DIVINE CONSOLATIONS FOR MOURNERS in SION Being an EXTRACT of certain Choyce EPISTLES OF DYING MARTYRS To each other and to their Fellow Prisoners 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 Matth. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Psal 126.5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy Ver. 6. He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again with rejoycing bringing his sheaves with him Printed in the Year 1664. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Good Reader AMong all the sweet and precious fruits and graces of the Spirit of God held forth unto us in the Holy Scriptures how much are those of Faith and Love commended unto us as the principal and leading Graces unto all other the sweet fruits of the Spirit wrought in the hearts of the Elect of God To instance two or three places speaking to this purpose The Author to the Hebrews in his Catalogue of Saints Hebr. 11. how highly doth he advance the actings of Faith in their hearts and lives beginning with Abel that blessed Servant of the Lord and Proto-Martyr of the World whom our blessed Lord and Saviour honoureth with the same honour placing his Name in the Front of that blessed Company by the Name of Righteous Abel who had laid down their lives in the Cause Matth. 23.35 and for the Truths of God And for the grace of Love in that of 1 Cor. 8. the beginning whatever Instructions the Apostle had given them before he doth as it were recall himself and let them understand that all would prove as nothing unless it proceed from Love or Charity And further we are taught that although the grace of Faith be first in laying hold of the blessed object even our Lord Jesus who came into the World to save sinners yet this also of Love is by the gracious working of the same good Spirit of God begotten in the Soul even at the same instant of time with that of Faith and from their first appearing come forth as blessed Twins never to part again the same blessed Spirit carrying on the work of Grace in the Soul untill perfected in Glory To this purpose Gal. 5.6 it 's said to be Faith which worketh by Love Also to mention no more 1 Tim. 1.14 The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus A Reverend Messenger of Christ lately compared them to the two Arms that clasped Christ about according to that of the Spouse Cant. 3.5 It was but a little that I passed from them but I found him whom my Soul loveth I held him and would not let him go Never do these precious gifts of the Holy Ghost so affect the hearts of the people of God as when the Saints are drawn forth to cause this Light to shine forth in their lives and actings which usually appears in them most clearly in times of greatest Sufferings How much are we of these times bound unto our gracious God for the innumerable helps the Lord hath this way granted us especially from the unwearied Labours of that man of God of blessed memory Mr. Iohn Fox out of whose rich Volumes this little Treatise following is taken being a particular brief story of him whose Soul as much longed for the Crown of Martyrdome although he passed through the Fire to it as any we reade of from the time of the Primitive Martyrs And notwithstanding the Lord of his Infinite wisedome denyed him that which he so much thirsted for reserving him although in Prison yet to be an Instrument who from his great experiences might Administer sweet Consolations unto others the sweet Saints and Martyrs of Jesus as indeed he did to the refreshing of many a good Soul as by the several excellently Spiritual Epistles of his doth manifestly appear and by which it may undoubtedly be gathered that himself was to be accounted among the blessed number of those that in his Generation loved the Lord Jesus Christ in Sincerity To those who have tasted how good the Lord is these following Epistles may through mercy prove unto them as that speaking of David did to Ionathan 1 Sam. 18.1 who no sooner heard him but his Soul was knit with the Soul of David and he loved him as his own Soul To this very end is this smal thing drawn out of the aforesaid Volume that the sorrowful Souls of such as are affected with Gods threatnings in this hour of darkness and temptation may finde some refreshing and support to which very end also they were first written by the Auâ—hor God is greatly threatning on every side even us who have sate in peace whilest our Brethâ—en lay bleeding yea were filled with plen y wâ—â—lest they were stripped of their comforts and even brought near to desolation surely we havâ— n t improved our precious opportunities but with Iesurun being waxed fat have lifted up the heel and now may justly fear that our day of visitation is hastening wherein we are like to drink of the Cup of Gods displeasure of which the Nations have begun before us Is not the Lâ—rd now crying aloud as sometimes to Jerusalem Oh New-England Oh Boston When will thou be made clean when will it once be when shall thy Pride and Prophaness Licentiousness Vncleanness and Vnrighteousness with so much cleaving to Self-interest cease to lodge within thee Blessed be the Lord who hath affected the hearts of thy Rulers so as to call for seeking God by Fasting and Prayer being the way and meanes of Gods appointment for the obtaining mercy in the day of thy distress The Lord hear thee in the day of thy seeking Joel 2.13 14. and teach thee to Rent thy heart and not thy garments and turn unto the Lord who knoweth if he will return and repent and leave a blessing behind him Oh that God would give his People an heart to hearken to his voice and to turn unto him by unfeigned Repentance for surely they that yet see it not are like shortly to see Amos 5.13.14 15. that this time is a time for the Prudent to keep silence for it is an evil time as the Prophet saith therefore let us seek good and not evil and so the Lord God of Hosts shall be with us Let us hate evil and love good and establish Judgement in the Gate it may be that the Lord God of Hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph A Table of the several Epistles and Letters contained in this Book THe effect of John Careles his Examination before Dr. Martin Folio 1 A Letter of Mr. Philpot to John Careles profitable â—o be read of all them which mourn in Repentance for their sins 6 A Letter of John Careles Answering to the loving Epistle or Letter sent to
have received your Letter for the which I heartily thank you Indeed I think it very short although it seemeth something sharply to rebuke me in the beginning for the breach of my promise in not writing to you of this long time Well Brother I am content to bear it with patience considering that you are troubled otherwise the Lord comfort you and all heavy hearts neither will I spend Ink and Paper for my purgation in this point God be knoweth whether I be so mindless of my promise as it appeareth in your sight I am Your request I will truly perform to the uttermost of my power as gladly as any poor wretch shall do in the World and I thank God I have done no less of long time And as my poor Prayer shall be a handmaid to wait upon you which way soever you ride or go so I beseech you that my simple counsel may take some place in you in this time of your pilgrimage which you pass in no small peril God keep and preserve you for his Names sake He counselleth Augustine to be circumspect not rashly to thrust himself in danger I do not disallow but much praise and commend your hearty boldness in putting your self in prease when any one of Gods People needeth your help in any point But yet I would not have you thrust your self in danger when you can do them no good or at least wise when they may well enough spare that good you would do them for if you should then chance to be taken you shall not onely be no comfort unto them but also a great discomfort adding sorrow unto their sorrow I do not perswade you to absent your self from any place â—here your presence of necessity is required for in all such places I know God will preserve you as he hath hithe to wonderfully done praised be his Name therefore or if it shall please him to permit you in any such place to be taken I know he will most sweetly comfort your Conscience with this consideration That it is the very Providence and Appointment of God that you should there and then be taken up for a Witness of his Truth unto the world But I cannot allow nor be contented that you should rashly or negligently thrust your self into that place where your wicked enemies do continually haunt yea and lay wait for you when no necessity of your self nor of any other of Gods people doth require your company If they need any of your godly counsel you may write unto them that thing that you think good which I dare say will be sufficient unto them For continuall thanks and praises be given unto the Everlasting God there is none of those that be cruelly condemnâ—d for Gods Truth that now be weaklings for they have manfully passâ—d through the Pikes and they have boldly abidden the brunt of the Battel and therefore I reckon the worst is past with them already So that now and then a godly Letter from you to them shall do as much good as your company shall do and perchance more too for writing sticketh longer in the memory then word do yea though your Letters were as short to them as your last was to me so that the same be something sweeter and not all thing so sharp This dear Brother is the simple counsel which I would gladly have you observe partly for that I heartily pray for your preservation to the commodity of Christs Church and partly for that I unfeignedly wâ—sh the peace comfort and tranquility of your own Conscience which I know will be quickly ready to accuse you A good Conscience is soon troubled if you do any thing wherein you have not the Word of God for your warrant For in a glass that is clear a small mote will soon appear even so the good Conscience of Gods chosen children being more clear then Chrystal will quickly accuse them at the least fault they do commit whereas the wicked worldlings have their Conscience so clogged and corrupted through the custome of sin that they cannot see nor perceive their own shameful deeds and wicked works until God set the same before them for their utter â—â—struction and then despair they immediately But seeing that God hath given you a clear Conscience and a pure sharp quick and lively sight in your Soul I would wish you to beware that you do nothing unadvisedly Conscience of sin is sometimes taken where none is committed but upon a good ground for an accusing Conscience is a sore thing when death doth approach and then Satan will not stick to tell you that you have too much tempted God when peradventure you have done nothing so at all For this cause I say partly I have thought it good to admonish you as I have done often to be circumspect according to the counsel of Christ which biddeth you to beware of men Matth. 10. Other things I have not to write for I know this Bearer can certifie you of all things at large better then I can declare it by writing I beseech you good Augustine help me forward by your hearty Prayers for I trust I have but a small time in this troublesome World Dr. Story told our Marshal that we should all be dispatched so soon as he came from Oxford whither he and other bloody Butchers be gone to make slaughter of Christs sheep that lye there appointed to be slain God for Christs sake put them and such like besides their cruel purpose if it be his good wâ—ll and pleasure Amen good Lord. I pray you do my most hearty commendations to my good Sister and faithful Friend good Mris. Mary Glover I beseech God be her comfort as I doubt not but he is I am very glad to hear that she doth so joyfully and so patiently bear this great Cross that God hath laid upon her I pray God strengthen her and all other his dear Saints unto the end Amen Commend me unto my dear and faithful Sister Elizabeth B. I thank her most heartily for her Napkin and so I do you dear Brother for my shirt Truly that day that we were appointed to come to our Answer before the Commissioners which had sent word the same morning that they would come to the Kings Bench by eight of the clock and the house and all things were trimmed and made ready for them I got that Shirt on my back and that Napkin in my hand The Christian courage of Jâ—hn Careles and me thought that they did help to harness me and weapon me well to go fight against that Bloody Beast of Babylon And trust me truly if they had come I would have stricken three strokes the more for your two sakes as well as God would have abled me to have set them on as by Gods grace I will not fail to do at the next Skirmish that I come to wherefore I pray you pray for me that I may be strong and hardy to lay on
with all earnest and faithfull remembrance of you in my daily Prayers thanking God right heartily that you do likewise remember me in yours assuring you that my poor heart doth daily feel great Consolation thereby God onely have the praise for the same and all other his Benefits Ah my dear heart in the Lord well is me that ever I was born that God of his great mercy and infinite goodness hath used me most miserable wretch at any time as his instrument to minister any thing unto you either by word or writing that might be an occasion of your joy and comfort in the Lord and a provoking of you to praise and thanksgiv ng unto God for the same as your most loving and godly Letter seemeth to import Oh happy am I that the Lord hath appointed me unto so good a ground to sow his seed upon but much more happy are you whose heart the Lord hath prepared and made so meet to receive the same so effectuously gâ—ving thereto the sweet showers and heavenly dews of his grace and holy Spirit that it may bring forth fruit in due season accordingly the increase whereof we shall shortly reap together with perfect joy and gladness and that continually Therefore my dear Brother I say unto you as good Elizabeth did to her Cousin Mary Happy are you Luke 1. and happy shall you be for evermore because you have believed The most sweet and faithful Promises of your Redeemer Jesus Christ you have surely laid up in the treasury of your heart his comfortable Callings you have faithfully heard his loving Admonitions you have humbly obeyed and therefore you shall never come into judgement Remission of sins your sins shâ—ll never be remembred for your Saviour hath cast them all into he bottom of the Sea Micah 7. he hath removed them from you as far as the East is from the West Psal 103. and hath given you for an everlasting possâ—ssion his Justification and Holiness So that now no Creature neither in heaven nor in earth shall be able to accuse you before the Throne of the heavenly King Satan is now judged he is now cast out from you he hath no part in you you are wholly given unto Christ which will not lose you your stedfast Faith in him hath overcome that sturdy and bragging Prince of the World Christ hath given you the final victory over him and all his Army that they shall never hurt you What would you have more Oh my dear heart how great treasures are laid up in store for you and how glorious a Crown is already made and prepared for you And albeit the holy Ghost doth bear witness of all these things in your heart Testimony of Gods Spirit and maketh you more sure and certain thereof then if you had all the outward Oracles in the world yet I being certainly perswaded and fully assured by the testimony of Gods Spirit in my Conscience of your eternal and sure Salvation in our sweet Saviour Jesus Christ have thought it good yea and my bounden duty not onely at this time to write unto you and to shew my joyful heart in that behalf but also by the Word and Commandment of Christ to pronounce and affirm in the Name and Word of the heavenly King Jehovah and in the behalf of his sweet Son Iesus Christ our Lord to whom all knees shâ—ll bow whom all creatures shall worship and also by the impulsion of the holy Ghost by whose power and strength all the faithful be regenerate I do I say p onounce to thee my dear B o her T. V. that thou art already a Cit zen of Heaven The Lord thy God in whom thou dost put all thy trust for his dear Sons sake in whom thou dost also undoubtedly believe â—a h freely forgiven thee all thy sins clearly released all thine in quâ—ties and fully pardoned all thine offences be they never so many so grievous or so great and will never remember them any more to Condemnation As truly as he liveth he will not have thee dye the death but hath verily determined purposed and eternally decreed that thou shalt live with him for ever Thy Sore shall be healed and thy Wounds bound up even of himself for his own Names sake He doth not nor will not look upon thy sins in thee but he respecteth and beholdeth thee in Christ in whom thou art lively graffed by Faith in his blood and in whom thou art most assuredly elected and chosen to be a sweet vessel of his Mercy and Salvation and wast thereto predestinate in him before the foundation of the world was laid In testimony and earnest whereof he hath given thee his good and holy Spirit which worketh in thee Faith Love and unfeigned Repentance with other godly Vertues contrary to the Corruption of thy Nature Also he hath commanded me this day although a most unworthy wretch to be a witness hereof by the Ministry of his holy Word Experience of Christ working in his Church grounded upon the truth of his most faithful Promises the which thou believing shalt live for ever Believest thou this my dear heart I know well thou dost believe The Lord increase thy Faith and give thee a lively feeling of all his mercies whereof thou art warranted and assured by the testimony of the holy Ghost who confirm in thy Conscience to the utter overthrowing of Satan and those his most hurtful dubitations whereby he is accustomed to molest and vex the true Children of God all that I have said and by Gods grace I will as a witness thereof confirm and seal the same with my blood for a most certain truth Wherefore my good Brother praise the Lord with a joyful heart and give him thanks for this his exceeding great mercy casting away all dubitation and wavering yea all sorrow of heart and pensiveness of mind for this the Lord your God and most dear and loving Father commandeth you to do by me nay rather by his own Mouth and Word pronounced by me But now my dear Brother after that I have done my message or rather the Lords message indeed I could finde in my heart to write two or three sheets of paper declaring the joy I bear in my heart for you mine own bowels in the Lord yet the time being so short as you do well know I am here constrained to make an end desiring you to pardon my slackness and to forgive my great negligence towards you promising you still that so long as my poor life doth last my prayer shall supply that my pen doth want as knoweth the Almighty God to whose most merciful defence I do heartily commit you and all other his dear children as well as though I had rehearsed them by Name desiring them most heartily to remember me in their hearty and daily Prayers as I know right well they do for I feel the daily comfort and commodity thereof and therefore I neither will nor can
his glory the which above all other things we that are his chosen children ought for to seek yea even with the loss of our own lives being yet well assured that the same shall not be shortned one minute of an hour before the time that God hath appointed Cast therefore dear Sister all your care upon the Lord which as S. Peter saith careth for you Great is his Providence for you and mighty is his love and mercy towards you with his grace he will defend you and with his holy Spirit he will evermore guide you wherewith he hath surely sealed you unto the day of Redemption He hath also given you the same in earnest for the recovery of the purchased Possession which he hath prepared for you before the foundation of the world was laid Be strong therefore and take a good heart as I hear say you be God for ever be blessed for you which hath graft his love in your good heart that nothing is able to separate you from the same but will rather chuse to suffer adversity with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a little season Oh happy woman that canst finde in thine heart to esteem the rebukes of Christ to be greater riches then all the treasures of the world as good Moses did Doubtless great is your reward in Heaven which you shall shortly receive of his free gift and not of any deserving Thus dear Mother Glascock I have been bold to trouble you with my rude and simple Letters desiring you to take them in good worth being done in great haste as it doth appear but yet proceeding from a poor heart which floweth over in love towards you as my daily prayers for you can testifie which I trust shall supply that part of my duty towards you that my Pen now wanteth I thank you dear heart for all your loving Tokens and for the great kindness you have hitherto shewed unto my poor Brother Tyms and his Wife and Children with all other of Gods people to whom you daily do good the Lord recompence the same sevenfold into your bosome as I doubt not but he will according to his infallible Promises I pray you have my hearty commendations unto your Husband I beseech the Lord strengthen him in the Confession of his Truth as my trust is that he will that we may all joyfully rest with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of God unto the which he bring us that with his most precious blood hath bought us The Blessing of God be with you now and ever Amen Your daily Orator and unfeigned Lover John Careles Prisoner of the Lord Pray pray pray A brief Admonition written by John Careles to Mrs. Agnes Glascock in a Book of hers when she came to the Prison to visit him THere is nothing that the holy Scripture throughout doth so much commend unto us as true Faith and stedfast trust in the Promises of Gods eternal mercies towards us in Jesus Christ For from the same as forth of the chief Fountain and Well-spring of life do flow all kindes of virtues and godly fruits specially true love towards God in the which we ought purely to serve him all the dayes of our life and also Christian Charity towards our Neighbours as well to help them at all needs as also not to hurt them by any means Therefore pray earnestly for the increase of faith and lively feeling of Gods mercy for all things are possible to him that can undoubtedly believe The effects of Faith Faith is that thing which assureth us of Gods mercy and whereby we vanquish all the fiery darts of the Devil Our victory that overcometh the world The knife that killeth and mortifieth the flesh and finally that which setteth us at peace with God and quieteth our Consciences alwayes before him and maketh us merry and joyfull under the Cross with many moe things then I can now express Pray therefore for faith in faith And for the Lords sake beware of Popery and Popish Idolatry the Idol of the wicked Mass and other Idolatrous Service Make not your body which is a member of Christ a member of Antichrist Remember that we shall receive of God according to that we do in the body be it good or evil Therefore glorifie God in your body which is dearly bought Betray not the Truth lest the Lord deny you If God be God follow him You cannot serve two Masters I write not this as doubting you but by the way of Admonition God keep you from all evil My Sister dear God give you grace With stedfast Faith in Christ his Name His Gospel still for to embrace And live according to the same To dye therefore think it no shame But hope in God with faithfull trust And he will give you praise with fame When you shall rise out of the dust For which most sweet and joyfull day To God with faith your Prayer make And think on me I do you pray The which did write this for your sake And thus to God I you betake Who is your Castle and strong Rock He keep you whether you sleep or wake Farewell dear Mistris A. Glascock 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 faitâ—ful Sister Amen Although the perillous dayes be come whereof Christ prophesied 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 neither will suffer them to be further tempteâ— 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