Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
grace_n	faith_n	justification_n	sanctification_n	4,477	5	10.0495	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A23622	The life & death of Mr. Joseph Alleine, late teacher of the church at Taunton, in Somersetshire, 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.	Alleine, Theodosia.; Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.; Alleine, Joseph, 1634-1668. Christian letters full of spiritual instructions.; Newton, George, 1602-1681. Sermon preached at the funeral of Mr. Joseph Alleine.	1672 (1672)	Wing A1013_PARTIAL; Wing N1047_PARTIAL; ESTC R19966	231,985	333

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

Covenant-keeping and greatly to urge men to deliberate well-grounded Resolutions in this Holy Covenant as one that understood that Baptizing is truly Christening and that Baptism and the Lord's-Supper are our Sacramental Covenanting and that we need no new Descriptions nor Characters of Grace and Church-Titles if we understand what these Sacraments truly mean So God was pleased to give him a certainty and sense of his Divine Faithfulness in fulfilling the Promises of his Covenant and a lively sense of all the benefits of it and his Faith in God for the performance of his part was as strong and fixed as was his own Resolution in the strength of Grace to be true to God I compare not his resolution to God's Fidelity for what comparison between God and Man but onely to his belief of God's Fidelity and his comfort in the assurance of the Conclusion And as he was resolved through Grace never to forsake Christ so Christ did never fail him nor forsake him And in his Ministry in his Sufferings and his Death this Faith this Hope this Heavenly Joy was his support and strength and in the Valley of the shadow of Death he feared no evil But when his flesh and heart failed as to natural strength the Lord was the Rock or Strength of his Heart and never failed him Psal. 73. 25. Let me die the death of the Righteous and let my last end be like his I have premised this general Skeleton as Limners and Builders first draw the Pillars and Stamina of their Work which the following Narratives will fill up And I have given you this general Index or Contents of what is distinctly contained in the Sequel For the History is not drawn up by one Hand nor as by one that intended rather to shew what he could say than what the Person was and did But it is the brief Account of the several parts of his Life drawn up by several of his most worthy and judicious Friends that were present or most intimate and familiar with him And I take this to be the best Advantage to a History as to the Truth which should satisfie the Incredulous though not as to Uniformity and a fluid Stile which might please the Curious For a Man's Life is like a War or Battle No dispersed War no nor any one particular Battle can fully be described by the Observations of any one man alone But one Man is but in one place and seeth onely that which is within his own prospect which his proper station did advantage him to see But when Intelligent Men from each part of the Army do every one bring in their several Narratives all set together may be a satisfactory History of the whole War or Fight So when a Man's course of Life is transient and one is his Familiar in his Youth and another at riper Age one in the University and another in the Ministry one in Prison and another at Home one in Health and another at Death it is no one of himself that can credibly report the whole And therefore though by variety of Stile it may seem a Ceuto or incongruously composed yet Truth being the Soul of History that 's best which is best fitted to the lovers of Truth And though one part be written by a Woman his Widow and another by his Reverend Father in Law another by that worthy Pastor whom he assisted another by a Fellow Minister and another by a Scholar of his intimate Acquaintance c. Yet is there such Agreement in them all and such Evidence of unquestionable Verity especially to all that know these Worthy and Faithful Persons that for my part I take it as coming to me with greater advantage than if it had been an evener Thred drawn out by one skilful Hand alone as the writing of the History of Christ by the four Evangelists is advantagious to the Christian Faith The plainness and open Breast of a Godly Widow and of so many Holy and most credible Friends is another kind of Evidence than the contrived History of a Learned Man which is fitted to the Interest of a Party to which the persons Fame and Honour seemeth requisite I know not how a History of this Nature could come to the World with fairer humane Evidence of unquestionable credibility than this doth And let Posterity know for I need not tell it to this present Age who live in the Light that though this Servant of Christ excelled very many of his Brethren yet it is not that such men are wonders in this Age that his Life is singled out to be recorded to Posterity But because his affectionate Friends and Auditors are forwarder than many others hereby to tell the World what Effects his Holy Doctrine and Example hath left upon their hearts It makes the Writers heart to bleed to think how many thousands of Souls do perish by Ignorance and ungodliness even in England and how many vast Kingdoms of the World are deprived of the Gospel If you ask What Labours he hath left behind him I Answer First The great numbers of Holy Souls converted confirmed and edified by his Doctrine and the Example of his holy Life The Specimen or Exemplar of a right Minister of the Gospel which he hath left to the Neighbour Ministers that knew him and to those that now possess their Places and to all the Ministers of the Land and to the Ages that are yet to come For who will not be convinced of the necessity and sweetness of Holy Diligence in so good 2 Work and become Laborious in the Word and Doctrine who seriously readeth such Examples as this here set before him And who that considereth it aright can chuse but see how greatly such Holy Labourers do differ from those that Preach the Gospel in strife and envie to add affliction to Pauls Bonds Phil. 1. 15. And those that use their Ministry but as Lawyers use the Laws to get Preferment and worldly Wealth by it that they may say Soul take thy Ease Eat Drink and be Merry thou hast Goods enough laid up for many years Till they hear at last Thou fool this night shall they require thy Soul Whos 's then shall the things be which thou possessest So is every one that layeth up Riches for himself and is not Rich towards God Secondly And for Writings who can expect that a man that entered upon the Sacred Ministry at Twenty One years of Age and died about Thirty Five and lived in such exceeding Ministerial Labours should leave many Books behind him of his Writing in an Age wherein we have had too many Books and too few such Ministers yet the following History tells us He is the Author of tha Synopsis of the Covenant in Mr. Richard Alleins Book He Printed an Exposition of the Assemblies 〈◊〉 with an Exhortation to use it As also Prayers for his Peoples 〈◊〉 And left a Book to work on the Unconverted not yet Printed And he hath left alass imperfect a

to Instruct and Catechise their Families 3. We may 〈◊〉 them to the strict Sanctifying the Lord's Day 4. If they are poor we may draw forth the Hand of our 〈◊〉 towards them 5. If we know any evil by them we may take them aside privately shewing them the sinfulness of their practice and ingaging them to promise reformation 6. We should leave with them some few particulars of greatest weight often repeating them till they remember them ingaging them to mind them till we shall Converse with them again 7. Our dealing with them must be in that manner that may most prevail and win upon their hearts 1. With Compassion being kindly affectioned to them Charging Exhorting Comforting every one of them as a Father his Children 2. With Prudence warning and teaching them in all Wisdom applying our selves to the several Cases and Capacities 1. To the Rich in this World shewing more respect as their places require charging upon them those Duties that are required of them in special 2. To the poor you may be more plain and free pressing upon them those Duties that are most proper to their condidition 3. To the Aged we must be more reverent labouring to root out of them the love of the World shewing them the dangerousness of Covetousness and the necessity of making speedy preparations for Eternity 4. The Men are to be exhorted to Temperance and Sobriety diligence in their Callings c. 5. Women to Meekness Humility Subjection to their Husbands and constant infusing good Principles into their Children 3. With Patience being gentle to all Men in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves bearing with their dulness rudeness and disrespectfulness waiting for their repentance 4. With all faithfulness giving no occasion of offence that our Ministry be not blamed 5. With Zeal as Apollo fervent in Spirit teaching diligently the things of the Lord c. 6. With plainness not betraying their Souls to Hell and ours with them for want of faithfulness and closeness in our dealing with them it being not sufficient in general that no Drunkard c. shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven but telling them plainly and particularly such is your looseness your ignorance that I fear you are in an unconverted state 7. With Authority dealing with them in the power and demonstration of the Spirit 8. With Humility Not lording it over God's Heritage but condescending to men of low Estates Nor disdaining to go into the Houses of the meanest The sort of Directions are more special respecting the several sorts of our People who may be ranked into four Heads the Ignorant Prophane Formal Godly First For the Ignorant Our Work with them will be 1. To convince them that are Ignorant which may be done by shewing their inability to answer some plain familiar Questions 2. To shew them the dangerous yea the damnable nature of ignorance 3. To Press them with all possible earnestness to labour after knowledge 4. To answer their carnal Pleas for their ignorance when wilful Secondly For the Prophane It would be necessary to deal with them convincingly shewing the certain damnation they are running upon Thirdly For the Formal With these we must deal searchingly and shew them 1. How easily Men may mistake the Form of Godliness for the Power 2. The undoing danger of resting in being almost a Christian 3. The most distinguishing differences between an Hypocrite and a sincere Christian. Fourthly For the Godly To these we must draw forth the Breasts of the Promises opening to them the riches and 〈◊〉 of Christ inquiring into their growth in Grace quickning them to labour after assurance to be stedfast in the Faith patient in suffering diligent in doing the Will of Christ 〈◊〉 of good Works alwayes abounding more and more There is one thing more in which his self-denyal and other Graces were very exemplary Namely his faithfulness in reproving the miscarriages of Professors sparing none whether High or Low whether Ministers or Private Christians yea although they had been never so dear in his affections and never so obliging in their carriage to him yet if he found in them any thing that was reproveable and blame-worthy he would deal with them faithfully and plainly about it whatsoever the issue and event were One time when he was going about such a Work he told a Christian Friend with whom he was very intimate and familiar Well sayes he I am going about that which is like to make a very dear and obliging Friend to become an Enemy But however it cannot be omitted it is better to lose mans favour than GOD's But GOD was pleased then as well as divers other times besides when he went about business of this nature to order things for him better than he could have expected and so to dispose of the heart of the Person with whom he had to deal that he was so far from becoming his Enemy for his consciencious faithfulness to him that he loved him the better ever after as long as he lived As to his judgment about the Arminian Controversies as far as I can perceive who have discoursed with him about them it was much-what the same with Doctor Davenants and Mr. Baxters He was a Man of a very calm and peaceable Spirit one that loathed all tumultuous carriages and proceedings he was far from having any other design in his Preaching than the advancement of the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus by the conversion and salvation of Souls This was the mark that he had in his eye this was that for which he laboured and ventured and suffered and for which he thought he could never lay out himself enough Though he were but a young Man yet in his carriage he was exceeding serious and grave and 〈◊〉 very humble courteous and affable condescending to discourse with the poorest and meanest Persons for their spiritual good as soon as with the greatest and richest And indeed so unblameable and convincing was he in the whole of his conversation that there were very few religious and sober Persons that knew him either in Town or Country either Ministers or People yea though some of them differing in judgment from him but did highly approve of him And for his Brethren in the Ministry here in these parts such was his holy and discreet deportment amongst them that he had as great an influence upon them as few others had the like He was full of holy projects often bethinking himself by what wayes and means he might more effectually promote the honour of Christ and the benefit of Souls and whatsoever he apprehended to be conducing to these highest ends he would prosecute with that wisdom and vigour that he seldom failed of bringing it to a comfortable and successful issue Of which Projects this is one which I shall here insert Having considered how much the Conscientious and frequent performance of the duty of Self-Examination might tend to the bringing down of Sin and furtherance of Holiness both in heart

thou fully signified thy mind already to me I had never gone so far as I have Well the Lord whose we are and whom we serve do with us as it shall seem good unto him We are always as mindful as is possible of thee here both together and apart Captain Luke desired me to intreat thee to meet him one two Hours in a Day for the 〈◊〉 of Mercies upon the twenty third Day of every Month. Send word to me of their Resolution at Taunton in two Letters least possibly one should miscarry though never a one did yet I dare not think of settling under sixty Pound at Taunton and surely it cannot be less I have Written as well as I could on a suddeu my Mind to thee I have been so large in delivering my Judgement that I must thrust up my Affections into a Corner Well though they have but a corner in my Letter I am sure they have room enough in my heart But I must conclude The Lord keep thee my Dear and cherish thee for ever in his Bosom Farewell mine own Soul I am as ever Thine own Heart JOSEPH ALLEINE Oxon May 27. 〈◊〉 LETTER II. Prepare for Suffering To my dearly beloved the Flock of Christ in Taunton Grace and Peace Most dear Christians MY 〈◊〉 straights of time will now force me to bind my long loves in a few short lines yet I could not tell how to leave you unsaluted nor chuse but write to you in a few words that you should not be dismayed neither at our present sufferings or at the evil tidings that by this time I doubt not are come unto you Now Brethren is the time when the Lord is like to put you upon the trial now is the hour of temptation come Oh! be faithful to Christ to the death and he shall give you a Crown of life Faithful is he that hath called you and he will not suffer you upon his faithfulness to be tempted above what you are able Give up your selves and your All to the Lord with resolution to follow him fully and two things be sure of and lay up as sure grounds of everlasting consolation 1. If you seek by prayer and study to know the mind of God and do resolve to follow it in uprightness you shall not fail either of direction or pardon Either God will shew you what his pleasure is or will certainly forgive you if you miss your way Brethren fix upon your Souls the deep and lively affecting apprehensions of the most gracious loving merciful sweet 〈◊〉 tender nature of your Heavenly Father which is so great that you may be sure he will with all readiness and love accept of his poor Children when they endeavour to approve themselves in sincerity to him and would fain know his mind and do it if they could but clearly see it though they should unwillingly mistake 2. That as sure as God is faithful if he do see that such or such a temptation with the forethought of which you may be apt to disquiet your selves lest you should fall away when thus or thus tried will be too hard for your Graces he will never suffer it to come upon you Let not my dear Brethren let not the present tribulations or those impending move you This is the way of the Kingdom persecution is one of your 〈◊〉 self-denial and taking 〈◊〉 the Cross is your ABC of Religion you have learnt nothing that have not begun at Christs-Cross Brethren the Cross of Christ is your Crown the reproach of Christ is your riches the shame of Christ is your glory the damage attending strict and holy diligence your greatest advantage sensible you should be of what is coming but not discouraged humbled but not dismayed having your hearts broken and yet your spirits unbroken humble your selves mightily under the mighty 〈◊〉 of God but fear not the face of man may you even be 〈◊〉 in humility but high in courage little in your own apprehensions of your selves but great in holy fortitude 〈◊〉 and holy magnanimity lying in the dust before your God yet triumphing in faith and hope and boldness and confidence over all the power of the enemies Approve your selver 〈◊〉 good Souldiers of Jesus Christ with No Armour but that of righteousness No Weapons but strong crying and tears looking for no Victory but that of Faith nor hope to overcome but by patience now for the faith and patience of the Saints now for the harness of your suffering Graces O gird up the loyns of your mind and be sober and hope to the end Fight not but the good fight of Faith here you must contend and that earnestly Strive not but against sin and here you may resist even unto blood now see that you chuse life and embrace affliction rather than sin Strive together mightily and frequently by prayer I know you do but I would you should abound more and more Share my loves among you and continue your earnest prayers for me and be you assured that I am and shall be through Grace a willing thankful Servant of your Souls concernments From the common Gaole May 28. 1663. Joseph Aleine LETTER III. Warning to Professors To my most dearly beloved my Christian Friends in Taunton Salvation Most loving 〈◊〉 I Shall nover forget your old kindnesses and the entire affections that you have shed upon me not by drops but by floods would I never so fain forget them yet I could not they are so continually renowned for there is never a day but I hear of them may more than hear of them I feel and taste them The God that hath promised to them that give to a Prophet though but a cup of cold Water shall receive a Prophets reward he will recompence your labour of love your servent prayers and constant cryes your care for my wellfare your bountiful supplies who have given me not a cup of cold water but the Wine of your loves with the sense and tidings whereof I am coutinually refreshed I must I do and will bless the Lord as long as I live that he hath-cast my lot in so fair a place to dwell in your communion and especially to go in and out before you and to be the Messenger of the Lord of Host to you to proclaim his Law and to Preach his Excellencies to be his Spokesman to you and to wooe for him and to espouse you to one Husband and to present you as a chaste Virgin unto Christ. Lord how unworthy am I everlastingly unworthy of this glorious Dignity which I do verily believe the most brightest Angels in Heaven would be glad of if the Lord saw it fit to imploy them in this work Well I do not I cannot repent notwithstanding all the difficulties and inconveniences that do attend his despised Servants and hated ways and that are like to attend them for we have but sipped yet of the Cup but I have set my hand to his plow my Ministry I took up with

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

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

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