Marginalia1555. Iuly.entred, considering that the same can not but so much more and more waxe strait to the outward man, by how much you draw nearer the end of it: Euen as in the trauaile of a woman, the nerer she draweth to her deliuery, the more her paynes encrease: Marginalia
The nerer we come to our iourneyes end trauailing to heauen, the straiter is the way.
Example of the trauaile of a woman.so it goeth with vs in the Lordes way, the nerer we draw to our deliueraunce by death to eternall felicitie. Example wherof we haue, I will not say in the holy Prophetes and Apostles of God, which when they were young girded them selues and went in maner whether they would, but when they waxed old, they went girded of others, whether they would not concernyng the outward man:MarginaliaIohn. 21. but rather and most liuely in our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST,MarginaliaExample of Christ and his Apostles. whose life and way was much more paynfull to him towardes the end, then it was at the begynnyng. And no maruaile, for Sathan can some thyng abide a man to begyn well and set forewardes, but rather then he should go on the ende, he will vomit his gorge and cast floudes to ouerflow hym, before he will suffer that to come to passe.

Therefore as we should not be dismayd now at this world as though some straunge thyng were happened vnto vs,MarginaliaThe malice of the deuill no new thing. in that it is but as it was wont to be to the godly, in that the deuill declareth him selfe after his old wōt, in that we haue professed no lesse but to forsake þ^e world and the deuill as Gods very enemy, in that we learned no lesse at the first when we came to Gods schole thē to deny our selues, and take vp our Crosse and folow our Maister, which leadeth vs none other way then he hym selfe hath gone before vs: as (I say) we should not be dismaid: so we should with pacience & ioy go forwardes, if we set before vs as presēt, the tyme to come, like as the wife in her trauaile doth the deliueraūce of her child, and as the Saintes of God did, but especially our Sauiour and paterne IESVS CHRIST: for the Apostle sayth: MarginaliaHebr. 12.He set before hym the ioye and glory to come, and therfore contemned the shame and sorrow of the Crosse:so if we did, we should find at the length as they found. For whom would it greue which hath a long iourney to go, to go through a peece of foule way, if he knew that after that, the way should be most pleasaunt, yea the iourney should be ended and he at his restyng place most happy? MarginaliaGodly counsell stirring vs to the contempt of this transitory life.Who will be afeard or loth to leaue a litle pelfe for a litle tyme, if he knew he should shortly after receaue most plentifull riches? Who will be vnwillyng for a litle while to forsake hys wife, children, or frendes &c. when he knoweth he shall shortly after be associated vnto them inseparably, euen after hys owne hartes desire? Who will be sory to forsake this life, which can not but bee most certaine of eternall lyfe? Who loueth the shaddow better then the body? Who can loue this life, but they that regarde not the life to come? Who cā desire the drosse of this world, but such as be ignoraūt of the treasures of the euerlastyng ioy in heauē? I meane, who is afeard to dye, but such as hope not to liue eternally? MarginaliaMath. 19.CHRIST hath promised pleasure, riches, ioye, felicitie, & all good thinges to them that for his sake lose any thing, or suffer any sorow. And is hee not true? How can he but be true, Marginalia1. Pet. 2.for guile was neuer found in his mouth.

Alas then why are wee so slacke and slow, yea hard of hart to beleue him promising vs thus plentifully eternall blisfulnes, and are so ready to beleue the world promising vs many thinges and paying vs nothing? If we will curry fauour now and halt on both knees, then it promiseth vs peace, quietnes, and many thynges els. MarginaliaThe flattering promises of this world ill fauoredly performed.But how doth it pay this geare? or if it pay it, with what quietnes of conscience? Or if so: how long I pray you? Do not we see before our eyes men to dye shamefully, I meane as rebels and other malefactours, which refuse to dye for Gods cause? What way is so sure a way to heauē, as to suffer in CHRISTES cause? If there be any way on horse backe to heauē, surely this is the way. MarginaliaAct. 14. 2. Tim. 3.By many troubles (sayth the Apostle) we must enter into heauen. All that will lyue godly in CHRIST IESV must suffer persecution. For the world can not loue them that are of God: the deuill can not loue his enemyes: the world will loue none but his owne: but you are CHRISTES, therfore loke for no loue here. Should we looke for fyre to quench our thurst? And as soone shall Gods true seruauntes find peace and fauour in Antichristes regiment.

MarginaliaTo beare the crosse with courage.Therfore my dearely beloued, be stout in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on you his armour: stand in the libertie of CHRIST which you haue learned: reioyce that you may be coūted worthy to suffer any thyng for Gods cause: to all men this is not geuen. Your reward is great in heauen, though in earth you find nothyng. The iourney is almost past: you are almost in the

hauen: hale on apace I besech you, and merely hoyse vp your sayles. Cast your selues on Christ who careth for you. Kepe company with him now still to the end: he is faithfull and will neuer leaue you, nor tempt you further then he will make you able to beare: yea in the middest of the temptation hee will make an outscape. Nowe pray vnto him hartely, be thankfull of his dignation, reioyce in hope of þ^e health you shall receaue, and be myndfull of vs which are in the voward, and by Gods grace trust in Christ to bee made able to breake the Ise before you, that you folowyng may fynd the way more easy. God graunt it may so be, Amen, Amen.

Out of prison by your brother in
Christ, Iohn Bradford.

MarginaliaA letter of M. Bradford to Mistres Wilkinson.ALmighty God our most louing Father encrease in your hart (my good mother & deare Mistres in the Lord) his true knowledge and loue in Christ, to the encouraging and comforting of your faith in these stormye dayes: as necessarye vnto vs, so profitable if we persist vnto the ende, which thing God graunt to vs, Amen.

My right dearely beloued, I knowe not what other thing to write vnto you, then to desire you to be thankful vnto the Lord, in that amōgest the not many of your calling and state, it pleaseth him to geue you his rare blessing, I meane to keepe you from all the filth wherewith our coūtrey is horribly defiled. This blessing assuredly is rare as you see. But now if he shall blesse you with an other blessing which is more rare, I meane to call you forth as a Martyr, & a witnes against this filth, I hope you wyll become double thankefull. For a greater token commonly we haue not to iudge of our election and saluation, next to CHRIST and fayth in hym, then the MarginaliaThe crosse a great token of election.crosse, especially when it is so glorious, as on this sort to suffer any thing, but chiefely losse of this lyfe, which in deede is neuer found till it be so lost: except the grayne of wheate fal and be dead, it remaineth fruitles.

You know how that he which was rapt into the third heauen, and did know what he wrote, doth say: Marginalia1. Cor. 15.that as the corne lyueth not except it bee dead, and cast into the earth, so truely our bodyes. And therfore the crosse should so lyttle feare vs, that euen death it selfe should altogether be desyred of vs, as the Taylour which putteth of our ragges, and arayeth vs with the royall robes of immortality, incorruption, & glory. Great shame it should be for vs, that all the whole creatures of God should desyre, yea grone in their kinde for our libertie, and we our selues to loth it: as doubtles we doe, if MarginaliaRom. 8.for the crosse, yea for death it selfe, we with ioy swallow not vp all sorow that might let vs from following the Lordes callyng, & obeing the Lords prouidence: wherby doubtles al crosses, and death it selfe doth come, & not by hap or chaunce. In considreation whereof (right deare Mother) that this prouidence stretcheth it selfe so vnto vs, and for vs, that euē the heare of our heads are numbred with God, not one of them to fall to our hurt: surely we declare our selues very faint in faith, if we receiue not such comfort, that we can willingly offer our selues to the Lord, & cast our whole care vpon his backe, honouring hym wyth this honour, that hee is & euer will be careful for vs, and all we haue, as for his deare children. Bee therefore of good chere euen in the middest of these miseries, be thākfull to the Lord, and prepare your selfe for a further trial, which if God send you, as I hope, so do you beleue, that God therein will helpe and comfort you, and make you able to beare whatsoeuer shall happen. And thus much hauing this oportunitie, I thought good to write, praying God our father to recompence into your bosome, all the good that euer you haue done, to me especially, and to many others, both in this time of trouble, & alwayes heretofore.

Your own in the Lord Iohn Bradford.

MarginaliaAn other fruitfull letter of M. Bradford exhorting from the loue of this word to the pacient bearing of the crosse.GRatious God and most mercifull father, for IESVS CHRISTES sake thy dearely beloued sonne, graunt vs thy mercy, grace, wisdome, and holy spirite, to counsaile, comfort, & guide vs in all our cogitations, words, and workes, to thy glorye, and our euerlasting ioye and peace for euer, Amen.

In my last letter ye might perceiue my coniecturyng to bee no lesse towardes you, then nowe I haue lear-