A Fruitful Treatise
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A16577.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
A fruitful treatise and full of heavenly consolation against the fear of death. Wherunto are annexed certain sweet meditateons of the kingdom of Christ, of life everlasting, and of the blessed state & felicity of the same. Gathered by that holy marter of God, John Bradford.
Perused corrected & augmented according to the original, & Imprinted in Fletestrete near to saint Dunstons Church by William Powell.
Ecclesiasti, 5. MAke no taryinge to turn unto the lord, and put not of from day today: For suddenly shall his wrath come, and in the day of vengeance he shall destroy thee. Stande fast in the way of the lord: be steadfast in thine understanding, and follow the word of peace and righteousness.
A treatise against the fear of death.
B EING minded, through the help of God, for mine own comfort and encouraging of others, to speak something of Deathe (at whose doors though I have stand a great while, yet never so nere, to man's judgment, as I do now) I think it most requisite to cal & cry for thy help, Oh blessed saut our Jesus Christ, which hast destroyed death by thy death, & brought in place thereof, life and immortality, as by the gospel it appeareth: grant to me true & lively faith, wherethrough men pass from death to eternal life, that of practice and not of naked speculation, I may somethynge write concerning death (which is dredful out of thee & in it self) to the glory of thy holy name, to mine own comfort in thee, and to the edifying of all them, to whō this writing shall come, to be red or heard. Amen.
There be .iiii. kinds of death, one which is natural, another which is spiritual, a third which is temporal, and a fourth which is eternal. Concerning the first and the last what they be, I need not to declare, but the second and the third, perchance, of the simple (for whose sake especially I write) are not so soon espied.
By a spiritual death therefore, I mean such a death as the body living the soul is dead. Wherof the Apostle maketh menciō in speaking of widows which linyng daintely, being a live in body, are dead in soul. Thus you see what I mean by the spiritual death. Now by a temporal death I mean such a death, where throught the body and affections thereof are mortified, that the spirit may live. Of which kind of death the Apostle speaketh in exhorting us to kyl our menbers. And thus much of the kinds of death: wherein the judgment of the world is not to it approved, for it careth less for spiritual dea the, then for natural death: it estemeth less eternal death then temporal death, or else would men leave syn, which procureth both thone and the other (I mean spiritual & eternal death) and chose temporally to die, that by natural death they might enter into the full fruition of eternal life: which none can enjoy nor enter into, that here will not temporally die, that is, mortify their affections, and crucify their lusts and concupicences: For by obeying them at the first came death, as we may read Genesis the. 3. If Eve had not obeyed her desire in eatinge the forbydden fruit, whereby she died spiritually, none of these kinds of death had ever come unto man, nor ben known of us. Therefore (as I said) we must needs here temporally die: that is, mortify our affections, to escape the spiritual death, and by natural death, not only escape eternal death of soul & body, but also by it, as by a door, enter into eternal life, which Christ Jesus our Savior hath procured and purchased to and for all that be in him, translatinge eternal death into a sleep or rather into a deliverance of soul & body, from all kind of misery & sin. By reason whereof we may se that to those that be in Christ: that is, to such as do believe (which believers I mean, are discerned frō others, by not walking after the flesh, but after the sprite) to those I say, death is no damage, but a vantage: no dreadful thing, but rather desierable, & of all messengers most merry, whiles he is looked upon with the eyes of faith in the gospel. But more of this hereafter.
Thus have I briefly shown thee the kinds of death, what they be, whence they come, and what remedy for thē. But now̄, for as much as I am purposed hereafter to entreat only of the first kind of death, that is, of natural death, something to comfort myself & others against y e dread and pains of the same: I will speak of it as God shall instruct me, and as I accustom with myself to muse on it now̄ & then, the better to be prepared against the hour of temptation.
I have shown howe that this natural death came by spiritual death y t is, by obeying our affections in y e trāsgressiō of gods precepts: but through the benefit of Christ, to such as be in him, & die temporally, that is, to such believers as labor to mortyfie their affections, it is no destruction, but a plain dissolution both of soul and body, from all kind of perils, dangers, & miseries, and therefore to such is not to be dread, but to be desired: as we se in the Apostle, which desired to be dissolved: And in Simeon which desired to be loosed, saying: dismiss or lose me, O lord, By which words, he seemeth plainly to teache, that this life is a bondage, and nothing to be desired, as now I will something show.
First consider the pleasures of this life, what they be, how long they last, how painful we come by them, what they leave behind them: and thou shalt even in thense nothing but vauitie. As for example: how long lasteth the pleasure that man hath in the act of generatiō? How painfully do mē behave them selves before they attain it? how doth it leave behind it a certain lothsomnes and fullness? I will speak nothing of the sting of conscience, if it be come by vnlawefully. Who well seeing this, and forecasting it aforehād, would not forgo the pleasures willingly, as far as need will permyt & suffer? If then in this one, whereunto nature is moste prone, and hath most pleasure in, it be thus: alas how can we but think so of other pleasures?
Put the case that the pleasures of this life were permanente during this life: yet in that this life it self is nothing in comparyson, and therefore is full well compared to a candell light, which is sone blown out, to a flower, which fadeth away, to a smoke, to a shdowe, to a sleep, to a runnynge water, to a day, to an hour, to a momente, and to vanity it self: who would esteem these pleasures and commodities, which last so little a while? Before they be begun, they are gone and past away. Howe much of our time spend we in slepyng, in eating, in drinking, and in talking? Intancie is not perceived: youth is shortly ouerblowen: middle age is nothing: old age is not long: and therefore (as I said) this lif, through the considerations of the pleasures and commodities of it, should little move us to love it, but rather to loath it. God open our eyes to see these things, and to wey them accordingly.
Secondly, consider the miseries of this life, that if so be the pleasures and commodities in it should move us to love it: yet y t miseries might countervail and make us to take it as we should do: I mean, rather to desier to be loosed and dis •• ssed hence, then otherwise. Loke upon your bodies, & se in howe many perils and dangers you are. Your eyes are in danger of blindness and blerednes: your ears in danger of deaf nes: your mouthe and tongue of cankers, tothache and dumnes: your head in danger of rewmes & megrims: your throat in danger of horsenes: your hands in danger of goutes & palseys. &c. But who is able to express the mumber of disseases, whereto man's body is in danger, seeing that some have written y t more then . diseases may happen unto man? I speak nothing of the hurt that may come to our bodies by prisons, venomous beasts, water, fire, horses, men. &c.
A gain, loke upon your soul: se howe many vices you are in danger of, as heresy, hypocriidolatrye, courtouines, idleness, security, envy, anbition, pride. &c. Howe many temptations may you fall into? But this shall you better se by lokinge on your old falls, foily, and temptations, and by looking on other men's faules: for no mā hath done any thing so evil, but you may do the same. Moreover, loke vpō your name, and se howe it is in danger to sciaunders & false reports. Loke upon your g • o • es, se what danger they are in for thieves, for 〈◊〉 . &c. Loke vopon your wise, children, parents, bretheren, systers, kinsfolks, servants, friends, and neighbors: and behold howe they also are in danger, both soul, body, name, & goods as you are. Loke upon the common weal and country, loke upon the church, upon the ministers and maiestrates, & se what great dangers they are in: so that if you love them, you cannot but for the evil which may come to them, be heavy and sad. You know it is not in your power nor in the power of any man, to hinder all evil that may come. Howe many perils is infancy in danger of? what danger is youth subject unto? man's state is full of cares: age is full of diseases and sores. If thou be rich, thy care is the greatter: if thou be in honor, thy perilles are the more: if thou be pore, thou art the more in danger to oppression. But alas, what tongue is abie to express the myserablenes of this life? the which considered, should make us little to love it.
I can compare our life to nothing so fytly, as to a shyp in the middes of the sea. In what danger is the ship and they that be in it? Here are they in danger of tempest, there of quick sandes, on this side of pyrates, on that side of rocks, now may it leak, now may the mast break, now may the master fall sick, now may diseases come amongst the mariners, now may there dissension fall amongst them selves. I speak nothing of want of fresh water, meat, drink, and such other necessaries: Even such another thing is this life. Here is the diuyll, there is the world, on this side is the sleshe, on that side is sin, which. thurowly cleaveth unto our rybbes, and will do so long as we be in this flesh, and natural life: so that none but blind men can se this life to be so much & so greatly to be desired: but rather, as the men that sail, are most glad when they approach to the haven, even so should we be most glad when we aproch to the haven, that is death, which setteth us a land: whose commodities no eye hath seen, no tongue can tell, no heart can conceive in any point, as it should. Happy, oh happy were we, if we saw these things accordingely: God open our eyes to se them. Amens
If any man would desire testimonies of these things, although experience, a sufficient mistress, is to be credyted: yet will I here mark certain places, where unto the reader may resort, & find no less then I say, but rather much more, if that with diligence he read & wey the places. Job the .v. calleth this life a warfare. In the .vii. chapter he paynteth it out something lively, under diverse similitudes. Saint James compareth it to a vapor. Al the book of Ecclesiastes teacheth it to be but vanity. Saint John saith, it is altogether put in evil. Daniel saith, the best thing in this lif is but vanity, labor and sorrow. But what go I her about seeing that almeste every leaf in the scripture is full of the brevity and misery of this life? So that I think as saint Augustine doth write, that there is no man y t hath lived so happily in this world, that would be content when death cometh, to goo back again by the same steppes, whereby he hath come into the world and lived, except the same be in despair, and look for nothing after this life but confusion.
Thus I trust you se, y t though the commodities of this life were such as could cause us to love it: yet the brevity, vanity, and misery of it is such, as should make us little to regard it, which believe and know death to be the ende of all myseries to them that are in Christ, as we all ought to take our selves to be, being baptized in his name (for our baptism requireth this faith under pain of damnation) although we have not observed our profession as we should have done, if so be we now repent, and come to amendment. To such I say as are in Christ, death is to be desired, even in respect of this, that it delivereth us from so miserable a life, & so dangerous a state as we now be in. Do that I may well say, they are senseless, without wyrte, void of love to god, void of all hatted & sense of sin (wherewith this life floweth) that rather desire not to depart hense out of all these miseries, thē here still to remain to their continual grief.
But if these things will not move us, I would yet we beheld: the commodities whereunto death bringeth us. If we be not moved to leave this lif in respect of the miseries, whereof it is full: yet we should be moved to leave it in respect of the infinite goodness which the other life, whereto death bringeth us, hath moste plentifully, Men, though they love things, yet for things which are better, can be content to forgo them: even so we now, for the good things in the lif to come (If we consider them) shall and will be content to forgo the most commodious things in this present life. Here we have great pleasure in the beauty of the world, and of the pleasures, honors, & dignities of the same: also in the company of our friends, parents, wife, children, subjects: also in pientie of riches, cattle. &c. and yet we know that never a one of these is without his dyscommoditie, which god sendeth, lest we should love them to much: as if you will weye things, you shall easily perceive. The Sun, though it be fair & cheerful, yet it burneth sometimes to hot. The air, though it be light and pleasant, yet sometimes it is dark and troublous: and so of other things. But be it so, that there were no discommodities mingled with the commodities: yet (as before I have said) the brevity and short time that we have to use them, should asswage their dulcetnes.
But if this were not also, but that the pleasures of this lif were without discommoditie, permanent, and without peril (whereof they be full) yet are they nothing at all to be compared to the commodities of the life to come. What is this earth, heaven, and shape of the world, wherein beasts have place, and wicked men God's enemies have abiding and lybertie, in comparison of the new heaven and earth, wherein righteousness shall dwell? in comparison of that place where Angels and archangels, and all gods people, yea God him self hath his abiding and dwelling? What is the company of wife, children, &c. in comparison to the company of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob, tste Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, martyrs, confessors, virgins and all the saints of God? what is the company of any in this world, in comparison to the company of the Angels, Archangels, Cherubims, Zeraphins, powers, thrones, dominations: yea of god the father, god the son, and god the holyghost? What are the riches and pleasures of this life, in comparison of the felicity of everlasting lif, which is without all discommodities, perpetual without all peril and ieoperdie, without all grief and molestation? Oh the mirth and melody: Oh the honor, and glory: Oh the riches and bewtye: Oh the power and majesty: Oh the swetenes and dignity of the life to come. The eye hath not seen, the care hath not heard, nor the heart of man is not able to conceive in any thing, any parte of the eternal felycitie, and happy state of heaven. Therefore the Saints of God have desired so earnestly & so heartily to be there. Oh how amiable are thy tabernacles saith David? My soul hath a desire to enter into y t courts of the Lord: my heart and my soul rejoice in the living god. Blessed are those y t dwell in thy house, that they may aiwayes be praising thee: for one day in thy courts is better then a thousand else where. I had rather be a door keeper in the house of my GOD, then to dwell in the tents of ungodliness: For the lord god is a light and defense. And again, as the Hart desireth the water brokes, so lōgeth my soul after thee oh god. My soul is a thyrst for god, yea even for the living god. when shall I come to appere before the presence of god? And my soul thirsteth for thee: my flesh also lōgeth after thee in a barren and dry lande, where no water is. They (gods people I mean) desier the day of their redemption, & they still cry, let thy kingdom come: they cry, come lord Jesus, come: they lyft up their heads, looking for his appearing which will make their vile bodies like to his own glorious and immortal body: For when he shall appear they shall be like unto him. The angels will gather them together, & they shall mete him in the clouds, and be always with him. They shall hear this joyful voice, come ye blessed of my father, possess the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning. Then shall they be like unto his Angels: then shall they shine like the Sun in the kingdom: then shall they have crounes of glory, and be endued with white garments of innocence and righteousenes, & palines of victory in their hands. Oh happy, happy is he that may with them, se that imusrial and incorruptible inherytaunce, which thē we shall enjoy forever.
Thus you se (I hope) sufficiently, that in respect of heaven & eternal blysse (whereunto by the haven of death we land) this lif, though there were no evil in it, is not to be loved: but rather we that he pilgrims in it, should desier with Paul and Simton, to be loosed and dissolved, that we might be with god. Here our bodies (as before is spoken) are in danger of innumerable evils but there our bodies shall be, not only without all danger, vutalso be like the glorious & immortal body of the lord Jesus christ. Now our bodies be dark: then shall they be most clear & light, as we se Christ's face did shine in his transfiguration like to the suane. Now our bodies be vile, miserable, mortal and corruptible, but then shall they be glorious, happy, immortal and incorruptible. we shall be like unto Christ our savior: even as he is, so shall we be. As we have borne the image of the earthly, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly. Here our souls are in great dearknes and dangers of many euyls: but there they shall be in great light, safe security, and secure felicity: we shall se god face face, where now we se him but as in a glass, thorough a dark speaking.
O holy spirit the comforter. For the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun: and the light of the sun shall be seven fold, even as the light of seven days in his blessed kingdom, where and when he will vinde up the woūdes of his people, and heal their plagues. Oh that we might have some lively sight hereof, that we might rejoice over the undefiled & unmortall inheritance,
But here will some man say: Oh Sir, If I were cerrayn that I should depart from this miserable life, into that so great felycitie, then could I be right glad and rejoice as you will me, and bid death welcome: but I am a sinner, I have grievously transgressed and broken God's will, and therefore I am afraid I shall be sent into eternal woe, perdition, and misery. Here my brother thou doest well that thou doest acknowledge thyself a sinner, & to have deserved eternal death: for doubtless, if we say, we have no sin, we are liars, and the truth is not in us. A child of a nights birth, is not pure in gods sight. In sin were we borne, and by birth or na •• re we are the children of wrath, and her brandes of hell. Therefore confess our selves to be sinners, we needs must. For if the lord will observe any man's iniquiries, none shall be able to abide it, yea we must needs all cry: enter not into judgment, O Lord, for in thy sight no flesh, nor man living can be saved. In this point therefore thou hast done well to confess that thou art a sinner.
But now, where thou stantest in doubt of pardon of thy sins and thereby art afraid of damnatiō, my deer brother, I would have thee answer me one question: that is, whether thou desirest pardon or no: whether thou doest repent or no: whether thou doest unfeignedly purpose, if thou sholdest live, to amende thy life or no. If thou doest even before god so purpose, & desirest his mercy, then hearken (my good brother) what the lord saith unto thee: I am he, I am he, that for my own sake will do away thine offenses. If thy sins be as red as scarlet, they shall be made as white as show, for I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner. As surely as I live, I will not thy death, but rather y t thou sholdest live and be converted. I have so loved the world that I would not spare my dearelye beloved Son, the Image of my substance, and brightness of my glory, by whom all things were given: but gave him for thee, not only to be man, but also to take thy nature, and to purge it from mortality, sin, and all corruption, and to adorn and endewe it with immortality & eternal glory, not only in his own person, but also in thee, and for the: where of now by faith I would have thee certain, as in very deed, thou shalt at length feel and fully enjoy forever. This my son I have given to the death, & that a must shameful death even of the cross for thee, to destroy death, to satisfy my justice for thy sins: therefore believe, and according to thy faith so be it unto the. Hearken what my son himself saith unto thee: Come unto me all ye that labor, and are laden, & I will refresh you. I came not into the world to damme the world, but to save it. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. I pray not (saith he) for these mine Apostles only, but also for all them that by their preaching, shall believe in me. Now what prayed he for such? Father (saith he) I will that where I am, they may also be, that they may see and enjoy the glory I have and always had with thee. Father save them and keep them in thy truth. Father (saith he) I sanctify myself, and offer up myself for them.
Loe, thus thou hearest how my son prayeth for thee. Mark now what my Apostle Paul saith: we know (saith he) that our Savior Christ's prayers were heard. Also this is a true saying that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. Harkē what he saith to y e Jailor: believe in the Lord Jesus & thou shalt be saved: For he by his own self, hath made purgaciō for our sins. To him (saith Peter) beareth all the prophets witness, that whosoever believeth in his name shall receive remissiō of their sins. Beleue man, pray, Lord help mine unbelief, lord increase my faith, ask and thon shalt have. Hearken what s. John saith. If we confess our sins, God is righteous to forgive us all our iniquities, and the blood of our lord Jesus Christ shall wash us frō our sins. For if we sin, we have an advocate (saith he) with the father, Jesus christ the righteous, and he is the propiciation for our sins, Hearken what Christ is called: Call his name Jesus, saith the Angel, for he shall save his people from their sins: So that where abundance of sin is, there is abundance of grace. Say therefore, who shall lay any thing to my charge? It is god y t absolveth me, who then shall condemn me? It is Christ which is dead for my sins, yea which is risen for my righteousenesse, & sitteth on the righte hand of the father & prayeth for me. Be certain therefore and sure of pardon of thy sins: be certain and sure of everlasting life. Do not now say in thy heart, who shall descend into the depe? that is, dobute not of pardon of thy sins, for that is to fetch up Christ again: neither say thou, who shall ascend up in to heaven? that is, doubt not of eternal bliss, for that is to put Christ out of heaven. But mark what the lord saith unto thee: the word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart, and this is the word of faith which we preach: If thou confess with thy mouth that Jesus Christ is the lord, & believe with thy heart that God raised him up from y e dead, thou shalt be safe. If thou believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again, even so shalt thou be assured (saith the lord god) that dieng with christ, I will bring thee again with him.
Thus dear brother, I thought good to write to thee in y e name of the Lord, that thou fearinge death for nothing else but because of thy sins, mightest be assured of pardon of them, & so embrace death as a dear friend, & insulte against his terror, stinge, & power, saying: death where is thy stinge? hell where is thy victory? Nothinge in all the world so displeaseth the lord as to doubt of his mercy. In the mouth of two or three witnesses, we should be content. Therefore in that thou haste heard so many witnesses, howe that in deed, desiring mercy with the Lord, thou art not sent empty a way: give credit thereto, and say with the good Virgin Mary, behold thy servant (Oh Lord) be it unto me according to thy word. Upon the which word, see thou set thine eye only and wholly: For otherwise, here thou seest not god thy father but ī his word, which is y e glass wherein now we behold his grace and fatherly love towards us in Christ, & therefore herewith we should be content, and give more credit to it then to all our lenses, & to all the world besides. The word (saith our Savior) shall judge. According to it therefore, & not according to any exterior or interior show, judge both of thyself & of all other things else. Concerning thyself: if thou desire in deed God's mercy, and lamentest that thou hast offended, loe it pronounceth y t there is mercy with the lord for thee, & plenteous redemption. It telleth thee which
Let these things be often̄ thought upon. Let death be premeditated, not only because he cometh vncerteinly (I mean for the time, for else he is most certain) but all so because he helpeth much to the contempt of this world: out of y e which, as nothing will go with thee, so nothing canst thou take with thee:
By faith in Christ, be it never so saint, little or cold, we are menbers in very deed of the catholic & holy church of Christ: that is, we have communion or feloweship with all the saints of God that ever were, be, or shall be. Whereby we may receive great comfort: For though our faith be feeble, yet the Churches faith (whereof our Savior Christ is the head) is mighty enough: though our reap̄tance be littel, yet the repentance of y e church, wherewith we have communion, is sufficient: though our love be languishinge, yet the love of the church & of the spouse of the church, is ardent: and so of all other things we want. Not that I mean this as though any man should think that our faith should be in any or upon any other, then only upon god the Father, the son, & the holy ghostener there that any shonide think I mean thereby any other merits or mean to salvation, then only the merits and name of the lord Jesus: but that I would the pore Christian conscience, which by baptism is brought into gods church and made a member of the same thorough faith, should not for his sins sake, or for the want of any thing he hath not, despair: but rather should know that he is a member of Chrisses church & mystical body, & therefore cannot but have communion and fellowship of both that is of Christ himself being the lord, husband, and head thereof, and of all that ever hath ben, be, or shall be menbers of it, in all the good things that ever they have had, have, or shall have. Stil doth the church pray for us by Christ's commandment: forgive us our sins, lead us not into temptation, deliver us from evil: yea Christ himself doth pray for us, being members of vys body (as we us in deed) if that we believe, though it be never so litel. God grant this faith unto us all, and increase it in us. Amen. Out of this church no Pope nor prelate can caste us, or excommunicate us in deed, although exteriourly they segregate us frō the society of gods saints. But enough of this.
As I would have us often to muse upon the catholic Church or cōmuniū of saints) whereof we may not doubt, in what state so ever we be, under pain of damnatiō, being baptized in the name of the father, the son, and the holy Ghost:) so would I have us to meditate upon the other artycles following: that is, remissiō of sins: resurrection of the fleash: & life everlasting. It is an article of our faith to believe: that is, to be certain, y t our sins are pardoned: therefore doubt not thereof, leste thou become an Infideil. Though thou have sinned never so sore, yet now despair not, but be certain that god is thy God: that is, that he forgiveth thee thy sin. Therefore (as I said) dout not thereof, for in so doing thou puttest a sallet on the head of thy soul, that the dew of gods grace cannot in deed drop into it, but slip by as fast as it droppeth. Therefore without that sallet or soul nightecap be bareheaded: that is, hope still in the mercy of the Lord, and so mercy shall compass thee on every side.
In like manner, the article of the resurreiction of the flesh, have often in thy mind, being assured by this, that thy carcase and body shall be raised up again in the last day when the Lord shall come to judgment, and shall be made incorruptable, immortal, glorious, spiritual, perfect, light, and even like to the glorious body of our Savior Jesus christ: for he is the first fruits of 〈◊〉 dead, and as god is all in all, so shall he be unto thee in Christ. Loke therefore upon thine own estate: for as he is so shalt thou be. As thou hast borne y e image of the earthly Adam, so shalt thou bear the Image of the heavenly: therefore glorify thou now god, both in soul and body. Wayt and loke for this day of the lord with groaning and sighing. Gather together testimonies of this which I do omit for times sake.
Last of all, have often in thy mind, life everlasting, whereunto thou art even landinge. Death is the haven that carrieth thee unto this lande: where is all that can be wished, yea above all wishes and desires: for in it we shall see god face to face, which thing now we can in no wise do, but must cover our faces with Boyses & Heltas, till the face or foreparts of y e lord be gone by. Now must we loke on his back partes, beholding him in his word, and in his creatures, & in the face of Jesus Christ our mediatoure: but then we shall se him face to face, & we shall know, as we are known. Therefore let us often think on these things, y t we may have faith, lustely and cheerfully to arrive at the happy haven of death, which you se is to be desired, and not to be dread, to all those that are in Christ, that is, to such as to believe in deed: which are discerned from those that only say they do believe, by dyeng tēporally, that is by laboring to mortify thorough gods spirit, the affections of the flesh: not y t they should not be in thē, but that they should not reign in thē, that is in their mortal bodies, to give ever them selves to serve sin: whose servants we are not, but are made sernauntes unto righteousness, being now under grace and not under the law, and therefore hath god mercifully promised that sin shall not reign in us:
The which he continually grant for his truth, power, & mercies sake
A meditation
A Meditatiō concerning y e kingdom of Christ, & that it is no corporal thing, as the Jews & Anababtistes do fain: to whō y e Papists (in manner) assent, making the church so glorious and gay a dame, far unlike to be Christ's Spouse: who was here on earth in no such felicity & worldly glory, as their church is. They make more of the good wise then of the good men, and therefore set forth to us a strumpet for Christ's spouse.
OPen mine eyes dear lord, to see thy kingdom, for it is spiritual, and of carnal eyes simply cannot be considered, & therefore less ought we to marvel to see it contempned, and the children thereof persecuted: y e most part of men, and specially y e great men of the world being carnal & not spiritual, although by title many be called so. Geue me thy light to see, that thy kingdome (O christ) is thy sitting on the right hand of thy father & ours, & thy interpellation and mediation for us, & also thy giving of pardon & forgiveness of sins, & the holy sprite to thy church, that is, such as believe in thee and cal vpō god the father through confidence in thee: & hereto, thy sanctifyinge of of them, that thou mayest raise thē up in y e last day, to life & glory everlasting. Graūt me to know, y t for the attaining of all these been fits (which be the liberties & priuilegies of thy kingdom) thou haste ordained y e ministry of thy gospel & sacraments, thereby to cal & bring men to y e knowledge of thy father & thee, which is eternal life. Grant y t I may feel in myself lively & comfortably y e efficacy and virtue of thy holy ghost, which is effectual by y e ministry & word. And lest afflictions should dismay me, & y e company of evil mē mingled w t the godly, overthrow me or offend me: grant y t I may not only know how y t thy church & the true children thereof shall in this world until y e last day, suffer persecution, & that gotes will be amongst the sheep, until the day of judgment: but also y t I may in affliction rejoice and glorify thy holy name, being preserved always frō y e council of the ungodly, from the way of the wicked, & from the seat of the scorneful: to delight in thy law night and day, to be made spiritual & to have the benefit of thy kingdom & priest hode, which be both spiritual, preserving thy people from y e tyranny of sin & Satan, although in this life y • permit their enemies to vex thē, to thy further glory & their increase in repentance and & godliness: which give unto me and increase in me for thy holy names sake.
Scriptures proving Christ's kingdom to be spiritual.
My kingdom is not of this world. Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that how many soever thou haste givē unto him, he might give to y e same everlasting life. What is it? any worldly policy? no: therefore it followeth: & this is everlasting life, y t they may know thee to be the only true God, & whom thou diddest send Jesus Christ, which sitteth on the right hand of god & prayeth for us. The rote of Jesse shall stand up and y e gentiles shall make their prayers unto him. &c. By these two sentences we may see Christ's kingdom & priesthood to be spiritual, and no politic regimente. He prayeth for us to his father, and so raygneth that he will be called upon, will hear us, satisfy us, & keep us with his holy spirit, as gods children: for they are led by the spirit of God: in their hearts he will write his law &c. which benefits let us loke for, & no corporal kingdom. We are fellow heirs with Christ. If so be we do suffer with him, we shall be glorified with him. We are saved by hope. For thy sake we are killed all the day longe. In this world you shall have affliction. Al y t will live godly in christ must suffer per secution. And many places there be, which teach us y e the glory of Christ's kingdom is no worldly dominion or power, but a spiritual thing, that we should be resuscitated & have a new & an eternal life, righteousness & glory, evē such as Christ hath. Besids this Paul telleth y t Antichrist shall bear rule in the Church, until Christ come to judgment: then shall he destroy his kingdome. So y t the true church of Christ shall not have wordly dominion and kingdom, but rather be persecuted, & especially towards thence of the world, as Peter telleth, y t as there was before Christ's coming in y e church, false prophets, & the regiment was with the adversaries which bear the name of y e church, under the which they destroyed y e church: so shall it be in the church after Christ's time. There will be (saith he) many false teachers which will deceane not a few or the fewer parte, but many & the greater part, as now the Papists have done almost all Christendom. Again he saith y t there will come mockers, which will make a mock of religion, so that the church cannot but be persecuted. Daniel plainly showeth y t the beasts, that is the empires of y e world: shall be cast into y e fire, when Christ shall come to judgment: so y t some wicked Empires shall continue until the last day. The true Church of Christ is careful for inward beauty, as it is writ̄ of the kings daughter: whereas the papistical church nothing passeth thereof, but altogether careth for external gear.
So saith our Papists in England: Come to the church & do as other men do outwardly, & kept your conscience to yourselves.
Scryptures prouinge that in Christ's Church upon earth there shall be good and bad mingled until the day of judgment.
AS it was in the days of Lot, so shall it be in the coming &c. In y e night there shall be two in one bed, one shall be taken &c. Let them (the tares amongst the Corn he meaneth) grow together until the harvest. The Harueste is the ende of the world: then the son of man shall send forth his angels, & they shall gather all offense givers out of his kingdom, and those which work wickedness. So shall it go in the ende of the world: the Angels shall go forth, and separate the evil from the righteous, & cast them into the furnace of fire. By these sentences we may see y e Hypocrites shall be mingled w t the godly until the day of judgment.
Whereas the Anabaptists do cite the Prophets, who speaking of Christ's kingdom, use often figures and similitudes of worldly Empires, that by temporal & visible things we may arise to a depe consideration of spiritual & eternal things in Christ's king dome, let us learn so to do: and again let us know, that the Gospel is the exposition of the Prophets, and therefore those corporal metaphors in the Prophets, paynting forth the kingdom of Christ, must be interpreted according to the Gospel, which teacheth clearly Christ's kingdom to be a spiritual and no temporal thing, as before is shown.
Moreover the Prophets even them selves do plainly show Christ's kingdom to be a spyrituall thing. Do the not Daniel say that Christ shall be killed? And Isaiah also, doth not he say that Christ shall give his life for sin? So that we may see no affirmation of corporal dominion here on earth in this life. Besides this, the Prophets do affirm also Christ's kingdom to be eternal, and therefore cannot be temporal. Figures and Metaphors can be no otherwise thē Allegorically understanded. I need not to tell howe that the prophets use to speak of Christ's kingdom, that they do not dyscerne the times of this life and of the life to come, because Christ's eternal kingdom is begun in spirit and faith in this life, and afterward endureth forever. Howe be it some times, and often they do otherwise, & plainly show that Christ's kingdom and Church shall suffer persecution in this life, as in the. 2. Psal. and Psal. 115. precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. And Psalm. 72. Isaiah. 30. Daniel. 12.
That there is an everlasting life, where it is, & what knowledge and understanding thereof may be had in this life.
THat there is an everlasting life, none will deny but such as will deny God. For if he be true and just (or else he is not God) then can there not be but an eternal life. That he hath both spoken it &. promised it in Math 25. 1. Cor. 15. Hebre. 4. 11. 13. 1. Peter. 1. it appeareth, & else where in very many places. So that to deny an everlasting life, is to deny God, to deny Christ, and all that ever he did: also to deny all pity and religion: to condemn of folyshnes all good men, Martyrs, Confessors, Evangelists, Prophets, Patriarchs. Sūina, the denial of eternal life is nothing else, but a denial of the immortality of the Soul, and so a plain making of man nothing better then beasts. If it be so, let us then eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die. Lord deliver us from this Sadduceal and Epicureal impiety, & grant us for thy mercies sake (dear God) that we may be assuredly persuaded that there is in deed an eternal life & blysse with thee for thē that put their trust in thee: amongst whom account me for thy mercies sake.
Agayne, this eternal life, and the place appointed for them that be thy servants, all men do grant to be with thee. Not, because thou art everywhere, they do therefore think so of eternal life that it is everywhere. For they by thy word do know, that in as much as no man can see thee and live, this eternal life and thy blessed presence is moste pleasant and had in fruition after in another world, whereunto by corporal death they do depart, and are translated to a place above them, where thou dwelleste in a light where unto no man can approach. Abraham's wsome (they read) was above, as the place for the wicked was alowe and beneath. Helias was caught up into heaven: and thy sone our dear savior prayed, that where he is, those also might be which thou haddest givē him, and might see his glory. Now he (dear father) we learn by thy spirit, was asceuded and taken up in his very body into heaven, whether Steueu looked up and saw thy Christ standing on thy right hand, to whom he prayed: Oh Lord Jesus receive my Spirit. Graunte I beseech thee gracious God and father, that I may have a clean heart more & more to see thee, and so in spirit to see and loke upon often this place: whether bring me at the length in body also, I humbly pray thee.
Now, what a thing this everlasting life is, no man is hable to conceive, much less hable to utter: For the peace of God which is eternal life, passeth all understanding. The eye hath not seen, the ear hath not heard, neither can man's heart cōceaue those thin ges, which thou (dear god) haste prepared for them that love thee. whatsoever therefore can be spokē or imagined of thy kingdom, of the clerenes, joy, and felicitye of the same, is nothing in comparison: as we may see by thy Prophets, which (because they could not otherwise) under corporal things have shadowed the same. So that the confidence of eternal life, what a thing it is, can in no wise be told. Howe ve it, somewhat we may be brought into some sight of it by earthly things, to think on this sort: If God have given here so many things in a strange place, how many are the great good things that be at home? if in a prison are so many mercies, how many are they in the palace? If the wicked have so many benefits, what is y e store prepared for thy servants, Oh Lord? if thy children find such comforts in y e day of tears and mourninge, what shall they find in the day of the marriage? If with beasts men being have y e use of so innumerable blessings, oh howe many are the blessings which they shall enjoy with thy Angels, and with thee thyself (O dear God) when they shall see thee, and have the fruition of thee, in whom is fullness without loathing of all good and fair things: so that nothing can be more desited, and that for evermore?
This thy Chyldren do not so see, as they now believe it: I say that evē in their bodies they shall see it forever, as Job said: They believe that they shall see thee and their own eyes behold thee, whē these our corporal eyes, our bodies being reysed, shall do their duties. Suche a knowledge of thee they believe to have, as shall not be only intellectual and by faith, as now it is: but even a full sight and fruition, yea a coniunctiō & fellowship with thee. Now they see but in a glass, even in a dark speaking: but then they shall see face to face. For faith though it be the substance of things hoped for, and a certain dark sight of thee: yet it may not be compared to the reward of faith, and glorious sight which we shall see in the life to come, when faith and hope shall cease, Now thy childrē know that they be thy sons, though it yet appear not what they shall be, we know (say they) that when our Christ God and man shall appear, then shall we be like unto him, for we shall see him even as he is. Oh great prerogative to see Christ as he is: which is not to be considered so much for the manhod, as for the Godheade it self: as Paul doth also write, that when all things are subject unto the son, then shall he be subject unto thee (dear father) allo, that God may be all in all. And therefore Christ our Savior prayed for us, that we might know thee the only true God. Not that our Christ thy Son, is not with thee the true coequal and substancial God: but that we might know howe that after the judgment, such a mystery of his mediatorship shall not be in heaven as is now in earth. Thē thou blessed trinity, God the father, God the son, & God the holy ghost, shalt be all in all: thou shalt be the ende of our desires: thou shalt be looked upon without ende: thou shalt be loved without loathing: thou shalt be praised without werines. Althoughe lothsomnes be wont to follow fullness, yet our fullness in the contemplaciō of thy pleasures, shall bring with it no kind at all of lothsomnes. Sacietie of joys shall be in the beholdinge of thee: pleasures are in thy righte hand forever: we shall be satisfied whē we arise after thine Image, I mean, in the resurrection. Oh dear Father, show thyself vn to us and we ask no more. Oh grant us with thy Saints in everlasting life, to praise with perpetual praises, thy holy name. Happy then and happy again were we, if that day were come, that we might singe with thy Angels, elders, and innumerable thousands, a new song and say: thou christ Jesus which waste slain, art worthy to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, & blessing. In this blessed life all kind of maladyes, griefs, sorrows and evils be far away, and all full of all kind of mirthe, joy, and pleasure. Oh that we might see now a little with S. John that holy Cytie new Jerusalem discending from heaven, prepared of GOD as a bryde trunmed for her husband. Oh that we might now something hear the great voice speaking out of the throne: behold the tabernacle of GOD is with men, & he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and he shall be unto them their God: he will wype away all tears from their eyes, and death shall be no more, nor wepinge nor crying, nor sorrow, for the former things are gone.
A Meditacion of the blessed state and felicity of the life to come.
THis body is but a prison wherein y e soul is kept, and that verily not beautiful & bright, but dark and most dirty, disquiet & fusty, frail, and filled up with much vermin and venomous vipers (I mean it concerning our affaccions) standing in an air moste vnholsome, & prospect most loathsome, if a man consider the excrements of it by the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hands, feet and all the other partis. So that no bocardo, no little ease, no dungeon, no bishops prison, no gate house, no sink, no pit may be compared in any point, to be so evil a prison for the body, as the body is for and of the soul. whereby the children of God have been occasioned to cry, and lament their longe being in it. Oh saith David, how longe shall I lie in this prison? Oh wretch that I am, saith Paul, who shall deliver me out of this body of sin? which is an heavy burden unto y e soul, as y e wise mā saith. And therefore the godly cry, now let thy servant depart in peace: Oh that I were dissolved & had put of this earthly and frail tabercle: Take me unto thee, and bring my soul out of this prison, that it may give thanks unto thee, O Lord. For so long as we be in this body, we cannot see the Lord: yea it is an heavy habitation, and depresseth down sore the spirit from the familiarity, which it else should have with God.
This world and life is an exile, a vale of misery, a wilderness, of it self being void of all virtues and necessaries for eternal life, & full of enemies, sorows, sighings, sobbinges, groninges, miseries, &c. In danger to hunger, cold, heat, thirst, sores, sickness, temptations, troubles, death, and innumerable calamities: being momentary, short, unstable, and nothing but vain, and therefore is compared to a warfare, a womans travail, a shadow, a smoke, a vapor, a word, a storm, a tempest, in the which God's people feel great molestations, grefes, and troubles, now of Satan himself, now of the world, now of their own flesh, & that so wonderfully, diversely, dangerously, and contrarily, that they are enforced to cry: Oh Lord whē shall we come and appere before thee? Whē shall this misery ende? whē shall we be delivered out of this vale of misery? out of this wilderness? out of this continual affliction and most perilous seas?
But where thou art (Oh lord and dear father of mercy) there is not only no prison, no dolors, no sorrow, no sighings, no tears, no sickness, no hunger, no heat, no cold, no pain, no temptations, no displeasure, no malice, no pride, no uncleanness, no contention, no torments, no horror, no sin, no filth, stink, dearth, death no weeping, tears, misery, myschiefe: There is (I say) not only no such thing or any evil, noisome, or displesaunt thing: but all liberty, all light, all plesantnes, all joy, rejoicing, mirth, pleasure, pastime, health, wealth, riches, glory, power, treasure, honor, triumphh, comfort, solace, love, unity, peace, concord, wisdom, virtue, melodye, mekenes, felicity, beatitude, and all that ever can be wished or desired, in moste security, eternity, and perpetuity y t may be thought, not only of mā, but of Angels and Archangels, yea above all thoughts. The eye hath not seen the like, the ear hath not heard it, nor no heart is able to conceive in any point, any part of the blisseful beatitude, which is with thee moste dear God and father, most dear lord and savior, most gracious good God and comforter, where thou art (O blessed God) The Archāgels, Angels, thrones, powers, Dominations, Cherubi • s, Ceraphins, Patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, virgins, confessors, and righteous spirits, cease not to singe night and day holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts: honor, majesty, glory, power, empire and dominion be unto thee, Oh God the creator, Oh Lord Jesus the redeiner, Oh holy spirit the comforter.
In recordation of this, oh how thy Children rejoice: howe contemn they the pleasures of this world? howe little esteem they any corporal grief or shame? how desire they to be with thee? Howe amiable are thy tabernacles, Oh Lord God of Hosts, (say they:) my soul hath a desire to enter into the Courtes of the Lord: my heart and my soul rejoiceth in the living God: blessed are they that dwell in thy house, they y t may always be praising thee. For one day in thy courts is better thē a thousand else where. I had rather be a bore keeper in the house of my God, then to dwell in the tents of vngonlynes: for the Lord God is a light and defense. And again, like as y e heart desireth y e water brokes, so longeth my soul after thee, oh god: my soul is a thirst for god, yea even for the living god. Whē shall I come to appear before the prsence of god? My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh also lōgeth after thee in a barren & dry land, where no water is. They (thy children I mean O lord) desire the day of that their redemptiō: they still cry, let thy kingdom come: they cry, come lord Jesus: they lift up their heads, looking for thy apearing (oh lord) which will make their vile body like to thine own glorious and immortal body: for when thou shalt appear, they shall be like unto thee. Thy Angels will gather them together, & they shall meet thee in the clouds, and be always with thee. They shall hear this joyful voice: Come ye blessed of my father, possess the kingdom prepared for you, from the begin ning. Then shall they be like to thy Angels. Then shall they be like unto the Sun in thy king dome. Thē shall they have crowns of glory, & be endued with white garments of innocence & righteousenes, with palms of victory in their hands. Oh happy is he that may but see that immortal and incorruptible inheritaūce, which they shall enjoy for evermore.
A short introduction to the understanding of the Scriptures, conteininge the sum of all the Diuitie necessary for a Christian conscience.
A Man that is regenerate and borne of God (the which thing y t everyone of us do beeleue, our baptism the Sacrament of regeneration doth require under pain of damnation, and therefore let everyone of us with the virgin Mary say, be it unto me O Lord according to thy word, according to thy sacrament of baptism, wherein thou hast declared our adoption: and let us lament the dowting hereof in us, striving against it as we shall be made able of the Lord) a man I say, that is regenerate, cō sisteth of two mē (as a man may say) namely of the old man and of the new man. The old man is like to a mighty Giant, such a one as was Goliath, for his birth is now perfect. But the new man is like unto a little child, such a one as was Dauide, for his birth is not yet perfect until the day of his general resurrection.
The old man therefore is more stronger, iusty, and stirring, then is the new man, because the birth of the new man is but begun now, and the old man is perfectly borne. And as the old man is more stirringe, lustye, & stronger thē y e new man: so is y e nature of him clean contrary to y e nature of y e new mā, as being earthly & corrupt w t Satan's seed, y e nature of y e new mā being heavenly & blessed with the celestial seed of god. So that one man, in as much as he is corrupt with the seed of the serpent, is an old man: and in as much as he is blessed with the seed of God from above, 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 help, and a friend to God, the seed of God preseruīg him from sin, so that he cannot sin, as the seed of the serpent, wherewith he is corrupt even frō his cōception, inclineth him, yea enforceth him to sin & nothing else but to sin. Soo that the best part in man before regeneration, in God's sight, is not only an enemy, but enmity it self.
One man therefore wich is regenerate, well may be called always just, and always sinful: just in respect of God's seed, and his regeneration: sinful in respect of Satan's seed & his first birth. Betwixt these two men therefore, there is continual conflicte & war most deadly. The flesh and old man by reason of his birth that is perfect, doth often for a time, prevail against y e new man (being but as a child in comparison) and that in such sort, as not only other, but evē
and others.
For these (I mean God's Children) God hath made all things in Christ Jesus: to whom he hath given this dignity, y t they should be his inheritance & spouses.
This our inheretour Christ Jesus, GOD with God, light of light, coeternal and consubstanciall with the father and with the holy Gost, to the end that he might become our husband (because the husband and the wife must be one body and flesh) hath taken our nature upon him, communicating with it and by it in his own person, to us all his children, his divine majesty, as Peter saith, and so is 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 ever we have pertaining to him yea even our sins: as all that ever he hath, pertaineth unto us, even his whole glory. So that if Satan should sonmon us to answer for our dettes or sins, in that the wife is no suitable person but the husband, we may well bid him enter his action against our husband Christ, and he will make him a sufficient answer.
For this end (I mean that we might be coupled & married thus to Christ, and so be certain 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 consist of two men) one part of gods word being proper to y e old man, & the other part of God's word being proper to the new man. The part properly pertaining to the old man is the law: the part properly pertaining to the new man is the gospel.
The law is a doctrine which commandeth & forbiddeth, requiring doing and avoiding. Under it therefore are contained all precepts, threatenings, promises upon conditions of our doing & avoiding &c. The Gospel is a doctrine which always offereth and giveth, requiring on our behalf, not as of worthiness or as a cause but as a cerificat unto us, & therefore under it is contained all the free and sweet promises of god: as I am the lord thy god &c.
In those that be of years of discretiō, it requireth faith, not as a cause, but as an instrument whereby
A Prayer, which John Bradford said a little before his death in Smithfelde
M Ercifull God and Father, to whom our savior christ approached in his fear and need, by reason of death, & found comfort: gracious God & most bounteous Christ, on whō Stephen called in his extreme need, & received strength: moste beninge holy spirit, which in the midst of all crosses & death, diddest comfort the apostle s. Paul, with more consolations in christ, then he felt sorrows & terrors in the world: have mercy upon me a most miserable, vile & wretched sinner, which now draw nere the gates of death deserved both in soul & body eternally, by reason of my manifold horrible, old & new transgressions, which to thine eyes (O lord god) are opē and kuowen. Oh be merciful unto me, and forgive me for the bitter death and blood sheddinge of thine only son Jesus Christ. And though thy Justice do require in respect of my sins, that now thou sholdest not hear me, contemning thy daily callings: yet let thy mercy, which is above all thy works, and wherewith the earth is filled, let thy mercy (I say) prevail towards me, thorough the merits & mediation of christ our savior, for whose sake it pleaseth thee to bring me forth now, as one of his witnesses, & a record bearer of thy verity and truth taught by him, to give my life therefore. To which dignity I do acknowledge (dear god) that there was never any so unworthy and unmeet, no not the thief that hanged with him on y e cross. I humbly therefore pray thee that thou wouldest accordingly, aid, help, & assist me with the strength and heavenly grace, y t with christ thy son I may find comfort, with Stephen I may see thy presence and gracious power, with Paul and all others, which for thy names sake have suffered afflictious and death, I may find so present with me thy gracious consolation, that I may by death glorify thy holy name, set forth & ratify thy verity, comfort y e hearts of the heavy, confirm thy church in thy truth, convert some that are to be converted, and so depart out of this miserable world (where I do nothing but daily heap sin upon sin) and enter into the fruition of thy blessed mercy: whereof now give & increase in me a lively taste, sense, and felinge, wherthrough the terror of death, the torments of fire, the pains of sin, y e darts of Satan, & the dolours of hell, may never overcome me: but may be driven away through the working of that most gracious spirit: which now plēteously endue me withal, that through the same spirit I may offer (as now I desire & am redye to do) in christ & by him, myself wholly, soul and body, to be a lively sacrifice, holy & acceptable in thy sight (dear father) whose I am & always have ben, even frō my mothers womb, yea, even before y e world was made: to whō I commend myself, faith & name, family & friends, country, and all the whole church: yea, even my very enemies, according to thy good pleasure: besechinge thee entierly to give once more to this realm of England, the blessing of thy word again, with godly peace, to the teaching and setting forth of the same. Oh dear Father, now give me to come unto thee: purge & so purify me by this fire, in Christ's death and passiō, thorough thy spirit, that I may be a burnt offering of sweet smell in thy sight, which livest & raygnest with the Son & the holy ghost now and foreuermore, world without ende.
Ephe. v.
-
Certein faults escaped.
- In the 7. leaf & first side, read in the margent thus: By looking on our old faulles.
- In the 13. leaf and second side add to y e later note ī y e margin: Felicitie which we obtain by Death.
- In the 43. leaf, in y e title of the Introduction read Divinity.
- And in the other titles, for Instruction read Introduction.