of GOD do you help us in our Praises Love the Lord the better Praise him the more and what is wanting in us let it be made good by you O that the Praises of GOD may sound abroad in the Country by our means and for our sakes HE was prevented of going to the Waters by his last Imprisonment for want of which his Distempers increased much upon him all the Winter after and the next Spring more 〈◊〉 yet not so as to take him fully off from his Work but he Preached and kept many Dayes and Administred the Sacrament among them frequently But going up to the Waters in July 1667 they had a contrary effect upon him from what they had at first For after three dayes taking them he fell into a Feaver which seised on his Spirits and decayed his strength exceedingly so that he seemed very near Death But the Lord then again revoked the Sentence passed upon him and enabled him in six Weeks to return again to his People where he much desired to be But finding at his return great decay of his strength and a weakness in all his Limbs he was willing to go to Dorchester to advise further with Doctor Lose a very Worthy and Reverend Physitian from whom he had received many Medicines but never conversed with him nor had seen him which he conceived might conduce more to his full Cure The Doctor soon perceiving my Husbands weakness perswaded him to continue for a fortnight or three weeks there that he might the better advise him and alter his Remedies as he should see occasion which motion was readily yeelded unto by us But we had not been there above five dayes before the use of all his Limbs was taken away on a sudden one day his Arms wholly failing the next his Legs so that he could not go nor stand nor move a Finger nor turn in his Bed but as my self and another did turn him night and day in a Sheet All means failing he was given over by Physitiand and Friends that saw him lie some weeks in cold Sweats night and day and many times for some hours together half his Body cold in our apprehensions dying receiving nothing but the best Cordials that Art could invent and Almond Milk or a little thin Broth once in three or four days Thus he lay from September 28 to November 16. before he began to Revive or it could be discerned that Remedies did at all prevail against his Diseases In all this time he was still chearful and when he did speak it was not at all complaining but alwayes praising and admiring God for his Mercies but his Spirits were so low that he spake seldom and very softly He still told us he had no pain at all and when his Friends admired his Patience he would say God had not yet tryed him in any thing but laying him aside out of his Work and keeping him out of Heaven but through Grace he could submit to his pleasure waiting for him It was Pain he ever feared and that he had not yet felt so tender was his Father of him and he wanted strength as he often told us to speak more of his Love and to speak for God who had been and was still so gracious to him Being often askt by my self and others how it was with his Spirit in all this weakness he would answer He had not those ravishing joys that he expected and that some Believers did partake of but he had a sweet serenity of Heart and confidence in God grounded on the Promises of the Gospel and did believe it would be well with him to all eternity In all this time I never heard one impatient word from him nor could upon my strictest observation discern the least discontent with this state though he was a pitiful Object to all others that beheld him being so consumed besides the loss of the use of his Limbs Yet the Lord did support and quiet his Spirit that he lay as if he had endured nothing breaking out often most affectionately in commending the kindness of the Lord to him saying Goodness and Mercy had followed him all his dayes And indeed the loving kindness and care of God was singular to us in that place which I cannot but mention to his praise We came Strangers thither and being in our Inn we found it very uncomfortable yet were fearful to impose our selves on any private House But necessity inforcing we did enquire for a Chamber but could not procure one the Small Pox being very hot in most Families and those that had them not daily expecting them and so could not spare Rooms as else they might But the Lord who saw our affliction inclined the heart of a very good Woman a Ministers Widdow one Mrs. Bartlet to come and invite us to a Lodging in her House which we readily and thankfully accepted off where we were so accommodated as we could not have been any where else in the Town especially in regard of the assistance I had from four young Women who lived under the same roof and so were ready night and day to help 〈◊〉 I having no Servant nor Friend near me we being so unsetled I kept none but had alwayes tended him my self to that time And the Ministers and Christians of that place were very compassionate towards us visiting and Praying with and for us often And Dr. Lose visited him twice a day for twelve or fourteen Weeks except when he was called out of Town refusing any Fees tendered to him The Gentry in and about the Town and others sending to us what-ever they imagined might be pleasing to him furnishing him with all delicates that might be grateful to one so weak So that he wanted neither Food nor Physick having not only for necessity but for delight and he did much delight himself in the consideration of the Lord's kindness to him in the love he received and would often say I was a Stranger and Mercy took me in in Prison and it came to me sick and weak and it visited me There was also ten young Women besides the four in the House that took their turns to watch with him constantly for twelve weeks space I never wanted one to help me And the Lord was pleased to shew his power so in strengthening me that I was every night all these Weeks in the depth of Winter one that helped to turn him never lying out of the Bed one night from him but every time he called or wanted any thing was waking to assist her in the Chamber though as some of them have said they did tell that we did turn him more than 40 times a Night he seldom sleeping at all in the Night in all those Weeks Though his tender Affections were such as to have had me sometimes lain in another Room yet mine were such to him that I could not bear it the thoughts of it being worse to me than the trouble or disturbance he accounted I had
a great and signal mercy to himself and to his people And therefore Joab even rates him for it 2 Sam. 19. 5 and following verses Saith he Thou hast sham'd this day the faces of all thy servants who have sav'd thy life and the life of thy Sons and of thy Daughters and thy Wives Since thou hast 〈◊〉 thine Enemies and hated thy Friends and hast declar'd this day that thou regardest neither Princes nor Servants And I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all we had died this day it would have pleased thee well You see the reason of his immoderate and overflowing sorrow for him was his inordinate Affection to him Which was so out of measure great that when he heard the news his passion wrought and he was hasting to a room to give it vent But alas he cannot hold till he come thither but discharges at the stairs as he is going up 2 Sam. 18. 33. He wept as he went and said O my Son Absalom my Son Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my Son my Son You see then both that and why we are so ready to misplace our grief and to misapply our sorrow Use. The application of the point shall be for Caution and Direction both together To watch our hearts against it that so we lay not out our tears amiss Be circumspect that you do not misplace your grief and that you do not mistake the ground and object of your sorrow like these poor Daughters of Jerusalem who wept where they should not and wept not where they should Oh what a deal of grief do some men waste away when there is no cause at all How do many men take on when they are crost in prosecution of their lusts and hindred in their sins which is in deed a great mercy Oh what floods of tears do some men pour 〈◊〉 upon a petty flight occasion at a trifling accident Beloved tears if they be shed aright are precious things God puts them up into his Bottle as if they were of great value And yet some lay them out on nothing How will they weep and grieve at any disappointment in their small affairs any miscarriage in their business any little petty loss any unkindness from their friends or neighbours any affront or provocation in the least degree nay if they be but crossed in their wills though it be best indeed they should All their sorrow is bestowed on little trifling inconsiderable things Why my beloved have ye not other manner of things then these to grieve for what think you of your own sias with all their bloody aggravations what think you of the horrible Abominations and woful desolations of the Land And of all the wrath of God that hath been lately manitested and reveal'd from Heaven against us more ways then I am able to express I might be very large in shewing you particularly and distinctly both what you should and what you should not grieve for and giving you directions from the word of God about it But because the time spends and I would not be prevented of that which I have principally in my eye I shall pass over many other things that so I may apply my self to the occasion Methinks I see the clouds gather and return after the Rain And out of question many of you are come hither with a sufficient 〈◊〉 of sorrow your hearts are full of grief and your souls full of trouble and your bottles full of tears brim full You have drawn water and are ready to pour it our before the Lord this day My work shall be to guide you and direct you with our Saviour in the Text how to bestow these tears and how to spend this sorrow that you may not weep in vain I say to you as Christ doth to the Daughters of Jerusalem with a little alteration weep not for him whom the Lord hath taken from you but weep for your selves and for your Children 1. Weep not for him I know the loss of such an Able Faithful Painful zealous Minister of Christ as he was ought to be very much bewailed Men of such hidden worth as he had in him and of such publick use and service in the Church should not be raked up in their Graves without tear and lamentations Joash a wicked King wept for a good Prophet and that with very great affection 2 Kings 13. 14. He wept over his face and said My Father my Father the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof And if you mark the carriage of the Saints when such as he I mean our dear and worthy Brother have been taken from them it would warrant all the tears you have to spend on this occasion In the first of Kings 13. 30. You find a Prophet burying a Prophet and melting over him when he Inter'd him He laid his Carcase in the Grave and mourned over him and said alass my Brother How solemnly did Israel lament the death of Samuel and made their grief as remarkable and publick as their loss 1 Sam. 25. 1. It is observed of Stephen that he was carried by devout men to his burial with great lamentation Acts 8. 2. And God forbid that such an one as we have lost should die away as if he were not desired that he would steal into his Grave as if there were no notice taken of his Death No my Beloved weep and weep on sit down and weep till you can weep no more yet still I say weep not for him Your loss is unaccomptable indeed and time perhaps will shew it to be greater then as yet you see But tell me my Beloved is he a loser any way Nay is he not an infinite gainer Is not this best of all for him Indeed to have continued in the flesh was better for you as the Apostle states the case when he was 〈◊〉 Phil. 1. 24. But for him it was far better to be dissolved and to be with Christ. Now he enjoys a 〈◊〉 deliverance from all Corruptions all Temptations all Afflict 〈◊〉 A full return of all his Prayers and Breathings after God and Christ in which he was transported when he was drawing near his Glory A full reward of all his tiring and incessent Labours Oh blessed soul You know a Voice from Heaven hath said Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their Labours and their works follow them Therefore I say weep not for him There is one thing I must confess that makes this Providence the sadder to us You know it is the Prophet Davids Prayer Psal. 102. 24. O my God take me not away in the midst of my daies The Lord indeed hath taken him away in the midst of his days and in the midst of his Ministry But is he gone to Heaven too soon Too soon indeed for you but not for him Is he got home to his Fathers house too soon Is he with God and Christ and Angels and glorified Saints too
cast away upon you So that our Brother might have said in reference to many as the Prophet did I have spent my strength in vain However he is glorious with his God But I am very much afraid that many of you will find this holy witness who is now ascended Witnessing against you when the day of trial comes Dear Friends Be not offended if I tell you that your sins have had a stroke in the Sickness and the Weakness and the death of your deservedly beloved Minister They were our sins that killed Christ He was bruised for our iniquities and broken for our sins He bare our sins in his Body on the Tree And so they are our sins that kill the Ministers of Christ. You have often seen your Saviour slain before you by and for your sins Now you have seen a holy Minister of his slain by the same hands And yet your sins live still to do more such work and the Lord knows where it will end There is no Execution done upon them who have done such dreadful Execution in our view Oh let your hearts break and your Tears run down till your Lusts be broken mortified and destroyed or else they will break you and destroy you If you have any love to Christ to the Ministers of Christ or to your Selves you may see cause enough to weep though not for our deceased Brother yet for your selves and for your sins That 's the first thing then weep for the sins that you have done 2. For the Judgments that now you may be like to suffer To this our Saviour referreth in the Text weep for your selves and for your children That is for the extremity of Wrath and 〈◊〉 V engeance that is about to come on you and them Even so say I to you my Brethren with the Apostle James 5. 1. Go to now weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you Oh let not that complaint of the Prophet Isaiah 57. 1. Be renewed against you The Righteous perisheth and no man laieth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the Righteous is taken away from the evil to come Our dear Brother now deceased was a Righteous man yea a Preacher of Righteousness The Lord you see hath taken him away Oh what evil is to come When such as he are hous'd what dreadful storms may there be like to fall Brethren the holy Ministers of God are the peoples Life-guard The Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof 2 Kings 13. 14. They are anointed Cherubs that Cover They are a Shelter and a Covering from the Storm and from the Rain Sometimes they are called Shepherds and the business of a Shepherd is to keep and save the Flock Sometimes they are called Angels and Angels are the Guardians of the Lords people They Guard and Cover and Protect a People Now this they do while they instruct them so to walk that wrath may not come upon them while they Intercede with God and stand up in the breach to keep out the Indignation that is flowing in upon it A praying Minister and such a one have you lost one that bare you on his Heart continually before the Lord as Aaron did the names of Israel on his Breast-plate I say a praying Minister is a Protection to the People It s true the fervent Prayers of the meanest Saint are an Incredible defence to any place to save it from the shokes of God And therefore even they are stiled Intercessors Isa. 59. 16. Because they mediate with God when he is Angry and by their zealous Supplications hold his hands But yet however though it be a certain truth that God hath much respect to the Petitions of his weakest Servants yea though perhaps some private Christians may Excel a holy Minister in Prayer yet God hath more regard to the Intreaties of his faithful Ministers who have a special Charge and commission to be his Remembrancers for the good of that People which he 〈◊〉 to their charge and their Petitions are of more avail and power with God both to Procure his Blessings and avert his Judgments Moses and Aaron among the Priests and Samuel among them that call on his Name They called upon the Lord and he answered them Psal. 99. 6. Why doubtless so he heard the Prayers of his other Saints But these his holy Priests and Prophets had the Ear of God as special Favourites have their Princes Ears and could be Heard and Answered when others were denied Access and Audience And this is not obseurely Intimated in that Protestation of the Lord to Israel concerning their approaching Desolation Ezek. 14. 14. Though these three men Noah Daniel and Job were in it they should deliver but their own souls By which he insinuates that when the absolute Decree is once gone forth it can by no means be revok'd so he suggests withal that if it had been feasible these holy 〈◊〉 would have done it q. d. were those three men in Israel they would put me to it hard and try me shrewdly to forbear the Land I should be hardly able to deny them He said he would destroy them had not Moses stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath Psal. 106. 23. Oh how did Moses stand against him and bind the Hands of the Almighty when he was about to strike So that the Lord intreats and flatters with him to let him alone Exod. 32. 10. While such as Moses are Intercessors for a People God forbears he holds his Hands and restrains his Indignation as he that means to strike observes what strength there will be likely to oppose him And when he looks and sees that there is no Intercessor then he goes on with his design Isa. 59. 16. Then his Arm brings Salvation to him and he puts on the Garments of Vengeance Brethren you are in greater danger then you are aware by the removal of your Praying Minister For you have lost one Intercessor if any breach should happen between God and you Yea you have lost your Covering if a storm of Wrath should fall So that it may be said of you as it was once of Israel when Moses was a way that you are naked And what are you in Laodicea's case indeed Do you not know that you are naked Are you naked and are you not afraid Are you naked and not ashamed This would become a state of Innocence indeed in which it was observed of Adam and his Wife that they were both naked and were not 〈◊〉 Gen. 2. 5. But will it suit with such a state of sin and danger as the best of you are in Do you not find your selves uncovered Have you no sense and feeling of it Especially at such a time as this when the Judgments of the Lord are abroad upon the Earth upon the Land upon this very place in which you live more waies then I am able to express Alas alas you are uncovered whether you know it
Imaginations or of the Lifeless motions in a Poppit-Play where there is much stir to little purpose till the Play be ended further than the Matters of God and of the Church and Mens everlasting concernments are comprehended in them The report of one Souls Conversion to God and of the Reformation of one Family City or Church and of the noble Operations of the blessed Spirit by which he brings up Souls to God and conquereth the World the Flesh and the Devil the Heavenly Communications of God unto Sinners for their Vivification Illumination and holy Love to God and to his Image are so far better than the Stories of these grand Murderers and Tyrants and their great Robberies and Murders called Conquests as the Diagnosticks of Health are than those of Sickness Or as it is more pleasant to read of the Building of Cities than of their ruins or of the Cures of a Physitian than of the hurts done by Robberies and Frays yea of the Healing of Immortal Souls than of the over-hasty destroying of mens Bodies which would quickly turn to Dust of themselves if these valiant Murderers had but the patience to stay the time And among all parts of Church-History the Lives of Wise and Holy Men do seem to be not least Useful and Delightful which is the reason why Satan hath so marvelously and successfully bestird himself to corrupt this part of History with so many impudent lies in the Popish Legends as might render all such Narratives afterwards Contemptible and Incredible and might destroy the Ends Therefore is the Sacred Scripture so much Historical and the Gospel it self is not a Volumn of well composed Orations or a Systeme or Encuclopaedia of the Sciences and Arts nor yet a great Volumn of unnecessary Laws but the History of the Life and Death of Christ and the wonderous Works of Himself and his Spirit in his Servants and a Record of those brief Laws and Doctrines which are needful to the Holiness and Happiness of Man In the Lives of Holy Men we see God's Image and the Beauties of Holiness not only in Precept but in Reality and Practice not Pictured but in the Substance And though the Precepts and Rules be more perfect in their kind as wanting no Degree or Part yet the real Impress and Holiness in the Soul is that living Image of God which is the end of the former and of which the Scripture is but the Instrumental cause And Holiness in visible Realities is apt to affect the World more deeply than in Portraiture and Precept only Therefore we find that Satan and his Instruments are used to do that against the Scriptures exemplified in the Godly which they have not done against the Scriptures in themselves They can bear the bare Precepts of a perfect Rule who cannot bear the very imperfect practice of them in a Holy Life Many have burnt Martyrs that could endure good Books Living Holiness most exciteth Malice Besides that the best of men have Imperfections which may be a pretence for Detraction Slander and Persecution when the Sacred Rule is not so boldly to be accused till they are ripened in Malignity and Audacity Many a one can read with Reverence the Life of a dead Saint who will neither imitate nor indure the Living And I doubt not but many can bear the Narrative of this holy persons Life who could not have endured to see themselves condemned in the Exercises of his present Holy Zeal And yet it is not to be denied but that Humane Nature yet containeth such Principles and Inclinations as give an honourable testimony to goodness For the exercises of prudent impartial equal Vertue and eminent holiness in a Heavenly Life and in the joyful Hopes of the invisible Blessedness and in servent Love to God and Man and in an innocent Life and Self-denying endeavours to do good to all do so much convince and awe Mans Nature and so powerfully command Approbation and Honour that Satan and bad Men could not resist them were it not that such excellent Persons are too Rare and that the far greater number of good Men are lamentably imperfect and tainted with many unlovely Faults And were it not 〈◊〉 for two great advantages that Satan layeth hold on that is Mens Strangeness and Disaecquaintance with those that are good and the Slanderous reports of them by others And whoever noteth it shall find that most that ever Hated and Persecuted men of eminent Holiness were such as never intimately knew them but only at a deceitful distance and such as heard them odiously described by lying Tongues And it is not a small benefit of this kind of History that the Weak and Lame Christians may see such excellent Examples for their imitation and the sluggish and distempered Christian may have so real and lively a reproof and the discouraged Christian may see that higher degrees of goodness are indeed attainable and that the dark and troubled Christian may see the Methods in which Gods Spirit doth work upon his Servants and see that a Genuine Christian life is a Life of the greatest joy on earth And that the sloathful Hypocrite may see that Religion is a serious Business And that the factious Christian may see that a man may be eminently Holy that is not of his Opinion Side or Party And that both the proud domineering Pharisee may see that eminent Piety is separated from his Traditions Formalities Ceremonies and Pomp And the Opinionative Hypocrite may see that Holiness consisteth of something else than in circumstantial and siding Singularities and in a condemning of other mens outward Expressions or Modes of Worship or a boisterous Zeal against the Opinions and Ceremonies of others And it is a notable benefit of this kind of History that it is fitted to Insinuate the Reverence and Love of Piety into young unexperienced Persons For before they can read much of Theological Treatises with understanding or delight Nature enclineth them to a pleasure in History and so their Food is sugard to their Appetites and Profit is entertained by delight And nothing taketh well with the Soul that is not pleasant to it nor did he ever know the true way of Educating Youth or doing good to any that knew not the way of drawing them to a pleasedness and love to goodness Omne 〈◊〉 punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. On such Accounts we may conclude that such men as Melchior Adamus Mr. Samuel Clark c. that have served the Church with this sort of History have done no small or useless Service which we the easilier perceive when we remember at what rates now the Church would purchase a full History of the Lives of all the Apostles and all the Eminent Pastors of the Churches for the first two hundred or three hundred Years yea or but of some few of them And how much of the History of the Times they lived in is contained in a just History of such mens Lives It were to be wished that
eyes that he attained to the right temperament of the Christian Religion and to a truly Evangelical frame of Spirit suitable to the glorious hopes of Faith and to the wonderful love of our Redeemer And when most Christians think that they have done much if they can but weep and groan over their Corruptions and can abstain from the lustful Pollutions of the World in the midst of many doubts and fears LOVE and JOY and a HEAVENLY MIND were the Internal part of his Religion and the large and fervent PRAISES of God and THANKS GIVING for his Mercies especialiy for CHRIST and the SPIRIT and HEAVEN were the External Exercises of it He was not negligent in confessing Sin nor Tainted with any Antinomian Errours but PRAISE and THANKSGIVING were his Natural Strains his frequentest longest and heartiest Services He was no despiser of a broken Heart but he had attained the blessing of a healed joyful Heart The following Narratives the strain of his Letters but above all the admirations of his nearest Friends will tell him that will enquire how his tryumphant Discourses of the Hopes of Glory and his frequent and fervent Thanksgiving and Praise were the Language which he familiarly spake and the very business of his Heart and Life And O how amiable is it to hear the Tongue employed seriously and frequently in that which it was made for even in the praise of him that made it And to see a man passing with joyful hopes towards Immortality And to live as one that seriously believeth that he must quickly be in the Heavenly Church and live with God and Christ for ever O how comely is it to see a man that saith he believeth that Christ hath redeemed him from Hell and reconciled him to God and made him an Adopted Heir of Glory to live like one that was so strangely saved from so great a misery and with the most affectionate gratitude to honour the Purchaser of all this Grace And how uncomely a thing is it to hear a man say That he believeth all this Grace of Christ this Heavenly Glory this Love of God and yet to be inclined to no part of Religion but fears and complainings and scarce to have any words of Praises or Thanksgiving but a few on the by which are heartless affected and constrained O did Christians yea Ministers but Live with the Joy and Gratitude and Praise of Jehovah which beseemeth those that believe what they believe and those that are entring into the Coelestial Chore they would then be an honour to God and their Redeemer and would win the World to a love of Faith and Holiness and make them throw away their worldly Fool-games and come and see what it is that these Joyous Souls have found But when we shew the World no Religion but Sighing and Complaining and live a sadder life than they and yet talk of the glad-Tydings of Christ and Pardon and Salvation we may talk so long enough before they will believe us that seem no more to be Believers our selves or before they will leave their fleshly pleasures for so sad and dreadful a Life as this And as this kind of Heavenly Joyful Life is an honour to Christ and a wonderful help to the Converting of the World so is it a Reward to him that hath it which made this Holy Person live in such a vigour of Duty such fervour of holy Love and such continual Content in God so that the Kingdom of God in him was Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost which others think consisteth in Meats Drinks and Dayes in Shadows and Circumstances in Sidings and in singular Conceits Rom. 14. Col. 2. 16. It was not a Melancholy Spirit that acted him nor did he tempt his People into such an uncomfortable state and strein But in the multude of his thoughts within him the comforts of God did delight his Soul His Meditation of God and his Redeemer was sweet and he rejoyced in the Lord. He delighted in the Law of the Lord and when delight invited him no wonder if it were his Meditation day and night Psal. 1. 2. 104. 34. 119. 103. 94. 19. And how great a Solace was this in his Sufferings when he could be in a Goal and in Heaven at once When he could after the terrible torment of Convulsions have the foresight and taste of Heavenly Pleasures Nihil Crus sentit in Nervo cum Animus est in Coelo saith Tertul. And as he lived so he died in Vigorous Joyful Praises and Thanksgivings Reviving out of his long speechless Convulsion into those fervent Raptures as if he had never been so impatient of being absent from the Lord as when he was just passing into his Presence or rather as if with Stephen he had seen Heaven opened and Christ in his Glory and could not but speak of the unutterable things which he had seen I deny not but his vigorous active Temper might be a great help to all his holy Alacrity and Joy in his healthful State But when that frame of Nature was broken by such Torments and was then dissolving to hear a dying Man about sixteen hours together like the ferventest Preacher in the Pulpit pour out his Soul in Praises and Thanskgiving and speak of God of Christ of Heaven as one that could never speak enough of them and that with a Vivacity and Force as if he had been in former Health and to tryumph in Joy as one that was just laying hold upon the Crown surely in this there was something that was the Reward of all his former Praise and Thankfulness and that which must needs tell the Auditors the diference not onely between the death of a Righteous Believer and the wicked Unbeliever but the weak and distempered Believer also the difference between a sound and a diseased Christian and between the tryumphant Faith and Hopes of one that saw the God and World invisible and the staggering Faith and trembling Hopes of a feeble and distrustful Soul and between the death of one that had been used to converse in Heaven and to make Thanksgiving and Praise his Work and of one that had been used to cleave to Earth and make a great matter of the concernments of the Flesh and to rise but little higher in Religion then a course of outward Duty animated most with troublesome Fears Though he died not in the Pulpit yet he died in Pulpit-Work And I must also note how great an advantage it was to himself and to his Ministerial Works that he was possessed deeply with this true sentiment That the PLEASING of GOD is the proper ultimate end of Man not doubting but it includeth the notion of glorifying him for thus his heart was rightly principled and all his Doctrine and Duties rightly animated And as in all his Ministry he was extraordinarily addicted to open to the Hearers the Covenant of Grace and to explain Religion in the true Notion of Covenanting with God and
and life He did earnestly press the said Duty on his Hearers in his Preaching directing them in the performance and not onely so but dealt with them also in private about it and got a promise from the most of them that they would every night before they did take their rest set about this Duty and spend some time in secret on purpose to call themselves to an account how they had carried it that day by proposing several Questions to their own hearts which Questions he had referred to several Heads and drawn up for them in writing And not a few of them have acknowledged that they have cause to bless GOD who stirred him up to put them upon this practice which they have found very helpful to them in their daily Christian Walk USEFUL QUESTIONS Whereby a Christian may every day examine himself PSAL. 4. 4. Commune with your Hearts upon your Beds EVery Evening before you sleep unless you find some other time in the day more for your advantage in this Work sequester your self from the World and having set your heart in the presence of the Lord charge it before God to answer to these Interrogatories For your Duties Q. 1. Did not God find me on my Bed when he looked for me on my knees Job 1. 5. Psal. 5. 3. Q. 2. Have not I prayed to no purpose or suffered wandering thoughts to eat out my duties Mat. 18. 8 9. Jer. 12. 2. Q. 3. Have not I neglected or been very overly in the reading God's Holy Word Deut. 17. 19. Josh. 1. 7 8. Q. 4. Have I digested the Sermon I heard last Have I 〈◊〉 it over and prayed it over Luk. 2. 19 51. Psal. 1. 2. 119. 5 11 97. Q. 5. Was there not more of custome and fashion in my Family Duties than of Conscience Psal. 101. 2. Jer. 30. 22. Q. 6. Wherein have I denyed my self this day for God Luk. 9. 23. Q. 7. Have I redeemed my time from too long or needless visits idle imaginations fruitless discourse unnecessary sleep more than needs of the World Ephes. 5. 16. Col. 4. 5. Q. 8. Have I done any thing more than ordinary for the Church of God in this time extraordinary 2 Cor. 11. 28. Isa 62. 6. Q. 9. Have I took care of my Company Prov. 13. 20. Psal. 119. 63. Q. 10. Have not I neglected or done something against the duties of my Relations as a Master Servant Husband Wife Parent Child c. Ephes. 5. 22. to Chap. 6. ver 9. Col. 3. 18. to chap. 4. ver 2. For your Sins Q. 1. Doth not sin sit light Psal. 38. 4. Rom. 7. 24. Q. 2. Am I a mourner for the sins of the Land Ezek. 9. 4. Jer. 9. 1 2 3. Q. 3. Do I live in nothing that I know or fear to be a sin Psal. 119. 101 104. For your Heart Q. 1. Have I been much in Holy Ejaculations Neh. 2. 4 5. Q. 2. Hath not God been out of mind Heaven out of sight Psal. 16. 8. Jer. 2. 32. Phil. 3. 23. Q. 3. Have I been often looking into mine own Heart and made conscience of vain thoughts Prov. 3. 23. Psal. 119. 113. Q. 4. Have not I given way to the workings of Pride or Passion 2 Chron. 32. 26. Jam. 4. 5 6 7. For my Tongue Q. 1. Have I bridled my Tongue and forced it in James 1. 26. 3. 2 3 4. Psal. 39. 1. Q. 2. Have I spoke evil of no Man Tit. 3. 2. Jam. 4. 11. Q. 3. Hath the Law of the Lord been in my mouth as I fat in my House went by the way was lying down and rising up Deut. 6. 6 7. Q. 4. Have I come into no company where I have not dropped something of God and left some good savour behind Col. 4. 6. Ephes. 4. 29. For your Table Q. 1. Did not I sit down with an higher end than a Beast meerly to please my Appetite Did I eat drink for the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. Q. 2. Was not mine Appetite too hard for me Jude 12. 2 Pet. 1. 6. Q. 3. Did not I arise from the 〈◊〉 without dropping any thing of God there Luk. 7. 36 c. 14. 1 c. John 6. Q. 4. Did not I mock with God when I pretended to 〈◊〉 a blessing and return thanks Acts 27. 35 39. Mat. 15. 36. Col. 3. 17 23. For your Calling Q. 1. Have I been diligent in the duties of my Calling Eccles. 9. 1 Cor. 7. 17 20 24. Q. 2. Have I desrauded no man 1 Thes. 4. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 3. Q. 3. Have I dropped never a lye in my Shop or Trade Prov. 21. 6. Ephes. 4. 25. Q. 4. Did not I rashly make nor falsly break some promise Psal. 106. 33. Jos. 9. 14 c. Psal. 15. 4. An Addition of some brief Directions for the Morning Direct 1. If through necessity or carelesness you have omitted the reading and weighing of these Questions in the evening be sure to do it now D. 2. Ask your self what sin have I committed what duty have I omitted Against which of these Rules have I offended in the day foregoing And renew your repentance and double your watch D. 3. Examine whether God were last in your thoughts when you went to sleep and first when you awake D. 4. Enquire whether your care of your heart and wayes doth increase upon your constant using of this course for Self-Examination or whether it doth abate and you grow more remiss D. 5. Impose a task of some good meditations upon your selves while you are making ready either to go over these Rules in your thoughts or the Heads of some Sermon you heard last or the Holy Meditations for this purpose in the Practice of Piety or Scuders Daily Walk D. 6. Set your ends right for all that day D. 7. Set your watch especially against those sins and temptations that you are like to be most incident to that day CHAP. VI. A full Narrative of his Life from his Silencing till his Death by his Widdow Mrs. Theodosia Allein in her own Words wherein is notably set forth with what patience he ran the Race that was set before him and fulfilled the Ministry that he had received of the Lord. BEfore the Act for Uniformity came forth my Husband was very earnest day and night with God that his Way might be made plain to him that he might not desist from such Advantages of saving Souls with any scruple upon his Spirit In which when he saw those Clauses of Assent and Consent and Renouncing the Covenant he was fully satisfied But he seemed so moderate before that both my self and others thought he would have Conformed He often saying He would not leave his work for small and dubious Matters But seeing his way so plain for quitting the publick Station that 〈◊〉 held and being thoroughly perswaded of this that the 〈◊〉 of the Ministers out of their Places did not 〈◊〉 them from preaching the Gospel he presently
Barnards which was about five Miles from Bath there to finish his last Work for God that ever he did on Earth which was to promote the Exercise of Catechising in Somersetshire and Wiltshire Mr. Barnard having had a great deliverance as well as himself he proposed this to him as their Thank-Offering to God which they would joyntly tender to him They had ingaged one to another to give so much for the Printing of six thousand of the Assemblies Catechism among other Friends to raise some Money for to send to every Minister that would ingage in the Work and to give to the Children for their Incouragement in Learning This Work was finished by Mr. Barnard after my Husband was gone to his Rest. He finding himself to decline again apprehended it was for want of using the Bath and therefore desired to return and I being fearful he should ride home seeing some Symptoms of his Fits sent for the Horse-Litter and so carried him again to Bath Where by the Doctors advice after he had taken some things to prepare his Body he made use of the Hot Bath the Cross-Bath being then too cold and so he did for four dayes and seemed to be refreshed and the strength that he had in his Limbs to recover rather than abate and two of his Taunton Friends coming to see him he was chearful with them But on the third of November I discerned a great change in his Countenance and he found a great alteration in himself but concealed it from me as I heard after For some Friends coming to visit him he desired them to pray for him for his time was very short But desired them not to tell me of it All that day he would not permit me to move out of the Chamber from him except once while those Friends were with him After we had dined he was in more then ordinary manner transported with Affection towards me which he expressed by his returning me thanks for all my pains and care for him and with him and putting up many most affectionate requests for me to GOD before he would suffer me to rise as we sat together At Night again at Supper before I could rise from him he spake thus to me Well now my dear Heart my Companion in all my Tribulations and Afflictions I thank thee for all thy pains and labours for me at Home and Abroad in Prison and Liberty in Health and Sickness reckoning up many of the Places we had been in in the dayes of our affliction And with many other most endearing and affectionate Expressions he concluded with many Holy Breathings to God for me that he would requite me and never forget me and fill me with all manner of Grace and Consolations and that his Face might still shine upon me and that I might be supported and carried through all difficulties After this he desired me to see for a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and I procuring one for him he turned his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I might not see and read the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Death in the latter end of that Book which I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of him Whether he did apprehend his end was near To which he replyed He knew not in a few dayes I would see and so fell into Discourse to divert me desiring me to read two Chapters to him as I used to do every night and so he hasted to Bed not being able to go to Prayer and with his own hands did very hastily undoe his Coat and Doublet which he had not done in many months before As soon as he was in Bed he told me He felt some more than ordinary stoppage in his Head and I brought him something to prevent the Fits which I feared But in a quarter of an hour after he fell into a very strong Convulsion Which I being much afrighted at called for help and sent for the Doctors used all former and other means but no success the Lord was pleased to give then to any But they continued for two dayes and nights not ceasing one hour This was most grievous to me that I saw him so like to depart and that I should hear him speak no more to me fearing it would harden the Wicked to see him removed by such a stroak For his Fits were most terrible to behold And I earnestly besought the Lord that if it were his pleasure he would so far mitigate the heavy 〈◊〉 I saw was coming upon me by causing him to utter something of his Heart before he took him from me which he gratiously answered me in for he that had not spoke from Tuesday Night did on Friday Morning about three a Clock call for me to come to him speaking very understandingly between Times all that day But that Night about nine a Clock he brake out with an audible voice speaking for sixteen hours together those and such like words as you formerly had account of and did cease but a very little space now and then all the Afternoon till about six on Saturday in the Evening when he departed About three in the Afternoon he had as we perceived some conflict with Satan for he uttered these words Away thou foul Fiend thou Enemy of all Man-kind thou subtile Sophister art thou come now to molest me Now I am just going Now I am so weak and Death upon me Trouble me not for I am none of thine I am the Lords Christ is mine and I am his His by Covenant I have sworn my self to be the Lords and his I will be Therefore be gone These last words he repeated often which I took muc ' notice of That his covenanting with God was the means 〈◊〉 used to expel the Devil and all his Temptations The time we were in Bath I had very few hours alone with him by reason of his constant using the Bath and Visits of Friends from all Parts thereabouts and sometimes from Taunton and when they were gone he would be either retyring to GOD or to his Rest But what time I had with him he alwayes spent in Heavenly and Profitable Discourse speaking much of the Place he was going to and his Desires to be gone One Morning as I was dressing him he looked up to Heaven and smiled and I urging him to know why he answered me thus Ah my Love I was thinking of my Marriage Day it will be shortly O what a joyful day will that be Will it not thinkest thou my dear Heart Another time bringing him some Broth he said Blessed be the Lord for these refreshments in the way home but O how sweet will Heaven be Another time I hope to be shortly where I shall need no Meat nor Drink nor Cloaths When he looked on his weak consumed Hands he would say These shall be changed This vile Body shall be made like to Christs Glorious Body O what a glorious Day will the Day of the Resurrection be Methinks I see it by Faith How will the Saints lift up their heads and rejoyce and how sadly will
at home I pray you Brethren daily and frequently to consider your condition and station Do you not remember that you are in 〈◊〉 and what though your be but poorly attended and 〈◊〉 accommodated though you 〈◊〉 hard and 〈◊〉 Is this a strange thing What should Travellers look for else Will you set forth in a Journey and promise your selves nothing but fair-way and fair weather Shall a man put forth to Sea and reckon upon nothing but the calm If you were of the World the World would love his own But now God hath chosen you and called you out of the World therefore the World hateth you But remember my Brethren it is your duty to love them even while they hate you and to pray for mercy for them that will shew no mercy nor do no Justice for us This I desire you to observe as a great duty of the present times And let not any so far forget their duty and pattern as to wish evil to them that do evil to us or to please themselves with the thoughts of being even with them Let us commit our selves to him that judgeth righteously and shew our selves the children of the most High who doth good to his Enemies and is kind to the unkind and unthankful And what though they do hate us Their love and good-will were much more to be feared than their hatred and a far worse sign Brethren keep your selves in the love of God here is Wisdom O happy Souls that are his Favourites For the Lords-sake look to this make sure of something look to your sincerity above all things in the World let not any of you conclude that because you are of the suffering-party therefore all is well Look to the Foundation that your hearts be foundly taken off from every sin and set upon God above as your Blessedness Beware that none of you have only a name to live and be no more than almost Christians For the love of your Souls make a diligeht search and try upon what ground you stand for it heartily pities me to think that any of you should be in so deep and hazard so much as these must do that will now cleave to the hated ways of people of God and yet lose all at last for want of being thorow and sound in the main work I mean conversion and Regeneration None so miserable in all the World as an unsound Professor of Religion now is for he shall be hated and persecured of the World because he takes up a Profession and yet rejected of God too because he sticks in a Profession But when once you bear the marks of Gods favour you need not fear the Worlds frowns Cheer up therefore Brethren be strong in the Lord and of good courage under the Worlds usage Fear not in our Fathers House there is bread enough and room enough this is sufficient to comfort us under all the inconveniences of the way that we have so happy a Home so worthy a Portion so ready a Father so goodly an Heritage so sure a Tenure Oh comfort one another with these words let God see that you can trust in his Word let the World see that you can live upon a God I shall share my Prayers and loves among you all and commit you to the Almighty God the Keeper of Israel that never slumbereth not sleepeth be your Watchman and Keeper to the end Farewel I am A fervent well-wisher of your Temporal and Eternal Happiness JOS. ALLEINE From the common Gaol at 〈◊〉 July 24. 1663. LETTER VI. Look out of your Gravos upon the World To my most dearly Beloved Friends the chosen of God in Taunton Grace and Peace Most endeared Christians MY heart is with you though I am Absent as to my Bodlly presence from you and therefore as I have often already so I have now Written to you to stir up your pureminds by way of Remembrance and to call upon you for your stedfast continuing and vigorous proceeding in the ways of God Dear Friends and fellow Souldiers under Christ the Captain of our Salvation consider your Calling and Station and approve your selves as good Souldiers of Jesus Christ as men of resolution and courage be discouraged with no difficulties of your present Warsare As for humane affairs I would have you to be as you are Men of Peace I would have you Armed not for resisting God forbid but for Suffering only as the Apostle hints You should resist even to the uttermost striving against Sin Here you must give no Quarter for if you spare but one Agag the life of your Souls must go for the life of your Sins you must make no Peace for God will not smile on that Soul that smiles on Sin nor have any Peace with him that is at peace with his Enemy Other Enemies you must forgive and love and pray for which I again desire you to mind as one special duty of the times but for these Spiritual Enemies all your affections and all yonr Prayers must be engaged against them yea you must admit no Parley It 's dangerous to dispute with Temptations Remember what Eve lost by Parleying with Satan you must slie from Temptations and put them off at first with a Peremptory denial If you will but hear the Devils Arguments and the Fleshes Pleas and fair Pretences it is an hundred to one but you are insnared by his Sophistry And for this present evil World the Lord deliver you from its Snares Surely you had need watch and be sober and use your spiritual Weapons dexterously and diligently or else this World is like to undo you and destroy you I have often warned you not to build upon an External happiness and that you should promise your selves nothing but hardship here Oh still remember your Station Souldiers must not count upon Rest and Fulness but Hunger and Hardness Labour to get right apprehensions of the World Do not think these things necessary one thing is needful You may be happy in the want of all outward comforts Do not think your selves undone if brought to Want or Poverty study Eternity and you will see it to be little material to you whether you are Poor or Rich and that you may have never such an opportunity for your advantage in all your lives as when you put all to hazard and seem to run the Vessel upon the Rocks Set your enemies one against the other Death against the World no such way to get above the World as to put your selves into the possession of Death Look often upon your Dust that you shall be Reduced to and imagine you saw your Bones tumbled out of your Graces as they are like shortly to be and men handling your Skulls and enquiring whose is this Tell me of what account will the World be then what good will it do you put your selves often into your Graves and look out from thence upon the World and see what Judgement you have of it then Must not you
is not this he that can crucifie you or release you can save you or damn you at his pleasure Is it not from him that you fetch every breath your interest obliges you to please him Why should Beltshazzars charge be against you that the God in whose hand your breath is and whose are all your ways you have not glorified Dan. 5. 23. Fonrthly Do not only intend God as the general end of your course but in every solemn action actually mind your end Though a man need not cannot think of his Journeys-end at every step yet with care he might come to this in every solemn action particularly and expressy to mind his end a man cannot nor need he think at every bit that he puts into his mouth I will eat this for God yet he might every time he sits down to his Table remember to eat and drink not to gratifie his flesh but to glorifie God by getting strength for his work you cannot think of it in every step in your Journey but without intending some glory to God by serving his will in your place and station and so in your visits and labours Fifthly Every morning let this be your first and firm resolution I will set forth this day in the Name of God Your first and last thoughts are of greatest consequence and therefore I advise you to begin and end with this when ever you lie down say in your selves I will make use of my Bed as an Ordinance of God that a Servant of his may be refreshed and fitted for his work when ever you rise up think I will spend this day for God and follow the business of my calling because I am so appointed by God Zech. 10. 12. And they shall walk up and down in his Name saith the Lord c. Beloved I design the sweetness and comfort as well as strictness of your lives Live to God as you are directed and you shall marvellously prosper in both I am not sure yet whether or no I shall see you at the Assizes which I earnestly desire to do I leave all things to our Fathers wise disposal and commending you to God I divide my loves among you and so rest Yours in the bonds of the Lord Jesus JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Jeulchester Nov. 14. 1663. LETTER XVII Motives to set our selves to please God To my most Dearly Beloved the Servants of Christ in Taunton Grace and Peace Most dear Christians YOur Prisoner in the Lord saluteth you with all dearness you are the care of my heart the desire of my Eyes the joy of my Bonds and the sweet of my liberty I am much satisfied in the wise disposal of our Heavenly Father whether he see it good for me to be a Bond-man or a Freeman so I may but serve your Souls to the greatest adventage Methinks I begin to feel in my self more than ever the benefit of your Prayers the influences of Heaven through the riches of Free-Grace to which alone be the Praise being more fully sensible and sweet upon me I hope the Lord will restore us one to another in his time much better than we parted in the mean time see that you stand fast in the hope of the Gospel The Lord taketh infinite care for you see that it be your care the care of your very hearts to please the Lord Set your hearts to it as the business of your lives and the very end of your beings to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing Set home on your selves such considerations as these First It is the very business you were made for and sent into the world for to please your Maker For his pleasure you are and were Created Why should the Lord repent that he had made you Gen. 6. 6. What treacherous and damnable falshood is this that when the Lord hath given us Breath and Being and sent us into the World on purpose on his service we should like false and wicked servants set up for our selves why should your Creator say he hath made you in vain Secondly If you set your hearts to please the Lord you are sure you shall please him It is not so with men all the care in the World will not suffice to please some men How often do Princes forsake their greatest Favourites so that if you set to please men you are not sure to attain your end at last yea rather you are sure not to attain it But if the Lord doth see your very hearts be set to please him he will accept you though you come short 2 Cor. 8. 12. Read that sweet passage 2 Chron. 6. 75. Thirdly It will be a certain sign of your sincerity when the pleasing of the Lord is your greatest business Phil. 1. 20. To such the Promise runs Isa. 56. 4 5. It is a distinguishing evidence truly to seek and prize Gods favour more then Corn Wine Psal. 4. 6 7. Fourthly This will set all in order and bring all your business to a Head when you have set down this as the one thing necessary that you are resolved to please the Lord this will regulate your whole lives and bring all your business into a little compass A Christian hath but one thing to do in all conditions and that is to carry it so in his present state as that he may please God A man-pleaser O how many hath he to please what an endless work hath such an one to do Fifthly Consider but how careful the Man-pleasiing Parasite and time-serving Hypocrite is to please men and shall not we take as much care to please our God oh how doth the flattering Courtier study the humour of his Prince be you as careful to study and to be acquainted with the mind of God What will not men do to screw themselves into the favour of the Mighty oh that you were but as diligent and unwearied and punctual in your endeavours to get and to keep the favour of the Almighty Sixthly Consider whose favour or displeasure is of that consequence to you as the Lords is of What if men should be angry with you have they the Keys of Hell and of Death no no fear them not Can they undo your souls can they send you to Hell Alas they cannot See that you dread his displeasure that can Alas what will their favour avail you if they be pleased can they stand between the Wrath of God and you can they pardon your sins save your souls secure your Eternal concernments where is all there favour or good will when they or you come to die It will not 〈◊〉 worth a Rush when most needed Therefore beloved Brethren whatever you do keep in with God Resolve upon it He must be pleased though all the World be displeased Le it be enough to you to have his good will let this be 〈◊〉 One thing that you bend your selves to seek and if you set 〈◊〉 seek it you may be sure to find it The Messenger
earnest desire and that which I should account my self happy in I have a longing desire to see the Faces of you all and besides mine Expectation shall I trust speedily have the opportunity to see you at the approaching Assizes which I shall greatly rejoice in notwithstanding our coming may be otherwise attended with many Inconveniencies In the mean time I send you a few Prison Counsels As 1. To improve for Eternity the Advantages of your present State Though you are at many disadvantages with respect to the publick Ordinances yet you have many wondrous and most happy Priviledges which Spiritual Wisdom would make no small improvement of Oh what a Mercy have you that you may serve God while you will in your Families That you may be as much as you will with God in secret Prayer and holy Meditation and Self-examination I beseech You consider what a Blessing You have above others that have your Health and a Competency of the Comforts of this Life and are free from those continual pains or Heart-eating Cares that others are disabled by from looking after God and their Souls as You may do Oh consider what a blessed Seed-time You have for Eternity Now be wise and improve your happy Season your day of Grace Prepare for Death make all sure Press on towards the Mark lay up in store for your selves a good Foundation against the time to come In the Morning sow your Seed and in the Evening withdraw not your Hand Treasure up much in Heaven What profit is it that you have more than others more Liberty more Comfort more Health more Wealth than others except You love God more and serve him better than others Now ply your Work and dispatch your Business so as that you may have nothing to trouble You upon your Death-Beds 2. To Consider also the Temptations and Disadvantages of your State Study to know your own weaknesses and where your danger lies that you may obviate Satan and prevent your Miscarrying There is no Condition but hath its Snares See that You acquaint your selves with his Devices least You be beguiled by him and caught in his Trap through your own unwariness You that are well provided for in the World had need to watch your selves least You fall in love with present things least you be lifted up least You trust in those Carnal props and put confidence in the Creatures least You warp and decline and baulk your duties through Carnal fear and the desire of preserving your Estates You that have little in the World are not without your temptations neither Oh take heed of envying others prosperity of murmurring and discontent of diffidence and distrustfulness of using indirect means to help your selves Be sure You make not the Worlds pressures upon you an excuse from your daily serving of God in your Families and in secret Set this down as your Rule and unchangeeble Resolution that God and your Souls and your Families shall be looked duly and continually after go the world which way it will Consider what sins your Tempers Relations Callings do most expose you to Be not strangers to your selves Prove your selves upright in keeping from your Iniquities 3. To converse often with your Dust. Brethren we are going we are going the Grave waiteth for us Oh forget not that Corruption is your Father and the Worm your Mother and your Sister These are your poor Kindred that you must shortly dwell with when you come to your long Home Remember the days of Darkness which shall be many Take every day some serious turns with Death Think where you shall be a few days and nights hence happy he that knew what to morrow meant for 20. Years together Believe it you will find it no little thing to die Think often how you are provided how you should receive the Sentence of Death Were you never within sight of Death How did it look What did you wish for most at that time What did then trouble you most Oh mark those things and live accordingly Often ask your Hearts What if God should this night require my Soul 4. To serve your Generation with your might while you have time You have but a very little time to bring God any Glory here or to do your Friends any good now up and be doing Now or never live in the deep and and constant sense of the very little time that You have for this World and the great work You have to do You are going whence You shall not return There 's no After-Game to be Plaid What! But one cast for Eternity and will You not be carefull to throw that well Most dearly Beloved I covet after your furtherance in Mortification and Growth in Grace And Oh that I could but represent Death to You as shortly it will shew it self Or could but open a Window into Eternity to You How effectually would this do the work Then the Cripple would fling away his Crutches and betake himself to his Leggs Then the Slothful would pluck his Hand out of his Bosome and shake off his Excuses and be Night and Day at his work Then the Laodicean would be recovered from his benumed frame then we should have no Halving in Religion no Lazy wishing and complaining but men would ply the Oars to purpose and sweat at their work But Oh unhappy man how powerfully hath the World bewitched thee How miserably hath Sin unmanned thee that thou shouldst look no farther than thou canst see and to be taken up with present things and forget so momentous Concernments as are before thee But You my Brethren lift up your selves above the Objects of Sense May You be men for Eternity and carry it like those that seek for Glory Honour and Immortality I am apt to be too long with You I commend You to Divine Grace my dearest Loves among You I am Yours in the Bonds of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Juel-Chester March 5. 1665. LETTER XXV To the loving and most Beloved People the Servants of God in Taunton Grace and Peace Most dearly Beloved ALthough I am forced at the present to be at a distance from You yet I would not have you ignorant that the dear remembrance of you is always fresh with me and the care of your eternal Welfare is always living upon my heart Therefore as my Beloved Friends I warn you and cease not to stir you up by way of remembrance being jealous for you with a Godly jealousie that no man take your Crown My dearly Beloved I know you have many Enemies and above all I fear your bosom Enemies and as the Watchman of the Lord I give you careful warning and exhort you all not to be high-minded but fear Blessed is the man that feareth always Look diligently lest any of you fail of the Grace of God You have made much and long Profession of the Name of Jesus Christ Oh look to your Foundations see upon what Ground you
forgot her cunning and hath much ado with trembling to lift the Bread unto my Mouth Do you think you should have had so little to shew under my Hand to bear witness of my Care for you and Love to you if God had not shook my Pen as it were out of my Hand But all that he doth is done well and wisely and therefore I submit I have purposed to borrow Hands wherewith to Write unto my Beloved rather then to be silent any longer But where shall I begin or when should I end If I think to speak of the Mercies of God towards me or mine enlarged affections towards you methinks I feel already how strait this Paper is like to be and how insignificant my Expressions will be found and how insufficient all that I can say will prove at last to utter what I have to tell you but shall I say nothing because I cannot utter all this must not be neither Come then all ye that fear the Lord come and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul O help me to love that precious Name of his which is above all my Praises O love the Lord all ye his Saints and fear before him magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his Name together he hath remembred my low estate because his Mercy endureth for ever O blessed be you of the Lord my dearly Beloved O thrice blessed may you be for all your Remembrances of me before the Lord you have wrestled with the Lord for me you have wrestled me out of the very Jaws of Death it self O the strength of Prayer Surely it is stronger than Death See that You even honour the power and prevalency of Prayer Oh be in Love with Prayer and have high and venerable thoughts of it What Distresses Diseases Deaths can stand before it Surely I live by Prayer Prayer hath given a Resurrection to this Body of mine when Physicians and Friends had given up their hopes Ah my dearly Beloved methinks it delights me to tell the Story of your Love how much more of the Love of God towards me I have not forgotten O my dearly Beloved I have not forgotten your tender Love in all my Distresses I remember your kindness to me in my Bonds when once and again I was delivered up to a Prison for your sakes I remember with much delight how You refreshed and comforted me in my Tribulations how open your hearts were and your hands were not straightned neither for I was in want of nothing I may not I must not forget what painful Journies you took to visit me when in places Remote the hand of the Lord had touched me and though my long Sickness was almost incredible Expensive to me yet your supplies did not a little lighten my Burthen And though I put it last yet I do not mind it least that You have been so ready in returning Praises to God in my behalf your Thanksgiving to God my dear Brethren do administer abundant cause to me of my giving thanks unto You. And now my Heart methinks is big to tell You a little of my Loue to You surely You are dear unto me but though it be sweet to tell the Story of Love yet in this I will restrain my self For I fear least as the Wise man saith of the beginning of strife so I should find of the beginning of Love that it is like the letting forth of the Water and the rather I do forbear because I hope you have better Testimonies than Words to bear Witness herein unto You. But if I sing the Song of Love O let Divine Love overcarry the Praise I found my self in straights when I began to speak of the natural Love between my dear People and an unworthy Minister of Christ to them and it seemed that all that I have said was much too little but now I have to speak of the Love God it seems to be by far too much O infinite Love never to be Comprehended but ever to be Admired Magnified and Adored by every Creature O let my Heart be filled let my Mouth be filled let my Papers be filled ever ever filled with the thankful Commemoration of this matchless Love O turn your Eyes from other Objects O Bury me in Forgetfulness and let my Love be no more mentioned nor had in remembrance among You so that You may be throughly possessed and inflamed with the Love of God This my Beloved this is that Love which is ever to be Commended and Extolled by You. See that You studie this Love fill your Souls with wonder and feast your Souls with joy and be ravished with rich contentment in this Divine Love Take your daily walk and lose your selves in the Field of Love Drink O Friends yea drink abundantly O Beloyed fear no excess O that your Souls may be drencht and drowned in the Love of Christ till You can every one say with the ravisht Spouse I am sick of Love Marvel not that I wander here and seem to forget the bounds of a Letter this Love obligeth me Yea rather constraineth me Who in all the Earth should admire and commend this Love if I should not I feel it I taste it the sweet Savour thereof Reviveth my Soul it is Light to mine Eyes and Life co mine Heart the warm Beams of this blessed Sun O how have they Comforted me Ravished and Refreshed me both in Body and Soul My benumbed Limbs my withered Hands my feeble Knees my Bones quite naked of Flesh do yet again Revive through the Quickning Healing and Raising influence of Divine Grace and Love Now my own Hands can feed me and my own feet can bear me my Appetlte is quick my Sleep comfortable and God is pleased to give some increase continually though by insensible Degrees And shall not I praise that Love and Grace that hath done all this for me Yea what is this to all I have to tell You My Heart is enlarged but I told You Paper could not hold what I have to speak of the Goodness of the All-Gracious God in which I live I am forced to end least you should not bear my length My dearly Beloved I send my Heart unto You divide my Love amongst you all and particularly tender it to your Reverend and Faithfull Pastour whose Presence with you and Painfulness and Watchfulness over you and Zeal and Courage for you in so dangerous a time is matter of my great Joy and Thanksgivings unto God The Grace of our Lord Jesus be with you all Fare you well in the Lord I remain Your unworthy Minister and servent Well wisher in the Lord JOS. ALLEINE LETTER XXXI To the most endeared People the Inhabitants of Taunton Salvation Most dearly Beloved and longed for my Joy and Crown MY Hearts desire and Prayer for you is that you may be saved This is that which I have been Praying and Studying and Preaching for these many Years and this is the end of my Venturing
comparison with thine experienced love I cannot entertain the thoughts of this without some disdain But thy needful cautions are acceptable to me I desire to foresee and provide for manifold changes and storms I know I am not yet in the Harbor O pray with me that I enter not into Temptation for I am very weak in Spirit as well as in body God knoweth But there is no end with me somewhere or other I must break off and thou wilt say it is time to shut up for once onely know that I am thy daily Orator and will be whilest I am and yet once more I must have room to add my thankful acknowledgement of thine and thy costly kindness and so with our most dear affections to you both I commend you to the God of love still abiding Thy fast and sure Orestes Bath Octob. 13. 1668. LETTER XXXVII To a person of Quality to be constant Most Honoured Sir MAny charges have passed over both you and my self since my last Writing to you but I am glad to hear that in that great change of your condition you have made so wise and happy a choice Mine unfeigned desire to God is for your Temporal and Spiritual prosperity and that the blessings of both Worlds may be heaped up upon you Yet I should desire you not to expect too much here nor to count it a strange thing if you meet with disappointments It is enough if you have the Lord for your portion and Heaven for your Inheritance though the World should not answer your expectations I doubt not but you will be likely as well we to meet with manifold temptations the Lord make you when you have done all to stand Hold out a while in faith patience and self-denial and you shall be as sure as God can make you of the Crown Now arise and shine and hold forth the power of holiness in all your converse We have lived in times when Religion was the way to credit and esteem and then it was more difficult to discern the sincerity of ones profession because men might be drawn to it upon worldly ends But now is the time when God will prove us if we will appear for him and own his ways when they are the common scorn of the World Oh Sir think it not hard if God do call you forth to own him in such a time as this when few of your rank and quality will bear you company but look upon it as a special advantage to prove your sincerity and your fidelity to the Lord your Maker The holy and blessed life of that noble Marquess Galeacius I should much commend to your reading and Imitation Court not the world nor its preferments Moses his self-denying choice which the World would have branded for unparalled folly when he voluntarily left all the Court-preferments and pleasures the wisest Judge commends for the greatest Wisdom If Religion will make you vile resolve with that Royal Worthy that you will be yet more vile Remember who accounted the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the Treasures of Egypt Verily it is a greater honour to you to be vilified for Christ than to be dignified with the highest Titles that the greatest on Earth can confer and to be call'd Puritan or Phanatique for the bold and constant owning of the power of Christianity than to have whole Pages filled up with the honourable offices and marks of Dignity that earthly Princes can bestow Now then is your time to get the true honour Few of your places and dignity will take this way to get it But he that can but use the prospective of Faith and look as far as the approaching Judgment will easily see the vanity of the worlds riches and slattering preferments and the everlasting glory and honour wherewith the dispised Saints shall surely be Crowned Fix your eyes and Meditations here and that will set you above the worlds temptations when by its offers or threatnings it would make you to warp and to let go your hold-fast of Eternal life Now is the time for you to make Heaven sure and when that is done you are prepared for the worst that can come I desire you to accept of my service and respects and my Wives which I do hereby present unto you and to your most deserving yoak-fellow whom I unfeignedly honour though I never saw her not so much for her noble blood which yet calls for great respects as for her far more noble qualifications and priviledges of her second birth Pardon my boldness with you in troubling you so long I am Sir Your most Oblidged Friend and Servant JOS. ALLEINE Feb. 26. 1661. LETTER XXXVII Dear Couzin THough I have been in the valley of the shadow of death though I have had more than one foot in the Grave and have been in deaths often yet the love and remembrance of you ever liveth on my heart I have long had neither feet to walk nor hands to write yet I have borrowed hands as you see rather than I would stay any longer from warning and admonishing of you Dear Couzin that soul of yours that precious immortal soul is of no light value with me I pray hard for its Salvation I have a Godly fear for you lest your soul should miscarry in a crowd of worldly business and of earthly cares Ah my dear Niece it comforts me that you are so setled for this world and are in want of nothing I bless the Lord for this but me thinks this doth not satisfie me Oh that I could be sure that you were once safe setled in Christ though you are I trust comfortably furnished with earthly things yet in this you are but half provided for have you a Treasure in Heaven have you laid hold on eternal life have you made sure work for everlasting have you past the straits of the New-Birth do your bear upon you the marks of the Lord Jesus If you shall pass by a sumptuous Fabrick and a great Lordship and should lay claim to all as your inheritance and please your self with the hopes of enjoying all this when you had nothing to shew no Writing no Evidence to produce as a ground for any such hope would not every one say this were a piece of strange vanity and imprudence much greater folly is it to promise our selves a part in Paradise and rest satisfied in a meer perswasion that we are the Heirs of Heaven when we cannot prove our Title from the Book of God nor produce from within our selves the sure and certain marks of the children of God Ah Dear Couzin Rouze up your self make conscience to deal plainly and freely with your soul say within your self I have hopes for Heaven but where are my grounds and my Evidences do I not build without a foundation do I venture my Salvation upon meer uncertainties What have I what do I more than others I pray I hear I read but may not a meer Hypocrite do all this I
to weep Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me And in the second place we have his permission in which he alloweth them to weep but weep for your selves and for your Children And yet you see he doth not here command and forbid the same things in the same respect but in relation to a diverse object In relation to himself he forbiddeth them to weep Weep not for me In relation to themselves he alloweth them to weep but weep for your selves and for your Children The total final and irreparable 〈◊〉 of Jerusalem was near at hand our Saviour had it in his eye when he spake these words He wept apace for this himself but a little while before as you may see Luke 19. 41. He behold the city and wept over it First he beholds it with his eye and then his eye affects his heart Wo and alas saith he while in a pang of holy pity and compassion the tears come flowing down his cheeks If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes And therefore he alloweth them to weep for this who are to have a share and portion in that dreadful desolation But for himself who willingly submitted to the death which he was leading to and all the other circumstances of his passion who was beloved of him who had appointed and designed him to it who was God as well as Man and therefore able to endure it and to overcome it too and who was shortly to be rescued from the jaws of death and so triumphantly to enter into Glory He forbiddeth them to weep weep not so me but weep for your selves and for c. So that the purpose of our Saviour is not wholly to suppress but to rectifie their sorrow They wept for him out of a childish kind of pity but they wept not for their sins nor the unseen calamities that were about to come upon them And therefore Christ endeavours to withdraw their sorrow from the wrong and fix it on the right object And to this end he shews them why they should not weep and why they should Weep not for me but for your selves and for your Children Two Observations lie before us in the Text. The first That it is not unlawful nor unfit sometimes to express our grief in tears The second That we are very oubject to misplace our grief and to mistake the ground and object of our sorrow I shall speak to these in order beginning with the first Doct. That it is not unlawful nor unfit sometimes to express our grief in tears We have our Saviours warrant for it in the Text weep for your selves and for your children There weep and weep on How often are we called upon to weep in Scripture Oh what a cloud of weepers shall we find there who are all witnesses to this great truth And some of them the wisest and the holiest mentioned in the Book of God without exception Our Saviour Christ himself the holy One and the Wisdom of God was a very great Weeper He was a man of sorrows not of a few but many sorrows Isa. 53. 3. You never read he laughed in all his Story but you find he wept often In the days of his flesh he offered up strong cries and tears to God Heb. 5. 7. He wept for his beloved Lazarus John 11. 35. And if we do the like on this occasion we have a great Example in our eye He melted over poor undone Jerusalem with many tears who had over-pass'd the day of her gracious Visitation Look up and down among the poor afflicted and distressed People of the Lord and you shall find that tears have been as ordinary with them as their daily food Thou feedest them saith Asaph Psal. 80. 5. With the bread of tears and givest them tears to drink Tears were both their Meat and Drink and it seems they had their fill of this Diet This was the Legacy our Saviour lest to his Diseiples ye shall 〈◊〉 John 16. 22. It is observed of the Saints they sow in tears they go forth weeping bearing precious Seed Psal. 126. 5. 〈◊〉 time of sowing is a time of weeping They sow in showry weather in a rainy time the Seed they sow most commonly is steep'd in tears Mine eye saith holy David is consumed with grief Psal. 6. 7. He wept so much that he was shriveled up to nothing like a bottle in a smoak as his own expression is Plal. 119 83. You see then it is not unlawful nor unfit sometimes to express our grief in tears But you will ask me what these times are I will tell you in a word Sinning times and Suffring times are weeping times A word or two of these in order 1. Sinning times are weeping times And that whether they be sinning times with others or our selves 1. Sinning times with others must be sorrowing times with us Our Saviours Bowels rowl'd within him when he look'd about and saw the hardness of the Peoples hearts Mark 3. 5. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes saith holy David to the Lord Psal. 119. 136. because men keep not thy Law If they will not hear saith Jeremiah Chap. 13. 17. My soul shall weep in secret places for their pride and mine eyes shall weep sore and run down with tears My Soul and Eye shall weep together You shall observe that those whom God appointed to be marked and singled out for preservation in a common desolation were such as sighed and cried for the abominations of Jerusalem Ezek. 9. 4. They did not only keep themselves from the abominations of the time and place on which the Providence of God had cast them but they mourned for them in others They were not meer abstainers but they were mourners weepers too and so were snatched as fire-brands out of the burnings and set as monuments of the Mercy of God Brethren if you define to be preserved in times of common desolation when the judgments of the Lord are abroad upon the earth and on the places of your habitation and to be safe in the day of his anger work your hearts to this temper while other men are sinning be you mourning While others are committing horrible abominations be you lamenting and bewailing them sighing and crying for those abominations That when God comes to visit he may find the sighs breathing from your hearts the drops running down your cheeks and all about you wet with tears 2. And as sinning times with others so our own sinning times especially must be our weeping times Though David were a good man yet he was a great sinner and so he was a great weeper In Psal. 6. 6. We find him even drowned in tears All the night long faith he I make my Bed to swim and water my Couch with my tears An Hyperbolical expression of unmeasurable weping So Mary Magdalon had much forgiven her and thereupon she loved much and wept much