¶ A frutefull treatise and ful of heauenly consolation against the feare of death Wherunto are annexed certeine sweet meditateons of the kingdom of Christ of life euerlasting and of the blessed state felicitie of the same Gathered by that holy marter of God Iohn Bradford ¶ Perused corrected augmented according to the originall Imprinted in Fletestrete neere to saint Dunstons Churche by William Powell Ecclesiasti 5. MAke no taryinge to turne vnto the lord and put not of from day to day For suddenly shal his wrathe come and in the day of vengeance he shall destroy thee Stande fast in the way of the lord bee stedfast in thine vnderstandinge and followe the word of peace and righteousnes ¶ A treatise agaynst the feare of death BEING mynded through the helpe of God for myne own comfort and encouraging of others to speake something of Deathe at whose doores thoughe I haue stande a great while yet neuer so nere to mans iudgement as I do now I think it most requisite to cal cry for thy helpe Oh blessed saut our Iesus Chryste whiche hast destroyed death by thy deathe brought in place thereof life and immortalitie as by the gospell it appereth graunt to mee true liuely fayth wherethrough men passe from deathe to eternal lyfe that of practyse and not of naked speculation I may somethynge wryte cōcernyng death whiche is dredful out of thee in it selfe to the glory of thy holy name to myne owne comfort in thee and to the edifying of al them to whō this writing shall come to be red or hearde Amen ¶ There be .iiii. kindes of death one whiche is naturall an other which is spiritual a third which is temporall and a fourth which is eternal Concerning the first and the last what they be I nede not to declare but the second and the third perchaunce of the simple for whose sake especially I wryte are not so soone espied By a spirituall deathe therfore I mean such a death as the body lyuing the soule is dead Wherof the Apostle maketh menciō in speaking of widdowes which linyng daintely being a liue in body are dead in soule Thus you see what I meane by the spirituall death Nowe by a temporall death I mean such a death wher throught the body and affections therof are mortified that the spirite may lyue Of which kynde of deathe the Apostle speaketh in exhorting vs to kyl our mēbers And thus muche of the kindes of death wherin the iudgement of the worlde is not to it approued for it careth lesse for spiritual dea the then for naturall deathe it estemeth lesse eternall death then temporal death orels wold men leaue syn which procureth both thone and the other I mean spiritual eternal death and chose temporally to dye that by naturall death they myght enter into the full fruition of eternall lyfe whiche none can enioy nor enter into that here wil not temporally dye that is mortifie their affections and crucifie their lustes and concupicences For by obeying them at the first came death as we may reade Genesis the. 3. If Eue had not obeyed her desire in eatinge the forbydden fruite wherby she died spiritually none of these kyndes of death had euer come vnto man nor ben knowen of vs. Therfore as I said we must nedes here temporally dye that is mortifie our affectiōs to escape the spiritual death and by naturall death not onely escape eternal death of soule body but also by it as by a dore enter into eternall life which Christ Iesus our Sauiour hath procured and purchased to and for al that be in him translatinge eternall deathe into a sleepe or rather into a delyueraunce of soule body from all kinde of mysery synne By reason wherof we may se that to those that be in Christe that is to such as do beleue which beleuers I meane are discerned frō others by not walking after the flesh but after the sprite to those I say death is no dāmage but a vantage no dreadfull thing but rather desierable of all messengers most mery whiles he is loked vpon with the eyes of faith in the gospell But more of this hereafter Thus haue I briefely shewed thee the kyndes of deathe what they be whence they come and what remedy for thē But now̄ for as muche as I am purposed hereafter to entreate onely of the first kynd of death that is of natural death somthing to comfort my self others against y e dreade and paynes of the same I wyll speake of it as God shal instructe mee and as I accustome with my self to muse on it now̄ then the better to be prepared against the houre of temptation I haue shewed howe that this naturall death came by spiritual death y t is by obeying our affectiōs in y e trāsgressiō of gods preceptes but through the benefite of Christ to such as be in him die temporally that is to suche beleeuers as labour to mortyfie their affections it is no destruction but a plaine dissolution both of soule and body from all kynde of perils daungers miseries and therefore to such is not to be dread but to be desired as wee se in the Apostle whiche desired to be dissolued And in Simeon which desired to be losed saying dismisse or lose mee O lorde By whiche wordes he semeth plainly to teache that this life is a bōdage and nothinge to be desired as now I wyll somthing shewe First consyder the pleasures of this life what they be how long they last how painefull we come by them what they leaue behind them and thou shalt euen in thēse nothing but vauitie As for example how long lasteth the pleasure that man hath in the acte of generatiō How painfully do mē behaue theym selues before they attayne it how doth it leaue behind it a certaine lothsomnes and fulnes I wyl speake nothing of the sting of cōscience if it be come by vnlawefully Who wel seinge this and forecasting it aforehād woulde not forgoe the pleasures willingly as farre as neede wyl permyt suffer If then in this one wherunto nature is moste prone and hath most pleasure in it be thus alas how can we but thincke so of other pleasures Put the case that the pleasures of this life were permanente during this life yet in that this life it selfe is nothing in comparyson and therfore is ful wel compared to a candell light whiche is sone blowne out to a flower whiche fadeth away to a smoke to a shdowe to a sleepe to a runnynge water to a day to an houre to a momente and to vanitie it selfe who wold esteme these plesures and commodities which laste so lyttle a while Before they be begonne they are gone and past awaye Howe muche of our tyme spende wee in slepyng in eating in drinking and in talking Intancie is not perceiued youth is shortly ouerblowen
to come THis body is but a prison wherein y e soule is kepte and that verely not beautifull bright but darke and most dirtie disquiet fusty fraile and filled vp with muche vermine and venemous vipers I meane it coÌ„cerning our affaccions standing in an ayre moste vnholsome prospect most lothsome if a man consyder the excrements of it by the eyes nose mouth eares hands feete and al the other partis So that no bocardo no little ease no dungeon no bishops prison no gate house no sinke no pit maye be compared in any poynte to be so euill a pryson for the body as the body is for and of the soule whereby the chyldren of God haue bene occasioned to crie and lament their longe being in it Oh sayth Dauid how longe shall I lye in this prison Oh wretch that I am sayth Paule who shal delyuer me out of this body of sinne which is an heauy burthen vnto y e soule as y e wise maÌ„ saith And therfore the godly crye nowe let thy seruant depart in peace Oh that I were dissolued had put of this earthly and fraile tabercle Take me vnto thee and bringe my soule out of this prison that it may geue thankes vnto thee O Lord. For so long as we be in this body we caÌ„not see the Lorde yea it is an heauy habitation and depresseth down sore the spirite from the familiaritie which it els shoulde haue with God This world and life is an exile a vale of miserye a wildernes of it selfe being voyde of all vertues and necessaries for eternal life ful of enemies sorows sighings sobbinges groninges miseryes c. In daunger to hunger colde heate thirst sores sicknes temptations troubles death and innumerable calamities being momentanie short vnstable and nothing but vayne and therfore is coÌ„pared to a warfare a womaÌ„s trauaile a shadow a smoke a vapor a worde a storme a tempest in the whych Gods people feele greate molestations grefes and troubles nowe of Sathan hymselfe nowe of the world nowe of their owne fleshe that so wonderfully diuersly daungerously and contrarily that they are enforced to cry Oh Lord wheÌ„ shal we come and appere before thee WheÌ„ shal this misery ende wheÌ„ shall we be deliuered out of thys vale of misery out of this wyldernes out of this continual affliction and most perilous seas But where thou art Oh lord and deare father of mercy there is not only no prison no dolors no sorow no sighings no teares no sicknes no hunger no heate no colde no payne no temptations no displeasure no malice no pride no vncleanes no contention no tormentes no horror no sinne no filth stink dearth death no weping teares misery myschiefe There is I say not only no such thynge or any euill noysome or displesaunt thyng but al libertie all light all plesantnes al ioy reioycing mirth pleasure pastime health wealth ryches glory power treasure honor triumphh comfort solace loue vnitie peace concord wisedome vertue melodye mekenes felicitie beatitude and all that euer can be wished or desired in moste securitie eternitie and perpetuitie y t may be thought not only of maÌ„ but of Angels and Archangels yea aboue all thoughts The eye hath not seene the lyke the eare hath not heard it nor no hart is able to conceyue in any poynt any part of the blisseful beatitude which is wyth thee moste deare God and father most deare lorde and sauiour most gracious good God and comforter where thou art O blessed God The ArchaÌ„gels Angels thrones powers Dominations Cherubiâ—s Ceraphins Patriarkes prophets apostles martyrs virgins confessors and ryghteous spirites cease not to singe nighte and day holye holye holye Lorde God of Hostes honour maiestye glory power empire and dominion be vnto thee Oh God the creator Oh Lord Iesu the redeiner Oh holy spirite the comforter In recordation of this oh how thy Children reioyce howe contemne they the pleasures of thys worlde howe little esteme they anye corporall griefe or shame how desire they to be with thee Howe amiable are thy tabernacles Oh Lorde God of Hostes say they my soule hath a desire to enter into the Courtes of the Lorde my hart and my soule reioyceth in the liuing God blessed are they that dwell in thy house they y t may alwayes be praysing thee For one day in thy courtes is beter theÌ„ a thousaÌ„d els wher I had rather bee a bore keper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tentes of vngonlynes for the Lord God is a lyght and defence And againe lyke as y e harte desireth y e water brokes so longeth my soule after thee oh god my soule is a thirst for god yea euen for the liuing god WheÌ„ shal I come to appeare before the prsence of god My soule thirsteth for thee my flesh also loÌ„geth after thee in a barren dry land where no water is They thy chyldren I meane O lord desire the day of that their redemptioÌ„ they still crie let thy kingedome come they cry come lord Iesus they lift vp their heads lokynge for thy apearing oh lord which wil make their vile body lyke to thine own glorious and immortall body for when thou shalt appeare they shalbe like vnto thee Thy Angelles wil gather them together they shall meete thee in the cloudes and be alwayes with thee They shal heare thys ioyfull voyce Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the begin ning Then shall they be like to thy Aungels Then shal they be like vnto the Sunne in thy king dome TheÌ„ shal they haue crownes of glory be endewed with white garments of innocencie righteousenes with palmes of victory in their handes Oh happy is he that may but see that immortall and incorruptible inheritauÌ„ce which they shal enioy for euermore Amen ¶ A short introduction to the vnderstanding of the Scriptures conteininge the summe of all the Diuitie necessarie for a Christian conscience By Iohn Bradford A Man that is regenerate and borne of God the whiche thinge y t euery one of vs do beeleue oure baptisme the SacrameÌ„t of regeneration doth require vnder paine of dampnation and therfore let euery one of vs with the virgin Mary say be it vnto me O Lorde according to thy worde accordinge to thy sacrameÌ„t of baptisme wherin thou hast declared our adoption and let vs lament the dowting hereof in vs striuing against it as we shalbe made able of the Lorde a man I say that is regenerate coÌ„ sisteth of two meÌ„ as a man maie saie namely of the olde man and of the newe man The olde man is like to a mightie Giant such a one as was Goliath for his birth is now perfecte But the newe man is like vnto a little chylde suche a one as was Dauide for his birth is not yet perfecte vntill the day of his generall resurrection The
Here we haue great pleasure in the bewtie of the worlde and of the pleasures honours dignities of the same also in the company of our friendes parentes wyfe children subiectes also in pientie of ryches cattel c. and yet we knowe that neuer a one of these is without his dyscommoditie which god sendeth lest we shuld loue them to much as if you wyl weye thinges you shal easly perceiue The Sunne though it be fayre cherefull yet it burneth sometimes to whot The ayre though it be light and pleasant yet somtimes it is dark and troublous and so of other thinges But be it so that there were no discommodities mingled with the commodities yet as before I haue saide the breuitie and shorte time that wee haue to vse them shoulde asswage their dulcetnes But if this were not also but that the pleasures of this lif were without discommoditie permanent and without peril wherof they be ful yet are they nothing at all to be compared to the commodities of the lyfe to come What is this earth heauen and shape of the worlde wherin beastes haue place and wicked men Goddes ennemies haue abyding and lybertie in comparison of the newe heauen and earth wherin righteousnes shal dwell in comparison of that place where Angels and archangels and al gods people yea God hym selfe hath his abiding and dwelling What is the company of wife children c. in comparison to the company of Abraham Isaack Iacob tste Patriarkes Prophetes Apostles martyrs confessors virgins and all the sainctes of God what is the companye of any in this world in comparison to the company of the Angels Archangels Cherubins Zeraphins powers thrones dominations yea of god the father god the sonne and god the holyghost What are the ryches and pleasures of this lyfe in comparison of the felicitie of euerlasting lif which is without all discommodities perpetuall without all peryll and ieoperdie without all griefe and molestation Oh the myrth and melody Oh the honour and glory Oh the ryches and bewtye Oh the power and maiestie Oh the swetenes and dignitie of the lyfe to come The eie hath not seene the care hath not hearde nor the harte of man is not able to conceiue in any thynge any parte of the eternall felycitie and happy state of heauen Therefore the Sainctes of God haue desired so earnestly so hartely to be there Oh how amiable are thy tabernacles sayth Dauid My soule hath a desire to enter into y t courtes of the Lord my hart and my soule reioyce in the lyuinge god Blessed are those y t dwell in thy house that they may aiwayes be praysing thee for one day in thy courtes is better then a thousand els where I had rather be a dore keper in the house of my GOD then to dwel in the tentes of vngodlines For the lorde god is a light and defence And againe as the Hart desireth the water brokes so lōgeth my soule after thee oh god My soule is a thyrst for god yea euen for the lyuing god when shall I come to appere before the presence of god And my soule thirsteth for thee my fleshe also lōgeth after thee in a barren and drye lande where no water is They gods peple I meane desier the daye of their redemption they still crye let thy kingdome come they crie come lord Iesus come they lyft vp theyr heades loking for his appearing whiche wyll make their vile bodies like to his own glorious and immortall body For when hee shal appeare they shalbe like vnto hym The angels wyl gather them together they shall mete hym in the clowdes and be alwayes with hym They shall heare this ioyfull voyce come ye blessed of my father possesse the kyngdome prepared for you from the begynning Then shall they be lyke vnto his Aungels then shall they shyne lyke the Sunne in the kyngdome then shall they haue crounes of glory and be endued with whyte garmentes of innocencie and righteousenes palines of victorye in their handes Oh happy happy is he that may with them se that imusrial and incorruptible inherytaunce which thē we shal enioy for euer Thus you se I hope sufficiently that in respect of heauen eternall blysse wherunto by the hauen of death we land this lif though there were no euyll in it is not to be loued but rather we that he pilgrimes in it should desier with Paule and Simton to be losed and dissolued that wee might be with god Here our bodies as before is spoken are in daunger of innumerable euilles but there our bodies shall be not onely without al daunger vutalso be like the glorious immortal body of the lord Iesus christ Nowe our bodies be darke then shall they be most cleere lyght as we se Christes face dyd shyne in his transfiguration like to the suane Now our bodies be vile miserable mortall and corruptible but then shall they be gloryous happy immortal and incorruptible wee shall be lyke vnto Christ our sauiour euen as he is so shal we be As we haue borne the image of the earthly so shall we beare the image of the heauēly Here our soules are in greate dearknes and daungers of many euyls but there they shall be in great light safe securitie and secure felicitie we shall se god face face where nowe wee se him but as in a glasse thorowe a darke speaking There shal we behold him euen as he is and be satisfied without lothsomnes of his presense yea we shalbe endued with most perfecte knowledge where now we know but partly there shal we know as we be knowen Here our commodities are measurable shorte vncertaine and mingled with many incommodyties but there is myrth without measure all lybertie al light all ioye reioysing pleasure healthe wealthe ryches glorye power treasure honour triumphe comforte solace loue vnitie peace concorde wisdome vertue melody mekenes felicitie beatitude and all that euer can be wysshed or desired and that in most securitie and perpetuitie that may be conceiued or thoughte not onely of men but also of aungelles as wytnesseth hee that sawe it I meane Paule who was caryed vp into the thirde heauen The eye hath not seene saith hee the tare hath not heard neither hath entred into the harte of man the felicitie that God hath prepared for them that loue hym There the archangels angels powers thrones dominions cherubins Seraphins Patriarkes Prophetes apostles martyrs Virgins confessors and ryghteous spirites cease not to singe nyghte and day Holy Holy Holy lord God of hostes honor maiestie glory impery and dominion be vnto thee oh lord God the creator Oh Lord Iesu the redemer O holy spirit the comforter For the light of the moone shalbe as the lyght of the sunne and the lyght of the sunne shalbe seuen folde euen as the lyght of seuen daies in his blessed kyngdome
where and when he wyll vinde vp the wouÌ„des of his people and heale theyr plagues Oh that we might haue some liuely sight hereof that we might reioyce ouer the vndefyled unmortall inheritaunce whervnto God hath called vs whiche he doth kepe for vs in heaueÌ„ that wee might heare the sweete songe of his saued people crying saluatioÌ„ be vnto him that sitteth on the throne of our God vnto the lamb that we might â–ª with y e elders and Angels sing and say praise and glory and wysedome and thankesgeuing and honour and power and might be to thee our god for euermore that wee mighte be couered with a whyte stole haue a palme in our handes to stand befort Gods throne night and day to serue him in his temple and to haue him dwel in vs that we might heare y e greate voice saying from heauen behold the tabernacle of the lord is with men and he wil dwel with them and they shall be his people and God hym selfe wil be with them their god Oh happy were they that nowe myghte haue a little she we of that holy citie new Ierusalem descending from heauen prepared of god as a bride decked for her husband which he shewed to his seruaunt saincte Iohn Trewely this should we se if we were with him in the spirite but this can not be so longe as wee are in the fleshe Alas then and well away that we loue this life as we do It is a signe we haue lyttle faith for els how could we but night and day desire the messenger of the lord death I mean to delyuer vs out of all miseries that we might enter into the fruition of eternall felicitie But here wyll some man saye Oh Sir If I were cerrayn that I should depart from this miserable life into that so great felycitie then coulde I be right glad and reioyce as you will mee and byd death welcome but I am a synner I haue greuously transgressed and broken Gods wyll and therfore I am afraide I shal be sent into eternall woe perdition and mysery Here my brother thou doest wel that thou doest acknowledge thy self a sinner to haue deserued eternal death for doubtles if wee say we haue no sinne wee are lyars and the trueth is not in vs. A chylde of a nightes birth is not pure in goddes syghte In sinne were wee borne and by birth or naâ—â—re we are the chyldren of wrath and her brandes of hell Therfore confesse our selues to be sinners wee needes must For if the lord wyl obserue any mannes iniquiries none shall be able to abide it yea we must nedes all cry enter not into iudgement O Lorde for in thy syghte no fleshe nor man lyuing can be saued In this point therefore thou hast done well to confesse that thou art a synner But now where thou stantest in doubte of pardon of thy sinnes and thereby arte afrayde of damnatioÌ„ my deere brother I wold haue thee answere mee one question that is whether thou desirest pardon or no whether thou doest repent or no whether thou doest vnfainedly purpose if thou sholdest liue to amende thy life or no. If thou doest euen before god so purpose desirest his mercy then harken my good brother what the lord saith vnto thee I am hee I am hee that for my owne sake wyll doe away thyne offences If thy sinnes bee as redde as scarlet they shalbe made as whyte as show for I haue no pleasure in the death of a sinner As surely as I lyue I wyll not thy death but rather y t thou sholdest liue and be coÌ„uerted I haue so loued the worlde that I wold not spare my dearelye beloued Sonne the Image of my substauÌ„ce and brightnes of my glorye by whome all thinges were geuen but gaue hym for thee not onely to be man but also to take thy nature and to purge it from mortalitie sinne and al corruption and to adorne and endewe it with immortalitie eternal glory not onely in his owne person but also in thee and for the wher of nowe by faith I woulde haue thee certein as in very dede thou shalte at length feele and fully enioye for euer This my sonne I haue geuen to the death that a muste shameful death euen of the crosse for thee to destroye death to satisfie my iustice for thy sins therefore beleue and accordinge to thy faith so be it vnto the. Harken what my sonne himselfe sayeth vnto thee Come vnto mee al ye that laboure and are laden I will refreshe you I came not into the worlde to damme the world but to saue it I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance I praie not sayth he for these mine Apostles only but also for al them that by theyr preachiÌ„g shal beleue in me Now what prayed hee for suche Father saith he I will that where I am they may also be that they maye see and enioye the glorye I haue and alwaies had with thee Father saue them and kepe them in thy truth Father saith hee I sanctifie my selfe and offer vp my selfe for them Loe thus thou hearest how my sonne prayeth for thee Marke nowe what my Apostle Paule sayeth we know saieth he that oure Sauiour Christes prayers were hearde Also this is a true saying that Iesus Christ came into the worlde to saue sinners HarkeÌ„ what he saieth to y e Iaylor beleue in the Lorde Iesus thou shalte be saued For hee by his owne self hath made purgacioÌ„ for our sinnes To him saith Peter beareth all the prophetes witnes that whosoeuer beleueth in his name shal receiue remissioÌ„ of their sins Beleue man pray Lorde helpe mine vnbelefe lorde increase my fayth aske and thon shalt haue Harken what s Iohn saith If we confesse our sinnes God is righteous to forgeue vs al our iniquities and the blood of our lord Iesus Christ shal wash vs froÌ„ our sinnes For if we sin we haue an aduocate sayeth he with the father Iesus christ the righteous and he is the propiciation for our sins Harken what Christe is called Call his name Iesus saith the Angel for he shal saue his people from their sinnes So that where abundance of sin is there is abundaunce of grace Say therefore who shal lay any thinge to my charge It is god y t absolueth me who then shal condempne me It is Christ which is dead for my sinnes yea which is risen for my righteousenesse sitteth on the righte hande of the father prayeth for me Be certayne therfore and sure of pardon of thy sinnes be certain and sure of euerlasting life Do not nowe say in thy hart who shall descend into the depe that is dobute not of pardon of thy sinns for that is to fetch vp Christ againe neither say thou who shal ascende vp in to heuen that
thy holy name being preserued alwaies frō y e councel of the vngodly from the way of the wicked from the seate of the scorneful to delite in thy lawe night and day to be made spiritual to haue the benefite of thy kingdome priest hode which be both spiritual preseruing thy people from y e tiranny of sinne Sathan althoughe in this life y ◠permit their enemies to vexe thē to thy further glory their encrease in repentaunce and godlines which geue vnto mee and encrease in mee for thy holye names sake Amen ¶ Scriptures prouing Christes kingdome to be spiritual My kingdome is not of this worlde Thou hast geuen him power ouer all flesh that how many soeuer thou haste geuē vnto him he might geue to y e same euerlastinge life What is it any worldly policy no therefore it foloweth this is euerlastinge life y t they may know thee to be the only true God whom thou diddest sende Iesus Christ which sitteth on the right hande of god prayeth for vs. The rote of Iesse shal stande vp and y e gentils shal make their praiers vnto him c. By these two sentences we may see Christes kingdome priesthode to be spirituall and no polytike regimente He prayeth for vs to his father and so raygneth that he will be called vpon wyll heare vs satisfie vs keepe vs with his holy spirite as gods children for they are ledde by the spirite of God in their hartes he will write his law c. which benefits let vs loke for no corporal kingdome We are fellow heires with Christe If so be we do suffer with him we shalbe glorified with hym We are saued by hope For thy sake we are kylled al the day longe In this worlde you shal haue affliction Al y t wil liue godly in christ must suffer per secution And many places there be which teach vs y e the glory of Christes kingdome is no worldly dominion or power but a spiritual thing that we should be resuscitated haue a new an eternal life righteousnes glory euē such as Christ hath Besids this Paule telleth y t Antechrist shall beare rule in the Churche vntill Christ come to iudgement then shal he destroy his kingdōe So y t the true church of Christe shall not haue worldely dominion and kingedome but rather be persecuted especially towardes thence of the worlde as Peter telleth y t as there was before Christes cōming in y e church false prophets the regiment was with the aduersaries whiche beare the name of y e church vnder the whch they destroyed y e church so shal it be in the church after Christes tyme. There wilbe saith he many false teachers which wil deceane not a fewe or the fewer parte but many the greater part as now the Papistes haue doone almoste all Christendom Againe he sayth y t there will come mockers whych wyl make a mocke of religion so that the church cannot but be persecuted Daniel plainly sheweth y t the beastes that is the empires of y e world shalbe cast into y e fire when Christ shal come to iudgemēt so y t some wicked Empires shal continue vntil the laste day The true Church of Christe is carefull for inwarde beauty as it is writtē of the kings daughter wheras the papistical church nothinge passeth therof but altogether careth for externall geare So sayth our Papistes in England Come to the church do as other men do outwardly kept your conscience to your selues ¶ Scryptures prouinge that in Christes Church vppon earth there shalbe good and bad mingled vntil the day of iudgemēt AS it was in the dayes of Lot so shal it be in the cōming c. In y e night there shalbe two in one bed one shalbe taken c. Let them the tares amongest the Corne he meaneth grow together vntil the haruest The Harueste is the ende of the world then the sonne of man shal sende forth his angels they shal gather all offence geuers oute of his kingedome and those whiche worke wickednes So shal it go in the ende of the world the Angels shall goe forthe and seperate the euil from the righteous cast them into the fornace of fier By these sentences we may see y e Hypocrites shall be mingled w t the godly vntil the day of iudgement Whereas the Anabaptistes doe cite the Prophets who speaking of Christes kingedome vse often figures and similitudes of worldly Empires that by temporall visible thinges we may arise to a depe consideration of spirituall eternall thinges in christes king dome let vs learne so to doe and agayne lette vs knowe that the Ghospell is the exposition of the Prophetes and therefore those corporal metaphors in the Prophetes paynting forth the kingdome of Christ must be interpreted accordynge to the Ghospell which teacheth clerely Chrystes kingdome to bee a spirituall and no temporal thynge as before is shewed Moreouer the Prophets euen them selues doe playnely shewe Christes kingdome to be a spyrituall thinge Do the not Daniell saye that Christe shall be kylled And Esaye also doth not he saye that Christe shall geue hys lyfe for sinne So that we may see no affirmation of corporal dominion here on earthe in thys lyfe Besides this the Prophetes doe affirme also Christes kingdome to be eternall and therefore cannot be temporall Figures and Metaphors can bee no otherwise thē Allegorically vnderstanded I nede not to tel howe that the prophetes vse to speake of Chrystes kingdome that they doe not dyscerne the times of this life and of the life to come because Christes eternall kyngedome is begonne in spirite and fayth in thys lyfe and afterwarde endureth for euer Howe be it some tymes and often they do otherwyse plainly shewe that Chrystes kyngedome and Church shal suffer persecution in thys life as in the. 2. Psal and Psal 115. precious in the sight of the Lorde is the death of his saintes And Psalme 72. Esay 30. Daniel 12. ¶ That there is an euerlastynge life where it is what knowledge and vnderstanding therof may be had in thys life THat there is an euerlastyng lyfe none will deny but such as wyl deny God For if he be true and iuste or els he is not God then can there not bee but an eternal life That he hath both spoken it promysed it in Math 25. 1. Cor. 15. Hebre. 4. 11. 13. 1. Peter 1. it apereth els wher in very many places So that to deny an euerlasting life is to deny God to deny Christe and all that euer he did also to denye all pitie and religion to condempne of folyshnes all good men Martyrs Confessors Euangelistes Prophets Patriarkes Sūina the deniall of eternall lyfe is nothing els but a denyal of the immortality of the Soule and so a playne makyng of man nothyng better then beastes If it be so
let vs then eate and drynke for to morowe we shal die Lorde deliuer vs from this Sadduceal and Epicureal impietie graunt vs for thy mercies sake deare God that we may be assuredly perswaded that there is in dede an eternall life blysse with thee for thē that putte their truste in thee amongest whom accompte me for thy mercies sake Agayne thys eternall life and the place appointed for them that bee thy seruantes all men doe graunt to bee with thee Not because thou arte euerye where they doe therefore thynke so of eternall lyfe that it is euery where For they by thy word do knowe that in as muche as no man can see thee and lyue this eternall life and thy blessed presēce is moste pleasaunte and hadde in fruition after in an other world wherunto by corporal death they doe depart and are translated to a place aboue them where thou dwelleste in a lyghte where vnto no man can approch Abrahams wsome they reade was aboue as the place for the wicked was alowe and beneath Helias was caught vp into heauen and thy sone our deare sauiour praied that wher he is those also might be which thou haddest geuē him and might see his glory Nowe hee deare father we learne by thy spirite was asceuded and taken vp in his very body into heauen whether Steueu loked vppe and sawe thy Christ standing on thy right hand to whom he praied Oh Lorde Iesu receaue my Spirite Graunte I beseche thee gracious God and father that I maye haue a cleane harte more more to see thee and so in spirite to see and loke vppon often thys place whether brynge me at the length in body also I hūbly pray thee Now what a thing this euerlasting lyfe is no man is hable to conceaue much lesse hable to vtter For the peace of God whych is eternal life passeth all vnderstanding The eie hath not seene the eare hath not hearde neyther can mans hart cōceaue those thin ges which thou deare god haste prepared for them that loue thee whatsoeuer therefore can be spokē or imagined of thy kingdome of the clerenes ioye and felicitye of the same is nothinge in comparison as we may see by thy Prophets which because they could not otherwyse vnder corporall things haue shadowed the same So that the confidence of eternal lyfe what a thing it is can in no wise be tolde Howe ve it somewhat we maye be broughte into some sighte of it by earthly thinges to thynke on thys sorte If God haue geuen here so manye thinges in a straunge place how many are the great good thinges that be at home if in a prison are so many mercies how many are they in the palace If the wicked haue so many benefites what is y e store prepared for thy seruāts Oh Lorde if thy children fynde such comforts in y e daye of teares and mourninge what shall they fynde in the daye of the mariage If wyth beastes men being haue y e vse of so innumerable blessings oh howe many are the blessinges which they shal enioye wyth thy Angelles and with thee thy selfe O deare God when they shall see thee and haue the fruition of thee in whom is fulnes without lothing of all good and faire thinges so that nothinge can be more desited and that for euermore This thy Chyldren doe not so see as they nowe beleue it I say that euē in their bodies they shal see it for euer as Iob said They beleue that they shal see thee and their owne eies behold thee whē these our corporall eyes our bodyes being reysed shall doe theyr duties Suche a knowledge of thee they beleue to haue as shal not be onely intellectuall and by faith as nowe it is but euen a ful sight and fruition yea a coniunctiō felowship with thee Now they see but in a glasse euen in a dark speaking but then they shal see face to face For fayth though it be the substaunce of thinges hoped for and a certaine dark sight of thee yet it may not be cōpared to the rewarde of fayth and glorious sighte which we shal see in the lyfe to come when fayth and hope shal cease Now thy childrē knowe that they bee thy sonnes thoughe it yet appeare not what they shal be we know say they that when our Christe God and man shal apeare then shal we be like vnto him for we shal see him euen as he is Oh great prerogatiue to see Christ as he is which is not to bee considered so muche for the manhod as for the Godheade it selfe as Paule doth also write that when all thinges are subiect vnto the sonne then shall he be subiect vnto thee deare father allo that God may bee all in all And therfore Christe oure Sauiour prayed for vs that we myght knowe thee the only true God Not that our Chryste thy Sonne is not with thee the true coequal and substancial God but that we might know howe that after the iudgement suche a mysterie of hys mediatorship shall not bee in heauen as is nowe in earth Thē thou blessed trinitie God the father God the sonne God the holy ghost shalt be al in all thou shalte be the ende of our desires thou shalt be loked vpon without ende thou shalt bee loued without lothing thou shalte be praysed without werines Althoughe lothsomnes be wonte to followe fulnes yet our fulnes in the contemplaciō of thy pleasurs shal bring with it no kinde at all of lothsomnes Sacietie of ioyes shall be in the beholdinge of thee pleasures are in thy righte hande for euer we shalbe satisfyed whē wee aryse after thyne Image I meane in the resurrection Oh deare Father shewe thy selfe vn to vs and we aske no more Oh graunt vs with thy Sainctes in euerlastinge lyfe to prayse wyth perpetual praises thy holi name Happy then and happye agayne were we if that day were come that we myghte singe wyth thy Aungels elders and innumerable thousands a newe songe and say thou christ Iesu which waste slayne art worthy to receaue power and ryches and wysedome and strengthe and honoure and glory blessing In this blessed life al kind of maladyes griefes sorrowes and euilles bee farre away and all full of all kinde of mirthe ioye and pleasure Oh that we mighte see nowe a lyttle with S. Iohn that holye Cytie newe Ierusalem discending from heauen prepared of GOD as a bryde trunmed for her husbande Oh that we mighte nowe something heare the greate voice speakynge out of the throne beholde the tabernacle of GOD is with men he will dwell with them and they shalbe his people and he shall be vnto them their God he wyll wype awaye all teares from theyr eyes and death shall be no more nor wepinge nor crying nor sorrowe for the former thinges are gone ¶ A Meditacion of the blessed state and felicitie of the lyfe
ioyful together If sinne the lawe the deuyll or any thinge would crepe into the bed and lie there then complaine to thy husband Christ and forth wyth thou sahlte see hym playe Phinees parte Thus my dearly beloued I haue geuen you in fewe wordes a summe of all the Diuinitie which a christian conscience can not want ¶ A Prayer whiche Ihon Bradford sayd a little before his death in Smithfelde MErcifull God and Father to whom our sauiour christ approched in hys feare and nede by reason of death founde comforte gracious God most bounteous Christe on whoÌ„ Stephen called in hys extreame neede receiued strength moste beninge holy spirite which in the middest of all crosses death diddest comfort the apostle s Paule with more consolations in christ then he felt sorrowes terrours in the worlde haue mercy vppon me a most miserable vile wretched sinner which nowe drawe nere the gates of death deserued both in soule body eternally by reson of my manifold horrible old newe transgressions which to thine eyes O lorde god are opeÌ„ and kuowen Oh be merciful vnto me and forgeue me for the bitter death and bloud sheddinge of thine onely sonne Iesus Christe And thoughe thy Iustice do require in respect of my sinns that nowe thou sholdest not heare me contemning thy dayly callinges yet let thy mercy which is aboue all thy works and wherwith the earthe is filled let thy mercy I say preuayle towardes me thorow the merites mediation of christ our sauiour for whose sake it pleaseth thee to bringe me forth now as one of his witnesses a record bearer of thy verity and trueth taught by him to geue my life therfore To which dignity I do acknowledge deare god that there was neuer anye so vnworthy and vnmeete no not the thefe that haÌ„ged with him on y e crosse I humbly therfore pray thee that thou wouldest accordingly ayde helpe assist me with the streÌ„gth and heauenly grace y t with christ thy sonne I may finde comforte with Stephen I may see thy presence and gracious power wyth Paule and all others whych for thy names sake haue suffred afflictious and death I maye finde so present with me thy gracious coÌ„solation that I may by death glorify thy holy name set forth ratify thy verity comforte y e hartes of the heauy confirme thy church in thy truth coÌ„uert some that are to be conuerted and so depart out of this miserable world wher I do nothing but dayly heape sinne vpon sinne and enter into the fruition of thy blessed mercy wherof now geue increase in me a liuely taste sense and felinge wherthrough the terrour of death the torments of fier the pains of sin y e darts of Sathan the dolours of hell may neuer ouercome mee but may be driuen away through the working of that most gracious spirite whych now pleÌ„teously endue me withal that through the same spirite I maye offer as nowe I desire am redye to do in christ by him my self wholy soule and body to be a liuely sacrifice holy acceptable in thy sight deare father whose I am alwaies haue ben euen froÌ„ my mothers wombe yea euen before y e world was made to whoÌ„ I commende my selfe faith name familye frendes countrey and al the whole church yea euen my very ennemies accordinge to thy good pleasure besechinge thee entierly to geue once more to this realme of Englande the blessinge of thy worde againe with godly peace to the teaching and settinge forth of the same Oh deare Father now geue me to come vnto thee purge so purify me by this fier in Christes death and passioÌ„ thorowe thy spirite that I may be a burnte offeringe of swete smel in thy sight which liuest raygnest with the Sonne the holy ghost nowe and foreuermore worlde without ende Amen Ephe. v. ☞ Awake thou that slepest and arise from the Dead and Epriste shal shew light vnto thee Certein faults escaped In the 7. leafe first side reade in the margent thus By loking on our olde faulles In the 13. leafe and second syde adde to y e later note iÌ„ y e margeÌ„t Felicitie which we obtain by Death In the 43. leafe in y e title of the Introduction read Diuinitie And in the other titles for Instruction read Introduction iiij kindes of death Spiritual death what it is 2. Tim. 5 Temporal death Cols 3. Sinne is the cause of death By what meanes death came into the world Roma 8. Naturall death Death what it is to christians Philip. 1. Luke 2. This liffe is not to be loued in respect of the pleasures ther of beinge nothynge else but vanitie What this lyfe is marke here and learne This life is more to be loched for the myseries theÌ„ loued for the pleasures ther of The myseries of this life concerniÌ„g the body The miseries of this life concerniÌ„g the soule BylokiÌ„g on our olde falts teÌ„ptatioÌ„s and other mès falts we maye see what daunger we are al wais ready to fall into Great weighty causes for vs to be sadde and heauy lyttle to ioy in the pleasures of this lyfe An apte coÌ„parison betwene a ship on the sea the lif of man for what daungers are so great what so like Beholde the greate miseries mischiefs that this life is in danger of on euerye syde 1. Cor. 2. Iob. 5. Iob 8. Iaco. 4. Iohn 8. Psal 91. How short transitory and misera The life of man is the scriptures doe euerie where declare The breuitie vanitie and miserie of this life shoulde cause vs little to regarde it 1. Pet. 7 Apoc. 7. The commodities wherto death bringeth vs shoulde make vs wylling to forsake this lyfe The commodities of this lyfe mixed with discommodities lest we should loue them to muche The pleasures of this life what they are in coÌ„parison of the pleasure of the life to coÌ„e The blessed state of the life to come 1. Co. 2. Psal 84. The vehement desire and loÌ„ging of Goodes sainctes to be dissolued and to be with god Psal 24. Psal 63. Roma 8. Apoc. 22. Philip. 1. Math. 24. 1. Thes 4. Math. 2â— Apoc. 7. The glory and felicitie of Gods children in the kingdomâ— of God Death y e Hauen of eternall life The miseries and dangers we passe and the Phil. 3. Mat. 13. Dan. 12. Mat. 17. Cor. 15. Io. 3. 1. Cor. 15 Now folish sensles are thei which in respecte pect of so glorious a state will not gladly forsake so miserable a lyfe 1. Cor. 2. Apo. 44. The claritie and brightnes of Gods children in his kingedome aboue the seuen told brightnes of the suÌ„â— Apoc. 22. Apoc. 21. Lacke of fayth is y e cause whi we do so lyttle desire to be out of this synfull lyfe An obiection procedinge of the sense of synne reason whiche is an aduersary to fayth 1. Iohn 1 Iob. 25. Psal â—â—â— Psal 141 Thre thinges wher by the afflicted conscieÌ„ce may be assured of pardon forgeuenes Esay 43. Esay 1. Ezech. 33 Iohn 3. Philip. 2. Math. 11 Iohn 3. Luke 5. Iohn 15. Heb. 5. 1. Tim. 1. Act. 16. Heb. 9. Act. 8. Mark 6. Luke 17. 1. Iohn 1 1. Iohn 2 Luke 1. Rom. 5 Rom. 8. Rom. 10. 1. Thes 4. 1. Cor. 15. The greatest dishonor to god is to dout of his mercy Luke 1. in y e word only wee beholde gods loue fauoure towardes vs therfore wee shold geue credit to it against al our sense reasoÌ„ and iudgmeÌ„t * Iohn 12 Psal 130 Deathe what it is by y e word of god 2. Cor. 5 whi death oughte to be premeditate and thoughte often vpoÌ„ Iob. 14. Luke 12. Luke 11. The .iiij. last Artycles of the fayth ofteÌ„ to be meditate and thoughte vpon No synne or wante of anye thynge what so euer it bee shoulde cause vs to dispaire of Gods finall fauour and mercy That we are partakers of this communion felowship wee maye not doubt beinge receued ther vnto by baptysme None so greate or grenous a sinner but there is mercy for him wyth the Lord. Cantic 5 Philip. 3 1. Cor. 15 Exod. 34 1. Cor. 13 Roma 6. Iohn 18. Iohn 17 Rom. 8. Esay 12. Esay 11. Psal 44. Iohn 16. 2. Tim. 3 2. Thes 2 1. Peter 2 1. Dan. 7 Psal 45. Luke 17 Math. 13 Esay 53. Daniel 9 1. Cor. 16 Where this eternal life is 1 Iohn 4 1. Tim. 6 Act. 8. 7 What maner of thing this euerlastiÌ„g life is 1. Cor. 2. Iob. 19. 1. Cor. 13 Heb. 11 1. Iohn 3 1. Cor. 19 Psal 16. Psal 17. Apoca. 5. Apoc. 21 Rom. 7. Luke 2. Psal 142 1. Cor. 2. Apoca. 4 Apoca. 5. Psal 84. Psal 24. Psal 13. Roma 8. Apoc. 22. Philip. 3. Math 14 Math 25 Math. 12 Math. 13 Apoc. 7. Psal 77 ☞ 2. Pet. 1. ☞ Math. 26 Actes 7. 2. Cor. 1.