Letter 46. A letter of Master Bradford, describing a comparison between the old man and the new, &c.
A man that is regenerate and born of God, and that every one of us be so, our baptism, the sacrament of regeneration, requires under pain of damnation; therefore let every one of us with the virgin Mary say, "Be it unto me, O Lord, according to thy word," according to thy sacrament of baptism, wherein thou hast declared our adoption; and let us lament the doubting hereof in us; striving against it, as we shall be made able of the Lord. A man, I say, that is regenerate, consists of two men, (as it may be said,) namely, of the old man and of the new man. The old man is like a mighty giant, such a one as was Goliath, for his birth is now perfect; but the new man is like unto a little child, such a one as was David, for his birth is not perfect until the day of his general resurrection.
The old man therefore is more strong, lusty, and stirring than the new man, because the birth of the new man is but begun now, and the old man is perfectly born; and as the old man is more stirring, lusty, and stronger than the new man, so is the nature of him quite contrary to the nature of the new man, as the old man is earthly and corrupt with Satan's seed; but the nature of the new man is heavenly, and blessed with the celestial seed of God. So that one man, inasmuch as he is corrupt with the seed of the serpent, is an old man; and inasmuch as he is blessed with the seed of God from above, he is a new man. And inasmuch as he is an old man, he is a sinner and an enemy to God, so inasmuch as he is regenerate, he is righteous and holy, and a friend to God, the seed of God preserving him from sin, so that he cannot sin, as the seed of the serpent wherewith he is corrupt even from his conception inclines him, yea, enforces him to sin, and nothing else but to sinoso that the best part in man before regeneration, in God's sight, is not only an enemy, but enmity itself.
One man therefore, who is regenerate may well be called always just, and always sinful: just in respect of Gods seed, and his regeneration; sinful in respect of Satan's seed, and his first birth. Betwixt these two men therefore there is continual conflict, and most deadly war. The flesh and old man, by reason of his birth that is perfect, often for a time prevails against the new man, which is but a child in comparison, and that in such sort, as not only others, but even the children of God themselves think that they are nothing else but of the old man, and that the Spirit and seed of God are lost and gone away; whereas yet notwithstanding the truth is otherwise. For the Spirit and the seed of God at length appear again, and dispel the clouds which cover the seed of the Son of God from shining, as the clouds in the air do the material sun; so that sometimes a man cannot tell by any sense, whether there is any sun, the clouds and winds so hiding it from our sight. Even so our blindness and corrupt affections often shadow the sight of God's seed in God's children, as though they were plain reprobates; whereof it comes, that they praying according their sense, but not according to the truth, desire of God to give them again his Spirit, as though they had lost it, and he had taken it away; which thing God never does, although he make us to think so for a time; for he always holds his hand under his children in their falls, that they lie not still, as others do which are not regenerate. And this is the difference between God's children, which are regenerate and elect before all time in Christ, and the wicked always, that the elect lie not still continually in sin, as the wicked do, but at length return again by reason of God's seed, which is in them hid as a spark of fire in the ashes; as we may see in Peter, David, Paul, Mary Magdalene, and others. For these, I mean God's children, God has made all things in Christ Jesus, to whom he has given this dignity, that they should be his inheritance and spouse.
This our inheritor Christ Jesus, God with God, light of light, co-eternal and consubstantial with the Father and with the Holy Ghost, to the end that he might become our husband, (because the husband and wife must be one body and flesh,) has taken our nature upon him, communicating with it and by it in his own person, to all us his children, his divine majesty, (as Peter says.) And so he has become flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bones substantially, as we are become flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone spiritually; all that ever we have pertaining to him, yea, even our sins, as all that ever he has pertains unto us, even his whole glory. So that if Satan should summon us to answer for our debts or sins, in that the wife is not sueable, but the husband, we may well bid him enter his action against our husband Christ, and he will make him a sufficient answer.
For this end, I mean, that we might be coupled and married thus to Christ, and so be certain of salvation and at godly peace with God in our consciences, God has given his holy word, which has two parts, as now the children of God do consist of two men; one part of God's word being proper to the old man, and the other part of God's word being proper to the new man. The part properly pertaining to the old man is the law; the part properly pertaining to the new is the gospel.
The law is a doctrine which commands and forbids, requiring doing and avoiding. Under it therefore are contained all precepts, threatenings, promises upon conditions of doing and avoiding, &c. The gospel is a doctrine which always offers and gives; requiring nothing on our behalf, as of worthiness, or as a cause, but as a certificate unto us, and therefore under it are contained all the free and sweet promises of God; as, "I am the Lord thy God, &c."
In those that are of years of discretion, it requires faith, not as a cause, but as an instrument, whereby we ourselves may be certain of our good husband Christ and of his glory; and therefore when the conscience feels itself disquieted for fear of God's judgment against sin, she may in no wise look upon the doctrine pertaining to the old man; but on the doctrine only that pertains to the new man. Not looking in it for that which it requires, that is, faith, because we never believe as we should; but only on what it offers, and what it gives, that is, on God's grace and eternal mercy and peace in Christ. So shall she be quiet when she looks for it altogether out of herself, on God's mercy in Christ Jesus; in whose lap if she lay her head with St. John, then is she happy, and shall find quietness indeed. When she feels herself quiet, then, let her look on the law, and upon such things as it requires, thereby to bridle and keep down the old Adam, to slay that Goliath, from whom she must needs keep the sweet promises. For as the wife will keep herself only for her husband, although in other things she is contented to have fellowship with others, as to speak, sit, eat, drink, go, &c., so our consciences, which are Christ's wives, must needs keep themselves faithful to their husband, and be joyful together. If sin, the law, the devil, or any thing, would creep in, then complain to thy husband Christ, and forthwith thou shalt see him play Phineas's part. (Numb. xxv.) Thus, my dearly beloved I have given you in few words a sum of all the divinity which a Christian conscience cannot want.
Letter 47. A letter written to his mother as a farewell, when he thought he should have suffered shortly after
The Lord of life and Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ, bless you and comfort you, my good and dear mother, with his heavenly comfort, consolation, grace, and Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.
If I thought that you did not cry daily, yea, almost hourly, unto God the Father, through Jesus Christ, that he would give me his blessing, even the blessing of his children, then would I write more hereabout. But forasmuch as I am certain you are diligent herein, and I beseech you, good mother, to continue so, I think it good to write something, whereby this your crying might be furthered; furthered it will be, if those things which hinder it are taken away; among the which, in that I think my imprisonment is the greatest and chiefest, I will thereabout spend this letter, and that briefly, lest it might increase the hindrance, as my good brother; this bringer, can tell you (he means the danger of more strict imprisonment that might hereby follow; Letters of the Martyrs). You shall know therefore, good mother, that for my body, though it be in a house, out of the which I cannot come when I will, yet as I have conformed my will to God's will. I find herein liberty enough, I thank God; and for my lodging, bedding, meat, drink, godly and learned company, books, and all other necessaries, for my ease, comfort, and commodity, I am in much better case than I could wish; and God's merciful providence here is far above my worthiness. Worthiness? quoth I. Alas! I am worthy of nothing but damnation!
But, beside all this, I find much more advantage for my soul; for God is my Father, I now perceive; through Christ; therefore, in imprisoning me for his gospel, he makes me like to the image of his Son Jesus Christ here, that, when he comes to judgment, I might then be like unto him, as my trust and hope is I shall be. Now he makes me like to his friends the prophets, apostles, the holy martyrs, and confessors. Which of them did not suffer, at the least, imprisonment or banishment for his gospel and word?
Now, mother, how far am I unfit to be compared to them! I (I say) which always have been, and am, so vile a hypocrite and so grievous a sinner. God might have caused me, long before this time, to have been cast into prison as a thief, a blasphemer, an unclean liver, and an heinous offender of the laws of the realm. But, dear mother, his mercy is so great, upon both you, and all that love me, that I am cast into prison as none of these, nor for any such vices, but only for his Christ's sake, for his gospel's sake, for his church's sake, that hereby, I might learn to lament and bewail my ingratitude and sins, and might rejoice in his mercy, be thankful, and look for eternal joy with Christ, for whose sake, (praised be his name for it,) I now suffer, and therefore should be merry and glad. And, indeed, good mother, so I am, as ever I was; yea, never so joyful and glad was I, as now I should be, if I could get you to rejoice with me, to thank God for me, and to pray in this manner: "O good Father! which dost vouchsafe that my son, being a grievous sinner in thy eight, should find this favour with thee, to be one of the Son's captains and men of war, to fight and suffer fur his gospel's sake. I thank thee and pray thee, in Christ's name, that thou wouldst forgive him his sins and unthankfulness, and make perfect in him that good work which thou hast begun; yea, Lord, I pray thee, make him worthy to suffer, not only imprisonment, but even death itself, for thy truth, religion, and gospel's sake. As Hannah did apply, and give her first child, Samuel, unto thee, so do I, dear Father, beseeching thee, for Christ s sake, to accept this my gift, and give my son, John Bradford, grace, always truly to serve thee and thy people, as Samuel did. Amen."
If on this sort (good mother) from your heart you would pray, I should be the most joyful man that ever was; and I am certain the hindrance of your prayer for my imprisonment would be taken away. Good mother, therefore, mark what I have written, and learn this prayer by heart, say it daily; and then I shall be joyful, and you shall rejoice, if you continue, as I trust you do, in God's true religion, even the same I have taught you, and my; father Traves, I trust, will put you in remembrance of My brother Roger, also, I trust, does so daily; go on, therefore, and learn apace. Although the devil cast divers hindrances in the way, God, in whom you trust, will cast them away for his Christ's sake, if you will call upon him; and never will he suffer you to be tempted: above that he will make you able to bear. But how you should do herein, the other letter, which I have written herewith, shall teach you, which I would have none should read till my father Traves have read it; and he will give you, by God's grace, some instructions.
Now, therefore, I will make an end, praying you, good mother, to look for no more letters; for if it were known that I have pen and ink, and did write, then should I want all the aforesaid commodities I have spoken of concerning my body, and be cast into some dungeon in fetters of iron; which thing I know would grieve you; and, therefore, see that these be burned, when this little prayer in it is copied by my brother Roger, for, perchance, your house may be searched for such things when you little think of it; and look for no more, sweet mother, till either God shall deliver me, and send me out, or else you and I shall meet together in heaven, where we shall never part asunder. Amen.
I require you, Elizabeth and Margaret, my sisters, that you fear God; use prayer; love your husbands, be obedient unto them, as God wills you; bring up your children in God's fear, and be good housewives. God bless you both, with both your husbands, my good brethren, to whom, because I now cannot do good, I will pray for them and you. Commend me to my sister Ann, mother Pike, T. Sorocold and his wife, R. Shalcrosse and his wife, R. Bolton, J. Wild, M. Vicar, the parson pottrom, sir Laurence Hall, with all that love, and, I trust, live in the gospel; and God turn sir Thomas's heart. Amen. I will daily pray for him. I need not to set to my nameoyou know it well enough.
Because you should give my letters to father Traves to be burnt, I have written here a prayer for you to learn to pray for me, good mother; and another for all your house, in your evening prayer, to pray with my brother. These prayers are written with my own hand; keep them still, but the letters give to father Traves to burn, and give father Traves a copy of the latter prayer.
Letter 48. Another letter to his mother, as his last farewell unto her in this world, a little before he was burned
God's mercy and peace in Christ, be more and more perceived of us. Amen.
My most dear mother, in the bowels of Christ I heartily pray and beseech you to be thankful for me unto God, who now thus takes me unto himself I die not, my good mother, as a thief, a murderer, an adulterer, &c.; but I die as a witness of Christ, his gospel, and truth, which hitherto I have confessed, I thank God, as well by preaching as by imprisonment; and now, even presently, I shall most willingly confirm the same by fire. I acknowledge that God might most justly take me hence simply for my sins, which are many, great, and grievous; but the Lord, for his mercy in Christ, has pardoned them all, I hope; but now, dear mother, he takes me hence, by this death, as a confessor and witness, that the religion taught by Christ Jesus, the prophets, and the apostles, is God's truth. The prelates do persecute in me Christ, whom they hate, and his truth, which they may not abide, because their works are evil, and may not abide the truth and light, lest men should see their darkness. Therefore, my good and most dear mother, give thanks for me to God, that he has made the fruit of your womb to be a witness of his glory; and attend to the truth, which, I thank God for it, I have truly taught out of the pulpit at Manchester. Use often and continual prayer to God the Father, through Christ; hearken, as you may, to the Scriptures; serve God after his word, and not after custom; beware of the Romish religion in England, defile not yourself with it; carry Christ's cross, as he shall lay it upon your back; forgive them that kill me; pray for them, for they know not what they do; commit my cause to God our Father; be mindful of both your daughters, to help them as you can.
I send all my writings to you, by my brother Roger; do with them as you will, because I cannot as I would. He can tell you more of my mind. I have nothing to give you, or to leave behind me for you; only pray God my Father, for his Christ's sake, to bless you and keep you from evil. May he give you patience; may he make you thankful, for me, and for yourself, that he will take your child to witness his verity; wherein I confess to the whole world that I die and depart this life, in hope of one much better, which I look for at the hands of God my Father through the merits of his dear Son, Jesus Christ. Thus, my dear mother, I take my last farewell of you in this life, beseeching the almighty and eternal Father, by Christ, to grant us to meet in the life to come, where we shall give him continual thanks and praise for ever and ever. Amen. Out of prison, the 24th of June, 1555.
Your son in the Lord,
John Bradford.
Letter 49. A letter sent with a supplication to Queen Mary, her council, and the whole parliament.
A poor subject, persecuted for the confession of Christ's verity, in most humble wise complains unto your Majesty and honours, which verity deserves at your hands to be maintained and defended, as that by which you reign, and have your honours and authorities. Although we that are professors, and, through the grace of God, the constant confessors of the same, are, as it were, the out-sweepings of the world; yet (I say) the verity itself is not unworthy for your ears to hear, for your eyes to see, and for your hands to handle, help, and succour, accordingly as the Lord has made you able, and placed you where you are, for the same purpose. Your Highness and honours ought to know, that there is no innocence in words or deeds, where it is enough, and suffices, only to accuse. It behoves kings, queens, and all that are in authority, to know that, in the administration of their kingdoms, they are God's ministers. It behoves them to know that those are not kings, but plain tyrants, who reign not, that they may serve and set forth God's glory, after true knowledge. And therefore it is required of them that they would be wise, and suffer themselves to be taught to submit themselves to the Lord's discipline and to kiss their Sovereign lest they perish. As all those potentates, with their principalities and dominions cannot long prosper, but perish indeed, if they and their kingdoms be not ruled with the sceptre of God, that is, with his word; which whoso honours not, honours not God; and they that honour not the Lord, the Lord will not honour them, but bring them into contempt; and at length take his own cause, which he has most chiefly committed unto them to care for, into his own hands, and so overthrow them, and set up his truth gloriously; the people, also, perishing with the princes. When the word of prophecy is wanting, much more is suppressed, as it is now in this realm of England, over which the eyes of the Lord are set to destroy it, your Highness, and all your honours, if in time you look not better to your office and duties herein, and not suffer yourselves to be slaves and hangmen to antichrist and his prelates, which have brought your Highness and honours already to let Barabbas loose, and to hang up Christ. As, by the grace and help of God, I shall make apparent, if it would first please your excellent Majesty, and all your honours, to take to heart God's doctrine, which, rather through the malice of the Pharisees, I mean the bishops and prelates, than your consciences, is oppressed; and think not the less of it, for our contemptible and execrable state in the sight of the world; for it (the doctrine I mean) is higher, and of more honour and majesty, than all the whole world. It stands invincible, above all power, being not our doctrine, but the doctrine of the ever-living God, and of his Christ, whom the Father has ordained King, to have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the world. And, truly, so does He, and will he reign, that he will shake all the whole earth with his iron and brazen power, with his golden and silvery brightness, only by the rod of his mouth, to shivers, in such sort as though they were pots of clay, according to that which the prophets write of the magnificence of his kingdom. And thus much for the thing, I mean the doctrine, and your duties, to hearken, to propagate, and defend the same.
But now will our adversaries mainly cry out against us, because no man may be admitted once to whisper against themothat we pretend falsely the doctrine and word of God; and call us the most wicked contemners of it, and heretics, schismatics, traitors, &c. All which their sayings; how malicious and false they are, though I might refer to that which is written by those men whose works they have condemned, and all that retain any of them publicly by proclamation; yet, here will I enable your Majesty and honours, by this my writing, to see that it is far otherwise than they report of us. May God, our Father, for his holy name's sake, direct my pen to be his instrument to put into your eyes, ears, and hearts, that which may most make to his glory, to the safeguard of your souls and bodies, and preservation of the whole realm. Amen.
John Bradford.
Letter 50. To certain of his friends, N. Sheterden and R. Cole
I wish to you, my good brethren, the same grace of God in Christ, which I wish and pray the Father of mercies to give me, for his holy name's sake. Amen.
Though I have not read your letter myself, because I would not alienate my mind from conceived things, to write of others, yet I have heard the sum of it, that it is of God's election, wherein I will briefly write to you my faith, and how I think it good and meet for a Christian man to wade in it. I believe that man, made after the image of God, did fall from that blessed state, to the condemnation of himself, and all his posterity. I believe that Christ for man, being thus fallen, did oppose himself to the justice of God as a mediator, paying the ransom and price of redemption for Adam and his whole posterity that refuse it not finally. I believe, that all that believe in Christ, I speak of such as are of years of discretion, are partakers of Christ and all his merits. I believe that faith and to believe in Christ (I speak not now of faith that men have by reason of miracles, John, ii. 11, Acts, viii., or by reason unearthly advantages, Matt. xiii., or custom and authority of men, which is commonly seen; for the hearts of them that so believe are not right and simple before God; but I speak of that faith which indeed is the true faith, the justifying and regenerating faith;) I believe, I say, that this faith and belief in Christ is the work and gift of God, given to none other than to those who are the children of God; that is, to those whom God the Father, before the beginning of the world, has predestinated in Christ unto eternal life.
Thus do I wade in predestination in such sort as God has patefied (made plain, editor) and opened it. Though in God it is first, yet to us it is last opened; and therefore I begin with creation, from whence I come to redemption, so to justification, and so to election. On this sort I am sure, that warily and wisely, a man may walk in it easily by the light of God's Spirit, in and by his word, seeing this faith is not to be given to all men, (2 Thess. iii.,) but to such as are born of God, predestinate before the world was made, after the purpose and good will of God; which will we may not call into dispute, but in trembling and fear submit ourselves to it, as to that which can will no otherwise than what is holy, right, and good, how far soever otherwise it may seem to the judgment of reason, which must needs be beaten down to be more careful for God's glory, than for man's salvation, which depends only thereon, as all God's children full well see; for they seek not the glory which comes of men, but the glory which comes of God. (Jer. ix., John v.) They know God to be a God who does on earth, not only mercy, but also judgment, which is justice, and fullest justice, although our foolish reason cannot see it. And in this knowledge they glory and rejoice, though others, through vain curiosity, grudge and murmur there against. Thus I have briefly sent you my mind and meaning concerning this matter; hereafter you shall have (I think) your letter particularly answered by Mr. Philpot, as also if I have time, and you so require it, I will do.
John Bradford.
(For the certainty of this faith search your hearts. If you have it, praise the Lord, or you are happy, and therefore cannot finally perish: for then happiness were not happiness if it could be lost. When you fail, the Lord will put his hand under, that you shall not lie still. But if you feel not this faith, then know that predestination is too high a matter for you to be disputers about, until you have been better scholars in the schoolhouse of repentance and justification, which is the grammar-school wherein we must be conversant and learned before we go to the university of God's most holy predestination and providence. Letters of the Martyrs.)
