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
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
alwayes mingled with Heavenly and Holy Discourses he was ready to Instruct and to Exhort and to Reprove which he never failed to do when he thought it necessary what-ever the event might be But he performed it usually with such respect humility tenderness self-condemnation and compassion that a reproof from him did seldom if at all miscarry In the Houses where he Sojourned their Hands fed one but his Lips fed many God freely poured Grace into his Lips and he freely poured it out None could live quietly in any visible and open sin under his inspection When he came to any House to take up his abode there he brought Salvation with him when he departed he left Salvation behind him His manner was when he was ready to depart and to transplant himself into some other Family as that the exigence of his condition and the time did more than once constrain him to to call the People one by one into his Chamber from whence it was observed that scarce any one returned with dry eyes In matters of Religion and the first Table his strictness was so exemplary which was near to rigour that I have scarce known any of his years keep pace with him Surely he did more than others His Righteousness exceeded not the Publican only but the Pharisees too He was much taken with Monsieur de Reuty whose Life he read often and imitated some of his Severities upon better grounds How often have I heard him to admire among many other things especially his self-annihilation striving continually to be Nothing that God might be all But here he stayeth not he was a second-Table-man a man of Morals I never knew him spotted in the least degree with any unjust or uncharitable Act. And I am sure the many failings of Professors in this kind touched him to the very quick and brought him low drew Prayers Tears Complaints and Lamentations both by Word and Letter from him though yet the Lord would not permit him to behold and reap the Fruit before he died He had an eminently free and bountiful heart to his power and I may truly say beyond his power yea much beyond it he was willing of himself It is but seldom that the best do need restraint in these Matters and yet we read of some who brought more than enough yea much more than enough Exod. 36. 5. So that there was a Proclamation issued out to put a stop upon their Bounty and it is added presently so the People were restrained Men universally almost do need a Spur but he did rather need a Bridle When other men gave little out of much he gave much out of little and while they heapt and gathered up he dispersed and scattered abroad He did not hide himself from his own flesh but was helpful to Relations as some of them have great reason to acknowledge His charity began at home but it did not end there for he did good to all according to his opportunities though especially to the Houshold of Faith He considered the Poor he studied their condition he devised liberal things he was full of holy Projects for the advancement of the good of others both Spiritual and Temporal which he pursued with such irresistable vigor and zeal and activity that they seldom proved abortive He was a man of extraordinary condescention to the infirmities of weaker Brethren as they that are most holy and best acquainted with themselves are wont to be Instructing those that were contrary minded in meekness If God peradventure would give them repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth Restoring those who were overtaken with a fault with the Spirit of Meekness So dealing with them in such a loving sweet and humble way as considering himself lest he also might be tempted In their confessed failings he was no way supercilious captious and censorious he would maintain a good opinion of another upon a narrower footing than many others who to say no more were nothing stricter holier humbler than himself would be His Charity Believed all things that were to be believed and Hoped all things that were to be hoped And when he deeply condemned the Action he would not judge of the Estate Indeed he had more charity for others than himself and though he were sufficiently mild in his judgment of others he was severe enough in his judgment of himself He was not Peremptory in matters that belong to doubtful Disputations He laid no more weight and stress on Notions and Opinions in Religion that wholly depend upon Topical Arguments than belongs to them He was not like many who are so over-confident in their determinations that they will hardly hold communion Nay scarce so much as a pleasing conversation with any man how gracious soever who cannot think and say and act in every thing as they do He would allow his Fellow-Members the Latitude that the Apostle doth and so would freely and familiarly converse with those who are sound in the Faith as to the fundamentals of Religion and who were strict and holy in their lives of all Perswasions His Ministerial Studies were more than usually easie to him being of a quick conceit a ready strong and faithful memory a free expression which was rather nervous and substantial than soft and delicate and which was best of all a holy Heart that boyled and bubled up with good matter This 〈◊〉 him on all occasions not with warm affections onely but with holy Notions too For his Heart was an Epistle written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the Living God And out of this Epistle he drew many excellent things In the course of his Ministry he was a good Man and in his Heart a good Treasure whence he was wont continually to bring forth good things both in publick and private He was apt to Preach and Pray most ready on all occasions to lay out himself in such Work yea spending himself in such Work When my suddain Distemper seised upon me put him at any time as many times they did upon very short and 〈◊〉 preparations he never refused no nor so much as fluctuated in the undertaking But being called he confidently cast himself upon the Lord and trusted perfectly to his Assistance who had never failed him and so he readily and freely went about his Work without distraction He began upon a very considerable stock of Learning and Gifts Ministerial and Personal much beyond the proportion of his Years and grew exceedingly in his Abilities and Graces in a little time So that his profiting appeared to all Men he waxed very rich in heavenly Treasure by the blessing of God on a diligent hand so that he was behind in no good Gift He found that pretious promise sensibly made good To him that hath for use and good employment shall be given and he shall have abundance He had no Talent for the Napkin but all for Traffique which he laid out so freely for his Masters use that in a little time they
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
you are young and tender but afterward you must look to follow your Business and to keep your distance and to have rebukes and frowns too when you need them Bless GOD for what you have found here but prepare you this is but the beginning shall I say the beginning of Sorrow I cannot say so for the Lord hath made it a place of Rejoycing this is but the entrance of our Affliction but you must look that when you are trained up to a better perfection GOD will put your Faith to harder Exercise Seventhly Cast up your accounts at your Return and see whether you have gone as much forward in your Souls as you have gone backward in your Estates I cannot be insensible but some of you are here to very great disadvantage as to your Affairs in the World having left your business so rawly at home in your Shops Trades and Callings that it is like to be no little detriment to you upon this Account But happy are ye if you find at your return that as much as your Affairs are gone backward and behind-hand so much your Souls have gone forward If your Souls go forward in Grace by your Sufferings blessed be GOD that hath brought you to such a place as a Prison is Eightly Let the Snuffers of this Prison make your Light burn the brighter and see that your Course and Discourse be the more savoury serious and Spiritual for this present Tryal O Brethren Now the Voice of the Lord is to you as it is in the Prophet Isaiah 60. 1. Arise and shine now let your Light shine before men that others may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven It is said of those Preachers beyond Sea that have been sent into England and here reaped the benefit of our English practical Divinity At their Return they have Preached so much better than they had wont to do that it hath been said of them Apparuit hunc fuisse in Angliâ So do you my Brethren Live so much better than you had wont that when men shall see the change in your Lives they may say of you Apparuit hunc fuisse in Custodiâ See that your whole Course and Discourse be more Spiritual and Heavenly than ever See that you shine in your Families when you come Home be you better Husbands better Masters better Fathers study to do more than you have done this way and to approve your selves better in your Family-Relations than you did before that the savour of a Prison may be upon you in all Companies then will you praise and please the Lord. Ninthly And lastly See that you walk Accurately as those that have the Eyes of GOD Angels and Men upon you my Brethren you will be looked upon now with very curious Eyes GOD doth expect more of you than ever for he hath done more for you and he looketh what Fruit there will be of all this Oh! may there be a sensible change upon your Souls by the Showres that have fallen in Prison as there is in the greenness of the Earth by the showres that have fallen lately abroad By way of Dehortation also I have these four things to Leave with you First Revile not your Persecutors but bless them and pray for them as the Instruments of conveying great Mercies to you Do not you so far forget the Rule of Christ as when you come home to be setting your Mouths to talk against those that have injured you Remember the Command of your Lord Bless them that curse you pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you Whatsoever they intended yet they have been Instruments of a great deal of Mercy to us and so we should pray for them and bless GOD for the good we have received by them Secondly Let not the humble acknowledgment of GOD's Mercy degenerate into proud Vain-glorious boasting or Carnal-tryumph I beseech you see that you go home with a great deal of fear upon your Spirits in this respect left pride should get advantage of you left instead of humble acknowledging GOD's Mercy there should be Carnal boasting Beware of this I earnestly beg of you for this will very much spoyl your Sufferings and be very displeasing in the sight of GOD. But let your acknowledging of his Mercy be ever with humble Self-abasing Thankfulness and be careful that you do not make his Mercies to be the Fuel of your Pride which were to lose all at once Thirdly Be not Prodigal of your Liberty upon a conceit that the Prisons will be easie nor fearful of adventuring your selves in the way of your Duty Alas I am afraid of both these extreams on the one hand lest some among us having found a great deal of Mercy here will now think there is no need of any Christian prudence which is alwayes necessary and is a great duty It is not cowardice to make use of the best means to preserve our Liberty not decling our Duty On the other-side there is fear lest some may be fearful and ready to decline their Duty because they have newly tasted of a Prison for it Far be it from you to distrust GOD of whom you have had so great experience but be sure you hold on in your duty whatsoever it cost you Fourthly Do not load others with censures whose Judgment or Practice differs from yours but humbly bless GOD that hath so happily directed you You know all are not of the same mind as to the Circumstances of Suffering and all have not gone the same way Far be it from any of you my Brethren that you should so far forget your selves as to be unmerciful to your Brethren but bless GOD that hath directed you into a better way Your charity must grow higher than ever GOD forbid that you should increase in Censures instead of increasing in Charity Having spoken to my Fellow-Prisoners I have two Words to speak to you our Friends and Brethren with us First Let our experience be your incouragement O love the Lord ye our Friends love the Lord fear him for ever believe in him trust in him for ever for our sakes we have tasted of the kindness of GOD. You know how good GOD hath been to us in Spirituals in Temporals Encourage your hearts in the Lord your God serve him the more freely and gladly for our sakes You see we have tryed we have tasted how good the Lord is Do you trust him the more because we have tryed him so much and found him a Friend so Faithful so Gracious that we are uttterly unable to speak his Praise Go on and fear not in the way of your Duty Verily there is a reward for the Righteous GOD hath given us a great reward already but this is but the least we look for a Kingdom Secondly and lastly My desire is to our Friends that they will all help us in our Praises Our Tongues are too little to speak forth the Goodness and the Grace
of GOD do you help us in our Praises Love the Lord the better Praise him the more and what is wanting in us let it be made good by you O that the Praises of GOD may sound abroad in the Country by our means and for our sakes HE was prevented of going to the Waters by his last Imprisonment for want of which his Distempers increased much upon him all the Winter after and the next Spring more 〈◊〉 yet not so as to take him fully off from his Work but he Preached and kept many Dayes and Administred the Sacrament among them frequently But going up to the Waters in July 1667 they had a contrary effect upon him from what they had at first For after three dayes taking them he fell into a Feaver which seised on his Spirits and decayed his strength exceedingly so that he seemed very near Death But the Lord then again revoked the Sentence passed upon him and enabled him in six Weeks to return again to his People where he much desired to be But finding at his return great decay of his strength and a weakness in all his Limbs he was willing to go to Dorchester to advise further with Doctor Lose a very Worthy and Reverend Physitian from whom he had received many Medicines but never conversed with him nor had seen him which he conceived might conduce more to his full Cure The Doctor soon perceiving my Husbands weakness perswaded him to continue for a fortnight or three weeks there that he might the better advise him and alter his Remedies as he should see occasion which motion was readily yeelded unto by us But we had not been there above five dayes before the use of all his Limbs was taken away on a sudden one day his Arms wholly failing the next his Legs so that he could not go nor stand nor move a Finger nor turn in his Bed but as my self and another did turn him night and day in a Sheet All means failing he was given over by Physitiand and Friends that saw him lie some weeks in cold Sweats night and day and many times for some hours together half his Body cold in our apprehensions dying receiving nothing but the best Cordials that Art could invent and Almond Milk or a little thin Broth once in three or four days Thus he lay from September 28 to November 16. before he began to Revive or it could be discerned that Remedies did at all prevail against his Diseases In all this time he was still chearful and when he did speak it was not at all complaining but alwayes praising and admiring God for his Mercies but his Spirits were so low that he spake seldom and very softly He still told us he had no pain at all and when his Friends admired his Patience he would say God had not yet tryed him in any thing but laying him aside out of his Work and keeping him out of Heaven but through Grace he could submit to his pleasure waiting for him It was Pain he ever feared and that he had not yet felt so tender was his Father of him and he wanted strength as he often told us to speak more of his Love and to speak for God who had been and was still so gracious to him Being often askt by my self and others how it was with his Spirit in all this weakness he would answer He had not those ravishing joys that he expected and that some Believers did partake of but he had a sweet serenity of Heart and confidence in God grounded on the Promises of the Gospel and did believe it would be well with him to all eternity In all this time I never heard one impatient word from him nor could upon my strictest observation discern the least discontent with this state though he was a pitiful Object to all others that beheld him being so consumed besides the loss of the use of his Limbs Yet the Lord did support and quiet his Spirit that he lay as if he had endured nothing breaking out often most affectionately in commending the kindness of the Lord to him saying Goodness and Mercy had followed him all his dayes And indeed the loving kindness and care of God was singular to us in that place which I cannot but mention to his praise We came Strangers thither and being in our Inn we found it very uncomfortable yet were fearful to impose our selves on any private House But necessity inforcing we did enquire for a Chamber but could not procure one the Small Pox being very hot in most Families and those that had them not daily expecting them and so could not spare Rooms as else they might But the Lord who saw our affliction inclined the heart of a very good Woman a Ministers Widdow one Mrs. Bartlet to come and invite us to a Lodging in her House which we readily and thankfully accepted off where we were so accommodated as we could not have been any where else in the Town especially in regard of the assistance I had from four young Women who lived under the same roof and so were ready night and day to help 〈◊〉 I having no Servant nor Friend near me we being so unsetled I kept none but had alwayes tended him my self to that time And the Ministers and Christians of that place were very compassionate towards us visiting and Praying with and for us often And Dr. Lose visited him twice a day for twelve or fourteen Weeks except when he was called out of Town refusing any Fees tendered to him The Gentry in and about the Town and others sending to us what-ever they imagined might be pleasing to him furnishing him with all delicates that might be grateful to one so weak So that he wanted neither Food nor Physick having not only for necessity but for delight and he did much delight himself in the consideration of the Lord's kindness to him in the love he received and would often say I was a Stranger and Mercy took me in in Prison and it came to me sick and weak and it visited me There was also ten young Women besides the four in the House that took their turns to watch with him constantly for twelve weeks space I never wanted one to help me And the Lord was pleased to shew his power so in strengthening me that I was every night all these Weeks in the depth of Winter one that helped to turn him never lying out of the Bed one night from him but every time he called or wanted any thing was waking to assist her in the Chamber though as some of them have said they did tell that we did turn him more than 40 times a Night he seldom sleeping at all in the Night in all those Weeks Though his tender Affections were such as to have had me sometimes lain in another Room yet mine were such to him that I could not bear it the thoughts of it being worse to me than the trouble or disturbance he accounted I had
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
accordingly I bless you in his Name using the same words as before and so parted with them with many other dear Expressions of his Love to them and the Town And thus he was used to Converse with all that came to Visit him as he was able looking alwayes chearfully upon them and never complaining of any Affliction he was under except it were to excite his Taunton Friends to their Duties In February he being very desirous to return among his People he moved it to his Doctor who consented to it fearing that Air might be too keen for him in March And hoping that it might much add to his Cure to satisfie his mind In a Horse-Litter I removed him He was much pleased at the sight of the Place and his People who came flocking about him and he seemed to increase in strength so that he was able to feed himself the Week after he came Home But I fearing the frequent Visits of his Friends might be prejudicial to him perswaded him to remove to Mr. Mallacks House which he was again invited to and most courteously entertained And thus he continued increasing in strength till the beginning of April and then he began to decline again and was taken after some dayes with Convulsion Fits as he sat in his Chamber one Afternoon and had three or four more fits that Night But in the use of Means through God's Blessing he had no more in three Weeks One Evening being in his Chamber he desired me to leave him a while alone which I was very unwilling to do but his importunity made me to go down from him But in less than half a quarter of an hour he was fallen to the Ground in one of his former Fits and had hurt his Face and from his Nose came much Blood which was very clotted and corrupt which Physitians seeing did conclude though it were grievous to me that under such Weakness he should have so sad an Accident that the fall saved his life For had not that Blood come from his Head he had so far as they could rationally judge died in that Fit which took away his Senses for the present but he went to Bed and slept so well that night as he had not in many Weeks before so that my Self and Friends feared that he had been in an Apoplexy But he awaked about six in the Morning much refreshed and full of the Praises of God for his Mercies to him being very sensible how suddenly he was surprised the Evening before After this he lived alwayes expecting Death saying often to me and his Friends It is but a puff and I am gone And therefore would every Night after he had been at Prayer bid all the Family farewel telling them He might be dead before the Morning and 〈◊〉 some holy Counsels to them would depart to his Chamber All the while I was undressing him he would be discoursing of Spiritual things it being all his delight and when we lay down to rest his last words were usually We shall shortly be in another Bed therefore it is good to mind it and provide for it apace farewel my Dear Heart the Lord bless thee and so he would go to his Rest. In his Health and Sickness his first Speeches in the Mornings would be Now we have one day more here is one more for God now let us live well this day work hard for our Souls lay up much Treasure in Heaven this day for we have but a few to live After this the strength of his Limbs which were decayed returned again and he was beyond all expectation so far recovered that we had no fears of his relapsing again His Appetite and Rest and all repaired But about the sixth of May he began again to find weakness in his Stomach which in a few dayes so grew upon him that he lost his Limbs again and on the 12th of May in the Morning having lain some dayes and nights in cold Sweats as heretofore at Dorchester he was again seised with Convulsions first lying four hours with his eyes fixed to Heaven not speaking one Word not in the least moving himself my self and Friends weeping by him at last he spake to us with a very audible Voice Weep not for me my Work is done and seemed to be full of Matter to utter to us but was immediately seised with a tertible Convulsion which was sad to behold it so altered his Countenance and put him into such Sweats that 't was strange to see how the drops lay and run down his Face and Hands and Body This held him two hours or more and ceased but he was left by it without any sense and in a quarter of an hour or little more fell into another in which he ratled and was cold so that we apprehended every breath would be his last The Physitian who was then by him accounted his Pulse to be gone and that he would be dead in a few minutes But the Lord shewed his Power here once again in raising him so that many that came and saw him that heard the next day he was alive would not believe till they came and saw him again These violent Fits went off about twelve a Clock and he revived but had no sense to converse with us till the next day nor did he perfectly recover them four dayes after and then was as before and so continued very weak till July no strength coming into his Hands or Legs for the most part confined to his Bed but still chearful in his Spirit and free to discourse with any that came to visit him as long as he was able But the Lord had yet more work for him to do I seeing him lie so hopeless as to his Life or Limbs and considering the Winter was growing on apace I proposed it to the Doctors to have him to the Bath some were for it others against it acquainting my Husband with it he was much pleased with it and so earnest in it that I sent immediately to Bath for a Horse-Litter and the Lord was pleased strangely to appear in strengthening him for his Journey so that he that had not in many weeks been out of his Bed and Chamber was able in two dayes to reach near forty miles but when he came to Bath the Doctors there seemed to be much amazed to behold such an Object professing they never saw the like much wondering how he was come alive such a Journey and doubted much to put him in But he having tryed all Artificial Baths and Oyntments and Plaisters before he resolved against their Judgment to adventure himself At his first appearing in the Bath being wasted to Skin and Bone some of the Ladies were afrighted as if Death had been come in among them and could not endure to look towards him The first time he went in he was able to stay but a little while but was much refreshed and had no symptom of his Fits which he feared the Bath might have caused
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
their Corn and Wine and Oyl in their sat Livings and their large Tables and their great resort is we have more of the Light of Gods Countenance more grace more comfort who would change with them surely if Paul were to chuse a Place he would not look so much what 't was a year but would wish us to take that where we might be most likely to save our own and others Souls Thirdly That the best and the surest way to have any outward Mercy is to be content to want it When mens desires are over-eager after the World they much have thus much a Year and a House well Furnished and Wife and Children thus and thus Qualified or else they will not be content God doth usually if not constantly break their wills by denying them as one would cross a froward Child of his stubborn humour Or else puts a sting into them that a man had been as good he had been without them as a man would give a thing to a froppish Child but it may be with a knock on his Fingers and a frown to boot The best way to get Riches is out of doubt to set them lowest in ones desires Solomon found it so Alas he did not ask Riches but Wisdom and Ability to discharge his great Trust but God was so pleased with his Prayer that he threw in them into the Bargain If we seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness in the first place and leave other things to him God will not stand with us for these outwards though we never ask them we shall have them as over measure God will throw them in as the Vantage And to this suits the Experience of our dear Honorathius And indeed saith he speaking of God Honorathius finds that his onely hiding place and refuge and a place of Succour from the Storms that fall upon him and hath had such Helps at dead lift there that he is engaged for ever to trust there For when he hath been lowest and in the greatest straights he hath gone and made his moan Heaven-ward with free submission to the rightful disposer of all things and he hath been so liberally supplied as makes him very confident the best way to obtain any Mercy or supply is to be content to be without it And he is perswaded nothing sets Gods Mercies farther off than want of free submission to want them Certainly God will never be behind hand with us Let our care be to Build his House and let him alone to build ours Fourthly That none ever was or ever shall be a loser by Jesus Christ. Many have lost much for him but never did never shall any lose by him Take this for a certainty whatsoever probabilities of outward Comforts we leave whatsoever outward advantages we balk that we may glorifie him in our Services and enjoy him in his Ordinances more than otherwhere we could we shall receive an hundred fold in this Life 'T is a sad thing to see how little Christ is trusted or believed in the World Men will trust him no farther than they can see him and will leave no work for Faith Alas hath he not a thousand ways both outward and inward to make up a little outward disadvantage to us What doth our Faith serve for Have any ventured themselves upon him in his way but he made good every word of the Promise to them let us therefore exercise our Faith and stay our selves upon the Promise and see if ever we are ashamed of our hope Fifthly That what is wanting in the means God will make up in the blessing This 〈◊〉 take for a certain truth while a man commits himself and his affairs to God and is in a way that God put him into Now if a man have but a little Income if he have a great Blessing that 's enough to make it up Alas we must not account Mercies by the Bulk What if another have a Pound to my Ounce if mine be Gold for his Silver I will never change with him As 't is not Bread that keeps men alive but the Word of Blessing that proceedeth out of his Mouth of God so 't is not the largeness of the Means but the blessing of the Lord that maketh rich Oh! if men did but believe this they would not grasp so much of the World as they do Well let others take their course and we will take ours to wait upon God by Faith and Prayer and rest in his Promise and I am confident that is the way to be provided for Let others toyl to enlarge their Income but alas they will find they go not the right way to work we will bless God to enlarge our blessing and I doubt not but we shall prove the Gainers Sixthly That every Condition hath its Snares Crosses and troubles and therefore we may not expect to be without them where ever we be onely that condition is most eligible that hath fewest and least I cannot Object any thing against the Proposal of Taunton but the meaness of the Maintenance but if our Income be but short we can I hope be content to live answerably we must fare the meaner that will be all the inconvenience that Animal know and truly I hope we are not of the nature of that Animal that hath his Heart in his Belly I know how Daniel thrived by his Water and Pulse and think a mean Diet is as wholsome to the body yea and sarless hurtful than a full and liberal is and perswade my self it would be no such hard matter for us conrentedly to deny our Flesh in this respect But let us consider how little and utterly inconsiderable this Inconvenience is in comparison of those we must reckon upon meeting with if God cast us into another place and whether this be not a great deal less than the trouble we shall have for want of comfortable and Christian Society for want of the frequent and quickening means we shall here have in wrangling and contending with the Covetous or else losing our dues in the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and malicious Reports that are we see raised upon the best by the wicked in most places in their contentions about their right to the Sacraments in our Intanglement in the cares and troubles of this life c. all which we should be here exempted from Upon these and the like cousiderations I find my heart very much inclined to accept of their offer at Taunton I beseech thee to weigh and throughly consider the matter and tell me impartially thy thoughts and which way thy Spirit inclines for I have always resolved the place I settled in should be thy choice and to thy content The least intimation of thy will to the contrary shall overballance all my thoughts of settling there for I should account it the greatest unhappiness if I should thus settle and thou shouldst afterwards be discontented at the straightness of our condition But I need not have Wrote this hadst not
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
and laid up among my Treasures that God is pleased so to unite your hearts to me and to make use of me for your edification is matter of highest joy unto me as also to see your 〈◊〉 in Christ your unshaken resolutions notwithstanding all the Tempters wiles Go on my dearly Beloved and the Lord strengthen your hands and your hearts and lift you up above the fears of men My most dear Brother Norman salutes you with manifold Loves and Respects earnestly wishing that you may wear the Crown of perseverance as also Brother Turner The Lord strengthen establish settle you and after you have suffered a while make you perfect I leave my Brethen in the everlasting Arms and rest From the common 〈◊〉 at Juelchester June 13th 1663. Your Embassador in bonds Joseph Alleine LETTERS IV. A Call to the Unconverted To the Beloved People the Inhabitants of the Town of Taunton Grace Mercy and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Most endeared and beloved Friends I Do most readily acknowledge my self a Debtor to you all and a Servant of all and therefore I have sent these few Lines to salute you all My Lines did fall in a fair place when the Lord did cast my Lot among you for which I desire to be thankful God hath been pleased to work a mutual affection between me and you I remember the Tears and Prayers that you have sent me hither with and how I saw your hearts in your eyes How can I forget how you poured out your Souls upon me And truly you are a People much upon my heart whose welfare is the matter of my continual prayers care and study And oh that I knew how to do you good Ah? how certainly should never a son of you miscarry if I knew how to save you Ah! how it pities me to think how that so many of you should remain in your sins after so many and so long endeavours to convert and bring them in Once more Oh! my Beloved once more hear the call of the most high God unto yon The Prison Preaches to you the same Doctrine that the Pulpit did Hear O People hear he that hath an ear let him hear The Lord of Life and of Glory offers you all Mercy and Peace and Blessedness Oh why should you die whosoever will let him take of the Waters of Life freely what miss of life when it is to be had for the taking God forbid O my Brethren my Soul yerns for you and my bowels towards you Ah! that I did but know what Arguments to use with you who shall chuse my words for me that I may prevail with sinners not to reject their own Mercy how shall I get within them How shall I reach them Oh! that I did but know the words that would pierce them That I could but get between their sins and them Beloved Brethren the Lord Jesus hath made me most unworthy his Spokesman to bespeak your hearts for him And oh that I knew but how to 〈◊〉 for him that I might prevail these eight years have I been calling and yet how great a part do remain visibly in their sins and how few alas how few souls have I gained to Christ by sound conversion Once more I desire with all possible earnestness to apply my self to you I have thought it may be a Sermon out of a Prison might do that which I could not do after my long striving with you but have left undone 〈◊〉 then O Friends and let us reason together Many among you remain under the power of Ignorance Ah! how often have I told you the dangerous yea damnable estate that such are in Never make excuses nor flatter your selves that you shall be saved though you go on in this I have told you often and now tell you again God must be false of his Word if ever you be saved without being brought out of the state of Ignorance If ever you enter in at the door of Heaven it must be by the Key of Knowledge you cannot be saved except you be brought to the knowledge of the Truth A people that remain in gross ignorance that are without understanding the Lord that made them will not have mercy on them O why will you flatter your selves and wilfully deceive your own selves when the God of Truth hath said you shall surely die if you go on in this estate Oh for the love of God and of your Souls I beseech you awake and bestir your selves to get the saving knowledge of God you that are capable of learning a Trade to live by are you not capable of learning the way to be saved yea I doubt not but you are capable if you would but beat your heads about it and take pains to get it And is it not pity that you should perish for ever for want of a little pains and study and care to get the knowledge of God Study the Catechism if possible get it by heart if not read it often or get it read to you cry unto God for knowledge improve the little you have by living answerable Search the Scripture daily get them read to you if you cannot read them Improve your Sabbaths diligently and I doubt not but in the use of these means you will sooner arrive to the knowledge of Christ than of a Trade But for thee O hardned sinner that wilt make thy excuses that thou hast not time nor abilities to get knowledge and to sit still without it I pronounce unto thee that thou shalt surely perish And I challenge thee to tell me if thou canst how thou wilt answer it before the most High God when he shall fit in judgement upon thee that thou wouldest be contented to undergo a seven years Apprentiship to learn how to get thy living and that thou mightest have got the knowledge of the principles of Religion in half the time but thou wouldest not beat thy head about it Many are swallowed up in meer profaneness Alas that there should be any such in a place of such means and mercies but it cannot be concealed Many of them proclaim their sin like Sodom and carry their deadly Leprosie in their foreheads I am ashamed to think that in Taunton there should be so many Alehouse-haunters and Tiplers so many lewd Gamesters and Rioters and debauched livers so many black mouthed Swearers who have Oaths and Curses for their common language so many Raylers at Godliness and Prosane Scoffers so many Lyars and deceitful Dealers and unclean and wanton Wretches O what a long list will these and such like make up if put together it saddens me to mention such as these O how crimsen is their guilt how often have you been warned and yet are still unreformed yea loose and profane Yet one warning more have I sent after you from the Lord to repent Return O finners what will you run into everlasting burnings with your eyes open Repent O Drunkards or else you
partaking of external Priviledges that will save you No no you must be converted or condemned It is not enough that you have some love and liking to Gods ways and people and are willing to venture something for them All this will not prove you sound Christians Have your hearts been changed Have you been soundly convinced of your sins of your damnable and undone condition in your selves and your utter inability to lick your selves whole again by your own duties have you been brought at least to such a sight and sense of sin as that there is no sin though agreeable to your constitution though a support to your gain but you do heartily abhor it and utterly disallow of it are you brought to such a sense of the beauty of holiness and of the Laws and ways of God as that you do desire to know the whole mind of God and would not excuse your selves by ignorance from any duty and that you do not allow your selves in the ordinary neglect of any thing that conscience charges upon you as a duty are your very hearts set upon the glorifying and enjoying of God as your greatest happiness which you desire more than Corn and Wine and Oyl had you rather be the holiest than the richest and greatest in the World and is your greatest delight ordinarily and when you are your selves in the thoughts of God and in your conversings with God in Holy Exercises Is Christ more precious than all the World to you and are you willing upon the through consideration of the strictness and holiness and self-denying Nature of his Laws yet to take them all for the rule of your thoughts words and actions and though Religoin may cost you dear do you resolve if God will assist you by his Grace to go through with it let the cost be what it will happy the man that is in such a case This is a Christian indeed and whatever you be and do short of this all is unsound But you that bear in your souls the marks of the Lord Jesus above mentioned upon you I should lay no other burden but to hold fast and make good your ground and to press forward towards the mark Thankfully acknowledge the distinguishing grace God to your souls and live rejoycingly in the hopes of the glory of God the hopes that shall never make you ashamed live daily in the praises of your Redeemer be much in admiring God and study the worthiness excellency and glory of his Attributes let your souls be much taken up in contemplating and commending his glorious perfection and blessing your selves in the goodly Portion you have in him live like those that have a God and then be disconsolate if you can If there be not more in an infinite God to comfort you than in a Prison or Poverty or other affliction to deject you our Preaching is vain and your Faith is vain Let the thoughts of God be your daily repast and never be satisfied till your hearts run out as freely naturally constantly unweariedly after God as others do after the World a little force upon your hearts for a while to turn them into this holy Channel may quickly come so to habituate your minds to holiness that they may naturally run that way But it is time to shut up Farewel my dear Brethren the Lord God Almighty be a protection to you and your exceeding great reward Farewel in the Lord. I am Just now I received your meking Letter to which I am not able now to return an answer but shall with speed your very great affections for me cannot but move me and make me ready to repeat again the first words of my Letter above The Lord inable me to return something to you for your great loves I am sensible I have come very short of my duty to you but I must needs tell you my Bowels are moved with your loves which I hope I shall greatly prize once more Farewel My dear Brother Norman remembers you with much love desiring that you may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom ye should shine as lights in the World Yours in the Bowels of the Lord Jesus JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Juelchester Septemb. 11. 1663. LETTER VIII How to shew love to Ministers and live joyfully To the most Loving and dearly Beloved my Christian Friends in Taunton Grace Mercy and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Most endeared Brethren I Have received your moving melting Letter and could not look over such tender expressions of your working affections without some commotions in my own I may confidently say I spent more Tears upon those Lines than ever you did Ink Your deep sense of my labours in the Ministry I cannot but thankfully acknowledge and take notice of yet withal heartily and unseingedly confessing that all was but the duty which I did owe to your precious and immortal Souls which God knows are very much short of my duty The omissions imperfections defects deadness that accompanied my duties I do own I must and will own and the Lord humble me for them But all that was of God and that was all that was good be sure that you give to God alone To him I humbly ascribe both the Will and the Deed to whom alone be Glory for ever My dear Brethren my business as I have often told you is not to gain your hearts or turn your eyes towards me but to Jesus Christ his Spokesman I am will you give your hearts to him will you give your hands your names to him will you subscribe to his Laws and consent to his Offices and be at through defiance with all his Enemies This do and I have my Errant Who will follow Christs Colours who will come under his Banner this shall be the man that shall be my Friend this is he that will oblige me for ever Do these Letters come to none that are yet unsanctified to do loose sinner to no ignorant sinner to no unfound professor Oh that there were none such indeed oh that I had left no such behind me but would they do me a kindness as I believe they would oh then let them come away to Jesus Christ at this call lie no longer O sinner in thy swill be no more in love with darkness stick no longer in the skirts and outside of Religion demure no longer dispute not and waver no more halt no further but strike in throughly with Jesus Christ except nothing reserve nothing but come off throughly to the Lord and follow him fully And then happy man that thou shalt be for thou wilt be made for ever and joyful man that I shall be for I shall save a Soul from death The earnest and pittiful beggings of a poor Prisoner do use to move some Bowels hear O Friends will you do nothing for a Minister of Christ Nothing for a Prisoner
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
more than others you must look for no more than others If you should put off God with a common Obedience you must expect to be put off with common Mercies 3. Except you do more than others God will be dishonoured more by you than others I have been too long with you but I am earnestly desirous you should be sensible of Gods extraordinary Expectations from you And truly as God looks for more from his own than others so he looks for more from you than others even of his own because that he hath done more See that you be shining Christians that you be strong in the Grace of God that you press toward the Mark. But I must conclude I give my Loves among you all being able to add no more but that I am Yours in servent Loves and Longings JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Juelchester January 2. 1663. LETTER XXII Christian Care Faith Self-denial To the most Beloved People the Servants of God in Taunton Salvation Most endeared Christians THe reason why my Letters have not of late come so thick as formerly to you is not because I forget to love you and to care for you but because I have been busily taken up in other Labors of sundry kinds for you I am yours and love to be so being ambitious not to have dominion over your faith but to be a helper of your Joy Christs Officers are so your Rulers in the Lord as yet to Preach not themselves but the Lord Jesus Christ and themselves your Servants for Jesus sake I have no greater felicity under God than to serve the good of Souls Brethren beloved How fares it with your Souls Are they in Health Do they prosper I wish your Temporal prosperity It is a joy to me to hear when your Trade doth flourish But these are but very little things if we look into Eternity Brethren my ambition for you is that you should be Cedars among the Shrubs that from you should found out the Word of the Lord and that in every place your Faith to God-ward should be spread abroad That Taunton should be as a Field that the Lord hath blessed That you should not onely have the Name but the Spirit Life Power Heat Growth Vigour of Christianity among you Let not Taunton onely have the Name to live and be noted for the Profession of Religion but see to it my Brethren that the Kingdom of God be with you Oh that every one of your Souls might be a Temple of God! Oh that every one of your Families might be a Church of God! Beloved look to it that every one that nameth the Name of Christ among You do depart from Iniquity secret as well as open of the Heart as well as of the Life Let no man think that to make an out-cry upon the Wickedness of the Times and to be of the Professing Party will serve his turn many go to Hell in the company of the wise Virgins That no man may be a Self-deceiver let every man be a Self-Searcher He that keeps no Day-Book in his Shop and no Account no Record in his Conscience his Estate and his Soul will thrive both alike Beloved I would that You should remember whither You are a going If a man be after a few Months to be Transported into another Countrey never to Return more he will send over whatever he can and make the best Provision that he may against he comes into another Countrey Dear Brethren You are Strangers and Pilgrims here and have but a few Months abode in this Countrey see that you Traffique much with Heaven Christ is our Common Factor O send over to him what possible you can Give Alms plentifully Pray continually be much in Meditation and Consideration Reckon with your selves daily Walk with God in Your Callings Do all the Duties of your Relations as unto God Live not one day to your selves but unto Christ Set forth continually in his Name so shall you be continually Transporting into another World and laying up Treasure in Heaven And O the blessed Store that You shall find there after a few Years diligence in such a holy Course Beloved while You are here in this World You are but like a Merchants Ship in a strange Port the day for your Return is set and You are to stay no longer then till your Fraight is ready Be wise know your season improve your time You are made or mar'd for ever as You speed in this one Voyage There is no returning again to this Countrey to mend a bad Market God will call in all his Talents Time shall be no longer Oh? come in come and buy now while the Market is open that You that want may have Grace and You that have may have it more abundantly Go and plead with the Lord Jesus that he hath bid You come buy and eat without Mony and without Price that he hath counselled You to come buy of him Gold Raiment and Eye-salve tell Him You are come according to his call and wait upon him for Grace for Righteousness for Light and Instruction Lay hold on his Word plead it live upon it he is worthy to be Believed worthy to be Trusted go out of your selves to him unlearn your selves There is a threefoold Foot that Carnal-self stands upon our own Wisdome our own Righteousness our own Strength these three Feet must be Cut off and we must learn to have no subsistence in our selves but only in Christ and to stand only on his bottom Study the excellent Lesson of Self-denial Self-annihilation A true Christian is like a Vine that cannot stand of it self but is wholly supported by the Prop it leans on It is no small thing to know our selves to be nothing of no might of no worth of no understanding nor reality to look upon our selves as helpless worthless foolish empty shadows This holy Littleness is a great matter when we find that all our Inventory amounts to nothing but Folly Weakness and Beggery when we set down our Selves for Cyphers our Gain for loss our Excellencies for very Vanities then we shall learn to live like Believers A true Saint is like a Glass without a Foot that set him where you will is ready to fall every way till you set him to a Prop Let Christ be the only Support you lean unto When you are throughly Emptied and Nullified and see all comeliness to be but as a withered Flower dead dried and past Recovery then You will be put upon the happy necessity of going out to Christ for all The Messengers haste forceth me Abruptly to end here I can add no more by my Prayers to my Counsels and so commending you to God and the Word of his Grace I rest The fervent Well-willer of your Souls JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Juel-Chester April 16. 1663. LETTER XXIII Right Reasons in Suffering To my dearly Beloved the Flock of Christ in Taunton Grace and Peace Most loving and dearly Beloved I Know
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
and Suffering and Writing at this present time God that knoweth all things he knoweth that this is my 〈◊〉 Oh that I could but come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Souls And that this is the Pride and the Gain that I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I might 〈◊〉 Souls I seek 〈◊〉 other Gifts give 〈◊〉 your Hearts let me but part between your sins and You 〈◊〉 me but to save You give me 〈◊〉 to carry you 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ and I will not ask you any more I will 〈◊〉 You 〈◊〉 I will suffer for You thankfully so I may but save You. Do not wonder why I follow you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I call upon you so frequently 〈◊〉 not my 〈◊〉 be grievous to You all this is but to save You. Christ did not bethink his Blood and shall I bethink my Breath or Ink too 〈◊〉 in order to your Salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is it that any of You should miscarry 〈◊〉 under the power of Ignorance 〈◊〉 a prophane Negligence or a formal and 〈◊〉 Profession of strict God liness Beloved I am afraid of You lest as to many of You I have run in vain I cannot but most thankfully acknowledg that considering the Paucity of those that are saved there are not a few of You who are the Joy of your Ministers and the Glory of Christ. But it cannot be dissembled that far the greater number give little ground to Hope that they are in the state of Salvation And must not this be a pinching thought to a compassionate Teacher to think that he cannot for his heart perswade men but that the most of them will wilfully throw away themselves Is it not a woful sight to behold the Devils driving a great part of our miserable Flocks as they did once the Herd of Swine the Keepers themselves amazed looking on I say driving them violently down the hill till they be choaked in the Water and drowned irrecoverably in the Gulf of endless Perdition Ah miserable spectacle What through the wilful blindness of some what through the 〈◊〉 and sensuality of others what through the halving and Cold and customary Religion of others how great a number of our poor Flocks is 〈◊〉 like to carry utterly away from us after all that hath been done to save 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 but call after them Hearken unto me Oye Children How long will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and follow 〈◊〉 Leasing and trust in lying Words As the Lord 〈◊〉 You are lost except you turn Wherefore turn your 〈◊〉 and live ye Ah how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you How it 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to you Hear O Sinners hear See 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the merciful Saviour of the World 〈◊〉 forth his hands all the day long and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wings and 〈◊〉 you as a Hen doth her 〈◊〉 hear you not the 〈◊〉 of his Bowels He hath 〈◊〉 of You Yet How do his Compassions melt over perishing Sinners his he 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 within him And shall not this 〈◊〉 your 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are kindled together and that not this 〈◊〉 You 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the Door and 〈◊〉 O man wilt thou keep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and lodge 〈◊〉 as in 42. He crieth to them Prov. 1. 21 22 23. How long ye simple ones will you love 〈◊〉 Will you not be made clean When shall it once be Why will you die Turn you at my Reproof Behold I wll pour out my Spirit upon you Sinner art thou not yet melted Oh come in at his loving Calls Come out from thy 〈◊〉 Touch the Scepter of Grace and live Why shouldest thou 〈◊〉 dashed in 〈◊〉 by his Iron Rod Kiss the Son Why shouldst thou 〈◊〉 in the way Set up Jesus as thy King lest he count thee for his Enemy because thou wouldst not that he should Reign 〈◊〉 thee and so thou be called forth and slain before him Oh how dreadful will this Case be to perish under the pitiful Eyes of his Mercy and to 〈◊〉 by the hand of a 〈◊〉 Oh double hell to have thy Redeemer become thine 〈◊〉 And the hand that was so long stretched forth to save thee to be now stretched forth to slay thee 〈◊〉 the merciful heart of Christ himself hardned against thee so as that he should call thee forth and with his own hand hew thee in pieces as Samuel did Agag before the Lord. But I have been too too long in prefacing to what I intended forthwith to have fallen upon Indeed I am apt to run out in matters that do so nearly touch upon your greatest 〈◊〉 Beloved I despair of ever bringing You to Salvation 〈◊〉 Sanctification Or possessing You with Happiness without perfwading You to holiness God knows I have not the least hope ever to see one of your Faces in Heaven except You be Converted and Sanctified and Exercise your selves 〈◊〉 Godliness This is that I drive at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You study to further 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Family Godliness 1. Personal Godliness Let it be your 〈◊〉 care to set up Christ in your Hearts See that you make all your worldly Interests to stoop to him that You be 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 devoted unto him If you wilfully and deliberately and ordinarily harbour any sin You are undone See that You unfeignedly take the Laws of Christ as the rule of your words thoughts and actions and subject your 〈◊〉 man members and mind faithfully to him If You have a true respect to all Gods Commandments you are 〈◊〉 at heart Oh study to get the image and impress of Christ upon you within Begin with your hearts 〈◊〉 you build without a foundation Labour to get a saving change within or else all external performances will be to no purpose And then study to shew forth the power of 〈◊〉 in the life Let piety be your first and great business 〈◊〉 the highest point of Justice to give God his due Beware that none of you be a Prayerless person for that is a most certain discovery of a Christless and a graceless person of one that is a very stranger to the fear of God Suffer not your Bibles to gather dust See that you converse dayly with the Word That man can never lay claim to Blessedness whose delight is not in the law of the Lord. Let meditation and self-examination be your daily exercise else the Papists yea the Pagans will condemn us That the short questions which I have given you as a help to self-examination may be dayly perused by you is the matter of my passionate request unto you If ever you come to any growth in holiness without the constant use of this practice I am grosly deceived And therefore I would beseech yea even charge you by the Lord that you would daily examine your selves by these questions till you have found a better help to this duty But Piety without Charity is but the half of christianity or rather impious hypocrisie We may not divide the Tables See therefore that you do justly and love mercy and let Equity and Charity run like an even thred throughout all your
away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward The Prisoners of the Lord your Brethren in the Patience of Jesus can tell you it is good suffering for such a Master We must tell you as they said to our Lord in another case He is worthy for whom you should do this God is beyond measure gracious to us here He shines bright into our prison blessed be his Name He waters us from heaven and earth As we trust you forgot not the poor Prisoners when you pray so we would that many thanksgivings should abound in our behalf And Prayer being the onely Key that can open our Prisons we trust that you will not slack nor let your hands be heavy but pray and not faint and doubtless Prayer will do it But I am apt to pass the bounds of a Letter yet I promise my self now 〈◊〉 pardon for lo loving a trespass With my dear Loves to you all I commend you to God and the word of his Grace Though I have done writing yet not praying I will promise where my Letter ends my Prayers shall begin Farewell dear Brethren Fare you well in the Lord I am An unworthy Embassador of Jesus in Bonds JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Juelchester Octob. 〈◊〉 1663. LETTER XXXIII For Perseverance To my dear Friends the Servants of Christ in Luppit Salvation Beloved Christians HAving taken up a Resolution to Write to and to endeavour to confirm all the Places where I have gone up and down Preaching the Kingdom of God You were by no means to be omitted You were the People that were last upon my Heart before my taking up and had I not been made a Prisoner I think I had in a few hours after the time of my Apprehension been with you Now I can no way but by Prayers Letters and Councels visit you and so have sent these to let you know that you are upon my Heart and that your Welfare is dear unto me I bless the Lord to hear that his Work doth not cease among you It is the Joy of our Bonds Beloved to hear that the Word is not bound and that Satan hath not his design upon the People of God who doubtless intended by these Sufferings to have struck Terrour into them and to have made their Hands weak Know dear Christians that the Bonds of the Gospel are not tedious through Grace unto us that Christ is a Master worth a suffering for that there is really enough in Religion to desray all our Charges and to quit all the Cost and Expence You can be at in or upon it That you may Build upon it that you can never be losers by Jesus Christ that Christs Prison is better than the Worlds Paradise that the Divine Attributes are alone an All-sufficient Livelihood that the Influences of Heaven and Shines of Gods Countenance are sufficient to lighten the 〈◊〉 Dungeon and to Perfume and Sweeten the noisomest Prison to a poor Believer that if You can bring Faith and Patience and the Assurance of the Divine Favour with You to a Prison you will live comfortable in spight of Earth and Hell These are Truths that the Prisoners of Christ can in a measure Seal unto and I would have you to be more soundly assured of and established in Brethren we are of the same mind in a Prison that we were of in the Pulpit that there is no Life to a Life of Holiness that Christ and his Yoak and his Cross are worthy of all acceptation that it is the best and wisest and safest and gainfullest course in the World to stick close to Christ and his Ways and to adhere to them in all hazards Come on Beloved Christians come on slack not your pace but give dilligence to the full assurance of Hope unto the end and be ye followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises Strengthen the Hands that hang down and the feeble Knees If you faint in the day of Adversity your strength is small Chear up my Brethren look what a Crown what a Kingdom here is What say you Is not here a worthy Portion a goodly Heritage Were it not pity to lose all this for want of Diligence and Patience Come dear Christians and fellow Travellers I pray You let us put on Pluck up the weary Limbs our Home is within sight Lift up your Eyes from the Pisga of the Promises You may see the Land of Rest. Will any of you think of returning into Egypt God forbid A little patience and Christ will come Behold the Husbandman 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 precious fruits of the Earth and hath long patience till he receive the early and later Rain Be ye allo patient stablish your Hearts for the Coming of the Lord draweth nigh He is not a Christian indeed that cannot be content to tarry for his Preferment in another World Cast upon it my Brethren that your Kingdom is not of this World that here you must have Tribulations and that all is well as long as we are secured for Eternity Exhort one another daily 〈◊〉 together in Prayer unite your strength therein and pull a main Mercy will come sooner or later however we will be content to wait till the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ah how surely will he come He will render Tribulation to them that trouble us and to us that are troubled rest with him Onely believe and wait What not watch with him one hour Why the Judg is even at the door And how blessed will you be if you do but continue and hold fast till he come Watch therefore and stand fast quit you like men be Zealous and let your hearts be strong God is your Friend and you may trust him He is able to bear you out and bear you up Faint not therefore but be stedfast unmoveable abounding in the works of the Lord Speak often one to another provoke to Love and to good Works Let the Bay of Opposition against Godliness make the Torrent of your Zeal break over with the more violence But it 's time to end I have been bold to call upon you you see and to stir you up by way of Remembrance May the Spirit of the most high God excite you encourage you enflame you May these poor Lines be some quickning to you may the Good-will of him that dwelt in the Bush dwell with you My dear Loves to you all Pray for the Prisoners Farewel dear Brethren farewell in the Lord I am Yours in the Bonds of the Lord Jesus JOS. ALLEINE Octob. 11. 1665. LETTER XXXIV To a Back-stiding Fellow-Student Sir WHom this will find you or when or where I know not but I have shot this arrow at a venture Once you were an Associate with me in Corpus Christi where I remember your blameless Conversation and your zealous affection for and adhesion to the ways and people of God May you be still found in the same paths of Holiness without which no man shall see
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
goodness which he had in himself Whoever they were that came to visit or to be 〈◊〉 with him it was their own fault if they got not by him so much good as to be for ever the better for him It was hardly possible to be in his company and not to hear such things from him as if well weighed might have been enough to make one out of conceit with Sin and in love with Vertue as long as one lived Though he did not say as Titus once yet by his actions we may judge he thought that he had even quite lost a day when none had gained somewhat by him He lived as if he had been quickned with that saying which I have somewhere met with in Tertullian Quid prodest esse quod esse non prodest To what purpose is it to live and not to live to some good purpose But this was that this ardent love to the Souls of men that quickly depriv'd us of his company it carried him down into the Countrey where how he demeaned and carried himself let others speak CHAP. III. A brief Character of him by that Reverend Person Mr. R. A. who was nearly related to him shewing how eminently he wus qualified for the Ministerial Service and Warfare unto which he was called OF his Extract I shall say little He was the Son of a godly Father Mr. Tobie Allein sometime of the Devizes an understanding affectionate prudent and signally humble and experienced Christian who died suddenly but sweetly his Son surviving him not above a year or two He having been languishing for some time at length he seemed to be upon eecovery and went about his House on the morning before he died he arose about four about 10 or 11 he came down out of his Closet and called for something to eat which being prepared he gave Thanks but could not eat any thing His Wife perceiving a sudden change in him perswaded him to go to his Bed He answered No but I will die in my Chair and I am not afraid to die He sat down and only said My Life is hid with Christ in God and then he closed his Eyes with his own hands and died immediately No more of the Father Concerning his Son I shall speak What he was and what his temper and behaviour was As a Man As a Christian. As a Minister 1. As a Man He was 1. Of quick natural parts and great acquired Abilities concerning which I shall need say no more there being a fuller Account given by another Hand 2. Of a composed grave and serious temper and behaviour not at all morose but full of candour free affable chearful and courteous 2. As a Christian. He was for exemplary Holiness and Heavenliness of mind and life much elevated above the ordinary Rank He lived much in delightful Communion with God his Soul was greatly exercised in Divine Contemplation and he would sometimes speak to provoke others whom he wished the same delights to the same exercise what ineffable pleasure sweetness and satisfaction his Soul had found in his stated Meditations on the Divine Attributes distinctly one by one In his Discourses he would speak much and passionately to the commending and exalting of the Divine Goodness and of the inexpressible dearness and tenderness of the Divine Love In Prayer he was not ordinarily so much in confession or complaining of Corruption and Infirmities though he expressed a due sense of these as in the admiring and praising of God in his Infinite Glorious Perfections in the mention of his wonderful Works particularly of those Wonders of his Love revealed in Jesus Christ. In some of his Letters to me when he had been speaking of the Grace and Goodness of God to him of the sense whereof he would seem to be even quite swallowed up he would break off with some such Expressions as these I am full of the Mercies of the Lord O Love the Lord for me O praise the Lord for my sake O help me help me to praise the Lord. His whole Life was adorned and beautified with the admirable lustre of his particular personal Graces 1. He was a Man of Love His sweet amicable and courteous converse was such as made him the deliciae of his Acquaintance and made way for the entertainment both of his serious Counsels and severer Reproofs He grew dear unto the Saints that knew him because they saw in his very face and all his Carriages how very dear they were to him His compassion to those in distress his bounty to those in want wherein he abounded beyond his ability his forbearance in case of offences his affectionate Language and Carriage his readiness to all obliging Offices of Love to his Relations to his Friends to Strangers to Enemies did evidently declare how he loved them Especially his Love was let forth in fuller streams upon the Congregation where he exercised his Ministry The People of his Care were the People of his Delight His ardent longing for their Souls his rejoycing in their Souls prosperity his bleedings and breakings of Soul under any of their falls or infirmities his uncessant labours among them both publickly and from House to House his frequent and affectionate Letters to them when he was absent his earnest desire to live and die and be buried amongst them declaring to them That if he died within fifty miles of Taunton his will was to be brought and buried there that his Bones might be laid with their Bones his Dust mingled with their Dust these all declare how greatly they were in his Heart 2. He was a Man of Courage 1. He feared no dangers in the way of his Duty knowing that He that walks uprightly walks surely In cases less clear he was very inquisitive to understand his way and then he fixed without fear 2. He feared not the faces of Men but where occasion was he was bold in admonishing and faithful in reproving which ungrateful Duty he yet managed with such prudence and such expressions of Love and compassion to Souls as made his way into hearts more easie and his work more succesful 3. He was a Son of Peace Both a zealous Peace-maker among differing Brethren in case of personal Quarrels and Contentions and he was also of sober and peaceful Principles and an healing Spirit as to Parties or Factions upon the account of Religion He had an awful and reverend regard to Magistrates abhorring all provoking and insolent expressions or mutinous and tumultous Actions against them 4. He was a Man of Truth and Righteousness Both as to his own personal practice and also was much in pressing it upon others especially professors of Religion to be examplarily just in their dealings and true in their words to be wary in promising and punctual in performing O how often and passionately have I heard him bewailing the Sins of Promise-breaking and deceitful dealing whereof such as he hath known to be guilty have understood both by Word and Writing how
much his Soul was grieved at them for the wrong they did hereby to their own Souls especially and the reproach they brought upon the Gospel of our Lord. 5. He was of great Patience To say nothing of his behaviour under sufferings of other kinds his great weakness and long languishing for some years together and his constant serenity calms and quietness of Spirit in all that time so far from the least touch of murmuring that he was still blessing the Lord for his tender dealings with him have given the World a full proof that he was of a patient Spirit 6. He was Eminent in Liberality He not only did but devised liberal things and by liberal things did he stand He studied and considered how he might both give himself and procure from others relief for those in want He gave much Alms daily both in the place where he lived and where-ever he came When there were Collections at any time for pious and charitable uses He stirred up others to bountiful giving both by Word and also by his Example In the Collection for the Fire in London He gave publickly such a liberal proportion as he thought meet to be an example to others and as I came occasionally to understand lest it should be misjudged he had been known to give more he gave more than as much again secretly He distributed much amongst his Relations His Aged Father and divers of his Brethren with their large Families being fallen into decay he took great care for them all and gave education to some Pensions to other Portions to others of them and notwithstanding all this he had but a very small matter of Stock to begin upon and never above 80 pounds per ann that I know of and near the one half of his time not above half so much only by the industry of his Wife who for divers years kept a Boarding-School his income was for that time considerably enlarged He took great pains in journeyings abroad to many Gentlemen and othe rich Men in the Countrey to procure a standing supply for such Non-conforming Ministers as were in want 7. He was of an Active Spirit He went about doing good As he was abundant and uncessant in his Labours in the Congregation where he lived So where-ever he came he would be scattering some good Seed not only among the Adult but he would be dealing much with the Children in those Families into which he came asking them Questions giving them Counsel and sometimes leaving them his Counsel in Writing In his own Family which was great whilst his Wife kept Boarders he was exceedingly industrious the gravity of his Carriage contempered with much sweetness and affability towards those young ones begat in many of them the Awe and Love as of Children to their Father and made way for the success of his Indeavours with them which was considerable upon divers of them At Bath while he lay sick there he sent for many of the Poor both Old and Children and gave them Catechisms engaging them to learn them and give him an account who came chearfully and frequently to him being encouraged hereto by his Familiar and Winning Carriage his giving them Money his Feeding and Feasting them He would sometimes say It 's pity that Counsel of our Lord Luk. 14. 13. of Feasting the Poor was no more practised amongst Christians 8. He was of an humble Spirit Though God had so exceedingly listed him up in the Hearts of others yet he was not puffed up in his own He was low in his own eyes and despised the praise of men His whole carriage was without the least ostentation and he was of great condescention to the Weakest or Meanest Once or twice he was complaining to me of the pride of his Heart I judging it to proceed rather from an holy jealousie of himself and a tenderness of the least spark of that evil than from any power it had upon him replyed to him as I remember to this purpose If he had a proud Heart he had it to himself for none else could perceive it But he answered Some men that are proud enough have more wit than to let every one know it Another time making the same complaint in a Letter to me he added this But my naughty heart whilst I am writing this is in hope you will not believe me So watchful was he as to espie and check the least motions of that Lust which he so much abhorred 3. As a Minister He was setled in Taunton Magdalen as an Assistant to the Reverend Pastour there with whom as a Son with the Father he served in the Gospel I shall say nothing here there being a large Account given under the Hand of that worthy Person But besides his Labours in that great Congregation in which alone he was fixed the care for many other Congregations was daily upon him He went forth frequently into several places about the Countrey amongst the poor ignorant people that lived in dark Corners and had none to take care of them and both Preached to them himself and stirred up many of his Brethren whose forward minds readily joyned with him to set up standing Lectures amongst them He had an Eye to poor Wales and had an influence upon the sending over some Ministers to them He resolved also to have gone and spent some time amongst them himself and by all the disswasions of his Friends from his great Weakness and Unfitness for Travail he was hardly with-held from his Purpose 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 MR. Joseph Allein came to my Assistance in the Year 1655. being then in the One and Twentieth year of his Age and we continued together with much mutual Satisfaction I soon observed him to be a young Man of Singular Accomplishments Natural and Acquired His Intellectuals solid his Memory strong his Affections lively his Learning much beyond the ordinary Size And above all his Holiness eminent his Conversation exemplary In brief he had a good Head and a better Heart He spent a considerable part of his time in private converses with God and his own Soul he delighted very much to perform his secret Devotions in the view of Heaven and the open Air when he could find advantages fit for his purpose He used to keep many dayes alone and then a private Room would not content him but if he could he would withdraw himself to a solitary House that had no inhabitant in it And herein he was gratified often by some private Friends of his to whom he did not impart his design Perhaps it was that he might freely use his Voice as his Affections led him without such prudential considerations and restraints as would have been necessary in another place and that he might converse with God without any avocation or distraction His conversation with others was