overshaddow you and bear you safe to the Kingdom In the Holy Arms of Divine Love I desire to leave you May you live under its daily Influences and be melted and overcome with its warming Beams with its quickning piercing powerful Rays My most dear love to you all See that you live not in a dull fruitless liveless course Be patient be watchful instant in Prayer servent in Spirit serving the Lord I am very healthful and chearful through grace See that none of these things move you that befal us Fare you well my dear Brethren farewel in the Lord I am Yours in the strongest Bonds of Affection and Affliction JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Jeulchester Octob. 25. 1663. LETTER XI Remember Christ crucified and crucifie Sin To the Faithful and Well-beloved People the Servants of Christ in Taunton Salvation Most dear Christians I Am by Office a Remembrancer the Lords Remembrancer for you and your Remembrancer in the behalf of Christ-My business is with the Apostle to stir up your pure minds by way of Remembrance And what or whom should I remember you of but your most mindful Friend your Intercessour with the Father who hath you alwayes in remembrance appearing in the presence of God for you May his Memory ever live in our Hearts though mine should die Oh Remember his Love more than Wine Remember in what a Case he found you and yet nothing could anihelate his Heart nor divert the purpose of his Love from you He loathed not your Rags nor your Rottenness He found you in a loathsome Vomit and filthiness in a nasty and Verminous Tatters think not these expressions too odious No Pen can describe no Heart can imagine the odiousness of sin in his sight in which you lay and rolled your selves as the filthy Swine in the mire Yet he pitied you his Bowels were moved and his Compassions were kindled when one would have thought his wrath should have boiled and his indignation have burned down to Hell against you he loathed not but loved you and washed you from your sins in his own Blood Ah monstrous and polluted Captives Ah vile and putrid Carkases that ever the holy Jesus should take the hands of you and should his own self wash you and wrinse you methinks I see him weeping over you and yet it was a wore costly Bath by which he cleansed you Ah Sinners look upon the streaming Blood flowing out wharm from his blessed Body to fetch out the ingrained filthiness that you by sin had contracted Alas what a horrid filthiness in sin that nothing but the blood of the Covenant could wash away and what a love is Christs than when no Sope nor Nitre could suffice to cleanse us when a whole Ocean could not wash nor purifié us would opon every vein of his heart to do the work look upon your crucified Lord do you not see a sacred stream flowing out of every Member Ah how those Holy Hands those unerring Feet do run a stream to purge us Alas how that innocent Back doth Bleed with cruel scourgings to save ours how the great drops of Blood fall to the ground from his sacred Face in his miraculous sweat in his bitter and bloody Agony to wash and beautifie ours how his wounded hearts and side twice pierced first with love and pity and then with Souldiers cruelly do pour out their healthful and saving Flouds upon us Lord how do we make a shift to forget such a love as this ah mirrors or rather Monsters of ingratitude that can be unmindful of such a Friend do we thus requite him is this our kindness to such an obliging friend Christians where are your affections to what use do you put your faculties what have you memories for but to remember him What have you the power of loving for but that you should love him wherefore serves joy or desire but to long for him and delightfully to embrace him may your souls and all their Powers be taken up with him May all the little Doors of your souls be set open to him Here fix your thoughts here terminate your desires here you may light your Candle and kindle your Fire when almost out Rub and chase your hearts well with the deep consideration of the love of Christ and it is a wonder if they do not get some warmth The Lord shed abroad his love in your hearts by the Holy Ghost Oh! that this love might constrain you Brethren what will you do now for Jesus Christ. Have you never a Sacrifice to lay upon his Altar come and I will shew you what you shall do let your hands be in the blood of your sins fall foul with them search them out with diligence search your hearts and your houses whatever iniquities you find there out with them put them far from your Tabernacles if you crucifie them not you are not Jesus his Friends Godforbid that there should be a lying Tongue or any way of deceit in your Shops That his service should give place to the World in your Families Far be it from any of you my Brethren that you should be careful to teach your children and servants the way of your Trades and Callings and neglect to instruct them in the way of Life Is weekly Catechising up in every one of your Families The Lord convince any of you that may be guilty of this neglect Oh! set up God in your Houses and see that you be not slovenly in Closet performances beware of serving the Lord negligently serve not the Lord with that which costs you nothing look to it that you content not your selves with a cheap and easie Religion Put your flesh to it be well assured that the Religion that costs you nothing will yeeld you nothing keep up the life of Religion in your Family and Closet duties Fear nothing like a customary and careless performance of Gods Service Judge your own selves whether lazie wishes idle complaints and yawning Prayers are like to carry you through the mighty difficulties that you must get through if ever you come to Heaven When you find your selves going on in a liftless liveless heartless course and have no mind to your work ask your selves is this to take the Kingdom of Heaven by violence or can I hope to win it without see that you sacrifice your selves to the Lord that you deliver up your selves to him that now you live to Christ himself As Christ hath made over his life and death to you so let it be your care to live and die to him labour to forget your selves and look upon all your enjoyments as Christs goods upon your time parts strength as his Talents look upon your selves only in the quality of Servants and Stewards that are to husband all these for your Lords advantage and as those that must give an account And pray for me that I may take the Counsel that I give I bless the Lord I want nothing but the opportunity of being
Companion in your Closets Let it Travel with You in your Journies Let it Lie down and Rise up with You Let it close your Eyes in the Evening and call You out of your Beds in the Morning Be You the Votaries of Holiness Keep Her and She shall Keep You. I shall close with my Loves to You all onely because I know You love to hear of my Well-fare I must tell You that Goodness and Mercy do follow me perpetually every Day and every Night Glory to God in the highest Dear Brethren Fare you well in the Lord I am Your Devoted Servant in the Gospel whether a Bond-Man or a Free JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Juelshester Decemb. 3. 1663. Most Dearly Beloved This was intended for you a Week sooner then it comes to be Communicated I purposely Write in the middle of the Week that if any Opportunity be suddenly offered I may have somewhat ready for You But last Week I failed of a Conveyance I shall not add any thing further now but that I shall follow my Counsels with my Prayers and shall be an humble Intercessor night and day before God for You To him I commend You and to the Word of his Grace Remaining Yours while I am J. A. LETTER XIX 1. Try 2. Rejoyce To the most Loving and best Beloved the Flock of Christ in Taunton Grace and Peace Most endeared Friends MY heart is solicitous for You Your Spiritual and Eternal welfare is the matter of my desires and designes Let not my Beloved think they were forgotten by me because you heard not from me the last Week sleep departed from my eyes to write to you at large but in the morning I concluded it best to defer the imparting of it to You for a season that you might have it a better way Can a woman forget her Child that she should not have compassion on the Son of her Womb Yea they may forget but Christ will earnestly remember You still Natural Parents may be so far unnatural spiritual Parents may be so far carnal as to forget their own Children I would have you count nothing as certain but Christs love and care This you may build upon You need not fear lest time and distance should wear out the remembrance of you with him Your names are inrolled in the everlasting Decrees of Heaven and a whole Eternity hath not been able to wear them out Do any of you Question whether you are so happy as to have your Names recorded above I shall bring it to a speedy issue Do you Question whether Christ hath taken your Names Whether you are upon his heart Let me ask you Is Heaven upon your Hearts Is the Name of Jesus deeply engraven upon your Souls Is his Image and Superscription there If you can find that Heaven is the main of your cares that your hearts are set upon it as your home and your Countrey and that it is your great business to seek it and to secure it then never doubt if your hearts be chiefly upon Heaven your Names are unquestionably written in Heaven Again hath Christ recorded his Name in your hearts Is the Name of Jesus the Beloved name with you precious above all next to your Hearts Is there no other Name under Heaven so dear and sweet to you What room hath Christ in you If any thing be deeper in your hearts than he is you are unsound As the Father hath given him so do your hearts give him a Name above every Name Is Christ uppermost with you in your estimations and affections Then rejoyce and leap for joy for your Names are most pretious with Christ if his Name be above all dear to You. Once more hath Christ drawn out his own similitude upon You Is Christ within You doth he dwell in your Hearts Then be sure You have a room in his heart The Image of Christ is in holiness Is this that which your very hearts are set upon Do You thirst for Holiness Do You follow after Holiness Do you prize it above all Prosperity and worldly Greatness Do You hate every sin and long to be rid of it as your most irksome burden and use all Gods means against it as far as you know them If it be thus with you Christ hath set his stamp upon your hearts and so you may be sure he hath set You as a Seal upon his heart Rejoyce then O Christians and bless your selves in the happy priviledge that you have in being under Christs care Fear not little Flock Stronger is he that is with you than he that is against you What though Satan should raise all his Militia against you adhere to Christ in a patient doing and suffering his pleasure and he shall secure you The Lord will not forsake you because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people God hath entrusted you with his Son You are his Care and his Charge Many will be listing at you many will be plucking at you but fear not you shall not be moved none shall pluck you out of Christs hand he hath all power Mat. 28. 8. Can Omnipotence secure you He is all Treasures Col. 2. 3. Can unsearchable Riches suffice you In a word he is all Fulness Col. 1. 21. Can all Content you Can Fulness fill you if so you are blessed and shall be blessed Beloved We lose unutterably for want of considering for want of viewing our own Priviledges and Blessedness O Man is Christ thine and yet dost thou live at a low rate and Comfort Is thy name written in Heaven and yet dost thou not rejoyce Shall the Children of the Kingdom the Candidates of Glory the chosen Generation the Royal Priesthood be like other men O Christians Remember who and whence you are consider your Obligations put on a better pace Bestir your selves run and wrestle and be strong for the Lord of Hosts and earnestly yet peaceably contend for the Faith once delivered to his Saints What shall we make nothing of all that God hath said and done for us Christians shall he that hath gotten an inriching Office boast of his Booty or he that hath obtained the Kings Patent for an Earldome glory in his Riches and Honour And shall the Grant of Heaven signifie little with thee Or Christs Patent for thy Sonship and Partnership with himself be like a Cypher Shall Haman come home from the Banquet with a glad heart and glorying in the greatness of his Riches the multitude of his Children and all the things wherein the King had promoted him above the Princes And shall we turn over our Bibles and read the Promises and find it under Gods own hand that he intends the Kingdome for us that he will be a Father to us that he gives and grants all his infinite perfections to us and yet not be moved Beloved Christians live like your selves let the World see that the Promises of God and Priviledges of the Gospel are not empty sounds or a meer
passeth all Understanding keep your Hearts and minds I am Yours to serve you and for you with all readiness of mind JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Juelchester July 28th 1665. LETTER XXI What do you more than others To the most Dearly Beloved the Servants in Taunton Grace and Peace Most loving and entirely Beloved YOu are a great Joy to me I know not what thanks to render to the Lord for you when I hear of your Constancy and Pidelity and Zeal in adhering to him and his Ways even in such a time as this you are highly favoured Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that he hath regarded the low Estates of his Servants That he should ever Indulge you as he hath and Hover over you even as the Eagle stirreth up her Nest and fluttereth over her Young spreadeth abroad her Wings taketh them beareth them on her Wings for so hath the Lord your God dealt with You He hath kept you as the Apple of his Eye and since the Streams of Cherith were dried up yet to this day he hath not suffered the handful of Meal to wast nor the Oyl in the Cruse to fail but though you have no certainty to trust to hath continually provided for you to the full How should I love and bless the Lord for this his great Grace towards you while I live Now I beseech you my Brethren that you consider the Kindness of the Lord for the Lord your God is he that careth for you and that you love the Lord your God and fear him for ever for he is your Life and the Length of your Daies And as Job had a holy fear of his Children least they should have offended So my most dearly Beloved I am jealous of you with a Godly jealousie lest any of you should receive this Grace of God in vain I must not cease to put you in mind that God doth look for no small matters from You. Remember my most endeared Charge that the Lord doth look for singular things from you that there be not a barren Tree nor a Dwarf Christian among you where the Lord doth strow much he looks to gather much and where he soweth much he expects to reap accordingly Whose account my Beloved is like to be so great as yours O look about you and think of the Master coming to Reckon with you for his Talents when he will expect no small increase Beloved what can you do How much are you grown What spoil have you made upon your Corruptions What progress in Grace Suppose Christ should put that awakening Question to you What do you more than others Beloved God doth expect more of his People than of any others in the World besides And well he may For First He hath bestowed more on them than on others Now where much is given much shall be required Can you think of that without trembling He hath bestowed on them singular Love more than on others You only have I known of all the Families on Earth He hath a distinguishing Love and Favour for his People and he looks that his Love should be a constraining Argument to Obedience Again he hath laid out a singular care on his People more than on others He cares for no man for nothing in all the World in comparison of them He reproveth Kings for their sakes He will give Nations and Kingdomes for their Ransome So precious are they in his sight and so dearly Beloved that he will give men for them and People for their Life He withdraweth not his Eyes from the Righteous he will not indure them out of his sight The Eyes of the Lord are upon the Righteous and first the Eye of his more accurate Observation God can wink at others as it were and overlook what they do with little notice but he hath a most curious eye upon his People he marketh their steps and booketh their words he weigheth their Actions and pondereth all their goings And should not they walk more cautiously and charily than any alive that are under so exact and curious an Eye Secondly the Eye of special Care and Protection Behold the Eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him I will guide thee with mine Eye And should not they be infinitely tender and careful how to please the Lord who have his singular Care laid out on them In short God hath bestowed on them singular Priviledges more than others These are a peculiar Treasure to him above all People a Kingdome of Priests an Holy Nation a singular separated People they dwell alone they are diverse from all People When the whole World lies in wickedness these are Called and Chosen and Faithful Washed and justified and Sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God The rest are the Refuse These the Jewels These are taken and they are left Shall not Gods Priests be Cloathed with Righteousness and shall not Princes Live above the rate of Peasants Secondly He hath intrusted them with more than others Not onely with the Talents of his Grace for the increase whereof they must give a strict account but also with the Jewel of his Glory How tenderly should they walk that are entrusted with such a Jewel Remember your Makers Glory is bound up in your fruitful walking Thirdly He hath qualified them more than others He hath put into them a Principle of Life having quickned them together with Christ. He hath set up a Light in their Minds when others lie in Darkness He hath given them other Aids than others have even his Spirit to help their Infirmities when others lie like Vessels that are Windbound and cannot stir Fourthly He hath provided for them other manner of things than for others These are the little Flock to whom it is his good pleasure to give the Kingdom great are the preparations for them The Father hath prepared the Kingdome for them from the Foundations of the World The Son is gone to Heaven on purpose to prepare a place for them The Spirit is preparing them and making them meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light And should these be like other People Brethren beloved God and Men do expect you should do more than others see that that you be indeed singular For 1. If you do no more for God than others he will do more against you then others You onely have I known therefore will I punish you The barren Tree in the Vineyard must down whereas had he been in the Common he might have stood much longer God looked for Grapes from his Vineyard on which he had bestowed such Care and Cost more than ordinary but when they bring forth wild Grapes he will lay them waste in a worse manner than the Forrest When Christ came to the Figg-tree seeking Fruit and met with none he Curst it from the Root whereas had it been a Thorn or Bramble it might have stood as before 2. If you do no
in Profession It is not Profession but Converson that turns a man from a Swine to a Sheep Let none of you be deceived nor flatter your selves that because you beat the Name of Christians and do many things and have escaped the open gross pollutions of the World therefore you are surely among the number of Christs true Sheep All this you may attain to and yet be but washed Swine here must be an inward deep and thorow and universal Change upon your Natures Dispositions Inclinations or else you are not Christs Sheep In a word If you will be put out of doubt whether you are his Sheep or not you must trie it by this certain Mark that Christ sets upon all his Sheep even your Sanctification you that will stand to the trial answer me truly and deliberately to these Questions Do you hate every sin as the Sheep doth the Mire Do you regard no Iniquity in your Hearts Do you strive against and oppose all Sin though it may seem never so necessary never so natural to you or have you not you secret Haunts of evil For every Swine will have his swill Do 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 out 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 hunger and thirst after it and 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 this 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 are you among men though you are but poor and despised and like little Benjamin among the thousands of Judah You carry away the 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 Kingdome of Heaven All that the Scripture speaks of that Kingdome of Glory that Kingdome of Peace of Righteousness that Everlasting Kingdome 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 not 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 shall set you at his own right hand Then shall the King say Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome 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 nor bid you be Thankful onely believe Do this and do all Believe and you will rejoyce with Joy unspeakeable and full of Glory Believe and you will be Fruitfull and shew your Faith by your works Believe and you will Love for Faith worketh by love In a word keep these things upon your Hearts by daily and lively Consideration and this will bring Heaven into your Souls and ingage you to all manner of holy Conversation and Godliness This will mortifie you to the World the grand Enemy which I advise nay I charge you to beware of When Saul had gotten his Kingdome he left off taking Care for the Asses O Remember yours is the Kingdom What are You the better that You have all this in your Bibles if you do not weigh it by frequent and serious Consideration and ponder these sayings in your Hearts Beloved I have written these things to you that your joy may be full And now Peace I leave with you I am Christs Embassador to you an Embassador of Peace his Peace I pronounce unto you In his Name I bless you Farewell in the Lord I am The fervent Well-willer of your Souls JOS. ALLEINE Devises June 29. 1666. LETTER XXVII Of the Second coming of Christ. To the Faithful and Beloved the Servants of God in Taunton Grace and Peace Loving and most dearly Beloved THough I trust my Bonds do preach to You yet methinks 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 remember 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 bright but very
to Instruct and Catechise their Families 3. We may 〈◊〉 them to the strict Sanctifying the Lord's Day 4. If they are poor we may draw forth the Hand of our 〈◊〉 towards them 5. If we know any evil by them we may take them aside privately shewing them the sinfulness of their practice and ingaging them to promise reformation 6. We should leave with them some few particulars of greatest weight often repeating them till they remember them ingaging them to mind them till we shall Converse with them again 7. Our dealing with them must be in that manner that may most prevail and win upon their hearts 1. With Compassion being kindly affectioned to them Charging Exhorting Comforting every one of them as a Father his Children 2. With Prudence warning and teaching them in all Wisdom applying our selves to the several Cases and Capacities 1. To the Rich in this World shewing more respect as their places require charging upon them those Duties that are required of them in special 2. To the poor you may be more plain and free pressing upon them those Duties that are most proper to their condidition 3. To the Aged we must be more reverent labouring to root out of them the love of the World shewing them the dangerousness of Covetousness and the necessity of making speedy preparations for Eternity 4. The Men are to be exhorted to Temperance and Sobriety diligence in their Callings c. 5. Women to Meekness Humility Subjection to their Husbands and constant infusing good Principles into their Children 3. With Patience being gentle to all Men in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves bearing with their dulness rudeness and disrespectfulness waiting for their repentance 4. With all faithfulness giving no occasion of offence that our Ministry be not blamed 5. With Zeal as Apollo fervent in Spirit teaching diligently the things of the Lord c. 6. With plainness not betraying their Souls to Hell and ours with them for want of faithfulness and closeness in our dealing with them it being not sufficient in general that no Drunkard c. shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven but telling them plainly and particularly such is your looseness your ignorance that I fear you are in an unconverted state 7. With Authority dealing with them in the power and demonstration of the Spirit 8. With Humility Not lording it over God's Heritage but condescending to men of low Estates Nor disdaining to go into the Houses of the meanest The sort of Directions are more special respecting the several sorts of our People who may be ranked into four Heads the Ignorant Prophane Formal Godly First For the Ignorant Our Work with them will be 1. To convince them that are Ignorant which may be done by shewing their inability to answer some plain familiar Questions 2. To shew them the dangerous yea the damnable nature of ignorance 3. To Press them with all possible earnestness to labour after knowledge 4. To answer their carnal Pleas for their ignorance when wilful Secondly For the Prophane It would be necessary to deal with them convincingly shewing the certain damnation they are running upon Thirdly For the Formal With these we must deal searchingly and shew them 1. How easily Men may mistake the Form of Godliness for the Power 2. The undoing danger of resting in being almost a Christian 3. The most distinguishing differences between an Hypocrite and a sincere Christian. Fourthly For the Godly To these we must draw forth the Breasts of the Promises opening to them the riches and 〈◊〉 of Christ inquiring into their growth in Grace quickning them to labour after assurance to be stedfast in the Faith patient in suffering diligent in doing the Will of Christ 〈◊〉 of good Works alwayes abounding more and more There is one thing more in which his self-denyal and other Graces were very exemplary Namely his faithfulness in reproving the miscarriages of Professors sparing none whether High or Low whether Ministers or Private Christians yea although they had been never so dear in his affections and never so obliging in their carriage to him yet if he found in them any thing that was reproveable and blame-worthy he would deal with them faithfully and plainly about it whatsoever the issue and event were One time when he was going about such a Work he told a Christian Friend with whom he was very intimate and familiar Well sayes he I am going about that which is like to make a very dear and obliging Friend to become an Enemy But however it cannot be omitted it is better to lose mans favour than GOD's But GOD was pleased then as well as divers other times besides when he went about business of this nature to order things for him better than he could have expected and so to dispose of the heart of the Person with whom he had to deal that he was so far from becoming his Enemy for his consciencious faithfulness to him that he loved him the better ever after as long as he lived As to his judgment about the Arminian Controversies as far as I can perceive who have discoursed with him about them it was much-what the same with Doctor Davenants and Mr. Baxters He was a Man of a very calm and peaceable Spirit one that loathed all tumultuous carriages and proceedings he was far from having any other design in his Preaching than the advancement of the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus by the conversion and salvation of Souls This was the mark that he had in his eye this was that for which he laboured and ventured and suffered and for which he thought he could never lay out himself enough Though he were but a young Man yet in his carriage he was exceeding serious and grave and 〈◊〉 very humble courteous and affable condescending to discourse with the poorest and meanest Persons for their spiritual good as soon as with the greatest and richest And indeed so unblameable and convincing was he in the whole of his conversation that there were very few religious and sober Persons that knew him either in Town or Country either Ministers or People yea though some of them differing in judgment from him but did highly approve of him And for his Brethren in the Ministry here in these parts such was his holy and discreet deportment amongst them that he had as great an influence upon them as few others had the like He was full of holy projects often bethinking himself by what wayes and means he might more effectually promote the honour of Christ and the benefit of Souls and whatsoever he apprehended to be conducing to these highest ends he would prosecute with that wisdom and vigour that he seldom failed of bringing it to a comfortable and successful issue Of which Projects this is one which I shall here insert Having considered how much the Conscientious and frequent performance of the duty of Self-Examination might tend to the bringing down of Sin and furtherance of Holiness both in heart
shall be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven 〈◊〉 Cor. 6. 9 10. Repent O Swearers else you shall fall into condemnation 〈◊〉 12. Repent O Lyars put away lying and speak every one truth to his neighbour else you shall have your part in the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone Rev. 20. 8. Repent O Company-keepers forsake the foolish and live but a Companion of the wicked shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. Repent you Deceivers of your unrighteous dealings or else you shall have no Inheriance in the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. The Lord that made us knows my earnest desire for your conversion and Salvation and that I speak not this to you out of any evil will toward you for I would 〈◊〉 at your feet to do you good but out of a sense of your deplorable estate while you remain in your sins I know there is mercy for you if you do soundly repent and reform and bow to the Righteousness and Government of the Lord Christ but if you go on and say you shall yet have peace I pronounce unto you that there is no escape but the Lord will make his wrath to smoak against you he will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his Trespasses Others have escaped the gross pollutions of the World but stick in the form of Godliness and content themselves with a negative Righreousness that they are no Drunkards nor Swearers c. or at best with an outward conformity to the duties of Religion or some common workings instead of a saving O I am jealous for you that you should not lose the things that you have wrought and miss your reware for want of sincerity for the Lords sake put on and beware of perishing in the Suburbs of the City of Refuge beg of God to make through-work with you and be jealous for your selves get a right understanding of the difference between a Hypocripe and a sincere Christian and try you estates much but only with those marks that you are sure from the Scripture will abide Gods trial But for you that fear the Lord in sincerity I have nothing but good and comfortable words I have proclaimed your happiness in the last Token I sent to the Town I mean the abstract of the Covenant of Grace upon the Priviledges comforts mercies there summed up and set before you May your souls ever live what condition can you devise wherein there will not be abundance of comfort and matter of joy unspeakable to you O Beloved know your own happiness and live in that holy admiring commending adoring praisins of your gracious God that becomes the people of his praise I have been long yet methinks I have not emptied half my heart unto you I trespass much I fear upon the Bearer therefore in haste I commend you to God The good will of him that dwelt in the Bush be with you all The Lord Create a defence upon you and Deliverance for you the Lord cover you all the day and make you to dwell between his shoulders I desire your constant instant earnest Prayers for me and rest A willing Labourer and thankful Sufferer for you JOS. ALLEINE From the common Goale in Juelchester July 4th 1663. LETTER V. Trust God and be sincere To my most endeared Friends the Servants of Christ in Taunton Grace and Peace Most dearly Beloved and longed for my Joy and Crown MY hearts desire and prayer to God for you is that you may be saved I know that you are the But of mens rage and malice but you may satisfie your selves as David in his patient sustaining of 〈◊〉 fury and curses It may be the Lord will look upon our affliction and require good for their cursing this day But however it be for that be sure to hold on your way your name indeed is cast forth as evil and you are hated of all men for Christs-sake for your profession of his Gospel and clearing to his Ways and Servants but let not this discourage you for you are now more than ever blessed onely hold fast that no man take your Crown Let not any that have begun in the Spirit end in the flesh Do not forsake God till he forsake you he that endureth to the end shall be saved The Promise is to him that overcometh therefore think not of looking back Now you have set your hands to Christ's 〈◊〉 though you labour hard and suffer long the Crop will pay for all now the Lord is trying what credit he hath in the World and who they be that will trust him The unbelieving World are all for present Pay they must have ready Money something in hand and will not follow the Lord when there is like to be any great hazard and hardship in his Service But now is the time for you my Beloved to prove your selves Believers when there is nothing visible but present hazard and expence and difficulty in your Makers service Now it will be seen who can trust the Lord and who thrusts him not Now my Brethren bear you up stand fast in the Faith quit you like men be strong now give glory to God by believing If you can trust in his Promises for your reward now when nothing appears but the dispseasure of Rulers and Bonds and Losies and Tribulations on every side this will be somewhat like Believer Brethren I beseech you to reckon upon no other but crosses here Let none of you dream of an Earthly Paradise or flatter your selves with Dreams of sleeping in your ease and temporal Prosperity and carrying Heaven too Think not to keep your Estates and liberties and consciences too Count not upon rest till you come to the Land of Promise Not that I would have any of you to run upon hazards uncalled No we shall meet them soon enough in the way of our duty without we will balke it and shamefully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I would have you east over-board you worldly hopes and count not upon an Earthly felicity but be content 〈◊〉 till you come on the other side the Grave Is it not enough to have a whole eternity of Happiness yet behind If God do throw in the comforts of this life too into the bargain I would not have you throw them back again 〈◊〉 despite the goodness of the Lord But I would my 〈◊〉 that you should use this World as not 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 you should be 〈◊〉 to the world and the World 〈◊〉 that you should declare plainly that you seek a Countrey 〈◊〉 Countrey which is an Heavenly Ah! my dear 〈◊〉 I beseech you carry it like Pilgrims and strangers I 〈◊〉 you abstain from fleshly lusts which war against 〈◊〉 Souls for what have we to do with the customes and 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of this World who are strangers in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contented with Travellers Lots know you not that you are in a strange Land all is well as long as it is well
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
you are young and tender but afterward you must look to follow your Business and to keep your distance and to have rebukes and frowns too when you need them Bless GOD for what you have found here but prepare you this is but the beginning shall I say the beginning of Sorrow I cannot say so for the Lord hath made it a place of Rejoycing this is but the entrance of our Affliction but you must look that when you are trained up to a better perfection GOD will put your Faith to harder Exercise Seventhly Cast up your accounts at your Return and see whether you have gone as much forward in your Souls as you have gone backward in your Estates I cannot be insensible but some of you are here to very great disadvantage as to your Affairs in the World having left your business so rawly at home in your Shops Trades and Callings that it is like to be no little detriment to you upon this Account But happy are ye if you find at your return that as much as your Affairs are gone backward and behind-hand so much your Souls have gone forward If your Souls go forward in Grace by your Sufferings blessed be GOD that hath brought you to such a place as a Prison is Eightly Let the Snuffers of this Prison make your Light burn the brighter and see that your Course and Discourse be the more savoury serious and Spiritual for this present Tryal O Brethren Now the Voice of the Lord is to you as it is in the Prophet Isaiah 60. 1. Arise and shine now let your Light shine before men that others may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven It is said of those Preachers beyond Sea that have been sent into England and here reaped the benefit of our English practical Divinity At their Return they have Preached so much better than they had wont to do that it hath been said of them Apparuit hunc fuisse in Angliâ So do you my Brethren Live so much better than you had wont that when men shall see the change in your Lives they may say of you Apparuit hunc fuisse in Custodiâ See that your whole Course and Discourse be more Spiritual and Heavenly than ever See that you shine in your Families when you come Home be you better Husbands better Masters better Fathers study to do more than you have done this way and to approve your selves better in your Family-Relations than you did before that the savour of a Prison may be upon you in all Companies then will you praise and please the Lord. Ninthly And lastly See that you walk Accurately as those that have the Eyes of GOD Angels and Men upon you my Brethren you will be looked upon now with very curious Eyes GOD doth expect more of you than ever for he hath done more for you and he looketh what Fruit there will be of all this Oh! may there be a sensible change upon your Souls by the Showres that have fallen in Prison as there is in the greenness of the Earth by the showres that have fallen lately abroad By way of Dehortation also I have these four things to Leave with you First Revile not your Persecutors but bless them and pray for them as the Instruments of conveying great Mercies to you Do not you so far forget the Rule of Christ as when you come home to be setting your Mouths to talk against those that have injured you Remember the Command of your Lord Bless them that curse you pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you Whatsoever they intended yet they have been Instruments of a great deal of Mercy to us and so we should pray for them and bless GOD for the good we have received by them Secondly Let not the humble acknowledgment of GOD's Mercy degenerate into proud Vain-glorious boasting or Carnal-tryumph I beseech you see that you go home with a great deal of fear upon your Spirits in this respect left pride should get advantage of you left instead of humble acknowledging GOD's Mercy there should be Carnal boasting Beware of this I earnestly beg of you for this will very much spoyl your Sufferings and be very displeasing in the sight of GOD. But let your acknowledging of his Mercy be ever with humble Self-abasing Thankfulness and be careful that you do not make his Mercies to be the Fuel of your Pride which were to lose all at once Thirdly Be not Prodigal of your Liberty upon a conceit that the Prisons will be easie nor fearful of adventuring your selves in the way of your Duty Alas I am afraid of both these extreams on the one hand lest some among us having found a great deal of Mercy here will now think there is no need of any Christian prudence which is alwayes necessary and is a great duty It is not cowardice to make use of the best means to preserve our Liberty not decling our Duty On the other-side there is fear lest some may be fearful and ready to decline their Duty because they have newly tasted of a Prison for it Far be it from you to distrust GOD of whom you have had so great experience but be sure you hold on in your duty whatsoever it cost you Fourthly Do not load others with censures whose Judgment or Practice differs from yours but humbly bless GOD that hath so happily directed you You know all are not of the same mind as to the Circumstances of Suffering and all have not gone the same way Far be it from any of you my Brethren that you should so far forget your selves as to be unmerciful to your Brethren but bless GOD that hath directed you into a better way Your charity must grow higher than ever GOD forbid that you should increase in Censures instead of increasing in Charity Having spoken to my Fellow-Prisoners I have two Words to speak to you our Friends and Brethren with us First Let our experience be your incouragement O love the Lord ye our Friends love the Lord fear him for ever believe in him trust in him for ever for our sakes we have tasted of the kindness of GOD. You know how good GOD hath been to us in Spirituals in Temporals Encourage your hearts in the Lord your God serve him the more freely and gladly for our sakes You see we have tryed we have tasted how good the Lord is Do you trust him the more because we have tryed him so much and found him a Friend so Faithful so Gracious that we are uttterly unable to speak his Praise Go on and fear not in the way of your Duty Verily there is a reward for the Righteous GOD hath given us a great reward already but this is but the least we look for a Kingdom Secondly and lastly My desire is to our Friends that they will all help us in our Praises Our Tongues are too little to speak forth the Goodness and the Grace
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