your good heart my most faithful and dear Brother Tyms to the full quieting of your Conscience and beating back of all the fiery darts of the wicked that you may shortly receive the glorious Crown of Victory and in the same triumph over all your Enemies for evermore Amen I cannot express the exceeding great joy and consolation of my poor heart considering the marvellous works of God most graciously wrought upon you not onely in proving you and trying your Faith by his great and huge Crosses both inwardly and outwardly but also in giving you so great Consolation and Constancy in the midst of the same Faithful is God and true of his Promises Gods Children never tempted above their strength who hath said That he will never suffer his chosen children to be tempted above their strength but in the midst of their temptation will make an out-scape for them by such means as may make to his glory and their everlasting consolation My dear heart great cause have you to be of good comfort for I see in you as lively a token of Gods everlasting love and favour in Jesus Christ as ever I perceived in any man in respect whereof I do even with my heart love honour and reverence you beseeching God for his glorious Name sake in the Bowels and Blood of our Lord and onely Saviour Jesus Christ He confirmeth W. Tims being condemned to the day of his Martyrdome to finish his good work in you as I doubt not but he will do according to his infallible Promises yea I am well assured thereof forasmuâ—h as you have so effectually received his holy Spirit into your heart as a pledg and sure Seal of your eternal Redemption and a Testimony of your Adoption in Christ Jesus For which cause Satan so sore envieth you that he hath now bent all his fierce Ordnance against you thinking thereby utterly to destroy the invincible Fort of your Faith founded most firmly upon the unmoveable Rock CHRIST against the which the Devil Sin nor yet Hell gates shall never prevail Selah Therefore mine own Bowels in the Lord be not discomforted for this your Conflict which doubtless shall greatly increase your Crown of Glory Triumph and Victory but take a good heart unto you and buckle boldly with Satan both in himself and in his subtile Members It is the nature of Gods Children to be tempted It is the very divine Ordinance of God that all his regenerate Children shall be tempted proved and tryed as we see by the Example of our Saviour Christ who as soon as he was Baptized was straightwayes led of the Holy Ghost into the Wilderness there to be tempted of the Devil But there got he such a glorious victory over Satan that he could never since finally prevail against any of his poor Members but in every assault that he maketh either inwardly or outwardly he getteth a foyle and taketh shame so that now he rageth with all the spight possible specially because he knoweth his time is but short James 4. St. James testifieth that he is but a very Coward that will soon flie if he be faithfully resisted And as for his tempting Tools the Lord hath made them manifest unto us so that he cannot deceive us though he assault us Satans tempting tools 2 Cor. 2. for as St. Paul saith his very thoughts are not unknown unto us as it doth in you largely appear praised be the Lords Name therefore You see dear Brother that now to molest you and such as you are that be even passing from this Vale of Misery he hath but two wayes or two pieces of Ordnance to shoot at you Two principal pellets of Satan whereby he assâ—ulteth Gods Servants 1. Fear of sin and death and Infidelity of Gods promises Remedy against Fear and Infidelity with the which he cannot hurt you because you have two bulwarks to defend you The first of these terrible Guns that Satan hath shot at you is the very same that he continually shooteth at me that is to say Fear and Infidelity for the uglysomness of death and horrour of my sins which be so many grievous and great but this Pellet is easily put away with the surer shield of Faith in the most precious death and bloodshedding of our dear Lord and onely Saviour Jesus Christ whom the Father hath given unto us wholy to be ours for evermore and with him hath given us all things as Paul saith So that though we be never so great sinners yet Christ is made unto us Holyness Righteousness and justification He hath clothed us with all his Merits Mercies and most sweet sufferings and hath taken unto him all our misery wretchedness sin and infirmity So that if any should now be condemned for the same it must needs be Iesus Christ which hath taken them upon him But indeed he hath made satisfaction for them to the uttermost jot so that for his sake they shall never be imputed to us if they were a Thousand times so many moe as they be This do you most effectually feel and know dear Brother a great deal better then I can tell you blessed be God therefore And now Satan seeing he cannot prevail with his boisterous Battery against this Bulwark of Faith which doth so quench all his fiery darts that they can do you no harm but rather do you good service to cast you down under the mighty hand of God The second pellet of Satan is confidence and trust in our own good works that he may take you up by his onely grace and power and so you may render him all the glory by Iesus Christ which thing the Enemy cannot abide in no wise therefore he shooteth off his other Piece most pestilent to provoke you to put some part of your trust and confidence in your self and in your own holiness and righteousness that you might that way rob God of his glory Christ of his honour and dignity of his death Remedy against the second Pellet But blessed be the Lord God you have also a full strong Bulwark to beat back this pestiferous Pellet also even the pure Law of God which proveth the best of us all damnable sinners in the sight of God if he would enter into judgement with us according to the severity of the same and that even our best works are polluted and defiled in such sort Isay 64. as the Prophet describeth them With which manner of speaking our free-will Pharisees are much offended for it felleth all mans Righteousness to the ground I had like to have said to the bottom of Hell and extolleth onely the Righteousness of Jesus Christ which is allowed before God and is freely given to all those that firmly believe as blessed be God you do Ah my good brother Tyms Satan hath put his hand in a wrong box when he beginneth to tempt you either to Vain-glory or mistrust for you are an old beaten souldier and have had
my hearts desire Mart. And do you hold none otherwise then is there written Careles No verily nor never did Mart. Write that he saith otherwise he holdeth not So that was written It was told me also that thou dost affirm that Christ did not dye effectually for all men Careles Whatsoever hath been told you it is not much material unto me Let the tellers of such tales come before my fâ—ce and I trust to make them answer For indeed I do bâ—lieve that Christ did effectually dye for all those that do effectually repent and believe and for none other So that was written also Mart. Now sir what is Trewes faith of Predestination he believeth that all men be Predestinate and that none shall be Damned doth he not Careles No forsooth that he doth not Mart. How then Careles Truely I think he doth believe as your Mastership and the rest of the Clergy do believe of Predestination A wrong faith of Predestination believing to be elected in respect of Good works that we be Elected in respect of our good works and so long elected as we do them and no longer Mart. Write that he saith his fellow Trew believeth of Predestination as the Papists do believe Careles Ah Mr. Doctor did I so term you seeing that this my Confession shall come before the Council I pray you place my terms as reverently as I spake them Mart. Well well Write that Trew is of the same Faith as the Catholicks be Careles I did not so call you neither 〈◊〉 wonder what you mean Marsh You said thâ— Clergy â—â—d 〈…〉 Careles Careles Yes forsooth did I So then it was written of the Clergy Mart. Now Sir What say you more Careles Forsooth I have no further to say in this matter Mart. Dr. Martin pretendeth favour to Careles Well Careles I pray thee prove thy self a wise man and do not cast away thy self wilfully Careles Now the Lord he knoweth good Mr. Doctor I would full gladly live so that I might do the same with a safe Conscience And your Mastership shall right well perceive that I will be no wilful man but in all things that I stand upon I shall have a sure ground Mart. Now the Lord knoweth good Careles that I would gladly make some means to preserve thy life but thou speakest so much of the Lord the Lord wilt thou be content to go with my Lord Fitzwater into Ireland methinks thou art a goodly tall fellow to do the Queen service there How sayest thou Careles Verily Mr. Doctor whether I be in Ireland France or Spain or any place else I am ready to do her Grace the best service I can with Body Goods and Life so long as it doth last Mart. That is honestly said I promise thee every man will not say so How say you Mr. Marshall this man is meet for all manner of Service Indeed thou art worthy Careles to have the more favour Careles Indeed Sir I hope to be meet and ready unto all things that pertaineth unto a true Christian Subject to do And if her Grace or her Officers under her do require me to any thing contrary unto Christs Religion I am ready also to do my service in Smithfield for not observing it as my bedfellow and other Brethren have done praised be God for them Mart. By my troth thou art a pleasant fellow as ever I talked with of all the Protestants except it were Tomson I am sorry that I must depart with thee so soon but I have such business now that I can tarry with thee no longer Well yet thou canst not deny but you are at jarre amongst your selves in the Kings Bâ—nâ—h and it is so throughout all your Congregation for you will not be a Church Careles No Mr. Doctor that is noâ— so More variety in the Popes Church then is amongst the Protestants There is a thousand times more variety in Opinions among your Doctors which you call of the Catholick Chu ch â—ea and that in the Sacrament for the which there is so much bloodshed now adayes I mean of your latter Doctors and new Writers as for the old they agree wholly with us Mart. No Careles thâ—t is not so there thou art deceived Careles Verily it is so Mr. Doctor I am not deceived therein any thing at all as it hath been and is evidently proved by such as God â—ath indued with great Learning Then he turned to the Marshal and whispered with him a while Mart. Turning unto me again said Farewel Careles Dr. Martin taketh his leave gently of Careles for I can tarry no longer with thee now my businâ—ss is suck Careles God be with you good Mr. Doctor The Lord give your Mastership health of Body and Soul Martin God have mercy good Careles and God keep thee from all Errours and give thee grace to do as well as I would wâ—sh my self Careles I thank your good Mastership I pray God I may do always that is acceptable in his sight Whereunto they all said Amen And so I departed with a glad heart God onely have the whole praise Amen It appeareth by Examination of the foresaid John Careles that he endured Prisoner the space of two whole years having wife and Children In the which his captivity first being in Coventry Goal he was there in such credit with his Keeper that upon his word he was let out to play in the Pageant about the City with other his Companions And that done keeping touch with his Keeper he returned again into Prison at his hour appointed And after that being brought up to London he was endued with such patience and constant fortitude John Careles dved in Prison and wâ—s buried in the fields that he longed for nothing more earnestly thâ—n to come to that promotion to dye in the fire for the profession of his Faith and yet it so pleased the Lord to prevent him with death that he came not to it but dyed in the Prison and after was buried in the fields in a dunghill In the mean time while he was in Prison in the Kings Bench it chanced he was in great heaviness and perturbation of minde and Conscience whereupon he wrote to M. Philpot being then in the Colehouse Upon occasion hereof M. Philpot sent an Epistle Consolatory unto him as followeth A Letter of Mr. Philpot to John Careles profitable to be read of all them which mourn in Repentance for their Sins THe God of all comfort and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ send unto thee my dear Brother Careles the inward consolation of his holy Spirit in all the malicious assaults and troublous temptations of our common Adversary the Devil Amen That GOD giveth you so contrite an heart for your sins I cannot but rejoyce to behold the lively mark of the children of God whose property is to think â—ore lowly and vilely of themselves then of any other and oftentimes do set their sins before them that they
Careles through Christ the Beloved Say therefore with David Praise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name for he hath forgiven thee all thy sins as truely he hath And hereof I desire to be a Witness God make me worthy to hear from you the like true Message for my self Mine own dearly Beloved you have great cause to thank God most heartily that hath given you such Repentance and Faith The Lord increase the same in you and me a most miserable wretch whose heart is harder then the Adamant stone or else I could not thus long have stayed from writing unto you If I live and may I purpose and promise you to make amends Pray for me my most dear Brother I heartily beseech you and forgive me my long silence God our Father be with us for ever Amen Yours in the Lord John Bradford John Careles his Letter to Mr. Bradford THe Peace of God in Jesus Christ A sweet Letter of John Careles to Mr. Bradford a little before his Martyrdome the Eternal Comfort of his sweet Spirit which hath surely sealed you unto Eternal Salvation be with you and strengthen you in your joyful journey towards the Celestial Jerusalem my dear Friend and most faithful Brother Mr. Bradford to the setting forth of Gods glory and to your eternal joy in Christ Amen Ever since that good Mr. Philpot shewed me your last Letter my dear heart in the Lord I have continued in great heaviness and perplexity He mourneth for the loss and lâ—ck of Mr. Bradforâ— in the Church not for any hurt or discommodity that I can perceive coming towards you unto whom doubtless Death is made life and great felicity but for the great loss that Gods Church here in England shall sustain by the taking away of so godly worthy and necessary an instrument as the Lord hath made you to be Oh that my life and a thousand such wretched lives moe might go for yours Oh why doth God suffer me and such other Catterpillers to live that can do nothing but consume the Alms of the Church and take away you so worthy a Workman and Labourer in the Lords Vineyard But woe be to our sins and great unthanfulness which is the greatest cause of the taking away of such worthy instruments of God as should set forth his Glory and instruct his People If we had been thankful unto God for the good Ministers of his Word we had not been so soon deprived both of it and them The Lord forgive our great ingratitude and sins and give us true Repentance and Faith and hold his hand of Mercy over us for his dear Son Christs sake Take not away all thy tâ—ue Preachers forth of this Realm O Lord but leave us a Seed lest Englâ—nd be made like unto Sodom and Gomorrah when thy true Loâ—â— be gone But what go I about to mingle your mirth with my mourning and your just joy with my deserved sorrow If I loved you indeed as I have pretended I should surely rejoyce with you most heartily and praise God on your bâ—half from the very bottom of my heart He rejoyceth for the honour of Mr. Bradfords Martyrdome I should praise God day and night for your excellent Election in and through his great Mercy and should give him most humble thanks for your Vocation by his Gospel and your true Knowledge in the same I should earnestly praise him for your sweet justification whereof you are most certain by Gods Gâ—ace and Spirit and should instantly pray unto him for your Glorification which shall shortly ensue I should rejoyce and be glad to see you dignified by the Crown of Martyrdome and to be appointed to that honour to testifie his Truth and to Seal it with your Blood I should highly extoll the Lord who hath given you a glorious vâ—ctory over all your enemies visible and inv si le and hath given you Grace and Strength to finish the Tower that you have begun to build Finally if I loved you I should most heartily rejoice and be glad to see you delivered from this body of sin and vile person of the Flesh and brought into that heavenly Tabernacle where you shall be safely kept and never offend him more This and much more should I do if I had a good heart towards God or you his dear childe But alas I am an hypocrite and do seek nothing but mine own commodity I would have Gods everlasting Providence give place to my peevish will and purpose although it were to the hindrance of his glory and your sweet commodity God forgive me my horrible ingratitude sins and offences against him and good Brother do you forgive me my great negligence and unthankfulness towards you and henceforth I promise you I will put my will to Gods will and pray that the same may be fulfilled in you so long as you be on this earth and when you are taken hence I will most heartily praise the Lord for you so long as I have my being in this world Ah my dear heart now I must take my leave of you and as I think John Careles taketh his leave of M. Bradford my Vltimum Vale in this life but in the life to come I am right well assured we shall merrily meet together and that shortly I trust And in taking of my leave of you my dear heart in the Lord I shall desire you faithfully to remember all the sweet messages that the Lord our good God and most dear loving Father hath sent you by me his most unworthy Servant which as they are most true so shall they be most truly accomplished upon you eternally and for the more assurance and certificate thereof to your godly Conscience he hath commanded me to repeat the same unto you again in his own Name and Word Therefore now give ear and faithful credence Hearken Testimony of Gods Spirit O ye Heavens and thou earth give ear and bear me witness at the great Day that I do here faithfully and truely the Lords mâ—ssâ—ge unto his dear Servant John Careles doth Gods message to M. Bradford his singularly beloved and elâ—ct Childe â—â—â—n Bradford John Bradford thou man so specially beloved of God I pronounce and testifie unto thee in the Word and Name of the Lord Jehovah that all thy sins whatsoever they be be they never so many so grievous or so great be fully and freely pâ—â—doned released and forgiven thee by the mercy of God in Jesus Christ thine onely Lord and sweet Saviour in whom thou dost undoubtedly believe Power and practise of the keyes of the Gospel Christ hath cleansed thee with his Blood and clothed thee with his Righteousness and hath made â—hee in the sight of God his Father without spot or wrinckle so that when the fiâ—e doth his appointed office thou shalt be received as a sweet burnt Sacrifice into Heaven where thou shalt joyfully remain in Gods presence for
ever as the true inheriter of his everlasting Kingdome unto the which thou wast undoubtedly predestinate and ordained by the Lords infallible purpose and decree before the foundation of the World was laid And that is most true that I have said I call the whole Trinity the Almighty and Eternal Majesty of God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost to my Record at this present whom I humbly beseech to confirm and stablish in thee the true and lively feeling of the same Amen Selah Now with a merry heart and a joyfull spirit something mixed with lawful tears I take my farewel of you mine own dear Brother in the Lord who send us shortly a merry meeting in his Kingdome that we may both sing praises together unto him with his holy Angels and blessed Spirits for ever and ever Farewel thou blessed of the Lord farewel in Christ depart unto thy rest in the Lord and pray for me for Gods sake As I had made an end of this simple Letter I heard some comfort both of good Mr. Philpots Servant and yours but alas I do scarcely believe them Well I will hope in God and pray all night that God would send me some comfort to morrow and if the Lord give you sparing to morrow let me hear four words of comfort from you for Gods sake The Blessing of God be with you now and for ever Amen Yours for ever in the Lord Jesus John Careles living in Hope against Hope John Careles his Letter to his Wife AS by the great mercy of God at the time of his good will and providence appointed my dearly beloved Wife you and I were joyned together in the holy and Christian state of godly Matrimony as well to our great joy and comfort in Christ as also to the increase of his blessed Church and faithfull Congregation by having lawfull Children in and by the same with the which God of his mercy hath blessed us praised be his Name therefore Even so now by his mercifull will and Divine Ordinance the time is come so farre as I can perceive wherein he will for his glory and our eternall comfort dissolve the same and separate us asunder again for a time Wherefore I thought it good yea and my bounden duty by this simple Letter to provoke stir and admonish you to behave your self in all your doings sayings and thoughts most thankefully unto our good God for the same And therefore my dear Wife as you have heartily rejoyced in the Lord and oftentimes given God thanks for his goodness in bringing us together in his holy Ordinance Even so now I desire you when this time of our separation shall come to rejoyce with me in the Lord and to give him most hearty thanks that he hath to his glory and our endless commodity separated us again for a little time and hath mercifully taken me unto himself forth of this miserable world into his Celestiall Kingdome Here is a true mark of a faithful Christian forsaking wife children for Christs sake believing and hoping also assuredly that God of his goodness for his Son Christs sake will shortly bring you and your dear children thither to me that we may most joyfully together sing Praises unto his glorious Name for ever And yet once again I desire you for the love of God and as ever you loved me to rejoyce with me and to give God continuall thanks for doing his most mercifull will upon me I hear say that you do oftentimes use to repeat this godly saying The Lords will be fulfilled True obedience of a faithful woman Doubtless it rejoyceth my poor heart to hear that report of you and for the Lords sake use that godly prayer continually and teach your Children and Family to say the same day and night and not onely say it with your tongues but also with your heart and minde and joyfully to submit your will to Gods will in very deed knowing and believing assuredly that nothing shall come to you or any of yours otherwise then it shall be his Almighty and Fatherly good will and pleasure and for your eternall comfort and commodity Which thing to be most true and certain Christ testifieth in his holy Gospel saying Are not two little Sparrows sold for a farthing Matth. 10. and yet not one of them shall perish without the will of your heavenly Father And he concludeth saying Fear not ye therefore for ye are better then many Sparrows As though he should have said If God have such a respect and care for a poor Sparrow which is not worth one farthing that it shall not be taken in the Lime-twig Net or Pit-fall unsill it be his good will and pleasure you may be well assured that not one of you whom he so dearly loveth that he hath given his onely dear Son for yâ—u shall perish or depart forth of this miserable life without his Almighty good will and pleasure Therefore dear Wife put your trust and confidence wholly and onely in him and ever pray that his will be fulfilled and not yours except it be agreeing to his will the which I pray God it may ever be Amen And as for worldly things take you no care Good counsel given to his wife but be you well assured the Lord your dear God and Father will not see you nor yours lack if you continue in his love and childly fear and keep a clear Conscience from all kind of Idolatry â—uperstition and Wickedness as my trust is that you will do although it be with the loss and danger of this temporal life And good Margaret Fear not them that can but kill the body and yet can they not do that untill God give them leave but fear to dâ—splease him that can kill both body and Soul and cast them into hell fire Let not the remembrance of your Children keep you from God The Lord himself will be a Father and a Mother Care of children to be cast upon Lord. better then ever you or I could have been unto them He himself will do all things necessary for them yea as much as rock the Cradle if need be He hath given his holy Angels charge over them therefore commit them unto him But if you may live with a clear Conscience for else I would not have you to live and see the bringing up of your Children your self look that you nurture them in the fear of God and keep them farre from Idolatry Superstition The mothers duty in bringing up her children and all other kinde of Wickedness and for Gods sake help them to some Learning if it be possible that they may increase in virtue and godâ—y knowledge which shall be a better Dowry to marry them withall then any worldly substance and when they be come to age provide them such Husbands as fear God and love his holy Word I charge you take heed that you match them with no Papists and if you live and marry again
have received your Letter for the which I heartily thank you Indeed I think it very short although it seemeth something sharply to rebuke me in the beginning for the breach of my promise in not writing to you of this long time Well Brother I am content to bear it with patience considering that you are troubled otherwise the Lord comfort you and all heavy hearts neither will I spend Ink and Paper for my purgation in this point God be knoweth whether I be so mindless of my promise as it appeareth in your sight I am Your request I will truly perform to the uttermost of my power as gladly as any poor wretch shall do in the World and I thank God I have done no less of long time And as my poor Prayer shall be a handmaid to wait upon you which way soever you ride or go so I beseech you that my simple counsel may take some place in you in this time of your pilgrimage which you pass in no small peril God keep and preserve you for his Names sake He counselleth Augustine to be circumspect not rashly to thrust himself in danger I do not disallow but much praise and commend your hearty boldness in putting your self in prease when any one of Gods People needeth your help in any point But yet I would not have you thrust your self in danger when you can do them no good or at least wise when they may well enough spare that good you would do them for if you should then chance to be taken you shall not onely be no comfort unto them but also a great discomfort adding sorrow unto their sorrow I do not perswade you to absent your self from any place â—here your presence of necessity is required for in all such places I know God will preserve you as he hath hithe to wonderfully done praised be his Name therefore or if it shall please him to permit you in any such place to be taken I know he will most sweetly comfort your Conscience with this consideration That it is the very Providence and Appointment of God that you should there and then be taken up for a Witness of his Truth unto the world But I cannot allow nor be contented that you should rashly or negligently thrust your self into that place where your wicked enemies do continually haunt yea and lay wait for you when no necessity of your self nor of any other of Gods people doth require your company If they need any of your godly counsel you may write unto them that thing that you think good which I dare say will be sufficient unto them For continuall thanks and praises be given unto the Everlasting God there is none of those that be cruelly condemnâ—d for Gods Truth that now be weaklings for they have manfully passâ—d through the Pikes and they have boldly abidden the brunt of the Battel and therefore I reckon the worst is past with them already So that now and then a godly Letter from you to them shall do as much good as your company shall do and perchance more too for writing sticketh longer in the memory then word do yea though your Letters were as short to them as your last was to me so that the same be something sweeter and not all thing so sharp This dear Brother is the simple counsel which I would gladly have you observe partly for that I heartily pray for your preservation to the commodity of Christs Church and partly for that I unfeignedly wâ—sh the peace comfort and tranquility of your own Conscience which I know will be quickly ready to accuse you A good Conscience is soon troubled if you do any thing wherein you have not the Word of God for your warrant For in a glass that is clear a small mote will soon appear even so the good Conscience of Gods chosen children being more clear then Chrystal will quickly accuse them at the least fault they do commit whereas the wicked worldlings have their Conscience so clogged and corrupted through the custome of sin that they cannot see nor perceive their own shameful deeds and wicked works until God set the same before them for their utter â—â—struction and then despair they immediately But seeing that God hath given you a clear Conscience and a pure sharp quick and lively sight in your Soul I would wish you to beware that you do nothing unadvisedly Conscience of sin is sometimes taken where none is committed but upon a good ground for an accusing Conscience is a sore thing when death doth approach and then Satan will not stick to tell you that you have too much tempted God when peradventure you have done nothing so at all For this cause I say partly I have thought it good to admonish you as I have done often to be circumspect according to the counsel of Christ which biddeth you to beware of men Matth. 10. Other things I have not to write for I know this Bearer can certifie you of all things at large better then I can declare it by writing I beseech you good Augustine help me forward by your hearty Prayers for I trust I have but a small time in this troublesome World Dr. Story told our Marshal that we should all be dispatched so soon as he came from Oxford whither he and other bloody Butchers be gone to make slaughter of Christs sheep that lye there appointed to be slain God for Christs sake put them and such like besides their cruel purpose if it be his good wâ—ll and pleasure Amen good Lord. I pray you do my most hearty commendations to my good Sister and faithful Friend good Mris. Mary Glover I beseech God be her comfort as I doubt not but he is I am very glad to hear that she doth so joyfully and so patiently bear this great Cross that God hath laid upon her I pray God strengthen her and all other his dear Saints unto the end Amen Commend me unto my dear and faithful Sister Elizabeth B. I thank her most heartily for her Napkin and so I do you dear Brother for my shirt Truly that day that we were appointed to come to our Answer before the Commissioners which had sent word the same morning that they would come to the Kings Bench by eight of the clock and the house and all things were trimmed and made ready for them I got that Shirt on my back and that Napkin in my hand The Christian courage of Jâ—hn Careles and me thought that they did help to harness me and weapon me well to go fight against that Bloody Beast of Babylon And trust me truly if they had come I would have stricken three strokes the more for your two sakes as well as God would have abled me to have set them on as by Gods grace I will not fail to do at the next Skirmish that I come to wherefore I pray you pray for me that I may be strong and hardy to lay on
blood for that onely is good But of this be you sure the Lord will shortly call you to account for all the innocent blood that is shed within this Realm which you have brought into a most woful case and made many a heavy heart in the same and moe I perceive you will make so long as the Lord for our sins will suffer you to prosper and untill the time that your own iniquity be full ripe But then be you sure the Lord will sit in Judgement upon you as well as you do now upon his Saints and will reward you according to your deservings To whom with my whole heart I commit my cause and he will make answer for me when the full time of my refreshing cometh In the mean space I will keep silence with this that I have said trusting that I have sufficiently discharged my conscience in confessing my Faith and Religion to you declaring of what Church I am even of the Catholick Church of Jesus Christ which was well known to be here in England in our late good Kings dayes by two special tokens which cannot deceive me nor suffer me to be deceived that is to say The pure Preaching of his holy Word and the due administration of the holy Sacraments which is not to be seen in your Romish Church and therefore cannot be called the Church and Spouse of Christ I believe in the holy Trinity and all the other Articles of the Christian Faith contained in the three Creeds and finally all the Canonicall Scripture to be true in every sentence and I detest all Sects both of Arrians and Anabaptists or any other that divide themselves from the true Church of Christ which is his Mysticall Body the Ground and Pillar of Truth and the very House of the living God And if for these things you take away my life and make your selves guilty of my Blood you may for I am in your hands as the Sheep brought to the Shambles abiding the grace of the Butcher And be you sure your judgement sleepeth not but when you cry Peace peace and all is safe then shall your plagues begin like the sorrows of a woman travelling with childe 1 Thes 5. according to Christs infallible Poâ—mise This kinde of answer my dear heart it shall be best for you to make and by Gods grace I do intend to take the same order my self in time to come when the Lord shall vouch me worthy of that great dignity whereunto he hath called you And if they shall laugh you to scorn as I know they will saying thou art a Fool and an unlearned Ass-head and art able to make answer to nothing c. care not you for it but still commit your Cause unto God who will make answer for you tell them that they have bin answered again and again of divers godly and learned men but all will not help for you have one solution for all manner of questions even a fair Fire and Fagots this will be the end of your disputations Therefore I pray you to trouble me no more but do that which you are appointed when God shall permit the time I am no better then Christ his Apostles and other of my good Brethren that are gone before me This kinde of answer will cut their combs most and edifie the people that stand by so that the same be done coldly with sobriety meekness and patience as I heard say our sweet Brethren Thomas Harland and John Oswald did at Lewes in Sussex to the great rejoycing of the children of God that were in those parts and I heard say that they were dissolved from this earthly tabernacle at Lewes on Saturday last and were condemned but the Wednesday before so that we may perceive the Papists have quick work in hand 2 Chron. 2. that they make such haste to have us home to our heavenly Father Therefore let us make our selves ready to ride in the fiery Chariot leaving these sorry Mantles and old Clokes behinde us for a little time which God shall restore unto us again in a more glorious wise My good Brother Harry you shall understand that bragging John T. hath beguiled his Keepers who trusted him too well and is run away from them and hath brought the poor men into great danger by the same The one of them is cast by the Councils Commandment into the Gate-house at Westminster the other is fled forth of the Country for fear Thus you may see the fruits of our Free-will men that made so much boast of their own strength But that house which is not builded surely upon the unmoveable Rock will not long stand against the boisterous winds and storms that blow so strongly in these dayes of Trouble But my dearly beloved Brother blessed be God for you and such as you be which have played the parts of wise Builders You have digged down past the sand of your own natural strength and beneath the earth of your own worldly wisdome and are now come to the hard Stone and unmoveable Rock Christ who is your onely Keeper and upon him alone you have builded your Faith most firmly without doubting mistrust or wavering Therefore neither the storms nor tempests winds nor weathers that Satan and all his wily workmen can bring against you with the very Gates of Hell to help them shall ever be able once to move your House much less to overthrow it for the Lord God himself and no man is the Builder thereof and hath promised to preserve and keep the same safe for ever Unto his most merciful defence therefore I do heartily commit you and all your good company desiring him for his sweet Son Jesus Christs sake to confirm and strengthen you all that you may be constant unto the very end that after the final victory is once gotten you may receive the immercessible Crown of Glory of Gods free gift through his great mercy in Jesus Christ our alone Saviour To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour glory praise thanks power rule and dominion for ever and evermore Amen The Blessing of God be with you all John Careles To my most dear and faithfull Brother T. V. THe everlasting peace of God in Iesus Christ the continual joy and comfort of his most pure holy and mighty Spirit with the increase of Faith and lively feel ng of his mercy be with you my dear heart in the Lord and faithful lovâ—ng brother T. V. to the full accomplishing of that good work whâ—ch â—e â—ath so graciously begun in you that the same by all means may be to the setting forth of his glory to the commodity of his poor afflicted Congregation and to the sweet comfort and quietness of your Conscience in him now and evermore Amen With such due honour love and reverence as it becometh me to bear unto the sweet Saints dearly beloved children of God I have me most heartily commended unto you my dear Brother V.
his glory the which above all other things we that are his chosen children ought for to seek yea even with the loss of our own lives being yet well assured that the same shall not be shortned one minute of an hour before the time that God hath appointed Cast therefore dear Sister all your care upon the Lord which as S. Peter saith careth for you Great is his Providence for you and mighty is his love and mercy towards you with his grace he will defend you and with his holy Spirit he will evermore guide you wherewith he hath surely sealed you unto the day of Redemption He hath also given you the same in earnest for the recovery of the purchased Possession which he hath prepared for you before the foundation of the world was laid Be strong therefore and take a good heart as I hear say you be God for ever be blessed for you which hath graft his love in your good heart that nothing is able to separate you from the same but will rather chuse to suffer adversity with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a little season Oh happy woman that canst finde in thine heart to esteem the rebukes of Christ to be greater riches then all the treasures of the world as good Moses did Doubtless great is your reward in Heaven which you shall shortly receive of his free gift and not of any deserving Thus dear Mother Glascock I have been bold to trouble you with my rude and simple Letters desiring you to take them in good worth being done in great haste as it doth appear but yet proceeding from a poor heart which floweth over in love towards you as my daily prayers for you can testifie which I trust shall supply that part of my duty towards you that my Pen now wanteth I thank you dear heart for all your loving Tokens and for the great kindness you have hitherto shewed unto my poor Brother Tyms and his Wife and Children with all other of Gods people to whom you daily do good the Lord recompence the same sevenfold into your bosome as I doubt not but he will according to his infallible Promises I pray you have my hearty commendations unto your Husband I beseech the Lord strengthen him in the Confession of his Truth as my trust is that he will that we may all joyfully rest with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of God unto the which he bring us that with his most precious blood hath bought us The Blessing of God be with you now and ever Amen Your daily Orator and unfeigned Lover John Careles Prisoner of the Lord Pray pray pray A brief Admonition written by John Careles to Mrs. Agnes Glascock in a Book of hers when she came to the Prison to visit him THere is nothing that the holy Scripture throughout doth so much commend unto us as true Faith and stedfast trust in the Promises of Gods eternal mercies towards us in Jesus Christ For from the same as forth of the chief Fountain and Well-spring of life do flow all kindes of virtues and godly fruits specially true love towards God in the which we ought purely to serve him all the dayes of our life and also Christian Charity towards our Neighbours as well to help them at all needs as also not to hurt them by any means Therefore pray earnestly for the increase of faith and lively feeling of Gods mercy for all things are possible to him that can undoubtedly believe The effects of Faith Faith is that thing which assureth us of Gods mercy and whereby we vanquish all the fiery darts of the Devil Our victory that overcometh the world The knife that killeth and mortifieth the flesh and finally that which setteth us at peace with God and quieteth our Consciences alwayes before him and maketh us merry and joyfull under the Cross with many moe things then I can now express Pray therefore for faith in faith And for the Lords sake beware of Popery and Popish Idolatry the Idol of the wicked Mass and other Idolatrous Service Make not your body which is a member of Christ a member of Antichrist Remember that we shall receive of God according to that we do in the body be it good or evil Therefore glorifie God in your body which is dearly bought Betray not the Truth lest the Lord deny you If God be God follow him You cannot serve two Masters I write not this as doubting you but by the way of Admonition God keep you from all evil My Sister dear God give you grace With stedfast Faith in Christ his Name His Gospel still for to embrace And live according to the same To dye therefore think it no shame But hope in God with faithfull trust And he will give you praise with fame When you shall rise out of the dust For which most sweet and joyfull day To God with faith your Prayer make And think on me I do you pray The which did write this for your sake And thus to God I you betake Who is your Castle and strong Rock He keep you whether you sleep or wake Farewell dear Mistris A. Glascock An other Letter of John Careles to Mrs. A. G. to comfort her in her repentance after she had been at Mass fruitful for all them to be read which have fallen and are to be raised up again THe peace of God in Jesus Christ the eternal comforts of his sweet Spirit be with you and strengthen and comfort you my dear and faitâ—ful Sister Amen Although the perillous dayes be come whereof Christ prophesied that if it were possible the very elect should be deceived yet let the true faithful Christians rejoyce and be glad knowing that the Lord himself is their keeper who will not suffer one hair of their heads to perish without his almighty good will and pleasure neither will suffer them to be further tempteâ— then he will give them strength to bear but will in the midst of their temptations make a way for them to escape out So good and gracious a God is he to all his chosen Children And though sometimes he do let his elect stumble and fall yet no doubt he will raise them up again to the further increase of their comfort and to the setting forth of his glory and praise Which thing my dear and faithful loving Sister I trust shall be well verified on you for I do hear say that by the manifold allurements inticements procurements yea and inforcements that you dear heart have had your foot hath chanced to slip forth of the way to the great discomfort of your Soul and the heaviness of your heart But my good Sister be of good chear for the Lord will not so leave you but he will raise you up again and make you stronger then ever you were so that your fall shall turn to his glory your profit For if you had not by this proved the experience of your
own strength or rather your own weakness you would have stood too much in your own Conceit or perchance have gloried in your self and have despised and condemned other weak persons that have committed the like offence Therefore now you may see what the best of us all can do if God leave us to our selves Which thing ought to move you to be diligent to call earnestly upon God for his grace and the strength of his Holy Spirit without the which we are not able to stand one hour and to be most thankful for the same when you have it and then to be more circumspect in time to come Therefore dear Sister seeing that you have done otherwise then the word of God and your own Conscience would allow yet dear heart do you not think that God therefore will cast you clean away but know that he hath mercy enough in store for all them that truly repent and believe in him although the sins of them were as many in number as the sands in the Sea and as great as the sins of the whole world It is a greater sin to mistrust the mercy promises of God then to commit the greatest offence in the World Therefore good Sister beware in any wise To trust to Gods Promises that you do not once mistrust the promises of Gods mercy towards you but know for a very surety that all your sins be utterly forgiven you for Christs sake be they never so many so griâ—vous or so great But now dear heart take â—eed and beware that you do not cloke that sin and increase the same daily in communicating with the wicked in their Idolatry and devilish doings at their den of Thieves Custome of sin a perilous matter Do not I say dear Sister come at any of their Antichristian service lest by little and little you utterly lose a good Conscience and at length esteem it for none offence as alas a great number doth at this day to the great peril of their Souls The Lord be merciful unto them and give them grace to repent in time and turn to the Lord and then they shall be sure to finde mercy at the Lords hand as doubtless you have done praised be his Name therefore Ah my dear Sister you may now see the words of Christ verified upon your self that a mans greatest foes shall be they of his own houshold A. G. entisâ—d by her husband to go to the Mass for your Husband hath gotten you to do that which all the tyrants in the World could never have made you to do Doubtless he may be sorry for it God give him grace to repent or else without doubt it will be laid to his charge one day when he would not by his will hear it for all the goods of the World Well I think my Brother Tyms will write him a letter shortly that shall touch his Conscience if he have any Conscience at all But now again to you dear Sister The thing that is done cannot be undone and you are not the first that have offended neither are you so good and so holy as hath at a time slipt forth of the way Therefore I would not have you to be so much discomforted as I hear say you be The raising up of a troubled Conscience after his fall as though God were not as able to forgive you your offence as he was to forgive his dear Saints that offended him in times past or as though God were not as merciful now as ever he was whereas in very deed there is with the Lord as the Prophet saith mercy and plentiful redemption and his mercy farre surmounteth all his works God turneth all things to the best to them that be hiâ— and he never faileth any that put their whole trust and confidence in him how great an offender or how wicked a trespasser soever he be No he maketh their falls and backslidings many times to turn to their profit and commodity and to the setting forth of his glory as doubtless dear Sister yours shall do if you put your whole Faith hope and trust onely in his infinite and eternal sweet mercies Oh what a subtile crafty lying Serpent is that Satan our old Enemy Satan when he cannot bring a man to his servâ—â—o he presseth him wâ—th distrust of Gods mercy that when he seeth that he cannot make us to continue in our wickedness to do him service would then bring us into a doubting and mistrusting of the mercy of God which is the greatest offence that can be yea infidelity is the root and original of all other sins Therefore my sweet Sister give no place to that cruel adversary of mankinde who hath been a lyer and a mutherer from the beginning but stedfastly believe the Lord who hath sent you word by me his most unworthy Servant that all your sins be pardoned forgiven and clean released for Jesus Christs sake our onely Lord and Saviour To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour glory praise thanks power rule and dominion for ever and for ever Amen Farewel my dear Sister and be of good chear Believe in the Lord and you shall live for ever The Lord increase your Faith Amen Amen Your poor Brother and daily faithful Orator John Careles Prisoner of the Lord. Pray for me Another Letter of John Careles to A. B. a faithfull Minister of the Lord containing certain fruitfull Precepts of Matrimony I Beseech the same everlasting Lord my dear and faithful Brother that blessed young Tobias with his Wife Sarah and brought them together in due time with reverence and fear preserve and bless you both and your seed after you that they may increase the number of the faithful by thousands and thousands And as the Lord of his great mercy and fatherly Providence hath been alwayes careful for you and now hath for your comfort accomplished his good work in coupling you with a faithful Mate so see that you be thankful for his Providence towards you that it may every way in you be an increase of love and godliness yea of Christian joy and gladness in these sorrowful dayes but yet so that you mourn with the true mourners of Sion and be sorry yet in measure for the hurt of the same Pray also in faith for her prosperity that the Lord may build up the walls of Jerusalem again Psal 146. Oh that the Lord would turn Sions Captivity as the river into the South then should our hearts be made glad and our mouthes filled with laughter Then would the Heathen Hypocrites say The Lord hath done much for them Oh the Lord hath done great things for us already whereof let us heartily rejoyce and praise his Name therefore For though we now sow with tears yet shall we be sure to reap with gladness and as we now go forth weeping bearing forth good seed so shall we come again with joy The death of the Martyrs is
see Nay I should have said You shall feel he will turn to you You know that Moses when he went into the Mount to talk with God he entred into a dark Cloud and Elias had his face covered when God passed by Both these dear friends of God heard God but they saw him not but you would be preferred before them See now my dear heart how covetous you are Ah be thankful be thankful But God be praised that your covetousness is Moses covetousness Well with him you shall be satisfied But when Forsooth when he shall appear Here is not the time of seeing Psal 16. but as it were in a glass Isaac was deceived because he was not content with hearing onely Therefore to make an end of these many words wherewith I fear me I do but trouble you from better exercises inasmuch as you are indeed the childe of God elect in Christ before the beginning of all times inasmuch as you are given to the custody of Christ as one of Gods most precious jewels inasmuch as Christ is faithful and hitherto hath all power so that you shall never perish no one hair of your head shall not be lost I beseech you Learn here to put away doubting all tender hearts that seek after Christ I pray you I desire you I crave at youâ— hands with all my very heart I ask of you with hand pen tongue and minde in Christ through Christ for Christ for his Name Blood Mercies Power and Truths sake my most entirely beloved Sister that you admit no doubting of Gods finall Mercies towards you howsoever you feel your self but complain to God and crave of him as of your tender and dear Father all things and in that time which shall be most opportune you shall finde and feel far above that your heart or the heart of any creature can conceive to your eternal joy Amen Amen Amen The good Spirit of God alwayes keep us as his dear children he comfort you as I desire to be comforted my dearly beloved for evermore Amen This 8. of August by him that in the Lord desireth to you as well and as much felicity as to his own heart John Bradford A worthy Answer of a constant Martyr called Guy de Brez Anno Dom. 1566. GVy de BreZ a minister of the Gospel being committed Prisoner into the Castle of Tournay was visited by many Ladies and Gentlewomen only out of a desire to see him in regard he was a man so highly esteemed Some at the first view scoffed others railed on him but others were moved to take pitty and compassion on him Amongst the rest the Countess of Ren accompanied with certain Gentlewomen coming into the Prison and at her first entrance beholding the Iron chain to which was fastned Mr. Guy said she I wonder how you can either eat drink or sleep in quiet for wer I in your case the very terrour thereof would goe nigh to kill me O Madam said he the good cause for which I suffer and that inward peace of Conscience with which God hath endued mee makes me eat and drink with greater contentment then my enemies can which seek my life yea so far off is it that my bonds or chain do any way terrifie me or break off my sleep that on the contrary I glory and take delight therein esteeming them at a higher rate then chains and rings of Gold or any other Jewels of price whatsoever for they yield me much more profit Yea when I hear the ratling of my chains me thinks I hear as it were some sweet instrument of musick sounding in mine ears not that such an effect comes meerly from my chains but in regard I am bound therewith for maintaining the truth of the Gospel The same Martyr in a letter to his wife acquaints her with Gods graciâ—us dealing with him in all his assaults SPeaking of his apprehension he shews how carnal reason began to play its part against the Providence of God for saith he these thoughts came thronging into my head what meant we to go so many in company together as we did had it not been for such and such we had never been discovered or taken Under such like cogitations I lay for a while saith he even in a manner overwhelmed till by the assistance of Gods holy Spirit my minde was raised up to meditate on Gods Providence After which my heart began to feel wonderful rest and contentment saying thus in my self O my God the day and hour of my birth was before ordained by thee ever since thou hast preserved and kept me in great perils and dangers and hitherto delivered me out of them all And if now the hour be come wherein I must pass out of this life into thy kingdome thy holy will be done I cannot escape out of tâ—y hands yea though I could yet Lord thou knowest I would not seeing all my felicity depends upon conforming my Will unto thine From these considerations I received no small consolation and therefore dear wife rejoyce with mee I pray you and bless our good God for these his mercies towards me for he doâ—h nothing but that which is equal and right You have been privy to and acquainted with all the travels crosses and persecutions which have befallen me yea and have your self been partaker with me therein when you accompanied me in my voyages during the time of my exile and now after all these you see my welbeloved in the Lord how he holdeth forth to mee his hand of Providence to drive me home to himself into his blessed Kingdome I now lead you the way and when his will is you shall follow me thither Our separation shall not be for ever it will not be long ere we be gathered under one head Jesus Christ This World is not the place of our rest no Heaven is our home this is but the place of our banishment Let us therefore aspire after our true Country namely Heaven and long to be received into the mansions of our heavenly Father where we shall see our Head and Brother our Husband and Saviour Jesus Christ with the noble triumphant assemblies of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and so many millions of Martyrs to whom I hope shortly to be gathered having finished the course of that administration which I have received of the Lord Jesus Wherefore dear wife be you comforted in the meditation of these things Take into consideration the honour the Lord doth you in giving you a Husband who is not only called to be a Minister of Christs Gospel but also so highly advanced of God as to be accounted worthy to partake of the Crown of Martyrdome It is an honour which the Angels in Heaven are not capable of Angels not capable of Mâ—rtyrdome I now rejoyce in my sufferings my heart leapeth within me in my Afflictions I finde nothing wanting unto mee I am filled with the abundant riches of my God yea so farre am I comforted therewith that I have sufficient store not only for my self but to impart thereof also to as many as I have opportunity to speak unto which bounty and favour I beseech my eternal Lord God to continue unto me his poor Prisoner yea Gods goodness to his afflicted children is oft above and beyond their expectation I am perswaded that he will perform it unto the end For by good expeience I feel that be never forsakes them that trust in him I could never have imagined that God would have been so gracious as he hath been to me his poor creature I now taste of the fidelity and bounty of Christ my Saviour I am here taught to practise what I have preached unto others Yea let me not be ashamed to confess that when I heretofore preached I spake but as a Parrat in regard of that which I have now better learned by proof and experience Prisons prove Gods School-houses to the faithful I have profited more in the Schoolhouse of this prison then ever I did in all my life before for I have the Holy Ghost who is my constant instrâ—cter and Schoolmaster teaching me how to handle my weapons in this fight of afflictions Satan on the other side who is the sworn enemy of all Gods Elect compasseth me about on every side as a roaring Lyon thinking to devour me But he who hath said Fear not John 16.33 I have overcome the World puts as it were new courage into me and then I see the Lord bruising Satan under my feet Rom. 16.20 feeling the power of God perfected in my weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 and that the Lord causeth me one while to feel my infirmity and weakness It is profitable for the godly so câ—iâ—es to feel their infirmities that so I may take knowledge how I am but a poor earthen vessel even weakness it self to humble me that God may have all the glory and then by and by he fortifies and comforts me I may truly say incredibly above all I could ask or think For I would not change my condition with theirs who persecute me I take my rest eat and drink with more hearts case then they I am indeed lodged in the strongest and vilest Prison they have dark and obscure which for the darkness thereof is called Brunaâ—â— Brunain a Prison of the Valencians where I have no ayre to breathe at but a little stinking hole where they lay all their rubbish and where the drunkards commonly vent their Urine I am laden with Irons both on my hands and feet By reason wherof he complains he wrote with â—uch difficulty and therefore could not write as otherwise he would have done which are a continual torment unto me the irons eating through the flesh even to the bare bones The Provost-Marshal comes to view my Fetters twice or thrice 〈◊〉 day fearing lest I should make an escape for preventing whereof he hath placed three Guards of Fourty men before the Prison door c. And thus having given to his Wife his Advice how to behave her self during her Widowhood and how to train up her Children with his loving Salutations remembred to her self and other his special Friends he closeth up his Letter FINIS