Havinge seariously considered of that vnequall conflicte which for my sake thou didst lately sustaine, and wherein yet (although the odds were great) God beinge on thy side, thou gatest the victorye, I have had from hence a large provocation to acknowledge Gods providence and speciall favour towardes me, and to give him thankes for so great experience as hathe been offred me heerby of thy godlinesse, love, wisdome and inviolable constancie, which as in it selfe it deserves all approbation, so in me it 222is of suche vertue, as the more I thinke of it, the more it drawes and knittes my heart vnto thee, and hathe setled that estimation of thy love therein, as (I am truely perswaded) nothinge but deathe shall abolishe or deminishe it. Suche an invincible resolution could not have been founde in a poore fraile woman, had not thine armes been strengthned by the mightie God of Jacob. he it was which gave an other spirit to thy selfe and that good Lady thy mother, with Caleb and Josuah constantly to followe the Lord against all the discouragementes of the greater parte, yea when my selfe, too cowardly and vnkindly ioyned armes with thine opposers against thee: but nowe doe I knowe that thou lovest me, and heerby we may bothe be fully assured that this thinge commethe of the Lorde: Therefore it is my desire to confirme thy heart in this resolution; not that I feare any Change (farre be suche a thought from me) but for that I wishe thee a large addition of Comfort to thy constancie, which may molifie, and heale vp the scarres of such woundes as may yet remaine of thy late conflicte. And now I will take libertie to deale freely with thee since there is no need of perswasion, nor any feare of suspition of flaterye, and let me tell thee that as thou hast doone worthyly and Christianly, so thou hast doone no otherwise than became thee beinge one professinge to feare God and beleeve in him, for (what so ever I am or may be, yet) beinge in thy accompt, a servant of God, and one that thou mightest well hope to be furthered to heaven by (Amen I say) and beinge offred vnto thee by God, and thy selfe beinge as warrantably called to embrace the opportunitye, as a woman might be, I see not how thou couldst have had peace to thine owne heart if thou hadst refused it, but thou mightest iustly have feared least, for with-drawinge thy heart from God, and leaninge to thine owne reason, he should have given thee over to some suche matche as should have proved a plauge to thy soule all thy dayes: Let worldly mindes that savour not the things of God, and that indeed have no parte or portion in the least of Gods promises, bende all their care and studye to secure themselves of an earthly happinesse, let them make sure of great portions with their wives, and large Joyntures from their husbandes, they doe but their kinde, and I confesse it concernes them very muche to looke especially to suche things, for there is nothing else which they can have comfort or happinesse in, havinge no parte in Christ and beinge strangers from the couenant of grace, and therefore if they should be barred of their great hopes in these outward thinges, their God, their heaven their ioye and all were gone, their heart would dye within them like Naball: therefore God lettes suche many tymes catche what they can scramble for, he filles their bellies with his hidd treasure they 223liue in ease and pleasure, they nourishe their heartes as in a daye of slaughter, but he sends leannesse into their soules, and in the ende when they are called to a reconinge, what fruit can they shewe forthe of all their labour care etc. but vanitye and vexation of spirit? and so they dye vnder a secure, or tormented Conscience, which followes them to their owne place, but you, whom God hathe ordayned to a better ende, he lookes you should be guided by an other rule, he telles you that you are a pilgrime and stranger in this life, that you haue no abidinge cytye heere but must looke for one to come: he which is your Kinge telles you that his kingdome is not of this world, if you desire to raigne with him in his kingdome you must be content to be an vnderlinge with him in the worldes kingdome, and must looke for affliction heere, for the servant must not looke to be aboue the master: he telles you that the first worke in his service is to denye your selfe, he biddes you never to cheapen about the pearle except you be resolued to sell all for it, and never to thinke to gett him and his loue except you can be content for his sake to leave, yea to hate father, mother, freindes, goodes, and your owne life: for he telles you plainly that you cannot serve 2 masters; so as if you love the world, the love of the father cannot be in you: If you would knowe of him, who are the blessed looke at that 5 of Math: and amongst all those 8 beatitudes you shall finde never a worde of Riches, or honor, or ease etc. but when the scripture speakes of suche thinges it settes a caueat vpon them, as temptations snares Riches of Iniquitye, the choakes of the hopes of saluation, branded with these 2 speciall obprobrations by Christe, and his Apostles—But the cares of the world and the deceitfullnesse of Riches and the Lustes of other thinges enter in and choake the worde etc:2 And which while some haue lusted after, they have erred from the faithe and haue peirced themselues through with many sorrowes.3 And tell me then what it will profite a man to winne the worlde and to loose his sowle? it is the dearest purchase that must cost a man the losse of his sowle: who would take Demas his bargaine? and yet (no doubt) he was of the opinion that our common protestantes are of in these dayes (who in the depthe of their devise, wilbe wiser than Christ and his Apostles,) he thought he had founde an easyer waye to heaven then other men, he thought to save his soule, and yet keepe and love the world too: but he was deceived, and so shall they also, for the mouthe of the Lord hathe spoken it, let them please themselves never so muche with their owne conceites in the meane tyme. Nowe for thee, I dare bouldly saye to thee 224that thou hast doone wisely in seekinge first the kingdome of heauen, and makinge sure for the better parte which shall not be taken from thee: for if it be a Rule of policie amongst the men of this world, to adventure vpon the least hope of vertue in suche matches where there is assurance of great portion, so as dayly examples of the contrarye ill event can not drive suche partyes from the grounde: how muche more commendable is it in thee, (and woorthy of thy profession, which esteemes Godlinesse as the greatest gaine) when havinge mett with (at least in thy perswasion) sufficient assurance of holynesse, thou canst be content to conceive hope of outward happinesse even from doubtfull conditions: And heerin thou canst want no Incouragement for hope of good successe, amongst so many promises and examples, as make for thy cause: looke vpon the blessinge of Salomons choyse, he sought onely wisdome, and God added all outward prosperitye: consider Ruthes choyse who for the loue of the God of Israell forsooke hir owne countrye and freindes to partake with the povertye of a desolate widowe: but how did God recompense her in the ende? you may see the like in Moses, who if he had had the Councell of the wisdome of our tymes might have looked to have kept his greatnesse in the Court, and yet not have hindred his salvation, nor wanted Godes favour. I need instance no more, the scriptures, and our owne tymes afforde many examples, which all consent in this to perswade suche as beleeue God, and haue their treasure in heaven, to make sure for salvation, and to cast the care of their present incertaine transitorye condition, vpon the love and wisdome of him that is their father and God all sufficient, who hathe vndertaken to care for them. And heerin I am perswaded (notwithstandinge callinge for a diligent and faithful vse of all good meanes) that a Christian cannot too boldly relye vpon God whilst he yeildes him selfe in obedience to his will: for it dothe so fittly agree to the nature of a yonge Childe, wherevnto we must be like, if ever we shall come in heaven: it is so called for, in all places of scripture as psal: 37. 5. Rolle thy way vpon the Lord, trust in him and he shall bringe it to passe: the whole psalme is excellent to this purpose: So phil: 4. 6: 7. Be carefull for nothinge but in euery thinge by prayer and supplication, etc. but especially that in luk: 12. 22, etc: take no thought what you shall eate, etc: and observe how Christ vrgethe that exhortation by the examples of the Lillies and Ravens, whence he gathers an vnanswerable argument verse 28: If God so clothe the grasse etc: will he not clothe you? etc: The too frequent and Cumbersome Cares feares doubtinges etc that the mindes and mouthes of most Christians are taken vp with in these dayes, doe plainly discover that men liue not by faithe; and that heaven is not their home, 225when they sett so muche store by the thinges of this worlde; men are not satisfied with such Competencie as God allowes them, but hunt as eagerly after risinges and increasinges, as if it were the onely ende of their life: when yet we are exhorted to have our conuersation without couetousnesse, and to be content with what we haue, for he hath promised that he will not faile vs nor forsake vs etc: And Salomon in all his wisdome and experience tells vs that it is the blessinge of God that makes riche without addinge sorrowe: but the tymes seeme nowe to be changed, and the prises of Salomons merchandice to be muche abated, as if you reade the 3 of the proverbes from the 13 verse to the ende of the 18th you will thinke as I saye. But I forgett my selfe in runninge so farre in this argument: but I take the more libertie (as I sayd at first) because I would confirme that in thy heart wherevnto God hathe allready perswaded thee: and God of his mercye perswade vs bothe to a constant followinge of the hope of saluation which is layd vp for vs in Christ, and so shedd abroad his loue in our heartes by that spirit of Adoption, as beinge assured that our names are written in the booke of life, we may reioyce with ioye vnspeakable and glorious. Amen.

By this which I have allreadye written I may seeme to confirme those obiections which thy freindes have moved, and to grant that there should be great causes of discouragement offered thee in outward respectes: but I trust I shall make it appeare that thou shalt have no wronge, or disparagement by matchinge with me, all thinges beinge indifferently considered: I confesse it is possible that I may die verye soone, and then thy maintenance for a while may be somewhat lesse then convenient, but it is more likely that I may live a fewe yeares with thee, which will certainly better thy condition; but whither I liue longer or lesse while, I can lett thee see, how, with a little patience, thy meanes may be better than 80 li. a yeare, yet can I promise no more for present certaintye then I have formerly acquainted thy freindes with, neither would I that thou shouldest make this knowne to them, I had rather that they should finde it then expecte it. whatsoever shalbe wantinge of that which thy love deserves, my kindest affection shall endeavour to supplie, whilst I liue, and what I leave vn-satisfied (as I never hope to be out of thy debt) I will sett over to him who is able, and will recompence thee to the full: and for the present, I wishe thee to followe the prophetes exhortation psal: 27. 14. waite on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thyne heart; waite I say on the Lorde.4