Godly Meditations Upon the Lords Prayer, Title page – To the reader
GODLIE meditations vponupon 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 folowyng.
POST TENEBRAS LVX
AFTER DARKNES, LIGHT.
Nowe fyrſt prynted by Rouland Hall, dwellyng in gutter lane at the ſigne of the halfe Egle and key, the. 12. of October 1562.
A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS of this boke.
Inſtructions concerning praierr
A meditation vponupon the lordes praier.
A meditation vponupon the beleife.
A meditation vponupon the x. commaundementes.
A meditation concerning praier.
A breife paraphraſe vponupon the lords praier.
A meditation of the comminge of Chriſte to Iudgement &c
A meditation of the ſobre vſage of the body and pleaſures in this life.
An other meditation to the ſame effecte.
A meditation for the exerciſe of mortificatiōs.
A meditation of the prouidence of god.
A meditation of the preſence of god.
A meditation of gods power &c.
A meditation of death.
A meditation vponupon the paſſion.
A confeſſion of ſynnes.
An other confeſſion of ſynnes.
A praier for the remiſſion of ſynnes.
An other praier for remiſſion of ſynnes.
A praier for deliuerance from ſynne &c.
A praier for the obtaining of faith.
A praier for repentance.
A communication betwene Sathan and oure conſience.
A defence of predeſtination.
A treatiſe of election and freewill.
A ſūme of the doctrine of election and predeſtination.
TO THE READER.
HEre haſt thou (good reader) ſuche godlye meditations, praiers and other exerciſes of that worthye witnes of god Iohn Bradford, as god by his ſinguler prouidence hath betherto preſerued and now at the length broughte to light for thy comſort and commoditie. Daylye and howerlye was this his exerciſe, to talke with god by faithfull and hartye meditation and praier with power pearcynge the heauens, and many ſuche godlye exerciſes dyd he leaue behinde him, which either time hath conſumed or elles ſuche as keepe them in ſtore to their owne priuate vſe, doe little conſider what benefite they withold from the church of god, whiche if they ſhall yet brotherly communicate, there ſhall not lacke good will and diligence to ſet them abroad. In the meane ſeaſon, let vsus with thankfulnes receyue, reade, and practiſe theſe, as meanes to quicken our ſpirites, to ſtirre vp our dulle hartes to a more feruenre inuocatiō of gods holy name. Which howe farre it is frō that it ſhuld be in vsus, and what nede we hauehave thereof, if oure deade ſenſes cannot feele, here may we ſee and perceiue. Here may we learne to flee vntounto god by praier, that we runne not on ſtill with this vnthankfull world, into forgetfulnes of his great benefites powered vponupon vsus, eſpecially for the libertie of his goſpell, which we (in muche mercye reſtored nowe vntounto vsus againe) ſo vnthankfully receaue, ſo vngodly neglect, ſo wickedly abuſe. God graūt vsus his good ſpirit to work in vsus this good work: to loke about vsus in time: to conſider our ſtate paſt and preſēt, as in deed we hauehave great cauſe to do, & ſo with hartie praier flee vntounto god to preuent the plagues that are at hand, leſt with double woe we find the later ende worſe then the beginning.