stand Look to your sincerity You must every one of you stand shortly before the Judgment Seat of Christ and be tried for your lives Oh try your selves throughly first 'T is easie to mistake Education for Regeneration and common Conviction and Illumination for Conversion and a partial Reformation and external Obedience for true Sanctification Therefore I beseech you every one to examine whether you are in the Faith Prove your own selves Tell not me you hope you are sincere you hope you shall go to Heaven Never put it off with Hopes but pray and try and search till you are able to say yea and know you are passed from Death to Life and that you know you have a Building not made with hands eternal in the Heavens Suppose I should ask you one by one Where are your Evidences for Heaven Could you make out your Claim Can you bring me Scripture-proof Can you shew me the Marks of the Lord Jesus What mean you to live at Uncertainties Brethren it is an intollerable Ignorance for any of you in these dayes of glorious Light not to be able to tell the distinguishing Marks of a sound Believer And it is intollerable carelesness of your everlasting Welfare if you do not bring your selves to the Trial by these Marks What are your hands filled with Books and your ears filled with Sermons that tell you so plainly from the word of God how you shall know whether you are in Christ and are you still to seek Oh stir up your own selves Take heed lest a Promise being left of entring into his Rest any of you fall short of it at last by Vnbelief You are a Professing People you pray and you hear and you run upon some Adventures for Jesus Christ But O look to your sincerity Look to your Principles look to your Ends else you may lose all at last Examine not onely what is done but whence 't is done look to the Root as well as to the Fruit. Eye not onely your Actions but your Aims Remember what a strict and severe Eye you are under The Lord Jesus makes strict observation upon all your works and wayes He observes who of you be fruitful and who be barren and unprofitable He knows who of you be thriving and who be declining He observes who be warm and who lukewarm who be sound Christians and who of you have onely a name to live Return O backsliding Christians You have lost your former Convictions and lost your former Affections You are grown remiss in your watch and your Zeal is turned into a kind of indifferencie and your diligence into negligence Your Care is turned into Security and your tenderness into senslessness Oh your case is dangerous The Lord Jesus hath a great Controversie with you Oh remember whence you are fallen and repent and do your first works Strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die Oh rub and chafe your swooning Souls and ply them with warm applications and rousing considerations till they recover their former heat And know ye from the Lord that the backsliders in heart shall be filled with his own wayes O ye barren and fruitless trees Behold the Axe is lifted up to fell you to the ground except you bring forth fruits and those worthy of Repentance May not Christ say to some among you Behold these three years have I come seeking fruit and finding none How is it then that you read not the Sentence passed on the fruitless Tree O sleepy Professors how long will you drive on in this heavy course How long will you continue in an unprofitable and customary Profession Would you be the joy of our Lord why know ye that the thriving Plant is the Masters praise and his hearts delight Christians put on press towards the Mark be adding to your Faith Virtue and to Virtue Knowledge c. See that you grow extensively in being abundant in all forts of good works Be pitiful be courteous gentle easily to be entreated Be slow to anger soon reconciled Be patient be ye temperate be ye chearful Study not every one onely his own things but the good of his Neighbor Think it not enough to look to your own Souls but watch for others Souls Pray for them warn them be kind to them study to oblige them that by any means you may win them and gain their Souls Labour to grow intensively to do better the things that you did before to be more fervent in Prayer more free and willing in all the ways of the Lord to hear with more profit to examine your selves more thorowly to mind Heaven more frequently than heretofore And you O carnal and unsound Professors that reckon your selves to be in Christ but are not new Creatures that because you have the good opinion of the Godly and are outwardly conformable to the wayes of God perswade your selves you are in a good condition although your hearts have not yet to this day been renewed O Repent speedily Repent and be converted What though we cannot distinguish the Tares from the Wheat Yet the Lord of the Harvest can Christ will find you out and condemn you for rotten and unsound unless you be soundly renewed by repentance and effectually changed by converting Grace Brethren I fervently wish your Salvation and to this while I am able I shall bend my ardent endeavours I am now taking advice for my health and hope in some few Weeks to be restored to you In the mean time I commend me to Your Prayers and you to the Grace of God remaining Yours in the Lord Jesus JOS. ALLEINE Dorchester July 7th 1666. LETTER XXVI The Character and Priviledges of true Believers To the Loving and Beloved People the Servants of God in Taunton Salvation Most dearly Beloved I Longed to hear of your Welfare but by reason of the Carryers intermitting his Journeys could not till now obtain my desires neither had I Opportunity till the last Week of writing to you I rejoyce to hear by Mr. Ford of Gods continual goodness towards you he is your Shepherd and therefore it is that you do not want Me you have not alwayes but he is ever with you his Rod and his Staff shall comfort you Nay more then all this you may hence conclude comfortably for all times yea for the whole Eternity to come Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow you all the days of your Lives and you shall dwell in the House of the Lord for ever In this my dear Brethren in this rejoyce and again I say rejoyce that God is ingaged in so near and so sweet relation to you Doubtless your Souls shall Lodge in goodness and be provided for carefully and lie down in everlasting safety that have the Almighty for our Shepherd Blessed are the Flock of his Hands and the Sheep of his Pasture happy is the People that is in such a Case But who are Christs Sheep Not all Professers I beseech you take heed how you rest
thou fully signified thy mind already to me I had never gone so far as I have Well the Lord whose we are and whom we serve do with us as it shall seem good unto him We are always as mindful as is possible of thee here both together and apart Captain Luke desired me to intreat thee to meet him one two Hours in a Day for the 〈◊〉 of Mercies upon the twenty third Day of every Month. Send word to me of their Resolution at Taunton in two Letters least possibly one should miscarry though never a one did yet I dare not think of settling under sixty Pound at Taunton and surely it cannot be less I have Written as well as I could on a suddeu my Mind to thee I have been so large in delivering my Judgement that I must thrust up my Affections into a Corner Well though they have but a corner in my Letter I am sure they have room enough in my heart But I must conclude The Lord keep thee my Dear and cherish thee for ever in his Bosom Farewell mine own Soul I am as ever Thine own Heart JOSEPH ALLEINE Oxon May 27. 〈◊〉 LETTER II. Prepare for Suffering To my dearly beloved the Flock of Christ in Taunton Grace and Peace Most dear Christians MY 〈◊〉 straights of time will now force me to bind my long loves in a few short lines yet I could not tell how to leave you unsaluted nor chuse but write to you in a few words that you should not be dismayed neither at our present sufferings or at the evil tidings that by this time I doubt not are come unto you Now Brethren is the time when the Lord is like to put you upon the trial now is the hour of temptation come Oh! be faithful to Christ to the death and he shall give you a Crown of life Faithful is he that hath called you and he will not suffer you upon his faithfulness to be tempted above what you are able Give up your selves and your All to the Lord with resolution to follow him fully and two things be sure of and lay up as sure grounds of everlasting consolation 1. If you seek by prayer and study to know the mind of God and do resolve to follow it in uprightness you shall not fail either of direction or pardon Either God will shew you what his pleasure is or will certainly forgive you if you miss your way Brethren fix upon your Souls the deep and lively affecting apprehensions of the most gracious loving merciful sweet 〈◊〉 tender nature of your Heavenly Father which is so great that you may be sure he will with all readiness and love accept of his poor Children when they endeavour to approve themselves in sincerity to him and would fain know his mind and do it if they could but clearly see it though they should unwillingly mistake 2. That as sure as God is faithful if he do see that such or such a temptation with the forethought of which you may be apt to disquiet your selves lest you should fall away when thus or thus tried will be too hard for your Graces he will never suffer it to come upon you Let not my dear Brethren let not the present tribulations or those impending move you This is the way of the Kingdom persecution is one of your 〈◊〉 self-denial and taking 〈◊〉 the Cross is your ABC of Religion you have learnt nothing that have not begun at Christs-Cross Brethren the Cross of Christ is your Crown the reproach of Christ is your riches the shame of Christ is your glory the damage attending strict and holy diligence your greatest advantage sensible you should be of what is coming but not discouraged humbled but not dismayed having your hearts broken and yet your spirits unbroken humble your selves mightily under the mighty 〈◊〉 of God but fear not the face of man may you even be 〈◊〉 in humility but high in courage little in your own apprehensions of your selves but great in holy fortitude 〈◊〉 and holy magnanimity lying in the dust before your God yet triumphing in faith and hope and boldness and confidence over all the power of the enemies Approve your selver 〈◊〉 good Souldiers of Jesus Christ with No Armour but that of righteousness No Weapons but strong crying and tears looking for no Victory but that of Faith nor hope to overcome but by patience now for the faith and patience of the Saints now for the harness of your suffering Graces O gird up the loyns of your mind and be sober and hope to the end Fight not but the good fight of Faith here you must contend and that earnestly Strive not but against sin and here you may resist even unto blood now see that you chuse life and embrace affliction rather than sin Strive together mightily and frequently by prayer I know you do but I would you should abound more and more Share my loves among you and continue your earnest prayers for me and be you assured that I am and shall be through Grace a willing thankful Servant of your Souls concernments From the common Gaole May 28. 1663. Joseph Aleine LETTER III. Warning to Professors To my most dearly beloved my Christian Friends in Taunton Salvation Most loving 〈◊〉 I Shall nover forget your old kindnesses and the entire affections that you have shed upon me not by drops but by floods would I never so fain forget them yet I could not they are so continually renowned for there is never a day but I hear of them may more than hear of them I feel and taste them The God that hath promised to them that give to a Prophet though but a cup of cold Water shall receive a Prophets reward he will recompence your labour of love your servent prayers and constant cryes your care for my wellfare your bountiful supplies who have given me not a cup of cold water but the Wine of your loves with the sense and tidings whereof I am coutinually refreshed I must I do and will bless the Lord as long as I live that he hath-cast my lot in so fair a place to dwell in your communion and especially to go in and out before you and to be the Messenger of the Lord of Host to you to proclaim his Law and to Preach his Excellencies to be his Spokesman to you and to wooe for him and to espouse you to one Husband and to present you as a chaste Virgin unto Christ. Lord how unworthy am I everlastingly unworthy of this glorious Dignity which I do verily believe the most brightest Angels in Heaven would be glad of if the Lord saw it fit to imploy them in this work Well I do not I cannot repent notwithstanding all the difficulties and inconveniences that do attend his despised Servants and hated ways and that are like to attend them for we have but sipped yet of the Cup but I have set my hand to his plow my Ministry I took up with
the dangerous place you stand in and look about you with trembling Methinks I see Satan watching for your souls as the Dragon did for the seed of the Woman waiting to devour it as soon as she should be delivered Know you not that you must wrestle with Principalities and Powers Methinks I see temptations surrounding you and beleaguering you as the enemy about the walls of the treacherous party within you I mean carnal affections and corruptions complotting how to deliver up the castle Know you not that your fleshly lusts do war against your souls and that your own hearts are not true to you but deceitful above all things Lord what need have you to bestir your selves and to flie unto Jesus to distrust your selves and to trust onely in him and his righteousness Oh work out your salvation with fear and trembling Do you ever think to escape these mighty enemies to conquer the power and 〈◊〉 the plots and snares of those potent adversaries without most painful diligence O cry to heaven for help watch and pray fear left a promise being left of entring into rest either of you should come short of it My dear Neeces you have many do watch for your souls to devour them but I doubt too few except my self do watch for your souls to save them therefore I look upon my self who am now upon the matter your only Monitor to be the more concerned to awaken my self to your help and to look after you and to watch for you left by any means you should miscarry by the deceits and temprations wherewith you are encompassed I would not have you over-careful for the things of this life though I commend your laudable care and diligence that you may not be burdensom to any man but I commend to you a better and more necessary care and that is that which the Apostle speaks of the Virgins care The unmarried saith he careth for the things of the Lord. Ah let this be your care seek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and then all these things shall be added you have Gods sure promise for it If the Lord give me to live and prosper you shall see and know that I am not a friend only in words to you but however that shall be see that you embrace the Counsels of God from me Oh make sure of Heaven betimes walk humbly with God beware of a proud heart and a lofty spirit abhor your selves else God will not accept you be displeased with your selves else God will not be pleased with you condemn your selves that God may acquit you The leven of pride will sowr the whole lump and mar all your Profession and Religion and render your Persons and Prayers and all an abomination to the Lord if it prevail in you Oh therefore be not high minded but fear and by prayer and watchfulness restrain and root up this wretched corruption of pride which is a sin so natural to you that you had need to use an infinite care and caution to keep it under As to my self these may acquaint you That I have been often at the very gates of death I have lost all my limbs but prayer hath redeemed me from my extremities and God hath blessed the use of the Bath to me Oh praise the Lord praise him for my sake and give glory to the God of my life Love him honour and glorifie him whose favour and friendship hath filled my soul with comfort and given a resutrection to my body I can now walk alone and feed my self but am altogether unable to write which is the reason why these come to you in another hand Dear Cousins you may think me too tedious but you must pardon me if I erre in my love and zeal for your welfare And now I shall 〈◊〉 no more but with my own and dear Wifes love to you I commend you to God and rest Your loving and careful uncle JOSEPH ALLEINE LETTER XXXVIII Do all in reference to God and his glory Dear Friend I Have received yours of the 19th of September but it came to me in the time of my sickness in which I was much a stranger to writing it continued upon me five Months and to this day so much weaknes remains in my arms that I am not able to put off or on my own clothes Your Letter was exceeding welcom to me not only as reviving the remembrance of our old friendship but also as bringing me news of some spiritual good that you received by me which is the best tidings that I can receive for what do I live for but to be useful to souls in my generation I desire to know no other business than to please and honour my God and serve my generation in that short allowance of time that I have here before I go hence and be seen no more Shall I commend to you the Lesson that I am about to learn But why should I doubt of your acceptance who have so readily embraced me in all our converses The Lesson is To be entirely devoted unto the Lord that I may be able to say after the Apostle To me to live is Christ. I would not be serving God onely for a day in the week or an hour or two in the day but every day and all the day I am ambitious to come up towards that of our Lord and Master To do always those things that please God I plainly see that self-seeking is self-undoing and that then we do promote our selves best when we please God most I find that when I have done all if God be not pleased I have done nothing and if I can but approve my self to God my work is done I reckon I do not live that time I do not live unto God I am fain to cut off so many hours from my days and so many years from my life so short as it is as I have lived unto my self I find no enemy so dangerous as self and O that others might take warning by my hurt O that I had lived wholly unto God! then had every day and every hour that I have spent been found upon my account at that great day of our appearing before God then I had been rich indeed in treasure laid up there whither I am apace removing then I had been every day and hour adding to the heap and encreasing the reward which God of his meer grace hath promised even to the meanest work that is done to him Col. 4. 24. I verily perceive I am an eternal loser by acting no more as for God for what is done to my self is lost but what is done for God is done for ever and shall receive an everlasting reward Verily if there be another world to come and an eternal state after this short life it is our onely wisdom to be removing and as it were transplanting and transporting what we can from hence into that Countrey to which we are shortly to be removed
THE Life and Death of Mr. JOSEPH ALLEINE Late Teacher of the Church at Taunton in Sommersetshire Assistant to Mr. Newton Whereunto are Annexed Diverse Christian LETTERS Of His Full of Spiritual Instructions tending to the Promoting of the power of Godliness both in Persons and Families AND HIS FUNERAL SERMON Preached by Mr. Newton LOFDON Printed for Nevil Simmon at the Princes-Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard 1672. The Contents CHAP. I. THE Introduction by Mr. Richard Baxter p. 〈◊〉 CHAP. II. A brief Relation of his early setting forth in the Christian Race from his Childhood and some Memorials of his first beginnings and earnest pursuit of Learning in the University Written by an eye-witness thereof p. 18 CHAP. III. A brief Character of him by Mr. Richard Alleine shewing how eminently he was qualified for the Ministerial service and warfare whereunto he was called p. 18 CHAP. IV. An account of his godly Life and Practice and of the course of his Ministry in Taunton given by Mr. George Newton the Reverend Pastor there whose Assistant he was p. 33 CHAP. V. A further Account of his Ministry by way of Supplement to the former By one of his Fellow-Labourers who was his intimate Friend p. 39 CHAP. VI. A full Narrative of his Life from his silencing to his Death by his Widow Mr. Theodosia Alleine 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 in the Lord p. 52 CHAP. VII Some Notes by another whose House he lodged in p. 97 CHAP. VIII An intire and exact Delineation of this Holy Person Written by one of his familiar Acquaintance Presented as the Portraicture of a compleat Gospel-Minister p. 102 CHAP. IX A few Additions to this Character by his intimate Friend Mr. Richard Fairclough p. 123 LET the Reader know to assure him that Faction and Partiality are not the Authors of this History that the two full Narratives that are not subscribed are written by two Conformable Ministers of very great sincerity and abilities who were long and intimately acquainted with Mr. Joseph Alleine REader thou art desired to take notice That that part of the Life which is drawn up by Mrs. Theodosia Alleine was sent up by her to a worthy Divine by him to be published in his own Stile she not imagining it should be put forth in her own words But that worthy Person and divers others upon 〈◊〉 saw no reason to alter it but caused it to be printed as it is These Books following are Published by Mr. Richard Baxter and Printed for Nevil Simmons at the Princes-Arms in Saint Pauls Church-yard 1. HIS Aphorisms of Justification 2. The Saints Everlasting Rest in quarto 3. Plain Scripture-proof of Infant Church-membership and Baptism in quarto 4. The right Method for a setled Peace of Conscience and Spiritual Comforts in 32 Directions in octavo 5. Christian Concord or the Agreement of the Associated Pastors and Churches of Worcester-shire in quarto 6. True Christianity or Christ's Absolute Dominion c. In two Assize Sermons preacht at Worcester in twelves 7. A Sermon of Judgment preach'd at Pauls London Dec. 17. 1664. and now enlarged in twelves 8. Making light of Christ and Salvation too oft the issue of Gospel-Invitations manifested in a Sermon preached at Laurence-Jury in London in octavo 9. The Agreement of divers Ministers of Christ in the County of Woroester for Catechizing or Personal Instructing all in their several 〈◊〉 that will consent thereunto Containing 1. The Articles of our Agreement 2. An 〈◊〉 to the People to submit to this necessary work 3. The Profession of Faith and Catechism in octavo 10. Guildas Salvianus The Reformed Pastor shewing the Nature of the Pastoral Work especially in private Instruction and Catechizing in octavo 11. Certain Disputations of Right to Sacraments and the true Nature of visible Christianity in quarto 12. Of Justification Four Disputations clearing and amicably defending the Truth against the unnecessary oppositions of divers Learned and Reverend Brethreu in quarto 13. A Treatise of Conversion Preached and now published for the use of those that are strangers to a true Conversion c. in quarto 14. One Sheet for the Ministry against the Malignants of all sorts 15. A Winding-sheet for Popery 16. One Sheet against the Quakers 17. A second Sheet for the Ministry c. 18. Directions to Justices of the Peace especially in Corporations to the discharge of their Duty to God c. 19. The Crucifying of the World by the Cross of Christ c. in quarto 20. A Call to the Unconverted to Turn and Live and accept of Mercy while Mercy may be had as ever they would find Mercy in the day of their extremity from the Living God To be read in Families where any are unconverted in twelves 21. Of Saving Faith That it is not onely gradually but specifically distinct from all Common Faith The Agreement of Richard Baxter with that very Learned consenting Adversary that hath maintained his Affertion by a pretended Confutation in the end of Serjeant Shepheards Book of Sincerity and Hypocrisie in quarto 22. Directions and Perswasions to a sound Conversion c. in octavo 23. The Grotian Religion discovered at the invitation of Mr. Thomas Pierce in his Vindication with a Preface Vindicating the Synod of Dort from the calumnies of the new Tilenus and David Peter c. and the Puritans and Sequestrations c. from the censures of Mr. Pierce in octavo 24. Confirmation and Restauration the necessary means of Reformation and Reconciliation in octavo 25. Five Disputations of Church-Government in quarto 26. A Key for Catholicks to open the jugling of the Jesuits and satisfie all that are but truly willing to understand whether the cause of Roman or Reformed Churches be of God and to leave the Reader utterly inexcusable that after this will be a Papist in quarto 27. A Treatise of Self-denyal in quarto 28. His Apology against the Exceptions of Mr. Blake Kendal Crandon Eires L. Moulin in quarto 29. The unreasonableness of Infidelity in four parts c. in octavo 30. The Worcester-shire Petition to the Parliament for the Ministry of England defended c. in quarto 31. His Holy Common-Wealth or Political 〈◊〉 opening the true Principles of Government c. in octavo 32. His Confession of Faith c. in quarto 33. His Humble Advice or the Heads of those Things which were offered to many honourable Members of Parliament c. in quarto 34. The Quakers Catechism or the Quakers questioned in quarto 35. An Account of his present Thoughts concerning the Controversies about the perseverance of the Saints in quarto 36. His Letter to Mr. Drury for Pacification in quarto 37. The safe Religion or three Disputations for the Reformed Catholick Religion against Popery c. in octavo 38. Catholick Unity or the only way to bring us all to
Covenant-keeping and greatly to urge men to deliberate well-grounded Resolutions in this Holy Covenant as one that understood that Baptizing is truly Christening and that Baptism and the Lord's-Supper are our Sacramental Covenanting and that we need no new Descriptions nor Characters of Grace and Church-Titles if we understand what these Sacraments truly mean So God was pleased to give him a certainty and sense of his Divine Faithfulness in fulfilling the Promises of his Covenant and a lively sense of all the benefits of it and his Faith in God for the performance of his part was as strong and fixed as was his own Resolution in the strength of Grace to be true to God I compare not his resolution to God's Fidelity for what comparison between God and Man but onely to his belief of God's Fidelity and his comfort in the assurance of the Conclusion And as he was resolved through Grace never to forsake Christ so Christ did never fail him nor forsake him And in his Ministry in his Sufferings and his Death this Faith this Hope this Heavenly Joy was his support and strength and in the Valley of the shadow of Death he feared no evil But when his flesh and heart failed as to natural strength the Lord was the Rock or Strength of his Heart and never failed him Psal. 73. 25. Let me die the death of the Righteous and let my last end be like his I have premised this general Skeleton as Limners and Builders first draw the Pillars and Stamina of their Work which the following Narratives will fill up And I have given you this general Index or Contents of what is distinctly contained in the Sequel For the History is not drawn up by one Hand nor as by one that intended rather to shew what he could say than what the Person was and did But it is the brief Account of the several parts of his Life drawn up by several of his most worthy and judicious Friends that were present or most intimate and familiar with him And I take this to be the best Advantage to a History as to the Truth which should satisfie the Incredulous though not as to Uniformity and a fluid Stile which might please the Curious For a Man's Life is like a War or Battle No dispersed War no nor any one particular Battle can fully be described by the Observations of any one man alone But one Man is but in one place and seeth onely that which is within his own prospect which his proper station did advantage him to see But when Intelligent Men from each part of the Army do every one bring in their several Narratives all set together may be a satisfactory History of the whole War or Fight So when a Man's course of Life is transient and one is his Familiar in his Youth and another at riper Age one in the University and another in the Ministry one in Prison and another at Home one in Health and another at Death it is no one of himself that can credibly report the whole And therefore though by variety of Stile it may seem a Ceuto or incongruously composed yet Truth being the Soul of History that 's best which is best fitted to the lovers of Truth And though one part be written by a Woman his Widow and another by his Reverend Father in Law another by that worthy Pastor whom he assisted another by a Fellow Minister and another by a Scholar of his intimate Acquaintance c. Yet is there such Agreement in them all and such Evidence of unquestionable Verity especially to all that know these Worthy and Faithful Persons that for my part I take it as coming to me with greater advantage than if it had been an evener Thred drawn out by one skilful Hand alone as the writing of the History of Christ by the four Evangelists is advantagious to the Christian Faith The plainness and open Breast of a Godly Widow and of so many Holy and most credible Friends is another kind of Evidence than the contrived History of a Learned Man which is fitted to the Interest of a Party to which the persons Fame and Honour seemeth requisite I know not how a History of this Nature could come to the World with fairer humane Evidence of unquestionable credibility than this doth And let Posterity know for I need not tell it to this present Age who live in the Light that though this Servant of Christ excelled very many of his Brethren yet it is not that such men are wonders in this Age that his Life is singled out to be recorded to Posterity But because his affectionate Friends and Auditors are forwarder than many others hereby to tell the World what Effects his Holy Doctrine and Example hath left upon their hearts It makes the Writers heart to bleed to think how many thousands of Souls do perish by Ignorance and ungodliness even in England and how many vast Kingdoms of the World are deprived of the Gospel If you ask What Labours he hath left behind him I Answer First The great numbers of Holy Souls converted confirmed and edified by his Doctrine and the Example of his holy Life The Specimen or Exemplar of a right Minister of the Gospel which he hath left to the Neighbour Ministers that knew him and to those that now possess their Places and to all the Ministers of the Land and to the Ages that are yet to come For who will not be convinced of the necessity and sweetness of Holy Diligence in so good 2 Work and become Laborious in the Word and Doctrine who seriously readeth such Examples as this here set before him And who that considereth it aright can chuse but see how greatly such Holy Labourers do differ from those that Preach the Gospel in strife and envie to add affliction to Pauls Bonds Phil. 1. 15. And those that use their Ministry but as Lawyers use the Laws to get Preferment and worldly Wealth by it that they may say Soul take thy Ease Eat Drink and be Merry thou hast Goods enough laid up for many years Till they hear at last Thou fool this night shall they require thy Soul Whos 's then shall the things be which thou possessest So is every one that layeth up Riches for himself and is not Rich towards God Secondly And for Writings who can expect that a man that entered upon the Sacred Ministry at Twenty One years of Age and died about Thirty Five and lived in such exceeding Ministerial Labours should leave many Books behind him of his Writing in an Age wherein we have had too many Books and too few such Ministers yet the following History tells us He is the Author of tha Synopsis of the Covenant in Mr. Richard Alleins Book He Printed an Exposition of the Assemblies 〈◊〉 with an Exhortation to use it As also Prayers for his Peoples 〈◊〉 And left a Book to work on the Unconverted not yet Printed And he hath left alass imperfect a
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
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
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
run not with others into the wretched practice of Lying and Couzening Whoredom and the like but what is this more than a Pharisee may have to say for himself can I prove by Scripture my claim to Heaven can I produce Chapter and Verse to justifie my self Oh Couzin fear least a Promise being lest of entring into rest you should by any mistakes or self-deceits fall short through unbelief fear lest you should take Counters of gold or some common workings for saving Grace Oh there is a world of counterfeit Coin going multitudes perish by mistake and wake in Hell whilest they dreamt they were in Heaven the tempter is very subtile and will sure deceive if he can your heart is deceitful above all things and is willing to cheat you if it can Therefore am I engaged so earnestly to call upon you as one that watcheth for your soul to arise speedily and to set roundly to your Work Oh consider your danger and work out your Salvation with fear and trembling away with these lazie Prayers away with these cold and heartless Professions away with this drowsie liveless liftless Religion bestir your self to purpose for your Soul before it be too late Search your Conscience as with Candles be jealous of your self consider now is your time what you do you must do quickly the patience of God is waiting Christ is knocking the Spirit of God is striving and death is at the door Oh now take your opportunity and take heed lest a slothful heart and the cares of this world or a presumptuous confidence that all is well and safe already should at last shut you out of the Kingdom of God I cannot write distinctly to your Husband but I beseech you to call upon him to set his heart to these Counsels which I have written to you I earnestly entreat him to make Religion his business and to look heedfully to it that the gain of the world prove not the loss of his soul. I desire him that Closet and Family Prayers and weekly Catechesing of his Houshold and strict sanctifying of the Sabbath and reading of the Scriptures singing of Psalms repeating of Sermons and diligent attendance upon powerful Preaching may be his continual exercises that so his house may be a little Church and God may delight to dwell in his Family pray give me to understand what is done of these things for I have a zeal for your welfare and that you and your Houshould should serve the Lord that you may enter into his rest and carry children and servants and friends and all to Heaven with you As to my own estate I have lost all my Limbs and about this twelve Months useless and been again and again under the sentence of death but was brought in a Horse-litter to Bath where God hath wonderfully restored me so that I can seed my self and go alone and speak with a little more freedom Oh love the Lord praise the Lord for me notwithstanding I continue weak and have not strength to write yet I could not tell how to die in silence from you but have made use of a friendly hand to send these counsels and calls after you which I beseech you to accept in the fear of God for it is not unlike that they may be my last to you that ever you may receive I now commend you to the Lord and with mine own and my dear Wives love to you both Rest Your loving and careful unkle JOS. ALLEINE Octob. 21. 1668. FINIS LETTER XXXV The Concernments of our Souls especially to be regarded Dear Cousin YOU may think you are forgotten with me because you have not heard so long a time from me but this may let you know That though God hath taken away your Father and suffered your Mother to be helpless to you yet you have one friend on earth that careth for you The welfare of your immortal soul is dear to me and is the matter of my sollicitous care and prayer Dear Cousin Methinks I feel a godly jealousie of you within my heart lest you should lose your soul amongst a croud of worldly cares and business Oh remember the story of him in the Book of the Kings who relates that he had a Soldier committed to his keeping upon condition that he should lose his life if he did let him go But while thy servant went hither and thither the man escaped But the King replies presently Even so shall thy judgment be thy life shall go for his life Ah Cousin take earnest heed lest while you are going hither and thither minding many things tossed in a hurry of worldly affairs the enemy run not away with your soul. Oh beware that the world doth not secretly steal away your heart Consider that whatever your business be you must and will have an eating time and a sleeping time Oh be as sollicitous every day to keep your praying times which are a thousand times more necessary than a time to eat in or sleep Be sure that there doth not a morning or evening pass over your head in which you have not perfumed your closet with solemn and fervent prayer And take heed if you love your salvation lest Satan beguile you with the bare outward performance of duties and outward acts of Religion See to it that you do not rest in a worldly Religion to give God your knee while the World carries away your heart You may pray hear and read and all to no purpose excep your very Soul be employed and engaged in these duties and the life vigour and strength of your affections be found to go after God in them If therefore you will have Christ and Heaven see that you renounce the world You must cast overboard your worldly hopes and take up with God with a naked Christ as your whole happiness both for this life and that which is to come There is no hopes of your salvation without a sound mortification to the world you must be mortified to your worldly expectations look not for much from the world promise not your self much from the world seek not great things for your self say unto God So I may have thee for my portion and thy Kingdom for my inheritance give or deny me what thou wilt poverty or riches any thing or nothing I will be contented with my Lot Say unto your soul So I may but have Christ so I may but carry it for the other world let this world go which way it will I must be converted or condemned I must be born again or else would I had never been born but of this present world there is no such necessity I may be poor and yet happy but wo to me if I remain unsanctified I must have grace or perish for ever Dear Cousin if I live you shall find me a friend to your worldly prosperity but whether I live or die I charge you by the Lord that you be infinitely tender of your immortal Souls everlasting