I humbly thanke you for your acceptance of my poore hasty and indigested lines, wherin you coulde finde nothing, but my faithfull desire of all increase of true worth and honour to you. You haue by your long labours, trauailes, and aduentures, deserued much of this Lande; and my prayers haue bene of late more then ordinary, and my spirit raised, to begge that the Lorde woulde cause all of vs to be conuinced by the powring out of his graces on you, that you are euen that man, whose person and posterity he meanes to make an example to after ages for worth and Blessings.

Certainly this worke of the Lorde in bringing so many pretious ones to this place is not for nothing: But I am assured, that a blessing it shalbe to none but downright godly ones; for in that notion we gaue vp our inheritances to the Lorde. But truly Sir we are not yet (the body of the land, I meane) as we must be. And if magistracy and ministry preuaile not to clense our mixtures and filth, a sore scourge we shall most certainly haue. My Spirit is oft troubled about this. And hauing not many dayes (as I haue cause to thinke) here to passe, I earnestly labour, that I may dy with this testimony that I haue indeauoured to the vttmost to discharge my duty in this Lande, which (I doubt not) is your better aime. I shall desire (if God permitt) to see you as soone as the season permitts. We reioice and haue blessed God for the Labours of the Court, which I publiquely gaue thankes for. We haue cer­160tainly many Anabaptisticall Spiritts among vs and other base persons, who woulde diligently and yet secretly be searched out. I tooke occasion at the ordination2 to speake somwhat earnestly about Catechizing, which (if God meane vs good) must be a maine helpe. The backwardnes of many therin, is to me a sad signe.

I humbly thanke you for your louing letter, which doth much stirre me vp to pray for you; for (as you say) I am sure your place doth neede it, and we all owe it. Touching the two things you propounde in the ende of your letter; though you best vnderstande both the difficulty and cure, yet if (vpon thoughts at leisure) any thing occurre, I wilbe bolde to write.

Since I am putt vpon this Lords day at night to write this for a messenger in the morning, I cannot omitt to tell you my Text this day, and doctrine which out of 1 Pet. 1, 15, was this, that The Saints patterne for holines is no lesse then the holy God himselfe. The very naming wherof is an astonishment to my soule; who knowe that I come so farre short of many men. Yet the gospell requires nothing but what it affords. O what persons then might we be, if the Promises were improoued! But you will better inlarge this. It is late and I am weary. My seruice and faithfull well wishes to yourselfe and your worthy yokefellowe; so I rest Yours in Christ to command