I Do thankfully acknowledge, both to God and you, that I am many ways obliged to love, and serve you; and surely, when the Lord shall turn our Captivity, I will (through his Grace) endeavour to show my self thankful, wherein I may unto you. I am the more sensible of your great love, because I cannot be insensible, how little I have deserved such a Mercy, and how little I have been able to do, to oblige you. Able, I say, for I am sure. I have been willing to be much more serviceable to you: But now, Letters and Prayers are all that I have for you; of these I shall be ready to be prodigal. Your love to me hath been very bountiful: I may not forget the liberal Supplies that you have sent, many of you, even out of your poverty to me; and not to me only, but to the whole Family of my Brethren, and Fellow Prisoners, who do all bless you, and send by these with me, their thankful respects unto you. I fervently pray, and do ⟨p. 111⟩not doubt to speed, that you may reap in Grace and Glory, what you have sown to us in bounty. Verily, there is a reward for the Righteous. Ah, how sure is it! And how great and how near is it? Come on, my dear Brethren, and Fellow-Travellers Stir up your selves, and set to your race. See that you loiter not, but speed apace in your holy course. What •ire by the way, or think of looking back, when Heaven is the prize? God forbid. To him that soweth righteousness •here shall be a sure reward. What though it should seem sl•w? As long as it is so sure, and so great, never be discouraged: In the end you shall reap, if you faint not. Wait b• a while, and you shall have a blessed harvest. The Lord speaks […] the Christian, as he to his Creditor in another case. Have pa•ence with me, and I will pay thee all. Oh now •or Faith and Patience! How safely, how sweetly would these •arry us to our home and harbour, through all difficul•s. Brethren beloved, be ye followers of them, who through •th and Patience inherit the Promises. It is want of patience •hat undoes the world. Patience, I mean, not so much […] the bearing the inflicted evil, as in waiting for the de•erred good. If the reward of Religion would be presently in hand, who would not be Religious? Who but the deceitful world count it doubtful and distant; and they are all for something in hand, and so take up with a present felicity.
I Do thankfully acknowledge, both to God and you, that I am many ways obliged to love, and serve you; and surely, when the Lord shall turn our Captivi•y, I will (through his Grace) endeavour to shew my self thankful, wherein I may unto you. I am the more sensible of your great love, because I cannot be insensible, how little I have deserved such a Mercy, and how little I have been able to do, to oblige you. Able, I say, for I am sure. I have been willing to be much more serviceable to you: But now, Letters and Prayers are all that I have for you; of these I shall be ready to be prodigal. Your love to me hath been very bountiful: I may not forget the liberal Supplies that you have sent, many of you, even out of your poverty to me; and not to me only, but to the whole Family of my Brethren, and FellowPrisoners, who do all bless you, and send by these with me, their thankful respects unto you. I fervently pray, and do ⟨p. 111⟩not doubt to speed, that you may reap in Grace and Glory, what you have sown to us in bounty. Verily, there is a reward for the Righteous. Ah, how sure is it! And how great and how near is it? Come on, my dear Brethren, and Fellow-Travellers Stir up your selves, and set to your race. See that you loiter not, but speed apace in your holy course. What •ire by the way, or think of looking back, when Heaven is the prize? God forbid. To him that soweth righteousness •here shall be a sure reward. What though it should seem sl•w? As long as it is so sure, and so great, never be discoura•ed: In the end you shall reap, if you faint not. Wait b• a while, and you shall have a blessed harvest. The Lord speaks 〈…〉 the Christian, as he to his Creditor in another case. Have pa•ence with me, and I will pay thee all. Oh now •or Faith and Patience! How safely, how sweetly would these •arry us to our home and harbour, through all difficul•s. Brethren beloved, be ye followers of them, who through •th and Patience inherit the Promises. It is want of patience •hat undoes the world. Patience, I mean, not so much 〈…〉 the bearing the inflicted evil, as in waiting for the deerred good. If the reward of Religion would be presently in hand, who would not be Religious? Who but the deceitsul world count it doubtful and distant; and they are all for something in hand, and so take up with a present felicity.
