TO all that loue the Lorde Iesus and his true doctrine, being in the vniuersitie and towne of Cambridge,* 1.1 Iohn Bradford a most vnworthy seruaunt of the Lord, nowe not onely prisoned, but also condemned for the same true doctrine, wisheth, grace peace, and mercye, with increase of all godlines from God the father of all mercy, through the bloudy passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, by the liuely working of the holy spirite for euer. Amen.
Although I looke hourely when I should be had to the stake (my right dearely beloued in the Lord, and although the charge ouer me is great and strayt: yet hauing by the prouidēce of God secretly pen and an ynke, I could not but something signifie vn∣to you my solicitude which I haue for you and euerye of you in the Lord, though not as I woulde, yet as I may. You haue often and openly heard the truth, (speciallye in this matter wherein I am condemned) disputed and preached, that it is needeles to do any more but onely to put you in remembraunce of the same: but hitherto haue you not heard it confirmed, and, as it were, sealed vp, as now you doe and shall heare by me, that is, by my death and burning. For albeit I haue deserued (through my vn∣cleannes, hypocrisie, auarice, vainglory, idlenes, vnthankfulnes, and carnalitie, wherof I accuse my selfe, to my confusion before the world, that before God through Christ I might, as my assu∣red hope is I shall, find mercy) eternall death, and hell fire, much more then this affliction and fire prepared for me: yet my dearly beloued, it is not these, or any of these thinges, wherfore the pre¦lates do persecute me, but Gods verity and truth: yea euen christ him selfe is the onely cause and thing wherefore I nowe am con∣demned,* 1.2 and shalbe burned as an hereticke, for because I will not graunt the Antichrist of Rome to be Christes vicar generall and supreme head of his churche here, and euery where vppon earth, by Gods ordinaunce, and because I will not graunt suche corporall, reall, and carnall presence of Christes body & bloud in the sacrament, as doth transubstanciate the substaunce of bread and wine, and is receiued of the wicked,* 1.3 yea of dogges & mise. Also I am excommunicated, and counted as a dead men∣ber of Christes Church, as a rotten braunche, and therefore shall be cast into the fire.
Therefore ye ought hartily to reioyce with me, and to geue thankes for me, that God the eternall father hath vouched safe our mother to bring vp any childe in whom it would please him to magnifie his holy name as hee doth,* 1.4 and I hope for his mercye and truthes sake, will do in me, and by me. Oh, what such bene∣fite vppon earth can it be, as that that which deserued deathe by reason of my sinnes, should be deliuered to a demonstration, a te∣stification, and confirmation of Gods veritie and trueth? Thou my mother the Vniuersitie hast not onely had the truth of gods word playnely manifested vnto thee by reading, disputinge and preaching publickely and priuately: but now to make thee alto∣gether excuselesse, and as it were, almost to sinne agaynst the ho∣ly Ghost, if thou put to thy helpyng hand with the romysh route to suppresse the veritie, and set out the contrary, thou hast my lyfe and bloud as a zeale to confirme thee: if thou wilt be con∣firmed▪ or els to confound thee and beare witnes agaynst thee, if thou wilt take part with the prelates and Clergye,* 1.5 which nowe fill vp the measure of their fathers which slew the Prophetes and Apostles, that all righteous bloud from Abell to Bradforde, sued vpon the earth, may be required at theyr handes.
Of this therefore I thought good before my death, as tyme and libertie woulde suffer me (for loue and duetye I beare vnto thee) to admonishe thee good mother, and my sister the Towne, that you would call to minde from whence you are fallen, and study to do the first workes. You know (if you wil these matters of the * 1.6 Romish supremacy, and the Antichristian transubstanti∣ation, wh••••••by Christes supper is ouerthrowne, his priesthoode euacuat••, his sacrifice frustrate, the ministery of his word vnpla∣ced, repentaunce repelled, fayth faynted, godlines extinguished, the Masse mayntayned, idolatry supported, and all impietie che∣rished: you know I say (if you will) that these opinions are not onely besides Gods word, but euen directly agaynst it, and ther∣fore to take part with them, is to take part agaynst God, agaynst whome you cannot preuayle.
Therefore for the tender mercy of Christ, in his bowels and bloud I beseeche you, to take Christes collyrium and eye salue to annoynt your eyes, that you may see what you doe and haue done in admitting (as I heare you haue admitted, yea alas autho∣rised, and by consent confirmed) the Romish rotten rags, whiche once you vtterly expelled. Oh be not canis reuersus ad vo∣mitum, be not * 1.7 Sus lota reuersa ad volutabrum coeni, Beware least Satan enter in with seuen other spirites, and then postre∣ma shalbe worse then the first. It had bene better yee had neuer knowne the truth, then after knowledge to runne from it. Ah, woe to this world and the thinges therein,* 1.8 which hath nowe so wrought with you. Oh that euer this dirt of the deuill shoulde daube vpp the eye of the Realme. For thou oh mother art as it were the eye of the Realme. If thou be light and geue shyne all the body shall fare the better: But if thou the light be darck∣nes, alas how great will the darckenes be? What is man whose breath is in his nostrels, that thou shouldest thus be afrayde of him?
Oh what is honour and life here? Bubbles. What is glorye in this worlde, but shame? Why art thou afrayde to carrye Christes Crosse? Wilt thou come into hys kingdome, and not drynke of his cup? Doest thou not know Rome to be Babilō?* 1.9 doest thou not know that as the olde Babilon had the children of Iuda in capti∣uitie, so hath this Rome the true Iuda, that is the confessours of Christ? Doest thou not know, that as destruction happened vn∣to it, so shall it do vnto this (And trowest thou that God will not deliuer his people now when the time is come, as hee did the••. Hath not God commaunded hys people to come out from her▪ and wilt thou geue ensample to the whole Realme to runne vn∣to her▪ Hast thou forgotten the woe that Christ threatneh to offence geuers? Wilt thou not remember that it were better that a Mylstone were hanged about thy necke, and thou throwe into the sea, then that thou shouldest offend the little ones?
And alas, how hast thou offended? yea and howe doest thou still offend?* 1.10 Wilt thou consider thinges according to the outward shew? Was not the Synagogue more seemely and like to be the true Church, then the simple flocke of Christes Disciples? Hath not the whore of Babilon more costly aray, and rich apparell ex∣ternally to set forth her selfe, then the homely housewyfe of Christ? Where is the beautie of the kinges daughter the Churche of Christ? without or within? Doth not Dauid saye wythin? Oh remēber that as they are happy which are not offended at christ so are they happy whiche are not offended at hys poore church. Can the Pope and his prelates meane honestly whiche make so much of the wife, and so little of the husband? The Churche they magnifie, but Christ they contemne. If this Church were an ho∣nest woman (that is, Christes wife) except they woulde make much of her husband Christ and his worde, shee woulde not be made much of them.
When Christ and hys Apostles were vppon earth, who was