therfor am worthi to fele thee a iudge w t refuse to fele thee a sauior Now y ◠cause of al these things is vnbeliefe the which though it be naturall by reason of the corruption of our nature pet I haue augmented the same maliciously in not laborīg there against and continuing in al synnes and wickednesse by reason whereof I deserue most iustelye thy anger therevpon euen reiection frō thy face for euer Longe hast thou mourned euen w t displeasure anger the incredulity of my heart calling me there from and offering me thy grace which I haue neglected and reiected and therfore am neuer worthi to haue it any more offered vnto me muche more then I am vnworthy to haue grace gyuen me to receiue thy mercy Alas what shall I doe shall I dispraier or as long as I can kepe me vnmindfull of my mysery o sauiour Christ Iesu wilt not thou be mercifull vnto me thou diddest die for me when I deserued it not and nowe is thy mercye shortned wilt not thou geue me thy grace and take frō my hart this horrible vnbeliefe Shall I neuer loue the shall I neuer hath sinne shall I neuer as w t my mouth I say I beleue in Iesus Christ so in hart say the same shall Sathan possesst me for euer o christe Iesus whiche hast led captiuitie captiue what wilt not thou helpe me thoughe I desyre it not as I shuld yet giue me to desyre whan thou wilt Thou diddest appeare to destroye the worke of the deuil thou seest his worke in me good christ destroy his worke but not thy worke saue me for thy great mercies sake Geue me to beleue in thee in thy death resurrection ascension pardone me my sinnes and mortifye now in me my corrupt affections reyse me vp and iustify me regenerat me daily more and more geue me faith of immortalitie resurrectiō of this body geue me faith to ascend into heauen and to be certaine that thou hast already taken possessiō for me there Geue me to loke for thy comming and to be ready in thy cōming to find mercy to euerlasting life c. I beleue in the holy ghost c. O Holy spirite the third person in trinity whiche diddest descend vpon Christ our sauiour in hys baptisme in the likenes of a doue thy children know that with the father and the sonne thou madest and rulest all creatures visible and inuisyble they know thee in their redemption to be no lesse willing louinge then the father and the sonne for y ◠diddest alwaies declare Christ to be the sonne of god gauest testimony in wardly in the harts of thy elect to beleue and embrace the same outwardely by miracles and wonders they know thee to be the comforter and gouernour whom Christe dyd promise in his corporal absēce shuld teach rule kepe comforte and gouerne his church and people Againe as in the former parte of their beleife they cōsider the works of creatyon and redemption so in thys parte they consyder the place where the same is moste effectuall taketh place euen thy holy churche which is catholick that is extēding it selfe 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 worke of redemption was taken in hand that y ◠blessed trinitye mightest in this church be praysed magnified serued worshipped for euer This church is nothinge ells but a communion and societie of saintes that is not onelye a societye of all such as be haue been or shal be thy people but also a societye or partaking of Christe Iesus whiche is the head of the same yea by him of thee oh blessed father which art y ◠head of Christ and of thee oh holy ghost whiche nowe shadowest and sittest vpon the same to hatch and cherishe it as the hen her chekins by the extending of thy winges not onely to defende them frō their enemies but also to couer their sinnes and to remitte them in this life beginning also here the resurrection of the fleshe and euerlasting life the which thou wilt in the ende of the world consūmate so that they shall not nede to be couered for sinne for then shall they be pure and haue gtoriouse bodies immortall and spirituall the which shal haue the fruition of eternal ieye life euerlasting and glory suche as the eye hathe not sene the eare hath heard nor the hart of man can conceiue For then christ Iesus shall geue vp his kingedome to god the father that god may be al in all concerning the gouernaunce of it by the ministration of his word and other meanes wherby now he gouerneth it that it maye be his fathers kingdome we beig become like vnto him that is as to the manhod of Christ the godhead is vnited and is al in al without any other meanes euen so god shalbe in vs assuminge then not only in the person of christ the humaine nature but also al the humaine nature of his church which be members of Christ the wicked reprobate being separate then from this cōmunion cast into eternall perditiō with Sathan antichrist there to be in tormentes and horrour for euer By reason of this their faith they are thankfull to the o holye spirite whiche hast taught them this gyuen them to beleue it By reason of this faith they singularly praye loue helpe thy church here militāt labour to be holy 〈◊〉 By reason of this faith they cōfesse them selues sinners they desire and beleue pardone of their sinnes they are rysen and ryse daily concerning the inwards man and doe feele the life eternall begone in them more more laboringe praying wishings and desyringe for the same whollye and perfectly Where as oh lorde god and most graciouse holy spirit thou knowest that it is otherwise w t me I doe but bable w t my lippes in saying I beleue in the holy ghost for I am vnthankful for calling me into thy church I doe not liue holely I confesse not I lament not my sinnes I pray not for remission of them I stand in doubte thereof as I fele not my selfe rysen from a sinnefull life as I should be or as I fele not life begone in me as it is in thy deare children so doe I doubt herof whether I haue pardon of my sinnes whether I am regenerate whether I fele truly euerlasting life the which thinge doth most displease thee and yet w t my tonge I saye I beleue in the holye ghost Oh I besech thee good holy spirit for thy loue sake which moued the to agree and be willinge to patifye and open thy goodnes not only in the worke of creation for thou dyddest lye vpon the waters and as the benne her chickins dyddest as it were hatche the worke of creatiō but also in the worke of redemption and therefore diddest descend and abide not onely vpon Christ in his baptisme but
MEDITATION OF GODES power beutie goodnes c. BEcause thou lord woldst haue vs to loue thee not only doest thou will entice allure and prouoke vs but also doest commaunde vs so to do promising thy self vnto such as loue thee and threaning vs w t damp nation if we do otherwise whereby we may se both our great corruptioÌ„ noughtines also thine exceding great mercy towards vs. First concerning oure corruption and noughtines what a thing is it that power riches authoritie beutye goodnes liberalitie truth Iustice which all thou art good lorde cannot moue vs to loue thee whatsoeuer thinges we see faier good wise mighty are but eueÌ„ sparkles of that power beutie goodnes wisedome which y u art For to the end y u mightest declare thy riches beutye power wisdome goodnes c y u hast not only made but stil dost coserue al creatures to be as Dauid saith of y e beauens declarers setters forth of thy glory and as a booke to teache vs to knowe thee How faier thou art the beutie of the sonne mone starres light flowers riuers fieldes hilles byrdes beastes men al creatures yea the goodly shape forme of the whole world doth declare How mightye y u art we are taught by the creation of this world euen of nought by gouerning the same by punishinge the wicked mightie gyaunts therof by ouerthrowing their deuises by repressinge the rages of the sea within her boundes by stormes by tempests by fiers these such like declare vnto vs thine inuisible almightie and terrible power wherby thou subduest all things vnto thee Howe riche thou arte thys world thy great infinite treasure house doth wel declare What plentie is there not only of things but also of euery kinde of thinges Yea how doest thou yearely daily multiply these kindes How many seeds dost thou make of one sede yea what greate increase doest thou bringe it vnto These cannot but put vs in remembrance of the exceding riches that thou haste For if to thine enemies which loue thee not as y â— most parte in this worlde be yf to them thou geuest so plentifully thy riches here what shal we thinke that with thy selfe thou haste laide vp for thy frendes How good thou art al creatures generally and perticulerly do teache What creature is there in y â— world which thou hast not made for our commoditie I will not say how that y u mightest haue made vs creatures without sense or reasoÌ„ if thou haddest wold But amongest al thinges none doth teach vs so thy great loue towards vs as doth the death of thy most derely beloued soÌ„ne who suffered the paines â—errours therof yea of bell it self for our sakes If this thy loue had bene but a smalle loue it would neuer haue lasted so long nor Christ should neuer haue died A MEDITATION OF DEATH and the commodities it bringeth WHat other thing do we daily in this preseÌ„t life then heau sinne to sinne hourd vp trespasse vpon trespasse so y â— this day is worse alwaies then yesterdaye by encreasing as dais so sinnes therfore thy indignatioÌ„ good lord agaist vs but wheÌ„ we shalbe let go out of the priseÌ„ of y t body so taken into thy blessed coÌ„pany then shal we be in most safe tie of immortality saluation then shal come vnto vs no sicknes no nede no paine no kind of euil to soule or body but whatsoeuer good we can wishe y â— shall we haue what so euer we loth shalbe far froÌ„ vs. O dere father y â— we had faith to be hold these things accordingly Oh y â— our harts were persuaded therof eure affections enflamed w c the desyre of them Then shuld we lyue in longing for y â— which now we most loth Oh help vs graunt y â— we being ignorant of things to come of y â— time of oure death which to thee is certain may so liue finishe our iorney here y â— we may be ready and then depart whtÌ„ our departiÌ„g may make most to thy glory our coÌ„fort through christ What is this life but a smoke a vapour a shadow a warfar a bubble of water a word grasse a flower Thou shalt die is most certaine but of the time no man caÌ„ tel wheÌ„ The longer in this life y u doest remaine the more y u sinnest which will turne to thy more paine By cogitation of death our minds be often in maner oppressed w t darknes because we do but remeÌ„ber the night of y e body forgetting y e light of the mind of the resurrectioÌ„ Therto remeÌ„ber y e good thiÌ„gs that after this life shal ensue withoute wauering in certainty of faith so shal y e passage of death be more desired It is like a sailing ouer y e sea to thy home couÌ„try it is like a medicine or purgatioÌ„ to y e helth of soule body It is y e best phicisioÌ„ It is like to a womaÌ„s trauaile for as y e child being deliuered cometh into a more large place then the wombe wherin it did lie before so thy soule being deliuered out of the body commeth into a muche more large and faier place euen into heauen A GODLYE MEDITATION vpon the passion of our sauour Iesus Christ OH lord Iesus Christ the sonue of the euerliuing and almightye god by whom al thinges were made and be ruled and gouerned thou the liuely Image of y e substance of the father the eternal wisedome of god the brightnesse of hys glory god of god light of light coequall coeternall and consubstantial with the father thou of y â— loue thou haddest to mankinde that when he was fallen from the felowshippe of god into the societie of Sathan and all euill didst vouchsalfe for our redemption to become a mediatour betwene god and man takinge to the godhead our nature as concerninge the substaunce of it and so becamest man also the heire of all and moste mercifull Messias which by the power of thy godhead and merites of thy manhode haste made purgation of oure sinnes euen by thyne owne selfe whilest thou wast here on earth being now set on the right hande of thy father for vs euen concerning our nature in maiestie glory power infinite I besech and humblye pray thy mercy to graunt me at this present to reherse some of thy passions and sufferinges for me the laste night y u wast here before thy death that thy good spirit might therby be effecttuall to worke in me faith as well of the pardone of my sinnes by them as mortification of mine affections comfort in my crosses and pacience in afflictions Amen In the middeste of thy laste supper with thy deare Apostles these things cold not but be before thee namely that they all wold leaue thee the most earnest would for swere thee one of the xii shuld most traitorously betraye thee which were noe
GODLIE meditations vpon THE LORDES PRAYER THE beleefe and ten commaundementes with other comfortable meditations praiers and exercises Whereunto is annexed a defence of the doctrine of gods eternall election and predestination gathered by the constant martyr of God Iohn Bradford in the tyme of his imprisonment The contentes wherof appeare in the page nexte folowyng POST TENEBRAS LVX AFTER DARKNES LIGHT Nowe fyrst prynted by Rouland Hall dwellyng in gutter lane at the signe of the halfe Egle and key the. 12. of October 1562. A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS of this boke Instructions concerning praierr A meditation vpon the lordes praier A meditation vpon the beleife A meditation vpon the x. commaundementes A meditation concerning praier A breife paraphrase vpon the lords praier A meditation of the comminge of Christe to Iudgement c A meditation of the sobre vsage of the body and pleasures in this life An other meditation to the same effecte A meditation for the exercise of mortificatiōs A meditation of the prouidence of god A meditation of the presence of god A meditation of gods power c. A meditation of death A meditation vpon the passion A confession of synnes An other confession of synnes A praier for the remission of synnes An other praier for remission of synnes A praier for deliuerance from synne c. A praier for the obtaining of faith A praier for repentance A communication betwene Sathan and oure consience A defence of predestination A treatise of election and freewill A sūme of the doctrine of election and predestination TO THE READER HEre hast thou good reader suche godlye meditations praiers and other exercises of that worthye witnes of god Iohn Bradford as god by his singuler prouidence hath betherto preserued and now at the length broughte to light for thy comsort and commoditie Daylye and howerlye was this his exercise to talke with god by faithfull and hartye meditation and praier with power pearcynge the heauens and many suche godlye exercises dyd he leaue behinde him which either time hath consumed or elles suche as keepe them in store to their owne priuate vse doe little consider what benefite they withold from the church of god whiche if they shall yet brotherly communicate there shall not lacke good will and diligence to set them abroad In the meane season let vs with thankfulnes receyue reade and practise these as meanes to quicken our spirites to stirre vp our dulle hartes to a more feruenre inuocatiō of gods holy name Which howe farre it is frō that it shuld be in vs and what nede we haue thereof if oure deade senses cannot feele here may we see and perceiue Here may we learne to flee vnto god by praier that we runne not on still with this vnthankfull world into forgetfulnes of his great benefites powered vpon vs especially for the libertie of his gospell which we in muche mercye restored nowe vnto vs againe so vnthankfully receaue so vngodly neglect so wickedly abuse God graūt vs his good spirit to work in vs this good work to loke about vs in time to consider our state past and presēt as in deed we haue great cause to do so with hartie praier flee vnto god to preuent the plagues that are at hand lest with double woe we find the later ende worse then the beginning Instructions to be obserued concernynge Prayer There be nyne thynges that pertayne to the knowledge of trew prayer FIrste to knowe what prayer is Secondlye howe manye sortes of praier there be Thirdlye the necessitie of prayer Fourthlye to whom we ought to pray By whom we must pray Where to praye and what to praye The excellencye of prayer What we must do that our prayers may be hearde What prayer is PRaier is a simple vnfained humble and ardent openinge of the heart before God wherein we either aske thīgs nedeful or giue thankes for benefits receaued Paull in y e first to timothe 2. Chap. calleth it by fowre sōdrie names in one sentence to witte praier supplication intercession and thanks geuing In latyn Deprecatio Obsecratio inte recssio et gratiarum actio Wherof the first is for the aduoiding and preuenting of euil the second is an earnest and faruent calling vpō god for any thing y e thirde is an intercession for other the fourth is a praisinge of God for thinges receaued ¶ There be .ii. maner of waies how we shoulde praye 2. First publikly and that is called comō praier and priuatlie as when men praye alone and that is called priuat prayer and howe bothe these two are allowed before god y e scripture beareth testimony by the example of all the holye men and women before and after Christ ¶ Of the necessitie of praier 3. There be .iiii. thinges y e prouoke vs to pray first the commaundemēt of god secondlie sinne in vs whiche driueth vs of necessity to god for succor life mercy thirdlie our weake nature being vnable to doe any good requireth praier to strengthen it euen as a house requireth principal pillers for y e vpholding of it fourthlie the sutteltie of the enemye who priuilie lurketh in y e inwarde parts waitinge to ouerthrowe vs euen in those things which we thinke to be best done styreth vs vehementlye therevnto ¶ To whom we ought to praie 4. Thre thinges pertaine to hym that must be praied vnto first that he haue such eares as may heare al the worlde at ones secondlie that he be in al places at ones thirdlie that he haue such power that he may be able to helpe and such mercie that he wil delyuer By whom we shoulde praye 5. Christ only is the way by whom we haue free accesse vnto the father and for whom our praiers are accepted our infirmites notwithstāding withoute whom al oure prayers are abhominable Where to pray and what to pray 6. As touching the place where we should pray seyng al places are one there is none forbidden onelye the cōmon praier must be made in what place so euer the congregatyon of Christ doth assemble 7. What to praye lyeth in the necessitie of euery man for as muche as we nede both spirituall and corporall things we may bouldly aske thē both For as to aske spiritual giftes it is profitable commaunded so to aske corporall it is necessarie and allowed Of the excellencie of prayer 8. The worthines of praier consisteth in .ii. thinges in the dingnitye of the commaunder who is god the fountayne of all goodnes who also commaundeth onely good thinges and in the effect y e foloweth it which is the obtaininge of whatsoeuer we desire faithfully according to y e will of God What to doe that we may be heard 9. First we muste put of oure owne rightuousnes pride and estimation of our selues and put on christ with his rightuousnes secondlye an earnest faith and faruent loue with the putting of all rancnor malice enuie is required finally trewe repentaūce knitteth vp the knot for in
it are contained al the vertues aforenamed I. Breadford A meditation of the lordes praier Our father THou good lord which madest heauen earth the sea and all that is therin together with thy dearelye beloued sonne Iesus Chrysts and with thy holy spirite Thou the same god which openedst thy selfe to Adam by thy promise Thou the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob Thou which broughtest thy people of Israell forth of Egipt w t a mightie hand and a stretched out power Thou which gauest thy lawe vpon mounte Sinai Thou which spakest by thy prophets last of all in these latter dayes by thy dearlye beloued sonne Iesus Christ whom y e woldest should be made a second Adam that as by y e first we are childrē of wrath carnall and full of concupiscence so by him we might be made children of grace and spiritual by communicating with him y e qualitie merites vertues and grace of hys fleshe throughe the operation of the holye spirite as he communicated with vs the substaunce of oure fleshe in the wombe of y e virgin Marie by the operation of the same holy spirit being that blessed sede which was promised to Adam Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid which should brouse the Serpents heade which should bring the blessing on all nations whiche shuld raigne ouer thi house for euer and mightilye ouercome thine and our enemies as in dede he did by his incarnation natiuitie circumcisiō erile baptisme fastinge tentation doctrine dedes mracles workings agonies bloudy praier passiō death resurrection and ascension and yet he stil doth by his mediation and intercession for vs and at the length he will on al partes fully accōplishe by hys commynge to Iudgemente which wilbe sodenly in y e twinkring of an eye in the blast of a trompete and shoute of an Archangell when he shalbe sene wyth thousandes of Saintes innumerable thousandes of Angels all the whole worlde being on fire and all people that euer were are or shalbe then standing before his tribunall or iudgement seat to render an accompte of that they haue done in thys bodye be it good or bad Thou I say this god whiche art holye rightuouse trewe wyse pure chast mightie merciful good graciouse a hater of sinne an auenger of vnrightuousnes c woldeste that I which am borne in sinne and conceyued in iniquitie which by nature am a childe of wrathe for my hart is so vnsearcheably euell that out of it springeth corrupt concupissence so that the inclination thereof is prone to euell alwaies euen frō my youth vp as is my vnderstāding and mynde so darkened that I cannot perceyue those thinges that be of god of my selfe and all the wysedome whiche I receyue from Adam naturallye or other wyse attayne by labour or studye before regeneration I cānot thinke a good thought muche lesse wyshe it or consent vnto it and least of all doe it thou I saye yet wouldest that I being such a one in whom dwelleth continuall emnitie against thee that I whiche am nothinge but sinne and one that doeth euel alwaies before thee shuld call thee and beleue thee this god father of our lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ to be in very dede my father that is thou wouldest I should be moste assured that thou of thyne owne good will whiche thou barest to me wardes before I was yea before the worlde was hast in Christe chosen me to be thy child through him art become my most louinge father from whō I should loke for all good thinges be most certainelye perswaded that loke howe muche thou art more then mā so much thy loue and fatherlye prouidence towards me passeth the loue prouidence of anye father towardes hys childe in louing me caring how to help me prouiding for me nourtering me helping me in al my nedes So certaine y e woldest haue me to be of this y t to doubt of it doth most displease thee dishonor thee as either y u were not true or not able to doe these thynges or els becamest not my father in respecte of thine owne goodnes ī christ only but also in respect of my worthynes and deserts And y t I should not wauer or doubte of thys that thou arte my deare father I thy childe for euer through Iesus Christe it is required in the first commaundement which sayth I am y e lord thy god thou shalt haue none other goddes but me agayne thy sonne doth here commaunde me to call thee by the name of father moreouer in the firste article of my belefe I professe the same in saying I beleue in god the father almighty besydes this their are manye other things to confirme me herin as the creation and gouernemente of the world generally and of euery creature particularly for al is made and kept for man and so for me to serue me for my commoditye necessitye admonition Againe the creation of me in that thou hast made me after thy Image hauīg a reasōable soule body shape c. where thou mightest haue made mea tode a Serpent a swine deformed frātike c. moreouer thy wōderful cōseruacion norishing and keping of me hitherto in my infancie childhode youth c. Al these I say should cōfirme my faith of thy fatherlie loue But of all things the opening of thy selfe by thy worde promise of grace made after mans fall first to Adam then to Abraham Isaac Iacob and so to other beyng published by the prophetes frō time to time and last of all accomplished by thy deare sonne Iesus Christ in whom thy promises are yea Amē The opening of thy self thus I say in and by Christ is the most chiefe sure certificat that thou arte my father for his sake I thy deare child although of my selfe I am most vnworthie For thou accordinge to thy promises hast not spared thy deare sonne Iesus Christ but giuen hym to y e death of y e crosse for my sinnes Thou woldest he shuld be made flesh of our fleshe and bloude of our bloud in the wombe of the virgine Marie by the operation of the holy Spirite that we by the working of the same spirite throughe the merites of hys fleshe bloud might be made fleshe of his fleshe and bloud of his bloud that is as he hath the substaunce of our fleshe bloud euen so we might haue and foreuer enioye in him and through him the qualities vertues and gifts of rightuousnes holines innocencie immortalitie and glory wherewith he hath endued our nature in his owne person for vs all that as now in faith hope we haue y e same so in his cōming we might fully enioye them in very dede for then shall oure bodies nowe vile be like to his glorious body Herein apereth thy loue not y t we loued thee but that y e louest vs hast giuen thy
small crosses vnto thee Iudas was admonished of thee to beware but when he toke no heed but wilfully went out to finishe his worke conteÌ„ning thy admonition counsel he could not but vere thy most louing hart After supper there was contention amongs thy disciples who shuld be greatest after thee yet dreaming carnally of thee and thy kingdome hauing this affection of pride ambition busy amongs them notwithstanding thy diligence in reprouing and teaching them After thy admonicioÌ„ to them of the crosse y â— wold come therby to make them more vigilant so grosse were they y â— they thought they could with their .ii. swerds put away al pertis which was no litle greife vnto thee After thy comiÌ„g to Gethsemane heuines oppressed thee therfore thou woldest thy disciples to pray y u didst tel to peter and his felows that thy hart was heauy to death y u didst wil them to pray being careful for them also least they shuld fal into tentation After this y u wentest a stones cast froÌ„ them didst pray thy self falling flat groueliÌ„g vpoÌ„ y e earth but alas y â— feltst no coÌ„fort therfore y u camest to thy disciples whiche of all others wer most swete dere vnto thee but lo to thy further discomforte they passe nether of thy perils nor of their owne therfore slepe a pace After y â— hadst awaked them y u goest again to pray but y u fouÌ„dest no coÌ„fort at al therfore didst returne again for some coÌ„fort at thy derest freÌ„ds haÌ„ds But yet again alas they are fast a slepe whervpoÌ„ y u art inforced to goe again to thy heaueÌ„ly father for some sparcle of coÌ„fort in these thy wonderfull crosses agonies Now here y u wast so discouraged so coÌ„fortlesse that eueÌ„ streames of bloud came running froÌ„ thine eies cares other partes of thy body But who is able to expresse y e infinitnes of thy crosses eueÌ„ at thy being in y â— garden al which y â— sufferdest for my sake aswell to satisfy thi fathers wrath for my sines as also to sanctifie all my sufferings the more gladelye to bee sustayned of me After thy bloudye praier thou camest and yet agayne foundeste thy disciples a sleepe and before y u canst wel awake theÌ„ loâ— Iudas cometh w t a great band of meÌ„ to appreheÌ„d thee a these so doth leading thee away bound to the high Bysshopps house Annas and so froÌ„ him to Caiaphas Here now to augment this thy myserie beholde thy Disciples fle from thee false witnesses be broughte against thee thou art accused and condemned of blasphemie Peter eueÌ„ in thy sight forswereth thee thou arte vniustly stricken for answering lawfully thou art blindfelde stricken buffeted all the whole nighte in the Bysshoppe Caiaphas house of their cruell seruants In the morning by times thou art condempned againe of the prestes of blasphemie and therfore they bring thee before y â— secular power to Pilate by whoÌ„ y u art openly arrayned as other theues and malefauoures were when he sawe that thou wast accused of malice yet he did not desmysse thee but dyd sende thee to Herode where thou was derided shamefully in comminge and goeinge to and from hym all the waye wonderfully especially after Herod had apparelled thee as a foole Afore pilate againe therfore thou wast brought and accused falsly no man did take thy parte or speake a good worde for thee Pilate caused thee to be whipped scourged and to be handeled most pitifully to see if any pitie might appeare with the prelates but no maÌ„at al pitied thee Barrabas was preferred before thee al the people head taile was against thee cried hange thee vp vniustly to death wast thou iudged y u wast crowned with thornes that pearced thi braines thou wast made a mocking stocke thou wast reuiled reâ—aited beaten and most miserably handled Thou wentest through Ierusalem to the place of execution euen the mount of Caluarie A great crosse to bange thee on was laid vpon thy backe to beare and drawe as longe as thou wast able Thy bodye was racked to be nayled to the tree thy hands were bored thorow thy fete also nailes were put thorow them to fasten thee ther on thou wast hanged betwene heauen and earth as one spewed out of heauen vomited oute of the earth vnworthy of any place y â— high priest laughed thee to sckorne the elders blasphemed thee and saied god hath no care for thee the common people laught and cried out vpoÌ„ thee thrist oppressed thee but vinegre onelye and gal was giueÌ„ to thee to drinke heauen shined not on thee the sonne gaue thee no light the earth was afraied to beare thee Sathan tempted thee and thine owne senses caused thee to crie out my god my god why hast thou forsakeÌ„ me Oh wonderful passions which y u sufferedst In them y u teachest me in theÌ„ thou comfortest me for by them god is my father my sinnes are forgeuen by theÌ„ I shuld learne to feare god to loue god to hope iÌ„ god to hate sinne to be patient to cal vpon god neuer to leaue him for any tentatioÌ„s but with thee stil to crye father in to thy hands I coÌ„mende my spirit A CONFESSION OF SINNES and praier for the mitigation of goddes wrath and punishment for the same O Almightie god king of al kings gouerner of all things whose power no creature is able to resiste to whom it belongeth iustly to to punishe sinners and to be merciful vnto them that truly repent we confesse that thou doest most iustely punishe vs for we haue greuouslye sinned against thee and we acknowledge that in punishinge vs y u doest declare thy selfe to be our most mercifull father aswell because y u doeste not punishe vs in any thinge as we haue deserued as also because by punishing vs thou doest call vs and as it were drawe vs to increase in repentance in faith in praier in contemning of the world and in hartie desiring for euerlasting life and thy blessed presence Graunt vs therfore gratious lord thankfully to acknowledge thy great mercye which haste thus fauorably dealt with vs in punishing vs not to our confusion but to our amendment And seing thou hast sworne that y u wilt not the death of a sinner but that he turne lyue haue mercie vppon vs and turne vs vnto thee for thi derely beloued soÌ„ne Iesus christs sake whoÌ„ thou wouldest should be made a slaine sacrifice for our sinnes therby declaring thy great and vnspeakable anger agaist sinne thine infinite mercy to wardes vs sinfull wretches And for as muche as the dulnes of our harts blindnes and corruption is such that we are not able to arise vp vnto thee by faithful harty praier acording to our great necessity without thy singuler grace and assistance grauÌ„t vnto vs gratious lord thy holye and sanctifâ—inge spirite to worke in vs
therfore to thee dere father I come through thy sonne our lord mediatour and aduocate Iesus christ who sitteth on thy right hand making intercession for me praye thee of thy great goodnes mercye in christ to be merciful vnto me that I may feele in dede thy swete mercy as thy childe The time oh deare father I appoint not but I pray thee that I may w t hope stil expect loke for thy help I hope that as for a litle while y u hast left me thou wilt come and visite me and that in thy great mercie whereof I haue nede by reason of my great miserie Thou arte wont for a litle season in thine anger to hyde thy face from them whom thou louest but suerly oâ— redemer in eternal mercies y u wilt shewe thy compassions For when thou leauest vs oh lord y u doest not leaue vs very long neither doest y u leaue vs to our losse but to our lucre aduantage eueÌ„ that thy holy spirit with bigger porcion of thy power vertue maye lighten and cheare vs that y â— want of feeling to our sorow maye be recompenced plentifully with the liuely sense of hauiÌ„g thee to our eternal Ioy and therfore thou swarest that in thine euerlastiÌ„g mercy thou wilt haue coÌ„passioÌ„ on vs. Of which thiÌ„g to thende we might be most assured thin oâ—he is to be marked for y u saist as I haue sworne y â— I will not bring any more the waters to drowne the world so haue I sworne y â— I wil neuer more be angry with thee nor reproue thee The mouÌ„tains shal remoue y â— hils shal fal downe but my louing kindnes shall not moue y â— bond of my peace shal not faile thee thus saiest y u y â— lord our merciful redemer Dere father therfor I pray thee remeÌ„ber eueÌ„ for thine owne trueth mercies sake this promise euerlasting couenaÌ„t w t in thy good time I thee to write in my hart that I may know thee to be the only true god and Iesus Christe whom thou haste sent that I maye loue thee with all my harte for euer y t I may loue thy people for thy sake that I may be holy in thi sight through Christ that I may always not only striue against sinne but also ouercome the same daily more and more as thy children doe aboue all thinges desiringe the sanctification of thy name the comming of thy kingdome the doyng of thy will here on earth as it is in heauen c through Iesus Christ our redemer mediatour aduocate Amen AN OTHER PRAIER FOR remission of sinnes O Gracious god which sekest all meanes possible how to bring thy children into the feeling and sure sense of thy mercy therfore wheÌ„ prosperitie will not serue then sendeste thou aduersitie graciouslye correcting them here whoÌ„ y â— wilt shal with thee ells where lyue for euer we poore misers geue humble praises and thankes vnto thee deare father that thou hast vouched vs worthy of thy correction at this present hereby to worke that whiche we in prosperity liberty did neglect For the which neglecting and manye other our greuous sinnes wherof we nowe accuse oure selues before thee most mercifull lorde thou mightest most iustely haue geuen vs ouer and destroied vs bothe in soules and bodies But suche is thy goodnes towardes vs in Christe that thou semest to forget all our offences and as though we were farre otherwise then we be in deed thou wilte that we shuld suffer this crosse now laied vpon vs for thy trueth and gospelles sake and so be thy witnesses wyth the prophets apostles martyrs and confessours yea with thy dearly beloued sonne Iesus Christe to whoÌ„ thou doest now here beginne to fashion vs like that in his glorye we may be like him also Oh good god what are we on whoÌ„ thou shouldest she we this great mercy Oh louing lorde forgiue vs oure vnthankfullnes sinnes Oh faithfull father geue vs thyne holy spirit now to crie in our harts Abba dere father to assure vs of our eternal elections in Christ to reueile more more thi trueth vnto vs to coÌ„firme strengthen and stablishe vs so in the same that we may liue and die in it as vessells of thy mercy to thy glory and to the comoditie of thy churche Indue vs with the spirit of thy wisdome that with good conscience we maye alwaies so answere y â— enemies in thy cause as maye turne to their conuersion or confusion and our vnspeakable consolatioÌ„ in Iesê° christ for whose sake we besech thee hence forth to kepe vs to geue vs pacieÌ„ce and to will none otherwise for delyneraunce or mitigation of our miserye then maye stande alwaye wyth thy good pleasure and mercyful wil towardes vs. Graunt this deare father not onely to vs in this place but also to all other ells where afflicted for thy names sake through the death and merites of Iesus Christ our lord AmeÌ„ A PRAIER FOR DELIVERANCE from sinne and to be restored to goddes grace and fauour againé OH almightie and euer lasting lord god which hast made heauen earth c oh incoÌ„prebensible vnitie oh alwaies to be worshipped most blessed Trinitie I humbly beseth thee and pray thee by the assumption crucifyed humanitie of our lord Iesus Christe that thou wouldest enclyne and bowe downe the great depth of thy deitie to the botomeles pitte of my vilitie driue froÌ„ me al kynde of vice wickednes and synne and make in me a newe and cleane harte and renewe in me a right spirit for thy holy names sake Oh lord Iesu I besech thy goodnes for y â— excedig great loue which drew thee out of thy fathers bosome into the wombe of the holye virgin and for the assumptioÌ„ of maÌ„nes nature wherin it pleased thee to saue me to deliuer me from eternall death I besech thee I say that thou woldest drawe me out of my selfe into thee my lorde god and graunte this thy loue maye recouer againe to me thy grace to increase and make perfecte in me that which is wantinge to raise vp in me that which is fallen to restore to me that whiche I haue lost to quicken in me that whiche is dead shuld liue that so I may be come conformable vnto thee in all my life and conuersation thou dwelling in me and I in thee my hart being soupled with thy grace settled in thy faith for euer Oh y u my god lose set at libertie my spirit from al inferriour things gouerne my soule so worke that both in soule and body I may be holy and lyue to thy glory world with out ende Amen A PRAIER FOR THE OBTAIning of faith O Mercifull god and dere father of our lord sauiour Iesus christ In whom as thou art wel pleased so hast thou commaunded vs to heare him for as muche as he often biddeth vs to aske of thee and therto promiseth that thou wilt
to the end And gods gifts are such that he cannot repent him of theÌ„ And therfore saith christ I know whom I haue chosen attributing to election the cause of finall persenerance By which thinge Iudas was sene not to be elected to eternall 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 in readinge the scriptures from thys kinde of election y e which I speaks of nowe that is froÌ„ election to eternal life in christ Thirdly he sheweth y â— certaintye of saluatioÌ„ of y â— electe by calling theÌ„ heires For yf we be heires of god then are we felow hei res with Christe to be afflfcted and glorified with Christ and therefore saith he accordinge to the decree of his owne will Loe he calleth it a decree or counsel which shall stand as Csai saith the counsell of the lorde shall stande Fourthlye he she weth this certaintie by sayinge that they are elect and predestinate to y â— praise of gods glory which we shuld more care for then for the saluation of al the world This glory of y â— lord is set sorth as wel in them y â— perishe are reprobates as in the elect therfore S. Iohn bringing in y â— place of Esai speakig of y â— reprobate saith y â— Esai spake that wheÌ„ he sawe the glory of the lord This glory of the lord to be set forth by vs is a great mercy and benefite of god I am assured that if the very deuyls and reprobates dyd not repyne hereat but were thankfull that they might be ministers in any pointe to set fourth goddes glorye I am assured I saye that they shoulde fynde no hell nor tormentes Theyr hell and tourmentes commeth of the loue they haue to them selues and of the malyce enuye and hatred they haue agaynste God and hys glorye Let them tremble and feare that maye not awaye withe the glorye of the lord in election and reprobation Let not their eyes be euell because god is good and doth good to whom it pleaseth him wrong he doth to no man nor can doe for then he were not righteous and so no god He can not condemne the iuste for theÌ„ were be vntrue because his word is contrarie He cannot condemne the penitent and beleuer for that were against his promise Let vs therefore labour studie crye and praye for repentance and faith and then cannot we be damned because we are y â— blessed of the father before all worldes therfore we beleue therfore we repent And for asmuch as it perteineth to vs whiche be within to see and to speake of those thinges whiche are geuen vnto vs of god in Christe let vs laboure hereaboutes and leaue them that be withoute to the lorde which will Iudge them in his tyme. The Apostle praieth for the Ephesians for none other wisedome and re uelatioÌ„ from god then wherby they might know god haue their minds illumined to see what they shoulde hope for by their vocation and bow rich the glory of his inheretaunce is vpon his saintes Further then this I thinke is vnsemly for vs to search vntill we haue sought out how rich gods goodnes is and wilbe to vs his children The whiche we can neuer do but the more we go theraboutes and the more we taste his goodnes the more we shall loue him and loth al thinges that displease him This I say let vs do and not be to busye bodies in searching the maiestie and glory of god or in norrishing in any wise the doubting of our saluation wherto we are readye enoughe and the deuill goeth about nothinge ells so muche as that for by it we are dulle to doe good to other we are so carefull for our selues By it we are more dulle to do good to our selues because we stande in doute whether it profiteth vs or no. By it we dishonour god either in makinge hym as though he were not true or elles as thoughe our saluation came not only and altogether from him but hanged partely on our selues By it the deuyll will bringe men at length to dispaire and hatred of god Doubte once of thy saluation and continue therin and suerly he then will aske no more It was the first thing wherwith be tempted Christe if thou be the soÌ„ne of god c It is the first and principalest darte he casteth at gods eleâ—t But as he preuailed not against Christ no more shall he doe against anye of his members for they haue y â— shield of faith which quencheth his fiery dartes they praise god nighte day how then shuld they perishe The Angells of the lord pitch their tentes round about them how then shoulde Sathan preuaile They are borne in y â— hands of the angells least they shoulde hurt their feete at anye stone God hath geuen commaundement to his Angels ouerthem The Angelles are ministers vnto them Their names are writen in y â— booke of life therfore Christ bad them reioyce as paul doth y â— philippiaÌ„s for nothig shal separate them froÌ„ y â— loue wherw t god loueth theÌ„ in Christ Iesu who saith that it is impossible for them to erre finally to damnation for he is their light to illumine their darknes They are geuen to him to kepe he is faithful ouer al goddes childreÌ„ He saith he will kepe theÌ„ so that they shall neuer perishe After they beleue they are entred already into euerlasting life Christ hath set theÌ„ there already he hathe comitted theÌ„ into his fathers hands by praier which we knowe is sure therefore death hell deuilles nor all power sinnes nor mischefe shall neuer pul vs out of our heads hands whose meÌ„bres we are therfore receiuing of his spirit as we doe we cannot but bring forth y â— frutes thereof though now then the fleshe fayle vs. But the lord eueÌ„ our lord be praised which is more stroÌ„g in vs then he which is in y â— world he alwaies putteth vnder his hand y â— we lie not still nor shal do as y â— reprobat whose pietie is as y â— mornig dew soone come sone gone therfor thei cnÌ„not coÌ„tinue to y â— end CaÌ„not no they wil not if thei cold because thei hate god his glori therfore al theÌ„ y â— seke it or set it forth wheras y â— elect loue al meÌ„ seke to do al men good in god suspendig their iudgementes of others y â— they maye stande or fall to the lorde and not to them Hetherto oute of this one place of Paull to y â— Ephesians if the matter of election and predestination be so fully sette forth to goddes glory and to the comforte of his Church howe may we suppose is this matter sette fourth in
and therfore he fel so foule as he did For y e second mans state I meane before his fal his state nowe thus let vs think namely y t god made maÌ„ after his Image y t is endewed man w t a soule immortal wise rightuoê° holy for y â— Image of god is not coÌ„cerning the body which man hathe coÌ„men with the beastes of the earth but it is from abone and of goddes brething So y t Adam transgressing gods precept did not according as he should and might haue done but according as he should not haue done and mighte haue auoided if that he had not receiued the persuasion and counsel of the Serpente Which god permitted him to doe thereby to declare that perfect Iustice wisedome and holines 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 perfection and iustice which is in Christ oure lord and in Adam we could neuer haue had Which wisedome of god we shall Ioyefully one day behold yf we will nowe restraine our busye braine and curiositie from serching further then we should doe But to returne ageine Adam I say being made after gods Image which he receiued for vs al to haue deriued the same vnto vs all by naturall propagation by transgressing the commaundements lost and mangled so the same Image of god in himself and in vs all that for mortalitie came death for wysdome came folishenes for rightuousnes came vnrightuousnes for holynes came corruption concerning goddes Iudgement and in goddes sight although there remained in him concerninge mans Iudgement and the sight of the worlde life wisedome rightuousnes and holynes y t which all we by propagation doe from our mothers wombe receiue so that we may well see our state now to be far from the state we had before Adams fal and therfore gods law requireth nothinge of vs but that which was in our nature before the fall whiche we se is impossible for vs to paye accordingly and yet god not vniust in that he asketh of vs nothing therby but the selfe same thinge whiche he gaue vs in our creation The lawe then and the preceptes of god were geuen after the fal of man not that man should thereby get life and the thinge whiche was loste by synne for the blessed Seede was promised for the recouerig hereof and to him that partained but that man by it might know sinne and what he had lost therby to desire more deeply the promised seede by whome as we be receaued so our euills be not imputed and that we being renued by his holy spirit and newe seede shuld as newe borne babes desire and by will beginne to do the lawe of god which after our deliuerance fourth of thys corrupte bodie and man of synne by death we shall without all let fully accomplishe at the length receiue the bodye to be spirituall as Paull saieth and holye ready to obey and serue the spirit as an helper rather then an hynderer Oh happye daye when wilt thou appeare By this whyche I haue alreadye spoken I thinke the diligent reader may se how that there is election of gods children how that gods prouidence stretcheth it selfe to al thinges so that al things in respect ther of come of necessitie but yet nothing therby to be done by constraint and enforcement wherthroughe god is sene to be the authour of al things yet of no euil or sinne The state of man before his fall after with the cause of gods lawe precepts geuen to man I haue breifly touched Nowe it resteth that I should speake some thing of frewil what it is and howe farre we maye graunte that man hath free wyll That this may be vnderstand as I would haue the ende wherefore god gaue his law to be coÌ„sidered namely not for maÌ„ to get therby eternall life which apperteined to y â— promised sede but to shewe maÌ„ what sinne is what by syn he lost that he might by his vnhabilitie be driuen to desier of very necessity y â— promised Mesias and so by him to receyue the spirit wherethrough being regenerate he might learne to loue the lawe to take it as a directorie rule to liue by and to hedge in his old man froÌ„ controlinge this geare I saye as I would haue it considered yf we wil vnderstand mans frewill so would I haue this marked namely the difference betwixte the life whiche we loste had in our first creation and now haue by byrth before regeneration In our firste creation we had a life not only w t the creatures but also with god whiche life vtterly AdaÌ„ lost as he declareth by the runnyng awaye to hyde him selfe from god And this he lost for vs also aswel as for him selfe in respect whereof the scripture calleth vs deade Concerning this life therefore that is with god we haue no wil at al much lesse any frewil For how can a dead man haue any wil The will therfore we haue is onely for this life and with men that is it is not good and free but in respect of men and in this life in respecte of god and life with him all our will is as we are euen dead yea and the wil we haue for this presente life if a man will consider the god of this world and howe we are his slaues by birth and continually tyll we be regenerate and how ready our affections are to serue his purpose I thinke none will saye otherwise but that mans will vnregenerate is none otherwise fre then pleaseth his maister who muste needes serue spite of his head our god and therefore all to be done by gods prouidence as I saied before withoute any imputation of euill to our good and most holy father Yea but saith one what frewill hath man that is regenerat This wil I briefly shew when that I haue spoken of Iustification y â— which precedeth regeneration from whom we may discerne it but not deuide it no more then heat from the fyre Iustification in scripture is taken for the forgeuenes of oure sinnes consisteth in the forgeuenes of oure sinnes This is onely gods worke we nothing els but patientes not agentes After this worke in respect of vs and our sense commeth regeneration which altogether is goddes worke also For as to our first byrth we bring nothinge bring quoth I yes we bring to let it many things but to further it nothing at al so do we bring nothing that can helpe to our iustificatioÌ„ as S. Austen ful wel saithe he that made thee withoute thee shall he not iustifie thee wythoute thee whiche the papistes haue peruerted reading it affirmatiuely without interregation as thoughâ— we brought some thing to our iustifying where as it I meane iustifycation is a muche more excellente worke then y â— worke of our creatioÌ„ and therefore to arrogant are they whiche will not