A Letter sent to his Wife Anne Smith.
The God and Father eternal which brought again from death our Lord Jesus Christ keep thee, dear Wife, now and ever Amen, and all thy Parents and Friends; I praise God for his Mercy, I am in the same state that ye left me in, rather better then worse, looking daily for the living God, before whom I hunger full sore to appear and re∣ceive the Glory of which I trust thou art willing to be a partaker; I give God most hearty thanks therefore, desiring thee of all loves to stand in that Faith which thou hast received, and let no man take away the Seed that Almighty God hath sown in thee; but lay hands of Everlasting Life, which shall ever abide when both the Earth and all earthly Friends shall perish, desiring them also to receive thankfully our trouble which is momentary and little, and as St. Paul saith, not Worthy of the things which shall be shewed on us, that we patiently carrying our Cross, may attain to the place where our Savi∣our Christ is gone before, to the which I beseech God of his Mercy bring us speedily; I have been much troubled about your deliver∣ance, fearing much the perswasions of Worldlings, and have found a Friend, which will I trust, find a mean for you, if you be not al∣ready provided; desiring you, in any case, to abide such order as those my Friends shall appoint in God, and bear well in mind the words which I spake at our departing, that as God hath found us, and also elected us worthy to suffer with him, we may endeavour our selves to follow uprightly in this our Vocation; desiring you to present my hearty commendations to all our Friends, and especially to your Parents, keeping your matter close in any wise; give most