Predictions of Christopher Love, Part 8
Lady JANE GREY'S Letter TO HER SISTER, The Evening before she was beheaded in the Towe… of London.
Translated from the Original Gre…k.
I HAVE sent you, my dear fi…er Catharine, a book, which, though …t be not exte…nal…y … with gold, or curious embroidery of nee…l… work, … internally of more value than a… the precious mines in the wide world, my only dear and best beloved …, it is the book of the law of our great and dear Redeemer; his testimony and last … ▪ bequeathed to lead us to e…ernal happiness. Read it with attention and an earnest de…ire to follow its precepts, and it wi… …urely bring you to immo…tal and everlasting life, teach you to live …nd die, win you to God. e…dow you with happiness and glory. Labour to live acco…ding to the rules it contains, and you shall inherit su…h riches, as the covetous cannot wi…hd…w, the thie… steal, nor the moth corrupt. My dear sister, ask wisdom from above, and de…ire with David to understand the law of the Lord our God, … on the … of thy heart by divi…e love, live still to die, that through death you may obtain eternal life. Let not your youth blind you from knowing that at all hours, times, and seasons, are alike to the most high God, when he … are they … …amps are … when he comes; the Lord is equall… glorified in the young as in the old; my dear good si…ter, … to die, deny the …en … of the wo…d, the …, and the D…vil, and delight … in the Lo…d. Jesus Christ; be sorry for yo…r sins; love God, do… …e…lpair, be strong in faith in Christ, live and die him the dear Redeemer, and with St. Paul, wh… fi…led with the fulness of divine love, you will … to be d…ssolved, to be with Christ, wi…h whom … love and life eternal; be the good servant, that wh… …eath steals on, like a thief in the n…gh…, you b… not found in da…k…ess, with the children of th… world, who know not God, and be not witho… oil in your lamp, like the foolish Virgins, least yo… be re…used ad…it…ance to the marriage …upper of th… Lamb; or w…thou… the w…dding ga…ment, least … be cast into outer da…kness; Rejoice in the Redeemer, follow our great master Christ, …heerfully bear your cross or crosses, lay a…l your sins on hi… shoul…ers, and embrace him always. Rejoice with me, at my death, my dearest sister. that I shall be delivered from this body of corruption, and clothed with the garment of incorruption; for by … this mortal life, I shall obtain one immor…al, joyful, glorious, and eve…lasting, which I pray the Almighty God to give you when he shall please to call you hence, and send you all sufficient grace. …o live in his love and fear, and die in true Christian …aith, in Christ Jesus, who redeemed us, and all who love him, and long for his coming; a…d I now exhort you, in the name of our Almighty Father, neve… to swerve either from the hope of life or …ear of death: for if you deny his truth to prolong a we… ry and corrupt being, Omniporence himself will … you, and cu… sho… by his vengeance, what … were desirous of prolonging, by the loss of your precious soul. Cleave to him▪ and he will ex…end: your days to a … circumsribed to his own glory; to which I … God bring me now, a…d you hereaf…er, when it shall please him to call you Farewell. once more, my beloved …, put your whole …ru…t in the great … who alone ca… help you—AMEN
Your loving Sister, J…NE DUDLEY.
She was a Lady of the m…st amiable person, most engaging disposition, and … …c…mpl…shed parts. She … greatest … in acq… …ing every part of poli…e Li…e…ure▪ had a … knowledge of the Ro…a… and Greek languages, … modern tongues, and the elega… arts▪ the best of wives to the most aff…cti…nate husband, she re…u…ed being placed on the …hrone, till … by her Father, Father-in-law and H…sb…d: when she had been warned to prepare for death, which she had long expected, she received the dreadful news with jo…, The Queen's bigo…ed zeal (under colour of tender mercy to the prisoner's soul) induced her to send Priests, who tormented her wi…h perpetual disputations, and … … was granted her on conditions that she would embrace the …do…atrous wo…ship of the Church of Rome: … she he…d Death and Christ in greater esteem. Lady Jane had presence of mind (in them … and … circumstances, to d…fend her religion with a christian for…itude, supported from holy writ▪ and also wrote a letter to her Sister in the …reek …angua…e, exhorting her to maintain, in every reve…se of fortune, the like steady …erse…erance▪ On the da… of her execution. she re…used to see her …sband Lord Guil…ord, but sent him word▪ that the …e…derness of their …arting, might probab… … ▪ … from that co…ancy which their approaching end … qu…red of them. Their separation would be only fo… a m…m…nt, and would soon r…join each other in …, where their affections would be …; and where death, disappointments, and … co…ld no lo…ger have access to them, … break on their happin…s.