Divine consolations for mourners in Sion being an extract of certain choyce epistles of dying martyrs to each other and to their fellow prisioners for the cause of Christ, in the times of cruell and fiery persecution, wherein is much variety of suitable matter of meditation for all such who are burthened under the pressure of their sins and sorrows in these evil times.

To my dear Brother, T. V.

THe everlasting peace of God in Jesus Christ, the continual Comforts of his most pure and holy Spirit, be with you my most dear friend and faithful Brother V. to the increase of your Faith, and comfort of your sorrowful Spirit, which is to the Father a sweet Sacrifice through Christ: for whose sake he will never despise your humble and contrite heart, but doth favourably accept the same, and will in most ample wise perform the desire thereof to his Glory, and your eternal Comfort in him.

In the mids of my manifold Crosses and Troubles, wherein I am constrained to flee unto God for refuge and succour by earnest and faithful Prayer, I cannot forget you (my dear heart in the Lord)

but esteeming your state for mine own, I do pour forth my com∣plaint for y••u, as I do for my self, and rather more, as I think pre∣sent need doth require, desiring most heartily to hear of the good success of the same in y••u. The Lord God for his mercy sake accomplish my desi e as I doubt not but he will, when he seeth it good, and most to his glory, and to your comfort and commodity. O that I might once see you so merry in Christ, as you have just cause to be, that you might say with David, Awake my glory, awake lute and harp, bring forth the psaltery with the merry song, that I might sing a new song of praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord, for the light of his fa∣vourable countenance, his help and deliverance. Oh! that would re∣fresh me as a most precious Oyle, and gladden my poor heart, which is assaulted with sorrow moe wayes then one. I doubt not but the same shall by your means receive much comfort, though for a time it doth mourn with you, that we may be made both glad together, yea and that with such gladness as shall continue for ever.

But in the mean space (I say) most happy are you, that so heartily mourn the absence of the Bridegroom. If you were not a wedding-childe you could never do it. Onely Christs true Disciples do mourn for his absence; therefore shall they doubtless rejoyce at his presence, which will be so much more joyful, by how much the absence is more sorrowful.

Therefore, my good Brother, take a good heart unto you, and be of good chear: Say with the Prophet David, O my Soul, why art thou so heavy, and why art thou so disquieted within me? O put thy trust in God, for I will yet give him thanks for the help of his loving countenance, and because he is my God. Read the 41 & 42 Psalm for your comfort, and consider that the holy King and Prophet, at the making and first saying of them, was even in the same case that you are now in; but he still comforted himself with the sweet promises of God: and so do you, my dear heart, for to you they do as well pertain, as they did to him, and as surely shall they be performed upon you, as they were upon him; for he is one God and dear Father unto you both and for his Mercy, Truth and Promise sake, he must needs make good unto you all that he hath said.

If his love toward you stood in respect of your own merit and

worthiness, you might well mourn, lament and complain; yea, you had good cause to doubt, fear and mistrust: but seeing he loveth you onely for and in Jesus Christ, who is your whole Holiness, Righteousness and Redemption, lay away all mourning, lament∣ing, and complaining; banish from you all fear, mistrust and infide∣lity, and know that as long as Christ doth continue Gods Son, so long must the love of the Father continue towards you immutable, and his good will unchangeable, and cannot be altered through any of your infirmities. For this is most true, that as long as the Cause of any thing doth last, so long must the Effect remain; but Christ••s the whole Cause why the Father loveth you, and he also continueth for ever: Then must I needs conclude, that the love of the Father continueth towards you for ever, and (as the Psalmist most joyful∣ly so often singeth) His mercy endureth for ever and ever.

This is most true, mine own dear heart, although the Lord for a time hide it from your senses, that you might be the more earnest in Prayer to him for the feeling of it, and also the more thankfull for it when he doth give the lively taste of it, as doubtless he will do ere ever it be long; and then shall you be well able to comfort other in the same state that you are now in, with the same comfort where∣with you are and further shall be comforted of God.

Therefore lift up your hands that are now a little fallen down, and stretch forth the weak knees of your troubled minde, which now mourneth with a godly mourning, and therefore shall it be full well comforted with that sweet peace of God which passeth all understanding, and you are sure already to enjoy the blessing that Christ gave unto the godly mourners of Sion upon the mount, at the first Sermon that he made. O happy V. in whose mourning company I had rather be, then in the house of mirth and banquetting of such as see not what cause they have to mourn and be sorry. But yet my good Brother, use a measure in this your godly mourning, and make not your faithful Friends too much sorry for you. Let the perswasions of such godly lovers as you do daily company withal, or rather the perswasions of the holy Ghost by them, move you to some godly mirth and rejoycing. Consider that you are commanded by the mouth of Saint Paul

thereto Rejoyce in the Lord (saith he) and I say again Rejoyce. Mark how he doubleth the Sentence, that we may perceive it is a most earnest and necessary thing he requireth. Obey the Command∣ment of God in this behalf: wherein as you cannot but highly please him, so I assure you, you shall very much rejoyce my poor heart, and the hearts of other which pray for you with mourning tears, and make that cruel enemy Satan, and all your adversaries sorry, which will rejoyce and laugh to see you mourn. Oh my good Brother, let it manifestly appear that the Lord of his great mercy hath hea••d our faithful and hearry requests for you. Oh how would that rejoyce me in the mids of my troubles?

Therefore now to conclude, because the darkness constraineth me to make an end for this time, I say my dear and faithful Brother V. in respect of the great cause you have of your own part through Christ, and for the glory and honour of almighty God, the com∣fort, joy and rejoycing of your dear Brethren and Sisters in Chr••st, also your own duety by the Commandment of God, and last of all to vex, molest and grieve Satan withal, Rejoyce in the Lord, and be most heartily glad in him, who is wholly yours, and you are his, and shall be for evermore. Selah.

Farewel mine own Bowels in the Lord, and praise God with joyful lips and a merry heart, and pray for me his most unprofitable Servant, which have more cause, concerning my self, to lament then any one man living: but my good bridegroom is present, and bid∣deth me cast away my mourning garments, and therefore I must needs be merry with him; and so he biddeth you to be by my mouth, for he is present with you, although for sorrow you cannot know him, as Magdalen could not in the garden, until he spake unto her. The Lord God speak these words of comfort in your heart, and open the eyes of your minde, that you may perfectly perceive and feel his blessed presence, and so rejoyce in the same for evermore. Amen. Comfort your heart in Christ, and cast your care upon him, for he careth for you.

Your Brother in the Lord, abiding his good pleasure, John Careles.

Notes

• Psal. 57.
• Psal. 45.
• Comfort for a sick Conscience.
• Mat. 9.
• Psal. 42.
• Gods love goeth not by our deser¦vings, but by Faith in Jesus.
• Christ onely is the cause why his Father lov∣eth us.
• Why God some∣time hideth him∣self from us.
• Heb. 12.
• Eccles. 7.
• Measure ought to be in mourn∣ing.
• Phil. 4.
• Example of Christian Chari∣ty and compassi∣on towards his afflicted Brother