I thanke my God with al remembraunce of you alwayes in al my prayers for you, & praye with gladnes: because ye are come into the felowship of the gospel frō the frist day vnto now: And am surely certified of this, that he which hath begonne a good worke in you, shall performe it vntil the day of Iesus Christ: as it becōmeth me, so iudge I of you al, because I haue you in my berte: for asmuche as ye all are companyons of grace wyth me, euen in my bondes, and in the defendyng and stablyshynge of the gospel. For God is my recorde howe greatlye I longe after you all, from the very hart rote in Iesus Christ. And this I pray, that your loue may encrease yet more & more in knowledge & in all vn∣derstandyng, that ye may accepte the thinges that are most excellēt, that ye may be pure, and such, as hurte no mans cōscience vntyl y• day of Christ, beyng filled with y• fruit of rightewisenes, whiche fruit cōmeth by Iesus Christ vnto the glory and prayse of God.
Verely as often as I call vpon God in my prayers, as I doo in dede with out ceassyng, I make continuall mention of you all, with rendryng of than∣kes and excedyng reioycyng on all your behalfes, that euer synce the fyrst en∣traunce of your profession, euen vnto this daye, in that you haue releued me wyth your helpe and gentilnes, you haue shewed youre selues to be of the fe∣lowshyppe of the gospel. And my continuall prayer is, that you maye encrease in those vertuous doynges more & more: not doubtyng, but God, which hath entred these godly partes in you, wyl performe y•, which he hath begon in you, vnto the day y• Iesus Christ shall come & recompence eternall rewarde to well done dedes. For so it is conuenient, ye I should iudge of you, through ye helpe of God, in asmuche as alwayes hitherto I haue had suche experience of youre constaunte and true gospellike loue to me warde, as I may easyly gather, that of a very good begynnyng, shal come a very good ending. For ye which cause sake my minde is so affectuously set towardes you, ye euen in these bandes, and whā I am arraigned at Neroes barre, wher I must pleade for my head giltie or not giltie, & in other mine afflictions, through the which y• power of y• gospel is not hindred nor obscured, but cōfirmed & aduaūced, I haue euer borne you a singuler good will, bicause I haue alwayes perceiued you as glad as my self, that the word of Christ doth florishe through my painful afflictiō. For god him selfe knoweth, frō whō nothing is hiddē, how disirously affected I am towar∣des you all, not after the maner of mannes affection, either to the intente to get anye thyng of you, or yet in anye wyse to flattre you for youre lyberalitie shewed to me, but I loue you wt a pure christiā affectiō, for none other purpose, but bycause I see, that you loue Iesus Christ constauntly & purely. I thanke God heartely for bestowynge hys gyftes vpon you, & I beseche hym, that this