Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 39 · Letter 19
An other letter of Iohn Careles to Elizabeth, wife of the sayde A.B. containing likewise certaine Godly preceptes of Matrimonie pertaining to her duetie.
THe euerlasting peace of God in Iesus Christe, the continuall aide,An other letter of Iohn Careles to the wyfe of the partye aboue specified. strength, and comfort of his moste holye and mightye spirite, with increase of knowledge, faith, and perfecte feeling of Gods eternall mercy, be with you my deare and faithfull louing sister. E.B. and with your godly louing husbande my deare and faithfull brother, to the full performaunce of that good whiche he hath so graciously begon in you, that in all things you maye be made riche and blessed in him, and your seede after you, now and euer Amen.
As I hauehave bene long desirous to wryte vntounto you (my deare heart in the Lord) not onelyonly being thereto bound of duetie, but also often prouoked of him, to whome I owe my self and al that I am able to doe (I meane euen that blessed of the Lordes owne mouthe, whome God hathe ioyned with you in that holye and Christian state of Matrimonie) euen so at the last I hauehave obtained time and occasion, in some part to performe that whyche I hauehave long purposed. And for as much as the Lorde of hys greate mercye and fatherlye care and prouidence ouer you hys deare childe, hath nowe graciously accomplished that good worke amongs manye others, which I (as a frende of the bridegrome) hauehave full heartely wished and often prayed for: I thinke it good, yea and my bounden duety, to treate of such things as maye be profitable to preserue mutuall louelove and faithful amity betwene you: which I knowe Sathan wil chiefly labour to diminish, if he can not altogether destroy the same,Sathan an ene…emy to all godly affayres. lest by many ioyfull occasions you should be prouoked continually to praise God for his good gift, which that enemye hath by all meanes sought to hinder from you.
As for al other things, I know you are sufficiently instructed & also hauehave a most learned cōpanion, who is wel able further to teach you if nede do require. But in this thing I know my experience is more then his. Therfore my good sister, first and before all things, see that you do diligētly consider, that as eueryevery good and perfecte gift pertaining to soule and body, is geuen from aboue, and cōmeth from the father of light: euen so to whome …o euer the Lord dealeth any of his benefits, of them he doth chiefly require alwaies a thankfull heart for the same: For els he will either take away his good gifts again,The signe of …ngratitu…. or turne the same to their greate discommoditie, and in the ende to the encrease of theyr damnation: So detestable in his sighte is the sinne of ingratitude. But to such as be thankfull for his benefites he doeth not only to the olde euer adde newe, but also maketh the commoditie of his former giftes euer more and more to encrease vntill by them they are fullye perswaded and throughlye certified of hys euerlasting louelove in Christ Iesu, which is eternal life it selfe: So much doth he of his great mercy delite in a thankfull heart.
Therefore I doe yet once againe earnestly require you,God loueth a thankeful harte. that aboue all things you be thankefull to God for his benefites: not only for your election, creation, redemption, and preseruation, but also for his other temporal gifts wherwith he hathe indued you: amongst the which the chiefe and moste excellent is (as testifieth the holy Ghost) your good, godlye, and faithfull louynge husbande.A good wyfe is the gi…t… of God. For (as the wise man sayeth) Goods and possessions may come to a man by the death of his frendes, but a good wife is the gift of God, which the Lord will geue for a good portion, to suche as feare him.
And the like is of a good husband, as the Lord hathe nowe geuen you, praised be his name therfore. He hath not geuen you an ignorant, froward, churlish, brawling, wastfull, rioting dronken husband, wherwith he hath plagued many other (as he myght also hauehave done you) but he hath geuen you a moste godlye, learned, gentle, louing, quiet, patient, thri…tye, diligent & sober husband: by whom he wil nourish, cherish, kepe and defend you, instructe and teach you, yea care and prouide for you and your childrē (the which he wil also by him geue you) such things,God deliteth in the agreement betweene man and wyfe. as be necessary for you. He hath not dealt so with eueryevery body: and yet he hath done this and much more for you my deare sister, & wil therto increase ioy and louelove betwene you. For as he delighteth in the louelove & godly agreement of man and wife together, so is it he only that maketh them and all the whole houshold to be of one mind. VntoUnto the which his gracious work he requireth your diligence, and will vse you as his instrument and meane, the more effectuously to accomplish the same. And therefore I nowe require you to obserue this my simple counsel, the which I hauehave here wrytten as a testimonial of my good will towardes you, because I thinke in this life I shall neuer more see you.
Nowe, as I hauehave shewed you how you shoulde be thankefull vntounto God for his good giftes: so I exhort you, and as much as in me lieth) charge you to be euermore thankfull vntounto your deare louing husband: who hath geuen him selfe vntounto you:The duety of wiues toward their husbandes. whych is a more precious iewel in the Church of God, then perchance you are yet aware of. Thincke your selfe vnwoorthy to be matched with suche an instrument of God: and also reuerence euermore the gifts of God in him, and seeke with true obedience and louelove to serue him, in recompence of his true & painful hart towards you. Be lothe in any wise to offend him: yea rather be carefull & diligent to please him, that his soule maye blesse you. If at anye time you shall chaunce to anger him, or to doe or speake anye thing that shall grieue him, see that you neuer rest vntill you hauehave pacified him and made him merry againe.
If at any time he shall chance to blame you without a cause, or for that you can not doe therewith (whiche thyng happeneth sometimes of the best men liuing) see that you beare it paciently, and geue hym no vncomely or vnkinde woorde for it: but euer more looke vppon him wyth a louing and chearefull countenaunce, and rather take the fault vppon you, then seeme to be displeased.
Be alwaies mery and chereful in his company,A chearefull countenaunce. but not with too muche lightnesse. Beware in any wise of swelling, powting, or lowring, for that is a token of a cruel and vnlouing heart: except it be in respect of sinne, or in the time of sickenesse.
Be not sorowful for any aduersity that God sendeth: but beware that nothing be spilte or goe to waste through your negligence.Temporaunce in apparell. In any wise see that you be quicke and cleanly about his meat and drinke, and prepare him the same according to his diet in due season. Goe cleanely and wel fauouredly in your apparel, but beware of pride in any wise.
Finally in woord and deede shewe your selfe wise, humble, merry, and louing towardes him, and also towardes suche as he doeth louelove, and then shall you leade a blessed life. I could speake of many things, the whiche I hauehave learned and prooued true by experience: but I knowe that you will doe in all thyngs, muche better then I can teache you, because you hauehave that annoynting that teacheth you all thyngs: who hath also geuen you an heart to obey, and serue hym. Yet I trust you will not be offended for this, whych I hauehave wrytten: but rather accept my good will towardes you, whom I louelove in the Lord, as well as I do my daughter Iudith.
Thus as mine owne soule, I commende you bothe to God, desiring him to blesse you with all maner of spirituall blessings, in heauenly thinges, and also wyth the dewe of heauen, and fatnesse of the earth, that in all thynges you maye be made ryche in Iesus Christe our Lorde and onelyonly Sauiour. The Lorde increase and blesse the fruite of your bodyes, that your children maye stande rounde about your table, thicke, fresh and lustie, lyke the Oliue braunches God geue you both a long life, that you maye see and blesse your childrens children, vntounto the third and fourth generation, and teach them the true feare and louelove of God, and that faith for the which they shalbe accepted in his sight.
God lette you see the prosperitie of Syon, for whose lying in the dust, let your hearts mourne. The Lorde make perfecte your louelove together in hym,Note that … th…se departed in … peace, the one 1565. the other 1568. and alwaies encrease the same, and bryng you bothe in peace to your graues, at a good age. And nowe I bid you bothe moste heartely farewell: and I thinke I shall now take my leaue of you for euer in this life. I beseeche you both to aide me with your continuall prayers (as I wil not forgette you in mine) that I may hauehave a ioyfull victorie through Iesus Christ: To whose most mercifull defence, I doe moste heartely for euer commende you to be kepte vnblameable, vntill hys comming: The which I beseeche him to hasten for his mercies sake.
Your owne vnfainedly, Iohn Careles, prisonner of the Lord.
Heere endeth the Letters of Iohn Careles.