A16580:344
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.
That this may be understand: as I would have the end wherefore god gave his law to be considered, namely not for man to get thereby eternal life which appertained to y• promised seed, but to show man what sin is & what by sin he lost, that he might by his unhabilitie be driven to desire of very necessity, y• promised Messias, and so by him to receive the spirit, wherethrough being regenerate he might learn to love the law, to take it as a directory & rule to live by, and to hedge in his old man from controlling: this gear (I say) as I would have it considered, if we will understand mans freewill, so would I have this marked, namely the difference betwixt the life which we lost & had in our first creation, and now have by birth before regeneration. In our first creation we had a ⟨image 124⟩life, not only with the creatures, but also with god, which life utterly Adam lost, as he declareth by the running away to hide him self from god. And this he lost for us also, aswell as for him self: in respect whereof the scripture calleth us dead. Concerning this life therefore that is with god, we have no will at all, much less any freewill. For how can a dead man have any will? The will therefore we have, is only for this life and with men, that is, it is not good and free but in respect of men: and in this life in respect of god and life with him, all our will is as we are, even dead: yea and the will we have for this present life, if a man will consider the god of this world, and how we are his slaves by birth and continually till we be regenerate, and how ready our affections are to serve his purpose, I think none will say otherwise but that mans will unregenerate is none otherwise free, then pleaseth his master, who must needs serve spite of his head, our god: and therefore all to be done by gods providence, ⟨image 124⟩as I said before, without any imputation of evil to our good and most holy father. Yea but (saith one) what freewill hath man that is regenerate? This will I briefly show when that I have spoken of Justification, y• which precedeth regeneration: from whom we may discern it, but not divide it, no more then heat from the fire.
That this may be vnderstand: as I would haue the ende wherefore god gaue his law to be cōsidered, namely not for mā to get therby eternall life which apperteined to y promised sede, but to shewe mā what sinne is & what by syn he lost, that he might by his vnhabilitie be driuen to desier of very necessity, y promised Mesias, and so by him to receyue the spirit, wherethrough being regenerate he might learne to loue the lawe, to take it as a directorie & rule to liue by, and to hedge in his old man frō controlinge: this geare (I saye) as I would haue it considered, yf we wil vnderstand mans frewill, so would I haue this marked, namely the difference betwixte the life whiche we loste & had in our first creation, and now haue by byrth before regeneration. In our firste creation we had a