A16580:6
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.
TO THE READER.
Here hast thou (good reader) such godly meditations, prayers and other exercises of that worthy witness of god John Bradford, as god by his singular providence hath betherto preserved and now at the length brought to light for thy comfort and commodity. Daily and hourly was this his exercise, to talk with god by faithful and hearty meditation and prayer with power piercing the heavens, and many such godly exercises did he leave behind him, which either time hath consumed or else such as keep them in store to their own private use, do little consider what benefit they withhold from the church of god, which if they shall yet brotherly communicate, there shall not lack good will and diligence to set them abroad. In the mean season, let us with thankfulness receive, read, and practise these, as means to quicken our spirits, to stir up our dull hearts to a more fervent invocation of gods holy name. Which how far it is from that it should be in us, and what need we have thereof, if our dead senses cannot feel, here may we see and perceive. Here may we learn to flee unto god by prayer, that we run not on still with this unthankful world, into forgetfulness ⟨image 4⟩of his great benefits powered upon us, especially for the liberty of his gospel, which we (in much mercy restored now unto us again) so unthankfully receive, so ungodly neglect, so wickedly abuse. God grant us his good spirit to work in us this good work: to look about us in time: to consider our state past and present, as in deed we have great cause to do, & so with hearty prayer flee unto god to prevent the plagues that are at hand, lest with double woe we find the later end worse then the beginning.