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.

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 fait••ful Sister. Amen.

Although the perillous dayes be come, whereof Christ prophe∣sied, 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, nei∣ther will suffer them to be further tempte•• 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, that you do not once mistrust

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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 gri••vous, or so great.

But now (dear heart) take ••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. Do not (I say) dear Sister, come at any of their Anti∣christian service, lest by little and little you utterly lose a good Con∣science, 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 up∣on your self, that a mans greatest foes shall be they of his own hous∣hold: for your Husband hath gotten you to do that, which all the tyrants in the World could never have made you to do. Doubt∣less 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, 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 sur∣mounteth all his works; 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, that when he seeth that he cannot make us to continue in our wickedness to do him service, would then bring us into a doubt∣ing 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.

Notes

• To trust to Gods Promises.
• Custome of sin a perilous matter.
• A. G. entis••d by her husband to go to the Mass.
• The raising up of a troubled Conscience after his fall.
• God turneth all things to the best to them that be hi••.
• Satan when he cannot bring a man to his ser∣v••••o, he presseth him w••th di∣strust of Gods mercy.