An other letter of Iohn Careles, to a certaine godly faithfull sister, by the name of E.K.
THe grace and free mercy of God in Iesus Christ the sweete consolations of the holy Ghost,* 1.1 the guide of all Gods deare children, he with you, strengthen and comfort you my dearely beloued sweete sister E.K. now and euer. Amen.
Albeit, my dearely beloued sister in Christe, that as yet wee did neuer see one an other personally to any knowledge, yet by the vertuous reporte that I haue hearde of you, and also by the large louing token that I haue receiued from you, mee thincke that I do euen presently see you, and behold your person, fa••th∣fully walking in the fear and loue of God, ioying and reioycing with you in the spirite, as thoughe we were sweetely talking to∣gether of Christes veritie. The Lord God doe I humbly beseeche in the bowels and bloud of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe, that he wil strengthen vs both with hys holy and mighty spirit, that we may constantly continue in the confession of his truthe vnto the ende: that like as we now see one an other presently in spirite, we may also see one an other personally in the glorious presence of God and his holy Aungels, where vndoubtedly, we shall know one an others personage, to oure great ioy, felicitye, and endlesse comfort.
And now therfore deare sister K be strong in the Lorde our God, for doubtlesse the time of triall is at hand:* 1.2 a great persecu∣tion with cruell murthering of Gods deare Saintes is like to be very shortly in this wofull wicked Realme of Englande. There∣fore deare sister, for the loue of God, prepare you to the Crosse with all diligence, and make your selfe ready to die with Christ, that you may also liue with him for euer. There is no remedye, if you will be Christes Disciple, you must needes take vppe youre crosse and followe him, for the Disciple must not looke to be a∣boue his maister, nor the seruant to be better intreated then his Lord. If we were of the worlde (good sister) no doubt, the world woulde loue vs. But for as much as Christe hath chosen vs out of the worlde, to serue God in spirite and veritie, lette vs be wel assured the worlde will hate vs and persecute vs, as it hath done our Lorde and maister Christ. But yet let vs be of good cheare, for Christe hath ouercome the worlde. The paine is but shorte that we can feele heere, but the pleasure is perpetuall that wee shall feele elsewhere.
Let vs set before vs the example of Christe, which abode the Crosse and despised the shame in respecte of the ioy that was set before him:* 1.3 Euen so let vs consider for whose sake we suffer, whose cause we defend, and what glorious reward we shall haue at the day of our victory, & then doubtles the con∣solation of these things will make sweete all our suffringes, & soone swallowe vp all the sorrowes that we are sow••ed in for Gods sake. I coulde recite diuers textes of the Scriptures to confirme this pointe. But I neede not, for I am well assured that you do knowe them most perfectly alreadye The Lorde geue you strength and assist you with his holy spirite, that you may continually walke in all pointes according to your godly knowledge: And then shall you not doe as the moste parte of our Gospellers doe nowe adaies, the more is the pitie.
There are a greate manye in Englande,* 1.4 that doe perfectlye knowe, that the Idolatrous Masse is abhominable, Deuelishe, and detestable in the sight of God. And yet alasse, they be not a∣frayde to pollute and defile theyr bodyes, whych oughte to be