ABSTRACT
Loving and deere Freind Master Cole I doe much wonder and marvil that you which hath beene such a valliant champion in the Lords quarrell and also hath stirred mee up (with others) to stand in my place and ranke, where God hath set me[e]5 And to undergoe cheerefully, whatsoever the Lord shall lay upon mee, and to put my trust in him, you I say which hath been A Job in bearring of many sorrowes, And that hath been a foote to the lame and an eye to the blind,6 And a grate comfort to my sorrowfull soule: If suc[h] a captaine as you fli, what shall become of7 such a weak soldier as I am. O I intreat you to call backe your thoughts againe and consider how many ways you doe
say you would endure anything for your Saviour which hath done, so much for you[.] I can but wonder that you who hath waded through such deepe seas of troubles is now almost drowned in An Ebbing shore and now how are you altered and made unlike yourselfe. Oh consider how you have yeelded unto Sathan your great Enemie in this temptation /fol. 97v/ And how have you given a stombling blocke to the weake. O how you have greived the hearts of your wife, your parents and the rest of your loving freinds. Oh how you have made the Harts of the Righteous sadd.8 Even I a poore weake creature amongst the Rest have had, manie of sadd thoughts long of you. And how have you brought some damage to your estate And a greate deale of sorrow to your owne soule[?]
But above all how have you given the Enemie cause to rejoyce and Triumph and the Name of your9 good God to be dishonoured by the wicked[?] I write this with Teares in mine eies{.} And therefore I intreat you in the Name of God Returne, Returne. It is not yet much spred abroad. It is no shame to come hoame again[.] It was a shame to goe from home. Consider what Sallomon saith. Hee that wandreth from home is like a Bird that flieth from her Nest[.]10 I will assure you, you will have noe peace while you [do not?] come home againe[.] And the sooner you come the better it will bee[.] And stand in [the] Ranke which the Lord hath sett you. Is the Lords hand shortened that he cannot save or is his Eares deafe that he cannot heare you. Say with good Nehemiah shall such /fol. 98r/ a man as I fly,11 and with Job, Though the Lord Kill mee yeet will I trust in him:12 you know not what worke the Lord hath for you to doe ere you die, you are Ancient and your desired Rest cannot be farr off.13 And therefore cheere up yourselfe in the Lord[.] Lett patience possesse your soule[.] Bee faithfull to the ende And he that shall come will come and will not tarry And will give you the crowne of Eternall life[.]14 And thus in grat hast with my continuall prayrs powred out to God for you, that you may walke worthi of the hie calling whereunto hee hath called you and soe I rest
Your loving Freind and Brother in Tribulation Nehemiah Wallington London Jun XIX 1634
be her death[.] Therefore I pray you Returne[.]
You are an Ancient Christian15 and you know farr more then I can say to you. Yet trust not to your owne wisdome, for without counsell the [right?]16 come to nought[.] Therefore goe to some of Gods Faithfull Ministers and powre out your minde to them and Aske their Advise And as they shall direct you so yeeld and make triall of their counsell[.] And so I desiere the Almighty God for his Christs sake to direct you for the best Amen[.]
Jun XIX 1634
/fol. 98v/ Now I not knowing how to send this letter safly (our hearts being kneet together like David and Jonathan)17 I did take care to carry it to him myselfe. So upon Satterday morning, I tooke ship at Wolleg18 and haveing a faire wind I was over against Harreg19 about XII a clock at night and then called a bote from Harreg and so I was at Ipeswich neer two a clocke on the Lords day in the morning and then delivered my letter to my Brother Master Cole and went in the fields and confered together[.] And then I did advise him to goe to Master Ward20 or some other Minister and aske there advice and so we went to Master Ward and his counsel was to return [home?]21[.] So betimes on Monday morning we set forth on Foot from Ipswege toward London and I scarse rested till I was there[.] my Brother Cole parted from mee at Elton and went to Barkin22 till his wife came to him[.] But I went home and upon Tuseday <mornning> at five a clocke I was in my chamber by my wives beadside very weary but in helth praised be God[.]
Some say it is neere threescore mile from Epswg to London:23 to hard a Jorney to goe on foot in a day and a night but love indureth all things[.]24
[Cole subsequently emigrated to New England. He and Wallington wrote to each other.] ...
