I Beseech GOD the Father of JESUS CHRIST give me his good Spirit in writing to give advice, and you in reading to receive it, Amen. Since the time that I received Master S. letter, wherein he declared his careful compassion over your estate: I have been not a little grieved, because, partly for want of a convenient messenger, and partly because of my manifold distractions, with the like occurrences, and other weighty affairs, I have been hindered from writing hitherto unto you. And albeit even still I am in the same case; yet conscience towards God, and compassion, and love towards you forceth me to overcome lets, which hardly I could otherwaies prevail against. And albeit I cannot write as I would, yet of that which I shall write, proceeding from the forenamed grounds, I look for some blessing from God through Jesus Christ, if you will not too much faint in faith, and yield to the adversary: yea, if you will but hope so well of yourself, as (in the fear of God I write it) I hope of you. First, whereas it seemeth you are sometimes grieved, because you tarried not still at Cambridge, according to my advice: you must know that I advised it not as a thing necessary, but more convenient (as I then supposed:) but yet that I advised you to obey your father, if his pleasure still continued to have you home: whereunto you yielding, I cannot see how you offended: it being your fathers pleasure you should so do. And who knows whether being here, you might not have been as much troubled, there being no privilege for persons and places, in such cases? And who knows whether it be the Lords pleasure, for the ensample and instruction, and I hope the consolation of others in the end? And albeit you will now think, that here you were nearer the more and stronger means: yet know you and he persuaded, that GOD can, and doth in such cases work by fewer and weaker, according to his good pleasure. Besides, it is in our corrupted nature, to make much of such means as we cannot have, and not so to esteem those which God doth offer us, as we should. I beseech you therefore in the Name of Jesus Christ, humbly to praise God for those means which he offereth in mercy unto you, and to use them in faith accordingly: and so God shall bless you by them; and then by such conference as you may have from hence by letters.
I Beseech GOD the Father of IESVS CHRIST giue me his good Spirit in writing to giue aduice, and you in reading to receiue it, Amen. Since the time that I receiued Master S. letter, wherin he declared his carefull compassion ouer your estate: I haue been not a little grieued, because, partly for want of a conuenient messenger, and partly because of my manifolde distractions, with the like occurrences, and other weightie affaires, I haue bene hindered from writing hitherto vnto you. And albeit euen still I am in the same case; yet conscience towards God, and compassion, and loue towards you forceth me to ouercome lets, which hardly I could otherwaies preuaile against. And albeit I cannot write as I would, yet of that which I shall write, proceeding from the forenamed grounds, I looke for some blessing from God through Iesus Christ, if you will not too much faint in faith, and yeeld to the aduersarie: yea, if you will but hope so well of yourselfe, as (in the feare of God I write it) I hope of you. First, whereas it seemeth you are sometimes grieued, because you taryed not still at Cambridge, according to my aduice: you must know that I aduised it not as a thing necessary, but more conuenient (as I then supposed:) but yet that I aduised you to obey your father, if his pleasure still continued to haue you home: whereunto you yeelding, I cannot see how you offended: it being your fathers pleasure you should so doe. And who knowes whether being heere, you might not haue bene as much troubled, there being no priuiledge for persons and places, in such cases? And who knowes whether it be the Lords pleasure, for the ensample and instruction, and I hope the consolation of others in the end? And albeit you wil now thinke, that here you were neerer the more and stronger meanes: yet know you and hee perswaded, that GOD can, and doth in such cases worke by fewer and weaker, according to his good pleasure. Besides, it is in our corrupted nature, to make much of such meanes as we cannot haue, and not so to esteeme those which God doth offer vs, as we should. I beseech you therefore in the Name of Iesus Christ, humblie to praise God for those meanes which hee offereth in mercie vnto you, and to vse them in faith accordingly: and so God shall blesse you by them; and then by such conference as you may haue from hence by letters.
