MarginaliaAnno. 1556. Iuly.may read, and after that was constant in the sincere profession of the veritie, and in daūger for the same of persecution: vnto whom Iohn Careles writeth therefore this letter as foloweth.

¶ A Letter of Careles to Agnes Glascocke.  

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This letter was first printed in the 1570 edition and is not in Letters of the Martyrs.

MarginaliaA Letter of Iohn Careles to Mistres Agnes Glascocke.THe euerlasting peace of God in Iesus Christ: the cōtinual ayd, strength, and comfortes of his most pure, holy, and mighty spirite, bee with you my deare and faithful sister Glascoke, to the good performance of that good worke which god hath so graciously begon in you, to his glory, the cōmoditie of his poore afflicted church, and to your owne eternall comfort in him, Amen.

In our Lord I haue my most humble and hartie commendations vnto you my deare sister, and most faithfull mother Glascoke, with all remēbraūce of you in my dayly prayers, geuing God most hartie laude, prayse, and thankes, for you and on your behalfe, in that he of hys great mercy hath hetherto so mightely strēgthened you, constantly to cleaue vnto your Captaine Christ, notwithstanding the great assaultes and manifold temptations, that you haue had to the contrary. Doubtles deare hart it can not be expressed, what ioy and comfort it is vnto my very soule, to see how mightely the Lord hath magnified him self in you, & other his deare electe darelynges, whom hee will shortly glorifie with him selfe, as he hath done other of his sweete Saintes that are gone before you. Reioyce therfore and be glad: for verilie you haue good cause if you diligently consider the great dignity that God hath called you vnto euē now in your old age, to bee one of his worthy witnesses vnto the world, and I thinke you shall with me and other your brethren in bondes, seale the Lordes veritie with the testimony of your bloud. Surely sweete sister, MarginaliaWhat an high honour it is to suffer for Christ.this is the greatest promocion that God can bring you or any other vnto in this life: and an honor that the highest aungel in heauen is not permitted to haue.

Therefore happie are you, oh faithfull daughter of Abrahā, that the Lord will now preferre you before many other, yea or any other of your age, that I doe know in England. Oh faithfull and vertuous matrone, which wilt not bee moued from the sure rocke Christ, vpon whom you haue so firmly built your house, that neither stormes nor tempestes, neither yet hell gates, or any other temptations shall euer be able once to preuaile against it. Full well doth it appeare by your constant continuance, that you haue played the part of a wise builder in counting the cost afore hand belonging to the finishyng of your tower, and I doubt not but (through Gods gift) you haue sufficient to the performance therof, that the hypocrites, of their part shall haue no iust cause to triumph against you or to mocke you, saiyng, loe this woman began to build, but is not able to make an ende. Therfore goe on boldly and feare not: for God is faythfull (as S. Paule saith) which wil not suffer you to be tēpted aboue your strength, but either will hee geue you grace and strength to stand vnto the death (which is the gate and entraunce into life) or els he will make such an outscape for you as shalbe to the settyng forth of his glory: the which aboue al other things, we that are his chosen children ought for to seeke, yea euen with the losse of our owne liues, beyng yet well assured that the same shal not bee shortened one minute of an houre before the tyme that God hath appointed.

Cast therfore (deare sister) all your care vpō the Lord, which (as S. Peter sayth) careth for you. Great is his prouidence for you, and mighty is his loue and mercy towardes you. With his grace he will defend you, and with his holy spirite he will euermore guide you: wherewith he hath surely sealed you vnto the day of redemptiō: he hath also geuen you the same in earnest for the recouery of the purchased possession, which hee hath prepared for you before the foundation of the worlde was layd. MarginaliaHe exhorteth her to be strōg.Be strong therfore and take a good hart, as I heare say you be. God for euer be blessed for you, which hath graft his loue in your good hart that nothyng is able to separate you from the same, but will rather chuse to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to enioy the pleasure of sinne for a litle season. Oh happy woman that canst finde in thyne hart to esteeme the rebukes of Christe to be greater riches then all the treasures of the world, as good Moyses did. Doubtles great is your reward in heauen: which you shall shortly receaue of his free gift, and not of any deseruing.

Thus deare mother Glascoke, I haue beene bold to trouble you with my rude and simple letters, desiryng

you to take thē in good worth, beyng done in great hast, as it doth appeare: but yet procedyng from a poore harte which floweth ouer in loue towardes you: as my dayly prayers for you can testifie: which I trust shall supply that part of my duety towardes you that my penne now wanteth. I thanke you deare hart, for all your louing tokens, & for the great kindenes you haue hetherto shewed vnto my poore brother Tymmes and his wife and children, with all other of Gods people to whom you dayly doe good:MarginaliaThe charitie of Mistres Glascocke to the prisoned Saincts. the Lord recompence the same seuenfold into your bosome, as I doubt not but he will, accordyng to his vnfallible promises. I pray you haue my hartie cōmendacions vnto your husbande. I besech the Lord strength him in the confession of his truth (as my trust is that he will) that we may all ioyfully rest with Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob in the kyngdome of God: vnto the whiche hee bring vs, that with his most precious bloud hath bought vs. The blessing of God bee with you now and euer, Amen.

Your dayly Oratour and vnfayned
louer Iohn Careles, prisoner of the
Lord, Pray, pray, pray.

¶ A brief admonition written to Mistres Agnes Glascoke, in a booke of hers whē she came to the prison to visite him.  

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This admonition was first printed in Letters of the Martyrs, pp. 638-39.

MarginaliaA note or poesy written in Mistres Glascockes booke by Iohn Careles.THere is nothyng that the holy Scripture throughout doth so much cōmend vnto vs, as true faith and stedfast trust in the promises of Gods eternal mercies towardes vs in Iesus Christ. For from the same, as forth of the chiefe fountaine and welspryng of lyfe, do flow all kindes of vertues and godly fruites, specially true loue towardes God, in the which wee ought purely to serue hym all the dayes of our life: and also Christian charitie towards our neighbors, aswell to helpe them at all needes, as also not to hurt them by any meanes. Therfore pray earnestly for the increase of faith and liuely feeling of Gods mercy: for all thinges are possible vnto him that can vndoubtedly beleue. MarginaliaThe effectes of fayth.Faith is that thing which assureth vs of Gods mercy, and whereby we vanquishe all the fiery dartes of the deuill: our victory that ouercommeth the world: the knife that killeth and mortifieth the fleshe: and finally that which setteth vs at peace with God, and quieteth our consciences alwayes before him, and maketh vs mery and ioyfull vnder the crosse, with many moe thinges then I can nowe expresse. Pray therfore for faith, in faith. And for the Lordes sake, beware of Popery and Popish Idolatry, the Idol of the wicked Masse, and other Idolatrous seruice. Make not your body, which is a member of Christ, a member of Antichrist. Remember that wee shall receaue of God according to that we do in the body, be it good or euill. Therfore glorifie God in your body, which is dearely bought. Betray not the truth, lest the Lord deny you. If God be God, follow him. You can not serue two masters. I write not this as doubtyng you, but by the way of admonitiō. God keepe you from all euill.

☞ My Sister deare, God geue you grace
With stedfast faith in Christes name:
His Gospell still for to embrace,
And liue accordyng to the same.
To dye therefore, thinke it no shame,
But hope in God with faithfull trust:
And he will geue you prayse with fame
When you shall ryse out of the dust.
For which most swete and ioyfull day,
To God with faith your prayer make:
And thinke on me I doe you pray,
The which did write this for your sake.
And thus to God I you betake,
Who is your castell and stronge rocke:
He keepe you whether you slepe or wake.
Farewell deare Mistres A. Glascocke.

¶ An other letter of Iohn Careles to Mistres A. G. to comfort her in her repentaunce, after she had bene at Masse, fruitefull for all them to be read, which haue fallen, and are to be raysed vp agayne.  

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Agnes Glascock, as is made clear by the contents of this letter, attended mass under pressure from her husband. (Tyms also wrote to her about this). This letter was first printed in the 1570 edition and is not in Letters of the Martyrs.

MarginaliaAn other cōfortable Letter of Iohn Careles to Mistres A. G. being in great repētance for going to the Masse.THe peace of God in Iesus Christ: the eternall comfortes of his sweete spirite be with you, and strength and comfort you my deare and faithfull sister, Amen.

Although the perillous dayes be come, wherof Christ prophesied, that if it were possible the very elect should be deceiued: yet let the true faithfull Christians reioyce