Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 39 · Letter 17
¶An other Letter of Iohn Careles to Mistres A.G. to comfort her in her repentaunce, after shee had bene at Masse, fruitefull for all them to be reade, which hauehave fallen, and are to be raised vp againe.
An other … letter of … Care… … A. G· … in … going to … Masse.THe peace of God in Iesus Christe: the eternall comfortes of hys sweete spirit be with you, and strength and comfort you my deare and faithfull sister. Amen.
Although the pearillous dayes be come, wherof Christ prophesied▪ that if it were possible the very elect should be deceyued: yet let the true faithfull Christians reioyce and be gladde, knowing that the Lorde him selfe is theyr keeper, who will not suffer one haire of theyr heades to pearish wythout his almighty good will and pleasure, neyther wil suffer them to be further tempted then hee will geue them strengthe to beare: but will in the middest of theyr temptation make away for them to escape out: So good and gracious a God is hee to all his chosen children. And though sometimes he doe lette hys elect stumble and fall, yet (no doubt) hee will raise them vppe againe to the further encrease of theyr comforte, and to the setting foorth of hys glory and praise. Which thing (my deare and faithfull louing sister) I trust shall be well verified on you. For I doe heare say that by the manifolde allurementes, inticements, procurementes, yea, and enforcements that you deare hart hauehave had, your fote hath chaunced to slippe foorth of the way, to the greate discomfort of your soule, and the heauinesse of your heart: but my good sister, be of good cheare, for the Lorde wil not so leaue you, but he will raise you vppe againe, and make you stronger then euer you were: so that your fall shall tourne to hys glorye and youre profite. For if you hadde not by this prooued the experience of your owne strength, or rather your owne weakenes, you would hauehave stande too muche in your owne conceite, or perchaunce hauehave glorified in your selfe, and hauehave despised and condempned other weake personnes that hauehave committed the like offence. Therfore now you may see what the best of vsus all can do, if God leaue vsus to our selues. Which thing ought to moue you to be diligent to call earnestly vponupon God for his grace and the strength of his holy spirite (without the which we are not able to stande one houre) & to be most thankefull for the same when you hauehave it, and then to be more circumspecte in time to come.
Therefore deare sister, seeing that you hauehave done otherwise, then the word of God and your owne cōscience would allow, yet deare hart, do you not thinke that God therfore wil cast you cleane away, but know that he hath mercy enough in store for al them that truely repent and beleeue in him, although the sinnes of them were as many in number as the sandes in the sea, and as great as the sinnes of the whole worlde. It is a greater sinne to mistrust the mercye and promises of God, then to commit the greatest offence in the world. Therefore (good sister) beware in any wise,… that you doe not once mistrust the promises of Gods mercy towardes you: but knowe for a very surety that all youre sinnes be vtterlye forgeuen you for Christes sake, be they neuer so many, so grieuous, or so great.
But now (deare heart) take heede and beware that you doe not cloake that sinne and increase the same daily, in communicating with the wicked in their Idolatrie,… and deuelish doinges at their denne of theeues. Do not (I say) deare sister, come at any of their Antichristian seruice, least by little and little you vtterly lose a good conscience, and at length esteeme it for none offence: as (alas) a great nomber doth at this day, to the great pearill of theyr soules. The Lorde be merciful vntounto them, and geue them grace to repent in time and tourne to the Lorde, and then they shalbe sure to finde mercy at the Lordes hand, as doubtles you hauehave done, praised be his name therefore.
Ah my deare sister, you may nowe see the wordes of Christe verified vppon your selfe:A, G. intised by her husband to go to the Masse. that a mans greatest foes shall be they of his owne household: for your husband hath gotten you to do that, which all the tyrants in the world could neuer hauehave made you to doe. Doubtlesse he may be sory for it. God geue him grace to repent, or els, without doubt, it will be laid to his charge one day, when he would not by his will heare it for all the goods in the worlde. Well, I thinke my brother Tymmes will wryte him a letter shortly that shall touche his conscience, if hee hauehave anye conscience at all.
But now againe to you dere sister. The thing that is done can not be vndone, and you are not the first that hath offended, neither are you so good and so holy, as hath at a time slipt forth of the way. Therfore I would not hauehave you to be so much discomforted as I heare saye you be, as thoughe God were not able to forgeue you your offence,The raysing vp of a troubled conscience after his fall. as he was to forgeue his deare Saints that offended him in times past: or as though God were not as mercifull nowe, as euer he was. Where as in very deede, There is with the Lord (as the Prophet sayth) mercy and plentiful redēption: and his mercy farre surmounteth all his workes: and he neuer faileth any that put their whole trust and confidence in him, howe great an offender or howe wicked a trespasser so euer he bee: No,God turneth all thinges to the best, to them that be his. he maketh their falles and backeslidings manye times to tourne to their profite and commoditie, and to the settynge foorth of his glorye: As doubtlesse deare sister, yours shall doe, if you put your whole faith, hope, and trust only in his infinite and eternall sweete mercies.
Oh what a suttel, crafty, lying serpent is that Sathan our old enemie,Sathan when he cannot bring a-man to his seruice, he pr…sseth him with distrust of Gods mercye. that when he seeth that he can not make vsus to continue in our wickednes to do him seruice, would then bring vsus into a doubting and mistrusting of the mercye of God: whyche is the greatest offence that can be: yea infidelitye is the roote and originall of all other sinnes. Therefore (my sweete sister) geue no place to that cruell aduersary of mankinde, who hath bene a lier and a murtherer from the beginning, but stedfastlye beleeue the Lord, who hath sent you word by me his most vnworthy seruāt, that all your sinnes be pardoned, forgeuen, and cleane released for Iesus Christes sake our only Lorde and Sauiour. To whome with the father, and the holy Ghost, be all honour, glory, praise, thankes, power, rule, and dominion for euer & for euer, Amen. Farewell my deare sister, and be of good cheare. Beleeue in the Lorde and you shall liue for euer. The Lord increase your faith. Amen. Amen.
Your poore brother and daily faithfull Oratour Iohn Careles, prisoner of the Lord. Pray for me.