Speaker 1: Section one of meditations and prayers. This is a LibriVox recording.
Speaker 1: All librivanx recordings are in the public domain. For more
Speaker 1: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Meditations
Speaker 1: and Prayers by John Bradford. Meditation on the Lord's Supper
Speaker 1: Jesus Immanuel, This heavenly banquet, wherewith thou dost witness thyself
Speaker 1: of sweet Savior to be the bread of life, wherewith
Speaker 1: our souls are fed unto true and eternal life and immortality.
Speaker 1: Grant me grace so now to receive, as may be
Speaker 1: to my singular joy and comfort. The signs and symbols
Speaker 1: be bread and wine, which are sanctified in thy body
Speaker 1: and blood, to represent the invisible communion and fellowship of
Speaker 1: the same. For as in baptism, Thou, o God, dost
Speaker 1: regenerate us, and as it were, engraft us into the
Speaker 1: fellowship of thy church, and by adoption make us thy
Speaker 1: tay children. So as a good householder and father, thou
Speaker 1: dost afterwards minister meet to nourish and continue us in
Speaker 1: that life whereunto thou, by thy word has forgotten us.
Speaker 1: And truly, o Christ, thou art the food of the soul.
Speaker 1: And therefore our heavenly Father giveth thee unto us, that we,
Speaker 1: being refreshed in communicating of thee, might be received into immortality. Now,
Speaker 1: because this mystery is of itself incomprehensible, thou dost exhibit
Speaker 1: and give unto us a figure and image hereof in
Speaker 1: visible signs. Yea, as though thou paidest down, present earnest,
Speaker 1: thou makest us so certain hereof as if with our
Speaker 1: eyes we saw it. And this is the end. Wherefore
Speaker 1: thou didst institute this thy supper and banquet, namely that
Speaker 1: it might confirm us as of thy body, once so
Speaker 1: offered for us, that we may feed on it, and
Speaker 1: in feeding feel in us the efficacy and strength of
Speaker 1: thy one alone sacrifice of thy blood once so shed
Speaker 1: for us, that it is unto us a continual potion.
Speaker 1: And drink according to the words that thy promise added
Speaker 1: there take eat this is my body which is given
Speaker 1: for you, so that the body which was once offered
Speaker 1: for our salvation we are commanded to take and eat,
Speaker 1: that whilst we are partakers thereof we might be most assured.
Speaker 1: The virtue of thy lively death is of force in
Speaker 1: us whereof it cometh that thou callest the cup the
Speaker 1: Testament or Covenant in thy blood. For the covenant which
Speaker 1: thou once hast stricken with us in thy blood, thou dost,
Speaker 1: as it were, renew the same as concerning the confirmation
Speaker 1: of our faith. So often as thou reach unto us
Speaker 1: this holy cup to drink of O wonderful consolation which
Speaker 1: cometh to the godly hearts by reason of this sacrament.
Speaker 1: For here we have assured witness that Thou christ art
Speaker 1: so coupled unto us, and we so engrafted in THEE,
Speaker 1: that we are one body with THEE. And whatsoever thou hast,
Speaker 1: we may call it our own boldly. Therefore we may
Speaker 1: boast that everlasting life thine inheritance is ours. That the
Speaker 1: Kingdom of Heaven, whereinto thou art entered, can no more
Speaker 1: be taken away from us or we from it, than
Speaker 1: from THEE, or we from it than from THEE or
Speaker 1: Thou from it. Again, our sins can no more condemn
Speaker 1: us than THEE. For thou would they should be laid
Speaker 1: to thy charge as though they were thine. This is
Speaker 1: a wonderful change which Thou makest with us of thy
Speaker 1: unspeakable mercy. Thou wast made the son of Man with us,
Speaker 1: that we, with THEE, might be made the sons of God.
Speaker 1: Thou camest down from heaven unto earth, to bring us
Speaker 1: from the earth into Heaven. Thou tookest upon THEE our mortality,
Speaker 1: that thou mightst give us thy immortality. Thou tookest upon
Speaker 1: THEE our weakness, that thou mightst make us strong with
Speaker 1: thy strength. Thou tookest on THEE our poverty, to pour
Speaker 1: upon us thy plenty. Thou tookst upon THEE our unrighteousness,
Speaker 1: that thou mightest cloak us with thy righteousness. O, Comfort
Speaker 1: of comforts. Of all these things we have so assured
Speaker 1: a witness in this sacrament, that we ought without all wavering,
Speaker 1: to be so sure that they are exhibit and given
Speaker 1: unto us, as if with our corporal eyes we did
Speaker 1: see THEE, O Sweet Christ, present invisible form, and with
Speaker 1: our very hands touched and handled THEE. For this word
Speaker 1: cannot lure or beguile us. Take, eat, drink. This is
Speaker 1: my body which is given for you. This is my
Speaker 1: blood which is shed for the forgiveness of your sins.
Speaker 1: In that thou biddest us take, Thou wouldt signify unto
Speaker 1: us that it is ours. In that thou biddest us eat.
Speaker 1: Thou wouldst we should know that it is made one
Speaker 1: flesh with us. In that thou sayest it is thy
Speaker 1: body given for us, thy blood shed for us. Thou
Speaker 1: wouldst that we should learn both to be not only
Speaker 1: thine now but also ours, for thou tookst and gave
Speaker 1: us both not for thy commodity, but for ours. Grant therefore,
Speaker 1: good Lord, that we may as be thankful to THEE forever,
Speaker 1: so diligently always to mark that the chiefest and almost
Speaker 1: the whole pith of the sacrament consisteth in these words,
Speaker 1: which is given for you, which is shed for you.
Speaker 1: For else it would little help us to have thy
Speaker 1: body and blood distributed now, except they had been given
Speaker 1: for our redemption and salvation by the bread and wine.
Speaker 1: Therefore they are represented, that we might learn that they
Speaker 1: are not only ours, but also that they are destinate
Speaker 1: and appointed unto us for the seal of spiritual life. Thus,
Speaker 1: Gould Lord, grant us thy grace to consider this sacrament,
Speaker 1: that we stick not in the corporal things and things
Speaker 1: which are object to our eyes, hands, taste, and feeling,
Speaker 1: as the papists teach the people whose eyes open and
Speaker 1: turn their hearts according to Thy good will, But that
Speaker 1: we may arise to the consideration of spiritual things. Hereby
Speaker 1: accordingly that is grant that we may deeply consider as
Speaker 1: bread nourisheth socist, staineth and conserveth the life of this
Speaker 1: our body. So thy body, O Christ, is the only
Speaker 1: and alone food to quicken and make strong the soul.
Speaker 1: As wine nourisheth, refresheth, confirmeth, and cheerreth the heart. So
Speaker 1: doth thy blood shed for us on the cross, to
Speaker 1: the souls of all faithful receivers and users of this
Speaker 1: most holy sacrament. Grant good Lord, therefore, that I may
Speaker 1: truly consider and know the principal parts of the sacrament,
Speaker 1: not to exhibit and give the body simply and without
Speaker 1: further consideration, but rather to absigne and confirm that promise.
Speaker 1: Wherein as thou dost witness thy flesh to be food indeed,
Speaker 1: and thy blood to be drink indeed, by which we
Speaker 1: are fed unto everlasting life, so thou affirmest thyself to
Speaker 1: be the bread of life, whereof whoso eateth shall live
Speaker 1: for ever, and that this thing might be brought to
Speaker 1: pass thy sacrament, doth send us to thy cross, O Christ,
Speaker 1: where this promise indeed was performed and most fully on
Speaker 1: all sides accomplished. For we cannot to salvation, feed on thee,
Speaker 1: or eat thee, O Christ, except thou hast been crucified.
Speaker 1: And this we do when with lively sense we apprehend
Speaker 1: and catch hold on the efficacy of thy death. For
Speaker 1: though thou call thyself the bread of life, yet dost
Speaker 1: thou it not by reason of the sacrament, but because
Speaker 1: there was such a one given to us from the Father,
Speaker 1: And because thou didst give thyself to such a one,
Speaker 1: by taking part with us in our mortal nature, to
Speaker 1: make us partakers of thy divine immortality, by offering thyself
Speaker 1: a sacrifice for us, to take thyself our malediction, and
Speaker 1: pitifully to pour on us thy blessing, by swallowing up
Speaker 1: death by thy death, and by raising up to glory
Speaker 1: and incorruption this our corruptible flesh, which thou tookst on
Speaker 1: thee through thy resurrection. So then it remaineth that we
Speaker 1: should apply all this unto us, And this we do
Speaker 1: as by thy Gospel, so no less, but rather more clearly,
Speaker 1: by thy Holy Supper. Where as Thou offerest thyself unto
Speaker 1: us with all thy beads, so we by faith receive
Speaker 1: the same grant me therefore to mark well that this
Speaker 1: sacrament is not the thing that maketh Thee to begin
Speaker 1: to be the bread of life, but that this maketh
Speaker 1: thee so to us, by making us to call to
Speaker 1: mind that thou wast made the bread of life for
Speaker 1: us continually to feed on, and by giving to us
Speaker 1: a taste and savor of that bread, that we might
Speaker 1: feel the virtue of the same bread. End of Section one,
Speaker 1: Section two of Meditations and Prayers by John Bradford. This
Speaker 1: LIBRIVANX recording is in the public domain. A brief admonition
Speaker 1: written by Master Bradford in a New Testament of a
Speaker 1: friend of his. This book is called Seramocrosis the word
Speaker 1: of the Cross, because the cross doth always accompany it,
Speaker 1: So that if you will be a student hereof you
Speaker 1: must needs prepare yourself to the cross, which you began
Speaker 1: to learn before before you learned your alphabet. Footnote. The
Speaker 1: figure of a cross was then and afterward prefixed to
Speaker 1: the alphabet. For young persons, see for instance the primer
Speaker 1: in English Most Necessary for the Education of Children, Wayland,
Speaker 1: No Date approximately fifteen thirty nine, signature A eight copy
Speaker 1: British Museum and VI the Nares Glossary five Christ cross
Speaker 1: and footnote. And Christ requireth it of everyone that will
Speaker 1: be His disciple. Therein not swerving from the common trade
Speaker 1: of callings or vocations, for no professional kind of life
Speaker 1: wanteth his cross, so that they are far overseen which
Speaker 1: think that the profession of the Gospel, which the devil
Speaker 1: most envieth, the world most hateth, and the flesh most
Speaker 1: repineth at, can be without a cross. Let us therefore
Speaker 1: pray that God would enable us to take up our
Speaker 1: cross by denying ourselves a carseareh from prison, eighteenth Febuari
Speaker 1: fifteen fifty five, John Bradford, end of section two Section
Speaker 1: three of Meditations and Prayers by John Bradford. This LibriVox
Speaker 1: recording is in the public domain. Prayer for the presence
Speaker 1: of God with white garments of innocency and righteousness and
Speaker 1: palms of victory in their hands. Oh happy is he
Speaker 1: that may have but a sight of the immortal and
Speaker 1: incorruptible inheritance, which these thy people shall enjoy forever. Oh
Speaker 1: that it please THEE, O Father, as of thy mercy,
Speaker 1: thou hast called me into thy company and communion of
Speaker 1: thy saints. So of the same thy goodness, thou wouldst
Speaker 1: give me to become likewise affected, that in my heart
Speaker 1: I might cry as they do and desire to be
Speaker 1: with THEE. Not simply because of this prison and exile
Speaker 1: that I am in presently, but rather only because of
Speaker 1: THEE and of love. To THEE which love I humbly
Speaker 1: pray THEE that art love itself, that thou wouldst right
Speaker 1: in my heart and graciously open thine eyes to the
Speaker 1: words of my mouth at this present, which I have
Speaker 1: borrowed out of thy mouth by thy servants, saying, remember me,
Speaker 1: O Lord, according to the favor that thou bearest unto
Speaker 1: thy people. Oh visit me with thy salvation, that I
Speaker 1: may see thee felicity of thy chosen and rejoice in
Speaker 1: the gladness of thy people, and give thanks with thine inheritance.
Speaker 1: Oh give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation by
Speaker 1: the knowledge of thyself. O lighten the eyes of my mind,
Speaker 1: that I may know what thee hope is, whereunto thou
Speaker 1: hast called me, And how rich the glory is thine
Speaker 1: inheritance upon thy saints. And what is the exceeding greatness
Speaker 1: of Thy power to thy people, would which believe, Oh,
Speaker 1: make me able to comprehend with thy saints. What is
Speaker 1: the breadth and length, and depth and height of thy
Speaker 1: sweet mercy? That is that I may know the excellent
Speaker 1: love of the knowledge of Christ, that I may be
Speaker 1: fulfilled with all fullness that cometh of THEE. O, lighten
Speaker 1: mine eyes, that I sleep not into death. But send
Speaker 1: thy light unto me to lead and bring me into
Speaker 1: thy tabernacle, that I may believe to see the goodness
Speaker 1: of THEE in the land of the Living. Oh, give
Speaker 1: me the spirit not of the world, but which is
Speaker 1: of THEE, that I may know the things which are
Speaker 1: given to us of God, which are such as the
Speaker 1: eye hath not seen, nor the ear hath heard, nor
Speaker 1: the heart is able to conceive. For the light of
Speaker 1: the moon shall be as the light of the sun,
Speaker 1: and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, even
Speaker 1: as the light of seven days in thy blessed kingdom.
Speaker 1: And when thou wilt bind up the wounds of thy people,
Speaker 1: and heal their plagues. Oh that I might have some
Speaker 1: lively sight hereof When shall I rejoice of an exchange
Speaker 1: for the immortal, the undefiled, and the imacessible inheritance, whereto
Speaker 1: thou hast called me, and dost keep for me in heaven.
Speaker 1: When shall I hear the sweet songs of thy saved
Speaker 1: people crying salvation be to him that sitteth in the
Speaker 1: throne of our God, and to the Lamb. When shall I,
Speaker 1: with the elders and the angels, sing and say, Lords
Speaker 1: and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, and honor and power,
Speaker 1: and might be to THEE our God, for ever and ever.
Speaker 1: When shall I be covered with a white stole, and
Speaker 1: have a palm in my hand, to stand before the
Speaker 1: throne day and night, to serve THEE in the temple,
Speaker 1: and to have THEE to dwell in me. When shall
Speaker 1: I hear thy great voice saying from heaven, Behold, the
Speaker 1: Tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell
Speaker 1: with them, and they shall be His people, and God
Speaker 1: himself will be with them their God. Oh happy were
Speaker 1: they that now might have a little show of thine
Speaker 1: holy city, New Jerusalem, descending from Heaven, prepared of the
Speaker 1: Gracious God, as a bride decked for her husband, which
Speaker 1: thou ShoWest, thy servant, Saint John, this should I see
Speaker 1: if I were with him in the spirit. But this
Speaker 1: cannot be so long as I am in the flesh,
Speaker 1: or that the time will come that I might then
Speaker 1: put off this tabernacle in thy mercy, that I might
Speaker 1: see this great which is felicity itself. But herein I
Speaker 1: must do and will tarry Thy good pleasure, as I came,
Speaker 1: not hither into this world when I would, but when
Speaker 1: Thou wouldst. Even so, not when I will, but when
Speaker 1: Thou wilt take me. Hence in thy mercy in the
Speaker 1: mean season, as thy child, conserve and keep me, and
Speaker 1: further grant to me that, being in this body, yet
Speaker 1: I may live not in the flesh, but in the spirit.
Speaker 1: Now and then to have some little true taste of
Speaker 1: the pleasant dainties of Thy house and sanctuary, that all
Speaker 1: worldly pleasures may be unpleasant and unsavory to my eternal
Speaker 1: comfort through Christ, our Lord Amen. End of section three,
Speaker 1: Section four of Meditations and Prayers by John Bradford. This
Speaker 1: LibriVox recording is in the public domain. A sweet contemplation
Speaker 1: of heaven and heavenly things, O, my soul, lift up
Speaker 1: thyself above thy sel, fly away in the contemplation of
Speaker 1: heaven and heavenly things. Make not thy further abode in
Speaker 1: this inferior region, where is nothing but travail and trials,
Speaker 1: and sorrow and woe, and wretchedness, and sin and trouble
Speaker 1: and fear, and all deceiving and destroying vanities. Bend all
Speaker 1: thine affections upward unto the superior places, where thy Redeemer
Speaker 1: liveth and reigneth, and where thy joys are laid up
Speaker 1: in the treasury of his merits, which shall be made
Speaker 1: thy merits, his perfection, thy perfection, and his death, thy
Speaker 1: life eternal, and his resurrection, thy salvation. Esteem not the
Speaker 1: trifling pleasures of this life to be the way to
Speaker 1: this wealth, nor thy ignominious estate here to be any
Speaker 1: bar to prevent THEE from the full use and joyful
Speaker 1: fruition of the glory there prepared for THEE. I am
Speaker 1: assured that though I want here, I have riches there.
Speaker 1: Though I hunger here, I have fullness there. Though I
Speaker 1: faint here, I shall be refreshed there. And though I
Speaker 1: be accounted here as a dead man, I shall there
Speaker 1: live in perpetual glory. That is the city promised to
Speaker 1: the captives whom Christ shall make free. That is the
Speaker 1: kingdom assured to them whom Christ shall crown. There are
Speaker 1: the joys prepared for them that mourn. There is the
Speaker 1: light that shall never go out. There is the health
Speaker 1: that shall never be impaired. There is the glory that
Speaker 1: shall never be defaced. There is the life that shall
Speaker 1: taste no death. And there is the portion that passeth
Speaker 1: all the world's preferment. There is the world that never
Speaker 1: shall wax worse. There is every want supplied freely without money.
Speaker 1: There is no danger but happiness and honor, and singing
Speaker 1: and praise and thanksgiving unto the heavenly Jehovah, to him
Speaker 1: that sitteth on the throne, to the Lamb that here
Speaker 1: was led to the slaughter that now reigneth, with whom
Speaker 1: I shall reign after I have run this comfortless race
Speaker 1: through this miserable earthly veil. The honour in this earth
Speaker 1: is baseness. The riches of this world is poverty. The
Speaker 1: fullness of this life is wont the joys of this
Speaker 1: world's kingdom are sorrow and woe and misery, and sadness
Speaker 1: and grief. And yet the fool saith in his heart
Speaker 1: there is no other heaven but this harmful, deceiving world's happiness,
Speaker 1: no other hell but this world's bitterness, No better comfort
Speaker 1: than this world's cares, no further help than this world's wealth.
Speaker 1: Thus is man's wisdom made foolishness, and man's glory turned
Speaker 1: into shame, and man's power made of no force. And
Speaker 1: the faithful poor that are here despised, they are advanced,
Speaker 1: the sorrowful are comforted, and the castaways in this world
Speaker 1: are received to this blessed being that cannot be expressed
Speaker 1: with the tongues of man, nor conceived with the heart
Speaker 1: of man. Oh that I had wings, Saith, heavenly hearted David,
Speaker 1: that I might fly away from this world's vanities and
Speaker 1: possess Heaven's happiness. Oh that I were dissolved, Saith, blessed Paul,
Speaker 1: that I might be with Christ. Oh that I were
Speaker 1: in this place of such wished happiness, where I might
Speaker 1: rest from these worldly labors and earthly miseries and transitory vanities,
Speaker 1: but be not heavy O my soul, though thou must
Speaker 1: yet weighed under the burden of these earthly troubles. For
Speaker 1: these heavenly mysteries are not seen of carnal eyes, nor
Speaker 1: can be obtained by carnal means. But through troubles and afflictions,
Speaker 1: and dangers and persecutions they must be achieved. And none
Speaker 1: that are gods elected shall be free from this world's hatred.
Speaker 1: For such difference is there between earth and heaven, and
Speaker 1: between earthly and heavenly things, that whoso delighteth in the
Speaker 1: first shall be deprived of the latter. For we cannot
Speaker 1: have this world's heaven and the heaven of heavens, the
Speaker 1: heaven of saints and angels and Cherubim and Seraphim, where
Speaker 1: are all unspotted, and all glorious, and all in white
Speaker 1: robes of sanctity, And where Christ, the sacrificed Lamb is
Speaker 1: unto them. All in all all blessed all they that
Speaker 1: are thus assured. Blessed are the poor that shall have
Speaker 1: this heaven's riches. Blessed are the base that shall be
Speaker 1: thus advanced. Blessed are the low that shall be thus raised.
Speaker 1: And blessed are the world's despised, that shall have this
Speaker 1: heaven's happiness. Yea happy is this wretched world's unhappy man,
Speaker 1: For he shall be happy. I will daily meditate of
Speaker 1: the greatness and majesty of this high Heaven's blessed estate,
Speaker 1: where I shall one day bless my God with the
Speaker 1: company of his saints, and where I shall one day
Speaker 1: sit secure and free from the dangers and perils, and
Speaker 1: crosses and afflictions that now do assail me on the
Speaker 1: right hand and on the left, within me and without me,
Speaker 1: And am never free from one calamity or another. But
Speaker 1: it is good for me to be here humbled, that
Speaker 1: I may be there advanced where I wish speedily to come.
Speaker 1: It is good that I were in want here that
Speaker 1: I might seek heavenly necessaries. It is good that the
Speaker 1: world did discourage me that I might fly to God
Speaker 1: that comforteth me. It is good that I am daily
Speaker 1: killed here that I might live continually. Now, therefore, O
Speaker 1: my soul stand up, fear not faint not at this
Speaker 1: world's crosses, but give glory to this great God, Praise
Speaker 1: this High and helping God seek him. While it is day,
Speaker 1: drive not off to pray to this God. Notwithstanding any
Speaker 1: hope thou hast in mortal men, but reject not his
Speaker 1: gracious means, who in favor infinite and mercy endless moveth
Speaker 1: the hearts of men in this life to do good.
Speaker 1: Unto such as he seeth distressed. He can find out
Speaker 1: and afford infinite means to succor them that are his,
Speaker 1: and will not leave them forsaken in danger. For He
Speaker 1: even here giveth me his blessings as pledges of his
Speaker 1: never failing love, that being visited in his great mercy,
Speaker 1: with timely comforts. Here I may assure me of greater
Speaker 1: blessings in Heaven, where they are prepared beyond all that
Speaker 1: I can ask or think. O, Lord, God of Hosts,
Speaker 1: who is like unto THEE, who hast established Thy kingdom
Speaker 1: with truth and equity, with mercy and judgment, Thou hast
Speaker 1: a mighty arm Strong is Thine hand, and high is
Speaker 1: Thy right hand. Whoso is under thy protection he is safe.
Speaker 1: And he that trusteth in THEE may the embrace of
Speaker 1: Him on every side. Oh, blessed art thou, o my soul.
Speaker 1: If thou canst rejoice in the Lord, He is thy father,
Speaker 1: he is thy helper walk therefore in the light of
Speaker 1: His countenance, and be patient, wait in hope till these
Speaker 1: storms be passed. And then shalt thou have that quiet
Speaker 1: rest that He hath prepared in heaven. Lord, increase my faith.
Speaker 1: Our conversation is in heaven. From whence also we look
Speaker 1: for the Savior, even the Lord Jesus, if he be
Speaker 1: risen with Christ. Seek the things which are above, where
Speaker 1: Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your
Speaker 1: affections on things which are above, and not on things
Speaker 1: which are on the earth. End of section four, Section
Speaker 1: five of Meditations and Prayers by John Bradford. This LibriVox
Speaker 1: recording is in the public domain a meditation of the
Speaker 1: life everlasting, the place where it is, and the incomparable
Speaker 1: joys thereof That there is an everlasting life. None will deny,
Speaker 1: but such as will deny God. For if He be
Speaker 1: true and just, which he must needs be, or else
Speaker 1: he is not God, then can there not be but
Speaker 1: an eternal life that He hath both spoken it and
Speaker 1: promised it In Matthew twenty five one Corinthians fifteen, Hebrews
Speaker 1: four eleven and twelve one Peter one. It plainly Appeareth
Speaker 1: and elsewhere in very many places. So that to deny
Speaker 1: an everlasting life is to deny God, to deny Christ
Speaker 1: and all that ever he did. Also to deny all
Speaker 1: piety and religion, to condemn foolishness, all good men, martyrs, confesses, evangelists, prophets, patriarchs. Finally,
Speaker 1: the denial of eternal life is nothing else but a
Speaker 1: denial of the immortality of this soul, and so a
Speaker 1: plain making of man nothing better than beasts. If it
Speaker 1: be so, let us then eat and drink, for to
Speaker 1: morrow we shall die. Lord, preserve us from this sad
Speaker 1: jusial and curial impiety, and grant us for thy Mercy's sake,
Speaker 1: Dear God, that we may be assuredly persuaded that there
Speaker 1: is indeed an eternal life, and bliss with THEE for
Speaker 1: them that put their trust in THEE, amongst whom account
Speaker 1: me for thy Mercy's sake. Again, this eternal life and
Speaker 1: the place appointed for them that be Thy servants, all
Speaker 1: men do grant to be with Thee. Albeit they do
Speaker 1: not think that because Thou art everywhere, therefore eternal life
Speaker 1: is everywhere. For they, by thy word do know that
Speaker 1: inasmuch as no man can see THEE and live this
Speaker 1: eternal life, and thy blessed presence is most pleasant and
Speaker 1: had in fruition after in another world, whereunto by corporal death,
Speaker 1: they do depart and are translated to a place above them,
Speaker 1: where Thou dwellest in a light whereunto no man can approach.
Speaker 1: Abraham's bosom, they read was above as the place for
Speaker 1: the wicked was alone beneath Elias was caught up into heaven,
Speaker 1: and thy son, our dear Savior, prayed that where he is,
Speaker 1: those also might be which Thou hadst given him, and
Speaker 1: might see his glory. Now he, dear Father, we learn
Speaker 1: by thy spirit, was ascended and taken up in his
Speaker 1: very body into heaven. With a Stephen looked up and
Speaker 1: saw Thy Christ standing on thy right hand, to whom
Speaker 1: he prayed, O, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Grant I
Speaker 1: beseech THEE Gracious God and Father, that I may have
Speaker 1: a clean heart more and more to see THEE, and
Speaker 1: so in spirit to see and look often upon this
Speaker 1: place whither Thou bring me at the length in body. Also,
Speaker 1: I humbly pray THEE. Now what a thing this everlasting
Speaker 1: life is? No man is able to conceive much less
Speaker 1: able to utter. For the peace of God, which is
Speaker 1: eternal life, passeth all understanding. The eye hath not seen,
Speaker 1: ear hath not heard. Neither can man's heart conceive those
Speaker 1: things which Thou, Dear God has prepared for them that
Speaker 1: love Thee. Whatsoever therefore can be spoken or imagined of
Speaker 1: Thy kingdom of Thee, clearness, joy, and felicity of the
Speaker 1: same is nothing in comparison, as we may see by
Speaker 1: Thy prophets, which, because they could not otherwise under corporal things,
Speaker 1: have shadowed the same, So that the confidence of eternal life,
Speaker 1: what a thing it is, can in no wise be told,
Speaker 1: howbeit somewhat we may be brought into some sight of
Speaker 1: it by earthly things. To think on this sort. If
Speaker 1: God hath given here so many things in a strange place,
Speaker 1: how many are the great good things that be at home?
Speaker 1: If in a prison are so many mercies, how many
Speaker 1: are they in the palace? If the wicked have so
Speaker 1: many benefits? What is the store prepared for thy servants,
Speaker 1: O Lord? If thy children find such comforts in the
Speaker 1: day of tears and mourning, what shall they find in
Speaker 1: the day of the marriage. If with beasts men being
Speaker 1: have the use of so innumerable blessings. Oh, how many
Speaker 1: other blessings which they shall enjoy with thy angels and
Speaker 1: with thyself, Oh Dear God, when they shall see THEE
Speaker 1: and have the fruition of THEE, in whom is fullness,
Speaker 1: without the loathing of all good and fair things, so
Speaker 1: that nothing can be more desired, And that forever more
Speaker 1: this thy children do not so see as they now
Speaker 1: believe it. I say that even in their bodies, they
Speaker 1: shall see it forever. As Job said, they believe that
Speaker 1: they shall see THEE, and their own eyes behold THEE.
Speaker 1: When these our corporal eyes, our bodies, being raised, shall
Speaker 1: do their duties. Such a knowledge of THEE they believe
Speaker 1: to have as shall not be only intellectual and by faith,
Speaker 1: as now it is, but even a full sight and fruition,
Speaker 1: yea a conjunction and fellowship with THEE. Now they see
Speaker 1: but as in a glass, even in a dark speaking.
Speaker 1: But then they shall see THEE face to face. For faith,
Speaker 1: though it be the substance of things hoped for, and
Speaker 1: a certain dark sight of THEE, yet may not be
Speaker 1: compared to the reward of faith and glorious sight, which
Speaker 1: we shall see in the life to come, when faith
Speaker 1: and hope shall cease. Now thy children know that they
Speaker 1: be thy sons, though it yet appear not what they
Speaker 1: shall be. We know say they, that when our Christ,
Speaker 1: God and Man shall appear, then shall we be like
Speaker 1: unto him, For we shall see him, even as he
Speaker 1: is our great prerogative to see Christ as he is,
Speaker 1: which is not to be considered so much for the
Speaker 1: manhood as for THEE Godhead itself. As Pall doth also
Speaker 1: write that when all things are subject unto the Son,
Speaker 1: then shall he be subject unto THEE dear Father. Also
Speaker 1: that God may be all in all. And therefore Christ,
Speaker 1: our Savior, prayed for us that we might know THEE,
Speaker 1: the only true God. Not that our Christ, thy Son,
Speaker 1: is not with THEE, the true, coequal and substantial God,
Speaker 1: but that we might now know how that after the judgment,
Speaker 1: such a mystery of His mediatorship shall not be in
Speaker 1: heaven as is now on earth. Then Thou Blessed Trinity, God,
Speaker 1: the Father, God, the Son, and God the Holy Ghost,
Speaker 1: shalt be all in all. Thou shalt be the end
Speaker 1: of our desires. Thou shalt be looked upon without end.
Speaker 1: Thou shalt be loved without loathing. Thou shalt be praised
Speaker 1: without weariness. Although loathsomeness be wont to follow fullness. Yet
Speaker 1: our fullness in the contemplation of Thy pleasures shall bring
Speaker 1: with it no kind at all of loathsomeness. Society of
Speaker 1: joys shall be in the beholding of thee pleasures are
Speaker 1: on thy right hand. Forever we shall be satisfied when
Speaker 1: we arise after Thine image, I mean, in the resurrection. Oh,
Speaker 1: Dear Father, show thyself unto us, and we ask no more. Oh,
Speaker 1: grant us with thy saints in everlasting life, to praise
Speaker 1: with perpetual praises thy holy name. Happy then and happy
Speaker 1: again were we if that day were come, that we
Speaker 1: might sing, with thy angels, elders and innumerable thousands a
Speaker 1: new song, And say, thou Christ Jesus, which was slain
Speaker 1: art worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength,
Speaker 1: and honor and glory and blessing. In this blessed life.
Speaker 1: All kinds of maladies, griefs, sorrows, and evils be far away,
Speaker 1: and all full of all kinds of mirth, joy and play. Oh,
Speaker 1: that we might see now a little with Saint John,
Speaker 1: that Holy City, New Jerusalem, descending from Heaven, prepared of
Speaker 1: God as a bride trimmed for her husband. Oh, that
Speaker 1: we might now something. Hear the Great voice speaking out
Speaker 1: of the throne. Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men,
Speaker 1: and He will dwell with them, and they shall be
Speaker 1: His people, and He shall be under them their God.
Speaker 1: He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and
Speaker 1: death shall be no more, nor weeping, nor crying, nor sorrow.
Speaker 1: For the former things are gone. John Bradford, end of
Speaker 1: section five Section six of Meditations and Prayers by John Bradford.
Speaker 1: This LIBRIVANX recording is in the public domain. Meditation of
Speaker 1: the blessed State and felicity of the life to come.
Speaker 1: This body is but a prison wherein the soul is kept,
Speaker 1: and that verily not beautiful nor bright, but most foul
Speaker 1: and dark, disquiet, frail, and filled up with much vermin
Speaker 1: and venomous vipers. I mean it concerning our affections, standing
Speaker 1: in an air most unwholesome and prospect most loathsome if
Speaker 1: a man consider the excrements of it by the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hands, feet,
Speaker 1: and all other parts, so that no boccado, No little ease,
Speaker 1: no dungeon, nor bishop's prison, no gatehouse, no sink, no
Speaker 1: pit may be compared in any point to be so evil.
Speaker 1: A prison for the body, as the body is for
Speaker 1: and of the soul, where through the children of God
Speaker 1: have been occasioned to cry and lament their long being
Speaker 1: in it. O, Saith David, how long shall I lie
Speaker 1: in this prison? Oh wretch that I am, Saith Paul,
Speaker 1: who shall deliver me out of this body of sin
Speaker 1: which is an heavy burden to the soul, as the
Speaker 1: wise man saith, and therefore the godly cry. Now let
Speaker 1: thy servant depart in peace, Oh, that I were dissolved
Speaker 1: and had put off this earthly and frailed habernacle. Take
Speaker 1: me unto THEE, and bring my soul out of this prison,
Speaker 1: that it may give thanks unto Thee, O Lord. For
Speaker 1: so long as we be in this body, we cannot
Speaker 1: see the Lord. Yea. It is as an heavy habitation
Speaker 1: and depresseth down sore the spirit from the familiarity which
Speaker 1: it else should have with God. The world and life
Speaker 1: is an exile, a veil of misery, a wilderness of itself,
Speaker 1: being void of all virtues, and necessaries for eternal life,
Speaker 1: full of enemies, sorrows, sighings, sobbings, groanings, miseries, et cetera,
Speaker 1: in danger to hunger, cold, heat, thirst, sows, sickness, temptations, troubled, death,
Speaker 1: and innumerable calamities, being momentary, short, unstable, and nothing but vain,
Speaker 1: and therefore is compared to a warfare, a woman's travail,
Speaker 1: a shadow, a smoke of vapor, a word, a storm,
Speaker 1: a tempest in the which God's people feel great molestations, griefs,
Speaker 1: troubles now of Satan himself, now of the world, now
Speaker 1: of their own flesh, and that so wonderfully, diversely, dangerously
Speaker 1: and contrarily that they are enforced to cry, O, Lord,
Speaker 1: when shall we come and appear before thee? When shall
Speaker 1: this misery end? When shall we be delivered out of
Speaker 1: this veil of misery, out of these continual afflictions and
Speaker 1: most perilous sees. But where thou art, Lord and dear
Speaker 1: Father of mercy, there is not only no prison, no dollars,
Speaker 1: no sorrow, no sighings, no tears, no sickness, no hunger,
Speaker 1: no heat, no cold, no pain, no temptations, no displeasure,
Speaker 1: no malice, no pride, no uncleanness, no contention, no torments,
Speaker 1: no horror, no sin of filth, no stench, no dearth,
Speaker 1: no death, no weeping, no tears, no misery, no mischiefs.
Speaker 1: There is, I say, not only no such thing or
Speaker 1: any evil, noisome or displeasant thing, but all liberty, all light,
Speaker 1: all pleasantness, all joy, rejoicing, pleasure, health, wealth, riches, glory, power, treasure, honor, triumph, comfort, solace, love, unity, peace, concord, wisdom, virtue, melody, meekness, felicity, beatitude,
Speaker 1: and all that ever can be wished or desired in
Speaker 1: most security, eternity, and perpetuity that may be thought not
Speaker 1: only of man, but of angels and archangels. Yea, above
Speaker 1: all thoughts. The eye hath not seen, the like, the
Speaker 1: ear hath not heard, nor no heart is able to
Speaker 1: conceive in any point any part of the blissful beatitude
Speaker 1: which is with thee most dear Lord and Savior, most
Speaker 1: Gracious God, and comforter, where thou art a blessed God.
Speaker 1: The archangels, angels, thrones, powers, dominations, cherubim, seraphim, patriarch's prophets, apostles, martyrs, virgins, confessors,
Speaker 1: and righteous spirits, cease not to sing night and day.
Speaker 1: Holy Holy, Holy Lord, God of Hosts, Honor, majesty, glory, power, empire,
Speaker 1: and dominion be unto THEE God the Creator, O Lord
Speaker 1: Jesus the Redeemer, O Holy Spirit, the comforter. In recordation
Speaker 1: of this, O, how thy children rejoice, How con temn
Speaker 1: they the pleasures of this world. How little esteem they
Speaker 1: any corporal grief or shame, How desire they to be
Speaker 1: with THEE. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O, Lord, God
Speaker 1: of Hosts, say they, My soul hath a desire to
Speaker 1: enter into the courts of the Lord. My heart and
Speaker 1: my soul rejoiceth in the Living God. Blessed are they
Speaker 1: that dwell in Thy house, that they may be always
Speaker 1: praising THEE. For one day in Thy courts is better
Speaker 1: than the thousand elsewhere. I had rather be a door
Speaker 1: keeper in the house of my God than to dwell
Speaker 1: in the tents of ungodliness. For the Lord God is
Speaker 1: a light and defense. And again, like as the heart
Speaker 1: desireth THEE water brooks, so longeth my soul after THEE,
Speaker 1: O God. My soul is a first for God, yea
Speaker 1: even for the Living God. When shall I come to
Speaker 1: appear before the presence of God. My soul thirsteth for THEE.
Speaker 1: My flesh also longeth after THEE. In a barren and
Speaker 1: dry land, where no water is they, thy children, I mean,
Speaker 1: O Lord, desire the day of that Thy redemption. Still
Speaker 1: they cry, Let thy kingdom come, They cry, Come, Lord Jesus.
Speaker 1: They lift up their heads, looking for thy appearing, O Lord,
Speaker 1: which will make their vile body like to Thine own
Speaker 1: glorious and immortal body. For when Thou shalt appear, they
Speaker 1: shall be like unto THEE. Thy angels will gather them together,
Speaker 1: and they shall meet THEE in the clouds and be
Speaker 1: always with THEE. They shall hear this joyful voice. Come, ye,
Speaker 1: blest of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you
Speaker 1: from the beginning. Then shall they be like to thy angels.
Speaker 1: Then shall they be like unto the Sun in Thy kingdom.
Speaker 1: Then shall they have crowns of glory and be endued
Speaker 1: with white garments of innocency and righteousness, having palms of
Speaker 1: victory in their hands. Oh, happy is he that may
Speaker 1: but see that immortal and incorruptible inheritance which they they
Speaker 1: shall enjoy for evermore, Amen. J. Bradford end of section
Speaker 1: six Section seven of Meditations and Prayers by John Bradford.
Speaker 1: This LIBRIVANX recording is in the public domain. Prayer for
Speaker 1: Deliverance from trouble being a godly prayer made by John Bradford,
Speaker 1: O Eternal, Almighty and most merciful God, which has revealed
Speaker 1: thyself unto mankind, not only by the handiwork of this
Speaker 1: world and deliverance out of Egypt, but also which is
Speaker 1: the greatest of all, by the sending of thy only
Speaker 1: begotten son, our Lord Jesus Christ, into this vale of misery,
Speaker 1: and by the gifts of thy Holy Spirit. Wherewith thou
Speaker 1: hast adorned thy church, we humbly beseech thee by thy
Speaker 1: dear Son, Jesus Christ, that thou wouldst meekly open thy
Speaker 1: gracious ears to our complaints and send down thy help
Speaker 1: and aid not so much for our sakes as for
Speaker 1: the glory of thy holy name. For whereas man did lie,
Speaker 1: as Thou knowest, altogether so overwhelmed in sin, that not
Speaker 1: only he was destitute of that righteousness he had of
Speaker 1: Thy creation, but also in no wise could by any
Speaker 1: of his powers or merits rise up to recover the
Speaker 1: same righteousness, and therefore of necessity the inheritor of eternal punishment.
Speaker 1: Yet thou most merciful God, hadst mercy upon that our
Speaker 1: marvelous great misery, and therefore didst promise and at length
Speaker 1: send unto us Thine only begotten son, that he might
Speaker 1: pay the ransom for our sins, and obtain by his
Speaker 1: obedience unto THEE, his dear Father, that so many as
Speaker 1: believed in him might be endued with his righteousness, to
Speaker 1: be reputed as just for his sake before thy tribunal seat,
Speaker 1: that although they want righteousness of their own, yet they
Speaker 1: might have the fruition of the righteousness of another, namely
Speaker 1: of the Lord Jesus Christ, whereby as they might be
Speaker 1: made able to stand in Thy judgment, so to be
Speaker 1: kindled in thy holy space, to the rendering of obedience
Speaker 1: to THEE truly and from the very heart. This is
Speaker 1: the doctrine of thy gospel, which thou at the first
Speaker 1: showst to the fathers, which thy prophets taught, which thy
Speaker 1: son Jesus Christ declared unto us, which thy Holy Spirit
Speaker 1: by the apostles hath published throughout the whole world, which
Speaker 1: doctrine in these our days thou hast notably set forth
Speaker 1: by thy servant King Edward, in the Book of Homilies,
Speaker 1: appointed in his reign, to be read in the churches.
Speaker 1: By this doctrine, Thou keepest thy Church not only in
Speaker 1: afflictions of this life, but also in the torments of
Speaker 1: death itself. Now, Dear and most meek Father, we humbly
Speaker 1: beseech thee to consider with thyself what wicked and cruel
Speaker 1: men think of this thy great benefit. Behold, we open
Speaker 1: before thy Majesty the articles of our bishops in their visitations,
Speaker 1: the statutes, laws and ordinances, and injunctions of our parliaments
Speaker 1: and magistrates, and working of sophisters, wherewith the doctrine of
Speaker 1: thy son, our Savior Jesus Christ, concerning the righteousness of faith,
Speaker 1: is so condemned that it is plainly accused of devilishness.
Speaker 1: YEA Lord, So far forth do thy enemies now proceed,
Speaker 1: that as to for by slaughter they made havoc of
Speaker 1: thy sheep and church. Even so now by all kinds
Speaker 1: of violence, cruelty, and injustice they go about their impiety. Therefore, arise, O, Lord,
Speaker 1: our God defend Thou thine own cause. Forget not the blasphemies,
Speaker 1: wherewith THEE wicked blaspheme THEE deliver Thy Christ from their presumption,
Speaker 1: which they, by all means, and especially at this Parliament
Speaker 1: seek utterly to condemn, Keep thy Church, which thine enemies
Speaker 1: desire to oppress and utterly to destroy. Defend thy prisoned servants,
Speaker 1: which at this present are in bonds for THEE defense
Speaker 1: of thy verity. Indeed, we confess frankly that we are
Speaker 1: grievous sinners, and in no point have been thankful unto
Speaker 1: THEE for thy wonderful great benefits, which hitherto Thou hast
Speaker 1: plentifully poured out upon us. But now, good Lord, we
Speaker 1: desire to repent and something lament our miserable and sinful life.
Speaker 1: We desire to embrace and heartily to believe the Gospel
Speaker 1: of thy Son, that because we are sinners and cannot
Speaker 1: make amends for our sins in any point by any
Speaker 1: means or merits of our own, we may obtain free
Speaker 1: remission of our sins for and through Christ, thy Son.
Speaker 1: And we pray THEE further that henceforth Thou wilt govern
Speaker 1: our whole life by Thy Holy Spirit, where through the
Speaker 1: remnants of our flesh may be mortified, and we may
Speaker 1: serve and sanctify Thy Holy Name forever. As concerning thy adversaries, Lord,
Speaker 1: thou knowest that although they would seem nothing less than
Speaker 1: persecutors of Thy name and Church, yet the thing itself
Speaker 1: declareth that they do persecute thee true doctrine of the
Speaker 1: Gospel of Thy Son, and not only do not acknowledge
Speaker 1: their impiety, but also do defend it and undertake so
Speaker 1: to do by all means they can. This is not
Speaker 1: their mind that they might promote the glory of Thy
Speaker 1: Holy Name, but that they might without blame, live lordlike
Speaker 1: after their lusts and beastly pleasures, satisfying their cruel and
Speaker 1: covetous desires and concupiscences. And wilt thou, o, Lord, our God,
Speaker 1: approve this their purpose. Wilt thou help this their hope? No, No,
Speaker 1: thou wilt never do it, for Thou art not God
Speaker 1: that will iniquity, the wicked, shall not dwell with thee.
Speaker 1: Thou hatest all workers of wickedness. Thou wilt destroy all
Speaker 1: that speak lies. We indeed are unworthy to see Thy
Speaker 1: glory But yet thou art worthy that Thy glory might
Speaker 1: be showed to all the whole world. Wherefore we pray
Speaker 1: and earnestly beseech THEE in Christ's name, that thou wouldst
Speaker 1: witness publicly in these our days. How that thy will
Speaker 1: is such as hateth iniquity and abhorreth these crafty and
Speaker 1: bloodthirsty men. For if thou shalt leave us, Dear Father,
Speaker 1: will not the world say where is their gospel? Where
Speaker 1: is their Christ? Could Christ keep them in prison, preserve
Speaker 1: them in death? These blasphemies? Even now, Dear Lord, we
Speaker 1: here to walter out their hearts and lips. This thou knowest,
Speaker 1: o Lord, the trier of the heart and reins. Let therefore,
Speaker 1: o Good God, thy strength be magnified. And as thou
Speaker 1: hast said, call upon me in the day of thy trouble,
Speaker 1: and I will deliver THEE. And thou shalt honor me.
Speaker 1: Even so now hear us calling upon thy name, through
Speaker 1: thy only begotten Son, our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Speaker 1: End of section seven, Section eight of Meditations and Prayers
Speaker 1: by John Bradford. This LIBRIVANX recording is in the public domain.
Speaker 1: Prayer in the time of persecution. Jesus Immanuel, O Almighty,
Speaker 1: Everlasting and most merciful Lord God, the dear Father of
Speaker 1: our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and through him our
Speaker 1: most gracious good Father, whose providence is over us, whose
Speaker 1: wisdom and righteousness is seen over all, as thy mercy,
Speaker 1: even in the midst of most miseries is tasted. Of all. Indeed,
Speaker 1: we have deserved most horrible plague by reason of our unthankfulness, contempt,
Speaker 1: and slanderous abusing thy most holy Gospel, which most plentifully
Speaker 1: and purely Thou didst give us with such a prince
Speaker 1: to propagate, the same as never since England was christened
Speaker 1: was known the like we I say, have deserved not
Speaker 1: only the taking away of this our dear Prince, and
Speaker 1: the benefit of the ministry of thy pure Gospel, but
Speaker 1: also all other most terrible plagues that can be devised.
Speaker 1: For great and heenous are our offenses, and therefore just
Speaker 1: thou art, and righteous are thy judgments. If as Thou
Speaker 1: hast begun, thou shalt continue to pour out upon us
Speaker 1: thy fearful plagues and indignation. But Gracious Lord, remit thine anger,
Speaker 1: because thou art accustomed to remember mercy, and full well
Speaker 1: knowest whereof we are made and what we are able
Speaker 1: to bear. We beseech THEE, which art rich in mercy
Speaker 1: and plentiful to all them that call upon THEE, that
Speaker 1: for Thy Name's sake through Christ, Thou wouldst correct us
Speaker 1: according to thy sweet mercy, and not in Thy sour
Speaker 1: favor and indignation. Much better it is for us, Dear Father,
Speaker 1: and more tolerable, that we should yield ourselves into Thy
Speaker 1: hands to be chastised of THEE, than to fall into
Speaker 1: the hands of Thy enemies, as David prayed, for, great
Speaker 1: is thy mercy against THEE. Against THEE, only have we
Speaker 1: sinned and broken Thy holy commandments. But Loving God and
Speaker 1: Almighty God and Father, well thou knowest we have not
Speaker 1: sinned against the devil the world, the Pope and his prelates,
Speaker 1: neither against the Queen's Highness and politic magistrates of the realm,
Speaker 1: so that justly have they no right or power to
Speaker 1: punish us, howbeit Thou mayst justly use them as thy
Speaker 1: fierce rd against us. But Good God and Heavenly dear Father,
Speaker 1: against them, have we not so behaved ourselves that rightly
Speaker 1: and justly they can be thought to punish us. Yea, Rather,
Speaker 1: they wish that with them horribly we would displease and
Speaker 1: sin against THEE. For nothing should it grieve them if
Speaker 1: we were horrible rebels against THEE, blasphemas of a life
Speaker 1: thy name, idolators, worshippers of stocks and stones, false servers
Speaker 1: of THEE, adulterers, thieves, drunkards, murderers, gluttons, oppressors, and altogether
Speaker 1: overwhelmed in mischief. But this is our sin and offense
Speaker 1: against them, because we preach, believe, and confess THEE God
Speaker 1: the Father, to be the true and only God, and
Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, thy dear son, to be the only Lord, Savior, Bishop,
Speaker 1: priest and mediator, and the Holy Spirit to be the
Speaker 1: only comforter, vivificator, counselor and master of all truth, and
Speaker 1: Thy written word to be the lantern to our feet,
Speaker 1: the sufficient doctrine to our salvation. This, Dear Lord, is
Speaker 1: a sin against them, because we will not serve THEE
Speaker 1: after the traditions of men. But as in thy word,
Speaker 1: by thy son and apostles, thou hast taught us. Therefore
Speaker 1: are they much wroth and persecute us if we would
Speaker 1: worship Bread instead of Christ, cast off our hope and
Speaker 1: creed of the satisfactory and propitiatory sacrifice which thy son,
Speaker 1: our Lord did make in his own body himself once
Speaker 1: for all to the perfect, sanctifying forever of all that
Speaker 1: shall be saved, and come and buy their propitiatory sacrifices
Speaker 1: in that abominable idol, the Mass. If we would cast
Speaker 1: off thy commandments to follow good intents, to serve thee
Speaker 1: in a tongue we know not to pray unto saints,
Speaker 1: to buy pardons, to run a pilgrimage gate, going to
Speaker 1: offer candles and tapers to images, to buy trentles diriges,
Speaker 1: to say as they say and do as they do,
Speaker 1: submitting ourselves to the faith of the anti Christian, popish
Speaker 1: and devilish Church clean contrary from the faith of thy
Speaker 1: Catholic and true Church, which is grounded and builded upon
Speaker 1: thy dear child, Jesus Christ, whom as he is the foundation,
Speaker 1: so is he the fullness of all whereof we all
Speaker 1: receive and the very sinew which coupleth and knitteth together
Speaker 1: every one of us to grow and go forwards into
Speaker 1: a perfect man, being made of thee unto wisdom and righteousness,
Speaker 1: and sanctifying and redemption, that our rejoicing might be in Him,
Speaker 1: which also is our Head, from whom cometh our life
Speaker 1: by the working of His spirit, which is kept always
Speaker 1: alive in us, so long as we suck of the
Speaker 1: blood and natural juice which descendeth from our head into
Speaker 1: the members, that is to say, so long as we
Speaker 1: stick and abide by His written word and Gospel, not
Speaker 1: suffering the same to putrefy and corrupt by admitting false
Speaker 1: glosses and expositions of men's own brains and devices not
Speaker 1: contained in thy book of the Bible. If I say,
Speaker 1: Dear Lord, we would do thus leaving the water in
Speaker 1: the well of life and drink of their dirty, digged
Speaker 1: pits and cisterns. Then should we have peace with them?
Speaker 1: Then would not the devil rage? Then would the world
Speaker 1: wrestle no more against us? Then would the Pope and
Speaker 1: his prelates promote us? Then would the Queen be merciful
Speaker 1: and the magistrates our good masters? Even as thy dear
Speaker 1: child saith, if you are of the world, the world
Speaker 1: would love his own. Here Therefore, look down a merciful
Speaker 1: father towards us, and a fierce judge towards all such
Speaker 1: our enemies as are not to be converted, For they
Speaker 1: are no less thine enemies than ours, so that in
Speaker 1: persecuting us and punishing us, they persecute thee and punish THEE.
Speaker 1: For this word which we preach, believe, and confess, is
Speaker 1: not our word, but Thy word, and not our expositions
Speaker 1: or construings, but the expositions and construings of Thy Holy Spirit.
Speaker 1: This gear the devil cannot abide, but would have thy
Speaker 1: place and be to us a god. The Pope and
Speaker 1: his prelates would reign in men's consciences and for God's word.
Speaker 1: They would have us to believe their stinking traditions, counsels, decrees,
Speaker 1: and lies. The Queen and the magistrates in place of
Speaker 1: thy son Jesus Christ would place their abominable idol of
Speaker 1: bread in place of our priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Speaker 1: They would place priests after the order of Baol and Antichrist.
Speaker 1: Instead of Christ's sacrifice. They would thrust out unto us
Speaker 1: and horrible sacrilege. End of section eight, Section nine of
Speaker 1: Meditations and Prayers by John Bradford. This LIBRIVANX recording is
Speaker 1: in the public domain. Paraphrase of Psalm seventeen nine. Jesus
Speaker 1: Immanuel O God, the Father of our Lord and Savior,
Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, which of thine own mere goodness has vouchsafe
Speaker 1: to make an everlasting covenant with us, namely that thou
Speaker 1: wilt be our God, and we shall be thy people
Speaker 1: and inheritance. Behold, as in times past the heathen came
Speaker 1: into Thine inheritance of Israel and polluted Thy Holy Temple
Speaker 1: and Jerusalem, and also made the goodly city of Jerusalem
Speaker 1: itself a heap of stones, devastating it. Even so, now
Speaker 1: very many heathen and limbs of Antichrist, though outwardly they
Speaker 1: profess Christ, are come into Thine inheritance and Church, which
Speaker 1: thou hast with us in this realm of England, and
Speaker 1: have defiled Thy Holy Temple, that is, the souls and
Speaker 1: bodies of many which have professed thee in whom, as
Speaker 1: in thy temper, thou shouldst dwell. They have I say,
Speaker 1: defiled them by enforcing them through tyrannical precepts and threats
Speaker 1: to resort to idololatrical and anti Christian service, which Thou,
Speaker 1: by thy word didst never allow, but rather and utterly forbid,
Speaker 1: as is Latin service to them that understand not Latin
Speaker 1: invocation to saints, adoration with godly honor of thy creatures
Speaker 1: of bread and wine, as though they were God being,
Speaker 1: but the sacraments of the body and blood of thy son,
Speaker 1: our Savior, Jesus Christ, which they utterly corrupt and horribly
Speaker 1: profane by presuming to offer up the same unto Thy majesty,
Speaker 1: without any calling of them to that office by thee
Speaker 1: in which doing they do, as much as in them,
Speaker 1: is to crucify Christ again, utterly denying his one and
Speaker 1: alone sacrifice offered up by himself to be omnisufficient, contrary
Speaker 1: to all thy holy scriptures, that thy people should allow
Speaker 1: this kind of religion. Dear Father, thou seest how these
Speaker 1: wicked heathen have prevailed and have defiled thy temple, making
Speaker 1: the face of thy church once with us in the
Speaker 1: time of thy dear servant King Edward the sixth, no
Speaker 1: less beautiful in thy sight by reason of pure doctrine
Speaker 1: and the godly administration of thy sacraments than was the
Speaker 1: city of Jerusalem, which was a figure of thy Church.
Speaker 1: Utterly defaced, devastated, and now nothing but a heap of stones,
Speaker 1: the congregation of the faithful, thy true Church, being scattered abroad,
Speaker 1: driven into exile, and cast into prisons, temples of stones,
Speaker 1: yet still remaining, as once the Heathen gave the carcasses
Speaker 1: of thy servants to be meet for the birds of
Speaker 1: the air, and as they gave the flesh of thy
Speaker 1: holy ones to a prey for the beasts of the earth,
Speaker 1: when Antiochus and other tyrants oppressed the country of Jury.
Speaker 1: Even so now these limbs of Antichrist, with their parasites
Speaker 1: and sworn shavelings, except Thou, for thy mercy and Truth's sake,
Speaker 1: do let them are purposed and fully determined to hang
Speaker 1: up and burn the bodies, flesh and bones of all
Speaker 1: that will persevere to worship Thee after the verity and
Speaker 1: truth in demonstration. Whereof they have cast of thy dearest saints,
Speaker 1: no small number, into exile and prison, utterly taking from
Speaker 1: them with all injustice, all kinds of comfort and equity.
Speaker 1: As in times past thee Heathen poured out the blood
Speaker 1: of thy people like water round about Jerusalem, so that
Speaker 1: there was none to bury the dead. Even so these
Speaker 1: hill hounds limbs of Antichrist, have done in times past
Speaker 1: in the slaughter of Frith Barnes, Garret, Jerome, Lambert, la Cells,
Speaker 1: et cetera, and now lately have done by the cruel
Speaker 1: destroying of the good and innocent Lady Jane, as they
Speaker 1: thirstily gape to drink up more blood of thy slaughter sheep,
Speaker 1: which they have in prison and keep for a soil
Speaker 1: and cooling of their heat, which will not be slaked
Speaker 1: until they have destroyed all thy sealy souls, or driven
Speaker 1: them out of England, except thou, good Lord, wilt, for
Speaker 1: thy namesake prevent them. As once thy people complain to
Speaker 1: THEE that they were made a reproach, and by word
Speaker 1: unto their neighbors, are laughing stock and scorn to such
Speaker 1: as dwelled about them. Even so, now, dear Father, we
Speaker 1: thy people, at this present here in England, cannot but
Speaker 1: complain that we are become a byword to our neighbours,
Speaker 1: a mock and mowing to those that dwell about us.
Speaker 1: For everywhere now it is tauntingly spoken, where are our Protestants,
Speaker 1: Where are these new Gospellers, Where is the new doctrine
Speaker 1: they taught Therefore with thy people we are enforced to
Speaker 1: cry out, how long, o Lord, wilt thou be angry?
Speaker 1: The punishments we do not so much complain of, although
Speaker 1: they be painful, as do we thy displeasure which daily increaseth.
Speaker 1: But how long, o Lord, shall thy wrath, which we
Speaker 1: have wrought to work our woe, Dear Lord, burn forever
Speaker 1: as now it beginneth even corporally, to bring us into
Speaker 1: a servitude and captivity, to demonstrate the heenous captivity of soul.
Speaker 1: Many are caught in by idolatry and horrible abomination. Whereto
Speaker 1: very many do consent against their conscience, outwardly allowing that
Speaker 1: which inwardly they detest, for fear of loss of life, lands, goods, liberty, friends,
Speaker 1: et cetera. Shall I say this wrath burn and waste
Speaker 1: all forever? Alas O Lord, who is able to bear
Speaker 1: thy wrath, A lord which art a consuming fire, wilt
Speaker 1: not thou in thine anger remember thy mercy? Wilt not
Speaker 1: thou remember that we are as hay, dust, stubble and straw,
Speaker 1: and cannot but consume in thy displeasure. Oh, pour out
Speaker 1: thy wrath and vengeance rather upon the wicked, which have
Speaker 1: not nor will not know THEE. And upon the countries
Speaker 1: which call not and will not call upon Thy name,
Speaker 1: but upon their avourries or trust in their own policy
Speaker 1: and power, and go about as they have done and
Speaker 1: will do. If thou let not to devour Jacob, thy
Speaker 1: church and poor people, and so also have not, do not,
Speaker 1: nor will not cease to destroy Thy tabernacle, temple, worship,
Speaker 1: true religion, and service with all them that love the same.
Speaker 1: To the Lord, these caterpillars and philistines are known. If
Speaker 1: there be any of them to be converted, those do
Speaker 1: thou convert her Father? Upon the residue which are not
Speaker 1: to be converted. Pour out thy wrath and heavy indignation,
Speaker 1: that we might praise thy holy name, and others might
Speaker 1: tremble at Thy power and sing praises unto THEE in
Speaker 1: the day of Thy visitation. But methinks we hear THEE
Speaker 1: object unto us our monstrous ingratitude for thy word, so
Speaker 1: plentifully preached, for thy sacraments, so sincerely ministered, and forsooth
Speaker 1: for THEE good ministers, ecclesiastical and civil, especially for our
Speaker 1: good and most holy King, and for our carnal and
Speaker 1: sinful life, not knowing the time of our visitation these
Speaker 1: things and many other our misdeeds and evil life. Methinks
Speaker 1: that thou dost object against us as though we were
Speaker 1: not entreated otherwise now than we have deserved. Yea, that
Speaker 1: great mercy thou ShoWest to us in not dealing with
Speaker 1: us as we have deserved, being as we be yet
Speaker 1: so far from true repentance, flattering ourselves in many evils,
Speaker 1: so that thou knowest not what to do with us,
Speaker 1: or strike us any further. As Asiah witnesseth O, Lord God,
Speaker 1: we are ashamed to lift up our faces, for indeed
Speaker 1: these are most true. We have sinned in heaven and
Speaker 1: against thee, and are no more worthy to be called
Speaker 1: thy children. The reason why Thou becamest Thou God and
Speaker 1: maddest us thy people, was thine own goodness and mercy
Speaker 1: in Christ. In that these still remain, we cannot but
Speaker 1: take some comfort that thou now wilt in thine anger
Speaker 1: remember thy mercy. For if it was to the glory
Speaker 1: and praise of thy name so to adopt us, how
Speaker 1: should it be but to the glory of thy name
Speaker 1: now to look upon us and help us the more
Speaker 1: we are now unworthy, the more it shall be to
Speaker 1: the praise of Thy grace and glory. For unto none
Speaker 1: other we come but to THEE. Help. We look not
Speaker 1: for elsewhere, but only from THEE. And that not of
Speaker 1: our deserts or anything we can do, but only of
Speaker 1: Thy mercy, the which in that thine enemies begin to limit,
Speaker 1: as though it would not care for us. And therefore say,
Speaker 1: where is their God, Dear Father? According THEE consider it?
Speaker 1: They say, not where is God? But where is their God?
Speaker 1: That is the God whom we have taught and preached,
Speaker 1: as though thou Lord, who art not the true God,
Speaker 1: as though we had swerved from Thy word in teaching
Speaker 1: and profession. Indeed, o Lord, we have swerved from THEE
Speaker 1: in living, but yet not in teaching, as thou knowest,
Speaker 1: Even as the Israelites, which were put to a flight
Speaker 1: before I, departed not from THEE in profession and doctrine,
Speaker 1: but only in living. As Joshua thereon said, so say
Speaker 1: we what wilt thou do, Good Lord, to thy Holy name.
Speaker 1: As when thy ark was taken of the Philistines, they
Speaker 1: did not attribute the cause. While the Israelites were overcome
Speaker 1: to their sins and the cause of their victory to
Speaker 1: thee the True God, but to their own Dagone and
Speaker 1: the Israelites contempt of him. Even so, our philistines and
Speaker 1: enemies do not attribute this Thy vengeance fallen upon us
Speaker 1: to our carnal life, because they are as evil therein.
Speaker 1: I will not say worse, for then we could and
Speaker 1: would acknowledge no less. Most humbly and thankfully, neither do
Speaker 1: acknowledge their victory and upper hand over us to Thy working,
Speaker 1: but to their popery, false religion, mass God of Bread,
Speaker 1: et cetera. For the witch, as they have shed much
Speaker 1: innocent blood as of Tyndale, Frith, Barnes, Garret, Jerome, the Cells, Lambert,
Speaker 1: et cetera, and are more purposed to do if thou
Speaker 1: let not, as therefore thou didst amongst the Philistines, declare
Speaker 1: Thy power and glory by taking vengeance on them and
Speaker 1: their false God. So, Dear Lord, in thy goodaes time,
Speaker 1: do now the like let the vengeance of thy servants
Speaker 1: blood that is already shed, and the tyrannical handling of
Speaker 1: thy people at the present being of these Philistines cast
Speaker 1: into prison and into miserable exile, be openly showed upon
Speaker 1: them which are not to be converted, whom Thou only
Speaker 1: dost know, And so many of them as are to
Speaker 1: be converted, We beseech THEE to show Thy mercy upon
Speaker 1: them and to convert them. If it be thy good will,
Speaker 1: So shalt thou be known to be the defender of
Speaker 1: the Church, And such as would serve THEE after Thy word,
Speaker 1: which now thine enemies tread under foot, and would have
Speaker 1: us full with swellings and draft, utterly hailing and persecuting
Speaker 1: all them that would return from keeping pigs to serve
Speaker 1: THEE and Thy house, which they detest and abhor. Seeking
Speaker 1: what means possible they can it should never rise and
Speaker 1: be builded again. How many have they driven into exile?
Speaker 1: How many have they perverted by their promises and promotions.
Speaker 1: How many by terror and threat do they draw deadly
Speaker 1: to displease THEE by doing outwardly against their consciences. How
Speaker 1: many have they cast into prison and taken all they
Speaker 1: have most unjustly from them, lest by any means Thy
Speaker 1: house and temple might be builded. Thou knowest how miserably
Speaker 1: they handle Thy bond servants, keeping from them all worldly
Speaker 1: consolations as company, pen, paper, ink, books, et cetera, the
Speaker 1: prisons of the King's Bench, Marshal Sea, Fleet, Newgate, and
Speaker 1: in many other places, at Oxford and elsewhere. Doth presently
Speaker 1: to all the world cry out, Oh, let their groans
Speaker 1: and sorrowful sires come up into thy sight. According to
Speaker 1: the greatness of Thy power, which our enemies, by reason
Speaker 1: of their success puffed up. Do think thou wantest? As
Speaker 1: Pharaoh did when he said what fellow is God? According
Speaker 1: I say, to the greatness of Thy power, preserve thou
Speaker 1: them that are appointed to die and become thy slaughter
Speaker 1: sheep Thou disappointedest, Herod of Peter, the sworn conspirators of Paul,
Speaker 1: King Joas of eleseus ay Have, and Jezebel of Eli,
Speaker 1: and Machaeus Haymen of Mordecai. Even so, dear Lord, break
Speaker 1: the dream of thy combined enemies with us, and save
Speaker 1: thy servants Latimer, cranmer Ridley, Hooper, Chrome, Rogers, Saunders, Bradford,
Speaker 1: Philpot Coverdale, Barlow, Cardmaker, Taylor, et cetera, which are appointed
Speaker 1: to die. If Thou, by thy mighty power, deliver them not.
Speaker 1: It is the glory of thy name, o Lord, which
Speaker 1: moveth us thus to make our moan. For thou knowest
Speaker 1: how thine enemies take part against Thee thy verity and truth.
Speaker 1: Thou forbiddest the making and worshiping of images. They command
Speaker 1: it as a worship. Thou forbiddest prayer in a tongue
Speaker 1: that is not to the edifying of the hearers. They
Speaker 1: straightly enjoin and command it. Thou forbiddest us all kinds
Speaker 1: of idolatry and spiritual fornication. They utterly enforce men thereto
Speaker 1: and to commit fornication with bread, wine, gold, silver, stocks,
Speaker 1: and stones. Thou wouldst the remembrance of thy death by
Speaker 1: the using of thy holy supper. They take away not
Speaker 1: only all remembrance of Thy death, but even the place
Speaker 1: thereof by their mass transubstantiation and popish pilf. Thou commandest
Speaker 1: THEE lay as the clergy to drink of Thy cup,
Speaker 1: but they forbid it utterly. Thou wouldst have the people
Speaker 1: brought up in knowledge, not as infants. And they seek
Speaker 1: by all means that none should have any true knowledge
Speaker 1: of THEE. And therefore they chase out scriptures out of
Speaker 1: all places, and may not abide Thy Holy Testament to
Speaker 1: be had for thy people to look upon. And therefore
Speaker 1: they persecute many a one, and wet their tongues against
Speaker 1: not men only. But also here there is a lacuna
Speaker 1: in the text, making indeed Thy Christ and all that
Speaker 1: confess Him. And here there is a lacuna in the text.
Speaker 1: And who doeth this, O Lord, Not foreigners and strangers,
Speaker 1: such as are our neighbors and profess Thee, such as
Speaker 1: thou hast given thee regiment unto as silicate to it
Speaker 1: in both the states, in this poor and wretched realm
Speaker 1: of England, especially the clergy, and such as would be
Speaker 1: counted pillars of Thy church. Therefore, in thy time reward
Speaker 1: them this their blasphemy, wherewith they have blasphemed, and do
Speaker 1: still blaspheme THEE, and that sevenfold into their bosom, that
Speaker 1: is most plentifully and abundantly recompense thy tarrying with good measure,
Speaker 1: and plentifully upheaving thy measure. And we poor misers, which
Speaker 1: are yet thy people and sheep of thy pasture, having
Speaker 1: none other help nor hope, but only THEE, our God
Speaker 1: and pastor, we I say, shall praise Thy name forever
Speaker 1: we shall, with Thy people delivered out of the hands
Speaker 1: of Pharaoh Sunacarib Holoferns Hayman, et cetera, give thanks to
Speaker 1: Thy lovely name. We will always, day and night be
Speaker 1: telling out Thy praises from generation to jail generation. This
Speaker 1: is the end why we crave Thy help. This is
Speaker 1: the end why we desire to live, that as we
Speaker 1: have been negligent, we might become diligent to serve Love Lord,
Speaker 1: and magnify Thy holy name in all our thoughts, words,
Speaker 1: and deeds publicly and privately. When we shall perceive and
Speaker 1: feel how good thou, our God art, when we shall
Speaker 1: see how Thou art merciful and mindful of goodness towards
Speaker 1: them that put their trust in thee, Oh Dear Father,
Speaker 1: So be it, So be it, So be it, So
Speaker 1: be it. End of section nine, Section ten of Meditations
Speaker 1: and Prayers by John Bradford. This LIBRIVANX recording is in
Speaker 1: the public domain a very godly prayer of one standing
Speaker 1: at the stake, ready to be burnt for Christ's gospel sake.
Speaker 1: Merciful God and Father to whom our say Christ approached
Speaker 1: in his fear and need by reason of death, and
Speaker 1: found comfort Gracious God and most bounteous Christ, on whom
Speaker 1: Stephen called in his extreme need and received strength most
Speaker 1: benign Holy Spirit, which in the midst of all crosses
Speaker 1: and deaths, didst comfort the apostle Saint Paul with more
Speaker 1: consolations in Christ than he felt. Sorrows and terrors of
Speaker 1: mercy upon me, a miserable, most vile and wretched sinner,
Speaker 1: which now draw nigh the gates of death, deserved both
Speaker 1: in soul and body, eternally by reason of my manifold, horrible,
Speaker 1: old and new transgressions, which to Thine eyes, O Lord God,
Speaker 1: are open and known. Oh, be merciful unto me, and
Speaker 1: forgive me for the bitter death and bloodshedding of thy
Speaker 1: only son, Jesus Christ. And though Thy justice do require
Speaker 1: in respect of my sins, that now thou shouldst not
Speaker 1: hear me measuring me with the same measure that I
Speaker 1: have measured Thy majesty in contemning thy daily call. Yet
Speaker 1: let thy mercy, I say, prevail towards me, which is
Speaker 1: above all Thy works, and wherewith the earth is filled
Speaker 1: through and for the mediation of Christ, our Savior, for
Speaker 1: whose sake in that it please Fee to bring me
Speaker 1: forth now as one of His witnesses and a record
Speaker 1: bearer of Thy verity and truth, for whose sake in
Speaker 1: that it pleaseth Theee to bring me forth now as
Speaker 1: one of His witnesses and a record bearer of Thy
Speaker 1: verity and truth, taught by Him to give my life.
Speaker 1: Therefore to which dignity I do acknowledge, Dear God, that
Speaker 1: there was never any so unworthy and unmeet, No, not
Speaker 1: the thief that hanged with him on the cross. I
Speaker 1: humbly therefore pray THEE that Thou wouldst according the aid,
Speaker 1: help and assist me with Thy strength and heavenly grace,
Speaker 1: that with Christ, thy Son, I may find comfort. With Stephen,
Speaker 1: I may see thy presence and gracious power. With Saint Paul,
Speaker 1: and all others which, for thy name's sake have suffered
Speaker 1: afflictions and death, I may find so present with me
Speaker 1: thy gracious consolation, that I may, by my death glorify
Speaker 1: Thy holy name, propagate and ratify Thy verity, comfort the
Speaker 1: hearts of the heavy, confirm Thy Church in truth, convert
Speaker 1: some that are to be converted, and so depart out
Speaker 1: of this miserable world where I do nothing but heap
Speaker 1: daily sin upon sin, and enter into the fruition of
Speaker 1: Thy blessed mercy, whereof now give and increase in me
Speaker 1: a lively trust, sense and feeling, where through the terrors
Speaker 1: of death, the torments of fire, the pangs of sin,
Speaker 1: the darts of satan, and the dollars of hell may
Speaker 1: never depress me, but may be driven away through the
Speaker 1: working of that most gracious Spirit which now plenteously endow
Speaker 1: me withal that through the same spirit I may offer,
Speaker 1: as now I desire to do in Christ and by
Speaker 1: Him myself, wholly soul and body, to be a living sacrifice,
Speaker 1: wholly and acceptable in thy sight, Dear Father, whose I
Speaker 1: am and always have been, even from my mother's womb,
Speaker 1: yet even before the world was made, to whom I
Speaker 1: commend myself, soul and body, faith and name, family and friends, country,
Speaker 1: and all thy whole church. Yea even my very enemies,
Speaker 1: according to Thy good pleasure, beseeching THEE entirely to give
Speaker 1: once more to this realm of England the blessing of
Speaker 1: Thy word again with godly peace to thee, teaching and
Speaker 1: setting forth the same, O, Dear Father, give me now
Speaker 1: to come unto THEE purge me, and so purify me
Speaker 1: by this fire in Christ's death and passion through thy Spirit,
Speaker 1: that I may be a burnt offering of sweet smell
Speaker 1: in thy sight, which livest and reignest with thy Son
Speaker 1: and the Holy Ghost, now and evermore world without end Amen,
Speaker 1: John Bradford, end of Section ten. End of Meditations and
Speaker 1: Prayers by John Bradford,