Sympathetic and open-minded appraisals of the English Reformers appear to be a modern difficulty—a huge problem—in the United States of America, thanks to liberal theology, Anglo-Romewardizing dismissals amongst continuing jurisdictions in 2009, doctrinal indifferentism and relativism in their Episcopal seminaries, ignorance amongst their bishops and clerics, syncretism, mish-mash and tolerance, if not cowardice, by leading writers like Drs. Packer and Toon, secularism, cultural relativism, as well as the modern displays of the same characteristics in the modern centres of Anglican advertisement, said to include, but not limited to, www.virtueonline.org. The latter reveals and expresses all the weaknesses of the above, including the proactive repression and silencing of Protestant, Reformed, Confessional, Calvinistic Anglicans by their moderators of VOL blogs. Sympathy and support for the English Reformers is in small supply.
We also believe there are some pockets—very small pockets—of Calvinistic Anglicans—here and there—who have done little by way of public advancement of the Protestant, Reformed, and Anglican way of faith: by way of academia, writing, internet, teleconferencing, conferences, radio, establishment of schools and seminaries and penetration of the wide and long lines of hostility and opposition within Anglicanism. Despair and a bunker-mentalities prevail, such as is evinced by the Traditional Protestant Episcopal Church (www.reformer.org). The same can be said about the Anglican Orthodox Church (AOC). Small, but ineffectual, and not much else other than websites and minor intra-mural discussions.
We believe this to be factual and kind; we have no interest in harshness nor meanness. We wish it were not so. But, a Calvinist preaches and leaves the results with God; we lament the tone and heterodoxy of spirit evinced by some Calvinistic Anglicans as well as some Presbyterians, some of which is attributable to a lawful frustration; Calvinsts above all people should understand restraint and calmness in the face of conflict, but also...as already predisposed…to firmness. The latter we have down quite firmly.
For Anglicans, especially amongst leaders, there is no excuse in our times for any ignorance of the first one-hundred years of the Reformation and post-Reformational thought, which set the trajectory for decades and centuries. In the 19th century, valiant efforts were exercised in the print media in England. Ultimately, Tractarianism and liberalism would gain the main ground in England and especially the US, where these Parker Society volumes have little to no market-value or attraction. With the internet and availability of these works, any Reformed and Calvinistic Anglican student has no excuse for not understanding his roots. He or she will have to study these volumes on their own because no one else will give assistance.
This forum exists to facilitate this effort at recalibration of serious Anglicans. These volumes speak for themselves. Our role is to bring them to you and offer one scribe’s comments. We hope others will read these important volumes and offer commentary.
In the days before internet, the pew and serious student had to be collocated near a large urban centre and/or a well-endowed university library for access to these books. Further, the pew and serious Churchman, often far afield, was dependent upon Bishops’ behind-closed-doors decisions and upon whatever the seminaries produced and the products ordained by these Bishops—in this scribe’s experience with Episcopal Navy Chaplains, basic learnedness was not impressive nor were the sermons edifying. Additionally, the serious Churchman often had to operate with a small budget to purchase often-very expensive volumes. In this context, the English Reformers have been lost in the United States of America.
If ever there was an argument against episcopacy—an ancient and desireable form of government—it is the behaviours, attitudes and educational attainments of Bishops in the United States of date 2009. They don’t trade very highly on the theological stock market.
However, on a brighter note than these poor shepherds and false teachers, today we bring you John Bradford, a Reformed Churchman, a 1552 BCP man, a Bible-man, and a martyr for Christ and His True Gospel.
We bring you The Writings of John Bradford, M.A., Fellow of Pemroke Hall, Cambridge, and Prebendary of St. Paul’s, Martyr, 1555, ed. Parker Society Series (Cambridge Press, 1853).
This is Volume Two of the two-part set. Volume One, published in 1848, consisted of sermons, meditation, prayers, treatises, public addresses, examinations and prison-conferences. God willing, we intend to comment on that volume also.
This volume before us, published in 1853, consists of Bradford’s remaining letters, from and to various sources. They are classed as letters, miscellaneous pieces and treatises.
Volume Two, 1853, is freely available at:
http://books.google.com/books?id=iWsJAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=the+writings+of+john+bradford&ei=SXJaStusDZuwywSp_MmkBw
As usual, we call attention to the Parker Soceity Series’ frontispiece. We do this since liberalism, Tractarianism, and broad churchmen have forgotten what “Reformed” meant, means or should mean for our times. If one surveys the literature and blogosphere of our times, one finds an acknowledgement of the existence of these men, but also the dismissal to the relativistic rubbish heap. Don’t dare ask SSC-Churchmen or members of the Anglican Province of America about them—you’ll experience a dividend of mockery. Here’s the frontispiece.
“For the Publication of the Works of the Fathers and Early Writers of the Reformed English Church.” [emphasis added]
An editorial preface concludes with this: “He [Rev. Aubrey Townsend, Trinity College, Dublin] desires to express, in conclusion, his earnest prayer that the Divine favour may rest upon this and every other effort to make known the great principles of the Reformation.” [emphasis added] Where does one hear this in Western Anglicanism?
Volume Two, 1853, contains a biographical notice and letters to Traves, Martin Bucer, Berhere, Punt, Mistress Wilkinson, his mother, Warcup, Harrington, Coker, Mistress Brown, Lord Russell, Bishop Ridely, Sir James Hales, Lady Vane, Rawlins in Antwerp, Mistress Honywood, Mistress Coke, Humphrey Hales, Royden and wife, to a free-willer, Sir Willima Fitzwilliam, Archbishlp Cranmer, Saunders, Trewe, Mary Marlar, Eaton, Dr. Hill, Rawlins and wife, Shalcross, Archdeacon Philipot, Hopkins, and a late later to his mother prior to death, of date 24 Jun 1555.
We list the various names to demonstrate that though imprisoned, John Bradford continued to urge Reform. Further, the imprisonment, like all sufferings for the faith, creates a mindset and heartset that ever-deepens the faith. Third, Volumes One and Two contain materials that had not been published since the Reformation, e.g. Bishop Ridley’s letter to Hooper on Vestments.
This present work also contains various treatises of Bradford’s: “Meditation on the Passion of our Saviour,” “Prayer on the Ten Commandment,” “Fragment of St. John’s Gospel,” “Confutation of Four Romish Doctrines” (The Lord’s Supper and Transubstantiation, Praying to Saints, Praying for the Dead, and other Papist articles), “The Hurt of Hearing the Mass” (Reasons for going to Mass, Name of Mass, Parts of the Mass, Argument against the Mass, Unlawful to go to Mass, and Rebuttals of Reasons for Going to Mass), “Meditation on the Kingdom of Christ,” “Complaint of Verity,” and Letter of Bishops Ridley, Hooper and others (to Protector Somerset, Ridley to Hooper on Vestarian Controvery, Martyr to Bullinger). We look forward to reviewing these documents, God willing, in the future.
We turn to this English Reformer’s biography.
Conjecturally, John Bradford was born in 1510 and died—at age 45—factually, as to the date, in 1555 at Newgate Prison, London.
As to birth, a chapel parish claims Bradfort to be a native of Blackley, a deanery of Manchester. Foxe of 1559 informs us that he was born in Lancastershire, Manchester.
As to youth and early education, Baines, the historian of Lancaster, notes that Bradford “received a liberal education at the free grammar-school in Manchester, founded by Bishop Oldham, a school where Bradford attained “considerable proficieny in Latin and arithmetic.” (19)
In a meditation from Volume One of the Parker Society series, p.162, Bradford reflects on his early education. He says:
"I cannot but say that I have most cause to thank thee for my parents, schoolmasters, and others, under whose tuition thou hast put me. No pen is able to write the particular benefits, which I have already received in my infancy, childhood, youth, middle age, and always hitherto…I could reckon innumerable behind me, and but few before me, so much mad of and cared for as I have been hitherto."
One perceives in his quote a spirit of gratitude and respect for those to whom and upon whom his education depended.
Foxe further records that Bradford, at a later date, served a Sir John Harrington, knight of Exton, Rutlandshire). In 1544, Bradford served as the paymaster for the English army under the Duke of Norfolk at the siege of Monreuil. Harrington found Bradford’s trustworthiness, expertise, and diligence commendable in relation to the treasury duties of the king Henry’s camps and buildings.
Three year later, 8 April 1547, shortly after the accession of Edward VI, Bradford entered the Inner Temple as a “student of common law.” (20) But we have a witness to the conversion of Mr. Bradford, a fellow student.
This testimony about Bradford comes through Foxe from a Mr. Sampson twenty-seven years after Bradford’s conversion to Christ. Mr. Sampson was a friend, fellow-student of Bradford’s at the Inner Temple, and was the human means under divine providence whereby Bradford savingly embraced the Law and Gospel. Let us hear Mr. Sampson’s testimony.
“I did know when, and partly how, it pleased God by effectual calling, to turn his heart unto the true knowledge and obedience of the most holy Gospel of Christ our Saviour; of which God did give him such an heavenly hold and lively feeling, that, as he did then know that many sins were forgiven him, so surely he declared by deeds that he `love much.’ For, where he had both gifts and calling to have employed himself in civil and worldly affairs profitably, such was his love of Christ and zeal to promoting of his glorious gospel, that he changed not only the course of his former life, as the woman did (Luke vii.), but even his former duty, as Paul did change his former profession and study.
“Touching the first, after that God touched his heart with that holy and effectual calling, he sold his chains, rings, brooches and jewels of gold, which before he used to wear and did bestow the price of this his former vanity in the necessary relief of Christ’s poor members, which he could hear of or find lying sick or pining in poverty. Touching the second, he declared his great zeal and love to promote the glory of the Lord Jesus, whose goodness and saving health he had tasted, that, with marvelous favour to further the kingdom of God by the ministry of his holy word, he gave himself wholly to the study of the holy Scriptures. The which his purpose to accomplish the better, he departed from the Tempt at London, where the temporal law is studied, and went to the university of Cambridge, to learn, by God’s law, how to further the building of the Lord’s temple.”
We leave off with this commendation by Mr. Sampson of Mr. John Bradford, an affidavit and declaration of the effectual call of Christ by preaching. (It was a sermon preached by Master Latimer that started him towards Christ, but more on that later.)
No comments:
Post a Comment