¶ 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
is doubt not of eternall blisse for that is to putte Christ out of heauen But mark what the lord saith vnto thee the worde is nighe thee euen in thy mouth and in thy hart and thys is the worde of faith which wee preach If thou confesse with thy mouth that Iesus Christ is the lord beleue with thy hart that God raysed him vp from y e dead thou shalt be safe If thou beleue that Iesus Christe died and rose againe euen so shalt thou be assured saith the lord god that dieng with christ I wil bringe thee agayne with him Thus deare brother I thought good to wryte to thee in y e name of the Lorde that thou fearinge death for nothing els but because of thy sinnes mightest be assured of pardon of them so embrace death as a deare friend insulte against his terrour stinge power sayinge death where is thy stinge hel where is thy victory Nothinge in all the worlde so displeaseth the lorde as to doubte of his mercie In the mouth of two or thre witnesses we shoulde be content Therefore in that thou haste hearde so many witnesses howe that in dede desiring mercye with the Lorde thou art not sente empty a waye geue credite thereto and saye wyth the good Virgin Marye beholde thy seruaunt Oh Lorde be it vnto me according to thy word Vpon the which word see thou set thine eie only and wholy For otherwise here thou seest not god thy father but iÌ„ his worde which is y e glasse wherin now we behold his grace and fatherly loue towards vs in Christe therfore herewith we should be content and geue more credit to it then to all our lenses to al the world besides The worde saith our Sauiour shall iudge According to it therfore not according to any exteriour or interiour shew iudge both of thy selfe of al other things els Concerning thy selfe if thou desire in dede Gods mercy and lamentest that thou hast offended loe it pronounceth y t there is mercye with the lord for thee plenteous redemption It telleth thee which wouldest haue mercy at y e lordes hand that the Lorde willeth the same and therfore thou art happy for he woulde not thy death It telleth thee that if thou acknowledge thy faultes vnto the lorde he will couer them in his mercye Againe concerning death it telleth thee that it is but a sleepe that it is but a passinge vnto thy father that it is but a deliuer aÌ„ce out of misery that it is but a putting of of mortality corruption that it is s putting on of immortalitie incorruption that it is a putting a way of an earthy tabertabernacle that thou mayest receiue an heaueÌ„ly house or maÌ„sioÌ„ that this is but a callinge of the home from the watching standing in the warfare of this miserable life According to this 〈◊〉 worde I meane do thou iudge of death thou shalt not be afraide of it but desire it as a moste holsome medecine and a frendly messenger of the lordes iustice mercy Embrace him therfore make hym good chere for of al enemies he is the leaste In ennemy quod I nay rather of all frendes he is the beste for he bringeth thee out of all daunger of ennemies into y e most sure safe place of thy vnfained frende for euer Let these things be ofteÌ„ thought vpon Let death be premeditated not only because he commeth vncerteinly I meane for the time for els he is most certeyne but al so because he helpeth much to the contempt of this worlde out of y e which as nothinge wil go with thee so nothinge canste thou take with thee because it helpeth to y e mortifying of the fleshe whyche when thou fedeste thou doest nothinge els but feede wormes because it helpeth to the well disposing due ordering of the things thou haste in this lyfe because it helpeth to repentaunce to bringe thee vnto the knoweledge of thy selfe that thou arte but earth and ashes and to bring thee the more better to knowe God But who is able to tel the coÌ„modities that come by the often and true consideration of death whose time is therefore lefte vnto vs vncertein and vnknowen although to god it be certein and the bounds ther of not only knowne but appointed of the Lorde ouer the whych none can passe because we should not prolonge and put of from day to day y e amendement of our life as dyd the riche man vnder hope of longe life And seinge it is the ordinance of god commeth not but by the will of god euen vnto a sparrow much more then vnto vs which are incoÌ„parably much more deare theÌ„ many sparowes and in that this wil of god is not only iuste but also good for he is our Father let vs if there were nothing els but this submit our selues our senses iudgements vnto the pleasure of him beynge content to come out of the roume of our souldership whensoeuer he shal send for vs by his purseuant death Let vs render vnto him that whiche he hathe lente vs so longe I meane life leaste we be â—ounted vnthankful And in that death commeth not but by sinne in that wee haue sinned so often and yet the Lorde hathe ceassed from exacting this tribute punishment of vs vntil this preseÌ„t let vs with thankefulnes prayse hys pacience and pay our det not doubting but that he being our father our almighty father can will if deathe were euil vnto vs as god knowech it is a chiefe benefite vnto vs by Chryst coÌ„uert turne it into good But deathe being as before I haue shewed not to be dred but to bee desired let vs lift vp our heades in thinking on it and know that our redemption draweth nigh Let our mindes be occupied in the consyderation or often coutemplation of the four last articles of our beliefe y t is the coÌ„munioÌ„ of saincts or the holy catholike Church remission of sinnes resurrection of the fleash the life euerlasting By faith in Christ be it neuer so saint little or cold we are meÌ„bers in very dede of the catholike holy church of Christe that is we haue coÌ„munion or feloweship with al the saints of God that euer were bee or shalbe Wherby we may receaue great comforte For though our faith be feble yet the Churches faith wherof our Sauiour Christ is the heade is mighty enough though our repeÌ„tance be littel yet the repentance of y e churche wherwith we haue communion is sufficient though our loue be languishinge yet the loue of the church of the spouse of the church is ardent and so of al other thinges we wante Not that I meane this as though any man shold think that our faith shoulde be in any or vpon any other then only vpon god the Father the sonne the holy ghostener ther that any
shonide thinke I meane therby any other merits or meane to saluation then onely the merites and name of the lord Iesus but that I would the pore christian conscience which by baptisme is broght into gods church and made a member of the same thorow faith shoulde not for hys sinnes sake or for the want of anye thinge he hath not dispaire but rather should knowe that he is a member of Chrisses church mistical body therefore cannot but haue communion and felowship of both that is of Christ himselfe being the lord husband and heade thereof and of all that euer hath ben bee or shalbe mēbers of it in al the good things that euer they haue had haue or shal haue Stil doth the church pray for vs by Christes cōmaundement forgeue vs our sinnes leade vs not into temptation deliuer vs from euil yea Christ himself doth pray for vs being members of vys bodie as we vs in deede if that we beleue though it be neuer so litel God graūt this faith vnto vs al and increase it in vs. Amen Out of this church no Pope nor prelate can caste vs or excōmunicate vs in dede although exteriourly they segregate vs frō the societie of gods sainctes But enough of this As I woulde haue vs often to muse vpon the catholike Church or cōmuniū of saints wherof we may not doubte in what state so euer we be vnder payne of damnatiō being baptised in the name of the father the sonne and the holy Ghost so woulde I haue vs to meditate vpon the other artycles folowing that is remissiō of sinnes resurrection of the fleash life euerlasting It is an article of our faithe to beleue that is to be certayne y t our sinnes are pardoned therfore doubt not therof leste thou become an Infideil Though thou haue sinned neuer so sore yet nowe despaire not but be certayne that god is thy God that is that he forgeueth thee thy sinne Therfore as I said dout not thereof for in so doinge thou puttest a sallet on the heade of thy soule that the dew of gods grace can not in dede droppe into it but slippe by as faste as it droppeth Therefore without that sallet or soule nightecap bee bareheaded that is hope still in the mercy of the Lorde and so mercye shall compasse thee on euery side In like manner the article of the resurreiction of the flesh haue often in thy minde beinge assured by this that thy carcase and body shalbe raysed vp againe in the last day when the Lord shall come to iudgement and shalbe made incorruptable immortall glorious spiritual perfect light and euen lyke to the gloryous body of our Sauiour Iesu christ for hee is the firste fruytes of 〈◊〉 dead and as god is all in all so shal he be vnto thee in Christe Loke therfore vppon thine owne estate for as he is so shalt thou be As thou hast borne y e image of the earthly Adam so shalte thou beare the Image of the heauenly therfore glorifie thou nowe god both in soule and body Wayt and loke for this day of the lord with groning and sighing Gather together testimonies of this which I do omitte for times sake Laste of all haue often in thy minde life euerlasting wherunto thou art euen landinge Death is the hauen that caryeth thee vnto this lande where is all that can bee wished yea aboue all wishes and desires for in it wee shall see god face to face which thing now we can in no wise doe but muste couer our faces wyth Boyses Heltas tyll the face or foreparts of y e lorde be gone by Now must we loke on his backe partes beholding him in his worde and in his creatures in the face of Iesus Christe our mediatoure but then we shal se him face to face we shall knowe as we are knowen Therfore let vs often think on these thinges y t we may haue fayth lustely and cherefully to arriue at the happy hauen of death which you se is to be desired and not to bee dread to all those that are in Christ that is to suche as to beleue in deede which are discerned from those that onely saye they do beleue by dyeng tēporally that is by labouring to mortify thorow gods spirite the affections of the flesh not y t they should not be in thē but that they should not raigne in thē that is in theyr mortal bodies to geue euer them selues to serue sinne whose seruaunts we are not but are made sernauntes vnto righteousnesse being nowe vnder grace and not vnder the lawe and therfore hath god mercifully promised that sinne shal not raigne in vs The whych he continually graunte for his truth power mercies sake Amen A meditation A Meditatiō cōcerning y e kingdome of Christ that it is no corporall thing as the Iewes Anababtistes do faine to whō y e Papistes in maner assent makinge the church so glorious and gay a dame far vnlike to be christes Spouse who was here on earth in no such felicitie worldly glory as their church is They make more of the good wise then of the good men and therefore set forth to vs a strumpet for Christes spouse OPen mine eies deare lord to see thy kyngdome for it is spirituall and of carnall eies simply cannot be considered therfore lesse ought we to maruell to see it contempned and the children therof persecuted y e most part of men and specially y e great men of the world being carnall not spirituall althoughe by title manye bee called so Geue me thy light to see that thy kingdōe O christ is thy sitting on the right hande of thy father ours thy interpellation and mediation for vs also thy geuing of pardon forgeuenes of sinnes the holye sprite to thy church that is such as beleue in thee and cal vpō god the father throughe confidence in thee hereto thy sanctifyinge of of them that thou maist raise thē vp in y e laste daye to life glory euerlasting Graūt me to know y t for the atteining of al these bene fits which be the liberties priuilegies of thy kingedome thou haste ordeined y e ministery of thy gospel sacramentes thereby to cal bringe men to y e knowledge of thy father thee which is eternal life Graunt y t I may feele in my self liuely cōfortably y e efficacy and vertue of thy holy ghoste which is effectual by y e ministery word And lest afflictiōs shuld dismay me y e cōpany of euil mē mingled w t the godly ouerthrow me or offend me graunt y t I may not only know how y t thy church the true chyldren therof shal in this world vntil y e last day suffer persecution that gotes will be amongest the shepe vntil the day of iudgement but also y t I maye in affliction reioyce and glorifye
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