Godly Meditations Upon the Lords Prayer, Part 25 – Part 26
An other treatiſe of election and freewill by 1. bradford.
THat there is and alwaies hath ben with God, euen before the world was made, an election in chriſt, of al thoſe yt ſhalbe ſaued, many places ī ye ſcriptures do teach: as to y• Eph. 1. rom. 8. 9. 11. 1. Theſ. 1. Math. 20. 22. 24. Mark. 13. Tit. 1. Act. 13. Philip. 11. Luke. 10 18. Apoe 3. 13. 17. 21. 22. Ihon. 6. 8. 10. 13. 17. And almoſt eueryevery where in the new teſt a ment. In no caſe therfore it maye be denied of anye y• is godly, although be cannot attaine to gods wiſdome Iuſtice, and mercye in it, For that Erod. 33.were to ſee goddes fore partes. We muſt graunt it therefore becauſe the word of god doth not onelyonly teach it, but alſo it ſtandeth with the very nature of god, that to him not onelye men, but all thinges alſo that hauehave ben or ſhalbe for euer, ī al creatures are not onelye certaine, but ſo certaine, that they cannot but be accordingly, & ſerue his prouidēce: for els god were not god, if any thing were, hath ben, or could be withoute his knowledge, yea certain knowledge: which knowledge in god maye not be ſeparated of anye man from hys wiſedome, & ſo not from his wil, except we wold make two gods, as did the manichees, one the authour of al good, and another the authour of all euel, both which (ſay they) were eternall & without beginninge. Which their opinion is deueliſhe & againſt y• word of god moſt manifeſtly, whiche affirmeth in many places that there is no mo gods but one, or any other that hauehave power to do good or euill abſolutly, or of thēſelues. But leſt ſome men which are to curious ſhould hereout gather, that then all thinges come by fatall neceſſitie, as the Stoikes thought, or by compulſion and coaction, as other thinke, and therefore ſaye they, all goddes preceptes requiring that whiche we cannot doe, are in vaine: I thynke it good to ſpeake ſome thing hereof.
Fyrſte the Stoikes opynion is to be condemned as concerninge fatall Againſt the Stoikes fatall neceſſitie.neceſſitie, for that it tyeth and byndeth god to the ſeconde cauſes, and maketh hym, which is a moſt free agente, bounde and tyed, ſo that he cannot worke but as the ſeconde cauſe mouethe hym. For they did Imagyne a perpetuall connexion and knyttinge together of cauſſes by a perpetuall order whiche is contayned in nature, where as we ſhoulde certaynelye knowe that it is God whyche is the ruler and arbyter of all thynges, whyche of hys wyſedome hathe foreſene and determyned all thynges that he wyll doe, and nowe of hys power doeth in hys tyme putte the ſame in executyon, accordinge as he hathe decreed wyth hym ſelfe. Herein to tarye anye longer I nede not, for that I thinke there be none nowe whiche bee of this opynyon, to attrybute thinges to fortune, a word vnſemly for Chriſtians.
Secondly, that al things are done by coaction or compulſion, is falſe and oute of goddes prouidence and predeſtination cannot be gathered or maintained, for there muſte be a differēce put betwen neceſſity and cōſtreint. All things that hauehave bene done, be or ſhalbe, in conſideration of gods prouidence, as it is with god, are of neceſſitie, but yet not of compulſion or cōſtraint: As for example you ſhall ſee that neceſſitye is one thinge and conſtrainte is an other thing. God is good of neceſſitie, but who now will ſay then that he is ſo by coaction or enforced therto? The deuil is naught of neceſſitie, but not by coaction. Good men do wel of neceſſitie, but not by cōpulſion. Wicked men do euyll of neceſſitye, but not of conſtraint. A thinge y• is done willīgly, is not to be ſaid to be done by conſtraint. God is good willingly, but not by compulſiō. The deuil is naught willinglye, but not of inforcing. Good men do good willingly, but not cōſtrainedly. Wicked mē doe tranſgreſſe willinglye, but not compelled. So yt it is playne, though al thīgs be done of neceſſitie, yet are they not of compulſion and enforcement. By reaſon wherof, a mā that wilbe diligent in lookinge hereon, may ſe matter enough to purge god from being the authour of all euyll or of any euyll: although he be the authour of all thinges and of al actions, whiche are to be conſtrued accordinge to the will of the doers: and ſo maye we ſee one Action to be both good & euill in reſpecte of gods will and Sathans will. For in aſmuch as a thing is done accordinge to gods wil, the ſame is good, for his wil is good. And in aſmuch as a thīg is done according to Sathans wil, it is euil becauſe his wil is euil.
But now to the third thing, that is, whether gods precepts requiring that which is not in our powers, be fruſtrate or no, although al thinges are done of neceſſitie and by goddes prouidence. To the vnderſtandinge hereof .ii. things are to be cōſidered. Firſt yt we muſt thinke of god, not as he is in hym ſelfe, but as by hys word he teacheth vsus. Secondly, the ſtate of man before his fall is to be compared with the ſtate of man preſently, as he is nowe broughte into this world. For the firſte, although it be moſt true that to god al things are ſo certaine as before is ſpoken: yet in that god hath opened to vsus by his worde ſo much of his will as we ſhuld wt diligence ſerch and obſerue, we maye not thinke otherwiſe, but that whatſoeuer is done agaiſt that worde, y• ſame is ſinne & euell in him whoſoeuer he be y• doth ther againſt: although the ſame tranſgreſſiō god doth & can vſe to ſerue his prouidēce accordingly. Of which prouidēce we may not otherwiſe iudge, then hys word geueth vsus leaue, y• is, we muſt doe nothinge to ſerue it, but as hys word teacheth. If Adam had ben ruled hereby, then he had not eaten y• aple: for in that he obeyed not the word of god, which he knewe, eaſely we may perceane, that he dyd not eate the aple to obey gods prouidēce whiche he knewe not. So that euident it is, Adams fal to be ſinne and euill, and he him ſelfe with the ſerpent to be ye authour therof, god not allowyng or approuinge the euell. which is to be conſtrued accordinge to the will of the doer, which will in Adam was naught, although the action god turned to ſerue his prouydence, therby ſetting forth his wonderful wiſdome, power, & goodnes: whereat we ought rather wt reuerence to wonder, then by wandering further then beſemeth vsus, to cal into queſtion, why god did ſo. Whiche why, no man is able to vnderſtand, & therfore we ſhuld bidde our buſye braine ſyt downe, and not to couet againe to be like to god as Adam did, and therfore he fel ſo foule as he did.
For ye ſecond mans ſtate, I meane before his fal, & his ſtate nowe, thus let vsus think, namely yt god made mā after his Image, yt is, endewed man wt a ſoule immortal, wiſe, rightuoꝰ, & holy: for y• Image of god is not cō cerning the body, which man hathe cōmen with the beaſtes of the earth, but it is from abone and of goddes brething. So yt Adam tranſgreſſing gods precept, did not according as he ſhould and might hauehave done, but according as he ſhould not hauehave done, and mighte hauehave auoided, if that he had not receiued the perſuaſion and counſel of the Serpente. Which god permitted him to doe, thereby to declare, that perfect Iuſtice, wiſedome and holines, is not nor cannot be in any creature, which is not god alſo, and therefore Chriſt being god was made man, that in man there might be this perfection and iuſtice, which is in Chriſt oure lord, and in Adam we could neuer hauehave had. Which wiſedome of god we ſhall Ioyefully one day behold, yf we will nowe reſtraine our buſye braine and curioſitie, from ſerching further then we ſhould doe. But to returne ageine, Adam (I ſay) being made after gods Image, which he receiued for vsus al, to hauehave deriued the ſame vntounto vsus all by naturall propagation, by tranſgreſſing the commaundements, loſt and mangled ſo the ſame Image of god in himſelf and in vsus all, that for mortalitie came death, for wyſdome came foliſhenes, for rightuouſnes came vnrightuouſnes, for holynes came corruption, concerning goddes Iudgement and in goddes ſight: although there remained in him, concerninge mans Iudgement and the ſight of the worlde, life, wiſedome, rightuouſnes and holynes, yt which all we by propagation doe from our mothers wombe receiue: ſo that we may well ſee our ſtate now to be far from the ſtate, we had before Adams fal, and therfore gods law requireth nothinge of vsus but that which was in our nature before the fall, whiche we ſe is impoſſible for vsus to paye accordingly, and yet god not vniuſt, in that he aſketh of vsus nothing therby but the ſelfe ſame thinge whiche he gaue vsus in our creation. The lawe then and the preceptes of god were geuen after the fal of man, not that man ſhould thereby get life, and the thinge whiche was loſte by ſynne (for the bleſſed Seede was promiſed for the recouerig hereof, and to him that partained) but that man by it might know ſinne, and what he had loſt, therby to deſire more deeply the promiſed ſeede, by whome as we be receaued, ſo our euills be not imputed; and that we being renued by his holy ſpirit and newe ſeede, ſhuld as newe borne babes deſire, and by will beginne to do the lawe of god, which after our deliuerance fourth of thys corrupte bodie and man of ſynne by death, we ſhall without all let fully accompliſhe, & at the length receiue the bodye, to be ſpirituall (as Paull ſaieth) and holye, ready to obey and ſerue the ſpirit, as an helper rather then an hynderer. Oh happye daye when wilt thou appeare?
By this whyche I hauehave alreadye ſpoken, I thinke the diligent reader may ſe, how that there is election of gods children, & how that gods prouidence ſtretcheth it ſelfe to al thinges, ſo that al things in reſpect ther of come of neceſſitie, but yet nothing therby to be done by conſtraint and enforcement: wherthroughe god is ſene to be the authour of al things & yet of no euil or ſinne.
The ſtate of man before his fall & after, with the cauſe of gods lawe & precepts geuen to man, I hauehave breifly touched. Nowe it reſteth that I ſhould ſpeake ſome thing of frewil, what it is, and howe farre we maye graunte that man hath free wyll.
That this may be vnderſtand: as I would hauehave 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 louelove 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 hauehave it conſidered, yf we wil vnderſtand mans frewill, ſo would I hauehave this marked, namely the difference betwixte the life whiche we loſte & had in our firſt creation, and now hauehave by byrth before regeneration. In our firſte creation we had a life, not only wt the creatures, but alſo with god, whiche life vtterly Adā loſt, as he declareth by the runnyng awaye to hyde him ſelfe from god. And this he loſt for vsus alſo, aſwel as for him ſelfe: in reſpect whereof the ſcripture calleth vsus deade. Concerning this life therefore that is with god, we hauehave no wil at al, much leſſe any frewil. For how can a dead man hauehave any wil? The will therfore we hauehave, is onelyonly for this life and with men, that is, it is not good and free but in reſpect of men: and in this life in reſpecte of god and life with him, all our will is as we are, euen dead: yea and the wil we hauehave for this preſente life, if a man will conſider the god of this world, and howe we are his ſlaues by birth and continually tyll we be regenerate, and how ready our affections are to ſerue his purpoſe, I thinke none will ſaye otherwiſe but that mans will vnregenerate is none otherwiſe fre, then pleaſeth his maiſter, who muſte needes ſerue ſpite of his head, our god: and therefore all to be done by gods prouidence, as I ſaied before, withoute any imputation of euill to our good and moſt holy father. Yea but (ſaith one) what frewill hath man that is regenerat? This wil I briefly ſhew when that I hauehave ſpoken of Iuſtification, y• which precedeth regeneration: from whom we may diſcerne it, but not deuide it, no more then heat from the fyre.
Iuſtification in ſcripture is taken for the forgeuenes of oure ſinnes, & conſiſteth in the forgeuenes of oure ſinnes. This is onelyonly gods worke & we nothing els but patientes & not agentes. After this worke, in reſpect of vsus and our ſenſe, commeth regeneration, which altogether is goddes worke alſo. For as to our firſt byrth we bring nothinge (bring quoth I? yes we bring to let it, many things but to further it nothing at al) ſo do we bring nothing that can helpe to our iuſtificatiō: as S. Auſten ful wel ſaithe: he that made thee withoute thee, ſhall he not iuſtifie thee wythoute thee? whiche the papiſtes hauehave peruerted, reading it affirmatiuely, without interregation, as though… we brought ſome thing to our iuſtifying: The papiſtes reade thus with out interogation. quifecit te …ine &c, non Iuſtificabit &c ſine &c. He that made thee without thee ſhall not iuſtifie thee without thee. That is, withoute thy helpe, thy works, thy worthines.where as it (I meane iuſtifycation) is a muche more excellente worke then y• worke of our creatiō, and therefore to arrogant are they, whiche will not geue al to god in it, as they doe in their creation. Good men ſlie from that pride, and are content to geue no leſſe to god iuſtifying & regenerating them, then they do to their parentes for their firſt generation. Afore we be Iuſtifyed and regenerated of god, we are altogether dead to god and to al goodnes in his ſighte, & therfore we are altogether patients til god hauehave wrought this his only worke, iuſtification & regeneration. Whiche worke in reſpect of vsus and our imperfection and falles, in that it is not ſo ful and perfect but it may be more & more, therfore by the ſpirit of ſantifycation, whiche we receiue in regeneration as the ſeede of god, we are quickened to laboure with the lorde, and to be more iuſtified, that is, by faith & the fruites of faith, to our ſelues and others to declare the ſame, and ſo to encreaſe from vertue to vertue, from glory to glory, hauin… alwaies nede to hauehave oure feete waſhed, although we be cleane not withſtanding.
Now to the queſtion. A man regenerate (which we ought to beleue o… oure ſelues, I meane that we are ſ… by our baptiſme, the ſacrament ther of requiring no leſſe faith) a man I ſay regenerate, that is, borne of god, hath the ſpirite of god. And as a mā borne of fleſhe & bloud hath the ſpirit therof, wherby as he cā ſtirre vp him ſelfe to doe more and more the dedes of the fleſhe: ſo the other can by the ſpirit of god in hym, ſtyrre vp in him ſelfe the giftes and graces of god, to glorifie god accordinglye. Howbeit heare let vsus marke, that as the olde man is a perpetuall enemye to the newe borne man: ſo accordinglye to his ſtrength, the workes of the new man are letted and made vneffectuall. Therefore god hath taught vsus to pray, and promiſed his help, which he commonly in maner geueth by y• croſſe: wherby y• old man is wekened and the new receiueth ſtrength more and more, d…ring a diſſolution and an vtter deſtruction of the olde man by death, that it might go to god frō whence it came, and to his home euē h…auen, where in the laſt day it ſhall receiue the olde Adam, now ſo ſcho…ed, that it will neuer more be but a moſte faithfull frende to ſerue and praiſe the lord for euer more.
Thus hauehave you nowe, what freewyll the regenerate children of god hauehave, for whoſe ſakes the goſpel and ſweete free promiſes are geuen, and to the regenerate new mā they properly do pertaine: As doth the law, with al comminations, and the condicionall promiſes (I meane promiſes hanging vponupon condition on oure worthines) pertaine properly to the olde and vngenerate man, ſo that when he kicketh, he muſt by them be bridled and kepte downe: when the inwarde man woulde be comforted, be muſt hauehave, not the law nor her cō minations and cōdicional promiſes, but the goſpell and her moſte ſweete free promiſes. So ſhal we walke neither on y• right nor on the left hand, but kepe the righte waye to heauen ward, euen Chriſt our lord and captaine, as his ſouldiours, ſeruantes, and liuely members, neither diſpa… ring nor carnally liuing, but fearin… and reioyſinge as is appertaining… which God graunt for his mercyes ſake, Amen.
And thus my dearely beloued, I hauehave ſent to you brefly my mind here in according to your deſire. Becauſe I hauehave had little time and manye other lettes, I ſhall hertely pray you to take this in good part, & with the more indifferencie and attention to read it, for my deſire was to writ fully and ſpedely, therfore it perchance hath the more obſcuritie and deſireth a frendely reader, conſtruinge all to the beſt, and brotherlye admonyſhynge where cauſe maye appeare.
A BREIFE SVMME OF THE doctrine of electon and predeſtination.
GOds fore ſight is not y• cauſe of ſynne or excuſable neceſſitie, to him that ſinneth. The damned therefore hauehave not nor ſhall hauehave any excuſe becauſe god foreſeing their condemnatiō through their own ſinne, did not drawe them as he doth his electe, vntounto Chriſte. But as the electe hauehave cauſe to thanke god for euer for his greate mercies in Chriſt: ſo the other hauehave cauſe to lamente their owne wilfulnes, ſinne and contemning of chriſt, whiche is the cauſe of their reprobatiō, & wherin we ſhuld loke vponupon reprobation: as the onelyonly goodnes of god in Chriſt is the cauſe of our election and ſaluatiō, wherin we ſhuld loke vponupon gods election. He that will loke vponupon god or any thing in god▪ ſimplie and barely as it is in god, the ſame ſhalbe ſtarke blynde. Who can ſee godes goodnes as it is in god? Who can ſee his Iuſtice as it is in him? If therfore thou wilt loke vponupon his goodnes, not only loke vponupon hys workes, but alſo vponupon hys word: euen ſo if thou wilt loke vponupon his iuſtice do the like. Then ſhalte y• ſee that election is not to be loked on but in chriſt, nor reprobation but in ſinne. When the ſecond cauſe is ſufficient, ſhuld not we think that they are to curious y• wil runne to ſearch the firſt cauſe, further then god doth geue them leaue by his worde? The which firſt cauſe, becauſe they cānot comprehēd, therfore do they deny it. God be mercyfull vntounto vsus for hys names ſake, & geue vsus to louelove & lyue his truth, to ſeeke peace & purſue it. Becauſe god of his goodnes, for the comfort of his childrē, and certaintie of their ſaluation, doth open vntounto them ſome thinge the fyrſte cauſe of their ſaluation, that is, his goodnes before the beginning of the world, to be loked vponupon in Chriſt, a man maie not therfore be ſo bold as to wade ſo marke this well and be not to curious.in condempnation further then god reueileth it. And for as muche as he hathe not reueiled it but in ſynne, therfore let vsus not loke on it otherwiſe. Seke to be deliuered frō ſynne and feare not reprobation: but yf thou wilte not, thou ſhalte fynde no excuſe in the laſt daye. Say not but thou art warned.
To the former meditations and praiers, for your further comforte and godly exerciſe, you maye ioyne thoſe moſte godlye and comfortable meditations whiche are annexed to his boke lately imprinted agaiſt the feare of death.
Printed at London by Rouland Hall, dwelling in gutter lane at the ſygne of the halfe Egle and Key. 1562.
Faultes eſcaped in the printing.
In A. the 7 leafe ſecond ſide. 19. line, for thou loueſt, read thou louedſt.
C. 3 leafe, ſeconde ſyde. 13 lyne, for is reade are.
C. 6 leafe ſecond ſide. 10 line, for thy rede they. And in the 15 line, for malicouſnes reade maliciouſnes.
D. 3 leafe, ſeconde ſide. 4. line, for daube reade dreſſe.
D. 6 leafe ſeconde ſyde. 25 lyne, for ſwing reade ſwynge.
E. 2 leafe firſt ſide. 8 line, for afflection reade affliction, and in the. 15. line, for was, reade waſt.
E. 3 leafe ſecond ſide. 12 line, for diſpraier, reade deſpair.
F. 3 leafe, ſecond ſide. 6 line, for helpes, read helples.
F. 4 leafe ſecond ſide. 14 line, for thy wilt, reade the will.
G. 6 leafe firſt ſide. 12. line for diddeſt geue, read haſt geuen.
G. 7 leafe fyrſt ſide. 9 line, for faithful, read fatherly.
I. 7 leafe firſte ſide. 6 line, for profeſſion read perfection.
I. 8 leafe ſeconde ſyde. 26 line, for me, reade my.
A PRAIER FOR THE faithfull afflicted in Fraunce for the goſpell.
O Mercifull father, who neuer doeſt ſorſake ſuche as put their truſt in thee: ſtretch forth thy mighty arme to the defence of our brethrē and neighbours in Fraūce, who in their extreme neceſſitye crye for comforte vntounto thee: preuent the cruel deuiſe of Aman, ſtaye the rage of Holophernes, breake of the counſel of Achitophel, Let not the wicked ſay, where is nowe their god? Let thy afflicted flocke feele preſent ayde & releife frō thee (oh lord): loke downe vp on them with thy pitifull eye from thy holy habitation: ſend terrour and tremblyng amonge their enemies: make an ende of their outragious tiranny: beat backe their boldnes in ſuppreſſing thy truth, in deſtroying thy true ſeruātes, in defacing thy glory, and in ſetting vp Antichriſt. Let them not thus proudly aduaunce themſelues againſt thee and againſt thy Chriſt, but let them vnderſtand and feele that againſt thee they fight. Preſerue & defende the vine whiche thy right hande hath planted, and let all nations ſee the glorye of thyne anointed, Amen.
End of the text · John Bradford, Godly Meditations Upon the Lords Prayer (1562)