The Complaint of Verity, To the reader 1
To the Chriſtian Reader, Thomas Samſon wiſheth the felicity of ſpeedy and full conuerſion to the Lord.
GOdly learned men doe write and publiſh bookes, to profit the age in which they doe liue, and the poſterity. This deſire was in the Authour of this …reatiſe, Maſter Iohn Bradford, who was the Prea…er and publiſher of this Sermon of Repentance. …nd now, to the end that we, which do liue on earth …ter him, and are the poſterity, may take as much or …ore profit by it, then they did, to and for whom in …s life time he did both preach & publiſh it, the ſame … labour is by newe Imprinting publiſhed againe. …othing is added to this Sermon, or altered in it: …ely to the Sermon of Repentance before printed, …dded another Sermon of the Lords ſupper, which … alſo made, & was neuer printed before. And aptly …lt thou ſee (good Reader) theſe two Sermons ioy… together. For in diligent peruſing of the laſt, …u ſhalt ſee howe neceſſarily he draweth the do…ne of Repentance to them all, which do with due …paration receyue the holy Sacrament of Chriſt. …e not know which of the Sermons I ſhould moſt …ſe: I wiſh, that by reading both, thou maiſt make … great profit. In both theſe Sermons, thou ſhalt …e Bradford preaching Repentance with his …e penne.
They are counted the moſt profitable Teachers, which hauehave themſelues good experience by practiſe in themſelues, of that which they do teach to others▪ ſuch as may ſafely ſay, Brethren, be ye followers of me, & looke on them which walk ſo, as ye hauehave vsus for an example, Phil. 3.17. And ſurely, ſuch a patterne was M. Bradford in his life time, of this doctrine of Repentance, which in both theſe Sermōs he teacheth, that I which did know him familiarly, muſt needs giuegive to God this prayſe for him, that among men I hauehave ſcarcely known one, like vntounto him. I did know whe… and partly how it pleaſed God by effectuall calling to turne his heart vntounto the true knowledge, and obedience of the moſt holy Goſpell of Chriſt our Sauiour. Of which God did giuegive him ſuch an heaue… hold, and liuely feeling, that as he did then knowe that many ſinnes were forgiuen him, ſo ſurely he declared by deedes, that he loued much. For where … had both gifts & calling, to hauehave employed himſe… in ciuill and worldly affayres profitably, ſuch … his louelove of Chriſt, and zeale to the promoting … his glorious Goſpell, that he changed not onelyonly t… courſe of his former life, as the woman did, Luke but euen his former ſtudie, as Paul did change … former profeſsion and ſtudy.
Touching the firſt, after that God touched … heart with that holy and effectuall calling, he ſ… his Chaynes, Rings, Brooches, and Iewels of go… which before he vſed to weare, and did beſtowe the price of this his former vanity, in the neceſſary reliefe of Chriſts poore members, which he could heare of, or finde lying ſicke, or pyning in pouerty. Touching …he ſecond, he ſo declared his great zeale & louelove to promote the glory of the Lord Ieſus, whoſe goodnes …d ſauing health he had taſted, that to doe the ſame more pithily, he changed his ſtudy; and being in the …nner Temple in London, at the ſtudy of the cōmon …awes, he went to Cambridge, to ſtudie Diuinitie, where he heard D. Martin Bucer diligently, & was …ight familiar & dere vntounto him. In this godly courſe …e did by Gods bleſſing ſo profit, that that bleſſed Martyr, D. Ridley, then Biſhop of London, did, as …t were, inuite him & his godly companion M. Tho. Horton, to become fellowes of Penbrooke Hall in Cambridge: And afterwards, the ſaid D. Ridley …alled our Bradford to London, gaue him a Prebēd …n Paules Church, lodged him in his owne houſe …here, & ſet him on work in preaching. And beſides often preaching in London, & at Paules Croſſe, and ſundry places in the country, and ſpecially in Lancaſhire, he preached before K. Ed. the 6. in the Lent, the laſt yere of his reigne, vponupon the 2. Pſalme; and there in one Sermon, ſhewing the tokens of Gods iudgement at hand, for the contempt of the Goſpel, as that certaine Gentlemen, vponupon the Sabboth day, going in a whirry to Paris Garden, to the Bearebayting, were drowned: & that a dog was met at Ludgáte, carying a piece of a dead child in his mouth: he with a mighty and propheticall ſpirit ſayd, I ſummon you all, euen eueryevery mothers child of you, to the iudgement of God, for it is at hand; as it folowed ſhortly after, in the death of K. Edward. In which ſtate and labour of preaching he continued, till the cruelty of the papiſts cut him off, ſo as thou mayſt reade in the hiſtory of his life & death, compiled by that faithful ſeruāt of the Lord Ieſus, M. Iohn Foxe.
In deed he had many pulbacks, but God ſtill helped forward his choſen ſeruant, in that trade of life, to the which he had called him: in which he ranne forward ſo happily, that he did outrun me & other his companions. For it pleaſed God, with great ſpeed to make him ready and ripe to Martyrdome; in which through Chriſt he hath nowe gayned the crowne of life. But in all ſtops and ſtayes he was much helped forward by a continuall meditation, & practiſe of repentance & faith in Chriſt; in which he was kept by Gods grace, notably exerciſed al the daies of his life. Euen in this meane time he heard a Sermon, which that notable preacher, M. Latimer, made before K. Edward the 6. in which he did earneſtly ſpeak of reſtitutiō to be made of things falſly gotten: which did ſo ſtrike Bradford to the heart, for one daſh of a pen which he had made, without the knowledge of his maſter (as full often I hauehave heard him confeſſe with plenty of teares) being Clarke to the Treaſurer of the Kings campe beyond the ſeas, and was to the deceiuing of the King, that he could neuer be quiet, til by the aduice of the ſame M. Latimer, a reſtitution was made. Which thing to bring to paſſe, he did willingly forbeare & forgo all the priuate & certaine patrimony which he had in earth. Let all bribers & …olling Officers, which get to themſelues great reuenues in earth, by ſuch ſlippery ſhifts, followe this example, leaſt in taking a contrary courſe, they take a …ōtrary way, & neuer come where Bradford now is.
But beſides this, our Bradford had his daily exerciſes and practiſes of repentance. His maner was to make to himſelf a Catalogue of al the groſeſt & moſt enorme ſinnes, which in his life of ignorance he had committed, and to lay the ſame before his eyes when he went to priuat praier, that by the ſight & remembrāce of thē, he might be ſtirred vp to offer to God …he ſacrifice of a cōtrite heart, ſeeke aſſurance of ſal…ation in Chriſt by faith, thanke God for his calling from the waies of wickednes▪ & pray for increaſe of grace, to be conducted in holy life, acceptable and …leaſing to God. Such a cōtinual exerciſe of conſci…nce he had in priuate prayer, that he did not count himſelfe to hauehave prayed to his contentation, vnleſſe …n it he had felt inwardly ſome ſmiting of heart for ſinne, & ſome healing of that woūd by faith, feeling …he ſauing helth of Chriſt, with ſome chāge of mind into the deteſtation of ſinne, and louelove of obeying the good will of God. Which things doe require that inward entring into the ſecret parlour of our hearts, of which Chriſt ſpeaketh, and is that ſmiting of the breſt, which is noted in the Publican, Matth. 7. & is the ſame to the which the Pſalmiſt exhorteth thoſe men looſe in ſinne, Pſa. 4.5. Tremble ye and ſinne not: ſpeak in your ſelues, that is, Enter into an accoūt with your ſelues, When you are on your couches, that is, whē ye are ſolitary & alone. And be quiet, or ſilent: that is, Whē ye hauehave thus ſecretly, & deeply conſidered of your caſe and dealing, ye ſhal ceaſe to thinke, ſpeak, and do wickedly. Without ſuch an inward exerciſe of prayer, our Bradford did not pray to his ful cōtentation, as appeared by this: He vſed in the morning to go to the cōmon praier in the Colledge where he was, & after that, he vſed to make ſome praier with his Pupils in his chāber. But not content with this, he then repaired to his own ſecret praier, & exerciſe in praier by himſelfe, as one that had not yet prayed to his own mind: for he was wōt to ſay to his familiars, I hauehave praied with my Pupils, but I hauehave not yet prayed with my ſelfe. Let thoſe ſecure mē marke this wel, which pray without touch of breſt, as the Phariſee did; & ſo that they hauehave ſaid an ordinary prayer, or heare a cōmon courſe of praier, they thinke they hauehave prayed wel, & as the terme is, they hauehave ſerued God wel, thogh they neuer feele ſting for ſin, taſt of groning, or brokē heart, nor of the ſweet ſauing helth of Chriſt, thereby to be moued to offer the Sacrifice of thankſgiuing, nor chāge or renuing of mind, but as they came ſecure in ſin, & ſenſeleſſe, ſo they doe depart without any chāge, or affecting of the heart; which is euē the cradle, in which Sathan rocketh the ſinnes of this age aſleepe, who thinke they do ſerue God in theſe curſory praiers, made only of cuſtome, when their heart is as far from God, as was the heart of the Phariſe. Let vsus learne by Bradfords exāple, to pray better, that is, with the heart, & not with the lips alone, Quia Deus non vocis, ſed cordis auditor eſt, as Cyprian ſaith▪ that is, becauſe God is the hearer of the heart, & not of the voice: that is to ſay, not of the voice alone, without the heart, for that is but lip labour. This cōſcience of ſin, & exerciſe in praier had Bradford, cleane contrary to that curſed cuſtome of thoſe graceleſſe mē, which do ioy to make large and long accoūts of their leudnes, & do glory therein; ſo feeding their delights with their liues paſſed, as the dog returneth to ſmell to his caſt gorge, & the horſe to his doūg; ſuch as the Prophet Eſay 39. ſaith, They declare their ſinnes as Sodom, they hide them not, wo be to their ſoules. It goeth with thē, as Ieremy 3.3. ſaid, Thou haſt a vvhores forehead: thou vvouldeſt not be aſhamed. God giuegive theſe men better grace; elſe aſſuredly they ſhall finde woe, woe, to their very ſoules.
Another of his exerciſes was this: He vſed to make vntounto himſelfe an Ephemeris, or a Iournall, in which he vſed to write all ſuch notable things, as either he did ſee or heare, ech day that paſſed. But whatſoeuer he did heare or ſee, he did ſo pen it, that a man might ſee in that booke, the ſignes of his ſmitten heart. For if he did heare or ſee any good in any man, by that ſight he foūd and noted the want thereof in himſelf, and added a ſhort praier, crauing mercy & grace to amend. If he did heare or ſee any plague, or miſery, he noted it as a thing procured by his own ſins, & ſtil added, Domine, miſerere mei, Lord, hauehave mercy vpō mee. He vſed in the ſame booke to note ſuch euill thoghts as did riſe in him; as of enuying the good of other men, thoghts of vnthankfulnes, of not cōſidering God in his works, of hardnes & vnſenſibleneſſe of heart, when he did ſee other moued and affected. And thus hee made to himſelfe, and of himſelfe, a booke of dayly practiſes of repenta….
Beſides this, they which were familiar with him, might ſee how he, being in their cōpany, vſed to fall often into a ſudden & deep meditation, in which he would ſit with fixed coūtenance & ſpirit moued, yet ſpeaking nothing a good ſpace. And ſometimes in his ſilent ſitting, plenty of teares ſhuld trickle down his cheeks. Sometime he would ſit in it, & come out …f it with a ſmiling coūtenance. Often times hauehave I …tten at dinner and ſupper with him, in the houſe of …at godly harbourer of many preachers & ſeruants of the Lord Ieſus, I meane M. Elſyng, when eyther by occaſion of talk had, or of ſome view of Gods benefits preſent, or ſome inward cogitation & thought of his owne, he hath fallen into theſe deepe cogitations, & he would tell me in the end ſuch diſcourſes of them, that I did perceiue, that ſomtimes his teares trickled out of his eyes, as well for ioy as for ſorrowe. Neyther was he onelyonly ſuch a practiſer of repentance in himſelfe, but a cōtinuall prouoker of others thereunto, not only in publike preaching, but alſo in priuate conference & company: for in all companies where he did come, he would freely reproue any ſin & misbehauior which appeared in any perſon, eſpecially ſwearers, filthy talkers, & popiſh praters: ſuch neuer departed out of his cōpany vnreproued; & this he did with ſuch a diuine grace & Chriſtian maieſty, that euer he ſtopped the mouthes of the gainſayers: for he ſpake with power; & yet ſo ſweetly, that they might ſee their euil to be euil, & hurtfull vntounto them, and vnderſtand that it was good in deede, to the which he laboured to drawe them in God.
To be ſhort, as his life was, ſuch was his death: His life was a practiſe, an example, & prouocation to repentance. At his death, as the foreſaid hiſtory witneſſeth, when he was burned in Smithfield, and the flames of fire did flye about his eares, his laſt ſpeach publikely noted & heard, was this, Repent, England. Thus was our Bradford a preacher, & an example of that repentance which hee did preach. Ionas preached to Niniue repentance; and all Niniue, the King, Princes, people, olde and young repented. To England Bradford did preach, and yet doeth preach repentance: and ſurely England hath nowe much more cauſe to repent, then it had when Bradford liued, and preached repentance: for all ſtates and ſorts of perſons in England, are now more corrupt, then they were then.
Let therefore now Bradfords Sermon, his life, his death, moue thee, O England, to repent all thy peril: I wiſh & warne, that as in Niniue, ſo in England, all from the higheſt to the loweſt, do vnfainedly repent. They which are of the Court, they which are of the Church, they which are of the Citie, they which are of the Countrey, Princes, Prelates, and people: let all & eueryevery one repent & depart frō that euill which he hath in hand, and turne wholy to the Lord. And I do humbly beſeech thy Maieſtie (O glorious Lord Ieſus) which didſt come to bleſſe Iſrael, turning eueryevery one of them from their ſinnes, to worke nowe by thy Spirit in our hearts, the ſame ſound repentance, which thy Holineſſe did preach to men, when thou ſaydeſt, Repent, for the Kingdome of God is at hand. This work in vsus, O gracious God our Sauior. Amen.
And now, Reader, I leaue thee to the reading and practiſing of that repentance, which Bradford here teacheth.
FINIS.