I Have received your Letter and your kind Token, for which I acknowledge your Kindness to Truth.
As for my Neglect in Writing to you, my great Troubles of Sickness and Mortality hath hindred it, I hope whilst I am able to write, for time to come, you shall not charge me with any such Neglect; in the mean Season, I do not desire your Charity unless you can spare it. Remember my kind Love to your Mother Wyles, to Tho. Martin, and Goodman Young, and I rejoyce in the Lord for you, that the Truth abides in you. As for the Money, I am glad of your Care for the Truths sake, because it was lent to me upon that Account.
No more at present, but desiring my God abundantly to establish you in all spiritual Excellencies, unto whose infinite Grace I commend you in all Righteousness,
London, June the last, 1656.
John Reeve.
Another Epistle of John Reeve's to the same Person.
Brother Hill, in the Eternal Truth,
My Love to you and the rest of our Friends; this is a Spiritual Love Letter that I am moved to write unto you, wherefore by Virtue of my Commission, I pronounce thee Tho. Martin, William Young, and Eliz. Wyles, the Blessed of the Lord to Eternity; the Remembrance of this the Lord's Blessing, will do you no harm when I am in my Grave; in the mean Season, our good God cause you to love one another more than your temporal Enjoyments, and that will become a Heaven upon Earth in your innocent Souls; Faith fetcheth Spiritual Comfort, the Fountain to each particular Soul; but Love fulfilleth all Righteousness both to God and Man. Oh! the transcendent Excellency of the Love of Christ in his new-born People, it is not to be express'd by the Tongues of Men or Angels.
John Reeve.