueth to look in this glass accordingly. And thus much concerning the second mean to the stir ring up of sorrow for our sin, that next unto prayer we should toot in God's law spiritually. The which tooting if we use with prayer, as I said, let us not doubt but at the length God's Spirit will work, as now to such as believe ; for to the unbelievers all is in vain, their eyes are stark blind, they can see nothing ; to such as believe (I say) I trust something is done even already. But if neither by prayer, nor by tooting in God's law spiritually, as yet thy hard unbelieving heart feeleth no sor row nor lamenting for thy sin ; thirdly, look upon the tag tied to God's law. For as to man's law there is a tag tied, that is, a penalty ; so is there to God's law a tag tied, that is, a penalty, and that no small one, but such a great one as cannot but make us to cast our currish tails between our legs, if we believe it ; for all is in vain, if we be faithless not to believe before we feel. This tag is God's malediction or curse : Maledictus omnis, g [4 « in this year [1551 — 2] the sea brake in at Sandwich, insomuch slthat it did overflow all the marshes thereabout, and drowned much Seattle, to the great loss both of the town and the country." — Fabian, (Chron., contin. (ed. 1559), 556.] [5 'a little more' only in 1553.] [6 'more abundantly' 1574 and after editions.] 62 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. godly zeal, heroical heart, fatherly care for his commons, nursely solicitude for religion, &c. ? Nay, so many things are to be spoken in commendation of God's exceeding graces in this child, that, as Sallust writeth of Carthage1, 1 had rather speak nothing than too little, in that too much is too little. This gift God gave unto us Englishmen before all na tions under the sun, and that of his exceeding love towards us. But alas and welaway 2 ! For our unthankfulness' sake, for our sin's sake, for our carnality and profane living, God's anger hath touched not only the body, but also the mind3, of our king by a long sickness ; and at length hath taken him away by death ; death! cruel death! fearful death, death! &c, Oh, if God's judgment be begun on him, which, as he was the chiefest, so I think the holiest and godliest in the ps. xxxvm. realm of England ; alas, what will it be on us whose " sins are overgrown so our heads" that they are climbed up into heaven! I pray you, my good brethren, know that God's anger for our sin towards us cannot but be great, yea, too fell, in that we see it was so great that our good king could not bear it. What followed to Jewry after the death of Josias? God save England, and give us repentance! My heart will not suffer me to tarry longer herein. I trow this will thrust out some tears of repentance. If therefore to prayer for God's fear, the tooting in God's glass and the tag thereto will not burst open thy blockish heart ; yet I trow the tossing to and fro of these examples, and specially of our late king, and this troublesome time, will tumble some tears out of thine heart, if thou still pray for God's Spirit accordingly. For who art thou, think always with thyself, that God should spare thee more than they whose examples thou hast heard? What friends hast thou ? Were not of these, kings, prophets, apostles, learned, [J De Carthagine silere melius puto quam parum dicere, quoniam alio properare tempus monet.— Sallust. Bell. Jugurth. xxii., ed.Wa6se, Cantabr. (1710) 288.] [2 i. e. ' woe on woe,' as above, p. 39. 'Alas,' 1617, 1619, 1652.] [3 Haweis conceives that Bradford probably alludes to the will of the late King, whereby Edward left the crown to the heirs of the Duchess of Suffolk.— Sketches of the Reformation (1844), 293. Vide letter of Bradford to Sir James Hales, in Foxe, Acts, &c. 1583, p. 1637, or ed. 1847, vn. 223.] SERMON ON REPENTANCE. 63 and coming of holy stocks? I deceive myself, think thou with thyself, if I believe God, being the same God that he was, will spare me whose wickedness is no less but much more than some of theirs. He hateth sin now as much as ever he did. The longer he spareth, the greater vengeance will fall : the deeper he draweth his bow, the sorer will the shaft pierce. But if yet thy heart be so hardened that all this gear will not move thee, surely thou art in a very evil estate, and remedy now know I none. What, said I none ? know I none ? Yes ; there is one which is suresby 4 (as they say) to serve if any thing will serve. You look to know what this is. Forsooth the passion and death of Jesus Christ. You know the cause why Christ became man, and suffered as he suffered, was the sins of his people, that he might save them from the same. Consider the greatness of the sore, I mean sin, by the greatness of the surgeon and of the salve. Who was the surgeon? No angel, no saint, no archangel, no power, no creature in heaven nor in earth, but only he by whom all things were made, all things are ruled also, even God's own dearling and only beloved Son becoming man. 0 what a great thing is this that could not be done by the angels, archangels, potestates, powers, or all the crea tures of God, without his own Son ; who yet must needs be thrust out of heaven, as a man would say, to take our nature , and become man ! Here have ye the surgeon : great was the , cure that this mighty Lord took in hand. Now what was the salve? Forsooth dear gear and of many compositions. I cannot recite all, but rather must leave it to your hearty considerations. Three and thirty years was he curing our sore ; he sought it earnestly by fasting, watching, praying, &c. The same night he was betrayed, "" I read how busy he was about a plaister in the garden, when Matt. xxvi. he lying flat on the ground, praying with tears, and that of ;' blood, not a few, but so many as did flow down on the ground 'again, crying on this sort, " Father," saith he, "if it be pos- s sible, let this cup depart from me." That is, 'If it be possible ,'; else mankind's sins can be taken away, grant that it may be so. \j: Thou heardest Moses crying for the idolaters ; thou heardest i Lot for the Zoarites ; Samuel, David, and many other, for the [4 i. e. to be surely depended upon.] 64 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. Israelites ; and, dear Father, I only am " thine own Son," as thou hast said, " in whom thou art well pleased." Wilt thou not hear me? I have by the space of three and thirty years done always thy will ; I have so humbled myself that I would become an abject amongst men to obey thee. There fore, dear Father, if it be possible, grant my request, save mankind now without any further labour, salves, or plaisters,' " But yet," saith he, " not as I wilt, but as thou wilt." But, sir, what heard he? Though he sweat blood and water in making his plaister for our sore of sin, yet it framed not. Twice he cried without comfort. Yea, though to com fort him God sent an angel, we yet know that this plaister was not allowed for sufficient until hereunto Christ Jesus was betrayed, forsaken of all his disciples, forsworn of his dearly beloved, bound like a thief, belied on, buffeted, whipped, scourged, crowned with thorns, derided, crucified, racked, nailed, hanged up between two thieves, cursed and railed upon, mocked in misery, and had given up the ghost. Then " bowed down the head of Christ," that is, God the Father 1 cor. xi. which is " the head of Christ :" then allowed he the plaister to be sufficient and good for the healing of our sore which is sin. Now would God abide our breath, because the stink, that is, damnation or guiltiness, was taken away by the sweet savour of the breath of this Lamb thus offered once for all. So that here, dearly beloved, we as in a glass may see, to the bruising of our blockish hard hearts, God's great judgment and anger against sin. The " Lord of lords," the "King of kings," "the brightness of God's glory," the Son of God, the dearling of his Father, "in whom he is well pleased," hangeth between two thieves, crying for thee and me and ps. xxii. for us all, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" 0 hard hearts that we have, which make tuts for sin ! Look on this : toot in the very heart of Christ pierced with a spear, wherein thou mayest see and read God's horrible anger for sin. Woe to thy hard heart that pierced it ! And thus much for the first part of repentance : I mean, for the means of working contrition. First use prayer ; then look on God's law ; thirdly see his curse ; fourthly set examples of his anger before thee1 ; and last of all set before thee the death of Christ. From this and prayer cease not till thou E1 'before theo' 1574 : not in 1553.] SERMON ON REPENTANCE. 65 'ieel some hearty sorrow for thy sin : the which when thou ieelest, then labour for the other part, that is, Faith, on this sort. [II.] As first, in contrition, I willed thee not to trust to thy free-will for the attaining of it, so do I will thee in this. Eaith is so far from the reach of man's free-will, that to -reason it is plain foolishness. Therefore thou must first go to God, whose gift it is; thou must, I say, get thee to the Father of mercy, whose work it is ; that, as he hath brought John vi. thee down by contrition, and humbled thee, so he would give coi. u. thee faith, raise thee up, and exalt thee. On this manner therefore, with the apostles, and the poor man in the gospel that cried, " Lord, increase our faith ; " "Lord, help my unbelief," pray thou and say: ' 0 merciful God, and dear Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in whom as thou art well-pleased, so '. hast thou commanded us to hear him ; forasmuch as he often biddeth us to ask of thee, and thereto promiseth that thou i wilt hear us, and grant us that which in his name we shall .ask of thee; lo, gracious Father, I am bold to beg of thy •.mercy, through thy Son Jesus Christ, one sparkle of true ii faith, and certain persuasion of thy goodness and love towards me in Christ, wherethrough I being assured of the pardon .of all my sins, by the mercies of Christ thy Son, may be thankful to thee, love thee, and serve thee in holiness and . j-ighteousness all the days of my life.' On this sort, I say, or otherwise as God shall move thee, ¦-pray thou first of all, and look for thy request at God's . hand without any doubting, though forthwith thou feelest not the same ; for oftentimes we have things of God given . us, long before we feel them as we would do. Now unto this prayer use thou these means following : After prayer for faith, which I would should be first, '„ secondly, because the same springeth out of the hearing, not of masses, matins, canons, councils, doctors, decrees, but out of the hearing of God's word; get thee God's word; but not that part which servefdi specially to contrition, that is, J the law ; but the other part which serveth specially to con- isolation and certain persuasion of God's love towards thee, ''that is, the gospel or publication of God's mercy in Christ, I mean the free promises. 5 [BRADFORD.] 66 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. But here thou must know that there is two kinds of promises ; one which are properly of the law, another which are properly of the gospel. In the promises of the law we may indeed behold God's mercy, but so that it hangeth upon the condition of our worthiness ; as, ' If thou love the Lord with all thy heart, &c, thou shalt find mercy.' This kind of promises, though it declare unto us God's love which pro- miseth where he needeth not, yet unto him that feeleth not Christ, which is the end of the law, they are so far from comforting, that utterly with the law they bring man to great despair ; so greatly we are corrupt ; for none so loveth God as he ought to do. From these therefore get thee to the other promises of the gospel, in which we may see such plenty and frank liberality of God's goodness, that we Gail- not but be much comforted, though we have very deeply sinned. For these promises of the gospel do not hang on the condition of our worthiness, as the promises of the law do; but they depend and hang on God's truth ; that, as God is true, so they cannot but be performed to all them which lay hold on them by faith, I had almost said, which Gast thorn not away by unbelief. Mark in them therefore two things, namely, that as well they are free promises without any condition of our worthi ness, as also that they are universal, offered to all ; all, I say, which are not so stubborn as to keep still their hands, where by they should receive this almesse1 in their bosoms, by unbelief. As concerning infants and children you know I now speak not, but concerning such as be of years of discre tion. And now you look that I should give you a taste of these promises, which are both free and universal, excepting J none but such as except themselves. Well, you shall ban one or two for a say. In the third of John saith our Saviour, " So God the Father loved the world, that he would give his dearling, hil own only Son, that all that believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Lo, sir, he saith not that some might have life, but "all" saith he. And what "all"? "all" that love him with all their hearts? "all" that have lived! P i. v. alms.] SERMON ON REPENTANCE. 67 godly life ? Nay, "all that believe in him." Although thou hast lived a most wicked and horrible life, if now thou believe in him thou shalt be saved. Is not this sweet gear ? Again saith Christ, " Come unto me, all you that labour Matt xi. and are laden ; and I will refresh you." Let us a little look on this letter : " Come unto me." Who should come, Lord ? priests, holy men, monks, friars? Yea, cobblers, tinkers, whores, thieves, murderers also, if they lament their sins. " Come unto me," saith he, " all ye that labour and are laden;" that is, which are afraid for your sins. And what wilt thou do, Lord? "And I will refresh you," saith he. 0 what a thing is this ! " And I will refresh you." Wot you who spake this ? He that never told a lie : he is " the truth : " there " was never guile found in his mouth." And i Pet. ii. now will he be untrue to thee, good brother, which art sorry for thy grievous sins ? No, forsooth ! " Heaven and Matt. xxiv. earth shall pass and perish ; but his word shall never fail." St Paul saith, "God would have all men saved;" (lo, lTim.u. he excepteth none;) and to Titus, " The grace of God bring- Tit.H. , eth salvation to all men." As from Adam all have received sin to damnation, so by Christ all have grace offered to salva tion, if they reject not the same. I speak not now of infants, I say ; nor I need not to enter into the matter of predestina tion. In preaching of repentance, I would gather where I could with Christ. " As surely as I live," saith God, " I will not the death Ezek. xxxm. ' of a sinner." Art thou a sinner ? Yea. Lo, God sweareth 'he will not thy death : how canst thou now perish ? Consi der with thyself, what profit shouldest thou have to believe 1 'this to be true to others, if not to thyself also ? Satan doth ' so. Rather consider with Peter, that the promise of salvation ^pertaineth not only to them which are nigh, that is, to such ''as are fallen a little; but also "to all whom the Lord hath Acts it called, be they never so far off." Lo, now by me the Lord calleth thee, thou man, thou *woman, that art very far off. The promise therefore per- ^taineth to thee : needs must thou be saved, except thou with :: Satan say, God is false: and yet, if thou do so, God "is 2 Tim. a. ^faithful, and cannot deny himself;" as thou shalt feel by his Pplagues in hell, for so dishonouring God to think that he is not true. 5—2 68 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. Luke xvii. Mark ix. John xx. John xiii. Psai. cxviii. T Job xiv. 15. Vulgate] Will he be found false now ? The matter hangeth not on thy worthiness, but it hangeth on God's truth. Clap hold on it ; and I warrant thee Christ is " the propitiation of our sins, yea, for the sins of the whole world." Believe this, man : I know thou believest it. Say therefore in thy heart still, Do- mine, adauge mihi fidem. " Lord, increase my faith ;'' "Lord, help my unbelief." "Blessed are they which see not" by reason this gear, " but yet believe." Hope, man, past all hope, as Abraham did. And thus much for a taste of these promises, which are every where not only in the new Testament, but also in the old. Read the last end of Leviticus xxvi. ; the prophet Esay xxx, where he saith, " God tarrieth, looking for thee, to shew thee mercy ; " also the fortieth, and so forth to the sixtieth1; Read also2 the 2nd Samuel xxiv.; Psai. xxxiv. ; Joel ii,; &c.3 Howbeit, if this gear will not serve, if yet thou feelest no faith, no certain persuasion of God's love, then unto prayer and diligent considering of the free and universal promises of the gospel; thirdly set before thee those benefits which God hath tofore given thee, and presently giveth thee. Con sider how he hath made thee a man or a woman, which might have made thee a toad, a dog. And why did he this? Verily, because he loved thee. And trowest thou that, if he loved thee when thou wast not, to make thee such a one as he most graciously hath made thee ; will he not, trowest thou, now love thee being his handy-work? Doth he hate any thing that he made? Is there unable- ness with him ? Doth he love for a day, and so farewell? No, forsooth, " he loveth to the end :" " his mercy endurethfor ever." Say therefore with Job, Operi manuum tuarumpor- rige dexteram : that is, " To the work of thy hand put thy helping hand." Again, hath he not made thee a christian man or wo man, where, if he would, he might have made thee a Turk or C1 So 1574: 'Leviticus xxvi., the prophet Esay from the fortieth chapter : in the thirtieth saith he, God tarrieth . . . mercy' 1553.] [2 ' also' 1574: not in 1553.] [3 The references in this sentence, having been according to the Vulgate, have here, as in other places, been altered in form, to accord with the authorised English Bible.] SERMON ON REPENTANCE. 69 paynim ? This thou knowest he did of love. And dost thou think his love is lessened, if thou lament thy sin ? Is his hand shortened for helping thee ? " Can a woman forget the child of her womb ? And though she should do it, yet will not I forget thee," saith the Lord. He hath given thee limbs, to see, hear, go, &c. : he hath given thee wit, rea son, discretion, &c. : he hath long spared thee, and borne with thee, when thou never purposedst to repent. And now, thou repenting, will he not give thee mercy ? Wherefore doth he give thee to live at this present, to hear me to speak this, and me to speak this, but of love to us all? 0 there fore let us pray him that he would add to this, that we might believe these love-tokens, that he loveth us : and in- : deed he will do it. Lord, open our eyes in thy gifts to see thy gracious goodness. Amen. But to tarry in this I will not. Every man let him : consider God's benefits past and present, public and private, : spiritual and corporal, to the confirming of his faith concerning - the promises of the gospel, for the pardon of his sins. I will now go to shew you a fourth mean to confirm . your faith of this gear, even by examples. Of these there .are in the scriptures very many, as also daily experience - doth diversely teach the same, if we were diligent to observe , things accordingly : wherefore I will be more brief herein, , having respect to time which stealeth fast away. Adam in paradise transgressed grievously, as the pain ful punishment which we all as yet do feel proveth, if Gen. m. t nothing else. Though by reason of his sin he displeased God sore, and ran away from God, (for he would have hid himself, yea, he would have made God the causer of his sin, in that he gave him such a mate, so far was he from asking mercy ;) yet, all this notwithstanding, God turned his fierce wrath, neither upon him nor Eve (which also required not mercy), but upon the serpent Satan ; promising unto them 'a seed, Jesus Christ, by whom they at the length should be 'delivered. In token whereof, though they were cast out of paradise for their nurture, to serve in sorrow, which would !not serve in joy ; yet he made them apparel to cover their bodies, a visible sacrament and token of his invisible love and ;grace concerning their souls. If God was so merciful to Adam, which so sore brake his commandment, and rather blamed God than asked mercy ; trowest thou, 0 man, that 70 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. he will not be merciful to thee, which blamest thyself, and desirest pardon? To Cain he offered mercy, if he would have asked it. Gen.w. "What hast thou done?" saith God: "The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me out of the earth." ' 0 mer ciful Lord,' should Cain have said, 'I confess it!' But, alas ! he did not so ; and therefore said God, " Now," that is, in that thou desirest not mercy, "now," I say, "be thou accursed." Lo, to the reprobate he offered mercy ; and will he deny it thee which art his child ? Gen. «. Noah did not he sin and was drunk? Good Lot also both in Sodom dissembled a little with the angels, prolonging the time, and out of Sodom he fell very foul ; as did Judas anJ'xxxvul1'' and the patriarchs against Joseph. But yet, I ween, they Numb, xit found mercy. Moses, Miriam, Aaron, though they stumbled a little, yet received they mercy : yea, the people in the wilderness often sinned and displeased God, so that he was Exod. xxxii. purposed to have destroyed them. " Let me alone," saith he to Moses, " that I may destroy them : " but Moses did not "let him alone," for he prayed still for them; and therefore God spared them. If the people were spared through Moses' prayer, they not praying with him, but rather worshipping their golden calf, eating, drinking, and making jolly good cheer ; why shouldest thou doubt whether God will be merciful to thee ? having, as indeed thou hast, one much better than Moses to pray for thee and with thee, even Jesus Fom. via. Christ, "'who sitteth on the right hand of his Father and pray- Heb. ui. eth for us," being no less faithful in his Father's house, the church, than Moses was in the synagogue. 2 sam. xi. David, that good king, had a foul foil when he committed whoredom with his faithful servant's wife Bethsabe; whereunto he added also a mischievous murder, causing her husband, his most faithful soldier Ury, to be slain with an honest com pany of his most valiant men of war, and that with the sword of the uncircumcised. In this his sin though a great while he lay asleep, (» many do now-a-days, God give them wyn1 waking!) think' j ing that by his sacrifices he offered all was well, God was content ; yet at length, when the prophet by a parable had t1 i.e. joy; tho Anglo-Saxon wyn, 'gaudium,' from whence 'win some,' merry, cheerful. Vide Jun. Etymol. Angl. ed. Lye, Oxol 1743, v. ' wune.' 'Wynne' 1553 : 'good' 1574, and after editions.] SERMON ON REPENTANCE. 71 opened the poke2, and brought him in remembrance of his own sin in such sort that he gave judgment against himself, then quaked he. His sacrifices had no more taken away his sins, than our sir John's* trentals4 and wagging of his fingers over the heads of such as lie asleep in their sins ; out of the which when they are awaked, they will well see that it is neither mass nor matins, blessing nor crossing, will serve. Then, I say, he cried out, saying, Peccavi, Domine : " I have sinned," saith he, 'against my Lord and good God which hath done so much for me : I caused indeed Ury to be killed : I have sinned, I have sinned : what shall I do ? I have sin ned, and am worthy of eternal damnation.' But what saith God by his prophet ? Dominus, saith he, transtulit peccatum tuum : non morieris. " The Lord hath taken away thy sins : thou shalt not die." 0 good God, he said but Peccavi ; " I have sinned ; " but yet from his heart, and not from his lips only, as Pharaoh and Saul did ; and incontinently he heareth, " Thou shalt not die : the Lord hath taken away thy sins ;" or rather hath laid them upon another, yea, translated them upon the back of his Son Jesus Christ, who bare them ; and not only them, but thine and mine also, if that we will now cry but from our hearts, Peccavimus : " We have sinned," good Lord, "we have done wickedly:" "enter not into judgment with us," but " be merciful unto us after thy great mercy, and according to the multitude of thy compassions do away our . iniquities," &c. For indeed God is not the God of David only : idem Deus omnium : " he is the God of all." So Rom. *. that quicunque invocaverit nomen Domini salvus erit: "he or she, whosoever they be that call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved." In confirmation whereof this history is written, as are also the other I have recited, and many moe which I might recite ; as of Manasses, that wicked king which slew Esay the prophet5, and wrought very much [2 Poke : a bag or sack. ' Opened the poke,' a proverbial expres sion. Vide Ray, and Fuller, Proverbs, and Bailey, Diet.] [3 See note E.] [* Vide p. 49 note 5, above.] [8 "The tradition of the Jews, that Isaiah was put to death by Ma- nasseh, is very uncertain ; and one of their principal Rabbins (Aben Ezra, Com. in Isai. i. 1.) seems rather to think that he died before Hezekiah; which is indeed more probable.'' Bp. Lowth on Isaiah, p. 225, ed. 1825.] 72 SERMON ON REPENTANCE*- Dan. iv. Jonah iii. re Kings xxi. wickedness, yet the Lord shewed mercy upon him, being in x_xxnus,i9.: prison, as his prayer doth teach us. Nabucodonozar, though for a time he bare God's anger, yet at the length he found mercy. The city of Niniveh also found favour with God, as did many other which I will omit for time's sake, and will bring forth one or two out of the new Testament, that we may see God to be1 the same God in the new Testament he was in the old. I might tell you of many, if I should speak of the lunatic, such as were possessed with devils, lame, blind, dumb, deaf, lepers, &c. ; but time will not suffice me : one or two there fore shall serve. Mary Magdalene had seven devils ; but yet they were cast out of her ; and of all others she was the first that Christ ap peared unto after his resurrection. Thomas would not believe Christ's resurrection, though many told him which had seen and felt him; by reason whereof a man might have thought that his sins would have j cast him away. " Except I should see and feel," saith he, I " I will not believe." Ah wilful Thomas ! " I will not," saith he : but Christ appeared unto him, and would not leese8 him : as he will not do thee, good brother, if that with Thomas thou wilt keep company with the disciples, as Tho mas did. Peter his fall was ugly : he accursed himself if ever he knew Christ, and that for fear of a girl ; and this not once, but even three divers times, and that in the hearing of Christ his Master : but yet the third time Christ looked back and cast on him his eye of grace, so that he went out and wept bit terly ; and after Christ's resurrection not only did the angels will the women to tell Peter that Christ was risen, but Christ himself appeared unto him severally, such a good Lord is he. The thief hanging on the cross said but this : " Lord, when thou comest into thy kingdom, remember me." And Lukexxm. what answer had he? "This day," saith Christ, "shalt thou be with me in paradise." [> 'to be' 1574: not in 1553.] P " The word occurred in our authorised version of the Bible, 1 Kings xviii. 5, 'that we leese not all the beasts'; but is one of those STg^™ been tacitly changed in the modem editions" Matt. xxvi. Luke xxii. SERMON ON REPENTANCE. 73 What a comfort is this! in that he is now the same Christ to thee and me and us all, if we will run unto him ; for he is the same Christ to-day and to-morrow, until he Heb. ™. come to judgment. Then indeed he will be inexorable ; but now is he more ready to give, than thou to ask. If thou cry, he heareth thee, yea, before thou cry. Cry there fore, be bold, man : he is not partial. " Call," saith he ; J«. xxxm. " and I will hear thee." "Ask, and thou shalt have ; seek, Matt. vii. and thou shalt find;" though not at the first, yet at the length. If he tarry awhile, it is but to try thee. Nam veniens veniet, et non tardabit. " He is coming, and will Heb. *. not be long." Thus have you four means which you must use to the attaining of faith, or certain persuasion of God's mercy to wards you, which is the second part of penance; namely prayer, the free and universal promises of God's grace, the recordation of the benefits of God past and present, the ex amples of God's mercy. Which although they might suffice, .yet will I put one moe to them, which alonely of itself is full sufficient ; I mean the death of the Son of God, Jesus Christ; which if thou set before the eyes of thy mind, it will confirm .thy placard3; for it is the great seal of England, as they rsay, yea, of all the world, for the confirmation of all patents md perpetuities of the everlasting life whereunto we are all galled. If I thought these which I have before recited were not sufficient to confirm your faith of God's love towards such is do repent, I would tarry longer herein. But because both . have been long, and also I trust you have some exercise >f conscience in this daily (or else you are to blame), I Vill but touch and go. '! Consider with yourselves what we are, misers4, wretches, ¦ ,nd enemies to God. Consider what God is ; even he which '"ath all power, majesty, might, glory, riches, &c, perfectly ¦{'i himself, and needeth nothing, but hath all things. Con sider what Christ is : concerning his Godhead, co-equal with is Father, even he by whom all things were made, are uled and governed ; concerning his manhood, the only dear- ,c;ng of his Father, in whom is all his joy. Now, sir, what a It* Is See p. 60, note 2, above: 'assurance' 1617, 1619, 1652.] <&' [4 i.e. unhappy ones.] 74 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. love is this, that this God which needeth nothing would give wholly his own self to thee his enemy, wreaking his wrath upon himself in this his Son, as a man may say, to spar? thee, to save thee, to win thee, to buy thee, to have thee, to enjoy thee for ever ! Because thy sin had separated thee from him, to the end thou mightest come eftsoons into his company again, and therein remain, he himself became, as a man would say, a sinner, or rather sin itself, even a maledic tion or a curse ; that we sinners, we accursed by our1 sin, might, by his2 oblation or offering for our sins, by his curse, be delivered from sin and3 from malediction. For by sin he destroyed sin, killing death, Satan, and sin, by their own weapons ; and that for thee and me, man, if we cast it not away by unbelief. 0 wonderful Jove of God ! Who ever heard of such a love ? The Father of heaven for us his enemies to give his own dear Son Jesus Christ ! and that not only to be our brother, to dwell among us, but also to the death of the cross for us ! 0 wonderful love of Christ to us all, that was content and willing to work this feat for ns! j Was there any love like to this love ? Rom. v. God indeed hath commended his charity and love to us herein, that when we were verv enemies unto him, he would give his own Son for us. That we, being men, might be come, as you would say, gods, God would become man. That we, being mortal, might become immortal, the immortal God would become mortal man. That we, earthly wretches, might be citizens of heaven, the Lord of heaven would become, as a man would say, earthly. That we, being accursed, might he blessed, God would be accursed4. That we, by our father Adam being brought out of paradise into the puddle of all pain, might be redeemed and brought into paradise again, God would be our Father, and an Adam thereunto. That we E1 'his' 1553: 'our' 1574.] [2 'might by his' 1574: 'that by his,' and 'might' after * by W* curse', 1553.] [8 'and' 1574: not in 1553.] [4 A passage very like the above occurs near the end of the Homil; on the Nativity, in the second book of Homilies, which Bp. Burnet i states (on Article xxxv.) as it "was not finished till about the timerf' King Edward's death, so it was not published before Queen Elifflbe#| ™e: ° hovr mu<* are we" ... "at God's hands "J SERMON ON REPENTANCE. 75 having nothing might have all things, God having all things would have nothing. That we, being vassals and slaves to all, even to Satan the fiend, might be lords of all and of Satan, the Lord of all would become a vassal and a slave to us all, and in danger of Satan. 0 love incomprehensible ! Who can otherwise think now but, if the gracious good Lord disdained not to give his own Son, his own heart's joy, for us his very enemies, tofore we thought to beg any such thing at his hands, yea, tofore we were ; who, I say, can think otherwise but that with him he will give us all good things? If, when wc hated him and fled away from him, he sent his Son to seek us ; who can think otherwise than that now we loving him, and la- menting because we love him no more, but that he will for ever love us? He that giveth the more to his enemies, will not he give the less, trow you, to his friends ? God hath given his own Son, than which thing nothing is greater, to us his enemies : and, we now being become his friends, will he deny us faith and pardon of our sins? which, though they be great, yet in comparison they are5 nothing at all. Christ . Jesus would give his own self for us, when we willed it not : ;and will he now deny us faith, if we will it? This " will" is pwi. u. ;his earnest that he hath given us truly to look in deed for ;the thing willed. And look thou for it in deed; for as he ;hath given thee " to will," so will he give thee " to do." r Jesus Christ gave his life for our evils, and by his death delivered us. O then, in that he liveth now and cannot die, ,will he forsake us ? His heart's blood was not too dear for us when we asked it not : what can then be now too dear for us asking it ? Is he a changeling ? is he mutable as man is ? .can he repent him of his gifts? Did he not foresee our falls? ^Paid not he therefore the price ? Because he saw we should fall sore, therefore would he suffer sore. Yea, if his suffer ings had not been enough, he would yet once more come .again. God the Father, I am sure, if the death of his Son ¦incarnate would not serve, would himself and the Holy Ghost also become incarnate, and die for us. This death of Christ therefore look on as the very pledge of God's love towards thee, whosoever thou art, how deep soever thou hast sinned. See, God's hands are nailed, they cannot strike thee; his ^feet also, he cannot run from thee : his arms are wide open [s 'they are' 1574 : not in 1553.] 76 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. to embrace thee : his head hangs down to kiss thee : his very heart is open! So that therein see, toot1, look, spy, peep; and thou shalt see nothing therein but love, love, love, love John xiii. to thee. Hide thee therefore, lay thy head there, with the evangelist. 1 Kings xix. This is the clift of the rock wherein Elias stood: this is the pillow of down for all aching heads. Anoint thy head with this oil : let this ointment embalm thy head and wash thy face. Tarry thou here, and cock-sure thou art, I war- Rom. v«i. rant thee. Say with Paul, " What can separate me from the love of God?" Can death, can poverty, sickness, hunger, or any misery persuade thee now that God loveth thee not? Nay, nothing can separate thee from the love wherewith God John xiii. hath loved thee in Christ Jesus. Whom he loveth "he loveth to the end." So that now, where abundance of sin hath been in thee, the more is the abundance of grace. But to what end ? Forsooth that, as sin hath reigned to death, as thou seest, to the killing of God's Son, so nov grace must reign to life to the honouring of God's Son, who is now alive and "cannot die any more:" so that they which by faith feel this cannot any more die to God, but to sin, whereto they are dead and buried with Christ. As Christ therefore liveth, so do they, and that to God, to righteousness and holiness. The life which they live is in fide Filii Dei; " in the faith of the Son of God." [III.] Whereby you see that now I am slipped 4nto that which I made the Third part of penance, namely, newness of life ; which I could not so have done, if that it were a part of itself indeed, as it is an effect, a fruit of the second part, that is, of faith or trust in God's mercy. For he that believeth, that is, is certainly persuaded sin to be such a thing that it is the cause of all misery, and of itself so greatly angereth God, that in heaven nor in earth nothing could appease his wrath, save alonely the death and precious blood-shedding of the Son of God, in whom is all the delight and pleasure of the Father ; he, I say, that is persuaded thus of sin, the same cannot but in heart abhor and quake to do or say, yea, to think any thing willingly which God's law teacheth him to be sin. Again he that believeth, that is, is certainly persuaded^ [' See p. 54, note 1, above.] SERMON ON REPENTANCE. 77 God's love to be so much towards him, that, where through sin he was lost and made a firebrand of hell, the eternal Father of mercy, which is the omnisufficient God, and need eth nothing of us, or of any thing that we can do, to deliver us out of hell and to bring us into heaven, did send even his own most dear Son out of his bosom, out of heaven, into hell, as a man would say, to bring us, as I said, from thence into his own bosom and mercy, we being his very enemies ; he, I say, that is thus persuaded of God's love towards him, and of the price of his redemption by the dear blood of the Lamb immaculate, Jesus Christ, the same man cannot but love God again, and of love do that and heartily desire to do better, the which might please God. Trow you that such a one, knowing this gear by faith, will willingly waiter2 and wallow in his wilful3 lusts, pleasure, and fantasies ? Will such a one, as knoweth by faith Christ Jesus to have given his blood to wash him from his sins, play the sow, to waiter2 in his puddle of filthy sin and vice again ? Nay, rather than he will be defiled again by wilful sinning, he will wash often the feet of his affections, watching over the vice still sticking in him, which as a spring continually sendeth out poison enough to drown and defile him, did not the sweet water of Christ's passion in God's sight wash it, and his blood satisfy the rigour of God's justice due for the same. This blood of Christ shed for our sins is so dear in the sight of him that believeth, that he will abhor in his heart to stamp it and tread it under his feet. He knoweth now by his belief that it is too much, that hitherto he hath set too little by it, and is ashamed thereof. Therefore the residue of his life he purposeth to take better heed to himself than tofore he did: for, because he seeth by his faith the griev- ousness of God's anger, the foulness of sin, the greatness of God's mercy and of Christ's love towards him, he will now be heedy4 to pray God to give him his grace accordingly ; that as with his eyes, tongue, hands, feet, &c, he hath dis pleased God, doing his own will, even so now with the same eyes, tongue, ears, hands, feet, &c, he may displease his own [2 i. e. lie grovelling.] [3 'woeful' 1553: 'wilful' 1574.] [* i.e. careful.] 78 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. self and do God's will. Willingly will he not1 do that which might renew the death of the Son of God. He knoweth he hath too much sin unwillingly in him, so that thereto he will not add willing offences. This willing and witting offending and sinning, whosoever doth flatter himself therein, doth evidently demonstrate and shew that he never yet indeed tasted of Christ truly: he was never truly persuaded or believed how foul a thing sin is, how grievous a thing God's anger is, how joyful and precious a thing God's mercy in Christ is, how exceeding broad, wide, high, and deep Christ's love is. Perchance he can write, prate, talk, and preach of this gear ; but yet he in heart2 by faith never felt this gear : for, did he once feel this gear indeed, then would he be so far from continuing in sin willingly and wittingly, that wholly and heartily he would give over himself to that which is contrary, I mean to a Psai ciii. new life, " renewing his youth even as the eagle doth." For as we, being in the servitude of sin, demonstrate our service by giving over our members to the obeying of sin, from iniquity to iniquity ; even so we, being made free from sin by faith in Jesus Christ, and endued with God's Spirit, a 2 cw. m. Spirit of liberty, must needs demonstrate this freedom and liberty by giving over our members to the obedience of the Spirit ; by tho which we are led and guided from virtue to virtue, and all kind of holiness. As the unbelievers declare Ephes. h. their unbelief by the working of the evil spirit in them out- Gai. v. wardly the fruits of the flesh ; even so the believers declare their faith by the working of God's good Spirit in them out wardly the fruits of the Spirit. For, as the devil is not dead in those which are his, but worketh still to their damnation; so is not God dead in them which be his, but worketh still to their salvation : the which working is not the cause of the one or the other being in any, but only a demonstration, a sign, a fruit of the same ; as the apple is not the cause of the apple-tree, but a fruit of it. Thus then you see briefly, that newness of life is not indeed a part of penance, but a fruit of it, a demonstration of the justifying faith, a sign of God's good Spirit possessing [l 'now', a misprint, 1553: 'not' 1574.] [2 So 1553, 1574, 1652: 'part,' an early impression of 1574 (vide p. 28 above), 1581, 1599, 1617, 1619.] SERMON ON REPENTANCE. 79 the heart of the penitent ; as the old life is a fruit of impeni- tency, a demonstration of a lip-faith or unbelief, a sign of Satan's spirit possessing the heart of the impenitent, which all those be that be not penitent ; for mean I know none. He that is not penitent, that same is impenitent : he that is not governed by God's Spirit, the same is governed by Sa tan's spirit ; for all that be Christ's are governed with the R°m- via- Spirit of Christ, which Spirit hath her fruits. All other that oai. v. be not Christ's are the devil's : " he that gathereth not with Christ scattereth abroad." Therefore, dearly beloved, I beseech you to consider this gear, and deceive not yourselves. If you be not Christ's, then pertain you to the devil : of which thing the fruits of the flesh doth assure you, as whoredom, adultery, unclean ness, wantonness, idolatry, witchcraft, envy, strife, contention, wrath, sedition, murder, drunkenness, gluttony, blasphemy, slothfulness, idleness3, slandering, &c. If these apples grow out of the apple-trees of your heart, surely, surely the devil is at inn4 with you, you are his birds, whom when he hath well fed, he will broach5 you and eat you, chaw6 you and champ7 you ; world without end, in eternal woe and misery. But I am otherwise persuaded of you all : I trust you be all Christ Jesus his people and children, yea, brethren by faith. As ye see your sins in God's law, and tremble, sigh, sor row, and sob for the same ; even so you see his great mercies in his gospel and free promises ; and therefore are glad, merry, and joyful, for that you are accepted into God's favour, have your sins pardoned, and are endued with the good Spirit of God, even the seal and sign manual of your 2 cor. i. election in Christ before the beginning of the world. The which Spirit, for that he is the Spirit of life, given to you to work in you, with you, and by you, here in this life, sanctifi- 1 mess. iv. cation and holiness, (whereunto you are called that ye might 1 pet. l be holy, even as your heavenly Father is holy ;) I beseech you all by admonition and warning of you, that you would stir up the gifts of God given to you, generally and particu- 2 Iim- '¦ [3 Two words of the original are omitted.] [•* i. e. his lodging, or abode. See Nares, Glossary.] [5 i. e. transfix, pierce through.] [6 i. e. grind with teeth.] [7 i. e. bite, devour.] 80 SERMON ON REPENTANCE. larly, to the edifying of his church : that is, I pray yoii E,.hes. iv. that you would not molest the good Spirit of God, by rebel ling against it when it provoketh and calleth you to go on b*v. xxii. forwards, that he which is holy might yet be more holy, he which is righteous might be more righteous ; as the evil spirit moveth and stirreth up the filthy to be yet more filthy, the covetous to be more covetous, the wicked to be more wicked, Declare you now your repentance by works of repent ance : bring forth fruits, and worthy fruits. Let your sor rowing for your evils demonstrate itself by departing from the evils you have used. Let your certainty of pardon of your sins through Christ and your joy in him be demonstrated by pursuing of the good things which God's word teacheth Ephes. u. you. You are now " in Christ Jesus God's workmanship, to do good works, which God hath prepared for you to walk Titus ii. in." " For the grace of God, that bringeth salvation unto all men, hath appeared, and teacheth us that we should denj ungodliness and worldly lusts, and that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the mighty God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which gave himself for us to redeem us from all unrighteousness, and to purge us a pecu- i liar people unto himself, fervently given unto good work" Again (Titus iii.), " For we ourselves also were in times past unwise, disobedient, deceived, serving lusts and divers plea sures, living in maliciousness and envy, full of hatred, and hating one another. But, after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour to man- ward appeared, not by the deeds of righteousness which we wrought, but of his mercy he saved us, by the fountain of the new birth, and with the renewing of the Holy Ghost ; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour ; that we, once justified by his grace, should be heirs of eternal life through hope. This is a true saying." But I will make an end, for I am too tedious. Dearly beloved, repent your sins : that is, be sorry fa that which is past ; believe in God's mercy for pardon, h«» deeply soever you have sinned; and both purpose and earnestly pursue a new life, bringing forth worthy and W fruits of repentance. As you have given over your m» bers from sin to sin to serve the devil ; your tongues to swear, SERMON ON REPENTANCE. 81 to lie, to flatter, to scold, to jest, to scoff1, to vain jangling, to boasting, &c. ; your hands to picking, groping, idleness, fighting, &c. ; your feet to skipping, going to evil, to danc ing, &c. ; your ears to hear fables, lies, vanities, and evil things, &c. ; so now give over your members to godliness, your tongues to speak, your ears to hear, your eyes to see, your mouths to taste, your hands to work, your feet to go about such things as may make to God's glory, sobriety of life, and love to your brethren ; and that daily more and more diligently : for in a stay to stand you cannot ; either better or worse you are to-day than you were yesterday. But better I trust you be, and will be, if you mark well my theme, that is, "Eepent you." The which thing that you would do, as before I have humbly besought you, even so now yet once more I do again beseech you, and that for the tender mercies of God in Christ Jesus our Lord: "Repent you:" "repent you; for the king dom of heaven" (that is, a kingdom full of all riches, plea sures, mirth, beauty, sweetness, and eternal felicity) " is at hand." The eye hath not seen the like, the ear hath not Js^^iv. heard the like, the heart of man cannot conceive the trea sures and pleasures of this kingdom, which now "is at hand" to such as repent ; that is, to such as are sorry for their sins, believe God's mercy through Christ, and earnestly purpose to lead a new life. The God of mercy, through Christ his Son, grant us his holy Spirit, and work in our hearts this sorrow, faith, and new life, which through his grace I have spoken of, both now and for ever. Amen. [J Three words of the original are omitted.] [BRADFORD.] A SERMON OF THE LORD'S SUPPER1 MS. 1. 2. 8. no. 11. Em- man. Coll. Cambridge 2. Two Sermons by Bradford, A wdeley and Wight 1574, and after editions. Two Sacra ments in Christ's Church. Baptism is in place of cir cumcision. Christian men's chil dren ought to be bap tized. JESUS EMMANUEL. There are two sacraments in Christ's church : one of initia tion, that is, wherewith we be enrolled, as it were, into the household and family of God, which sacrament we call hap. tism ; the other wherewith we be conserved, fed, kept, and nourished to continue in the same family, which is called the Lord's supper, or the body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ, broken for our sins and shed for our transgressions, Of the former sacrament, that is, of baptism, to speak now I am not purposed, because occasion and time serve not so thereto. Of the second therefore will I speak something by God's grace, if that you remember this, that baptism in Christ's church now sithen Christ's death is come in place of circumcision in the same church afore Christ's coming: whereby we may see that christian parents seem to be no less bound to offer their infants and babes to be baptized, that they may be taken and accounted of us as members of Christ's mystical body, wherein they are received and sealed, than were the Hebrews their children to be circumcised and so to be3 taken as pertaining to the covenant and league with God, [} Bp. Ridley, in a letter to Bradford, 1554, writes : "Dearly be loved, I wish you grace, mercy and peace. According to your mind I have run over all your papers ; and what I have done, which is but small, therein may appear. In two places I have put in two loose leaves : I had much ado to read that was written in your great leaves, and I ween somewhere I have altered some words, because I could not read perfectly that which was written Blessed be God that hath given you liberty . . . ., that you may use your pen to his glory, and to the comfort, as I hear say, of many." — To this Foxe annexes the following side note : " This was a treatise of the Lord's Supper, with other things, which Master Bradford sent to him to peruse and to judge thereof."— Foxe, Acts, &c. 1583, p. 1725, or ed. 1843—8, vn. 426.] [2 This MS. is followed, unless where otherwise noted. The latter part of the Sermon, from p. 102, 1. 28 (' the gravity and grievousness of sin') to the end, is also contained in a MS. in the autograph of Bradford, 2. 2. 16. no. 20. in Emmanuel College, Cambridge. This MS. has supplied two lines at p. 107- MS. 1. 2. 8. no. 11. generally agrees with it closely.] [3 ' Circumcised ... be', MS. 1. 2. 8: not in 1574.] sermon on the lord's supper. 83 wherein they were engraffed, alonely the circumstance of the Gai. iv. eighth day, not necessary to be observed, being now abrogate. But to come again. Of the Lord's supper I am purposed presently to speak through the help of God, because we are assembled in Christ, I hope, to celebrate the same4. Now that the things which I shall speak may be better observed and carried away of you, I will tell you how and in what sort I will speak of it. Three things would I have marked, as the principles and scope whereto I will refer all that I shall at this time speak thereof. They are these : Who, what, and wherefore. That is, to make it more plain, Who did institute this thing which we are about to celebrate : 0k«.. this is the First. The Second is, What the thing is which is Quod: Cur- instituted. And the Last is, Wherefore, and to what end it was instituted, whereby we shall be taught how to use it. [I.] For the First, Who did institute this sacrament who did in- T stitute this and SUpper. Sacrament. You all do know that5 things are more esteemed some time for the dignity and authority of the person, sometime for the wisdom of the person, sometime for the power and magnificence of the person, sometime for the holiness of the . person6, and sometime for the tender love and kindness of the person. If need were, I could by examples set forth every one of these; but I hope it is not necessary. Now then, how can the thing which we be aboutward to celebrate but be esteemed of every one highly, in that the Author of it doth want no dignity, no authority, no wisdom, no power, no magnificence, no holiness, no tender love and kindness, but hath all dignity, authority, wisdom, power, magnificence, holiness, tender love, mercy, glory, and all that can be wished, absolutely ? He is God eternal, co-equal and consubstantial with the Father and with the Holy Ghost, [4 Foxe states that, while Bradford was in prison in the King's Bench and the Counter in the Poultry, he preached twice a day continually . . . also the sacrament was often ministered ; and through his means (the keepers so well did bear with him) such resort of good folks was daily to his lecture, and to the ministration of the sacra ment, that commonly his chamber was well nigh filled therewith. Acts, &c. p. 1780.] [« 'it,' MS. 1. 2. 8 : 'that' 1574.] [6 The last seven words occur in MS. 1. 2. 8, but are not given in 1574 and after editions.] 6 — 2 84 sermon on the lord's supper. "the image of the substance of God," the Wisdom of the Father, " the brightness of his glory," by whom all things were made, are ruled, and governed. He is the King of all kings, and the Lord of all lords. He is the Messias of the world, our most dear and loving Brother, Saviour, Mediator, Advocate, Intercessor, Husband, Priest : so that the thing which cometh from him cannot but be esteemed, loved, and embraced. If dignity like us ; if authority like us ; if wisdom like us ; if power like us ; if glory like us ; if goodness and1 mercy like us ; yea, if any thing that can be wished like us, then cannot this which our Lord did institute but like us ; and that so much the more, by how much it is one of the last things which he did institute and command. God open our eyes to see these things accordingly ! so shall we come with more reverence to this table of the Lord: which thing he grant for his mercy's sake. Amen. And thus much for the first, who did institute this sacrament, what the [11.1 Now to the Second, What the sacrament is. Sacrament is. L -1 If we shall ask our eyes, our nose, our mouth, our taste, our hands, and the reason of man, they will all make a conso nant answer, that it is bread and wine : and verily therein thej speak the truth and lie not, as by many things may be proved, although the papists prate their pleasure to the contrary. And here, my dearly beloved, I think I shall not be either tedious or unprofitable unto you, if that I tarry a little in shewing this verity, that the substance of bread and wine remaineth in the sacrament after the words of consecration (as they call them) be spoken. Whereby we may learn hos shameless beasts they be which would enforce men to believe transubstantiation, which is an error whereupon in a manner Tramubstan- dependeth all popery ; for it is the stay of their priesthood, tiationisthe , . , . „ , , „, " , j foundation which is neither after the order of Aaron, nor after the order of all popery. , of Melchisedec, but after the order of Baal : which thing is something seen by their number; for false prophets and priests of Baal were always many moe in number when the wicked were in authority, than true priests and prophets of the Lord, as the holy histories of the bible do teach. Read 1 Kings xviii. That in the supper of the Lord, or in the sacrament of Christ's body, which the papists call 'the sacrament of the alto'' I1 'goodness and' 1674: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] sermon on the lord's supper. 85 as though that were Christ's sacrament, which thing they Thesac™- ... 1111 ment of the can never prove ; (lor it, being perverted and abused to a con- p°Pish ™ai* trary end, as of sacrificing propitiatorily for the sins of the cta™Fsbod°f quick and of the dead, of idolatry by adoring or worshipping it with godly honour, &c, is no more Christ's sacrament but an horrible profanation of it : and therefore, as Christ called " God's temple," which was " called a house of prayer," for the abusing and profaning of it by the priests, "a den of thieves;" so this which the papists call ' the sacrament of the altar' full truly may we call an abominable idol : and therefore I would all men should know that ' the sacrament of the altar ' as the papists now do abuse it, omitting certain substantial points of the Lord's institution, and putting in stead thereof their own dregs and dreams, is not the sacrament of Christ's body, nor the Lord's supper ; whereof when we speak reve rently, as our duty is, we would not that men should think we speak it of the sacrament [of] the popish mass :) That, I say, in the supper of the Lord, or in the sacrament of Christ's body, there remaineth the substance of bread and wine, as our senses and reason doth teach, these many things also do teach the same. First, the Holy Ghost doth plainly tell us, by calling it First reason often "bread" after the words of consecration, as 1 Cor. x., substantia- "Is not the bread which we break a partaking of the body of Christ?" saith Paul. Lo, plainly he saith, "the bread which we break," not only calling it ' bread,' but addeth thereto ' breaking;' which cannot be attributed either to Christ's body whereof no bone was broke, either to any accident, but must needs be of substance : which substance, if it be not Christ's body, cannot be but bread; as in the eleventh chapter four times he plainly calleth it, ' He that eateth of this bread, he that receiveth this bread,' &c. And in the Acts of the apostles we read how that (in speaking of the communion) they "met together to break bread," &c. So that it is plain, the sub stance of bread and wine doth remain in the supper after the words of consecration ; as also may appear plainly by Christ's own words, which calleth that which he gave them in the cup " wine" or " the fruit of the vine," as both Matthew and Mark do write : whereby we see that there is no tran- substantiation of the wine ; and therefore may we also see that there is no transubstantiation of the bread. As for the Danists' cavilling:, how that it hath the name of tlS papufs'0 86 sermon on the lord's supper. cavii for the bread because it was bread, as Simon the leper was called foresaid _. , 1 i > M?ttnkxvi stiu leprous though he was healed, or as Moses rod being Exod. vii. turne(i into a serpent was called a rod still, it1 proveth nothing ; for there was in the one a plain sight, and the senses certified that Simon was no leper, and in the other plain mention that the rod was turned into a serpent. But concerning the sacrament, neither the senses see any other thing than bread, neither is there any mention made of turn ing : and therefore their cavil is plainly seen to be but a cavil and of no force. But to come again, to bring more reasons against tran- second substantiation : secondly, that the substance of bread re- reason. _ ** Mark™'1' maineth still, the very text doth teach; for the evangelists l'corA'i!'' and the apostle St Paul do witness that Christ gave that to his disciples, and called it his body, which he took, on which he gave thanks, and which he brake. But he " took bread," " gave thanks" on bread, and " brake" bread : ergo he gave bread, and called bread "his body," as he called the cup "the new Testament." So that it followeth by this, that there is no transubstantiation. And this reason I myself have promised tom. wii- in writing to prove by the authority of the fathers; namely tom. wis- Irenseus, Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian, Epiphanius, Hieronymus, ton. To J dlelon.3 T ! " Austin, Theodoret, Cyril, Bede2; if so be I may have use of my books3. Third reason. Thirdly, that in the sacrament there is no transuhstan- tiation of the bread, by this reason I do prove. Like as by our Saviour Christ the Spirit of truth spake of the bread, "This is my body;" so saith the same Spirit of truth of the 1 cor. *. same orea(j) tnat „ we many are one body an(j one bread;1 &c. So that, as it appeareth the sacrament not to be the church by transubstantiation, even so it is not Christ's natu ral body by transubstantiation. 17™. Fourthly, I prove that there is no transubstantiation by Luke and Paul's words spoken over the cup. For no less are they effectual to transubstantiate the cup, than tbeir words spoken of the bread are operatorious and mighty to transubstantiate the bread : for, as they say of the bread, " This is my body," so say they of the cup, " This cup » p 'it ' 1574 : not in MS. I. 2. 8.J p See note F.] Is See the 'prison-conferences' of Bradford, as referred to onto margin above. A like declaration is made by Bp Ridlev in his Dis putation at Oxford, April 1554, Works, Parker Soc. 203 J SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. 87 the new Testament:" which thing is absurd to be spoken or thought4 either of the cup or of the thing in the cup by tran substantiation. Yea, rather in saying these words, "This cup is the new Testament," we are taught by their coupling this word "cup" to the demonstrative "this," how we should, in these words, " This is my body," know that this word " this" doth there demonstrate bread. Fifthly, that the substance of bread remaineth in the Fifth reason. sacrament, as the reasons before brought forth do prove, so doth the definition of a sacrament ; for the fathers do af- Irene. firm it to " consist of an earthly thing and of an heavenly chrysostom. thing5," of "the word and of the element6," of "sensible things and of things which be perceived by the mind7." But transubstantiation taketh clean away 'the earthly thing, the element, the sensible thing ;' and so maketh it no sacrament. And therefore the definition of a sacrament full well teacheth that bread, which is ' the earthly thing, the sensible thing, and the element,' remaineth still, as St Austin saith, " The word cometh to the element6;" (he saith not, 'taketh away the element ;') and so it is made a sacrament. Sixthly, the nature and proportion of a sacrament teacheth sixth reason. this also which I have affirmed. For, as Cyprian writeth serm'. de . " 1 . Chrismat. that " sacraments bear the name of the thing which they signify8 ;" so doth St Austin teach that, " if sacraments have August. ad fc> J ' ' Bonifacium. [4 'taught,' MS.: 'thought' 1574.] [5 . . . evxp-pio-ria, eK dvo irpaypdrwv o-vveo"rr)Kvia, eirvyeiov re Ka\ ov- paviov Iren. Cont. Haer. Lib. Quinq. iv. xviii. (olim xxxiv.) 5. Op. I. 251, ed. Bened. Venet. 1734.] [o Accedit verbum ad elementum, et fit sacramentum etiam ipsum tanquam visibile verbum August. In Johann. Evang. xv. Tract. lxxx. 3. Op. III. n. col. 703, ed. Bened. Par. 1679—1700.] \f . . . iv alo-8rjTois rd vonrd o-oi napadlSaai. Chrysost. In Matt. Horn. Lxxxn. (al. lxxxiii.) Op. VII. 787, ed. Bened. Par. 1718—38. . . divina autem ilium sanctificante gratia, mediante sacerdote, liberatus est quidem ab appellatione panis, dignus autem habitus Dominici corporis appellatione, etiamsi natura panis in ipso pennansit. — Id. Ep. ad Csesar. Monach. Op. III. 744; and in Routh, Script. Eccl. Opusc. II. 127, Oxon. 1840. See the remarkable history of this treatise in connexion with Abp. Cranmer and Peter Martyr, in Cave, Hist. Liter. Oxon. 1740, 1. 315.] [8 . . . ut . . . significantia et significata eisdem vocabulis censerentur, ut sacramentum et res sacramenti, Veritas et figura, usque adeo indi- vulsam haberent efficientiam.— Arnold. Abbat. BonEe-vall. De unct. chrism, in Cypr. Op. Oxon. (1682.) Append, p. 48.] 88 SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. not some signification with the thing whereof they be sacra ments, then are they no sacraments1." Now in the Lord's supper this similitude is, first, in nourishing, that, as bread nourisheth the body, so Christ's body broken feedeth the soul : secondly, in bringing together many into one, that, as in the sacrament many grains of corn are made " one bread," many grapes are made one liquor and wine ; so the multi tude which worthily receiveth the sacrament are made "one body " with Christ and his church : last of all, in one un likely likeliness or similitude, that, as bread eaten turneth into our nature, so we rightly eating the sacrament by faith turn into the nature of Christ. So that it is plain to them that will see, that to take the substance of bread away is clean against the nature and proportion of a sacrament. I will speak nothing how that this their doctrine of tran substantiation, besides the manifold absurdities it hath with it (which to rehearse I omit), it utterly overthroweth the use of the sacrament, and is clean contrary to the end wherefore it was instituted ; and so is no longer a sacrament but an idol, and is the cause of much idolatry ; converting the peo ple's hearts from an heavenly consideration to an earthly, and turning the communion into a private action, and a mat ter of gazing and piping, of adoring and worshipping the work of men's hands. For the living God which "dwelleth not in temples made with men's hands," much less lieth he in pyxes2 and chests, whose true worship is "in spirit and verity:" which God grant us all to render unto him continually. Amen, seventh The sacrament of baptism doth also3 teach us, that, as the substance of the water remaineth there, so in the Lord's supper remaineth the substance of bread after consecration: for, as by baptism we are engraffed into Christ, so by the supper we are fed with Christ. These two sacraments the i cor. x. & Apostle gladly coupleth together, 1 Cor. x. and xii. : " We are baptized into one body," saith he, " and have drunk all of one Spirit," meaning it by the cup, as Chrysostom4 and I1 Si enini sacramenta quandam similitudinem earum rerum qua- rum sacramenta sunt non haberent, omnino sacramenta non essent.- August. Epist. xcvm. ad Bonifac. sect. 9. Op. II. col. 267.] [3 ' pyx,' from the Latin ' pyxis,' the box in which consecrated wa fers were kept for the sick.— Vide Du Cange, Gloss. J [3 'also' 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.J I* Tovre'o-n, -rrpbs r,v aMp, f,\6opeV pvo-raycoytav, rfc aMp if I SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. 89 others, great learned men, do well interpret it. As therefore in baptism is given unto us the Holy Ghost and5 pardon of our sins, which yet lie not lurking in the water ; so in the Lord's supper is given unto us the communion of Christ's body and blood, that is, grace, forgiveness of sins6, innocency, life, immortality, without any transubstantiation or including of the same in the bread. By baptism " the old man is put off," and " the new man put on," yea, " Christ put on," but Gai. m. without transubstantiation of the water : and even so it is in the Lord's supper. We by faith spiritually in our souls feed on Christ's body broken, do eat his flesh, and drink his blood, do dwell in him and he in us, but without transub stantiation. As for the cavil they make, that "we are baptized into Answer to one body," meaning thereby the mystical body and not the against tne natural body of Christ ; whereby they would enforce that we reason- are fed with the natural body of Christ, but we are not en grafted into it but into the mystical body, and so put away the reason aforesaid: as for this cavil, I say, we may soon avoid it, if so be we will consider how that Christ, which is the head of the mystical body, is not separate from the body. And therefore to be engraft to the mystical body is to be engraft to the natural body of Christ, to be a "member of his flesh," and bone "of his bones ;" as pope Leo full well doth witness, in saying, that corpus regenerati fit caro crucifixi1 : " The body," saith he, " of the regenerate is made the flesh of Christ crucified." And hereto I could add some reasons for the excellency of baptism. I trow it be more to be begotten than to be nourished. As for the excellent miracle of the patefaction8 of the Trinity, and the descent of the Holy Ghost in baptism in a visible form, the Xavopev rpane^ns . . . rrvevpa eirrav, dpcpdrepa i8rj\aiO-e, Kat to aipa Kal Tr)v o-dpKa' 81' dp(porepa>v ydp ev nvevpa no^i^opeda. 'Epol oe doKei viiv eKelvrjV Xeyeiv tov rrvevparos rr)v imfpoiTno-u-- ^t)v and tov (HairTio-paTOs Kal rtpb tqiv pvo-n)pia>v eyyivopivr)v r)piv. — Chrysost. In Epist. I. ad Cor. Horn. xxx. Op. X. 270, ed. Bened. Par. 1718—38.] [S 'and' 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [6 'forgiveness of sins' 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [1 . . . susceptus a Christo, Christumque suscipiens, non idem sit post lavacrum, qui ante baptismum fuit ; sed corpus regenerati fiat caro cruciftxi.— Leon. Magni Serm. lxiii. de Pass. Dom. xii. cap. vi. Op. I. col. 246, Venet. 1753—57.] [8 Patefaction: disclosure, manifestation.] reason. 90 SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. like whereto was not seen in the Lord's supper, I will omit to speak hereof further than I would you should know how that it were no mastery to set forth the excellency of this sacra ment, as well as of the supper. We may in no case condemn them that were before Christ's incarnation, neither our infants which die before the receipt of the supper ; as doubtless they must needs be con demned if that they be not insert and engrafted into the very true body and natural body of our Saviour Christ: which thing they are not but by baptism, if the papistical doctrine be received concerning the necessity of this sacra ment; for this sentence remaineth true still, "Except you shall eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you cannot have life :" which thing our infants want, if by baptism it be not conferred unto them. Eighth But enough of this : now to the eighth reason1- It is a plain sign of antichrist, to deny the substance of bread and wine to be in the Lord's supper after consecration, For in so doing and granting transubstantiation the property of the human nature of Christ is denied; for it is not of the human nature, but of the Divine nature, to be in many places at once: as Didymus de Spiritu Sancto doth prove thereby the divinity of the Holy Ghost2. Now grant transubstantiation, and then Christ's natural body must needs be in many places : which is nothing else but to confound the two natures in Christ, or to deny Christ's human nature, which is the self-same that St John saith, to deny " Christ to be come in the flesh:" and this whoso doeth, by the testimony of St John, is "an antichrist" in his so doing, whatsoever otherwise they do prate. Read St Austin in his epistle to Dardanus3, and his fiftieth' [i This line and the preceding paragraph are supplied by MS. 1. 2. 8, being omitted in 1574 and the after editions.] [2 . . . Spiritus autem sanctus, cum in pluribus sit, non habet sub- stantiam circumscriptam. — Did. Alex. De Spirit. Sanct. Lib. 1. 6, HieroD. interpr. in Hieron. Op. II. col. 112, stud. Vallars. Veron. 1734—42.] [3 Una enim persona Deus et homo est, et utrumque est unus Christus Jesus ; ubique per id quod Deus est, in coelo autem per id quod homo. — August. Liber ad Dai-dan. seu Ep. clxxxvii. 10. Op. It col. 681, ed. Bened. Par. 1679—1700.] [4 Secundum prresentiam majestatis semper babemus Christum: secundum prsesentiam carnis, recte dictum est discipulis, 'Me autem non semper habebitis. — Id. In Johann. Evang. xn. Tract. L. 13. Op. III. II. col. 634.] SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. 91 and thirtieth5 treatise upon St John: and easily you shall see how that " Christ's body must needs be in one place, (Oportet in uno loco esse;) but his truth is in all places." If there be no substance of bread in the sacrament, but Nimhreason. transubstantiation, then Christ's body is received of the un godly and eaten with their teeth : which is not only against St Austin calling this speech, " Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man," &c. to be "a figurative speech6;" but also against the plain scriptures, which affirm them to dwell in Christ and Christ in them, and they to have everlasting life that eat him ; which the wicked have not, although they eat the sacrament. " He that eateth of this bread," saith Christ, " shall live for evermore." Therefore they eat not Christ's body, but, as Paul saith, "they eat judgment and damnation;" which I trow be another manner of thing than Christ's body. And this doth St Austin affirm, saying, " None do eat Christ's body, which is not in the body of Christ;" that is, as he expoundeth it, "in whom Christ dwelleth not, and he in Christ7 :" which thing the wicked do not, because they want faith and the Holy Spirit, which be the means whereby Christ is received. To the things which I have here brought forth to im prove8 transubstantiation, I could bring the fathers to con firm the same, which succeeded continually many hundred years after Christ. Also I could shew that transubstantiation [6 Corpus enim Domini in quo resurrexit uno loco esse potest : Veritas ejus ubique diffusa est. — Id. In Johann. Evang. vn. Tract. xxx. 1. Op. III. n. col. 517.] [e ' Nisi manducaveritis,' inquit, ' carnem Pilii hominis et sanguinem biberitis, non habebitis vitam in vobis.' Facinus vel flagitium videtur jubere: figura est ergo, praecipiens passioni Dominicse communican- dum, et suaviter atque utiliter recondendum in memoria, quod pro nobis caro ejus crucifixa et vulnerata sit. — Id. De Doctr. Christ. Lib. III. 24. Op. III. I. col. 52.] [7 . . . recte intelligunt non dicendum esse eum manducare corpus Christi, qui in corpore non est Christi . . . Ipse dicens, ' Qui mandueat carnem meam et bibit sanguinem meum in me manet, et ego in eo,' ostendit quid sit non sacramento tenus, sed re vera corpus Christi manducare et ejus sanguinem bibere. . . . Sic enim hoc dixit, tanquam diceret, Qui non in me manet, et in quo ego non maneo, non se dicat aut existimet manducare corpus meum, aut bibere sanguinem meum. — Id. De Civit. Dei, Lib.xxi. cap. xxv. 3, 4. Op. VII. col. 646, 7: and vide In Johann. Evang. vi. Tract, xxvi. 18. Op. III. n. col. 501.] [8 Improve: disprove.] 92 SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. is but a new doctrine, not established before Satan, which Rev. xx. was tied for a thousand years, was letten loose. Also I could shew that ever hitherto, since it was established, in all times it hath been resisted and spoken against. Yea, tofore this doctrine the church was nothing so endowed with goods, lands, and possessions, as it hath been since : it hath brought no small gain, no small honour, no small ease to the clergy; and therefore no marvel though they strive and fight for it. It is their Maozim1: it is their Helena2. God destroy it with the breath of his mouth, as shortly he will, for his name's sake. Amen. If time would serve, I could and would here tell you of the absurdities which cometh by this doctrine; but for time's sake I must omit it. Only for God's sake see this, that this their doctrine of transubstantiation is an untruth, as already I have proved : and forget not that it is the whole stay of all papacy and the pillar of their priesthood, whereby Christ's priesthood, sacrifice, ministry, and truth is letted', yea, perverted and utterly overthrown. God our Father, in the blood of his Son4 Christ, open the eyes and minds of our magistrates and all other that bear the name of Christ6, to see it in time to God's glory and their own salvation. Amen. what the Now, to return to the second matter, what the sacrament sacramentis. . . - ~ . . . , is, you see that to the senses and reason ot man it is bread and wine; which is most true6, as by the scriptures and other wise I have already proved : and therefore away with tran substantiation. But here, lest we should make it no sacrament (for a sacrament consisteth of two things), and lest a man should by this gather that we make it none other thing but bare bread and7 a naked sign, and so rail at their pleasure on us, saying, ' How can a man be guilty of the body and blood of t1 i. e. guardian deities. Dsty'D • Vide Dan. xi. 38, ma; reading, authorised version ; Mede, Apostasy of the latter times, I. xvi, xvii, Works, 1672, p. 667, et seq.] [2 i. e. ground of contention ; in allusion to the Trojan war. Vide Calv. Instit. iv. xviii. 18. Op. IX. I. 387, Amst. 1667—71.] [3 Letted: hindered.] [¦* 'Son' 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [s The last nine words in 1574 : not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [s 'truth,' MS. 1. 2. 8: 'true' 1574.] [7 'and' 1574 : not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. 93 Christ by unworthy receiving it, if it be but bare bread?' and so forth ; for this purpose I will now speak a little more hereabout by God's grace, to stop their mouths, and stir up your good hearts more to the worthy estimation and per ception of this holy mystery. When a loving friend giveth to thee a thing, or sendeth to thee a token (as, for an example, a napkin 8 or such like), I think thou doest not as thou shouldest do, if that with the thing thou considerest not the mind of thy friend that sendeth or giveth thee the thing, and according thereto to esteem and receive it. And so of this bread think I that, if thou do9 not rather consider the mind of thy lover Christ than the thing which thou seest, yea, if thou do not altogether consider Christ's mind, thou dealest unhonestly and strumpetly with him : for it is the property of strumpets to consider the things given and sent them, rather than the love and mind of the giver and sender ; whereas the true 10 lovers do not con sider in any point the things given or sent, but the mind of the party. So we, if we be true lovers of Christ, must not consider barely11 the outward thing which we see and our senses perceive; but rather altogether we must and should see and consider the mind of Christ, and thereafter and12 according to it to esteem the sacrament. But how shall we best know the mind of Christ ? For sooth, as a man's mind is best known by his word, so by Christ's words shall we know his mind. Now his words be manifest and most plain. "This" saith he, "is my body:" therefore accordingly should we esteem and take and receive it. If he had spoken nothing, or if he had spoken doubtfully, then might we have been in some doubt. But in that he speaketh so plainly, saying, " This is my body," who can, may, or dare be so bold as to doubt of it ? He is " the truth" and cannot lie : he is omnipotent and can do all things : therefore it is his body. This I believe, this I confess, and pray you all heartily to beware of these and such like words, ' that it is but a sign or a figure of his body ; except you will [8 'and,' MS.: 'or' 1574.] [» 'do' 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [io 'true' 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [" 'in any point,' MS. 1. 2. 8: 'barely' 1574.] [« 'and' 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] 94 SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. ofws°gni"ds discern betwixt signs which signify only, and signs which also do represent, confirm, and seal up, or (as a man may say) give with ^heir signification. As for example, an ivy-bush is a sign of wine to be sold1 : the budding of Aaron's rod did sig nify Aaron's priesthood allowed of the Lord : the reservation of Moses' rod did signify the rebellion of the children of Israel : the stones taken out of Jordan, Gideon's fleece of wool, and such as these, be signs significative, and shew no gift. But in the other signs, which some call exhibitive, is there not only a signification of a thing, but also a declara tion of a gift, yea, in a certain manner a giving also : as baptism signifieth not only the cleansing of the conscience from sin by the merits of Christ's blood, but is also a very cleansing from sin; and therefore it was said to Paul, that he should " arise and wash away his sins," and not that he should arise and take only a sign of washing away his sins. In the Lord's supper the bread is called "a partaking of the Lord's body," and not only a bare sign of the body of the Lord. This I speak, not as though the elements of these sacra ments were transubstantiate (which I have already impugned); either as though Christ's body were in the element, either were tied to the element otherwise than saoramentally and spiritu ally; either that the bread, water2, and wine may not and must not be called sacramental and external signs ; but that they might be discerned from significative and bare signs only, and be taken for signs exhibitive and representative. By this means a christian conscience will esteem and call the bread of the Lord as 'the body of Christ;' for it3 will never esteem the sacraments of Christ after their exterior appear ance, but after the words of Christ : whereof it cometh that the fathers, as Chrysostom and others, do speak with so full a mouth when they speak of the sacrament ; for their respect was to Christ's words. If the schoolmen which followed them had had the same spirit as they had, then would they never have consented to transubstantiation. For with great admi ration some of the fathers do say that the bread is changed or [} See Bp. Ridley on the Lord's Supper, Works, Parker Soc. 10 i Nares, Glossary.] [z 'water,' MS. 1. 2. 8: not in 1574.] [3 'they,' MS. 1. 2. 8 : 'it' 1574.] SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPrER. 95 turned into the body of Christ, and the wine into his blood, meaning it of a mutation or changing, not corporal, but spi ritual, figurative, sacramental, or mystical ; for now it is no common bread nor common wine, being ordained to serve for the food of the soul. The schoolmen have understand it as the papists now preach, of a substantial changing ; as though it were no great miracle that common bread should now be assumed into that dignity that it should be called ' Christ's body,' and serve for celestial food, and be made a sacrament of his body and blood. As before I have spoken, I would wish that this sacra ment should be esteemed and called of christian men, after Christ's words, namely ' Christ's body,' and the wine ' Christ's blood,' rather than otherwise. Not that I mean any other presence of Christ's body than a presence by grace, a pre sence by faith, a presence spiritually, and not corporally, christ-spre- 11 n i n i-i o senee in the really, naturally, and carnally, as the papists do mean ; lor supper. in such sort Christ's body is only in heaven, ' on the right hand of God the Father Almighty,' whither our faith in the use of the sacrament ascendeth, and receiveth whole Christ accordingly. Tea, but one will say, that to call the sacrament on this An objection . as touching sort is to give an occasion of idolatry to the people, which fj^ ^'™s of will take the sacrament they see simply for Christ's body, as ment' by experience we are too well taught : and therefore it were better to call it ' bread,' and so less harm should be, especially in this age. To this objection I answer, that indeed great idolatry is An answer. committed to and about this sacrament, and therefore men ought, as much as they can, to avoid from occasioning or confirming it : but, inasmuch as the Holy Ghost is wiser than man, and had foresight of the evils that might be, and yet notwithstanding doth call it ' Christ's body,' I think we should do evil if we should take upon us to reform his speech. If ministers did their duties in catechising and preaching, then doubtless to call the sacrament ' Christ's body,' and to esteem it accordingly, could not give occasion to idolatry, and confirm it. Therefore woe unto them that preach not ! There are two evils about the sacraments, which to avoid Two evils about the the Holy Ghost hath taught us. For, lest we should with saCTament- the papists think Christ's body present in or with the bread 96 SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. really, naturally, and corporally, to be received1 with our bodily mouth (where there is no other presence of Christ's body than spiritually and to the faith), in many places he keepeth still the name of "bread;" as in the [first] epistle to the Corinthians, the tenth and eleventh chapters2. And lest we should make too light of it, making it a bare sign and no better than common bread, the Holy Ghost calleth it " Christ's body :" whose speech I wish we would follow, and that not only as well to avoid the evil which is now-a-days most to be feared concerning the sacrament (I mean it of contemning it), as also for that no faithful man cometh to the sacrament to receive bread simply, but rather, yea, altogether to communicate with Christ's body and blood ; for else "to eat and drink," as Paul saith, they "have houses" of their own. The contempt of the sacrament in the days of king Ed ward hath caused these plagues upon us presently. The Lord be merciful unto us ! Amen. And thus much for the objection of calling the sacrament by the name of Christ's body. Another ob- 'Why,' saith one, 'to call the sacrament Christ's body, Jchris?s°pre- and to make none other presence of Christ than by grace or sence in the .. . , . . . . . » . . , i /} i £ sacrament, spiritually and to faith (which is " of things hoped lor and ot things which" to the bodily senses " do not appear"), is to make no presence at all, or to make him none otherwise present than he is in his word when it is preached : and therefore what need we to receive the sacrament, inasmuch as by this doctrine a man may receive him daily in the field, as well and as much as in the church in the celebration and use of the sacrament?' An answer To this reason I first answer, that indeed neither the present in the scripture nor christian faith will give us leave to make any sacrament. 1 ° a carnal, real, natural, corporal, and such gross presence ot Christ's natural body in the sacrament, (for it is in heaven, and " the heavens must have it," as saith Peter, till Christ s coming to judgment ;) except we would deny the humanity of Christ, and the verity of man's nature in him. The presence therefore which we believe and confess is such a presence as reason knoweth not and the world cannot learn, nor any that looketh in this matter with other eyes, or heareth with other [! 'perceived,' MS. 1. 2. 8: 'received' 1574.] [2 So 1574 :' 10 and 11' MS. 1. 2. 8.] SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. 9T ears, than with the ears and eyes of the Spirit and of faith. Which faith, though it be of " things hoped for," and so of things absent to the corporal senses, yet this absence is not an absence indeed but to reason and to the old man ; the nature of faith being a " possession of things hoped for." Therefore to grant a presence to faith is not to make no presence at all but to such as know not faith. And this the fathers taught, affirming Christ to be present by grace ; and therefore not only a signification, but also an exhibition and giving of the grace of Christ's body ; that is, of "life and of the seed of immortality3," as Cyprian writeth. Howthedoc- We " eat life and drink life4," saith St Austin. We feel a sacrament.6 presence of the Lord " by grace" or "in grace5," saith Chry sostom. We receive " the celestial food that cometh from above6," saith Athanasius. We receive "the property of the natural conjunction and knitting together7," saith Hilarius. We perceive " the nature of flesh, the blessing that giveth life8," in bread and wine, saith Cyrillus : and elsewhere he [3 . . . immortalitatis alimonia datur, a communibus cibis differens; . . . Panis iste communis, in carnem et sanguinem mutatus, procurat vitam et incrementum corporibus. — Arnold. Abbat. Bonae-vall. De Coen. Dom. in Cypr. Op. Oxon. 1682, Append, p. 39, 40.] [4 Illud manducare refici est : . . . illud bibere quid est nisi vivere ? Manduca vitam, bibe vitam : habebis vitam, et integra est vita Au gust. Serm. cxxxi. de verb. Evang. Johan. vi. i. Op. V. col. 641, ed. Bened. Par. 1679—1700.] [5 °~yjipa rikrjp&v eo-rrjKev 6 lepevs, ra prjpara o-iv dvadev oipayiov Kal 7!vevpariKr)v rpo(pr)v Trap' avrov SiSopevr/v pddcoo-iv. — Athan. Epist. IV. ad Serap. 19. Op. I. n. 710, ed. Bened. Par. 1698.] \f . . . tanquam nobis . . . nulla per sacramentum carnis et sanguinis naturalis communionis proprietas indulgeretur : cum . . . et per manen- tem in nobis carnaliter Filium, et in eo nobis corporaliter et insepara- biliter unitis, mysterium veras ac naturalis unitatis sit praedicandum. — Hilar. De Trin. viii. 17. Op. col. 957, ed. Bened. Par. 1693.] [8 Ei Sid povns d(prjs rrjs dyias o-apKos £o>07roieiTra, Kal Hvevpa perd rro\\r)s rijs Soi/'iXfias ms ¦rrpoKeipivois efpinrdpevov. — Chrysost. In Ep. i. ad Cor. Horn. xxiv. Op. X. 218, ed. Bened. Par. 1718—38.] [7 . . . Moyses visibilibus sacramentis per ministerium suum, Domi nus autem invisibili gratia per Spiritum sanctum, ubi est totus fractal etiam visibilium sacramentorum. — August. Qurest. in Heptateuch, m 84. Op. III. I. col. 524, ed. Bened. Par. 1679—1700.] [8 This paragraph is closely similar to a passage in the Disputation of Bp. Ridley, 1554, Works, Parker Soc. 201, 202.] SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. 99 therefore the lying lips which both belie the doctors, as though they granted a carnal and real presence of Christ's body, naturally and corporally, after the papists' declaration and meaning ; and which belie us also, as though we denied all presence of Christ, and so made it but a bare sign ; these lying lips the Lord will destroy, if they repent not, and with us teach not the truth, that the sacrament is a food of the soul, a matter of faith, and therefore spiritually and by faith to be talked of and understand. Which faith they want, and therefore they err so grossly, in that they would have such a presence of Christ as is contrary to all the scriptures, and to our christian religion: whereby cometh no more commodity to the receiver than by our spiritual presence which we teach, and according to God's word do affirm ; for what profit cometh by their doctrine, which ours hath not9? We teach these benefits to be had by the worthy receiving The profit, of of the sacrament, namely, that we abide in Christ, and Christ \ in us ; again that we attain by it a celestial life, or a life with 2 God ; moreover that by faith and in spirit we receive not only 3 Christ's body and blood, but also whole Christ, God and man. Besides these we grant, that by the worthy receiving of this sacrament we receive remission of our sins and confirmation 4 of the new Testament. Last of all by worthy receiving we get by faith 10 an increase of u incorporation with Christ 5 and amongst ourselves which be his members : than which things what more can be desired ? Alas ! that men consider nothing at all, how that the coupling of Christ's body and blood to the sacrament is a spiritual thing ; and therefore there needs no such carnal presence as the papists imagine. Who will deny a man's wife to be with her husband one body and flesh, although he be at London and she at York ? But the papists are animal men, guided by carnal12 reason only : or else would they know how that the Holy Ghost because of our infirmity useth metaphorically the words of abiding, dwelling, eating, and drinking of Christ, that the unspeak able conjunction of Christ with us might something be known. God open their eyes to see it ! And thus much for this. Now to that part of the objection which saith, that we [9 'what profit . . . hath not,' MS. 1. 2. 8 : not in 1574.] [10 'by faith,' MS. 1. 2. 8: not in 1574.] [" ' an increase of 1574 : not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [12 'carnal' 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] 7—2 100 SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. teach Christ to be none otherwise present in the sacrament than in his word. I would that the objectors would well. consider, what a presence of Christ is in his word. I re. member that St Austin writeth how that Christ's body is re ceived sometime "visibly," and sometime "invisibly1:" the " visible" receipt he calleth that which is by the sacraments; the "invisible" receipt he calleth that which by the exercise of our faith with ourselves we receive. And St Jerome, in the third book upon Ecclesiastes, aflirmeth that " we are fed with the body of Christ, and we drink his blood, not only in mystery, but also in knowledge of holy scripture2:" where he plainly sheweth that the same meat is offered in the words of the scriptures, which is offered in the sacraments; so that no less is Christ's body and blood offered by the scriptures, than by the sacraments. Upon the hundred and forty-seventh Psalm he writeth also, that "though these words, 'he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood,' may be understand in mystery, yet," saith he, " it is more3 true to take Christ's body and his blood for the word of the scriptures and the doctrine of God4." Yea, upon the same Psalm he saith plainly, that " Christ's flesh and blood is poured into our ears by hearing the word, and therefore great is the peril if we yield to other cogitations while m hear it5." And therefore, I trow, St Austin saith that "it is no less peril to hear God's word negligently than so to I1 . . . ut scilicet quotidianum panem simul petamus et neceBsarium corpori, et sacratum visibilem, et invisibilem [ Sic plerique MSS. At editi, ' et sacramentum visibile et invisibile ' annot. ed. Bened.] verbi Dei. — August. In Serm. Dom. in Monte, ii. vii. Op. III. n. col. 211, ed. Bened. Par. 1679—1700.] [2 . . . hoc solum habemus in praesenti seculo bonum, si vescamur carne ejus, et cruore potemur, non solum in mysterio, sed etiam in scripturarum lectione. — Hieron. Comm. in Eccles. cap. m. Op. E, col. 413, stud. Vallars. Veron. 1734 — 42.] P 'now,' MS. 1. 2. 8: 'more' 1574.] [4 . . . quando dicit, ' qui non comederit carnem meam, et bibaril sanguinem meum,' licet et in mysterio possit intelligi, tamen verius corpus Christi, et sanguis ejus, sermo scripturarum est, doctrina divina est. — Id. Breviar. in Psalt. Psai. cxlvii Op. VII. Append, col.. 385. The commentary on the Psalms attributed to Jerome is considered spurious : vide Cave, Hist. Liter. I. 273. Oxon. 1740.] [5 Si quando audimus sermonem Dei, et sermo Dei et caro Christi et sanguis ejus in auribus nostris funditur, et nos aliud cogitamus, to quantum periculum incurrimus ! — Id. ibid.] SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. 101 use the sacrament6." But hereout may no man gather that therefore it needeth not to receive the sacrament; or to affirm ^ that a man may as much by himself meditating the word in the field receive Christ's body, as in the * church in the right use of the sacraments: for Christ ordaineth nothing in vain or superfluously; he ordaineth nothing where of we have not need; although his authority is such that without any questioning his ordinances are to be obeyed. Again, though in the field a man may receive Christ's body by faith, in the meditation of his word ; yet deny I that a man doth ordinarily receive Christ's body, by the only meditation of Christ's death or hearing of his word, with so much light and by such sensible assurance (whereof, God knoweth, our infirmity hath no small need), as by the receipt of the sacrament. Not that Christ is not so much present in his word preached, as he is in or with his sacra ment ; but because there are in the perception of the sacra ment more windows open for Christ to enter into us, than by his word preached or heard. For there (I mean in the word) he hath an entrance into our hearts, but only by the ears through the voice and sound of the words ; but here in the sacrament he hath an entrance by all our senses, by our eyes, by our nose, by our taste, and by our handling also : and therefore the sacrament full well may be called seeable, sensible, tasteable, and touchable words. As therefore when many windows are opened in a house, the more light may come in than when there is but one opened ; even so by the perception of the sacraments a christian man's conscience hath more help to receive Christ, than simply by the word preached, heard, or meditated. And therefore, methinks, the apostle full well calleth the sacraments obsignations or "sealings" of God's promise. Read Romans the 7 fourth, of circumcision. And thus much for the answer to the objection aforesaid. Now to return from whence8 we came, namely to the what body ' . ,, - and blood of consideration of the second thing-, what the sacrament is ; Christ we 1 ©' receive. [6 . . . non minus reus erit qui verbum Dei negligenter audierit, quam ille qui coipus Christi in terram cadere negligentia sua permi- serit.— August. Serm. supposit. ecc. 2. (al. HomiL quinquag. xxvi.) Op. V. Append, col. 504, ed. Bened. Par. 1679—1700.] [7 'the' 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] " [8 'thence,' MS. 1. 2. 8: 'whence' 1574.] 102 SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. I have told you that it is not simply bread and wine, but rather Christ's body, so called of Christ and so to be called and esteemed of us. But here let us mark what body and what blood Christ called it. The papists still babble, " This," " this is my body, this is my blood :" but what body it is, what blood it is, they shew not. Look therefore, my dearly be- loved, on Christ's own words ; and you shall see that Christ calleth it "his body broken" and "his blood shed." Mark, I say, that Christ calleth it "his body which is broken," "his blood which is shed" presently ; and not 'which was broken' or 'shall be broken,' 'which was shed' or 'shall be shed,' but " which is shed," " which is broken" presently1, as the Greek texts2 do plainly shew : thereby teaching us, that as God would have the passover called, not 'which was the passover,' or ' which shall be the passover,' but plainly " the passover," to the end that in the use of it 'the passing over' of the striking angel should be set before their eyes as present; so in the celebration of the Lord's supper the very passion of Christ should be as present, beholden3 with the eyes of faith: for which end Christ our Saviour did especially institute this supper, saying, " Do you this in remembrance of me ;" or, ai Paul saith, " Shew you the Lord's death till he come." The supper of the Lord then is not simply Christ's 'body and blood,' but Christ's " body broken and his blood shed,'1 Wherefore broken ? wherefore shed ? Forsooth that teacheth Christ himself, saying, "broken for you," and "shed for your sins and for the sins of many." Here now then we have oc The sacra- casion, in the use of this sacrament, to call to mind the gravity em repent- and grievousness of sin, which could not be taken away by any other means than by the shedding of the most precious blood, and breaking of the most pure body of the only-be gotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, by whom all things were made, all things are ruled and governed. 0 who considering this gear shall not be touched4 to repent? Who, in receipt of this sacrament, thinking that Christ saith to him, ' Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for thee, This is my blood I1 The last eight words in MS. 1. 2. 8. : not in 1574.] [2 Tovto pov eo-rl to oSpa t6 vrrep vpa>v Kktapevov. — 1 Cor. XL "* Tovto ydp icrri ro aipd pov, to rfjs Kaivijs bia8i)KrjS, to trepl jroMW cKXw6pevov. — Matt. xxvi. 28 ; Mark xiv. 24 ; and see Luke xxii. 20.] P 'beholding it,' MS. 1. 2. 8.: 'beholden' 1574.] [4 'teached'MS. 2. 2. 16.: 'taught,' MS. 1. 2. 8.; 'touched' 1574.] ance. SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. 103 which is^ shed for thy sins,' can but tremble at the grievous- ness of his sins, for the which such a price was paid? If there were no plague at all else to admonish man of sin, how grievous a thing it is in God's sight, surely that one were enough. But, alas, how bewitched are our hearts through Satan's subtleties and the custom of sin, that we make sin a thing of nothing ! God open our eyes in time and give us repentance ; which 'we see this sacrament doth, as it were, enforce us unto in the reverent and true use of the same. Again, in hearing that this which we take and eat is The sacra- Christ's 'body broken for our sins' and his 'blood shed for our Shfaitrt0 " iniquities,' we are occasioned to call to mind the infinite great ness of God's mercy and truth, and of Christ's love towards us. For what a mercy is this, that God would for man, being5 lost through his own wilful sins, be content, yea, desirous to give his own only Son, " the image of his substance, the Heb. i. brightness of his glory," "being in his own bosom," to be made John i. man for us, that we men by him might be, as it were, made6 gods ! What a mercy is this, that God the Father so should tender7 us, that he would make this his Son, being8 co-equal with him in Divinity9, a mortal man10 for us, that we might be made immortal by him11 ! What a kindness is this, that the Almighty Lord should send to us his enemies his dear darling Bom. v. to be made poor, that we by him11 might be made rich! 2cor.viii. What bowels of compassion is this, that the omnipotent Crea tor of heaven and earth would deliver his own only beloved Son for us creatures, to be not only flesh of our flesh and EPh. v. bone of our bones, that we might by him through the Holy Ghost be made one with him and so with the Father, by •taking of him12 the merits of his flesh, that is, righteousness, holiness, innocency, and immortality ; but also to be a slain sacrifice for our sins, to satisfy his justice, to convert or13 turn [« 'being,' MS. 2. 2. 16. and 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [6 'made' 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [T Tender: regard or treat with tenderness.] [8 'being' 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [9 'in Divinity' 1574 : not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [io 'mortal,' MS. 1. 2. 8. : "a mortal man' 1574.] [11 'by him' 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [12 'taking of him,' MS. 2. 2. 16. : 'communicating,' MS. 1. 2. 8. and 1574.] [is 'and,' MS. 1. 2. 8. : 'or' 1574.] 104 SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. •death into life, our sin into righteousness, hell into heaven, misery into felicity for us1! What a mercy is this, that God would raise up this his Son Christ, not only to justify and re generate us, but also in his person to demonstrate unto us our state which we shall have! for in his coming "we shall belike unto him." O wonderful mercy of God, which would assume this his Christ, even in human2 body, "into the heavens," to take and keep there possession for us, to " lead our captivity cap tive," to appear before him always praying for us, to make the throne of justice a throne of mercy, the seat of glory a seat of grace! so that with boldness we may come and appear before God, to ask and "find grace in time convenient." Again what a, verity and constant truth in God is this, that he3 would, according to his promise made first unto Adam and so to Abra ham and others, in his time accomplish it by sending bis Son so graciously ! Who would doubt hereafter of any thing that he hath promised? And as for Christ's love, 0 whose heart can be able to think of it any thing as it deserveth? He being God would become man : he being rich would become poor : he being Lord of all4 the world would become5 a slave to us all; he being immortal would become mortal, miserable, and taste of all God's curses, yea, even of hell itself for us ! His blood was nothing too dear, his life he nothing considered, to bring us from death to life. But this his love needeth more hearty weighing than many words speaking : and therefore I omit and leave it to your consideration. So that in the receipt of this supper, as I would you would tremble at God's wrath for sin ; so would I have you to couple to that terror and fear true faith, by which ye might be assuredly6 persuaded of God's mercy towards you and Christ's love, though all things else preached the contrary. Surely do every of you think, when you hear these words, 'Take, eat, this is my body broken for your sins: Drink, this is my blood shed for your sins ;' that God the \} So 1574: MS. 1. 2. 8. has 'death into life, to make sin unto us grace, hell to us heaven, misery felicity!'] [2 'human' 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] p 'he' 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [4 'all,' MS. 2. 2. 16. : not in MS. 1. 2. 8. or 1574.] [s 'would become,' MS. 2. 2. 16. : 'became,' MS. 1. 2. 8. and 1574.] [6 So 1574: 'faith which might assuredly be,' MS. 1. 2. 8.] SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. 105 eternal Father embraceth you, Christ calleth and clepeth7 you most lovingly, making himself one with you, and you one with him, and one with another amongst yourselves. You ought no less to be certain now that God loveth you, par- doneth your sins, and that Christ is all yours, than if you did hear an angel from heaven speaking so unto you. And there fore rejoice and be glad, and make this supper eucharistiam, 'a thanksgiving8,' as the fathers named it. Be no less certain that now9 Christ and you are10 all one, than you are10 certain the bread and wine is one with your nature and substance after you have eaten and drunken it. Howbeit in this it dhTereth, that you by faith are, as it were, changed11 into Christ, and not Christ into you, as the bread is12; for by faith he dwelleth in us, and we in him. God give us faith in the use of this sacrament to receive Christ, as he giveth us hands to receive the element, symbol, and visible sacrament ! God grant us, not to " prepare our teeth and belly" (as St Austin saith13), but rather of his mercy he prepare, and give us true and lively faith to use this and all other his ordinances to his glory and our own comforts. He sweep the houses of our hearts, and make them clean, that they may be a worthy harborough14 and lodging for the Lord. Amen. [Ill,] Now let us come and look on the Third and last 3 thing, namely, Wherefore the Lord did institute this sacra- Se^acS-6 t ment was in- Uient. stituted. Our nature is very oblivious of God and of all his benefits : and again it is very full of dubitation and doubtings of God's love and of his kindness. Therefore to the end these two things might be something reformed and holpen in us, the Lord hath instituted this sacrament; I mean that we might p i. e. nameth, calleth.] [8 'a thanksgiving' 1574: not in the MSS.] [9 'now,' MS. 2. 2. 16. : not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [io « are,' MS. 2. 2. 16. . 'be,' MS. 1. 2. 8. and 1574.] [u 'are, as it were, changed,' MS. 1. 2. 8. and 1574: 'pass,' MS. 2. 2. 16.] [12 'is' 1574: 'doeth,' MS. 1. 2. 8.] [13 Utquid paras dentes et ventrem ? Crede, et manducasti. — Au gust. In Joann. Evang. vi. Tract, xxv. 12. Op. III. n. col. 489, ed. Bened. Par. 1679—1700.] [14 i.e. harbour, station.] 106 SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. have in memory the principal benefit of all benefits, that is, Christ's death ; and that we might be on all parts assured of communion with Christ, of all kindness the greatest that ever God did give unto man. The former to be the end wherefore Christ did institute this sacrament, he himself doth teach us, saying, "Do you this in remembrance of me." The latter the apostle doth no less set forth in saying, "The bread which we break, is it not the partaking (or communion) of the body of Christ? Is not the cup of blessing which we bless the partaking (or communion) of the blood of Christ?" So that it appeareth, the end wherefore this sacrament was instituted was and is for the reformation and help of our oblivion of that which we should never forget, and of1 our dubitations of that whereof we ought to be most certain. Concerning the former, namely of the memory of Christ's death, what commodity it bringeth with it, I will purposely ¦Whatcom- for time's sake omit. Only a little will I speak of the com modities we ,. . . , - . . , have of our modities coming unto us by the partaking and communion we communion # P ," x ° with Christ, bave with Christ. First, it teacheth us that no man can com- 1 municate with Christ but the same must needs communicate with God's grace and favour, wherethrough sins are forgiven. Therefore this commodity cometh herethrough, namely, that we should be certain of the remission and pardon of our sins : the which thing we may also perceive by the cup, in that it is called "the cup of the new Testament," to which new Testament is properly attributed on God's behalf oblivion or "remission of our sins." First, I say therefore, the supper | is instituted to this end, that he which worthily receiveth should be certain of the remission and pardon of his sins and iniquities, how many and great soever they be. How great a benefit this is, only they know which have felt the burden of sin, which of all heavy things is the most heavy. Again, no man can communicate with Christ's body and 2 blood but the same must communicate with his Spirit ; for Christ's body is no dead carcase. Now he that commumcateth with Christ's Spirit communicateth, as with holiness, righteous ness, innocency, and immortality, and with all the merits of Christ's body ; so doth he with God and all his glory, and with the church, and all the good that ever it or any member [l 'of,' MS. 2. 2. 16. and 1574 ; 'for/ MS. 1. 2. 8.] SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. 107 of it had, hath2, or shall have; for which causes' sake, the8^-Note. supper used to be called of the fathers eucharistiam, ' a piyThls u,"t thanksgiving3.' This is 'the communion of saints' which we not thTany i_ 1 • • i ,.ti. .. ., .. .. man should believe in our creed, which hath waiting on it ' remission of thmk that sins, resurrection of the flesh, and life everlasting. IS '£"«!£" To the end that we should be most assured and certain f^f0n^ot of all these, Christ our Saviour did institute this his supper ; £&'£$!? and therefore would have us to use it. So that there is no wffi?nihat man, I trow, which seeth not great cause of giving thanks to namely ' God for this holy sacrament of the Lord: whereby, if we holy catholic . . . , . J church is. worthily receive it, we ought to be certain that all our sins, whatsoever they be, are pardoned clearly ; that we are counted for God's children4; that we are regenerate and " born again into a lively hope, into an inheritance immortal, 1 pet u undefiled, and which can never wither away;" that we are in the fellowship of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy 1 John i. Ghost ; that we are God's temples, one with God, and God 1 cor. vi. one with us ; that we are members of Christ's church, and fellows with the saints in all felicity ; that we are certain of immortality in soul and body, and so of eternal life : than which things what can be more demanded ? Christ is ours, and we are Christ's: he dwelleth in us, and we in him. O happy eyes that see these things ; and most happy hearts that feel them ! My dearly beloved, let us pray unto the Lord to open our eyes to see these wonderful things, to give us faith to feel them. Surely we ought no less to be assured of them now in the worthy receipt of this sacrament, than we are assured of the exterior symbols and sacraments. If an angel should come from heaven5 and tell you these things, then would you rejoice and be glad. And, my dear hearts in the Lord, I even now, though most unworthy, am sent of the Lord to tell you no less but that you, worthily receiving this sacrament, shall receive remission of all your sins, or rather certainty that they are remitted ; and that you are [2 'have,' MS. 1. 2. 8. : 'hath' 1574.] [3 The last sixteen words occur only in the autograph MS. 2. 2. 16. no. 20. in Emmanuel College, Cambridge.] [* 'that we are counted for God's children' is only found in the autograph MS. 2. 2. 16. no. 20.] [fi So MS. 2. 2. 16.: 'from heaven should come/ MS. 1. 2. 8. and 1574.] 108 SERMON ON THE I.ORD S SUPPER. even1 how God's darhngs, temples, and fellow-inheritors of all the good that ever he hath. Wherefore see that you give thanks unto the Lord for this his great goodness, and praise his name for ever. An objection of unworthy receiving. Of the trial of ourselves before the Lord's sup per. Deadly sin, what it is. Oh, saith one, I could be very glad indeed and give thanks from my very heart, if that I did worthily receive this sacrament. But, alas ! I am a very grievous sinner, and I feel in myself very little repentance and faith : therefore I am afraid that I am unworthy. To the answering of this objection, I think it necessary to speak something of the worthy receiving of this sacrament, in as great brevity and plainness as I can. The apostle willeth all men to prove and " examine them selves before they eat of the bread and drink of the cup ; for they that eat and drink unworthily eat and drink damnation:" therefore this probation and examination is necessary. If men will try their gold and silver, whether they be copper or no, is it not more necessary that men should try their consciences ? Now how this should be, the papists teach amiss, in sending us to their auricular confession, and to the num bering of their sins2, which is impossible. The true probation and trial of a christian conscience consisteth altogether in faith and repentance. Faith hath respect to the doctrine and articles of our belief: repentance hath respect to manners and conversation. Concerning the former (I mean of faith) we may see the apostle teacheth us, 1 Cor. xi. Concerning the latter, for our conversation, those sins which are called commonly mortal or deadly are to be removed. These sins are discerned from other sins by the apostle (Rom. vi.), in saying, " Let not sin reign and bear a swing in your mortal bodies:" for truly then we sin deadly, when we give over to sin and let him have the bridle at his liberty, when we strive not against it, but allow it and con sent unto it. Howbeit, if we strive against it, if it displease us, then truly, though sin be in us (for we ought to obey God without all resistance or unwillingness), yet our sin is not of those sins which do separate us from God, but for Christ's sake shall not be imputed unto us believing. Therefore, my dearly beloved, if that your sins do now I1 'even,' MS. 2. 2. 16. and 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [2 The last seven words in MS. 1. 2. S., but not in 1574.] SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. 109 displease you ; if you purpose unfeignedly to be enemies to sin in yourselves and in others, (as you may during your whole life if you hope in Christ for pardon;) if you believe accord ing to the holy scriptures and3 articles of the christian faith set forth in your creed ; if, I say, you now trust in God's mercy through Christ's merits ; if you repent and earnestly purpose before God to amend your life, and to give over yourselves to serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness all the days of your life, (although before this present you have most grievously sinned;) I publish unto you that* you are worthy guests for this table, you shall be welcome to Christ, your sins shall be pardoned, you shall be endued5 with his Spirit, and so with communion with him and the Father, and with6 the whole church of God: Christ will dwell in you, and you shall dwell in him for evermore. Wherefore behave yourselves accordingly with joyfulness and thanksgiving. Do you now appear before the Lord, make clean your houses, and open the doors of your hearts by repentance and faith, that " the Lord of hosts, the King of glory," may "enter in": and for ever hereafter beware of all such things as might displease the eyes of his majesty. Fly from sin as from a toad : come away from popery and all an- ticbristian religion. Be diligent in your vocations, be dili gent and earnest in prayer, hearken to the voice of God in his word with reverence, live worthy your profession. " Let your light in your hfe so shine, that men may see your good works, and glorify your7 Father which is in heaven." As you have been darkness, and followed " the works of darkness ;" so now henceforth be "light in the Lord," and have society with the works of light. Now hath God renewed his covenant with you : in God's sight now are you as clean and healed from all your sores of sins. Go your ways, " sin no more lest a worse thing hap pen unto you." See that your house "being new swept be furnished" with godliness and virtue ; and beware of idleness, lest the devil come " with seven spirits worse than [3 'holy scriptures and' 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.]' [* 'that' MS. 2. 2. 16. and 1574: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] p So 1574 : ' you shall be endued' after ' of God,' in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [« 'with,' MS. 2. 2. 16.: not in MS. 1. 2. 8. or 1574.] [' 'the,' MS. 1. 2. 8. . 'your/ MS. 2. 2. 16. and 1574.] HO SERMON ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. himself," and so take his lodging ; and then your latter end will be worse than the first. God our Father, for the tender mercy and merits of his Son, be merciful unto us, forgive us all our sins, and give us his holy Spirit, to purge, cleanse, and sanctify us, that we may be holy in his sight through Christ ; and that we now may be made ready and worthy to receive this holy sacrament with the fruits of the same, to the full rejoicing and strengthening of our hearts in the Lord. To whom be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen. To God be all praise for ever1. John Bradford. [The following is the colophon of the edition of Two Sermons by Bradford, 1574, which has been collated : vide p. 27, 28, above.] ^mpvinUH at London by Iohn Awde- U$> antr Jofm toggfct &bt* vw* of g>tptimbn\ Anno Domini. 1574 [x This line occurs in the autograph MS. 2. 2. 16. no. 20, but apparently in a different, though contemporary hand : it is also in 1574, but not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] BRADFORD PREACHING BEFORE THE COURT OF EDWARD VI. [The following account of the faithfulness of John Bradford in rebuking the worldliness of the courtiers of Edward VI.1 is supplied by Knox the Scottish Reformer in his ' Godly Letter to the faithful in London, Newcastle, and Berwick,' &c. 1554.] . . . Master Bradford (whom God for Christ's his Son nari. mss. * 416. no. 30. sake comfort to the end) spared not the proudest ; but boldly ^J-tJjjfc-1- declared that God's vengeance shortly should strike those Museum- that then were in authority, because they loathed and ab- &$$;$!*£, horred the true word of the everlasting God ; and amongst sin^eton many other3 willed them to take ensample by the late duke of ture a vuS Somerset, who became so cold in hearing God's word, that, the year before his last apprehension, he would go to visit his masons, and would not dingy4 himself from his gallery to go to his hall for hearing of a sermon. ' God punished him,' said that godly preacher, ' and that suddenly: and shall he spare you that be double more wicked? No, he shall not. Will ye or will ye not, ye shall drink the cup of the Lord's wrath. Judicium Domini, judicium Domini ! The judgment of the Lord, the judgment of the Lord !' lamentably cried he with a lamentable voice and weeping tears5. f1 Bradford had been appointed one of the six chaplains to the king, Dec. 18, 1551 — Edward VI. Diary in Bp. Burnet, Reform. Records. Vide also Strype, Mem. n. i. 522 — 4, Cranmer, I. 432 ; Mc Crie, Life of Knox 1812, p. 68.] [2 Copy, British Museum, professedly printed at Rome, but has the device of Singleton : vide Herbert, Typogr. Antiq. n. 741.] [3 ' amongst many other,' a MS. quoted by Mc Crie, in his own possession, ibid. Append, p. 435: not in the Harl. MS.] [4 Dingy: 'vex' or 'trouble.' Vide Jamieson, Suppl. to Diet. v. ' ding,' who however explains the word ' dingyie ' in the passage above by 'deign.' 'Danger' Harl. MS.: 'disease,' ed. Singleton 1554: 'dingyie,' the MS. quoted by Mc Crie, ibid.] [6 Compare the testimony to the preaching of Bradford given by Bp. Ridley, Works, Parker Soc. 59, 331. A description like that of Knox, which may possibly refer to the same occasion, occurs in the Preface of Sampson, p. 31 above.] [The following " Godly Meditations with other exercises," "gather. ed by John Bradford in the time of his imprisonment," which occupy p. H6 220 of the present volume, were, for the most part, "first printed"1 by Hall 1562, and are now republished, with the exceptions hereafter mentioned, from a copy of that impression belonging to the editor. The greater part of the " prayer on the work of Christ' (entitled in the Meditations 1562, 'a prayer for deliverance from sin and to be restored to God's grace and favour again ') is now printed for the first time from a MS. in the Library of Emmanuel College, Cam bridge. Various prayers and meditations in the following series follow the text of MSS. also in Emmanuel College (as noted in the margin of. each), and have been collated with the printed edition of 1562. The following memorandum is printed in a copy of the Meditations of 1562, in the collection of the late George Stokes, Esq., on a sepa rate paper, evidently belonging to that book, and annexed to signature I iii, after the meditation on the ninth commandment : "H Through unperfectness of copies his doing upon the tenth com- mandment is not yet come to light : therefore take this in good part till God send the rest." Lever "added his endeavour to supply that lack/' in the collec tion of Meditations and other pieces by Bradford, printed by Seres 1567, (of which the title is supplied further on in this volume;) of which he speaks with much humility in a preface which, with tho meditation he furnished, is printed in the Appendix to this volume, from a, copy which had belonged to the late Rev. Legh Richmond, now in the possession of the Rev. J. Ayre. The meditation on the tenth commandment given in the present volume follows the text of a copy of the " Godly Meditations " of Bradford, Allde 1604, in the University Library, Cambridge. The "Godly Meditations," 1562, have been occasionally compared with a copy of the edition of Allde 1578, belonging to the Rev. W. H, Havergal, Prebendary of Worcester, and with 1604, 1607, 1614, and 1621 ; as also with 1567 in the meditations on the Lord's prayer, belief, commandments, and on prayer. The text of 1604 in the tenth com mandment has been collated with 1607, 1614, and 1621. The 'meditation on the Lord's Prayer/ from p. 118 to 126 line 16, and that ' on the belief/ p. 140 — 8, have also (as noted on the margin of each) been collated with MSS. in Emmanuel College, Cambridge, with which the printed text of 1562 generally agrees closely. The variations however are only noted in special cases. The portion of the ' Defence of election ' given in the collection of 1562 is printed further on in the present volume, together with its other parts, as a separate treatise, as found in a MS. in the Bodleian Library, Oxford.] [' See title of that edition, p. 114 of this volume.] GODLY MEDITATIONS LORD'S PRAYER, BELIEF, TEN COMMANDMENTS, WITH OTHER EXERCISES, JOHN BRADFORD. [BRADFORD.] GOD LIE meditations vpon THE LORDES PRAYER, THE btltzit, ariO ten (ommauntomm* tes, foitfi other comfortable meditatU ong, praters and exercises. 0®fiereunto is annexed a defence of the do ctrine of gods etetnall election and ptedesti* nation, gathered 6g the constant martgr of ffiod 3)ofin Bradford in the tjme of his imprisonment. The contentes wherof appeare in the page nexte folowyng. POST TENEBRAS L V X 2 Nowe fyrst prynted by Rouland Hall, dwel- lyng in gutter lane at the signe of the halfe Egle and key, the. 12. of October 1562. TO THE READER1. Here hast thou, good reader, such godly meditations, prayers, and other exercises of that worthy witness of God, John Bradford, as God by his singular providence hath hitherto preserved, and now at the length brought to light, for thy comfort and commodity. Daily and hourly was this his exercise, to talk with God by faithful and hearty medi tation and prayer, with power piercing the heavens : and many such godly exercises did he leave behind him, which either time hath consumed, or else such as keep them in store to their own private use do little consider what benefit they withhold from the church of God; which if they shall yet brotherly communicate, there shall not lack good will and diligence to set them abroad. In the mean season, let us with thankfulness receive, read, and practise these, as means to quicken our spirits, to stir up our dull hearts to a more fervent invocation of God's holy name : which, how far it is from that it should be in us, and what, need we have thereof, if our dead senses cannot feel, here may we see and per ceive. Here may we learn to flee unto God by prayer, that we run not on still with this unthankful world into forgetfulness of his great benefits poured upon us, especially for the liberty of his gospel which we (in much mercy re stored now unto us again) so unthankfully receive, so un godly neglect, so wickedly abuse. God grant us his good Spirit to work in us this good work, to look about us in time ; to consider our state past and present, as indeed we have great cause to do ; and so with hearty prayer flee unto God to prevent the plagues that are at hand ; lest with double woe we find the latter end worse than the beginning. t1 This advertisement 'to the reader' was prefixed first to the 'Godly Meditations' of Bradford, Hall 1562, and was reprinted in various after editions.] 8—2 INSTRUCTIONS TO BE OBSERVED CONCERNING PRAYER. There be nine things that pertain to the knowledge of true prayer. First, to know what prayer is. Secondly, how many sorts of prayer there be. Thirdly, the necessity of prayer. Fourthly, to whom we ought to pray. By whom we must pray. Where to pray, and what to pray. The excellency of prayer. What we must do, that our prayers may be heard. [1] What prayer is. Prayer is a simple, unfeigned, humble, and ardent open ing of the heart before God, wherein we either ask things needful, or give thanks for benefits received. Paul, in the first to Timothy and second chapter, calleth it by four sundry names in one sentence, to wit, " prayer, supplication, inter cession, and thanksgiving ;" in Latin, deprecatio, obsecratio, intercessio, et gratiarum actio. Whereof the first is for the avoiding and preventing of evil ; the second is an earnest and fervent calling upon God for any thing ; the third is an intercession for other ; the fourth is a praising of God for things received. 2. There be two manner of ways how we should pray. First publicly, and that is called common prayer; and privately, as when men pray alone, and that is called private prayer : and how both these two are allowed before God, the scripture beareth testimony by the example of all the holy men and women before and after Christ. 3. Of the necessity of prayer. There be four things that provoke us to pray : first the commandment of God ; secondly, sin in us, which driveth us of necessity to God for succour, life, and mercy ; thirdly, our weak nature being unable to do any good requireth prayer to strengthen it, even as a house requireth principal pillars for the upholding of it ; fourthly, the subtlety of the enemy (who privily lurketh in the inward parts, waiting to INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING PRAYER. 117 overthrow us, even in those things which we think to be best done) stirreth us vehemently thereunto. 4. To whom we ought to pray. Three things pertain to him that must be prayed unto : first, that he have such ears as may hear all the world at once ; secondly, that he be in all places at once ; thirdly, that he have such power that he may be able to help, and such mercy that he will deliver. 5. By whom we should pray. Christ only is "the way" by whom we have free access unto the Father, and for whom our prayers are accepted, our infirmities notwithstanding: without whom all our prayers are abominable. 6. 7. Where to pray, and what to pray. As touching the place where we should pray, seeing all places are one, there is none forbidden : only the common prayer must be made in what place soever the congregation of Christ doth assemble. What to pray, lieth in the necessity of every man : and forasmuch as we need both spiritual and corporal things, we may boldly ask them both ; for, as to ask spiritual gifts it is profitable and commanded, so to ask corporal it is necessary and allowed. 8. Of the excellency of prayer. The worthiness of prayer consisteth in two things ; in the dignity of the commander who is God, the fountain of all goodness, who also commandeth only good things ; and in the effect that followeth it, which is the obtaining of whatsoever we desire faithfully according to the will of God. 9. What to do that we may be heard. First we must put off our own righteousness, pride, and estimation of ourselves, and "put on Christ" with his right eousness : secondly, an earnest faith and fervent love, with the putting off all rancour, malice, and envy, is required : finally true repentance knitteth up the knot, for in it are contained all the virtues aforenamed. J. BRADFORD. A MEDITATION OF TH E LORD'S PRAYER.1 Meditations of Bradford, Hall 1562, and after editions. MS. 1. 2. 8. No. 77. Emmanuel College,Cambridge 2. Gen.i. iii. xii. xxii. xxiii. xxiv. xxv. Exod. xiii. xiv. xv. &c. xix. xx. Heb. i. 1 Cor. xv. Rom. v. Matt. i. Luke i. Gen. iii. xii. xxvi. xxviii. Psai. lxxxix. 2 Sam. vii. Luke i. Psai. ex. Rom. viii. OUR FATHER. Thou, good Lord, which madest heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is therein, together with thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ, and with thy holy Spirit; thou, the same God which openedst thyself to Adam by thy promise ; thou, " the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ;" thou which " broughtest thy people of Israel forth of Egypt with a mighty hand and a stretched-out power ;" thou which gavest thy law upon mount Sinai ; thou which spakest by thy prophets, and last of all "in these latter days" by thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ, (whom thou wouldest should be made a second Adam, that as by the first we are " children of wrath," carnal, and full of con cupiscence, so by him we might be made ' children of grace' and spiritual, by communicating with him the quality, merits, virtues, and grace of his flesh, through the operation of the Holy Spirit, as he communicated with us the substance of our flesh in the womb of the virgin Mary, by the operation of the same Holy Spirit; being that blessed Seed which was promised to Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, which should " bruise the serpent's head," which should bring " the blessing on all nations," which should reign over thy house for ever, and mightily overcome thine and our enemies ; as indeed he did by his incarnation, nativity, circumcision, exile, bap tism, fasting, temptation, doctrine, deeds, miracles, workings, agonies, bloody prayer, passion, death, resurrection, and as cension ; and yet he still doth by his mediation and interces- l1 The meditation ' on the Lord's Prayer,' p. 118—39 ; ' on prayer,' p. 173 — 80; and on 'the second coming of Christ,' p. 185 — 7; after appearing in the ' Godly Meditations ' of Bradford, Hall 1562, were printed in the ' Christian Prayers,' &c. collected by Henry Bull, Powell (probably 1565, see ref. to 'Ludlowe's prayers,' which are part of that collection, in Herbert, Typogr. Antiq. n. 735), and Middleton 1570: vide Parker Soc. edition, p. 9 — 41, 1 — 9, and 98 — 101.] [2 This MS. has on a blank leaf the words prefixed, "Familiaris meditatio in Orationem Dominican! per dominum Joannem Brad- fordum."] MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. 119 sion for us; and at the length he will on all parts fully accom plish by his coming to judgment, which will be suddenly, "in the twinkling of an eye," " in the blast of a trumpet," and Matt. xxiv. " shout of an archangel ;" when he shall be seen " with thou- i Thess. iv. sands of saints" and " innumerable thousands of angels," all the whole world being on fire, and all people that ever were, are, or shall be, then standing before his tribunal or "judgment-seat," 2Corv- to render an account of that they have done in this body, be it good or bad :) thou, I say, this God which art holy, righte ous, true, wise, pure, chaste, mighty, "merciful, good, gracious," E*°l xxxiii- a hater of sin, an avenger of unrighteousness, &c, wouldest that J^!iiv' I, which am " born in sin and conceived in iniquity," which ™- »• by nature am a " child of wrath," (for my heart is so unsearch- ^"x^.™" ably evil, that out of it springeth corrupt concupiscence, so that the inclination thereof is prone to evil always even from my youth up ; as is my understanding and mind so darkened that I cannot perceive those things that be of God of myself, i cor. h. r & « 2 Cor. iii. and by all3 the wisdom which I receive from Adam naturally, or otherwise attain by labour or study before regeneration : I cannot think a good thought, much less wish it or consent un to it, and least of all do it4 :) thou, I say, yet wouldest that I being such a one in whom dwelleth continual " enmity against Bom- vUi- thee," that I which am nothing but sin, and one that doeth evil always before thee, should call thee and believe thee, this God and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to be in very deed my Father. That is, thou wouldest I should be most assured that thou when and of thine own good will which thou barest to me- wards before God is <*¦ ° # eome our I was, yea, before the world was, hast in Christ chosen me to 5^*"' be thy child, and through him art become my most loving Father ; from whom I should look for all good things, and be most certainly persuaded that, look how much thou art more we should than man, so much thy love and fatherly providence towards without 1,1 1 -1 P c i i i • doubt that me passeth the love and providence ot any father towards his »»*« our child, in loving me, caring how to help me, providing for me, nurturing me, and helping me in all my needs. So certain thou wouldest have me to be of this, that to doubt of it doth The greatest t-t t t i 'ii dishonour to most displease thee and dishonour thee, as either thou wert jM ia to P 'and all' 1562 : • and by all' 1578, 1614.] [4 So 1562, 1578, 1614: the last eight lines ('my heart is so' . . . 'least of all do it') are printed on the margin of 1567, and are omitted in 1607.] 120 MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. Causes to confirm our faith that God is our Father. John iii. Eph. v. not true or not able to do these things, or else becamest not my Father in respect of thine own goodness in Christ only, but also in respect of my worthiness and deserts. And that I should not waver or doubt of this, that thou art my dear Father, and I thy child for ever through Jesus Christ, it is required in the first commandment which saith, " I am the Lord thy God ; thou shalt have none other gods but me." Again, thy Son doth here command me to call thee by the name of " Father." Moreover in the first article of my belief I profess the same in saying, 'I believe in God the Father Almighty.' Besides this, there are many other things to confirm me herein, as the creation and government of the world generally, and of every creature particularly ; for all is made and kept for man, and so for me, to serve me for my commodity, necessity, and admonition. Again, the creation of me, in that thou hast made me after thy image, having a reasonable soul, body, shape, Sec, where thou mightest have made me a toad, a serpent, a swine, deformed, frantic, &c. ; moreover thy wonderful conservation, nourish ing, and keeping of me hitherto in my infancy, childhood, youth, &c; all these, I say, should confirm my faith of thy fatherly love. But of all things, the opening of thyself by thy word and promise of grace made after man's fall, first to Adam, then to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and so to other, being pub lished by the prophets from time to time, and last of all accomplished by thy dear Son Jesus Christ, in whom thy " promises are yea and Amen ; " the opening of thyself thus, I say, in and by Christ, is the most chief and sure certificate that thou art my Father for his sake, and I thy dear child, although of myself I am most unworthy. For thou accord ing to thy promises hast not spared thy dear Son Jesus Christ, but given him to the death of the cross for my sins. Thou wouldest he should be made flesh of our flesh and blood of our blood, in the womb of the virgin Mary, by the operation of the Holy Spirit, that we by the working of the same Spirit, through the merits of his flesh and blood, might be made flesh of his flesh and blood of his blood : that is, as he hath the substance of our flesh and blood, even so we might have and for ever enjoy in him and through him the qualities, virtues, and gifts of righteousness, holiness, innocency, immortality, and glory, wherewith he hath en- MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. 121 dued our nature in his own person for us all ; that as now in faith and hope we have the same, so in his coming we might fully enjoy them in very deed, for then shall "our bodies, now Phii. m. vile, be like to his glorious body." Herein appeareth thy love, " not that we loved thee, but 1 John iv. that thou lovedst1 us," and hast given thy Son for us. Here in dost thou "commend unto us thy love, that when we were Rom. v. yet sinners, Christ thy dear Son died for us;" so that nothing "should separate us from thy love in Christ Jesus, neither Hom. vm. death, nor hunger," &c. "For if, when we were enemies, we Rom. v. were reconciled unto thee by the death of thy Son, much more we being reconciled shall be saved by his life." And that I should not doubt hereof, but certainly be persuaded all things to pertain to me ; where I might have been born of Turks, lo, thou wouldest I should be born of christian parents, brought into thy church by baptism, which what bap- 9 s _ •i/»»i _. tisim is £itiq is the sacrament of adoption, and requireth faith, as well of ¦what u re- remission of my sins, as of sanctification and holiness to be wrought of thee in me by thy grace and holy Spirit : where I might have been born in an ignorant time and region, thou wouldest I should be born in this time and region, wherein is more knowledge revealed than ever was here, or in many places is : where I might have been of a corrupt judgment, and entangled with many errors, lo, thou of thy goodness, as thou hast reformed my judgment, so dost thou keep it, and now for the same judgment's sake dost vouchsafe some what by the cross to try me. By all which things I should confirm my faith of this, that thou always hast been, art, and wilt be for ever my dear Father : in respect whereof I should be, as certain of what is the salvation and of the inheritance of heaven for ever, so be that cometh thankful, cast my whole care on thee, trust on thee, and call *?>» persua- . J . . sion.thatGod on thee, with comfort and certain hope for all things that I * our Father. want. For, in that thou hast given to me this benefit, to be thy child, undeserved, undesired on my behalf, simply and only in respect of thine own goodness and grace in Christ, lest at any time I should doubt of it ; how should I but hope certainly that nothing profitable to me can be denied, in that thy power is infinite ? For, as thy good will is declared in t1 So 1562 corrected in the list of errata, 1567, 1607, 1614 : 'lovest' 1578.] 122 MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. adopting me, so nothing can be finally wanting me which may make for my weal ; for that should improve thy power to be almighty, in that thy will is so bounteously already declared ; whereas my belief requireth to beheve in thee ' the Father Almighty.' In consideration whereof I should in all things behave myself as a child, rejoice in thee, praise thee, trust in thee, fear thee, serve thee, love thee, call upon thee, &c. But, alas, how heavy-hearted am I ! how unthankful am I ! how full of unbelief and doubting of this thy rich mercy ! how little do I love thee, fear thee, call upon thee ! &c. 0 be merciful unto me, forgive me, good Father, for thine own sake, and grant me the Spirit of thy children to reveal thyself unto me, and Jesus Christ thy dear Son our Lord, by whom we are made thy children ; that I may truly know thee, heartily love thee, faithfully hang upon thee in all my needs, with good hope call upon thee, render faithfully this honour to thee that thou art my God and Father, and 1 thy dear child through thy grace in Christ ; and so always be endued with an assured hope of thy goodness, and a faith ful obedient heart in all things to thy holy will. At thy hands and from thee as I must look for all things, so come I unto thee, and pray thee to give me these things which thy dear children have and thou requirest of me, that I might come and ask them of thee, as now I do through Jesus Christ our Lord.As by this word " Father" I am taught to glory of thee and in thee, and all that ever thou hast, (for thou art wholly mine, my Lord, my God, and my Father ;) so by this word "our" I am taught to glory of all the good that all and every of thy servants that ever were, are, or shall be, had, have, and shall have : for now I am taught to believe that thou hast called me into the communion of thy church and people, whom hereby I perceive thou hast commanded to be careful for me as for themselves, and in all their prayers to be as mindful of me as of themselves. Again, as by this word " Father" I am taught to remember and render my duty I owe to thee-wards, faith, love, fear, obedience, &c, so by thy word " our" I am taught my duty towards thy people, to be careful for them, and to take their sorrow, poverty, and MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. 123 affliction, &c, as mine own ; and therefore to labour to help them in heart and hand after my vocation and ability, utterly abhorring all pride, self-love, arrogancy, and contempt of any. By reason whereof I have great cause to lament and to rejoice : to lament, because I am so far from consideration, much more from doing my duty to thy people in thoughts, words, or deeds ; to rejoice, because I am called of thee, and placed in the blessed society of thy saints, and made a mem ber and citizen of " the heavenly Jerusalem ;" and because thou hast given in commandment to all thy church to be as care ful for me as for themselves. But, alas, how far am I here from ! As I am guilty of unthankfulness for this thy calling me into the blessed communion of thy dear Son and church, yea, of thyself; so am I guilty of self-love, unmercifulness, pride, arrogancy, forgetfulness, contempt of thy children ; for else I could not but be otherwise affected and otherwise labour than I do. 0 be merciful unto me, good Father, forgive me, and grant for Christ's sake that, as my tongue soundeth this word " our," so I may in heart feel the true joy of thy blessed communion, and the true love and compassion which thy chil dren have and feel towards their brethren ; that I may rejoice in all trouble, in respect of that joyful communion ; that I may deny myself to honour thy children upon earth, and endeavour myself to do them good for thy sake, through Jesus Christ our Lord. I come only to thee to give me that which I cannot nor must not elsewhere have ; and thou requirest it of me, that therefore I should as thy child come and crave it to thy glory. WHICH ART IN HEAVEN. As by these words " Our Father," I am taught to glory and rejoice for the blessed communion which I am called to with thee, dear Father, with thy Christ, and with thy holy church ; so also am I here taught by these words, " which art in heaven," to rejoice in respect of the place and blessed joys whereunto at the length in thy good time I shall come : for now I may perceive that as heaven is thy home, so is it mine also, being as I am thy child through Christ, although here for a time I am bodily on earth and in misery. Again by these words, " which art in heaven," I am ad monished not only to discern thee from earthly fathers, and to 124 MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. know how that thou art almighty, present in all places, and of most purity, to confirm thereby my faith, to be provoked the more to fear thee, to reverence thee, &c; but also I am ad monished to judge of thy fatherly love by heavenly benefits, and not by corporal simply and alonely ; for oftentimes the wicked prosper more in the world, and have more worldly benefits, than thy children. So that by this I see thou wouldest pull up my mind from earth and earthly things to heaven and heavenly things ; and that I should see further by cor poral benefits thy heavenly providence for me. For if thou place me thus on earth, and thus bless me as thou dost and hitherto hast done from my youth up, in that thou art nothing so careful for my body as for my soul, how should I but think much of thy providence for it in thy home, where is such glory as the " eye hath not seen," &c. ? of which things these corporal benefits of thine given me on earth should be as it were inductions, and the taking of them away admo nitions to be more mindful of permanent things, and less mindful of transitory things. By reason hereof I have great cause to lament and to rejoice : to lament, because I am so earthly-minded, so little desirous of my home, so unthankful for thy providence and. fatherly correction here on earth ; to rejoice, because of my home and the great glory thereof, because thou dost so provide for me here, because thou dost so correct and chasten me, &c. But, alas ! I am altogether a wretch, earthly, and un thankful not only for these corporal benefits, health, riches, friends, fame, wisdom, &c, for thy fatherly correction, sick ness, temptation, &c, but also for thy heavenly benefits, for Christ Jesus, for the promise of thy Spirit, for thy gospel, &c. ; yea, even for heaven itself and thy whole glory ; as the Israelites were for the land of Canaan, and therefore never enjoyed it, but perished in the wilderness. I am proud in prosperity, and forget thee, waxing secure and careless, &c.: I am impatient in the cross, and too much consider worldly discommodity. 0 dear Father, forgive me for thy Christ's sake all mine unthankfulness, love of this world, contempt and oblivion of thy heavenly benefits ; and grant me thy holy Spirit to illu minate the eyes of my mind with the light and lively know ledge of thy presence, power, wisdom, and goodness in thy creatures, but specially in Christ Jesus thy Son ; and so by MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. 125 the same Spirit inflame mine affections, that I may desire nothing in earth but thee, and to be present with thee, that my "conversation may be in heaven (continually): from whence" coLiii. grant me still to " look for the Lord Jesus, to make this my pmi. m. vile body like unto his own glorious (and immortal) body, according to his own power by which he is able to do all things." As thou hast given me to be thy child, so I pray thee give me these things which be the properties of thy children given from thee in thy good time. HALLOWED BE THY NAME. Thy name is that whereby thou art known ; for names serve to discern and know one thing from another. Now though thou art known by1 thy creatures, yet in this our corrupt estate they serve but to make us "excuseless." There- Rom.i. fore properly, most lively, and comfortably thou art known by thy holy word, and specially by thy promise of grace, and freely pardoning and receiving us into thy favour for Christ Jesus' sake : for the which goodness in Christ " thou art praised and magnified according to thy name :" that is, psai. xivM. so much as men know thee in Christ, they magnify thee and how God's praise thee ; which here thou callest " hallowing" or sanctify- lowed. ing. Not that thou art the more holy in respect of thyself, but in respect of men, who the more they know thee, the more they cannot but sanctify thee : that is, they cannot but as in themselves by true faith, love, fear, and spiritual service, honour thee, so also in their outward behaviour and words they cannot but live in such sort as other seeing them may in and by their holiness and godly conversation be occasioned, as to know thee, so to sanctify thy name accordingly. And therefore thou settest forth here unto me what is the chief and principal wish and desire of thy children and people; The chief de- namely, that thou in Christ mightest be truly known and children. honoured both of themselves and of others, inwardly and outwardly. By reason whereof easily a man may perceive by the contrary, that the greatest sorrow and grief thy The greatest 11. • • ,,,B ,, • ,- • J, grief of God's people have is ignorance ot thee, talse service or religion, and people. wicked conversation : against the which they pray and labour diligently after their vocations, as they, for the obtaining of [* i. e. by means of.] 126 MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. the others both to others and to themselves, do take no small pains in prayer, study, and godly exercise. By reason hereof I see that I am far from this desire oungno- and lamentation, which is in thy children. I see mine igno rance of the true knowledge of thee and thy name ; for else it had not needed thee so by thy word to have revealed thyself: I see also mine ignorance of the excellency of the same ; for else wouldest thou not have told me that the sanc tifying of thy name is the chiefest thing thou requirest of our great every man. Again, I see my great want of holiness; for else thou needest not to teach me to seek and pray for that I want our perver- not. Moreover I see my great perversity, which would not seek at thy hands for sanctification, although I see my need thereof; for else thou wouldest not have commanded me to pray for it, if I seeing my want would have prayed unto thee God's love, therefor. Last of all I see thy wonderful goodness, which wilt undoubtedly give unto me sanctification and holiness ; for thou wouldest not that I should ask for that thing that thou wilt not give me. So that I have great cause to lament and rejoice: to lament, because I am so far from this desire and lamentation, which thy children have; also because of my ignorance, poverty, perversity, unthankfulness, &c, but most of all be cause thy holy name, word, and religion, is so blasphemed both in doctrine and living of many, especially in this realm. To rejoice I have great cause for thy exceeding goodness and mercy, which wouldest so disclose thyself by thy works, word, and gospel, which wouldest open these things thus unto me, and also give unto me and others sanctification in thy sight by faith, and in the sight of men by pureness of life and godly conversation. But, alas ! I do heartily neither the one nor the other, that is, lament and rejoice, as thou, Father, which searchest my heart, dost right well know. 0 be merciful unto me, and forgive me : yea, give me of thine own pity thy holy Spirit to reveal and open to my mind effectually my miserable estate and condition, my igno rance, perversity, and my carelessness for thy true honour and dishonour, in such sort that I may heartily lament these evils, and have them pardoned and taken from me through Jesus Christ our Lord. Again, good Father, give me the same thy holy Spirit to reveal to me thy name, word, and MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. 127 gospel, that I may lively know thee, unfeignedly love thee, heartily obey thee, and above all things desire and labour by all means lawful, that all godliness in doctrine and conversation may be exercised both in me and in all others, for whom thou wouldest I should pray. Here think upon the state of religion and the hfe of the professors of the gospel, that you may lament some, pray for some, and give thanks for some. LET THY KINGDOM COME. Thy kingdom is in two sorts to be considered, universally and particularly : universally, according to thy power, where- f^'^y* with thou governest all things every where, in earth, heaven, s^l°^ his hell, devils, angels, men, beasts, fowls, fishes, and all crea tures, animate and inanimate, sensible and insensible : of this kingdom spake David, when he said, " Thy kingdom rsai. da. ruleth over all." Particularly thy kingdom is to be con- God's king- ... .. , J , J . ° , . , domin sidered according to thy grace, wherewith thou reignest only respect of o ./ © ^o j his grace. in thy church and elect people, ruling and governing all and every member of thy church to thy glory and their eternal comfort : not that out of this church I exclude thy power ; for as therewith thou defendest thy people, so thou punishest thine enemies; but because thy grace is specially considered, being, as it were, the very keeper that keepeth and guideth thy people. The time will be when this kingdom of grace and power, now being as distinct, shall be united and made one kingdom God's wng- of glory ; which will be when Christ shall give up his king- speetofMs dom into thine hands ; that is, in the resurrection when " death the last enemy shall be subdued," and thou shalt be " all in all." In the mean season this kingdom of grace is how God's miraculously and mightily propagated, enlarged, and governed ^ ;j™- by the true ministry of thy word and sacraments, through enlarged. the working of thy holy Spirit : and this is the mean and way, whereby as thou didst first plant, so dost thou enlarge, amplify, and preserve the same. This kingdom of grace begun, continued, and enlarged by the true preaching of thy gospel and ministration of thy sacraments, is the thing which Christ teacheth here thy children to pray for, that it might come ; that is to say, that thy gospel might so mightily, purely, and plenteously be preached (maugre the head of 128 MEDITATION ON THE LORD S PRAYER. Our igno rance. Our need. Our perver sity. God's good ness. all thine enemies), that the number of thine elect might be brought in, and so the kingdom of thy glory might appear. So that as I see thy children desire, pray, and labour, that thy gospel might be truly preached, heard, and lived in themselves, and in others ; so they lament the not preaching and refusing, the not living and unbelieving thy gospel : yea, they lament the lingering of the coming of thy Christ ; for in his coming they know they shall be " like unto him ;" and " having this hope, they purify themselves as he is pure," By reason hereof I see, first, that I am far from this desire and lamenting which thy children have. I see my ignorance of thy kingdom and power every where, of thy grace only in thy church, and of thy glory when all the enemies of thy grace shall be cast down, and thy glory and power shall embrace each other. I see my ignorance how acceptable a service to thee is the true preaching and the hearing of thy gospel ; for else thou hadst not needed to have placed this petition next to the petition of the sanctify ing of thy name. Again I see here my unableness to enter into thy kingdom, and to attain to it; for else what need should I have to pray for that to come from thee which otherwise may be achieved? Thirdly, I see also my per versity and contempt of thy kingdom and grace : for although I see my want, yet I would not desire thy kingdom to come, if thou didst not command me to pray so ; for if I would have prayed for it, thou wouldest not have commanded me. Last of all I see thy goodness, which wilt bring thy king dom, and that, as generally by sending forth ministers to preach truly, so particularly by regenerating me more and more, and by giving me as grace here so glory elsewhere; for thou wouldest not I should pray for that which thou wilt deny. So that I have great cause to lament and rejoice: to lament because of my miserable estate and condition, because of my sin, ignorance, rebellion, perversity, Satan's power, contempt of thy grace, thy gospel, and ministry, here or else where ; to rejoice because of thy goodness and great mercy, which hast brought me into thy church, keepest me in it, and wilt do so still ; also because of the ministry of thy word and sacraments, by which the Holy Ghost is and will be effec tual ; and finally because of that great glory whereunto thou hast called me, and now wilt give unto me asking the MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. 129 But, alas ! how unthankful I am and sorrowless, Lord, thou knowest ; for my heart is not hid from thee, &c. O -be merciful unto me, and forgive me, good Father, and grant the Spirit of thy children, to reveal unto me my igno rance of thy kingdom, my poverty and perversity, that I may lament the same, and daily labour for thy help and thy holy Spirit, to suppress the kingdom of sin in myself and in others. Again grant me that same thy holy Spirit, to reveal to me thy kingdom of power, grace, and glory; to kindle mine affections ; to regenerate me more and more ; to reign in me as in a piece of thy kingdom ; to give to me to desire, to pray, and to labour for thy kingdom, both to myself and to others, effectually to thy glory ; and to assure my con science of thy goodness that thou wilt give me grace and glory, &c. Here call to mind the state of the ministry and ministers, the light and life of gospellers, the errors and heresies which men be entangled withal. THY WILL BE DONE. As thy power is infinite, so is thy wisdom accordingly. God's omni- Whereby as we may perceive that nothing is or can be done unknownand *', * r , . , . °. . . unrevealed. agamst thy power, or otherwise than by it ; so is there not, nor cannot be, any thing done against or otherwise than by thy omnipotent and secret will ; which is always, as thou art, good, holy, and just, how far soever it seem otherwise to our foolish reason and judgment. And therefore here we are taught to pray, that thy will may be done here without sin on man's behalf, as it is on the angels' behalf in heaven. Again, forasmuch as thou art incomprehensible of thyself, as well concerning thy power as concerning thy wisdom, we may not according thereto search thee, but rather adore and worship thy majesty, and tremble at thy judgment and works; and therefore pray always that we may be content with thy will, and be buxom1 thereto. And forasmuch as thou hast God's win re- revealed to us so much of thy will in thy word written, as is known. necessary for us in this life to know, yea, as we can attain unto, and a little further ; we ought to take all things done thereagainst as sin and transgression, although thou canst [! i. e. obedient.] [BRADFORD.] 130 MEDITATION ON THE LORD S PRAYER. Psai. cxix. Our igno rance. Our need. Our diso bedience. God's good ness. use the same sin to serve thy providence : of the which providence we cannot nor may not judge further than thou hast and shalt open it unto us. So that this petition, " Thy will be done," is not simply to be understand concerning thy omnipotent will unrevealed, against the which nothing is nor can be done ; but rather concerning thy will revealed in thy law and gospel ; the which thou here teachest me, that we should desire not only to know it, but also to do it, and that in such perfection and willingness as it is in heaven. The which thing I perceive hereby that thy children do desire daily in and for themselves and others, and do lament the contrary in whomsoever it be ; so that often their "eyes gush out with rivers of tears, because men keep not thy laws." By reason hereof I see that I am far from the signs and tears of thy people. I see my ignorance of thy will, if thou hadst not opened the same by thine own mouth ; I see my ignorance how acceptable a service obedience to thy will is: and therefore dost thou place this petition amongst the first and continual desires of thy children. Again I see my poverty in godly obedience, which had need to be taught to pray for it, thereby to signify unto me my want and inability to attain it but by thy gift. Thirdly I see my disobedience; for else never wouldest thou have commanded me to have prayed for the doing of thy will, if I, seeing my want, would have prayed so. Last of all I see thy goodness, which wilt give to me and others to obey thy will ; that is, to love thee with all our hearts, to love our neighbour as ourselves, to die to ourselves, to live to thee, to take up our cross, and to follow thee, to believe, to repent, &c. ; for else thou wouldest never have bidden us to pray for a thing which we should not look for. So that I have great cause to lament and rejoice : to lament because of my miserable state and condition, because of my sin, ignorance, poverty, and perversity ; also because thy will is everywhere either not known or contemned, and Satan's will, the will of the world and of the flesh, readily obeyed. To rejoice I have great cause, for that thou hast opened thyself and will unto mankind ; for that also thou peculiarly hast taught me these things, and because also thou wilt grant me grace to do the same. But, alas! how un thankful I am, and how hard-hearted, thou Lord dost know. MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. 131 0 be merciful unto me, and forgive me. I pray thee, gracious God, grant me thy holy Spirit to reveal to me my ignorance of thy will, my poverty and perversity, that I may heartily bewail it, &c. ; and by thy help and working of the same Spirit may suppress the will of the flesh. Again grant me thy holy Spirit to reveal to me thy will declared in thy law and gospel, that I may truly know the same ; and inflame so my affections, that I may will and love the same in such sort that it may be my meat and drink to do thy will. Here call to mind the ten commandments of God, parti cularly or generally, what therein he requireth; and pray for the same particularly as you see your need, and that not only for yourself but also for other. Pray for patience to suffer what cross soever God shall lay upon you, and pray for them that be under the cross that they may be patient. Pray for spiritual wisdom in every cross, peculiarly or pub licly, that you may see and love God's will. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. By "bread," the food of the body, are1 understand all Bread. things necessary for this corporal life, as meat, drink, health, success in vocation, &c. By this word "give" we should Give. understand that not only spiritual things but also corporal benefits are God's free gifts, and come not for our worthi ness or travail taken about the same, although our travails be oftentimes 'means by the which God doth give corporal things. By "daily" is understand the contented minds of thy Daily. children with that which is sufficient for the present time, as having hope in thee that they shall not want, but daily shall receive at thy hands plenty and enough of all things. By this word "our" is as well understand public benefits, as peace our. in the commonweal, good magistrates, seasonable weather, good laws, &c, as particular benefits, as be children, health, name, success in the works of our vocation, &c. : and besides this, by it we should see the care even for corporal things, which thy children have for others as well as for themselves. So that here I may learn how far I am from that I should be, and I see thy children are come unto. I see my ignorance also, how that, as spiritual things do come from [' ' are' 1562 corrected in the list of errata, 1567, 1607, and 1614 : 'i?' 1578.] 9 — 2 132 MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. thee, so do temporal things ; and as they come from thee, so are they conserved and kept of thee : and therefore thy children are thankful, and look for them as thy mere gifts, notwithstanding the means which they use, if they have them : Psai. cxxva. howbeit they use them but as means ; for except thou work therewith, all is in vain. Again here I am taught to be con tent with sufficient for the present time, as thy children be, which have the shortness of this life always before their eyes; and therefore they ask but for daily sustenance, knowing this hfe to be compared to a day, yea, a watch, a sound, a shadow, &c. Moreover I may learn to see the compassion and brotherly care thy children have one for another. Last of all here I may see thy goodness, which, as thou wilt give me all things necessary for this life (or else thou wouldest not bid me ask, &c), so thou commandest all men to pray and care for me, and that bodily : much more then, if they be able, they are commanded to help me both in body and soul. By reason whereof I have great cause to lament and rejoice : to lament, because I am not so affected as thy children be, because of my ignorance, my ingratitude, my perversity, and contempt of thy goodness, and of the neces sity of thy people, which, alas ! be in great misery, some in exile, some in prison, some in poverty, sickness, &c. To rejoice I have great cause because of thy goodness in teach ing me these things, in commanding me to ask whatsoever I want, in giving me so many things unasked, in keeping the benefits given me, in commanding men to care for me, to pray for me, to help me, &c: But, alas ! how far I am from true lamentation and rejoicing, Lord, thou knowest. 0 be merciful unto me and help me, forgive me, and grant me thy holy Spirit to reveal to me my need, ignorance, great ingratitude and contempt of thy mercies and thy peo ple ; and that in such sort that I might heartily lament and bewail my misery, and through thy goodness be altered with thy people to mourn for the miseries of thy children as for mine own. Again reveal to me thy goodness, dear Father, even in corporal things, that I may see thy mercy, thy pre sence, power, wisdom, and righteousness, in every creature and corporal benefits ; and that in such sort, that I may be throughly affected truly to reverence, fear, love, obey thee, hang upon thee, to be thankful to thee, and in all my need to come unto thee, not only when I have ordinary means by MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. 133 the which thou commonly workest, but also when I have none ; yea, when all means and helps are clean against me. Here remember the state of your children and family ; also your parents, neighbours, kinsfolks ; also your friends, country, and magistrates, &c. as you shall have time thereto, and by God's good Spirit shall be provoked. FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE FORGIVE THEM THAT ARE DEBTORS UNTO US. By our " debts" are understand not only things we have Debts. done, but the omission and leaving undone of the good things we ought to do. By " our" is not only understand the par- our. ticular sins of one, but also generally the sins of all and every one of thy church. By "forgiveness" is understand Forgiveness. free pardon and remission of sins by the merits and deserts of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, who gave himself a ransom for us. By our forgiving of other men's offences to us- ward as we for- . . give, &c. is understand thy good will ; not only that it pleaseth thee that we should live in love and amity, but also that thou wouldest have us to be certain of thy pardoning us of our sins : for as certain as we are that we pardon them that offend us, so certain should we be that thou dost pardon us, The forgiving whereof the forgiving our trespassers is, as it were, a sacrament offend us is as 0 ° x a sacrament UntO US. to assure us that our sins So that by this petition I am taught to see that thy Q1r|6l,7a^doned' children, although by imputation they be pure from sin, yet they acknowledge sin to be and remain in them; and there fore do they pray for the remission and forgiveness of the same. Again, I am taught hereby to see how thy children do consider and take to heart not only the evils they do, but also the good they leave undone ; and therefore they pray thee heartily for pardon. Moreover I am here taught to see that thy children are careful for other men and for their trespasses, and therefore pray that they might be pardoned, in saying "our sins," and not my sins. Besides this I am taught here to see how thy children not only forgive all that offend them, but also pray for the pardoning of the offences of their enemies, and such as offend them; so far are they from maliciousness, pride, revengement, &c. Last of all I am taught to see how merciful thou art, which wilt have me to ask pardon : whereof 134 MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. thou wouldest that we should in no point doubt, but be most assured that for Christ's sake thou hearest us, and that not only for ourselves but also for many others ; for thou dost not command us to ask for any thing thou wilt not give us. By reason whereof I have great cause to lament and re joice : to lament because of my miserable estate, which am so far from these affections that are in thy children, which am so ignorant and careless of sin, not only in leaving good undone, but also in doing evil, and that daily in thought, word, and deed, &c. I speak not of my carelessness for other folk's sins, as of my parents, children, family, magis trates, &c, neither of the sins of them to whom I have given occasion to sin. To rejoice I have great cause because of thy mercy in opening to me these things, in commanding me to pray for pardon, in promising me pardon, and in com manding others to pray for me. I ought surely to be per suaded of thy mercy, though my sins be innumerable; for I see, not only in this but in every petition, how that every one of thy church prayeth for me : yea, Christ thy Son, who sitteth on thy right hand, prayeth for me, &c. 0 dear Father, be merciful unto me, and forgive me all my sins ; and of thy goodness give me thy holy Spirit to open mine eyes that I may see sin, the better to know it, the more truly to hate it, and most earnestly to strive against it, and that effectually both in myself and others. Again grant me the same thy holy Spirit to reveal unto me the remedy of sin by Christ only, and to work in me by faith to embrace the same thy Christ and mercies in him ; that I may henceforth be endued with thy holy Spirit, more and more to begin and obey thy good-will continually, and to increase in the same for ever. Here call to mind the special sins you have committed Pray forthem heretofore. Remember, if you have occasioned any to sin, to to whom you * 1 ' U have given pray for them by name. Remember that God's law should any occasion l " v of sin. be so near unto us, that the breaking thereof in others should be an occasion to make us to lament with tears, &c. LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION. Because of our continual and great infirmities, because of the great diligence and subtleties of our enemies, and puni^ment. because thou art wont to punish sin with sin, which of all MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. 135 punishments is the greatest and most to be feared; in this petition thou wouldest have thy children to have the same in remembrance ; and for a remedy hereof thou hast appointed Eemedyagainst evil, prayer. is prayer. So that the only cause why any are overcome and led 5hould,In0ofe into temptation is, for that they forget what they desire ^f/^ in the petition going before this, which should be never out ,£„ "itSd. of their memory, to provoke them to be more thankful to SnTrngoy'S. thee, and more vigilant and heedy hereafter for falling into ™™taTbeS like perils : for which to be avoided, thou dost most graci- vigiiancy, 1/.. ,. ,. « an(* gentie- ously set forth a remedy in commanding us to pray, after ness to of- pardon for our sins past, for thy grace to guide us, so that we be not led into temptation, but might be delivered from evil. And because thou wouldest have all thy children to hang wholly upon thee, to fear thee only, and only to love thee, thou dost not teach them to pray, 'Suffer us not to be why we pray ' c J ' not, ' Sufter led,' but, " Lead us not into temptation ;" that, I say, they J"esd^° be might only fear thee, and certainly know that Satan hath no power over so much as a pig but whatsoever thou givest Matt. vw. unto him, and of thy secret but most just judgment dost appoint him to use, not as he will (for then we were all lost), but as thou wilt, which canst will nothing but that which is most just ; as, to give them to the guiding of Satan, which will not be guided by thy grace, as thou didst Saul, &c. Occasions to evil are in two sorts ; one by prosperity and occasions to success, another by adversity and the cross, &c. The evils sorts. coming of success commonly are unthankfulness, pride, se curity, and forgetting ourselves, forgetting of others, forget- fulness of God, of our mortality, &c. The evils coming of adversity commonly are impatience, murmuring, grudging, despairing, contemning of God, flattering of men, stealing, lying, &c, with many other evils, whereto temptations will entice a man that is left to himself: whereas to one that is guided with God's Spirit temptations are but trials to the what temp- glory of God, comfort of the tempted, and edifying of thy tne'godfy,6 church. But, as I said, if a man be left alone, temptations they are to the wicked. entice even to the devil himself ; and therefore thy children pray to be dehvered from evil, (understanding thereby Satan himself the sower and supporter of all evil;) and this thy children do as well for others as for themselves. So that I may learn hereout many good things. First, to remember often our infirmity and weakness, and the dan- 136 MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. gerous state we stand in, in the respect of our flesh, of the world which is full of evil, of Satan which seeketh to sift us, and as a roaring lion to destroy us, and of our sins which deserve all kinds of punishments and correction ; that I might with thy children fear thee, watch, pray, and desire the day of redemption from all evils. Again I may learn here, that to avoid all dangers and evils is not in the power of man, but only thy work: by reason whereof I should consider thy great goodness, which hitherto hast kept me from so many evils, both of soul and body, yea, of name, goods, &c. ; as thou hast done in my infancy, childhood, youth, middle age, &c. Thirdly I may learn here, that I should be careful for others, both that they might be delivered from their evils, and that they might be preserved from temptation, and from being overcome in the same: and therefore thou teachest me to pray, not ' Deliver me from evil ' simply, but " Deliver us from evil." Last of all I am taught hereby to see thy goodness to wards me, which wilt deliver me from evil, and from being overcome in temptations ; (for thou wouldest not have me to ask for that which I should not look for at thy hands cer tainly :) by reason whereof thou wouldest have me to be in a certainty of salvation for ever ; for else I cannot believe my prayer to be heard, if that finally I should not be de livered from evil. And therefore thou joinest hereto a giving Thine is the of thanks, which with thy church I should say : " For thine is ^ing om, ^e jj-jjjg^Qjjj^ thine is the power, thine is the glory for ever." By reason whereof I have great cause to lament and to rejoice : to lament because of my corruption, infirmity, weakness, oblivion and carelessness for thy people, ingrati tude, &c. ; because of Satan's power, vigilance, and prudence, which hath overcome most grave, wise, and holy men, whereof some never recovered, as Cain, Cham, Ahithophel, Saul, Ju das, &c. : to rejoice because of thy goodness, which teachest me this, and shewest me the remedy, commandest all thy church to pray for me, and wilt at length deliver me from all evil, and give me glory. But, alas ! I am altogether ca and miserable. O be merciful unto me, dear Father, and for Christ's i forgive me all my sins. Grant me thy holy Spirit to re to me mine infirmities, weakness, perils, dangers, &c, in such MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. 137 sort that as I may heartily lament my miseries, so I may ask and obtain thy grace to guide me from all evil for evermore. Again grant me the same thy holy Spirit to reveal to me thy love and kindness towards me, and that in eternity, in such sort that I may be thoroughly persuaded of the same ; become thankful unto thee ; and daily expect and look for the revela tion of thy kingdom, power, and glory, as one that for ever shall have the fruition of the same, through thine own goodness and mercy in Christ prepared for me before the beginning and foundation of the world was laid. Here call to mind our security, Satan's vigiiancy, our neg ligence, his diligence, our infirmity, his ability, our ignorance, his craftiness and subtlety. Item, call to mind how that he hath overthrown for a time many of the dear saints of God, to whom we are to be compared in nothing ; as Adam, Eve, Lot, Judas, Tamar, Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Sampson, Gideon, Eli, David, Solomon, Hezekias, Josias, Peter, Thomas, and innumerable moe. Item, call to mind the goodness of God and of our Shep herd Christ, which hath kept us hitherto, keepeth us still, and teacheth us here to know that he will keep us for ever ; for he would not have us to ask for deliverance from evil, if that he would not we should certainly look for the same. If thou doubt of final perseverance, thou dishonourest God. Be cer tain therefore, rest in hope, be still in his word. See also how he hath commanded his whole church and every member thereof to pray for thee as well as for themselves, in these and all other things. Now and then go about to reckon how many and divers kinds of evils there be, that thereby, as you may know you are delivered from none but by God's great goodness, so you may see that the number of evils that you have are nothing to be compared to the multitude of evils wherewith, if your Christ were not, the devil would all-to l bewray2 and dress3 you. But what are all the miseries and evils that can be, to be P i. e. altogether. So in the authorised version of Judges ix. 53, " all — to brake his scull."] [2 i. e. defile : Richardson, Diet.] [3 So 1562 corrected in the list of errata, and 1578: 'bewray you, infect and corrupt you,' 1567, 1604, and 1607: 'bedaub and dress you, infect and corrupt you,' 1614 and 1621.] 138 MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. compared to the least joys prepared for us in heaven ! 0 think of those joys, and pray that, when the tide of death cometh, we may hale forth1 of the haven of this flesh and this world joyfully. In praying this petition, call to mind the evils you have been in, the evils you are in, and the evils you may fall in, if God should not preserve you ; that you might be stirred up the more to thankfulness, to prayer, to trust in God, to mo desty, &c. FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, THINE IS THE POWER, THINE IS THE GLORY FOR EVER. As in the beginning of this prayer by these words, " Our Father which art in heaven," thy children are excited and stirred up to a full confidence of obtaining the petitions follow ing and all things necessary ; so in the latter end thou hast added for the same purpose these words, " For thine is the kingdom, thine is," &c. ; wherein I am taught these many things. First, that in prayer I should have such consideration of thy kingdom, power, glory, and eternity, that my mind should be stricken with an admiration of the same. Secondly, that I should so consider them especially in prayer, that I should not doubt but that thou workest, rulest, and governest all things everywhere, in all persons and creatures, most wisely, justly, and mercifully. Thirdly, that in prayer all my petitions should tend to the setting forth of thy power, of thy kingdom, and of thy glory. Last of all, that in prayer I should in no wise doubt of being heard, but be assured that we may not thou which hast commanded me to pray, and hast promised to that he which hear me, dost most graciously for thy mercy's sake and truth s mrandandUV° sa^-e ^ear m7 Petitions according to thy good will, through utSw1/°aisoar Jesus Christ thy dear Son, our Lord and only Saviour. praye°r"r By reason whereof I have great cause to lament and rejoice; to lament, because I consider not these things in prayer in such sort as should move me to admiration and gra titude ; because I consider not thy power and wisdom gene rally in all things ; because I am so careless for thy kingdom, and because I am so full of dubitation and doubting of tby goodness. To rejoice I have great cause, because thou re- vealest these things unto me on this sort; because of thy power, I1 A nautical phrase, meaning 'pull forth.' Vide Encycl. Britain. vol. x. Edinb. 1823, v. 'hale.'J MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. 139 kingdom, and glory, which maketh to the hearing of my prayers and helping of me; because thou wilt use me as thine in strument to set forth thy kingdom, power, and glory ; and because it pleaseth thee to hear my prayers, and assuredly wilt save me for ever. But, alas, how far am I from these lamentations and rejoicings ! by reason whereof 1 deserve damnation. 0 be merciful unto me, and forgive me, and of thy good ness grant me thy holy Spirit to reveal to me my blindness, oblivion, and contempt of thy kingdom, power, and glory, with the greatness of my doubtings ; that I may heartily, as lament them, so have them pardoned and taken from me through the merits of Jesus Christ thy Son. Again, give me thy holy Spirit to reveal to me in such sort thy kingdom, power, glory, and eternity, that I may always have the same before mine eyes, be moved with the admiration thereof, labour effectually to set forth the same ; and finally, as to have the fruition thereof after this life, so to increase in an assured, certain, and lively expectation of the same, that I may always and in all things rejoice in thee through Christ, and give lauds, thanks, and praises perpetually unto thy most holy name, 0 blessed Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three persons and one God, to whom be all honour and glory world without end. Here think, that if the kingdom, power, glory, and eternity be God's, which is our Father, what our dignity is which be his children. If the power be our Father's, of whom should we be afraid? If the devil be subject to the Lord's power and kingdom, as he is, how can the subject have power over us which be sons and heirs, in that he hath not power over porkets2 without the providence and permission of God? Therefore full well should we pray, " Lead us not into temptation," rather than, ' Let us not be led into temptation ;' for power is the Lord's, and the devil hath none but that he hath of God's gift. No ; he were not of capacity to receive power, if God did not make him of capacity, although the execution of it is rather of God's permission. Give all thanks, praise, and glory to God our Father, through Christ our Lord and Saviour. So be it. [2 'a swine' 1578.] A MEDITATION UPON THE TWELVE ARTICLES OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER, &C Meditations Thy people, 0 Lord God, the Father of our Saviour of Bradford, . . Md'after edi- Jesus Christ, do here in saying this article, ' I believe in uons. q0(j t}je F^her Almighty,' &c, by faith know that thou, No.'5l6.2'8' together with Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, didst create couTg^cam- all things that be in heaven and in earth ; for by heaven and earth are understand all things therein. And as they know this, so they by the same faith do see thee the same God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, to govern all things after thy great wisdom, power, righteousness, and mercy; using every creature they see as means to put them in re membrance of fearing, reverencing, trusting, and loving thee ; for in every creature they behold thy presence, power, wisdom, and mercy. Again by this word 'Father' they declare their belief how that they are not only thy creatures, and all that ever they have to be thy gracious gifts and blessings ; but also how that they are thy children dearly beloved and cared for of thee through Jesus Christ. Wherethrough, notwithstand ing their unworthiness, as they conceive a sure hope of thy goodness and fatherly love towards them in soul and body for ever, so are they thankful for their creation, and for that thou hast made them thy excellent creatures, lords of all: they are thankful for the creation of all creatures, and use the same with thankfulness as visible tokens of thy invisible love: they are thankful for thy conserving and keeping them, and for the governing them and all this world ; lamenting that they are no more thankful, that they believe no deeper, that reason hath so great a swing with them in these matters. But I, most gracious good Lord and Father, though I say, ' I believe in thee, my Father Almighty, Maker of heaven [l This MS. has on a blank leaf the words prefixed, " Secundum Spiritum sanctiftcationis, in Symbolum apostolicum familiaris medi- tatio per dominum Joannem Bradfordum." The MS. probably once belonged to Sampson (see p. 29, note 1, above), whose name is in scribed upon it.] MEDITATION ON THE BELIEF. 141 and earth,' yet thou knowest that I am full of much doubting, not only of this whether thou art my good, almighty, and most loving dear Father in Christ, (because I feel in my self such a conscience2 of unworthiness, and so great want of those things which thou requirest of thy children, and so transfer the cause of my being thy child in part to myself, where it is due only and wholly always to thy mercy and grace in Christ ;) but also thou knowest my doubting of my creation and governance, and of the creation and governance of all this world ; as I declare by my unthankfulness for my crea tion, for mine adoption, for my gubernation3, for thy provi dence for me. Or else, dear Father, I could not but heartily with thy children rejoice, and praise thy holy name, and that continually ; being henceforth careful for nothing but how to please thee, and profit thy people, and that they might praise thy name in all things for evermore, desiring the sanctification of thy name, the coming of thy kingdom, the doing of thy will upon earth as it is in heaven. Thou mightest have made me a dog, but of thy goodness hast made me a creature after thine image. Thou mightest have made me a Turk, a Jew, a Saracen; but thou hast made me a Christian, a member of thy church. Thou, after my birth, mightest have left me, and in all need have made no providence for me, as we sometimes see hath happened unto others ; but yet thou never didst so with me : and yet I am of all others most unthankful. Thy creatures I thankfully use not. Thy invisible love by thy manifold visible tokens I consider not; as now I should by this apparel of my body, by this corporal health, by this light, by this my hearing, seeing, feeling, memory, understanding, time, place, company, creatures, and benefits, as well in keeping innumerable evils from me both in soul and body, which else could not but come to me, as also in giving to me presently so many things as without thy especial grace and working I never could have had or presently could keep them. In thy creatures I see not thy power, for I fear thee not : I see not thy presence, for I reverence thee not : I see not thy wisdom, for I adore thee not : I see not thy mercy, for I love thee not : I praise thee not but in lips and tongue. And therefore, in that all thy creatures do teach me, [2 i. e. consciousness.] [3 i. e. government.] 142 MEDITATION ON THE BELIEF. Gen. iii. Gen. xxii. Deut. xviii. Exod. xxv. cry out upon me to be thankful to thee, to love, fear, serve thee, and trust in thee, and that continually ; in that I do not so, they cannot but cry out upon me and against me in thy sight, and in the day of judgment will weapon themselves against me. 0 that I did now consider this ! 0 that my blind eyes and my deaf ears were opened ! 0 that my miserable and foolish heart were made wise and converted ! This only thou canst do, which hast all men's hearts in thy hands, to bow them as pleaseth thee. "Bow my heart," good Lord, "into thy testimonies." " Open my eyes." Make me to hear for thy mercy's sake, that I may believe, and so love thee, be thank ful to thee, amend in all things and serve thee ; though not as thy dear servants do, yet at the least as other brute creatures do ; that is, to obey thee, and to be profitable to others. Now, forasmuch as my sins let1 this and all good things from me, I beseech thee pardon me all my sins according to thy gracious promise, for our Lord Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, &C. Thy servants, 0 Christ Jesu, and people, do know by faith that as thou art almighty and God with the Father, by whom all things were made and are ruled ; (for thou art God eternal, co-equal and consubstantial with the Father and the Holy Ghost ;) so thou art man, and hast taken our nature upon thee by the operation of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the virgin Mary, and art become the blessed "seed which hast bruised the serpent's head;" the blessed "seed in whom all nations are blessed ;" the Prophet whom Moses did prophesy of ; the sampler he saw in the mount ; the truth and body of all the types, figures, and shadows of the old law ; the Messias, Christ, and Saviour of thy people; the Advocate and Re deemer ; the pacifier of God's wrath for sins, the opener of heaven, and giver of everlasting hfe. This they know thou broughtest to pass in thy human nature, by thy incarnation and nativity, by thy being here on earth, by thy living, teaching, fasting, praying ; especially by thy suffering under Pontius Pilate, by thy death, burial, resurrection, ascension unto the heavens, and reigning on the [! i. e. hinder.] MEDITATION ON THE BELIEF. 143 right hand of the Father, from whence thou shalt come to judge both the quick and the dead. And as they know this, so by faith they apply it also to themselves, that for their sake thou wast made man, didst pray, fast, wast tempted, didst die, rosest again, and didst ascend into heaven; and there art set their Advocate, Bishop, and High-priest, always Hebr. ix appearing in God's sight for them ; from whence they look for thee, knowing that thou wilt not enter into judgment with them to damn them, which wouldest damn thyself for them. Gal- ¦"• By this faith they feel these affections in themselves, namely, the hatred of sin, the fear of God, the love of God, trust in thee, and love to thy church. The hatred of sin they feel, because it is so foul a thing as would not be washed away with any other thing than with thy precious blood- shedding ; the fear of God, because his anger is so great against sin that no less price could pacify his wrath than thy most painful death ; the love of God, because he hath so loved them, that he would not spare thee his dear Son for them, even when they were his enemies ; trust in thee, be cause thou hadst no respect to thyself, but most willingly didst give thyself wholly to be our Saviour and servant ; love to thy people and church, because generally and particularly in every member of the same they see how dear they are to thee, and therefore they cannot but be so to them. 0 how do they imitate and follow thy footsteps I how do they re joice when they are in any thing by affliction made like to thee! 0 how do they lament their sins, ingratitude, un belief ; love thee, and wholly yield themselves unto thee ! Whereas I, 0 gracious God and dear Saviour, Jesus Christ, though I say I believe in thee which wast conceived by the Holy Ghost, yet, alas ! I do but babble this ; for nothing is else in me but unbelief. Of thy power and love, of thine anger and mercy, I have but an opinion, as my insensibleness and unthankfulness doth declare. If a man should shew me friendship but in a trifle, or suffer any thing at all for me, I could not but be thankful ; and thou, besides my creation, hast redeemed me and brought me into the number of God's children, than which thing nothing is greater : and lo, I am unthankful. Thou hast suffered much for me : from heaven thou earnest into earth to fetch me into heaven : but I regard it not. _ 144 MEDITATION ON THE BELIEF. Thou barest my sins on thy back, suffering a most bitter death : Hut I am so far from thankfulness, that I still more and more loath thee. Thou wouldest enter into a communion with me, taking my nature unto thee concerning the substance thereof, that I might enter into a communion with thee concerning the qua lities wherewith in thyself thou hast endued it : but I consider it not. Thou didst die to deliver me from death : but I still more and more give thee cause to die, so ungrateful am I. Thou didst arise to justify me : but I with the Jews would still keep thee down, because I would not leave my wickedness. Thou ascendedst to heaven to take possession for me there, to be always in the sight of thy Father for me, to send me down gifts, to pray for me : but I daily am pulling thee down again, as much as in me lieth ; I am altogether earthly ; I hide myself out of thy sight by forgetting thee ; I reject and abuse thy gifts ; I neglect prayer. Thou art now in a readiness to come to judge both quick and dead : but I tremble not at this gear, nor beseech thee before thou come to be merciful unto me, and not to enter into judgment with me : yea, I think nothing at all of thy Prov.xxviii. coming. Mali non cogitant judicium: 'The wicked' con sider not the end, they ' think not on thy judgment.' Thou wouldest bring me to thy Father, that I might find grace : but I put this off, and therefore am worthy to feel thee a Judge, which refuse to feel thee a Saviour. Now the cause of all these things is unbelief; the which though it be natural by reason of the corruption of our nature, yet I have augmented the same maliciously in not labouring thereagainst, and continuing in all sins and wicked ness : by reason whereof I deserve most justly thy anger thereupon, even rejection from thy face for ever. Long hast thou mourned even with displeasure and anger the incredulity of my heart, calling me therefrom, and offer ing me thy grace, which I have neglected and rejected, and therefore am never worthy to have it any more offered unto me : much more then I am unworthy to have grace given me to receive thy mercy. Alas! what shall I do ? Shall I despair, or, as long as MEDITATION ON THE BELIEF. 145 I can, keep me unmindful of my misery ? 0 Saviour Christ Jesu, wilt not thou be merciful unto me? Thou didst die for me when I deserved it not: and now is thy mercy short ened ? Wilt not thou give me thy grace, and take from my heart this horrible unbelief? Shall I never love thee? shall I never hate sin? shall I never, as with my mouth 1 say, ' I believe in Jesus Christ,' so in heart say the same ? shall Satan possess me for ever ? 0 Christ Jesus, which hast " led Ephes. iv. captivity captive," what, wilt not. thou help me? Though I desire it not as I should, yet give me to desire when thou wilt. Thou didst appear " to destroy the work of the devil :" thou seest his work in me : good Christ, destroy his work, but not thy work. Save me for thy great mercy's sake. Give me to believe in thee, in thy death, resurrection, and ascen sion. Pardon me my sins, and mortify now in me my corrupt affections. Raise me up and justify me. Regenerate me daily more and more. Give me faith of immortality, resur rection of this body. Give me faith to ascend into heaven, and to be certain that thou hast already taken possession for me there. Give me to look for thy coming, and to be ready in thy coming to find mercy to everlasting life, &c. I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY GHOST, &C 0 Holy Spirit, the third person in Trinity, which didst descend upon Christ our Saviour in his baptism in the like ness of a dove; thy children know that with the Father and Son thou madest and rulest all creatures, visible and in visible. They know thee in their redemption to be no less willing and loving than the Father and the Son; (for thou didst always declare Christ to be the Son of God, and gavest testimony inwardly in the hearts of thy elect to believe and embrace the same :) and outwardly by miracles and wonders they know thee to be "the Comforter" and Governor whom Christ did promise in his corporal absence should teach, rule, John xvi. keep, comfort, and govern his church and people. Again, as in the former part of their belief they consider the works of creation and redemption, so in this part they consider the place where the same is most effectual and taketh place, even thy holy church, which is catholic, (that is, ex- r , 10 [BRADFORD.] 146 MEDITATION ON THE BELIEF. tending itself to all times, to all places, to all kinds of people;) for in this church only they know that, as all things were made, so the work of redemption was taken in hand, that thou, blessed Trinity, mightest in this church be praised, magnified, served, and worshipped for ever. This church is nothing else but a communion and society of saints ; that is, not only a society of all such as be, have been, or shall be thy people, but also a society or partaking of Christ Jesus, which is "the head" of the same; yea, by him of thee, 0 blessed Father which art "the head of Christ," and of thee, 0 Holy Ghost which now shadowest and sittest upon the same, to hatch and cherish it, as the hen her chickens, by the extending of thy wings ; not only to defend them from their enemies, but also to cover their sins, and to remit them in this life ; beginning also here the resurrection of the flesh and everlasting life, the which thou wilt in the end of the world consummate, so that they shall not need to be covered phu. a. for sin ; for then shall they be pure, and have glorious bodies, immortal and spiritual, the which shall have the fru- icor. h. ition of eternal joy, hfe everlasting, and glory, such as "the eye hath not seen, the ear hath not1 heard," nor the heart of i cor. xv. man can conceive. For then Christ Jesus shall give up his kingdom to God the Father, that God may be "all in all" con cerning the governance of it by the ministration of his word, and other means whereby now he governeth it, that it may i John ui. be his Father's kingdom, we being become "like unto him:" that is, as to the manhood of Christ the Godhead is united, and is "all in all" without any other means ; even so God shall be in us, assuming then not only in the person of Christ the human nature, but also all the human nature of his church which be members of Christ ; the wicked and reprobate being separate then from this communion, and cast into eternal per dition with Satan and antichrist, there to be in torments and horror for ever. By reason of this their faith they are thankful to thee, O Holy Spirit, which hast taught them this, and given them to believe it. By reason of this faith they singularly pray, love, and help thy church here militant, and labour to be [! ' not' 1567, 1614. : omitted in MS. 1. 2. 8. and in 1562 and 1578.] MEDITATION ON THE BELIEF. 147 holy, &c. By reason of this faith they confess themselves sinners, they desire and believe pardon of their sins, they are risen and rise daily concerning the inward man, and do feel the life eternal begun in them; more and more labouring, praying, wishing, and desiring for the same wholly and perfectly. Whereas, 0 Lord God and most gracious Holy Spirit, thou knowest that it is otherwise with me. I do but babble with my lips in saying, ' I believe in the Holy Ghost ;' for I am unthankful: to thee, O Holy Spirit, I am unthankful2 N°^thee™ for calling me into thy church : I do not live holily : I con- iyjiy^™5 fess not, I lament not my sins, I pray not for remission of children8 of them, I stand in doubt thereof. As I feel not myself risen Snfe^to" from a sinful life as I should be, or as I feel not life begun them" ' in me as it is in thy dear children, so do I doubt hereof whether I have pardon of my sins, whether I am regenerate, whether I feel truly everlasting life: the which thing doth most displease thee. And yet with my tongue I say, ' I believe in the Holy Ghost.' O, I beseech thee, good Holy Spirit, for thy love's sake which moved thee to agree and be willing to patefy3 and open thy goodness, not only in the work of creation, (for thou didst Gen. i. lie upon the waters, and, as the hen her chickens, didst, as it were, hatch the work of creation,) but also in the work of Matt. m. redemption; and therefore didst ascend and abide not only upon Christ in his baptism, but also on the apostles and Acts u. church in fiery tongues visibly, the fiftieth day 4 after Christ's resurrection ; as now thou dost invisibly, generally and par ticularly, sit upon thy church and children, being the conso- lator, "the Comforter," the teacher and leader, the guider and governor of us all : for this thy love's sake, I say, I beseech thee to be merciful unto me, and forgive me my doubting, unbelief, ingratitude, and horrible monstrous un cleanness and sin, and utterly take them from me. Bring me into thy church which thou guidest : that is, guide me, make me holy, and by faith couple me to Christ, by charity [2 'to thee, O Holy Spirit, I am unthankful,' MS. 1. 2. 8. : not in 1562, nor after editions.] [3 i. e. disclose.] [* 'fyfte daye' 1562, 1567: 'fifty dayes 1578, 1607, 1614.] 10—2 148 MEDITATION ON THE BELIEF. to thy people : that is, give me the communion of saints with thy saints, overshadow my sins, raise me up to righte ousness, begin in me everlasting hfe; and now more and more to expect and look for all these great mercies, and at length to possess eternal felicity with thee, 0 blessed Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, three persons and one almighty, eternal, most just, wise, and good God: to whom be all glory, power, and dominion, now and for ever. A MEDITATION UPON THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. I AM THE LORD THY GOD, WHICH BROUGHT THEE OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, &C Meditations 0 good Lord and dear Father, here thou wouldest I should of Bradford, Haii 1562, know that thou, which broughtest thy people of Israel out of editions. Egypt with a mighty hand and a stretched-out power ; which gavest thy law upon mount Sinai in great thundering, light ning, fire ; which spakest by the prophets, and didst send thy dearly beloved Son, Jesus Christ, co-equal and consubstan- tial with thee in power, majesty,' and glory, to take upon him our nature by the operation of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the virgin Mary ; of whose substance he was made and born man, but pure without sin, that we, by birth chil dren of wrath, by him might be made thy children, children of grace, communicating with him righteousness, holiness, and immortality by the working of the Spirit, as he com municated with us flesh and blood, but not infected with sin as is ours, by the working of the same Holy Spirit; which Spirit, after his bitter death, resurrection, and ascension into the heavens, he sent plentifully and by a visible sign unto his apostles and disciples, by whom he published the gospel throughout the whole world ; and so continually hath done from age to age, doth, and will do unto the end of the world, by the ministry of preaching : thou wouldest, I say, that we should know and believe that thou, this almighty Lord and God, which on this sort hast revealed and opened thyself, art MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. 149 the one alone, very true and eternal almighty God, which madest and rulest heaven and earth and all things visible and invisible, together with this thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ, and with the Holy Spirit, consubstantial and co-eter nal with thee, dear Father. Not only this, but also thou wouldest that I should know and believe, that by the same thy dearly beloved Son thou hast brought me from the tyranny and captivity of Satan and this sinful world, whereof the captivity of Egypt under Pharaoh was a figure. And in his blood shed upon the cross thou hast made a covenant with me, which thou wilt never forget, that thou art and wilt be my Lord and my God ; that is, thou wilt forgive me my sins and be wholly mine, with all thy power, wisdom, righteousness, truth, glory, and mercy. Wherefore, although I might confirm my faith by the in numerable mercies hitherto poured upon me most abundantly ; (as thy children of Israel might have done, and did confirm their faith by the manifold benefits poured upon them in the desert;) yet specially the seal of thy covenant (I mean thy holy sacrament of baptism, wherein thy holy name was not in vain called upon me, 0 dear Father, sweet Son and Sa viour Jesus Christ, and most gracious good Holy Ghost,) should most assuredly confirm, and even on all sides seal up my faith of this thy covenant, that thou art my Lord and my God ; even as Abraham and thy people of Israel did by the sacrament of circumcision; which as the apostle calleth the "seal" or signacle "of righteousness," so dost thou call it ; h™1- iT- being but the sign of thy covenant indeed, yet thy very co venant ; because as thy word is most true and cannot lie, as thy covenant is a covenant of peace infallible and everlasting, even so the sacrament and seal of the same is a most true testimonial and witness thereof. In consideration therefore of this, that thou, the almighty God, of thine own goodness hast vouchedsafe not only to make me a creature after thine own image and likeness, which mightest have made me a beast; to give unto me a reasonable soul endued with memory, judgment, &c, which mightest have made me an idiot without wit or discretion, &c. ; to endue me with a body beautified with right shape, limbs, health, &c, which mightest have made me a cripple, lame, blind, &c. ; graciously to enrich me concerning fortune, friends, living, name, &c, which mightest have made me a slave, des- 150 MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. titute of all friends, and helpless1 for this life; but also hast vouchedsafe that I, being a miser2, " born in sin, conceived in iniquity," to whom nothing is due (more than to a Turk, Jew, or Saracen,) but eternal damnation, should be called into the number of thy people, enrolled in thy book, and now in thy covenant, so that thou, with all that ever thou hast, art mine; for which cause's sake hitherto thou hast kept me, cherished, defended, spared, and fatherly chastised me, and now gra ciously dost keep me and care for me, giving me to live, isai. xxx. be, and move in thee, expecting also and "waiting how thou mightest shew mercy upon me :" in consideration, I say, of this, most justly and reasonably thou requirest that as thou art my Lord God, so I should be thy servant and one of thy people. As thou hast given thyself wholly unto me, to be mine, with all thy power, wisdom, &c; (for he that giveth himself giveth all he hath;) so should I be wholly thine, and give over myself unto thee to be guided with thy wisdom, defended with thy power, holpen, relieved, and comforted by thy mercy. First therefore to begin withal, thou commandest "that I should have none other gods in thy sight." That is to say, as I should have thee for my Lord and God to look for all good things most assuredly at thy hands, and there fore I should put all my trust in thee, be thankful unto thee, love thee, fear thee, obey thee, and call upon thy holy name in all my needs ; so should I give this faith, love, fear, obe dience, thankfulness, and invocation or prayer, to none other (no, not in my heart), but only to thee, or for thee, where thou commandest. All this to do, 0 Lord God, and that with most joyful heart, I have great cause ; for what a thing is it, that thou, Jehovah, wouldest vouchsafe to make me, as thou hast done ; to give thy Son for me, and to become my God ! 0 what am I, that thou wouldest I should put my trust in thee ! This thou doest, that I might never be confounded, but might be most happy. What am I, that thou wouldest I should fear thee ! where the only cause why thou requirest this of me is, not only because thou hast power to cast both body and soul into P 'Helpless' 1562 corrected in tho list of errata, and 1578: 'helps' 1567, 1607, and 1614.] [2 i. e. unhappy one.] MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. 151 hell-fire, and because they that fear thee not shall perish; but also that thou mightest give me thy wisdom, that it might go well with me in the evil day, that thou mightest reveal thy Son to me, and thy mercy might be upon me from gene ration to generation. O what am I, that thou wouldest have me to obey thee ! not only that I never perish with the dis obedient, but that thou mightest give me thy holy Spirit, and rewards innumerable. O what am I, that thou wouldest I should love thee! the which thing thou doest to this end, that I might fully and wholly enjoy and possess thee, accord ing to the nature of love ; and therefore dost thou require my whole heart, that I might dwell in thee, and thou in me. What am I, that thou wouldest I should call upon thee ! verily, because thou wilt give me whatsoever I shall ask of thee in the name of thy dear child Jesus Christ : and even so wouldest thou have me thankful, that thou mightest pour out upon me yet more plentifully all good things. So that great cause have I to put my trust in thee, to love, fear, and obey thee, to call upon thee, to be thankful unto thee; not only in respect of the hurt which else will ensue, but also in respect of the commodity that hereby cometh unto me ; but most of all, yea, alonely for thy own sake, for thy goodness, wisdom, beauty, strength and power, truth and great mercies. But, alas ! dear Father, what shall I say ? As in times past horribly I have broken this thy law in trusting in thy creatures, calling upon them, loving, fearing, and obeying many things besides thee and rather than thee; even so at this present I am a most miserable wretch. Blinded I am through unbelief and mine own wickedness ; so that I see not firmly this thy power, wisdom, goodness, &c, but waver and doubt of it. I love little or nothing ; I fear less ; I obey least of all ; thankfulness and prayer are utterly quenched in me : by reason whereof I am worthy of eternal damnation. If after thy justice thou shalt deal with me simply, I am, 0 Lord, damned and lost for ever, for I am very wicked. But yet, inasmuch as thou hast given thy Son Jesus Christ to be a slain propitiatory sacrifice "for the sins of the whole world," so "that he which believeth in him shall not perish," but be saved (for so thou hast promised), thy truth now requireth to save me. Howbeit, here thou mayest say unto me that I do not believe ; and therefore notwithstanding 152 MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. thy truth and promise, in that I believe it not, thou mayest most justly, after thy justice, damn me. 0 Lord God, to this I cannot otherwise answer (my unbelief is so great), but because thy mercy is above all thy works, and thy goodness and love is that which all creatures most highly commend and magnify as the thing whereof thou art called God ; because thou art right good, and love itself; because of this thy mercy, gracious God, if thou wilt look thereon and couple thy truth therewith, then, good Lord, I shall be saved and praise thy name for evermore. THOU SHALT NOT MAKE TO THYSELF ANY GRAVEN, &C. As the first commandment teacheth me as well that thou art my God, as what God thou art ; and therefore of equity I should have none other gods but thee ; (that is, I should alonely hang on thee, trust in thee, love thee, serve thee, call upon thee, obey thee, be thankful to thee ;) so because thou didst reveal thyself visibly that thou mightest visibly be worshipped, this commandment is concerning thy worship, that in no point I should follow in worshipping thee the de vice or intent of any man, saint, angel, or spirit ; but should take all such as idolatry and image-service, be it never so glorious. And why? Forsooth, because thou wouldest I should worship thee as thou hast appointed by thy word; for if service be acceptable, it must needs be according to the will of him to whom it is done, and not of him which doeth it. But inasmuch as of man none knoweth the will and pleasure but his spirit, except he reveal by word or sign the same ; much more of thee, 0 Lord, none doth know the1 will but thy Spirit, and they to whom thou dost reveal the same. And therefore abominable even in thy sight are all those things which with men are in most force and estimation, because they are not after thy word. So that the meaning of this precept is, that as in the first I should have none other gods but thee, so I should have no worship of thee but such as thou appointest. Hereby therefore I see great cause of thankfulness for this command ment, in that thou wouldest have mine outward service, and that after thy appointment, lest I should busy my brain how best to serve thee. [} ' The' 1562 corrected in the errata, and 1614 : 'thy' 1567, 1578, and 1607.] MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. 153 Good Lord, thou needest not my service : perfect thou wast before I was : therefore it is for mine own commodity that thou commandest me, yea, even for mine own wealth. Thou mightest have letten me have stand all day idle ; but such is thy love that thou wouldest I should go into thy vineyard, that with thy servants I might receive the hire of Matt. xx. blessedness. And how great a benefit is it to deliver me of Ifweshould so great a burden, wherewith I should have been cumbered, fn™ man's if I should have served thee in any point after my wit and burden would reason ! But, alas ! I not considering what a promotion thy abie, for . . . , ¦ i /*. men's devices service is, nor what an easy service it is and simple (for one are infinite. may well know what to do and when he pleaseth thee, namely, when he serveth thee as thou hast appointed), as I am and always have been unthankful, so I am and always have been a grievous transgressor of this thy law. For as in times past, when I did not know this commandment, I was an image-worshipper of stocks, stones, &c, yea, bread and wine ; so now I am a worshipper of mine affections, offering to them the service due unto thee, though not thereby to worship thee, as I thought when I kneeled to stocks and stones, bread and wine, &c, yet with no less transgression of thy law : for the which I have deserved and do deserve ever lasting damnation. Of thy goodness and great mercy, dear Father, I be seech thee forgive me for Christ's sake, whom thou didst give to be the fulfilling of the law to all them that should believe. 0 Father, "I believe: help mine unbelief." As thou Mark ix. hast of thy goodness hitherto spared me, transgressing this thy holy precept; so of thy goodness forgive me as well mine idolatry done in times past, as that which of late time I have committed and do commit. And as thou by this com mandment hast delivered me from the one, that is, bowing myself to stocks and stones, so, dear Father, deliver me from all other bowing myself after mine own will to mine own affections; that I may have none other God in heart but thee, nor do service to any other but only to thee, and for thee, after thy word as thou commandest. 0 open mine eyes to see thy will in this thy gracious precept. Give me a will to love it heartily, and a heart to obey it faithfully, for thy dear Son's sake, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 154 MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN. By this commandment I perceive, 0 Lord, that as in the first thou wouldest in the exterior service of thee I should utterly abandon mine own will and reason, and all the reasons or good intents of man, and wholly give myself to serve thee after thy will and word ; so here dost thou begin to tell me how thou wilt have my tongue to be exercised in thy service : and therefore thou biddest me not to take thy name in vain, as by temerarious or vain swearing, by cursing, praying without sense, (as those do that pray in a tongue they know not, praying without faith or attent consideration of the thing desired, without hearty desire and certain expec tation of obtaining that which is to thy glory and mine salva tion ;) also by jesting or foolish abusing, or negligent reading or hearing of thy holy word, by the which thou as by thy name art known ; and in like manner by denying thy truth and word, or concealing it when occasion is offered to pro mote thy glory and confirm thy truth. By reason whereof I may well see that thou wouldest have me to use my tongue in humble confessing thee and thy word and truth, after my vocation ; in praying heartily, and calling upon thy name ; in reading and hearing thy word, and speaking thereof, with all reverence, diligence, and attention; in thanksgiving, and praising thee for thy great mercy; in instructing my brother, and admonishing him when he err- eth, after my calling and vocation, with all humbleness, gen tleness, and love. Thus wouldest thou have me to exercise my tongue, and not to think that the exercising of it in this sort is a vain and unprofitable thing, but a thing that pleaseth thee and profiteth myself and other. And forasmuch as thou knowest that our tongue is a slip pery member, and we very negligent over it, and of the great commodity that might thereby come to us and other by using it in thy service accordingly ; thou hast added a fearful and most true commination 1, that though men will find no fault or punish us therefor, yet wilt not thou hold him guiltless Levii. xxiv. that taketh thy name in vain ; as by many examples we are [l •communication' 1562: 'commination' 1567, 1578, 1607, 1614.] MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. 155 taught, as in thy holy word, so by daily experience, if we would consider the same. And therefore I have great cause to give praise and thanks to thy most holy name for many great benefits, which by this commandment I receive, and ought with thankfulness to consider. First, that it would please thee, not only to give me a tongue, where thou mightest have made me speech less ; but also that thou wouldest have it sanctified to thy ser vice. Again, that thou wouldest not only reveal thy name unto us, but also wouldest give me leave to call upon it, praise and publish it ; yea, thou hast commanded me so to do, and not only commanded, but hast promised that thou wilt hear my prayer, and that my praising of thee and confessing thy word and truth shall not be in vain. Thirdly, that thou wouldest all men should use their tongue so that thereby I might be the better instructed, admonished, and occasioned to use myself well, and in the obedience of this thy holy precept. But what go I about to reckon by tale the causes of thanks for this commandment? seeing that they be innumerable, if a man should but look even upon thy very word, by the which as by thy name thou art most truly known : the which word thou commandest unto us in this commandment, &c, as thou dost preaching, private admonishing, thanksgiving, and prayer ; than the which nothing is more profitable to us in this vale of misery. But, gracious good Lord, I acknowledge myself not only to be a most unthankful wretch for this thy holy precept, and the great mercies which herethrough I perceive thou hast most graciously poured upon me, and dost yet still offer unto me ; but also that I am a miserable transgressor of this thy most holy, good, and blessed commandment, as always I have been in times past. Horribly have I abused thy name in swearing, cursing, and jesting wickedly. I have called upon other names than thine, as the names of Peter, Paul, Mary, &c, yea, of some whose salvation is to be doubted of. I have foolishly prayed in such a tongue as I knew not what I prayed and said ; with many other transgressions of this pre cept, wherein yet I am conversant, as in seldom praying ; and when I pray, I am not attent, nor very desirous of the thing I ask with my tongue. After prayer I do not earnestly look for the good things asked and prayed for ; and therefore 156 MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. when I obtain my request, I am most unthankful : thy word I read little and most negligently, forgetting forthwith what I read : I admonish not others when I hear them abuse thy holy word : I am afraid, for fear of loss of friends, name, or life, to confess thy truth, gospel, and name which was called upon me in baptism, and not in vain if I did not thus make it in vain. But, alas ! I can in no wise comprehend the mul titude of my transgressions concerning this thy law. But this is a sin above other sins, that under thy name, word, and gospel, I play the hypocrite, having more care for mine own name than for thine : for if my name were evil spoken of, it would grieve me, and I would defend it ; but, alas ! I hear thine daily evil spoken of, and see it profaned by false doctrine and evil living, but it grieveth me not. After my vocation I seek not, nor do not go about to redress these things in myself and in others. And why ? Because, good Lord, I love myself better than thee, and not thee with my whole heart. Thy first commandment hath no place with me, as it should have : it possesseth not my heart, mind, and will, as thou requirest most to mine own commodity : by rea son whereof I am worthy of eternal damnation. 0 what shall I do, gracious God, which not only have been so grievous and filthy a swearer, curser, &c, so great a caller upon dead creatures, and so heinous a transgressor of this law ; but also at this present do so horribly and hypocri tically offend thee, in taking thy name in vain, and that so many ways ; in praying and not praying ; in reading and not reading ; in speaking and not speaking ; and not confessing simply and from my heart thy doctrine, truth, and name; but regarding mine own name far above it ? Shall I fly from thee? Then undoubtedly I am more guilty, and more shall disobey this thy holy precept, adding sin to sin : whereas thou wouldest I should call upon thy holy name, dear Lord, which hast given thy dear Son Jesus Christ to be a Mediator for us ; that through him we might find not only grace for the pardon of our sins past, but also for the obtaining of thy holy Spirit ; as well the better to understand, as also the better and more frankly to obey, this thy holy precept for ever. For his sake therefore, dear God, pardon my sins past and present, whereof this law doth accuse me; and grant, MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. 157 most gracious Father, that I may be endued with thy holy Spirit, to know and love thy holy name, word, and truth in Jesus Christ ; that I may be zealous, wise, and constant ; and that my tongue may be sanctified henceforth, and guided with thy holy Spirit and grace, to publish, confess, and teach after my vocation to others, as occasion is offered, thy truth and gospel ; to call upon thy name in all my need, to give thanks unto thee, praise thee, magnify thee, and to sanctify thy holy name, as a vessel of thy mercy, for ever and ever. REMEMBER THAT THOU KEEP HOLY THE SABBATH DAY, &C. After thou hast told me how in the external service of Ythee, gracious Lord, thou wilt have my tongue used, so dost thou now teach me how thou wilt have mine ears and all my whole body occupied, namely in sanctification and holiness ; that is, in those things which thou peculiarly hast appointed to be means immediately to help to that end ; as in hearing thy word preached, and using the ceremonies of thee appointed, even as thou hast commanded : for the which things to be exercised of thy people thou at the first didst appoint a cer tain day, namely the seventh day, which therefore thou calledst thy sabbath, that thereby they with their children and family, resting from all exterior labour which hindereth the meditation of the mind, might not only be more able to go on through with their travail and labour (for without some rest nothing can endure, in respect whereof thou wouldest the very beasts which in labour were exercised should have the privilege of this sabbath), but also and much rather that thy people might with their family and children be instructed and taught ; first by the ministry of thy word in preaching and catechising ; secondly by the using of thy sacraments, appointed after thy commandment and institution, they might be assured of thy promises ; thirdly by praying they might be augmented in all godliness ; and last of all by their meet ing together, and exercising all these thy works of sanctifica tion, they might increase in love and charity one towards another, as members of one body, and fellows of one inherit ance ; and thus by meeting together, praying, and using thy sacraments, they might be instructed in thy law, and of that sabbath whereinto thou thyself didst enter after thou hadst made the world, ceasing from thy works, not of conservation, 158 MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. but of creation: into the which as after this life, and the works of this time, they should enter, so now they begin spiritually to enter, in resting from their own works which the old man moveth them unto. Not that, good Lord, thou wouldest these works, appointed for the sabbath day, should not be exercised at any other time, but only on the seventh day ; but because thou didst as well ordain them for a policy to endure till the coming of Christ, as also according to the revelation of thee in that time didst open thyself, beginning then in figures and sha dows whose verities in thy time were to be opened, there fore it pleased thee to appoint then the seventh day : which seventh day, although by reason of the policy being by thee destroyed, and by reason of Christ the verity and body of all shadows, it be abrogate from us ; yet standeth this com mandment in force, as well for the works of sanctification, that is, for preaching thy word, coming to hear it, for pray ing, using thy sacraments, and coming together to that end; as also for those days which by common order and on good ground are ordained and received ; howbeit with this liberty, that necessity of our faith and sanctification and charity may dispense therewith, occasion of wilful and witting offence being avoided, &c. So that hereby I perceive thy will and pleasure to be, that I should at all times, as much as charity and necessity will permit, give over myself, and cause all other, over whom I have charge, so to do (especially on the Sundays and other holidays being received, and to that end appointed), to the resorting to the temple and places appointed to prayer; to hear with meekness thy holy word, and use thy sacraments and ceremonies as thou hast commanded ; and to exercise all things which might be to the confirmation and propagation of thy holy religion, or make to the increase of love and charity; as giving to the poor, reconciling such as be in variance, visit ing the sick, and even, as it were, beginning that sabbath whereof Esay speaketh. By reason whereof I have great cause to thank thee, most gracious Father, that thou wouldest appoint me to be in this time, wherein thou hast more plentifully revealed thyself than thou didst, not only before Christ's coming, but also since Christ's ascension. Never, since England was Eng- MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS? 159 land, didst thou so manifestly reveal thy truth, as thou hast done in these days. Great cause I have to thank thee, that thou wouldest institute the ministry of thy word and sacra ments, as means whereby thy holy Spirit is effectual to work in our hearts sanctification. Great cause have I to thank thee, that thou wouldest keep the books of the prophets and apostles until this time. Great cause have I to praise thee, that thou wouldest give me such knowledge in them as thou hast done of thy great mercy. Great cause have I to thank thee for the good and true ministers and preachers of thy word, which thou hast sent amongst us, and given me grace to hear them. Great cause have I to thank thee, that in this religion thou hast given so long quietness and harborough to thy church. Great cause have I to thank thee, for that thou wouldest make me such a man in whom thy holy Spirit might work. Great cause I have to thank thee, which wouldest call me into thine eternal sabbath and rest, full of all joy, such as "the eye hath not seen, the ear hath not heard." Great cause have I to thank thee, that so many days are appointed for this end, that we should meet together to hear thy word and receive thy sacraments. Great cause have I to thank thee for the institution of thy sacraments, which thou hast ordained as thy visible and palpable words, to the obsignation and confirmation of the faith of all such as use the same after thy commandments. But infinite are the causes for the which I ought to give thee thanks for this commandment. But, alas ! I am not only unthankful, but also a most miserable transgressor of it. I will not now speak of my transgressions past concerning this commandment: presently they are so many that I cannot; for thou knowest how I do not only at convenient times, on the work-days, keep myself away from common prayers in the congregation and assembly of thy people, and from hearing of thy word, but also on the sabbath-days. To ride or go about this or that worldly business I am very prest1 : to sit down at this tavern, and to go to that man's- table, I am ready at the first bidding : but, alas ! to resort to the table of thy Son, and receive with thankfulness the sacrament of his body and blood, for confirmation of my faith; that is, to learn spiritually to taste Christ's body broken, and his blood shed, I1 i. e. ready.] 160 MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. for the remission of my sins ; to do this, 0 how unwilling rSediuuonin am ^ ' ^° S° to mass an^ sacrings1, with such-like idolatry, Smen[i6ai4!;]s I nave Deen a great time more ready than now I am to hear thy word, and use thy sacraments, as I should do. Thv ministers I pray not for ; thy church I am not careful for ; now in the no, not now, good Lord, when wicked doctrine most prevail- reignof queen . , ° . . . . * M£? was a" et^' idolatry, superstition, and abomination aboundeth, the into'inglfni sacrament and sacrifice of thy dear Son Jesus Christ is blas- [i5«7.] phemously corrupted; when for preaching there is nothing but massing ; for catechising, censing2 ; for reading of the scriptures, bell-ringing; for singing of psalms and godly songs to our edification, all is done in Latin, with such notes, tunes, ditties, and descants3, that utterly the mind is pulled from the consideration of the thing (if men did understand Behoidhow it) unto the melody. All which my wickedness hath brought them0sdvCeCsUse *D; my Pr°faning of this commandment, and my not praying. general S' ^y ministers are in prison, dispersed in other countries, puSum!" spoiled, burnt, murdered : many fall for fear of goods, life, name, &c, from the truth they have received, unto most manifest idolatry : false preachers abound amongst thy people : thy people, dearly bought even with thy blood, are not fed with the bread of thy word, but with swillings4 : antichrist wholly prevaileth : and yet for all this, alas ! I am too careless, nothing lamenting my sins, which be the cause of all this. O dear Father, forgive me for Christ's sake, and be merciful unto me ; and as of thy mercy thou hast given6 me time to repent, so give me repentance. Grant me thy holy Spirit to open to me this thy law ; so that I may know thy will in it, love it, and always obey it. Thy good Spirit sanctify me, and work in me a true taste of eternal life, and pleasure in the meditation of it. Give me, gracious, good [! 'sacre,' to consecrate: 'sacring,' technically, the elevation of the host, at which time the * sacring hell' was rung. See Becon, Display ing of the Mass, Works, Parker Soc. in. 270 ; and a like passage in Ahp. Cranmer, Works, Parker Soc. I. 229 : see also Ancient English Liturgy, Maskell, ed. 1846, p. 93.] [2 i. e. the perfuming with incense.] [8 i. e. variations of an air in music] [4 i. e. food for swine.] [s 'Hast given' 1562 corrected in the errata for 'didst give/ 1567, 1578, 1607, and 1614.] MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. 161 Father, one little mouthful of the bread that thou feddest 1 Kings i Eli withal : give me that with him I may come into mount Horeb. Help thy church, cherish it, and give it harborough here and elsewhere for Christ's sake. Purge thy ministry from corruption and false ministers ; send out preachers to feed thy people ; destroy antichrist and all his kingdom ; give to such as be fallen from thy truth repentance ; keep others from falling, and by their falling do thou the more confirm us. Confirm the ministers and poor people in prison and exile ; strengthen them in thy truth ; deliver them, if it be thy good will : give them that with conscience they may so answer their adversaries, that thy servants may rejoice, and the adversaries be confounded. Avenge thou thy own cause, 0 thou God of hosts ; and help all thy people, and me espe cially, because I have most need. HONOUR THY FATHER AND MOTHER, THAT THOU MAYEST LIVE LONG, &C After that thou hast told me, good Lord, thy will con cerning the service which thou requirest inwardly and out wardly to be given unto thee, now dost thou begin to tell me what thy will is that I should do and leave undone for thy sake unto man. And first thou settest before mine eyes them whom thou for order's sake and the more commodity of man in this life hast set in degree and authority above me, com prehending them under the name of " father and mother," that I might know that as of thee they are commanded to bear towards me a fatherly 6 love and a motherly care, in the very names of father and mother, wherewith thou honourest them ; so am I commanded of thee to do that which is most equal and just (as the very brute beasts do teach us), that with childly affection and duty I should behave myself towards them : that is, I should honour them, which comprehendeth in it love, thankfulness, reverence, and obedience ; and that not so much because they be my parents, and in their offices are careful for me, (for it may be they will neglect the doing of their duties towards me,) but because thou commandest me so to do, howsoever they do. So that by this commandment I perceive that thou [6 'fatherly' 1562 corrected in the list of errata, 1567, 1578, 1607> and 1614.] [BRADFORD.] 162 MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. wouldest I should consider them whom thou hast placed in authority and superior degree, as parents, magistrates, mas ters, or such-like, and accordingly -behave myself toward them, honour them, that is to say, love them, be thankful unto them, reverence them, and obey them, for thy sake, so long as they pass not their bounds ; that is, so long as they require not otherwise than thou hast given them commission or permission to do. And forasmuch as thou seest their care and office is great, and our corruption to obey is very much ; as well to en courage them in their vocation to be diligent, as to inflame me to humble obedience unto them, therethrough to make them more willing to sustain cares for me ; thou addest a promise, that is, long life, which, so far as it is a blessing from thee, thou wilt endue us withal. Whereby we may gather, that a civil1 life doth much please thee, and receiveth here rewards, especially if we lead it for conscience to thy law : and, on the contrary part, a disobedient life to them that be in authority will bring the sooner thy wrath and vengeance in this hfe. All which worketh much to the commendation of the state of politic and civil magistrates. By reason hereof, dear Father, I see myself much bounden to praise thee, and heartily to obey this thy commandment; for in it and by it thou declarest thy great love toward us, which even in this present life, our pilgrimage and passage to our home, wouldest have us to enjoy the benefit of peace, and most seemly quietness and order, and by this order so couple us that none should contemn or despise another, bat even high and low to be and account themselves as parents and children. Particularly, for my part, I cannot but say that I have most cause to thank thee for my parents, schoolmasters, and others, under whose tuition thou hast put me. No pen is able to write the particular benefits which I have hereby received in my infancy, childhood, youth, middle age, and always hitherto. 0 how good a Lord hast thou declared thyself to me! which in them and by them hast nourished, fed, instructed, corrected, defended, and most graciously kept me. I could reckon innumerable behind me, and but few before me, so much made of and cared for as I have been f1 i. e. subject to human government.] MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. 163 hitherto. No small token of thy love to me-ward is it, that thou wouldest engrave in their hearts, and command them under pain of damnation, to be careful over me, to do me good, and provide for me, as they have done, or rather thou by them. Publicly also for the commonwealth, and such as thou hast placed in authority over me in both thy regiments2, if I con sidered them that have been and them that be, I could not but praise thee, good Lord; for no less praiseworthy art thou for thus chastening us, and admonishing us now presently by them that be in authority of our ingratitude and unthankful ness, than by such as have been, for all kinds of good things. But infinite are the causes of thankfulness, which this com mandment considered should stir up in me. But, alas ! most merciful Father, as I acknowledge my self most unthankful unto thee for all thy benefits poured upon me in this life by my parents, nurses, tutors, masters, magistrates, bishops, pastors, and good friends, even from my cradle unto this hour, so unto them have I always been and am in not loving them, as my coldness in praying for them and to my power in helping them declareth ; and also my not reverencing them, my contemning them, and temera- riousness3 in my mistrusting, or too narrowly and too straitly looking at them and their duties, sheweth ; and not obeying them (as by my contumacy appeareth,) not only when any thing to me unpleasant or unprofitable, but also profitable and convenient is required. And yet I speak not of the evil and muttering reports, of the offences in transgressing the politic laws for apparel and meats, and other no small offences which I have committed and given. 0 this is a sin, dear Father, that I always have been a private more than a commonweal man : always I seek for mine own commodity, contemning that which maketh to the commodity of others. As for my disobedience and wicked behaviour towards my own parents and all others whom thou hast set over me, dear Father, no tongue can express it : and therefore I am worthy of damnation. But, gracious good Lord and dear Father, I beseech thee for thy Christ's sake to have mercy upon me and pardon me, as of thy goodness it pleased thee to pardon the [2 i. e. governments.] [3 i. e. rashness.] 11—2 164 MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. patriarchs. Thou hast given this commandment as thy holy law, to open to us how corrupt we are, and how much we swerve from the pattern whereafter we were first made, and once agreed thereto before Adam's fall; that we might loathe ourselves, and even thereby be driven to seek and set by thy sweet mercies in Jesus Christ ; whom therefore thou didst send to fulfil the law in his flesh, that we might borrow of him the same by true faith : which of thy goodness work in us by thy holy Spirit, and open this law unto us, that we may more and more increase in the knowledge, love, and obedience of it, to thy glory and our salvation. Amen. Dear Father, be merciful to our magistrates, especially the queen's highness, whose heart with the residue of her counsellors turn into thy testimonies : give them thy wisdom and a zeal to the truth according to knowledge, that they may use the power they have received of thee to the cherish ing of thy church, that with us here thy word may have free passage, and thy true worship may be maintained; and not only here, but also every where amongst those whom thou wouldest we should pray for. Be merciful to my poor parents, gracious Lord, with my brethren, sisters, wife, children, family, servants, kinsfolks, neighbours, as thou knowest they have all need. Give unto the hearts of all parents, magistrates, and such as be in authority here or elsewhere, that they may according to that thou hast put them in trust withal be faithful, diligent, care ful, and happy. Grant unto children, servants, and subjects, that every one may render love, obedience, thankfulness, and reverence to all such as thou hast put in authority over them. Bless the church, and send it peace and harborough here or elsewhere. Bless the commonweal, and send us peace. Bless the dioceses and shires, and send them good bishops and justices. Bless every household and family, that thy peace may be in the same continually. Finally write this law and all thy laws in our hearts, we beseech thee, that we may keep them. Amen. THOU SHALT DO NO MURDER, &C As in the commandment going next before thou settest before me the personages of all such as thou for the commo dity, order, and peace of man in this life hast placed in MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. 165 authority, accordingly of us for thy sake to be esteemed ; so dost thou in this commandment set before us to look on the personages of all men generally, high and low, over whom thou givest us a charge that we shall not kill or murder them : in which word thou comprehendest all kind of hatred or malice, in word, thought, or deed, as thy dearly beloved Matt. Son, expounding this commandment, doth teach. Yea, be cause thou wouldest all men should be dear unto us, being all of one substance, of one similitude, coming of the same parents Adam and Eve, made of one God, redeemed of one Christ in whom we should be coupled as members of one body, and live to the aid, succour, and comfort one of another ; because of this, I say, easily we may see that not only thou forbid- dest here to beware of all kinds of displeasures, but also thou commandest us to bear and exercise all kind of love and favour in heart, word, and deed, and that for thy command ment's sake ; for else towards our enemies our hearts would arise and be great, in that they, contemning their duties towards us, seem to deserve the like at our hands. By reason hereof I have great cause to thank thee, dear Father : for hereby I see how that thou dost much love my soul, which art so careful over my body ; so that he which hurteth it displeaseth thee, and he that doth it good pleaseth thee, if so be he do it for thy sake. By this commandment now I see that it is thou that hast kept me from doing many evils, which else I should have outrageously done, and hast stirred me up to do good to my brethren, if at any time I have done any ; even as thou hast also kept and dost keep presently others from doing me hurt, and hast and dost stir up those that do me good, to do so unto me. O how great is the multitude of thy benefits, good Lord, wherewith thou hast overwhelmed me, and the which through this commandment I perceive myself to have received, presently do receive, and so long as I live am like to receive ! for thou commandest all men every where to do me good, love me, defend me, and cherish me ; such is thy love to me in this present life, and that for my body. 0 how great is thy love then to me in everlasting life, and that for my soul ! If in a strange coun try so great is thy protection, how great is it at home ! But, alas, dear Lord, how unthankful have I been, and am yet still, for these thy fatherly benefits ! 0 mine ingra- 166 MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. titude ! Tea, Lord, horribly have I transgressed, and still do transgress this thy gracious precept, in pride, envy, disdain, malice, hardness of heart, unmercifulness, and contemning thy children, saints, and servants. Self-love altogether reigneth in me, and desire of praise, rule, and fame : I am so far from love and mercy in heart, good Lord, that no man can hear it in my tongue, nor see it in my works ; but rather clean contrary, and that generally, and to them to whom I am most bound particularly. By reason whereof I have de served everlasting damnation, and to be cast away from thy presence for ever. 0 most gracious Father, forgive me for Christ's sake, I beseech thee : for to this end didst thou give this command ment, that I, seeing my corruption and depravate nature by sin, might come to thy mercy deserved by Christ, and through faith in him might find not only pardon of that which is past, but also thy grace and holy Spirit to begin in me the obedience to this and all other thy holy precepts for evermore. So be it. For this thy Christ's sake, dear Father, I beseech thee therefore to take from me, and all other for whom thou wouldest that we should pray, all envy, pride, arrogancy, disdain, hatred, and all suspiciousness ; and grant unto us bowels of mercy, humility, patience, meekness, long-suffering, gentleness, peace, charity, and all kind of brotherly love. Comfort the feeble, relieve the poor, help the fatherless, heal the sick, bless the afflicted : shew thy great mercy upon all poor prisoners, and deliver them in thy good time: remem ber thy pity toward strangers, captives, widows, and such as be oppressed. THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY. Here, good Lord, thou goest about to command unto me, as love in the other, so pureness and chastity in this; and therefore thou sayest, I should " not commit adultery :" in the which word thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ doth com prehend all uncleanness, yea, the very concupiscence and abusing of the heart in lusting after any man's wife, or other wise unchastely. By the which, in that thou wouldest have us to love in ourselves and others purity and cleanness, that we might be holy as thou our God art holy, and our ' MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. 167 being temples of thy holy Spirit might be kept pure and accordingly ; easily we may see that, as thou forbiddest all unclean deeds, words, looks, and thoughts, so dost thou com mand us to love and exercise all purity, chastity, cleanness, sobriety, temperancy, &c. By reason whereof I have great cause to be thankful unto thee, which not only for the help and commodity of man, but also for remedy of man's infirmity, hast made woman kind, and ordained the state of matrimony, which in thy sight is so holy and pure that thou accountest the1 state of matrimony to be an undefiled thing : and such care thou hast over the personages married and their condition, that unto damnation they sin, which not only go about to defile that bed, but within their hearts do wish or desire it ; yea, which do not endeavour themselves with thought, word, and deed, to help that purity and cleanness between married folks be kept. But the great causes thou givest us to thank thee for this state and ordinance, and for thy defending us by this commandment, are innumerable. Full well I see that it is thou which by this commandment not only refrainest me, but also keepest my wife from im purity, which else we might both commit. Great is thy love, 0 good Lord, and more than I am able to consider, which declarest thyself to be thus careful over me concerning the benefits which come unto me both for the mind, body, and goods, by sobriety and temperancy, which here thou requirest. Only this I cannot but see, that I have great cause to thank thee which art so careful over me, as by this commandment I well see.- But, alas ! good Lord, what shall I say ? which am and have been so far from thankfulness, that I am to be ac counted amongst the most unthankful : yea, thou knowest it, good Lord. Filthily have I broken this law, and caused other so to do, of whose repentance I am uncertain ; as also my tongue, alas! hath often been too shamefully exercised, mine eyes and my thoughts too wickedly abused. All this gear I have increased by inine intemperancy in eating, drink ing, cherishing my body, &c. I have also hurt my bodily health, minished that which I and others should live on, and horribly hindered all good prayers and meditations : wherein, though I have time and place, yet, alas ! I nothing exercise [' A few words of the original are omitted.] 168 MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. myself as I should do. By reason whereof I have deserved everlasting damnation. 0 good Lord and gracious Father, do thou for thy name's sake, and in Christ's blood, pardon me and forgive me, I beseech thee. And as thou hast most mercifully hitherto spared me, so of thy mercy put away my trespasses, and the transgressions of those whom I have caused to sin. Let that love which moved thee to pardon Judah, with Tamar, David, Bethsabe, and the great sinner of whom we read in St Luke, move thee to pardon and forgive me also. Thou gavest this commandment to this end, that I might know my sin and sinful nature, and so thereby be driven to thy Christ crucified, for whose sake I ask mercy ; and also that thy good Spirit may be given unto me, to purify me, and work so in me and with me, that I may truly know, heartily love, and faithfully obey this thy holy precept, in wardly and outwardly, now and for ever. Amen. Gracious good Lord, grant to me and my wife, that we may dwell together according to knowledge, and may keep our vessels in holiness : grant, 0 Lord, that we may be pure and undefiled ; and grant the same to all that be married : and to them which be unmarried grant that they may live a pure, chaste, and undefiled life ; and, if they have not the gift of singleness of life, grant them such mates with whom they may live holily to thy praise. Dear Father, give me the gift of sobriety and temperancy, and, grant the same to all them whom thou wouldest I should pray for. As in times past I have used my tongue and other members evil, so now, good Lord, grant that I may use them well, chastely, and godly. This, I pray thee, grant through Jesus Christ: and finally, O Lord, both in soul and body sanctify me, and, as in thy temple, dwell in me now and for evermore. Amen. THOU SHALT NOT STEAL. Now that thou hast taught me the service required of thee for me to observe towards the personages of all men and women of every condition, thou beginnest to tell me what thou wouldest I should do concerning their goods : and, as in the next commandment before this thou didst command unto me sobriety and pureness, so dost thou in this justice and right eousness, forbidding me to steal ; under the which word thou comprehendest all kinds of deceit. The which thing thou MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. 169 doest, because thou wouldest that I should give myself wholly to the study and exercise of justice ; as in the precept next going before thou wouldest I should give over myself wholly to the keeping of sobriety and pureness : so that I see thy good pleasure herein is not that I should alonely abstain from all theft, but also from all fraud and craft in word or deed ; yea, that I should earnestly follow and exercise all equity, truth, and justice. By reason whereof I see myself much bound to praise thee, which art so careful over my goods and substance, that, if any man should go about to steal from me, or to defraud me in any thing, yea, whosoever goeth not about to keep and care for that I have as he would do for his own, the same displeaseth thee. 0 Lord, if thou hast such care for my goods, cattle, and such pelf, how great is thy care for my soul ! If this one commandment were not, I perceive, as I for my own part should have done and do much worse than I have done, so much worse had been done to me and mine than hath been. It is thou, good Lord, I perceive, that hast both given me all that I have, and also still conservest and keepest the same; and not my own policy, wisdom, and industry ;' for in vain were all this, except thou didst vouchsafe to use and take it as a mean to work by. There is nothing therefore that I have, but whensoever I look upon it, by this commandment I learn thy goodness, strength, and power ; for, as thou givest it of thy mercy, so it speaketh to me that presently thou still dost keep it for me : so that exceeding great cause have I to thank thee for this precept, dear God and most gracious Lord. But, alas! I am so far from thankfulness (as always I have been for all thy care for me, and for all that ever thou hast given unto me), that, as I have used subtlety and craft, yea, sometimes theft and bribery ; so now, good Lord, I still, when occasion is offered, do exercise the same. I live also voluptuously of that thou hast given and lent me, and nothing consider what equity requireth, and what or how great the necessity of the poor is, whom I do thus defraud by excess and prodigality. That which I borrow I with unwillingness do repay : I use it more negligently than I would do mine own. Lack of excommunication, of justice, the great usury, 170 MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. robbery, oppression, and such-like wickedness as is exercised amongst us, I lament not, labour not after my vocation for the redress of the same; I pray not to thee thereabout, but neglect altogether. Tea, even those things wherewith I am put in trust, or am hired to do, those, I say, I do with great negligence : so that great is my sin herein, and worthy I am of damnation. But, merciful God, I beseech thee for Christ's sake to have mercy upon me, and to pardon me my unthankfulness, thefts, frauds, deceits, avarice, negligences, and great careless ness for the lack of justice, and for the monstrous oppression, usuries, excess, riot, the which be horribly exercised in the commonweal. For thy mercy's sake in Christ Jesus, 0 Lord, whom thou hast given to fulfil the law for them that do be lieve, give me true faith and thy holy Spirit, to work in me the knowledge, love, and perpetual obedience of this thy holy precept and all other thy commandments for ever. Dear Lord, give unto me, and to all whom thou wouldest I should pray for, the hatred of all craft, and love of all justice. Grant to the oppressed thy comfort ; to wrongers repentance ; to thieves and deceivers, that they may make restitution ; to justices of peace, landlords, and the rich of the world, that they may have thee before their eyes, love their poor tenants and brethren ; to labourers and artificers, that they may be diligent in their work and labour, and that wherewith they are put in trust. THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST THY NEIGHBOUR. Now dost thou, most gracious Lord, instruct me in this commandment, how I should use my tongue towards my neighbour, and behave myself concerning his name, forbidding me to bear false witness ; in the which thou forbiddest me all kinds of slandering, lying, hypocrisy, and untruth. And why? Because, as "members of one body," thou wouldest we should "speak truth one to another," and be careful every one to cover other's infirmity, and with our tongue defend the names of others, even as we would that other should defend ours : so that in this commandment, as thou forbiddest me all kind of evil, perilous, calumnious and untrue speaking, so MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. 171 dost thou command to me all kind of godly, honest, and true report and talk. By reason whereof I have great cause to praise thee, in that I see thee to be so careful over my name, that all men are by thee commanded to defend the same. 0 precious God, great is thy care over my soul, I now perceive. If this commandment were not, I see, as I should have done and do much worse with my tongue to others than is hap pened, so should I have felt of others towards me. Besides this, no small commodity is it to me, that thou wouldest all men should use truth in all their words to me. 0 how great a good thing is this unto me ! If we con sider the hurt that cometh by untruth, and by words where through many are deceived, easily may we see a wonderful benefit and care of thee for us in this commandment. But, gracious Lord, like as I acknowledge my unthank fulness to be monstrous and great, and always hath been hitherto, even so yet continue I in wonderful hypocrisy in all my conversation ; often lying, and speaking, as vainly, so offensively, fleshly, subtlely, calumniously, and giving my ears to hear such things as be slanderously spoken ; not repugn ing or admonishing other, as the slanderer to do as he would be done by, to tell his tale where he should tell it, neither admonishing the party slandered of that which is reported of him, thereby to take better heed ; but rather I augment it. By reason whereof I have deserved eternal damnation. But thou, good Lord, be merciful unto me, I beseech thee, for Christ's sake, whom thou hast ordained to be " the end of the law to all them that do believe," as well for pardon of that which is past, as for not imputing the imperfection that remaineth. In his name therefore, good Lord, I be seech thee to pardon me, and give me thy holy Spirit to open to me this law and all other thy precepts, so to understand them that I may heartily love them, and faithfully give my self to the obedience of them for ever. Grant me thy good Spirit to sanctify my tongue, that it may be kept from lying, slandering, and all such vices ; and that it may be continually used in thy service, and speaking that which may be to edify to thy glory and praise, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 172 MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOUR'S HOUSE, THOD SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOUR'S WIFE, NOR HIS SERVANT, NOR HIS MAID, NOR HIS OX, NOR HIS ASS, NOK ANY THING THAT IS HIS. Meditations Here, 0 most gracious Lord God, thou givest me the of Bradford, 1 *> -t 1 -. 1 . A)idefi604i, last commandment ot thy law who having taught me what editions. outward actions I shall avoid, that I do not thereby offend or undo my neighbour, as murder, adultery, theft, and false witness, now thou teachest me a rule for my heart, to order that well, from the abundance whereof all our works and words proceed^ that I shall not covet any thing that is my neighbour's. I know hereby that, if he have a fairer house than I, I may not wish for it ; if he have a more beautiful wife than I, I may not desire her ; if he have an honest and a faithful servant, and such a one as helpeth to get his living, I must not think to myself I would I had him away from his master; I may not desire to take from him his ox, nor his ass, no, not his dog, no, not the meanest thing he hath in his posses sion. So that, in the other commandments2 as thou hast forbidden all injuries and evil practice against my neighbour, so now thou chargest me to beware of thinking any evil thought against him. By reason whereof I have great cause to praise thee, in that I see thee to be so careful over mine estate, my house, my wife, my servants, and the beasts that drudge for my service, that all men are by thee commanded not once to wish them from me. The apostle said well, when he taught us, saying, " Cast all your care upon God, for he careth for you." It is true, 1 find it true: thus thou "carest for us," and wouldest have us to "care one for another." But, gracious Lord, I must needs confess that I have forgotten and broken this commandment, and do so still every day. I am wishing and woulding every minute of an hour : I have gone about to take my neighbour's house over his head : many times have I had unchaste thoughts in my heart touching his wife and children : I have gone about to inveigle and entice his servants from him : I could have been content to have wrought his beast arid spared my own: I [l See prefatory note, p. 112 above.] [2 So 1614: 'commandment' 1604, 1607.] MEDITATION ON THE COMMANDMENTS. 173 always thought he had too much, and I too httle : and the dregs of these things, 0 Lord, are not quite out of my heart. By reason whereof I have deserved to have thy law executed upon me with all severity. But thou, good Lord, be merciful unto me in this point also for Jesus Christ's sake ; for otherwise I am of all men most miserable. Good Lord, pardon me ; consider the frailty of my flesh, the corruption of my nature, the multitude of temptations, how of myself I am able to do nothing, how if I be left to myself I shall come to nothing. Set my heart straight in the oase of religion to acknow ledge thee one God, to worship none other God, to reverence thy name, and to keep thy sabbaths. Set my heart right in matters of human conversation, to honour my parents, to obey rulers, and reverence the ministry of the gospel ; to have hands clean from blood, true from theft, a body free from adultery, and a tongue void of all offence. But purge the heart first, 0 Lord, and then the hand, the eye, the tongue, the foot, and all the whole body will be the cleaner. Write all these thy laws in my heart, 0 Lord, and in the hearts of all the faithful people ; that we may believe them and keep them all the days of our lives, to thy glory and praise, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. A MEDITATION CONCERNING PRAYER 3. The mind of man hath so large room 4 to receive good Meditations things, that nothing indeed can fully fill it but only God ; Haii ism, whom then thy mind fully possesseth, when it fully knoweth editions. him, it fully loveth him, and in all things is framed after his will. They therefore, dear Lord God, that are thy children and have tasted somewhat of thy goodness, do perpetually sigh, that is, do pray, until they come thereto : and, in that they love thee also above all things, it wonderfully woundeth them that other men do not so, that is, love thee, and seek for thee [3 The heading in 1562 is, 'A meditation concerning prayer, with a brief paraphrase upon the petitions of the Lord's Prayer.'] [* So 1567- 'roomth' 1562, 1578, 1604, 1607, 1614.] 174 MEDITATION ON PRAYER. with them. "Whereof it cometh to pass, that they are in flamed with continual prayers and desires that thy kingdom might come every where, and thy goodness might be both known, and in life expressed, of every man. And because there are innumerable many things, which as well in themselves as in others be against thy glory, they are kindled with continual prayer and desire, sighing un speakably in thy sight for the increase of thy Spirit: and sometimes when they see thy glory more put back than it was wont to be, either in themselves or in any other, then are they much more disquieted and vexed. But because they know that thou dost rule all things after thy good will, and that none other can help them in their need, they oftentimes do go aside, all businesses laid apart, and give themselves to godly cogitations and talk with thee, complaining to thee as to their Father of those things that grieve them, begging thereto, and that most earnestly, thy help not only for them selves, but also for others, especially for those whom singularly they embrace in thee ; and often do repeat and remember thy gracious benefits both to others and to themselves also : where through they are provoked to render to thee hearty thanks; thereby being inflamed, as well assuredly to hope well of thy good will towards them, and patiently to bear all evils, as also to study and labour to mortify the affections of the flesh, and to order all their whole life to the service of their bre thren and to the setting forth of thy glory. This they know is that prayer thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord commanded to be made to thee " in the chamber, the door being shut." In this kind of prayer he himself did watch often even " all the whole night." Herein was Paul frequent, as all thy saints be. This kind of prayer is the true lifting up of the mind unto thee : this standeth in the affections in the heart, not in words and in the mouth. As thy children be endued with thy Spirit, so frequent they this talk with thee : the more thy Spirit is in them, the more are they in talk with thee. 0 give me plentifully thy Spirit, which thou hast promised to "pour out upon all flesh," that thus I may with thy saints talk with thee night and day, for thy only beloved Son's sake, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Moreover tliy saints, to provoke them to this kind of MEDITATION ON PRAYER. 175 prayer, do use, first, their necessity, which they consider in three sorts; inwardly concerning their souls; outwardly concerning their bodies; and finally concerning their names and fame, whereto they add the necessity of those that be committed to them, the necessity of thy church, and of the commonweal. Secondly, they use thy commandments, which require them, under pain of sin, to pray to thee in all their need. Thirdly, they use the consideration of thy goodness, which art naturally merciful to " young ravens calling upon thee;" much more then to them for whom ravens and all things else were made, for whom thou hast " not spared thy dear Son, but given him," &c. Fourthly, they use thy most sweet and free promises made to hear and help "all them that call upon thee" in Christ's name. Fifthly, they use examples how that thou, which art the God of all, and "rich unto all them that call upon thee" in Christ's name, hast heard and holpen others calling upon thee. Sixthly, they use the benefits given them before they asked, thereby not only provoking them to ask more, but also certifying their faith that, if thou wast so good to grant them many things unasked, now thou wilt not deny them any thing they ask to thy glory and their weal. Last of all, they use the reading and weighing of psalms and other good prayers, because they know thereby peculiarly (besides the other scripture) there is no small help ; as may appear by Paul, where he willeth the congregation to use "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs," but so that in the heart Ephes. v we should sing and say them : not that thy children do not use their tongues and words in praying to thee ; for they do use their tongues, speech, and words, to stir up their inward desire and fervency of the mind ; full well knowing that else it were a plain mocking of thee, to pray with lips and tongues only. 0 that I might feel now thy Spirit so to affect me, that both with heart and mouth I might heartily and in faith pray unto thee ! Now, concerning the things that are to be prayed for, thy children know that the prayer taught by thy Son most lively and plainly doth contain the same : and therefore they often use it, first asking of thee their heavenly Father through Christ, that thy name might every where be had in holiness and praise ; then that thy kingdom by regeneration and the 176 MEDITATION ON PRAYER. ministry of the gospel might come; and so thirdly, that willingly, perfectly, and perpetually, they might study to do, yea, do indeed thy will, with thy holy and heavenly angels and spirits. These things they seek and pray for, namely thy kingdom and thy righteousness, before any worldly benefit. After which petitions, because all things, yea, even the benefits of this present life, do come from thee, they do godly desire the same under the name of " daily bread," be ing instructed of thy wisdom, that after small benefits to ask corporal is not unseemly to thy children, which know both spiritual and corporal to come from thy mercy. In the other petitions they pray for things to be taken from them, begin ning with forgiveness of sins, which were impudently prayed for, if that their hearts were not so broken, that they could forgive all things to all men for their part : they add their profession, that is, charity, whereby they profess that they have forgiven all offences done to them. Howbeit, because it is not enough to have pardon of that which is past, except they be preserved from new offences, they pray thee not to lead them into temptations by permitting them to the perverse suggestion of Satan, but rather to deliver them from his importunity and power; by "evil" understanding Satan the author of all evil. 0, dear God, that thou wouldest endue me with thy Spirit of grace and prayer, with thy children accordingly to make this prayer always whensoever I do pray! As for outward evils, so long as they do not, as it were, enforce thy people to sin, in that christian perfection1 doth account them amongst thy benefits, thy Son hath not taught thy church to pray for the taking away of them in this prayer ; for here he hath contained but those things, for the which all christians, generally and particularly, may of faith pray at all times. It often cometh to pass that exterior evils, because they be not evils indeed, that is, they are not against God's grace in us, therefore they cannot of faith be prayed for to be taken away ; for thy children that have faith do al ways prefer thy judgment before their own : the which judgment when they know by that which happeneth to thenij they submit themselves thereto wholly ; although the Spirit make his "unspeakable groanings" to help their infirmities by C1 'perfection' 1562 corrected in the list of errata, 1567, 1578, and 1607: 'profession' 1614.] MEDITATION ON PRAYER. 177 prayer, not to have them taken away, but that they might have strength and patience to bear the burden accordingly. Which burden, if it be too heavy in the bitter sense and feeling thereof, they in their prayers do complain something, rather than pray to have it taken away ; as our Saviour did in the garden, when he added to his complaint, " Not my will, but thy will, be done." So do thy people in all their com plaints add, ' Not as we will, but as thou wilt :' for they are taught by thy Spirit no otherwise to pray for the taking away of corporal evils, either from themselves or from others, unless they by the same Spirit do certainly see the same to make to thy glory ; (as did thine apostles and servants, when absolutely and without condition they did ask health or miracle for any, when they healed or raised the dead by prayer;) for they know nothing can be better than when it is according to thy will. 0 that I might always know thy will in all things, and for ever apply myself thereto ! Hereof it cometh that thy saints and dear children, which love their neighbours as themselves, do yet notwithstanding in their prayers ask vengeance of some, as we may read in the psalms of David; because, in praying and talking with thee, they see by thy holy Spirit (for without it is no true prayer) sometimes thy judgments upon some which they per ceive to " sin to death," and therefore ought not to be prayed for, but rather to be prayed against, because thy glory can not be set forth as it should be without their destruction. Thy will is always best, and the thing whereto they frame all their desires. Therefore, when they perceive it decreed with thee, such and such by their destruction to set forth more mightily thy glory; how should they but desire and pray for the same, and write it as David hath done? that the godly in reading and weighing such prayers might receive comfort, and the ungodly be afraid. Else, when that they perceive not so manifestly the determined judgment of God, they in their prayers do most heartily pray for them, as Samuel did for Saul, Moses for the Israelites, Abraham for the Sodomites. 0 good Father, for thy mercy's sake, give me the true love of mankind ; but yet so that I may love man for thee and in thee, and always prefer thy glory above all things, through Christ our Lord. Lbradford.J 178 MEDITATION ON PRAYER. Now, though thy children do know that thy will cannot but be done, and nothing can be done but that thou of thine own will hast determined to do (although no man should desire the same), yet are they earnest and frequent in prayer ; first, to render obedience to thee, which requirest prayer as a spiritual service to thee ; secondly, because thou hast ordained prayer to be as an instrument and mean by the which thou workest things with thee already decreed and determined. Thy children do use prayer to offer thee their service, if it shall please thee to use the same. As they do eat and drink, which is a mean ordained of thee for the conservation of their life, not looking hereby to lengthen their days above their bounds which already thou hast appointed, but as be- cometh them to use thy means which thou hast ordained to serve thy providence ; so do they herein (as men not curious to know tby providence further than thou revealest it) use prayer as a mean by the which thou art accustomed to work many of thy children's desires, that according to thy good will thou mayest use the same. They do not think a muta bility in thee ; (for thou art God, and art not changed, " with thee there is no variableness ;") and therefore they pray, not as men which would have thy determinations and ordinances, which are in most wisdom and mercy, to be altered ; but rather that they might submit their wills to thine, and make them more able to bear thy will and pleasure. They know thou hast promised to help them calling upon thee : wherefore they doubt not but thou so wilt do, and therefore pray accordingly. They love thee heartily, and therefore they cannot but desire much to talk with thee, that is, to pray ; even as a well-mannered and loving wife will not take upon her to ask any thing of her husband at all but that she hopeth he would take in good part, and do of his own free will, although she had spoken nothing thereof. When she knoweth what her husband's will is in things, she gladly talketh with him thereof ; and, accordingly as she seeth he is purposed to do, she will often desire him to do it. Even so thy children, I say, which heartily love thee, in that they know thy wisdom and will is best, how can they but often talk with thee, and desire thee to do that which they know is best; which they know also thou wouldest do, if none should ask or pray for the same ? MEDITATION ON PRAYER. 179 Thy children use prayer as a mean by which they see plainly thy power, thy presence, thy providence, mercy, and goodness towards them, in granting their petitions ; and by prayer they are confirmed of them all. Tea, thy children use prayer to admonish them how that all things are in thy hands. In prayer they are, as it were, of thee put in mind of those things they have done against thee their good Lord : by reason whereof repentance ensueth, and they conceive a purpose to live more purely ever afterwards, and more heartily to apply themselves to all innocency and goodness. Who now considering so many great commodities to come by reason of prayer would marvel why thy children are much in prayer, and in labouring to provoke others thereunto ? For, as none that is a suitor to any other will use any thing which might offend or hinder his suit, so no man that useth prayer will flatter himself in any thing that should displease thee, to whom by prayer he moveth suit whensoever he prayeth : so that nothing is a more provocation to all kind of godliness than prayer is. And therefore not without cause we may see thine apostles and servants to labour so diligently, and desire that others might use prayers for themselves and others. As concerning outward things which thy children pray for, although they know thy will and decree is not variable, and thy purpose must needs come to pass, yet do they receive by their prayer no small commodity. For either they obtain their requests, or no : if they do obtain them, then prove they by experience that thou doest the will of them that fear thee, and so they are more kindled to love and serve thee. And indeed for this purpose thou art wont, when thou wilt do good to any, to stir up their minds to desire the same good of thee, to the end that both thou and thy gifts may be so much more magnified and set by of them, by how much they have been earnest suitors and petitioners for the same : for how can it but inflame them with love towards thee, to per ceive and feel thee so to care for them, hear them, and love them? If they do not obtain that they pray for, yet un doubtedly they receive great comfort to see that the evils which press them, and whereof they complain still, do not oppress and overcome them; and therefore they receive strength to bear the same the better. 12—2 180 PARAPHRASE OF THE LORD'S PRAYER. 0 good Father, help me that I might heartily love thee, complain to thee in all my needs, and always by prayer to pour out my heart before thee. Amen. thy name. A PARAPHRASE UPON THE LORD'S PRAYERi. 0 Almighty and eternal God, " of whom all fatherhood in heaven and in earth is named," whose " seat is the heaven, whose footstool is the earth;" which of thy great clemency and unspeakable love hast not weighed nor considered our great unkindness and wilful disobedience, but according to the good pleasure of thy eternal purpose hast in thy well-beloved Son Jesus Christ chosen us out of the world, and dost accept us, far otherwise than we be in deed, to be called, yea, and to be indeed, thine adopted sons ; and dost vouchsafe, 0 loving Father, that we, as it were heavenly children, should every one of us confess, declare, and call thee ' our heavenly Father ;' Haiiowed be grant, dear Father, that among us thy poor children, by pureness of mind and conscience, by singleness of heart, by uncorrupt and innocent life, and example of virtue and godli ness, thy most holy " name may be sanctified ;" and that so many of all other nations as thou hast thereunto chosen and predestinate, beholding our godliness and virtuous deeds that thou workest in us, may be the more stirred to hallow and glorify thy blessed name. Thy kingdom 0 faithful Father, we beseech thee that the kingdom of thy holy Spirit, of grace and prayer, of thy loving kindness and mercy, and of all other thy holy virtues, and of thy holy and most blessed word, may continually reign in our hearts ; so that thou wouldest vouchsafe thereby to make us worthy to be partakers of the realm and kingdom of thy glorious and blessed presence. jhy win be O dear God and heavenly Father, we humbly desire thy goodness to bow our hearts unto thee, to make us humble ot mind, to make us low in our own sight and obedient; that, like as thy dear Son, our only Saviour Jesus Christ, counted f1 The heading in 1562 is, 'Another paraphrase or meditation upon the Lord's Prayer.'] coine. done. PARAPHRASE OF THE LORD'S PRAYER. 181 his meat, works, praise, and life, to be only in obeying to thy most blessed will, wherein for our sakes " he became obe dient to the death of the cross ; " so we may, even unto the very death, in lowliness, in meekness, patience, and thankful ness, obey unto thy holy will ; and not to murmur and grudge, nor refuse whatsoever thy fatherly pity shall think good to lay on us, be it poverty, hunger, nakedness, sickness, slanders, oppressions, vexations, persecutions, yea, or death itself, for well-doing ; but in all things seek and labour to make these our earthly bodies serviceable to do thy will, and to refuse that thou wilt not ; never to strive nor wrestle against thy holy will ; but, with thy heavenly " citizens and household, builded upon the foundation of thy holy prophets and apostles, thy Son Jesus Christ being the head corner stone," all self-will and controversy in opinions secluded, the lusts, desires, and affections of the flesh mortified, the flat-- tering assaults of the vain world, the cruel and subtle layings await of the devil, overcome, agreeing together quietly, and united in spirit, we may freely obey unto thy most blessed will, therein to walk all the days of our life. 0 dear God, give unto our needful bodies necessary sus- Give us this tenance, and take from us all love of worldly things, all tread. carefulness and covetousness, that we may the more freely worship and serve thee. 0 merciful Father, we beseech thee to give unto us that heavenly "bread" to strengthen our hearts, (I mean the body of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, the very food and health of our souls;) that we may always with thankfulness firmly feed on him by faith, and utterly forsake and abhor all false doctrine and persuasions of men, and all lying spirits that shall persuade us any otherwise of him than thy holy word doth teach and assure us. Satisfy our hungry souls, dear Father, with the marrow and fatness of thy rich mercy, promised to us in the same thy Son, and of our eternal election, redemption, justification, and glorification in him. Make us, 0 gracious God, to contemn and despise this world with the vain things and pleasures thereof, and inwardly to hunger for thy blessed kingdom and presence: which do thou satisfy, good God, in thy good time, according to thy good will and pleasure. 0 most loving God, give us the " bread" of thy divine precepts, and make our hearts perfect, that we may truly and freely walk and live in them all the days of 182 PARAPHRASE OF THE LORD'S PRAYER. our life. O dear and merciful Father, we beseech thee, give us the "bread" of thy lively and heavenly word, and the true understanding thereof ; which is the " light of our paths," the food, strong tower, and sure defence of our souls; that we, being well fenced with this munition, fed and filled with this food, may be worthy guests at thy celestial feast and wedding, where we shall never hunger nor want. And forgive 0 most righteous and merciful God, Father and Governor lis our tres- ° of our life, we confess that we have grievously sinned against thee from our youth up until now, in ingratitude, in unthank fulness, wilfulness, disobedience, presumption, and innumerable our negligences and sins, which we from time to time most heinously have committed ; whereby we have deserved not only sore and grievous plagues, but even eternal damnation, were it not that thou art the Lord of mercy, and hast power to shew mercy on whom thou wilt ; wherein thou art rich and plentiful to all them that call upon thee faithfully. Wherefore, dear Father, we, seeing our manifold and grievous sins which we have committed against thee, and also thy great mercy, loving-kindness, patience, and long-suffering towards us, are compelled not only to bear patiently and suffer our enemies when they rail on us, slander us, oppress us, vex us, or trouble us, curse, persecute, and kill us; but also to speak well of them, to instruct them, to pray for them, to do them good, to bless them, to clothe them, feed them, so " heaping coals" of thy charity and love upon them ; and mercifully to " forgive them," even as thou, dear Father, for thy beloved Christ's sake " hast forgiven us." Thus hast thou taught us, good Father, not as the hypo crites to look narrowly on our neighbours' faults, but diligently to examine our own consciences, wherein we have offended thee, and also what occasion of offence or falling we have given to our brethren in eating, drinking, going, apparel, speaking, dissolute or uncomely laughter, in bargaining, or by any means; and with all speed seek to reconcile ourselves to them, and to forgive unto other from the bottom of our hearts whatsoever they have offended us, and to do none otherwise than we wish and desire in our hearts that other should do to us ; that so 11 we may find thee, 0 Lord, in " forgiving us our trespasses, mild and merciful : which speedily do thou shew thyself unto us, for thy dear Christ's sake. PARAPHRASE OF THE LORD'S PRAYER. 183 0 Lord, thou God of the righteous, we feel the frailty of And lead us o ' * not into our nature to be so perverse and apt to sin, that, when thou temptation. by the gifts of thy holy Spirit dost move us, and as it were call us, yea, rather draw us unto thee, then are we drawn away and tempted of our own concupiscence and lust, beside the great and dangerous assaults of the world and devil : therefore, faithful Father, we thy poor children beseech thee to take from us all those evils and occasions that may draw us from thee. 0 dear God, protect, defend, and strengthen us against all the suggestions and assaults of our enemies, ' the world, the flesh, and the devil,' that neither in prosperity we wax haut1 or high-minded, to say unthankfully, 'What fel low is the Lord?' nor yet in the abundance of temptations, anguish, vexation, tribulation, or persecution, to be oppressed with fear, nor deceived by flattery, nor yet to fall in despair, and so utterly perish. But in all dangers and perils of temptations, and in the midst of the stormy tempests of tribulation, dear Father, make us, thy poor children, to feel the consolation of the certainty of our eternal election in Christ Jesus our Lord, and to perceive thy fatherly succour ready to help us; lest that we, being overcome with the wicked sleights and de ceitful invasions of the enemies, should (as without thy grace and merciful protection we shall) be drawn into an obstinate mind; and so shut up the conduit that should lead thy gracious gifts and benefits unto us to our commodity and comfort, that thou mightest "lead us forth with the evildoers," and harden our hearts.Therefore, 0 good God, give us these thy good gifts, namely strength, patience, and joyfulness of heart, to "rejoice in temptation," and assure us that it is "the trial of our faith;" that faith in us may "have her perfect work;" that, when we be well approved, and purged with the fire of temptations, we may finish our life in victory, and evermore live with thee in thy heavenly kingdom, where no temptation shall do us hurt. Finally, most merciful Father, we humbly beseech thee But deliver to "deliver us" from this present evil world, from all human us romev'- and worldly fear, from all infirmities of the flesh and mind, from false prophets and teachers, from false brethren, from traitors and tyrants, &c. : and, if it be thy good pleasure, and [x 'Haut' or 'haught:' haughty.] 184 PARAPHRASE OF THE LORD'S PRAYER. may make most to the glory of thy name, "deliver us" from the hands of our enemies, and from all other evils present and to come, both of body and soul, that we, being by thy great mercy defended ' from all hurtful things,' may always use ' those things that be profitable for us,' ' devoutly given to serve thee in good works ;' that, the yoke of our enemies and the bands of sin being shaken off, we may possess the inheritance of thy heavenly kingdom, which thy dear Son Jesus Christ hath with his precious blood purchased for thine elect " from the beginning of the world." " For thine is the kingdom :" thou only hast the majesty, thou only art the God above all gods, King of all kings, and Lord of all lords ; thou only hast the power and authority to "set up kings, and to put them down;" thou "liftest the poor out of the dust, and makest him to sit among the princes of thy people;" thou only "makest wars to cease," and "givest victory" to whom thou wilt. 0 dear God, there is neither majesty, rule, nor power, honour nor worship, dignity nor office, riches nor poverty, health nor sickness, plenty nor scarcity, prosperity nor adversity, war nor peace, life nor death, nor any other thing, but it is all thine : and thou both hast the power, and also wilt give it to whom it pleaseth thee in thy time and season, that all glory may be given to thee alone, for thou art worthy. 0 dear Father, to thee we come therefore for help and succour, for without thee there is no help at all. 0 good Father, "deliver us" from all that is evil in thy sight, for thy own name's sake, and for thy dear Christ's sake; that we being armed with thy holy armour, and weaponed with thy blessed word, and instructed by thy holy Spirit, may, according to thy holy promise, " serve thee without fear all the days of our life," in such holiness and righteousness as is acceptable in thy sight. To thee therefore, our dear Father, our Creator, feeder, protector, governor, and defender ; and thy beloved Son Jesus Christ, our only peace, mercy-seat, Redeemer, justifier, and advocate ; and thy holy Spirit, our sanctification, our wisdom, teacher, instructor, and Comforter, be all dominion, power, and glory, for ever and ever. Amen. A MEDITATION ON THE COMING OF CHRIST TO JUDGMENT, AND OF THE REWARD BOTH OF THE FAITHFUL AND UN FAITHFUL. 0 Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the everliving God, by whom all things were made, are ruled and governed ; as of thy love for our redemption thou didst not disdain to be our Mediator, and to take upon thee our nature in the womb of a virgin, purely and without sin, by the operation of the Holy Spirit, that both thou mightest in thine own person wonderfully beautify and exalt our nature, and work the same in us also, first abolishing the guiltiness of sin by remis sion, then sin itself by death, and last of all death by raising up again these our bodies, that they may be " like unto thine own glorious (and immortal) body, according to the power wherewith thou art able to subject all things unto thee ;" as, I say, of thy love for our redemption thou be camest man, and that most poor and afflicted upon earth, by the space of thirty-three years at the least, in most humility ; and paidest the price of our ransom by thy most bitter death and passion, (for the which I most heartily give thanks to thee ;) so, of the same thy love towards us, in thy good time thou wilt " come again in the clouds of heaven with power and Matt. great glory," " with flaming fire," " with thousands of saints," " with angels of thy power," " with a mighty cry, shout of an archangel," and "blast of a trump," suddenly "as the lightning which shineth from the east," &c. when men think least, " even as a thief in the night" when men be asleep. Thou wilt so come, I say, thus suddenly "in the twinkling of an eye," all men that ever have been, be, and shall be, with women and children, appearing before thy tribunal judg ment-seat, to render an account of all things which they have thought, spoken, and done against thy law, openly and before all angels, saints, and devils ; and so to receive the just reward of thy vengeance, if that they have not repented and " obeyed the gospel ;" and so to " depart from thee to the devil and his angels," and all the wicked which ever have been, be, or shall be, into hell-fire, which is unquenchable and of pains intolerable, easeless, endless, hopeless, even from the face of thy glorious and mighty power. 186 A MEDITATION But, if they have "repented and believed thy gospel," if they be found watching with their lamps and oil in their hands, if they be found ready apparelled with the " wedding- garment" of innocency ; if they have not hardened their hearts, and " hoarded up their treasure of thy vengeance in the day of wrath to be revealed," but have used the time of grace, "the acceptable time, the time of salvation," (that is, the time of this life, in the which thou "stretchest out thy hand" and spreadest thine arms, calling and crying unto us to " come unto thee which art meek in heart and lowly, for thou wilt ease all that labour and are heavy laden;") if they have visited the sick and prisoners, comforted the comfortless, fed the hungry, clothed the naked, lodged the harbourless ; if they have not " loaden their hearts with glut tony and surfeiting, and carefulness of this life ;" if they have not "digged and hid their talent in the ground," doing no good therewith, but have been faithful to occupy thy gifts to thy glory, and here washen their garments in thy blood by hearty repenting them ; then shall thy angels gather them together, not as the wicked which shall be collected as fagots and "cast into the fire," but as the good "wheat that is gathered into thy barn." Then shall they " be caught up to meet thee in the clouds," then shall their "corruptible body put on incor- ruption," then shall they be endued with immortality and glory, then shall they be with thee and "go whither thou goest," then shall they hear, " Come, blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning," &c. Then shall they be set on seats of majesty, "judging the whole world;" then " shall they reign with thee for ever;" then "shall God be all in all" with them and to them. Then shall they enter and inherit "heavenly Jerusalem" and the glorious restful land of Canaan, where is always day and never night, where is no manner of weeping, tears, infirmity, hunger, cold, sickness, envy, malice, nor sin ; but always joy without sorrow, mirth without measure, pleasure without pain, heavenly harmony, most pleasant melody, saying and singing, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts," &c. Summa, "the eye hath not seen, the ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man," that they shall then inherit and most surely enjoy ; although here they be tormented, prisoned, burned, solicited of Satan, tempted ON THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. 187 of the flesh, and entangled with the world; wherethrough they are enforced to cry, " Thy kingdom come : " " come, Lord Bev. xxii. Jesu," &c. " How amiable are thy tabernacles!" "Like as Psai. xiu. the hart desireth the water-brooks," &c. " Now let thy ser vant depart in peace :" " I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ." " We mourn in ourselves, waiting for the Eom- ™>- deliverance of our bodies," &c. 0 gracious Lord, when shall I find such mercy with thee, that I may repent, believe, hope, and look for this gear, with the full fruition of these heavenly joys which thou hast prepared for all them that fear thee ; and so rest with thee for evermore ? A MEDITATION CONCERNING THE SOBER USAGE OF THE BODY1. This our body, which God hath made to be the tabernacle ms. i. 2. s. and mansion of our soul for this life, if we considered accord- co'11. cam- bridge. ingly, we could not but use it otherwise than we do ; that is, „ „ ° " .. . t ' Meditations we would use it for the soul's sake, being the guest thereof, Jf u™^"1, and not for the body itself : and so should it be served in Suta,!' things to help, but not to hinder the soul. A servant it is, and therefore it ought to obey to serve the soul, that the soul might serve God ; not as the body will, neither as the soul itself will, but as God will ; whose will we should learn to know, and behave ourselves thereafter. The which thing to observe is hard for us now by reason of sin, which hath gotten a mansion-house in our bodies, and dwelleth in us, as doth the soul : to the which (sin I mean) we are altogether of ourselves inclined, because we naturally are sinners and born in sin ; by reason whereof we are ready as servants to sin, and to use our bodies accordingly, making the soul to sit at reward2, and pampering up the servant to our shame. 0 therefore, good Lord, that it would please thee to open this gear unto me, and to give me eyes to consider effectually this my body what it is, namely a servant lent for the soul to sojourn in, and serve thee in this life : yea, it is, by reason [l The heading in 1562 is, 'A meditation concerning the sober usage hoth of the hody and pleasures in this life.'] [2 i. e. rereward, the rear.] 188 A MEDITATION of sin that hath his dwelling there, become now to the soul nothing else but a prison, and that most strait, vile, stinking, filthy, and therefore in danger of miseries, to many in all ages, times, and places, till death hath turned it to dust; whereof it came, and whither it shall return, that the soul may return to thee from whence it came until the day of judgment come ; in the which thou wilt raise up that body, that then it may be partaker with the soul, and the soul with it inseparably, of weal or woe, according to that is done in and by the same body here now in earth. 0 that I could consider often and heartily these things! Then should I not pamper up this body to obey it, but bridle it that it might obey the soul : then should I fly the pain it putteth my soul unto by reason of sin and provocation to all evil, and continually desire the dissolution of it with Paul, and the1 deliverance from it, as much as ever did prisoner his deliverance out of prison ; for alonely by it the devil hath a door to tempt, and so to hurt me : in it I am kept from thy presence, and thou from being so conversant with me as else thou wouldest be : by it I am restrained from the sense and feeling of all the joys and comforts (in manner) which -are to be taken as joys and comforts indeed. If it were dissolved, and I out of it, then could Satan no more hurt me ; then wouldest thou speak with me face to face ; then the conflict ing time were at an end ; then sorrow would cease, and joy would increase, and I should enter into inestimable rest. 0 that I considered this accordingly ! Meditations of Bradford, Hall 1562, and after editions. A MEDITATION CONCERNING THE PLEASURES OF THIS LIFE'. The beginning of all evil in our kind of living springeth out of the depravation and corruptness of our judgment, because our will always followeth that which reason judgeth to be followed. Now that which every man taketh to be friendly and agreeing to his nature, the same doth he judge neces sarily to be good for him, and to be desired. This is meat, t1 'the' 1562: not in MS.] [2 The heading in 1562 is, 'Another meditation to the same effect.'] ON THE PLEASURES OF LIFE. 189 drink, apparel, riches, favour, dignity, rule, knowledge, and such-like ; because they are thought good and agreeing either to the body or to the mind, or to both; for they help either to the conservation or to the pleasure of man, accounted of every one amongst good things. Howbeit, such is the weakness of our wit on the one part, and the blindness and too much rage of our lusts on the other part, that we being left to ourselves cannot but in the desire of things which we judge good and agreeing to our nature, by the judgment of our senses and reason, we cannot, I say, but overpass the bounds whereby they might be profitable unto us ; and so we make them hurtful to us, which of themselves are ordained for our health. What is more necessary than meat and drink, or more agreeing to nature ? but yet how few be there which do not hurt them selves by them ! In like manner it goeth with riches, estima tion, friends, learning, &c. Tea, although we be in these most temperate, yet when there wanteth the Spirit, our re generator, we are so drowned in them, that we utterly neglect to lift up our minds to the good pleasure of God, to the end we might imitate and follow God our Maker, by yielding ourselves over duly to use his gifts to the common and pri vate utility of our neighbours. But now God only is life and eternity, and cannot but demand of us his handy-work, that we should render our selves and all we have to the end wherefore we were made ; that is, to resemble for our portion his goodness, as those which be nothing else but witnesses and instruments of his mercy. So that, when we wholly do naturally strive against that kind of life whereto he hath created us, by seeking always ourselves, what other thing ought to ensue but that he should again destroy us, and take away his notable gifts, wherewith he endued us that by all kind of well-doing we should resemble his image? Yea, what other thing may ensue, but that he should leave us, and that eternally ? that we might feel and by experience prove how bitter a thing it is to leave the Lord, in whom is all goodness. 0 that therefore I might find such favour in thy sight, dear Father, that thou wouldest work in me by thy holy Spirit a true knowledge of all good things, and hearty love to the same, through Christ Jesus our Lord and only Saviour. Amen. A MEDITATION FOR THE EXERCISE OF TRUE MORTIFICATION1. ms. 1. 2. 8. He that will be ready in weighty matters to deny his own Emman con. wul an allure, and provoke us, but also dost editions. command us so to do, promising thyself unto such as love thee, and threatening U3 with damnation if we do otherwise: whereby we may see both our great corruption and naughti ness, and also thine exceeding great mercy towards us. First, concerning our corruption and naughtiness, what a thing is it that power, riches, authority, beauty, goodness, liberality, truth, justice, which all thou art, good Lord, can not move us to love thee ! Whatsoever things we see fair, good, wise, mighty, are but even sparkles of that power, beauty, goodness, wisdom, which thou art. For to the end thou mightest declare thy riches, beauty, power, wisdom, goodness, &c, thou hast not only made, but still dost conserve all creatures to be, as David saith of the heavens, declarers and setters-forth of thy glory, and as a book to teach us to know thee. How fair thou art, the beauty of the sun, moon, stars, light, flowers, rivers, fields, hills, birds, beasts, men, and all creatures, yea, the goodly shape and form of the whole world, doth declare. How mighty thou art, we are taught by the creation of this world even of nought, by governing the same, by punish ing the wicked mighty giants thereof, by overthrowing their devices, by repressing the rages of the sea within her bounds, by storms, by tempests, by fires : these and such-like declare unto us thine invisible, almighty, and terrible power, whereby thou subduest all things unto thee. How rich thou art, this world, thy great and infinite treasure-house, doth well declare. What plenty is there not only of things, but also of every kind of things ; yea, how dost thou yearly and daily multiply these kinds ! How many seeds dost thou make of one seed ; yea, what great increase dost thou bring it unto ! These cannot but put us in remem brance of the exceeding riches that thou hast ; for if to thine enemies which love thee not (as the most part in this world be), if to them thou givest so plentifully thy riches here, on god's power, &e. 195 what shall we think that with thyself thou hast laid up for thy friends ! How good thou art, all creatures generally and particu larly do teach. What creature is there in the world which thou hast not made for our commodity ? I will not say how that thou mightest have made us creatures without sense or reason, if thou hadst would. But, amongst all things, none doth teach us so thy great love towards us as doth the death of thy most dearly beloved Son, who suffered the pains and terrors thereof, yea, and of hell itself, for our sakes. If this thy love had been but a small love, it would never have lasted so long, nor Christ should never have died. A MEDITATION OF DEATH, AND THE COMMODITIES IT BRINGETH. What other thing do we daily in this present life, than heap ms. 1.2.8. sin to sin, and hoard up trespass upon trespass ? so that man. coil" .1 . j . , A x * x . . Cambiidgei. tms day is worse always than yesterday, by increasing, as days, so sins, and therefore thy indignation, good Lord, ^faU"^r d> against us. But when we shall be let go out of the prison of ^^' the body, and so taken into thy blessed company, then shall we be in most safety of immortality and salvation : then shall come unto us no sickness, no need, no pain, no kind of evil to soul or body ; but whatsoever good we can wish, that shall we have, and whatsoever we loath shall be far from us. 0, dear Father, that we had faith to behold these things accordingly ! 0 that our hearts were persuaded thereof, and our affections inflamed with the desire of them ! then should we live in longing for that which now we most loath. 0 help us, and grant that we, being ignorant of things to come, and of the time of our death which to thee is certain, may so live and finish our journey here, that we may be ready, and then depart, when our departing may make most to thy glory and our comfort through Christ. What is this life but a smoke, a vapour, a shadow, a war fare, a bubble of water, a word, grass, a flower ? Thou shalt die, is most certain ; but of the time, no man can tell when. P The name of ' Thomas Horton' (see p. 31, 1. 11, above) is written upon this MS.] 13—2 196 A MEDITATION The longer in this life thou dost remain, the more thou sin- nest, which will turn to thy more pain. By cogitation of death our minds be often in manner op pressed with darkness, because we do but remember the night of the body, forgetting the light of the mind, and of the resur rection. Thereto remember the good things that after this life shall ensue, without wavering, in certainty of faith ; and so shall the passage of death be more desired. It is like a sailing over the sea to thy home and country : it is like a medicine or purgation to the health of soul and body : it is the best physician : it is like to a woman's travail ; for, as the child being delivered cometh into a more large place than the womb wherein it did lie tofore, so thy soul being delivered out of the body cometh into a much more and fair place, even into heaven. John Bradford, out of L. Vives1. A GODLY MEDITATION UPON THE PASSION OF OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. ms. 1. 2. r. 0 Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the everliving and al- ms. ».' 2. is. mighty God, by whom all things were made and be ruled and can^rki0^11' g°"verned ; thou " the lively image of the substance" of the Meditations Father, the eternal wisdom of God, " the brightness of his ml'mt" glory," 'God of God, Light of Light,' co-equal, co-eternal, and editions8.1 consubstantial with the Father ; thou of the love thou hadst to mankind, that, when he was fallen from the fellowship of God into the society of Satan and all evil, didst vouchsafe for our redemption to become a mediator between God and man, taking to the Godhead our nature as concerning the substance of it, and so becamest man also, "the heir of all, and most merciful Messias ; which by the power of thy God head and merits of thy manhood hast made purgation of our sins, even by thine own self, whilst thou wast here on earth ; being now set on the right hand of thy Father even concerning our nature, for our behalf2, in majesty, glory, and P This line is in the MS., but not in 1562. The foregoing Medi tation is mostly translated by Bradford from the Emitationes animi m Deum, by Ludovicus Vives, p. 149 — 50, ed. Lugdun. 1558 : vide pre fatory note, p. 223 in this volume.] [2 'for us,' MS. 1. 2. 8 : 'for our behalf,' MS. 2. 2. 15.] ON THE PASSION OF CHRIST. 19*7 power infinite ; I beseech and humbly pray thy mercy to grant me at this present to rehearse some of thy passions and sufferings for mankind, and so for me3, the last night thou wast here tofore thy death ; that thy good Spirit might thereby be effectual to work in me as well faith for the for giveness of my sins4 by them, as mortification of mine af fections, comfort in my crosses, and patience in afflictions. Amen. In the midst of thy last supper with thy dear apostles, these things could not but be before thee, namely, that they all would leave thee, the most earnest would forswear thee, and one of the twelve should most traitorously betray thee ; which were no small crosses unto thee : Judas was admonished of thee to beware ; but when he took no heed, but wilfully went out to finish his work, contemning thy admonition and counsel, he5 could not but vex thy most loving heart. After supper there was contention amongst thy disciples who should be greatest after thee, yet dreaming carnally of thee and thy kingdom, and having this affection of pride and ambition busy among them, notwithstanding thy diligence in reproving and teaching them. After thy admonition to them of the cross that would come, thereby to make them more vigilant, so gross were they that they thought they could with their two swords put away all perils ; which was no little grief unto thee. After thy coming to Gethsemane, heaviness oppressed thee, and therefore thou willedst thy disciples to pray : thou didst tell to Peter and his fellows that thy heart was heavy to death : thou didst will them to "pray," being careful for them also lest they should " fall into temptation." After this thou wentest a stone's cast from them, and didst pray thyself, falling flat and grovelling upon the earth : but, alas ! thou feltest no comfort, and therefore thou earnest to thy disciples, which of all others were most sweet and dear unto thee : but, lo, to thy further discomfort, they pass neither of thy perils nor of their own, and therefore sleep apace. After thou hadst awaked them, P 'for me,' MS. 1. 2. 8 : 'for mankind and so for me,' MS. 2. 2. 15.] [4 ' faith, as well of the pardon of my sins,' MS. 1. 2. 8 : ' as well faith, for the forgiveness of my sins,' MS. 2. 2. 15.] P 'he,' 1562: not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] 198 A MEDITATION thou goest again to pray : but thou foundest1 no comfort at all, and therefore didst return again for some comfort at thy dearest friends' hands. But yet again, alas ! they are fast asleep ; whereupon thou art enforced to go again to thy hea venly Father for some sparkle of comfort in these thy won derful crosses and agonies, or deadly pangs2. Now here thou wast so discouraged and so comfortless, that even streams of blood came running from thine eyes and ears and other parts of thy body. But who is able to express the infiniteness of thy crosses even at thy being in the garden? all which thou sufferedst for my sake, as well to satisfy thy Father's wrath for my sins, as also to sanctify all my sufferings the more gladly to be sustained of me. After thy bloody prayer thou earnest, and yet again foundest thy disciples asleep : and, before thou canst well awake them, lo, Judas cometh with a great band of men to apprehend thee as a thief, and so doth, leading thee away bound to the high bishop's house Annas, and so from him to Caiaphas. Here now to augment this thy misery, behold, thy disciples flee from thee, false witnesses be brought against thee, thou art accused and condemned of blasphemy. Peter, even in thy sight, forswear eth thee : thou art unjustly stricken for answering lawfully; thou art blindfolded, stricken, and buffeted all the whole night in the bishop Caiaphas' house of their cruel servants. In the morning betimes thou art condemned again of the priests of blasphemy, and therefore they bring thee before the secular power to Pilate, by whom thou art openly ar raigned in the moot-hall3, as other thieves and malefactors were : when he saw that thou wast accused of malice, yet he did not dismiss thee, but did send thee to Herod, where thou wast derided shamefully, in coming and going to and from him, all the way wonderfully, especially after Herod had ap parelled thee as a fool. [i 'found,' MS. 1. 2. 8: 'foundest' 1562.] [2 ' or deadly pangs,' MS. 2.2.15: not in MS. 1. 2. 8, nor in 1562.] [3 'Moot-hall': council-chamber, hall of judgment. 'Moot' or 'mote': a meeting or assembly, from the Anglo-Saxon mot. and gemot. Vide Skinner, Etymol. ling. Angl. Lond. 1671, v. 'mote;' and Todd's Johnson, Diet. v. ' mote ' and ' moot-hall.' ' In the mote hall,' MS. 2. 2. 15 : these words are scored across in MS. 1. 2. 8.] ON THE PASSION OF CHRIST. 199 Afore Pilate again therefore thou wast brought, and ac cused falsely. No man did take thy part, or speak a good word for thee. Pilate caused thee to be whipped and scourged, and to be handled most pitifully, to see if any pity might appear with the prelates : but no man at all pitied thee. Barabbas was preferred before thee : all the people, head and tail, was against thee, and cried, ' Hang thee up.' Unjustly to death wast thou judged : thou wast crowned with thorns that pierced thy brains : thou wast made a mocking-stock : thou wast reviled, rebated4, beaten, and most miserably handled. Thou wentest through Jerusalem to the place of execu tion, even the mount of Calvary : a great cross to hang thee on was laid upon thy back to bear and draw, as long as thou wast able. Thy body was racked to be nailed to the tree, thy hands were bored through, and thy feet also ; nails were put through them to fasten thee thereon : thou wast hanged be tween heaven and earth, as one spewed out of heaven, and vomited out of the earth, unworthy of any place : the high priest laughed thee to scorn, the elders blasphemed thee and said, " God hath no care for thee : " the common people laught and cry out upon thee : thirst oppressed thee, but vinegar only and gall was given to thee to drink : heaven shined not on thee, the sun gave thee no light, the earth was afraid to bear thee, Satan did sore tempt and assault5 thee, and thine own senses caused thee to cry out, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" 0 wonderful passions which thou sufferedst ! In them thou teachest me, in them thou comfortest me ; for by them God is my Father, my sins are forgiven : by them I should learn to fear God, to love God, to hope in God, to hate sin, to be patient, to call upon God, and never to leave him for any temptations' sake, but with thee still to cry, yea, even when very death shall approach6, " Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." [4 Rebated : beaten back, beaten down. Vide Richardson, Diet.] [5 ' tempted,' MS. 1. 2. 8 : 'did sore tempt and assault,' MS. 2. 2. 15.] [6 'yea, even when very death shall approach,' is only in MS. 2. 2. 15.] A GENERAL SUPPLICATION, BEING A CONFESSION OF SINS AND PRAYER FOR THE MITIGATION OF GOD'S WRATH AND PUNISHMENT FOR THE SAME1. Meditations 0 Almighty God, King of all kings, and Governor of all Han 1562, ' things, whose power no creature is able to resist, to whom it and after , , , . , ... editions. belongeth justly to punish sinners, and to be merciful unto them that truly repent; we confess that thou dost most justly punish us, for we have grievously sinned against thee: and we acknowledge that in punishing us thou dost declare thyself to be our most merciful Father, as well because thou dost not punish us in any thing as we have deserved, as also because by punishing us thou dost call us, and, as it were, draw us to increase in repentance, in faith, in prayer, in con temning of the world, and in hearty desiring for everlasting life and thy blessed presence. Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, thankfully to acknowledge thy great mercy, which hast thus favourably dealt with us, in punishing us not to our confusion but to our amendment. And seeing thou hast sworn that " thou wilt not the death of a sinner, but that he turn and live," have mercy upon us, and turn us unto thee for thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ's sake, whom thou wouldest should be made a slain sacrifice for our sins, thereby declaring thy great and unspeakable anger against sin, and thine infinite mercy towards us sinful wretches. And, forasmuch as the dulness of our hearts, blindness, and corruption, is such that we are not able to arise up unto thee by faithful and hearty prayer, according to our great necessity, without thy singular grace and assistance; grant unto us, gracious Lord, thy holy and sanctifying Spirit to work in us this good work, with a pure and clean mind, with an humble and lowly heart, with grace to weigh and consider the need and greatness of that we do desire, and with an assured faith and trust that thou wilt grant us our requests, because thou art good and gracious even to young ravens calling upon thee, much more then to us for whom thou hast made all things, yea, and hast not spared thine own dear [i This prayer in MS. 1. 2. 8. no. 84. in Emmanuel College, Cam bridge, somewhat abridged, has the title, "A confession which he used daily in his prayers." It is inscribed, in the ' Christian Prayers,' &c. of Bull (see p. 190, note 1, above), ' A prayer to be said of such as suffer any kind of trouble or cross, either private or common.'] A GENERAL SUPPLICATION. 201 Son; because thou hast commanded us to call upon thee; because thy throne whereunto we come is a throne of grace and mercy ; because thou hast given us a mediator Christ, to bring us unto thee, being " the way" by whom we come, being "the door" by whom we enter, and being our "head" on whom we hang, and hope that our poor petitions shall not be in vain, through and for his name's sake. We beseech thee therefore of thy rich mercy, wherein thou art " plentiful to all them that call upon thee," to forgive us our sins, namely our unthankfulness, unbelief, self-love, neglect of thy word, security, hypocrisy, contempt of thy long-suffering, omission of prayer, doubting of thy power, presence, mercy, and good-will towards us, insensibleness of thy grace, impatiency, &c. And to this thy benefit of cor recting us, add these thy gracious gifts, repentance, faith, the spirit of prayer, the contempt of this world, and hearty desiring for everlasting life. Endue us with thy holy Spirit, according to thy covenant and mercy, as well to assure us of pardon, and that thou dost accept us into thy favour as thy dear children in Christ and for his sake, as to write thy law in our hearts, and so to work in us that we may now begin and go forwards in believing, living, fearing, obeying, pray ing, hoping, and serving thee ; as thou dost require most fatherly and most justly of us, accepting us as perfect through Christ and by imputation. And moreover, when it shall be thy good pleasure and most to thy glory, deliver us, we beseech thee, out of the hands of thine adversaries by such means, be it death or life, as may make to our comfort most in Christ. In the mean season and for ever save us and govern us with thy holy Spirit and his eternal consolation. And concerning thine adversaries, which for thy sake are become our adversaries, so many of them as are to be con verted, we beseech thee to shew thy mercy upon them and to convert them : but those that are not to be converted, which thou only dost know, most mighty God and terrible Lord, confound, and get thy name a glory over them ; abate their pride, assuage their malice, bring to nought their devilish devices: and grant that we and all thine afflicted children may be armed with thy defence, weaponed with thy wisdom, and guided with thy grace and holy Spirit, to be preserved for 202 A CONFESSION OF SINS. ever from all giving of offences to thy people, and from all perils, to glorify thee, which art the only Giver of all victory, through the merits of thy only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A CONFESSION OF SINS. S^'sklnt As David seeing thine angel with his sword ready drawn, Cambridge, most righteous Lord, to plague Jerusalem, cried out unto Meditations thee, " It is I, Lord, that have sinned, and I that have done HainM, ' wickedly : thine hand, Lord, be on me, and not on thy poor editions. sheep;" wherethrough thou wast moved to mercy, and badest Memeincii. thine angel put up his sword, thou hadst taken punishment enough ; even so we, gracious Lord, seeing thy fearful sword of vengeance ready drawn, and presently striking against this commonweal and thy church in the same, we, I say, are occasioned every man now to cast off our eyes from behold ing and narrowly spying out other men's faults, and to set our own only in sight, that, with the same David thy servant, and with Jonas in the ship, we may cry, ' It is we, 0 Lord, which have sinned, and procured this thy grievous wrath.' And this we now gathered together1 in Christ's name do acknowledge, confessing ourselves guilty of horrible ingra titude for our good king, for thy gospel and pure religion, and for the peace of thy church, and quietness of the com monweal, besides our negligences and many other our grievous sins : wherethrough we have deserved not only these but much more grievous plagues, if that even presently thou didst not, as thou art wont, " remember thy mercy." Hereupon (that thou " in thine anger rememberest thy mercy" before we seek and sue for it) we take boldness, as thou commandest us to do in our trouble, to come and call upon thee to be merciful unto us : and of thy goodness now we humbly in Christ's name pray thee to hold thy hand and cease thy wrath, or at the least so to mitigate it that this realm may be quietly governed, and the same eftsoons to be a harborough for thy church and true religion : which do thou restore to us again, according to thy great power and mercy, and we shall praise thy name for ever, through Jesus Christ our only Mediator and Saviour. Amen. [} See p. 83, note 4, above.] A PRAYER FOR THE MERCY OF GOD 2. 0 Lord God and dear Father, what shall I sav ? that feel all Meditations 1 • • 1 ..... t,,. . . of Bradford, things to be in manner with me as in the wicked. Blind is Haii 11m, ..... . . and after my mind, crooked is my will, and perverse concupiscence is editions. in me as a spring or stinking puddle. 0 how faint is faith in me ! how little is love to thee or thy people, how great is self-love, how hard is my heart ! &c. by the reason whereof I am moved to doubt of thy goodness towards me, whether thou art my Father or no, and whether I be thy child or no. Indeed worthily might I doubt, if that the having of these were the causes, and not the fruits rather, of thy children. The cause why thou art my Father is thy mercy, goodness, grace, and truth in Christ Jesus, the which cannot but remain for ever : in respect whereof thou hast borne me this good will, to accept me into the number of thy children, that I might be holy, faithful, obedient, innocent, &c. And there fore thou wouldest not only make me a creature after thy image, enduing me with right limbs, shape, form, memory, wisdom, &c, (where thou mightest have made me a beast, a maimed creature, lame, blind, frantic, &c. ;) but also thou wouldest that I should be born of christian parents, brought into thy church by baptism, and called divers times by the ministry of thy word into thy kingdom, besides the innu merable other benefits always hitherto poured upon me : all which thou hast done of this thy good-will that thou of thine own mercy barest to me in Christ and for Christ before the world was made : the which thing as thou requirest straitly that I should believe without doubting, so in all my needs that I should come unto thee as to a Father, and make my moan without mistrust of being heard in thy good time, as most shall make to my comfort. Lo, therefore to thee, dear Father, I come through thy Son our Lord, Mediator, and Advocate, Jesus Christ, who sitteth " on thy right hand making intercession" for me, and pray thee of thy great goodness and mercy in Christ to be merciful unto me, that I may feel indeed thy sweet mercy as thy child. P The heading in 1562 is, ' A prayer for the remission of sins.'] 204 PRAYER FOR THE MERCY OF GOD. The time, O dear Father, I appoint not; but I pray thee that I may with hope still expect and look for thy help : I hope that, as for a little while thou hast left me, thou wilt come and visit me, and that in thy great mercy, whereof I have need by reason of my great misery. Thou art wont for a little season in thine anger to hide thy face from them whom thou lovest : but surely, 0 Redeemer, " in eternal mercies thou wilt shew thy compassions;" for, when thou leavest us, 0 Lord, thou dost not leave us very long, neither dost thou leave us to our loss, but to our lucre and advantage ; even that thy holy Spirit with bigger portion of thy power and virtue may lighten and cheer us, that the want of feeling to our sorrow may be recompensed plentifully with the lively sense of having thee to our eternal joy : and therefore thou swarest, that " in thine everlasting mercy thou wilt have compassion on us." Of which thing to the end we might be most assured, thine oath is to be marked ; for thou isai. iiv. sayest, " As I have sworn that I will not bring any more the waters to drown the world ; so have I sworn that I will never more be angry with thee, nor reprove thee. The mountains shall remove, and the hills shall fall down ; but my loving-kindness shall not move, and the bond of my peace shall not fail thee." Thus sayest thou the Lord our merciful Redeemer. Dear Father, therefore I pray thee, remember even for thine own truth and mercy's sake this promise and everlasting covenant, which in thy good time I pray thee to write in my heart, that I may " know thee to be the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent;" that I may love thee with all my heart for ever ; that I may love thy people for thy sake ; that I may be holy in thy sight through Christ ; that I may always not only strive against sin, but also over come the same daily more and more, as thy children do; above all things desiring "the sanctification of thy name," " the coming of thy kingdom," " the doing of thy will here on earth, as it is in heaven," &c, through Jesus Christ our Redeemer, Mediator, and Advocate. Amen. A THANKSGIVING LN THE TIME OF PERSECUTION i. 0 gracious God, which seekest all means possible how to ms. 1. 2. e. no ft3 2 bring thy children into the feeling and sure sense of thy g^?:Co11- mercy, and therefore, when prosperity will not serve, then Meditation5 sendest thou adversity, graciously correcting them here2 Hanri562,rd' whom thou wilt shall with thee elsewhere live for ever ; we editions? poor misers3 give humble praises and thanks unto thee, dear Father, that thou hast vouched us worthy of thy correction at this present, hereby to work that which we in prosperity and liberty did neglect : for the which neglecting and many other our grievous sins, whereof we now accuse ourselves before thee, most merciful Lord, thou mightest most justly have given us over, and destroyed us both in souls and bodies. But such is thy goodness towards us in Christ, that thou seemest to forget all our offences : and, as though we were far otherwise than we be indeed, thou wilt that we should suffer this cross, now laid upon us for thy truth and gospel's sake, and so be thy witnesses with the prophets, apostles, martyrs, and confessors, yea, with thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ; to whom thou dost now here begin to fashion us like, that in his glory we may be like him also. 0 good God, what are we on whom thou shouldest shew this great mercy ? 0 loving Lord, forgive us our unthank fulness and sins. 0 faithful Father, give us thy holy Spirit now to cry in our hearts, ' Abba, dear Father ;' to assure us of our eternal elections in Christ ; to reveal more and more thy truth unto us; to confirm, strengthen, and stablish us so in the same, that we may live and die in it as vessels of thy mercy, to thy glory and to the commodity of thy church. Endue us with the Spirit of thy wisdom, that with good con science we may always so answer the enemies in thy cause, as may turn to their conversion or confusion, and our un speakable consolation in Jesus Christ : for whose sake we beseech thee henceforth to keep us, to give us patience, and to will none otherwise for deliverance or mitigation of our [ The heading in 1562 is, ' Another prayer for remission of sins.'] [2 'here them,' MS. : 'them here' 1562.] [3 See p. 73, note 4, above.] 206 THANKSGIVING IN PERSECUTION. misery, than may stand always with thy good pleasure and merciful will towards us. Grant this, dear Father, not only to us in this place, but also to all other elsewhere afflicted, for thy name's sake, through the death and merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A MOST GODLY AND EARNEST PRAYER UPON THE PASSION AND PAINFUL WORK OF OUR SAVIOUR CHRIST1. !!o!'7i.SEm- 0 Almighty and everlasting Lord God, which hast made Cambridge, heaven, earth2, &c. ! 0 incomprehensible unity ! 0 always Meditations to be worshipped, most blessed Trinity! I humbly beseech Haiilsfi^ ' thee and pray thee, by the assumption and crucified humanity eSmons. of our Lord Jesus Christ, that thou wouldest incline and bow down the great depth of thy Deity to the bottomless pit of my vility : drive from me all kind of vice, maliciousness3, and sin, and " make in me a new and clean heart, and renew in me a right spirit," for thy holy name's sake. 0 Lord Jesu, I beseech thy goodness, for that exceeding great love which drew thee out of thy Father's bosom into the womb of the holy virgin, and for the assumption of man's nature, wherein it pleased thee to save me and to deliver me from eternal death ; I beseech thee, I say, that thou wouldest draw me out of myself into thee, my Lord God : and grant this thy love may recover again to me thy grace, that may make increase4, and make perfect in me that which is want- ing in me ; may raise up in me that which is fallen, may restore to me that which I have lost, and may quicken in me that which is dead and should live ; and so I to become con formable unto thee in all my life and conversation, thou dwelling in me and I in thee, my heart being suppled with thy grace, and settled in thy faith for ever. 0 thou, my God, loose and set at liberty my spirit from all inferior [L So the MS. The heading in 1562 is, 'A prayer for deliverance from sin, and to be restored to God's grace and favour again'.] [2 'earth' 1562 : not in MS.] [3 ' maliciousness,' MS. : 'wickedness' 1562.] [* 'that may make increase,' MS. : 'to increase' 1562.] PRAYER ON THE WORK OF CHRIST. 207 things, govern my soul, and so work that both in soul and body I may be holy and live to thy glory, world without end. Amen. 6I humbly pray thee for thy holy nativity's sake, that thou wouldest sanctify my nativity, begin in me a new hfe and a godly, to thy praise for ever. I beseech thee for thy holy poverty's sake, that thou wouldest make me rich with thy heavenly riches, and give me to contemn this world. For thy holy circumcision's sake take from me the fore skin of my heart, and "circumcise me with circumcision not made with hands," that I may " put off the old man," and be made " a new creature," endued with thy righteousness, holi ness, innocency and immortality. For thy exile's sake grant me to take this life as an exile, and make me a citizen and home-dweller of thy king dom in heaven; which grant me to aspire, and to long to come into the same, as thou art in it both soul and body. For thy holy baptism's sake grant me the baptism of thy Spirit, that I may be anointed with thy holy anointment in such measure as may please thee, to thy glory and my end less comfort ; that henceforth I may live a God's child, and be guided by the same Spirit for ever. For thy fasting and temptation's sake grant me to mortify mine affections and carnality, and grace to stand against all the assaults of the adversary ; whom as thou over- camest in thine own person, so I beseech thee do in me. For thy holy conversation's sake grant me to follow thee as my pattern in all things effectually. For thy holy doctrine's sake lighten the eyes of my mind that I may see, and inflame mine affections that I may love for evermore thy paths, going in the same purely to thy glory. For thy holy miracles' sake miraculously convert my soul, heal my wounds, cure my diseases, restore to me life, give me inward sight, inward hearing, inward speech ; cast out all evil in me, and come and dwell in me for ever. For thy great humility's sake in washing thy disciples', [6 The remainder of this prayer is now first printed from MS. 1- 2. 8. in Emmanuel College, Cambridge.] 208 PRAYER ON THE WORK OF CHRIST. even thine enemy's, feet, wash away from me all my filth of sin and all my readiness to do evil; mundify1 the feet of my naughty affections, and keep them always clean from hence forth, that they never be defiled. And grant me always that I may be ready to humble myself by all means to serve my brother, even mine enemies, to their comfort in thee. For thy holy preparation of the place for thee to sup in, and for the institution of thy holy supper, which thou hast instituted for the memory of thy death and passion, and of thy coming again, to confirm our faith of pardon of our sins, and communion with thee and all thy merit and glory, make good and prepare in me a meet and worthy place for thee to sup in ; and feed me with thyself, that I may dwell in thee and thou in me by thy holy Spirit, to couple me unto thee, and so to thy Father. O work in me by the same Spirit true love, that I may be linked to all thy people, being one with them also, &c. For thy exceeding great lowliness' sake, which sufferedst thyself to be sold of thine own disciple, grant that I do never sell thee, my Lord God, for any worldly glory or gain, but may contemn all things, and even mine own self, for thy sake and for thy kingdom. For thy wonderful heaviness, sorrow, dread, prayer, agony, and bloody sweat, which thou sufferedst in the garden for me, utterly forsaking thine own will, grant me to see and hate sin in myself and others, which was the cause of all this thine agony and torments. Grant me not to make a trifle of that which was so painful for thee to purchase. Grant that in all adversity I may deny myself utterly, and offer up myself wholly unto thee. For that thy wonderful love, wherethrough thou didst permit thyself not only to be betrayed of Judas, but also to be dehvered to thine enemies, grant that I never betray thee, either in myself or in any others, neither at any time do refuse to do my duty and the good I can, even to my very enemies. For thy charity's sake, which made thee willing to be taken and bound of wicked and ungracious men, loose me from the bonds of all sins, and tie me in the strings of thy precepts and loving of thy holy will, that for ever hereafter [l Mundify: make clean.] PRAYER ON THE WORK OF CHRIST. 209 I may persevere in thy service, and never have liberty or be loosed to follow the pleasure of the flesh at any time. For thy most ardent compassion's sake, which moved thee to suffer for my sake many slanders, taunts, mockings, and cruel entertainments of thine adversaries, have mercy upon my sinful soul, and unlade her from the great load of sin laid upon her, wherewith, alas ! I have defiled thy gracious image most shamefully, and done much wrong and contempt to thy holy name in myself continually. 0 grant, dear Lord, that I may be ready for ever here after to suffer gladly all kind of taunts, injuries, contempts, and slanders, for thy name's sake. For that love's sake, which made thee not to abhor for me to be most painfully whipped, scourged, and beaten, pardon and forgive me that I have so often, alas! beaten thee with my hands, scourged thee with my tongue, and punished thee with my feet and affections ; but may hence forth as gladly suffer all kind of stripes for thee, and have mine affections, words, and deeds diverted and guided by thy grace to thy glory for ever. For those most spiteful spittings and spewings of the Jews in thy face for my sake, dear Lord, forgive me that I have bespewed so my face and conscience (wherein thou wouldest dwell and have thy face to shine) with so many vile, filthy and wicked cogitations, and unclean desires ; and thereto have altogether bewrayed2 thy most holy body (which by faith I have received in hearing thy words and receiving thy sacraments) with most stinking gobbets3 of phlegm ; I mean, with most naughty, idle thoughts, words and deeds, &c. John Bradford. A PRAYER FOR THE OBTAINING OF FAITH. 0 merciful God, and dear Father of our Lord and Saviour Meditations Jesus Christ, in whom as thou art well pleased, so hast thou Hau?562,r ' commanded us to hear him ; forasmuch as he often biddeth us ed'''ons' to ask of thee, and thereto promiseth that thou wilt hear us, [a Vide p. 137, note 2, above.] [3 ' Gobbets :' fragments, morsels.] [BRADFORD.] 210 PRAYER FOR FAITH. and grant us that which in his name we shall ask of thee; lo, gracious Father, I am bold to beg of thy mercy, through thy Son Jesus Christ, one sparkle of true faith and certain persuasion of thy goodness and love towards me in Christ; wherethrough I being assured of the pardon of all my sins, by the mercies of Christ thy Son, may be thankful to thee, love thee, and serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life. Amen. A PRAYER FOR REPENTANCE. Most gracious God and merciful Father of our Saviour Jesus Christ, because I have sinned and done wickedly, and through thy goodness have received a desire of repentance, whereto this long-suffering doth draw my hard heart ; I beseech thee, for thy great mercy's sake in Christ, to work the same re pentance in me ; and by thy Spirit, power, and grace, to humble, mortify, and fear my conscience for my sins to salva tion, that in thy good time thou mayest comfort and quicken me, through Jesus Christ, thy dearly beloved Son. So be it. A DIALOGUE OR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SATAN AND OUR CONSCIENCE. Satan. Thou, hast sinned against God ; therefore thou must die. Conscience. Why then died Christ ? Satan. For sinners : but how knowest thou he died for thee? Conscience. Because I am a sinner, and he is both able and willing to forgive me. Satan. I grant that he is able to forgive thee: but how knowest thou he will ? Conscience. He would not surely have died, if he would not forgive. Satan. But how knowest thou that he will forgive thee? DIALOGUE BETWEEN SATAN AND OUR CONSCIENCE. 211 Conscience. Because I would fain be forgiven. Satan. So would Judas as well as thou, and prevailed not. Conscience. The scriptures went upon Judas' fact, which must needs be fulfilled : they never went upon mine. Again Judas bare a figure of the people of the Jews, which tribe only fell from Christ, when all other eleven tribes of the world did stick fast unto him. I am a poor sinner of the gentiles, of whom it is written, " I will be exalted in the gentiles." Satan. If thou be a ' sinner of the gentiles,' yet thou must consider thy sin is great. Conscience. I grant : but Christ's passion is greater. Satan. 0 but thou hast sinned very often ! Conscience. Tell me not, Satan, what I have done, but what I will do. Satan. Why, what wilt thou do ? Conscience. By God's grace my full purpose is here after to take better heed, and to amend my former life. Satan. Is that enough, thinkest thou ? Conscience. What lacketh? Satan. The favour of God, which hath clean forsaken thee. Conscience. So God favoured and "loved the world," that he gave his own dear Son, that whosoever seeth him as the Israelites did the brasen serpent, they " shall not perish, but have hfe everlasting1." A TREATISE OF ELECTION AND FREE-WILL. That there is and alwavs hath been with God, even before ms. 1. 2 s. •> no. 13. Em- the world was made, an election in Christ of all those that g1™-^^ shall be saved, many places in the scriptures do teach ; as Meditations to the Eph. i.; Eom. viii. ix. xi.; 1 Thess. i.; Matt. xx. xxii. S^d- xxiv.; Mark xiii.; Titus i.; Acts xiii.; Phil, ii.; Luke x. SdtiofnT xviii.; Rev. iii. xiii. xvii. xxi. xxii.; John vi. viii. x. xiii. xvii.; and almost every where in the new Testament. In no case [l Part of the 'Defence of election,' which appears subsequently in this volume, is printed after this ' Dialogue' in the ' Godly Medi tations' of Bradford 1562, and after editions.] 14_2 212 ELECTION AND FREE-WILL. therefore it may be denied of any that is godly, although he cannot attain to God's wisdom, justice, and mercy in it; for Exod. xxxiii. that were to see God's fore-parts. We must grant it there fore, because the word of God doth not only teach it, but also it standeth with the very nature of God, that to him not only men, but all things also that have been or shall be for ever in all creatures, are not only certain, but so certain that they cannot but be accordingly, and serve his providence ; for else God were not God, if any thing were, hath been, or could be without his knowledge, yea, certain knowledge. Which know ledge in God may not be separated of any man from his wis dom, and so not from his will ; except we would make two gods, as did the Manichees1, one the author of all good, and another the author of all evil ; both which, say they, were eternal and without beginning : which their opinion is devilish and against the word of God most manifestly, which affirmeth in many places that there is no more gods but one, or any other that have power to do good or evil absolutely or of themselves. But lest some men which are too curious should hereout gather, that then all things come by fatal necessity, as the Stoics thought, or by compulsion and coaction, as others think ; and therefore, say they, all God's precepts requiring that which we cannot do are in vain; I think it good to speak something hereof. Asamstthe First. The Stoics' opinion is to be condemned as concern- stoics* fatal . . A . . ii-iirf~iji.il. necessity. lng fatal necessity ; for that it tieth and bindeth God to the second causes, and maketh him which is a most free agent bound and tied, so that he cannot work but as the second cause moveth him2. For they did imagine a perpetual con nexion and knitting together of causes by a perpetual order which is contained in nature : whereas we should certainly know that it is God which is the ruler and arbiter of all things, which of his wisdom hath foreseen and determined all things that he will do, and now of his power doth in his time put the same in execution, according as he hath decreed with himself. I1 Vide Mosheim. Eccl. Hist. cent. m. n. v. 2—10; Neander, Ch. Hist., Rose, sect. iv. ii. vol. II. 140 — 68, Lond. 1841 — 2.] [2 Vide Cicero. De Natur. Deor. Lib. I. xv., De Fato Lib. Sing., Op. IV. 408, 468 et seq. Lond. 1681 ; Cudworth, Intellect. System, ch. I, i. iii. ed. 1678.] ELECTION AND FREE-WILL. 213 Herein to tarry any longer I need not, for that I think there be none now which be of this opinion to attribute things to fortune, a word unseemly for Christians. Secondly. That all things are done by coaction or com pulsion is false, and out of God's providence and predestina tion cannot be gathered or maintained ; for there must be a difference put between necessity and constraint. All and every thing that hath been done, is, or shall be, in consideration of God's providence as it is with God, are of necessity, but yet not of compulsion or constraint : as for exam ple, you shah see that necessity is one thing, and constraint is another thing. God is good of necessity : but who now will say then that he is so by coaction, or enforced thereto ? The devil is naught of necessity, but not by coaction : good men do well of necessity, but not by compulsion : wicked men do evil of necessity, but not of constraint. A thing that is done willingly is not to be said to be done by constraint. God is good willingly, but not by compulsion : the devil is naught willingly, but not of enforcing : good men do good willingly, but not constrainedly : wicked men do transgress willingly, but not compelled. So that it is plain, though all things be done of necessity, yet are they not of compulsion and enforcement. By reason whereof, a man that will be diligent in looking hereon may see matter enough to purge God from being the author of all evil or of any evil, although he be the Author of all things and of all actions ;. which are to be construed ac cording to the will of the doers : and so may we see one action to be both good and evil in respect of God's will and Satan's will. For, inasmuch as a thing is done according to God's will, the same is good, for his will is good ; and, inas much as a thing is done according to Satan's will, it is evil, because his will is evil. But now to the third thing, that is, whether God's pre cepts, requiring that which is not in our powers, be frustrate or no, although all things are done of necessity and by God's providence. To the understanding hereof two things are to be con sidered : first, that we must think of God, not as he is in himself, but as by his word he teacheth us; secondly, the 214 ELECTION AND FREE-WILL. state of man before his fall is to be compared with the state of man presently, as he is now brought into this world. For the first, although it be most true that to God all things are so certain as before is spoken ; yet, in that God hath opened to us by his word so much of his will as we should with diligence search and observe, we may not think otherwise but that whatsoever is done against that word, the same is sin and evil in him whosoever he be that doth there* against ; although the same transgression God doth and can use to serve his providence accordingly. Of which provi dence we may not otherwise judge, than his word giveth us leave : that is, we must do nothing to serve it but as his word teacheth. If Adam had been ruled hereby, then he had not eaten the apple ; for, in that he obeyed not the word of God which he knew, easily we may perceive that he did not eat the apple to obey God's providence which he knew not. So that evident it is, Adam's fall to be sin and evil, and he him self with the serpent to be the author thereof ; God not allow ing or approving the evil, which is to be construed according to the will of the doer : which will in Adam was naught, although the action God turned to serve his providence, there by1 setting forth his wonderful wisdom, power, and goodness: whereat we ought rather with reverence to wonder, than by wandering further than beseemeth us to call into question why God did so. Which ' why ' no man is able to under stand, and therefore we should bid our busy brain sit down, and not to covet again to be like to God, as Adam did, and therefore he fell so foul as he did. For the second (man's state I mean before his fall and his state now) thus let us think ; namely, that God made man after his image, that is, endued man with a soul immortal, wise, righteous, and holy : for the image of God is not con cerning the body which man hath2 common with the beasts of the earth, but it is from above and3 of God's breathing. So that Adam, transgressing God's precept, did not according as he should and might have done, but according as he should not have done, and might have avoided, if that he had not received the persuasion and counsel of the serpent: which [J 'there,' MS.: 'thereby' 1562.] [2 'had,' MS.: 'hath' 1562.] [3 'it is from above, and' 1562: not in MS.] ELECTION AND FREE-WILL. 215 God permitted him to do, thereby to declare that perfect justice, wisdom, and hohness is not nor cannot be in any creature which is not God also : and therefore Christ being God was made man, that in man there might be this perfec tion and justice which is in Christ our Lord, and in Adam we could never have had. Which wisdom of God we shall joyfully one day behold, if we will now restrain our busy brain and curiosity from searching further than we should do. But to return again. Adam, I say, being made after God's image, (which he received for us all, to have derived the same unto us all by natural propagation,) by transgressing the commandments lost and mangled so the same image of God in himself and in us all, that for immortality came death, for wisdom came foolishness, for righteousness came unrighteous ness, for hohness came corruption, concerning God's judgment and in God's sight ; (although there remained in him, concern ing man's judgment and the sight of the world, life, wisdom, righteousness, and hohness ;) the which all we by propagation do from our mother's womb receive : so that we may well see our state now to be far from the state we had before Adam's fall. And therefore God's law requireth nothing of us but that which was in our nature before the fall, which we see is impossible for us to pay accordingly ; and yet God not unjust, in that he asketh of us nothing thereby but the self-same thing which he gave us in our creation. The law then and the precepts of God were given after the fall of man, not that man should thereby get life and the thing which was lost by sin, (for the blessed Seed was promised for the recovering hereof, and to him that4 pertained;) but that man by it might know sin and what he had lost, thereby to desire more deeply the promised Seed, by whom as we be received, so our evils be not imputed ; and that we, being re newed by his holy Spirit and new seed, should " as new-born babes" desire, and by will begin to do the law of God: which, after our deliverance forth of this corrupt body and "man of sin" by death, we shall without all let fully accom plish, and at the length receive the body to be "spiritual" (as Paul saith) and holy, ready to obey and serve the Spirit as an helper rather than an hinderer. 0 happy day, when wilt thou appear ? [4 i. e. the recovering life and what was lost by sin.] 216 ELECTION AND FREE-WILL. By this which I have already spoken, I think the diligent reader may see how that there is election of God's children, and how that God's providence stretcheth itself to all things ; so that all things in respect thereof come of necessity, but yet nothing thereby to be done by constraint and enforcement: wherethrough God is seen to be the Author of all things, and yet of no evil or sin. The state of man before his fall and after, with the cause of God's law and precepts given to man, I have briefly touched. Now it resteth that I should speak something of free-will, what it is, and how far we may grant that man hath free-will. That this may be understand, as I would have the end wherefore God gave his law to be considered ; (namely, not for man to get thereby eternal life, which appertained to the promised Seed1, but to shew man what sin is and what by sin he lost, that he might by his inability be driven to desire of very necessity the promised Messias, and so by him to receive the Spirit ; wherethrough being regenerate he might learn to love the law, to take it as a directory and rule to live by, and to hedge in his old man from controlling ;) this gear, I say, as I would have it considered if we will understand man's free-will, so would I have this marked, namely the difference betwixt the life which we lost and had in our first creation, and now have by birth before regeneration. In our first creation we had a life not only with the creatures, but also with God : which life utterly Adam lost, as he declareth by running away to hide himself from God; and this he lost for us also as well as for himself, in respect whereof the scripture calleth us " dead." Concerning this life therefore that is with God, we have no will at all, much less any free-will ; for how can a dead man have any will ? The will therefore we have is only for this life and with men : that is, it is not good and free but in respect of men and in this life. In respect of God and life with him all our will is as we are, even "dead." Tea, and the will we have for this present hfe, if a man will consider "the god of this world," and how we are his slaves by birth and continually till we be regenerate, and how ready our affections are to serve his I1 ' seed promised,' MS. ; ' promised seed' 1562.] ELECTION AND FREE-WILL. 217 purpose ; I think none will say otherwise but that man's will unregenerate is none otherwise free than pleaseth his master, who must needs serve, spite of his head, our God ; and there fore all to be done by God's providence, as I said before, with out any imputation of evil to our good and most holy Father. ' Yea, but,' saith one, ' what free-will hath man that is re generate ?' This will I briefly shew, when that I have spoken of justification, the which precedeth regeneration, from whom we may discern it, but not divide it, no more than heat from the fire. Justification in scripture is taken for the forgiveness of our sins, and consisteth in the forgiveness of our sins. This is only God's work, and we nothing else but patients2 and not agents. After this work, in respect of us and our sense, cometh regeneration, which altogether is God's work also : for, as to our first birth we bring nothing, (bring. quoth I ? yes, we bring to let it many things, but to further it nothing at all,) so do we bring nothing that can help to our justification ; as St Austin full well saith, " He that made thee without thee, shall he not justify thee without thee?" which the papists have perverted, reading it affirmatively The papists without interrogation3, as though we brought something to withomfn. terrogation, Qui fecit te [2 i. e. passive.] Hne te- nm [3 So the Benedictine edition, in which the argument of Augustine, on which the punctuation obviously must depend, is as follows : . . . totum ex Deo : non tamen quasi dormientes, non quasi ut non conemur, non quasi ut non velimus. Sine voluntate tua non erit in te justitia Dei. Voluntas quidem non est nisi tua, justitia non est nisi Dei. Esse potest justitia Dei sine voluntate tua, sed in te esse non po test prater voluntatem tuam .... Resurrexit propter justiftcationem nostram. Quid est, propter justiftcationem nostram ? Ut justificet nos, ut justos faciat nos. Eris opus Dei, non solum quia homo es, sed etiam quia Justus es. Melius est enim justum esse, quam te hominem esse. Si hominem te fecit Deus, et justum tu te facis ; melius aliquid facis, quam fecit Deus. Sed sine te fecit te Deus. Non enim adhibuisti aliquem con- sensum, ut te faceret Deus. Quomodo consentiebas qui non eras ? Qui ergo fecit te sine te, non te justificat sine te. Ergo fecit nescientem, jus- tificat volentem. Tamen ipse justificat, ne sit justitia tua, ne redeas ad damna, ad detrimenta et stercora, invenire in illo non habens justitiam tuam, ' qua? ex lege est,' sed justitiam per fidem Christi, qua? est ex Deo. — August. Serm. clxix. 13. de verb, apost. Phil. in. Op. V. col. 815, Par. 1679—1700. Vide Fulke, Defence, Parker Soc. 386 — 7.] 218 ELECTION AND FREE-WILL. justificaut te our justifying : whereas it (I mean justification) is a much that made more excellent work than the work of our creation; and thee without . ' •ush/ hthee°' therefore too arrogant are they which will not give all to thee™hatis, God m i*» as tney do in tneu* creation. heip°ihythy Good men fly from that pride, and are content to give no worthing, less to God justifying and regenerating them, than they do to their parents for their first generation. Afore we be justified and regenerated of God, we are altogether dead to God and to all goodness in his sight ; and therefore we are altogether patients till God have wrought this his only work, justification and regeneration. Which work, in respect of us and our im perfection and falls, in that it is not so full and perfect but it may be more and more, therefore by the Spirit of sancti- fication (which we receive in regeneration as the seed of God) we are quickened to labour with the Lord, and to be more justified ; that is, by faith and the fruits of faith, to ourselves and others to declare the same ; and so to increase from virtue to virtue, from glory to glory, having always need to have our feet washed, although we be clean notwithstanding. Now to the question. A man regenerate (which we ought to believe of ourselves, I mean that we are so by our baptism, the sacrament thereof requiring no less faith), a man, I say, regenerate, that is, " born of God," hath the Spirit of God, And, as a man born of flesh and blood hath the spirit thereof, whereby as he can stir up himself to do more and more the deeds of the flesh, so the other can, by the Spirit of God in him, stir up in himself the gifts and graces of God, to glorify God accordingly. Howbeit, here let us mark that as " the old man" is a perpetual enemy to the new-born man, so accord ingly to his strength the works of " the new man" are letted and made ineffectual. Therefore God hath taught us to pray and promised his help, which he most commonly in manner giveth by the cross; whereby "the old man" is weakened, and the new receiveth strength more and more, desiring a dissolu tion and an utter destruction of "the old man" by death, that it might- go to God from whence it came, and to his home, even heaven ; where in the last day it shall receive the old Adam, now so schooled that it will never more be but a most faithful friend to serve and praise the Lord for evermore. Thus have you now what free-will the regenerate children of God have, for whose sakes the gospel and sweet free pro- A BRIEF SUM OF ELECTION. 219 mises are given : and to the regenerate "new man" they pro perly do pertain ; as doth the law with all comminations, and the conditional promises (I mean promises hanging upon con dition on our worthiness), pertain properly to the old and unregenerate man, so that, when he kicketh, he must by them be bridled and kept down. When the inward man would be comforted, he must not have the law, nor his comminations and conditional promises, but the gospel and her most sweet free promises. So shall we walk neither on the right nor on the left hand, but keep the right way to heavenward, even Christ our Lord and Captain, as his soldiers, servants, and lively members ; neither despairing nor carnally living, but fearing and rejoicing as is appertaining : which God grant for his mercy's sake. Amen. And thus, my dearly beloved, I have sent to you briefly my mind herein according to your desire. Because I have had little time and many other lets, I shall heartily pray you to take this in good part, and with the more indifferency and attention to read it; for my desire was to write fully and speedily. Therefore it perchance hath the more obscurity, and desireth a friendly reader, construing all to the best, and brotherly admonishing where cause may appear. John Bradford. A BRIEF SUM OF THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION AND PREDESTI NATION. God's foresight is not the cause of sin or excusable necessity Meditations ,.,.,,, , , n i i ,1 of Bradford, to him that sinneth: the damned therefore have not nor shall Haiiiwa, and after have any excuse, because God, foreseeing their condemnation etUtions- through their own sin, did not draw them, as he doth his elect, unto Christ. But, as the elect have cause to thank God for ever for his great mercies in Christ, . so the other have cause to lament their own wilfulness, sin, and contemning of Christ, which is the cause of their reprobation, and wherein we should look upon reprobation ; as the only goodness of God in Christ is the cause of our election and salvation, wherein we should look upon God's election. 220 A BRIEF sum of election. He that will look upon God or any thing in God, simply and barely as it is in God, the same shall be stark blind, Who can see God's goodness, as it is in God? who can see his justice, as it is in him ? If therefore thou wilt look upon his goodness, not only look upon his works, but also upon his word : even so, if thou wilt look upon his justice, do the like. Then shalt thou see that election is not to be looked on but in Christ, nor reprobation but in sin. When the second cause is sufficient, should not we think that they are too curious that will run to search the first cause, further than God doth give them leave by his word ? the which first cause because they cannot comprehend, therefore do they deny it. God be merciful unto us for his name's sake, and give us to love and live his truth, to " seek peace and pursue it." Because God of his goodness, for the comfort of his chil dren and certainty of their salvation, doth open unto them something the first cause of their salvation, that is, his good ness before the beginning of the world, to be looked upon in Mark this Christ ; a man may not therefore be so bold as to wade so in well, and be r u "?h™° condemnation further than God revealeth it. And, forasmuch as he hath not revealed it but in sin, therefore let us not look on it otherwise. Seek to be dehvered from sin, and fear not reprobation : but if thou wilt not, thou shalt find no excuse in the last day. Say not but thou art warned. [Note annexed to the first edition, 1562.] To the former meditations and prayers, for your further comfort and godly exercise, you may join those most godly and comfortable meditations which are annexed to his book lately imprinted against the fear of death. [Colophon.] Printed at London bp a&oulanij f^all, ufoellfng fa gutter lant at the sgpe of 'the fialfe ©gle an* lUg- 1562. curious. PRIVATE PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS, WITH OTHER EXERCISES, JOHN BRADFORD. »3 (iotitye Medytacyon composed by the fat'tl)fttll ant< ronstant seruant of <§ofc g» the sea an(l au that therein is ; ' which art the only copianddford' Ruler, governor, eonserver and keeper of all things, together Seditions, with thy dearly beloved Son Christ Jesus our Lord, and with "the Holy Ghost the Comforter;" 0 holy, righteous, and wise ; 0 strong, terrible, mighty, and fearful Lord God, Judge of all men, and Governor of all the whole world ; 0 exorable, patient, and most gracious Father, whose eyes are upon the ways of all men, and are so clean they cannot abide impiety ; thou " searchest the hearts," and " triest the very thoughts and reins " of all men. Thou hatest sin and abhorrest ini quity : for sin's sake thou hast grievously punished mankind thy most dear creature, as thou hast declared by the penalty Gen. iii. of death laid upon all the children of Adam ; by the casting out of Adam and his offspring forth of paradise ; by the curs- Gen, vii. ing of the earth ; by the drowning of the world ; by the Gen. xix. burning up of Sodom and Gomor ; by the hardening of Pha raoh his heart, so that no miracle could convert him; by the Exod.xiv. drowning of him and his people with him in the Red Sea; by the overthrowing of the Israelites in the wilderness, so that of six hundred thousand alonely two did enter into i sam. xiii. the land of promise; by rejecting of Saul; by the great 2 sam. xii. punishments upon thy servant David notwithstanding his hearty repentance; by grievously2 afflicting Solomon in [! This prayer, after appearing in the Meditations of Bradford, 1559, was printed in the ' Christian Prayers,' &c. collected by Henry Bull, Powell (see p. 118, note 1, above), and Middleton 1570: vide Parker Soc. edition, p. 78 — 83, where it has the following title: 'A form of prayer meet for our state and time, to move us to true re pentance, and to turn away God's sharp scourges yet threatened against us.' The MS. has, after ' Jesus Emmanuel,' the words, ' A fruitful and most godly prayer,' in a separate line.] [2 'grievous,' MS. : 'grievously' 1559.] PRAYER ON THE WRATH OF GOD AGAINST SIN. 225 himself and in his seed; by the captivity of the ten tribes ; 2 Kings and by the thraldom of the Jews, wherein until this present day they continue a notable spectacle of thy wrath to the world against and for sin. But, of all spectacles of thine anger against sin, the greatest and most notable is the death and bloody passion of thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ. Great is thine anger against sin, when in heaven and earth nothing could be found which might appease thy wrath, save the blood-shedding of thy only and most dearly beloved Son, in whom was and is all thy delight. Great is the sore of sin that needed such a salve : mighty was the malady that needed such a medicine. If in Christ, in whom was no sin, thy wrath was so fierce for our sin that he was constrained to cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" how great and importable3 then is thine anger against us, which are nothing but4 sinful ! They that are thy children, through the contemplation of thy anger against sin set forth most evidently in the bloody death of Christ, do tremble and are afraid, lamenting them selves upon him, and heartily cry for mercy : whereas the wicked are altogether careless and contemptuous5, nothing lamenting their iniquities, or crying unto thee heartily for mercy and pardon : amongst whom we are rather to be placed than amongst thy children ; for that we are so senseless for our sins, and careless for thy wrath ; which we may well see to be most grievous against us, and evidently set forth in the taking away of our good king and thy true religion, in the exile of thy servants, prisonment of thy people, misery of thy children, and death of thy saints ; also by the6 placing over us in authority of thy enemies, by the success thou givest them in all they take in hand, by the returning again into our country of antichrist the pope. All these, as they do preach unto all the world, but specially unto us, thy grievous wrath, so do they set before our eyes our iniquities and sins which have deserved the same : for thou art just and holy in all thy works, "thy judgments are righteous" altogether; it is we, it is we that have sinned, and procured these plagues ; we have [3 'Importable:' insupportable.] [* 'but,' MS.: 'nothing but' 1559.] [6 'contemn,' MS. : 'contemptuous' 1559.] [6 'the' 1559: not in MS.] r 1 15 [BRADFORD ] 226 PRAYER ON THE WRATH OF GOD AGAINST SIN. been unthankful wretches and most carnal gospellers. There fore unto us pertaineth shame, and nothing else is due but confusion ; for we have done very wickedly, we have heaped sin upon sin, so that the measure hath overflowed and ascended up to heaven, and brought these plagues, which are but earnest of greater to ensue. And yet, alas ! we are altogether care less in manner. What shall we do? what shall we say? who can give us penitent hearts ? who can open our lips, that our mouths might make acceptable confession unto thee ? Alas ! of ourselves we cannot think any good, much less wish it, and least of all do it. As for angels or any other creatures, they have nothing but that which they have re ceived, and1 they are made to minister unto us ; so that where it passeth the power of the master, the minister must needs want. Alas, then2, what shall we do ? Thou art holy, and we unholy; thou art3 good, and we nothing but evil; thou art pure, and we altogether impure ; thou art light, and we most dark darkness : how4 then can there be any conveniency or agreement betwixt us ? 0 what now may we do ? De spair ? No ; for thou art God, and therefore thou art good ; [Ps. cxxx.4. thou art merciful, and therefore thou forgivest sins; "with ugae. ^ee }s propitiation, and therefore thou art worshipped." When Adam had sinned, thou gavest him mercy tofore he desired it ; and wilt thou deny us mercy, which now desire the same ? Adam excused his fault, and accused thee ; but we accuse ourselves, and excuse thee ; and shall we be sent empty away ? Noe found favour when thy fury abounded; and shall we, seeking grace, be frustrate? Abraham was pulled out of idolatry when the world was drowned therein ; and art thou his God only ? Israel in captivity in Egypt was graciously visited and dehvered; and, dear God, the same good Lord, shall we always be forgotten ? How often in the wilderness5 didst thou defer and spare thy plagues at the requests of Moses, when the people themselves made no petition to thee at all ! And seeing we not only now make our prayers unto thee through thy goodness, but also f1 ' and ' 1559 : not in MS.] [2 'then' 1559: not in MS.] [3 'art' 1559: not in MS.] [* ' when,' MS. : 'how' 1559.] [5 'desert,' MS. : 'wilderness' 1559.] PRAYER ON THE WRATH OF GOD AGAINST SIN. 227 have a Mediator for us now far above Moses, even thy Son so dear Christ Jesus, shall we, I say, dear Lord, depart ashamed ? So soon as David had said, " I have sinned," thou didst forthwith answer to6 him that he should not die, thou hadst "taken away his sins." And, gracious God, even the self- same God, shall not we which now with David gladly confess that we have sinned, (0 pardon us !) shall we, I say, not hear by thy good Spirit that our sins are pardoned ? 0 grant that with Manasses we may find favour and mercy. Remember that thou hast not spared thine own only Son so dear Jesus Christ, but given him for us all to die for our sins, to rise for our righteousness, to ascend for our possession-taking in heaven, and to appear before thee for us for ever, "a High Priest after the order of Melchisedec," that through him we might have free access to come to thy throne, now rather of grace than of justice7. Eemember that thou by him hast bidden us "ask," and promised that we "shall receive," say ing, " Ask, and you shall have ; seek, and you shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." 0 then, dear God, and most meek and8 merciful Father, we heartily beseech thee to be merciful unto us. For this thy Christ's sake, for his death's sake, for his resurrection's sake, for his mediation's sake9, for thy promise, truth, and mercy's sake10, have mercy upon us ; pardon and forgive us all our sins, iniquities, and trespasses, whatsoever we have committed against^ thee, in thought, word, or deed, ever or at any time hitherto by any means. Dear Father, dear Father, have mercy upon us. Though we be poor, yet our Christ is rich ; though we be sinners, yet he is righteous ; though we be foolish, yet is he wise ; though we be impure, yet he is pure and holy : for his sake therefore be merciful unto us. Call to mind how thou hast promised that thou "wilt pour out of thy clean waters, and wash us from our filth, and cleanse us from our evils;" forget not that thou hast promised to "take from us our stony hearts," and dost promise to "give us soft [6 'to' 1559: not in MS.] [» 'glory,' MS. : 'justice' 1559.] [8 'and' 1559 : not in MS.] [9 The last eight words are in the MS., but not in 1559.] [,0 The last seven words are in 1559, but not in the MS.] 15—2 228 .PRAYER ON THE WRATH OF GOD AGAINST SIN. hearts, new hearts, and to put into the midst of us right spirits." Remember thy covenant, namely, how thou "wilt be our God, and we shall be thy people ;" forget not the parts of it, that is, to "put out of thy memory for ever our unrighteous ness," and to " write in our minds and hearts thy laws" and testimonies. Remember that thou dost straitly charge us to "have none other gods but thee;" saying, that thou art "the Lord our God." 0 then declare the same to us all1, we heartily now be seech thee. Forgive us our sins, forgive us our iniquities, cleanse us from our filthiness, wash us from our wickedness, pour out thy holy Spirit upon us. Take from us our hard hearts, our stony hearts, our impenitent hearts2, our distrust ing and doubtful hearts, our carnal, our secure, our idle and beastly, our foolish hearts, our impure, malicious, arrogant, envious, wrathful, impatient, covetous, hypocritical, and epi- cureal3 hearts : and in place thereof give us new hearts, soft hearts, faithful hearts, merciful hearts, loving, obedient, chaste, pure, holy, righteous, true, simple, lowly, and penitent hearts; and give us hearts to fear thee, to love thee, trust in fhee for ever. Write thy law in our hearts, graft it in our minds, we heartily beseech thee. Give us "the Spirit of prayer," and make us diligent and happy in the works of our vocations : take into thy custody and governance for ever our souls and bodies, our life, and all that ever we have ; tempt us never further than thou wilt make us "able to bear ;" and whatsoever thou knowest we have need of, in soul or body, dear God and gracious Father, vouchsafe to give us the same in thy good time ; and always as thy children guide us, so that our lives may please thee, and our deaths praise thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord : for whose sake we heartily pray thee to grant these things thus asked, and all other things necessary for our soul and body, not only to us, but to all others also for whom thou wouldest we should pray ; especially for thy children that be in thraldom4, in exile, in prison, in misery, in heavi ness, poverty, sickness, &c. : amongst whom most specially [' So 1559: 'unto us the same, all,' the MS.] [2 ' our impenitent hearts ' 1559: not in MS.] [3 i. e. luxurious, sensual.] [« 'in thraldom' 1559 : not in MS.] PRAYER ON THE WRATH OF GOD AGAINST SIN. 229 care for and keep N. N. with all others which for thy name's sake suffer any kind of persecution and trouble6. Be merciful to our king and queen with their whole council, to the nobility and magistrates of our realm: ac cording to thy good will give them grace to repent, and after their vocations to seek and set forth thy glory. Be merciful to all the whole commonalty and subjects of our realm6 : grant us all true repentance, and7 mitigation of our miseries ; and, if it be thy good will, send thy holy word and religion amongst us in our own realm and country8 once again. Pardon our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers ; and, if it be thy pleasure, turn their hearts. Be merciful unto our parents, brethren and sisters, friends and kinsfolk, families and neigh bours, and such as by any means thou hast coupled and linked unto us by love or otherwise. And unto us poor sinners, here gathered together in thy holy name, grant thy blessing and holy Spirit to sanctify us, and dwell in us; and as thy children to keep us, this day and for ever, from all evil, to thine eternal glory, our everlasting comfort, and the profit of thy church, which mercifully maintain, cherish, and comfort : strengthen them that stand, so that they never fall ; lift up them that be fallen; and keep9 us from falling from thee, through the merits of thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and only Saviour, which liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, to whom be all praise and honour, both now and for ever10- Amen. Per Joannem Bradford. [5 The last twenty- four words, ' amongst whom and trouble,' MS.: not in 1559.] [6 The last five lines, ' our king and queen subjects of our realm,' MS. : ' all the whole realm of England' 1559.] [7 'and' 1559: not in MS.] [8 'in our own realm and country,' MS. : not in 1559.] [9 'keep' 1559: 'keeping,' MS.] [10 The last twenty-two words, 'which liveth for ever' 1559: not in MS.] PRIVATE PRAYERS FOR THE MORNING AND EVENING, AND FOR OTHER TIMES OF THE DAYi. WHEN YOU AWAKE OUT OF YOUR SLEEP, PRAY THUS I Meditations 0 most dear Father of our Saviour Jesus Christ, whom copiandi559, none doth know but of thy gift, grant that to the manifold editions. great benefits of thy goodness given to me this, which of all other is most, may be added ; that, like as thou hast awaked my body from sleep, so thou wouldest throughly awake, yea, deliver my soul from the sleep of sin and darkness of this world; and that which now is awaked out of sleep thou wouldest, after death, restore to life ; for that is but sleep to thee, which is death to us. Dear God, I most heartily be seech and humbly pray thy goodness to make my body such a companion, or rather a minister of godliness to my soul, in this present hfe, that in the life to come it may partake2 with the same everlasting happiness by Jesus Christ our Lord. Ephes. v. "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shew light unto thee." Occasions to meditate. Here call to mind the great mirth and blessedness of the everlasting resurrection : also remember to muse upon that most clear light and bright morning, and new clearness of our bodies, after the long darkness it hath been in : all then shall be full of joy. [x The following 'Private prayers and meditations,' p. 230—42, after appearing in the Meditations of Bradford 1559, were reprinted in the ' Christian Prayers,' &c. collected by Henry Bull, Powell (see p. 118, note 1, above), and Middleton 1570: vide Parker Soc. edition, p. 60 — 77. The heading, 'Private prayers for the morning and even ing, and for other times of the day,' is not in 1559, but is taken from the ' Prayers,' &c, Bull, 1570, p. 104.] [2 'part take' 1559: 'take part with the same of,' Prayers, &<:• Bull, 1570.] PRIVATE PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS. 231 SO SOON AS YOU BEHOLD THE DAYLIGHT, PRAY : 0 Lord, thou greatest and most true light, whence this light of the day and sun doth spring 1 0 Light, which dost lighten every man that cometh into this world ! 0 Light, which knowest no night nor evening, but art always a mid day most clear and fair, without whom all is most dark dark ness, by whom all be most splendent ! 0 thou Wisdom of the eternal " Father of mercies !" lighten my mind, that I may only see those things that please thee, and may be blinded to all other things. Grant that I may walk in thy ways, and that nothing else may be light and pleasant unto me. " Lighten mine eyes, 0 Lord, that I sleep not in death, lest mine enemies say, I have prevailed against him." Occasions to meditate. Muse a little how much the light and eye of the mind and soul is better than of the body ; also, that we care more for the soul to see well, than for the body. Think that beasts have bodily eyes, and therewith see ; but men have eyes of the mind, and therewith should see. WHEN YOU ARISE, PRAY : Our first father tumbled down himself from a most excel lent, high, and honourable estate into the mire of misery and deep sea of shame and mischief : but, 0 Christ, thou putting forth thine hand didst raise him up : even so we, except we be lift up of thee, shall he still for ever. 0 good Christ, our most gracious Redeemer, grant that as thou dost mer cifully raise up 3 now this my body and burden, even so I beseech thee raise up my mind and heart to the light of the true knowledge of the love of thee, that my "conversation may be in heaven," where thou art. " If thou be risen with Christ, think upon those things that be above." Occasions to meditate. Think something how foul and filthy that Adam's fall was by reason of sin, and so of every one of us from the height of God's grace : again think upon the great benefit of Christ, by whose help we do daily arise from our fallings. [3 ' us' 1559, a misprint for 'up :' omitted in 1578, 1604, 1614.] 232 PRIVATE PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS. WHEN YOU APPAREL YOURSELF, PRAY: 0 Christ, clothe me with thine own self, that I may be so far from " making provision for my flesh to fulfil the lusts of it," that I may clean put off all my carnal desires, and crucify the kingdom of the flesh in me. Be thou unto me a weed1 to warm me from catching the cold of this world. If thou be away from me, dear Lord, all things will be unto me forth with cold, weak, dead, &e. ; but if thou be with me, all things will be warm, lively, fresh, &c.2 Grant therefore, that as I compass this my body with this coat, so thou wouldest clothe me wholly, but specially my soul, with thine own self. "Put upon you as the elect of God, bowels of mercy, meekness, love, peace," &c. Occasions to meditate. Call to mind a little how we are incorporate into Christ; again, how he doth clothe us, nourish us under his wings, protection, and providence, preserve us, &c. when you are made ready to begin the day withal, pray: ms. 2. 2. is. 0 Almighty God and most merciful Father, thou know- co'n. cam-' est, and hast taught us also something to know, that the ... . weakness of man and woman is great, and that without thy Meditations a ' « coBSdi559 grace the7 can neither do nor think any good thing : have editiontr mercy upon me, I humbly beseech thee, which am 3 thy most weak, frail, and unworthy child. 0 be gracious and tender towards me4: lighten my mind that I may with pleasure look upon good things only : inflame my heart with the love thereof, that I may carefully covet them ; and at the last by thy gracious conducting may happily attain them through Jesus Christ our Lord. [} i. e. 'garment.' The editions 1578, 1604, 1614, have 'reed,' signifying 'thatch:' see Bailey, Diet., and Holloway, Provinc. Diet, 1838. The Latin of Vives is indumentum.] [2 The last fourteen words occur in 1559, but are omitted in 1578, 1604, 1614] [3 'which am' 1559 : not in MS.] [4 ' O be gracious and tender towards me' 1559 : not in MS.] PRIVATE PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS. 233 I, distrusting altogether mine own weakness, commend and offer myself, both soul and body, into thy hands. " Thy Ps. cxim. loving Spirit lead me forth unto the land of righteousness." COGITATIONS MEET TO BEGIN THE DAY WITH. Think first that man consisteth of soul and body, and that the soul is from heaven, heavenly, firm, and immortal ; but the body is from the earth, earthly, frail, and mortal. 6 Again, think that though by reason of sin, wherein you are conceived and born, the parts of the soul which do under stand and desire be so corrupt that, without special grace to both parts, you can neither know nor love any good thing in God's sight, much less then do that is good ; yet this not withstanding think that you are regenerate by Christ's resur rection, (which your baptism requireth you to believe ;) and therefore have both those parts something reformed both to know and to love ; and therefore to do also some good in the sight of God through Christ, for whose sake our poor doings are accepted for good, the evil and infirmity cleaving there unto not being imputed through faith. Think that by faith, which is God's seed (for "they which believe are born of God," and made God's children,) given to those that "be ordained to eternal life ;" think, I say, that by faith you receive more and more the Spirit of sanctification, through the use of God's word and sacraments, and earnest prayer to illuminate your minds, understanding, judgment, and reason, and to bow, form, frame, and inflame your affec tions with love and power to that that good is ; and there fore use you the means aforesaid accordingly. Think that by this Spirit you are through faith coupled to Christ as a lively member, and so to God, and as it were made one with him ; and by love which springeth out of this faith you are made one also with all that be of God ; and so you have fellowship with God, and all good men that ever were or shall be, in all the good that God and all his saints have or shall have. Think that as by faith and love, through the Spirit of God, you are now entered into this communion, (the blessedness whereof no tongue can express,) so after this [5 The remainder of this meditation does not occur in the Exei- tationes animi of Vives: see prefatory note, p. 223 above.] 1 Cor. vi. 234 PRIVATE PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS. life you shall first in soul, and in the last day in body also, enjoy for ever the same society most perfectly, which now is but begun in you. Think then of your negligence, that doth so little care for this your happy estate ; think upon your ingratitude to God for making you, redeeming you, calling you, and so lovingly adopting you; think upon your folly in fantasying so much earthly and bodily pleasures ; think upon your deafness and blindness, which hear not God, nor see him, he calling you so diligently by his works, word, and sacraments ; think upon your frowardness, which will not be led of God and his Spirit; think upon your forgetfulness and inconsideration of your heavenly estate, how " your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost," your members are "the members of Christ," the whole "world and all things therein are your own." Therefore say unto your soul, ' 0 my soul, arise, follow God, contemn this world, purpose well, and pursue it, long for the Lord's coming, be ready and watch that he come not upon thee unawares.' And, forsomuch as you must live to God's pleasure, see the vocation and state of your life where unto God hath called you ; and pray to God for grace, know ledge, and ability to take the most profitable things in hand, well to begin, better to go on, and best of all to end the same to God's glory, and the profit of your brethren ; and think that time lost, wherein you speak or do not, or (at the least) think not, something to God's glory and the commodity of your brethren. WHEN YOU GO FORTH OF THE DOORS, PRAY: Meditations Now must I walk among the snares of death, stretched of Bradford, . , ° . . . ' ,, Copland 1559, out of Satan and of his mischievous mimsters in the worm, and atter .. editions. carrying with me a friend to them both, and a foe to myselt, even this body of sin and sinful flesh. 0 grand captain Christ, lead me and guide me, I beseech thee ; defend me from the plagues and subtleties whereof I am endangered ; grant that I may take all things that hap as I should do : only upon thee set thou mine eyes, that I may so go on forwards in thy way, as by no things I be hindered, but rather furthered, and may refer all things to thee accordingly. " Shew me thy ways, 0 Lord, and teach me thy paths." PRIVATE PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS. 235 Consider how vainly the most part of men be occupied, how they do trouble and cumber themselves diversely, how they meddle with many things, thereby much alienating their minds from the knowledge and cogitation of that which they should most esteem, and so become a let and an offence to others. As in going abroad you will see that your apparel be seemly in the sight of men, so see how seemly you appear in the sight of God. WHEN YOU ARE GOING ANY JOURNEY, PRAY : This our life is a pilgrimage : from the Lord we came, and to the Lord we make our journey ; howbeit, through thievish places, and painful, yea, perilous ways, which our cruel enemies have, and do prepare for us now more than stark blind by reason of sin. 0 Christ, which art a most true lodesman1 and guide, and thereto most expert, faithful, and friendly, do thou put out thine hand, "open mine eyes," make thy highways known unto me ; which way thou didst first enter into out of this corruptible life, and hast fenced the same for us to immortality. Thou art "the way ;" lead us unto the Father by thyself, that all we may be one with him, as thou and he together be one. " Shew me the way that I should walk in, for I lift up my Ps. cxius. soul unto thee." Or pray thus: Merciful Father, thou art wont to send to thy servants and men of simple hearts thine angels to be their keepers, and as it were guides, as elder brethren, to watch upon thy weak children : so didst thou to young Tobias, to Jacob, to Abra ham's servant, to Joshua, &c. 0 good God, though we be much unlike unto them (so many are our sins), yet, for thine own goodness sake, send thine holy angels to pitch their tents about us, from Satan and his slaves to hide and defend, to carry us in their hands, that we come not into further danger than thou throughout wilt deliver us for thine own sake. His angels "are2 ministers for them that be heirs of salva- Heb.i. tion." Satan sleepeth not, but seeketh always to destroy us. [1 i. e. leading man, a pilot.] [2 'or' 1559, 1578: 'are' 1614.] 236 PRIVATE PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS. Think something how we are strangers from our country, from our home, from our original ; I mean, from God. Again think upon your madness, that do linger and loiter so gladly in this our journey and pilgrimage ; also, how foolish we are to fantasy things which we cannot carry with us, and to con temn conscience which will always be a companion to us, to our joy if it be good, but to our shame and sorrow if it be evil and corrupt ; finally, how unnatural we are, that so little desire to be at our home, to be with our only Father, Master, fellows, and friends, &C1 WHEN YOU ARE ABOUT TO RECEIVE YOUR MEAT, PRAY: This is a wonderful mystery of thy work, 0 Maker and Governor of the world, that thou dost sustain the lives of men and beasts with these meats : surely this power is neither in the bread nor food, but in thy will and word, by which word all things do live and have their beings. Again, how great a thing is it, that thou art able yearly to give sustenance to so many creatures! This is spoken of by thy prophet in thy praises : " All things look up to thee, and thou givest them meat in due season ; thou openest thine hand, and fillest with thy blessing every living thing." These doubtless are won derful works of thine almightiness. I therefore heartily pray thee, 0 most liberal Lord and faithful Father, that, as thou by meat through thy word dost minister life to these our bodies, even so by the same word with thy grace do thou quicken our souls, that both in soul and body we may please thee till this our mortal carcass shall put on immortality, and we shall need no more any other food, but thee only, which then wilt be " all in all." "Taste and see how good the Lord is." "Bless the Lord, 0 my soid, which feedeth and filleth thy mouth with good things." Think a little how great God's power is, that made us ; also think how great his wisdom is to preserve ns; but most of all think how many things are given to our use, how wonderful it is to give us life, but most of all to pro pagate to immortality the life of the soul by his only beck. [ The last ten lines are not in the Excitationes animi of Vives: see prefatory note, p. 223 above.] PRIVATE PRAYEES AND MEDITATIONS. 237 Last of all think that God, by his providence for thy body, would have thee to confirm thy faith of God's providence for thy soul. IN THE MEAL-TIME PRAY : 0 most liberal distributor of thy gifts, which givest us all kind of good things to use, thou being pure givest pure things ; grant to me thy grace, that I misuse not these thy gracious gifts given to our use and profits. Let us not love them because thou dost give us these things; but rather let us love thee because thou givest them, and for that they be necessary for us for a season till we come unto thee. Grant us to be conversant amongst thy gifts soberly, purely, tem perately, holily, because thou art such a one : so shall not we turn that to the poison of our souls, which thou hast given for the medicine of our bodies ; but, using thy benefits thank fully, we shall find them profitable both to soul and body. Think that the meats and drinks set before you are given to you to use and not to abuse ; think they are given to profit and not to hurt you ; think that they are not given to you alone, but unto others also by you : in eating and drink ing think that you do but feed the worms ; remember the poor prisoners, sick, &c, as though you were in their case ; think upon the food of your soul, Christ's " body broken," and his "blood shed." Desire "the meat that lasteth for ever ;" joimvi. " work for it." Christ's meat was to do his Father's will2, johniv. AFTER YOUR MEAT PRAY THUS : By corporal meats thou dost sustain our corporal daily life (ready otherwise to perish), the which surely is a great work ; but yet this is much greater, more profitable, and more holy, that thy grace, 0 Jesu Christ, doth keep away from us the death of the soul. For this life we ought much to thank thee ; and because thou dost prolong it with thy good gifts, we most heartily praise thee: howbeit, this life is but the way to eternal life, which we beseech thee, for thy death's sake, that thou wilt give us ; and so shall we not only give [2 The last five lines are not in Vives.] 238 PRIVATE PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS. thee (as we can) thanks in time for temporal things, but also eternal thanks for eternal things. 0 grant to us these our desires for thy mercy's sake. Amen. Think now that God hath given thee this his blessing of meat, &c, and thereto time that thou mightest, as repent, so seek his glory and the commodity of thy brethren. Therefore go thereabout ; but first pray for grace well to begin : and again consider how thou hast been partaker of other men's labours, as of the husbandman's, the miller's, the baker's, the brewer's, the butcher's, the cook's, &C1 See therefore that thou be not a drone bee, but rather such a one as may help the hive.If God have thus fed thy body, which he loveth not but for thy soul's sake, how can it be then but that he will be much more ready to feed thy soul ? Therefore take a courage to thee, and go to him for grace accordingly. COGITATIONS FOR ABOUT THE MID-DAY TIME. As the body is now environed on all sides with light, so see that thy mind may be. As God giveth thee thus plentifully this corporal light, so pray him that he will give thee the spi ritual light. Think that, as the sun is now most clear, so shall our bodies be in the day of judgment. As now the sun is come to the highest, and therefore will begin to draw down ward; so is there nothing in the world so perfect and glorious, which, when it is at the full, will not decrease, and so wear away2. WHEN YOU COME HOME AGAIN, PRAY I There is nothing, 0 Lord, more like to thy holy nature than a quiet mind. Thou hast called us out of the troublesome disquietness of the world into that thy quiet rest and peace, which the world cannot give, being such a " peace as passeth all men's understanding." Houses are ordained for us, that we might get us into them from the injury of weather, from the cruelty of beasts, [l Four words in this sentence are omitted in 1578, 1604, 1614.] [2 The last three paragraphs are not in Vives.] PRIVATE PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS. 239 from disquietness of people, and from the toils of the world. 0 gracious Father, grant that through thy great mercy my body may enter into this house from outward actions, but so that it may become buxom3 and obedient to the soul, and make no resistance thereagainst, that in soul and body I may have a godly quietness, and peace to praise thee. Amen. Peace be to this house, and to all that dwell in the same. Think what a return, and how merry a return, it will be to come to our eternal, most quiet, and most happy home : then will be all grief gone away : whatsoever here is plea sant and joyful, the same is nothing but a very shadow in comparison, &c. AT THE SUN GOING DOWN PRAY : How unhappy are thev, 0 Lord, on whom thy sun goeth ms. 2. 2. is. j i ¦ i v i i ,t i i-i • 60-Emman. down, and giveth no light ! (I mean thy grace, which is con. cam- always clear as the mid-day.) Dark night unto them is the Meditations mid-day, which depart from thee : in thee is never night, but Copiaan1ifoi559, always day-light most clear. This corporal sun hath his edition" courses, now up, now down : but thou, dear Lord, if we love thee, art always one. 0 that this block and veil of sin were taken away from me, that there might be always clear day in my mind ! Occasions to meditate. Think that as we are not sorry when the sun goeth down, because we know it will rise again ; even so we should not sorrow for death, wherethrough the soul and body do part asunder ; for they shall eftsoons return, and come together again in most glorious wise. So long as the sun is up, wild beasts keep their dens, foxes their burrows, owls their holes, &c, but when the sun This is meant is down, then come they abroad : so wicked men and hypo- timeof queen crites keep their dens in the gospel ; but, it being taken away, ^'k °h™" then swarm they out of their holes like bees, as this day doth J0;^0- teach4. [3 i. e. compliant, obedient.] [4 The last six lines are in 1559 and after editions, but not in the MS. Neither are they in Vives.] 240 PRIVATE PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS. WHEN THE CANDLES BE LIGHT, PRAY : Most thick and dark clouds do cover our minds, except thy light, O Lord, do drive them away. Thy sun, 0 most wise worker, is, as it were, a firebrand to this world : thy wisdom, whereby light cometh to both soul and body, is a firebrand to the spiritual world. After day, when the night cometh, thou hast given for the remedy of darkness a candle : after sin, for the remedy of ignorance, thou hast given thy doctrine, which thy dear Son hath brought unto us. 0 thou, that art the Author and Master of all truth, and art " the true Light," make us so to see, that the dimness of our minds may be driven clean away. " Lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us ;" and send joy and gladness into our hearts. " Thy word is a lantern to my feet and a light unto my paths." Occasions to meditate. Think that the knowledge which God giveth unto us by the candle-light (whereby we see those things in this night of our bodies, which are expedient for us) should make us to wish much more for this doctrine of God and spiritual light of our souls ; and when we get it, the more to esteem it, and dili gently to embrace it : again that, as all would be horror with out candle-light, so there is nothing but mere confusion where God's word taketh not place1. WHEN YOU MAKE YOURSELF UNREADY, PRAY: This our life and weak-knit body, by reason of sin, by little and little will2 be dissolved, and so shall be restored to the earth from whence it was taken : then will be an end of this vanity, which by our folly we have wrought to ourselves. 0 most meek Father, so do thou untie me3, (for thou art he that hast knit these our weak members together,) that I may perceive myself to be loosed and dissolved, and so may remember both of whom I was made, and also whither I must go, lest I be had unprovided unto thy tribunal and judgment-seat4. [* The last three lines are not in Vives.] [2 'shall,' MS. -. 'will' 1559.] [3 'me' 1559: not in MS.] [4 'and judgment' 1559: not in MS.] PRIVATE PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS. 241 Occasions to meditate. "Put off the old man," with his lusts and concupiscence; coi.iii. be content with Joseph to put off thy prison-apparel, that thou Gen.esxii.v' mayest put on new. Think that, as we do willingly put off our garments, because we shall receive them again when the night is past, so we should not unwillingly forsake our bodies when God by death shall call us, because we shall receive them again in " the resurrection of the just." WHEN YOU ENTER INTO YOUR BED, PRAY. The day now ended, men give themselves to rest in the night; and so, this life finished, we shall rest in death. Nothing is more like this life than every day ; nothing more like death than sleep ; nothing more like to our grave than our bed. 0 Lord, our Keeper and Defender, grant that I now laying me down to rest, being unable to keep myself, may be preserved from the crafts and assaults of the wicked enemy : and grant further that, when I have run the race of this life, thou wouldest of thy mercy call me unto thee, that I may live and watch with thee for evermore. And now, gracious God, give me to take my rest in thee, and bring to pass that thy goodness may be, even in sleep, before mine eyes ; that sleep ing I be not absent from thee, but may have my dreams to . draw me unto thee, and so both soul and body may be kept pure and holy for ever. " I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest." ps. iv. Think that, as this troublesome day is now past, and night Meditations i it ii i i • i i i of Bradford, come, and so rest, bed, and pleasant sleep, which maketh most Copland 1559, excellent princes and most poor peasants alike ; even so after editions. the tumults, troubles, temptations, and tempests of this life, they that believe in Christ have prepared for them an haven5 and rest most pleasant and joyful. As you are not afraid to enter into your bed, and to dispose yourself to sleep, so be not afraid to die, but rather prepare yourself to it : think that now you are nearer your end by one day's journey, than you were in the morning. [6 'heaven' 1559, 1578: 'haven' 1607, 1614, and Bull, Prayers, &c. 1570. The Latin of Vives is portum.] r n 16 [BRADFORD.] 242 PRIVATE PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS. WHEN YOU FEEL SLEEP TO BE COMING, PRAY. 0 Lord Jesus Christ, my Watchman and Keeper, take me to thy care : grant that, my body sleeping, my mind may watch in thee, and be made merry by some sight of that celestial and heavenly life wherein thou art the King and Prince, together with the Father and the Holy Ghost; thy angels and holy souls be most happy citizens. 0 purify my soul, keep clean my body, that in both I may please thee, sleeping and waking, for ever. Amen. PRAYER FOR DIVINE PROTECTION'. l Tim. ii. "Pray in every place, lifting up pure hands." 0 mighty King, and most high Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which mercifully dost govern all things which thou hast made, look down upon the faithful " seed of Abraham," the " children of thy chosen Jacob," thy "chosen people" I do mean, consecrate unto thee by the anoint- ing of thy holy Spirit, and appointed to thy kingdom by thy2 "eternal purpose," free mercy, and grace, but yet as strangers wandering in this vile vale of misery, brought forth daily by the worldly tyrants "like sheep to the slaughter." 0 Father of all flesh, who by thy Divine providence " changest times and seasons," and most wonderfully disposest kingdoms ; thou hast destroyed Pharaoh, with all his horse and chariots, puffed up with pride against thy people, leading forth safely by the hands of thy mercy thy beloved Israel through the high waves of the raging waters. Thou, 0 God, the Lord of all hosts and armies, didst first drive away from the gates of thy people the blasphemous Sennacherib, slaying of his army fourscore and five thousand by thy angel in one night ; and after by his own sons, before his own idols, didst kill the same blasphemous idolater, shewing openly to all hea then thy provident power towards thy despised " little ones.' t1 'A fruitful prayer for the dispersed church of Christ, compiled by R. P.' is printed in the Meditations of Bradford, Copland 1559, commencing on signature D i, before the " prayer for Divine protec tion;' and in the after editions. The 'prayer compiled by R-R 1S Eupplied in the Appendix to this volume.] [2 'the' 1559, 1607: 'thy' 1578, 1614.] PRAYER FOR DIVINE PROTECTION. 243 Thou didst transform and change proud Nabuchodonosor, the enemy of thy people, into a brute beast, "to eat grass" and hay, to the horrible terror of all worldly tyrants. And, as thou art " the Father of mercies and God of all consolation," so of thy wonderful mercy didst thou preserve those thy servants in Babylon, which with bold courage gave their bodies to the fife, because they would not worship any dead idol : and, when they were cast into the burning furnace, thau didst give them cheerful hearts to rejoice and " sing psalms," and savedst un hurt the very " hairs of their heads," turning the flame from them to devour their enemies. Thou, 0 Lord God, by the might of thy right arm which governeth all, broughtest Daniel thy prophet safe into light and life forth of the dark den of the devouring lions, where by false accusations he was shut under the earth, of those raging beasts to be devoured ; but thou turnedst their cruelty upon his accusers, repaying the wicked upon their own pates. Yea, Lord, which passeth all wonders, and is far above man's power to perceive therein thy working, thou didst cause the huge and great dragon of the seas, that horrible leviathan and behemoth, the main whale fish, to swallow up and devour thy servant Jonas, to keep him "three days and three nights" in the dungeon of his belly, the dark hell-like grave to a living man ; thou didst cause that great monster to carry him to the place that thou hadst appointed, and there to cast him up safe, and able to do thy message. Now also, 0 heavenly Father, beholder of all things, " to whom only belongeth vengeance," thou seest and considerest how thy holy name by the wicked worldlings and blasphemous idolaters is dishonoured ; thy sacred word refused, forsaken, and despised ; thy holy Spirit provoked and offended ; thy chosen temple polluted and defiled : tarry not too long there fore, but shew thy power speedily upon thy chosen household, which is so grievously vexed and so cruelly handled by thy open enemies. Avenge thy own glory, and shorten these evil days " for thy elect's sake." Let thy kingdom come of all thy servants desired3- And though our livings hath offended thy Majesty, as we do confess unfeignedly, 0 Lord, that we have all sinned, our kings, princes, priests, prophets, and people, (all we, together with our parents, fathers, and mo- [3 'thy desired' 1559: 'thy servants desired' 1614.] 16—2 244 PRAYER FOR DIVINE PROTECTION. thers, have most grievously, infinitely passing all measure and number, with our hard flintish hearts, our dissolute and care less life, without all shame and repentance for sin, offended, transgressed, trespassed, sinned, and committed most horrible wickedness, so that we have worthily deserved the uttermost of thy plagues and terrible vengeance;) yet for thine own glory, O merciful Lord, suffer not the enemy of thy Son Christ, the Romish antichrist, thus wretchedly to delude and draw from thee our poor brethren, for whom thy Son once died, that by his cruelty, after so clear light, they should be made captives to dumb idols and devilish inventions of popish ceremonies thereunto pertaining. Suffer him not to seduce the simple sort with his fond opinion that his false gods, blind mumbling, feigned religion, or his foolish superstition, doth give him such conquests, such victories, such triumph, and so high hand over us. We know most certainly, 0 Lord, that it is not their arm and power, but our sins and offences, that hath delivered us to their fury, and hath caused thee to turn away from us. But turn again, 0 Lord, let us fall into thy hands otherwise : seeing thy justice must punish us, let us fall into thy hands (as David did choose) by dearth, famine, or pestilence, or what way thou likest ; lest these vain idolaters do rejoice at the miserable destruction of those men whom they make proselytes, and from thy doctrine apostates. But, 0 Lord, thy holy will be fulfilled ! This is thy righteous judgment, to punish us with the tyrannical yoke of blindness, because we have cast away from us the sweet yoke of the wholesome word of thy Son our Saviour. Yet consider the horrible blasphemies of thine and our enemies : they name a cake their God, their Christ, and alto gether they know nothing of thy power : they say in their hearts, ' There is no God, which either can or will deliver us. Wherefore, 0 heavenly Father, the Governor of all things, the Avenger of the causes of " the poor, the fatherless, the widow, and of the oppressed," look down from heaven with the face of thy fatherly mercies, and forgive us all former offences ; and for thy Son Christ's sake have mercy upon us, which by the force and cruelty of wicked and blasphemous idolaters, without causes approved, are haled and pulled from our own houses; are slandered, slain, and murdered as rebels and PRAYER FOR DIVINE PROTECTION. 245 traitors, like persons pernicious, pestiferous, seditious, pestilent, and full of mortal poison, to all men contagious : where we do meddle no further but against the helly "powers of darkness," "against the spiritual craftiness in heavenly things1," which would deny the will of our God and the power of our Christ unto us. We do contend no further but only for our " Christ crucified," and the only salvation by his blessed passion, ac knowledging2 none other God, none other Christ or Saviour, but only thee the everliving Lord and our most merciful Fa ther, and thy dear Son our Saviour, who is in the same glory with thee in the high heavens. Therefore, 0 Lord, for thy glorious name sake, for Jesus Christ's sake by whom thou hast promised to grant all right eous requests, make the wicked idolaters to wonder and stand amazed at thy Almighty power ; use thy wonted strength to the confusion of thine enemies, and to the help and deliverance of thy persecuted people. All thy saints do beseech thee therefor. The young infants which have somedeal tasted of thy sweet word, " by whose mouths" thou hast promised to "make perfect thy praises," " whose angels doth alway behold thy face," who beside the loss of us their parents are in danger to be compelled and driven (without thy great mercies) to serve dumb and insensible idols, do cry and call to thee. Their pitiful mothers, with lamentable tears, lie prostrate before the throne of thy grace. Thou " Father of the fatherless, Judge of the widows," and Avenger of the oppressed, let it appear, 0 Lord omnipotent, that thou dost hear, judge, avenge, and punish all wrongs offered to all thy " little ones that do believe in thee." " Do this, 0 Lord, for thy name's sake." "Arise up, 0 Lord, and thine enemies shall be scattered and confounded." So be it, 0 Lord most merciful, at thy time appointed. A THANKSGIVING, BEING A GODLY PRAYER TO BE READ AT ALL TIMES. Honour and praise be given to thee, 0 Lord God Almighty, most dear Father of heaven, for all thy mercies [1 Eph. vi. 12, so rendered in the Bible printed by Grafton and Whitchurch 1539. Vide English Hexapla, London 1841.] [2 'knowledging' 1559, 1578, 1607: 'acknowledging, 1614.] 246 A THANKSGIVING. and loving-kindness shewed unto us, in that it hath pleased thy gracious goodness, freely and of thine own accord, to elect and choose us to salvation before the beginning of the world : and even like continual thanks be given to thee, for creating of us after thine own image; for redeeming us with the precious blood of thy dear Son, when we were utterly lost; for sanctifying us with thy holy Spirit in the revelation and knowledge of thy holy word ; for helping and succouring us in all our needs and necessities; for saving us from all dangers of body and soul ; for comforting us so fatherly in all our tribulations and persecutions ; for sparing us so long, and giving us so large a time of repentance. These benefits, O most merciful Father, like as we do ac knowledge that we have received1 of thy only goodness, even so we beseech thee, for2 thy dear Son Jesus Christ's sake, to grant us always thy holy Spirit, whereby we may continually grow in thankfulness towards thee, to be " led into all truth," and comforted in all our adversities. 0 Lord, strengthen our faith ; kindle it more in ferventness and love towards thee, and our neighbours for thy sake. Suffer us not, dearest Father, to receive thy word any more in vain : but grant us always the assistance of thy grace and holy Spirit, that in heart, word, and deed, we Hallowed be may sanctify and do worship to thy holy name; help to thyname. J,.„ ' . , i ¦ i j i . It, Thy king- amplify and increase thy kingdom ; and whatsoever tnou dom come. l amt parting parfefte ut tht btmtre, fapon tbt thtte Crane toarCe, 6p topllpam Copland &mo* Bo. &MBX2?. tht rb* tiapt oi ilarcfo* [4 This prayer, after appearing in the Meditations of Bradford 1559, was appended with others to the Psalms in metre, Sternhold and Hopkins, printed by Day, 1566, from whence it was reprinted in the numerous subsequent editions of the 'Psalms,' which were very fre quently bound with the ' Book of Common Prayer/ Ch. of Eng., though entirely distinct publications. It was republished in the Scottish 'Book of Common Order,' Edinburgh 1611, and Aberdeen 1633, among the prayers commonly used in private houses. It was given in the 'Christian Prayers,' &c. collected by Henry Bull, Powell (see p. 118, note 1, above), and Middleton 1570 : vide Parker Soc. edition, p. 147, where it is entitled, ' A thanksgiving to God for his great benefit, and prayer for grace to confirm and increase the same.' It has also ap peared in the ' Liturgical Services of the reign of Elizabeth,' Parker Soc. 1847, p. 264, being taken from the 'Psalms' 1566.] [The following Meditations are now first printed from the autograph of Bradford in a copy of the New Testament of Tyndale, Jugge 1548, belonging to O. H. Williams, Esq., of Ivy Tower near Tenby, in whose family (which was connected by marriage at the time of the Reforma tion with that of Bishop Ferrar,1) the book has been handed down from about that period. The initials 'I. B.' and 'I. H.' are written on the reverse of the last fly-leaf containing Bradford's autograph, and are also engraven in gilt letters on each side of the cover: and a few MS. lines on the re verse of the title of the Testament (which will appear hereafter among the letters of Bradford) dated February 8, 1555, are written to a lady whom Bradford addresses as ' mine own most dearly beloved sister in the Lord.' It is not unlikely that the initials 'I. B.' and 'I. H.' may indicate John Bradford and Mistress Joyce Hales, (a daughter-in-law of Sir James Hales, Justice of the Common Pleas ;) to whom the 'Defence of election' and the treatise on ' The restoration of all things,' in this volume, are respectively inscribed ; and to whom two among the letters of Bradford2 were written. The Testament is in an ornamented binding, apparently of the reign of Elizabeth : the writing having been cut by the binder, it would seem that the book, after the death of Bradford, had been bound for Joyce Hales in memory of the martyr.] p See the Gentleman's Magazine, July 1791, letter of W. Williams, Esq., vol. mi. p. 608; and March 1848, p. 245—7.] [» That 'to Mistress I. H.' in Bp. Coverdale, Letters of the Martyrs 1564, p. 306; and that 'to a faithful woman in her heaviness and troubles,' in Bp. C. ibid. p. 322; and in Foxe, Acts, &c. 1583, p. 1640, or ed. 1843—8, vii. 230.] MEDITATIONS FROM THE AUTOGRAPH OF JOHN BRADFORD, IN A COPY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT OF TYNDALE. MEDITATIONS. THE SECOND BIRTH'. Ms.macopy As the sense or affection of the flesh "neither it can be" or of the New . . ...„ .,, Testament, ever in this lite will " be subject to the law of God," where- aHnswfi-° through the most holy on earth hath cause in consideration olSmiif1" thereof continually to fight, seeing in himself not only one Holograph. enemy ^ enmity itself against God ; so the seed of God, which dwelleth in them that are " born of God," neither will nor can, nor never will nor can, trespass or sin against God: by reason whereof they that are "born of God" have great cause to rejoice, seeing in themselves, through God's goodness, not only a friend but friendliness itself towards and with God. For, though "in the flesh" and all they have concerning and from the first birth, so often as they consider it, they have great cause to tremble ; yet, in respect of their second birth and the seed of God that dwelleth in them, they should much more rejoice, and be certain of eternal salvation, because "he is stronger that is in them than he that is in the world." For no less durable and mighty is the seed of God in his children regenerate, than the seed of the serpent in the unregenerate, to move and rule the will of man accordingly ; for will fol- loweth nature, corrupt nature hath corrupt will, pure nature hath pure will. Now then, who doth not then know that the regenerate, in that and insomuch as they be regenerate, that, I say, they have pure will according to the nature of the Spirit of God regenerating them ? So that, as their corrupt nature hath his corrupt affections, which never will " be subject nor can be to God's law," (wherethrough though the works of the Spirit in them be something spotted, yet is not that spotting imputed or laid to their charge for the covenant's sake, which God hath made with him in the blood of Christ, whereof they are and shall be assured by faith;) so the regenerate man hath his pure affection which never can nor will sin against God. f1 The original of this meditation is on four fly-leaves prefixed to the New Testament 1548, described in the prefatory note, p. 248 above. The several headings in this series are not in the original.] THE SECOND BIRTH. 251 And hitherto appertaineth the saying of St John, how that the children of God " cannot sin," speaking not of the present time only, but finally and perpetually, no less attributing to God's seed (which, he saith, " doth abide in them that are born of God"), than to the seed of the devil in our corrupt nature and flesh. So that the children of God are always sinners and always righteous ; sinners in respect of themselves, and of that they be of the first birth ; righteous in respect of Christ, and of that they be of the second birth. And thus we see what free-will man hath. In respect of his first birth his will is free to sin and nothing else : in re spect of his second birth his will is free to do good and nothing else; by reason whereof we ought to be in most certainty of salvation. In confirmation whereof, to this of St John, (which is, " they which are born of God cannot sin,") we may look on other places of scripture confirming the same, as that God promiseth to make his people "a new heart;" item, that he promiseth he will bring it so to pass that they shall "walk in his laws;" item, that Christ promiseth his Spirit "shall be in him to whom he giveth it a spring of water running unto eternal life;" also, that he witnesseth "them which believe in him" already to be "passed" all doubt and death, and to be presently in "eternal life." But you will say, perchance, that 'David a regenerate person not only would sin but could do it, and did it indeed, as Peter also and divers others : where was the seed of God in these men ? Did not David pray God to give him [his] Spirit again ? Therefore he had lost this seed : and so it fol- loweth that no man is so certain, but that he may utterly lose the Spirit of God, and so perish.' To answer this, consider David and Peter according to these two births, whereof the one is perfect (I mean it of that which is first) ; but the second is but begun, and not yet perfect until the soul be delivered out of the body by death, as the body out of the mother's womb by birth. No marvel then if we see "the old man" in the children of God oftentimes to do ill for a time, as in David and Peter, which proveth not yet that they had lost the Holy Ghost : for, as a sparkle of fire may be covered in the ashes though it appear not, even so I doubt not but that the seed of God was in these 252 ON FOLLOWING CHRIST. men though it appeared not. And as for David praying for the " renovation of a right spirit in him," [it] doth not fully prove an utter privation of the same ; for the children of God do pray often after their sense rather than after the verity, as when Christ said, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" which was not so indeed but to his sense. Yea, David prayed that God would " not take away his holy Spirit," whereby he knowledgeth no utter privation of the same : whereof we have a demonstration in his humble acception of Nathan reproving him, of acknowledging his fault, and humbling himself before the face of God, and praying for pardon. Came this of the seed of the flesh? Were not these evident signs of God's seed and holy Spirit, which kept so David that he "could not sin," that is, continue in it finally ? though for a time God most justly did give power to the enemy to prevail, and, as it were, to triumph in David's fall. Therefore, and in the sins of other the elect, we see that the seed of Satan sleepeth not in the most holy ; whereby we should be stirred up more to vigiiancy and prayer, that by our negligence it prevail not. We see also that, though for a time God suffer Satan to sift his children, yet his seed re- viveth at the length, and getteth the upper hand, (for else they should lie still, and perish for ever:) wherethrough we are taught not to fall and abuse this to a carnality, but rather so to consider it, that in our falls we may arise, and in our standing we may stand still, and be thankful. Indeed no man, I grant, is so certain as he should be: but that the child of God should not be certain, that I utterly deny. Rather let us a-knowledge our unbelief, and give God this honour, which of all other is most excellent, that he is merciful and true. He that giveth to God this testimony in his heart, and consenteth that God is merciful and kind unto him, and thereto true, the same doth honour him most highly, ON FOLLOWING CHRIST1. Many would come to thee, 0 Lord, but few will come after thee. Many would have the reward of thy saints, but very f1 The original of this meditation is written at the end of the 'office ^ oa,ieltate8','which isPart of tbe New Testament 1548, described at p. J48 above.] ON AFFLICTION. 253 few will follow their ways : and yet we know, or at the least we should know, that the entrance to thy kingdom and para dise is not from a paradise, but from a wilderness; for we come not from pleasure to pleasure, but from pain to pleasure, or from pleasure to pain, as thy story of the rich glutton and Lazarus doth something set forth. E carcere [from prison], 15 Februarii, John Bradford. ON AFFLICTION2 Enemies to God are such as hate God. So that, when in thy- ps. ixviu self thou seest not this hatred of God, think that the punish ments, how great and grievous soever they be, thou hast, be not the punishments of enemies, but rather the fatherly casti- gations of children. Therefore be not dismayed, but take occasion as a child to go to God as to thy Father through Christ; and doubt not of love and friendship accordingly, how deeply soever thou hast deserved the contrary. THE LIFE OF FAITH3. Labour for a lively sight and sense of heavenly things, and so shall no sight or sense of earthly things trouble your affections, further than you shall be able enough with ease and pleasure relinquish and forsake them, whensoever God's glory shall require. Now this sight and sense of heavenly things is not otherwise than by faith ; which beginneth not but where reason faileth, or rather maketh an end. Therefore4, in all matters of religion and concerning salvation, leave reason P The original of this short meditation is written on the last page of the New Testament 1548, beneath the colophon.] [3 The original of this meditation is written on a fly-leaf at the end of the Testament 1548. Twenty-four lines by Bradford in verse (which will appear in the concluding volume of his Writings) are prefixed to this meditation : these, with the ensuing meditations ' on the conflict of faith,' and 'on a good conscience,' occupy in the original six fly-leaves.][4 Here a blank occurs in the original, as if for the name, which Bradford may have deemed it prudent not to write.] 254 the life of faith. with Abraham's ass, and leave your corporal senses with his servants in the valley, to be occupied in civil things, if that you will climb up with Isaac into the hill of heaven ; whither God our Father bring us for his mercy's sake. J. B. ON THE CONFLICT OF FAITH'. Whensoever thou seest a blindness2 in thy mind and a hardness in thine heart, and therefore art troubled, and some thing therethrough moved to waver and doubt of God's mercy towards thee, beware that thou be not unthankful to the Lord for the mercy which in this plague he sendeth, in that he suf- fereth thee not so much to see of thy blindness and hardness as it is : for, if this little piece which thou now dost something see do a little make thy faith to waver, 0 how much would thy faith waver if thou sawest the thing as it is ! Therefore be thou thankful for not seeing so much of the evil thou hast, as it is3. God will never destroy any that is not his enemy : but none is his enemy that would be his friend ; that is, that would amend, and do desire to do his will. Whensoever therefore thou dost see in thyself a will consenting to God's will and lusting to do it, never think that the plague poured out upon thee is to thy destruction, but to thy correction and weal4. If we ought to be patient when any man doth wrong us, much more then when God doth deal roughly with us, in that he cannot wrong us. God is patient : he then that is patient is common with God, or rather hath communion with God in this virtue : whereby it followeth that the patient man cannot perish, inasmuch as none having any communion with God can perish 5- [J Vide prefatory note, p. 248, and note 3 in the last page.] [2 The last few words are rather doubtful, having been nearly cut off in the binding.] [3 Here a blank of some lines occurs in the original.] [4 The last six words are underscored in the original.] [s Here a blank of some lines occurs in the MS.] ON THE CONFLICT OF FAITH. 255 This is the treasure of godly men, which the world is very ignorant of, namely, that all evil spiritual6 and corporal happen to the good and weal of God's elect ; item, that God is then nearest when he seemeth to be farthest ; also, then he is most merciful and a sweet Saviour, when he seemeth to be most wroth and to destroy; moreover, that we then have eternal righteousness, which we look for by hope as a most certain possession, when we feel terror of sin and death. Item, then we are lords of all things when we be most want ing, as " having nothing and yet possessing all things." As Moses lifting up his hands, the Israelites prevailed against the Amalekites, even so our souls lifting up their hands to God in earnest prayer, we shall prevail against our enemies : but, as it was needful for Moses to have his arms underpropped, so have we need of perseverance. Now per severance is the true and proper daughter of faith ; which faith is not without confession, as David and Paul doth witness when they say that they " believed and therefore did they speak," making speaking the demonstration of believing ; and therefore Paul also, where [he] saith that the " belief of the heart and the confession of the mouth" doth justify and "save;" thereby shewing that saving faith is not without confession, and that in the very mouth, much more then in the life. The which confession in that very many now-a-day do want, not daring once to speak, [for] fear of losing that which they shall leave (will they, nill7 they,) at the length ; easily we may see that they want faith also, and so are in danger to " the wrath of God which abideth upon them that beheve not ;" that is, upon such as confess not the truth for fear of the wrath of the magistrates, which because they would avoid, they fall into " God's wrath," which is horrible. John Bradford. ON A GOOD CONSCIENCE8- Learn to let the world daily more and more to die unto you, before you die to it, lest death when it cometh will be more dangerous. When you depart hence, nothing in all this [6 A pen-stroke is drawn in the original across the word ' spiritual.'] [T i. e. be unwilling.] [8 Vide prefatory note, p. 248, and p. 253, note 3.] 256 on a good conscience. world will go with you : then will it and all things here make as though they never had known you: therefore esteem it not so much as many do, for you shall find no true friendship of it. Rather study to get and keep " a good conscience," which if you have at your departure, then are you happy. " A good conscience" I call a good purpose in all things to live after God's will. This is given "by the resurrection of Christ," that is, by knowing certainly, through faith, that Christ by his death hath made purgation of your sins past, and by his re surrection hath justified you and regenerated you; so that you, purposing to live as God shall teach you, have in God's sight "a good conscience," whose root you see is in faith: which God for his mercy's sake more and more increase in us. Amen. See that thou let the world die to thee tofore thou die unto it, or else thou shalt die indeed, where otherwise thou shalt never die. As Moses and Elias talked with Christ of his departing which he fulfilled at Jerusalem by death, so do they tell and talk with us that our departing is never fulfilled till death cometh : then both in body and soul we shall depart from this life, and go to God our Father. As the original of your words and works is of the mind, and as it is, so be they constructed1; so the end of all your words and workings should be to the mind, that thou by it might be edified. It is better for the truth's sake to suffer pain, than for flattery promotion to obtain : he that for fear of any power doth hide the verity, upon his own pate God's grievous ven geance falleth2- He that considereth God and his ways (I mean it concern ing his mercies or displeasures) simply out of himself in others, surely the same shall feel little affection ; that is, shall little fear or rejoice. Therefore, when you consider the judgments and mercies of God shewed upon others, see that by some means you apply the same in some part to yourself: so shall you find commodities. P In the original, 'constred.'] P These last words are doubtful, having been somewhat cut in the binding.] on a good conscience. 257 To fear God is "the beginning of wisdom;" for by it we "depart from evil," and so are more meet to receive God's grace and fellowship, which cannot be had of them that "walk in darkness." Therefore, inasmuch as this book3 doth teach ¦ true wisdom, if that you will be a reader and student of it, see that you bring with you "the fear of God," for which you must pray heartily: and, that you may know when you "fear the Lord," mark how you "depart from evil" and flee from "the works of darkness." Which things if you do, then come a God's name, and with reverence read this book3, knowing for certain that therein the Lord doth speak unto you. Be not therefore an Eutychus, but rather a Thyophile4; [Actsxx. o.i and God shall give you his blessing ; which thing he do for his mercy's sake ! [3 The New Testament.] [* 'Theophilus :' a person who loves God.] 17 [bradfohd.] [The ten following Meditations and Prayers are collected from various sources. Five of these are now first printed from MSS. in Emmanuel College, Cambridge, namely the 'Meditation on the Lord's Supper,' p. 260 — 3; the 'Prayer for the presence of God,' p. 264 — 6; the Prayers 'for deliverance from trouble,' and 'in the time of persecution,' and the 'Paraphrase of Psalm lxxix,' p. 276 — 91. The short 'Admonition written in a Testament,' p. 264, is reprinted from Bishop Coverdale, 'Letters of the martyrs,' 1564. The ' Sweet contemplation of heaven,' p. 266 — 9, is taken from the 'Godly Meditations' of Bradford, Allde 1604. The meditations on the 'Place and joys of the life everlasting,' and on the 'Felicity of the life to come,' p..269 — 75, are printed from a copy of the ' Christian Prayers,' &c. collected by Henry Bull, Mid dleton 1570 !, in the collection of the late George Stokes, Esq. These two meditations also occur in the first edition of the orna mented 'Book of Christian Prayers,' Day 1569, signature F iii — Iii; but not in the after editions, 1578, 1581, 1590, 1608. Vide prefatory note, p. 223 above. The 'Prayer of one standing at the stake' is printed from a MS, in Emmanuel College, Cambridge, 1. 2. 8. no. 92. which is inscribed, ' Bradford's prayer at the stake for Robert Harrington]2. It is also to be found in the 'Prayers,' &c. collected by Henry Bull, Middleton, n. d. p. 404, and Beale 1619, p. 266, with the title, 'A prayer which Master John Bradford said a little before his death in Smithfield.' It is also given in Foxe, Acts, &c. 1570, p. 2002, or ed. 1843—8, vn. 686, between the account of the martyrdom and the letters of Adn. Philpot, as if written by that martyr, with the title, 'A prayer to be said at the stake of all them that God shall account worthy to suffer for his sake ;' and it has been reprinted from Foxe, ed. 1597, in the 'Examinations,' &c. of Philpot, Parker Society, p. 162 — 4. Its text in this volume has been collated with another MS. in Em manuel College, 2. 2. 16. no. 6., which supplies the signature at the end, 'John Bradford:' but the variations are only noted where a de viation from MS. 1. 2. 8. is followed.] p This book is 'richly bound with embroidered covers by the Ferrars, of Little Gidding, [about a.d. 1630,] apparently as a present to the noble family of Vaughan.'— Preface to ' Christian Prayers,' &c. Bull, Parker Soc. p. vi, vn. Vide Memoir of Nicholas Ferrar, London 1837, p. 117, 152; Wordsworth, Eccl. Biogr. IV./186-7, 213, 232, Lond. 1839. The two meditations 'of the life everlasting' and 'of the life to come,' p. 269-75, are also in the earlier edition of the 'Prayers, &c. by Bull, printed by Powell (see p. 118 , note 1, above.) Vide Bull, 'Prayers,' &c. Parker Soc. p. 101—9.] P Robert Harrington was a younger son of Sir Robert H. of Exton in Rutlandshire, and an intimate friend of Bradford; to whom, under the name of ' Nathanael,' two among the letters of I'radford are addressed. Vide p. 32, notes 2 and 3, above ; Bp. Coverdale, Letters of the martyrs, 1564, p. 414—8, and Foxe, Acts, &c. 1583, p. 1653-4, or ed. 1S43— 8, vn. 258—62; Betham, Baronetage, i. 107, Lond. 1801.] MEDITATIONS PRAYERS JOHN BRADFORD, IN EMMANUEL COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, AND OTHER SOURCES. 17—2 MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS. MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S SUPPER1. JESUS IMMANUEL. ms. 2. 2. 16. This heavenly banquet (wherewithin thou dost witness thy- Emman. self, 0 sweet Saviour, to be "the bread of life" wherewith our Coll. Cam- origmai sou's are ^ unto true an(^- eternal life and immortality) Holograph. gran(; me grace s0 now to receive, as may be to my singular joy and comfort. The signs and symbols be bread and wine, which are sanctified in thy body and blood, to represent the invisible communion and fellowship of the same. For, as in baptism thou, 0 God, dost regenerate us, and as it were engraft us into the fellowship of thy church, and by adoption make us thy children ; so, as a good householder and Father, thou dost afterwards minister meat to nourish and continue us in that life whereunto thou " by thy word hast begotten us." And truly, 0 Christ, thou art the food of the soul: and therefore our heavenly Father giveth thee unto us, that we being refreshed in communicating of thee might be received into immortality. Now, because this mystery is of itself incomprehensible, thou dost exhibit and give unto us a figure and image hereof in visible signs : yea, as though thou paidest down present earnest, thou makest us so certain hereof, as if with our eyes we saw it. And this is the end wherefore thou didst institute this thy supper and banquet, namely, that it f1 This meditation is now printed for the first time. Brackets are inserted in this series (as elsewhere in this volume), wherever a word or syllable has been supplied by the editor, to com plete the sense of a passage otherwise imperfect.] meditation on the lord's supper. 261 might confirm us, as of thy body once so offered for us that we may feed on it, and in feeding feel in us the efficacy and strength of thy one alone sacrifice ; so of thy blood once so shed for us that it is unto us a continual potion and drink, according to the words of thy promise added there, " Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you." So that the body which was once offered for our salvation we are com manded to " take and eat," that, whiles we are partakers thereof, we might be most assured the virtue of thy lively death is of force in us : whereof it cometh that thou callest the cup " the testament (or covenant) in thy blood ;" for the covenant which thou once hast stricken with us in thy blood, thou dost as it were renew the same as concerning the con firmation of our faith, so often as thou reach unto us this holy cup to drink of. 0 wonderful consolation which cometh to the godly hearts by reason of this sacrament ! For here we have assured witness that thou Christ art so coupled unto us, and we so engrafted in thee, that we are " one body" with thee ; and whatsoever thou hast we may call it our own. Boldly therefore we may boast that " everlasting life," thine inherit ance, is ours ; that "the kingdom of heaven," whereinto thou art entered, can no more be taken away from us or we from it, than from thee or thou from it. Again, our sins can no more condemn us than thee ; for thou would they should be laid to thy charge as though they were thine. This is a wonderful change which thou makest with us of thy unspeakable mercy. Thou wast made "the Son of man" with us, that we with thee might be made "the sons of God:" thou earnest down from heaven unto earth, to bring us from the earth into heaven : thou tookest upon thee our mortality, that thou mightest give us thy immortality : thou tookest upon thee our weakness, that thou mightest make us strong with thy strength : thou tookest on thee our poverty, to pour upon us thy plenty : thou tookest upon thee our un righteousness, that thou mightest cloak us with thy right eousness. 0 comfort of comforts ! Of all these things we have so assured witness in this sacrament, that we ought without all wavering to be so sure that they are exhibit and given unto us, as if with our corporal eyes we did see thee, 0 sweet Christ, 262 MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. present in visible form, and with our very hands touched and handled thee; for this word cannot lure1 or beguile us, "Take, eat, drink : this is my body which is given for you : this is my blood which is shed for the forgiveness of your sins." In that thou biddest us "take," thou wouldest signify unto us that it is ours. In that thou biddest us " eat," thou wouldest we should know that it is made "one flesh" with us. In that thou sayest it is "thy body given for us," "thy blood shed for us," thou wouldest that we should learn both to be not only thine now, but also ours ; for thou tookest and gavest both not for thy commodity but for ours. Grant therefore, good Lord, that we may, as be thankful to thee for ever, so diligently always to mark that the chiefest and almost the whole pith of the sacrament consist- eth in these words, " which is given for you," " which is shed for you:" for else it would little help ns to have thy body and blood distributed now, except they had been given for our redemption and salvation. By the bread and wine therefore they are represented, that we might learn that they are not only ours, but also that they are destinate and appointed unto us for the seal of spiritual life. Thus, good Lord, grant us thy grace to consider this sacrament, that we stick not in the corporal things, and things which are object to our eyes, hands, taste and feeling, as the papists teach the people ; (whose eyes open, and turn their hearts according to thy good will !) but that we may arise to the consideration of spiritual things hereby accord ingly. That is, grant that we may deeply consider, as bread nourisheth, sustaineth, and conserveth the life of this our body, so thy body, 0 Christ, is the only and alone food to quicken and make strong the soul; as wine nourisheth, refresheth, confirmeth, and cheereth the heart2, so doth thy blood shed for us on2 the cross to the souls of all faithful receivers and users of this most holy sacrament. Grant, good Lord, therefore that I may truly consider and know the principal parts of the sacrament not to exhibit and give the body simply and without further consideration, but rather to obsign3 and confirm that promise, wherein, as [} 'Lure:' betray, deceive. Vide Bailey, Diet.] [2 ' the heart' and 'for us on' are scored across in the original.] [3 'Obsign:' seal, ratify.] MEDITATION ON THE LORD'S SUPPER. 263 thou dost witness thy flesh to be food indeed, and thy blood to be drink indeed, by which we are fed unto everlasting life, so thou affirmest thyself to be " the bread of life, whereof whoso eateth shall live for ever." And that this thing might be brought to pass, thy sacrament doth send us to thy cross, O Christ, where this promise indeed was performed, and most fully on all sides accomplished : for we cannot to salvation feed on thee or eat thee, 0 Christ, except thou hadst been crucified ; and this we do when with lively sense we apprehend and catch hold on the efficacy of thy death. For, though thou call thyself the " bread of life," yet dost thou it not by reason of the sacra ment, but because there was such a one given to us from the Father, and because thou didst give thyself such a one, by taking part with us in our mortal nature, to make us partakers of thy divine immortality; by offering thyself "a sacrifice for us," to take to thyself our malediction ; and pitifully to pour on us thy blessing, by swallowing up death by thy death, and by raising up to glory and incdrruption this our corruptible flesh which thou tookest on thee, through thy resurrection. So then it remaineth that we should apply all this unto us : and this we do, as by thy gospel, so no less but rather more clearly by thy holy Supper, where, as thou offerest thyself unto us with all thy benefits, so we by faith receive the same. Grant me therefore to mark well that this sacrament is not the thing that maketh thee to begin to be " the bread of life ; " but that this maketh thee so to us, by making us to call to mind that thou wast made " the bread of life," for us continually to feed on ; and by giving to us a taste and savour of that bread, that we might feel the virtue of the same bread. 264 A BRIEF ADMONITION WRITTEN BY MASTER BRADFORD IN A NEW TESTAMENT OP A FRIEND OF HIS. dfi'e?Let£is This book is called Sermo crucis, 'the word of the cross,' tyrsfise^p. because the cross doth always accompany it : so that, if you will be a student hereof, you must needs prepare yourself to 1 cor. i. the cross, which you began to learn before you learned your alphabet1 : and Christ requireth it of every one that will be his disciple, therein not swerving from the common trade of callings or vocations, for no profession or kind of hfe wanteth his cross. So that they are far overseen which think that the profession of the gospel, which the devil most envieth, the world most hateth, and the flesh most repineth at, can be without a cross. Let us therefore pray that God would en able us to "take up our cross" by "denying ourselves." E carcere [From prison], 18 Februarii, 1555. John Bradford. PRAYER FOR THE PRESENCE OF GOD2. With white garments of innocency and righteousness, and palms of victory in their hands. ms. 2. 2. is. Oh, happy is he that may have but a sight of the immortal cSrSam- an^ incorruptible inheritance which these thy people shall bndge. enjoy for ever3! 0 that it please thee, 0 Father, as of thy mercy thou hast called me into thy company and communion [of4] thy saints, so of the same thy- goodness thou wouldest give me to become like[wise4] affected, that in my heart I might cry as [i The figure of a cross was then and afterward prefixed to the alphabet for young persons. See, for instance, " The Primer in Eng lish moste necessary for the educacyon of chyldren," Wayland, n. d. (qu. 1539) signature A viii. ; copy, British Museum: and vide Nares, Glossary, v. ' Christ-cross.'] [2 This prayer is now printed for the first time.] [3 The preceding five lines are scored across in the MS.] ['' The MS. torn.] PRAYER FOR THE PRESENCE OF GOD. 265 they do, and desire to be with thee, not simply because of this prison and exile that I am in presently, but rather only because of thee, and of love to thee : which love I humbly pray thee, that art love itself, that thou wouldest write in my heart, and graciously open thine ears to the words of my mouth at this present, which I have borrowed out of thy mouth by thy servants, saying, " Remember [me], 0 Lord, according to the favour that thou bearest unto thy people; 0 visit me with thy salvation ; that I may see the felicity of thy chosen, and rejoice in the gladness of thy people, and give thanks with thine inheritance." O give me " the Spirit of wisdom and revelation by the knowledge of thyself.1' 0 "lighten the eyes of my mind, that I may know what the hope is whereunto thou hast called me, and how rich the glory is of thine inheritance upon thy saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of thy power to thy people-ward which believe." 0 make me " able to comprehend with thy saints what is the breadth, and length, depth and height," of thy sweet mercy ; that is, that I may know the excellent love of the knowledge of Christ, that I may be fulfilled with all fulness that cometh of thee. O " lighten mine eyes that I sleep not into death;" but "send thy light to me, to lead and bring me into thy tabernacle," that I may " believe to see the goodness of thee in the land of the living." 0 give me " the spirit, not of the world, but which is of thee, that I may know the things that are given to us of God," which are such as " the eye hath not seen, nor the ear hath heard, nor the heart is able to conceive ;" for " the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, even as the light of seven days, in thy blessed kingdom where and when thou wilt bind up the wounds of thy people and heal their plagues." 0 that I might have some lively sight hereof ! When shall I rejoice of an [exchange]5 for the immortal, the undefiled and the immarcescible 6 inheritance, whereto thou hast called me, and dost keep for me in heaven? When shall I hear the sweet songs of thy saved people, crying, " Salvation be to him that sitteth in the throne of our God and to the Lamb?" When shall I with the elders and the angels sing and say, " Lauds, and glory, and wisdom, and [6 MS. torn.] [6 'Immarcescible:' unfading, incorruptible.] 266 PRAYER FOR THE PRESENCE OF GOD. thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be to thee our God for ever and ever?" When shall I be "covered with a white stole1, and have a palm in my hand, to stand before the throne, night and day, to serve thee in the temple, and to have thee to dwell in me?" When shall I hear thy " great voice saying from heaven, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them their God?" 0 happy were they that now might have a little shew of thine "holy city, new Jerusalem, descending from heaven, prepared" of the gracious God, "as a bride decked for her husband," which thou shewedst thy servant St John. This should I see if I were with him "in the Spirit;" but this can not be so long as I am " in the flesh." 0 that the time were come that I might then "put off this tabernacle" in thy mercy, that I might see this great sight which is felicity it self! But herein I must do, and will tarry, thy good pleasure- As I came not hither into this world when I would, but when thou wouldest ; even so, not when I will, but when thou wilt, take me hence in thy mercy. In the mean season as thy child conserve and keep me; and further grant to me, that being in this body yet I may live " not in the flesh but in the Spirit," now and then to have some little true taste of the pleasant dainties of thy house and sanctuary, that all worldly pleasures may be un pleasant and unsavoury, to my eternal comfort, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Meditations of Bradford, Allde 1604, reverse of signatureP v — ix. A SWEET CONTEMPLATION OF HEAVEN AND HEAVENLY THINGS. 0 my soul, lift up thyself above thyself; fly away in the con templation of heaven and heavenly things; make not thy further abode in this inferior region, where is nothing but travail and trials, and sorrow, and woe, and wretchedness, and sin, and trouble, and fear, and all deceiving and destroy ing vanities. Bend all thine affections upward unto the [' 'Stole :' robe, from the Latin stola.] A SWEET CONTEMPLATION OF HEAVEN. 267 superior places where thy Redeemer liveth and reigneth, and where thy joys are laid up in the treasury of his merits which shall be made thy merits, his perfection thy perfection, and his death thy life eternal, and his resurrection thy salvation. Esteem not the trifling pleasures of this life to be the way to this wealth, nor thy ignominious estate here to be any bar to prevent thee from the full use and joyful fruition of the glory there prepared for thee. I am assured that though I want here, I have riches there ; though I hunger here, I shall have fulness there ; though I faint here, I shall be refreshed there ; and though I be accounted here as a dead man, I shall there live in per petual glory. That is the city promised to the captives whom Christ shall make free ; that is the kingdom assured to them whom Christ shall crown ; there are the joys prepared for them that mourn ; there is the light that never shall go out ; there is the health that shall never be impaired ; there is the glory that shall never be defaced ; there is the life that shall taste no death ; and there is the portion that passeth all the world's preferment. There is the world that never shall wax worse; there is every want supplied freely without money ; there is no danger, but happiness, and honour, and singing, and praise, and thanksgiving unto the heavenly Jehovah, "to him that sitteth on the throne," "to the Lamb" that here was led to the slaughter, that now " reigneth ;" with whom I " shall reign" after I have run this comfortless race through this miserable earthly vale. The honour in this earth is baseness ; the riches of this world is poverty ; the fulness of this life is want ; the joys of this world's kingdom are sorrow, and woe, and misery, and sadness, and grief. And yet "the fool saith in his heart," ' There is no other heaven but this harmful deceiving world's happiness, no other hell but this world's bitterness, no better comfort than this world's cares, no further help than this • world's wealth.' Thus is man's wisdom made foolishness, and man's glory turned into shame, and man's power made of no force : and the faithful poor that are here despised, they are advanced, the sorrowful are comforted, and the castaways in this world are received] to this blessed being, that cannot be expressed with the tongue of man, nor conceived with the heart of man. 268 A SWEET CONTEMPLATION OF HEAVEN. " 0 that I had wings," saith heavenly-hearted David, that I might fly away from this world's vanities, and possess heaven's happiness ! " 0 that I were dissolved," saith blessed Paul, " that I might be with Christ ! " 0 that I were in this place of such wished happiness, where I might rest from those worldly labours, and earthly miseries, and transitory vanities! But be not heavy. 0 my soul, though thou must yet wade under the burden of these earthly troubles; for these hea venly mysteries are not seen of carnal eyes, nor can be obtained by carnal means ; but through troubles, and afflictions, and dangers, and persecutions, they must be achieved: and none that are God's elected shall be free from this world's hatred. For such difference is there between earth and heaven, and between earthly and heavenly things, that whoso delight- eth in the first shall be deprived of the latter ; for we cannot have this world's heaven and " the heaven of heavens," the heaven of saints and angels, and cherubim and seraphim, where are all unspotted and all glorious, and all "in white robes" of sanctity, and where Christ the sacrificed Lamb is unto them "All in all." Oh, blessed are all they that are thus assured; blessed are the poor that shall have this heaven's riches ; blessed are the base that shall be thus advanced ; blessed are the low that shall be thus raised ; and blessed are the world's despised that shall have this heaven's happiness ; yea, happy is this wretched world's unhappy man, for he shall be happy. I will daily meditate of [the] greatness and majesty of this high heaven's blessed estate, where I shall one day bless my God with the company of his saints ; and where I shall one day sit secure and free from the dangers and perils, and crosses, and afflictions, that now do assail me on the right hand and on the left, within me and without me; and am never free from one calamity or another. But it is good for me to be here humbled, that I may be there advanced where I wish speedily to come: it is good that I were in want here, that I might seek heavenly neces saries : it is good that the world did discourage me, that 1 might fly to God that comforteth me : it is good that I am daily killed here, that I might live continually. Now therefore, O my soul, stand up, fear not, faint not at this world's crosses ; but give glory to this great God, praise this high and helping God, seek him "while it is day; A SWEET CONTEMPLATION OF HEAVEN. 2G9 drive not off to pray to this God, notwithstanding any hope thou hast in mortal men, but reject not his gracious means, who, in favour infinite and mercy endless, moveth the hearts of men in this life to do good unto such as he seeth dis tressed. He can find out and afford infinite means to succour them that are his, and will not leave them forsaken in danger ; for he even here giveth me his blessings as pledges of his never-failing love, that, being visited in his mercy with timely comforts here, I may assure me of greater bless ings in heaven, where they are prepared beyond all that I can ask or think. " 0 Lord God of hosts, who is like unto thee," who hast " established thy kingdom with truth and equity, with mercy and judgment?" "Thou hast a mighty arm, strong is thine hand, and high is thy right hand :" whoso is under thy pro tection, he is safe ; and " he that trusteth in thee, mercy em braceth him on every side." 0, blessed art thou, 0 my soul, if thou canst " rejoice in the Lord." He is thy Father, he is thy helper : walk there fore " in the light of his countenance," and be patient ; wait in hope till these storms be past : and then shalt thou have that quiet rest that he hath prepared in heaven. " Lord, increase my faith." " Our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look coi. hi. i, 2. for the Saviour, even the Lord Jesus." " If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which a*re above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God." " Set your affections on things which are above, and not on things which are on the earth." A MEDITATION OF THE LIFE EVERLASTING, THE PLACE WHERE IT IS, AND THE INCOMPARABLE JOYS THEREOF. That there is an everlasting life, none will deny but such as Bun, chris- 0 . i'ii tlan Prayers, will deny God; for, if he be true and just (which he must t^1^(i1 Acts, &c. 1583, p. 1578 — 81, or ed. 1843 — 8, vn. 77 — 85.] PARAPHRASE OF PSALM LXXIX. 291 and whet their tongues against not men only, but also4 . . . making indeed thy Christ and all that confess him and4 . . . And who doeth this, 0 Lord ? Not foreigners and strang ers, but such as are our neighbours and profess thee; such as thou hast given the regiment5 unto, as scilicet [to wit] in both the states in this poor and wretched realm of England, especially the clergy and such as would be counted pillars of thy church. Therefore in thy time "reward them this their blasphemy wherewith they have blasphemed," and do still blaspheme " thee, and that sevenfold into their bosom ;" that is, most plentifully and abundantly recompense thy tarrying with good measure, and plentifully upheaping thy measure. And we poor misers6, which are yet "thy people and sheep of thy pasture," having none other help nor hope but only thee, our God and Pastor ; we, I say, " shall praise thy name for ever :" we shall, with thy people delivered out of the hands of Pharoah, Sennacherib, Holofernes, Haman, &c, Judith-3 give thanks to thy lovely name ; " we will always," day and night, "be telling out thy praises from generation to gene ration." This is the end why we crave thy help. This is the end why we desire to live, that, as we have been negligent, we might become diligent, to serve, love, laud, and magnify thy holy name in all our thoughts, words, and deeds, publicly and privately, when we shall perceive and feel how good thou our God art ; when we shall see how thou art merciful and mindful of goodness towards them that put their trust in thee. 0 dear Father, so be it, so be it, so be it, so be it. [4 MS. torn.] [5 'Regiment:' rule.] [e See p. 73, note 4, above.] 19—2 292 A VERY GODLY PRAYER OF ONE STANDING! AT THE STAKE READY TO BE BURNT FOR CHRIST'S GOSPEL'S SAKE. ms. 1.2. a. Merciful God and Father, to whom our Saviour Christ ms. 2.2.16. approached in his fear and need by reason of death, and cSTSam found comfort; gracious God and most bounteous Christ, on bridge. whom Stephen called in his extreme need, and received christian strength ; most benign Holy Spirit, which in the midst of all wSdleto*0' crosses and deaths didst comfort the apostle St Paul with more "consolations in Christ" than he felt sorrows and terrors; Foxp Acts &C.1670, p. "have mercy upon me" a miserable, most vile, and wretched sinner, which now draw nigh the gates of death, deserved both in soul and body eternally by reason of my manifold, horrible, old and new transgressions, which to thine eyes, 0 Lord God, are open and known. 0 "be merciful unto me," and forgive me, for the bit ter death and blood-shedding of thy only Son Jesus Christ. And, though thy justice do require in respect of my sins, that now thou shouldest not hear me, measuring me with the same measure that I have measured thy majesty in con temning thy daily calls; yet let thy mercy, I say, prevail towards me (which is "above all thy works," and "wherewith the earth is filled") through and for the mediation of Christ our Saviour. For whose sake, in that it pleaseth thee to bring me forth now as one of his witnesses and a record- bearer of thy verity and truth, taught by him to give my life therefor, (to which dignity I do acknowledge, dear God, that there was never any so unworthy and unmeet, no, not the thief that hanged with him on the cross;) I humbly therefore pray thee that thou wouldest accordingly aid, help, and assist me with thy strength and heavenly grace, that with Christ thy Son I may find comfort; with Stephen I may see thy presence and gracious power ; with St Paul and all others, which for thy name sake have suffered afflictions and death, I may find so present with me thy gracious con solation, that I may by my death glorify thy holy name, propagate and ratify thy verity, comfort the hearts of the heavy, confirm thy church in truth, convert some that are to be converted ; and so to depart out of this miserable world PRAYER OF ONE STANDING AT THE STAKE. 293 (where I do nothing but heap daily sin upon sin), and enter into the fruition of thy blessed mercy. Whereof now give and increase in me a lively trust, sense1, and feeling, where through the terrors of death, the torments of fire, the pangs of sin, the darts of Satan, and the dolors of hell may never depress me, but may be driven away through the working of that most gracious Spirit. Which now plenteously endow me withal, that through the same Spirit I may offer (as now I desire to do in Christ and by him) myself, wholly soul and body, to be " a lively sacrifice, holy and acceptable in thy sight," dear Father, whose I am and always have been " even from my mother's womb," yea, " even before the world was made." To whom I commend myself, soul and body, faith and name, family and friends, country and all thy whole church, yea, even2 my very enemies, according to thy good pleasure; beseeching thee entirely to give once more to this realm of England the blessing of thy word again, with godly peace to the teaching and setting forth of the same. 0 dear Father, give me now to come unto thee; purge me and so purify me by this fire in Christ's death and passion, through thy Spirit, that I may be a "burnt offering of sweet smell" in thy sight, which livest and reignest with thy Son and the Holy Ghost, now and evermore, world without end. Amen. John Bradford3. t1 'sense,' MS. 2. 2. 16., not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [2 'even,' MS. 2. 2. 16., not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] p 'John Bradford,' MS. 2. 2. 16., not in MS. 1. 2. 8.] [The five ensuing Treatises are brought together from different sources. The 'Comparison between the old man and the new' is found in part among the MS. remains of Bradford in Emmanuel College, Cam bridge1. This Essay observes, in the first twenty-seven lines, the text of the volume of Meditations, &c. of Bradford, printed by Seres I5672 (the title of which is given on p. 296) : the remainder, as marked in the notes, observes the text of the Emmanuel MS., which has been collated with the printed edition of 1567. The side-notes, not being supplied in the MS., are taken from the edition printed in 1567 by Seres. The entire treatise has been compared with the ' Christian Prayere,' &c . , collected by Bull, Middleton 1 570 3, reverse of signature Y vi — Z ii, where it was reprinted from the Meditations, &c. of Bradford, Seres 1567. It has been collated also with Foxe, Acts, &c. 1570 4, p. 1837 — 8, where too it was republished (among the letters of Bradford), and from whence it reappeared in the after editions of the 'Acts and Monuments.' The variations are only noted where a deviation respectively from the MS. or printed edition of 1567 is followed. The treatise upon 'The flesh and the spirit' is now first printed from a MS. in Emmanuel College. The sources from which the 'Defence of election,' the treatise 'Against the fear of death,' and that on 'The restoration of all things,' are derived, are stated in the prefatory notes, p. 305 — 6, 331, and 350.] P A transcript, of comparatively recent date, is in the British Museum, MS. Bibl. Sloan. 3205.4.1 P See prefatory note, p. 112 above.] P The treatise upon 'the old man and the new' was also reprinted in the 'Prayers, &c. collected by Bull, Middleton, n. d. (qu. 1578), and Beale 1619.] [« The title of this treatise in Foxe is, 'A letter of Master Bradford, describing a comparison between the old man and the new, &c.' ; before which it is observed, 'To these letters of Master Bradford above specified, here is also adjoined another letter of the said Bradford, written to certain of his faithful friends, worthy of all Christians to be read ; wherein is described a lively comparison between the old man and the new, also between the law and the gospel, containing much fruitful matter of divinity, necessary for christian consciences to read and understand.'] FIVE TREATISES, NAMELY, I. THE OLD MAN AND THE NEW. II. THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT. III. DEFENCE OF ELECTION. IV. AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. V. THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS. GODLY Meditations vppon the ten arommaunir^ mentes, the Articles of tf)f fagA), anU the Soros piano:. Whervnto is ioyneda trea tise against the feare of death: Also a compari son betfoeene the oltr man ano the twfo the lafoe ant) the gofple. &t. Jfflatre ig ifiitafeter ^ofm 23ratrfor&. Seene and allowed according to the Queenes Iniunctions 1567. Imprinted at London by SSUIItam &eres. A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE OLD MAN AND THE NEW, ALSO BETWEEN THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL; CONTAINING A SHORT SUM OF ALL THE DIVINITY NECESSARY FOR A CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE. A man that is regenerate and "born of God," (the which thing Meditations, that every one of us be, our baptism, the sacrament of "re- Bradford, . . *¦ Seres 15H7, generation, doth require under pam of damnation ; and there- ^pature. fore let ever y one of us with the virgin Mary say, " Be it unto me, 0 Lord, according to thy word," according to thy sacrament of baptism, wherein thou hast declared our adop tion ; and let us lament the doubting hereof in us, striving against it as we shall be made able in the Lord ;) a man, I say, that is regenerate, consisteth of two men (as a man may say), namely of "the old man," and of "the new man." "The Theoidman. old man" is like to a mighty giant, such a one as was Goliath ; for his birth is now perfect. But "the new man" is like unto The new a little child, such a one as was David ; for his birth is not perfect until the day of his general resurrection. "The old man" therefore is more stronger, lusty, and stir- why theoid ring than is "the new man," because the birth of "the new stronger than ~ t the new. man" is but begun now, and "the old man" is perfectly born. And as "the old man" is more stirring, lusty, and stronger than "the new man ;" so is the nature of him clean contrary to the nature of "the new man," as being earthly and cor rupt with Satan's seed ; the nature of "the new man" being heavenly, and blessed with the celestial seed of God. So that one man, inasmuch as he is corrupt with the seed of the ser- in what pent, is an " old man ;" and inasmuch as he is blessed with man is both 1 an old man the seed of God from above, he is a "new man. And as, and also a, 7 ' new man. inasmuch as he is an "old man," he is a sinner and an enemy to God ; so, inasmuch as he is regenerate, he is righteous and holy and a friend to God, the seed of God1 preserving him ms. 1.2. 8. from sin, so that he cannot sin as the seed of the serpent, s°w wherewith he is corrupt even from his conception, inclineth i>ndge. m' him, yea, enforceth him to sin, and nothing else but to sin : J^f ions> . . /.ii- • t ^ Bradford, P The Emmanuel MS., being imperfect, begins with the words, seres 1567. ' of God preserving him.'] ' John ui- 298 THE OLD MAN AND THE NEW. so that the best part in man tofore^ regeneration, in God's sight, is not only an enemy, but " enmity" itself. How one One man therefore which is regenerate well may be called Siiedmaaiwa5s always just, and always sinful : just in respect of God's seed aTwayfjuit. and his regeneration ; sinful in respect of Satan's seed and his first birth. Betwixt these two men therefore there is con tinual conflict and war most deadly ; " the flesh and the old man" fighting against "the Spirit and new man," and "the Spirit and new man" fighting against "the flesh and old man." whytheoid Which "old man" by reason of his birth that is perfect doth man often- - ... - r times pre- often for a time prevail against "the new man," being but as nfwnmanhe a cnud in comparison; and that in such sort as not only others, The ow man but even the children of God themselves, think that thev be so mightily ' J wo Sgllnsuhe nothing else but "old," and that the Spirit and seed of God is Children's l°st and g°ne away : where yet notwithstanding the truth is spwt'ana-116 otherwise, the Spirit and seed of God at the length appearing seemeth to again, and dispelling away the clouds which cover "the Sun" of taken from God's seed from shining, as the clouds in the air do the cor- them : where- 1 ° . ??notesod * poral sun ; so that sometime a man cannot tell by any sense thrir^eat'0 tnat tnere is any sun, cloud and wind so hiding it from our and andfeei. signt : even s0 our canity or blindness and corrupt affections do often shadow the sight of God's seed in God's children, as though they were plain reprobates. Whereof it cometh, that they praying according to then- sense, but not according to the truth, desire of God to give them again his Spirit, as though they had lost it, and he had taken it away. Which thing God never doth in deed, al though he make us to think so for a time ; for always he holdeth his hand under his children in their falls, that they lie not still as other do which are not regenerate. And this is the difference betwixt God's children which are regenerate and elect before all time in Christ, and the wicked castaways, that the elect lie not still continually in their sin as do the wicked, but at the length do return again by reason of God's seed, which is in them hid as a sparkle of fire in the ashes ; as we may see in Peter, David, Paul, Mary Magdalene, and others. For these (I mean God's children) God hath made all things in Christ Jesu, to whom he hath given them this dig nity that they should be "his inheritance" and spouses. This our Inheritor and "Husband" Christ Jesus, God with P,°£ *?* °.f,Ll'Sht'> co-eternal and consubstantial with the Father and with the Holy Ghost, to the end that he might THE OLD MAN AND THE NEW. 299 become our "Husband" (because the husband and the wife must become "one body and flesh"), hath taken our nature upon him, communicating with it and by it in his own person, to us all his children, his "divine majesty," as Peter saith; and so is be- 2 ret. i. come "flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones" substantially, as we are become "flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones" spiritually; all that ever we have pertaining to him, yea1, even our sins, as all that ever he hath pertaineth2 unto us, even his whole glory. So that if Satan shall summon us to answer for our debts or3 sins, in that the wife is no suitable4 person, but the husband, we may well bid him enter his action against our " Husband " Christ, and he will make him a sufficient answer. For this end (I mean that we might be coupled and mar ried thus to Christ, and so be certain of salvation, and at godly peace with God in our consciences,) God hath given his holy word, which hath two parts, as now the children of God consisteth of two men ; one part of God's word being proper to " the old man," and the other part of God's word being proper to " the new man." The part properly pertain- The iaw per- ing to "the old man" is the law: the part properly pertaining oidman, and to "the new man" is the gospel. the new. The law is a doctrine which commandeth and forbiddeth, whatti.eiaw .... . . . .Is- requiring doing and avoiding: under it therefore are5 contained all precepts, inhibitions, threats, promises upon conditions of our doing and avoiding, &c. The gospel is a doctrine which what the always offereth and giveth, requiring nothing on our behalf as of worthiness or as a cause, but as a certificate unto us : and therefore under it are5 contained all the free and6 sweet promises of God, as " I am the Lord thy God," &c. In those that be of years of discretion it requireth "faith," not as a cause, but as an instrument whereby we ourselves may be certain of our good "Husband" Christ and of his glory: and therefore, when the conscience feeleth itself disquieted for Thecon- fear of God's judgments against sin, she may in nowise look f^; ^ upon the doctrine pertaining to "the old man," but to7 the; P 'yea' 1567: not in MS.] [2 'pertaining,' MS.: 'pertaineth' 1567.] L3 'and,' MS. : 'or' 1567.] [4 ' Suitable :' against whom an action would lie.] [6 ' is,' MS. : ' are ' 1567.] [6 ' and ' 1567 : not in MS.] P 'of MS.: 'to' 1567.] with the 300 THE OLD MAN AND THE NEW. ood-sjudg- doctrine only that pertaineth to "the new man;" in it not ment against * . • 1 i • y» • 1 , i sin may not lookins on that which it requireth, that is "faith, because we look upon o . . fllethtothe' never believe as we should; but only on it which it offereth, fenefind which it giveth, that is, on God's grace and eternal mercy and comfort- peace in Christ Jesu. So shall she be in quiet, when she looketh for it altoge ther out of herself in God's mercy in Christ Jesu ; in whose John xiii. lap if she lay her head with John, then is she happy, and shall find quietness indeed. When she feeleth herself quiet, to the then a God's name let her look on the law, and upon such conscience quieted and things as God requireth, thereby to bridle and keep down ?e'rvetneonT tne °^ Adam, to slay that Goliath; from whom she must tnekoid'm0an? needs keep the sweet promises, being the bed wherein her sweet spouse Christ and she meet and lie together. As the wife will keep her bed only for her husband, although in other things she is contented to have fellowship with her ser vants and others, as to speak, sit, eat, drink, go, &c. ; so our consciences, which are Christ's wives, must needs keep the bed, that is, God's sweet promises, alonely for ourselves and for our "Husband," there to meet together, to embrace together, to laugh together, and to be joyful together. If sin, the law, the devil, or any thing, would creep into the bed, and lie there, then complain to thy "Husband" Christ, and forth with thou shalt see him play Phineas' part. Thus, my dearly beloved, I have given you in few words a sum of all that divinity which a christian conscience cannot want. Per Johannem Bradford. THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT1. A DECLARATION HOW THESE WORDS 'FLESH' AND 'SPIRIT' ARE TO BE UNDERSTAND IN THE SCRIPTURES. JESUS EMMANUEL. * ms._2. 2. a. For your better understanding of the scriptures, especially coTrcam- °f tne new Testament ; for the forearming you against er- bridge. rorS; wnicn) through the ignorance or diverse acception and taking of terms or words used and written of the holy P This Treatise is now printed for the first time.] THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT. 301 apostles, might happen ; and for your consolation in the conflicts you are cumbered with in this present life ; I am purposed, my dearly beloved, to write unto you some things (as God shall lend me his grace, the which I ask for his Christ's sake now and for ever) hereabout. Take it in good part, I pray you, at least for my good will's sake towards you in Christ. In reading the scriptures, and especially Paul's epistles, we very often do see these words, "flesh" and "spirit." When therefore this word "flesh" is set against "the spirit" by the way of contrary, as Gal. v. and almost everywhere, then must we know that it comprehendeth all and every of what flesh 1 « doth signify. the natural powers, gifts, and qualities of man : yea, it comprehendeth all that ever is in man, whatsoever it be, (the "sanctification of the Spirit," which none have but the elect and justified, only excepted:) like as this word "spirit," spirit. when it is opposed or set against as a contrary to the "flesh," doth signify that which in man the Holy Ghost hath purged from evil and sanctified to righteousness. The which word sometime Paul calleth " the mind," sometime " the inward man," sometime " the new man," and some time " a new creature ;" as the word " flesh," taken as be fore I have said, is sometime called " the old man,11 some time " the outward man," sometime " the body." All which words do appertain, as to the soul so to the body; that look inasmuch as it (the soul, I mean) is regenerate, it is called " the spirit," " the mind," " the new man," " the inward man," " a new creature ;" inasmuch as it retaineth the natural affections of man, it is called " flesh," " the old man," " the outward man," " the body." So that you may see in these terms and in every of them is comprehended whole man, both soul and body, to be considered either according to regenera tion and to the sanctifying of God's Spirit, or else according to all that ever he is or hath by nature or otherwise, by any means, inwardly or outwardly. Whilst we live here, there is a fight and strife in us which are the elect and "children of God;" "the flesh," outward man, body, and "old man," striving against "the spirit," in ward man, "new man," and "new creature2:" that is, so much [2 The MS. repeats, after 'new creature,' the words 'and the spirit, inward man, new man, and new creature.'] 302 THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT. as we are regenerate and endued with God's Spirit, we do strive and fight against all the powers of our souls and bodies; retaining the natural and corrupt affections we have in us, and shall have so long as we live, to bring them as much as may be into obedience to the Spirit ; at the least to bridle them, that they bear not dominion or rule in us. This battle and strife none have but the elect "children of God :" and they that have it are the elect "children of God" "in Christ before the beginning of the world," whose salvation is as certain and sure as is God himself ; for they are given to Christ, a faithful Shepherd, who hath so prayed for them lest they should perish, that we know his prayer is heard : yea, he promiseth so to keep them that " they shall not perish." And therefore they ought to rejoice, and herethrough to com fort themselves in their conflicts, which are testimonials, and most true, that they are the elect and dear "children of God;" for else they could not nor should not feel any such strife in them. An objection. But perchance you will say, that the wicked have strife also in themselves, and oft are grieved with themselves be cause they have done such a sin ; and therefore this is no such certain demonstration of election. The answer. To this I answer, that indeed the wicked and reprobate i sam. xxiv. have sometimes, as you say, strifes and conflicts ; as in Saul 2 Mace. ix. we may see it against David, and in Antiochus. But this strife in them is not a strife or battle betwixt "the spirit and the flesh ;" as you shall see if you mark the differences to discern these battles, which now I will give unto you. Differences When man is displeased with himself for any thing done connietofthe amiss, and striveth thereagainst, in respect that the fault dis- the wicked, pleaseth God his Father and Lord, in respect of Christ, &c, then is the same strife the strife of a good man, of one elected and that is the dear child of God : and the same man so dis pleased with himself may assure himself that he hath the "good Spirit" of God, which hath wrought in him that affection. Let him therefore call to God and cry, ' Abba, dear Father,' and ask grace and mercy, which assuredly he shall find. But when one is displeased with himself, and striveth to amend any fault, in respect of civil honesty, of men, shame, beauty, bodily health, profit, hurt, friendship, &c, and not in respect of God's displeasure and favour ; then is the same THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT. 303 sorrow after the world, and not after God ; then is the same strife or battle a battle between the flesh and the flesh, and not between "the spirit and the flesh." Such battles have the wicked, as Saul had, in respect of worldly honesty, shame, civil justice, &c. The wicked have not God's Spirit of sanc tification and regeneration to sanctify and regenerate them, though they have it concerning other gifts : and therefore they want the affections of the holy elect "children of God" and regenerated, although they have other affections by the which they are not discerned from the ungodly, or taken for holy in God's sight. I pray you, my dearly beloved, to weigh this that I have written : and then, besides that you shall have some candle light to keep you out of the errors of them which do attri bute perfection to some works done by men, and make "flesh and blood" the outward man, "the old man" but only this our body, and not the soul and the powers and affections thereof, so much as it laboureth and lusteth against God's Spirit and the powers and affections stirred up in man by him ; besides this, I say, you shall see that the doctrine of election is not a casting of the bridle in the horse's neck, or an over strait curbing of the horse ; that is, neither occasioneth licentious ness nor despair, but provoketh to battle against sin; and that not hypocritically, but in God's sight and for God's sake, (for they feel not their election that so fight not ;) but it comforteth also in the cross and battle most comfortably, with comforts that never can be taken away : for what a comfort is it to see my sorrow and fight to be a demonstration of mine election! Wherein is true rejoicing, as Christ said, "Rejoice in this, that your names are written in the book of life." If any man would alter the natural course of any water to run a contrary way, he shall never be able to do it with dams : for a time he may well stop it ; but when the dam is full, it will either burst down the dam or overflow it, and so with more rage run than ever it did before. I will not speak of the often weesing1 out, mauger all the diligence that can be. Therefore the alteration must be from the head, by making other thoroughs2 and devices. Even so, if any man P 'Weesing:' oozing, from the Anglo-Saxon wees, 'water.' Vide Holloway, Provinc. Diet. 1838.] [2 ' Thoroughs :' passages, channels.] 304 THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT.. would have the streams of his nature and will altered, to run after the will and nature of God, the same shall never be able to do it, nor all the world for him, by making of dams ; that is, by telling and teaching us by the creatures, works, and word of God, how that we should do, speak, and think other wise than we do naturally. For a time the streams of our affections may be stopped by telling and teaching, and other corporal exercise ; howbeit so yet that they will weesel1 out now and then, and at length break down all our darns and devices, or else so overflow them that " the latter end will be worse than the beginning." Therefore the alteration hereof must be at the head-spring by making other throughs and rivers of incorruption for nature and will to run in. But who can do this ? The spring itself? Nay, God him[self,] and that alonely and alone, which worketh this in whom, when, and howsoever, it pleaseth him for his own good will's sake. And they in whom he worketh this are his elect children "before the beginning of the world;" who may and should feel their election by loving the good and hating that which is evil, although in great imperfection: whereas the hypocrites have a thousand parts more shew of holiness, bat in deed less love to God and hatred to evil, yea, in deed none at all as it is in God's sight. Wherefore let us pray for the daily increase of "regene ration," which is nothing else but the alteration of our natural streams, that, as from Adam we have received them running naturally contrary to his will, so we may receive from Christ, the second Adam, his "good Spirit" to draw, deduce, and lead us in all things after the throughs and ways of his good will : which he grant to us for his mercy's sake ! For, my dearly beloved, man of himself, tofore his "regeneration," is so far from helping himself hereunto of himself and of all that ever he hath by his birth, that not only he bringeth nothing hereunto, as he bringeth nothing at all to his first birth ; but also he bringeth that letteth and is adversary against this good work: which God work daily in us and in all his children more and more, to our full certainty of his salvation, and joy everlastr ing, through Christ our Lord ! Amen. John Bradford. [} See note 1 in the preceding page.] [The 'Defence of Election' observes throughout, except where otherwise noted, the text of a MS. in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, all the parts of which are now first brought together in one publication, and small portions of which have not hitherto been printed ; namely the three lines of inscription to Mistress Joyce Hales2 at p. 307 in the beginning, twenty-three lines at p. 309 in the Dedication, and the numerous marginal notes of Part n. p. 318 — 30. The title of that MS. is as follows : ' A treatise of predestination with an answer to certain enormities calumniously gathered of one to slander God's truth ; by John Brad ford. — Romans xi. " Israel hath not obtained that he sought, but the elected have obtained it. The remnant are blinded, as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of unquietness, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, even unto this day." ' Part i. of the 'Defence,' p. 310 — 18, was printed (without the Dedication or Part n.) among the ' Godly Meditations ' of Bradford, Hall 1562, signature O iii to P iii ;3 and re-appeared in the after editions of that collection, 1578, 1604, 1607, 1614, 1622, and 1633; and in the 'Fathers of the English Church' 1810, vi. p. 373—83. The chief portion of the Dedication, p. 307 — 10, was given with Part I. in Bishop Coverdale, (Letters of the martyrs 1564, p. 391 — 401 ;) which were republished in the 'British Reformers,' Bradford, 1829, p. 331 — 40, and in the Life of Bradford by Stevens, 1832, p. 80—9. The 'Dedication,' as given by Bishop Coverdale (ibid. 391 — 3,) exists in MS. (2. 2. 15. no. 93.) in Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Part n. p. 318 — 30, was first printed when edited by the late Archbishop Laurence with Part I. (but without the Dedication), in 'Authentic Documents,' &c. on Predestination, Oxford 1819 ; both parts being taken from the Bodley MS. The text of that MS. has now been collated with the chief printed editions : but the variations are only noted in special cases. The 'Defence of Election' here published is, in all probability, the document4 to which Bradford makes the following reference in a letter addressed to Archbishop Cranmer, Bishop Ridley, and Bishop Latimer, which was signed by Bishop Feirar, Rowland Taylor, Bradford, and Archdeacon Philpot, and appears from internal evidence to have been written about January 18, 1555 : " Herewithal I send unto you a little Treatise which I have made, that you might peruse the same, and not only you but also ye my other most dear and reverend fathers in the Lord for ever, to give to it your approbation as ye may think good. All the prisoners hereabouts in manner have seen it and read it : and as therein they agree with me, nay, rather with the truth, so they are ready and will be to signify it as P See p. 248 above, and p. 350.] P See p. 112-4, and 211, above.] [4 So it is regarded by Abp. Laurence, * Authentic Documents,' &c. 1819, p. xxi.] 20 [BRADFORD.] 306 they shall see you give them example ... I have sent you here a writ ing of Harry Hart's own hand, whereby ye may see how Christ's glory and grace is like to lose much light, if that your sheep quondam be not something holpen by them which love God, and are able to prove that all good is to be attributed only and wholly to God's grace and mercy ' in Christ,' without other respect of worthiness than Christ's merits. The effects of salvation they so mingle with the cause, that, if it be not seen to, more hurt will come by them than ever came by the papists; inasmuch as their life commend eth them to the world more than the papists'. God is my witness, that I write not this but because I would God's glory and the good of his people. In free-will they are plain papists, yea, Pelagians : and ye know that modicum fermenti totam massam corrumpit. They utterly contemn all learning. But hereof shall this bringer [Augustin Bernhere] shew you more1." Further information will be obtained from the various letters of Bradford referring to the subject2, which will appear in the concluding volume of his Writings; from the letters of Bishop Ridley, Works, Parker Soc. p. 367 — 8, and 379, and suppl. p. 539 — 42; and from the publications and documents referred to below3 The 'Defence of election' can be compared with the treatise on 'election and free-will,' and 'brief sum of election,' p. 211 — 20 above. See also note G.] [¦ Bp. Coverdale, Letters of the martyrs, 1564, p. 358—9. The original of this letter in the autograph of Bradford, with the autograph signatures also of Bp. Ferrar, Rowland Taylor, and Adn. Philpot, is now in the very extensive col lection of manuscripts belonging to Dawson Turner, Esq., Yarmouth. A contemporary transcript or rough draft of this letter is in Emmanuel College, Cam bridge, MS. 2. 2. 15. no. 69.] P See letters of Bradford to Abp. Cranmer and Bp. R. and Bp. L., Careless, Adn. Philpot, Cole and Sheterden, Cole, to certain men, and to Trewe and Abyngton, in Bp. Coverdale, Letters of the martyrs 1564, p. 357—9, 373—4, 408—11, 470—6, 650-2; Foxe, Acts, &c. 1583, p. 1645, 1657, or ed. 1843—8, vn. 241—2, 267—8. Vide also letter of Bradford to a freewiller, in MS. 2. 2. 15. no. 74., Emman. CoUege, Cambridge.] [3 Harl. MSS. 421. 64. British Museum, Depositions of divers witnesses against some Kentish men, accused of holding erroneous tenets touching predestination, &c., about 1550.— Strype, Mem. n. i. 369—70, Parker, i. 54—5, Cranmer, i. 502—5. Trewe on ' The cause of contention,' Jan. 30, 1555, in Abp. Laurence, Authentic Documents, 37—70, with which compare Adn. Philpot, Writings, Parker Soc. 305—8. Strype, Mem. in. i. 413, and 586—8. Letter by a freewiller, Letter by one who had been a freewiller, Confession of faith by Clement, Faith of the prisoners at Stratford-le-Bow, in Strype, Mem. in. ii. 321—34, 446—67, 469—71. Exam, of Careless, in Foxe, Acts, &c. 1563, p. 1529-34, or ed. 1843—8, viii. 163—70. Stow, Life of Rowland Taylor, 1833, ch. vi. p. 179—213. Also, in MS. 53, Bodleian Library, Oxford, Bernhere on election ; Bernhere, Testimonies from God's book ; Letter from Laurence and Barre to Bernhere ; Bernhere, Answer to the Letter of Laurence and Barre. Also a letter by Henry Harte, MS. 2. 2. 15. no. 43., in Emmanuel College, Cambridge. These documents and statements have been carefully examined by the present editor.] DEFENCE OF ELECTION4. [DEDICATION.] To his entirely beloved sister in the Lord, Joyce Hales5, Ms.Bodi. 53. John Bradford wisheth "grace, mercy, and peace, from God Librae the Father" through our Saviour and Mediator, Jesus Christ. Faith of God's election (I mean, to believe that we be in Tobeper- very deed "the children of God" through Christ, and shall be GoV!Ui°c- tor ever inheritors 01 everlasting life through the only grace necessary. of God our Father in the same Christ) is of all things which God requireth of us, not only most principal, but also the whole sum: so that "without this faith" there is nothing we do Rom. xiv. ° , Heb. xi. that can "please God." And therefore, as God first requireth it in saying, "I am the Lord thy God," &c. that is, 'I remit Exod. xx. thee thy sins, I give thee my holy6 Spirit, and for ever will I keep thee;' so our Saviour would have us to be persuaded when we come to pray, and therefore teacheth, yea, he com mandeth us, to call God " our Father :" whose power were Matt. vi. not infinite, as we profess in the first article of our belief, when we call him expressly our 'Almighty Father,' if we should doubt of his final favour. And therefore I cannot but much marvel at some men which seem godly, and yet are in this behalf too malicious both to God and man. For what is more seemly to God than mercy? which is most magnified of the elected children t4 Vide title of the Bodley MS., p. 305 above. The heading of Part I. of this Treatise, p. 310 — 18, in the Medi tations of Bradford, 1562, (see p. 305 above), is, 'A short and pithy defence of the doctrine of the holy election and predestination of God, gathered out of the first chapter of St. Paul's epistle to the Ephe sians, by J. Bradford.' The inscription of the portions of the 'Defence' given in Bp. Coverdale, Letters, &c. 1564, (see p. 305 above), is, "A letter written to a dear friend of his, wherein he entreateth as briefly so most per fectly, godly, soundly and pithily, of God's holy election, free grace, and mercy in Jesus Christ."] [5 See p. 248 above, and p. 350. These three lines are now first printed.] [6 'whole,' MS.: 'holy' 1564.] 20—2 308 DEFENCE OF ELECTION. of God. And what is more seemly to man than humility? the which is not nor cannot be indeed but in "the elect of God ;" for they alone attribute nothing at all to themselves continually but damnation, that in God only and for ever jer. ix. may be their whole glory. More com- But this notwithstanding, there is that have gone about Smethof to gather, yea, to set abroad, 'enormities' out of the doctrine man can of God's most holy and comfortable election and predestina- conceive. . * . 1 tion ; where the same doctrine hath more commodities than all the whole world can be able to conceive, much less to express. For what destroyeth. enormities so much as it doth? It overthroweth the most pestilent papistical poison of doubting of God's favour, which is the very dungeon of despair and of the contempt of God. It destroyeth the ethnic opinion of fortune. It comforteth most comfortably in the cross, and casteth down all cogitations that would else cover us Bom. viii. with sorrow and dolour, in telling that "all things" shall turn to the best. It maketh us modest and putteth away pride icor. i. in prosperity, by pulling from men meriting or deserving. uohnii. It enforceth men to love and carefully to travail for their brethren, utterly impugning the contempt of any. It pro voketh to piety, and is the greatest enemy to ungodliness that can be, by teaching us of what dignity we be, of what 1 cor. vi. i». price even our bodies, " temples of the Holy Ghost," " mem bers of Christ." It engendereth a true desire of our home in heaven, and so to despise this world, and the things this world hath in estimation. It maketh man wholly and con tinually to give over himself to be careful, not for himself, but for his brethren and for those things that make to God's glory. It helpeth very much to the true understanding of the scriptures, and preserveth from errors, by knowing what is to be attributed to the law, the gospel, to the ministry, to the vocal word, to the old testament, to the new covenant, to the sacraments, to faith, to works, to prayer, to penance, to God, to man, &c. ; for by the Spirit of election we see coi. u. and know " Christ, in whom dwelleth all the riches or treasures of knowledge." It setteth up Christ's kingdom, and utterly overthroweth the wisdom, power, ableness, and choice of man, that all glory may be given only unto God. But what go I about to recount the commodities coming out of the doctrine of God's election, in that they be innume- DEFENCE OF ELECTION. 309 rable ? This is a sum, that, where a christian man's life hath respect to God, to man, and to himself, to "live godly, justly, Titus n. and soberly," all is grounded in predestination in Christ. For who liveth "godly," but he that believeth ? and who believeth but such as are "ordained to eternal life?" Who liveth Acts a. xiii. "justly," but such as love their neighbours? and whence springeth this love, but of God's election "before the begin- Ephes. i. ning of the world, that we might be blameless by love?" Who liveth "soberly" but such as be holy? and who are they but only those that be endued with the Spirit of sanctification? Ephes. i. which is the "seal" of our election, which by election dozcor. i. believe. Therefore, as I said, I much marvel to see any man so blinded as one is especially, which is not ashamed to put forth in writing such horrible 'enormities' as he maliciously gather- eth to proceed out of the doctrine of predestination : as you, my good sister, in this book following shall perceive and see immediately "after the true doctrine of election, which I briefly first set forth, and then do particularly answer every part worthy the answering ; not leaving out one tittle of every word as he hath put it abroad, so far as the bill that was sent to me from him, I think ; for it was subscribed with his name, and the superscription was to me by name as truly written. If I shall seem to you in answering him more sharp than my wont is, you must consider the weightiness of the matter and the horrible slandering of the same cannot but require much more sharp writing than I have written. Now because I know you are like hereafter to have something to do with some hereabouts in this thing, because by your means I was first brought in talk or debating of this matter ; in that I am thus drawn to wade in it, I thought good even to dedicate this, which I have done herein, unto you, as well to be a help to you in this matter, joining to it the explications of the places, (which places and the explica tions I have sent to you at divers times,)1 as also to be a t1 The last twenty-three lines, " Therefore, as I said, I much marvel . . . sent to you at divers times,)" are now first printed from the Bod leian MS. The printed edition of 1564 has instead, "Wherefore, my dearly beloved in the Lord, I have taken in hand at this present, something to write to you, and for your sake in this matter, which herewithal I have sent unto you, as well to be a help to you herein,"] 310 DEFENCE OF ELECTION. pledge of my careful love and hearty desire I have for your continuance in the truth: wherein I trust you stand presently when I shall be dead and burned; as I look for none other so soon as God shall give leave to his enemies for my weal and endless joy in Christ. To whom, as to a most faithful Pastor, I from the bottom of my very heart do commend and be queath you, my most dearly beloved in the Lord, beseeching him to watch over you both night and day, as over one of his poor lambs, to keep you out of the claws of the lion and mouth of the wolves, to the comfort of his children and good bringing up of your poor babes, specially of the youngest my godson ; to whom I wish the blessing of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, now and for ever1. Amen. The 11th of October, anno 1554. [PART I]. JESUS EMMANUEL. aii things There is neither virtue nor vice to be considered ac- Sedkoer cording to any outward action, nor according to the will [1562^4. ]' and wisdom of man ; but according to the will of God. Whatsoever is conformable thereto, the same is virtue, and the action that springeth thereof is laudable and good, how soever it appear otherwise to the eyes and reason of man ; as Gen. xxii. was "the lifting up of Abraham's hands to have slain his son." Whatsoever is not conformable to the will of God, that same is vice, and the action springing thereof is to be disallowed and taken for evil ; and that so much the more and greater evil, by how much it is not consonant and agreeing to God's will, although it seem far otherwise to man's wisdom : as was Matt. xv». Peter's wish of " making three tabernacles," and the request Lukeix. of some which would have had "fire to have come down from heaven" upon a zeal to God, &c. God-swiii Now the will of God is not so known as in his word. sought lor in Therefore according to it must vice and virtue, good and lihs2-4.] evil, be judged; and not according to the judgment, wisdom, [' The last four lines, "the comfort of his children ... ever." are now first printed from the Bodleian MS. The printed edition of 1564 has instead, "his glory and your eternal joy and comfort in him."] PART THE FIRST. 311 reason, and collection of any man, or of all the whole world, if all the angels in heaven should take their part. But this word of God, which is written in the canonical God's word is books of the Bible, doth plainly set forth unto us, that God Se° hath ot his own mercy and good will, and "to the praiste of ?n the Bible his glory" in Christ, elected some, and not all ; whom he hath tionndub-una" predestinate unto everlasting life in the same Christ, and in [isl-^40 his time "calleth them, justifieth them, and glorifieth them," so that "they shall never perish" and err to damnation finally. Therefore to affirm, teach, and preach this, hath in it no no enormity hurt, no vice, no evil, much less then no enormities2, to the in it. ^ . . [1562 — 4.] eyes and spirit of them which are guided and will be by the word of God. That God the eternal "Father of mercies," "before the The proposi- beginning of the world," hath of his own mercies and good fj1^"ee*t^hat will, "and to the praise of his grace and glory," "elected in ^d"°t"na£d Christ" some, and not all the posterities of Adam, whom he f^s-t.^ hath predestinate unto eternal life, and "calleth them" in hiswwChhe time, "justifieth them, and glorifieth them," so that " they by'ttilmSs shall never perish" or err to damnation finally ; that this pro- j**"* position is true, and according to God's plain and manifest JXwdingely word ; by the help of his holy Spirit, (which in the name of £1664J Jesus Christ I humbly beseech his mercy plentifully to give to me at this present and for ever, to the sanctification of his holy name in myself and in many others3,) by the help, I say, of his holy Spirit, I trust so evidently to demonstrate, that no man of God shall be able by the word of God ever to impugn it, much less to confute it. In the first chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians the example saith thus : " Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Ephes. u which hath blessed us with all manner of spiritual blessings in heavenly things by Christ ; according as he hath elect (or chosen) us in him before the foundation of the world was laid., that we should be holy and without blame before him through love; and hath predestinate us (or ordained us before) through [2 So the MS. : ' much less then hath it any enormities (as some do affirm),' 1562, 1564.] [3 'in myself and in many others,' MS.: not in 1562 or 1564.] 312 DEFENCE OF ELECTION. Jesus Christ to be heirs unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace; wherewith he hath made us accepted in the Beloved: by whom we have received redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; which grace he hath shed on us abundantly in all wisdom and prudence, and hath opened unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself to have it declared when the time was full come; that he might gather together all things by (or in) Christ, as well the things that be in heaven as the things that be in earth, even in (or by) him : by (or in) whom we are made heirs, being thereto predestinate according to the purpose of him that worketh all things according to the decree (or counsel) of his own will, that we which hoped before you in Christ should be to the praise of his glory : in whom you also hoped after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salva tion; wherein you also believing were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of your inheritance, until the redemption (or full fruition) of the purchased pos session, unto the laud of his glory." These be the words of Paul, which I have faithfully translated according to the very text in the Greek, as by the judgment of all that be learned I desire herein to be tried: out of the which words of Paul we may well perceive every thing affirmed in my proposition, as I will give occasion plainly to them that will to see it. The cause of First, that the cause of God's election is of his good will, election is his . . . . , , , • grace ami the apostle sheweth first in saying that it is "through tns i. love," whereby we are "holy and without blame;" second- 2. arily in saying that it is " according to the good pleasure of 3. his will ;" thirdly in saying, " according to his good pleasure 4. purposed in himself;" fourthly in saying, "according to his purpose, which worketh all the counsel of his own will." ihetimeof Secondly, that election was "before the beginning of the was fromlne world," the apostle plainly sheweth in saying, that we were " chosen before the foundation of the world was laid ;" and afterwards in calling it "the mystery of his will purposed with himself, in time to be declared." chrilt0nl8in Thirdly, that election is "in Christ," the apostle doth so PART THE FIRST. 313 flatly and plainly set it forth, that I need not here to repeat it. We, saith he, are " chosen in him" : we are " accepted by him" : we are " gathered together in him," &c. Fourthly, that election is of some of Adam's posterity Election and not of all, we may plainly see it, if we consider that he m™" a maketh the true demonstration of it "believing," "hoping,"1"166' and having " the earnest" of the Spirit. " In whom you hoped," saith he, " after you heard," &c. : " in whom you believing were sealed up," &c. Again, in attributing to the elect forgiveness of sins, holiness, blameless living, being in Christ, &c, " That we should be holy," saith he, &c. ; " we have received forgiveness of sins," &c. Who seeth not that these are not common to all men? "All men have not 2 Thess. iii. faith," saith Paul elsewhere. None "believed," saith Luke, Acts xm. but "such as were ordained to eternal life." None "believe" 1 John v. but such as are " born of God." None believeth truly but such as have " good hearts," and keep good seed to " bring Matt. xiii. , ,,, ¦, , ",• , ° b [Luke viii.] forth fruits by patience. So that it is plain (faith being a demonstration of God's Faith is the , * ^ ° demonstra- election to them that be of years of discretion,) that all men tw>n ofeiec- v '/ tion to sucli are not elect, because all men believe not; for "he that be- SoTsc/eiion? lieveth in the Lord shall be as mount Sion," that is, he shall PsaL cxxv- " never be removed ;" for, if he be removed, that is, finally perish, surely he never truly believed. But what go I about to light a candle in the clear sun light, when our Saviour plainly saith that all be not chosen, but "few?" "Many be called," saith he, "but few be chosen." Matt.xxii. And in the second chapter following, the apostle plainly saith that the great riches of God's " mercy through his exceeding Ephes. a. great love" hath saved them1 before their parents and many other gentiles, which were excluded from Christ, and strangers from the promise, hopeless, godless, &c. Wherethrough we may be occasioned to cry, '0 the depth of the judgments of Hom. xi. God, which " is just in all his doings, and holy in all his Psai. cxiv. works," extending his mercy after his good pleasure and will above all his works ! ' Fifthly, that God hath predestinated these thus elect unto ^[^j? t0 everlasting life "in Christ," the apostle doth also in the words before written declare, in saying, "And hath predestinate us through Jesus Christ to be heirs unto himself." Again, " By [l 'them' 1562, 1564: not in MS.] 314 DEFENCE OF ELECTION. The end of election is the praise and glory of God. Election is not without vocation and justification in time. him," saith he, " you are made heirs and predestinate to the Bom. viii. praise of his glory." So saith the apostle elsewhere, " Them whom he hath predestinate, he hath predestinate them to be like-fashioned unto the shape of his Son." And Christ there- Luke x. fore saith, " Rejoice in this, that your names are written in heaven." Sixthly, that the end of election is "the praise of God's glory and grace," the apostle sheweth here in saying, We are predestinate to " be holy and without blame before God," &c; in saying, We are " predestinate to the glory of his grace ;" and in saying also, " To the laud of his glory :" so that nothing can be more manifest. Seventhly, that predestination is not without vocation in God's time and justification, the apostle here doth teach it, in bringing us to the consideration of hearing the word of truth, believing and receiving the Holy Spirit, of remission of sins, &c. " In whom," saith he, " you have hoped, after that you had heard the word of truth," &c. : again, " by whom you have redemption, that is, remission of sins through the shedding of his blood," &c. : item, he hath in his full time " declared the mystery of his will," &c. Unto the Romans the apostle there sheweth it most manifestly, in saying, " Whom he hath predestinate, them he calleth ; whom he calleth, them he justifieth :" whereby we may see that pre destination nor election is not universal of all, for all be not justified. Eighthly and last of all, that election is so certain that the elect and predestinate to eternal life shall never finally perish or err to damnation finally, the apostle doth here also very plainly shew, in saying that they are " predestinate to the praise of God's grace." He saith not, to the praise of his justice, to the praise of his wisdom, to the praise of his power, although he might most truly say so ; but he saith, " to the Bom. xi. praise of his grace:" which were "not grace if there were respect at all of works" on our behalf, for then "were grace no grace." If there should be any condemnation of the elect and predestinate to eternal life, it must needs be because of their Note. sins: but where were "the praise of God's grace" then, which is the end of God's election? Shall we not by this means make God's election without an end, and so without a Rom. viii. Election is certain for ever. PART THE FIRST. 315 head, and so no election at all (as1 some would have) further than1 they elect themselves? Let such fear they shall not find the benefit of God's election, because they seek it as the Israelites sought it, and not as the elect, which not only found it but also obtained it. The other are blinded, as it is written, Bom. xi. "God hath given them the spirit of unquietness, ears that m '**"' they should not hear, eyes that they should not see, even unto this day," &c. Again he sheweth the certainty of salvation to them that Note. be elected, in saying that they be "accepted in the Beloved;" once accepted and beloved in Christ, and ever beloved : so whom he loveth, " he loveth to the end," and " God's gifts John xiii. are such that he cannot repent him of them." And therefore saith Christ, " I know whom I have chosen," attributing to John xid. election the cause of final perseverance. By which thing Judas was seen not to be elected to eternal life, although he was elected to the office of an apostle, as Saul was elected to the office of a king : which kind of election is to be discerned two kinds ot . . . . election. in reading the scriptures from this kind of election I speak of now, that is, from election to eternal life "in Christ." Thirdly he sheweth the certainty of the salvation of the elected, by calling them "heirs2 with Christ," to be both Rom. viii. afflicted and glorified with Christ; and therefore saith, "ac cording to the decree of his own will." Lo, he calleth it a3 decree or counsel, which shall stand, as Esay saith, " The Isai- xlvi- counsel of the Lord shall stand." Fourthly he sheweth this certainty, by saying that they are " elect and predestinate to the praise of God's glory :" Note wen. which we should more care for, than for the salvation of all the whole world. This "glory of the Lord" is set forth, as well in them that perish and are reprobates, as in the elect. And therefore St John, bringing in the place of Esay, speaking of the reprobate 4, saith that " Esay spake that, when he saw £*n v1- the glory of the Lord." This "glory of the Lord" to be set forth by us is a great mercy and benefit of God. I am assured, that if the very devils and reprobates did not repine [! 'and,' 'that,' MS. : ' as,' 'than,' 1562, 1564.] [2 'heirs,' and 'fellow-heirs,' 1562, 1564. 'heirs. For if we be heirs of God, then are we fellow-heirs with Christ,' 1562.] [3 'a' 1562, 1564, not in MS.] [4 "speaking of the reprobate' 1562, 1564: not in MS.] 316 DEFENCE OF ELECTION. Matt. XX. Exod. xxxii. thereat, but were thankful that they might be ministers in -any point to set forth God's glory ; I am assured, I say, that they should find no hell nor torments : their hell and tor ments cometh of the love they have to themselves, and of the malice, envy, and hatred they have against God and his glory. Let them tremble and shake, that may not away with1 the glory of the Lord in election and reprobation. Let not their eyes be evil, because God is good, and doth good to Bom. ix. whom it pleaseth him : wrong he doth to no man, nor can do ; for then were he not righteous, and so no God. He cannot condemn the just, for then were he untrue, because his word is contrary. He cannot condemn the penitent and believer, for that were against his promise. Let us therefore labour, study, cry, and pray for2 re pentance and faith ; and then cannot we be damned, because Matt. xxv. we are the "blessed of the Father" before all worlds: and therefore we believe, therefore we repent3. This, I say, let us do, and not be too busy-bodies in searching the majesty and glory of God, or in nourishing doubting of salvation: whereabout whereto we all are ready enough, and the devil goeth about thedeulla- . . i , p , • i i, i bourem nothing else so much as that ; for by it we are dull to do most. ° 'J good to others, we are so careful for ourselves that by it we are more dull to do good to ourselves, because we stand in f1 'Away with:' bear. So in the authorised version of Isai. i. 13, " the calling of assemblies I cannot away with."] P 'for the,' MS. : 'for' 1562, 1564.] [3 The following passage occurs in this place in the editions of 1562 and 1564, but in the Bodley MS. not here, but in the second part of this Treatise at p. 327, 1. 35, and p. 324, 1. 16, having evidently been transferred thither (with a few slight alterations) by Bradford. "And forasmuch as it pertaineth to us 'which be within' to see and to speak of those things which are ' given unto us of God ' in Christ j let us labour hereabouts, and leave 'them that be without' to the Lord which will 'judge them ' in his time. The apostle prayeth for the Ephe sians for none other ' wisdom and revelation ' from God than whereby they might ' know God,' and have their " minds illumined to see what they should hope for by their vocation, and how rich the glory of his inheritance is upon his saints.' Further than this, I think, is unseemly for us to search, until we have sought out how rich God's goodness is and will be to us his children: the which we can never do; but the more we go thereabouts, and the more we taste his goodness, the more we shall love him, and loath all things that displease him."] 1 Cor. v. 1 Cor. ii. Ephes. i. Col. ii. PART THE FIRST. 317 doubt whether it profiteth us or not. By it we dishonour God, either making him as though he were not true, or else as though our salvation came not only from him and altoge ther, hanging partly on ourselves. By it the devil will bring men at the length to despair and hatred of God. Doubt once of thy salvation, and continue therein, and surely he then will ask no more. It was the first thing wherewith he tempted Christ : "If thou be the Son of God," &c. It is the Matt. iv. first and principallest shaft he shooteth at "God's elect." But, as he prevailed not against Christ, no more shall he do against any of his members; for they have "the shield Ephes. vi. of faith, which quencheth his fiery darts." They "pray to Luke xviii. God night and day :" how then should they perish ? " The psai. xxxiv. angels of the Lord pitch their tents round about them :" how then should Satan prevail ? They are " borne in the hands Psai. xci. of the angels, lest they should hurt their foot at any stone :" God hath given commandment to his angels over them : "the Heb. i. angels are ministers unto them." Their names are " writ ten in the book of life :" and therefore Christ bade them Luke x. " rejoice," as Paul doth the Philippians : for " nothing shall Phii. iv. separate them from the love wherewith God loved them in Christ Jesu ;" who saith that it is impossible for them to err Matt. xxiv. finally to damnation, for he "is their Light" to "illumine their Psai. xvm. darkness." They are "given to him" to keep, and he is John vi. faithful over all God's church : he saith, he will keep them so that "they shall never perish." After they believe, they John x. are entered into "everlasting life." Christ hath set them John v. vi. there already : he hath committed them into his Father's John xvii. «/ Hebr. v. hands by prayer, which we know is sure. And therefore death, hell, devils, nor all power, sins, nor mischief, shall R0°^-xTiii- never pull us out of our Head's hands, whose " members'^ we i °or- vi. are : and therefore " receiving of this Spirit," as we do, we i °or. a. cannot but "bring forth the fruits thereof," though now and then the flesh fail us. But the Lord our Lord be praised, which is " more J J°>"> iv- strong in us than he which is in the world." He always putteth under his hands, that we lie not still, nor shall do as Psal- lxvi- the reprobate whose piety is "as the morning dew," soon comen4 Hos- vi- xiii and soon gone; and therefore they cannot continue to the end. Cannot? No, they will not if they could, because they hate [4 ' Comen:' an old form of the participle, 'come.'] 318 DEFENCE OF ELECTION. God and his glory, and therefore all them that seek it or set1 it forth : whereas the elect love all men, and seek to do all men good in God, suspending their judgments of others, that they may " stand or1 fall" to the Lord, and not to them. Hitherto out of this one place to the Ephesians, if the matter of election and predestination be so fully set forth to God's glory and to the comfort of his church, how may we suppose is this matter set forth in the whole body and books of the canonical scripture ? Whereto I had rather send thee, good reader, with this candle-light 1 have now given thee, than in a matter so manifest to make more ado than needeth. [PART II.] Answer to Now will I go about to answer a calumnious calumniator the enormi- ° o'f efecuon!d which hath whet his tooths against the Lord and his grace set forth in predestination, as appeareth by a certain bill and The words of libel he hath set abroad, entitled, " The enormities proceeding the nbei. of the opinion, that predestination, calling, and election, is absolute in man as it is in God2." The author of In which his title he declareth his ignorance and malice: ignorant and ignorance in ordering the cart before the horse; for else malicious. o " would he not have put calling before election, if he knew whereof he spake ; but he is one of them, that Paul did prophesy of, that " would be doctors of the law, and yet they knew not whereof they affirm:" malicious [ness] in saying that which never man I think did affirm, namely, that election and predestination, which is in God, should be in man. As for this word ' absolute,' I dare well say, if he were apposed to declare the signification thereof, he would either by silence seem to be sage, or else be speaking under his ignorance. [i 'and,' MS. : 'or,' 1562.] [2 It is not unlikely that this controversial piece, of which Bradford observes at p. 309 above, that he has ' not left out one tittle of every word ' as the author ' had put it abroad,' may have been written by Henry Hart, then a leader among those called 'free-willers.' It must have been penned before October 11, 1554, the date of Bradford's reply. The statement of Trewe (which also recounts many 'enor mities') was written, January 1, 1555. See prefatory note, p. 305 — 6, and p. 310, 1. 14, above.] PART THE SECOND. 319 But let us look on the enormities that he reciteth. "The first is," saith he, "that God's justice is general over all men, The first but his mercy is not so: and yet the Holy Ghost saith, 'The Lord is St forth ™d loving to every man, and his mercy over all his works ;' and again by the hbe1, St. John, that Christ is 'the true Light that lighteneth every man that cometh into the world.' " These be the words : wherein a man may easily see he hath not learned his A B C concerning the scriptures, or else his judgment could not be so base. For either he would have all men saved and none damned, by extending so God's That is not mercy ; or else he must put some degrees in God's mercv dispute whe- . , . , . , .,,.-,„ ther God's concerning his being, and concerning that he is God s crea- ™«cy °r ture; so that God's justice is not so general as his mercy, §n^}[|h:tlt is taking justice for that justice wherewith he is just himself, Jheweuiat he and punisheth that correspondeth not thereto. For this the S he elect of God feel not finally, because Christ felt it, bare it, itisr'iahteoua, and satisfied it, for us ; as the devil and damned felt not the he wiiieth. mercy and justice of God wherewith he justifieth his children condemn -1 w » more through and elect: to whom he "sheweth his mercy" because it pleaseth ^vemore' or him, and "hardeneth the heart of others whom he will," as Sf „„! taineth httle to us to search; and saith Paul. Which "will of God" were good for no creature to'ufto , n . . . search; an tO Call into aCCOUnt. much less to As for that other text of Christ "lightening all men that limit, as this ~ , ° man doth, cometh into the world," if he do understand it of the general 'est he seem 5 _ o more nght- lightening of men, that is, of so much light as may make men m"/cjfUa"or "excuseless," then it agreeth with Paul; and this all good men aSS?!."™6, affirm: but if he understand it of the peculiar light given only to the elect, then it is against Christ, which " thanketh Matt. xi. his Father for hiding it" from many, and telleth his disciples, that "it was given to them and not to others." Matt. xiii. So that a man may see all blindness and lack of light in him ; or else would he have written either more substantially, or else have kept silence till he had been better learned. "The second," saith he, "is, that the virtue of Christ's blood doth The second not, neither can, extend to all people: and yet the Holy Ghost saith,™ that Christ ' by the grace of God should taste of death for all men ;' Heb. ii. and by St. John he saith, he came 'not for our sins only, but for the i John ii. sins of all the world.' Likewise saith Christ, ' The bread that I will John vi. give for the life of the world ;' and again by St. John, ' God sent not Jota iii. his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world Jotm'iv.' ,, 1 Pet. ii. iii. through him might be saved. i Tim. h. ° 6 1 Cor. viii. These be the words as he hath written, word for word ; The answer. 320 DEFENCE OF ELECTION. The author of wherein the libel hath written un truly. 2 Cor. v. Eph. ii. v. All is often taken for a multitude.John i. he hath done untruly to recite St John's words, which be that Christ obtained grace "for the sins of the whole world," and not ' came for the sins of the world.' By this his untruth in reciting the word a man may see, that he goeth about to slander the doctrine of God's election, which crampeth not in Christ's blood, but extendeth it to the whole "church" and to every "member" thereof: but he would have it to devils also, and to all his bastards; for the devil, being "prince and god of this world," is one of the world, as the king of a realm is one of the realm. Now I ween he will be ashamed (howevef he thinketh) to extend the virtue of Christ's death to the devil, except he will admit the schoolmen's distinction of 'sufficiently' and ' effectually ;' that is, that Christ's death is sufficient for all, but effectual to none but to the elect only : which distinction I desire him to admit. For I take "the whole world" there, as St John the Baptist doth in calling Christ " the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world ;" and as Paul doth in saying that "God hath reconciled the world in Christ:" which is to be discerned from that "world" for which Christ "prayed not ;" for look, for whom he " prayed not," for them he died not. This, I trust, is sufficient for the opening of the places in the second enormity he thought to have found out. The third " The third is,'' saith he, " that there is no sin in man ; for, if man The devils have no choice, then the evil man doth that which God would have him choice, for to do, as well as the good man. But this is very false and ungodly, as choM^butdo the holy scripture doth declare. First, God said unto Cain, before he andy^tthey slew his brother, 'Why art thou angry, or wrathful, and why is thy mischief wU- countenance changed ? Dost thou not know, if thou doest well thou lingiy, but shalt receive it: but if thou doest evil, lieth not the sin in the door? they can have ' ' no other win TJnto thee pertaineth the lust thereof, that thou rule it, or have the than to shew r their naughty dominion over it, &c. Likewise Moses saith, 'I set before thee lire tuous poison, and death, blessing and cursing :' therefore he saith to the people, and you sriaU ' Choose ye life, that thou and thy son may live, &c.' " then better see his weak jSTxxx. These be the words of his third enormity, wherein he Jer- xi- writeth he wotteth not what. For, if the cause why there is no sin in man be want of choice, as he maketh it, then children have no sin : and so this man "returneth to his old vomit," to deny original sin in very deed, although in words he will seem to say otherwise. Again, he playeth the papist in attributing free-will and choice, which utterly destroyeth the justification by faith only, by God's own mercy and goodness. Thirdly, he maketh no difference in doing God's will, howsoever it be The author of the libel denieth original sin indeed.The author is also a demi-papist. DEFENCE OF ELECTION. 321 done: and therefore saith he, that 'the wicked man doth that which God will have done as well as the good man.' But perchance he will say this word ' as well' is not com paratively, but by the way of a similitude, spoken. Well, I am content to admit it at his hands ; because ignorance maketh him to speak improperly. This would I ask him, whether that David said truth, namely, that "God doeth all things in Psai. cxv. heaven and earth as pleaseth him." If this be true, I would advise him to be less curious to know the working of God, farther than he hath given us a light to see the same. God useth the wicked to work his will in working their own, as God worketh Nebuchodonosar in destroying Jerusalem, the devils in running us, bututter- * ° . ° eth i the sns "into the herd of swine :" and yet God is not the author and *hb«he cause of sin. To be the author of any act, is not to be the ourrrn!;ttu0re;of author of the evil will that doth the act ; as the magistrate wdnen inhJs',e may be the author that an executor putteth to death one where and justly condemned : and yet the executor may put the con- ethwGo£ "* demned person to death of a desire of vengeance, wherein he sinneth; and the magistrate which causeth the fact is not to be blamed of the sin committed of the executor. As for the testimonies of the scriptures, which he bringeth for free-will, a child of two years reading iu the scriptures may see that they be legal sentences, and prove not that man can do as they require, but telleth man as the law doth, what he ought to do : as when Christ saith, " If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments ;" teaching hereby not what man can do, (for then we had no need of Christ,) but what man ought to do ; that by this means, in seeing his own penury and inability, he might be desirous of "the grace of God," and the free promise of God's gospel offered and given unto him. " The fourth enormity is," saith he, " that God's power and omni- The fourth potence is thereby denied, in that it is said, that he cannot know first, predestinate, and elect all men in Christ Jesu to salvation, and also to give the choice during this life, as he hath said. And yet, as saith St. John, he is ' Almighty :' and Paul saith likewise, he is ' King of kings, Rev xvi. 1 -r .. ,. i i n ,i • i- i 1 Tim.vi. and Lord of lords, which only hath immortality, and dwelleth in light Ephes. m. that no man can attain unto,' &c: and again to the Romans he saith, 'Othe depth of the abundant wisdom and knowledge of God: how Rom.xi. unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out !' " These be the words he reciteth for ' the fourth enormity,' An answer. t1 ' Uttereth :' maketh manifest, bringeth out.] [BRADFORD.] 322 DEFENCE OF ELECTION Theauthorof even as he reciteth them; wherein he playeth even as the pilyeth'iike papists do concerning transubstantiation. For [the] question is there, whether God will transubstantiate the bread into his body, and not whether he can : so here the question is, Matt. xx. whether God would elect all men, (where Christ saith, 'few be but elect,') or no. But, as the papists say, ' God can do this, God cannot and therefore ye deny God's power;' so doth this man reason save Satan, « ... because he papistically, as a mongrel papist in heart, that because God could have chosen all in Christ, therefore he did so. Again he maketh no difference between knowledge, fore sight, predestination, and election : and so belike the angels iTim. *. that fei^ whose fall God did foresee, were " elect angels ;" where Paul seemeth to attribute to the angels not fallen election, as the cause why they fell not. If any will dispute with God, why he would do so to those and not to the other, Eom. ix. I will say nothing but as Paul saith, " 0 man, what art thou that disputest with God?" The author Thirdly, in saying God hath given Christ to man, as he writeth so- hath said, and telleth not where, nor what, a man may per- phistically. , . j see, good ceive the subtle kind of speech smelleth of sophistry and tws man may deceitfulness ; and therefore his scriptures brought forth they not abide ' r . ° J God to have are as hosen for no leg to put them on, making tor no purr any determi- or ' o ^ i hfmsenifnbut Pose except to prove God to be almighty, which no man mussuspinsea11 denieth, except it be himself, as far as I know : except he wnahtwTwiii dream that God knoweth a thing and knoweth it not, seeth a couid he de- thing and seeth it not, by attributing of the choice to man, thmg before whereupon God's knowledge and sight, God's election and pre- the beginning o o ' of the world, destination, doth depend, lest it should come of God's own nor at tins > r ' t tam^'buT g00^ w^ or he " to the glory of his grace ;" and so salvation aSyf for he no^ *° come from God only, yea, to be no God I 0 the deepness of man's foolishness, which will go about to comprehend "God's unsearchable ways" and wisdom! must discern of our wills. The firth " The fifth enormity is," saith he, " that it thus putteth away the covenant between God and man ; yea, partly on God's part, in that Christ is denied to be a general Saviour to all men ; but wholly and altogether on man's part ; for it taketh all the power and ableness, which God hath before given, from him. Nevertheless the Holy Ghost saith that ' God called Adam,' in whom then were all men ; and they were then called in him, and came also to God ; and he then made the covenant to us, as well as to him, in Christ, and gave him likewise unto us in Gen. iii. promise also, saying ' that the seed of the woman,' which was Christ, DEFENCE OF ELECTION. 323 'should tread down the head of the serpent.' And afterwards God renewed the same covenant again to Abraham, saying, ' In thy seed shall all the generations of the earth be blessed.' Likewise Paul proveth the same, saying, 'Not in thy seeds, as in many; but in thy Gai.iii. seed, as in one, which is Christ.' That no man is lost of God, as the Holy Ghost approveth, if they come to destruction wholly and clearly Psai. civ. ignorant, the conditional promise made of the Lord to the people by Deut xxviii. Moses doth declare. Likewise was the covenant made by God to Je- 1 Kings xi. roboam, as to David; and also the parable of the 'talents' 'delivered to Matt. xxv. the servants to every man after his ability :' and St. Luke saith that Lukexix.xvi. they were bidden to ' occupy the same, until the Lord come ;' but if there be some that have nothing, &c, small occupying will serve them, and their account will soon be made. But our Saviour Christ hath taught, not only before the people, but also before the scribes and Pha risees, that every man should answer for that they have received, and render a just account; and that, by the parable of the lost sheep and the groat, they ought as well to have sought that which was lost, as to save that which was not lost: and by the 'two sons unto whom the father gave his goods,' he taught them also, though they judged of themselves to be right, yet they ought to have 'rejoiced, and to be glad for their brother, which was lost, and is found, was dead, and is alive.' " These be the words which he recited in ' the fifth enor mity,' whereunto in the margin is put this note, that ' the dead was made alive, the lost was found ;' whereby he thinketh he toucheth the quick, as though any body doth deny that all that be born of the seed of man are not " dead in sin," and Psai. n. "conceived in iniquity ;" only he excepted, which denieth the original sin otherwise than Adam's offence simply considered, The author .? ... . f . . of the libel without any guiltiness in ourselves : and all this is to esta- agree* in ... . D . free-will with Wish his doctrine of free-will, wherein he fully consenteth with ^g^ the Jews, Mahomets, and papists. Papisi But let us see his reasons : first see an impudent He. The author .... , ... in- n of the libel is Christ is denied,' saith he, ' to be a general Saviour to all found to be ' ' c> a liar. men.' Who denieth this ? ' Marry that do you,' will he say, ' because none shall be saved but the elect.' Ergo you mean by 'a general Saviour' to have all men saved. I pray you, Theauthorof take the devil also ; and then a man shall more plainly per- |«»£*Jj ceive what you go about. For, rather than you will have them ™^^.s that be saved to be saved only of "the goodness of God," Sk'^uSnd "freely of his grace," without man's work, you will go about alu with your generalities to save devils and all : such absurdities must need spring when men be offended at "the grace of God." 21—2 324 DEFENCE OF ELECTION. 1 Tim. ii. Hos. xiii. Objection. But perchance he will say, that he meaneth by 'a general Saviour' such a Saviour as is able to save "all men," and "would have all men saved," so that the cause of damnation is of them selves. If his meaning be this, let him shew, if he can, that any man hath spoken otherwise, but that the Lord himself " would have all men saved ;" and that damnation cometh of ourselves, as the prophet saith. 'Why then' will he say, 'if God "will have all men saved," and damnation cometh of ourselves, then God hath not repro bate any or predestinate them to be damned : and where is election then of some, and not of all?' To this I answer, that if we "have Christ's Spirit," we have received it to this end, that we should see what is "given to us of God" in Christ, as saith the apostle, and not what is given to the devil and to the reprobate : " these things," saith he, " we speak ;" wherefore let us do the like. He prayeth for the Ephesians for none other " wisdom and revelation" from God, than whereby they might "know God," and have "their minds illumined to see what they shall hope by their vocation, and how rich the glory of his inheritance is to his saints." As for reprobation, and what mercy God offereth to them and ethVo't'tous. *keir s*re Satan, I think is unseemly for us to seek out, until we have sought out how rich God's goodness is and will be to us his children ; the which we can never do, but the more we go thereabouts, and the more we taste his good ness, the more we shall love him, and loath all things that displeaseth him : whereas to dispute of Satan and the re probate pertaineth nothing unto us, and therefore is to be omitted of us. Again, how it is that God " would have all men saved," and yet "whom he will he maketh hard-hearted," and also "sheweth mercy on whom he will," I will be content to leave it till I shall see it in another life; where no contradiction shall be seen to be in God's will, which "would have all men saved," and yet "worketh all that he will both in heaven and in earth." As no man can "resist his will," so let no man search it further than he revealeth it : and God is but partly known of man in this life ; so is his will in some things but partly known : in some things, I say, out of the which I ex- not ttT1™' £°r-the certainty thereof; for there is almost in all the Testament, that doth not most 1 Cor. ii. Ephes. i. Col. i. The reason of reproba- 1 Tim. ii. Bom. ix. Exod. xxxiii. Note well. not two leaves DEFENCE OF ELECTION. 325 sweetly insinuate or plainly shew the same. Yea, faith that is not certain of salvation from God, and that for ever, but doubteth of it, is either a weak faith, or else but a shew of faith. "Lord, increase our faith." If therefore we cannot tie these two together, that God "would have all men saved," and yet "his will is done," and cannot be withstood, but unto reason there must be some con tradiction; yet let faith honour God, that his will is "just" and not mutable, (though his works are now and then altered,) Yea, when i t» i ¦ irti , the scripture how far soever otherwise it seem to "the flesh: albeit to him saith that . . , God will have that is not curious and contentious, the place how " God would ^vfl\ have all men saved," and how God "will not the death of a SfheVrf au sinner," is and may be well understand of penitent men and ofemeenof au sinners; for else they that be impenitent God will damn. and condi-' Then now to know whose gift repentance is, I trust the scripture is so plain to shew it to be "God's gift," that no man Actsv.xs. will deny it. Again, that this repentance God giveth to whom 2 Tim. u. he will, I need not to declare. Who they be that have this gift, are easily seen to be none others but such as be God's elect children and sons : as the parable telleth of the "lost son" that returned, not the lost servant; the "lost sheep" was found, not the lost swine ; the "lost groat," wherein was printed the image and inscription of the prince, was found, not the lost plate. As for the argument which might be gathered of the con- Arguments , ° . . . of contraries tranes, ' If there be not reprobation, ergo there is no election,' a™ng^u a man of God may see it is not firm. For, though we may ^a™ hh3, well say, and most justly say, that damnation is for our sins ; notqmcken yet can we not say that for our virtue we are saved : even himself- so, because God hath elected some whom it pleaseth him, (as Christ saith, " few be chosen,") it doth not well follow that therefore he hath reprobated others, but to our reasons, ex cept the scriptures do teach it. And in that the scriptures speak little thereof, (I mean of reprobation,) in that the next cause (that is sin) may well be seen to be the cause of con demnation, and in that also it pertaineth to us to see and speak of that which is given of Christ to us "that be within;" 1 cor. v. let us labour hereabouts, and leave "them that be without" to the Lord which will "judge them" in his time. Thus much I thought good to write hereabouts, that all They that ° D travail the 326 DEFENCE OF ELECTION. doctrine of men might see that it is but curiosity that causeth men to curious. travail the sweet doctrine of God's election; and that men Note. might see how unjustly these 'enormities' are gathered of him that gathered them. God open his eyes according to his pleasure, and send him the same "good Spirit" in Christ I wish to myself! For I am sorry to write so sore against him as I do, if that the matter might suffer to do otherwise. The author of the libel is obscure. But to come again to his 'enormities.' 'It putteth away,' saith he, ' the covenant of God, partly on God's part, but wholly on man's part: on God's part,' saith he, 'because Christ is denied to be a general Saviour.' But here you see he hath spoken, and slandered the doctrine, untruly. Let us see therefore, secondly, how truly he writeth that election putteth away the covenant on mau's behalf wholly ; 'for it taketh away,' saith he, 'the power and holiness1, which God hath before given, from him.' This is the reason he maketh : wherein he is dark in these words. ' from him,' to whom this ' him ' is to be referred. Truth is plain and simple, but untruth must be obscured with ambiguous phrases, lest it should be espied. But to let it pass, let 'him' be referred to whom it pleaseth him, God or man. This would I have him to do, namely, to set forth the power man hath now in this state to do God's will as God would have it done. Paul taketh from man the "thought," which is the best part of any good work: as for the "consent and deed," elsewhere he taketh it from man and giveth it to God. But this man will both give and take: I mean, he will both give it to God and to man also. In which doing I purpose to leave him, and to follow Paul, giving all to God, "thought," "will, and deed," in all that good is. But, to confirm his doctrine, he thirdly saith, that 'as God called in Adam all men, so all men came in Adam unto him, whereupon he made the covenant.' First, here you must prove that 'all men came in Adam.' Yea, I read not that, Adam being called, he himself did come, much less all in him. Again, God's covenant, whose ground is his " mercy and truth," he maketh now our coming : so greatly doth he impugn L1 'holiness,' MS. This seems an error of the early transcriber, for ' ableness ;' see line 4 of tho extract, p. 322 above.] DEFENCE OF ELECTION. 327 the mercy and "goodness of God." I pray God he do it of ignorance, for else greater is his sin. Moreover he discerneth not between the free promise and covenant ; for else he would not call the free promise a 'covenant,' but on God's behalf only. For what is required here on man's behalf, if he have respect to infants and children which cannot believe ? Be sides this he confoundeth the covenants, as appeareth by his testimonies and examples. The covenant to David and Jero boam were not alike, as a child can tell, that readeth the books of the Kings. As for this that he writeth, that no man is ' lost' of God, I think it should be read 'left' of God, for else there were no reason in it ; as there is little godly reason in it, being so taken, that is, ' left of God,' if any man discern between the promise of the law and the promise of the gospel, or if any man doth know wherefore the law is given. Whereof in that he is ignorant the reason, he heapeth up testimony upon tes timony without rhyme or reason : and therefore I will do as Solomon willeth me, " not to answer a fool according to his Prov. xxvi. foolishness, lest I should be like him." For godly wisdom and spiritual eyes would see, that as God's pure image at the first was given to Adam and in him unto us, so as he was guilty of the loss and corruption of the same, so we are in like manner until we be regenerate : and therefore God is not unjust in calling us all to account even therefor. Howbeit, who is he that in this life hath not, yea, daily doth not receive great gifts of God ? For the which all shall render an account but such as shall not come into judgment, even true believers in Christ : which only are the 'lost and dead children found again,' through God's own mercy "in Christ." " The sixth enormity is this," saith he, " that it colourably denieth The sixth excommunication to be had and used in the congregation of Christ ; for enorm" such as they call good they say are predestinate, and those that they call evil may (some say of them) be called : now how they be, nor when they shall be called, say they, that it cannot be known. For, although they say that predestination is absolute as well towards man, as it is in God himself, which indeed is not true; yet it is not known to any other, but only to them that can so think, or rather imagine : which in deed is called a strong faith in many; but, when the inward eyes of them are truly opened, it will appear either here, or in another place, where it will not be so easy to help a very vain and naughty opinion." 328 DEFENCE OF ELECTION. The author. These be the words of the last 'enormity,' which words used to iii. 1S are so either ignorantly or untruly written, or both, (for I have written them word for word after the copy delivered to me, as God knoweth I lie not,) that the sentences hang not together, or else there wanteth words to make sentences. tethhthegprt Howbeit, this is easy to be seen, that as before, so now, bfpunished the truth is belied ; for predestination denieth not ' excommu- ner"! when" nication,' or hindereth the good use thereof. Yea, this withal they sin; for T . ' „ ..... , God useth l say, that no man can use more godly discipline towards S^S^™6 themselves, and to the correcting and chastening of "the old pentance. man," than those do which have truly tasted of the Spirit of God's election : for to such the corruption of our nature is felt a more horrible thing than hypocrites are able to think ; and therefore they are more rough and severe to others coi. m. which are fallen, than the elect be, who have " put on them bowels of mercies," and cannot but take other men's faults to heart as their own. And therefore, so soon as any lively sign of repentance ensueth, they seek with Paul that "charity" might prevail, where hypocrites are haut1 and contemn the poor publicans, as did the proud Pharisee. Again, indeed we say, that none is good but such as be predestinate ; and also we say, that of those which be now 2 Tim. k. in our sight evil many may be called hereafter, and as God's dear elect declare themselves to the world and wicked, if they would see it. As for who be the elect and who be not, because it i3 God's privilege to know who be his, God's people are not Iphes.'i. curious in others: but, as in themselves they feel "the earnest" of the Lord, and have God's Spirit in possession by faith, (I speak of those which be of years of discretion ;) so do they judge of others by their works, and not further do they enter with God's office. Moreover where he saith, ' predestination is not absolute,' if he meaneth it is not infallible, or it is not so certain but it may alter, then when he hath proved it by scripture, a man may something be moved to mark better his words : but till that time, which will never be, I will say that, if God pre destinate any to life, they shall never be undone. As for his surmised imagination of election in the elect, [' See p. 183, note 1, above.] DEFENCE OF ELECTION. 329 whereby he taunts their faith, I will speak nothing but, God The author increase his and all our faith, and open our eyes to see what Ssa'taumer. true faith is ! Whereof for my part I acknowledge a great weakness, and much more imagination than true faith : but yet, be it never so little, I hope the Lord alloweth it and will increase it for his name's sake, which I humbly crave at his hands 'for the love of our only blessed Saviour Jesus Christ,' "the Light of the world :" who "lighten all our darkness" to Jotmi. 1 ¦ Tii • 1 i Psai. xviii. see his "true light, and inflame our hearts and wills to ap- Psai.xxvii. prove and love the same unfeignedly ! Amen. Then will taunting not tarry, but charitable admonition and sorrowful sighing to see any professing God with us, entangled with such errors as nourish such ' enormities,' as here he maketh this most comfortable and profitable doctrine of God's holy election : for the which God's holy name be praised and magnified for ever, through Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen. Now, to conclude, he writeth this : "Whether these be good matters to be had, taught, and holden of Theconciu- i i.ii -i . i >., . . .i sionofthe such as think themselves not only true and right Christians, and the Hbei. very 'sons of God,' but also to be masters and teachers in the church of Christ ; I appeal to the judgment of the Spirit of God, and to all men that have true judgment." These words I will not otherwise traverse, but that all An answer to , . i i i i > • the conclu- men may see that every ' enormity' gathered by this man is of sion. "a zeal not according to knowledge," (I will say no worse;) as thou mayest well perceive, if thou wilt mark well what I have written briefly concerning the doctrine of God's election, by the scriptures : to the which (the scriptures, I mean) I with The author Christ and his apostles do appeal, and not anabaptistically to bapttsucaiiy, the Spirit without the scriptures, as he doth. to tfie Spirit r r ' _ without the By the scriptures, I say, there I have briefly and suffi- scriptures. ciently so proved the doctrine of election taught and holden by me, that doing right to God's word he cannot be able to improve2 it, if he shall take to help him herein the Jew's talmud, the Mahomet's alcoran, and the papist's decretals to help him, (for with them he plainly agreeth in this matter of election and free-will,) after that he hath put his name3 to his [2 'Improve:' disprove.] [3 See p. 318, note 2, above.] 330 DEFENCE OF ELECTION. libel : which I suppress yet, because I have hope he shall see his own ignorance and blind zeal and arrogancy. Which God grant for his mercies sake ! There is one which hath written this that followeth : An addition " Other some would be satisfied, how that God's elect people are so to the hbel. . . r r 'elected from the beginning in Christ that they cannot utterly fall away, and yet all men, they say, fell to damnation in Adam ; and how that his mercy in saving his, and his justice in condemning his, could be at one instant with God." the addition? These words first shew curious heads, as you may per- The author ceive by their 'hows:' secondly they shew ignorant persons, riouslnd as m3k7 aPPear Dy their style and words improperly placed : ranTisno" therefore I stand in a doubt whether they understand what damn!diTre they demand. For they make variety of time with God, yeta5o;dand and will have instants with him, with whom there is no time of tnat°me but eternity. Again, they follow not God's word, but will to be saved, look upon that first which hath his occasion of that which n^fi'herein3! followeth : that is to say, they will look upon election afore say ftatau they look on Adam's fall : and yet God did not open it to us damnedrthat but sithen the fall. Which order we should follow, and be no none might „ . ~_ . . . . . be saved more offended therewith than we are at Christ, which was, and through # # ..«.,, n°s'sfnd<1tne^s called, "the Lamb slain from the beginnmg of the world," twshaddition and tofore Adam's fall ; and yet he had not died but in respect |m|f£ of the fall. natio™ if"1" But they, because they cannot by their curious reason imlpnThow see how election should be before with God, and yet follow God can do... _lt i*» i • i 1 • • i these things Adams fall to us, therefore they come with their witless, un- at once, they * wmeftherto reasonable, arrogant, and very detestable 'hows.' I marvel toe£°nerfect, they ask not how God did before he had any creature : else thmg P^™y would they leave their witless, unreasonable, arrogant, and very detestable ' hows,' and come to know that the scrip ture descendeth to our capacities as much as may be in many things, that we might rest by faith to the consideration and admiration of God his power, wisdom, and glory. Which he make us all careful for, as his dear children, and to live accordingly now and for ever. Amen. J. B. [The Treatise ' Against the fear of death ' observes the text of the Meditations, &c. of Bradford, Seres 1567 1, except where otherwise noted. It is to be found also in MS. Bodl. 53. in the Bodleian Library, Oxford; with which the printed edition of 1567 has been collated throughout : but the variations are only noted where a deviation from 1567 is followed. It would seem likely from the words at the third line of this Treatise, p. 332, ' at whose door [that is, of death] though I have stand a great while, yet never so near (to man's judgment) as I do now ;' that Brad ford wrote it shortly after his condemnation, which took place January 31, 1555 ; after which his martyrdom was daily expected. The actual date of his death was July 1, 1555 2. A Latin translation of this Treatise exists in MS. (119. article 14.) in the Lansdown collection in the British Museum. It is entitled, In- ititutio divina et vere consolatoria contra vim mortis, Johanne Brad- fordo Anglo auihore, ex vernacula lingua in Latinum sermonem conversa. This MS. formerly belonged to the church-historian, Strype, who sup posed that the ' Treatise on death' was rendered into Latin by some of the English divines when abroad, during the reign of Mary, for their use and comfort3. Portions of this Latin version are supplied in the Appendix to this volume.] [' See p. 112 and 294, and black letter title, p. 296 above.] P Vide Foxe, Acts, &c. 1583, calendar, July ; or ed. 1843—8, vol. i. ibid. ; Diary of Henry Machyn, under July 1, 1555, p. 90—1, Camden Soc. 1848; Strype, Mem. in. i. 355.] P Strype, Mem. in. i. 364.] A FRUITFUL TREATISE, AND FULL OF HEAVENLY CONSOLATION, AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. [See Vul gate.] John v. Four kinds of death. Spiritual death, what it is. " Make no tarrying to turn unto the Lord, and put not off from day to day ; for suddenly shall his wrath come, and in the day of vengeance he shall destroy thee. Stand fast in the way of the Lord, be stedfast in thine understanding, and follow the word of peace and righteous ness." Ecclesiasticus v.1 Being minded through the help of God, for mine own com fort and encouraging of others, to speak something of Death, (at whose door though I have stand a great while, yet never so near, to man's judgment, as I do now2,) I think it most requisite to call and cry for thy help, 0 blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, "which hast destroyed death" by thy death, and brought in place thereof "life and immortality," as by the gospel it appeareth. Grant to me true and lively faith, wherethrough men pass from death to "eternal life;" that of practice, and not of naked speculation, I may something now write concerning Death, (which is dreadful out of thee, and in itself,) to the glory of thy holy name, to mine own comfort in thee, and to the edifying of all them to whom this my writing sliall come to be read or heard. Amen. There be four kinds of death ; one which is natural, another which is spiritual, a third which is temporal, and a fourth which is eternal. Concerning the first and the last, what they be I need not to declare : but the second and the third perchance of the simple (for whose sake especially I write) are not so soon espied. By a 'spiritual death' therefore, I mean such a death as, t1 The title of the Bodley MS. is, " De morte. death, J. B."] [2 Vide prefatory note in the preceding page.] A treatise not to fear AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. 333 the body living, the soul is " dead :" whereof the apostle maketh mention in speaking of widows, which "living daintily," i Tim. v. being alive in body, "are dead" in soul. Thus you see what I mean by the 'spiritual death.' Now by a 'temporal death' I mean such a death, where- Temporal through the body and affections thereof are "mortified," that the spirit may live : of which kind of death the apostle speak- eth in exhorting us to "kill our members." coi. m. And thus much of the kinds of death, wherein the judg- ihejudg. ment of the world is not to be approved: for it careth less world con- .... cerning the for 'spiritual death' than for a 'natural death,' it esteemeth Jj™^?/ less 'eternal death' than 'temporal death ;' or else would men "^l]1, leave sin, (which procureth both the one and the other, I sin is the mean 'spiritual and eternal death,') and choose temporally to death. die, that by 'natural death' they might enter into the full fruition and possession3 of " eternal life :" which none can enjoy nor enter into, that here will not temporally die, that is, mortify their affections, and "crucify their lusts" and con cupiscences; for by obeying them at the first "came death," By what as we may read, Genesis m. If Eve had not obeyed her ™™j» desire in eating the forbidden fruit, whereby she died spiri tually, none of these kinds of death had ever come unto man, nor been known of us. Therefore (as I said) we must needs here temporally die, that is, mortify our affections, to escape the 'spiritual death,' and by 'natural death' not only escape 'eternal death' of soul and body, but also by it as by a door enter into "eternal life ;" which Christ Jesus our Saviour hath procured and purchased to and for all that be " in him," translating 'eternal death' into a "sleep," or rather into a deliverance of soul and body from all kind of misery and sin. By reason whereof we may see, that to those that be "in Christ," that is, to such as do believe, which (believers, I mean) are discerned from others by " not walking after the flesh, Hom. vui. but after the Spirit ;" to those, I say, death is no damage but an advantage4; no dreadful thing but rather desirable, and of all messengers most merry, whiles he is looked upon with the eyes of faith in the gospel. But more of this hereafter. [3 'and possession,' MS. : not in 1567.] [4 *a vantage' 1567: 'an advantage,' MS.] 334 AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. Naturaldeath. Thus have I briefly shewed thee the kinds of death, what they be, whence they come, and what remedy for them. But now, forasmuch as I am purposed hereafter to entreat only of the first kind of death, that is, of 'natural death,' something to comfort myself and others against the dread and pains of the same; I will speak of it as God shall instruct me, and as I accustom with myself to muse on it now and then, the better to be prepared against the hour of temptation. I have shewed how that this 'natural death' came by 'spiritual death,' that is, by obeying our affections in the trans gressions of God's precepts : but through the benefit of Christ, to such as be in him and die temporally, that is, to such be lievers as labour to mortify their affections, it is no destruction, Death, what but a plain dissolution both of soul and body from all kind it is to of perils, dangers, and miseries ; and therefore to such is not to be dread but to be desired, as we see in the apostle which " desired to be dissolved," and in Simeon which desired to be loosed, saying, "Dismiss (or loose) me, 0 Lord." By which words he seemeth plainly to teach that this fife is a bondage, and nothing to be desired ; as now I will something shew. s to Christians. Phil. i. Luke ii. This life is First, consider the pleasures of this life what they be, how not to be reTeet'of the ^on& ^hey last, how painfully we come by them, what they tllereoffbeing leave behind them ; and thou shalt even in them see nothing {&' vamtyf but vanity. As for example, how long lasteth the pleasure that man hath in sensual gratification1 ? How painfully do men behave themselves before they attain it; how doth it leave behind it a certain loathsomeness and fulness ! I will speak nothing of the sting of conscience, if it be come by unlawfully. Who, well seeing this and forecasting it aforehand, would not forego the pleasures willingly, as far as need will permit and suffer ? If then in this one, whereunto nature is most prone, and hath most pleasure in, it be thus, alas ! how can we but think so of other pleasures ? Put the case, that the pleasures of this life were perma nent during this life : yet, in that this life itself is nothing in comparison, and therefore is full well compared to a candle- [! Two or three words of the original are changed.] AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. 335 light which is soon blown out, to a flower which fadeth away, what this ° , . . ' . J life is, mark to a smoKe, to a shadow, to a sleep, to a running water, to a here and day, to an hour, to a moment, and to vanity itself ; who would esteem these pleasures and commodities, which last so little a while ? Before they be begun, they are gone and past away. How much of our time spend we in sleeping, in eating, in drinking, and in talking ! Infancy is not perceived, youth is shortly overblown, middle age is nothing, old age is not long. And therefore, as I said, this life, through the considerations of the pleasures and commodities of it, should little move us to love it, but rather to loath it. God open our eyes to see these things, and to weigh them accordingly ! Secondly, consider the miseries of this life, that, if so be This life is .... , ,. more to be the pleasures and commodities in it should move us to love it, Joaihed for r > the miseries, yet the miseries might countervail, and make us to take it as fo™heoved we should do; I mean, rather to "desire to be loosed" and j?nereoffs dismissed hence, than otherwise. Look upon your bodies, and see in how many perils and dangers you are : your eyes are Tl'tehmi1siefries in danger of blindness and blearedness ; your ears in danger jg™ be0™yng of deafness ; your mouth and tongue of cankers, toothache, and dumbness ; your head in danger of rheums and megrims ; your throat in danger of hoarseness ; your hands in danger of gouts and palsies, &c. But who is able to express the number of diseases whereto man's body is in danger, seeing that some have written that more than three hundred dis eases may happen unto man ? I speak nothing of the hurt that may come unto our bodies by prisons, venomous beasts, water, fire, horses, men, &c. Again, look upon your soul : see how many vices you are The miseries in danger of, as heresy, hypocrisy, idolatry, covetousness, concerning idleness, security, envy, ambition, pride, &c. How many temptations may you fall into ! But this shall you better see by looking on your old falls, folly, and temptations, and By looking hy looking on other men's faults ; for no man hath done any g^s »°d thing so evil, but you may do the same. Moreover, look mm^aJits upon your name, and see how it is in danger to slanders and "Eat Singer false reports ; look upon your goods, see what danger they rea^ tofaiiy" are in for thieves, for fire, &c. ; look upon your wife, chil- m dren, parents, brethren, sisters, kinsfolks, servants, friends, 336 AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. and neighbours, and behold how they also are in danger,' both soul, body, name, and goods, as you are; look upon Great and the commonweal and country ; look upon the church, upon weighty • i i -i causes for us the ministers and magistrates, and see what great dangers to be sad and ° D & " ntueVjoy they are in : so that, if you love them, you cannot but for the pfeSuresof evil which may come to them be heavy and sad. You know this hfe. jt -g n0^ jn y0ur p0werj nor Jn the power of any man, to hinder all evil that may come. How many perils is infancy in danger of; what danger is youth subject unto! Man's state is full of cares : age is full of diseases and sores. If thou be rich, thy care is the greater : if thou be in honour, thy perils are the more : if thou be poor, thou art the more in danger to oppression. But, alas ! what tongue is able to ex press the miserableness of this life? The which considered should make us little to love it. An apt I can compare our life to nothing so fitly as to a ship in comparison a o u r shbTontne the midst of the sea. In what danger is the ship and they liiloi m'an; that be in it ! Here are they in danger of tempests, there dangersare of quicksands ; on this side of pirates, on that side of rocks : whl^so'iike? now may it leak, now may the mast break, now may the mas ter fall sick, now may diseases come among the mariners, now may there dissension fall among themselves. I speak nothing of want of fresh water, meat, drink, and such other necessaries. Behold the. Even such another thing is this life. Here is the devil, great miseries O ttat thuciiffs there is the world : on this side is the flesh, on that side qf'ondeave?y is sin which throughly cleaveth unto our ribs, and will do so long as we be in this flesh and natural life. So that none but blind men can see this life to be so much and so greatly to be desired : but rather, as the men that sail are most glad when they approach to the haven, even so should we be most glad when we approach to the haven, that is, death; 1 cor. u. which setteth us a land whose commodities "no eye hath seen," no tongue can tell, no heart can conceive, in any point as it should. Happy, 0 happy were we, if we saw these things accordingly ! God open our eyes to see them. Amen. If any man would desire testimonies of these things, (ah though experience, a sufficient mistress, is to be credited,) yet will I here mark certain places whereunto the reader may re sort, and find no less than I say, but rather much more, if that with diligence he read and weigh the places. AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. 337 Job calleth this life "a warfare:" in the eighth chapter Job vii. he painteth it out something lively, under divers similitudes. St James compareth it to "a vapour." All the book of James iv. Ecclesiastes teacheth it to be but "vanity." St John saith it is altogether "put in evil." David saith, the best thing in 1 John v. this hfe is but vanity, " labour, and sorrow." But what go psai. xc. I here about? seeing that almost every leaf in the scripture is How short, ° ./ i transitory, full of the brevity and misery of this life. So that I think, ^"J^-^ as St Austin doth write, that there is no man that hath lived scriptures' doe so happily in this world that would be content, when death decSre!'iere cometh, to go back again by the same steps whereby he hath come into the world and lived1; except the same be in despair, and look for nothing after this life but confusion. Thus I trust you see, that though the commodities of this life were such as could cause us to love it, yet the brevity, vanity, and misery of it is such as should make us little The brevity, "'.''..*' vanity, and to regard it, which believe and know death to be the end of [h'|f1ri^of all miseries to them that are "in Christ:" as we all ought to u^°uuecfoSe take ourselves to be, being baptized in his name, (for our regard "• baptism requireth this faith under pain of damnation,) although we have not observed our profession as we should have done ; if so be we now repent, and come to amendment. To such, I say, as are "in Christ," death is to be desired, even in re spect of this, that it delivereth us from so miserable a life and so dangerous a state as we now be in. So that I may well say, they are senseless, without wit, void of love to God, void of all hatred and sense of sin (wherewith this life floweth), that rather desire not to depart hence out of all these miseries, than here still to remain to their continual grief ; if that they have, as I said, any wisdom, any love to God or man, or any sense of sin2. But if these things will not move us, I would yet we beheld the commodities whereunto death bringeth us. If we 1 Pet i. kp . . Rev. vii. not moved to leave this life in respect of the miseries whereof it is full, yet we should be moved to leave it in t1 Quis autem non exhorreat, et mori eligat, si ei proponatur aut mors perpetienda, aut rursus infantia ? — August. De Civit. Dei, xxi. xiv. Op. vn. col. 634, ed. Bened. Par. 1679—1700.] [2 The last twenty words are in the MS., but not in 1567.] 22 [BRADFORD.] 338 AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. The com- respect of the infinite goodness which the other life, whereto whereto3 death bringeth us, hath most plentifully. Men, though they «h u,s, , love things, vet for things which are better can be content to should make & ' «/ o ... forsakelnis0 f°reg0 them : even so we now, for the good things in the life life to come (if we consider them), shall and will be content to forego the most commodious things in this present life. Here we have great pleasure in the beauty of the world, and of the pleasures, honours, and dignities of the same ; also in the company of our friends, parents, wife, children, subjects; also in plenty of riches, cattle, &c. : and yet we know that The com- never a one of these is without his discommodity, which God modifies of " mixecuvith Bendeth, lest we should love them too much ; as, if you will SesfiesTwe" weigh things, you shall easily perceive. The sun, though it themdtoove be fair and cheerful, yet it burneth sometimes too hot. The air, though it be light and pleasant, yet sometimes it is dark and troublous : and so of other things. But be it so that there were no discommodities mingled with the commodities; yet, as before I have said, the brevity and short time that we have to use them should assuage their dulcetness1. The pleasures But if this were not also but that the pleasures of this of this life, ... . . areainhcom- hfe were without discommodity, permanent, and without peril the'pfeJure (whereof they be full) ; yet are they nothing at all to be com- o? tiufufeto pared to the commodities of the life to come. What is this earth, heaven, and shape of the world, wherein beasts have place, and wicked men, God's enemies, 2 Pet m. have abiding and liberty, in comparison of the " new heaven and earth wherein righteousness shall dwell ?" in comparison of that place where angels and archangels, and all God's people, yea, God himself, hath his abiding and dwelling? What is the company of wife, children, &c, in comparison to Heb. xi. the company of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, confessors, virgins, and all the saints of God2 ? What is the company of any in this world, in comparison to the company of the angels, archangels, cherubim, seraphim, powers, thrones, dominations; yea, of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost? What [J 'Dulcetness:' sweetness.] [2 Compare the eloquent passage often quoted from Cyprian. De Mortalit. Op. 166, Oxon. 1682 : " Illic apostolorum transtule' J. Ml AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. 339 are the riches and pleasures of this life, in comparison of the felicity of everlasting life, which is without all discommodities, perpetual, without all peril and jeopardy, without all grief and molestation ? 0 the mirth and melody ! 0 the honour and glory ! 0 £j£,b(Jftln£ the riches and beauty ! 0 the power and majesty ! 0 the life to come- sweetness and dignity of the life to come ! " The eye hath i cor. a. not seen, the ear hath not heard, nor the heart of man is not able to conceive" in any thing any part of the eternal felicity and happy state of heaven. Therefore the saints of God have desired so earnestly and so heartily to be there. "0 how amiable are thy tabernacles ! " saith David: "my psai. ixxxiv. soul hath a desire to enter into the courts of the Lord: my Thevehe- i i i • • • i t ¦ ^ti -ni i ment desire heart and my soul rejoice in the living God." " Blessed are j^^f'"8 those that dwell in thy house, that they may always be d^v^dbfnd praising thee ;" " for one day in thy courts is better than a q^. w"h thousand elsewhere. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness ; for the Lord God is a light and defence." And again, " As Psai. xm. the hart desireth the water-brooks, so longeth my soul after thee, 0 God. My soul is athirst for God, yea, even for the living God : when shall I come to appear before the presence of God ?" And, " My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh also Psai. ixra. longeth after thee, in a barren and dry land, where no water is." They (God's people I mean) desire the day of " their Rom. viu. redemption:" and they still cry, "Let thy kingdom come:" they cry, "Come, Lord Jesus, come." They "lift up their Rev. xxii. heads," looking for his appearing, which will "make their vile Pnii.m. bodies like to his own glorious (and immortal) body ;" for, " when he shall appear, they shall be like unto him." "The angels will gather them together;" and they "shall Matt. xxiv. meet him in the clouds, and be always with him." They shall hear this joyful voice, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, Matt. xxv. possess the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning." Then shall they be "like unto his angels." Then shall they "shine like the sun in the kingdom." Then shall they have " crowns of glory," and be " endued with white gar- Rev. vii. ments" of innocency and righteousness, and "palms" of victory Tbdeg"Tt " m their hands." 0 happy, happy is he that may with of 0od's 22—2 340 AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. children in them see that immortal and incorruptible inheritance which ofGod.g om then we shall enjoy for ever ! Thus you see, I hope, sufficiently that in respect of heaven Death the and eternal bliss, whereunto by the haven of death we land, etemai ufe. this life, though there were no evil in it, is not to be loved ; but rather we that be pilgrims in it should desire with Paul and Simeon to be " loosed and dissolved," that we might be with God. The miseries Here our bodies (as before is spoken) are in danger of and dangers # x . , i the?eifcitnd innumerahle evils : but there our bodies shall be, not only ILth?™ by without all danger, but also be " like the glorious (and im- phii.ui. mortal) body of the Lord Jesus Christ." Now our bodies Matt. xiii. be dark : then shall they be most clear and light, as we see Dan. xu. . .... . . Matt. xvii. Christ's "face did shine in his transfiguration, like to the sun." 1 cor. xv. Now our bodies be vile, miserable, mortal, and corruptible : but then shall they be glorious, happy, immortal, and incor- 1 John Hi. ruptible. We shall be like unto Christ our Saviour : even "as i cor. xv. he is," so shall we be. " As we have borne the image of the earthly, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly." how foolish Here our souls are in great darkness and dangers of many and senseless © o ^ «/ whichYn evus : hut there they shall be in great light, safe security, and gio?ieoeus°fso secure felicity. "We shall see God face to face:" where £aUyfors°ke now we "see him but as in a glass through a dark speaking," a°iife.sera e there " shall we behold him even as he is," and be satisfied without loathsomeness of his presence. Yea, we shall be en dued with most perfect knowledge : where " now we know but partly, there shall we know as we be known." Here our commodities are measurable, short, uncertain, and mingled with many incommodities : but there is mirth without measure, all liberty, all light, all joy, rejoicing, pleasure, health, wealth, riches, glory, power, treasure, honour, triumph, comfort, solace, love, unity, peace, concord, wisdom, virtue, melody, meekness, felicity, beatitude, and all that ever can be wished or desired; and that in most security and perpetuity that may be conceived or thought, not only of men, but also of angels ; as witnesseth he that saw it, I mean Paul, who was " carried i cor. ii. up into the third heaven." " The eye hath not seen," saith he, " the ear hath not heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, the felicity that God hath prepared for them that love him." AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. 341 There the archangels, angels, powers, thrones, dominions, cherubim, seraphim, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, virgins, confessors, and righteous spirits, cease not to sing night and day, " Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts !" Rev. iv. 'Honour, majesty, glory, impery, and dominion, be unto thee, 0 Lord God the Creator, 0 Lord Jesu the Redeemer, 0 Holy Spirit the Comforter1!' For "the light of the moon isai. xxx. shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall The clarity be seven-fold, even as the light of seven davs," in his blessed ness of God's 0 ^ children in kingdom, where and when he "will bind up the wounds of ws kingdom o x above the his people, and heal their plagues." brilhtSSlof 0 that we might have some lively sight hereof, that we the sun- might rejoice over the "undefiled and immortal inheritance," whereunto God hath called us, and which he doth keep for us in heaven ! that we might hear the sweet song of his saved people, crying, " Salvation be unto him that sitteth on the throne of our God, and unto the Lamb !" that we might with the elders and angels sing and say, " Praise, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be to thee our God for evermore !" that we might be " co vered with a white stole2, and have a palm in our hands," to " stand before God's throne night and day, to serve him in his temple, and to have him dwell in us !" that we might " hear the great voice saying from heaven, Behold the taber- Rev. xxt. nacle of the Lord is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them, their God !" 0 happy were they that now might have a little shew of that " holy city, new Jerusalem, descending Rev. xxi. from heaven, prepared of God as a bride decked for her husband," which he shewed to his servant John ! Truly this should we see, if we were with him "in the Spirit :" but this cannot be, so long as we are "in the flesh." Alas then and welaway3, that we love this life as we do ! Lack of faith , , ./ ' is the cause It is a sign we have "little faith ;" for else how could we but ^d^"80 night and day desire the messenger of the Lord (death I tnibeSi°ufuloflife. [ The last two pages occur, in part, in the meditation on the 'felicity of the life to come,' p. 273 — 5 above.] [ See 'prayer for the presence of God,' p. 264 — 6 above, and P- 266, note 1.] [8 Vide p. 39, note 5 above.] 342 AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. An objection proceeding of the sense of sin and reason which is an adver sary to faith. Answer.[MS.]1 J ohn i. Job xxv. Three things whereby the afflicted con science may be assured of pardon and forgiveness, Isai. xliii. Isai. i. Ezek. xxxiii. John iii. mean) to deliver us out of all miseries, that we might enter into the fruition of eternal felicity ? But here will some man say, '0 sir, if I were certain that I should depart from this miserable life into that so great felicity, then could I be right glad and rejoice as you will me, and bid death welcome : but I am a sinner, I have grievously transgressed and broken God's will ; and therefore I am afraid I shall be sent into eternal woe, perdition, and misery.' Here, my brother, thou doest well that thou dost acknow ledge thyself a sinner, and to have deserved eternal death; for doubtless, "if we say we have no sin, we are liars, and the truth is not in us." A child of a night's birth is not pure in God's sight. In sin were we born, and "by birth (or nature) we are the children of wrath," and firebrands of hell : therefore confess ourselves to be sinners we needs must. For, "if the Lord will observe any man's iniquities, none shall be able to abide it :" yea, we must needs all cry, " Enter not into judgment, 0 Lord ; for in thy sight no flesh nor man living can be saved." In this point therefore thou hast done well, to confess that thou art a sinner. But now where thou standest in doubt of pardon of thy sins, and thereby art afraid of damnation, my dear brother, I would have thee answer me one question, that is, 'Whether thou desirest pardon or no ; whether thou dost repent or no ; whether thou dost unfeignedly purpose, if thou shouldest live, to amend thy life, or no?' If thou dost even before God so purpose, and desirest his mercy, then hearken, my good brother, what the Lord saith unto thee : '" I am he, I am he, that for my own sake will do away thine offences.' ' If thy sins be as red as scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow;' for 'I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner. As surely as I live, I will not thy death, but rather that thou shouldest live, and be converted.' I have ' so loved the world,' that I would not spare my dearly beloved Son, ' the image of my substance and brightness of my glory,' 'by whom all things are made1,' by whom all [! ' by whom all things are made,' MS.: not in 1567.] AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. 313 things were given ; but gave him for thee, not only to be man, but also to take thy nature, and to purge it from mortality, sin, and all corruption, and to adorn and endue it with immortality and eternal glory, not only in his own person, but also in thee and for thee : whereof now by faith I would have thee certain, as in very deed thou shalt at length feel and fully enjoy for ever. This my Son I have given to the death, and that a most shameful death, 'even of the cross,' for thee to 'destroy death,' to satisfy phu. u. my justice for thy sins: therefore 'believe,' and 'according to thy faith, so be it unto thee.' "Hearken what my Son himself saith unto thee, ' Come Matt.jxi. unto me all ye that labour and are laden, and I will refresh you:' 'I came not into the world to damn the world, but to John m. save it:' 'I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to Luke v. repentance.' 'I pray not,' saith he, 'for these mine apostles John xvii. only, but also for all them that by their preaching shall believe in me.' Now what prayed he for such ? ' Father,' saith he, 'I will that where I am they may also be, that they may see and enjoy the glory I have, and always had with thee. Father, save them, and keep them in thy truth. Father,' saith he, 'I sanctify myself, and offer up myself for them.' Lo, thus thou hearest how my Son prayeth for thee. "Mark now what my apostle Paul saith : We know, saith he, that our Saviour Christ's prayers were 'heard:' also 'this Heb. v. is a true saying, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.' Hearken what he saith to the jailer, ' Believe Acts xvi. in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved;' for he by his own self hath 'made purgation for our sins.' 'To him,' saith Heb. p. a-] Peter, ' beareth all the prophets witness, that whosoever 'lets x. believeth in his name shall receive remission of their sins.' 'Believe,' man. Pray, 'Lord, help mine unbelief:' ' Lord, Mark ix. increase my faith.' 'Ask, and thou shalt have.' Hearken what St John saith, 'If we confess our sins, God is righteous uoimi. to forgive us all our iniquities; and the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ shall wash us from all our sins:' for, 'if weuohnii. sin, we have an Advocate,' saith he, 'with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins.' Hearken what Christ is called: 'Call his name Jesus, saith the angel, ' for he shall save his people from their sins.' Luke s. 344 AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. Rom. v. So that, ' where abundance of sin is, there is abundance of grace.' Rom. viii. "Say therefore, 'Who shall lay any thing to my charge? It is God that absolveth me. Who then shall condemn me? It is Christ which is dead for my sins, yea, which is risen for my righteousness, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father, and prayeth for me.' Be certain therefore, and sure of pardon of thy sins ; be certain and sure of everlasting life. Rom.- D0 not now say in thy heart, 'Who shall descend into the deep?' that is, doubt not of pardon of thy sins, for that is to fetch up Christ. Neither say thou, ' Who shall ascend up into heaven ? ' that is, doubt not of eternal bliss, for that is to put Christ out of heaven. But mark what the Lord saith unto thee, ' The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart ; and this is the word of faith which we preach: If thou confess with thy mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and believe with thy heart, that God raised him up from the 1 Thess. iv. dead, thou shalt be safe.' If thou 'believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again,' even so shalt thou be assured, saith the Lord God, that 'dying with Christ I will bring thee again with him.' " 1 Cor. xv. The greatest dishonour to God is to doubt of his mercy. Nonerejectedthat desire mercy. In the word only we behold God's love and favourtowards us : and therefore we should give credit to It against aU Thus, dear brother, I thought good to write to thee in the name of the Lord, that thou, fearing death for nothing else but because of thy sins, mightest be assured of pardon of them; and so embrace death as a dear friend, and insult against his terror, sting, and power, saying, " Death, where is thy sting? Hell, where is thy victory?" Nothing in all the world so displeaseth the Lord, as to doubt of his mercy. In the mouth of two' or three witnesses we should be content : therefore, in that thou hast heard so many witnesses, how that indeed desiring mercy with the Lord thou art not sent empty away, give credit thereto ; and say with the good virgin Mary, " Behold thy servant, 0 Lord : be it unto me according to thy word." Upon the which word see thou set thine eye only and wholly. For otherwise here thou seest not God thy Father but in his word, which is the "glass" wherein now we behold his grace and fatherly love towards us in Christ : and there fore herewith we should be content, and give more credit to AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. 345 it than to all our senses, and to all the world besides. "The our sense, word," saith our Saviour, "shall judge." According to itfjjp™" therefore, and not according to any exterior or interior shew, judge both of thyself, of all other and things else. Concerning thyself, if thou desire indeed God's mercy, and lamentest that thou hast offended, lo, it pronounceth that " there is mercy with the Lord for thee, and plenteous re- Psai. cxxx. demption." It telleth thee which wouldest have mercy at the Lord s hand, that the Lord willeth the same : and therefore thou art happy, for he "would not thy death." It telleth thee, that if thou acknowledge thy faults unto the Lord, he will cover them in his mercy. Again, concerning death it telleth thee, that it is but a Death what it 00 .is by the "sleep," that it is but a passing unto thy Father, that it is word of God. but a deliverance out of misery, that it is but a putting off of mortality and corruption, that it is a "putting on of im mortality and incorruption ;" that it is a putting away of an "earthly tabernacle," that thou mayest receive an "heavenly 2Cor. v. house" or "mansion;" that this is but a calling of thee home from the watching and standing in the " warfare " of this miserable life. According to this (the word I mean) do thou judge of death : and thou shalt thus1 not be afraid of it, but desire it as a most wholesome medicine, and a friendly mes senger of the Lord's justice and mercy. Embrace him there fore, make him good cheer; for of all enemies he is the least. 'An enemy,' quoth I? Nay, rather of all friends he is the best ; for he bringeth thee out of all danger of enemies, into that most sure and safe place of thy unfeigned "Friend" for ever. Let these things be often thought upon. Let death be why death o i ought to be premeditated, not only because he cometh uncertainly (I mean l™H"0f£*te for the time, for else he is most certain), but also because he J1hp°0'jsht helpeth much to the contempt of this world, out of the which as nothing will go with thee, so nothing canst thou take with thee ; because it helpeth to the mortifying of the flesh, which when thou feedest, thou" dost nothing else but feed worms; because it helpeth to the well disposing and due ordering of the things thou hast in this life; because it helpeth to re pentance, to bring thee unto the knowledge of thyself that [1 ' thus,' MS. : not in 1567.] 346 AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. thou art but "earth and ashes," and to bring thee the more better to "know God." But who is able to tell the commodities that come by the often and true consideration of death ? Whose time is there fore left unto us uncertain and unknown (although to God it job xiv. be certain, and the " bounds thereof" not only known but "ap pointed of the Lord, over the which none can pass)," because we should not prolong and put off from day to day the Luke xii. amendment of our life, as did the "rich man" under hope of long life. And seeing it is the ordinance of God, and cometh not but "by the will of God" even unto a sparrow, much more then unto us which are incomparably much " more dear than many sparrows ;" and in that this will of God is not only just, but also good (for he is our Father); let us, if there were nothing else but this, submit ourselves, our senses, and judg ments, unto the pleasure of him, being content to come out of the room of our soldiership whensoever he shall send for us by his pursuivant, Death. Let us render to him that which he hath lent us so long (I mean life), lest we be counted unthankful. And in that death cometh not but "by sin," forasmuch as we have sinned so often, and yet the Lord hath ceased from exacting this tribute and punishment of us until this present, let us with thankfulness praise his patience, and pay our debt ; not doubting but that he, being our Father and our almighty Father, can and will, if death were evil unto us (as God knoweth it is a chief benefit unto us by Christ), convert and turn it into good. But death being, as before I have shewed, not to be mke xxi. dread but to be desired, let us "lift up our heads" in think ing on it, and know that our "redemption draweth nigh." The four last Let our minds be occupied in the consideration or often faith often to contemplation of the four last articles of our belief; that is, be meditate A . /.. 11, -itii, and thought 'the communion of saints' or 'the holy catholic church, 'remis- upon. t v 7 . sion of sins, resurrection of the flesh, and the life everlasting. The Lord By faith in Christ, be it never so faint, little, or cold, we break the are members in very deed of the catholic and holy church bruised reed, " -ill smoking flax °^ Christ ; ,that is, we have communion or fellowship with all qhueSnot the saints of God that ever were, be, or shall be. Whereby Isdt. xiii. AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH. 347 we may receive great comfort : for, though our faith be feeble, yet the church's faith (whereof our Saviour Christ is "the Head") is mighty enough ; though our repentance be little, yet the repentance of the church, wherewith we have communion, is sufficient ; though our love be languishing, yet the love of the church and of the Spouse of the church is ardent : and so of all other things we want. Not that I mean this, as though any man should think that our faith should be in any or upon any other than only upon God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; neither that any should think I mean thereby any other merits or mean to salvation, than only the merits and name of the Lord Jesus : but that I would the poor christian conscience, which by baptism is brought into God's church, and made a member of the same " through no sin or want of any faith," should not for his sin's sake, or for the want of any thing what- thing he hath not, despair ; but rather should know that he is should cause ° x t us to despair a member of Christ's church and mystical body, and therefore of God-s final s, Kal tovto croi Koivavr]o-ei to>v dyad&v. 'E\ev6epa>8rnreTat ydp, (prjalv, drrb rijs OovXeias rrjs learned fa ther, M. Mar- [l Compare the ' Catechismus brevis,' published by royal authority pBpBCoevre~ 1553, Liturgies, &c. of Edward VI., Parker Soc, p. 510—1, 558—9 ; dale-] and the ' Catechism' by Nowell, (' the larger Catechism heretofore by public authority set forth,' canon lxxix, 1604,) p. 97 — 8, ed. Jacobson, Oxon. 1835.] [2 Tota creaturacongemiscitetparturit, adhuc exspectans etexpetens meam restitutionem ; nam corruptioni propter meum peccatum invita subjecta est. Hsec tota liberabitur per Christum meum a servitute corruptionis, cum ille nos sua membra restituerit. Istuc cogitabo et perpendam, ut in me et rebus omnibus atrocitatem peccati, quod in me inhabitat, rite agnoscam, indeque Christo Domino et Servatori meo me 23—2 356 THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS. and now, I am assured, with the Lord at home ; where we yet are from home by reason of these our corruptible habitacles1, wherein we abide the Lord's leisure. If you would know the reason that moveth me to answer, as I have done, to the foresaid doubts or questions, it is this. You see that the apostle, in this place to the Romans, speaketh of the "deliverance of every creature from the bon dage of corruption ;" and that to the beautifying of the glory of God's children. This is so manifest that no man can well deny it. It is but a simple shift to say that the apostle doth mean in this place, by "every creature," man only : he is not wont to speak on that sort. Neither dare I say that the apostle speaketh here hyperbolically or excessively, although some think so. But as I said, I say again, that the apostle doth here simply affirm that there shall be a renovation and a "deliverance from corruption," not only of man, but also of all and of every part of the whole world : of every part, I say, meaning parts indeed, and not such as be rather vices and added for plagues, than for parts ; for by reason of sin many spots and corruptions are come into the world, as is all that is hurtful and filthy in the creatures, also all that cometh of corruption, as perchance fleas, vermin, and such like. [Acts ui. 21.] This "renovation of all things" the prophets do seem to promise, when they promise "new heavens and new earth;" totum addicam, consecrem, permittam, quacunque is cruce peccatum in me conflcere, et quacunque via ac vocatione me ad vitae novitatem adducere velit : ad quod ei toto pectore inserviam mortificando studia carnis mese, et enitendo ad studia Spiritus, ad vitam Dei. Utquehuic vitse alacriter insistam, et in eo conatu et studio infractus pergam, de- figam mentem meam, quoad ejus ipse mihi Dominus dederit, in consi- derationem hujus tantss felicitatis mea?, ad quam in resurreetione resti- tuar ; quam nimirum exornatura etiam est liberata a corruptionefabrica mundi universa. Ista cogitabo, in ista animum meum demergam, secu- rus de eo, quasnam mundi partes mecum Christus Dominus restituturus sit, aut quo modo, et quam illis daturus conditionem. Satis superque mihi est, me et mecum totam creaturam habituros felicius, quam mens mea nunc queat cogitatione consequi. Hinc prsedicabo et gloriflcabo Dominum meum, eique ipso donante studebo toto corde, tota anima, totis viribus, cantans illi, Et bene fecit, et bene faciet omnia; ipsi aetema gloria in secula. Amen. — Bucer. Metaph. et Enarr. Epist. Paul. In Rom. viii. I. 343, Argentorat. 1536.] [l 'Habitacles:' habitations, dwelling-places.] THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS. 357 for "a new earth" seemeth to require no less renovation of earthly things than "new heavens" do of heavenly things. But these things the apostle doth plainly affirm that Christ will "restore, even whatsoever be in heaven and in earth." coi. i. Therefore methinks it is the duty of a godly mind simply ^^ "' I0J to acknowledge, and thereof to brag in the Lord, that in our resurrection "all things" shall be so repaired to eternity, as for our sin they were made subject to corruption. The ancient writers, out of Peter, have, as it were, agreed 2 Peter m. to this sentence, that " the shape of this world shall pass away through the burning of earthly fire, as it was drowned with the flowing of earthly waters2." These be St Augus- August, de tine's words, whereto I will add these which he here writeth: l.i\>. xx. cap. XVI. " The qualities," saith he, " of the corruptible elements, which agreed with our corruptible bodies, shall utterly be burned with that same worldly conflagration and burning, as I said : but the substance itself shall have those qualities which do agree by a marvellous change to our bodies, that the world, changing into the better, may openly be made meet to man, returned even in the flesh into the better3." These be his words, whereby it is plain that this good man did believe that the elements should be renewed : but of other things he meddleth not, except it be of "the sea," by the occasion of that which is in the Apocalypse ; howbeit, so he speaketh, that he " cannot well tell whether it also shall be changed into the better," adding these words, " But we read that there shall be a new heaven and a new earth4." For he did understand the place of Esay, concerning the " new [2 . . . figura hujus mundi mundanorum ignium conflagratione prse- teribit, sicut factum est mundanarum aquarum inundatione diluvium. — August. De Civit. Dei. xx. cap. xvi. Op. VII. coll. 593, 4, ed. Bened. Par. 1679—1700.] [3 Ilia itaque, ut dixi, conflagratione mundana elementorum corrup- tibilium qualitates, quae corporibus nostris corruptibilibus congruebant, ardendo penitus interibunt ; atque ipsa substantia eas qualitates habe- bit, quse corporibus immortalibus mirabili mutatione conveniant : ut scilicet mundus, in melius innovatus, apte accommodetur hominibus etiam carne in melius innovatis. — Id. ibid.] [4 Quod autem ait, 'Et mare jam non est;' utrum maximo illo ardore siccetur, an et ipsum vertatur in melius, non facile dixerim. 'Ccelum quippe novum et terram novam futuram' legimus. — Id. ibid.] 358 THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS. heaven and new earth" simply : of other things he expresseth nothing. But Thomas Aquinas entreateth this question more ex actly, or rather curiously, affirming the celestial bodies, the elements, and mankind to be renewed ; but in no wise beasts, plants, &c. to be so x : and this is his principal reason : " The renovation of the world shall be for man: therefore such shall be the renovation, as shall be conformable to the renova tion of man. But the renovation of man shall be from cor ruption to incorruption, from moving to rest. -...the things therefore that shall be renewed with man must be brought also to incorruption. Now the celestial bodies and the ele ments were made to incorruption ; the one wholly and in every part, the other, that is, the elements, though in part they are corruptible, yet concerning the whole they are in corruptible; as man... is incorruptible concerning part, that is, the soul... But beasts, plants, &c. are corruptible both wholly and in every part : therefore they were not made to incor ruption ;... and so are they not conformable to the renewing, that is, they are not receivable of incorruption : and there fore they shall not be restored2." [l .. . fatendum est resurrectionem esse futuram Corpora coe- lestia majoi-em claritatem accipient in ilia innovatione . . . elementa induentur claritate quadam, non tamen eequaliter . . . plantse et ani- malia . . non remanebunt in ilia mundi innovatione. — Thorn. Aquin. Summ. Theol. Partis III. Suppl. Quaest. lxxv. Art. i., Qusest. xci. Art. iii. iv. v., p. 113, 142, 143, Colon. 1622. See also Aquin. Qusest. Disput. Qusest. v. Artie, vii. ix. p. 81 — 3 — 5, Venet. 1598.] [2 Respondeo dicendum, quod cum innovatio mundi propter ho minem flat, oportet quod innovationi hominis conformetur. Homo autem innovatus de statu corruptionis in incorruptionem transibit et perpetuse quietis ; unde dicitur primse ad Cor. 15. ' Oportet cor- ruptibile hoc induere incorruptionem, mortale hoc induere immorta- litatem'. . . Unde ad illam innovationem nihil ordinari poterit, nisi quod habet ordinem ad incorruptionem : hujusmodi autem sunt corpora coelestia, elementa, et homines. Corpora nunc coelestia secundum sui naturam incorruptibilia sunt, et secundum totum et secundum par tes : elementa vero sunt quidem corruptibilia secundum partes, sed incorruptibilia secundum totum : homines vero corrumpuntur ... ex parte materise, non ex partse formse, scilicet animte rationalis . . . Am- malia vero bruta, et plantoe, et mineralia, et omnia corpora mixta corrumpuntur et secundum totum et secundum partes ; . . et sic nullo modo habent ordinem ad incorruptionem; unde in ilia innovatione non manebunt . . . — Id. ibid. Quoest. xci. Art. v. p. 144.] THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS. 359 This reason is true in this part, that it affirmeth 'things shall be restored with man, and with him shall be brought to perpetuity ;' and, as the apostle saith, to be "delivered from the bondage of corruption." Again, his reason is true herein also, that man's reason may sooner be persuaded, that things now 'partly incorruptible' shall be restored altogether to in corruption. But now to say, that by no reason those things may be brought to perpetuity, which now both wholly and partly be temporal and momentary, how can he prove it ? in that the nature and being of all things dependeth on the omni- potency of God, which, after his own pleasure, doth give to things which he hath made their being : and all is one to him, to make a thing temporal, and to make it eternal. For he made all things of nothing : and therefore heaven and the celestial bodies have no more of themselves that they be per petual, than have those things that last but a day. Where fore this reason which Thomas maketh is not firm, in that it wholly leaneth to that which now seemeth and appeareth in things. Indeed, as I said, it hath some shew or probability, that these things shall be renewed to eternity for the glory of God's children, which now something are partakers of the same. But now, seeing that both it which they now have, and also shall have, dependeth upon the beck and pleasure of God ; whom hath God made of counsel with him concerning the renovation of the world and of all things, that he can tell what parts of things and what kinds of things he will renew? Yea, even Aristotle did acknowledge that physice or 'natural knowledge,' because it bringeth his reasons from the disposition and nature of things, hath not full necessity of his reasons3. For nature is nothing else than the ordinary and wonted will of God, as a miracle, portent, or monster is the rare and unwonted will of God4. We say that the nature [3 rr)v 8' aKpi@o\oyiav rrjv pa8r)pariKr)v ovk iv drxao-iv dtraVTryreov, aX\' (V tois pr) ex°vaiv vkrjv. Siorrep ov (pvcriKos 6 rpdrros. arrao-a yap 'laas r] r " <> giving him but a piece, which should have the whole. God win have I would they would tell me, who made their bodies ? Did service of not God, as well as their spirits and souls ? And who keepeth soul and L *¦ b0d/^% both ? Doth not he still? And, alas ! shall not he have the made Doth ; ' bothfhe're- service of the body, but it must be given to serve the new- deemed both. found god of anticlirist's invention ? Did not Christ buy both our souls and bodies? And wherewith? With any less price than with his precious blood ? Ah, wretches then that we be, if we will defile either part Rev. xviii. with the rose-coloured whore of Babylon's filthy mass-abomi- 2 pet. u. nation ! It had been better for us never to have been washed, than so to wallow ourselves in the filthy puddle of popery : it Heb. vi. x. had been better never to have known the truth, than thus to Matt. xii. . Lukexi. betray it. Surely, surely, let such men fear, that their "latter end be not worse than the beginning." Slnatuiei? Their own conscience now accuseth them before God (if so "cTeneeT be they have any conscience), that they are but dissemblers and hypocrites to God and man : for all the cloaks they make, t1 Vide p. 39, note 5, above.] TO HOPKINS AND OTHERS, AT COVENTRY. 391 they cannot avoid this, but that their going to church and to mass is of self-love; that is, they go thither because they Theoniy would avoid the cross, they go thither because they would be mongrels go */ o ^ to mass is to out of trouble. They seek neither the queen's highness, nor avoilt the her laws, which in this point cannot bind the conscience to obey, because they are contrary to God's laws, which bid us Acts v. often to "flee idolatry" and worshipping him after men's de- icor. x. vices. They seek neither (I say) the laws, if there were any, neither their brethren's commodity ; for none cometh thereby, neither godliness or good example, (for there can be none found in going to mass, &c.,) but horrible " offences and woe Matt xviu. to them that give them :" but they seek their own selves, their own ease, their escaping the cross, &c. When they have made all the excuses they can, their own conscience will accuse them of this, that their going to church is only because they seek themselves : for,' if there would no trouble ensue for tarrying away, I appeal to their conscience, would they come thither? Never, I dare say. Therefore, as I said, they seek themselves ; they would not carry the cross. And hereof their own conscience, if they have any conscience, doth accuse them. Now if their con science accuse them at this present, what will it do before the judgment-seat of Christ? Who will then excuse it, when Christ shall appear in judgment, and shall begin to be " ashamed Luke ix. xii. Mark viii. of them then, which now here are ashamed of him ?" Who - then, I say, will excuse these mass-gospellers' consciences? Will the queen's highness ? She shall then have more to do for herself than, without hearty and speedy repentance, she can ever be able to answer ; though Peter, Paul, Mary, James, John, the pope, and all his prelates take her part, with all the singing sir Johns2 that ever were, are, and shall be. Will the lord chancellor and prelates of the realm excuse them there ? Nay, nay, they are like then to smart for it so sore, as I would not be in their places for all the whole world. Will the laws of the realm, the nobility, gentlemen, justices of peace, &c. excuse our gospel-massmongers1 consciences then? Nay, God knoweth they can do little there but quake and fear for the heavy vengeance of God, like to fall upon them. Will their goods, lands, and possessions, the which they by their dissembling have saved, will these serve to ex cuse them ? No, no, God is no merchant, as our mass-priests [2 See note E.] 392 THE MASS, be. Will masses or trentals1 and such trash serve? No, verily, the haunters of this gear then shall be horribly ashamed. Will the catholic church excuse them? Nay, it will most of all accuse them ; as will all the good fathers, patriarchs, apostles, prophets, martyrs, confessors, and saints, with all the good doctors, and good general councils. All these already condemn the mass, and all that ever The most useth it as it is now, being of all idols that ever was the most on earth is abominable, and blasphemous to Christ, and his priesthood, The mass- manhood, and sacrifice ; for it maketh the priest that saith chrisfs mass God's fellow and better than Christ, for the offerer is fellow. . ' always better or equivalent to the thing offered. If therefore the priest take upon him there to offer up Christ, as they boldly affirm they do, then must he needs be better, or equal with Christ2- 0 that they would shew but one iota of the Heb. v. scripture of God calling them to this dignity, or of their au thority to offer up Christ for the quick and dead, and to apply the benefit and virtue of his death and passion to whom they will ! Surely if this were true, as it is most false and blasphe mous, prate they at their pleasure to the contrary, then it The mass- made no matter at all whether Christ were our friend or no, jw™dshipis jf s0 \)q the mass-priest were our friend : for he can apply us Christ's. Christ's merits by his mass if he will, and when he will ; and The mass- therefore we need little to care for Christ's friendship. They priest is # t * lorhecan' can ma^e him when they will, and where they will. "Lo, here he is, there he is !" say they : but, "believe them not," saith Christ, " believe them not," " believe them not," saith he. For in his human nature and body, (which was made of the substance of the virgin's body, and not of bread,) in this st Amrustine. body, I say, he is, and ' sitteth on the right hand of God the ms-] Father Almighty' in heaven, 'from whence' (and not from the pyx3) 'shall he come to judge both the quick and dead4.' Acts m. In the mean season "heaven," saith St Peter, " must re- [i Vide p. 49, note 5, above.] [2 Compare p. 6 — 8, above.] [3 Vide p. 88, note 2, above.] [•* Noli itaque dubitare ibi nunc esse hominem Christum Jesum, unde venturus est; memoriterque recole, et fideliter tene Christianam confessionem, quoniam resurrexit a mortuis, adscendit in coalum, sedet ad dexteram Patris, nee aliunde quam inde venturus est ad vivos mor- tuosque judicandos. — August. Lib. ad Dardan. seu Epist. clxxxvii. 10. Op. II. col. 681, ed. Boned. Par. 1679 — 1700.] make God, Matt. xxiv. TO HOPKINS AND OTHERS, AT COVENTRY. 393 ceive him;" and, as Paul saith, he "prayeth for us," and now Rom. viii. is not seen elsewhere, or otherwise seen than by faith there, until he shall be "seen as he is," "to the salvation of them that Heb. ix. look for his coming :" which I trust be not far off; for, if "the 1 Thess. ». day of the Lord " drew near in the apostle's time, which is now above fifteen hundred years past, it cannot be, I trust, long hence now; I trust our Redeemer's "coming" is at hand. Then Luke xxi. these mass-sayers and seers shall shake, and cry to the hills, " Hide us from the fierce wrath of the Lamb," if they repent Rev. vi. not in time. Then will neither gold, nor goods, friendship nor fellowship, lordship nor authority, power nor pleasure, unity nor antiquity, custom nor council, doctors, devils, nor any man's device serve. " The word which the Lord hath John xii. spoken in that day shall judge;" "the word," I say, of God Gu,ra.*da" be "in that day shall judge." And what saith it of idolatry and idolaters ? Saith it not, "Flee from it?" and further, that "they shall be damned?" }g£?;. 0 terrible sentence to all mass-mongers, and worshippers of things made with the hands of bakers, carpenters, &c. ! This word of God knoweth no moe oblations or sacrifices for sin, Heb. vii. ix. I,... x* but one only, which Christ himself offered, never more to be re-offered ; but in remembrance thereof his supper to be eaten saoramentally and spiritually, according to Christ's institution; which is so perverted now that there is nothing in it simply according to the judge, I mean the word of God. It were good for men to "agree with their adversary," the word of Matt. v. God, now "whilst they be in the way with it;" lest, if they linger, it will deliver them to the Judge Christ, who will "commit them to the jailer, and so they shall be cast into prison, and never come out thence till they have paid the uttermost farthing," that is, never. My dearly beloved, therefore mark the word, hearken to in au things rt. J • n • • n • hearken to ine word : it alloweth no massing, no such sacrificing, nor thew0rd of O' o' God as did worshipping of Christ with tapers, candles, copes5, canopies, ^J™^.'0- &o. It alloweth no Latin service, no images in the temples, amTxvu. no praying to saints dead, no praying for the dead. It alloweth no such dissimulation as a great many use now outwardly. " If any withdraw himself, my soul," saith the Heb. x. P ' Cope :' an ecclesiastical vestment, a cloak worn in public minis tration ; from the Anglo-Saxon cceppe. Vide Palmer, Orig. Liturg. n. append, sect. iii. and plates.] 394 THE MASS, Holy Ghost, "shall have no pleasure in him." It alloweth not the love of this world, which maketh men to do many uohnH. times against their consciences; for "in them that love the Matt. xii. world the love of God abideth not." It alloweth not gatherers elsewhere than with Christ, but saith, they "scatter abroad." iKingsxviii.lt alloweth no lukewarm gentlemen: but, "if God be God, then follow him ;" "if Baal (and a piece of bread) be God, then Rom. x. follow it." It alloweth not "faith in the heart," that hath not "confession in the mouth." It alloweth no disciples that will Matt. xvi. not "deny themselves," that will not "take up their cross and Luke ix. 'xiv. follow Christ." It alloweth not the "seeking of ourselves," or Phil. n. . Matt. vii. x. of our own ease and commodity. It alloweth not the more Rom. xvi. part, but the better part. It alloweth not unity, except it be in verity. It alloweth no obedience to any, which cannot Actsw.v. be done without, disobedience to God. It alloweth no church Eph. v. that is not the spouse of Christ, and hearkeneth not to his John x. voice only. It alloweth no doctor that speaketh against it. It alloweth no general council that followeth not it1 in all things. Gai. i. Summa, it alloweth no "angel," much more then any such as would teach any other thing than Moses, the prophets, Christ Jesus, and his apostles have taught and left us to look upon in the written word of God, the holy books of the Bible ; but curseth all that teach, not only contrary, but also any other lTim. vi. doctrine. It saith they are fools, unwise, proud, that will jer. viii. not consent to the sound word and doctrine of Christ and his Horn, xvi, apostles ; and biddeth and commandeth us to flee from such. Therefore obey this commandment. Company not with them, specially in their church-service, but flee from them; for in what thing consent they to Christ's doctrine? He 1 cor. xiv. biddeth us pray in a tongue to edify : they command con- Matt, vi. trary. He biddeth us call upon his Father in his name, John xiv. xv. . i i • i ,, t-. oTT when we pray : they bid us run to Mary, Peter, &c. lie Matt. xxvi. biddeth us use his supper in the remembrance of his death Luke xxii. 1 . ... .,, , . i icor. xi. and passion, preaching it out "till he2 come; whereby ne doth us to wit that corporally he is not there in the form of bread : therefore saith Paul, "till he come." He willeth us to "eat of the bread" (calling it 'bread' after consecration) and "drink of that cup" "all," making no exception, so that we do it worthily ; that is, take it as the sacrament of his body and [i 'it' Emman. MS., Lansd. MS., and 1688: not in 1564.] [2 'it' 1564: 'he,' Emman. MS., Lansd. MS., and 1688.] TO HOPKINS AND OTHERS, AT COVENTRY. 395 blood, "broken and shed for our sins," and not as the body itself, and blood itself, without bread, without wine ; but as the sacrament of his body and blood, whereby he doth repre sent, and unto our faith give and obsign3 unto us himself The fruits wholly, with all the merits and glory of his body and blood. *£,^°nthyf But they forbid utterly the use of the supper to all but to l^°f' s their shavelings, except it be once in the year4, and then also the cup they take from us : they never preach forth the Lord's death but in mockery and mows5- They take away all the sacrament by their transubstantiation ; for they take Transubstan- i i m i i i tiation taketh away the element, and so the sacrament6. To be short, they away the « ^ sacrament most horribly abuse this holy ordinance of the Lord, by ado ration, reservation, oblation, ostentation, &c. In nothing they are contented with the simplicity of God's word. They add to and take from at their pleasure : and Rev. xxii. therefore the plagues of God will fall upon them at the length, and upon all that will take their part. They seek not Christ, nor his glory ; for you see they utterly have cast away his word: and therefore, as the prophet saith, "there is no wis- Jer. via. dom in them." They follow the strumpet church and? spouse Rev. x of antichrist, which they call the catholic church, whose foun dation and pillars is the devil and his daughter the mass, with his children the pope and his prelates. Their laws are craft and cruelty ; their weapons are lying and murder ; their end and study is their own glory, fame, wealth, rest, and possessions. For if a man speak nor do nothing against these, though he he a sodomite, an adulterer, an usurer, &c, it forceth not, he shall be quiet enough, no man shall trouble him. But if any one speak anything to God's glory, which cannot stand without the overthrow of man's glory, then shall he be dis quieted, imprisoned, and troubled, except he will play mum, [3 ' Obsign :' seal, ratify.] [4 The 'fifth article' of the Devonshire rebels, 1549, contained the demand, 'We will have the sacrament of the altar hut at Easter delivered to the lay-people.' . . . Abp. Cranmer, Answ. to the rebels, Works, II. 173—4. Parker Soc. Vide Becon, Catechism, v. Works, II. 257—60, Parker Soc. ; and Bingham, Orig. Eccl. xv. ix. Works, I. 824 -31, Lond. 1726.] [6 'Mows:' grimaces, looks assumed in derision.] [6 Compare p. 87 above.] [' A word of the original is omitted.] 396 THE MASS, job xxxi. an(j pUt hjs nnger upon his mouth, although the same be a most quiet and godly man. So that easily a man may see, how that they be antichrist's church, and sworn soldiers to the pope and his spouse, and not to Christ and his church : for then would they not cast away God's word ; then would they be no more adversaries to his glory, which chiefly consisteth in obedience to his word. Therefore, my dear hearts in the Lord, seem not to allow this, or any part of the pelf of this Romish church and " syn- 1 Kings xviii. agogue of Satan." Halt not on both knees, for halting will Heb. xii. "bring you out of the way;" but, like valiant champions of Mark via"1' the Lord, confess, confess, I say, with your mouth, as occa- Luke ix. xiv. . , , . • i 1 i 1 2 Tim. iii. sion serveth, and as your vocation requireth, the hope and i ret. «i. faith you have and feel in your heart. Matt. xvi. xix. Matt. x. Mark viii. Luke xiv. Acts xx. Psai cxix. xvi. Heb. x. xi. Psai. exix. xxxix.Heb. xi. Job vii. Psai. xc. Job xiv. But you will say that so to do is perilous ; you shall by that means lose your liberty, your lands, your goods, your friends, your name, your life, &c; and so shall your children be left in miserable state, &c. To this I answer, my good brethren, that you have professed in baptism to fight under the standard of your Captain Christ : and will you now, for peril's sake, leave your Lord ? You made a solemn vow that you would forsake the world : and will you be forsworn, and run to embrace it now ? Tou sware and promised to "leave all and follow Christ :" and will you now leave him for your "father, your mother, your children, your lands, your life," &c. ? " He that hateth not these," saith Christ, " is not worthy of me." " He that forsaketh not these and himself also, and withal taketh not up his cross and followeth him, the same shall be none of his disciples." Therefore either bid Christ adieu, be forsworn, and run to the devil quick; or else say, as a Christian should say, that wife, children, goods, life, &c. are not to be dear unto you in respect of Christ, who is your portion and inheritance. Let the worldlings, which have no hope of eternal life, fear perils of loss of lands, goods, life, &c. Here is not our home, we are here but "pilgrims and strangers;" this life is but the desert and wilderness to the land of rest. " We look for a city, whose workman is God" himself. We are now "dwellers in the tents of Kedar." We are now in "warfare," in "tra vail and labour," whereto we were born, as the bird to fly. TO HOPKINS AND OTHERS, AT COVENTRY. 397 We sorrow and sigh, desiring the dissolution of our bodies and the putting off of corruption, that we might " put on 2 cor. v. . „ Rom. viii. incorruption. pwi- >¦ The way we walk in is "strait and narrow," and therefore not easy to our enemy, the corrupt flesh : but yet we must walk on; for if we hearken to our enemy, we shall be served not friendly. Let them walk "the wide way," that are ruled Matt, vii.' by their enemies : let us be ruled by our friends, and walk "the strait way," whose end is weal, as the other is woe. The time of our suffering is but short, as the time of their ease is Luke xiii. not long : but the time of our rejoicing shall be endless, as JJ*j *y^ the time of their torments shall be ever and intolerable. Our breakfast is sharp, but our supper is sweet. " The afflictions Rom. viii. of this life may not be compared" in any part "to the glory that shall be revealed unto us." This is certain, " if we suffer with Christ, we shall reign 2 Tim. u. with him ;" " if we confess him, he will confess us, and that Matt. x. before his Father in heaven," and all his angels and saints, saying, " Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom Matt. xxv. prepared for you from the beginning." There shall be joy, Rev. vii. xiy. mirth, pleasure, pastime and1 solace, melody, and all kind of beatitude and felicity, such as " the eye hath not seen, the 1 cor. ii. , „ , . . Isai. lxiv. ear heard, nor the heart of man is able in any point to con ceive it" as it is. In respect of this, and of "the joy set before us," should Heb. xu. not we run our race, though it be something rough ? Did not Moses so, the prophets so, Christ so, the apostles so, the martyrs so, and the confessors so ? They were drunken with Psai. xxxvi. the sweetness of this gear : and therefore they contemned all that man and devils could do to them. Their "souls thirsted Psai. ixxxiv. after the Lord and his tabernacles :" and therefore their lives *"' and goods were not too dear to them. Read the eleventh to the Hebrews, and the second of the Maccabees, the seventh chapter; and let us go the same way, that is, "by many Acts xiv. tribulations." Let us labour to enter into the kingdom of heaven; for "all that will live godly in Christ Jesu must suffer persecution." Think therefore the cross, if it come for confession of Christ, no strange thing to God's children ; but rather take 1 pet iv. it as the Lord's medicine, by the which he helpeth our in- [' 'pastime and,' Emman. MS. ; not in 1564.] 398 THE MASS, Psai. xix. firmities, and setteth forth his glory. Our sins have deserved cross upon cross. Now if God give us his cross, to suffer for his truth and confessing him, as he doth by it bury our sins, Eom. vm. so doth he glorify us, making us like to Christ here, that we 2c0r.i. may be like unto him elsewhere: for "if we be partakers of the affliction, we shall be partakers of the consolation ;" if we 1 cor. xv. be like in ignominy, we shall be like in glory. Great cause we have to give thanks to God for lending us liberty, lands, goods, wife, children, life, &c. thus long : so that we shall be guilty of ingratitude, if he now shall come and take the same away, except we be cheerful and content. jobi. "God hath given, and God hath taken away," saith Job; as it pleaseth the Lord, so be it done. And should not we do this, especially when the Lord taketh these away of love, Deut. xiii. to try us, and "prove us," whether we be faithful lovers or strumpets ; that is, whether we love him better than his gifts, or otherwise ? This is a truth of all truths to be laid up in our hearts, that that is not lost which seemeth so to be for Read the his- the confession of Christ. In this life your children shall find widow, God's plentiful blessing upon them, when you are gone, and Psai. xxxvii. all your goods taken away. God is so good, that he helpeth Psai. cxivii. "the young ravens" before they can fly, and "feedeth them" when their dams have most unkindly left them. And trow ye Psai. ixviii. that God, which is the God " of the widows and fatherless chil dren," will not specially have a care for the babes of his dear saints which die or lose any thing for conscience to him? 2 cor. iv. 0 my dearly beloved, therefore look up with the eyes of faith. Consider not "things present," but rather "things John xxi. to come." Be content now to go whither God "shall gird and lead us." i Pet. v. Let us now cast ourselves wholly into his hands, with our Psai. Iv. * wives, children, and all that ever we have. Let us be sure1 Matt. vi. "the hairs of our head are numbered," so that "one hair shall Matt. x. not perish" without the good will of our dear Father; who hath commanded his angels to "pitch their tents about us," Psai. xd. and "in their hands to take and hold us up, that we shall not hurt as much as our foot against a stone." Let us use earnest Lukexiii Prayer> let us heartily repent, let us hearken diligently to ?cor.Tvii. God's word; "let us keep ourselves pure from all uncleanness i Thess. v. both of spirit and body ;" let us flee from all evil and " all [ The Emmanuel MS. ends here, being imperfect.] TO HOPKINS AND OTHERS AT COVENTRY. 399 appearance of evil." Let us be diligent in our vocation, and hi "doing good to all men, especially to them that be of the Matt xxv. household of faith." Let us "live in peace with all men as Rom. xii. much as is in us." And " the Lord of peace give us his Rom. xvi. peace," and that for evermore. Amen. I pray you remember me, your poor afflicted brother, in your hearty prayers to God. This second of September. JOHN BRADFORD. THE PRISONERS FOR THE GOSPEL, THEIR DECLARATION CONCERNING KING EDWARD HIS REFORMATION2. To the king and queen's most excellent and gracious majes- ms. 2. 2. is. ties, with their most honourable high court of parliament. ™-(joii. We, poor prisoners for Christ's religion, require your MS. Lansd. honours, in our dear Saviour Christ's name, earnestly now to British1' 2a repent, for that you have consented of late to the unplacing of so many godly laws set forth touching the true religion of<£am™r> Christ before by two most noble kings, being father and J***^?93' brother to the queen's highness, and agreed upon by all your edftiom.1 consents, not without your great and many deliberations, free and open disputations, costs and pains-taking in that behalf ; neither without great consultations and conclusions had by the greatest learned men in the realm, at Windsor, Cambridge, [2 " By whom this . . . remarkable . . . Declaration was drawn up, unless by John Bradford, I know not: for I meet with it in a MS.* which contains divers pieces of that good man This now is the second time a public challenge was made to justify king Edward's Reformation; the former the last year by Cranmer, the latter now by divers of the learned men in prison."— Strype, Cranmer, Oxf. 1. 506. This 'Declaration,' being addressed to both the king and queen, must have been penned after the marriage of queen Mary, July 25, 1554: and from the words in the fifth paragraph, "at this your as sembly," it was probably written after the meeting of the third parlia ment of her reign, which took place, November 12 in that year. See Strype, Mem. m. i. 205, 321.] [* Now in the British Museum, Lansd. 389.] 400 DECLARATION ON THE REFORMATION. and Oxford ; neither without the most willing consent and allowing of the same by the whole realm throughly : so that there was not one parish in all England that ever desired again to have the Romish, superstitious, vain service, which now by the popish, proud, covetous clergy is placed again, in contempt not only of God, all heaven, and all the Holy Ghost's lessons in the blessed Bible, but also against the honours of the said two most famous kings ; against vour own country, fore-agreements, and against all the godly con sciences within this realm of England and elsewhere. By reason whereof God's great plagues must need follow, and great unquietness of consciences: besides other persecutions and vexations in bodies and goods must needs ensue. Moreover we certify your honours, that since your said unplacing of Christ's true religion and true service, and placing in the room thereof antichrist's Romish superstition, heresy, and idolatry, all the true preachers have been re moved and punished ; and that with such open robbery and cruelty, as in Turkey was never used, either to their own countrymen, or to other their mortal enemies. This therefore our humble suit is now to your honourable estates, to desire the same, for all the mercy's sake of our dear and only Saviour Jesus Christ, and for the duty you owe to God, to your native country, and to your own souls, earnestly to consider from what light to what darkness this realm is now brought ; and that in the weightiest, chief, and principal matter of salvation of all our souls and bodies ever lastingly and for evermore. And even so we desire you at this your assembly to seek some effectual reformation for the fore-written most horrible deformation in this church of England. And touching ourselves, we desire you in like manner, that we may be called before your honours ; and if we be not able both to prove and approve, by the catholic and canonical rules of Christ's true religion, the church Homilies and Service set forth in the most innocent king Edward's days ; and also to disallow and reprove, by the same autho rities, the Service now set forth since his departing ; then we offer our bodies, either to be immediately burned, or else to suffer any other painful and shameful death, whatsoever it shall please the king and queen's majesties to appoint. And DECLARATION ON THE REFORMATION. 401 we think this trial and probation may be now best, either in the plain English tongue by writing, or otherwise by disputa tion in the same tongue. Our Lord, for his great mercy's sake, grant unto you all the continual assistance of his good and holy Spirit. Amen. A LETTER SENT WITH A SUPPLICATION TO QUEEN MARY, HER COUNCIL, AND THE WHOLE PARLIAMENT1. In most humble wise complaineth unto your majesty and Bp. cover- honours a poor subject persecuted for the confession of of the . . . Martyrs, Christ's verity ; the which verity deserveth at your hands i664> p- 4?6- to be maintained and defended, as the thing by the which Foxe Acts you reign, and have your honour and authorities. ism1 ami p' Although we that be professors, and through the grace 0f after'edilions- God the constant confessors of the same, are, as it were, the out-sweepings of the world ; yet, I say, the verity itself is a thing not unworthy for your ears to hear, for your eyes to see, and for your hands to handle, help, and succour ; accord ing to that the Lord hath made you able, and placed you where you are, for the same purpose. Your highness and honours ought to know that there is no innocency in words or deeds, where it is enough and sufnceth only to accuse. It behoveth kings, queens, and all that be in authority, to know that in the administration of their kingdoms "they are God's ministers." It behoveth them to know that they are no kings, but plain tyrants, which reign not to this end, that they may serve and set forth God's glory after true knowledge. And therefore it is required of them that they would "be wise," and- C1 If the ' Supplication' mentioned in the title of this Letter is the document which is printed next in this volume, the date of the Letter would be about November or December 1554 : see p. 403, note 2 ; and prefatory note, p. 366 above. The title in Bp. Coverdale, Letters of the martyrs, 1564, is 'A letter which he set as a preface before a supplication sent to queen Mary, her council, and the whole parliament ; which supplication cometh not yet to our hands.' The heading given above is taken from Foxe, Acts, &c. 1570.] r 1 26 [BRADFORD.] 402 LETTER TO THE QUEEN AND PARLIAMENT. suffer themselves to be taught ; to submit themselves to the Lord's discipline, and to kiss their sovereign, "lest they perish:" as all those potentates with their principalities and dominions cannot long prosper, but perish indeed, if they and their king doms be not ruled with the sceptre of God, that is, with his word: which whoso honoureth not honoureth not God; and they that honour not the Lord, the Lord will not honour them, but bring them into contempt, and at the length take his own cause, which he hath most chiefly committed unto them to care for, into his own hands, and so overthrow them, and set up his truth gloriously ; the people also perishing with the princes, where the word of prophecy is wanting, much more is suppressed, as it is now in this realm of England : over which the eyes of the Lord are set to destroy it, your highness, and all your honours, if in time you look not better to your office and duties herein, and not suffer yourselves to be slaves and hangmen to antichrist and his prelates, which have brought your highness and honours al ready to let Barabbas loose, and to hang up Christ: as by the grace and help of God I shall make apparent, if first it would please your excellent majesty, and all your honours, to take to heart God's doctrine, which rather through the malice of the Pharisees (I mean the bishops and prelates), than your consciences, is oppressed ; and not for our contemptible and execrable state in the sight of the world to pass1 the less of it. For it (the doctrine I mean) is higher and of more honour and majesty than all the whole world. It standeth invincible above all power, being not our doctrine, but the doctrine of the everliving God, and of his Christ, whom the Father hath ps. lxxii. ordained King, to " have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the world." And truly so doth he and will he reign, that he will shake all the whole earth with his iron and brasen power, with his golden and silvery bright ness, only " by the rod of his mouth," to shivers, in such sort as though they were pots of clay, according to that which the prophets do write of the magnificence of his kingdom. And thus much for the thing, I mean the doctrine, and your duties to hearken, to propagate, and defend the same. But now will our adversaries mainly cry out against us, [' 'Pass:' care.] LETTER TO THE QUEEN AND PARLIAMENT. 403 because no man may be admitted once to whist against them, that we pretend falsely the doctrine and word of God, calling us the most wicked contemners of it, and heretics, schismatics, traitors, &c. All which their sayings, how malicious and false they are, though I might make report to that which is written by those men whose works they have condemned, and all that retain any of them, publicly by proclamation ; yet here will I occasion your majesty and honours, by this my writing, to see that it is far otherwise than they report of us. God our Father, for his holy name's sake, direct my pen to be his instrument to put into your eyes, ears, and hearts, that which most may make to his glory, to the safeguard of your souls and bodies, and preservation of the whole realm. Amen. JOHN BRADFORD. A SUPPLICATION UNTO THE KING AND QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT £or,u$ikT MAJESTIES, AND TO THEIR MOST HONOURABLE £«Xrsd AND HIGH COURT OF PARLIAMENTS. a^fqueen? In most humble and lamentable wise complain unto your Foxe, Acts, majesties, and to your high court of parliament, your poor ie%, and p' « A after editions. desolate and obedient subjects, H[ooper], F[errar], T[aylor], B[radford], P[hilpot], R[ogers], S[aunders], &c, that whereas your said subjects, living under the laws of God and of this realm in the days of the late most noble king Edward VI. did in all things shew themselves true, faithful, and diligent subjects, according to their vocation ; (as well in the sincere ministering of God's holy word, as in due obedi ence "to the higher powers," and in the daily practice of such virtues and good demeanour as the laws of God at all times, and the statutes of the realm did then allow ;) your said sub jects nevertheless, contrary to all laws of justice, equity, and right, are in very extreme manner not only cast into prison, [2 This Supplication probably was addressed to the king, queen, and parliament, about November or December 1554, from the allusion in the fifteenth line to the memorialists having been in prison ' these fifteen or sixteen months.'] 26—2 404 SUPPLICATION TO THE KING, QUEEN, AND PARLIAMENT. The long where they have remained now these fifteen or sixteen imprison- ^ .... . . . , , ment of the months; but their livings also, their houses and possessions, preachers, ^gjp g00(js and books taken from them, and they slandered unorderiy to be most heinous heretics, their enemies themselves being proceeding of. i • i i i ¦ i i • i theadversa- both witnesses, accusers, and judges, belying, slandering, and God's people, misreporting your said subjects at their pleasure : whereas your said subjects, being straitly kept in prison, cannot yet be suffered to come forth, and make answer accordingly. In consideration whereof, it may please your most ex cellent majesties, and this your high court of parliament, graciously to tender1 the present calamity of your said poor subjects, and to call them before your presence, granting them Requestor liberty, either by mouth or writing in the plain English the preachers « " ,„.,.„, theStriaiof t°nguej *° answer before you, or before indifferent arbiters wne before *° ^e appointed by your majesties, unto such articles of con- }udgelrent troversy in religion as their said adversaries have already condemned them of, as of heinous heresies : provided that all things may be done with such moderation and quiet behaviour as becometh subjects and children of peace, and that your said subjects may have the free use of all their own books, and conference together among themselves. Which thing being granted, your said subjects doubt not but it shall plainly appear that your said subjects are true and faithful Christians, and neither heretics, neither teachers of heresy, nor cut off from the true catholic universal church of Christ; yea, that rather their adversaries themselves be unto your majesties, as were the charmers of Egypt unto Pharoah, Zedekias and his adherents unto the king of Israel, Acts xiii. and Bar-jesu to the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. And if your said subjects be not able by the testimony of Christ, his pro phets, apostles, and godly fathers of his church, to prove that the doctrine of the church Homilies and Service, taught and set forth in the time of our late most godly prince and king, Edward VI., is the true doctrine of Christ's catholic church, and most agreeable to the articles of the christian faith ; your said subjects offer themselves then to the most heavy punish ment that it shall please your majesties to appoint. Wherefore, for the tender mercy of God in Christ, which you look for at the day of judgment, your said poor subjects in bonds most humbly beseech your excellent majesties, and [} See p. 103, note 7, above.] SUPPLICATION TO THE KING, QUEEN, AND PARLIAMENT. 405 this your high court of parliament, benignly and graciously to hear and grant this their petition, tending so greatly to the glory of God, to the edifymg of his church, to the honour of your majesties, and to the commendation and maintenance of justice, right, and equity, both before God and man. And your said subjects, according to their bounden duty, shall not cease to pray unto Almighty God for the gracious preserva tion of your most excellent majesties long to endure. REMARKS ON A MEMORABLE TRIAL2. 1555. This Preface was made in anno Domini 1555. To the reader John Bradford wisheth grace, mercy, peace, ms. 2. 2. 15. and increase of all godly knowledge and life. man. 6011. ,-,.,, ... Cambridge. After this book came to my hands, as I was in prison for the testimony of the Lord, I could not but read the same to see how the Lord assisted his servant that put his trust in him : which thing I thank God I did so see, that I could not but think myself bound to help what I could by my testi mony, to allure all others by this book thereunto. And therefore I, being a poor man of vile state and condition con cerning this world, and of learning unmeet of place in any book for my name, have presumed by a godly presumption, tending to do good to all men and hurt to no man, to write thus much in the behalf of this book, that it is worthy to be had in print, and diligently read of all men, but especially of the nobility and gentlemen of England : whose houses and names could not but continue, if that yet now they would begin to take this gentleman a sampler to ensue, and a pattern to press after. For here thou, good reader, shalt perceive a gentleman in deed, and not in name only : his trust was in the [2 These Remarks are now printed for the first time. They were written by Bradford probably to accompany an account of the remarkable trial of Sir Nicholas Throgmorton, April 17, 1554 : the expressions used by B. exactly describe the able defence of Sir N. T., and the proceedings of the judges and of the government upon the occasion. See the details of the trial in Holinshed, 1587, in. 1104; also in State Trials, London 1816, 1. 869—902; and in Criminal Trials, Jardine, 1832, 1. 62—120.] 406 REMARKS ON A MEMORABLE TRIAL. Lord, and not in man, and therefore he was not confounded : he honoured God, and therefore God hath honoured him accord ingly. His study was in God's word, and therefore found he comfort : by it he found more wisdom and had more know ledge than all his enemies, which were not few nor foolish to the judgment of the world. They came to him as Goliah the mighty giant, harnessed and armed a cap-a-pie : he came as a little David with his sling, and had the victory. In this weak man thou mayest see God's power, presence, wisdom, and goodness, to occasion thee to put thy trust in the Lord, and to hang altogether upon him, who in the evil day will deliver them that fear him. What wisdom, what grace, what audacity, did God give to him in his need ! What could all the learned lawyers, which better might be termed lewd losels1 of the realm, do against him ? what could all the power of the queen's highness prevail ? Such a thing it is to trust in the Lord, to fear him, and to be a godly student of his word, as doubtless it appeareth this good man was. Who would not serve such a God, as can in despite of all his enemies triumph over them by his simple servant ? Read the book, and thou shalt see what knowledge this gentleman had in the statutes, laws, and chronicles of the realm, to teach the nobility and gentlemen, which are and would be magistrates and rulers of the realm, to spend more time to attain wisdom and knowledge to execute their offices than they now do. Read this book, and thou shalt see what false packing there is against the simple and plain truth. Read this book, and thou shalt see how unrighteousness sitteth in place of justice. Read this book, and thou shalt see how truth is de faced, and falsehood maintained. Read this book, and thou shalt see how perilous a thing it is to testify the truth. The good men empaneled of the quest shall tell the same. A greater honour never came to the city of London than by those twelve men. What said I, to the city of London ? Nay, to the whole realm of England : for, alas ! if they had not had more conscience and truth than king, queen, lords, councillors, judges, Serjeants, attornies, solicitors, lawyers, &c, England had been guilty of innocent blood ; as, alas, alas ! it is to be feared too much thereof crieth for vengeance. Lord, spare us, and have mercy upon us. [* 'Losels :' worthless persons, lost to all goodness. Nares, Glossary.] REMARKS ON A MEMORABLE TRIAL. 407 But what reward had this good jury ? Well, I pass over that : a papistical reward. What is that ? Forsooth, such as Julianus Apostata gave to the faithful Christians2. God our Father look better on this gear in his good time, which in respect of his enemies is at hand; "for they [Psai. cxi*. r 'J 126. Vulgate.] have scattered abroad his law." 0 that amongst us, who pre tend to be God's friends, were true repentance ! Then might we say : Tempus est ut miserearis, Domine : ' It is time, O Lord, to shew mercy upon us.' God do so for his holy name's sake! Amen. Thus much I was so bold to scribble in this book, being lent unto me, because I would occasion some men of authority and learning to commend it, as it is most worthy. E carcere, [From prison] JOHN BRADFORD. AN ADMONITION TO LOVERS OF THE GOSPELS. The peace of Christ, which is the true effect of God's gospel Bp. cover- dale Letters believed, my dearly beloved, be more and more plentifully °t£fa perceived of you, through the grace of our dear Father, by j^64. v- 379- the mighty working of the Holy Spirit, our Comforter. Foxe Acts 4™™ &c. 1570. Amen. p. 1826, and after editions. Though I have many lets presently to hinder me from writing unto you, yet being desired I could not but some thing signify my ready good-will in this behalf, so much as I may, when I cannot so much as I would. You hear and [2 Vide Mosheim, Eccl. Hist. cent. iv. 1. i. 12.] [3 This 'Admonition' must have been written between February 9 and March 30, 1555, as it appears from p. 410, that it was penned after the martyrdoms of Bp. Hooper and Taylor, and before that of Bp. Ferrar.— Foxe, Acts, &c, 1583, p. 1510—27—55. Its title in Bp. Coverdale, Letters of the martyrs, 1564, is, 'An ad monition to certain professors and lovers of the Gospel, to beware they fall not from it, in consenting to the Romish religion, by the example of the shrinking, halting, and double-faced gospellers.'] 408 ADMONITION TO LOVERS OF THE GOSPEL. see how Satan bestirreth him, raging " as a roaring lion to devour us." You see and feel partly what storms he hath raised up to drown the poor boat of Christ, I mean his church. You see how terribly he traineth his soldiers to give a fierce onset on the vaward1 of God's battle. You see how he hath received power of God to molest God's children, and to begin at his house. By reason whereof, consider two things ; one, the cause on our behalf; the other, what will be the sequel on strangers. For the first, if we be not blind, we cannot but well see, that our sins are the cause of all this misery : our sins, I say, which I would that every one of us would apply to ourselves after the example of Jonas and David ; turning over the wal let, that other men's offences might lie behind, and our own before. Not that I would excuse other men, which exteriorly have walked much more grossly than many of you have done ; but that I would provoke you all, as myself, to more hearty re pentance and prayer. Let us more and more increase to know and lament our doubting of God, of his presence, power, anger, mercy, &c. Let us better feel and hate our self-love, security, negligence, unthankfulness, unbelief, impatience, &c. : and then doubtless the cross shall be less careful, yea, it shall be comfortable, and Christ most dear and pleasant. Death then shall be desired as the despatcher of us out of all misery, and entrance into eternal felicity and joy unspeakable: the which is so much the more longed for, by how much we feel indeed the serpent's bites wherewith he woundeth our heels, that is, our outward Adam and senses. If we had, I say, a lively and true feeling of his poison, we could not but, as rejoice over our Captain that hath " bruised his head," so be desirous to follow his example, that is, to give our lives with him and for him ; and so to " fill up his passions," that he might conquer and overcome in us and by us, to his glory and comfort of his children. Now the second (I mean the sequel, or that which will follow, on the strangers), my dearly beloved, let us well look upon. For if so be that God justly do thus give to Satan P 'Vaward:' forepart.] ADMONITION TO LOVERS OF THE GOSPEL. 409 and his seed to vex and molest Christ and his penitent people, 0 what and how justly may he and will he give to Satan to entreat the retchless2 and impenitent sinners ! " If judgment begin thus at God's house," what will follow on them that be without, if they repent not ? Certainly for them is reserved the dross of God's cup, that is, " brimstone, fire, and tempest" intolerable. Now are they unwilling to drink of God's cup of afflictions, which he offereth common with his Son Christ our Lord, lest they should lose their pigs with the Gergesites. They are Matt viii. unwilling to come into the way that bringeth to heaven, even afflictions ; they in their hearts cry, " Let us cast his yoke from us;" they walk two ways, that is, they seek to "serve God and mammon," which is impossible. They will not come nigh "the strait way that bringeth to life;" they open their eyes to behold present things only ; they judge of religion after reason, and not after God's word ; they follow the more part, and not the better ; they profess God with their mouths, but "in their hearts they deny him," or else they would "sanctify him" by serving him more than men. They part stake with God which would have all, giving part to the world, to the Romish rout, and antichristian idolatry now set abroad amongst us publicly. They will have Christ, but none of his cross; which will not be : they will be counted to "live godly in Christ," but yet they "will suffer no persecution ;" they love this world, wherethrough the love of God is driven forth of them ; they " savour those things that be of men, and not that be of God." Summa, they love God in their lips, but in their hearts, yea, and in their deeds deny him, as well by not repenting their evils past, as by continuing in evil still, by doing as the world, the flesh, and the devil willeth : and yet still perchance they will pray or rather prate, " Thy will be done in earth;" which is generally, that every one should " take up his cross and follow Christ." But this is a hard sermon : " who is able to abide it ? " Therefore Christ must be prayed to depart, lest all their pigs be drowned. The devil shall have his dwelling again in themselves, rather than in their pigs : and therefore to the devil shall they go, and dwell with him in eternal perdition [2 'Retchless:' careless.] 410 ADMONITION TO LOVERS OF THE GOSPEL. and damnation, even in hell-fire, and torment endless, and above all cogitations incomprehensible, if they repent not. Wherefore by them, my dearly beloved, be admonished to remember your profession, how that in baptism you made a solemn vow to renounce the devil, the world, &c. You pro mised to fight under Christ's standard. You learned Christ's cross, afore you began with A. B. C.1 Go to then, pay your vow to the Lord ; fight like men and valiant men under Christ's standard ; " take up your cross " and follow your Master, as your brethren, M. Hooper, Rogers, Taylor2, and Saunders have done ; and as now your brethren, M. Cranmer, Latimer, Ridley, Ferrar2, Bradford, Hawkes, &c. be ready to do. The ice is broken before you ; therefore be not afraid, but be content to die for the Lord. You have no cause to waver or doubt of the doctrine thus declared by the blood of the pastors. Remember that Christ saith, " He that will save his life shall lose it." And " what should it profit you to win the whole world," much less a little quietness, your goods, &c, and " to lose your own souls ?" Render to the Lord that he hath lent you, by such means as he would have you render it, and not as you would. Forget not, Christ's disciples must " deny themselves," as well concerning their will, as concerning their wisdom. Have in mind that, as it is no small mercy to believe in the Lord, so it is no small kindness of God towards you, to suffer any thing, much more death, for the Lord. If they be " blessed that die in the Lord," how shall they be that die for the Lord ! 0 what a blessing is it to have death, due for our sins, diverted into a demonstration and testification of the Lord's truth ! 0 that we had a little of Moses' faith, to look upon the end of the cross, to look upon the reward, to see con tinually with Christ and his people "greater riches than the riches of Egypt!" 0 let us pray that God would open our eyes to see his " hid manna," "heavenly Jerusalem, the con gregation of the first-born," the melody of the saints, "the tabernacle of God dwelling with men." Then should we run P Vide p. 264, note 1, above.] [2 Vide p. 407, note 3, above.] ADMONITION TO LOVERS OF THE GOSPEL. 411 and become violent men, and so " take the kingdom of hea ven," as it were, " by force." God our Father give us, for his Christ's sake, to see a little what and how great joy he hath prepared for us, he hath called us unto, and most assuredly giveth us, for his own goodness and truth's sake. Amen. My dearly beloved, repent, "be sober, and watch in prayer ;" be obedient, and after your vocations shew your obedience to "the higher powers" in all things that are not against God's word. Therein acknowledge the sovereign power of the Lord : howbeit, so that ye be no rebels or rebellers for no cause; but, because with good conscience you cannot obey, be patient sufferers, and the "glory and good Spirit of God shall dwell upon us." I pray you remember us your afflicted brethren, being in the Lord's bonds for the testimony of Christ, and abiding the gracious hour of our dear and most merciful Father. The Lord for Christ's sake give us merry hearts to drink lustily of his sweet cup ; which daily we groan and sigh for, lamenting that the time is thus prolonged. The Lord Jesus give us grace to be thankful, and to abide patiently the pro vident hour of his most gracious good will. Amen, Amen. From the Compter in the Poultry. Yours in Christ, JOHN BRADFORD. [The following ' Exhortation ' from Bradford to his ' dearly beloved brethren and sisters throughout the realm of England' was printed among his letters, and with his signature, in the 'Letters of the martyrs,' edited by Bishop Coverdale, 1564, p. 427 — 46. It also forms a part of a very rare ' Exhortation to the carrying of Christ's cross,' without any date, or name of the author or printer1 ; of which there is a copy in the library of George OfFor, Esq., Hackney. The 'Exhortation' given in this volume is that portion of the treatise without date, which is attributed by Bishop Coverdale, as stated above, to the authorship of Bradford. It follows, in this re print, the text of the 'Letters of the martyrs,' 1564, except where otherwise noted. This address appears to have been written between November 1554 and June 1555, from the allusion at p. 425, to God having blessed queen Mary ' with fruit of the womb,' the unfounded rumour to that effect having prevailed during that period2. It will be remembered that Bradford was imprisoned, August 16, 1553, and was martyred July 1, 1555. The Farewell Letters or Addresses to London, Cambridge, Lan cashire and Cheshire, and Walden, observe the text of the first edition of the 'Acts and monuments ' of Foxe 1563, where they were origi nally printed. The text of 1563 has been collated with MSS. in Emmanuel College, Cambridge. It has also been compared with the 'Letters of the martyrs' 1564, and occasionally with the after editions of the 'Acts and monuments' printed during the life of Foxe, 1570, 1576, 1583. The 'Farewell to Cambridge' has also been compared with an early transcript in the Library of that University. The variations are only noted where a deviation from Foxe 1663 is followed. The ' Farewells ' were written by Bradford from prison, February 11 and 12, 1555, shortly after his condemnation, which had taken place on the preceding January 31.] [' The 'Exhortation* without date, being in the same type, and apparently issued at the same time, with a translation executed by Bp. Coverdale, was supposed by Strype to be by Bp. C. (Ecc. Mem. in. i. 239—40); and has appeared in the Works of Bp. C, Parker Soc. Vol. n. p. 230—77.] P Foxe, Acts, &c. 1583, p. 1475—81, 1596—7, or ed. 1843—8, vi. 567—84, vn. 123—7; Strype, Cranmer, i. 526—8, n. 968—9, Doc. Ixxxvii.] AN EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND, FOUR FAREWELL S TO LONDON, CAMBRIDGE, LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE, AND WALDEN. JOHN BRADFORD. AN EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN THROUGHOUT THE REALM OF ENGLAND i. Bp. cover- The Holy Spirit of God, which is "the earnest" and pledge of tiie mar- of God given to his people for their comfort and consolation, P. 427-46' be poured into our hearts, by the mighty power and merits of our alone Saviour Jesus Christ, now and for ever. Amen. Because I perceive plainly, that to the evils fallen upon us which profess Christ's gospel greater are most like to Gen. xv. ensue, and after them greater, till the measure of iniquity be Luke ix. up-heaped, (except we shrink, and " having put our hands to Gen. xix. the plough do look back," and so with Lot's wife and the Israelites desiring to return into Egypt fall into God's heavy displeasure incurably, all which God forbid;) and because I am persuaded of you, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters throughout the realm of England, which have professed un feignedly the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (for unto such do I write this epistle), that, as ye have begun to take part with God's gospel and truth, so through his grace ye will persevere and go on forwards, notwithstanding the storms risen and to arise ; I cannot but write something unto you lustily to go on forwards in the way of the Lord, and Rev. xxi. not to become faint-hearted or " fearful" (whose place St John appointeth with the " unbelievers, murderers, and idolaters," in psai. ixxv. eternal perdition), but cheerfully to take " the Lord's cup," and drink of it afore it draw towards "the dregs" and bottom: whereof at the length they shall drink with the wicked, to eternal destruction, which will not receive it at the first with 1 Pet. w. God's children ; with whom God " beginneth his judgment," John xvi. that, as the wicked world "rejoiceth when they lament," so they may "rejoice" when the wicked world shall mourn, and without end find woe intolerable. First therefore, my dearly beloved in the world, I beseech John xvii. you to consider, that though ye be " in the world," yet ye [i The title in Bp. Coverdale, Letters of the martyrs, 1564, is 'An exhortation to the patient suffering of trouble and afflictions for Christ's cause, written to all the unfeigned professors of the Gospel throughout the realm of England, at the beginning of his imprisonment, and here placed as it came to our hands.'] EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. 415 are " not of the world." Te are not of them which look for their " portion in this life," whose captain is " the god of this -Psai. xvii. r ° 2 Cor. iv. world," even Satan, who now ruffieth it apace as he were wood2, because his time on earth is not long. Rev. xii. But ye are of them that look for a city of God's own Heb. xi. blessing. Ye are of them that know yourselves to be here but "pilgrims and strangers ;" for here ye have no dwelling- ^'-J-, place. Te are of them whose "portion is the Lord," and which Psai. cxix. have their hope "in heaven;" whose Captain is Christ Jesus, Heb. xii. the Son of God, and Governor of heaven and earth. " Unto Matt. xxvw. him is given all power ;" yea, he is God Almighty, with the Hom. ix. Father and the Holy Ghost, praiseworthy for ever. Te are not of them which receive "the beast's mark," which Rev. xm. here rejoice, "laugh," and have their hearts' ease, joy, paradise, Lukevi. and pleasure : but ye are of them which have received the angel's mark, yea, God's mark ; which here lament, " mourn," em*, ix. sigh, sob, weep, and have your wilderness to wander in, your purgatory, and even hell, to purge and burn up your sins. Te are not of them which cry, " Let us eat and drink, for J^"™- to-morrow we shall die." Te are not of that number which say, "they have made a covenant with death and hell," for isai. xxvm. hurting of them. Te are not of them which take it for a "vain thing to serve the Lord." Te are not of them which are M"i. m. lulled and rocked asleep in Jezebel's bed, a bed of security. Bev- "- Ye are not of the number of them which say, ' Tush, God is e»*. v™.. « ' ' Psai. lxxm. in heaven, and seeth us not, nor much passeth what we do.' Te are not of the number of them which will "fall down," for Matt. iv. the muck of the world, to worship the fiend; or for dis pleasing of men, to "worship the golden image." Finally, ye nan. m. are not of the number of them which set more by your pigs Matt- ™- than by Christ ; which, for ease and rest in this life, will say and do as Antiochus biddeth you do or say ; and will "follow i Mac. i. ii. Exod xxiii the multitude to do evil," with Zedekias and the three hundred 1 Kings xxii. false prophets, yea, Ahab, Jezebel, and the whole court and country. But ye are of the number of them which are dead al- Rom- vi- vii' ready, or at least be in dying daily to yourselves and to CoL iiL this world. Te are of them which have made a covenant with God to forsake yourselves in this world and Satan also. Luke xii. Te are of them which say, Nay, the Lord hath all things "written in his memorial book, for such as fear him and re- Mai. Hi. [2 ' Wood :' mad, furious, from the Anglo-Saxon wod, ' rabidus.'] 416 EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. Luke xii. member his name." Te are of them which have "their loins girded about, and their lights burning in their hands, like unto men that wait for their Lord's coming." Te are in the Psai. xxxiii. number of them that say, "The Lord looketh down from heaven, and beholdeth the children of men : from the habi tation of his dwelling he considereth all them that dwell upon Luke iv. the earth." Te are of the number of them which " will worship the only Lord God," and will not worship "the works of men's Dan. iii. hands," though the oven burn never so hot. Te are in the 1 Pet h. number of them to whom " Christ is precious" and dear ; which Psai. exx. cry out rather because your habitation is prolonged here, as 1 Mac. u. David did. Te are of them which follow Mattathias and the Matt. vn. godly Jews ; which know the way to life to be a "strait way," and "few to go through it ;" which will not stick to follow poor i Kings xxii. Micheas, although he be racked and cast into prison, having the sun, moon, seven stars, and all against him. Thus therefore, dearly beloved, remember first that, as I said, ye " are not of this world ;" that Satan is not your captain ; your joy and paradise is not here ; your companions are not the multitude of worldlings, and such as seek to please men, and live here at ease in the service of Satan. But ye are of another world : Christ is your Captain ; your pwi. m. joy is "in heaven, where your conversation is;" your com- Heb. xii. panions are the fathers, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, virgins, confessors, and the dear saints of God, which " follow Rev. vii. the Lamb whithersoever he goeth," dipping their garments in his blood ; knowing this life and world to be full of evil, job vn. viii. "a warfare," "a smoke," "a shadow," "a vapour;" and as ran xc' replenished, so environed with all kind of miseries. James iv. T/his is the first thing which I would have you often and diligently with yourselves to consider, and to muse well upon ; namely, what ye be, and where ye be. Now, secondly, forget not to call to mind that ye ought ipet. iv. not to think it any "strange thing," if misery, trouble, adver sity, persecution, and displeasure, come upon you. For how John xv. can it otherwise be, but that trouble and persecution must come upon you? Can the world love you, which are none of his? Can worldly men regard you, which are your chief enemy's soldiers ? Can Satan suffer you to be in rest, which will do no homage unto him ? Can this way be chosen of Matt. vii. any that make it so narrow and strait as they do ? Will ye EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. 417 look to travel, and to have no foul way or rain ? Will ship- men shrink, or sailors on the sea give over, if storms arise ? Do they not look for such ? And, dearly beloved, did not we enter into God's ship and 1 Pet. m. ark of baptism at the first ? Will ye then count it strange, if perils come or tempests blow ? Are not ye travelling to your heavenly city of Jerusalem, where is all joy and felicity; and will ye now tarry by the way for storms or showers? The mart and fair will then be past ; the night will so come John ix. upon you, that ye cannot travel; "the door will be sparred1," Matt. xxv. and the bride will be at supper. Therefore away with dainty niceness. Will ye think tho Pather of heaven will deal more gently with you in this age, than he hath done with others, his dearest friends, in other ages? What way, yea, what storms and tempests, what troubles and disquietness found Abel, Noe, Abraham, Isaac, g™. iv. vi. Jacob, and good Joseph ? Which of these had so fair a life &c. and restful times as we have had ? Moses, Aaron, Samuel, Exod. ii. iii. David the king, and all the good kings, priests, prophets, in the old Testament, at one time or other, if not throughout their life, did feel a thousand parts more misery than we have felt hitherto. As for the new Testament, Lord God, how great was the affliction of Mary, of Joseph, of Zachary, of Elizabeth, of Matt. u. John Baptist, of all the apostles and evangelists, yea, of Jesus Christ our Lord, the dear Son and darling of God! And since the time of the apostles, how many and great are |useb. Ecci. the number of martyrs, confessors, and such as have suffered i"wt. Hist. the shedding of their blood in this life, rather than they would be stayed in their journey, or lodge in any of Satan's inns, lest the storms or winds which fell in their travellings might have touched them ! And, dearly beloved, let us think what we are, and how far unmeet to be matched with these ; with whom yet we look to be placed in heaven. But with what face can we look for this, that are so fearful, unwilling, and backward2 to leave that which, will we, nill3 we, we must leave ; and that so shortly, as we know Psai. xiix. not the time when ? Where is our abrenouncing and forsak ing of the world and the flesh, which we solemnly took upon [' ' Sparred :' barred, shut, from the Anglo-Saxon sparran.] [2 This word is changed.] [3 ' Nill :' be unwilling.] 27 [BRADFORD.] 418 EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. pet. iii. us in baptism? Ah, shameless cowards that we be, which will not follow the trace of so many fathers, patriarchs, kings, priests, prophets, apostles, evangelists, and saints of God, yea, even of the very Son of God ! How many now go with you lustily, as I and all your brethren in bonds and exile for the gospel ! "Pray for us;" for, God willing, we will not leave you now, we will go before you. Te shall see in us, by God's grace, that we !Pet. i. preached no lies nor tales of tubs1, but even the very true word of God ; for the confirmation whereof we, by God's grace and the help of your prayers, will willingly and joy fully give our blood to be shed, as already we have given our livings, goods, friends, and natural country : for now be we certain that we be in the highway to heaven's bliss ; as Aeu xiv. St Paul saith, "By many tribulations and persecutions we must enter into God's kingdom." And because we would go thither ourselves, and bring you thither also, therefore the devil stirreth up the coals. And forasmuch as we all loitered in the way, he hath therefore received power of God Matt. viii. to overcast the weather, and to stir up storms, that we, God's children, might more speedily go on forwards, and make more haste : as the counterfeits and hypocrites will tarry and linger till the storms be past, and so when they come, the market will be done, and the doors sparred, as it is to be feared. Read Matthew xxv. This wind will blow God's children forwards, and the devil's darlings backward. Therefore, like God's children, let us go on forward apace : the wind is on our backs ; hoist Lam. m. up the sails ; "lift up your hearts and hands unto God" in Heb. vi. prayer, and keep your anchor of faith to cast out in time of trouble on the rock of God's word and mercy in Christ by the cable of God's verity ; and I warrant you. And thus much for you secondly to consider ; that afflic tion, persecution, and trouble, is no strange thing to God's children, and therefore it should not dismay, discourage, or discomfort us ; for it is none other thing than all God's dear friends have tasted in their journey to heaven-wards. As I would, in this troublesome time, that ye would con- P 'Tale of a tub:' a trifling or fabulous story. Todd's Johnson, Diet.] EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. 419 sider what ye be by the goodness of God in Christ, even citizens of heaven, though ye be presently in the flesh, even in a strange region, on every side full of fierce enemies ; and what weather and way the dearest friends of God have found ; even so would I have you, thirdly, to consider for your further comfort, that if ye shrink not, but go on for wards, "pressing to the mark appointed," all the power of your pmi. iii. enemies shall not overcome you, nor in any point hurt you. But this must not you consider according to the judg ment of reason, and the sense of old Adam ; but according to the judgment of God's word, and the experience of faith and "the new man ;" for else you mar all. For to reason, and to the experience of our sense, or of the outward man, we poor souls which stick to God's word, to serve him as he requireth only, are counted to be vanquished and to be overcome, in that we are cast into prison, lose our livings, friends, goods, country, and life also at the length, concerning this world. But. dearly beloved, God's word teacheth otherwise, and faith feeleth accordingly. Is it not written, " Who shall Rom. viii. separate us from the love of God ? Shall tribulation, or an guish, or persecution, either hunger, either nakedness, either peril, either sword ? As it is written, For thy sake are we psai. xiiv. killed all day long, and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain. Nevertheless in all these things we overcome through him that loved us. For I am sure that neither death, neither life, neither angels, nor rule, neither power, neither things present, neither things to come, neither high, nor low, neither any creature, shall be able to part us from that love where with God loveth us in Christ Jesu our Lord." Thus spake one which was in affliction, as I am, for the Lord's gospel's sake; his holy name be praised therefor, and he grant me grace with the same to continue in like suffering unto the end. This, I say, one spake which was in affliction for the gospel, but yet so far from being overcome, that he rejoiced rather of the victory which the gospel had; for though he was bound, " yet the gospel was not bound." And therefore 2 Tim. h. giveth he "thanks unto God, which alway giveth the victory 2c0r.iL in Christ, and openeth the savour of his knowledge by us" and such as suffer for his truth ; although they shut us up never so much, and drive us never so far out qf our own natural country in every place. 27—2 420 EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. The world for a time may deceive itself, thinking it hath the victory ; but yet the end will try the contrary. Did not Gen. iv. Cam think he had the victory, when Abel was slain? But how say you now ? Is it not found otherwise ? Thought not the old world and men then living, that they were wise and Gen. vii. viii. well, and Noe a fool, which would creep into an ark, leaving his house, lands, and1 possessions ? for I think he was in an honest state for the world : but, I pray you, who was wise when the flood came ? Abraham, I trow, was counted a fool Gen. xii. to leave his own country and friends, kith and kin, because of God's word : but, dearly beloved, we know it proved otherwise. I will leave all the patriarchs, and come to Moses and the children of Israel. Tell me, were not they thought to be overcome and stark mad, when for fear of Pharaoh, at Exod. xw. God's word, they ran into the Red Sea ? Did not Pharaoh and the Egyptians think themselves sure of the victory? 1 sam. xvi. But, I trow, it proved clean contrary. Saul was thought xvii. xviii. . . xix- well, and David in an evil case and most miserable, because he had no hole to hide him in : but yet at the length Saul's misery was seen, and David's felicity began to appear. 1 Kings xxii. The prophet Micheas, being cast into prison for telling Ahab the truth, was thought to be overcome of Zedekias and the other false prophets : but, my good brethren and sisters, the holy history telleth otherwise. Who did not think the jer. xx. prophets unhappy in their time ? for they were slain, pri- 2 Kings ii. soned, laughed to scorn, and jested at of every man. And so were all the apostles, yea, the dearly beloved* "friend of God," "than whom among the children of women none arose greater ;" I mean John Baptist, who was beheaded, and that in prison, even for a dancing damsel's desire. As all these to the judgment of reason were then counted heretics, runagates, unlearned, fools, fishers, publicans, &c; so now unhappy and overcome in deed, if God's word and faith did not shew the contrary. But what speak I of these ? Look upon Jesus Christ, to Rom. viu. whom we must be like fashioned here, if we will be like him elsewhere. How say ye ? was not he taken for a most fool, a seditious person, a new fellow, an heretic, and one overcome [l 'and,' only in the edition without date: see prefatory note, p. 412 above.] EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. 421 of every body ; yea, even forsaken both of God and men ? But the end told them and telleth us another tale ; for now is he in majesty and glory unspeakable. When he was led to Pilate or Herod, or when he was in prison in Caiphas' house, did not their reason think that he was overcome? When he was beaten, buffeted, scourged, crowned with thorns, hanged upon the cross, and utterly left of all his dis ciples ; taunted of the high priests and holy fathers, cursed of the commons, railed on of the magistrates, and laughed to scorn of the lewd heathen; would not a man then have thought that he had been out of the way, and his disciples fools to follow him and believe him ? Think ye that, whilst he did lie in his grave, men did not point with their fingers, when they saw any that had fol lowed and loved him, or believed in him and his doctrine, saying, ' Where is their master and teacher now ? What, is he gone ? Forsooth, if they had not been fools, they might well have known that this learning he taught could not long continue. Our doctors and Pharisees are no fools, now they may see.' On this sort either men spake, or might have spoken, against all such as loved Christ or his doctrine : but yet at the length they and all such were proved fools and wicked wretches. For our Saviour arose maugre their beards, and published his gospel plentifully spite of their heads and the heads of all the wicked world, with the great powers of the same ; always overcoming, and then most of all, when he and his doctrine were thought to have the greatest fall : as now, dearly beloved, the wicked world rejoiceth, the papists are puffed up against poor Christ and his people. After their old kind now cry they out, 'Where are these new-found preachers ? Are they not in the Tower, Mar shalsea, Fleet, and beyond the seas? Who would have thought that our old bishops, doctors, and deans were fools ? as they would have made us to believe, and indeed have persuaded some already which are not of the wisest, especially if they come not home again to the holy church.' These and such like words they have to cast in our teeth, as triumphers and conquerors. But, dearly beloved, short is their joy ; they beguile them selves. This is but a lightning before their death. As God, after he had given the Jews a time to repent, visited them iut LiKi. D7 Vespasian and Titus most horribly to their utter subver- mUx.v,'vu" 422 EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. sion, delivering first all his people from among them ; even so, my dear brethren, will he do with this age. When he hath tried his children from amongst them, as now he be- ginneth, and by suffering hath made us like to his Christ; and, by being overcome, to overcome indeed to our eternal comfort ; then will he, if not otherwise, come himself in the 1 Thess. iv. clouds ; I mean our dear Lord whom we confess, preach, and believe on. He will come, I say, "with the blast of a trump and shout of an archangel," and so " shall we be caught up in the clouds to meet him in the air ;" the angels gathering together the wicked wretches which now waiter1 and wallow Matt. xiii. as the world and wind bloweth, to be " tied in bundles," and cast into the fire which burneth for ever most painfully. There and then shall they see who hath the victory, they or Luke xvi. we, when they shall see us "afar off in Abraham's bosom." wisd. v. Then will they say, " Oh, we thought these folks fools, and had them in derision ; we thought their life madness, and their end to be without honour : but look how they are counted among the children of God, and their portion is with the saints. Oh, we have gone amiss, and would not hearken." Such words as these shall the wicked say one day in hell; whereas now they triumph as conquerors. And thus much for you thirdly to look often upon ; name ly, that whatsoever is done unto you, yea, even very death itself, shall not dash or hurt you no more than it did Abel, David, Daniel, John Baptist, Jesus Christ our Lord, with other the dear saints of God which suffered for his name's sake. Let not reason therefore be judge in this matter, nor present sense, but faith and God's word, as I have shewed. In the which if we set before our eyes the shortness of this present time wherein we suffer, and consider the eternity to come ; as our enemies and persecutors shall be in intolerable pains helpless, and we, if we persevere to the end, in such icor.ii. felicity and joys dangerless, as the very heart of man in no point is able to conceive ; if we consider this, I say, we cannot but even contemn and set nothing by the sorrows and griefs of the cross, and lustily go through thick and thin with good courage. Thus have I declared unto you three things necessary to [* 'Walter:' lie grovelling.] EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. 423 be mused on of every one which will abide by Christ and his gospel in this troublesome time, as I trust you all will: namely, first, to consider that we are not of this world, nor of the number of the worldlings or retainers to Satan ; that we are not at home in our own country ; but of another world, of the congregation of the saints and retainers to Christ, Heb. xii. although in a region replete and full of untractable enemies. Secondly, that we may not think it a strange thing to be persecuted for God's gospel, from the which the dearest friends of God were in no age free : as indeed it is impossible that they should any long time be, their enemies being always about them to destroy them if they could. And thirdly, that the assaults of our enemies, be they never so many and fierce, in no point shall be able to prevail against our faith, albeit to reason it seemeth otherwise : wherethrough we ought to conceive a good courage and comfort ; for who will be affeared, when he knoweth the enemies cannot prevail ? Now will I, for the more encouraging you to the cross, give you a further memorandum ; namely, of the commodities and profits which come by the trouble and afflictions now risen and to arise to us, which be God's children elect through Jesus Christ. But here look not to have a rehearsal of all the commodities which come by the cross to such as are exercised well therein ; for that were more than I can do : I will only speak of a few, thereby to occasion you to gather, and at the length to feel and perceive, more. First, in that there is no cross which cometh upon any of us without the counsel of our heavenly Father, (for as for the fancy of fortune it is wicked, as many places of the scripture Amos iii. do teach,) we must needs, to the commendation of God's Matt'. "!' justice (for in all his doings he is just,) acknowledge in our selves that we have deserved at the hands of our heavenly Father this his cross or rod fallen upon us. We have de served it, if not by our unthankfulness, slothfulness, negli gence, intemperance, uncleanness, and other sins committed often by us, (whereof our consciences can and will accuse us, if we call them to counsel with the examination of our former life,) yet at least by our original and birth sin ; as by doubt ing of the greatness of God's anger and mercy, by self- love, concupiscence, and such like sins ; which as we brought Psai. n. 424 EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. with us into this world, so do the same alway abide in us, and even as a spring do always bring something forth in act Gai. ». with us, notwithstanding the continual fight of God's Spirit in us against it. The first commodity therefore that the cross bringeth is knowledge, and that double, of God and of ourselves: of God, that he is just, pure, and hateth sin ; of ourselves, that psai. n. we are "born in sin," and are from top to toe defiled with jee"'xvii! concupiscence and corruption, out of the which hath sprung 1 Kings vm. all the evils that ever at any time we have spoken and done : the greatest and most special whereof, by the cross, we are Gen. xiii. occasioned to call to mind; as did the brethren of Joseph their evil fact against him, when the cross once came upon them. And so by it we come to the first step to get health for our souls ; that is, we are driven to know our sins original and actual by God's justice declared in the cross. Secondly, the end wherefor God declareth his justice against our sin original and actual, and would by his cross have us to consider the same, and to call to mind our former evil deeds ; the end hereof, I say, is this, that we might lament, be sorry, sigh, and pray for pardon, that so doing we might obtain the same by the means of faith in the merits of Jesus Christ his dear Son ; and further that we, being hum bled because of the evil that dwelleth in us, might become thankful for God's goodness and love, in continual watching and wariness to suppress the evil which lieth in us, that it james i. "bring not forth fruits to death" at any time. This second commodity of the cross therefore must we not count to be a simple knowledge only, but a great gain of God's mercy, with wonderful rich and precious virtues of faith, repentance, remission of sins, humility, thankfulness, mortification, and diligence in doing good. Not that properly the cross work eth these things of itself'; but because the cross is the mean and way by the which God worketh the knowledge and feeling of these things in his children : as many both testi monies and examples in [the] scriptures are easily found of them that diligently weigh what therein they read. To these two commodities of the cross join the third, of God's singular wisdom, that it may be coupled with his justice and mercy. On this sort therefore let us conceive, when we see the gospel of God and his church persecuted and troubled, EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. 425 as now with us it is, that, because the great, learned, and wise men of the world use not their wisdom to love and serve God, as to natural wisdom and reason he openeth himself mani- Rom. i festly by his visible creatures; therefore doth God justly infatuate and make them foolish, giving them up to unsensible- ness, especially herein. For on this manner reason they con cerning the affliction which cometh for the gospel : 'If,' say they, 'this were God's word, if these people were God's children, surely God would then bless and prosper them and their doctrine. But now, in that there is no doc trine so much hated, no people so much persecuted as they be, therefore it cannot be of God. — Rather this is of God, which our queen and old bishops have professed ; for how hath God preserved them and kept them ! What a notable victory hath God given unto her, where it was impossible that things should so have come to pass as they have done ! —And did not the great captain1 confess his fault, that he was out of the way, and not of the faith which these gospellers profess? How many are come again from that which they professed to be God's word ! — The most part of this realm, notwithstanding the diligence of preachers to persuade them concerning this new learning which now is persecuted, never consented to it in heart, as experience teacheth. — And what plagues have come upon this realm sithen this gospel, as they call it, came in amongst us ! Afore we had plenty ; but now there is nothing like as it was. — Moreover all the houses of the parliament have overthrown the laws made for the stablishing of this gospel and religion ; and new laws are erected for the continuance of the contrary How. miracu lously doth God confound their doctrine and confirm ours! For how was Wyat overthrown2 ! How prosperously came in our king2 ! How hath God blessed our queen with fruit of womb3 ! How is the pope's holiness restored again to his right4 ! All these do teach plainly, that this their doctrine is not God's word.' P The duke of Northumberland, who, at his execution, August, 1553, professed himself to hold the doctrines of Eome. See Strype, Cranmer, i. 450 — 4, and append, no. Ixxiii. Vol. n. 917 — 8.] P See Strype, Mem. ra. i. 125 — 39, 200—9.] [3 See prefatory note, p. 412 above.] [4 The last five lines, ' How miraculously ... to his right,' do not occur in the edition without date.] 426 EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. Thus reason the worldly-wise, which see not God's wis dom. For else, if they considered that there was with us unthankfulness for the gospel, no amendment of life, but all kind of contempt of God, all kind of shameless sinning ensued the preaching of the gospel, they must needs see that God Rev. xx. could not but chastise and correct ; and, as he let Satan loose, after he had bound him a certain time, for unthankfulness of men, so to let these champions of Satan run abroad, by them to plague us for our unthankfulness. Great was God's anger 1 Kings xx. against Ahab, because he saved Ben-hadad, king of Syria, after he had given him into his hands ; and afterward it turned to his own destruction. God would that double sorrow should have been repaid to them, because of the sorrow they did to the saints of God. Read the eighteenth of the Revelation. As for the victory given to the queen's highness, if men had any godly wit, they might see many things in it. First God hath done it to win her heart to the gospel. Again he hath done it, as well because they that went against her put their trust in horses and power of men, and not in God, as because in their doing they sought not the propagation of God's gospel. Which thing is now plainly seen by the con fession of the captain1 : his heart loved popery, and hated the gospel. Besides this, men may easily see he was pur posed never to have furthered the gospel, but so to have handled the livings of ministers, that there should never have been any ministry in manner hereafter. And what one of the councillors, which would have been taken as gospellers in our good king's days, declare now that even they loved the gospel2 ? Therefore no marvel why God fought against them. They were hypocrites, and under the cloak of the gospel would have debarred the queen's highness of her right : but God would not so cloak them. Now for the relenting, returning, and recanting of some from that which they once professed or preached, alas! who would wonder at it ? For they never came to the gospel but for commodity and gain's sake ; and now for gain they leave it. The multitude is no good argument to move a wise man : for who knoweth not more to love this world better than f1 See note 1 in the preceding page.] [2 The last eight lines, ' by the confession . . . loved the gospel,' are taken from the 'Exhortation' without date, and do not occur in the 'Letters of the martyrs,' 1564.] EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. 427 heaven, themselves better than their neighbours ? " Wide is Matt. vii. the gate," saith Christ, " and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat : but strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life ; and few there be that find it." All the whole mul titude cry out upon Jesus, " Crucify him," truss him up : but, I trow, not because they were the bigger part, therefore they were to be believed. All Chaldee followed still their false Gen. xii. gods : only Abraham followed the true God. And where they say that greater plagues are fallen upon the realm in poverty and such other things than before, is no argument to move others than such as love their swine better Matt. viu. than Christ. For the devil chiefly desireth his seat to be in religion : if it be there, then he will meddle with nothing we have ; all shall be quiet enough : but if he be raised thence, then will he beg leave to have at our pigs. Read Matthew viii. of the Gergesites. As long as with us he had the ruling of religion, which now he hath gotten again, then was he Robin Good-fellow3; he would do no hurt: but when he was tumbled out of his throne by preaching of the gospel, then ranged he about as he hath done, but secretly. Finally, effectual he hath not been but in " the children Eph. a. of unbelief." Them indeed hath he stirred up to be covetous, oppressors, blasphemers, usurers, whoremongers, thieves, mur derers, tyrants : and yet perchance he suffered them to pro fess the gospel, the more thereby to hinder it, and cause it to be slandered. How many now do appear to have been true gospellers ? As for the parliament and statutes thereof, no man of wisdom can think otherwise but that, look what the rulers will, the same must there be enacted ; for it goeth not in those houses by the better part, but by the bigger part. And it is a common saying, and no less true, Major pars vincit meliorem, 'The greater part overcometh the better.' So they did in condemning Christ, not regarding the counsel of John vn. Nieodemus : so they did also in many general councils. But all wise men know that acts of parliament are not for God's law in respect of God's law, but in respect of the people. [3 'Robin Good- fellow :' an imaginary being, a domestic goblin, - supposed to be of use to farm-servants. Vide Nares, Glossary; and Warton on Milton, L' Allegro, Vol. vi. p. 95 — 7, ed. Todd, 1809.] 428 EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. Now what we are, God knoweth, and all the world seeth ; more meet a great deal to have the devil's decrees, than God's religion, so great is our contempt of it. And therefore jobxxxiv. justly for our sins, as Job saith, God hath set "hypocrites to reign over us," which can no more abide God's true religion than the owl the light, or bleared eyes the bright sun ; for it will have them to do their duties, and walk in diligent doing of the works of their vocation. If God's word, I mean, had place, bishops could not play chancellors and idle prelates as they do, priests should be otherwise known than by their shaven crowns and tippets. But enough of this. As for miracles of success against Wyat and other, of the king's coming in, &c., I would to God men would consider two kinds of miracles: one to confirm and prepare men in the doctrine which they have received ; and another to prove and try men how they have received it, and how they will stick unto it. Of the former these miracles be not, but of the second. Now, by this success given to the queen, God trieth whether we will stick to his truth simply for his truth sake or 2 Thess. ii. no. This is a mighty illusion which God sendeth to prove his Deut. xiii. . 1 i i ¦ -i i • ... people, and to deceive the hypocrites which receive not God's truth simply, but in respect of gain, praise, estimation. Bead how Ahab was deceived1. But I will now return to the third commodity coming by the cross. Here let us see "the wisdom of God" in "making the wisdom of the world foolish," which knoweth little of man's corruption, how foul it is in the sight of God, and displeaseth him ; which knoweth little the portion of God's people to be in another world; which knoweth little the Patron of Chris tians, Christ Jesus ; which knoweth little the general judg ment of God, the great malice of Satan to God's people, the price and estimation of the gospel ; and therefore in the cross seeth not as God's wisdom would we should see, namely, that God in punishing them which sin least would have his anger against sin seen most, and to be better considered and feared. In punishing his people here, he kindleth their desire owards their restful home. In punishing his servants in this e, He doth conform and make them like to Christ; that as lw Paragraph does „ot occur in the edition without date.] Luke j Phil. (is. EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. 429 they be like in suffering, so shall they be in reigning. In punishing his church in the world, he doth give a demonstra tion of his judgment which shall come on all men, when the godly shall there find rest, though now they be afflicted ; and the wicked now wallowing in wealth shall be wrapped in woe and smart. In punishing the professors of his gospel on earth, he setteth forth the malice of Satan against the gospel and his people, for the more confirming of their faith, and the gospel to be God's word indeed, and they to2 be God's people; for else the devil would let them alone. In Acts xvi. punishing the lovers of his truth more than others which care not for it, he putteth them in mind how they have not had in price, as they should have had, the jewel of his word Psal- <""*• and gospel. Before such trial and experience came, per chance they thought they had believed and had had faith ; which now they see was but a lip-faith, a mock faith, or an opinion. All which things we see are occasions for us to take better heed by mean of the cross. Therefore, thirdly, let us consider the cross to be commo dious for us to learn God's wisdom, and what is man's foolish ness, God's displeasure at sin, a desire to be with God, the conformity with Christ, the general judgment, the malice of Satan, hatred of sin, the gospel to be God's word, and how it is to be esteemed, &c. Thus much for this. Now will I, fourthly, briefly shew you the cross or trou ble to be profitable for us to learn and behold better the pro vidence, presence, and power of God, that all these may be coupled together as in a chain to hang about our necks; I mean God's justice, mercy, wisdom, power, presence, and providence. When all things be in rest, and men be not in trouble, then they are forgetful of God commonly, and attribute too much to their own wisdom, policies, providence, diligence ; as though they were the procurers of their own fortune, and workers of their own weal. But when the cross cometh, and that in such sort as their wits, policies, and friends cannot help ; though the wicked despair, run from God to saints and such other unlawful means ; yet do the godly therein behold the presence, the providence, and power of God. For the scripture teacheth all things to come from God, weal and [2 'to,' edition without date: not in 1564.] 430 EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. woe ; and that the same should be looked upon as God's work, Amosm. although Satan, the devil, be often an instrument by whom Mat'tTx' G°d worketh justly and mercifully ; justly to the wicked, and mercifully to the godly : as by the examples of wicked Saul and godly Job easily we may see God's work by Satan his instrument in them both. The children of God therefore, which before forgat God in prosperity, now in adversity are awaked to see God in his work, and no more to hang on their own forecasts, power, friends, wisdom, riches, &c. ; but learn to cast themselves on God's providence and power, whereby they are so preserved and governed, and very often miraculously delivered, that the very wicked cannot but see God's providence, presence, and power, in the cross and affliction of his children ; as they (his children I mean) to their joy do feel it, thereby learning to know God to be the Governor of all things. isai. xiv. He it is that giveth peace ; he it is that sendeth war ; he Hos. i. giveth plenty and poverty ; he setteth up and casteth down ; isam.'ii. "he bringeth to death, and after giveth life." His presence Psai. cxxxix. r is everywhere; his providence is within and without; his 1 Pet. v. power is the pillar whereby the godly stand, and to it they lean, as to the thing no less able to set up than to cast down. Which thing full well the apostle saw in his afflictions, and 2 cor. iv. therefore greatly rejoiced in them, that eminentia virtutis Dei, 'God's power,' might singularly be seen therein. Concerning this thing I might bring forth innumerable examples of the affliction of God's children, both in the old and new Testament, wherein we may see how they felt God's presence, providence, and power plentifully. But I will omit examples, because every one of us that have been or be in trouble cannot but, by the same, remember God's presence, which we feel by his hand upon us ; his providence which leaveth us not unprovided for, without any of our own pro vision; and his power which both preserveth us from many other evils which else would come upon us, and also maketh us able to bear more than we thought we could have done. So very often doth he deliver us by such means as have been thought most foolish, and little to have been regarded : and therefore we shake off our sleep of security and forgetting of God, our trust and shift in our own policies, our hanging on men or on our own power. EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. 431 So that the cross you see is commodious, fourthly, for to see God's presence, providence, and power, and our neg ligence, forgetfulness of God, security, self-love, trust and con fidence in ourselves ; and things in this life to be cast off, as the other are to be taken hold on. And this shall suffice for the commodities which come by the cross ; wherethrough we may be in love with it for the commodities' sake, which at length we shall find, though pre sently in sense we feel them not. ' No castigation or punish- Heb. xii. ment is sweet for the present instant,' saith the apostle, ' but afterwards the end and work of the thing is otherwise:' as we see in medicines, the more wholesome that they be, the more unpleasant is the taste thereof, as in pills, potions, and such like bitter stuff ; yet we will, on the physician's word, drink them gladly for the profit which cometh of them. And, dearly beloved, although to lose life and goods, or friends, for God's gospel sake, it seem a bitter and sour thing ; yet in that our "Physician" which cannot lie (Jesus Christ I mean) doth tell us that it is very wholesome, howsoever it be [un]- toothsome, let us with good cheer take the cup at his hand, and drink it merrily. If the cup seem unpleasant, and the drink too bitter, let us put some sugar therein, even a piece of that which Moses cast into the bitter water, and made the Exod. xv. same pleasant ; I mean an ounce, yea, a dram of Christ's 1 Pet. iv. afflictions and cross which he suffered for us. If we call this to mind, and cast of them into our cup, (considering what he was, what he suffered, of whom, for whom, to what end, and what came thereof,) surely we cannot loath our medicine, but wink, and drink it lustily. Lustily therefore drink the cup which Christ giveth, and will give unto you, my good brethren and sisters ; I mean, prepare yourselves to suffer whatsoever God will lay upon you for the confessing of his holy name. If not because of these three things, that ye are not of the world, ye suffer not alone, your trouble shall not hurt you ; yet, for the commodities which come of the cross, I beseech you heartily to embrace it1. The fight is but short, the joy is exceeding great. Opor- Lukexvm. P The 'Exhortation' without date supplies, after this paragraph, a confutation of ' four pillars of the mass,' transubstantiation, the sa crifice, praying for the dead, and praying to the dead.] 432 EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. John xiv. xv. xvi. tet semper orare : " We must pray alway." Then shall we undoubtedly be directed in all things by God's holy Spirit, which Christ hath promised to be our doctor, teacher, and Comforter : and therefore we need not to fear what man or devil can do unto us either by false teaching or cruel persecu tion ; for our Pastor is such a one that "none can take his sheep out of his hands." To him be praise for ever. Amen1. Psai. xxvii. Heb. xiii. 1 Pet. ii. John x. 1 Pet, v. Acts ii. Exod. xx. Psai. xci. Thus much, my dear brethren and sisters in our dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, I thought good to write unto you for your comfort in these troublesome days, and for the confirmation of the truth that ye have already received2: from the which if ye for fear of man, loss of goods, friends, or life, do swerve or depart, then ye depart and swerve from Christ, and so snarl3 yourselves in Satan's sophistry to your utter subversion. Therefore, as St Peter saith, " watch and be sober, for as a roaring lion he seeketh to devour you." " Be strong in faith," that is, mammer4 not, nor waver not, in God's promises, but believe certainly that they pertain to you, that God "is with you in trouble, that he will deliver you and glorify you." But yet see that ye call upon him specially "that ye enter not into temptation," as he taught his disciples, even at such time as he saw Satan "desire to sift them," as now he hath done to sift us. Matt. x. Mark viii. Luke xii. 0 dear Saviour, prevent him now, as thou didst then with thy prayer, I beseech thee ; and grant that our "faith faint not;" but strengthen us to confirm the weak that they deny not thee and thy gospel, that they "return not to their vomit" and puddle of mire in popery and superstition ; as massing, praying to saints, praying for the dead, or worship ping the work of men's hands, instead of thee their Saviour. Oh, let us not so run down headlong into perdition5, stumbling on those sins from the which there is no recovery, causing thee to "deny them before thy Father," making "their latter P The last seven words occur only in the edition without date.] [2 The last sixteen words occur only in the edition without date.] [8 'Snarl:' entangle. Vide Nares, Glossary.] [4 'Mammer:' hesitate.] [5 The last four lines, 'and puddle. . .into perdition,' occur only in the edition without date.] EXHORTATION TO THE BRETHREN IN ENGLAND. 433 end worse than the beginning :" as it chanced to Lot's wife, Judas Iscariot, Francis Spira6, and to many others. But rather strengthen them and us all in thy grace, and in those things which thy word teacheth, that we may here hazard our life for thy sake ; and so shall we be sure to save it ; as, if we seek to "save it, we cannot but lose it :" and that being lost, Matt xvi. "what profit can we have, if we win the whole world?" 0 set thou always before our eyes, not as reason doth, this life, the pleasure of the same, death of the body, and prisonment, &c. ; but everlasting life, and those unspeakable joys which undoubtedly they shall have, which "take up the cross and follow thee." Set ever before us also the7 eternal hell-fire and destruction of soul and body for evermore, which they must needs at length fall into, the which are afraid for the hoar frost of adversity that man or the devil stirreth up to stop or hinder us from8 going forward in9 our journey to heaven's bliss. To the which do thou bring us for thy name's sake. Amen. Pray for all your brethren which be in prison and exile, and so absent from you in body, but yet present with you in spirit : and heartily pray God once to prove us, and trust us again with his holy word and gospel ; that we may be suffered to speak, and you to hear his voice, as heretofore we and you have done, but unthankfully and negligently, I may say, yea, very unworthily and carnally. And therefore is his most just anger fallen now upon us. He remember his mercy towards us in his time, we be seech him. Amen10. Tour own in the Lord, John Bradford. t6 An eminent lawyer of Citadella near Venice, who, having denied the Protestant faith, died in despair in 1548. His most affecting history has often been printed in a separate form, as for instance, ' Relation,' fcc.by Nath. Bacon, Lond. 1681. Vide Sleidan. Comm. de stat. relig. ui. p. 474—5, Prancof. 1568 ; and Seckendorf. Hist. Lutheran, hi. cxxix. Vol. II. 601, Prancof. et Lips. 1692.] P 'and' 1564: 'set ever before us also the,' edition without date.] P 'for' 1564: 'from,' edition without date.] P 'in,' edition without date: not in 1564.] P° The last two paragraphs are taken from the 'Exhortation' with out date, and do not occur in the 'Letters of the martyrs,' 1564.] [BRADFORD.] 434 FAREWELL TO THE CITY OF LONDON1. Foxe, Acts. &e. 1663, p. 1176-8, and aftereditions.Bp. Cover- dale, Letters of the martyrs, 1564, p. 251—6. MS. 1. 2. 8. no. 51.2 and MS. 1. 2. 8. no. 66. Emman. Coll. Camb. To all that profess the gospel and true doctrine of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in the city of London, John Bradford, a most unworthy servant of the Lord, now not only in prison, but also excommunicated and condemned to be burned for the same true doctrine, wisheth "mercy, grace, and peace," with increase of all godly knowledge "and piety, from God " the Father of mercy," through the merits of our alone and omnisufficient Redeemer Jesus Christ, by the operation of the Holy Spirit, for ever. Amen. My dearly beloved brethren in our Saviour Christ, although the time I have to live is very little, (for hourly I look when I should be had hence to be conveyed into Lancashire, there to be burned, and to render my life by the providence of God where I first received it by the same providence;) and although the charge is great to keep me from all things whereby I might signify any thing to the world of my state ; yet, Having as now I have pen and ink through God's work ing, maugre the head of Satan and his soldiers, I thought good to write a short confession of my faith, and thereto join a little exhortation unto you all to live according to your profession. This my faith I would gladly particularly declare and expound to the confirmation and comfort of the simple ; but, alas! by starts and stealth I write in manner that that I write, t1 " After the time that Master Bradford was condemned, and sent to the Compter, it was purposed of his adversaries . . . that he should be had to Manchester where he was born, and there be burned: where upon he writeth to the city of London, thinking to take his last vale of them in this letter. — Poxe, Acts, &c. 1583, p. 1625, or ed. 1843—8, vn. 198.] P MS. 1. 2. 8. no. 51. has on it the name, 'Cuthbert Symson.' C. Symson was 'deacon of the Christian congregation in London in queen Mary's days ;' and, after most severe torture on the rack, under went martyrdom, March 28, 1558. — Foxe, Acts, &c. 1583, p. 2031—4, or ed. 1843—8, vni. 454—61.] FAREWELL TO THE CITY OF LONDON. 435 and therefore I shall desire you all to take this brevity in good part3. First for my faith, I do confess and pray all the whole congregation of Christ to bear witness with me of the same, that I do believe constantly, through the gift and goodness of God (for "faith is God's only gift"), all the twelve articles of the symbol or creed commonly attributed to the collection of the apostles ; not because of the creed itself, but because of the word of God, the which teacheth and confirmeth every article accordingly4. This word of God, written by the prophets and apostles, left and contained in the canonical books of the holy6 Bible, I do believe to contain plentifully 'all things necessary to salvation6;' so that nothing, as necessary to salvation, ought to be added thereto : and therefore the church of Christ, nor none of his congregation, ought to be burdened with any other doctrine than which hereout hath his foundation and ground. In testimony of this faith I render and give my life, being condemned, as well for not acknowledging the antichrist of Rome to be Christ's vicar-general and supreme head of his catholic and universal church, here and7 else where, upon earth; as for denying the horrible and idola trous doctrine of transubstantiation, and Christ's real, corporal, and carnal presence in his supper, under the forms and ac cidents of bread and wine. To believe Christ our Saviour to be "the Head of his church," and kings in their realms to be "the supreme powers" to whom every soul oweth obedience ; and to believe that in the supper of Christ (which ' the sacrament of the altar,' as the papists call it and use it, doth utterly overthrow) is a true and very presence of whole Christ, God and man, to the faith of the receiver, (but not to the stander by and looker upon,) P This last paragraph is written on the margin of MS. 1. 2. 8. no. 66., and is printed in the margin of Foxe, Acts, &c. 1563, and of Bp. Coverdale, Lett, of mart. 1564, but is given as above in the text of MS. !• 2. 8. no. 51., and forms part of the ensuing paragraph in Foxe 1570 and after editions.] P See Article vm. Ch. of Eng.] P 'hole' 1563: 'holye,' Emman. MSS.: 'holy' 1564: 'whole' 1570, 1576, 1583.] P Article vi. Ch. of Eng.] P 'or' 1563: 'and,' Emman. MSS., and 1564.] 28—2 436 FAREWELL TO THE CITY OF LONDON. as it is a true and very presence of bread and wine to the senses of men ; to believe this, I say x, will not serve ; and therefore as an heretic I am condemned and shall be burned. Whereof I ask God heartily mercy that I do no more re joice than I do, having so great cause as to be an instrument wherein it may please my dear Lord God and Saviour to suffer. For, albeit my manifold sins even sithen I came into prison have deserved at the hands of God not only this tem poral, but also eternal fire in hell, (much more then my former sinful life, which the Lord pardon for his Christ's sake, as I know he of his mercy hath done, and never will lay mine iniquities to my charge to condemnation, so great is his goodness, praised therefor be his holy name !) although, I say, my manifold and grievous late sins have deserved most justly all the tyranny that man or devil can do unto me ; and therefore I confess that the Lord is "just, and that his judg ments be true," and deserved on my behalf; yet the bishops and prelates do not persecute them in me, but Christ himself, his word, his truth, and religion. And therefore I have great cause, yea, most great cause, to rejoice that ever I was born and hitherto kept of the Lord ; that by my death, which is deserved for my sins, it pleaseth the heavenly Father to glorify his name, to testify his truth, to confirm his verity, to repugn his adversaries. 0 good God and merciful Father, forgive me my great unthankfulness, especially herein. And you, my dearly beloved, for the Lord Jesu Christ's sake, I humbly and heartily in his bowels and blood do now, for my last vale and 'farewell' in this present life, beseech you and every of you, that you will consider this work of the Lord accordingly ; first by me to be admonished to beware ScPcamai °^ hyPocrisy an(i carnal security : profess not the gospel with security. tongue and lips only, but in heart and verity; frame and fashion your lives accordingly. Beware God's name be not evil spoken of, and the gospel less regarded, by your con versation. God forgive me that I have not so heartily pro fessed it as I should have done, but have sought much myself therein ! P 'I say' 1564, 1570, and the after editions of Foxe; not in 1563, nor in Emman. MSS.] FAREWELL TO THE CITY OF LONDON. 437 The gospel is a new doctrine to the "old man:" it is "new wine," and therefore cannot be " put in old bottles " without more great hurt than good to " the bottles." If we will talk with the Lord, we must " put off our shoes " and carnal affec tions : if we will hear the voice of the2 Lord, we must " wash our garments," and be holy : if we will be Christ's disciples, we must " deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Christ." We " cannot serve two masters :" if we seek Christ's kingdom, we must also seek for " the righteousness thereof." To the petition of, " Let thy kingdom come," we must join, " Thy will be done," done, done " on earth as it is in heaven." If we will " not be doers of the word but hearers of it only, we sore deceive ourselves." If we hear the gospel and love it not, we declare ourselves to be but fools and " builders upon the sand." The Lord's Spirit hateth feigning ; deceitfulness the Lord abhorreth. If we come to him, we must beware we come not to him " with a double heart ;" for then it3 may chance that God will answer us according to the block which is in our heart, and so we shall deceive ourselves and others. To faith see that we couple " a good conscience," lest we " make Good ¦TO • *» fonncip' a shipwreck." To the Lord we must come " with fear and re verence." If we will be gospellers, we must be Christ's : if we " be Christ's, we must crucify our flesh, with the lusts and concupiscences thereof." If we will " be under grace, sin must not bear rule in us." We may not come to the Lord, and "draw nigh4 to him with our5 lips, and leave our hearts else where ;" lest the Lord's wrath wax hot, and he take from us the good remaining. In no case can the kingdom of Christ approach to them that repent not. Therefore, my dearly beloved, let us repent and be heartily sorry that we have so carnally, so hypocritically, so covetously, so vain-gloriously professed the gospel. For all these I con fess of myself, to the glory of God and mine own confusion rsai. xxxii. * ° " . ™ „ • ,i i p • i Uohni. here6, that he may " cover mine offences in the day of judg-- P 'the,' Emman. MSS., 1564, 1570, and after editions: not in 1563.] P 'it' 1564: not in 1563.] P 'high' 1563, a misprint for 'nigh.'] p 'our' 1564, 1570, and after editions: not in 1563 or Emman. MSS.] p The last five words are in the Emman. MSS. and 1564, but not in 1563.] conscience. 438 FAREWELL TO THE CITY OF LONDON. ment. Let the anger and plagues of God, most justly fallen upon us, be applied to every one of our deserts, that from the bottom of our hearts every of us may say : ' It is I, Lord, that have sinned against thee : it is mine hypocrisy, my vain-glory, my covetousness, uncleanness, car nality, security, idleness, unthankfulness, self-love, and such like, which have deserved the taking away of our good king, of thy word and true religion, of thy good ministers by exile, prisonment, and death : it is my wickedness that causeth suc cess and increase of authority and peace to thine enemies. 0 " be merciful, be merciful, unto us." " Turn to us again," 0 Lord of hosts, and " turn us unto thee." " Correct us, but not in thy fury, lest we be consumed." " In thine anger chastise us not." " In thy wrathful displeasure reprove us not," but " in the midst of thine anger remember thy mercy ;" for, " if thou wilt mark what is done amiss, who shall be able to abide it? But with thee is mercifulness, that thou mightest be worshipped." 0 then be merciful unto us, that we might truly worship thee. " Help us for the glory of thy name ;" " be merciful unto our sins, for they are great." 0 heal us and help us for thine honour : let not the wicked people say, "Where is their God ?" ' &c. On this sort, my right dearly beloved, let us heartily bewail our sins, repent us of our former evil life, heartily and earnestly purpose to amend our lives in all things, continually prayer: " watch in prayer," diligently and reverently attend, hear, reading the and read the holy scriptures, labour after our vocation to amend scriptures, our brethren. Let us " reprove the works of darkness ;" let us " fly from all idolatry ;" let us abhor the antichristian and Romish rotten service, detest the popish mass, abrenounce1 obedience to their Romish god, prepare ourselves to the cross ; be obedient magistrates - °. . , in aii that is to all that be m authority in all things that be not against not against t " o o God's word. God an(j his word : for then answer with the apostles, "It is more meet to obey God than man." Howbeit, never for any thing resist or rise against the magistrates; "avenge not yourselves," but "commit your cause to the Lord," " to whom vengeance pertaineth ;" and he in his time will reward it. If ye feel in yourselves an hope and trust in God that he "will never tempt you above that he will P ' abrenounce' 1563 and after editions, and Emman. MSS. : 'for sake' 1564.] FAREWELL TO THE CITY OF LONDON. 439 make you able to bear," be assured the Lord will be true to you, and you shall be able to bear all brunts. But if you want this hope, flee and get you hence, rather than by your tarry ing God's name should be dishonoured. In sum, " cast your care upon the Lord, knowing for most certain that he is careful for you." With him " are all the hairs of your head numbered," so that " not one of them shall perish" without his good pleasure and will ; much more then nothing shall happen to your bodies which shall not be pro fitable, howsoever for a time it seem otherwise to your senses. Hang on the providence of God, not only when you have we ought means to help you, but also when you have no means, yea, uponpISd's when all means be against you. Give him this honour, which always. of all other things he most chiefly requireth at your hands, namely, believe that you are his children through Christ; that he is your Father and God through him ; that he loveth you, pardoneth you all your offences ; that2 " he is with you in trouble," and will be with you for ever. When you fall, he will put under his hand ; you shall not lie still. " Tofore you call upon him, he heareth you:" "out of evil he will finally bring you, and deliver you to his eternal kingdom." Doubt not, my dearly beloved, hereof; doubt not, I say, this will God your Father do for you in respect not of yourselves, but in respect of Christ your Captain, your Pastor, your Keeper, "out of whose hands none shall be able to catch you." In him be quiet, and often consider your dignity ; namely, how that you be God's children, the saints of God, citizens of heaven, "temples of the Holy Ghost," the thrones of God, " members of Christ," and lords over all. Therefore be ashamed to think, speak, or do any thing that should be unseemly for God's children, God's saints, Christ's members, &c. "Marvel not though" the devil and "the world hate you," though ye be persecuted here; for " the servant is not greater nor3 above his Master." Covet not earthly riches, fear not the power of man, " love not this world, nor things that be in this world ; " but long for the Lord Jesus his coming, at which time your " bodies shall be made like unto his glorious body." " When he appeareth, you shall be like unto him." When your life thus shall be p 'that,' only in 1564.] [3 'greater nor,' only in MS. 1. 2. 8. no. 51.] 440 FAREWELL TO THE CITY OF LONDON. revealed, " then shall ye appear with him in glory." In the mean season live in hope thereof. we must Let the life you lead be in " the faith of the Son of God :" live in the «/ Christ? for " the just doth live by faith ;" which faith flieth from all evil, and followeth the word of God as " a lantern to her feet offa¥tr??erty and a light to her steps." Her eyes be above where Christ is; she beholdeth not the "things present," but rather "things to come ; " she " glorieth in afflictions," she knoweth that " the afflictions of this life are not like to be compared to the glory which God will reveal to us and in us." Of this glory God grant us here a lively taste ! Then shall we run after the scent it sendeth forth ; it will make us valiant men to take to us the kingdom of God : whither the Lord of mercy bring us in his good time, through Christ our Lord ; to whom with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, three Persons and one God, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen. My dearly beloved, I would gladly have given here my body to have been burned for the confirmation of the true doctrine I have taught here unto you ; but that my country must have : therefore, I pray you, take in good part this signification of my good- will towards every of you ; impute the want herein to time and trouble. Pardon me mine offen sive and negligent behaviour when I was amongst you. With me repent, and labour to amend ; continue in the truth which I have truly taught unto you by preaching, in all places where I have come, God's name therefor be praised. "Confess Christ" when you are called, whatsoever cometh thereof : and " the God of peace be with us all. Amen." This eleventh of February, anno 1555. Your brother in bonds for the Lord's sake. John Bradford. 441 FAREWELL TO THE UNIVERSITY AND TOWN OF CAMBRIDGE. To all "that love the Lord Jesus" and his true doctrine, Foxe, Acts, being in the university and town of Cambridge, John Bradford, ura^a?.' p' a most unworthy servant of the Lord, now not only prisoned d£e.CLet£» but also condemned for the same true doctrine, wisheth "grace, tyn,\m!' peace, and mercy," with increase of all godUness, from God MS 2 2 ,'6 " the Father of all mercy," through the bloody passion of our ^\] £n£ alone full2 Saviour Jesus Christ, by the lively working of the Emman. Holy Spirit, for ever. Amen. Coll. Camb. MS. G. g. iv. 13. fol. loo— 2. Univ. Libr. Camb. Although I look hourly when I should be had to the stake, my right dearly beloved in the Lord, and although the charge over me is great and strait ; yet, having by the pro vidence of God secretly pen and ink, I could not but some thing signify unto you my solicitude which I have for you and every of you in the Lord, though not as I would, yet as I may. You have often and openly heard the truth, especially in this matter wherein I am condemned, disputed and preached, Tramub- 1 . . A r stantiation. that it is needless to do any more but only to put you in 5A3U]°graph remembrance of the same : but hitherto you have not heard it confirmed, and as it were sealed up, as now you do and shall hear by me, that is, by my death and burning. For, albeit I have deserved through my uncleanness, hypocrisy, avarice, vain-glory, idleness, unthankfulness, and carnality, (whereof I accuse myself to my confusion before the world, that before God through Christ I might, as my assured hope is I shall, "find mercy,") eternal death and hell-fire, much more then this affliction and fire prepared for me ; yet, my dearly beloved, it is not these or any of these things wherefor the prelates do persecute me : but God's verity and truth, yea, even Christ himself, is the only cause and thing wherefor I now am condemned and shall be burned as an heretic. For, because I will not grant the antichrist of Rome to be Christ's vicar-general and supreme head of his church P The Emmanuel MS. 2. 2. 15. no. 3. is in the autograph of Bradford.] P 'alonely' 1563, 1564: 'alone full,' Emman. MSS.] 442 FAREWELL TO CAMBRIDGE. here and every where upon earth, by God's ordinance ; and because I will not grant such corporal, real, and carnal pre sence of Christ's body and blood in the sacrament, as doth transubstantiate the substance of bread and wine, and is re ceived of the wicked, yea, of dogs and mice also ; I am excommunicated, and counted as a dead member of Christ's church, as a rotten branch, and therefore shall be cast into the fire. Therefore ye ought heartily to "rejoice with me" and to give thanks for me, that God the eternal Father hath vouched safe our mother1 to bring up any child in whom it would please him thus2 to magnify his holy name, as he doth, and I hope for his mercy and truth's sake will do, in me and by me. 0 what such like2 benefit upon earth can it be, as that that which deserved death by reason of my sins should be diverted to a demonstration, a testification, and confirmation of God's verity and truth? Thou, my mother, the university, hast not only had the truth of God's word plainly manifested unto thee by read ing, disputing, and preaching, publicly and privately; but now (to make thee altogether excuseless, and as it were almost to sin "against the Holy Ghost," if thou put to thy helping hand with the Romish rout to suppress the verity, and set out the contrary) thou hast my hfe and blood as a seal to confirm thee, if thou wilt be confirmed, or else to con found thee and bear witness against thee, if thou wilt take part with the prelates and clergy ; which now " fill up the measure of their fathers which slew the prophets" and apo stles, "that all the3 righteous blood from Abel" to Bradford "shed upon the earth" may be required at their hands. Of this therefore I thought good tofore my death, as time and fiber ty would suffer me, for the4 love and duty I bear unto thee, to admonish thee, good mother, and my sister the town, that you would call to mind from whence you are fallen, and study to " do the first works." Ye know, if you will, these matters of the Romish supremacy, and the anti- ehristian transubstantiation, whereby Christ's supper is over- P i. e. the University of Cambridge.] [2 'thus,' 'like,' only in autograph MS.] [3 'the,' Emman. MSS. and Univ. MS. : not in 1563 or 1564.] P 'the,' Emman. MSS., Univ. MS., and 1564: not in 1563.] FAREWELL TO CAMBRIDGE. 443 thrown, his priesthood evacuate, his sacrifice frustrate, the ministry of his word unplaced, repentance repelled, faith fainted, godliness extinguished, the mass maintained, idolatry supported, and all impiety cherished; you know, I say, if you will, that these opinions are not only besides God's word, but even directly against God's word5 : and therefore to take part with them is to take part against God, against whom you cannot prevail. Therefore, for the tender mercy of Christ in his bowels and blood, I beseech you to take Christ's collyrium and "eye-salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see" what you do and have done in admitting (as I hear you have admitted, yea, alas ! authorised and by consent confirmed) the Romish rotten rags which once you utterly expelled. 0 be not cams reversus ad vomitum, ["the dog returned to his vomit;"] be not sus lota, reversa ad volutabrum cozni, [" the washed sow returned to her rolling in the mire."] Beware lest old Sa tan "enter in with seven other spirits," and then postrema "the last6 shall be worse than the first." It had been better ye had never known the truth, than after knowledge to run from it. Ah, woe to this world and the things therein, which hath now so wrought with you ! 0 that ever this dirt of the devil should daub up the eye of the realm ! For thou, 0 mother, art as it were the eye of the realm. If thou be light and give shine, all the body shall fare the better ; but if thou, " the light, be darkness," alas, " how great will the darkness be!" "What is man whose breath is in his nos trils, that thou shouldest thus be afraid of him ?" Oh, what is honour and hfe here, but plain * bubbles? What is glory in this world, and of this world, but plain8 shame? Why art thou afraid "to carry Christ's cross?" Wilt thou come into his kingdom, and not " drink of his cup?" Dost thou not know Rome to be Babylon? Dost thou not know that as the old Babylon had the children of Judah in captivity, so hath this true Judah, that is, the P 'it' 1563, 1564, MS. 1. 2. 8. and Univ. MS. : 'God's word,' autogr. MS.] P postrema 1563 and Emman. MSS.: 'the last' 1564.] P 'but plain,' Emman. MSS. and 1564 : not in 1563, or Univ. MS.] P 'but' 1563, 1564, and Univ. MS. : ' and of this world, but plain,' Emman. MSS.] 444 FAREWELL TO CAMBRIDGE. confessors of Christ? Dost thou not know that, as de struction happened unto it, so shall it do unto this ? And trowest thou that God will not deliver his people now, when the time is come, as he did then? Hath not God com manded his people to " come out from her ;" and wilt thou give ensample to the whole realm to run into her? Hast thou forgotten the woe that Christ threateneth to offence- givers ? Wilt thou not remember that " it were better a millstone were hanged about thy neck, and thou thrown into the sea, than that thou shouldest offend the little ones?" And, alas, how hast thou offended; yea, how dost thou still offend ! Wilt thou consider things according to the outward shew ? Was not the synagogue more seemly and like to the true church, than the simple flock of Christ's disciples? Hath not the whore of Babylon more costly array and rich apparel externally to set forth herself, than the homely housewife of Christ? Where is the beauty of "the king's daughter," the church of Christ, without or within? Doth not David say, "within?" 0 remember that as "they are happy which are not offended at Christ," so are they happy which are not offended at his poor church. Can the pope and his prelates mean honestly, which make so much of the wife, and so little of the " Husband ?" The church they magnify, but Christ they contemn. If this church were an honest woman, that is, Christ's wife, except they would make much of her "Husband" Christ and his word, she would not be made much of of1 them. When Christ and his apostles were upon earth, who was more like to be the true church; they, or the prelates, bishops, and synagogue? If a man should have followed custom, unity, antiquity, or the more part, should not Christ and his company have been cast out of the doors ? Therefore bade Christ, " Search the scriptures." And, good mother, shall " the servant be above his master?" Shall we look for other entertainment at the hands of the world, than Christ and his dear disciples found ? Who was taken in Noe's time for the church, poor Noe and his family, or others ? Who was taken for God's church in Sodom, Lot or others ? And doth not Christ say, " As it went then, so shall it go now towards the coming of the Son P ' of them' 1563, autogr. MS. and Univ. MS. : 'of of them' MS. 1. 2. 8. and 1564.] FAREWELL TO CAMBRIDGE. 445 of man ? " What meaneth Christ, when he saith, " Iniquity shall have the upper hand?" Doth not he tell that "cha rity shall wax cold?" And who seeth not a wonderful great lack of charity in those, which would now be taken for Christ's church ? All that fear God in this realm truly can tell more of this than I can write. Therefore, dear mother, receive some admonition of one of thy poor children now going to be burned for the testi mony of Jesus. Come again to God's truth ; " come out of Babylon;" "confess Christ" and his true doctrine; repent that which is past ; make amends by declaring thy repentance by the fruits. Remember the readings and preachings of God's Martin prophet and true preacher, Martin Bucer. Call to mind the preaching. threatenings of God now something seen by thy children, Lever and others. Let the exile of Lever, Pilkington, Lever, Grindal, Haddon, Home, Scory, Ponet, &c, something awake Grindai, thee. Let the imprisonment of thy dear sons, Cranmer, ^."rrne'Pone, Ridley, and Latimer, move thee. Consider the martyrdom |\0ugX'rs of thy chickens, Rogers, Saunders, Taylor : and now cast not Tay'or- away the poor admonition of me going to be burned also, and to receive the like crown of glory with my fellows. Take to heart God's calling by us. Be not as Pharaoh was ; for then will it2 happen unto thee as it2 did unto him. What is that? "Hardness of heart." And what then? Destruction eternally both of body and soul. Ah, therefore, good mother, awake, awake, repent, repent; buskel3 thyself, and make thee bowne4 to turn to the Lord ; for else " it shall be more easy for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for thee." 0 " harden not your hearts." 0 stop not your ears to-day in hearing God's voice, though it be by me a most unworthy messenger. 0 fear the Lord, for his anger is begun to kindle. " Even now the axe is laid to the root of the tree." You know I prophesied truly to you before the sweat5 B™dn^feth came, what would come if you repented not your carnal gospel- Jf^fXf would follow P 'it' 1564 and Univ. MS. : not in 1563 or Emman. MSS.] gospditag, r„ ( _ if repentance L1* Buskel: prepare.] did not come. P 'Bowne:' ready, prepared. Jamieson, Scotch. Diet. 'Haste' 1563, 1564, and Univ. MS. : ' thee bowne,' autogr. MS. : 'thyself bowne' MS. 1. 2. 8.] P See p. 61, note 3, above.] 446 FAREWELL TO CAMBRIDGE. ling1: and now I tell you before I depart hence, that the ears of men will tingle to hear of the vengeance of God that will fall upon you all, both town and university, if you repent not, if you leave not your idolatry, if you turn not speedily to the Lord, if ye still be ashamed of Christ's truth, which you know. Thomson O Perne2, repent ; 0 Thomson3, repent ; 0 ye doctors, bachelors, and masters, repent; 0 mayor, aldermen, and town-dwellers, repent, repent, repent, that you may escape the near vengeance of the Lord. " Rend your hearts," and come apace, calling on the Lord. Let us all say, 'Peccavi- mus, " we have sinned, we have done wickedly, we have not hearkened to thy voice, 0 Lord. Deal not with us after our deserts, but be merciful to our iniquities, for they are great." 0 pardon us our offences. " In thine anger re member thy mercy." Turn us unto thee, 0 Lord God of hosts, for the glory of thy name's sake. Spare us, and be merciful unto us. Let not the wicked people say, " Where is now their God?" Oh, for thine own sake, for thy name's sake, deal mercifully with us. " Turn thyself unto us," and us unto thee : and " we shall praise thy name for ever." ' If in this sort, my dearly beloved, in heart and mouth we come unto God4 our Father, and prostrate ourselves before " the throne of his grace," then surely, surely, we shall "find mercy;" then shall the Lord look merrily upon us for his mercy's sake in Christ ; then shall we hear him " speak peace unto his people:" for he "is gracious and merciful, of great pity and compassion;" "he cannot be chiding for ever, his anger cannot last long" to the penitent. Though we weep in the morning, yet at night we shall have our sorrow to cease; for he is exorable, and " hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner :" he " rather would our conversion and turning." P Compare the conclusion of Abp. Parker's sermon on the death of Bucer, 1551, 'Prospice tibi, Cantabrigia, cui Deus misit prophetas suos,' &c. in Bucer, Script. Angl. p. 898, Basil. 1577.] P See account of Perne in "Wood, Fasti Oxon. I. p. 141, ed. Bliss, Lond. 1815—20; and in 'Exam.' &c. of Philpot, p. 169, Parker Soc: and see index to Oxford ed. of Strype.] [3 Possibly the same as 'Edmund Thompson,' ordained by Bp. Rid ley, Nov. 9, 1550. — Strype, Mem. n. i. 403.] P ' God,' Emman. MSS.. not in 1563, or 1564, or Univ. MS.] FAREWELL TO CAMBRIDGE. 447 0 " turn you now and convert," yet once again I humbly beseech you; and then "the kingdom of heaven" shall "draw nigh." " The eye hath not seen, the ear hath not heard, nor the heart of man is able to conceive " the joys prepared for us, if we repent, amend our lives, and heartily turn to the Lord. But if you repent not, but be as you were, and go on forwards with the wicked, following the fashion of the world, "the Lord will lead you on with wicked doers," you shall perish in your wickedness, "your blood will be upon your own heads;" your part shall be with hypocrites, "where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth ;" ye shall be cast "from the face of the Lord" for ever and ever; eternal shame, sorrow, woe, and misery, shall be both in body and soul to you, " world without end." 0 therefore, right dear to me in the Lord, "turn you, turn you;" repent you, repent you; amend, amend your lives, " depart from evil, do good," " follow peace and pursue it." " Come out from Babylon," " cast off the works of darkness," " put on Christ," confess his truth, be not ashamed of his gospel, prepare yourselves to the cross, drink of God's cup before it come to " the dregs :" and then shall I with you and for you "rejoice" in the day of judgment, which "is at hand:" and therefore prepare yourselves thereto, I heartily beseech you. And thus I take my vale in aiternum [farewell for ever] with you in this present hfe, mine own dear hearts in the Lord. The Lord of mercy be with us all, and give us a joy ful and sure meeting in his kingdom ! Amen, Amen. Out of prison, ready to the stake5, the 11th of February, anno 1555. Your own in the Lord for ever, John Bradford. P 'Ready to the stake,' only in the autograph Emmanuel MS. 2. 2. 15.] 448 SE& FAREWELL TO LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE. 1180—2, and after editions. Foxe, Acts, To all those that profess the name and true religion of our &c. 15fi3, p. L . . ° Saviour Jesus Christ in Lancashire and Cheshire, and specially abiding in Manchester and thereabout, John Bradford, a most oai'e,CLetters unworthy servant of the Lord, now not only in bonds, but also °y*i664,r" condemned for the same true religion, wisheth "mercy and p' ' grace, peace" and increase of all godliness, from God the no.'iob.i'and Father of all pity, through the deserts of our Lord Jesus MS. 1. 2. 8. J. */ ' o no.W. ' ' Christ, by the working of the most mighty and lively Spirit coii. camb. the Comforter, for ever. Amen. The enemies I hear2 it reported credibly, my dearly beloved in the him°atum Lord, that my heavenly Father hath thought it good to pro- bSrtheeLord v^e *nat> as ¦"¦ b-ave preached his true gospel and doctrine ™niose!heir amongst you by word, so I shall testify and confirm the same LM64.] ky rjeed ; that is, I shall with you leave my life, which by his providence I first received there, (for in Manchester was I born,) for a seal to the doctrine I have taught with you and amongst you : so that, if from henceforth you waver in the same, you have none excuse at all. I know the enemies of Christ which exercise this cruelty upon me (I speak it in respect of mine offence which is none to them-wards) think, by killing of me amongst you, to affray you and others, lest they should attempt to teach Christ truly, or believe his doctrine hereafter. But I doubt not but my heavenly Father will by my death more confirm you in his truth for ever. And therefore I greatly rejoice to see Satan and his soldiers supplanted in their own sapience, which is plain "foolishness" amongst the wise indeed, that is, amongst such as have heard God's word, and do follow it ; for they Matt. vii. only are counted " wise" of the wisdom " of God our Saviour." Indeed, if I should simply consider my life with that which it ought to have been, and as God in his law requireth, then could I not but cry as I do, Justus es, Domine, et om nia judicia tua vera : " Righteous art thou, 0 Lord, and all I1 The Emmanuel MS. 2. 2. 15. no. 109. is in the autograph of Bradford.] £2 'heard' 1563: 'hoar' 1564 and Emman. MSS.] FAREWELL TO LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE. 449 thy judgments are true ;" for I have much grieved thee, and transgressed thy holy precepts, not only before my professing the gospel, but sithen also, yea, even sithen my coming into prison. I do not excuse, but accuse myself before God and all his church, that I have grievously offended my Lord God. I have not lived his gospel as I should have done ; I have sought myself, and not simply and only his glory, and my brethren's commodity ; I have been too unthankful, secure, carnal, hypocritical, vain-glorious, &c. All which my evils the Lord of mercy pardon me for his Christ's sake, as I hope and certainly believe he hath done for his great mercy in Christ our Redeemer. But when I consider the cause of my condemnation, I cannot but lament that I do no more rejoice than I do : for it is God's verity and truth ; so that the condemnation is not a condemnation of Bradford simply, but rather a condemnation The papists p m • ii' i ¦, {- t - • condemn not of Christ and his truth : Bradford is nothing else but an ,Brai|f;>rd> & but Christ. instrument, in whom Christ and his doctrine are condemned. And therefore, my dearly beloved, rejoice, rejoice, and give thanks, with me and for me, that ever God did vouchsafe so great a benefit to our country, as to choose the most un worthy (I mean myself) to be one in whom it would please him to suffer any kind of affliction, much more this violent kind of death, which I perceive is prepared for me with you for his sake. All glory and praise be given unto God our Father, for this3 his exceeding great mercy towards me, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. But perchance you will say unto me, ' What is the cause for the which you are condemned ? We hear say that ye deny all presence of Christ in his holy supper, and so make it a bare sign and common bread, . and nothing else.' My dearly beloved, what is said of me and will be, I cannot tell. It is told me that Master Pendleton is gone down to preach Doctor with you, not as he once recanted (for you all know how he hath preached contrary to that he was wont to preach afore I came amongst you), but to recant that which he hath re canted. How he will speak of me and report4 tofore I come, when I am come, and when I am burned, I much pass not ; P 'this,' only in autogr. MS.] P "report of 1563: 'report,' Emman. MSS. and 1564.] 29 [BRADFORD.] condemned. 450 FAREWELL TO LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE. for he that is so uncertain and will speak so often against himself, I cannot think he will speak well of me except it make for his purpose and profit : but of this enough. The causes Indeed the chief thing which I am condemned for as an Forci wS " heretic is, because I deny the sacrament of the altar ; which is not Christ's supper1, but a plain perverting of it, (being used as the papists now use it to be a real, natural, and cor poral presence of Christ's body and blood under the forms and accidents of bread and wine ;) that is, because I deny transubstantiation, which is the darling of the devil, and daughter and heir to antichrist's religion, whereby the mass is maintained, Christ's supper perverted, his sacrifice and cross imperfited, his priesthood destroyed, the ministry taken away, repentance repelled, and all true godliness abandoned. In the supper of our Lord or sacrament of Christ's body and blood I confess and believe that there is a true and very presence of whole Christ, God and man, to the faith of the receiver, (but not of the stander-by or2 looker-on,) as there is a very true presence of bread and wine to the senses of him that is partaker thereof. This faith, this doctrine, which consenteth with the word of God, and3 with the true testi mony of Christ's church, which the popish church doth per secute, will I not forsake : and therefore am I condemned as an heretic, and shall be burned. But, my dearly beloved, this truth (which I have taught and you have received, I believed and do believe, and therein give my life) I hope in God shall never be burned, bound, nor overcome ; but shall triumph, have victory, and be at liberty, maugre the head of all God's adversaries. For there is no counsel against the Lord, nor no device of man can be able to defeat the verity in any other than in4 such as be " children of unbelief," which have no "love to the truth," and therefore are given up to "believe lies." From which plague the Lord of mercies deliver you and all this realm, my dear hearts in the Lord, I humbly beseech his mercy. Amen. And to the end you might be delivered from this plague, right dear to me in the Lord, I shall, for my farewell with P ' supper' 1564 and Emman. MSS.: not in 1563.] P 'and' 1563: 'or' 1564 and Emman. MSS.] P 'and' 1564 and Emman. MSS. : not in 1563.] P 'in,' only in 1564.] FAREWELL TO LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE. 451 you for ever in this present life, heartily desire you all, in the bowels and blood of our most merciful Saviour Jesus Christ, to attend unto these things which I now shall shortly write unto you out of the holy scriptures of the Lord. You know an heavy plague, or rather plagues, of God is fallen upon us, in taking away our good king, God's true re ligion, God's true prophets and ministers, &c, and setting over us such as seek not the Lord after knowledge ; whose endeavours God prospereth wonderfully to the trial of many, that his people may both better know themselves, and be known. Now the cause hereof is our iniquities and grievous sins. We "did not know the time of our visitation," we were unthankful unto God, we contemned the gospel, and carnally abused it to serve our hypocrisy, our vain-glory, our vicious- ness, avarice, idleness, security, &c. Long did the Lord linger and " tarry to have shewn mercy upon us ;" but we were ever the longer the worse. Therefore most justly hath God dealt with us, and dealeth with us. Yea, yet we may see that his justice is tempered with much mercy : whereto let us attribute "that we are not utterly consumed;" for if the Lord should deal with us after our deserts, alas ! " how could we abide it?" In his anger therefore, seeing he doth "remember his mercy" undeserved, yea, undesired on our behalf, let us take occasion the more speedily to go out to meet him, not with force and arms, (for we are not so able to withstand him, much less to prevail against him,) but to beseech him to "be merciful unto us," and according to his wonted mercy to deal with us. Let us arise with David and say, Ne intres in judicium cum servo tuo, fyc. : " Enter not into judgment, O Lord, with thy servant, for in thy sight no flesh living shall be justified." Let us send ambassadors with the centurion, and say, " Lord, we are not worthy to come ourselves unto thee; speak the word, and we shall have peace." Let us penitently with the publican look down on the earth, knock our hard hearts to burst them, and cry out, ' 0 God, be merciful unto us wretched sinners.' Let us with the lost son return and say, ' 0 Father, we have sinned against heaven and earth, and before thee; we are unworthy to be called thy children.' Let us, I say, do on this sort ; that is, heartily repent us of our former evil hfe and unthankful gospelling 29—2 452 FAREWELL TO LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE. past, convert and "turn to God" with our whole hearts, hoping in his great mercy through Christ, and heartily calling upon his holy name : and then undoubtedly we shall find and feel otherwise than yet we feel, both inwardly and outwardly. Inwardly we shall feel peace of conscience between God and us, " which peace passeth all understanding ;" and outwardly we shall feel much mitigation of these miseries, if not an utter taking of them away. Bradford's Therefore, my dearly beloved in the Lord, I your poorest brother now departing to the Lord, for my vale in osternum [farewell for ever] for this present life, pray you, beseech you, and even from the very bottom of my heart, for all the mercies of God in Christ shewed unto you, most earnestly beg and crave of you out of prison, (as often out of your pulpits I have done,) that you will repent you, leave off1 your wicked and evil life, be sorry for your offences, and turn to the Lord, whose arms are wide open to receive and embrace you ; whose stretched out hand to strike to death stayeth that he might shew mercy upon you. For he is the Lord of mercy and "God of all comfort ;" he "will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should return," convert, and amend; he hath no pleasure in the destruction of men; his "long suffering draweth us1 to repentance" tofore the time of ven geance and the day of wrath, which is at hand, doth come. "Now is the axe laid to the root of the tree," utterly to destroy the impenitent. Now is the fire gone out before the face of the Lord : and who is able to quench it ? 0 therefore repent you, repent you. It is enough to have lived as we have done ; it is enough to have played the wanton gospel lers, the proud protestants, hypocritical and false Christians, as, alas ! we have done. Now the Lord speaketh to us in mercy and grace : 0 turn tofore he speak in wrath. Yet is there " mercy with the Lord and plenteous redemption ;" yet he hath not forgotten to shew mercy to them that call upon him. 0 then " call upon him while he may be found ;" for "he is rich in mercy and plentiful to all them that call upon him, so that he that calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "If your sins be as red as scarlet," the Lord saith, he " will make them as white as snow." He hath sworn, and never will repent him thereof, that he will "never P 'off,' 'us,' only in the autograph MS.] FAREWELL TO LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE. 453 remember our iniquities ;" but as he is good, faithful, and true, so "will he be our God, and we shall be his people; his law will he write in our hearts, and engraft it in our minds, and never will he have in mind our unrighteousness." Therefore, my dear hearts in the Lord, turn you, turn you to the Lord your Father, to the Lord your Saviour, to the Lord your Comforter. Oh, why do you stop your ears and "harden your hearts" to-day, when you hear his voice by me your poorest brother ? 0 forget not how that the Lord hath shewed himself true, and me his true preacher, by bringing to pass these plagues which at my mouth you oft heard me preach of2 before they came; specially when I treated of Noe's flood, and when I preached of the 23rd chapter of St Matthew's Gospel on St Stephen's day3, the last time that I was with you. And now by me the same Lord sendeth you word, dear countrymen, that if you will4 go on forwards in your impeni- tency, carnality, hypocrisy, idolatry, covetousness, swearing, gluttony, drunkenness, whoredom, &c, wherewith, alas, alas ! our country floweth ; if, I say, you will not turn and leave off, seeing me now burned amongst you, to assure you on all sides how God seeketh you, and is sorry to do you hurt, to plague you, to destroy you, to take vengeance upon you ; Oh, your blood will be upon your own heads ; you have been warned and warned again by me in preaching, by me in burning. As I said therefore, I say again, my dear hearts and dearlings in the Lord, turn you, turn you, repent you, repent you; "cease from doing evil, study to do well." Away with idolatry, flee the Romish god and service, leave off from swearing, cut off carnality, abandon avarice, drive away drunkenness, flee from fornication and flattery, from5 murder and malice; destroy deceitfulness, and "cast away all the works of darkness." Put on piety and godliness, serve God after his word and not after custom, use your tongues to P 'of,' only in the autograph MS.] P Matt, xxiii. 34 to the end is, in the second Book of Edward 1552, as before and since, the Gospel appointed for St Stephen's day, Dec. 26.] P The autograph MS. 2. 2. 15. no. 109. ends with the words, 'if you will,' heing imperfect.] P 'from' 1564: not in 1563] 454 FAREWELL TO LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE. glorify God by prayer, thanksgiving, and confession of his truth, &c. Be spiritual, and by the Spirit mortify carnal affections ; be sober, holy, true, loving, gentle, merciful : and then shall the Lord's wrath cease, not for this your1 doing's sake, but for his mercies' sake. Go to therefore, good countrymen, take this counsel of the Lord by me now sent unto you as the Lord's counsel, and not as mine, that in the day of judgment I may rejoice with you and for you ; the which thing I heartily desire, and not to be a witness against you. My blood will cry for ven geance, as against the papists, God's enemies, (whom I beseech God, if it be his good2 will, heartily to forgive, yea, even them which put me to death, and are the causers thereof, "for they know not what they do ;") so will my blood cry for vengeance against you, my dearly beloved in the Lord, if ye repent not, amend not, and turn not unto the Lord. Turn unto the Lord, yet once more I heartily beseech thee, thou Manchester, thou Ashton-under-line, thou Bolton, Bury, Wigan, Liverpool, Mottrine, Stepport, Winsley, Eccles, Prestwich, Middleton, Radcliffe, and thou city of West-chester, where I have truly taught and preached the word of God. Turn, I say unto you all and to all the inhabitants there abouts, unto the Lord our God, and he will turn unto you ; he will say unto his angel, "It is enough, put up thy sword." The which thing that he will do, I humbly beseech his goodness, for the precious blood's sake of his dear Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Ah, good brethren, take in good part these my last words unto every one of you. Pardon me mine offences and negligences in behaviour amongst you. The Lord of mercy pardon us all our offences for our Saviour Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Out of prison, ready to come to you ; the 11th of February, anno 1555. John Bbadford3. P 'our' 1563: 'your' 1564, and MS. 1. 2. 8.] P 'good' 1564: not in 1563.] P 'John Bradford' 1564, and MS. 1. 2. 8. : not in 1563.] 455 FAREWELL TO THE TOWN OF WALDEN. JESUS EMMANUEL. To the faithful and such as profess the true doctrine of our Foxe, Acts, Saviour Jesus Christ, dwelling at Walden and thereabouts, n82-4.'p* John Bradford, a most unworthy servant of the Lord, now in diie^Jtters bonds and condemned for the same true doctrine, wisheth t£rM5(i£" "grace, mercy, and peace," with the increase of all godliness ^s^Tis in knowledge and living, from God "the Father of all com- STs.1!'^ 15. fort," through the deserts of our alone and full Redeemer Ms.TkT1 Jesus Christ, by the mighty working of the most Holy Spirit Eniman.coii. the Comforter, for ever. Amen. When I remember how that, by the providence and grace of God, I have been a man by whom it hath pleased him, through my ministry, to call you to repentance and amend ment of life, something effectually as it seemed, and to sow amongst you his true doctrine and religion ; lest that by my affliction, and the5 storms now arisen to try the faithful, and to conform them like to the image of the Son of God into Rom. vi ° m 9 Cr.r ii whose company we are called, you might be faint-hearted, I could not but out of prison secretly (for my keepers may not know that I have pen and ink) to write unto you a significa tion of the desire I have that you should not only be more confirmed in the doctrine I have taught amongst you, (which I take on my death, as I shall answer at the day of doom, I am persuaded to be God's assured, infallible, and plain truth,) but also should after your vocation avow the same by con fession, profession, and living. I have not taught you, my dearly beloved in the Lord, fables, tales, or untruth ; but I have taught you the verity, as now by my blood gladly (praised be God therefor) I do seal the same. Indeed, to confess the truth unto you and to all the church of Christ, I do not think of myself but that I have most justly deserved not only this kind but also all kinds of death, and that eternally, for mine hypocrisy, vain- P The Emmanuel MS. 2. 2. 15. no. 11. is in the autograph of Bradford.] P 'the' 1564: not in 1563.] VIU. 2 Cor. iii. 456 FAREWELL TO WALDEN. glory, uncleanness, self-love, covetousness, idleness, unthank fulness, and carnal professing of God's holy gospel, living therein not so purely, lovingly, and painfully, as I should have done. The Lord of mercy for the blood of Christ par don me, as I hope, yea, I certainly believe he hath done, for his holy name's sake through Christ. But, my dearly be loved, you and all the whole world may see and easily per ceive, that the prelates persecute in me another thing than mine iniquities, even Christ himself, Christ's verity and truth, because I cannot, dare not, nor will not confess transubstan tiation ; and how that wicked men, yea, mice and dogs, eating the sacrament which they term of the altar, (thereby over throwing Christ's holy supper utterly,) do eat Christ's natural and real body born of the virgin Mary. To believe and confess, as God's word teacheth, the pri mitive church believed, and all the catholic and good holy fathers taught for1 five hundred years at the least after Christ, that in the supper of the Lord (which the mass overthroweth, as it doth Christ's priesthood, sacrifice, death and passion, the ministry of his word, true faith, repentance, and all godliness,) whole Christ, God and man, is2 present by grace to the faith of the receiver (but not of the standers-by and lookers-on), as bread and wine is to their senses, will not serve : and therefore I am condemned, and shall be burned out of hand as an heretic. Wherefore I heartily thank my Lord God, that will and doth vouch me worthy to be an in strument in whom he himself doth suffer: for you see my affliction and death is not simply because I have deserved no less, but much more, at his hands and justice ; but rather be cause I confess his verity and truth, and am not afraid through his gift that to do, that you also might be confirmed in his truth. Therefore, my dearly beloved, I heartily do pray you, and so many as unfeignedly love me in God, to give with me and for me most hearty thanks to our heavenly Father, through our sweet Saviour Jesus Christ, for this his exceed ing great mercy towards me and you also, that your faith waver not from the doctrine I have taught, and ye have received. For what can you desire more to assure your con- P 'for' 1564: not in 1563: 'of,' Emman. MSS.] P 'is' 1564, and Emman. MSS. . not in 1563.] FAREWELL TO WALDEN. 457 sciences of the verity taught by your preachers, than their own lives? Go to therefore, my dear hearts in the Lord, waver not in Christ's religion truly taught you and set forth in king Edward's days. Never shall the enemies be able to burn it, God's truth to prison it, and keep it in bonds. TJs they may prison, they SrpSrbe may bind, and burn, as they do, and will do so long as shall adversaries. please the Lord : but our cause, religion, and doctrine, which we confess, they shall never be able to vanquish and put away. Their idolatry and popish religion shall never be built in the consciences of men that love God's truth. As for those that love not God's truth, that have no pleasure to walk in the ways of the Lord, in those, I say, the devil shall prevail; for "God will give them strong illusion to believe lies." Therefore, dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, I humbly beseech you and pray you in the bowels and blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, now going to the death for the testimony of Jesus, as oftentimes I have done before this present out of your pulpit, that you would love3 the Lord's truth, love, I say, to live it and frame your lives there after. Alas ! you know, the cause of all these plagues fallen upon us, and of the success which God's adversaries have daily, is for our not living God's word. You know how that we were but gospellers in lips, and not in life. We were carnal, con- cupiscentious, idle, unthankful, unclean, covetous, arrogant, dissemblers, crafty, subtle, malicious, false, backbiters, &c, and even glutted with God's word; yea, we loathed it, as did the Israelites the manna in the wilderness : and therefore, as to them the Lord's wrath waxed hot, so doth it unto us. So that there is no remedy but that (for it is better late to turn than never to turn) we confess our faults even from the bottom of our hearts, and with hearty repentance (which God work in us all, for his mercy's sake) we run unto the Lord our God, which is exorable, merciful, and sorry for the evil poured out upon us; and cry out unto him with Daniel, saying : 'We have sinned, we have sinned grievously, 0 Lord God, against thy majesty. We have heaped iniquity upon iniquity ; the measure of our transgressions floweth over : so P 'live' 1563: 'love' 1564 and Emman. MSS.] 458 FAREWELL TO WALDEN. that just is thy vengeance and wrath fallen upon us : for we are very miserable, we have contemned thy long-suffer ing, we have not hearkened to thy voice. When thou hast called us by thy preachers, we hardened our hearts; and therefore now deserve that thou send thy curse hereupon to "harden our hearts" also, that we should henceforth "have eyes and see not, ears and hear not, hearts and understand not, lest we should be converted and saved." 0 be merciful unto us ; spare us, good Lord, and all thy people, whom thou hast dearly bought. Let not thine enemies triumph alto gether and always against thee ; for then will they be puft up. "Look down, and behold the pitiful complaints of the poor;'' "let the sorrowful sighing of the simple come in thy sight, and be not angry with us for ever." " Turn us," 0 Lord God of hosts, "unto thee," and turn thee unto us, "that thou mayest be justified" in thy sweet sentences, and "overcome when thou art judged," as now thou art of our adversaries ; for they say, ' " Where is their God ? " Can God deliver them now? Can their gospel save1 them?' 0 Lord, how long? For the glory of thy name, and for thy honour's sake, in the bowels and blood of Jesus Christ, we humbly beseech thee, come and help us ; for we are very miserable. On this sort, I say, dearly beloved, let us publicly and privately bewail our sins ; but so that hereto we join ceasing from wilfulness and sin of purpose: for else "the Lord heareth not our prayers" as David saith ; and in St John it is written, The impenitent "sinners God heareth not." Now impenitent are they which purpose not to amend their lives : as for example, not only such which follow still their pleasures in covetousness2, uncleanness, carnality; but those also which for fear or favour of man do against their conscience consent to the Romish rags, and resort to the rotten religion, com municating in service and ceremonies with the papists ; thereby declaring themselves to love more the world than God, to fear man more than Christ, to dread more the loss of tem poral things than of eternal; in whom it is evident "the love of God abideth not," for " he that loveth the world hath not God's love abiding in him," saith St John. Therefore, my dear hearts, and dear again in the Lord, [i ' serve ' 1563 and 1564 : ' save,' Emman. MSS.] P 'in covetousness' 1564 and Emman. MSS. : not in 1563.] FAREWELL TO WALDEN. 459 remember what you have professed, Christ's religion and name, and the renouncing of the devil, sin, and the world. Remem ber that tofore ye learned A. B. C.3, your lesson was Christ's cross. Forget not that Christ will have no disciples but such as will promise "to deny themselves, to take up their cross (mark, they must4 take it up) and follow him," and not the multitude, custom, and use5. Consider for God's sake, that " if we gather not with Christ, Matt. xii. we scatter abroad." " What should it profit a man to win the whole world, and lose his own soul?" We must not forget that this life is a wilderness, and not a paradise. Here is not our home ; we are now in warfare ; we must needs fight, or else be taken prisoners. Of all things we have in this life we shall carry nothing with us. If Christ be our Cap tain, we must follow him as good6 soldiers. If we keep com pany with him in affliction, we shall be sure of his society in glory. If we forsake not him, he will never forsake us. " If we confess him, he will confess us : but if we deny him, he will deny us:" if we be ashamed of him, he will be ashamed of us. Wherefore, as he forsook Father, and heaven, and all things, to come to us ; so let us forsake all things and come to him, being sure and most certain that we shall not lose thereby. Your children shall find and feel it double, yea, treble, whatsoever you lose for the Lord's sake: and you shall find and feel peace of conscience and friendship with God, which is more worth than all the goods of the world. My dearly beloved, therefore, for the Lord's sake con sider these things, which now I write unto you of love, for my vale and last 'farewell' for ever, in this present life. Turn to the Lord, repent you your evil and unthankful life, declare repentance by the fruits. Take time while you have it; come to the Lord whiles he calleth you ; run into his lap whiles his arms be open to embrace you ; " seek him whiles he may be found;" "call upon him" whiles time is. convenient. Forsake and "flee from all evil," both in religion, and in the P See p. 264, note 1, above.] P 'they must' 1564 and autograph MS. : not in 1563, or MS. 2. 2. 15.no. 100., or MS. 1. 2. 8.] P '&c.' 1563, autograph MS., and MS. 2. 2. 15. no. 100. : ' and use' 1564 and MS. 1. 2. 8.] P 'good' 1564: not in 1563, or Emman. MSS.] 460 FAREWELL TO WALDEN. Matt. v. rest of your life and conversation. " Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and praise God in the day of his visitation." "0 come again, come again, you strange children, and I will receive you," saith the Lord. " Convert and turn to me, Ezek. xxxiii. and I will turn unto you." "Why will ye needs perish? As sure as I live," sweareth the Lord, " I will not your death ; isai.xiix. turn therefore unto me." " Can a woman forget the child of her womb ? If she should, yet will not I forget you, saith isai. xiiii. the Lord your God." " I am he, I am he which put away your sins for mine own sake." 0 then, dear friends, turn, I say, unto your dearest Father. Cast not these his sweet and loving words to the ground, and at your tail ; for the Lord watcheth on his word to perform it, which is in two sorts : to them that lay it1 up in their hearts and believe it, will he pay all and eternal joy and comfort; but to them that cast it at their backs and wilfully forget it, to them, I say, will he pour out indignation and eternal shame. Wherefore I heartily yet once more beseech and pray you and every of you not to contemn this poor and simple exhortation, which now out of prison I make unto you, or rather the Lord by me. Loth would I be to be a witness against you in the last day ; as of truth I must be if ye repent not, if ye love not God's gospel, yea, if ye live it not. Therefore to conclude, repent, love God's gospel, live it in all your conversation : so shall God's name be praised, his plagues mitigated, his people comforted, and his enemies ashamed. Grant all this, thou gracious Lord God, to every of us for thy dear Son's sake, our Saviour Jesus Christ : to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be eternal glory, for ever and and ever, Amen. The2 12th of February, 1555. By the bondman of the Lord, your afflicted poor brother, J. Bradford. [i 'it' 1564 and Emman. MSS. ; not in 1563.] P 'the' 1564: not in 1563.] EXAMINATIONS AND PRISON-CONFERENCES, 1555. ^[811$* ^atttmacums of tf)t Constant* iftarttr of GOD M. Iohn Bradforde, before the Lorde Cfcaunttllour* 35* of WHntft&ttr tbt &? of £on&on,& ot&er comfs&w oners: fofoerbnto ar annejretr Jn's pn'uate talk Sc ronfltctes m prison after fits rontremnarion, foifi!) tfre 8rrf)Otsl)op of porfe, tfce as, of Chester, aifon-- stts, antr Ems; $&t-- lips confessour, ttoo £>pamsl)e freers, aritr sunorp o- tfeers, mitf) fris mofcest lear-- mtr antr gooip an-- sfoeres. Anno. Domini. 1561. IT Cum Priuilegio ad impri- mendum solum. [See the colophon at p. 556 of this volume.] [The 'Examinations' of Bradford were forwarded in MS. by Arch bishop Grindal from Strasburgh, November 28, 1557, to Foxe the martyrologist. The archbishop wrote: 'I now send to you the ex aminations of Bradford, and some of his other writings, that you may employ yourself as you please in translating them.' To this Foxe replied: 'I have received the narrative of Bradford, with various letters of his, which had been sent to different persons. I perceive in this matter, my Edmond, how faithful you are to your promise, and with out fault, as they say. Would that we had all other remains of the martyrs brought together with equal care 1 ! ' The 'examinations' and a large portion of the 'conferences' ap peared in Latin, in the edition of the ' Acts and monuments * of Foxe printed in that language, the Rerum in ecclesia gestarum commentarii, Basil. 1559 ; and nearly the whole is given in the first English impres sion, 1563, of the 'Acts' of Foxe, and in all subsequent editions. The 'Examinations and conferences,' printed separately by Griffith 1561, alone supply the 'conferences,' p. 493 — 552, in the form in which they were penned, at least for the most part, by Bradford himself; for that impression supplies words and phrases throughout, sentences oc casionally, and in one place (515 — 82) three pages not given in any edition of Foxe. The 'Prison-conferences' are also written throughout in the edition of 1561 in the first person; and sometimes convey the feelings of Bradford in that edition in brief colloquialisms, which could scarcely have been employed by any one else3. The present reprint follows the text (unless where otherwise noted) of a copy of the exceedingly scarce edition of Griffith, 1561, in the possession of the editor4. The 'Reasons against transubstantiation,' p. 544—6, are printed from the 'Acts,' &c. of Foxe, 1563; see p. 544, note 3: and the 'Col loquy between Bradford and a gentlewoman's servant,' p. 553 — 6, is taken from the 'Acts,' &c. of Foxe, 1570, where it was first published. [' Abp. Grindal, Remains, p. 228—30, Parker Soc. The originals of these letters are in Latin.] P See p. 518, note 1.] P As for instance, p. 495, line 3 of text; and p. 534, lines 1 and 2 of fourth paragraph. It should be observed that the various editions of the ' Acts and monuments ' present the 'examinations and conferences ' faithfully ; the omissions in most instances not affect ing the dialogues, but being either merely verbal, or connected with the change from the first to the third person, or referring to the personal history or character of Bradford.] [' The short headings of the various ' Conferences ' (as for instance, 'Talk between Dr Harpsfield, archdeacon, and Master Bradford,' p. 502, not being supplied in the 'Examinations and conferences ' 1561, are taken from the 'Acts and monuments' 1583.] 464 The text of the 'Examinations and conferences,' Griffith 1561, has been compared throughout with the Latin edition of Foxe, 1559, and with the English editions of 1563 and 1583. The 'first examination,' the conferences with Harpsfield, and part of that with Archbishop Heath and Bishop Day, have also been compared with early transcripts in the British Museum and Emmanuel College, Cambridge : and nine lines are now first printed at p. 472. A few of the most important differences are mentioned in the notes ; and the minutest variations are specified whenever the text of 1561 is not followed. It deserves to be recorded, that the line which Bradford pursued in his three Examinations obtained the most cordial approbation from his illustrious friend and patron, Bishop Ridley. That prelate, on receiving the documents, while in prison at Oxford, wrote to Bradford as follows : " Blessed be the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for your threefold confession. I have read all three with great comfort and joy, and thanksgiving unto God for his manifold gifts of grace, wherewith it is manifest to the godly reader that God did assist you mightily. And blessed be God again and again, which gave you so good a mind and remembrance of your oath, once made against the bishop of Rome; (lest you should be partaker of the common perjury, which all men almost are now fallen into, in bringing in again that wicked usurped power of his :) which oath was made ac cording to the prophet in judgment, in righteousness, and in truth; and therefore cannot without perjury be revoked, let Satan roar and rage, and practise all the cruelty he can. " O good Lord, that they are so busy with you about the church ! It is no new thing, brother, that is happened unto you ; for that was always the clamour of the wicked bishops and priests against God's true prophets, ' The temple of the Lord,' 'the temple of the Lord,' ' the temple of the Lord : ' and they said, ' The law shall not depart from the priest, nor wisdom from the elder ;' and yet in them whom they only esteemed for their priests and sages, there was neither God's law, nor godly wisdom1."] [> Bp. Coverdale, Letters of the martyrs, 1564, p. 65—6 ; Bp. Ridley, Works, p. 369-70. Parker Soc] THE EFFECT OF MASTER JOHN BRADFORD'S EXAMINATION BEFORE THE LORD CHANCELLOR BISHOP OF WINCHES TER, THE BISHOP OF LONDON, AND OTHERS IN COMMISSION, THE 22nd OF JANUARY i, ANNO DOMINI 1555. After the lord chancellor, and the residue of the queen's Examina- council in commission with him, had ended their talk with Bradford,' . Griffith, 1561. master Ferrar, late bishop ot fet David s, the under-marshal Foxe Acts of the King's Bench was commanded to bring in master Brad- f^^ion* ford ; who, being come into the presence of the council sitting MS. Lansd, at a table, he kneeling down on his knee, but immediately by ?m2'iy my lord chancellor was bidden to stand up ; and so he did. Briush'&u- When he was risen, the lord chancellor earnestly looked upon him, to have, belike, over-faced him : but he gave no ""^f^i"" place ; that is, he ceased not in like manner to look on the Cambridge. lord chancellor still and continually, save that once he cast his eyes to heaven-ward, sighing for God's help, and so out faced him, as they say. Then the lord chancellor, as it were amazed and some thing troubled, spake thus to him in effect : " Thou hast been a long time imprisoned justly for thy behaviour at Paul's Cross, the 13th of August, anno 1553, for thy false preaching and arrogance, taking upon thee to preach without authority 2. But now," quoth he, " the time of mercy is come : and therefore the queen's highness, minding to offer unto you mercy, hath by us sent for you, to declare and give the same, if so be ye will with us return : and," quoth he, " if you will do as we have done, you shall find as we have found, I warrant you." These were the sum, and even in manner the words which he spake. To these words master Bradford spake (after reverent obeisance made) in this manner : " My lord and lords all, I confess that I have been long prisoned, and (with humble reverence be it spoken) unjustly ; P 'April,' the edition of 1561, a misprint or error: 'January,' Foxe, acts,&c. 1563.] [2 ' Thou hast been . . . authority,' Emman. MS. : ' that of long time he had been,' &c. in the third person, . . . ' without authority,' 1661.] r ¦ -i " 30 [BRADFORD. J 466 THE FIRST EXAMINATION. for that I did nothing seditiously, falsely, or arrogantly, in word or fact, by preaching or otherwise ; but rather sought peace and all godly quietness, as an obedient and faithful subject, both in going about to save the bishop of Bath that now is1, then master Bourn, the preacher at the Cross, and in preaching for quietness accordingly." At these words, or rather before he had fully finished them, the lord chancellor something snuffed, and spake with an admiration, that " there was a loud lie ; for," quoth he, " the fact was seditious, as you my lord of London can bear witness." " You say true, my lord," quoth the bishop of London, " I saw him with mine own eyes, when he took upon him to rule and lead the people malapertly ; thereby declaring that he was the author of the sedition." Here John Bradford replied, and said that, "notwith standing my lord bishop's seeing and saying, that he had told was the truth: as one day," quoth he, " my Lord God almighty shall reveal to all the world, when we all shall come and ap pear before him. In the mean season, because I cannot be believed of you, I must and am ready to suffer, as now your sayings, so whatsoever God shall license you to do unto me." " I know," quoth my lord chancellor then, " thou hast a glorious tongue, and goodly shews thou makest; but all is lies thou speakest2. And again, I have not forgotten how This talk of stubborn thou wert when thou wert before us in the Tower, Bradford t . , . . ,. . T TowMcame wnitfler thou wast committed to prison concerning religion : I hands.[Foxe, have not forgotten thy behaviour and talk, wherethrough 1570,' ^.d af- worthily thou hast been kept in prison, as one that would ter editions.] jjaye (jone more hurt than I will speak of." "My lord," quoth Bradford, "as I said I say again, that I stand, as before you, so before God ; and one day we shall all stand before him : the truth then will be the truth, though you will not now so take it. Tea, my lord," quoth he, "I dare say that my lord of Bath, master Bourn, will witness with me that I sought his safeguard with the peril of mine own life ; I thank God therefor." " That is not true," quoth the bishop of London ; " for I myself did see thee take upon thee too much." " No," quoth Bradford, " I took nothing upon me un- [i 'now' 1561: ' that now is,' Emman. MS.] [2 'that thou doest' 1561 : 'thou speakest' 1563.] THE FIRST EXAMINATION. 467 desired, and that of master Bourn himself, as, if he were here present, I dare say he would affirm it; for he desired me both to help him to pacify the people, and not to leave him till he was in safety. And as for my behaviour in the Tower, and talk before your honours, if I did or said any thing that did not beseem me, if wherein your lordships would tell me, I should and would shortly make you answer." "Well," quoth my lord chancellor, "to leave this matter; how sayest thou now ? Wilt thou return again, and do as we have done? and thou shalt receive the queen's mercy and pardon." " My lord," quoth Bradford, " I desire mercy with God's mercy ; but mercy with God's wrath, God keep me from ! although (I thank God therefor) my conscience doth not ac cuse me that I did or spake any thing wherefor I should need to receive the queen's3 mercy or pardon, but rather reward and praise4. For all that ever I did or spake was both5 agree ing to God's laws, and the laws of the realm at that present, and did make much to5 quietness." " Well," quoth my lord chancellor, " if thou make this babbling rolling in thy eloquent tongue, being altogether ignorant and vain-glorious, and will not receive mercy offered to thee, know for truth that the queen is minded to make a purgation of all such as thou art." "The Lord," quoth Bradford, "tofore whom I stand as well as before you, knoweth what vain-glory I have sought and seek in this behalf: his mercy I desire, and also would be glad of the queen's favour, to live as a subject without clog of conscience : but otherwise the Lord's mercy is to me better than life. And I know," quoth he, " to whom I have com mitted my life, even to his hands which will keep it, so that no man may take it away before it be his pleasure. There are twelve hours in the day ; and as long as they last, so long shall no man have power thereon : therefore his good will be done. Life in his displeasure is worse than death ; and death in his true favour is true life." " I knew well enough," quoth my lord chancellor, " that we should have glorious talk enough of thee : be sure there- [3 'the queen's' 1563 : not in 1561.] [4 'but rather reward and praise,' Emman. MS. : not in 1561.] [6 'both,' 'to,' 1563 : not in 1561.] 30—2 468 THE FIRST EXAMINATION. fore that, as thou hast deceived the people with false and devilish doctrine, so shalt thou receive." "I have not deceived," quod1 Bradford, "the people, nor taught any other doctrine than by God's grace I am, and hope shall be, ready to confirm with my life. And as for devilishness and falseness in the doctrine, I would be sorry you could so prove it." Sun " Why," quoth the bishop of Duresme, " tell me what you say by the ministration of the communion as you now know it is?" " My lord," saith Bradford, " here must I desire of your lordship and of all your honours a question, tofore I do make answer to any interrogatory or question wherewith you now begin. I have been six times sworn, that I should in no case consent to the practising of any jurisdiction, or any authority, on the bishop of Rome's behalf within this realm of England. Now therefore, before God, I humbly pray your honours to tell me, whether you ask me this question by his authority, or not? If you do, I dare not, nor may not answer you any thing in his authority you shall demand of me, except I would be forsworn ; which God forbid." "Hast thou been sworn six times?" quoth master secre tary Bourn : " what offices hast thou" borne ?" " Here is another lie," quoth my lord chancellor. " Forsooth," quoth Bradford, " I was thrice sworn in Cambridge ; when I was admitted master of art, when I was elected2 fellow in Pembroke hall, and when I was there the visitors came thither and sware the university. Again I was sworn when I entered into the ministry, when I had a pre bend given me, and when I was sworn to serve the king a little before his death3." " Tush," quoth my lord chancellor, " Herod's oaths a man should make no conscience at." " But," quoth Bradford, " my lord, these oaths were no Herod's oaths, nor no unlawful oaths, but oaths according to ll ' Quod :' quoth, saith, or said. Vide Nares, Glossary.] [2 'admitted' 1561: ' elected,' Emman. MS.] [3 The Latin edition of Foxe, Acts, &c, 1559, has . . . 'sub mortem rursus regis, quando hoc idem jusjurandum promiscue a nobis omnibus est repetitum.' — Fox. Rerum in eccles. gestar. comm. p. 468, Basil. 1559.] THE FIRST EXAMINATION. 469 God's word ; as you yourself have well affirmed in your book, De vera obediential." "My lords," quoth another of the council that stood by the table (master Rochester, I ween), " I never knew where for this man was in prison before now ; but I see well that it had not been good that this man had been abroad. Whatsoever was the cause he was laid in prison, I know not ; but I now see well that not without cause he was and is to be kept in prison." " Yea," quoth secretary Bourn, " it was reported this parliament time by the earl of Derby, that he hath done more hurt by letters, and exhorting those that have come to him in religion, than ever he did when he was abroad by preaching. In his letters he curseth all that teacheth false doctrine (for so he calleth that which is not according to that he taught), and most heartily exhorteth them to whom he writeth to continue still in that they have received by him, and such like as he is." All which words divers others of the council affirmed. Whereunto the said master Bourn added, saying, "How say you, sirrah?" speaking to Bradford, " have you not thus seditiously written and exhorted the people ? " " I have not5," quoth Bradford, " written, nor spoken any thing seditiously ; and (I thank God therefor) I have not ad mitted any seditious cogitation, nor I trust never shall do." " Tea, but thou hast written letters," quoth master secre tary Bourn. " Why speakest thou not ? " quoth my lord chancellor : " hast thou not written as he saith ? " " That," quoth Bradford, " I have written, I have written." P Et sequum cuiquam videbitur, quia veritati pareo, appellari men- dacem? quia in obediendo principi Deo inservio, sacrorum contemp- torem diei aut jurisjurandi violatorem? Et quod ridicule objicitur marito post divortium, qui fidem non prsestitit, quam dare non debuit ; id mihi in hac causa graviter et serio objicietur, qui gravissimo quidem veritatis judicio ab ilia Romana ecclesia, quam mihi retinere non licuit, divulsus, sponsam veritatem tandem postliminio redeuntem cogor ag- noscere, atque illi firmiter adheerere? .... Secundum quam rationem fit, ut ne in civilibus quidem legibus ulla sit turpium ohligatio : vide licet ne in criminibus perseverantiam potius quam resipiscentiam probasse videantur. In ecclesiasticis vero sanctionibus, nullo eum teneri nexu, qui illicita juraverit, dininitum est, cum juramentum non sit vinculum iniquitatis. — Steph. Winton. De vera obed. signat. I. 3—4, Lond. 1535. Copy, Bodl. Libr. Oxford. See note H.] P 'not' 1563: omitted in 1561.] 470 THE FIRST EXAMINATION. " Lord God," quoth master Southwell, " what an arrogant and stubborn boy is this, that thus stoutly and dallyingly be- haveth1 himself before the queen's council!" Whereat one looked upon another with disdainful countenance. " My lords and masters," quoth Bradford, " the Lord God which is, and will judge us all, knoweth that as I am certain I stand now before his Majesty, so with reverence in his sight I stand before you: and unto you2 accordingly in words and gesture I desire to behave myself. If you otherwise take it, I doubt not but God in his time will reveal it. In the mean season I shall suffer with all due obedience your sayings and deeds too, I hope." " These be gay glorious words," quoth my lord chancellor, " of reverence ; but, as in all other things, so herein thou dost nothing but lie." " Well," quoth Bradford, " I would God, the Author of truth, and abhorrer of lies, would pull my tongue out of my head before you all, and shew a terrible judgment on me here presently, if I have purposed or do purpose to lie before you, whatsoever you shall ask me." " Why then," quoth my lord chancellor, " dost thou not answer ? Hast thou written such letters as here is objected against thee?" "As I said, my lord," quod Bradford, "that I have written, I have written. I stand now before you, which either can lay my letters to my charge or not. If you lay any thing to my charge that I have written, if I deny it, I am then a liar." " We shall never have done with thee, I perceive now," saith my lord chancellor. "Be short, be short: wilt thou have mercy ?" " I pray God," quoth Bradford, " give me his mercy ; and if therewith you will extend yours, I will not refuse it ; but otherwise I will not." Here was now much ado, one speaking this, and other speaking that, of his arrogancy in refusing the queen's par don, which she so lovingly did offer unto him : whereto Brad ford answered thus : " My lords, if I may live as a quiet subject without clog of conscience, I shall heartily thank you for your pardon : if [i 'behave' 1561: 'behaveth' 1563.] [2 'unto your and' 1561 : 'and unto you' 1563.] THE FIRST EXAMINATION. 471 otherwise I behave myself, then I am in danger of the law3. In the mean season I ask no more but the benefit of a subject, till I be convinced of transgression. If I cannot have this, as hitherto I have not had, God's good will be done." Upon these words, my lord chancellor began a long pro cess of the false doctrine wherewith people were deceived in the days of king Edward ; and so turned the end of his talk to Bradford, saying, "How sayest thou?" " My lord," quoth Bradford, " the doctrine taught in king Edward's days was God's pure religion, the which as I then believed, so do I now more believe than ever I did: and therein I am more confirmed, and ready to declare it, by God's grace even as he will, to the world, than I was when I first came into prison." " What religion mean you," quoth the bishop of Duresme, "in king Edward's days? What year of his reign4?" " Forsooth," quoth Bradford, " even that same year of his reign, my lord, that the king died, and I was a5 preacher." Here wrote master secretary Bourn I wot not what. Now after a little pausing, my lord chancellor beginneth again to declare that the doctrine taught in king Edward's days was heresy, using for probation and demonstration thereof no scripture nor reason but this, that it ended with treason and rebellion : " so that," quoth he, " the very end were enough to improve that doctrine to be naught." " Ah, my lord !" quoth Bradford, " that you would enter into God's sanctuary, and mark the end of this present doc trine you now so magnify ! " "What meanest thou by that?" quoth he: "I ween we shall have a snatch of rebellion even now." P 'faute' 1561 : 'law' 1563, and Emman. MS.] P The Latin edition of Foxe, Acts, &c, 1559, has : ' Erant tempori- bus Edouardi librorum ad sacrum ecclesise cultum ac ritus attinentium plures editiones : qui etsi omnes reformandse serviebant religioni, ta men quia sic visum erat illis, quorum id interfuit, ecclesise statum paulatim ac temporibus quasique intervallis quibusdam emendare, semel atque iterum mutabantur, vel potius corrigebantur codices. Earn varietatem exprobrans evangelicis Tonstallus episcopus Dunel- mensis, velutique eos levitatis et inconstantise insimulans, rogat illico Bradfordum, Quamnam religionis sub Edouardo formulam sentiret, quotoque in anno regni illius editam ?' — Fox. Rerum &c. comm. p. 469, Basil. JL559.] P 'a' 1563: not in 1561.] 472 THE FIRST EXAMINATION. " No," quoth Bradford, " my lord, I mean no such end as you would gather : I mean an end which none seeth but they that enter into God's sanctuary. If a man look but on pre sent things, he will soon deceive himself." Here now did my lord chancellor offer again mercy ; and Bradford answered, as before, " Mercy with God's mercy should be welcome ; but otherwise he would none." Where upon the said lord chancellor did ring a little bell, belike to call in somebody ; for there was present none in manner but only those before named, and the bishop of Worcester. Now when one was come in, " It is best," quoth master secretary Bourn, " that you give the keeper a charge of this fellow." So was the under-marshal called in. " You shall take this man to you," quoth my lord chan cellor, " and keep him close without conference with any man but by your knowledge; and suffer him not to write any letters, &c. ; for he is of another manner of charge unto you now than he was before." And so, after humble obeisance to the council, [I] went with my keeper ; and, as God knoweth, with as merry a heart and so quiet a conscience and ever I had in all my life ; rejoicing that it had pleased the goodness of God, through his mercy, to call me, most wretched sinner, to such an office as to be a witness-bearer of his truth. This is the sum of my first examination. God of his mercy deliver his people from evil. Amen. By me, John Bradford1- (And so they departed, the said Bradford looking as cheerfully as any man could do, declaring thereby even a desire to give his life for confirmation of that he hath taught and written : and surely, if he do so, his death will destroy more of the Philistines, as Sampson did, than ever he did in his life. God Almighty keep him, and all his fellows bound for the Lord's sake. Amen2.) P The last nine lines are now first printed from the Lansdowne MS. no. 389. fol. 10.] [2 The second transcript of this 'Examination' in the Lansd. MS. no. 389. and a fragment of an early transcript in Emman. Coll. Cam bridge, MS. 1. 2. 8. no. 14. 3. add here: 'Thus have I written unto you the effect and order of the talk, as I heard it reported of a credible person that was not far off when the examination was made.'] 473 THE EFFECT OF THE SECOND EXAMINATION OF JOHN BRADFORD IN THE TEMPLE OF ST MARY OVERY'S, BEFORE THE LORD CHANCELLOR, AND DIVERS OTHER BISHOPS, THE 2.9xh DAY OF JANUARY, ] 555. After the excommunication of John Rogers, John Brad- Examina- ford was called in ; and standing before the lord chancellor Bradford,' ° and other bishops set with him, the said lord chancellor spake r A Foxe, Acts, thus in effect, that where tofore, the 22nd of January, they fj!^^™* called the said Bradford before them, and offered unto him the queen's pardon, although he had contemned the same, and further he said that he would stiffly and stoutly maintain and defend the erroneous doctrine holden in the days of king Edward the sixth; yet, in consideration that the queen's highness is wonderful merciful, they thought good eftsoons to offer the same mercy again, before it be too late. " There fore," quoth my lord chancellor, " now advise you well ; there is yet space and grace tofore we so proceed that you be committed to the secular power, as we must do and will do, if you will not follow the example of master Barlow and Card- maker3 :" whom he there commended, adding oratoriously amplifications, to move the said Bradford to yield to the reli gion presently set forth. After the lord chancellor's long talk, Bradford began on this sort to speak : " My lord," quoth he, " and my lords all, as now I stand in your sight before you, so I humbly beseech your honours to consider that you sit in the sight4 of the Lord, who, as David doth witness, ' is in the congregations of judges,' and [Ps. lxxxii. sits in the midst of them judging : and as you would your place to be now of us taken as God's place, so demonstrate yourselves to follow him in your sitting ; that is, seek no guiltless blood, nor hunt not by questions to bring into the [3 See p. 290, note 3, above.] [¦» 'sight' 1561: 'seat' 1563.] 474 THE SECOND EXAMINATION. snare them which are out of the same. At this present I stand before you guilty or guiltless : if guilty, then proceed and give sentence accordingly ; if guiltless, then give me the benefit of a subject, which hitherto I could not have." Here the lord chancellor replied, and said that the said Bradford began with a true sentence, Deus stetit in synagoga, [" God hath stood in the congregation,"] &c. : " but," quoth he, " this and all thy gesture declareth but hypocrisy and vain-glory." And further he made much ado to purge him self, that he sought no guiltless blood ; and so began a long st mum ob- process how that Bradford's fact at Paul's Cross was pre- jurges, vitae L . i • 1 , q>uauxiiium sumptuous, arrogant, and declared a taking upon him to lead dederit dam- *^e People '¦> " which could not but turn to much disquietness," mafum? quoth he, " in that thou" (speaking to Bradford) " wast so Andr^ict i. prefract1 and stout in religion at that present. For the which, Seen, ut-js'.-] as thou wast then committed to prison, so hitherto hast thou andSter ' been kept in prison, where thou hast written letters to no editions.] A A , , , - n , , little hurt to the queen s people, as by the report 01 the earl of Derby in the parliament-house was credibly reported." And to this he added, that the said Bradford did stubbornly behave himself the last time he was before them: "and therefore not for any other thing now I demand thee of," quoth he, " but of and for thy doctrine and religion." " My lord," quoth Bradford, " where you accuse me of hypocrisy and vain-glory, I must and will leave it to the Lord's declaration, which one day will open yours and my truth and hearty dealings. In the mean season I will content myself with the testimony of mine own conscience ; which, if it yielded to hypocrisy, could not but have God my foe also; and so both God and man were against me. As for my fact at Paul's Cross, and behaviour before you at the Tower, I doubt not but God will reveal it to my comfort : for if ever I did any thing which God used to public benefit, I think that that my deed was one ; and yet for it I have been and am kept of long time in prison. And as for letters and religion, I answer," quoth Bradford, " as I did the last time I was before you." " There didst thou say," quoth my lord chancellor, " that thou wouldest stubbornly and manly maintain the erroneous doctrine in king Edward's days." I1 'Prefract:' obstinate, from the Latin 'prsefractus.'] THE SECOND EXAMINATION. 475 " My lord," quoth Bradford, " I said the last time I was before you, that I had six times taken an oath that I should never consent to the practising of any jurisdiction on the bishop of Bome his behalf ; and therefore durst not answer to any thing that2 should be demanded so, lest I should be forsworn ; which God forbid. Howbeit, saving mine oath, I said that I was more confirmed in the doctrine set forth pubhc in king Edward's days, than ever I was before I was put in prison : and so I thought I should be, and think yet still I shall be, found more ready to give my life as God will, for the confirmation of the same." " I remember well," quoth my lord chancellor, " that thou madest much ado about a needless matter, as though the oath against the bishop of Bome were so great a matter. So others have done before thee, but yet not in such sort as thou hast done ; for thou pretendest a conscience in it, which is nothing else but mere hypocrisy." " My conscience," quoth Bradford, " is known to the Lord: and whether I deal herein hypocritically or no, he knoweth. As I said therefore then, my lord," quoth he, " so say I again now, that, for fear lest I should be perjured, I dare not make answer to any thing you shall demand of me, if my answering should consent to the practising of any juris diction for the bishop of Bome here in England." " Why," quoth my lord chancellor, " didst thou not begin to tell that we are dii [gods] and sit in God's place; and now wilt thou not make us answer ?" " My lord," quoth Bradford, " I said you would have your place taken of us now as God's place ; and therefore I brought forth^that piece of scripture, that ye might be the more admonished to follow God and his ways at this present ; who seeth us all, and well perceiveth whether of conscience I pretend this matter of the oath or no." " No," quoth my lord chancellor, " all men may see thine hypocrisy : for if for thine oath's sake thou dost not answer, then wouldest thou not have spoken as thou didst, and have answered me at the first : but now men may well perceive that this is but a starting-hole to hide thyself in, because thou darest not answer, and so wouldest escape, p 'that' 1570: not in 1561 or 1563.] 476 THE SECOND EXAMINATION. blinding the simple people's eyes, as though of conscience you did all you do." " That which I spake at the first," quoth Bradford, " was not a replication or an answer to that you spake to me ; and therefore I needed1 not to lay for me mine oath: for I thought perchance you would have more weighed what I did speak, than you did. But when I perceived you did not con sider it, but came to ask matter, whereto by answering I should consent to the practising of jurisdiction on the bishop of Bome his behalf here in England, and so be forsworn ; then of conscience and simplicity I spake, as I do yet again speak, that I dare not for conscience' sake answer you : and therefore I seek no starting-holes, nor go about to blind the people, as God knoweth. For if you of your honour shall tell me that you do not ask me any thing whereby my an swering should consent to the practising of2 the bishop of Bome's jurisdiction, ask me wherein you will, and you shall hear that I will answer you as flatly as ever any did that came before you. I am not afraid of death, I thank God ; for I look and have looked for nothing else at your hands of long time : but I am afraid, when death cometh, I should have matter to trouble my conscience by the guiltiness of perjury ; and therefore do answer as I do." " These be but gay glorious words," quoth my lord chan cellor, " full of hypocrisy and vain-glory : and yet dost not thou know," quoth he, speaking to Bradford, " that I sit here as bishop of Winchester in mine own diocese, and therefore may do this which I do, and more too ?" " My lord," quoth Bradford, " give me leave to ask you this question, that my conscience may be out of. doubt in this matter. Tell me here coram Deo, ' before God,' all this audience being witness, that you demand me nothing whereby my answering should consent to and confirm the practice of jurisdiction for the bishop of Bome here in England; and your honour shall hear me give you as flat and as plain answers briefly to whatsoever you shall demand me, as ever any did." Here the lord chancellor was wonderfully offended, and spake much how that the bishop of Bome's authority needed no [i 'need' 1561: ' needed' 1563.] [* 'to' 1561: 'of 1563.] THE SECOND EXAMINATION. 477 confirmation of Bradford's answering, nor no such as he was ; and turned his talk to the people, how that Bradford followed crafty covetous merchants, which, because they would lend no money to their neighbours when they were in need, would say that they had sworn oft they would never lend any more money, because their debtors3 had so oft deceived them. " Even so thou," quoth he to Bradford, " dost at this present, to cast a mist in the people's eyes, to blear them with an heresy, (which is greater, and more hurtful to the common wealth,) pretend thine oath, whereby the people might make a conscience, where as they should not. Why speakest thou not ?" quoth he. " My lord," quoth Bradford, " as I said, I say again : I dare not answer you for fear of perjury, from which God defend me ; or else I could tell you that there is a difference between oaths. Some be according to faith and charity, as the oath against the bishop of Bome : some be against faith and charity, as this, to deny my help to my brother in his need." Here again the lord chancellor was much offended, still saying that Bradford durst not answer; and further made much ado to prove that the oath against4 the bishop of Rome was against charity. But Bradford answered, that howsoever his honour took him, yet was he assured of his meaning, that no fear but the fear of perjury made him affeared to answer. " For as for death, my lord," quoth he, "as I know there are twelve hours in the day, so with the Lord my time is appointed ; and when it shall be his good time, then shall I depart hence: but in the mean season," quoth he, " I am safe enough, though all the world had sworn my death. Into his hands I have committed it : his good will be done ! And," quoth Bradford, " saving mine oath, I will answer you in this be half, that the oath against the bishop of Bome was not, nor is not, against charity." " How prove you that ?" quoth my lord chancellor. "Forsooth," quoth Bradford, "I prove it thus: That is not against charity, which is not against God's word; but this oath against the bishop of Bome's authority in Eng- [3 'creditors' 1561: 'debtors' 1563.] [* 'to' 1561: 'against' 1563.] 478 THE SECOND EXAMINATION. land is not against God's word: therefore it is not against charity1." " Is it not against God's word," quoth my lord chancel lor, " that a man should take a king to be supreme head of the church in his realm ?" " No," quoth Bradford, " saving still mine oath, it is not against God's word, but with it, being taken in such sense as it may be well taken ; that is, attributing to the king's power the sovereignty in all his dominions." " I pray you," quoth the lord chancellor, " where find you that?" " I find it in many places," quoth Bradford, " but spe cially in the thirteenth to the Romans, where St Paul writeth, • every soul to be obedient to the superior power :' but what power ? Quob gladium gestat, ' The power verily which beareth the sword ;' which is not the spiritual, but the tem poral power : as Chrysostom full well noteth," quoth Brad ford, " upon the same place, which your honour knoweth better than I. He (Chrysostom I mean) there plainly sheweth that bishops, prophets, and apostles, owe obedience to the temporal magistrates2." Here yet more the lord chancellor was stirred, and said how that Bradford went about to deny all obedience to the queen for his oath ; " and so," quoth he, " this man would make God's word a warrant of disobedience : for he will answer the queen on this sort, that, when she saith, ' Now swear to the bishop of Rome, or obey his authority ;' ' No,' will he say, ' for I am then forsworn ;' and so make the queen no queen." [x Foxe, Acts, &c. 1570, p. 1785, and the after editions, give the reasoning of Bradford in the following form : Argv/ment. Fe- Nothing is against charity, which is with God's word, and not against it. sti- The oath against the bishop of Rome's authority in England is with God's word, and not against it. no. Ergo the oath against the bishop of Rome's authority in England is not against charity.] [2 Kal oeiKvis Sti rrao-i ravra SiardrTeTai, Kal lepevcri, Kal povayois, oixl Tois fSimriKois pdvov, eK rrpooipiav avrd SrjXov irroirjo-ev, ovra \eyav rracra \frvxr) egovaiais vwepexoia-ais vrroTao-o-ecrBa. Chrysost. In Epist. ad Rom. Hom. xxiii. Op. ix. 686, ed. Bened. Par. 1718 — 38.] THE SECOND EXAMINATION. 479 ''No," quoth Bradford, "I go not about to deny all obedience to the queen's highness by denying obedience in this part, if she should demand it. For I was sworn to king Edward, not simply (that is, not only concerning his own person), but also concerning his successors : and therefore in denying to do the queen's request herein, I deny not her authority, nor become disobedient." " Yes, that doest thou," quoth my lord chancellor : and so he began to tell a long tale, how, if a man should make an oath to pay a hundred pounds by such a day, and the man to whom it was due would forgive the debt, the debtor would say, ' No, you cannot do it ; for I am forsworn then,' &c. Here Bradford desired my lord chancellor not to trifle it, saying that he wondered his honour would make solemn oaths made to God trifles in that sort ; and make so great a matter concerning vows (as they call it) made to the bishop for marriage of priests. At these words the lord chancellor was much offended, and said, he did not trifle ; " but," quoth he, " thou goest about to deny obedience to the queen, which now requireth obedience to the. bishop of Rome." " No, my lord," quoth Bradford, " I do not deny obe dience to the queen, if you would discern between genus and species. Because I may not obey in this, to reason, ergo I may not obey in the other, is not firm : as if a man let or sell a piece of his inheritance, yet, this notwithstanding, all his inheritance is not let or sold ; and so in this case, all obedience I deny not, because I deny obedience in this branch." " I will none of those similitudes," said the lord chancellor. "I would not use them," quoth Bradford, "if that you went not about to persuade the people I mean that which I never meant : for I myself not only mean obedience, but will give ensample of all most humble obedience to the queen's highness, so long as she requireth not obedience against God." " No, no," quoth my lord chancellor, " all men may per ceive well enough your meaning. There is no man, though he be sworn to the king, doth therefore break his oath, if afterwards he be sworn to the French king and to the em peror." " It is true, my lord," quoth Bradford : " but the cases be 480 THE SECOND EXAMINATION. not like ; for here is an exception, ' Thou shalt not swear to the bishop of Rome at any time.' If in like manner we were sworn, ' Thou shalt not serve the emperor,' &c, you see there were some alteration and more doubt. But," quoth Bradford, " I beseech your honour remember what ye yourself have written, answering the objections hereagainst in your book, De vera obediential. Vincat modo Domini verbi Veritas : ' Let God's word and the reasons thereof bear the bell away'2." Here the lord chancellor was thoroughly moved, and said still how that Bradford had written seditious letters, and perverted the people thereby, and did stoutly stand as though he would defend the erroneous doctrine in king Edward's time against all men : " and now," quoth he, " he saith he dare not answer." " I have written no seditious letters," quoth Bradford, " I have not perverted the people : but that which I have written and spoken, that will I never deny, by God's grace. And where your lordship saith, I dare not answer you ; that all men may know I am not afraid, saving mine oath, ask me what you will, and I will plainly make you answer, by God's grace, although I now see my life lieth thereon. But, 0 Lord!" quoth he, "into thy hands I commit it, come what come will : only sanctify thy name in me, as in an instru ment of thy grace. Amen. "Now ask what you will," quoth Bradford, "and you shall see I am not afraid, by God's grace, flatly to answer." " Well then," quoth my lord chancellor, " how say you to the blessed sacrament ? Do you not beheve there Christ to be present concerning his natural body ?" " My lord," quoth Bradford, " I do believe Christ to be corporally present in his sacrament duly used: corporally I say, that is, in such sort as he would : I mean, Christ is there corporally present unto faith." " Unto faith," quoth my lord chancellor : " we must have many more words to make it more plain." " You shall so," quoth Bradford ; " but first give me leave to speak two words." I1 See p. 469, note 4, above, and note H.] [2 A proverbial expression, from winning a bell, the prize at a race. Vide Nares, Glossary.] THE SECOND EXAMINATION. 481 " Speak on," quoth my lord chancellor. " I have been now a year and almost three quarters in prison," quoth Bradford; "and of all this time you never questioned with me hereabouts, when I might have spoken my conscience frankly without peril : but now you have a law to hang up and put to death, if a man answer freely, and not to your appetite ; and so you now come to demand this question. Ah, my lord," quoth Bradford, " Christ used not this way to bring men to faith : no more did the pro phets or the apostles. Remember what Bernard writeth to Eugenius the pope : Apostolos lego stetisse judicandos ; sedisse judicantes non lego. Hoc erit, illud fuit3, fyc: 'I read that the apostles stood to be judged ; but 1 read not that they sat to judge. This shall be, that was4,' " &c. Here the chancellor was appeased5, as it seemed, and spake most gently that he used not this means. " It was not my doing, although some there be," quoth he, " that think this to be the best way. I, for my part," quoth he, " have been challenged for being too gentle oftentimes." The which thing the bishop of London confirmed, and so did almost all the audience, that he " had been ever too mild and too gentle." At which words Bradford spake thus : " My lord," quoth he, " I pray you stretch out your gentleness, that I may feel it; for hitherto I never felt it." As soon as he had spoken thus, the lord chancellor (be like thinking Bradford would have had mercy and pardon, as Cardmaker and Barlow6 had) said that with all his heart not only he, but the queen's highness, would stretch out mercy, if with them he would return. " Return ! my lord," quoth Bradford : " God save me from that going back ; I mean it not so : but I mean," quoth he, " that I was three quarters of a year in the Tower with out paper, pen, or ink ; and never in all that time nor sithen did I feel any gentleness from you. I have rather looked for, as I have hitherto found, extremity. And," quoth he, t3 Bernard. De Consid. I. vi. Op. I. col. 412, ed. Bened. Par. 1690, where, " Stetisse denique lego apostolos judicandos, sedisse judicantes non lego. Erit illud, non fuit."] [4 'I read . . . that was, &c.' 1563 : not in 1561.] [5 'appeased' 1561: 'appalled' 1563.] [6 See p. 290, note 3, above.] ol [BRADFORD.] 482 THE SECOND EXAMINATION. " I thank God I perceive now you have kept me in prison thus long, not for any matter you had, but for matter you would have. God's good will be done." Here was now divers telling my lord it was dinner-time : and so he rose up, leaving Bradford speaking, and saying that in the afternoon they would speak more with him. And so was he had into the vestry, and was there all that day till dark night ; and so was conveyed again to prison, declaring by his countenance great joy in God ; the which God increase in him1 ! THE EFFECT AND SUM OF THE LAST EXAMINATION OF THAT FAITHFUL INSTRUMENT OF GOD, JOHN BRAD FORD, IN THE CHURCH OF ST MARY OVERY'S, THE 30TH2 DAY OF JANUARY, 1555. After the excommunication of Lawrence Saunders, John Bradford was called in ; and, being brought before the lord chancellor and other bishops there sitting, the lord chancellor began to speak thus in effect, that Bradford, being now eft soons come before them, would answer with modesty and humility, and conform himself to the catholic church with them ; and so yet might he find mercy, because they would be loth to use extremity. Therefore he concluded with an exhortation that Bradford would recant his doctrine. After the lord chancellor had ended his long oration, Bradford began to speak thus : "As yesterday I besought your honour to set in your [! The ' Talk with Hussey and Seton,' which is placed the first in order of the 'prison- conferences,' in the edition printed by Griffith, 1561, (p. 493 — 6 of this volume,) is printed after the second Exami nation of Bradford in all the editions of Foxe.] [2 '29th' 1561, a misprint for 30th.] THE LAST EXAMINATION. 483 sight the majesty and presence of God, to follow him which seek eth not to subvert the simple by subtle questions; so," quoth he, " I humbly beseech every one of you to-day ; for that you know that guiltless blood will cry vengeance. And this," quoth he, " I pray not your lordship to do, as one that taketh upon me to condemn you utterly herein, but that you might be the more admonished to do that, which none doth so much as he should do ; for our nature is so much corrupt, that we are very oblivious and forgetful of God. Again," quoth Bradford, "as yesterday I pretended my oath and oaths against the bishop of Rome, that I should never consent to the practising of any jurisdiction for him or in his behalf in the realm of England; so do I3 again this day, lest I should be perjured. And last of all, as yesterday the answer I made was by pro testation and saving my oath, so would I your honours should know that mine answers3 shall be this day : and this I do, that when death (which I look for at your hands) shall come, I shall not be troubled with the guiltiness of perjury." At these words the lord chancellor was wroth, and said that they had given him respite to deliberate until this day, whether he would recant the heresies of the blessed sacra ment, " which yesterday," quoth the lord chancellor, " before us you uttered." " My lord," quoth Bradford, " you gave me no time of any such deliberation, neither did I speak3 any thing of the sacrament, which you did disallow ; for when I had declared a presence of Christ to be there to the faithful, you went from the matter to purge yourself that you were not cruel, and so went to dinner." " What ! I perceive," quoth my lord chancellor, " we must begin all again with thee. Did I not yesterday tell thee plainly, that thou madest a conscience where none should be ? Did I not make it plain, that the oath against the bishop of Rome was an unlawful oath?" " No," quoth Bradford : " indeed, my lord, you said so," quoth he ; "but you proved it not yet4, nor never can do." " 0 Lord God," quoth the lord chancellor, " what a fellow art thou ! Thou wouldest go about to bring into the people's heads, that we, all the lords of the parliament-house, the [3 'do I,' 'answers,' 'speak,' 1563 : omitted in 1561.] [4 So 1563 : 'but proved is not' 1561.] 31—2 484 THE LAST EXAMINATION. knights, burgesses, and all the whole realm1, is perjured. 0 what an heresy is this ! Here, good people, ye may see what a churlish heretic this fellow is. If I should make an oath I would never help my brother, or lend him money in his need, were this a good answer to tell my neighbour desiring my help, that I had made an oath to the contrary, I could not do it?" Bradford. " 0 my lord, discern betwixt oaths that be against charity and faith, and oaths that be according to faith and charity, as this is against the bishop of Bome2." Here the lord chancellor made much ado ; and a long time was spent about oaths, which were good and which were evil ; he captiously asking of Bradford often answer of things concerning oaths, which Bradford would not give simply, but with distinction : whereat the lord chancellor was sore offended. But Bradford still kept him at the bay, that the oath against the bishop of Rome was a lawful3 oath, using thereto the chan cellor's own book, De vera obediential, for confirmation. At the length they came to this issue, who should be1 judge of the lawfulness of the oaths ? And Bradford said, "The word of God, according to Christ's own words, John xii., saying, 'My word shall judge;' and according to the testimony of Isaiah ii., and Micah iv., that God's word, coming out of Jerusalem, shall give sentence amongst the Gentiles. By these words, my lord," quoth he, " I will prove the oath against the bishop of Rome's authority to be a good, a godly, and a lawful oath." So thereof the lord chancellor left his hold, saying that as the other day he pretended denial of the queen's authority and obedience to her highness, so did he now. But Bradford, as the day before, proved that obedience in this point or particular to the queen's highness, if she should demand an oath to the bishop of Bome, being denied, it was a general denial of her authority and obedience to her "no more," quoth he, " than the sale1, gift, or lease of a sole piece of a man's inheritance proveth a sale, gift, or lease of the whole inheritance." [i "realm,' 'be,' 'sale,' 1563: omitted in 1561.] [2 The last three lines are in 1563, but not in 1561.] [3 'an unlawful' 1561 : 'a lawful' 1563.] [4 See p. 469, note 4, above, and note H.] THE LAST EXAMINATION. 485 And thus much ado was made about the matter ; the lord chancellor talking much, and using many examples of debt, of going out of the town to-morrow by oath, yet tarrying till Friday, and such like : which trifling talk Bradford did touch, saying that it was a wonder that his honour did weigh conscience no more in this, and would be so earnest in vows for marriage of priests made to bishops, and be careless for solemn oaths made to God and the prince. Summa, this was the end : the lord chancellor said, " the queen might dispense with it, and did it to all the whole realm:" but Bradford said, " the queen's highness could do no more but remit her right : and as for the oath made to God, she could never remit, forasmuch as it was made to God." At which words the lord chancellor chafed wonderfully, and said that in plain sentence he slandered the whole realm of perjury : " and therefore," quoth he to the people, " you may see how this fellow taketh upon him to have more knowledge and conscience than all the wise men of England ; and yet," quoth he, " he hath no conscience at all." " Well," quoth Bradford, " my lord, let all the standers^ by see who hath conscience. I have been a year and a half in prison : now, before all this people, declare wherefor I was prisoned, or what cause you had to punish me. You said the other day in your own house, my lord of London witnessing with you, that I took upon me to speak to the people unde- sired. There he sitteth by your lordship, (I mean my lord bishop of Bath,) which desired me himself, for the passion of Christ, I would speak to the people : upon whose words I, coming into the pulpit, had like to have been slain with a naked dagger, which was hurled at him5, I think ; for it touched my sleeve. He eftsoons prayed me I would not leave him; and I promised him6, as long as I lived, I would take hurt that day before him ; and so went out of the pulpit and entreated with the people6, and at length brought him safe to a house. Besides this, in the afternoon I preached at Bow- church; and there6, going up into the pulpit, one willed me not to reprove the people ; ' for,' quoth he, ' you shall never come down alive, if you do it.' And yet," quoth Bradford, "notwithstanding, I did in that sermon reprove their fact, and called it sedition at the least twenty times. For all [6 'at me' 1561 : omitted in 1563 : ' at him' 1570.] [6 'him,' 'and entreated with the people,' 'there,' 1563 : not in 1561.] 486 THE LAST EXAMINATION. which my doing I have received this recompence, prison a year and a half and more, and death now which you go about. Let all men," quoth Bradford, "now judge where conscience is." In speaking of these words, there was that endeavoured to have letted1 it; but Bradford still spake on, and gave no place till he had made an end, speak what they would2. And then3 the lord chancellor said, that for all his fair talk his fact at the Cross was naught. " No," quoth Bradford, " my fact was good, as you your self did bear witness with me : for when I was first before you in the Tower, you youself did say that the fact was good ; ' but,' quoth you, ' the mind was evil.' ' Well then,' quoth I, 'my lord, in that you allow my facts and condemn my mind in it, I cannot otherwise declare my mind to man than by saying and doing : God, I trust, one day will open to my comfort what my mind was, and what yours is.' " Here the lord chancellor was offended, and said that he never said so. " I," quoth he, " had not so little wit, I trow, as to 4 discern betwixt meaning and doing ;" and so brought forth, little to the purpose, many examples that men construe things by the meanings of men, and not by their doings5. But when this could not serve, then cometh he to another matter ; and said, he was put in prison at the first, because he would not yield, nor be conformable to the queen's religion. " Why," quoth Bradford, " your honour knoweth that you would not then reason with me in religion ; but you said, a time should afterward be found out, when I should be talked withal. But," quoth Bradford, " if it were, as your lordship saith, that I was put in prison3 for religion, in that my re ligion was then authorised by the public laws of the realm, could conscience punish me, or cast me in prison therefor ? Wherefore let all men judge, in whom conscience wanteth." Here came forth master Chamberlain of Woodstock, and said to the lord chancellor that Bradford had been a serving man, and was with master Harrington6. [} 'Letted:' hindered.] [2 So 1563 : 'spake on, and let them speak what they would,' 1561.] [3 'then," prison,' 1563: not in 1561.] [* 'not to' 1561: 'to' 1563.] [5 So 1563 : 'not by the meaning of men, but by their doings' 1561.] [6 Bradford was a paymaster under Sir John Harrington of Exton THE LAST EXAMINATION. 487 " True," quoth the lord chancellor, " and did deceive his master of twenty- seven7 pounds ; and because of this, he went to be a gospeller and a preacher, good people : and yet you see how he pretendeth conscience." " My lord," quoth Bradford, " I set my foot to his foot, whosoever he be, that can come forth, and justly vouch to my face that ever I deceived my master. And as you are chief justicer8 by office in England, I desire justice upon them that so slander me, because they cannot prove it9." Here my lord chancellor and master Chamberlain were struck blank, and said they heard it. " But," quoth the lord chancellor, " we8 have another manner of matter than this against you10; for you are a heretic." "Yea," quoth the bishop of London, " he did write letters to master Pendleton, which knoweth his hand as well as his own : your honour," quoth the bishop to the lord chancellor, " did see them." " That is not true," quoth Bradford ; " I never did write to Pendleton sith I came into prison : therefore I am not justly spoken of." " Yea, but you indited it," quoth the bishop of London. "I did not," quoth Bradford, "nor know not what you mean ; and that I offer to prove." Here cometh another (I trow they call him master Allen, one of the clerks of the council) putting my lord in remem brance of letters sent into Lancashire. " It is true," quoth the lord chancellor unto him, " for we have his hand to shew." " I deny," quoth Bradford, " that you have my hand to shew of letters sent into Lancashire, otherwise than before you all I will stand up and prove them to be good and lawful." Here was all answered : and therefore the lord chancellor began a new matter. " Sir," quoth he, " in my house the other day you did most contemptuously contemn the queen's mercy, and further in Rutlandshire, when Sir J. H. was treasurer of the camp of Henry Vm., at Boulogne, a.d. 1544. Vide p. 32, note 3, above, and p. 493.] P 'twenty-seven' 1561: 'seven score' 1563.] [8 'justices,' 'you,' 1561 : 'justicer,' 'we,' 1563.] [9 Various letters of Bradford (chiefly addressed to Traves) refer to this subject, which will receive further notice in the concluding volume of his Writings.] a P° 'against you' 1563: not in 1561.] 488 THE LAST EXAMINATION. said you would maintain the erroneous doctrine in king Ed ward's days against all men : and this you did most stoutly." "Well," quoth Bradford, "I am glad that all men see now1 you had no matter to imprison me afore that day justly. Now say I that I did not contemptuously contemn the queen's mercy, but would have had it, (though if justice might take place, I need it not,) so that I might have had it2 with God's mercy; that is, without saying and doing any thing against God and his truth. And as for maintenance of doctrine, because I cannot tell how you will stretch this word ' maintenance,' 1 will repeat again that which I spake. I said I was more con firmed in the religion set forth in king Edward's days than ever I was : and if God so would, I trust I should declare it by giving my life for the confirmation and testification thereof. So I said then, and so I say again now," quoth Bradford. " As for otherwise to maintain it, than pertaineth to a private person by confession, I thought not nor think." " Well," quoth the lord chancellor, "yesterday thou didst maintain false heresy concerning the blessed sacrament : and therefore we gave thee respite till this day to deliberate." " My lord," quoth Bradford, " as I said at the first, I spake nothing of the sacrament, but that which you allowed ; and therefore you1 reproved it not, nor gave me no time to deliberate." " Why," quoth he, " didst thou not deny Christ's presence in the sacrament?" " No," quoth Bradford, " I never denied nor taught, but that to faith3 whole Christ's body and blood was as present as bread and wine to the due receiver." " Yea, but dost thou not believe that Christ's body na turally and really is there1, under the form of bread and wine ?" " My lord," quoth Bradford, " I believe Christ is present there to the4 faith of the due receiver : as for transubstan tiation, I plainly and flatly tell you, I believe it not." Here was Bradford called diabolus, 'a slanderer5;' "for [i 'now,' 'you,' 'there,' 1563: omitted in 1561.] [2 'though if had it' 1563 : omitted in 1561.] [3 'tho faith' 1561 : 'faith' 1563.] 0 [4 'tho' 1563: not in 1561.] [5 So 1563 : 'a devil or slanderer' 1561.] THE LAST EXAMINATION. 489 we ask no question," quoth the lord chancellor, " of transub stantiation, but of Christ's bodily presence." "Why," quoth Bradford, "I deny not his presence to the faith of the receiver, but deny that he is included in the bread, or that the bread is transubstantiated." " If he be not included," quoth the bishop of Worcester6, "how is he then present?" "Forsooth," quoth Bradford, "my faith knoweth how, though my tongue cannot express it, nor you otherwise than by faith hear it, or understand it." Here was much ado now, one doctor starting up and speaking this, another that, and the lord chancellor talk ing much of Luther, Zuinglius, and CEcolampadius : but still Bradford kept them at this point, that Christ is present to faith, and that there is no transubstantiation nor including of Christ in the bread : but all this would not serve them. Therefore another bishop asked this question, whether the wicked man received Christ's very body or no ? And Brad ford answered plainly, "No." Whereat7 the lord chancellor made a long oration, how that it could not be that Christ was present, except that the evil man receive him. But Bradford put his oration away in few words, that grace was at that present offered to his lordship, although he received it not : " So that," quoth he, " the receiving maketh not the presence, as your lordship would affirm ; but God's grace, truth, and power, is the cause of the presence, the which the wicked that lacketh faith cannot receive." And here Bradford prayed him not to divorce that which God hath coupled together. " He hath coupled all this together, ' Take, eat, this is my body :' he saith not, ' See, peep, this is my body ;' but, ' Take, eat.' So that it appeareth, this is a pro mise depending upon condition, if we take and eat8." Here the lord chancellor and the rest of the bishops made a great ado, that Bradford had found out a toy that no man else ever did, of the conditions ; and the lord chancellor made many words to the people hereabout. But Bradford said this : " My lord," quoth he, " are not these words, ' Take, eat,' a commandment ? And are not these words, ' This is my body,' a promise ? If you will [6 Richard Pates.] [T 'where' 1561: 'whereat' 1563.] [s This last sentence is in 1563, not in 1561.] 490 THE LAST EXAMINATION. challenge the promise, and do not the commandment, may you not deceive yourself?" Here the lord chancellor denied Christ to have command ed any thing in the sacrament, or the use of it. " Why," quoth Bradford, " my lord, I pray you tell the people what mood, Accipite, manducate, [Take, eat,] is : it is plain to children that Christ, in so saying, commandeth." At these words the lord chancellor made a great toying and trifling at the imperative mood, and fell to parsing1 or examining, as though he should teach a child ; and so con cluded that it was no commandment, but " such a phrase as this, ' I pray you give me drink,' which," quod he2, " is no commandment, I trow." But Bradford prayed him to leave toying and trifling, and said thus : " My lord," quoth he, " if it be not a com mandment of Christ to take and to eat the sacrament, why do any take upon them to command and make of necessity that which God leaveth free? as you do in making it a necessary commandment, once3 a year4, for all that be of law ful discretion to receive the sacrament." Here the lord chancellor calleth him again diabolus or ' slanderer ;' and so began out of these words, " Let a man prove himself, and so eat of the bread," (" the bread," quoth Bradford,) "and drink of the cup," to prove5 that it was no commandment to receive the sacrament6 : " for then," quoth he, " if it were a commandment, it should bind all men, in all places, and at all times." " 0 my lord," quoth Bradford, " discern between com mandments : some be general, as the ten commandments7, that they bind always, in all places, and all persons ; some be not so general; as this is of the supper, the sacrament of baptism, of the thrice8 appearing before the Lord yearly8 at Jerusalem, Abraham's offering Isaac." [x 'proposing' 1561 : 'parsing' 1563.] [2 ' quod he' 1563 : not in 1561.] [3 'that once' 1561: 'once' 1563.] [4 See p. 395, note 4, above ; and Concil. Lateran. iv. cap. xxi. in Concil. stud. Labb. et Cossart. XI. i. col. 171 — 4, Lut. Par. 1671—2.] [5 'to prove' 1570: not in 1561 or 1563.] [6 'was no commandment' 1561: 'it was no commandment to re ceive the sacrament' 1563.] \f 'as the ten commandments' 1563 ; not in 1561.] [8 'thrice,' 'yearly,' 'that,' 'quod he,' 1563 : not in 1561.] THE LAST EXAMINATION. 491 Here my lord chancellor denied the cup to be commanded of Christ ; " for then," quoth he9, " we shall have eleven com mandments." "Indeed," quoth Bradford, "I think you think as you speak ; for else you would not take the cup from the people, seeing that Christ saith, ' Drink of it all' But how say you, my lord?" quoth Bradford; "Christ saith to you bishops specially, Ite, predicate evangelium : ' Go and preach the gospel:' 'Feed Christ's flock.' Is this a commandment, or not?" Here was the lord chancellor in a great chafe, and said as pleased him. Another (I ween the bishop of Durham) asked him when Christ began to be present in the sacrament, whether before the receiver received it, or no ? Bradford answered that the question was curious, and not necessary ; and further said that8, as the cup was the new testament, so the bread was Christ's body to him that re- ceiveth it duly, but yet so that bread is bread ; " for," quod he8, "in all the scripture ye shall not find this proposition, Non est panis, ' There is no bread :' " and so he brought forth St Chrysostom, Si in corpore [mora] essemus10 : [" If we were not in the body."] Summa, much ado was hereabout, they calling Bradford heretic ; and he desired them to proceed a God's name ; he looked for that which God appointed them to do. " Lo," quoth the lord chancellor, " this fellow is now in another heresy of fatal destiny, as though all things were so tied together that of mere necessity all things must come to pass." But Bradford prayed him to take things as they were spoken, and not wrest them into a contrary sense. " Your lordship," quoth he, "doth discern betwixt God and man. Things are not by fortune to God at any time, though to man they seem so sometimes. I," quoth Bradford, " spake but as the apostles spake : ' Lord,' quoth they n, ' see how Acts i [9 So 1570. ' Here the lord chancellor said, What say you that baptism is commanded ? Then, quoth he,' 1561.] [10 Ei pev yap dcrmpaTos ei, -yufiva av aird aoi Ta datipara rrapebaiKe oapa' ore! Se o-tipari crufMreVXeKTai r) ^rvxV' cv ' ais r)piv Kara- \e\onrev; — Basil. Lib. de Spir. Sanct. cap. xxvii. Op. III. 54 — 5, ed. Bened. Paris. 1721 — 30. The Benedictine editors observe on this : "Non respicit Basilius adritum ostensionis eucharistise, ut multi existi- marunt, sed potius ad verba Liturgies ipsi adscriptse, cum petit sacerdos, ut veniat Spiritus sanctus dyiaaai Kal dvaoei£ai tov pev dprov tovtov avrd rb ripiov o-apa tov Kvpiov."] [4 "not to make of 1561 : 'to make nothing for' 1570.] [6 'for' 1561 : 'that ye might have' 1563.] CONFERENCE WITH HARPSFIELD. 515 Harpsfield said that he would do the best he could, for he pitied my case very sore. " Sir," quoth I, " to desire any body to sue for time for me, I never will do it by God's help ; for I am not wavering, nor I would not that any body should think I were so. But if you have the charity and love towards me you pretend, and thereto do think that I am in an error, I think the same should move you to do as you would be done by. As you think of me, so do I of you, that you are far out of the way ; and not only think it, but also am thereof assured." In this and such like gentle talk we departed, he saying that he would pray for me, others willing me to desire him to sue for me, which I did not ; but I wished him as much good as he did me. And as he was going and bade me farewell, he turneth again, and giveth me Irenseus, praying me to read over a certain place in it; which thing I told him I would, although I had read it before. At the door the wife of the house met him, and asked him how he had done. " Forsooth, mistress," quoth he, " I find always one man ner of man of him ; as I found him, so I leave him." " I pray you, sir," quoth she, " do him no hurt." " No," quoth he ; " but if I can, I will do him good." At after dinner the same day, master Clayden my keeper cometh unto me from the earl of Derby, with whom he had dined, being sent for purposely about me. Now after his coming home, this was the sum of his talk, that the earl would gladly have me not to die, and therefore he would make suit on my behalf to the queen's highness. " Wherefore," quoth my keeper, " you must tell me what you would have him to do, that to-morrow I may bring him word, as he hath required me." " Marry," quoth I, " master Clayden, I hope I shall need little to make many words in telling you my suit : as I heartily thank his lordship for his good-will and zeal that he beareth unto me, so you know I cannot desire any to make suit for me. If of his own will he do sue for pardon, banish ment, perpetual prison, or what his pleasure shall be for me, I were to blame if that I would take it unthankfully ; albeit I know death and speedy despatch were most welcome unto me." 33—2 516 TALK WITH CLAYDEN AND OTHERS. " Well," quoth he, " I will tell him to-morrow, that though you cannot nor will not make suit to any to sue for you, yet you will be content if he, on his lordship's good will, will labour on your behalf." "Yea," quod I, "and to tell you truth, where I per ceive that others do sue for me," (meaning Percival Cresswell and master Harpsfield,) " I had rather my lord of Derby should do it, for that my friends and the country might less be offended at him, because he must have the burning of me." After this talk with my keeper, master Clayden, there cometh one of the queen's servants and officers, whose name I will not rehearse, which after a little talk fell down on his knees, and with tears besought me for the passion of Christ, that I would a little look to myself to make some suit, &c. ; " for," quoth he, swearing an oath, " it will not be long unto, before thou shalt be able to do more good than ever thou didst." But I, shewing myself not unthankful for his good-will, departed from him, as one little lusting to hear such counsel. Of him I learned Tuesday following was the uttermost day I should tarry here. Within an hour after this man's departure from me, the keeper, master Clayden, called me, saying that he perceived how that my friend Percival had told him that master Harps field had written to master doctor Martin, to be a means to the council for longer time for me : whereupon quoth he, " I think it were best to send my lord of Derby word of this to-night, lest he be prevented1." And I answered thus, that as he thought good, so he might do : " but," quoth I, " beware, I heartily pray, that you do not tell my lord any thing that I desire this ; for if you do, it will in the end be more against you than with you." And he promised the same, and so departed out of hand to the court. Upon the 17th day, which was Sunday, in the afternoon, Percival Cresswell sent me word by him that came first with him, that if I would make any suit myself, or will any to do for me, I might speed ; " but else," quoth he, " nothing will t1 'Prevented:' anticipated.] TALK WITH CLAYDEN AND OTHERS. 517 be done, as he presently hath received answer of my lord chancellor." " Well," quoth I, " I am at a point ;" and so took my leave, looking still when the sheriffs would come for me : for I had heard over night, that one of the guard which was ap pointed to convey me down into Lancashire had told one that they had warning against to-morrow for me. Upon the 19th day, which was Tuesday, I heard that the writ for my execution was called in again, and the sheriff of Lancashire discharged of me for the present : and in the afternoon one of my lord of Derby's men brought me word, how that my lord had taken great pains for me, and had kneeled before the queen, and many more words, desiring me something to see to myself now. " But," quoth he, " what and how much is done for you, I cannot tell ; but this much I think," saith he, " you shall have your books, and time enough to peruse them." " Well," quoth I, " I pray you heartily thank my lord for his good-will towards me : I shall, as I have done, pray that God would give unto him as to myself; the which is all I can do. For doing for myself, as I would be sorry that my lord or you should think any wavering in me for my doctrine, so I would be loath but to do all for myself that I can do with a good conscience. And as for time," quoth I, " and books, although I see it is but a lingering of the time, yet I am glad of it in this respect, that my lord and others may know I hold no opinion but such as I dare sift, and abide the reasoning for with any man. I trust you and many others shall see that our doctrine is true, and therefore dare and desire to abide the light and all men's looking on ; where perchance it is bruited abroad that we are altogether obstinate, and cannot defend it by learning." After this talk there was a priest, called master Couppage, which began to exhort me "to take the injuries done unto me patiently ; for," quoth he, " I doubt not but if you will come unto us, you should be more able to help many, and your friends also, than ever you were, both spiritually and cor porally." " If," quoth I, " you keep your master Christ, I will come unto you ; but otherwise I know you not." This and such like talk we had for that present, the earl 518 TALK WITH CLAYDEN AND OTHERS. of Derby his man appointing master Clayden my keeper in the morning to come to my lord. Upon the 20th day, which was Wednesday, master Clay den came from my lord, and in his name asked me whether I would be content to speak with the king's confessor and Alpbonsus a friar, and to send him word. " Sir," quoth I, " you know that as I desire conference with no man, so (I thank God) I am not afraid to speak with any man." Whereupon he sent my lord word, as he said : and so I heard nothing till the day following, how that my lord of Derby had sent back again two of his men, which came to me, saying that they were sent to solicit my cause ; but how or what way, I could not learn1. THE TALK OP DR HEATH ARCHBISHOP OF YORK, AND DAY BISHOP OF CHICHESTER, WITH MASTER BRADFORD 2. Upon the 22nd day, which was Friday, the archbishop of York and the bishop of Chichester came to the Compter to speak with me. When I was come before them, they both, and specially my lord of York, used me very gently : they would have had me sit down ; and because I would not, they also would not sit. So we all stood ; and whether I would or no, they would needs I should put on, not only my night-cap, but my upper cap also, saying unto me, that " obedience was better than sacrifice." Now thus standing together, my lord of York began to tell me, how that they were not sent to me : " but of love and charity we come to you ; and I," quoth he, " of old ac quaintance which I have had with you, more than my lord of [1 The last three pages, from p. 515 above, third paragraph, 'he saying that he would pray for me,' &c, are taken from the ' Examina tions,' &c. 1661 ; and do not occur in any edition of the 'Acts and monuments' of Foxe.] [2 A fragment of this conference exists in an early transcript in MS. 1. 2. 8. no. 27. Emman. Coll. Cambridge.] CONFERENCE WITH ABP. HEATH AND BP. DAY. 519 Chichester hath had ;" and so commended me of a godly life, &c, concluding with a question, how I was certain of salvation, and of my religion ? "Marry," quod I, (omitting all formalities, save that I thanked them for their good- will,) "by the word of God, by the scriptures, I am certain of salvation, and of my religion." " Very well said," quod my lord of York : " but how do you know the word of God and the scriptures, but by the church?" " Indeed, my lord," quoth I, " the church was and is a mean to bring a man more speedily to know the scriptures and the word of God, as was the woman of Samaria3 a mean that the Samaritans knew Christ : but as when they had heard him speak, they said, ' Now we know that he is Christ, not because of thy words, but because we ourselves have heard him ;' so," quoth I, " after we come to the hearing and read ing of the scriptures shewed to us, and discerned by the church, we do believe them and know them, not because the church saith they are the scriptures, but because they be so ; being thereof assured by the same Spirit which wrote and spake them." " Yea," quoth my lord of York, " but you know in the apostles' time, at the first, the word was not written." " True," quoth I, " if you mean it for some books of the3 new Testament ; but else for the old Testament Peter telleth us that we have firmiorem sermonem propheticum, ' a more sure word of prophecy :' not," quod I, " that it is simply so, but in respect of the apostles' persons, which, being alive and compassed with infirmity, attributed to the word written more firmity, as wherewith no fault could be found ; whereas for the infirmity of their persons men perchance might have found some fault at their preaching : albeit in very deed no less obedience and faith ought to have been given to the one than to the other, as being all of one ' Spirit of truth.' " " That place of Peter," quoth my lord of York, " is not so to be understand of the word of God written." " Yes, sir," quoth I, " that it is, and of none other." "Yea, indeed," quoth my lord of Chichester, "master Bradford doth tell you the truth in that point." [3 ' was,' ' books of the,' repeated by misprints in 1561.] 520 CONFERENCE WITH ABP. HEATH AND BP. DAY. " Well," quoth my lord of York, " you know that Ire- nasus and others do magnify much the church, and allege the church against the heretics, and not the scripture1." " True," quoth I ; " for they had to do with such heretics as did deny the scriptures, and yet did magnify the apostles5; so3 that they were enforced to use the authority of3 those churches wherein the apostles had taught, and which had still retained4 the same doctrine." " You speak the very truth," quoth my lord of Chiches ter ; " for the heretics did refuse all scriptures, except it were a piece of Luke's gospel." " Then," quoth 1, " the alleging of the church cannot be primarily or principally used against me, which am so far from denying of the scriptures, that I appeal unto them utterly as to the only judge." " A pretty matter," quoth my lord of York, " that you will take upon you to judge the church : I pray you, where was your church these many years? For the church of Christ is catholic and visible hitherto." "My lord," quoth I, " I do not judge the church, when I discern it from that congregation and those which be not the church5 ; and I never denied the church to be catholic and visible, although at some times it is more visible than at some." " I pray you," quoth my lord of Chichester, " tell me [i Quid enim ? Et si de aliqua modica qusestione disceptatio esset, nonne oporteret in antiquissimas recurrere ecclesias, in quibus apos- toli conversati sunt, et ab eis de prtesenti queestione sumere quod certum et re liquidum est? Quid autem si neque apostoli quidem scripturas reliquissent nobis, nonne oportebat ordinem sequi traditio- nis, quam tradiderunt iis quibus committebant ecclesias ? — Iren. Cont. Hser. Lib. in. cap. iv. 1. Op. I. 178, Venet. 1734. Vide Stillingfleet, Vindic. of Abp. Laud, Conf. part I. ch. ix. 4. 5. p. 268 — 72, ed. 1665 ; and Goode, Rule of Faith, 1842, n. p. 277 — 90, in connexion with this passage.] [2 Cum enim ex scripturis arguuntur [hseretici], in accusationem convertuntur ipsarum scripturarum, quasi non recte habeant, neque sint ex auctoritate, et quia varie sint dictse, et quia non possit ex his inveniri Veritas ab his qui nesciant traditionem : non enim per literas traditam illam, sed per vivam vocem. — Id. ibid. ii. 1. p. 174.] [3 'so,' 'the authority of,' 1563: not in 1561.] [* 'that church still had received' 1561 : 'which had still retained' 1563.] [* 'in it' 1561 : 'the church' 1570.] CONFERENCE WITH ABP. HEATH AND BP. DAY. 521 where the church, which allowed your doctrine, was these four hundred years." " I will tell you, my lord," quoth I ; "or rather you shall tell it yourself, if you will tell me this one thing6, where the church was in Elias' time, when Elias said that he was left alone." " That is no answer," quoth my lord of Chichester. " I am sorry that7 you say so : but this will I tell your lordship, that, if you had the same eyes wherewith a man might have espied the church then8, you would not say, it were no answer. The fault why the church is not seen of you is, not because the church is not visible, but because your eyes are not clear enough to see it." " You are much deceived," quoth he, " to make such a collation betwixt the church then and now." " Very well spoken, my lord," quoth the bishop of York ; "for Christ said, JEdiftcabo ecclesiam, 'I will build my church;' and not 'I do,' or 'have built it;' but 'I will build it.'" " My lords9," quoth I, " Peter taught me to make this collation, saying, 'As in the people there was false prophets,' which were much in estimation afore Christ's coming, so ' shall there be false teachers now, and very many shall follow them.' And as for your future tense, I hope your grace," quod I, "will not thereby conclude10 Christ's church not to have been before, but rather that there is no building in the church but by Christ's work only ; for Paul and Apollos be but wa- terers." " In good faith, master Bradford," quoth my lord of Chi chester, "I am sorry to see you so little to mind the church." "He taketh upon him, as they all do, to judge the church," quod my lord of York. " A man shall never come to certainty that doth as they do." "My lords9," quoth I, " take me, beseech you, in good part. I speak simply what I think; and I desire reason to answer my objections : your affections and sorrows cannot be my9 rules. If that you consider the end and cause of my con- [« 'this one thing' 1570 : not in 1561 or 1563.] [1 'more sorry' 1561 : 'sorry that' 1563.] [8 So 1570 : ' that the same . . . then if you now had them' 1561.] [9 'lord,' 'by,' a misprint, 1561 : 'lords,' 'be my,' 1563.] [io 'exclude thereby' 1561 : 'thereby conclude' 1563.] 522 CONFERENCE WITH ABP. HEATH AND BP. DAY. demnation, I cannot think but that it should something move your honours. You know it well enough, for you heard it : no matter was laid against me, but what was gathered upon mine own confession. Because I denied transubstantiation, and the wicked to receive Christ's body in the sacrament, there fore I was condemned and excommunicate, but not of the church, although the pillars of the same, as they be taken, did it." " No," quoth my lord of Chichester, " I heard say that the cause of your prisonment was, for that you exhorted the people to take the sword in the one hand, and the mat tock in the other." " I never meant any such thing, nor spake any thing in that sort, my lord," quoth I. " Yea," quoth my lord of York, " you behaved yourself before the council so stoutly at the first, that you would defend the religion then ; and therefore worthily were you punished." " Your grace," quoth I, " did hear me answer my lord chancellor in that point. But put the case I had been so stout as they and your grace make it : was not the laws of the realm on my side then? Wherefore unjustly I was punished. Only transubstantiation, which was had on mine own confession, was the thing on which my lord chancellor proceeded." " You deny the presence," quoth my lord of York. " I do not," quoth I, "to the faith of the worthy receiver." " Why," quoth he, " what is that than to say that Christ lieth not on the altar ?" "No, my lord," quoth I, "indeed I believe not such a presence." " It seemeth," quoth my lord of Chichester, " that you have not read Chrysostom ; for he proveth it2." " Of truth, my lord," quoth I, " hitherto I have been kept well enough without books: howbeit this I remember of Chry sostom, that he saith that Christ1 lieth upon the altar, as the seraphim with their tongs1 do touch our lips with the coals of the altar in heaven2; which is an hyperbolical locution, as you know Chrysostom floweth with them." C1 'saith that Christ,' 'with their tongs,' 1563: not in 1561.] [2 Mr) Sti &Ptos earlv "iSSs, pV8' Sri oh6s ian poplvj,!- ov ydp xr)v. . . . 'E7r' aiirav 7rdkiv rdv