I knowe not how to frame my Affections to write to you: I received your lettre, nay, merum mel non Epistolam a te accepi. I am in suspense, whither I should submit my thoughtes in the sweetnesse of your love, or sitt downe sorrowfull in the Consciousness of mine owne infirmytie as havinge nothinge pretious in me, or any waye worthy suche love or esteeme. but that which I have founde from your selfe, and some others, whose constance and godlinesse hathe made me sometymes proude of their Respecte, giues me occasion to looke vp to a higher Cause, and to acknowledge the free favour and goodnesse of my God, who is pleased to putt this honor vpon me, (a poore worme, and 204raysed but yesterdaye out of the duste) to be desired of his Choicest servantes: I see his delight is, to shewe the greatest bountye where he findes the least deserte, therefore he iustifies the vngodly, and spreads the skirte of his loue vpon vs, when he findes vs in our bloud, vnswathled, vnwashed, vnseasoned: that he might shewe forth the glorye of his mercye, and that we might knowe how he can love a creature. Sweet Sir, you seeke fruit from a barraine tree, you would gather knowledge where it never grewe: if, to satisfie your desire, I should bundle vp all, that reading and observation hath putt into me, they will afford but these few considerations: 1: Josuah his best piece of policie was, that he chose to serve the ablest master; Maries, that she would make sure of the best parte; and Solomons, that he would have wisdome rather then riches or life: 2: the clear and veriest desire of these, was never severed from the fruition of them: the reason is clear, the Lorde holds vs alwais in his lappe, as the loving mother doth her froward childe, watching when it will open the mouthe, and presently she thrustes in the teate or the spoone: open thy mouth wide (saith the Lord) and I will fill thee:2 o that Israell would haue hearkened to me, I would haue filled them etc:3 o, that there were in this people an heart etc:4 o Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I haue gathered thee etc:5 he filleth the hungry soule with good thinges. 3: Even our Grace hathe its perfection begun in this life: All true colours are good, yet the colour in graine is in best esteeme, and of most worthe: meekness of wisdome, pouerty of spirit, pure loue, simplicity in Christ etc., are Grace in Graine. 4: for all outward good things, they are to a Christian as the Bird to the fowler, if he goes directly vpon her, he is sure to misse her: riches takes her to her winges, (saith salomon)6 when a man pursues her: he that will speed of this game, must seek them quasi aliud agens, or (more freely) aliud cogitans. I have knowne when 3: or 4: have beat the bushes a whole daye with as many dogges wayting on them, and have come home wearye, empty, and discontent, when one poore man going to market, hath in an houre or 2: dispatched his businesse, and returned home merrye with a hare at his back. of all outward things life hath no peer, yet the waye to saue this, is to loose it, for he that will saue his life shall loose it.7 where is now the glorye and greatnesse of the tymes passed? even yesterdaye? Queene Elizabeth, king James, etc. in their tyme, who but they? happy he who could gett their favour: now they are in the dust, and none desire their companye, neither haue themselves one myte of all they 205possessed, onely the good which that Queene did for the Churche hath stamped an eternall sunlustre vpon her name, so as the Londoners doe still erecte tryumphant monumentes of her in their Churches. if we look at persons of Inferiour qualitye, how many haue their been, who haue adventured (if not sould) their souls, to rayse those houses, which are now possessed by strangers? if it be enough for our selves, that we have Food and rayment, why should we covet more for our posteritye? it is with vs as with one in a feuer, the more nourishment we give him, the longer and sharper are his fittes: so the more we cloye our posterity with riches (above Competencye) the more matter will their be for Affliction to worke vpon. it were happye for many if their parentes had lefte them onely suche a legacye as our moderne spirit of poetrye8 makes his motto, vt nec habeant, nec careant, nec curent.9

I am so streightned in tyme, and my thoughtes so taken vp with businesse, as indeed I am vnfitt to write of these things: it is your exceeding love, hath drawne these from me, and that love must cover all infirmytyes: I loved you truely before I could think that you took any notice of me: but now I embrace you and rest in your love: and delight to solace my first thoughts in these sweet affections of so deare a friend. The apprehension of your love and worth togither hath ouercome my heart, and remoued the veil of modestye, that I must needes tell you, my soule is knitt to you, as the soule of Jonathan to Dauid: were I now with you, I should bedewe that sweet bosome with the tears of affection: O what a pinche will it be to me, to parte with such a freinde! if any Embleme may expresse our Condition in heaven, it is this Communion in love: I could, (nay I shall) envye the happinesse of your deare brother B:10 that he shall enioye what I desire. nay (I will once let love drive me into an extacye) I must repine at the felicyty of that good Lady (to whom in all love and due respecte I desire to be remembered) as one that should have more parte then my selfe in that honest heart of my deare freinde. But I must leave you all: our farwells vsually are pleasant passages, mine must be sorrowfull: this addition of for euer, is a sadd Close; yet there is some Comfort in it, bitter pilles helpe 206to procure sounde healthe: God will have it thus and blessed be his holy name: let him be pleased to lifte vp the light of his Countenance vpon vs, and we have enoughe: we shall meet in heaven, and while we live our prayers and affections shall holde an entercourse of freindship and represent vs often, with the Idea of eache others Countenance. your earnest desire to see me, makes me longe as muche to meet you: if my leysure would have permitted me, I would have prevented your travail, but I must now (against mine owne disposition) onely tell you where you may finde me vpon thursdaye etc: It is tyme to conclude, but I knowe not how to leave you, yet since I must, I will putt my beloved into his arms, who loves him best, and is a faithfull keeper of all that is Comitted to him. Now thou the hope of Israell, and the sure helpe of all that come to thee, knitt the heartes of thy seruantes to thy selfe, in faith and puritye: Drawe vs with the sweetnesse of thine odours, that we may runne after thee, allure vs, and speak kindly to thy servantes, that thou maist possesse vs as thine owne, in the kindnesse of youthe and the loue of mariage: sealle vs vp by that holy spirit of promise, that we may not feare to trust in thee: Carrye vs into thy Garden, that we may eate and be filled with those pleasures, which the world knows not: let vs heare that sweet voyce of thine, my loue my doue, my vndefiled: spread thy skirt ouer vs and couer our deformitye, make vs sicke with thy loue: let vs sleep in thine armes, and awake in thy kingdome: the soules of thy servantes, thus vnited to thee, make as one in the bonde of brotherly Affection: Let not distance weaken it, nor tyme waste it, nor change dissolue it, nor selfe loue eate it out: but when all meanes of other Communion shall faile, let vs delight to praye eache for other: and so let thy vnworthy seruant prosper in the loue of his freindes as he truly loues thy good seruantes S: and B: and wishes true happiness to them and to all theirs Amen:

I must now answeare 2: lettres of thine. with one shorte one: Let this make some supplye, that (if God will) I wilbe with 207thee on thursdaye next, therefore let John come up with my horses on Mundaye. Blessed be the Lorde our heavenly father, for all his mercye and goodnesse towards us; that we may yet heare thus comfortably each from other, and hope of a meetinge soone in peace, to be an embleme to us of our sweet and happy meetinge in N: E: by the same power and mercye of our heavenly Father: but I must ende: our freinds heer salute thee and all the rest. Commende my love and blessinge to our children and to all our freinds. The Lorde be with thee my sweet wife: farewell. Thy faithfull husband