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.
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
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
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
olde man therefore is more stronger iusty and stirring then is the new man because the birth of the newe man is but begonne now and the olde man is perfectly borne And as the olde man is more stirringe lustye stronger thē y e new man so is y e nature of him cleane cōtrary to y e nature of y e new mā as being earthly corrupt w t Satans sede y e nature of y e new mā beīg heauēly blessed with the celestial seed of god So that one man in as much as he is corrupt with the seede of the serpente is an olde man and in as muche as hee is blessed with the seede of God from aboue he is a new mā And as in as much as he is an old man he is a sinner an enemy to god so in as much as he is regenerate he is righteous and helpe and a frende to God the seede of God preseruīg him from sinne so that he cannot sinne as the seede of the serpente wherwith he is corrupt euen frō his cōception inclineth him yea enforceth him to sinne nothing els but to sinne Soo that the best part in man before regeneration in Gods sight is not onely an enemie but enmitie it selfe One man therfore wich is regenerate well may bee called alwaies iust and alwaies sinfull iust in respect of Gods seed and his regeneration sinfull in respect of Satans seed his firste birth Betwixt these two men therfore there is continuall conflicte warre most deadly The flesh and olde man by reason of his birth that is perfect doth often for a time preuaile againste y e new man being but as a child in comparison and that in suche sorte as not onely other but euē the children of God themselues thinke that they bee nothing els but olde and that the sprit seed of God is lost and gone away wher yet notwithstandinge the the truth is otherwise the spirit and the seede of god at the length appearing againe and dispelling away the cloudes which couer the sonne of gods seed from shininge as the cloudes in the ayer do y e corporal sonne so that some times a man cannot tell by anye sense that there is any sonne the cloudes and windes so hiding it frō our siht Euen so our cecitie or blindnes and corrupte affections doe oftē shadow the sight of Gods seed in Gods children as though they were plaine reprobates wherof it commeth that they praying accordinge to their sense but not accordinge to the truth desire of god to geue them againe his spirit as though they had lost it he had takē it away Which thing God neuer doth in deede althoughe he make vs to thinke so for a time for alwayes he holdeth hys hande vnder hys childrē in their faules that they lie not stil as other do which are not regenerate And this is the difference betwixte Gods Children which are regenerate and elect before all times in Christ the wicked cast awayes that the elect lie not still continually in their sinne as do the wicked but at the length do returne againe by reason of gods seed which is in them hid as a sparkle of fier in the asshes as we may see in Peter Dauid Paule Marye Magdalin and others For these I meane Gods Children God hath made all things in Christ Iesu to whom he hath geuen this dignity y t they should bee his inheritance spouses This our inheretour Christ Iesus GOD with God light of light coeternal and consubstanciall with the father and with the holy Gost to the end that he might become oure husband because the husband and the wyfe must be one body and flesh hath taken our nature vppon hym communicating with it and by it in his owne person to vs all his children his diuine maiestie as Peter saith and so is become flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones substancially as we are become flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones spiritually all that euer we haue pertaining to him yea euen our sins as al that euer he hath perteineth vnto vs euen his whole glory So that if Satan should sōmon vs to aunswere for our dettes or sinnes in that the wife is no sutable person but the husband wee may well byd him enter his action against our husband Christ and he wyll make him a sufficient answere For this end I meane that we might bee coupled maried thus to Christ and so be certein of saluatiō at godly peace with god in our consciences god hath gegeuen his holy word which hath two partes as now the children of God do consiste of two men one part of gods word beīg proper to y e old man the other part of Gods word beinge proper to the new man The part properly perteining to the old man is the law the part properly perteining to the new man is the gospell The law is a doctrine which cōmaundeth forbiddeth requiring doing and auoiding Vnder it therfore are cōteined al preceptes threatnings promises vpon condicions of our doing auoyding c. The Gospell is a doctrine which alwaies offreth and giueth requiring on our behalfe not as of worthines or as a cause but as a cerificat vnto vs therfore vnder it is conteined al the free and swete promises of god as I am the lord thy god c. In those that be of yeres of discretiō it requireth faith not as a cause but as an instrumēt wherby we our selues may be certeine of our good husband Christ and of his glorye and therfore when the conscience feleth it selfe dysquieted for feare of Gods iudgement agaynst sinne she maye in no wise loke vppon the doctryne perteyninge to the olde man but to the doctrine only that perteyneth to the newe man in it not loking for that which it requireth y t is Faith because we neuer beleue as we should but only on it which it offreth which it geueth y t is on gods grace eternal mercy and peace in Christ So shall she bee in quiet when she loketh for it altogether out of her self in Gods mercy in Christe Iesu in whose lappe if she laye her heade with saiut Iohn then is she happy and shal find quietnes in deed when she feleth her selfe quyete then in Gods name let her looke on the lawe vpon such thinges as it requireth therby to brydel and kepe downe the olde Adam to slay that Goliath from whom she must nedes keepe the sweete promises being the bed wherein her spouse and she mete and lie together as the wife will kepe her bed only for her husbād although in other thinges she is contented to haue fellowship with others as to speake sitte eat drinke go c. So our cōsciences which are Christs wiues must nedes kepe the bed that is Gods swete promisses alonly for our selues and our husbande there to meete together to embrace and laugh together and to be