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.

A letter of M. Bradford, to father Trauers Minister of Blackeley.

THe aboundant grace and rich mercy of God in Christe our only sauiour and high bishop, be increased in your heart, thorow the liuely woorker of all goodnesse, the holye spirite, vntill the day of the Lorde. &c.

I haue receiued youre two letters (good father Tra∣uers) sithen y^t I did wryte any vnto you, whereof though honesty willeth to make an excuse, yet truth biddeth me o∣therwise, and sayeth it is better wyth shame to confesse the fault (for therein is, as a man mighte say, halfe a deseruing of pardon) then without shame to lie. I might haue writ∣ten vnto you twise (notwythstanding in deede some busi∣nesse, wherein I haue some thing bene occupied) but yet I haue not. Nowe the cause is, because I woulde not. And why woulde I not? But because I coulde not, I meane because my canning is taken away by sinne, for my sinnes doe forbid goodnesse vnto me. In dede if my sinning were of infirmitie, there were good hope of recouerie of that, which I haue lost: But seeing, both willing and knowing I haue too much yeelded, and yet doe yeelde to my infirmi∣ties, iustly I doe deserue that, because I haue cast awaye, and reiected the woord of the Lord behinde my backe, that the Lord should reiecte me. And because I would not haue blessing, I am woorthye (as Dauid sayeth) that it be taken away from me. I haue nowe at length experience, that to bring a man foorth of Gods fauour, is sooner seene when a man hath receiued all things aboūdantly, then when nede or the crosse pincheth. Afore it pleased God to woorke the restitution (you know what I meane) and afore it pleased God to prouide for me, as he hath done, so that I can saye in nothing where any want is, as pertaining to my body: I was an other maner of man, then nowe I am, and yet Gods deserts haue otherwise bounden me: But the scrip∣ture is true, I haue aduanced my children,* 1.1 and nourished them, but they haue contemned me, I haue fedde them that they were fatte and grosse, and they spurned agaynste me. Perchaunce you will aske me wherein. Oh father Tra∣uers, I warrante you, this my stile in carnall, and not in spirituall wryting, doeth some thing shewe vnto you, but as for it, in comparison of other things is nothynge. For where the life of man is such, that either it paireth or amē∣deth, as Paule sayeth: the outwarde man is corrupted day by day, and therefore except the inwarde man be renewed, the shoe goeth awrie: euery building in Christ, doth grow to a holy temple, as the wicked, on the contrary parte shall proceede to worser. 2. Tim. 3.* 1.2 I haue made a change farre otherwise in going backe, than I thinke by letters I can perswade you: wherein, will you say? For the first, seconde and thirde, and to be brief in all things: As for an example. Gods true feare is flowen away from me, loue to my bre∣thren is exiled from me, faith is vtterly taken awaye. In stead wherof is distrust, & doubtfulnes bearing rule. Con∣tempt of Gods honor, & of my brethrē raigning, & in stead of true feare, an imagined feare, accordinge to my brayne holding the principalitie. For I extenuate sinne, and I do not consider that in sinne, which a Christian ought to con∣sider: that sinne being not forgeuen, is such a thyng, for the which God casteth his creature away, as exāples not on∣ly of Saule, of Iudas, of the Israelites (which were belo∣ued in deede, & yet for sinne are reiected) but also of others, on whome lately for my warning, God hathe shewed the same, do admonish me. But it is but my pen which writes this, for the wicked, sayth Salomon, when they come into the depth of their sinnes, then they grow in securitye,* 1.3 I am I cānot tel what, I feare, but it is but blindly, or els wold I awake otherwise then I do,* 1.4 I feare me I say that I am intangled of the deuil, after his desire. Pray for me that the Lord would geue me repentance, that I may escape out of his snares. Alas the spirite of praier, which before I haue felt plentifully, is taken cleane away from me. The Lorde be mercifull vnto me. I am solde vnder sinne, I am the bondslaue of sinne, for whome I obey, his seruaunt I am. I am ashamed to speake ofte, no I shame not at all, for I haue forgot to blush, I haue geuen ouer to wepe. And tru∣ly I obey, I obey I say mine owne cōcupiscences: name∣ly in eating, in drinking, in iangling and idlenesse, I will not speake of vaine glorie, enuie, disdaine, hypocrisie, de∣sire of estimation, selfeloue, and who can tell all? Is thys the rewarde thou renderest to GOD, O Bradforde?

It is true, yea to true, thou knowst it O Lord, for thy mer∣cies sake pardon me. In your letters you touch me home, how that there is no mans hart, but that consideryng the ingratitude of this world, this belly cheere (wherein you euen take me by the nose) &c. his eyes would tumble out great gushes of teares. The Lord be praysed which wor∣keth so in you, for it is with me, as with them of whō you complain. In deed it may be so again, but oh it is very vn∣likely, for my enmies are becom old, & are made by custom more then familiar, for they are as it were conuerted into nature in mee. Yet I am not grieued therefore, although I cannot perswade my selfe that God will helpe mee. O Lord be merciful vnto me for thy Christes sake. This day I receiued the Lordes supper, but how I haue welcomed him, this night (which I haue spent in lasciuiousnesse, in wantonnes and in prodigalitie, obeying my flesh and bel∣ly) doth so declare, that what to say or write any more, I know not, sleepe doth aggrauate myne eyes, and to pray I am altogether vnapt. All this is come through the oc∣casion of makyng this bringer a Supper in my chamber, the Lord pardon me, I trust no more to be so far ouerseen. But this I write not that the anger of god which I haue deserued, so feareth me, thou knowest it O Lord. But of this perchance too much.

For Gods sake praye for mee good Father Traues, and write vnto mee as you maye by your weakenesse, your letters do me good. By this which I haue now wri∣ten, you may consider more, touche me therefore home in your letters, and the Lord (I trust) shall, and wil reward you. If God lend me lyfe, of which I am most vnworthy, I will more trouble you with my letters thē I haue done, but beare with me, I do it not of any euill will, the Lorde I take to iudge, there is none whose company and talke I more desire then yours, I speake it before God. Prooue my Mothers mynd how she can beare it, if when I shall come downe I shal shew my selfe an other man outward∣ly, but alas fainedly, then before I haue done. Marrie when my commyng will be, I know not. In deede two thyngs mooue me sore, the one for my mothers cause, con∣cernyng her better instruction, if the Lord would thereto vse me his instrument, the other is to talke with you, and eftsoones to trouble you, as I haue hetherto euer done, but alwayes to my profite. For Gods sake pray for me, for I had neuer so much neede.

This Sonday at night, follow∣yng S. Andrewes day, at Pembroke hall.

The most miserable hard har∣ted vnthankfull sinner. Iohn Bradford.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Deut. 32.
• * 1.2

  2. Tim. 3.
• * 1.3

  Prouerb. 18.
• * 1.4

  2. Tim. 2