took up a 〈◊〉 resolution to go on with his Work in private both of 〈◊〉 and Visiting from House to House till he should be 〈◊〉 to Prison or Banishment which he counted upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assisting him And this Resolution without delay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Thursday after he appointed a Solemn Day of Humiliation when he preached to as many as would adventure themselves with him at our own House But it being then a strange thing to the most Professors to suffer they seemed much afrighted at the threatnings of Adversaries so that there was not such an appearance at such opportunities as my Husband expected whereupon he made it his Work to converse much with those he perceived to be most timerous and to satisfie the Scruples that were on many amongst us so that the Lord was pleased in a short time to give him such success that his own People waxed bold for the Lord and his Gospel and multitudes flocked into the Meetings at whatsoever season they were either by day or night which was a great encouragement to my Husband that he went on with much vigour and affection in his Work both of Preaching and Visiting and Catechizing from House to House He went also frequently into the Villages and Places about the Towns where their Ministers were gone as most of them did flie or at the least desist for a considerable time after Bartholomew day Where-ever he went the Lord was pleased to give him great success many converted and the generality of those animated to cleave to the Lord and his wayes But by this the Justices rage was much heightned against him and he was often threatned and sought for but by the Power of God whose Work he was delighted in was preserved much longer out of their hands than he expected For he would often say If it pleased the Lord to grant him three months liberty before he went to Prison he should account himself favoured by him and should with more chearfulness go when he had done some Work At which time we sold off all our goods preparing for a Goal or Banishment where he was desirous I should attend him as I was willing to do it alwayes having been more grievous to me to think of being absent from him than to suffer with him He also resolved when they would suffer him no longer to stay in England he would go to China or some remote Part of the World and publish the Gospel there It pleased the 〈◊〉 to indulge him that he went on in his Work from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 26th after Though often 〈◊〉 yet he was never 〈◊〉 though the People both of the Town and Countrey were grown so resolute that they came in great multitudes at whatever season the Meeting was appointed very seldom missing twice a Sabbath and often in the week I know that he hath Preached fourteen times in eight dayes and ten often and six or seven ordinarily in these Months at home and abroad besides his frequent converse with Souls He then laying aside all other Studies which he formerly so much delighted in because he accounted his time would be but short And the Lord as he often told me made his Work in his Ministry far more easie to him by the supplies of his Spirit both in Gifts and Grace as did evidently appear both in his Doctrine and Life he appearing to be more Spiritual and Heavenly and affectionate then before to all that heard him or conversed with him He was upon a Saturday in the evening about six a clock seized on by an Officer of our Town who had rather have been otherwise imployed as he hath often said but that he was forced to a speedy execution of the Warrant by a Justice's Clerk who was sent on purpose with it to see it Executed because he feared that none of the Town would have done it The Warrant was in the Name of three Justices to summon him to appear forthwith at one of their Houses which was about two miles from the Town but he desired liberty to stay and Sup with his Family first supposing his Entertainment there would be such as would require some refreshment This would not be granted till one of the chief of the Town was bound for his speedy appearance His Supper being prepared he sat down eating very heartily and was very chearful but full of Holy and gracious Expressions sutable to his and our prosent state After Supper having prayed with us he with the Officer and two or three Friends accompanying him repaired to the Justices House where they lay to his charge that he had broken the Act of Uniformity by his Preaching which he denyed saying That he had Preached neither in any Church nor Chappel nor place of publick Worship since the 24th of August and what he did was in his own Family with those others that came there to hear him Here behold hom many Ministers have these eight or nine years been silenced in England Scotland and Ireland whose Holy Skill and Conscience Fidelity and Zeal is sucht as would have justly advanced most of the Antient Fathers 〈◊〉 the Church to far greater renown had they been but possessed with the like Of whom indeed the World is not worthy O! how many of them am I constrained to remember with joy for their great Worth and sorrow for their Silence But though Learning Holiness wonderful Ministerial Skill and Industry Moderation Peaceableness true Catholecism absolute Dedication unto Christ Zeal Patience and Perseverance did not all seem sufficient to procure his Ministerial or Corporal Liberty in his latter years yet they did much more for him than that in qualifying him for the Crown which he now enjoyeth and to hear Well done good and faithful Servant enter into thy Masters Joy But alas Lord What is the terrible future evil from which thou takest such men away And why is this World so much forsaken As if it were not a Prayer of Hope which thou hast taught us Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven He hath Printed a small Book called A Call to Archippus to perswade the silent Non-conformists to pity Souls and to be faithful in the Work to which they are Devoted and Consecrated how dear soever it may cost them He held that Separation in a Church was necessary many times from the known corruptions of it But allowed not Separation from a Church where Active Complyance with some sinful Evil was not made the Condition of Communion And in this way he frequently declared himself in Health and Sickness and most expresly in my hearing on his Bed of Languishing when he was drawing near his Long-Home And that the People were not disobliged from attending upon their Ministry who were ejected out of their Places as his Book entituled A Call to Archippus sheweth after that Black and Mournful Sabbath in which he took his farewel with much affection of his Beloved People When he was taken up for Prison
he was not onely contented but joyful to suffer for the Name of Jesus and his Gospel which was so dear to him Intimating that God had given him much more time than he expected or askt of him and that he accounted it cause of rejoycing and his honour that he was one of the first called forth to suffer for his name Although he was very suddenly surprised yet none could discern him to be in the least moved He pitied the condition of his Enemies requesting for them as the Martyr Stephen did for those that stoned him That God would not lay this sin of theirs to their charge The greatest harm that he did wish to any of them was That they might throughly be Converted and Sanctified and that their Souls might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus He was very urgent with those that were Unconverted to look with more care after their Salvation now they were removed from them that longed for it and had watched for their Souls using this as an Argument often That now they were fallen into the hands of such many of which if not most of them had neither Skill nor Will to save Souls And setting home upon them with most tender Affections what miserable Creatures they were while Unregenerate telling them how his Heart did yearn for them and his Bowels turned within him for them how he did pray and weep for them while they were asleep and how willingly he had suffered a years Imprisonment Nay how readily he could shed his Blood to procure their Salvation His Counsels and Directions were many and suited to the several states of those he thus Conversed with both as to their degree and place and their sins and wants and would be too long to recite though I can remember many of them To his fellow Prisoners he said The Eyes of GOD and Angels are upon you and the eyes of Men are upon you now you will be critically observed Every one will be looking that you should be more Holy than others that are called forth to this his glorious Dignity to be the Witnesses of Christ Jesus with the loss of your Liberties He was eminently free from harsh censuring and judging of others and was ready to embrace all in Heart Arms and 〈◊〉 Civil and Religious any that prosessed saving 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ and did not overthrow that Profession by some Fundamental Error in Doctrine or Wickedness of Life and Conversation And yet they accused him of being at a Riotous Assembly though there were no Threats nor dangerous Words no Staves nor Weapons no Fear so much as pretended to be struck into any man nor any other Business met about then Preaching and Prayer Here he was much abused receiving many scorns and scoffs from the Justices and their Associa es who were met to hear his Examination also from the Ladies and other Gentlemen who called him often Rogue and told him he deserved to be Hang'd and if he were not they would be Hang'd for him With many such like scurrilous Passages which my Husband received with much patience and seeming as they apprehended by his Countenance to slight their Threatnings they were more inraged at him They urged him much to accuse himself which they seeing they could not bring him to and having no evidence as appeared after yet did make his Mittimus for to go to the Goal on Monday Morning after they had detained him till twelve at Night abusing him beyond what I do now distinctly remember or were fit to express As soon as he returned it being so late about two a Clock he lay down on the Bed in his Clothes where he had not slept above two or three hours at the most but he was up spending his time in Converse with God till about eight a Clock by which hour several of his Friends were come to Visit him But he was so watched and the Officer had such a charge that he was not suffered to Preach all that Sabbath but spent the day in discoursing with the various Companies that came flocking in from the Town and Villages to visit him Praying often with them as he could be permitted He was exceeding chearful in his Spirit full of admirations of the Mercies of God and incouraging all that came to be bold and venture for the Gospel and their Souls notwithstanding what was come upon him for their sakes For as he told them he was not at all moved at at nor did not in the least repent of any thing he had done but accounted himself happy and under that Promise Christ makes to his in the 5th of Matthew That he should be doubly and trebly blessed now he was to suffer for his sake And was very earnest with his Brethren in the Ministry that came to see him That they would not in the least desist when he was gone that there might not be one Sermon the less in Taunton and with the People to attend the Ministry with greater Ardency Diligency and courage than before assuring them how sweet and comfortable it was to him to consider what he had done for God in the months past And that he was going to Prison full of Joy being confident that all these things would turn to the furtherance of the Gospel and the Glory of God But he not being satisfied to go away and not leave some exhortations with his People he appointed them to meet him about one or two a Clock in the Night to which they shewed their readiness though at so unseasonable a time There was of Young and Old many hundreds he Preached and Prayed with them about three hours And so with many yearnings of his Bowels towards them and theirs toward him they took their farewel of each other a more affectionate Parting could not well be About nine a Clock he with two or three Friends that were willing to accompany him set out for Ilchester The Streets were lined on both sides with People and many followed him a foot some miles out of the Town with such lamentations that he told me after did so affect him that he could scarce bear them but the Lord so strengthned him that he passed through them all with great Courage and Joy labouring both by his chearful Countenance and Expressions to encourage them He carried his Mittimus himself and had no Officer with him but when he came there he found the Goaler absent and took that opportunity to Preach before he went into the Prison which was accounted by his Adversaries a great addition to his former Crime As soon as the Goaler came he delivered his Mittimus and was clapped up in the Bridewel Chamber which was over the common Goal When he came to the Prison he found there Mr. John Norman late Minister of Bridgwater who for the like cause was Apprehended and Committed a few dayes before him a Man who for his singular Abilities in Preaching his fervent Zeal and Holy Boldness in the Cause of
Friends to do it for them My Husband with seven Ministers more and forty private Persons were committed to the Prison of Ilchester When he together with the rest of his Brethrtn and Christian Friends came to the Prison his Carriage and Conversation there was every way as Exemplary as in his former Confinement Notwithstanding his weakness of Body yet he would constantly take his turn with the rest of the Ministers in preaching the Gospel in the Prison which turns came about the oftner though there were eight of them there together because they had Preaching and Praying twice a day almost every day they were in Prison besides other Exercises of Religion in which he would take his part And although he had many of his Flock confined to the Prison with him by which means he had the fairer opportunity of Instructing and watching over them for their Spitual good yet he was not forgetful of the rest that were left behind but would frequently visit them also by his Letters full of serious profitable Matter from which they might reap no small benefit while they were debarred of his bodily presence And how greatly solicitous he was for those that were with him that they might be the better for their Bonds walking worthy of the many and great Mercies they had enjoyed during their Imprisonment that when they came home to their Houses they might speak forth and live forth the Praises of GOD carrying themselves in every respect as becomes the Gospel for which they had been Sufferers you may clearly see by those parting Counsels that he gave them that Morning that they were delivered which I shall recite in his own Words as they were taken from his Mouth in Short-hand by an intimate Friend and fellow Prisoner which you may take as followeth c. Mr. Joseph Allein his Exhortation to his Fellow-Sufferers when they were to be Discharged from their Imprisonment DEarly Beloved Brethren my Time is little and my Strength but small yet I could not consent that you should pass without receiving some parting Counsel and what I have to say at Parting shall be chiefly to you that are Prisoners and partly also to you our Friends that are here met together To you that are Prisoners I shall speak something by way of Exhortation and something by way of Dehortation By way of Exhortation First Rejoyce with trembling in your Prison-Comforts and see that you keep them in a Thankful-Remembrance Who can tell the Mercies that you have received here My time nor strength will not suffice me to recapitulate them See that you rejoyce in GOD but rejoyce with trembling Do not think the account will be little for Mercies so many and so great Receive these choice Mercies with a trembling hand for fear lest you should be found guilty of misimproving such precious benefits and so wrath should be upon you from the Lord. Remember Hezekiah's case great Mercies did he receive some Praises he did return but not according to the benefit done unto him therefore was wrath upon him from the Lord and upon all Judah for his sake 2 Chron. 32. 25. Therefore go away with a holy Fear upon your hearts lest you should forget the loving kindness of the Lord and should not render to him according to what you have received Oh my Brethren stir up your selves to render praises to the Lord You are the People that GOD hath formed for his Praise and sent hither for his Praise and you should now go Home as so many Trumpets to sound forth the Praises of GOD when you come among your Friends There is an Expression Psal. 68. 11. The Lord gave the Word great was the company of them that published it So let it be said of the Praises of God now Great was the company of them that published them GOD hath sent a whole Troop of you here together let all these go home and sound the praises of GOD where-ever you come and this is the way to make his Praise glorious indeed Shall I tell you a Story that I have read There was a certain King that had a pleasant Grove and that he might make it every way delightful to him he caused some Birds to be caught and to be kept up in Cages till they had learned sundry sweet and artificial Tunes and when they were perfect in their Lessons he let them Abroad out of their Cages into his Grove that while he was walking in this Grove he might hear them singing those pleasant Tunes and teaching them to other Birds that were of a wilder Note Brethren this King is GOD this Grove is his Church these Birds are your selves this Cage is the Prison GOD hath sent you hither that you should learn the sweet and pleasant Notes of his Praise And I trust that you have learned something all this while GOD forbid else Now GOD opens the Cage and lets you forth into the Grove of his Church that you may sing forth his Praises and that others may learn of you too Forget not therefore the Songs of the House of your Pilgrimage do not return to your wild Notes again keep the Mercy of GOD for ever in a thankful Remembrance and make mention of them humbly as long as you live then shall you answer the end for which he sent you hither I trust you will not forget this place When Queen Mary died she said That if they did rip her up they should find Callis on her Heart I hope that men shall find by you hereafter that the Prison is upon your heart Lichester is upon your heart Secondly Feed and feast your Faith upon Prison-Experiences Do not think that GOD hath done this onely for your present supply Brethren GOD hath provided for you not only for your present supply in Prison but to lay up for all your Lives that experience that your Faith must live upon till Faith be turned into Vision Learn dependance upon GOD and confidence in GOD by all the Experiences that you have had here Because thou hast been my help saith the Psalmist therefore under the shadow of thy Wing will I rejoyce Are you at a loss at any time then remember your Bonds We read in Scripture of a time when there was no Smith in all Israel and the Israelites were fain to carry their Goads and other Instruments to be sharpened down to the Philistines So when your Spirits are low and when your Faith is dull carry them to the Prison to be sharpened and quickned Oh how hath the Lord confuted all our fears Cared for all our necessities The Faith of some of you was sorely put to it for Corporal Necessities You came hither not having any thing considerable to pay for your Charges here but GOD took care for that And you left poor miserable Families at home and no doubt but many troublesome thoughts were in your minds what your Families should do for Bread but GOD hath provided for them We that are Ministers
with him for I feared none would do any thing about him with such ease neither would he suffer any one all the day to touch him but me or to give him any thing that he did receive by which I discerned it was most grateful to him and therefore so to me And I never found any want of my Rest nor did get so much as a Cold all that Winter though I do not remember that for 14 or 15 years before I could ever say I was one month free of a most violent Cough which if I had been molested with then would have been a great addition to his and my affliction and he was not a little taken with the goodness of God to me in the time of all his sickness but especially that Winter for he being not able to help himself in the least I could not be from him night nor day with any comfort to him or my self In this condition he kept his Bed till December the 18th And then beyond all expectation though in the depth of Winter began to revive and go out of his Bed but he could neither stand nor go nor yet move a finger having sense in all his Limbs but not the least motion As his strength did increase he learnt to go as he would say first by being led by two of us then by one and when he could go one turn in his Chamber though more weakly and with more fear than the weakest Child that ever I saw he was wonderfully taken with the Lord's Mercy to him By February he was able with a little help to walk in the Streets but not to feed himself nor to go up or down stairs without much help When he was deprived of the use of his Limbs looking down on his Arms as I held him up by all the strength I had He again listed up his Eyes from his useless Arms to Heaven and with a chearful countenance said The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken and blessed be the Name of the Lord. Being asked by a Friend How he could be so well contented to lie so long under such weakness He answered What is God my Father Jesus Christ my Saviour and the Spirit my sweet Friend my Comforter and Sanctifyer and Heaven my Inheritance Shall I not be content without Limbs and Health Through Grace I am fully satisfied with my Fathers pleasure To another that asked him the same he Answers I have chosen God and he is become mine and I know with whom I have trusted my self which is enough He is an unreasonable wretch that cannot be content with a God though he had nothing else My interest in God is all my joy His Friends some of Taunton coming to Dorcester to see him he was much revived and would be set up in his Bed and have all the Curtains drawn and desired them to stand round about the Bed and would have me take out his Hand and hold it out to them that they might shake him though he could not them as he used formerly to do when he had been absent from them And as he was able thus he spake to them O how it rejoyces my heart to see your Faces and to hear your Voices though I cannot speak as heretofore to you Methinks I am now like Old Jacob with all his Sons about him Now you see my weak estate thus have I been for many weeks since I parted with Taunton but God hath been with me and I hope with you your Prayers have been heard and answered for me many wayes the Lord return them into your own Bosoms My Friends Life is mine Death is mine in that Covenant I was preaching of to you is all my Salvation and all my desire although my Body do not prosper I hope through Grace my Soul doth I have lived a sweet Life by the Promises and I hope through Grace can Die by a Promise It is the Promises of God which are everlasting that will stand by us Nothing but God in them will stead us in a day of Affliction My dear Friends I feel the power of those Doctrines I Preached to you on my Heart Now the Doctrines of Faith of Repentance of Self-denyal of the Covenant of Grace of Contentment and the rest O that you would live them over now I cannot Preach to you It is a shame for a Believer to be cast down under Afflictions that hath so many glorious Priviledges Justification Adoption Sanctification and eternal Glory We shall be as the Angels of God in a little while Nay to say the truth Believers are as it were little Angels already that live in the power of Faith O my Friends Live like Believers trample this dirty World under your feet Be not taken with its Comforts nor disquieted with its Crosses You will be gone out of it shortly When they came to take their leaves of him he would Pray with them as his weak state would suffer him and in the words of Moses and of the Apostles Blessed them The same he alwayes used after a Sacrament The Lord bless you and keep you the Lord cause his Face to shine upon you and give you peace And the God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Jesus through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good Work to do his Will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen And then spake thus Farewell farewell my dear Friends Remember me to all Taunton I beseech you and them if I never see your faces more go Home and live over what I have preached to you and the Lord provide for you when I am gone O! let not all my labours and sufferings let not my wasted strength my useless Limbs rise up in judgment against you at the great Day of the LORD Another time some coming to Visit him there he spake thus to them O! my Friends let your whole Conversation be as becomes the Gospel of Christ whether I am present or absent live to what I have spoken to you in the Name of the Lord Now I cannot Preach to you let my wasted strength my useless Limbs be a Sermon to you Behold me I cannot move a finger all this is come upon me for your sakes and the Gospel It is for Christ and you that I have thus spent out my self I am afraid of you lest some of you after all that I have spoken to you should be lost in the World There are many Professors who can pray well and talk well whom we shall find at the left Hand of Christ another day You have your Trades your Estates your Relations be not taken with these but with God O live on him For the Lord's sake go Home and take heed of the World worldly Cares worldly Comforts worldly Friends c. Saying thus The Lord having given Authority to his Ministers to bless his People
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 the substance of your hearts and lie as a bundle of Mirrh 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 very 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 Chrlst 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 God that with many of you this work is not yet to do but this set solemn resignation to the Lord is to be done more than once and to be followed with an answerable practice when it is done See that you walk worthy of the Lord but how in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost let these two go together So shall you adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour and experience the Heavenly felicity of a Christians life while Holiness is made the Butt of others Persecution do you make it the white the mark of your prosecution that you live it up as much as others cry it down O watch and keep your Garments about you the plain but comely clothing of humility the seamless Coat of Christian unity the strait and close Garment of strictness mortification and Self-denial the warm Winter-garment of love and charity this Garment will keep you warm in the Winter love will not be quenched by the Waters nor cooled by the nipping Frosts of persecution and opposition Cleave fast to Christ never let go your hold cling the faster because so many are labouring to knock off your fingers and loosen your hold Hold fast your Profession hold fast your Integrity hold fast the beginning of your confidence stedfast to the end If you do but keep your hold and make good your ground and keep your way all that the World can do and all that the powers of darkness can do can never do you harm Keep your own Vinyard with constant care and watchfulness and be sure that there be no Inroad made upon your consciences that the Eremy do not get between you and home between your souls and God and then let who or what will assail you without you need not fear let this be your daily exercise to keep your consciences void of offence keep fair weather at home however it be abroad But I would not only that you should walk holily but that you should walk comfortably But I need say the less to this because the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost do lie together Oh the provision God hath made for your continual joy and comfort dear Brethren do but understand your own blessedness happy men that you are if you did but know and consider it who would count himself poor and miserable that hath All the fulness of the Godhead for his sound in this deep can you find any bottom take the heighth of the Divine Perfections if you can till then you cannot tell your own felicity Take a servey of Immensity tell me the longitude or latitude of infinite goodness and mercy of the Eternal Diety if you can do this you may guess at your own happiness Oh Christians live like your selves live worthy of your Portion of your Priviledge and your glorious prerogatives I am in haste and it is time for me to end however that you may walk worthy of your glorious hopes and may live answerably to the mercies you have received from above is the great desire of Your Souls fervent well wisher in the bonds of affliction and tribvlation JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Juelchester September 18. 1663. LETTERS IX Easie Sufferings To the most Loving and Beloved my Christian Friends at Taunton Salvation DEarly Beloved and longed for my Joy and Crown for whom I am an Embassadour in Bonds what thanks to render to God in your behalf I know not for your servent charity towards me and all the servants of my Lord for all your labours of love for all your diligence and boldness and resolution in owning the despised ways and hated servants of the Lord Jesus in an evil day The Lord is not unrighteous to forget this Is not this upon record with him and sealed up among his Treasures surely the Lord will have mercy upon Taunton I have no doubt but that the God of your Mercies hath yet a choice blessing in store for you be not weakned by my Bonds Glory be to God in the Highest that he hath accounted me worthy not only to Preach the Gospel to you but also to confirm it by the parting with my much valued liberty so dear a People so sweet Relations comforts conveniencies which I enjoyed in all abundance when I was with you When I look back upon all the circumstances of the late Providence I must say as they of Christ upon his Miracles He hath done all things well it is all as I would have it I am fully satisfied in my Fathers good pleasure Verily there is no little honour and happiness no little Peace and Privilidge in these Bonds Verily all is true that I have told you of the All-sufficiency of God of the fulness of Christ of the satisfactoriness of the promises of the peace tranquility content and security that is to be had in a life of Faith Surely methinks I should be content to seal to these things at a much dearer rate than this but my gratious Father will not put me to the hardest Lesson at first oh what reason have I to speak good of his name what else should I do all my days but love and fear and preach and praise so good a God when I look back upon the gentle dealings of God with me I often think he hath brought me up as indulgently as David did Adonijah of whom it is said His Father had not displeased him I have received nothing but good at the hands of the Lord all my days and now he doth begin to afflict I see so much Mercy in this very Gaol that I must be more thankful for this than for my prosperity Surely the name of the place is The Lord is here Surely it may be called Peniel
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
serviceable unto you and to enjoy you but I hope the Lord will make my bonds for you to be useful to your edification that is the White I aim at if I may glorifie God and serve your Souls best by being here I shall never wish to come out though I confess liberty of its self is very precious Finally Brethren Farewel be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you I am My dear Brother Norman salutes you tenderly desiring you to be patient to stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh The ready Servant of your Faith and Joy JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Juelchester Octob. 14. 1663. LETTER XII For daily Self-Examination To the most Beloved People the Flock of Christ in Taunton Salvation Most dear Brethren I Would my time were as long as my heart that I might open my self to you but I was not without some discontent diverted when I was setting my self to have Written at large to you Now I am pinched however I could not leave my dear charge altogether unvisited but must needs salute you in a few Lines Brethren how stands it with you doth 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 hat 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 can 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 Far be this from you my Brethren What shut out the World suppose there be somewhat more danger to him that gives the Minister entertainment Is there not much more advantage accordingly did not Obed 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 Saints 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 Ezamination I am jealous least you should grow slack and slight and careless 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 carriage 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 doth 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 daily 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 consciences 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 performe but slightly by you What can you say to this question doth your care of your ways abate or doth it increase 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 meet 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 shut 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 Gaol at Juelchester October 20. 1663. LETTER XIII Motives and Marks of Growth To the most Loving and best Beloved the Servants of Christ in Taunton 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 comfort 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 grow 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 surely shall you reap in the end if
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
cold But now my Brethren I shall not with Paul call upon You so much to remember the Resurrection of Christ as the 〈◊〉 of Christ Behold He cometh in the Clouds and every Eye 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 〈◊〉 my self undone my Preaching is vain and my suffering is vain and the Bottom in which I have intrusted all my hopes is for ever miscarried But I know whom I have trusted We are built upon the Foundations 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 is the thing How near is the time How Glorious will his Appearing be The thing is sure the Day is set God hath appointed 2 Day wherein he will judge the World by that man whom he hath 〈◊〉 The manner of it is revealed Behold the Lord 〈◊〉 with ten thousand of his Saints The Attendants are appointed and nominated The Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all his holy Angels with him The thing You see is established and every circumstance is determined How sweet are the words that dropped from the pretious Lips of our departing Lord What generous Cordials hath he left us in his parting Sermons and his last Prayer And yet of all the rest those are the sweetest I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there you may be also What need you any further witness You have heard him your selves assuring you of his Return Doubtless he cannot deceive you you have not onely known but seen and felt the Truth of his promises And will he come Tremble then ye Sinners Triumph ye Saints Clap your hands all ye that look for the Confolation of Israel O Sinners where will you then appear How will you look upon him whom you have pierced Whom you have persecuted Whose great Salvation you have neglected and despised Wo unto you that ever you were born unless you should then be found to be New-born But you O Children of the most high how will you forget your travel and be melted into Joy This is he in whom you have believed whom having not seen 〈◊〉 loved But how will Love and Joy be working if I may so speak with pangs unutterable when you shall see him and hear his sweet Voice commending applauding approving of you and owning you by Name before all the World Brethren thus it must be the Lord hath spoken it See that you stagger not at the Promise but give Glory to God by Believing Again The Time is near Yet a little while and he that shall come will come Behold I come quickly saith he And again The Lord is at hand Sure You are that death cannot be far off O Christian thou dost not know but the next year nay possibly the next week thou mayest be in Heaven Christ will not long endure thine absence but will have thee up to him till the time of his General appearing when he will take us up altogether and so we shall be ever with the Lord. Soul believest thou this If thou dost indeed what remains but that thou shouldest live a Life of Love and Praise studying to do all the good thou 〈◊〉 till thou come to Heaven and waiting all the days of thine appointed time till thy change shall come O my Soul look out and long O my Brethren be you as the Mother of 〈◊〉 looking out at the Windows and watching at the Latices saying why are his Chariot-wheels so long a coming Though the time till you shall see him be but very short yet love and longing make it seem tedious My Beloved comfort your hearts with these Words Look upon these things as the greatest reallities and let your affections be answerable to your expectations I would not have told you these things unless I had believed them for it is for this hope that I am bound with this Chain The Blessing of the Holy Trinity be upon You I am yours and will be The God of Peace be with you I Rest Your Embassador in Bonds JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Juelchester August 5. 1666. LETTER XXVIII Of the Love of Christ. To his most endeared Friends the Servants of God in Taunton Salvation Most dearly Beloved MEthinks my Brests are not easie unless I do let them forth unto you Methings there is somethink still to do and my Weeks work is not ended unless I have given my Soul vent and imparted something to the Beloved flock that I have left behind And Oh that my Letters in my absence might be useful to you Assuredly it is my joy to serve You and my Love to you is without dissimulation witness my twice lost Liberties and my impaired Health all which I might have preserved had it not been for my readiness to minister to you But what do I speak of my Love It is the Sense of the infinite Love of God your Father that I would have to dwell upon you Forget me so you remember him Let me be very little so he be very lovely in your Eyes Let him be as the Bucket that goes up though I be as the Bucket that goes down Bury me so that you do but set the Lord always before you Let my name be written in the dust so his Name be written deep upon all your Souls O Lord I am thy Servant truly I am thy servant Glorifie thine own Name by me and thou shalt have my hand to 〈◊〉 that I will be content to be hid in obscurity and to disappear through the overcoming lustre and brightness of thy Glory Brethren understand mine Office I Preach not my self but the Lord Jesus Christ and my self your Servant for Jesus sake Give him your hearts and I have my Errand I am but the Friend of the Bridegroom and my Business is but to give you to understand his Love and to gain your hearts unto him He is an Object worthy of my Commendations and of your affections His Love is worth the writing of and worth the thinking of and worth the speaking of O my Brethren never forget I beseech you how he loveth You. He is in heaven and You are on earth he is in Glory and you in Rags he is in the shining Throne and you in dirty Flesh and yet he loveth you His heart is infinitely tender of you even now while he is at the right hand of the Majesty on High How
to weep Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me And in the second place we have his permission in which he alloweth them to weep but weep for your selves and for your Children And yet you see he doth not here command and forbid the same things in the same respect but in relation to a diverse object In relation to himself he forbiddeth them to weep Weep not for me In relation to themselves he alloweth them to weep but weep for your selves and for your Children The total final and irreparable 〈◊〉 of Jerusalem was near at hand our Saviour had it in his eye when he spake these words He wept apace for this himself but a little while before as you may see Luke 19. 41. He behold the city and wept over it First he beholds it with his eye and then his eye affects his heart Wo and alas saith he while in a pang of holy pity and compassion the tears come flowing down his cheeks If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes And therefore he alloweth them to weep for this who are to have a share and portion in that dreadful desolation But for himself who willingly submitted to the death which he was leading to and all the other circumstances of his passion who was beloved of him who had appointed and designed him to it who was God as well as Man and therefore able to endure it and to overcome it too and who was shortly to be rescued from the jaws of death and so triumphantly to enter into Glory He forbiddeth them to weep weep not so me but weep for your selves and for c. So that the purpose of our Saviour is not wholly to suppress but to rectifie their sorrow They wept for him out of a childish kind of pity but they wept not for their sins nor the unseen calamities that were about to come upon them And therefore Christ endeavours to withdraw their sorrow from the wrong and fix it on the right object And to this end he shews them why they should not weep and why they should Weep not for me but for your selves and for your Children Two Observations lie before us in the Text. The first That it is not unlawful nor unfit sometimes to express our grief in tears The second That we are very oubject to misplace our grief and to mistake the ground and object of our sorrow I shall speak to these in order beginning with the first Doct. That it is not unlawful nor unfit sometimes to express our grief in tears We have our Saviours warrant for it in the Text weep for your selves and for your children There weep and weep on How often are we called upon to weep in Scripture Oh what a cloud of weepers shall we find there who are all witnesses to this great truth And some of them the wisest and the holiest mentioned in the Book of God without exception Our Saviour Christ himself the holy One and the Wisdom of God was a very great Weeper He was a man of sorrows not of a few but many sorrows Isa. 53. 3. You never read he laughed in all his Story but you find he wept often In the days of his flesh he offered up strong cries and tears to God Heb. 5. 7. He wept for his beloved Lazarus John 11. 35. And if we do the like on this occasion we have a great Example in our eye He melted over poor undone Jerusalem with many tears who had over-pass'd the day of her gracious Visitation Look up and down among the poor afflicted and distressed People of the Lord and you shall find that tears have been as ordinary with them as their daily food Thou feedest them saith Asaph Psal. 80. 5. With the bread of tears and givest them tears to drink Tears were both their Meat and Drink and it seems they had their fill of this Diet This was the Legacy our Saviour lest to his Diseiples ye shall 〈◊〉 John 16. 22. It is observed of the Saints they sow in tears they go forth weeping bearing precious Seed Psal. 126. 5. 〈◊〉 time of sowing is a time of weeping They sow in showry weather in a rainy time the Seed they sow most commonly is steep'd in tears Mine eye saith holy David is consumed with grief Psal. 6. 7. He wept so much that he was shriveled up to nothing like a bottle in a smoak as his own expression is Plal. 119 83. You see then it is not unlawful nor unfit sometimes to express our grief in tears But you will ask me what these times are I will tell you in a word Sinning times and Suffring times are weeping times A word or two of these in order 1. Sinning times are weeping times And that whether they be sinning times with others or our selves 1. Sinning times with others must be sorrowing times with us Our Saviours Bowels rowl'd within him when he look'd about and saw the hardness of the Peoples hearts Mark 3. 5. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes saith holy David to the Lord Psal. 119. 136. because men keep not thy Law If they will not hear saith Jeremiah Chap. 13. 17. My soul shall weep in secret places for their pride and mine eyes shall weep sore and run down with tears My Soul and Eye shall weep together You shall observe that those whom God appointed to be marked and singled out for preservation in a common desolation were such as sighed and cried for the abominations of Jerusalem Ezek. 9. 4. They did not only keep themselves from the abominations of the time and place on which the Providence of God had cast them but they mourned for them in others They were not meer abstainers but they were mourners weepers too and so were snatched as fire-brands out of the burnings and set as monuments of the Mercy of God Brethren if you define to be preserved in times of common desolation when the judgments of the Lord are abroad upon the earth and on the places of your habitation and to be safe in the day of his anger work your hearts to this temper while other men are sinning be you mourning While others are committing horrible abominations be you lamenting and bewailing them sighing and crying for those abominations That when God comes to visit he may find the sighs breathing from your hearts the drops running down your cheeks and all about you wet with tears 2. And as sinning times with others so our own sinning times especially must be our weeping times Though David were a good man yet he was a great sinner and so he was a great weeper In Psal. 6. 6. We find him even drowned in tears All the night long faith he I make my Bed to swim and water my Couch with my tears An Hyperbolical expression of unmeasurable weping So Mary Magdalon had much forgiven her and thereupon she loved much and wept much
yea or no. And it is perhaps some mercy that you are not quite uncovered Here spend your Tears and you shall not misplace your sorrow That is the first branch of Direction weep for your selves For the sins that you have done and for the Judgments that you may be like to suffer 2. There is a second yet behind and I have done Weep for your Children Weep not for me saith Christ but weep for your selves and for your Children And why for them Because their Children were to bear a share and suffer with them in the wrath that was about to come upon them as you may see Luke 19. 43. For the days shall come upon thee saith our Saviour that thine enemies shall cast 〈◊〉 Trench about thee and compass thee round and keep thee in on every side and shall lay thee eaven with the ground and thy Children with thee Brethren if you have any Tears left drop a few upon your Children You are not able to foresee what miseries your little ones may be reserved for And verily their danger is increased as well as yours by this stroke For you have lost a 〈◊〉 as well as a Preacher you know what care and pains he took and what a Gift and Faculty he had in instilling holy Knowledg into your Children and your little ones while he had liberty in Publick and strength with opportunity in Private He took a very great delight to tamper with them and to role them on to the holy Waies of God by all the means that he was able to devise It was his very last design As he was alwaies full of holy Projects to take some Course that Children might be more generall Principled in the Grounds and Fundamentals of Religiony then they are And I am very well assured that many of your Children have such Liquor poured into them by his means that they will relish of it as long as they have a day to live and it may be bless the Lord and him for it to all Eternity And therefore you have cause enough to 〈◊〉 that you have lost a Minister that was 〈◊〉 and apt to Teach not your selves only but your Children too and 〈◊〉 them know the way of the Lord. Not to feed the Sheep only but to lead the 〈◊〉 too and to 〈◊〉 them in his Bosom as the expression is Isa 40. 11. I have done with the Directions Weep for your selves and for your Children And now for the close of all 〈◊〉 again Weep not for him his sorrow certainly is turned 〈◊〉 Joy and therefore so let yours be also He hath receiv'd that Blessed Sentence Welt done good and faithful Servant enter into thy Masters Joy And let me tell you I speak it upon good assurance he went Triumphantly to Glory An Entrance was 〈◊〉 to him abundantly into the Heavenly Kingdom As he drew nearer Heaven till his disease prevailed against his reason he grew still more Heavenly When Grace and Glory were about to Joyn Grace in him was most Glorious Oh with what Extasie and Ravishments of Spirit did he flie away into the Bosom of his Saviour I have but one word to add and it is that of the Apostle Heb. 13. Remember him that had sometimes the Rule over you who hath spoken to you the word of the Lord whose Faith follow considering the end of his conversation And that was a blessed end indeed Remember him to follow him in all that was exemplary in him whether concerning Faith or Life that walking in the holy way that he did you may at last come to the happy End and Place where he is FINIS
THE Life and Death of Mr. JOSEPH ALLEINE Late Teacher of the Church at Taunton in Sommersetshire Assistant to Mr. Newton Whereunto are Annexed Diverse Christian LETTERS Of His Full of Spiritual Instructions tending to the Promoting of the power of Godliness both in Persons and Families AND HIS FUNERAL SERMON Preached by Mr. Newton LOFDON Printed for Nevil Simmon at the Princes-Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard 1672. The Contents CHAP. I. THE Introduction by Mr. Richard Baxter p. 〈◊〉 CHAP. II. A brief Relation of his early setting forth in the Christian Race from his Childhood and some Memorials of his first beginnings and earnest pursuit of Learning in the University Written by an eye-witness thereof p. 18 CHAP. III. A brief Character of him by Mr. Richard Alleine shewing how eminently he was qualified for the Ministerial service and warfare whereunto he was called p. 18 CHAP. IV. An account of his godly Life and Practice and of the course of his Ministry in Taunton given by Mr. George Newton the Reverend Pastor there whose Assistant he was p. 33 CHAP. V. A further Account of his Ministry by way of Supplement to the former By one of his Fellow-Labourers who was his intimate Friend p. 39 CHAP. VI. A full Narrative of his Life from his silencing to his Death by his Widow Mr. Theodosia Alleine in her own words Wherein is notably set forth with what patience he ran the Race that was set before him and fulfilled the Ministry that he had received in the Lord p. 52 CHAP. VII Some Notes by another whose House he lodged in p. 97 CHAP. VIII An intire and exact Delineation of this Holy Person Written by one of his familiar Acquaintance Presented as the Portraicture of a compleat Gospel-Minister p. 102 CHAP. IX A few Additions to this Character by his intimate Friend Mr. Richard Fairclough p. 123 LET the Reader know to assure him that Faction and Partiality are not the Authors of this History that the two full Narratives that are not subscribed are written by two Conformable Ministers of very great sincerity and abilities who were long and intimately acquainted with Mr. Joseph Alleine REader thou art desired to take notice That that part of the Life which is drawn up by Mrs. Theodosia Alleine was sent up by her to a worthy Divine by him to be published in his own Stile she not imagining it should be put forth in her own words But that worthy Person and divers others upon 〈◊〉 saw no reason to alter it but caused it to be printed as it is These Books following are Published by Mr. Richard Baxter and Printed for Nevil Simmons at the Princes-Arms in Saint Pauls Church-yard 1. HIS Aphorisms of Justification 2. The Saints Everlasting Rest in quarto 3. Plain Scripture-proof of Infant Church-membership and Baptism in quarto 4. The right Method for a setled Peace of Conscience and Spiritual Comforts in 32 Directions in octavo 5. Christian Concord or the Agreement of the Associated Pastors and Churches of Worcester-shire in quarto 6. True Christianity or Christ's Absolute Dominion c. In two Assize Sermons preacht at Worcester in twelves 7. A Sermon of Judgment preach'd at Pauls London Dec. 17. 1664. and now enlarged in twelves 8. Making light of Christ and Salvation too oft the issue of Gospel-Invitations manifested in a Sermon preached at Laurence-Jury in London in octavo 9. The Agreement of divers Ministers of Christ in the County of Woroester for Catechizing or Personal Instructing all in their several 〈◊〉 that will consent thereunto Containing 1. The Articles of our Agreement 2. An 〈◊〉 to the People to submit to this necessary work 3. The Profession of Faith and Catechism in octavo 10. Guildas Salvianus The Reformed Pastor shewing the Nature of the Pastoral Work especially in private Instruction and Catechizing in octavo 11. Certain Disputations of Right to Sacraments and the true Nature of visible Christianity in quarto 12. Of Justification Four Disputations clearing and amicably defending the Truth against the unnecessary oppositions of divers Learned and Reverend Brethreu in quarto 13. A Treatise of Conversion Preached and now published for the use of those that are strangers to a true Conversion c. in quarto 14. One Sheet for the Ministry against the Malignants of all sorts 15. A Winding-sheet for Popery 16. One Sheet against the Quakers 17. A second Sheet for the Ministry c. 18. Directions to Justices of the Peace especially in Corporations to the discharge of their Duty to God c. 19. The Crucifying of the World by the Cross of Christ c. in quarto 20. A Call to the Unconverted to Turn and Live and accept of Mercy while Mercy may be had as ever they would find Mercy in the day of their extremity from the Living God To be read in Families where any are unconverted in twelves 21. Of Saving Faith That it is not onely gradually but specifically distinct from all Common Faith The Agreement of Richard Baxter with that very Learned consenting Adversary that hath maintained his Affertion by a pretended Confutation in the end of Serjeant Shepheards Book of Sincerity and Hypocrisie in quarto 22. Directions and Perswasions to a sound Conversion c. in octavo 23. The Grotian Religion discovered at the invitation of Mr. Thomas Pierce in his Vindication with a Preface Vindicating the Synod of Dort from the calumnies of the new Tilenus and David Peter c. and the Puritans and Sequestrations c. from the censures of Mr. Pierce in octavo 24. Confirmation and Restauration the necessary means of Reformation and Reconciliation in octavo 25. Five Disputations of Church-Government in quarto 26. A Key for Catholicks to open the jugling of the Jesuits and satisfie all that are but truly willing to understand whether the cause of Roman or Reformed Churches be of God and to leave the Reader utterly inexcusable that after this will be a Papist in quarto 27. A Treatise of Self-denyal in quarto 28. His Apology against the Exceptions of Mr. Blake Kendal Crandon Eires L. Moulin in quarto 29. The unreasonableness of Infidelity in four parts c. in octavo 30. The Worcester-shire Petition to the Parliament for the Ministry of England defended c. in quarto 31. His Holy Common-Wealth or Political 〈◊〉 opening the true Principles of Government c. in octavo 32. His Confession of Faith c. in quarto 33. His Humble Advice or the Heads of those Things which were offered to many honourable Members of Parliament c. in quarto 34. The Quakers Catechism or the Quakers questioned in quarto 35. An Account of his present Thoughts concerning the Controversies about the perseverance of the Saints in quarto 36. His Letter to Mr. Drury for Pacification in quarto 37. The safe Religion or three Disputations for the Reformed Catholick Religion against Popery c. in octavo 38. Catholick Unity or the only way to bring us all to
Zeal diseasedly and unproportionably upon those outward Circumstances where the noise doth call off the minds of too many from the inward life of Communion with God His Sermons his Conference his Letters were not about Mint and Commin but about the Knowledge of God in Christ which is the Life Eternal Yet that he did not prostitute his Conscience to the Interest of the Flesh nor subject God to the World nor deny Self-denyal and the Cross of Christ nor Hypocritically resolve to shift off the costly part of Religion on pretence of Indifferency or Smallness of any thing which he thought God forbad him you need no other proof than the following History And he was not one of those weak well-meaning Ministers who think that their meer Honesty is enough to deserve the esteem of worthy Pastors nor was he one of those proud and empty Persons who think that the Dignity of their Function is enough to oblige all to bow to them and to be Ruled by them without any personal Wisdom Holiness or Ministerial Abilities suitable to their Sacred Office But so great was his Ministerial Skilfulness in the publick Explication and Application of the Holy Scriptures so Melting and Winning Convincing and Powerful his unaffected sacred Oratory so wise and serious his private dealing with particular Families and Souls that it is no wonder if God blessed him with that great success which is yet visible among the People where he lived and which many of his Brethren wanted For he did not by slovenly Expressions nor immethodical Extravagances nor unsound injudicious erroneous Passages nor by jocular Levities or by nauseous Tautologies make Sermons or Prayers become a scorn nor give advantage to carnal captious Hearers who for every hair not only abhominate the wholsomest Food but also write Books to breed their own Disease in others Nor yet did he by an affected unnatural curiosity of Jingling Words and starched Phrases make Sermons like Stage-plays and destroyed the Peoples Edificacion or their reverence of Holy Things But he spake as one that spake from God in the Name of Christ for mens Renovation and Salvation in a manner suitable to the Weight and Holiness of the Matter And his servent Zeal and Thirst for the Peoples Conversion and Salvation was a great advantage to his Success For 〈◊〉 mens Parts be never so great I seldom have known any man do much good that was not earnestly desirous to do good If he long not for mens Conversion he is seldom the means of Converting many For there is a certain lively seriousness necessary in all our Studies to make our Sermons suitable to their ends and in all our Preaching to make them fit to reach mens Hearts without which they are as a blunted Knife or as a Bell that 's crackt or any other unmeet Instruments unable for their proper use And though God can work Miracles and therefore can work without means or without their fitness yet that is not his ordinary way and therefore is not to be expected And his great diligence from House to House in private was a great promoter of his Successes I never knew Minister who prudently and diligently took that course to be unprosperous in his Work but by them that have wisely and faithfully used it I have known that done that before seemed incredible And truly when I think of some men yet living and some few too few places great places which by the great Abilities and excellent Preaching the Personal Exhortations and Catechizing the 〈◊〉 Pains and the extraordinary Charity to the Poor the the holy exemplary Lives of their Pastors I can scarce forbear naming four or five of my Acquaintance have been so generally seasoned with Piety that the great Market Towns have become as Religious as the selected Members which some think onely fit for Churches it makes me conclude that it is principally for want of such a Ministry that the World is so bad and that greater things are not done among us And that for another sort of men to cry out of the Peoples Ignorance and Prophaness and obstinate Wickedness while their 〈◊〉 Sloath Miscarriage and Negligence is the cause is as little honour to them as to the Physitian or Surgeon that when he can skilfuller but few doth cast the blame upon the Patient when skilfuller men do cure the like And his great humility in stooping to the meanest and conversing with the poorest of the 〈◊〉 and not affecting things above him nor 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 into men of worldly Wealth and Power no doubt helps on his great Successes though it was not the way to Preferments Honours no nor Safety and Quietness to the Flesh. Had Balaam 〈◊〉 throughout sincerely it had been a very honourable and comfortable word to him from King Balack Num. 24. 11. I thought to promote thee to great honour but 〈◊〉 the Lord hath kept thee back from honour It is more honourable and comfortable to be kept from honour by God and a good Conscience than to be honoured by men on sinful terms And the moderation and peaceableness of this holy Man was very exemplary and amiable which I the rather mention because in these distempered times of Temptation too many think that the excellency of Zeal lyeth in going to the furthest from those they differ from and suffer by And because some will think that knew no more of him but onely how oft and long he lay in the Common Goal that sure he was some violent unpeaceable Zealot No his Zeal was for Peace and Quietness for Love and for good Works He was not used to inflame men against Dissenters nor to Back-bite others nor to make those odious that were willing enough to have made him so He fled from one extream with fear and suspition of the other He was indeed himself a Silenced Minister in a Place and among a People who had his heart and who had been blessed with his fruitful Labours and his Judgment was That it is Sacriledge for a Minister Consecrated to God to alienate himself and violate that Covenant and Ministerial Dedication by giving over his Work as long as he hath ability and opportunity and the peoples Souls have a true necessity And therefore he chose that long Imprisonment rather than voluntarily to Surcease But whilst he had Liberty he went oft to the publick Assembles and was a Hearer where he was wont to be a Teacher and encouraged the People to do the like He spake not evil of Dignities nor kindled seditious Principles or Passions in the Peoples minds nor disaffected them against Authority nor aggravated his own Sufferings to exasperate their minds against such as he suffered by though how great they were as to the Effect the Sequel will acquaint you In all he did in patience possess his Soul and learned still more patience by the things which he suffered and taught others what he learned himself But above all it is his highest excellency in my
and life He did earnestly press the said Duty on his Hearers in his Preaching directing them in the performance and not onely so but dealt with them also in private about it and got a promise from the most of them that they would every night before they did take their rest set about this Duty and spend some time in secret on purpose to call themselves to an account how they had carried it that day by proposing several Questions to their own hearts which Questions he had referred to several Heads and drawn up for them in writing And not a few of them have acknowledged that they have cause to bless GOD who stirred him up to put them upon this practice which they have found very helpful to them in their daily Christian Walk USEFUL QUESTIONS Whereby a Christian may every day examine himself PSAL. 4. 4. Commune with your Hearts upon your Beds EVery Evening before you sleep unless you find some other time in the day more for your advantage in this Work sequester your self from the World and having set your heart in the presence of the Lord charge it before God to answer to these Interrogatories For your Duties Q. 1. Did not God find me on my Bed when he looked for me on my knees Job 1. 5. Psal. 5. 3. Q. 2. Have not I prayed to no purpose or suffered wandering thoughts to eat out my duties Mat. 18. 8 9. Jer. 12. 2. Q. 3. Have not I neglected or been very overly in the reading God's Holy Word Deut. 17. 19. Josh. 1. 7 8. Q. 4. Have I digested the Sermon I heard last Have I 〈◊〉 it over and prayed it over Luk. 2. 19 51. Psal. 1. 2. 119. 5 11 97. Q. 5. Was there not more of custome and fashion in my Family Duties than of Conscience Psal. 101. 2. Jer. 30. 22. Q. 6. Wherein have I denyed my self this day for God Luk. 9. 23. Q. 7. Have I redeemed my time from too long or needless visits idle imaginations fruitless discourse unnecessary sleep more than needs of the World Ephes. 5. 16. Col. 4. 5. Q. 8. Have I done any thing more than ordinary for the Church of God in this time extraordinary 2 Cor. 11. 28. Isa 62. 6. Q. 9. Have I took care of my Company Prov. 13. 20. Psal. 119. 63. Q. 10. Have not I neglected or done something against the duties of my Relations as a Master Servant Husband Wife Parent Child c. Ephes. 5. 22. to Chap. 6. ver 9. Col. 3. 18. to chap. 4. ver 2. For your Sins Q. 1. Doth not sin sit light Psal. 38. 4. Rom. 7. 24. Q. 2. Am I a mourner for the sins of the Land Ezek. 9. 4. Jer. 9. 1 2 3. Q. 3. Do I live in nothing that I know or fear to be a sin Psal. 119. 101 104. For your Heart Q. 1. Have I been much in Holy Ejaculations Neh. 2. 4 5. Q. 2. Hath not God been out of mind Heaven out of sight Psal. 16. 8. Jer. 2. 32. Phil. 3. 23. Q. 3. Have I been often looking into mine own Heart and made conscience of vain thoughts Prov. 3. 23. Psal. 119. 113. Q. 4. Have not I given way to the workings of Pride or Passion 2 Chron. 32. 26. Jam. 4. 5 6 7. For my Tongue Q. 1. Have I bridled my Tongue and forced it in James 1. 26. 3. 2 3 4. Psal. 39. 1. Q. 2. Have I spoke evil of no Man Tit. 3. 2. Jam. 4. 11. Q. 3. Hath the Law of the Lord been in my mouth as I fat in my House went by the way was lying down and rising up Deut. 6. 6 7. Q. 4. Have I come into no company where I have not dropped something of God and left some good savour behind Col. 4. 6. Ephes. 4. 29. For your Table Q. 1. Did not I sit down with an higher end than a Beast meerly to please my Appetite Did I eat drink for the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. Q. 2. Was not mine Appetite too hard for me Jude 12. 2 Pet. 1. 6. Q. 3. Did not I arise from the 〈◊〉 without dropping any thing of God there Luk. 7. 36 c. 14. 1 c. John 6. Q. 4. Did not I mock with God when I pretended to 〈◊〉 a blessing and return thanks Acts 27. 35 39. Mat. 15. 36. Col. 3. 17 23. For your Calling Q. 1. Have I been diligent in the duties of my Calling Eccles. 9. 1 Cor. 7. 17 20 24. Q. 2. Have I desrauded no man 1 Thes. 4. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 3. Q. 3. Have I dropped never a lye in my Shop or Trade Prov. 21. 6. Ephes. 4. 25. Q. 4. Did not I rashly make nor falsly break some promise Psal. 106. 33. Jos. 9. 14 c. Psal. 15. 4. An Addition of some brief Directions for the Morning Direct 1. If through necessity or carelesness you have omitted the reading and weighing of these Questions in the evening be sure to do it now D. 2. Ask your self what sin have I committed what duty have I omitted Against which of these Rules have I offended in the day foregoing And renew your repentance and double your watch D. 3. Examine whether God were last in your thoughts when you went to sleep and first when you awake D. 4. Enquire whether your care of your heart and wayes doth increase upon your constant using of this course for Self-Examination or whether it doth abate and you grow more remiss D. 5. Impose a task of some good meditations upon your selves while you are making ready either to go over these Rules in your thoughts or the Heads of some Sermon you heard last or the Holy Meditations for this purpose in the Practice of Piety or Scuders Daily Walk D. 6. Set your ends right for all that day D. 7. Set your watch especially against those sins and temptations that you are like to be most incident to that day CHAP. VI. A full Narrative of his Life from his Silencing till his Death by his Widdow Mrs. Theodosia Allein in her own Words wherein is notably set forth with what patience he ran the Race that was set before him and fulfilled the Ministry that he had received of the Lord. BEfore the Act for Uniformity came forth my Husband was very earnest day and night with God that his Way might be made plain to him that he might not desist from such Advantages of saving Souls with any scruple upon his Spirit In which when he saw those Clauses of Assent and Consent and Renouncing the Covenant he was fully satisfied But he seemed so moderate before that both my self and others thought he would have Conformed He often saying He would not leave his work for small and dubious Matters But seeing his way so plain for quitting the publick Station that 〈◊〉 held and being thoroughly perswaded of this that the 〈◊〉 of the Ministers out of their Places did not 〈◊〉 them from preaching the Gospel he presently
Christ his Constancy to his Principles in the most Wavering and Shaking Times joyned with an exemplary Carriage and Conversation was deservedly had in great repute among the People of God in these Western parts and indeed there were very few that knew him either among the sober Gentry or Commonalty but for his eminent Parts and spotless Life had great respects for him There were also five more Ministers with fifty Quakers which had all their Lodgings in the same Room only parted with a Mat which they had done for a little more Retirement It was not long after before Mr. Coven and Mr. Powel with eight more were brought into the same place being taken at Meetings which made their Rooms very straight and it was so nigh to the upper part of the Prison that they could touch the Tiles as they lay in their Beds which made it very irksom the Sun lying so hot on it all the day and there being so many of them and so much Resort continually of Friends they had very little Air till they were forced to take down the Glass and some of the Tiles to let in some Refreshment But here they were confined to Lie and eat their Meals and had no place but a small Garden joyned to the place where all the Common Prisoners were which was no Retirement for them they having there and in their Chamber the constaut noise of those Wretches except when they slept who lay just under them their Chains ratling their Tongues often Blaspheming or else Roaring and Singing by Night as well as in the Day And if they went into the Courts of the Prison there was the sight of their Clothes hanging full of Vermin and themselves in their Rags and Chains But that which was most grievous to them they had no place to retire to God in neither alone nor together They were also much molested by the Quakers who would frequently disturb them by their Cavils in the times of their Preaching Praying and Singing and would come and work in their Callings just by them while they were in Duties which was no small disturbance to them And the want of the Air was more to my Husband than to most of them because he alwayes accustomed himself both in Oxford and after to spend his most secret Hours abroad in by-Places in the Fields or Woods As soon as he came into the Prison he Preached and Prayed that he called the Consecration of it After he had spent a day or two in the Prison being willing to have me either in the Town or there to attend him and to keep company with his Friends who came frequently to visit him he then began to fit up his Lodging having prevailed with the Keeper for one Corner which was more private than the rest to set his Bed in about which he made a little Partition by some Curtains that so he might have some conveniency for Retirement This was much comfort to him and after a few Weeks he got leave of the Keeper to go out a Mornings and Evenings a mile or more which he did constantly unless the Weather or his Keepers fury did hinder him Their Diet was very good and sufficient and sometimes abundant by their Friends kindness Here they Preach once a day coustantly sometimes twice and many came daily to hear them eight or ten miles round about the Countrey and Multitudes came to visit them it being a strange sight to see Ministers laid in such a place Their Friends were exceeding kind to them endeavouring by their frequents Visits and provisions for Diet and supplies of Money to make their Prison sweet to them But my Husbands Labours were much increased by this spending all the day in converse he was forced to take much of the Night for his Studies and secret Converse with God Thus he with my Brother Norman and his Company with their fellow Prisoners continued in that place for four Months being tossed from Sessions to Assizes On the 14th of July following he was brought to the Sessions held at Taunton and was there Indited for Preaching on May the 17th but the Evidence against him was so slender that the Grand Jury could not find the Bill so that he was not brought to his Answer there at all And his Friends hoped he should have been dismissed it being the constant practice of the Court that if a Prisoner be Indited and no Bill found he is Freed by Proclamation But however my Husband was sent to Prison again until the Assizes and to his Friends that earnestly expected his Inlargement he said Let us bless God that his Will is done and not the will of such Worms as we August the 24th He was again Indited at the Assizes and though the Evidence was the very same that at the Sessions was by the Grand Jury judged Insufficient yet now at the Assizes the Bill was by them found against him So was he had to the Bar and his Indictment read which was to this purpose That he upon the 17th day of May 1663. with twenty others to the Jurors unknown did Riotously Routously and Seditiously Assemble themselves together contrary to the Peace of our Sovereign Lord the King and to the great Terrour of his Subjects and to the evil Example of others Unto which his Answer was That as to Preaching and Praying which was the truth of the Case of these things he was guilty and did own them as his Duty but as for Riotous Routous and Seditious Assemblies he did abhor them with his Heart and of these he was not guilty At last he was found guilty by the Petty Jury and was Sentenced by the Judge to pay an Hundred Marks and to lie in Prison till payment should be made Sentence being pronounced against him he only made this brief Reply That he was glad that it had appeared before his Countrey That whatsoever he was charged with he was guilty of nothing but doing his Duty and that all did 〈◊〉 the Evidence was only that he had Sung 〈◊〉 Psalm and Instructed his Family others being there and both in his own House And that if nothing that had been urged would satisfie he should with all chearfulness and thankfulness accept whatsoever Sentence his Lordship should pronounce upon him for so Good and Righteous a Cause Thus from the Assizes he was sent to Prison again where he continued a whole Year wanting but three dayes But the Winter coming on they were willing to try if they could have the favour to be removed to the Ward this place being like to be as cold in the Winter as it had been hot in the Summer there being no Chimney in the whole Chamber which with some difficulty they obtained and then had more comfortable Accomodations in all respects Here they had very great Meetings Week-dayes and Sabbath-dayes and many dayes of Humiliation and Thanksgiving The Lords-dayes many Hundreds came And though my Husband and Brother Norman had many Threats from the
he could not for many Weeks bear the scent of any Flesh-meat nor retain any Liquors or Broths so that he consumed so fast that his Life seemed to draw to an end But the Lord did so bless the means that he recovered out of this Distemper after two months time but so lost the use of his Arms from October till April that he could not put off nor on his Clothes nor often write either his Notes or any Letters but as I wrote for him as he dictated to me He was by all Physitians and by my earnest beseechings often diswaded from Preaching but would not be prevailed with but did go on once and sometimes twice a Sabbath and in his private Visiting all that Winter in the Spring the use of his Arms returned for which he was exceeding thankful to the Lord and we had great hopes of his Recovering and making use of further Remedies he was able to go on with more freedom in his Work And the Summer following by the use of Mineral-Waters in Wiltshire near the Devises where he was born his strength was much increased he finding great and sensible good by them But he venturing too much on what he had obtained his weakness returned frequently upon him the next Winter and more in the Spring following being seised as he was at the first But it continued not long at a time so that he did Preach often to his utmost strength nay I may say much beyond the strength he had both at Home and Abroad going into some remote parts of the Countrey where had been no Meetings kept all that time the Ministers had been out which was two Years And there he ingaged several of his Brethren to go and take their turns which they did with great success He had also agreed with two of his Brethren to go into Wales with them to spread the Gospel there but was prevented in that by his weakness increasing upon him It was much that he did but much more that he desired to do He was in this time much Threatned and Warrants often out for him and he was so far from being disturbed at it that he rejoyced that when he could do but little for God because of his Distempers God would so far honour him that he should go and suffer for him in a Prison He would often with chearfulness say They could not do him a greater kindness But the Lord was yet pleased to preserve him from their rage seeing him not then fit for the inconveniencies of a Prison The five Mile Act coming in force he removed to a place called Wellington which is reckoned five miles from Taunton to a Dyers House in a very obscure place where he preached on the Lord's-Dayes as he was able But the vigilant Eyes of his old Adversaries were so watchful over him that they soon found him out and resolved to take him thence and had put a Warrant into the Constables hand to apprehend him and sent for our Friend and threatned to send him to Goal for entertaining such persons in his House So my Husband returned to the House of Mr. John Mallack a Merchant who lived about a mile from Taunton who had long solicited him to take his House for his Home We being in such an unsetled state my Husband thought it best to accept of his courteous offer But many of his Friends were willing to enjoy him in the Town and so earnest that he did to satisfie them go from one to another staying a fortnight or three weeks or a month at each House but still took Mr. Mallacks for his Home This motion of his Friends he told me though it was troublesome for us to be so unsetled he was willing to embrace because he knew not how soon he might be carried again from them to Prison and he should have opportunity to be more intimately acquainted with them and the state of their Souls and of their Children and Servants and how they perform their Duties each to other in their Families He went from no House without serious Counsels Comforts or Reproofs as their Conditions called for dealing with all that were capable both Governours and others particularly acquainting them faithfully and most affectionately what he had seen amiss in any of them He went from no House that was willing to part with him nor had he opportunity to answer the requests of half that invited us to their Houses So that he would often bless God and say with holy Mr. Dod That he had a hundred Houses for one that he had parted with and though he had no Goods he wanted nothing his Father cared for him in every thing that he lived a far more pleasant life than his Enemies who had turned him out of all He was exceedingly taken with God's Mercy to him in Mr. Mallacks entertaining him and me so bountifully the House and Gardens and Walks being a very great delight to him being so Pleasant and Curious and all Accommodations within suitable so that he would often say That he did as Dives fare deliciously every day But he hoped he should improve it better than he did and that God had inclined him to take care for many Poor and for several of his Brethren in the Ministry and now God did reward him by not suffering him to be at the least expence for himself or me He was a very strict observer of all Providences of every day and did usually reckon them up to me before we went to sleep each night after he came into his Chamber and Bed to raise his own Heart and Mind to praise the Lord and to trust him whom we had such experience of from time to time The time of the Year being come for his going to the Waters he was desirous to set one day apart for thanksgiving to God for all his Mercies to him and them and so to take his leave of them Accordingly on the 10th of July 1665. divers of his Brethren in the Ministry and many of his Friends of Taunton met together to take their leave of him before his departure at the House of Mr. Mallack then living about a mile out of the Town Where after they had been a while together came two Justices and several other Persons attending them brake open the Doors by force though they might have unlatched them if they had pleased and with Swords came in among them After much deriding and menacing Language which I shall not here relate having taken their Names committed them to the custody of some Constables whom they charged to bring them forth the next day at the Castle Tavern in Taunton before the Justices of the Peace there The next day the Prisoners appeared and answered to their Names and after two dayes tedious attendance were all Convicted of a Conventicle and Sentenced to pay three Pounds a piece or to be committed to Prison threescore dayes Of the Persons thus Convicted but few either paid their Fines or suffered their
of GOD do you help us in our Praises Love the Lord the better Praise him the more and what is wanting in us let it be made good by you O that the Praises of GOD may sound abroad in the Country by our means and for our sakes HE was prevented of going to the Waters by his last Imprisonment for want of which his Distempers increased much upon him all the Winter after and the next Spring more 〈◊〉 yet not so as to take him fully off from his Work but he Preached and kept many Dayes and Administred the Sacrament among them frequently But going up to the Waters in July 1667 they had a contrary effect upon him from what they had at first For after three dayes taking them he fell into a Feaver which seised on his Spirits and decayed his strength exceedingly so that he seemed very near Death But the Lord then again revoked the Sentence passed upon him and enabled him in six Weeks to return again to his People where he much desired to be But finding at his return great decay of his strength and a weakness in all his Limbs he was willing to go to Dorchester to advise further with Doctor Lose a very Worthy and Reverend Physitian from whom he had received many Medicines but never conversed with him nor had seen him which he conceived might conduce more to his full Cure The Doctor soon perceiving my Husbands weakness perswaded him to continue for a fortnight or three weeks there that he might the better advise him and alter his Remedies as he should see occasion which motion was readily yeelded unto by us But we had not been there above five dayes before the use of all his Limbs was taken away on a sudden one day his Arms wholly failing the next his Legs so that he could not go nor stand nor move a Finger nor turn in his Bed but as my self and another did turn him night and day in a Sheet All means failing he was given over by Physitiand and Friends that saw him lie some weeks in cold Sweats night and day and many times for some hours together half his Body cold in our apprehensions dying receiving nothing but the best Cordials that Art could invent and Almond Milk or a little thin Broth once in three or four days Thus he lay from September 28 to November 16. before he began to Revive or it could be discerned that Remedies did at all prevail against his Diseases In all this time he was still chearful and when he did speak it was not at all complaining but alwayes praising and admiring God for his Mercies but his Spirits were so low that he spake seldom and very softly He still told us he had no pain at all and when his Friends admired his Patience he would say God had not yet tryed him in any thing but laying him aside out of his Work and keeping him out of Heaven but through Grace he could submit to his pleasure waiting for him It was Pain he ever feared and that he had not yet felt so tender was his Father of him and he wanted strength as he often told us to speak more of his Love and to speak for God who had been and was still so gracious to him Being often askt by my self and others how it was with his Spirit in all this weakness he would answer He had not those ravishing joys that he expected and that some Believers did partake of but he had a sweet serenity of Heart and confidence in God grounded on the Promises of the Gospel and did believe it would be well with him to all eternity In all this time I never heard one impatient word from him nor could upon my strictest observation discern the least discontent with this state though he was a pitiful Object to all others that beheld him being so consumed besides the loss of the use of his Limbs Yet the Lord did support and quiet his Spirit that he lay as if he had endured nothing breaking out often most affectionately in commending the kindness of the Lord to him saying Goodness and Mercy had followed him all his dayes And indeed the loving kindness and care of God was singular to us in that place which I cannot but mention to his praise We came Strangers thither and being in our Inn we found it very uncomfortable yet were fearful to impose our selves on any private House But necessity inforcing we did enquire for a Chamber but could not procure one the Small Pox being very hot in most Families and those that had them not daily expecting them and so could not spare Rooms as else they might But the Lord who saw our affliction inclined the heart of a very good Woman a Ministers Widdow one Mrs. Bartlet to come and invite us to a Lodging in her House which we readily and thankfully accepted off where we were so accommodated as we could not have been any where else in the Town especially in regard of the assistance I had from four young Women who lived under the same roof and so were ready night and day to help 〈◊〉 I having no Servant nor Friend near me we being so unsetled I kept none but had alwayes tended him my self to that time And the Ministers and Christians of that place were very compassionate towards us visiting and Praying with and for us often And Dr. Lose visited him twice a day for twelve or fourteen Weeks except when he was called out of Town refusing any Fees tendered to him The Gentry in and about the Town and others sending to us what-ever they imagined might be pleasing to him furnishing him with all delicates that might be grateful to one so weak So that he wanted neither Food nor Physick having not only for necessity but for delight and he did much delight himself in the consideration of the Lord's kindness to him in the love he received and would often say I was a Stranger and Mercy took me in in Prison and it came to me sick and weak and it visited me There was also ten young Women besides the four in the House that took their turns to watch with him constantly for twelve weeks space I never wanted one to help me And the Lord was pleased to shew his power so in strengthening me that I was every night all these Weeks in the depth of Winter one that helped to turn him never lying out of the Bed one night from him but every time he called or wanted any thing was waking to assist her in the Chamber though as some of them have said they did tell that we did turn him more than 40 times a Night he seldom sleeping at all in the Night in all those Weeks Though his tender Affections were such as to have had me sometimes lain in another Room yet mine were such to him that I could not bear it the thoughts of it being worse to me than the trouble or disturbance he accounted I had
Barnards which was about five Miles from Bath there to finish his last Work for God that ever he did on Earth which was to promote the Exercise of Catechising in Somersetshire and Wiltshire Mr. Barnard having had a great deliverance as well as himself he proposed this to him as their Thank-Offering to God which they would joyntly tender to him They had ingaged one to another to give so much for the Printing of six thousand of the Assemblies Catechism among other Friends to raise some Money for to send to every Minister that would ingage in the Work and to give to the Children for their Incouragement in Learning This Work was finished by Mr. Barnard after my Husband was gone to his Rest. He finding himself to decline again apprehended it was for want of using the Bath and therefore desired to return and I being fearful he should ride home seeing some Symptoms of his Fits sent for the Horse-Litter and so carried him again to Bath Where by the Doctors advice after he had taken some things to prepare his Body he made use of the Hot Bath the Cross-Bath being then too cold and so he did for four dayes and seemed to be refreshed and the strength that he had in his Limbs to recover rather than abate and two of his Taunton Friends coming to see him he was chearful with them But on the third of November I discerned a great change in his Countenance and he found a great alteration in himself but concealed it from me as I heard after For some Friends coming to visit him he desired them to pray for him for his time was very short But desired them not to tell me of it All that day he would not permit me to move out of the Chamber from him except once while those Friends were with him After we had dined he was in more then ordinary manner transported with Affection towards me which he expressed by his returning me thanks for all my pains and care for him and with him and putting up many most affectionate requests for me to GOD before he would suffer me to rise as we sat together At Night again at Supper before I could rise from him he spake thus to me Well now my dear Heart my Companion in all my Tribulations and Afflictions I thank thee for all thy pains and labours for me at Home and Abroad in Prison and Liberty in Health and Sickness reckoning up many of the Places we had been in in the dayes of our affliction And with many other most endearing and affectionate Expressions he concluded with many Holy Breathings to God for me that he would requite me and never forget me and fill me with all manner of Grace and Consolations and that his Face might still shine upon me and that I might be supported and carried through all difficulties After this he desired me to see for a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and I procuring one for him he turned his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I might not see and read the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Death in the latter end of that Book which I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of him Whether he did apprehend his end was near To which he replyed He knew not in a few dayes I would see and so fell into Discourse to divert me desiring me to read two Chapters to him as I used to do every night and so he hasted to Bed not being able to go to Prayer and with his own hands did very hastily undoe his Coat and Doublet which he had not done in many months before As soon as he was in Bed he told me He felt some more than ordinary stoppage in his Head and I brought him something to prevent the Fits which I feared But in a quarter of an hour after he fell into a very strong Convulsion Which I being much afrighted at called for help and sent for the Doctors used all former and other means but no success the Lord was pleased to give then to any But they continued for two dayes and nights not ceasing one hour This was most grievous to me that I saw him so like to depart and that I should hear him speak no more to me fearing it would harden the Wicked to see him removed by such a stroak For his Fits were most terrible to behold And I earnestly besought the Lord that if it were his pleasure he would so far mitigate the heavy 〈◊〉 I saw was coming upon me by causing him to utter something of his Heart before he took him from me which he gratiously answered me in for he that had not spoke from Tuesday Night did on Friday Morning about three a Clock call for me to come to him speaking very understandingly between Times all that day But that Night about nine a Clock he brake out with an audible voice speaking for sixteen hours together those and such like words as you formerly had account of and did cease but a very little space now and then all the Afternoon till about six on Saturday in the Evening when he departed About three in the Afternoon he had as we perceived some conflict with Satan for he uttered these words Away thou foul Fiend thou Enemy of all Man-kind thou subtile Sophister art thou come now to molest me Now I am just going Now I am so weak and Death upon me Trouble me not for I am none of thine I am the Lords Christ is mine and I am his His by Covenant I have sworn my self to be the Lords and his I will be Therefore be gone These last words he repeated often which I took muc ' notice of That his covenanting with God was the means 〈◊〉 used to expel the Devil and all his Temptations The time we were in Bath I had very few hours alone with him by reason of his constant using the Bath and Visits of Friends from all Parts thereabouts and sometimes from Taunton and when they were gone he would be either retyring to GOD or to his Rest But what time I had with him he alwayes spent in Heavenly and Profitable Discourse speaking much of the Place he was going to and his Desires to be gone One Morning as I was dressing him he looked up to Heaven and smiled and I urging him to know why he answered me thus Ah my Love I was thinking of my Marriage Day it will be shortly O what a joyful day will that be Will it not thinkest thou my dear Heart Another time bringing him some Broth he said Blessed be the Lord for these refreshments in the way home but O how sweet will Heaven be Another time I hope to be shortly where I shall need no Meat nor Drink nor Cloaths When he looked on his weak consumed Hands he would say These shall be changed This vile Body shall be made like to Christs Glorious Body O what a glorious Day will the Day of the Resurrection be Methinks I see it by Faith How will the Saints lift up their heads and rejoyce and how sadly will
be shortly 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 mortified 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 indifferencie about them Is it for one that is in his wits to sell his God his conscience his soul for things that he is not sure to keep a week nor a day and which he is sure after a few sleepings and wakings more to leave behind him for ever go and talk with dying men and see what apprehensions they have of the World if any should come to such as these and tell them here is such and such preferments for you you shall have such titles of Honour and delights if you will now disown Religion or subscribe to iniquity do you think such a motion would be embraced Brethren why should we not be wise in time why should we not now be of the mind of which we know we shall be all shortly woe to them that will not be wise till it be to no purpose woe to them whose eyes nothing but Death and Judgement will open woe to them that though they have been warned by others and have heard the Worlds greatest Darlings in Death to cry out of its vanity worthlesness and deceitfulness and have been told where and how it would leave them yet would take no warning but only must serve themselves to for warnings to others All my Beloved beware there be no worldly Professors among you that will part rather with their part in Paradise than their part in Paris that will rather part with their Consciences than with their Estates that have secret reserves in hearts to save themselves whole when it comes to the pinch and not to be of the Religion that will undo them in the World Beware that none of you have your hearts where your Feet should be and love your Mammon before your Maker It is time for you to learn with Paul to be Crucified to the World But it is time for me to remember that 't is a Letter and contain my self within my Limits The God of all Grace stablish strengthen and settle you in these shaking times and raise your hearts above the fears of the Worlds Threats and above the Ambition of its favours My dearest loves to you all with my servent desire of your Prayers May the Lord of Hosts be with you and the God of Jacob your refuge Farewel my dear Brethren Farewel and be strong in the Lord I am Yours to serve you in the Gospel whether by Doing or Suffering Joseph Alleine From the common Gaole at Juelchester June 31. 1663. LETTER VII First Christian Marks 2. Duties To the Beloved my most endearing and endeared Friends the Flock of Christ in Taunton Salvation Most dearly Beloved and longed for my Joy and Crown I Must say of you as David did of Jonathan Very pleasant have you been unto me and your love to me is wonderful And as I have formerly taken great content in that my Lot was cast among you so through grace I rejoyce in my present Lot that I am called to approve my love to you by suffering for you for you I say for you know that I have not sought yours but you and that for doing my duty to your souls I am here in these Bonds which I do cheerfully accept through the grace of God that strengtheneth me Oh! That your Souls might be quickened and enlarged by these my Bonds that your hands might be strengthened and your hearts encouraged in the Lord your God by our sufferings See to it my dearly Beloved that you stand fast in the power of the Holy Doctrine which we have Preached from the Pulpit preached at the Bar preached from the Prison to you It is a Gospel worth the suffering for see that you follow after Holiness without which no man shall see God Oh! the madness of the blind World that they should put from them the only Plank upon which they can scape to Heaven Surely the Enimies of Holiness are their own Enemies Alas for them they know not what they do What would not these foolish Virgins do at last when it is too late for a little of the Oyl of the Wise Oh for one dram of that Grace which they have scorned and despised But let not any of you my dear People be wise too late Look diligently lest any man fail of the Grace of God Beware that none of you be cheated through the subtlety of Satan and deceitfulness of your Hearts with counterfeit grace There is never a grace but hath its counterfeit and there is nothing in all the World that is more common or more casie than to mistake common and counterseit Grace for true and saving and remember you are undone for evermore if you should die in such a mistake Not that I would shake the confidence of any sound Believer who upon often and through search into the Scripture and his own heart and putting himself upon Gods tryal hath gotten good evidence that his Graces are of the right kind Build your confidence sure See that you get the knowledge of the certain and infallible marks of Salvation and make sure by great observing your own hearts that these marks be in you and then you cannot be too confident But as you love your souls take heed of a groundless confidence Take heed of being confident before you have tried Dear Brethren I would fain have you all secured against the day of Judgement I would that the states of your souls were all well setled Oh how comfortably might you think of any troubles if you were but sure of your pardons Were your Salvation out of doubt no matter though other things were in hazard I beseech you whatever you neglect look to this I am afraid there are among you that have not made your peace with God yet that are not yet acquainted with that great work of Conversion such I would warn and charge before the living God to speed into Christ and without any more disputes or delayes to put away their iniquities and to come in and deliver up themselves to Jesus Christ that they may be saved It is not your Profession nor performing external duties nor
is not this he that can crucifie you or release you can save you or damn you at his pleasure Is it not from him that you fetch every breath your interest obliges you to please him Why should Beltshazzars charge be against you that the God in whose hand your breath is and whose are all your ways you have not glorified Dan. 5. 23. Fonrthly Do not only intend God as the general end of your course but in every solemn action actually mind your end Though a man need not cannot think of his Journeys-end at every step yet with care he might come to this in every solemn action particularly and expressy to mind his end a man cannot nor need he think at every bit that he puts into his mouth I will eat this for God yet he might every time he sits down to his Table remember to eat and drink not to gratifie his flesh but to glorifie God by getting strength for his work you cannot think of it in every step in your Journey but without intending some glory to God by serving his will in your place and station and so in your visits and labours Fifthly Every morning let this be your first and firm resolution I will set forth this day in the Name of God Your first and last thoughts are of greatest consequence and therefore I advise you to begin and end with this when ever you lie down say in your selves I will make use of my Bed as an Ordinance of God that a Servant of his may be refreshed and fitted for his work when ever you rise up think I will spend this day for God and follow the business of my calling because I am so appointed by God Zech. 10. 12. And they shall walk up and down in his Name saith the Lord c. Beloved I design the sweetness and comfort as well as strictness of your lives Live to God as you are directed and you shall marvellously prosper in both I am not sure yet whether or no I shall see you at the Assizes which I earnestly desire to do I leave all things to our Fathers wise disposal and commending you to God I divide my loves among you and so rest Yours in the bonds of the Lord Jesus JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Jeulchester Nov. 14. 1663. LETTER XVII Motives to set our selves to please God To my most Dearly Beloved the Servants of Christ in Taunton Grace and Peace Most dear Christians YOur Prisoner in the Lord saluteth you with all dearness you are the care of my heart the desire of my Eyes the joy of my Bonds and the sweet of my liberty I am much satisfied in the wise disposal of our Heavenly Father whether he see it good for me to be a Bond-man or a Freeman so I may but serve your Souls to the greatest adventage Methinks I begin to feel in my self more than ever the benefit of your Prayers the influences of Heaven through the riches of Free-Grace to which alone be the Praise being more fully sensible and sweet upon me I hope the Lord will restore us one to another in his time much better than we parted in the mean time see that you stand fast in the hope of the Gospel The Lord taketh infinite care for you see that it be your care the care of your very hearts to please the Lord Set your hearts to it as the business of your lives and the very end of your beings to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing Set home on your selves such considerations as these First It is the very business you were made for and sent into the world for to please your Maker For his pleasure you are and were Created Why should the Lord repent that he had made you Gen. 6. 6. What treacherous and damnable falshood is this that when the Lord hath given us Breath and Being and sent us into the World on purpose on his service we should like false and wicked servants set up for our selves why should your Creator say he hath made you in vain Secondly If you set your hearts to please the Lord you are sure you shall please him It is not so with men all the care in the World will not suffice to please some men How often do Princes forsake their greatest Favourites so that if you set to please men you are not sure to attain your end at last yea rather you are sure not to attain it But if the Lord doth see your very hearts be set to please him he will accept you though you come short 2 Cor. 8. 12. Read that sweet passage 2 Chron. 6. 75. Thirdly It will be a certain sign of your sincerity when the pleasing of the Lord is your greatest business Phil. 1. 20. To such the Promise runs Isa. 56. 4 5. It is a distinguishing evidence truly to seek and prize Gods favour more then Corn Wine Psal. 4. 6 7. Fourthly This will set all in order and bring all your business to a Head when you have set down this as the one thing necessary that you are resolved to please the Lord this will regulate your whole lives and bring all your business into a little compass A Christian hath but one thing to do in all conditions and that is to carry it so in his present state as that he may please God A man-pleaser O how many hath he to please what an endless work hath such an one to do Fifthly Consider but how careful the Man-pleasiing Parasite and time-serving Hypocrite is to please men and shall not we take as much care to please our God oh how doth the flattering Courtier study the humour of his Prince be you as careful to study and to be acquainted with the mind of God What will not men do to screw themselves into the favour of the Mighty oh that you were but as diligent and unwearied and punctual in your endeavours to get and to keep the favour of the Almighty Sixthly Consider whose favour or displeasure is of that consequence to you as the Lords is of What if men should be angry with you have they the Keys of Hell and of Death no no fear them not Can they undo your souls can they send you to Hell Alas they cannot See that you dread his displeasure that can Alas what will their favour avail you if they be pleased can they stand between the Wrath of God and you can they pardon your sins save your souls secure your Eternal concernments where is all there favour or good will when they or you come to die It will not 〈◊〉 worth a Rush when most needed Therefore beloved Brethren whatever you do keep in with God Resolve upon it He must be pleased though all the World be displeased Le it be enough to you to have his good will let this be 〈◊〉 One thing that you bend your selves to seek and if you set 〈◊〉 seek it you may be sure to find it The Messenger
stay for me and so I must here shut up my Letter as Jude 〈◊〉 his Ye Beloved building up your selves in your most holy Faith Praying in the Holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God looking for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal life Unto his Grace I commend you all and shall add nothing but to share my loves among you and so rest Your Embassador is Bonds JOS. ALLEINE Juelchester November 22. 1663. LETTER XVIII The Worth of Holiness To the Beloved People the Flock of God in Taunton Grace and Peace Most dear Friends and Brethren I Am now a Prisoner of the Lord for you Gentiles and therefore have sent these few Lines to beseech you by these Bonds which I gladly endure for your sakes to hold forth and hold fast the Profession of your Faith without wavering The Lord make you stedfast in the Holy Doctrine wherein you have been taught I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole Counsel of God O remember that by the space of eight years I ceased not to warn you every one and kept back nothing that was profitable unto you but have taught you publickly and from House to House warning every man and teaching every man that I might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Oh that Impenitent sinners would yet remember the Invitations and the obsecrations and the obtestations that they have had have they not been sought unto have they not been intreated have they not been followed from the Publick to their own Houses hath not the Word been brought to their Doors Hath not Mercy wooed them have they not been called under the Wings of Mercy And yet they would not Oh that they would consider it now in the latter days Jer. 23. 20. Oh that they would remember and repent that there might be yet an after Harvest That they would yet come in and live Are you yet willing to turn hear how Wisdom calls after you Prov. 11. How long ye simple ones will you love simplicity and fools bate knowledge turn you at my reproof But if they will not hear good were it for them that they had never been born It shall be more and better for Sodom and Gomorah then for them But for you that have taken upon you the Profession of strict Godliness I shall only press you to follow on and press towards the Mark You have much work yet to do and God hath given you no time to Loyter in I beseech you to put on That Person that sits down when he hath gotten to that pitch that he thinks will bring him to Heaven is never like to come thither Grace is one of those things that saith It never hath enough Let me urge upon you the Apostles Counsel Heb. 12. 14. Follow after Holiness First Holiness is the choicest Ornament it is and adorning in the sight of God of great prize It is the Glory of God and will you count it your shame Exod. 15 God is glorious in Holiness and Grace is called Glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we may now cry out as the Psalmist in his complaint O ye sons of men how long will ye turn my glory into shame Ps. 4. 2. But be of good comfort the shame of Holiness is real Glory how confidently doth Paul shake his Chain Acts 28. 20. We read of some that did glory in their shame in a sad sense that is in that which was real ground of shame to wit their sin Phil. 3. 19. But we meet with others that in a happy sense did glory in their shame that is in the shame of Religion which is indeed a Crown of glory So did Peter and John Acts 5. 41. Secondly Holiness is the safest Muniment Grace is not onely for Ornament but for Use. Righteousness is a Brest-plate that keeps the Vitals and is sure defence from any mortal wounds Ephes. 6. 14. When the Politicians have done their best with all their politick fetches it is he that walketh uprightly that walketh surely Prov. 10. 19. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me saith David Psa. 25. last I desire no other Protection than Innocency I desire to be no longer safe than these can preserve me when I must let go my Integrety or my sasety I will chose the danger rather than the fin and yet will never doubt but my Integrity will save me harmless and prevent me for ever coming off a Loser Never perswade me that that man doth choose wisely or will consult his own safety that runs upon the displeasure of the infinite God who is a devouring fire to flie the danger of mans displeasure Did you ever read or hear of a man so mad as to run upon the swords point to avoid the scratch of a Pin or to run upon a roaring Canon rather than indanger his being wetshod why this is the best wisdom of the distracted World who will sin rather than suffer and to save themselves harmless in the World will run upon God even upon his neck and the thick Bosses of his Buckler Job 15. 25 26. Thirdly Holiness will be found to be your real happiness Eat of this Tree and you shall be indeed as God Godliness is Gods likewise The beauty of Holiness is this very Image Sin is the disease of which holiness is the Cure Pride is the Timpany passion the Feavour of the mind how restlesly raging is the mind where they reign holiness humility meekness are a present ease a present Cure if the Patient can take but enough O what peace and tranquility doth Holiness work in the Mind Great peace have they that love thy Commandments and nothing shall offend them Psalm 119. 165. Read Isa. 48. 18 22. and 26. 3. and 32. 17. Holiness will be a Treasure of Riches Jam. 2. 5. and a Crown of honour Acts 17. 11. a Paradise of Pleasure to you Prov. 3. 17. In a word holiness is the perfection of mans nature Heb. 12. 21. the Communication of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. the earnest of Glory Matt. 5. 8. and the very entrance of Heaven Phil. 3. 20. Let me say now to every one of you as our Saviour to Martha John 11. 26. Believed thou this If you do live like Believers and do you follow after Holiness as others follow their Trades or Studies Let Religion be your business and not a thing by the by with you follow as hard upon the pursuit of Grace as if you did indeed believe riches and honour were in it Count your selves well as long as you keep within the line of your duty Let holiness sit in your Lips and season all your Speech with grace Profess it own it plead stoutly and resolve for it be you Advocates for Holiness in an Adulterous and wicked Generation wear it as a Robe of honour when the spightful World cast the dung of their Reproaches at you for it let it dwell in your Hearts Let it adorn your Houses Let it be your
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
Crack Let the Heavenly cheerfulness and the restless diligence and the holy raisedness of your Conversations prove the reallity excellency and beauty of your Religion to the World Forget not your Prisener Labour earnestly for me in your Prayers who am night and day labouring and suffering for you I can never bless God enough for his most tender and indulgent care for you which appears so wonderfully in his Fatherly Protection and his Fatherly Provision See that you receive not the Grace of God in vain Remember with trembling that of our Lord To whom much is given of him much shall be required With my most Dear Loves to you all I commend you to your Father and my Father your God and my God remaining Yours in all manner of Obligations JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Juelchester January 20th 1663. LETTER XX. The Felicity of Believers To the most Beloved People the Servants of God in Taunton Salvation Most endeared Christians I Have longed and waited for a little breathing time wherein I might write unto you but I have been oppressed hitherto with so many cares and such a throng of business that till now and scarcely now I have had no time of respiration wherein I might sufficiently reflect on you or my self But although so great a part of Taunton be translated to Juelchester with me yet I may not I cannot forget you that are behind Alas poor Taunton how should I bewail thee did I look upon thee onely with the Eye of sense Alas for thy wonted Liberties for thy former plenty and variety wherewith the Lord hath blessed thee He had spread a Table for thee in the midst of thine Enemies Bread hath been given thee and thy Waters have been sure But now a Famine seems to threaten thee and the Comforters that should relieve thy Soul are far from thee Thy Shepheards are removed Thou seest not thy Signs nor thy Prophets and thy wonted helpers are now disabled from giving thee supplies Alas how do thine Enemies triumph and thy Teachers and thine Inhabitants are become their Captives and how great is the Cry of thy Poor and thine oppressed Such would be the Language of Sense if that were suffered to be the Speaker But Faith will speak in another Dialect And therefore amongst my other Counsels that I shall send you this shall be the first Judge not of the present Providences by the conduct of Sense but by the eye of Faith Faith will see that we are then most Honoured when we are most vilified and reproached and set at nought for the sake of Christ and that we are then most happy when the World hath done its worst to make us miserable Faith will tell you that GOD is a very present help when you seem quite to fail of Help and will shew you the Well of Water that is near when the Water in the Bottle is spent What though you seem to have lost Ministers Husbands Friends for a Season Faith will tell you that they are well bestowed and that it will be both your and their Advantage in the Day of Retribution Brethren what are you for Are you for the present World or for that to come Are you for your Temporal enjoyments or do you seek for Glory Honour and Immortallty If you are for this World you have made a very imprudent choice in taking up the Profession of Godliness and cleaving to and owning the hated ways of the Lord But if you are for Glory and for Eternity then be of good Chear all these things do make for us You are Witnesses how often I have told you of these things and I can say with the Apostle I believed therefore have I spoken and therefore I am nothing moved with all these things nor with the things that do yet further abide me I believed and therefore I told you that you should never be losers by Jesus Christ. Nay do I say I told it you You know the Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed you that the Persecuted are doubly blessed that such should rejoice and leap for joy because great is their Reward in Heaven Hath not God said that if we suffer with him we shall also Reign with him and that these light afflictions work for us a weight of Glory And if this be true I pray you tell me whether GOD heth not dealt well with us in counting us worthy of this little Tribulation for his Name Indeed the Sufferings is but little but verily the Reward will not be little I know whom I have trusted I am well assured the Glasse is turned up and ever hour reckoned of our imprisonment and every Scorn and Reproach of our Enemies is kept in Black and White I believe therefore do I speak GOD is infinitely tender of us my Brethren though a Poor and despicable Generation I value not the pop-gun threats of a frowning World 't is well with us we are GODS Favourites Come by Beloved let us sit down under his Shadow Here is safety and rest if God be for us who can be against us Verily he Bottles all our Tears and tells all our Wandrings He numbers all our hairs whosoever toucheth us shall not be Innocent Know you not that we are the Apple of his Eye Hath not he reproved the greatest for his Peoples sakes saying reproach not mine anointed And so we forget how he loved us Are not we his Jewells Doth he not own us for his Members for his Children Ah what a Block doth Unbelief make of man What do you think that all this doth signifie nothing Can you forget your Children Will you suffer your Jewells to lie in the Dirt or make no reckoning of them whether they are lost Verily I write not this without shaming reflectious upon my own stupidity What Beloved of God adopted by God! What a Member of Christ Jesus A vessel of Mercy An heir of Glory What and not yet swallowed up in the sense of Gods infinite love Blush Oh my Soul and be confounded before the most High cover thy face with shame I remember what the Heathen Seneca writes observing the expressions of Gods love to man in his common Providence Verum est usque in delicias amamur that is it is a very truth we are beloved of God even as his darlings My Brethren Have Faith in God Believe his Promises Walk in the sense of his love Comfort your selves in Gods love towards You under all the hatred and envy of men and the contradiction of sinners that You meet with Be strong and of a good courage God is for You. Be assured that he that walketh uprightly walketh surely Forsake not the assembling of your selves together Now see that You speak often to one another and build up each other in the holy Faith God knows I cannot do for you as I would I would have been larger to You but I cannot My most dear Loves I desire You to share among you I am greatly Yours The Peace that
stand Look to your sincerity You must every one of you stand shortly before the Judgment Seat of Christ and be tried for your lives Oh try your selves throughly first 'T is easie to mistake Education for Regeneration and common Conviction and Illumination for Conversion and a partial Reformation and external Obedience for true Sanctification Therefore I beseech you every one to examine whether you are in the Faith Prove your own selves Tell not me you hope you are sincere you hope you shall go to Heaven Never put it off with Hopes but pray and try and search till you are able to say yea and know you are passed from Death to Life and that you know you have a Building not made with hands eternal in the Heavens Suppose I should ask you one by one Where are your Evidences for Heaven Could you make out your Claim Can you bring me Scripture-proof Can you shew me the Marks of the Lord Jesus What mean you to live at Uncertainties Brethren it is an intollerable Ignorance for any of you in these dayes of glorious Light not to be able to tell the distinguishing Marks of a sound Believer And it is intollerable carelesness of your everlasting Welfare if you do not bring your selves to the Trial by these Marks What are your hands filled with Books and your ears filled with Sermons that tell you so plainly from the word of God how you shall know whether you are in Christ and are you still to seek Oh stir up your own selves Take heed lest a Promise being left of entring into his Rest any of you fall short of it at last by Vnbelief You are a Professing People you pray and you hear and you run upon some Adventures for Jesus Christ But O look to your sincerity Look to your Principles look to your Ends else you may lose all at last Examine not onely what is done but whence 't is done look to the Root as well as to the Fruit. Eye not onely your Actions but your Aims Remember what a strict and severe Eye you are under The Lord Jesus makes strict observation upon all your works and wayes He observes who of you be fruitful and who be barren and unprofitable He knows who of you be thriving and who be declining He observes who be warm and who lukewarm who be sound Christians and who of you have onely a name to live Return O backsliding Christians You have lost your former Convictions and lost your former Affections You are grown remiss in your watch and your Zeal is turned into a kind of indifferencie and your diligence into negligence Your Care is turned into Security and your tenderness into senslessness Oh your case is dangerous The Lord Jesus hath a great Controversie with you Oh remember whence you are fallen and repent and do your first works Strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die Oh rub and chafe your swooning Souls and ply them with warm applications and rousing considerations till they recover their former heat And know ye from the Lord that the backsliders in heart shall be filled with his own wayes O ye barren and fruitless trees Behold the Axe is lifted up to fell you to the ground except you bring forth fruits and those worthy of Repentance May not Christ say to some among you Behold these three years have I come seeking fruit and finding none How is it then that you read not the Sentence passed on the fruitless Tree O sleepy Professors how long will you drive on in this heavy course How long will you continue in an unprofitable and customary Profession Would you be the joy of our Lord why know ye that the thriving Plant is the Masters praise and his hearts delight Christians put on press towards the Mark be adding to your Faith Virtue and to Virtue Knowledge c. See that you grow extensively in being abundant in all forts of good works Be pitiful be courteous gentle easily to be entreated Be slow to anger soon reconciled Be patient be ye temperate be ye chearful Study not every one onely his own things but the good of his Neighbor Think it not enough to look to your own Souls but watch for others Souls Pray for them warn them be kind to them study to oblige them that by any means you may win them and gain their Souls Labour to grow intensively to do better the things that you did before to be more fervent in Prayer more free and willing in all the ways of the Lord to hear with more profit to examine your selves more thorowly to mind Heaven more frequently than heretofore And you O carnal and unsound Professors that reckon your selves to be in Christ but are not new Creatures that because you have the good opinion of the Godly and are outwardly conformable to the wayes of God perswade your selves you are in a good condition although your hearts have not yet to this day been renewed O Repent speedily Repent and be converted What though we cannot distinguish the Tares from the Wheat Yet the Lord of the Harvest can Christ will find you out and condemn you for rotten and unsound unless you be soundly renewed by repentance and effectually changed by converting Grace Brethren I fervently wish your Salvation and to this while I am able I shall bend my ardent endeavours I am now taking advice for my health and hope in some few Weeks to be restored to you In the mean time I commend me to Your Prayers and you to the Grace of God remaining Yours in the Lord Jesus JOS. ALLEINE Dorchester July 7th 1666. LETTER XXVI The Character and Priviledges of true Believers To the Loving and Beloved People the Servants of God in Taunton Salvation Most dearly Beloved I Longed to hear of your Welfare but by reason of the Carryers intermitting his Journeys could not till now obtain my desires neither had I Opportunity till the last Week of writing to you I rejoyce to hear by Mr. Ford of Gods continual goodness towards you he is your Shepherd and therefore it is that you do not want Me you have not alwayes but he is ever with you his Rod and his Staff shall comfort you Nay more then all this you may hence conclude comfortably for all times yea for the whole Eternity to come Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow you all the days of your Lives and you shall dwell in the House of the Lord for ever In this my dear Brethren in this rejoyce and again I say rejoyce that God is ingaged in so near and so sweet relation to you Doubtless your Souls shall Lodge in goodness and be provided for carefully and lie down in everlasting safety that have the Almighty for our Shepherd Blessed are the Flock of his Hands and the Sheep of his Pasture happy is the People that is in such a Case But who are Christs Sheep Not all Professers I beseech you take heed how you rest
would set up and maintain this duty in your families Have you done it all accordingly Cannot your consciences witness cannot your families 〈◊〉 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 catechizing in your houses 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 lines to resolve to set upon the constant exerise of this duty Surely I have done and suffered more for you then this comes to will you deny me I 〈◊〉 you let me find if ever God do bring me again to visit your houses that the words of a suffering Minister have some power with you I have sent you an help on purpose what shall all my perswasions be but speaking in the wind and all my pains but labouring in the fire Beloved you have no dread of the Almighties charge That you should teach these things diligently to your children and talk of them as you sit in your houses c. Deut. 6. 6 7 8. 9. and 4. 9 10. and 11. 18 19 20. and train them up in the way they should go Prov. 22. 6. the Margin Hath God so commended Abraham that he would teach his children and houshold Gen. 18. 19. and that he had so many instructed servants Gen. 14. 14. the Margin and given such a promise to him thereupon and will not you put in for a share neither in the praise nor the promise Hath Christ honoured catechizing with his presence Luke 2. 46. and will not you own it with your practise Say not they are careless and will not learn What have you your Authority for if not to use it for God and the good of their souls You will call them up and force them to do your work and should you not at least be as zealous in putting them upon Gods work Say not they are dull and are not capable If they be dull God requires of you the more pains and patience but so dull as they are you will make them learn how to work and can they not learn as well how to live Are they capable of the mysteries of your trade and are they not capable of the plain principles of Religion well as ever you would see the growth of Religion the cure of ignorance the remedy of prophaness the downfal of error fulfil you my joy in going through with this duty I have been too long already and yet I am afraid my letter will be ended before my work be done how loath am I to leave you before I have prevailed with you to set to the work to which you are here directed will you pass your promise will you give me your hands Oh that you would you cannot do me a greater pleasure Ask what you will of me See if I will not do as much for you Oh that your Families might be a joy to me as that twice noble Ladies to John who professes he had no greater joy then to find her children walking in the truth Beloved why should you hot give the hand one to another and mutually engage each to other for more vigorous and diligent endeavours in promoting family godliness I must tell you God looks for more than ordinary from you in such a day as this He expects that you should do both in your hearts and in your houses somewhat more than ever under these his Extraordinary dispensations My most dearly beloved mine own howels in the Lord will you satisfie the longings of a travelling Minister Will you answer the Calls of Divine Providence Would you remove the Incumbent or prevent the impending Calamities Would you plant Nurseries for the Church of God Would you that God should build your Houses and bless your Substance would you that your Children should bless you that Your Father should bless You Oh then set up Piety in your Families as ever you would be blessed or be a blessing let your Hearts and your Houses be the Temples of the living God in which his worship according to all the forementioned directions may be with constancy reverently performed Pardon my prolixity and importunity in so earnest pursuing of You I am yet afraid I have done too soon and shall end without my Erranil The Lord God perswade you To him I turn me for I am well assured he can prevail with you O Father of Spirits that hath set me over thy Flock to watch for their Souls as one that must give an account I have long studied thy Will and taught in thy Name and do unfeiguedly bless thee that any have believed my Report I have given unto them the Words which thou gavest me and they have received them I have manifested thy Name unto them and they have kept thy Word And now I am no more with them but I come unto thee Holy Father keep them through thine own Name for they are thine As they have kept the Word of thy Patience so keep thou them in the hour of Temptation They are but a flock a little and a helpless flock but thou art their Shepheard suffer them not to want Do thou feed them and fold them Let thy Rod and thy Staff comfort them and let not the Beasts of prey fall upon them to the spoiling of their Souls But what shall I do for them that will not be gathered I have called after them but they would not answer I have charged them in thy Name but they would not hear I have studied to speak perswasively to them but I cannot prevail Then I said I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain yet I cannot give them over much less may I give thee over Lord perswade Japhet to dwell in the Tents of Shem. Lord compel them to come in and lay the hands of mercy upon them as thou didst on lingring Lot and bring them forth that they may escape for their lives and not be consumed Lord I pray thee open their eyes that they may see and lay hold upon their hearts by thy Omnipotent Grace Do thou turn them and they shall be turned O bring back the miserable 〈◊〉 and suffer not the Enemy of Mankind to drive away the most of the flock before mine eyes and to 〈◊〉 the fruitless endeavours of thy Laborers and boast over them that he can do more with them though he seek to ruine them than all the beseechings counsels 〈◊〉 charges of thy Servants that seek to save them Lord if I could find out any thing that would pierce them that would make its way into their hearts thou 〈◊〉 if would 〈◊〉 it But I have been many years pleading thy Cause in vain O let not these endeavors also be lost O God find out every ignorant
comparison with thine experienced love I cannot entertain the thoughts of this without some disdain But thy needful cautions are acceptable to me I desire to foresee and provide for manifold changes and storms I know I am not yet in the Harbor O pray with me that I enter not into Temptation for I am very weak in Spirit as well as in body God knoweth But there is no end with me somewhere or other I must break off and thou wilt say it is time to shut up for once onely know that I am thy daily Orator and will be whilest I am and yet once more I must have room to add my thankful acknowledgement of thine and thy costly kindness and so with our most dear affections to you both I commend you to the God of love still abiding Thy fast and sure Orestes Bath Octob. 13. 1668. LETTER XXXVII To a person of Quality to be constant Most Honoured Sir MAny charges have passed over both you and my self since my last Writing to you but I am glad to hear that in that great change of your condition you have made so wise and happy a choice Mine unfeigned desire to God is for your Temporal and Spiritual prosperity and that the blessings of both Worlds may be heaped up upon you Yet I should desire you not to expect too much here nor to count it a strange thing if you meet with disappointments It is enough if you have the Lord for your portion and Heaven for your Inheritance though the World should not answer your expectations I doubt not but you will be likely as well we to meet with manifold temptations the Lord make you when you have done all to stand Hold out a while in faith patience and self-denial and you shall be as sure as God can make you of the Crown Now arise and shine and hold forth the power of holiness in all your converse We have lived in times when Religion was the way to credit and esteem and then it was more difficult to discern the sincerity of ones profession because men might be drawn to it upon worldly ends But now is the time when God will prove us if we will appear for him and own his ways when they are the common scorn of the World Oh Sir think it not hard if God do call you forth to own him in such a time as this when few of your rank and quality will bear you company but look upon it as a special advantage to prove your sincerity and your fidelity to the Lord your Maker The holy and blessed life of that noble Marquess Galeacius I should much commend to your reading and Imitation Court not the world nor its preferments Moses his self-denying choice which the World would have branded for unparalled folly when he voluntarily left all the Court-preferments and pleasures the wisest Judge commends for the greatest Wisdom If Religion will make you vile resolve with that Royal Worthy that you will be yet more vile Remember who accounted the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the Treasures of Egypt Verily it is a greater honour to you to be vilified for Christ than to be dignified with the highest Titles that the greatest on Earth can confer and to be call'd Puritan or Phanatique for the bold and constant owning of the power of Christianity than to have whole Pages filled up with the honourable offices and marks of Dignity that earthly Princes can bestow Now then is your time to get the true honour Few of your places and dignity will take this way to get it But he that can but use the prospective of Faith and look as far as the approaching Judgment will easily see the vanity of the worlds riches and slattering preferments and the everlasting glory and honour wherewith the dispised Saints shall surely be Crowned Fix your eyes and Meditations here and that will set you above the worlds temptations when by its offers or threatnings it would make you to warp and to let go your hold-fast of Eternal life Now is the time for you to make Heaven sure and when that is done you are prepared for the worst that can come I desire you to accept of my service and respects and my Wives which I do hereby present unto you and to your most deserving yoak-fellow whom I unfeignedly honour though I never saw her not so much for her noble blood which yet calls for great respects as for her far more noble qualifications and priviledges of her second birth Pardon my boldness with you in troubling you so long I am Sir Your most Oblidged Friend and Servant JOS. ALLEINE Feb. 26. 1661. LETTER XXXVII Dear Couzin THough I have been in the valley of the shadow of death though I have had more than one foot in the Grave and have been in deaths often yet the love and remembrance of you ever liveth on my heart I have long had neither feet to walk nor hands to write yet I have borrowed hands as you see rather than I would stay any longer from warning and admonishing of you Dear Couzin that soul of yours that precious immortal soul is of no light value with me I pray hard for its Salvation I have a Godly fear for you lest your soul should miscarry in a crowd of worldly business and of earthly cares Ah my dear Niece it comforts me that you are so setled for this world and are in want of nothing I bless the Lord for this but me thinks this doth not satisfie me Oh that I could be sure that you were once safe setled in Christ though you are I trust comfortably furnished with earthly things yet in this you are but half provided for have you a Treasure in Heaven have you laid hold on eternal life have you made sure work for everlasting have you past the straits of the New-Birth do your bear upon you the marks of the Lord Jesus If you shall pass by a sumptuous Fabrick and a great Lordship and should lay claim to all as your inheritance and please your self with the hopes of enjoying all this when you had nothing to shew no Writing no Evidence to produce as a ground for any such hope would not every one say this were a piece of strange vanity and imprudence much greater folly is it to promise our selves a part in Paradise and rest satisfied in a meer perswasion that we are the Heirs of Heaven when we cannot prove our Title from the Book of God nor produce from within our selves the sure and certain marks of the children of God Ah Dear Couzin Rouze up your self make conscience to deal plainly and freely with your soul say within your self I have hopes for Heaven but where are my grounds and my Evidences do I not build without a foundation do I venture my Salvation upon meer uncertainties What have I what do I more than others I pray I hear I read but may not a meer Hypocrite do all this I
concernments Will you not spin a fair thread of it if while you are pursuing after earthly things you lose your soul in the 〈◊〉 While I live I shall pray and care for you Farewel in the Lord. I am Your truly loving and careful Uncle JOSEPH ALLEINE LETTER XXXVI Godly Counsels Dear Cousin THE welcom tidings of your safe arrival at Barbadoes is come to my ears as also the news of your escape from a perillous sickness for which I bless the Lord and desire to be thankful with you for I am not without a care for your well-being but do look upon my self as really concerned in you I have considered that God hath bereft you of a careful Father and that your Mother takes but little care for you so that you have none nearer than my self to watch for your soul and to charge and admonish you in the Lord and to take care of you But yet Dear Cousin be not discouraged by these things but look to Heaven flie unto Jesus put away every known sin set upon the conscientious performance of every known duty make Christ your choice embrace him upon his own terms deliver up your self body and soul to him see that you have no reserves nor limitations in your choice of him give him your very heart cast away your worldly hopes and expectations make Religion your very business O Cousin these things do and you shall be sure of a Friend in Heaven to take the care of you and if I may be any comfort to you you shall not fail while I live to have one friend on earth to take care for you You are gone far from me even to the uttermost parts of the earth but I have sent these Letters to call even thither after you yea not onely to call but to cry in your ears O what is like to become of your soul Where is that immortal soul of yours like to be lodged for ever amongst Devils or amongst Angels upon a bed of Flames or in the joys of Paradise Dear Cousin go aside by your self in secret retire from the noise of the world and say to your self Oh my soul whether art thou going do not I know in my very heart that I must be converted or condemned that I must be sanctified or can never be saved Oh my soul what seekest thou what designs do I drive at what is my chief care which way do I bend my course Is it for this world or for the world to come Do I first seek the kingdom of heaven and the righteousness thereof Do I think Heaven will drop into my mouth that glory and immortality will be gotten with a wet finger with cold prayers and heartless wishes while the world carries the main of my heart Do I think to be crowned and yet never fight to get the race and never run to enter at the strait gate and never strive to overcome Principalities and Powers and never wrestle No no say within your self Oh my soul either lay by the hopes of Heaven for ever or else rouse up thy self put forth thy strength in seeking after God and glory either lay by thy worldly hopes or thy hopes of immortality away with thy sins or thou must let Christ go for ever think not to have Chrst and the world too to serve God and Mammon it cannot be If thou follow the world as thy chief desire and delight if thou live after the flesh thou must die count upon it the Lord hath spoken it and all the world can never reverse it Thus reason the case with your own soul and give not rest to your self night nor day till you are gotten off from the world broken off from the wilful practice of every known sin and gotten safe into Christ. Dear Cousin I charge you by the Lord to observe these things pray over them weep over them read them again and again do not pass them over as slight and ordinary things your soul is at stake it is your salvation is concerned in them think not I am in jest with you Ah Cousin I travel in birth with you till Christ be formed in you Why should you die Oh repent and live lay hold on eternel life win Christ and you win all O be thankful to the Lord that now you are fatherless and friendless yet you have one Remembrancer to warn you to flie from the wrath to come God forbid that I should find you at last in the place of Torments for your not embracing the godly Counsels To conclude in short I charge you as a Minister as a Friend as a Father to you Take heed of these three things 1. Left the gain of the world prove the loss of your soul 2. Left the snare of evil company withdraw you from God and so prove your final ruine 3. Left a lofty and a worldly heart should thrust you out of the Kingdom of Heaven God abhors that the proud should come near him Oh labour whatever you do for an humble heart be little be vile in your own eyes seek not after great things be poor in spirit without this Heaven will be no place for you God will be no friend to you Dear Cousin your lot is fallen as I fear in a place of great wickedness where your soul is in much danger where your temptations are many and your helps for Heaven but few where godly examples are rare and many will entice you to sin and vanity O! if you love me or love your soul look about you consider your danger fear lest you should miscarry for ever by worldly loss and vain company which proves to so many the fearful cause of their eternal perdition I can but warn you and pray for you but though you have none to oversee you remember the strict and severe eye of God is upon you to observe all your actions and that he will surely bring all your practices into his Judgment Your Aunt with my self commend our dear love to you and I commend you to the Lord and remain Your loving and careful uncle JOSEPH ALLEINE August 19. 1668. LETTER XXXVII Dear Cousins THough you are removed far from me out of my sight and the Seas as a great gulf are fixed betwixt you and me yet my prayers follow you and my good wishes for your present and everlasting welfare like the wings of a Dove take speedy flight I look upon my self now God hath removed my Brother to be as in the room of a Father to you yea and of a Mother too for I know you have but little help from her My dear Neeces my heart is careful for you and therefore I cannot cease while I am in being in this world to warn and admonish you as my children and to call upon you in the name of the Eternal God to awaken your selves with all godly fear and holy diligence lest by any means you should come short of the glory of God Let me mind you dear Cousins of
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
are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Verily Sir it is but a very little while that Prisons shall hold us or that we shall dwell in dirty flesh 〈◊〉 tells us of 〈◊〉 that he was ashamed to see himself in the Body to see a divine and immortal Soul in a 〈◊〉 of Flesh for so they held the body to be but the worst shackles are those of sin Well they must shortly off all together our Lord doth not long intend us for this lower Region Surely he is gone to prepare a place for us Doubtless it is so yea and he will come again and receive us to himself that where he is we may be also And what have we to do but to believe and wait and love and long and look out for his coming in which is all our hope 'T will be time enough for us to be preferred then We know before hand who shall then be uppermost Our Lord hath shewed us where our place shall be even at his own right hand and what he will say to us Come ye blessed c. Surely we shall stand in his Judgment He hath promised to stand our Friend Let us look for the joyful day As sure as there is a God this day will come and then it shall go well with us What if Bonds and Banishments abide us for a season This is nothing but what our Lord hath told us The world shall rejoyce but ye shall weep and lament You shall be sorrowful but your sorrow shall be turned into joy Oh how reviving are his words I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you If that miserable wretch leapt chearfully off the Ladder saying I shall be a Queen in Hell With what joy should we do and suffer for God who have his Truth in pawn that we shall be Crown'd in Heaven Verily they are wonderful Preparations that are making for us The Lord prepare us apace and make us meet to be Partakers It was the highest Commendation that ever that Worthy R. Baxter received which fell from the Pen of his scoffing Adversary Tilenus who saith of him Totum Puritanismum totus spirat Oh that this may be true of us and ours Let your true yoke-fellow and my Christian Friends with you in the Bonds of the Gospel have my hearty Commendations And these Counsels I pray you give them from me for the improving of their present state 1. To habituate themselves both as to their thoughts and discourses more throughly than ever unto Holiness Brethren I would teach you the Lesson that I resolve to learn with you That your minds and tongues may as naturally run on the things of Heaven as others on the things of this world Why should it not be thus I am sure God and Heaven do as well deserve to be thought on and talked of by us as froth and vanity can deserve of the world There are many that have in a great measure learnt this lesson and why should not we be some of them What if it be hard at first Every thing is so to a beginner Besides is not ours a Religion of self-denial Further if we do but force our selves a while to holy Thoughts and Heavenly Discourse it will grow habitual to us and then it will be most natural familiar and heavenly sweet Oh what gainers will you be if you do but learn this Lesson Verily it 's the shame of Religion that Christians are so unlike themselves unless upon their knees Sirs our lives and language should tell the world what we are and whither we are going Christians let little things content you in the world but aspire after great things in the grace of God Many real Christians do little think what high frames of Holiness they might grow up to even in this life with pains and diligence Sirs be you men of great designs Think it not enough if you have wherewith to bear your charges to Heaven but aspire with an holy ambition to be great in the Court of Heaven Favourites of the most High of 〈◊〉 growth great experience singular communion that you may burn and shine in your places and convince the world that you may savour of Heaven where ever you come and that there may be an even-spun thred of Holiness running through your whole course 'T is the disgrace of Profession that there is so little difference to be seen in the ordinary coversation of Believers from other men Is it not a shame that when we are in company with others this should be all the difference that is to be seen onely that we will not curse and swear as do the worst of men Christians if you will honour the Gospel bring forth your Religion out of your Closets the world can't see what you do there into your Shops Trades Visits c. and exemplifie the rules of Religion in the management of all your Relations and in your ordinary converse Let there be no Place or Company that you come into in which you do not drop something of God This will be the glory of Religion and we shall never convince the World till we come to this May you come my Brethren out of your Prisons with your faces shining having your minds seasoned and your tongues 〈◊〉 with Holiness May your mouths be as a Well of Life from whence may flow the Holy Streams of Edifying Discourse May you ever remember as you are sitting in your Houses going by the Way lying down rising up what the Lord doth then require of you Deut 6. 7. 2. To improve their present retirements from the World for the settling of their spiritual estates 'T is a common complaint amongst Christians That they want Assurance Oh if any of you that wanted Assurance when you came to Prison may carry that blessing out what happy gainers would you be Now you are called more than ever to self-searching Now bring your Graces to the Touchstone Be much in Self Observation See what your hearts do with most love and delight go out unto what are your greatest hopes and your chief designs See whether God's Intrest be uppermost in you prove this and prove all Rest not in probable hopes Think not that is enough that you can say you hope 't is well God lookes for extraordinary things from you under such great helps such extraordinary Dispensations Be restless till you can say that You know 't is well that you know you are passed from Death to Life Think not that this is a priviledge that only a few may expect Observe but these three things 1. To acquaint your selves throughly with the conditions of Life and take heed of laying the marks of Solvation cither too high or too low 2. To be much in observing the frame and bent and workings of your own hearts 3. To universally conscientious and to be constant in even and close walkings and then I
〈◊〉 of teeth They that do nothing else but laugh in this world shall do nothing else but weep in that to come And all their carnal joy will prove crackling of thorns under a pot soon in and soon out and flashes of Lightning before Eternal fire Use 3. And therefore in the third place since there are times to grieve and to express our grief in tears let this be a Caveat to us not to look for too much joy in this world Let us not cast too much upon it lest we be disappointed and deceived It 's that we are very apt to cozen and delude our selves about when we are on a merry pin and flourish in a prosperous estate it is our manner to conclude that we shall never have a storm again and that this happy time will never end And so we run upon a double inconvenience we grow remiss in making preparations for a time of sorrow and when it comes upon us unexpected it cuts the deeper and disquiets us the more How often shall you hear it from the mouths of some when any heavy Cross befals them alas they never dream'd of this they never look'd to see this doleful day The weaker and unwiser they Did they not know what they are born to trouble as the sparks fly upward so that they have a natural tendency to it That they are wandring in a vale of tears in which they must look out for many storms It was a pretty Speech of Seneca Dolor voluptas inhicem cedunt brevior voluptas Joy and sorrow have still their turns and entercourses here but Joy most commonly hath the speediest dispatch And therefore in the midst of Joy let us be wisely casting upon times of sorrow and making preparation and provision for them And that you may not saint either in the sence and feeling or in the apprehension and expectation of them I shall drop down a few Cordials 1. The times of tears and sorrow are better for us then the times of mirth and laughter And hence saith Solomon in the fore-alledged Scriptures Eceles 7. 2. It is better to go to the house of mourning then to the house of feasting Is it not a more pleasing good but is it a more profitable good though it be not more delightful yet it is more beneficial to be where there are tears and lamentations then to be where there is nothing else but laughter And that upon these two Accounts 1. Times of grief and tears prepare for grace They fit us for the work of holiness upon our souls They settle us and fix us and make us capable of good impressions When there is nothing else but mirth we have light and 〈◊〉 spirits our fancies rove our thoughts and our imaginations wander But when the Lord presenteth nothing else before our eyes but tears and lamentations this calleth home our thoughts It renders us unto our selves and makes us fit for holy motions We see it by experience that the very men who when they are upon a merry pin are sensless and incapable of any good they have such vain and foolish hearts when they are brought into a melting frame then they are mild and time as Lambs then they are pliable and flexible and tractable so that a little child may lead them If you visit them if you counsel and advise them for their good then you shall have their ears and hearts too 2. And as the times of grief and tears prepare for grace so they increase and further grace Grace will spring and grow the more for such showers as these are It prospers better in a 〈◊〉 and watred then in a dry and barren soyl And if you search the sacred Story you will find the greatest weepers to have been the greatest Saints As David Peter yea our Saviour Christ himself Indeed this precious Seed delights to have such dews as these the Seed of Prayer of Repentance yea that Immortal Seed the Word of God doth best when it is sown in tears When we repent in tears our hearts relent and melt most When we preach and pray in tears we move our selves and others most Si vts me flere dolendum est Primum ipsi tibi This Seed when it is watred thus springs up the faster and bringeth forth the more plentiful increase 2. These times of grief and tears will end at last and end in joy You shall weep saith Christ to his Apostles but your sorrow shall be turned into joy They that sow in tears shall reap in joy and he that goes forth weeping bearing precious Seed shall doubtless come again with rejoycing bringing his sheaves with him There is no doubt no question to be made of that and therefore it is bound with an Asseveration which takes away all scruple from it he shall doubtless come again with rejoycing bringing his sheaves with him It is the custome every where to have good chear and to be merry when they reap So it was among the Jews as you may see Deut. 16. 13 14. And therefore this is used in Scripture to express the greatest joy Isa. 9. 3. They shall rejoyce before thee according to the joy of harvest So though the Christian sows in rainy weather in a weeping time all shall be sweet and calm and fair when the reaping time comes He shall fit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven feeding on the hidden Manna and drinking of the pure and Crystal River of Water of Life proceeding from the Throne of God and of the Lamb and there they shall be merry all together When once he comes to God's immediate presence he shall have joy full joy yea the fulness of joy Psal. 16. last In his presence is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore 3. The joy that is to come will pay for all It will be such so plentiful and overflowing that it will make a full amends for all your present tears and sorrow It will quite overcome the sense and the remembrance of them Alas our trouble here is nothing in comparison it is a light and easie Burthen Our affliction is but short it continues but a moment but the time is drawing nigh when this little light sorrow shall be wholly swallowed up in endless and unutterable joy This short affliction which lasteth but a moment shall end in everlasting and unmixed pleasures 2 Cor. 4. 17. It worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Oh what transporting comfort is there many times in reaping the first fruits of the Spirit that we are ready to cry out if the first fruits be so sweet what will the Harvest be If the earnest be so great what will the Possession be When we shall be filled and satisfied with the delights that heaven yields to all eternity I could say as Peter once It is good to be here let us build Tabernacles here But I must hasten to another Observation Doct. 2. That we are
a great and signal mercy to himself and to his people And therefore Joab even rates him for it 2 Sam. 19. 5 and following verses Saith he Thou hast sham'd this day the faces of all thy servants who have sav'd thy life and the life of thy Sons and of thy Daughters and thy Wives Since thou hast 〈◊〉 thine Enemies and hated thy Friends and hast declar'd this day that thou regardest neither Princes nor Servants And I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all we had died this day it would have pleased thee well You see the reason of his immoderate and overflowing sorrow for him was his inordinate Affection to him Which was so out of measure great that when he heard the news his passion wrought and he was hasting to a room to give it vent But alas he cannot hold till he come thither but discharges at the stairs as he is going up 2 Sam. 18. 33. He wept as he went and said O my Son Absalom my Son Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my Son my Son You see then both that and why we are so ready to misplace our grief and to misapply our sorrow Use. The application of the point shall be for Caution and Direction both together To watch our hearts against it that so we lay not out our tears amiss Be circumspect that you do not misplace your grief and that you do not mistake the ground and object of your sorrow like these poor Daughters of Jerusalem who wept where they should not and wept not where they should Oh what a deal of grief do some men waste away when there is no cause at all How do many men take on when they are crost in prosecution of their lusts and hindred in their sins which is in deed a great mercy Oh what floods of tears do some men pour 〈◊〉 upon a petty flight occasion at a trifling accident Beloved tears if they be shed aright are precious things God puts them up into his Bottle as if they were of great value And yet some lay them out on nothing How will they weep and grieve at any disappointment in their small affairs any miscarriage in their business any little petty loss any unkindness from their friends or neighbours any affront or provocation in the least degree nay if they be but crossed in their wills though it be best indeed they should All their sorrow is bestowed on little trifling inconsiderable things Why my beloved have ye not other manner of things then these to grieve for what think you of your own sias with all their bloody aggravations what think you of the horrible Abominations and woful desolations of the Land And of all the wrath of God that hath been lately manitested and reveal'd from Heaven against us more ways then I am able to express I might be very large in shewing you particularly and distinctly both what you should and what you should not grieve for and giving you directions from the word of God about it But because the time spends and I would not be prevented of that which I have principally in my eye I shall pass over many other things that so I may apply my self to the occasion Methinks I see the clouds gather and return after the Rain And out of question many of you are come hither with a sufficient 〈◊〉 of sorrow your hearts are full of grief and your souls full of trouble and your bottles full of tears brim full You have drawn water and are ready to pour it our before the Lord this day My work shall be to guide you and direct you with our Saviour in the Text how to bestow these tears and how to spend this sorrow that you may not weep in vain I say to you as Christ doth to the Daughters of Jerusalem with a little alteration weep not for him whom the Lord hath taken from you but weep for your selves and for your Children 1. Weep not for him I know the loss of such an Able Faithful Painful zealous Minister of Christ as he was ought to be very much bewailed Men of such hidden worth as he had in him and of such publick use and service in the Church should not be raked up in their Graves without tear and lamentations Joash a wicked King wept for a good Prophet and that with very great affection 2 Kings 13. 14. He wept over his face and said My Father my Father the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof And if you mark the carriage of the Saints when such as he I mean our dear and worthy Brother have been taken from them it would warrant all the tears you have to spend on this occasion In the first of Kings 13. 30. You find a Prophet burying a Prophet and melting over him when he Inter'd him He laid his Carcase in the Grave and mourned over him and said alass my Brother How solemnly did Israel lament the death of Samuel and made their grief as remarkable and publick as their loss 1 Sam. 25. 1. It is observed of Stephen that he was carried by devout men to his burial with great lamentation Acts 8. 2. And God forbid that such an one as we have lost should die away as if he were not desired that he would steal into his Grave as if there were no notice taken of his Death No my Beloved weep and weep on sit down and weep till you can weep no more yet still I say weep not for him Your loss is unaccomptable indeed and time perhaps will shew it to be greater then as yet you see But tell me my Beloved is he a loser any way Nay is he not an infinite gainer Is not this best of all for him Indeed to have continued in the flesh was better for you as the Apostle states the case when he was 〈◊〉 Phil. 1. 24. But for him it was far better to be dissolved and to be with Christ. Now he enjoys a 〈◊〉 deliverance from all Corruptions all Temptations all Afflict 〈◊〉 A full return of all his Prayers and Breathings after God and Christ in which he was transported when he was drawing near his Glory A full reward of all his tiring and incessent Labours Oh blessed soul You know a Voice from Heaven hath said Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their Labours and their works follow them Therefore I say weep not for him There is one thing I must confess that makes this Providence the sadder to us You know it is the Prophet Davids Prayer Psal. 102. 24. O my God take me not away in the midst of my daies The Lord indeed hath taken him away in the midst of his days and in the midst of his Ministry But is he gone to Heaven too soon Too soon indeed for you but not for him Is he got home to his Fathers house too soon Is he with God and Christ and Angels and glorified Saints too
soon What doth he wish that he were back again with you Hath he his everlasting Rest too soon His glorious Recompence too soon Brethren he wrought a pace you know while he had strength and finished the work that God had given him to do betime So that it is no wonder though he hath his wages early sooner then such dull heavy Slugs as we are His life was short indeed though filled up with Grace and Duty and God hath made but an exchange of an Eternal one for it He was a burning and a shining light burning with enflamed Affections till the Oyl was spent and shining in an exemplary Conversation But this Lamp is not extinguished but only lighted up to flame and shine in a more glorious place And there he shall shine forth as the Sun for ever and ever So that I may say still weep not for him 2. But you will ask me For whom shall we weep then I answer for your selves and for your Children 1. Weep for your selves The Lord you see hath made a woful breach upon you as it is said of 〈◊〉 1 Sam 6. 8. And that your hearts remain unbroken they are unsutable to this heavy dispensation God hath remov'd his holy faithful servant not into a blind corner but into a dark pit The Grave hath newly shut her mouth upon him he is gone hence to be no more in this world You shall behold him now no more in the Land of the Living Your eyes shall see your Teacher here no more for ever You shall now be no more enlightened with his clear instructions No more enliven'd with his zealous Exhortations No more quickned with his fervent Prayers No more warm'd with his heavenly Discourses No more chear'd with his sweet Consolations No more guided by his holy Example The Lord hath made him up among his Jewels because indeed we were not worthy of such a precious Gemme as he was He hath in anger and displeasure pluckt away one of our Pillars as if he meant the House should fall And shall we be insensible of such a stroke Shall we have tears enough to waste upon our petty Losses and not to have a tear to spend on this Inestimable and Irreparable one Brethren you are allow'd to weep here though not for him yet for your selves And that especially in two respects 1. For the sins that you have done for they have made this sad work They are the true and real cause of all your Losses They are your sins that binder good things that they come not to you or take them quite away when they are come If God carry you a side into a Wilderness and strip you naked there of any mercy as if he meant to 〈◊〉 you to the purpose Your waies and your doing I have procured you these things such is your wickedness Believe it you have sinned some way or other against the Mercy which the Lord takes from you They are our sins against the Ordinances of the Lord that cause the Lord to take away our Ordinances from us They are our sins against the Ministers of Christ in that capacity as Ministers that provoke him to remove our Ministers from us yea many times to take away the Candlestick and Light together You may take up the Lamentation of the Church this day The Crown is faln from our heads wo to us for we have sinned They are our sins that 〈◊〉 and Impair and Kill our Ministers who are indeed the Churches Crown and the glory of Christ. Sometimes we overvalue them and then we kill them with kindness Sometimes we undervalue them and then we kill them with neglect and 〈◊〉 them do their work with grief Sometimes we are 〈◊〉 and unthankful and unfruitful and God calls away his Workmen out of the Vineyard that will yield no better Fruit. Nay sometimes we decline and grow remiss and cold and slat we lose our love to God and Christ and then he takes away our Beloved comforts from us And let me tell you some of you have backslidden grievously and sensibly abated of your former Zeal and Holiness and strictness in the Waies of God Yea sinned scandalously to the dishonour of Religion and the Gospel This grieved our dear Brother who will grieve no more now I had it from his Mouth and Pen how tenderly he took some late miscarriages and how near they went to him These things brought him low among you who was low enough before and made him to bewail many who have manifestly sinned and have not repented as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 12. 21. Oh how it wounded him after so many Labours and so many Sufferings for your establishment and confirmation to see such declinations and backslidings He might have said with the Apostle 1 Thes. 3. 8. Now I live if you stand fast in the Lord if not I die and dead he is Oh my dear Friends What have your sins done What hath your barrenness and your unfruitfulness and your backsliding done I know you lov'd him with a very high affection and have made it to appear in many outward declarations to your great praise But the best way to shew your love to the true Ministers of Christ Who seek not yours but you who seek not profit and applause but Fruit is to bear their just reproofs and to be amended by them to hear and obey them in their regular directions to follow all their good Examples For the Ministers of Christ are Samplers to the flock and Samplers must be wrought after And in a word to bring them in the return of all their Labours in Holiness and holy Walking that they may see the travel of their souls and be satisfied Nothing but this will satisfie them and make them do their work with Joy I know you lov'd him as there was cause enough you should but say in truth have you Improv'd him I am assur'd that many of you a considerable number have Improv'd him to the utmost of your power That you have made the most you could of his Indefatigable and Incessant pains among you That you have gather'd up the very Fragments of the Bread of Life and pick'd up the very Crums that nothing might be lost That you have eyed his exemplary Conversation and walked according to your pattern And this I make no question is no small comfort to you in this doleful day But have you all done this Are there no secret Stitches at the Hearts of any of you upon this consideration He spent his strength indeed among you he wasted and consumed himself that you might flourish But tell mee have there been answerable Fruits among you of Holiness and Obedience When he Fed you have you prosper'd He got a poor lean wither'd Body that you might have fat Souls And are you all fat and well liking Oh what lean Souls have some of you who have attended on his Ministry even to his dying day How hath your rich and fat Pasture been
cast away upon you So that our Brother might have said in reference to many as the Prophet did I have spent my strength in vain However he is glorious with his God But I am very much afraid that many of you will find this holy witness who is now ascended Witnessing against you when the day of trial comes Dear Friends Be not offended if I tell you that your sins have had a stroke in the Sickness and the Weakness and the death of your deservedly beloved Minister They were our sins that killed Christ He was bruised for our iniquities and broken for our sins He bare our sins in his Body on the Tree And so they are our sins that kill the Ministers of Christ. You have often seen your Saviour slain before you by and for your sins Now you have seen a holy Minister of his slain by the same hands And yet your sins live still to do more such work and the Lord knows where it will end There is no Execution done upon them who have done such dreadful Execution in our view Oh let your hearts break and your Tears run down till your Lusts be broken mortified and destroyed or else they will break you and destroy you If you have any love to Christ to the Ministers of Christ or to your Selves you may see cause enough to weep though not for our deceased Brother yet for your selves and for your sins That 's the first thing then weep for the sins that you have done 2. For the Judgments that now you may be like to suffer To this our Saviour referreth in the Text weep for your selves and for your children That is for the extremity of Wrath and 〈◊〉 V engeance that is about to come on you and them Even so say I to you my Brethren with the Apostle James 5. 1. Go to now weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you Oh let not that complaint of the Prophet Isaiah 57. 1. Be renewed against you The Righteous perisheth and no man laieth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the Righteous is taken away from the evil to come Our dear Brother now deceased was a Righteous man yea a Preacher of Righteousness The Lord you see hath taken him away Oh what evil is to come When such as he are hous'd what dreadful storms may there be like to fall Brethren the holy Ministers of God are the peoples Life-guard The Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof 2 Kings 13. 14. They are anointed Cherubs that Cover They are a Shelter and a Covering from the Storm and from the Rain Sometimes they are called Shepherds and the business of a Shepherd is to keep and save the Flock Sometimes they are called Angels and Angels are the Guardians of the Lords people They Guard and Cover and Protect a People Now this they do while they instruct them so to walk that wrath may not come upon them while they Intercede with God and stand up in the breach to keep out the Indignation that is flowing in upon it A praying Minister and such a one have you lost one that bare you on his Heart continually before the Lord as Aaron did the names of Israel on his Breast-plate I say a praying Minister is a Protection to the People It s true the fervent Prayers of the meanest Saint are an Incredible defence to any place to save it from the shokes of God And therefore even they are stiled Intercessors Isa. 59. 16. Because they mediate with God when he is Angry and by their zealous Supplications hold his hands But yet however though it be a certain truth that God hath much respect to the Petitions of his weakest Servants yea though perhaps some private Christians may Excel a holy Minister in Prayer yet God hath more regard to the Intreaties of his faithful Ministers who have a special Charge and commission to be his Remembrancers for the good of that People which he 〈◊〉 to their charge and their Petitions are of more avail and power with God both to Procure his Blessings and avert his Judgments Moses and Aaron among the Priests and Samuel among them that call on his Name They called upon the Lord and he answered them Psal. 99. 6. Why doubtless so he heard the Prayers of his other Saints But these his holy Priests and Prophets had the Ear of God as special Favourites have their Princes Ears and could be Heard and Answered when others were denied Access and Audience And this is not obseurely Intimated in that Protestation of the Lord to Israel concerning their approaching Desolation Ezek. 14. 14. Though these three men Noah Daniel and Job were in it they should deliver but their own souls By which he insinuates that when the absolute Decree is once gone forth it can by no means be revok'd so he suggests withal that if it had been feasible these holy 〈◊〉 would have done it q. d. were those three men in Israel they would put me to it hard and try me shrewdly to forbear the Land I should be hardly able to deny them He said he would destroy them had not Moses stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath Psal. 106. 23. Oh how did Moses stand against him and bind the Hands of the Almighty when he was about to strike So that the Lord intreats and flatters with him to let him alone Exod. 32. 10. While such as Moses are Intercessors for a People God forbears he holds his Hands and restrains his Indignation as he that means to strike observes what strength there will be likely to oppose him And when he looks and sees that there is no Intercessor then he goes on with his design Isa. 59. 16. Then his Arm brings Salvation to him and he puts on the Garments of Vengeance Brethren you are in greater danger then you are aware by the removal of your Praying Minister For you have lost one Intercessor if any breach should happen between God and you Yea you have lost your Covering if a storm of Wrath should fall So that it may be said of you as it was once of Israel when Moses was a way that you are naked And what are you in Laodicea's case indeed Do you not know that you are naked Are you naked and are you not afraid Are you naked and not ashamed This would become a state of Innocence indeed in which it was observed of Adam and his Wife that they were both naked and were not 〈◊〉 Gen. 2. 5. But will it suit with such a state of sin and danger as the best of you are in Do you not find your selves uncovered Have you no sense and feeling of it Especially at such a time as this when the Judgments of the Lord are abroad upon the Earth upon the Land upon this very place in which you live more waies then I am able to express Alas alas you are uncovered whether you know it
Justices and Judges That they should be sent beyond Sea or carried to some Island where they should be kept close Prisoners yet the Lord preserved them by his Power and thus ordered it that their Imprisonment was a great furtherance to the Gospel and brought much Glory to him both by their Preaching and Conversing with Souls In which they had great Success through his Blessing on their Labours My Husband having here more freedom made a little Book Entituled A Call to Archippus to stir up his Non-conforming Brethren to be diligent at their Work whatsoever Dangers and Sufferings they might meet withal And because he could not go to his Flock he had prepared for them The Synopsis of the Covenant which was after placed into one of my Fathers Books And for the help of the Governours of Families in their Weekly Catechizing those under their charge he explained all the Assemblies shorter Chatechism to which he annexed an affectionate Letter with Rules for their daily Examination which were Printed and Dispersed into all their Houses by his Orde while he was a Prisoner He also writ many Holy and Gracious and affectionate Letters to all his Relations and many other Friends to many Churches of Christ in other parts and places both far and near His Sufferings that he underwent for the sake of the Gospel could neither remit his Zeal not abate his Activity for God but he would gladly imbrace all Opportunities of doing him Service The Minister who was appointed to Preach at certain times to the Fellons in the Prison being by sickness disabled for that Work he freely performed that Office among them as long as he was permitted earnestly exhorting them by Repentance towards God and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ to secure the eternal welfare of their Souls freely bestowing upon them according to his Ability for their Relief that by doing good to their Bodies he might win upon them to receive good for their Souls He was very forward to promote the Education of Youth in the Town of Ilchester and Country adjacent freely bestowing Catechisms on those that were of poor Families to instruct them in the Principles of Religion stirring up the Elder to Teach and incouraging the Younger to Learn He was a serious and faithful Monitor to his fellow Sufferers if he espyed any thing in any of them that did not become the Gospel for which they suffered Here as else-where he was a careful redeemer of his time his constant practice was early to begin the day with God rising about four of the Clock and spending a considerable part of the Morning in Meditation and Prayer and then falling close to his Study in some corner or other of the Prison where he could be private At times he would spend near the whole Night in these Exercises not putting off his Clothes at all onely taking the repose of an hour or two in his Night-Gown upon the Bed and so up again When any came to visit him he did not entertain them with needless impertinent Discourse but that which was serious profitable and edifying in which he was careful to apply himself to them according to their several capacities whether Elder or Younger exhorting them to those gracious Practices which by reason of their Age or Temper Calling or Condition he apprehended they might be most defective in and dehorting them from those Evils they might be most prone and lyable unto He rejoyced that he was accounted worthy to suffer for the Work of Christ and he would labour to incourage the timerous and faint-hearted by his own and others experience of the Mercy and Goodness of God in Prison which was far beyond what they could have thought or expected He was a careful observer of that Rule of the Lord Jesus Mat. 5. 44. Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you It was none of his practice to exclaim against those that were the greatest Instruments of his Sufferings In all his Imprisonment at present I could not discern his Health to be the least impaired notwithstanding his abundant Labours but cannot but suspect as the Physitians judged that he had laid the foundation for that Weakness which suddenly after surprised him and was his death At his return from the Prison he was far more earnest in his Work than before yet willing to preserve his liberty among his People who had no Minister that had the oversight of them though some came and preached while he was absent And the People flocked so greatly after him that he judged it best to divide the Company into four and resolved to Preach four times each Sabbath to them But finding sensibly that would be too hard for him his strength much decaying he did forbear that course and preacht only twice a Sabbath as formerly and often on Week-days at Home and in the Countrey and spent what time he had else from his studying in private converse with God as formerly he had done Pressing all that feared the Lord especially those that were of a more weak and timerous Spirit to a life of Courage and Activity for God and to be much in helping one another by their Converses now Ministers were withdrawn and to be much in the Work of Praises and Thanksgiving to God rejoycing and delighting themselves in him and with chearfulness and readiness denying themselves for him and resigning themselves and all they did enjoy to him Letting the World know they could live comfortably on a God alone on his Attributes and Promises though they should have nothing else left But it pleased the All-wise God to take him off from the eager pursuit of his Work and designs for him by visiting him in the later end of August with much Weakness so that he had not above three months time after he came out of Prison For he going about sixteen miles at the request of a Society whose Pastor was not able to come among them to Preach and to Administer a more solemn Ordinance he was so disabled that he was able not to perform the great and chief Work though he did adventure to Preach but with much injury to himself because he would not wholly disappoint the People who came so far as many of them did With much difficulty after three or four dayes I made way to get him home to Taunton where we then sojourned and presently had the best Advice the most Able Physitians both in and round the Town could give who advised together and all judged it to be from his abundant Labours and the Preaching too soon after his Meals as he did when he Preacht four times a Sabbath whereby he had so abated the natural heat of his Stomach that no Food would digest nor oftentimes keep within him He would assure us he was in no pain but a constant discomposure in his Stomach and a failing of his Appetite that
the wicked World look then O come let us make haste our Lord will come shortly let us prepare If we long to be in Heaven let us hasten with our Work for when that is done away we shall be fetcht O this vain foolish dirty World I wonder how reasonable Creatures can so dote upon it What is in it worth the looking after I care not to be in it longer than while my Mvster hath either doing or suffering work for me were that done farewel to Earth He was much in commending the Love of Christ and from that exciting himself and me to obedience to him often speaking of his Sufferings and of his Glory 〈◊〉 Of his Love-Letters as he called the Holy History of his Life Death Resurrection Ascention and his Second coming The thoughts of which he seemed alwayes to be much ravished with He would be frequently reckoning the choice Tokens Christ had sent him which I remember he would frequently reckon up 1. The Pardon of Sin 2. A Patent for Heaven 3. The Gift of the Spirit 4. The Robe of his Righteousness 5. The spoyles of Enemies 6. The Charter of all Liberties and Priviledges 7. The Guard of his Angels The consideration of this last he did frequently solace himself in saying to me often when we lived alone in the Prison and divers other Places Well my Dear though we have not our Attendants and Servants as the Great Ones and Rich of the World have we have the Blessed Angels of God still to wait upon us to minister to us and to watch over us while we are sleeping to be with us when journeying and still to preserve us from the rage of Men and Devils He was exceedingly affected with the three last Chapters of Saint John's Gospel especially Christ's parting Words and Prayer for his Disciples But it is time for me to set a stop to my Pen God did pour into him and he did pour out so much that it was scarce possible to retain the Converses of one day without a constant Register His Heart his Lips his Life was filled up with Grace In which he did thine both in Health and Sickness Prosperity and Adversity in Prison and at Liberty in his own House and in the Churches of Christ where-ever he came I never heard any that conversed with him but would acknowledge it was to their advantage At my Husbands first coming to Taunton he was entertained by Mr. Newton as a Sojourner and after he was ordained in Taunton in a Publick Association Meeting he administred all Ordinances joyntly with him though he were but an Assistant Mr. Newton would have it so who dearly loved him and highly esteemed of him and seeing him restless in his Spirit and putting himself to many tedious Journeys to visit me as he did once a Fortnight 25 miles he perswaded him to marry contrary to our purpose we resolving to have lived much longer single The 4th of October 1655. after a year and two Months acquaintance our Marriage was consummated And we lived together with Mr. Newton near two years where we were most courteously entertained and then hopeing to be more useful in our Station we took a House and I having been alwayes bred to work undertook to teach a School and had many Tablers and Scholars our Family being seldome less than Twenty and many times Thirty My School usually fifty or sixty of the Town and other places And the Lord was pleased to bless us exceedingly in our endeavours So that many were converted in a few years that were before Strangers to God All our Scholars called him Father And indeed he had far more care of them than most of their natural Parents and was most tenderly affectionate to them but especially to their Souls His course in his Family was Prayer and reading the Scriptures and singing twice a day except when he catechised which was constantly once if not twice a Week Of every Chapter that was read he expected an account of and of every Sermon either to himself or me He dealt with them and his Servants frequently together and apart about their Spiritual states pressing them to all their Duties both of First and Second-Table and calling them strictly to account Whether they did not omit them He also gave them Books suitable to their Capacities and Condition which they gave a weekly account of to him or me but too often by publick Work was he diverted as I am apt to think who knew not so well what was to be preferred His Lords-Days Work was great for though he Preacht but once in his own Place yet he was either desired by some of his Brethren to supply theirs on any Exigency or would go where was no Minister and so was forced often to leave his Family to me to my great grief and loss In his Repetitions in Publick as well as Catechising his own Family came all in their turns to Answer in the Congregation both Scholars and Servants When I have pleaded with him for more of his time with my Self and Family he would answer me His Ministerial Work would not permit him to be so constant as he would for if he had Ten Bodies and Souls he could imploy them all in and about Taunton And would say Ah my Dear I know thy Soul is safe But how many that are Perishing have I to look after O that I could do more for them He was a Holy Heavenly Tenderly-Affectionate Husband and I know nothing I could complain of but that he was so taken up that I could have but very little converse with him His love was expressed to me in his great care for me Sick and Well in his Provision for me in his Delight in my Company saying often He could not bear to be from me but when he was with God or imployed for him and that often it was hard for him to deny himself to be so long absent It was irksome to him to make a Meal without me nor would he manage any Affair almost without conversing with me concealing nothing from me that was fit for me to know being far from the Temper of those Husbands who hide all their Concerns from their Wives which he could not indure to hear of especially in Good Men. He was a faithful reprover of any thing he saw amiss in me which I took as a great evidence of his real good will to my Soul and if in any thing he gave me offence which was but seldom so far would he deny himself as to acknowledge it and desire me to pass it by professing to me he could never rest till he had done so and the like I was ready to do to him as there was far more reason by which course if any difference did arise it was soon over with us He was a very tender Master to his Servants every way expressing it to their Souls and Bodies giving them that incouragement in their places they could desire expecting from his whole
Be strong in the Lord my Brethren be patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draws nigh In nothing be terrified by your adversaries Now let those that fear the Lord be often speaking one to another I hear that Satan is practising to send more of you after me I desire and pray for your liberty but if any of you be forced hither for the the testimony of the Gospel I shall embrace you with both arms Fare you well my most dearly Beloved be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you My Brethren in Bonds salute you with much affection rejoycing to behold your order and the stedfastness of your Faith in Christ share my heart among you and know that I am The willing Servant of your Faith and Joy Joseph Aleine From the common Gaol at Juelchester September 28. 1663. LETTER X. The Love of Christ. To my Beloved in the Lord the Flock of Christ in Taunton Grace and Peace Most Loving and best Beloved MY heart is with you my affections are espoused to you And methinks I could even say with the Apostle you are in my heart to live and die with you and who can but love where they have received so much love and continually do as I have from you the Lord require your love which is great and if compared with his but little with his which is infinite this is a love worthy of your ambition worthy of your adoration and admiration This is the Womb that bore you from eternity and out of which have burst forth all the Mercies Spiritual and Temporal that you enjoy This was the love that chose you when less Offenders and those that being converted might have been a hundred fold more serviceable to their Makers Glory are left to perish in their fins May your souls be filled with the sense of this love But it may be you will say how shall I know if I am an object of Electing love least an unbelieving thought should damp your joy know in short that if you have chosen God he hath certainly chosen you Have you taken him for your blessedness and do you more highly prize and more diligently seek after conformity to him and the fruition of him than any than all the goods of this World If so then away with doubts for you could not have loved and have chosen him unless he had loved you first Now may my Beloved dwell continually in the thoughts the views the tastes of the love Get you down under its shadows and taste its pleasant Fruits Oh the Provisions that love hath made for you before the Foundation of the World Ah silly dust that ever thou shouldest be thought upon so long before thou wast that the contrivances of the infinite Wisdom should be taken up about thee that such a Crawling thing such a Mire a Flea should have the consultations of the Eternal Diety exercised about thee verily his love to thee is wonderful Lord what is man thou tellest us he is Dust and Vanity a Worm nothing less than nothing how then dost thou love him oh wonderful be astonished yea Heavens at this be moved ye strong foundation of the Earth Fall down yea Elders strike up ye Heavenly Quires and sing yet again Glory to God in the highest for all our strings would crack to reach the Notes of love praise and admiration that this love doth call for Oh that ever emptiness and vanity should be thus prized that Jehovah should make account of so worthless so useless a thing as man that ever baseness should be thus preferred that ever nothing should be thus dignified that ever rottenness should be thus advanced a Clod a shaddow Potsheard should be thus glorified Oh Brethren study I beseech you not to require or retaliate there 's impossibility and blaspemy in such a thought but to admire and imitate his love Let love constrain you let love put you upon doing and prepare you for suffering forget not a love so memorable undervalue not a love so unvaluable I would have you all the captives of love may the cords of love draw you towards and knit you to your Redeemer may the divided streams be united in him Alas that our souls are so narrow that the Waters are so shallow with us how little how very little would our love be it he had it all infinitely less than the Glow-worm to the Sun or the Attome to the Universe and have we any of this little to spare for him oh that we might love him with our little All that all our little powers were ingaged for him Brethren here is no excess oh love the Lord ye his Saints he is worthy for whom you shall do this Do but think what love hath done for you and think if you can what it means to do for you This is the love that yarned upon you when in your Blood no eye pitying you This is the love that took you up when you were Robbed and wounded and left for dead and poured in Wine and Oyl into your wounds This is that love that reprieved and spared and pardoned when the Law had condemned you and Justice would have had you delivered up and your Self-condemning consciences gave up all for lost concluding there was no hope This is the love the expensive love that bought you from the power of darkness from the eternal burnings the devouring fire in which you must otherwise have dwelt Do you not remember how you were hungry and it fed you naked and it cloathed you strangers and it took you in sick and it visited you in Prison and it came unto you you were dead and are alive you were lost and are found And me thinks I see how love runs to meet you and falls upon your necks and kisseth the Lips that deserve to be loathed and rejoyces over you and makes a Festival and as it were a Holiday in Heaven for you inviting Angels to rejoyce And if the friends do rejoyce how much more doth the father for saith he These my Sons were dead and are alive were lost aud are found Oh melting love ah Brethren how strange is this that our recovery should be Heavens triumph the joy of God and Angels That this love should feast us and feast over us and our Birth day should be kept in Heaven that this should be the round at Heavens Table and the burden of the Songs above For this my Son was dead and is alive and well what remains but that you should be another manner of People than ever yet you have been more Holy more humble more even more resolved more lively more active where is your Zeal for the Lord of Hosts will slender returns suffice you in answer to such a love God forbid But necessity calls me off from going any further May the love that chose you and redeemed you for ever dwell in you and
feelingly doth he cry out at the hurt of his poor Members on Earth Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Oh of what quick Sense is the Sense of our dear Lord unto us when we are touched on Earth he feels it in Heaven Brethren Christ is real in all that he speaks unto you He is not like a flourishing Lover who fills up his Letters with Rhetorick and hath more care of the dress of his Speech than of the Truth Who ever gave Demonstration of the reallity of his Love at so dear a rate as Christ hath done Men do not use to die in jest Who will impoverish himself to enrich his Friend and divest himself of his honour to advance him and debase himself to admiration below his own degree to contract affinity with him and all this but to make him believe that he loves him Brethren possess your very hearts with this that Christs love doth go out with infinite dearness towards you Even now while he is in all his Glory he earnestly remembers you still This is the High Priest that now is entred into the Holy of Holies doth bear your names particularly remembring every poor believer by name He bears your names but where upon his Brest-plate upon his Heart saith the Text Exod. 28. 29. Ah Christians I may salute you as the Angel did Mary Hail you that are highly favoured Blessed are you among men Sure your Lot is fallen in an happy place What in the Bosom of Christ yea and verily you may believe and doubt not I may apply that of Gabriel O Daniel thou art greatly beloved unto you you are beloved indeed to have your Names written upon the very heart of Christ now he is in Glory Oh let his Name be written then on your hearts Do not write his Name in the Sand when he hath written yours upon his own Brest Do not forget him who hath taken such care that while he is he may never forget you having recorded your Names not onely on his Book but on his Flesh and set you as a Seal upon his Heart He hath you upon his heart but why For a memorial before the Lord continually so saith the Text. Beloved your Lord is so far from forgetting you in all his Greatness and Glory that he is gone into heaven on purpose there to present you before the Lord that you may be alwaies in remembrance before him O Beloved Glory yea and Triumph in his Love Doubtless it must go well with us Who shall condemn It is Christ that died and rose again and is now making Intercession His Interest is potent He is alwaies present Our Advocate is never out of Court Never did Cause miscarry in his hand Trust you safely in him Happy is that man for whom he shall undertake to speak Oh the Riches of Christs Love He did not think it enough to die for You. His Love and care doth not end with his natural Life on Earth but he ever liveth to make Intercession for us His Love is like his Life ever ever Knowing no remission in degree nor intermission of time no cessation of working but is ever ever in motion towards us But when shall I end if I suffer my Soul to run out its length and my running Pen to enlarge according to the demensions of this boundless Field of Divine Love If the Pens of all the World were imployed to write Volumes of Love if the Tongues of all the living were exercised in nothing else but talking of this love If all the Hearts that be were made up of Love and all the Powers and affections of the mind were turned into one to wit the power of Love yet this were no less than infinitely too little either to conceive or to express the greatness of Christs Love O my dearly Beloved may your Souls be swallowed up in this Love Think and think while you will you can never think how much You are beloved See that ye love again by way of Gratitude though not of Requital What though your Souls be but narrow and your powers but little yet love him with all you have Love him with all your hearts and all your strength To the Meditations and to the Embraces of Divine Love I leave you thinking it now not worth while to tell You of my Love Remaining Yours in the Bonds of your most dear Lord Jesus JOS. ALLEINE August 11. 1665. LETTER XXIX Warning to Professors of their Danger To the most Beloved People the Servants of God in Taunton Salvation Most dear Friends MY top Joy is that my Beloved is mine and I am his but next to that I have no Joy so great as that You are mine and I am yours and You are Christs My Relation to Christ is above all He is my Life and my Peace my Riches and my Righteousness He is my Hope and my Strength and mine Inheritance and my Rejoycing In him will I please my self for ever and in him will I glory I esteem my self most Happy and Rich and safe in him though of my self I am nothing In him I may boast without Pride and glory without Vanity Here is no danger of being overmuch pleased neither can the Christian exceed his Bounds in overvaluing his own Riches and Happiness in Christ. I am greatly pleased with the Lot that is fallen to me The Lord hath dealt bountifully with me and none shall stop this my confidence of boasting in Christ. But as my Lot in him is above all so I will assure You it is no small content to me that my Lot is fallen with You. And though many difficulties have fallen to my Lot among You for I have broken my health and lost my Liberty once and again for Your sakes yet none of these things move me I wish nothing more then to spend and to be spent upon the service of your Faith I bless the Lord for it as an invaluable Mercy that ever he called me to be an Embassadour of the Lord Jesus Christ to You-wards In this station I desire to approve my self to him and that I am withdrawn from my Work for a season it is but that I may return to you refreshed and inabled for my Work among You. You may not think that I have forgotten You and consulted my own ease and pleasure but if God prosper my Intentions I shall be found to have been daily serving You in this Retirement I will assure You I am very tender of preserving all that little strength that God doth add to me entirely for Your sakes being resolved not so much as once to broach the Vessel till I draw forth to You. I bless the Lord I am in great tranquility here in this Town and walk up and down the Corporation without any Questioning me Onely it hath pleased the Lord to add to my Affliction since my coming by taking away my dear Father the day of whose glorious Translation was the day after my arriving here But I bless the
Lord I do believe and expect the return of the Redeemer with all his Saints and the most glorious Resurrection of my own dead Body with all Believers and this makes me to rest in Hope and fills me with unspeakable more Joy than the death of my self or any other Saint can with grief And now I make it my business to be rendred serviceable to you and do by this return You my hearty thanks for your earnest Prayers and Intercessiors to God in my behalf for it is he that must do the Cure I seem to my self to be ritired to this place as a Vessel rent and shatter'd and torn in the Service that is come to recruit in the Harbour And here I am as it were rigging and repairing and Victualling to put forth again in the Service which I shall do with the first Wind as soon as I am ready What is my life unless I am serviceable And though I must for the present forbear my wonted Labour yet I shall not cease to exhort You and call upon you while I am absent from You to stand fast and to grow up in your holy Faith Be warned my dearly Beloved that You fall not upon these 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 found a meer Idolater Many a Soul goes down to Hell in this sin in the midst of his Profession and never 〈◊〉 it till it be too late Remember I beseech You that the Oxen the Farm Wife Merchandize all of them lawful Comforts did as effectually keep men from a sound and saving closing with Christ as the vilest lufts of the worst of men Whatever You find your hearts very much pleased in and in love with among these earthly Comforts set a mark upon that thing and remember that there lies your greatest danger What you love most you must fear most and think often with your selves This if any thing is like to be my ruine Oh the multitudes of Professors that perish for ever by the secret hand of this mortal Enemy I mean the over-valuing of Earthly things The hearers compared to the thorny 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 affection 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 are 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 those are their chief Care and their chief Joy Such must know and 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 Secondly Lest while iniquity doth abound your love to Christ doth wax cold Remember what an Abomination Laodicoa was to Christ because she grow so luke-warm and what a controversie he had with Ephesus a sound Church because she did but slacken 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 fully now he is most rejected and opposed Thirdly Lest you keep up a 〈◊〉 and fruitless Profession without 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 and hearing all the Week long and yet be not one jot the further Many there are that keep 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 Laodicea 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 loving and most Dearly 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 Lord hath committed to me for the furtherance of your Salvation How long Lord how long shall I dwell in silence How long shall my Tongue cleave to the Roof 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 methinks 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