Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 11 · Account 39 · Letter 2
¶To his wife.
AS by the greate mercy of God, at the tyme of his good will and prouidence appoynted (my dearelye beloued wife) you and I were ioyned together in the holye and Christian state of godly Matrimony,An other … of Iohn Care… to his wyfe. as well to our great ioy and comfor in Christ, as also to the encrease of his blessed church and faythfull congregation, by hauing lawfull children by & in the same, with the which God of his mercy hath blessed vsus, praised be his name therfore: euē so now by his mercifull will and diuine ordinaunce, the time is come (so farre as I can perceiue) wherein he will, for his glory & our eternal comfort, dissolue the same, and seperate vsus asunder againe for a time. Wherfore I thought it good, yea and my boūden duety, by this simple letter to prouoke styrre, & admonish you, to behaue your selfe in all your doinges, sayinges, and thoughtes, most thankfully vntounto our good God for the same. And therefore (my deare wife) as you hauehave hartily reioyced in the Lord, and oftentimes geuen God thanks for his goodnes, in bringing vsus together in his holy ordinaūce: euē so now I desire you, when this time of our seperation shal come, to reioyce with me in the Lord, and to geue him most harty thanks, that he hath (to his glory and our endles commodity) separated vsus againe for a little time, & hath mercifully taken me vntounto himselfe, forth of this miserable world, into his celestiall kingdom: beleuing and hoping also assuredly,Here is a … marke …. Chri…an, forsa…i…g wyfe … childrē … Christes …. that God of hys goodnesse, for his sonne Christes sake, will shortlye bring you and your deare children thither to me, that we maye moste ioyfully together sing prayses vntounto his glorious name for euer. And yet once agayne I desire you for the louelove of God and as euer you loued me, to reioyce with me, and to geue God continuall thankes for doing his most mercifull wil vponupon me.
I heare say, that you do oftentimes vse to repeate this godly saying:… The Lordes wil be fulfilled. Doubtlesse it reioyceth my poore hart to heare that report of you, & for the lordes sake, vse that godly praier continually, and teach your children and family to say the same day and night: and not onelyonly say it with your toungs, but also with your hart and mind, and ioyfully to submit your will to Gods will in very deed, knowing & beleuing assuredly, that nothing shall come to you or any of yours, otherwise then it shall be hys almightie and fatherly good wil and pleasure, and for your eternall comfort and commodity. Which thing to be moste true and certayne, Christ testifyeth in his holy gospell saying:Math. 10. Are not two litle Sparowes sold for a farthing, and yet not one of them shall perish without the wil of your heauenly father▪ And he concludeth saying: Feare not yee therefore, for yee are better then many sparowes. As though he shoulde hauehave sayd, If God hauehave such a respecte and care for a poore sparowe, which is not worth one farthing, that it shall not be taken in the lime twig, net, or pitfall, vntill it be his good will & pleasure: you may be wel assured, that not one of you (whō he so dearly loueth, that he hath geuē his only deare sonne for you) shall perishe, or depart forth of this miserable life without his almighty good will and pleasure.
Therefore deare wife, put your truste and confidence wholly & onelyonly in him, and euer pray that his will be fulfilled, and not yours, except it be agreeing to his will: the which I pray GOD it may euer be, Amen. And as for worldly thinges,Good coun… geuen … wyfe. take you no care, but be you well assured the Lorde your deare God and father will not see you nor yours lacke, if you continue in his louelove and childely feare, and keepe a cleare conscience from all kinde of Idolatry, superstition and wickednes, as my trust is that you wyll doe, although it be with the losse and daunger of this temporall life. And good Margaret, feare not them that canne but kill the body (and yet can they not do that, vntill God geue them lea…e) but feare to displease him that can kyll both body and soule, and cast them into hell fire. Let not ye remembraunce of your children keep you from God.… to … vponupon … Lord. The Lord himselfe will be a father and a mother, better then euer you or I could hauehave bene, vntounto them. He himselfe wil do all thinges necessary for them: yea, as much as rock the Cradle, if need be. He hath geuen his holy Angels charge ouer them, therefore committ them vntounto him. But if you may liue with a cleare conscience, (for elles I woulde not hauehave you to liue) and see the bringing vp of your children your selfe, looke that you nurture them in the feare of God, and keepe them farre from Idolatry, superstition, and all other kinde of wickednesse:The … duety … …ringing … chil…en▪ and for Gods sake helpe them to some learning, if it be possible, that they may increase in vertue and godly knowledge, which shal be a better dowry to marry them withall, then any worldlye substaunce: and when they be come to age, prouide them such husbandes as feare God, and louelove his holy worde. I charge you take heede that you match them with no Papistes, and if you liue, and marry agayne your selfe (whiche thing I woulde wishe you to doe, if neede require, or els not) good wife take heede how you bestowe your selfe (that you and my poore children be not compelled to wickednesse. But if you shall be able well to liue Gods true widow, I would counsell you so to liue still, for the more quietnesse of your selfe and your poore children. Take heede, Margaret, and play the wise womans part. You hauehave warning by other, if you will take an example. And thus I commit you and my sweet children vntounto Gods most merciful defence. The blessing of God be with you, and God sēd vsus a mery meeting together in heauen. Farewel in Christ, farewell mine owne deare hartes all. Pray, pray.