Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

¶To Lankeshire and Cheshire.

TO all those that professe his name and true Religion of our sauiour Iesus Christ in Lankeshyre and Ches∣shyre, and specially abiding in Manchester and therabout Iohn Bradford a most vnworthy seruaunt of the Lorde, now not onely in boundes, but also condemned for y^e same true religion, wisheth mercy and grace, peace and increase of all godlines from God the father of all pitty, through y^e desertes of our Lord Iesus Christ, by the working of the most mighty and liuely spirite the comforter for euer. A∣men.

I heard it reported credibly, my dearely beloued in the Lord, that my heauenly father hath thought it good to prouide, that as I haue preached his true doctrine and Gospell amongest you by worde: so I shall testifie & con∣firme the same by deede: That is, I shall with you leaue my life, whiche by hys prouidence. I first receaued there (for in Manchester was I borne) for a seale to the doctrine I haue taught with you, and amongest you so: so that if from henceforth you wauer in the same, you haue none ex∣cuse at all. I know the enemies of Christ, whiche exercise this crueltie vpon me (I speake in respect of myne offence which is none to themwardes) thinke by killing of me a∣mongest you, to affray you and others, least they shoulde attempt to teach Christ truely, or beleue his doctrine here∣after. But I doubt not but my heauenly father will be my death, more confirme you in his truth for euer. And there∣fore I greatly reioyce to see sathan and his souldiours, sup¦planted in their owne sapience, which is playne foolishnes amongest the wise indeede, that is, amongest such as haue heard Gods worde, and doe followe it: for they onely are counted wise of the wisedome of God our Sauiour.

In deede if I should simply consider my life with that whiche it ought to haue bene, and as God in his lawe re∣quireth, then could I not but cry as I do. Iustus es domine & omnia iudicia tua vera. i. Righteous art thou O Lord, and all thy iudgemēts are true. For I haue much greeued thee, and transgressed thy holy preceptes not onely before my professing the Gospell, but sithen also: yea euen sithen my comming into prison. I do not excuse, but accuse my selfe before God and al his Church, that I haue greeuously of∣fended my Lord God, I haue not loued his Gospell as I should haue done, I haue sought my selfe and not simply, and onely his glory and my brethrens commoditie, I haue bene to vnthankefull, secure, carnall, hipocriticall, vayneglorious. &c. All which my euils the Lord of mercy pardon me for his Christes sake, as I hope and certayn∣ly beleeue he hath done for his great mercy in Christ oure redeemer.

But when I consider the cause of my condemnation, I cannot but lament, that I doe no more reioyce then I doe. For it is Gods veritie and trueth: So that the con∣demnation is not a condemnation of Bradford simply: but rather a condemnation of Christ and his trueth. Bradford is nothing els but an instrument, in whome Christe and his doctrine is condemned. And therefore my dearely be∣loued, reioyce, reioyce and geue thankes with me and for me, that euer God did vouchsafe so great a benefite to our countrey, as to choose the most vnworthye (I meane my selfe) to be one, in whome it would please him to suffer a∣ny kinde of affliction: muche more this violent kinde of death, whiche I perceiue is prepared for me with you for his sake. All glory and prayse be geuen vnto God our fa∣ther, for his great exceeding mercy towardes me, through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

But perchaunce you will saye vnto me: what is the cause for the whiche you are condemned, we heare say that ye denye all presence of Christ in his holy Supper, and so make it a bare signe and common bread, and nothyng els. My dearly beloued, what is sayde of me, and what will

be, I cannot tell. It is tolde me that Pendleton is gone doune to Preach with you, not as he once recanted (for you all knowe hee hath preached contrary to that hee was wont to preach afore I came amongest you) but to recant that which he hath recanted. Howe hee will speake of me, and report before I come, when I am come, and when I am burned, I muche passe not, for he that is so vncer∣tayne, and wil speake so often agaynst him selfe, I can not thinke hee will speake well of me, except it make for hys purpose and profite: but of this inough.

In deede the chiefe thing, which I am condemned for as an hereticke, is because I deny in the sacrament of the aultar (whiche is not Christes supper, but a playne per∣uerting of it, being vsed as the papistes now vse it) to be a reall, naturall, and corporall presence of Christes bodye and bloud, vnder the formes and accidences of bread and wine, that is, because I deny transubstantiation, whiche is the dearling of the Deuill, and daughter and heyre to Antichristes religion, whereby the Masse is mayntayned Christes supper peruerted, his sacrifice and Crosse imper∣fited, hys Priesthood destroyed, the ministery taken away repentaunce repelled, and all true godlynes abandoned. In the supper of our Lord or sacrament of Christes body and bloud, I confesse and beleeue, that there is a true, and very presence of whole Christ God and man, to the fayth of the receiuer (but not of the stander by and looker on) as there is a verye true presence of bread and wine to the sences of him that is partaker thereof. This fayth, this doctrine, whiche consenteth with the worde of God, and with the true testimony of Christes Church (whiche the Popishe Churche doth persecute will I not forsake, and therefore am I condemned as an hereticke, and shall be burned. But my dearely beloued, this trueth (whiche I haue taught, and you haue receiued, I beleued, and do be∣leue, and therein geue my life) I hope in God, shall ne∣uer be burned, bound, nor ouercome: but shall triumphe haue victorye, and be at libertye, maugre the head of all Gods aduersaries. For there is no counsayle agaynst the Lord, nor no deuise of man can be able to defeate the ve∣ritie in anye other, then suche as be children of vnbeliefe, whiche haue no loue to the truth, and therefore are geuen vp to beleue lyes. Frō which plague the Lord of mercies deliuer you and all the realme, my deare harts in the Lord I humblie beseeche his mercy. Amen.

And to the ende you might be deliuered from thys plague (right deare to me in the Lorde I shall for my fare well with you for euer in this present lyfe, hartely de∣sire you all in the bowels and bloud of our most mercifull Sauiour Iesus Christ, to attend vnto these things which I now shall shortly write vnto you, out of the holy scrip∣tures of the Lord.

You knowe an heauy plague (or rather plagues) of God is fallen vpon vs, in takyng away our good Kyng, Gods true Religion, Gods true Prophetes and Mini∣sters. &c. And setting ouer vs, such as seeke not the Lorde after knowledge: whose endeuours GOD prospereth wonderfully, to the tryall of many, that his people may bothe better knowe themselues, and be knowen. Nowe the cause hereof is our iniquities and greeuous sinnes. We did not know the tyme of our visitation: we were vn∣thankefull vnto God: we contemned the Gospell, & car∣nally abused it, to serue our hipocrisie, our vaynglory our viciousnes, auarice, idlenes, securitie. &c. Long did y^e Lord linger, and tary to haue shewed mercy vppon vs, but we were euer longer the worse. Therefore most iustly hath God dealt with vs, and dealeth with vs: yea yet we may see, that his iustice is tempered with much mercy, where∣to let vs attribute that we are not vtterly consumed. For if the Lord should deale with vs after our desertes, alas, howe coulde we abide it? In his anger therfore, seeyng hee doeth remember his mercye vndeserued (yea vnde∣sired on our behalfe) let vs take occasion the more speedily to goe out to meete him, not with force of armes (for we are not so able to withstand hym, muche lesse to preuayle agaynst him) but to beseeche hym to mercifull vnto vs, and according to his wonted mercye to deale wyth vs.

Let vs arise with Dauid and saye: Ne intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo, &c. i. Enter not into iudgement O Lorde with thy seruaunt, for in thy sight no fleshe liuyng shalbe iustified. Let vs send Embassadours with the Senturi∣on, and saye: Lorde we are not worthye to come our sel∣ues vnto thee, speake the word and we shall haue peace. Let vs penitently with the Publicane loke downe on the earth, knocke our hard hartes to burst them, and crye out: Oh GOD be mercifull vnto vs wretched sinners. Let vs with the lost Sonne returne and saye: O Father, we haue sinned agaynst heauen and earth, and before thee we are vnworthy to be called thy children. Let vs I say do on this sorte, y^t is hartily repent vs of our former euill lyfe, & vnthankfull gospelling past, conuert and turne to God w^t our whole hartes, hoping in his great mercy tho∣rough Christ, and hartily calling vppon his holy name, and then vndoubtedly we shall finde and feele otherwyse then yet we feele, both inwardly and outwardly. Inward¦ly we shall feele peace of conscience betweene God and vs whiche peace passeth all vnderstanding, and outwardlye we shall feele muche mittigation of these miseries, if not an vtter taking them away.

Therefore my dearely beloued in the Lorde, I youre poorest brother now departing to the Lord, for my vale in aeternum for this present lyfe, praye you beseeche you, and euen from the verye bottome of my harte, for all the mercies of God in Christ shewed vnto you, most earnest∣ly begge and craue of you out of prison (as often out of your Pulpies I haue done) that you wil repent you, leaue your wicked and euill life, be sorye for your offences, and turne to the Lorde, whose armes are wide open to re∣ceaue and embrace you, whose stretched out hande to strike to death, stayeth that he may shew mercy vpon you. For he is the Lord of mercy, and God of all comforte, hee will not the death of a sinner, but rather that yee shoulde returne, conuert and amend. He hath no pleasure in the destruction of men: his long sufferyng draweth to repen∣taunce before the tyme of vengeance, and the day of wrath which is at hand, doth come.

Now is the axe layd to the roote of the tree, vtterly to destroy the impenitente. Nowe is the fire gone out be∣fore the face of the Lorde, and who is able to quenche it? Oh therefore repent you, repent you. It is enough to haue liued as we haue done. It is inough to haue pleased the wanton Gospellers, the proude Protestantes, Hypo∣criticall and false Chrystians, as alas, wee haue done. Now the Lorde speaketh to vs in mercy and grace: Oh turne before hee speaketh in wrathe. Yet is there mer∣cye with the Lorde, and plenteous redemption: yet hee hath not forgotten to shewe mercye to them that call vp∣pon him. Oh then call vpon him, while he may be found. For hee is riche in mercy, and plentifull to all them that call vpon hym. So that hee that calleth on the name of the Lorde shalbe saued. If your sinnes be as redde as scarlet, the Lord sayeth, he will make them as white as snow. He hath sworne, and neuer will repent hym there∣of, that he will neuer remember our iniquities, but as hee is good, faithfull and true, so will he be our God, and wee shall be his people: his law will he write in our hartes, & engraffe in our myndes, and neuer will he haue in mynde our vnrighteousnesse.

Therefore my deare heartes in the Lorde, turne you, turne you to y^e Lord your Father, to the Lord your Saui∣our, to the Lord your comforter. Oh why doe you stoppe your eares, and harden your harts ••o day, whē you heare hys voyce by me your poorest brot••••••? Oh forget not how that the Lord hath shewed hymsel•••• true and me hys true preacher, by bringyng to passe th•• ••lagues which at my mouth you ofte heard before they came to passe, specially when I entreated of Noes floud, and when I preached of the 22. chapter of Saint Mathews Gospell, on S. Ste∣uens day the last tyme that I was with you. And nowe by me the Lord sendeth you worde (deare countrey men) that if you will go on forwards in your impenitency, car∣nalitie, hypocrisie, idolatry, couetousnesse, swearing, glut∣tony, dronkennesse, whoredome, &c. (Wherewith alas, a∣las our countrey floweth): if (I say) you will not turne and leaue of seyng me now burned amongst you, to assure you on all sides how God seeketh you, and is sory to doe you hurt, to plague you, to destroy you, to take vengeance vpon you, oh your bloud wil be vpon your owne heades: you haue bene warned, and warned againe by me in prea∣ching, by me in burning.

As I sayd therefore, I say agayne, my deare harts and dearlings in the Lord, turne you, turne you, repent you, repent you, cease from doyng euill, study to do well, away with idolatry, flye the Romish God and seruice, leaue of from swearing, cut of carnalitie, abandon auarice▪ driue a∣way dronkennesse, flie from fornication and flattery, mur∣ther and malice, destroy deceiptfulnesse, and cast away all the works of darkenes. Put on pitie and godlines, serue God after his word, and not after custome, vse your tongs to glorifie God by prayer, thankesgeuing and confession of his truth, &c. be spirituall, and by the spirit mortifie car∣nall affections, be sober, holy, true, louyng, gentle, mercy∣full, and then shall the Lordes wrath cease, not for this our doyngs sake, but for his mercies sake. Goe to therefore

good country men) take this counsell of the Lorde, by mee nowe sente vnto you, as the Lordes counsell, and not as mine, that in the daye of iudgement I maye reioyce wyth you, and for you: the which thing I hartely desire, and not to be a witnes agaynst you. My bloud will crye for venge∣aunce, as agaynst the Papistes Gods enemies (whome I beseech God if it be his will, hartely to forgeue, yea euen them which put me to death, and are the causers therof, for they know not what they do (so will my bloud cry for ven∣geaunce agaynst you (my dearely beloued in the Lord) if ye repent not, amend not, and turne vnto the Lord.

Turne vnto the Lord yet once more, I hartely besech thee thou Manchester, thou Ashton vnderline, thou Bol∣ton, Bury, Wigme, Lierpoole, Mottrine, Stepport, Winsley, Eccles, Priestwich, Middleton, Radcliefe, and thou City of Westchester, where I haue truely taught and preached the worde of GOD. Turne, I saye vnto you all, and to all the inhabitours there aboutes vnto the Lord our God and hee will turne vnto you, he will saye vnto his Aungell: It is enough, put vppe the sworde. The whiche thyng that he will doe, I humblye beseeche his goodnesse, for the precious bloudes sake of hys deare Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Ah good brethren take in good parte these my last wordes vnto euery one of you. Pardon me myne offences and negligences in behauiour amongest you. The Lorde of mercye pardon vs all our offences, for our Sauiour Iesus Christes sake, Amen. Out of Prison readye to come to you the eleuenth of Fe∣bruary. Ann. 1555.

Notes

• An other letter of M. Bradford to Lankeshire, Cheshire, and specially to Manchester.
• He confesseth his sinnes before God.
• The Papistes condemne not Bradford but Christ.
• D. Pendleton recanted first in K. Edwardes tyme, and now agayne in Q. Maryes tyme.
• The causes why M. Bradford was cōdemned.
• Transubstantia∣tion the deuills darling, and daughter of Antichrist.
• M. Bradfordes farewell to the countrey of Lankeshire.
• Gods manifold plagues vpon England in Q. Maryes dayes.
• The cause of Gods plagues is our iniquities, and not know∣ing the tyme of Gods visitation.
• Rising with Dauid.
• Suing with the Centurion.
• Repenting with the Publican.
• Retur•• with th•• lost 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• Bradfo•••• vltimu•• vale.
• The day 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Gods 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at hand.
• Wanton Gospell Proud P••••••testantes False C••••••••stians.
• Bradford prophe•••• of these plagues 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Destruct•••••• threatn•••• them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 repent.
• Preceptes of lyfe.
• 〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• Bradfordes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 will agaynst 〈…〉〈…〉.