A16580:211
Godly meditations upon the Lords prayer, the belief, and ten commandments with other comfortable…Godlie meditations vpon the Lordes prayer, the beleefe, and ten commaundementes with other comfortable…
Godly meditations upon the Lords prayer, the belief, and ten commandments with other comfortable meditations, prayers and exercises. Whereunto is annexed a defence of the doctrine of gods eternal election and predestination, gathered by the constant martyr of God John Bradford in the time of his imprisonment. The contents whereof appear in the page next following.Godlie meditations vpon the Lordes prayer, the beleefe, and ten commaundementes with other comfortable meditations, praiers and exercises. Whereunto is annexed a defence of the doctrine of gods eternall election and predestination, gathered by the constant martyr of God Iohn Bradford in the tyme of his imprisonment. The contentes wherof appeare in the page nexte folovvyng.
London : Now first printed by Rouland Hall, dwelling in gutter lane at the sign of the half Eagle and key, the .12. of October 1562London : Nowe fyrst prynted by Rouland Hall, dwellyng in gutter lane at the signe of the halfe Egle and key, the .12. of October 1562
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
As for outward evils so long as they do not (as it were) enforce thy people to sin, in that christen profession doth account them amongst thy benefits: thy son hath not taught thy church to pray for the taking away of them in this prayer, for here he hath contained but those things, for the which all Christians generally and particularly may of faith pray at all times. It often cometh to pass that exterior evils, because they be not evils in deed, that is they are not against God's grace in us, therefore they cannot of faith be prayed for to be taken away, for thy children y• have faith, do always prefer thy Judgement before their own, the which Judgement w•en they know by that which happeneth to them, they submit themselves there to wholly, although the spirit make his unspeakable groanings to help their infirmities by prayer, not to have them taken away, but y• they ⟨image 74⟩might have strength and patience to bear the burden accordingly, which burden if it be to heavy in the better sense and feeling thereof, they in their prayers do complain some thing, rather then pray to have it taken away, as our saviour did in the garden when he added to his complaint not my will but thy will be done. So do thy people in all their complaints add, not as we will but as thou wilt, for they are taught by thy spirit no otherwise to pray for the taking away of corporal evils either from them selves or from others, onlesse they by the same spirit do certainly see the same to make to thy glory: as did thine Apostles and servants, when absolutely & without condition they did ask health or miracle for any, when they healed or raised the dead by prayer: for they know nothing can be better than when it is according to thy will. Oh that I might always know thy will in all things, and for ever apply me self thereto. Hereof it cometh that thy saints and dear children which ⟨image 74⟩love their neighbours as themselves, do yet notwithstanding in their prayers ask vengeance of some, as we may read in the psalms of David, because in praying & talking with thee they see by thy holy spirit (for with out it is no true prayer) sometimes thy Judgements upon some which they perceive to sin to death, and therefore ought not to be prayed for, but rather to be prayed against, because thy glory cannot be set forth as it should be without their destruction: