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‘Godlie meditations’ (1562)

By 9 September 2023September 9th, 2024No Comments

A Patron of Religious and Political Thought: another Sir Rowland Hill’s Publishing Ventures

Sir Rowland Hill was not only involved in the publication of the Geneva Bible but also a range of other significant texts.

The Sir Rowland Hill Staircase, from the single phase of construction pre1560

POST TENEBRAS LVX – AFTER DARKNES, LIGHT. Apublishing motto used by Sir Rowland Hill, seen in his house at Soulton Hall in a moder neon artwork.

His printing press, known as “Rowland Hall,” served as a platform for disseminating religious and political ideas during this tumultuous period. This blog looks at:

Godlie meditations vpon the Lordes prayer, the beleefe, and ten commaundementes with other comfortable meditations, praiers and exercises. Whereunto is annexed a defence of the doctrine of gods eternall election and predestination, gathered by the constant martyr of God Iohn Bradford in the tyme of his imprisonment. The contentes wherof appeare in the page nexte folovvyng.

The text is avaiab on the University of Michigan Library website, via this link.

“Godly Meditations,” published in 1562, is one example of the texts produced by the Rowland Hall press.

This devotional guide offered spiritual reflections, prayers, and a defense of predestination, reflecting the theological concerns of the English Reformation.

While Hill passed away in 1561, the Rowland Hall press continued to operate under the supervision of his estate. This allowed for the publication of additional texts, even after Hill’s death. It is likely that other prominent figures, such as Nicholas Bacon and Robert Dudley, utilized the press for their own projects as there was no Stationary Office and the Hill press was adjacent to the Privy COuncil but nor formally part of it.

The Rowland Hall press played a crucial role in shaping the intellectual and religious landscape of Elizabethan England. By publishing a diverse range of texts, including those with sensitive religious and political content, Hill and his associates contributed to the dissemination of important ideas and the advancement of knowledge.

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“Godly Meditations” is a devotional guide that offers spiritual reflections, prayers, and exercises for Christian believers. The book focuses on key Christian concepts, such as:

  • the Lord’s Prayer,
  • the Apostles’ Creed, and
  • the Ten Commandments,

providing guidance for meditation and reflection.

In addition to devotional content, the book includes a defense of the doctrine of predestination, written by the martyr John Bradford. This section addresses theological debates surrounding God’s eternal election and predestination, offering insights into the theological controversies of the English Reformation.

John Bradford was a prominent English Reformer who was imprisoned and eventually martyred during the reign of Queen Mary I. He is known for his work as a prebendary of St. Paul’s Cathedral and his contributions to the Protestant Reformation. Bradford is also credited with popularizing the phrase:

There but for the grace of God go I…

which is often used to express humility and reliance on God’s mercy.

“Godly Meditations” provides a valuable resource for understanding the spiritual and theological concerns of the English Reformation. It offers practical guidance for Christian devotion and addresses important theological debates of the time.