upon those dangerous Rocks upon which so many Professors have been split There are three things which I beseech you carefully to beware of First Lest while Christ is in your mouths the world run away with your hearts There is many a seeming Professor that will be fòund a meer Idolater Many a Soul goes down to Hell in this sin in the midst of his Profession and never discerns it till it be too late Remember I beseech You that the Oxen the Farm Wife Merchandize all of them lawful Comforts did effectually keep men from a sound and saving closing with Christ as the vilest lusts of the worst of men Whatever you find your hearts very much pleased in and in love with among these earthly Comfoâ—…ts set a mark upon that thing and remember that there lies your greatest danâ—…r What you love most you must fear most and think ofâ—…en wiâ—…h your selves This if any thing is like to be my 〈…〉 multitudes of Professors that perish for ever by 〈…〉 â—…and of this mortal Enemy I mean the overvalâ—…ing of Earthly things The hearers compared to the thornâ—… Ground did not openly fall away and cast off their Profession as the stony ground did but while others withered away the blade of Profession was as green and fresh as ever and yet their inordinate aâ—…ection to the things of this life did secretly undo all at last Little do most Professors think of this while they please themselves in their estates while they delight themselves so freely in their Children in their Wives in their habitations and possessions that these be the things that â—…re like to undo them for ever How little is that Scripture thought of which speaks so dreadfully to worldly Professors Love not the World for if any man love the World the Love of the Father is not in him Are there not many among us who though they do keep up Prayer and other holy Duties yet the strength and vigour of their hearts goeth out after earthly things And these are their chief care and their chief joy Such must know that they are none of Christs and they were better to understand it now and seek to be renewed by Repentance then hereafter when there shall be no place for Repentance 2. Lest while Iniquity doth abound your love to Christ doth wax cold Remember what an Abomination Laodicea was to Christ because she grew so luke-warm and what a controversie he had with Ephesus a sound Church because she did but flacken and grow more remiss in her love A friend is born for adversity and now is the time if you will prove the sincerity of your love and friendship to Jesus Christ by following him zealously resolvedly sully now he is more rejected and opposed Thirdly Lest you keep up a barren and fruitâ—…ss Profession withâ—…ut Progression See to it my Brethren that you be not onely Professors but proficients Many Professors think all is well because they keep on in the exercises of Religion but alas You may keep on praying aâ—…d hearing all the Week long and yet be not one jot the further Many there are that keeâ—… going but it is like the Horse in the Mill that is going all day but yet is no further than when he first began Nay it oft times happens in the Trade of Religion as it doth in trading in the World where many keep on in trading still till for want of care and caution and examining their accounts whether they go forward or backward they trade themselves out of all Oh look to it my Brethren that none of you rest in the doing of duties but examine what comes of them Otherwise as you may trade your selves into Poverty so you may hear and pray your selves into hardness of heart and desperate security and formality This was the very case of wretched Laodicia who kept up the trade of religious duties and verily thought that all was well because the trade still went on and that she was increased in spiritual goods and in a gaining way but when her accounts were cast up at last all comes to nothing and ends in wretchedness poverty and nakedness Most dear Brethren I wish and pray for the prosperity of you all but above all I wish your Souls prosperity with which after my most dear Loves to you all having already exceeded the bounds of an Epistle I commend you to the living God Remaining Your fervent well wisher and Embassador in Christ JOS. ALLEINE Devises June 22. 1666. LETTER XXX An Admiration of the Love of God To the most Loving and best Beloved the servants of God in Taunton Salvation My most dear Friends I Love you and long for you in the Lord and I am weary with forbearing that good and blessed work that the Lerd hath committed to me for the surtherance of your Salvation How long Lord how long shall I dwell in silenâ—… How long shall my Tongue cleave to the Rooâ—… of my Mouth When will God open my Lips that I may stand up and praise him But it is my Fathers good pleasure yet to keep me in a total disability of publishing his Name among you unto him my Soul shall patiently subscribe I may not I cannot complain that he is hard to me or useth me with Rigour I am full of the Mercies of the Lord yea Brimful and running over And shall I complain Far be it from me But though I may not murmur meâ—…hinks I may mourn a little and sit down and wish O if I may not have a Tongue to speak would I had but Hands to Write that I might from my Pen drop some heavenly Councels to my Beloved People Methinks my feeble Fingers do even Itch to Write unto you but it cannot be alas my right-hand seems to have 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 shock my Pen as it were out of my Hand Buâ—… 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 well 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
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 soundly taken off from every sin and set upon God above as your Blessedness Beware that none of you have only a name to love and be no more than almost Christians For the love of your Souls make a diligent 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 the 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 persecuted 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 flumbereth nor sleepeth be your Watchman and Keeper to the end Farewel I am From the common Goal at Juelchester July 24. 1663. A fervent well-wisher of your Temporal and Eternal Happiness Joseph Alleine LETTER VI. Look out of your Graves upon the World To my most dearly Beloved Friends the chosen of God in Taunton Grace and Peace Most endeared Christian MY heart is with you though I am Absent as to my Bodily presence from you and therefore as I have often already so I have now written to you to stir up your pure minds 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 Warfare As for humane affairs it would have you to be as you are Men of Peace I would have you Armed not for resisting God forbid but for Suffering onely 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 your 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 flie 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 aâ—…d diligently or else this World is like to undo you and destroy yoâ—… I have often warned you not to build upon an External happiness and that you should promise yoâ—…r 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 apprehâ—…sions of the World Do not think these things necessary one thing is needâ—…ul You may be happy in the want of all outward comfâ—…s 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 Graves 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 shortly be forgot among the Dead your places will know you no more and your Memory will be no more among men and then what will it profit you to have lived in fashion and repute and to have been Men of esteem one serious walk over a Church-yard as one speaks might make a man morâ—…ified to the World Think upon how many you Tread but you know them not no doubt they had their Estates their Friends their Trades their businesses and kept as much stir in the World as others do now But alas what are they the better for any for all this know you not that this must be your own case very shortly Oh the unhappiness of deceived man how miserably is he bewitched and befooled that he should expend himself for that which he knows shall for ever leave him Brethren I beseech you lay no stress upon these perishing things but labour to be at a Holy indifferency about them Is it for one that is in his wits to sell his God his conscience his soul for thiâ—…gs that he is not sure to keep a week nor a day and which he is sure after a â—…ew sleepings and wakings more to leave behind him for ever go and talk with dying
holiest than the richest and greatest in the world and is your greatest delight ordinarily and when you are your selves in the thoughts of God and in your conversings with God in Holy Exercises Is Christ more precious than all the world to you and are you willing upon the through consideration of the strictness and holiness and self-denyińg nature of his Laws yet to take them all for the rule of your thoughts words and actions and though Religion may be dear do you resolve if God will assist you by his Grace to go through with it let the cost be what it will happy the man that is in such a case This is a Christian indeed and whatever you be and do short of this all is unsound But you that bear in your souls the marks of the Lord Jesus above mentioned upon you I should lay no other burden but to hold fast and make good your ground and to press forward towards the mark Thankfully acknowledge the distinguishing grace God to your souls and live rejoycingly in the hopes of the glory of God the hopes that shall never make you ashamed live daily in the praises of your Redeemer be much in admiring God and study the worthiness excellency and glory of his Attributes let your souls be much taken up in contemplating and commending his glorious perfection and blessing your selves in the goodly portion you have in him live like those that have a God and then be disconsolate if you can If there be not more in an infinite God to comfort you than in a Prison or poverty or other affliction to deject you our Preaching is vain and your Faith is vain Let the thoughts of God be your daily repast and never be satisfied till your heart◅ run out as freely naturally constantly unweariedly after God as others do after the World a little force upon your hearts for a while to turn them into this holy Channel may quickly come so to habituate your minds to holiness that they may na◅urally run that way But it is time to shut up Farewel my dear Brethren the Lord God Almighty be a protection to you and your exceeding great reward Farewel in the Lord I am Yours in the Bowels of the Lord Jesus JOS. ALLEINE From the common Goale at Juelchester Sept. 11. 1663. Just now I received your melting Letter to which I am not able now to return an answer but shall with speed your very great affections for me cannot but move me and make me ready to repeat again the first words of my letter above The Lord inable me to return something to you for your great loves I am sensible I have come very short of my duty to you but I must needs tell you my Bowels are moved with your loves which I hope I shall greatly prize once more Farewel My dear Brother Norman remembers you with much love desiring that you may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom ye should snine as lights in the World LETTER VIII How to shew love to Ministers and live joyfully To the most Loving and dearly Beloved my Christian Friends in Taunton Grace Mercy and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Most endeared Brethren I Have received your moving melting letter and could not look over such tender expressions of your working affections without some commotions in my own I may confidently say I spent more Tears upon those lines than ever you did Ink your deep sense of my labours in the Ministry I cannot but thankfully acknowledge and take notice of yet withal heartily and unseingedly consessing that all was but the duty which I did owe to your precious and immortal Souls which God knows are very much short of my duty The omissions imperfections defects deadness that accompanied my duties I do own I must and will own and the Lord humble me for them But all that was of God and that was all that was good be sure that you give to God alone To him I humbly ascribe both the Will and the Deed to whom alone be Glory for ever My dear Brethren my business as I have often told you is not to gain your hearts or turn your eyes towards me but to Jesus Christ his Spokesman I am will you give your hearts to him will you give your hands your names to him will you subscribe to his Laws and consent to his Offices and be at through defiance with all his Enemies This do and I have my Errant Who will follow Christs Colours who will come under his Banner this shall be the man that shall be my Friend this is he that will oblige me for ever Do these Letters come to none that are yet unsanctified to no loose sinner to no ignorant finner to no unsound professor Oh that there were none such indeed oh that I had left no such behind me but would they do me a kindness as I believe they would oh then let them come away to Jesus Christ at this call lie no longer O sinner in thy swill be no more in love with darkness stick no longer in the skirts and outside of Religion demure no longer dispute not and waver no more halt no further but strike in throughly with Jesus Christ except nothing reserve nothing but come off throughly to the Lord and follow him fully And then happy man that thou shalt be for thou will be made for ever and joyful man that I shall be for I shall save a Soul from death The earnest and pittiful beggings of a poor Prisoner do use to move some Bowels hear O Friends will you do nothing for a Minister of Christ Nothing for a Prisoner of Jesus Christ methinks I hear you answer yea rather what will we not do he shall never want while we have it he shall need no office of Love but we will run and ride to do it Yea but this is not that I beg of you will you gratifie me indeed then come in kiss the Son bow to the Name of Jesus not in a Complement with Cap and Knee but let your Souls bow let all your Powers bend Sail and do him homage Let that Sacred Name be Graven into ◅he substance of your hearts and lie as a bundle of Mirth between your Breasts Let me freely speak for him for he is worthy for whom you shall do this thing worthy to be beloved of you worthy to have your ve◅y hearts worthy to be admired adored praised served glorified to the uttermost by you and every Creature worthy for whom you should lay down all leave all Can any thing be too much for him can any thing be too good for him Or too great for him come give up all Resign all lay it at the Feet of Christ Jesus offer all as a Sacrifice to him see that you be universally the Lords keep nothing from him I know through the goodness of
the main work go on do your souls prosper This is my care beware that you Flag not that you faint not now in the evil day I understand that your dangers grow upon you may your Faith and courage and resolution grow accordingly and much more abundantly to overtop them Some of your enemies I hear are in great hopes to satisfie their lusts upon you well be not discouraged my dear Brethren but bless the Lord who of his abundant Mercy hath so remarkably preserved you so long beyond all expectation Let it not be a strange thing to you if the Lord do now call you to some difficulty forsake not the Assembling of your selves together as the manner of some is I plainly see the Coal of Religion will soon go out unless it have some better helps to cherish it then a Carnal Ministrie and lifeless Administration Dear Brethren now is the time for you that fear the Lord to speak often one to another manage your duties with what prudence you â—…an but away with that Carnal prudence that will decline duty to avoid danger Is the Communion of Saints worth the venturing for Shut not up your doors against Godly Meetings I am told that it is become a hard matter when a Minister is willing to take pains with you to get place â—…ar be this from you my Brethren What shut out the Wor d suppose there be somewhat more danger to him that gives the Minister entertainment Is there not much more advantage accordingly did not Oâ—…ed Edom and his House get the blessing by entertaining the Ark there or do you think God hath never a blessing for those that shall with much Self-denial entertain his Messengers his Sainâ—…s his Worship are you believers and yet are affraid you shall be loosers by Christ do you indeed not know that he that runs most hazard for Christ doth express most love to Christ and shall receive the greatest reward away with that unbelief that prefers the present safety before the future glory I left you some helps for daily Examination I am jealous least you should grow slack and slight and carâ—…less in that duty Let me ask you in the name of the Lord doth never a day pass you but you do solemnly and seriously call your selves to an account what your â—…arriage hath been to God and Men speak conscience Is there never an one within the hearing of this Letter that is a neglecter of this duty dotâ—… every one of your Consciences acquit you Oh that they did oh that they could tell me would not some of you be put shrewdly to it if I should ask you when you read or thought over the questions that were given you for your help and would you not be put to a blush to give me an answer and will you not be much more ashamed that God and conscience should find you tardy not that I would necessarily bind you up to that very Method only till you have found a way more profitable I would desire you yea methinks I cannot but deeply charge you to make daily use of that Awake conscience and do thou fall upon that Soul that thou findest careless in this work and never let him be at rest till thou canst witness for him that he is a dâ—…ily and strict observer of himself and doth live in the constant practice of this duty What shall neither Gods charge nor your promise nor profit hold you to your work yet I may not doubt but some of you do daily perform this duty The Lord incourage you in it yet give me leave to ask you what you have gained are you grown more universally consciâ—…ncious more strict more humble and more sensible of your many and great defects then you were before If so blessed are you of the Lord if otherwise this duty hath been performed but slightly by you What can you say to this question doth your care of your ways abate or doth it incrâ—… by the constant use of this duty If it abate remember from whence you are fallen and repent as good not do it at all as not to the purpose My Pen is apt to run when I am writing unto you I beseech you that my Letters may not be as so much waste Paper to you may they be provocations to your duty and Medicines to any corruptions that they mâ—…et with Oh that they might find out mens sins and excite their graces I have run much farther than I thought I should have done but now I am called upon and must shur up The Lord God be a Sun and a Shield to you My most dear Love to you all fare you well in the Lord I am Your Embassador in Bonds JOS. ALLEINE From the common Goal at Juelchester Octob. 20. 1668. LETTER XIII Motives and Marks of Growth To the most Loving and best Beloved the servants of Christ in â—…aunton Grace and Peace Most dear and tender Friends WHose I am and whom under God I desire to serve to build you up in Holiness and comforts hath been through grace my great ambition This is that which I laboured for this is that which I suffer for and in short the end of all my applications to you and to God for you How do your souls prosper are they in a thriving case what progress do you make in Sanctification doth the House of Saul grew weaker and weaker and the house of David stronger and stronger beloved I desire to be jealous of you with a Godly jealousie lest any of you should lose your ground in these declining times and therefore cannot but be often calling upon you to look to your standing and to watch and hold fast that no man take your Crown Ah! how suâ—…ely shall you reap in the end if you faint not take heed therefore that you lose not the things you have wrought but as you have begun well so go on in the strength of Christ. and give diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end 't is your thriving I tell you I drive at Do you need Motives 1. How much are you behind-band Oh the fair advantages that we have lost what time what Sabboths Sermons Sacraments are upon the matter lost how much work have we yet to do are you sure of Heaven yet are you fit to die yet surely they that are in so much Poverty under so many great wants had need to set upon some more thriving courses Secondly Consider what others have gained whilst we it may be sit down by the loss Have we not met many Vessels richly laden while our Souls are empty Oh the rich Booties the golden Prizes that some have won while we have folded the hands to sleep have not many of our own standing in Religion left us far behind them Thirdly Consider what a spending time there is coming Affliction and Tribulation seem to be not far from you had you not need to be well stocked against such a day go to the Ant
thou sluggard she layeth up her meat in the Summer Happy man that can say to his Soul on good grounds what he vainly spake Thou hast much good laid up for many years Who will not Victual the Castle against the Siege and the Ship against the Voyage Fourthly Consider you will find all little enough when you come to die the Wise among the Virgins have no Oyl to spare at the coming of the Bridegroom distress and temptations and death will put all your Graces to it How much ado have many poor Saints had at last to put into this harbour David cties for respite till he had recovered a little more strength Fifthly Consider how little it will avail you to thrive in your Estates and not thrive iâ—… your Souls Poor Gehazi what did he get by it when he gained Naamans Talents and came off with his Leprosie Sixthly Consider how short your time for gathering in probability is the Israelites gathered twice so much Manna against the Sabboth as they did at other times because at that time there was no Manna fell Brethren you know not how long you have to lay in for Seventhly Consider Gods expectations are great from you he hath been lopping and pruning you and now he looks for more fruit he hath had you for some time under his more severer Discipline and therefore expects you should be better proficients he hath tried new means with you and is come to you with a Rod and he will be angry with a witness if he do not find you now to mend Times of Afflictions use to be gaining times to Gods People God forbid that you alone should be losers Do you ask for marks how you may know your souls to be in a thriving case First If your appetites be more strong Do you thirst after God and after grace more than heretofore do your cares for and desire after the World abate and do you hunger and thirst after righteousness whereas you were wont to come with an ill-will to holy duties do you come to them as a hungrie stomach to its meats Secondly If pour Pulses beat more even Are you still off and on hot and cold Or is the a more even spun thred of holiness through your whole course do you make good the ground from which you were formerly often beaten off Thirdly If your natural heat do grow more vigorous and your digestion more quick Do you take more notice of God in every thing than heretofore and let none of his works nor words pass without some careful attention and observation do you ponder upon and pray over his Word and his Providences Fourthly If you do look more to the Compass and latitude of Religion and mind more than ever the carrying on together the dâ—…s of both Tables Do you not only look to the keeping if your own Vineyards but do you begin to look more abroad and to lay out your selves for the good of others and are filled with zealous desires for their conversation and salvation do you manage your talk and your Trade by the rules of Religion Do you ear and sleep by rule doth Religion form and mould and direct your carriage towards Husband Wife Parents Children Masters Servants do you grow more universally consciencious Is piety more diffusive than ever with you doth it come more abroad with you out of your Clossets into your Houses your Shops your Fields doth it journey with you and buy and sell for you hath it the casting voice in all you do Fifthly If the duties of Râ—…ligion be more easie sweet and delightful to you Do you take more delinht in the Word than ever are you more in love with secret Prayer and more abundant in it cannot you be content with your ordinary Seasons but are ever and anon making extraordinary visits to Heaven and upon all occasions turning aside to talk with God in some short Ejaculations are you oâ—…en darting up your souls Heaven-wards Is it meat and drink for you to do the Will of God do you come off more freely with God and answer his Calls and open at his knocks with more Alacrity and readiness of mind Sixthly If you are more abundant in those duties which are most displeasing to the Flesh. Are you more earnest upon the duty of Mortification are you more strict and severe than ever in the duty of daily Self-examination and holy Meditation do you hold the Reigns harder upon the Flesh than ever do you keep a stricter watch upon your Appetites do you set a stroâ—…r guard upon your Tongues have you a more jealâ—…s eye upon your hearts Seventhly If you grow more viâ—…e in your own eyes Pride is such a choaking Weed that nothing will prosper near it Do you grow more out of love with mens esteem and set less by it are you not marvellous tender of being slighted can you rejoyce to see othâ—…rs preferred before you can you heartily value and love them that think meanly of you Eightly If you grow more quick of sense more tender of sining more sensiâ—… of Divine influences or withdrawings Are you more affraid of sin than ever are your sins a greater pain to you than heretofore are your very infirmities your great afflictions and the daily workings of corruption a continual grief of mind to you Ninthly If you are acted more by love to God and Faith in these Promises Fear is a slavish principle do you find that you are acted less by fear and more by love do you look more frequently to the things not seen than ever and doth the World abate in your esteem do you go more out of your selves do you live upon Christ as the Spring of your life and make more use of him upon all occasions than ever do you prize the Promise more and hug and imbrace them with greaâ—…er dearness and live more upon them Tenthly If you grow of a more publisk Spirit A selfish spirit is unworthy of a Christian are the common concernments of Gods Glory and the prosperity of the Church much upon your hearts will it no way content you to dwell in plenty peace and safety your selves except you may see peace upon Israel do the wounds in Gods Name and Glory go deep into you are the sins of others your sorrows Time and room and strength fails to add means too as I inteuded I have trespassed in length already may these be helps to you to put you forward and to help you in discerning your growth I must conclude abruptly and commend you to God with my dear loves to you all I take leave and can only tell you that I am Yours in the Lord Jesus JOS. ALLEINE From the common Goale at Juelchester Octo. 31. 1663. LETTER XV. Perswasion to Sinners and comfort to Saints To my dearly Beloved the Inhabitants of the Town of Taunton Grace Mercy and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Most dearly Beloved I Have been through mercy many years with
you abstain from sin out of fear or out of dislike Are you at peace with no sin or do you not hide some iniquity as a sweet morsel under your Tongue Is there not some practice that you are not willing to know is a sin for fear you should be forced to leave it Do you love the Commandment that forbids your sin or do you not wish it ouâ—… of the Bible as that evil man wished God had never made the Seventh Commandment Again how do you stand affected towards Holiness Do you love it Do you choose it Do you hâ—…nger and thirst after it desire it more than any Temporal good Have you chosen the way of Gods Precepts and had rather live holily than be allowed to live in your sins Do You in your very hearts prefer a Godly strict Life in communion with and conformity to God before the greatest prosperity of the World do you chose Holiness not out of bare necessity because you cannot go to Heaven without it but out of love to it and from a deep sense that you have of the surpassing excellency and loveliness and beauty of it If it be thus with you you are the persons that the Lord Jesus hath marked for his Sheep And now come ye blessed all that have this mark upon you come and understand your happiness you are marked out for preservation and let it go how it will with the rest that I know it shall go well with you that fear the Lord that fear before him You are the separated ones the sealed ones upon whom the Angel hath set the Seal of the Living God and so you are redeemed unto God from among men being the first fruits unto God and unto the Lamb and have your Fathers Name written in your Fore-heads Hear O beloved Flock I may give you the salutation of the Angels Hail you are highly favoured of the Lord Blessed â—…re you among men though you are but poor and despised and like little Benjamin among the thousands of Judah you carry away the blessing and the priviledge from all the rest God hath done more for the least of you than for the whole World of Mankind besides put all their mercies together Fear not little Flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom Blessed are you of the Lord for yours is the Kingdom of Heaven All that the Scripture speaks of that Kingdom of Glory that Kingdom of Peace of Righteousness that Everlasting Kingdom It speaks it all to you Behold your Inheritance see that you believe What know you not your own selves you are the Sons of God Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven Joint Heirs with Christ the Lord of Glory Do you believe this Take heed you make not God a Lyar his Word is nigh you have you noâ—… the Writings in your hands Do I speak any thing but what God hath spoken Shall I tell you of the thing which shall be hereafter Why thus it shall be The Son of man shall come in his Glory and all his holy Angels with him Then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory and he shall separate you as a Shepherd divideth the Sheep from the Goats and he â—…hall set you at his own right hand Then shall the King say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you Do you believe yet Do you throughly believe If so then my work is done then I need not bid you Rejoyce noâ—…bid you be Thankful only believe Do this and do all Belieâ—… and joy will rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glorâ—… Believe and you will be fruitful and shew your Faith by yoâ—… works Believe and you will Love for Faith worketh by lovâ—… In a word keep these things upon your hearts by daily anâ—… lively consideration and this will bring Heaven into yoâ—… souls and ingage you to all manner of holy conversation anâ—… Godliness This will morâ—…ifie you to the World the graâ—… enemy which I advise nay I charge you to beware of Wheâ—… Saul had gotten his Kingdom he left off taking care for thâ—… Asses O remember yours is the Kingdom what are yoâ—… the better that you have all this in your Bibles if you do noâ—… weigh it by frequent and serious consideration and pondâ—… these sayings in your hearts Beloved I have written thâ—… things to you that your joy may be full And now Peace leave with you I am Christs Embassador to you an Embasâ—…dor of Peace his Peace I pronounce unto you In hiâ—… Name I bless you Farewel in the Lord I am The fervent Well-willer of your Soâ—… JOS. ALLEINE Devises June 29. 1666. LETTER XXVII Oâ—… the Second coming of Christ. To the Faithful and Beloved the Servants of God iâ—… Taunton Grace and Peace Loving and most dearly Beloved THough I trust my Bonds do preach to you yet methink that doth not suffice me but the conscience of my duty and the workings of my heart towards you are still calling upon me to stir you up by way of remembrance notwithstanding you know and be established in the present Truth And if Paul do call upon so great an Evangelist as Timothy to Remember that Jesus was raised from the dead according to the Gospel why should not I be often calling upon my self and upon you my dearly Beloved to remembeâ—… and meditate upon and closely apply the great and weighty Truths of the Gospel which you have already received and in truth I perceive in my self and you another manner of heat and warmth in the insisting upon the plainest principles of Christianity and the setting them home upon mine own heart and yours than in dwelling upon any more abstruse Speculations in the clearest handling of which the Preacher may seem to be too much like the winter nights very brighâ—… but very cold But now my Brethren I shall not with Paul call upon you so much to remember the resurrection of Christ as the Return of Christ Behold He cometh in the Clouds and every Eâ—…e shall see him Your eyes and mine eyes and all the Tribes of the Earth shall mourn because of him But we shall lift up our heads because the Day of our Redemption draweth nigh this is the day I look for and wait for and have laid up all my hopes in If the Lord return not I profess my self undone my Preaching is vain and my suffering is vain and the bottom in which I have intrusted all my hopeâ—… is for ever miscarried But I know whom I have trusted We are built upon the foundation of that sure Word we are not built upon the sand of Mortality Nor do we run so as uncertainly but the Word of the Lord abideth for ever upon which Word do we hope How fully doth this Word assure us that this same Jesus that is gone up into Heaven shall so return and that he shall appear the second time unto Salvation to them that look for him Oh how sure
that none of you be found a swearer or a Lyar a lover of evil company or a scoffer or malicious or covetous or a drunkard or a glutton unrighteous in his dealing unclean in his living â—…r a quarreller or a thief or backbiter or a railer for I denounce unto you from the living God that destruction and damnation is the end of all such Prov. 13. 20. Jam. 5. 12. Rev. 21. 8. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Gal. 5. 19 20 21. 2. Family Godliness He that hath set up Christ in his heart will be sure to study to set him up in his house Let every family with you be a Christian Church every house a house of Prayer every houshold a houshold of saith Let every housholder say with Joshua I with my House will serve the Lord and resolve with David Psalm 121. 2. I will walk within my house with a perfect heart Let me press upon you a few duties which I have been long harping upon but Alas I speak it to your shame with many too too many of you to little purpose in general First Let Religion be in your Families not as a matter by the by to be minded at leisure when the world will give you leave but the standing business of the house Let them have your prayers as duly as their meals is there any of your familieâ—… but have time for their taking food wretched man canst thou find time to eat in and not time to Pray in Secondly Settle it upon your Hearts that your Souls are bound up in the Souls of your Family They are committed unto you and if they be lost through your neglect will be required at your hands Sirs if you do not you shall know that the charge of Souls is a heavy charge and that the Blood of Souls is a heavy guilt O man hast thou a charge of Souls to answer for and dost thou not yet bestir thy self for them that their Blood be not found in thy Skirts Wilt thou do no more for immortal Souls than thou wilt do for thy Beasts that perish What dost thou do for thy Children and Servants Thou providest Meat and Drink for them agreeable to their Natures and dost thou not the same for thy Beasts Thou givest them Medicines and cherishest them when they be sick and dost thou not so much for thy Swine More particularly 1. Let the solemn Reading of the Word Isa. 34. 16. John 5. 31. and singing of Psalms be your Family Exercises Psalm 118. 15. See Christ singing with his Family viz. his Disciples Mat. 26. 30. Luke 9. 18. 2. Let every pâ—…rson in your Families be duly called to an account of their profiting by the word hâ—…rd or read as they be about doing your own 〈…〉 This is a duty of consequence unspeakable and would be a means to bring those under your Charge to remember and prosit by what they receive See Chirsts Example in calling â—…is Family to an account Mat. 16. 11. 13. 15. 33. Often take an account of the Souls under your care concerning their Spiritual estates Herein you must be Followers of Christ Mat. 13. 10 36 51. Marâ—… 4. 10 11. Make enquiry into their conditions insist much upon the sinfulness and misery of their natural estate aâ—…d upon the necessity of Regeneration and Conversion in order to their Salvation Admonish them gravely of their sins incourage beginnings Follow them earnestly and let them have no quiet for you till you see them in a saving change This is a duty of high consequence but I am afraid fearfully neglected by some that are Godly Doth not Conscience say Thou art the man 4. Look to the strict sanctâ—…fying of the Saâ—…bath by all of your Hâ—…holds Exod. 20. 10. Lev. 23. 3. Many poor Families have little time else O improve but your Sabbath-days as diligently in labouring for knowledge and doing your Makers work as You do the other daies in doing your own work and I doubt not but you may come to some proficiencie 5. Let the Morning and Evening Sacrifice of sâ—…lemn Prayer be daily offered up in all your Families Psal. 92. 1 2. Exod. 30. 7 8. â—…Lâ—…ke 1. 9 10. Beware they be not found among the Families that call not upon Gods Name sor why should there be wrath from the Lord upon your Families Jer. 10. 25. O miserable Families without God in the World that are without Family Prayer What have you so many Family fins Family wants Family Mercies what and yet no Family Prayers How do you pray with all Prayer and Supplication if You do not with Family Prayer Say not I have no time What hast thou all thy time on purpose to serve God and save thy Soul and is this that for which thou canst find no time Find but a heart and I will find time Pinch out of your meals and sleep rather then want for Prayer Say not my business will not give leave This is thy greaâ—…est business to save thy self and the Souls committed to thee Besides a whet will be no let In a word the blessing of all is to be got by Prayer Jer. 29. 11 12. 2 Sam. 7. 29. And what is thy business without Gods Blessing Say not I am not able Use thy one Talent and God will increase it Mat. 25. 24. c. Helps are to be had till thou art better able But if there be no other remedy thou mai'st join with thine abler Neighbour God hath special regard to joint Prayeâ—… Jam. 5. 14. to 19. Acts 12. 5. to 12. 2 Cor. 1. 11. and therefore you must improve Family advantages for the performing of it 6. Put every one in your Families upon private Prayer Observe whether they do perform it Get them the help of a form if they need it till they are able to go without Direct them how to Pray by minding them of their sins wâ—…nts and mercies the materials of Prayer This was the practice of John and of Jesus Luke 11. 1 2. 7. Set up Cathechizing in your Families at the least once every Week It was my parting dying request that you would set up and maintain this duty in your Families Have You done it all accordingly Cannot your consciences witness cannot your families witness you have not Well I thought my parting words would have done something with you I hoped the fervent request of a dying Minister would have prevailed for such a small matter with You. What to this day without solemn Câ—…techising in your houses Ah what a discouragement to your Teacher is this Brethren shall I yet prevail with you Will you reject me now also O let me perswade you before you take off your eyes from these Lines to resolve to set upon the constant exercise of this Duty Surely I have done and suffered more for you then this comes to will you deny me I beseech you let me find if ever God do bring me again to visit your houses that the â—…ords of a suffering Minister have some