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
at home I pray you Brethren daily and frequently to consider your condition and station Do you not remember that you are in 〈◊〉 and what though your be but poorly attended and 〈◊〉 accommodated though you 〈◊〉 hard and 〈◊〉 Is this a strange thing What should Travellers look for else Will you set forth in a Journey and promise your selves nothing but fair-way and fair weather Shall a man put forth to Sea and reckon upon nothing but the calm If you were of the World the World would love his own But now God hath chosen you and called you out of the World therefore the World hateth you But remember my Brethren it is your duty to love them even while they hate you and to pray for mercy for them that will shew no mercy nor do no Justice for us This I desire you to observe as a great duty of the present times And let not any so far forget their duty and pattern as to wish evil to them that do evil to us or to please themselves with the thoughts of being even with them Let us commit our selves to him that judgeth righteously and shew our selves the children of the most High who doth good to his Enemies and is kind to the unkind and unthankful And what though they do hate us Their love and good-will were much more to be feared than their hatred and a far worse sign Brethren keep your selves in the love of God here is Wisdom O happy Souls that are his Favourites For the Lords-sake look to this make sure of something look to your sincerity above all things in the World let not any of you conclude that because you are of the suffering-party therefore all is well Look to the Foundation that your hearts be foundly taken off from every sin and set upon God above as your Blessedness Beware that none of you have only a name to live and be no more than almost Christians For the love of your Souls make a diligeht search and try upon what ground you stand for it heartily pities me to think that any of you should be in so deep and hazard so much as these must do that will now cleave to the hated ways of people of God and yet lose all at last for want of being thorow and sound in the main work I mean conversion and Regeneration None so miserable in all the World as an unsound Professor of Religion now is for he shall be hated and persecured of the World because he takes up a Profession and yet rejected of God too because he sticks in a Profession But when once you bear the marks of Gods favour you need not fear the Worlds frowns Cheer up therefore Brethren be strong in the Lord and of good courage under the Worlds usage Fear not in our Fathers House there is bread enough and room enough this is sufficient to comfort us under all the inconveniences of the way that we have so happy a Home so worthy a Portion so ready a Father so goodly an Heritage so sure a Tenure Oh comfort one another with these words let God see that you can trust in his Word let the World see that you can live upon a God I shall share my Prayers and loves among you all and commit you to the Almighty God the Keeper of Israel that never slumbereth not sleepeth be your Watchman and Keeper to the end Farewel I am A fervent well-wisher of your Temporal and Eternal Happiness JOS. ALLEINE From the common Gaol at 〈◊〉 July 24. 1663. LETTER VI. Look out of your Gravos upon the World To my most dearly Beloved Friends the chosen of God in Taunton Grace and Peace Most endeared Christians MY heart is with you though I am Absent as to my Bodlly presence from you and therefore as I have often already so I have now Written to you to stir up your pureminds by way of Remembrance and to call upon you for your stedfast continuing and vigorous proceeding in the ways of God Dear Friends and fellow Souldiers under Christ the Captain of our Salvation consider your Calling and Station and approve your selves as good Souldiers of Jesus Christ as men of resolution and courage be discouraged with no difficulties of your present Warsare As for humane affairs I would have you to be as you are Men of Peace I would have you Armed not for resisting God forbid but for Suffering only as the Apostle hints You should resist even to the uttermost striving against Sin Here you must give no Quarter for if you spare but one Agag the life of your Souls must go for the life of your Sins you must make no Peace for God will not smile on that Soul that smiles on Sin nor have any Peace with him that is at peace with his Enemy Other Enemies you must forgive and love and pray for which I again desire you to mind as one special duty of the times but for these Spiritual Enemies all your affections and all yonr Prayers must be engaged against them yea you must admit no Parley It 's dangerous to dispute with Temptations Remember what Eve lost by Parleying with Satan you must slie from Temptations and put them off at first with a Peremptory denial If you will but hear the Devils Arguments and the Fleshes Pleas and fair Pretences it is an hundred to one but you are insnared by his Sophistry And for this present evil World the Lord deliver you from its Snares Surely you had need watch and be sober and use your spiritual Weapons dexterously and diligently or else this World is like to undo you and destroy you I have often warned you not to build upon an External happiness and that you should promise your selves nothing but hardship here Oh still remember your Station Souldiers must not count upon Rest and Fulness but Hunger and Hardness Labour to get right apprehensions of the World Do not think these things necessary one thing is needful You may be happy in the want of all outward comforts Do not think your selves undone if brought to Want or Poverty study Eternity and you will see it to be little material to you whether you are Poor or Rich and that you may have never such an opportunity for your advantage in all your lives as when you put all to hazard and seem to run the Vessel upon the Rocks Set your enemies one against the other Death against the World no such way to get above the World as to put your selves into the possession of Death Look often upon your Dust that you shall be Reduced to and imagine you saw your Bones tumbled out of your Graces as they are like shortly to be and men handling your Skulls and enquiring whose is this Tell me of what account will the World be then what good will it do you put your selves often into your Graves and look out from thence upon the World and see what Judgement you have of it then Must not you
you prize the Promises more and hug and imbrace them with greater dearness and live more upon them Tenthly If you grow of a more publick Spirit A selfish Spirit is unworthy of a Christian are the common concernments of Gods Glory and the prosperity of the Church much upon your hearts will it no way content you to dwell in plenty peace and safety your selves except you may see peace upon Israel do the wounds in Gods Name and Glory go deep into you are the sins of others your sorrows Time and room and strength fails to add means too as I intended I have trespassed in length already may these be helps to you to put you forward and to help you in discerning your growth I must conclude abruply and commend you to God with my dear loves to you all I take leave and can only tell you that I am Yours in the Lord Jesus JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Juelchester Octob. 31. 1663. LETTER XV. Perswasion to Sinners and comfort to Saints To my dearly Beloved the Inhabitants of the Town of Taunton Grace Mercy and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Most dearly Beloved I Have been through mercy many years with you and should be willingly so many years a Prisoner for you so I might eminently and effectually further your Salvation I must again yea again and again thank you for your abundant and intire affections to me which value as a great mercy not in order to myself if I know my own heart but in order to your benefit as I may thereby be a more likely Instrument to further your good Surely so much as I do value your love which is not a little yet had I rather if I am not unacquainted with my self be forgotten and forsaken of you all and buried in oblivion So that your eyes and hearts might be hereby fixed on Christ and sincerely engaged to him Brethren I have not bespoken your affections for my self O that I might win your hearts universally to Jesus Christ though I had lost them for ever O that I might be instrumental to convert you to him though you were diverted from me I am perswaded that I should much rather choose to be hated of all so this might be the means to have Christ honoured and set up savingly in the hearts of you all And indeed there is nothing great but in order to God nothing is much material or considerable as it is terminated in us It matters not whether we are in Riches or poverty in sickness or Health in honour or disgrace so Christ may be by us magnified in the condition we are in Welcome Prison and Poverty welcome Scorn and Envy welcome pains or contempt if by these Gods glory may be most promoted What are we for but for God what doth the Creature signifie separated from his God why just so much as the Cypher separated from the Figure or the letter from the Syllable we are nothing or nothing worth but in reference to God and his ends Better were it that we had never been than that we should not be to him Better that we were dead than we should live and not to him Better that we had no understandings than that we should not know him Better that we were Blocks and Bruits than that we should not use our Reason for him What are our Interests unless as they may be subservient to his Interest or our esteem or reputation unless we may hereby glorifie him do you love me I know you do but who is there that will leave his sins for me I mean at my requests with whom shall I prevail to give up himself in strictness and self denial to the Lord who will be intreated by me to set upon neglected duties or reform accustomed sins O wherein may you rejoyce me in this in this my Brethren in this you shall befriend me if you obey the voice of God by me if you be prevailed with to give your selves up throughly to the Lord would you lighten my burden would you loosen my bonds would you make glad my heart let me hear of your owning the ways and servants of the Lord in adversity of your coming in of your abiding and patient continuing in the ways of holiness O that I could but hear that the prayerless Souls the prayerless Families among you were now given to prayer that the prosane sinner would be awakened and be induced by the preaching of these Bonds which heretofore would not be prevailed with to leave their drunkenness their loose company their lying and deceit and Wantonness by all the threatnings of God that cou'd be pronounced against them nor all the beseechings wooings and entreaties that I was able to use with them will you not be made clean when shall it once be how long shall the patience of God wait for you how long shall the Lord Jesus stretch our his hands toward you O sinners cast your selves into his Arms Why should you die Why will you forsake your own Mercy will you perish when mercy wooes you confess and forsake your sins and you shall find mercy will you part with Christ and sell your Souls to perdition for a little ease and delight to your flesh or a little of the gain of unrighteousness or a little Ale or vain mirth or loose company why these are the things that part between Sinners and Christ. I know many are spun with a finer thred and are not so far from the Kingdom of God as the prayerless ignorant Sabbath-breaking intemperate sort are But I must once again warn you of staying in the Suburbs of the City of Refuge O what pity is it that any should perish at the Gates that any should escape the pollutions of the world and do many things yea and suffer it may be too and yet should fall short of the glory of God for want of a through work of grace Oh you halting Christians that halt between Christ and the World that are as Ephraim like a Cake not turned dow-baked Professors that have Lamps without Oyl that cry Lord Lord but do not the will of our Father which is in Heaven how long will you stay in the place of the breaking forth of Children and stick between the Womb and the World your Religion will carry you among the profane despisers of Godliness but do own the people of the Lord and do love the Ministers and Ordinances therefore all is well I tell you Godliness is a heart-heart-work it goes deep and spreads far unless the frame of your hearts and the drists of your course be changed unless you be universally conscientious and unreservedly delivered up to the Lord for all times and conditions whatever be the cost you are none of Christs how far soever you go in common workings and external performances Hear then O people and let nor profaneness swallow you up let not an almost Christianity deceive you orignorance carry you blindfold to perdition
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
multiplyed so fast that the Napkin could not hold them I heard a worthy Minister say of him once not withont much admiration Whence hath this man these things He understood whence he had them well enough and so did I even from Above whence every good and perfect Gift proceedeth God blessed him in all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Things and he returned all to Heaven again he served God with all his might and all his strength he was abundant in the Work of the Lord he did not go but run the wayes of his Commandments He made haste and lingred not He did run and was not weary he did walk and was not saint He pressed hard towards the Mark till he attained it his Race was short and swift and his End glorious He was infinitely and insatiably greedy of the Conversion of Souls wherein he had no small success in the time of his Ministry And to this end he poured out his very Heart in Prayer and in Preaching He imparted not the Gospel only but his own Soul His Supplications and his Exhortations many times were so affectionate so full of holy Zeal Life and Vigor that they quite overcame his Hearers He melted over them so that he thawed and molified and sometimes dissolved the hardest Hearts But while he melted thus he wasted and at last consumed himself He was not satisfied to spend himself in publique but used constantly to go from House to House and there to deal perticularly where he had a free reception both with the Governours and with the Children and with the Servants of the Houshold instructing them especially in the great Fundamental necessary Truths of the Law and of the Gospel where he observed them to be ignorant Gently reproving them where he found any thing amiss among them Exhorting them to diligence both in their general and particular Callings Entreating them who were defective by any means to set up the Worship of God in their Houses and to make them little Churches by constant reading of the Scripture that so the Word of Christ might deeply dwell among and in them richly by careful Catechising of the Children and the Servants if the Governours were able by frequent Meditations Conferences Repetitions of that which they had heard in publique especially by daily Prayer Morning and Evening that so they might avoid that dreadful indignation which hangs over and is ready to be poured out upon the Families that call not upon God He made the best inspection that he could into the state of every particular Person and so accordingly applyed himself to check to comfort to encourage as he found occasion All which he did with so much tenderness humility self-denyal that they gained very much on the affections and respects of all that received him and wrought them at least to outward conformity so that they who were not visited in the beginning at length came forth and called upon him to come to their Families and help them Thus did he wear himself away and gave light and heat to others He usually allowed himself too little sleep to recruit and to repair the Spirits which he wasted with waking His manner was to rise at four a Clock at the utmost many times before and that in the cold Winter Mornings that he might be with God betime and so get room for other studies and imployments His extraordinary watchings constant cares excessive labours in the Work of his Ministry publique and private were generally apprehended to be the cause of those distempers and decays and at last of that ill habit of body whereof in the end he died He was the gravest strictest most serious and composed young Man that I had ever yet the happiness to be acquainted with And yet he was not rigid in his Principles his moderation was known to all men that knew him CHAP. V. A further Account of his Catechizing both in Publick and Private by Mr. G. WHen he did Catechise the greater Sort in Publick before he was Silenced his manner was to begin with Prayer for a Blessing upon that Exercise And having proposed some Questions out of the Assemblies Catechism to them he was careful not onely to make them perfect in rehearsing the Answers there set down but also to bring them to a clear understanding of the sence and meaning of the said Answers and of all the Terms and Phrases in which they are expressed And to draw some practical useful inferences from those Heads of Divinity contained in them Moreover when any distinction was necessary for the clearing up of the matter in hand he would be also instructing his Catechumen's therein Now this he would do by proposing several other Collateral Questions besides those in the Catechism which Questions together with the Answers to them himself had before drawn up and sent to them in writing In the Even of the Lord's Day his course was to repeat his Sermon again in the publick Place of Worship where abundance of People constantly resorted to hear him which when he had done several Youths were called forth which did give him an Account of the Heads of all his Sermon by Memory As for his Method in going from House to House for the instructing of Private Families it was this He would give them notice of his coming the day before Desiring that he might have admittance to their Houses to converse with them about their Soul-Concerns and that they would have their whole Family together against he came When he came and the Family were called together he would be instructing the younger sort in the Principles of Religion by asking several Questions in the Catechism the Answers to which he would be opening and explaining to them Also he would be enquiring of them about their spiritual Estate and Condition labouring to make them sensible of the evil and danger of Sin the corruption and wickedness of our Natures the misery of an unconverted State stirring them up to look after the true Remedy proposed in the Gospel to turn from all their sins unto GOD to close with Christ upon his own Terms to follow after Holiness to watch over their Hearts and Lives to mortifie their Lusts to redeem their Time to prepare for Eternity These things as he would be explaining to their understandings that they might have clear apprehensions about them so he would be pressing the practice of them upon their Consciences with the most Cogent Arguments and Considerations minding them of the great Priviledges they did enjoy the many Gospel-Sermons that they did or might hear the many Talents they were intrusted withal and the great account that they had to give to the GOD of Heaven Telling them how sad it would be with them another day if after all this they should come short of Salvation Besides he would leave with them several Counsels and Directions to be carefully remembred and practised for the good of their Souls Those that were serious and religious he would
took up a 〈◊〉 resolution to go on with his Work in private both of 〈◊〉 and Visiting from House to House till he should be 〈◊〉 to Prison or Banishment which he counted upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assisting him And this Resolution without delay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Thursday after he appointed a Solemn Day of Humiliation when he preached to as many as would adventure themselves with him at our own House But it being then a strange thing to the most Professors to suffer they seemed much afrighted at the threatnings of Adversaries so that there was not such an appearance at such opportunities as my Husband expected whereupon he made it his Work to converse much with those he perceived to be most timerous and to satisfie the Scruples that were on many amongst us so that the Lord was pleased in a short time to give him such success that his own People waxed bold for the Lord and his Gospel and multitudes flocked into the Meetings at whatsoever season they were either by day or night which was a great encouragement to my Husband that he went on with much vigour and affection in his Work both of Preaching and Visiting and Catechizing from House to House He went also frequently into the Villages and Places about the Towns where their Ministers were gone as most of them did flie or at the least desist for a considerable time after Bartholomew day Where-ever he went the Lord was pleased to give him great success many converted and the generality of those animated to cleave to the Lord and his wayes But by this the Justices rage was much heightned against him and he was often threatned and sought for but by the Power of God whose Work he was delighted in was preserved much longer out of their hands than he expected For he would often say If it pleased the Lord to grant him three months liberty before he went to Prison he should account himself favoured by him and should with more chearfulness go when he had done some Work At which time we sold off all our goods preparing for a Goal or Banishment where he was desirous I should attend him as I was willing to do it alwayes having been more grievous to me to think of being absent from him than to suffer with him He also resolved when they would suffer him no longer to stay in England he would go to China or some remote Part of the World and publish the Gospel there It pleased the 〈◊〉 to indulge him that he went on in his Work from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 26th after Though often 〈◊〉 yet he was never 〈◊〉 though the People both of the Town and Countrey were grown so resolute that they came in great multitudes at whatever season the Meeting was appointed very seldom missing twice a Sabbath and often in the week I know that he hath Preached fourteen times in eight dayes and ten often and six or seven ordinarily in these Months at home and abroad besides his frequent converse with Souls He then laying aside all other Studies which he formerly so much delighted in because he accounted his time would be but short And the Lord as he often told me made his Work in his Ministry far more easie to him by the supplies of his Spirit both in Gifts and Grace as did evidently appear both in his Doctrine and Life he appearing to be more Spiritual and Heavenly and affectionate then before to all that heard him or conversed with him He was upon a Saturday in the evening about six a clock seized on by an Officer of our Town who had rather have been otherwise imployed as he hath often said but that he was forced to a speedy execution of the Warrant by a Justice's Clerk who was sent on purpose with it to see it Executed because he feared that none of the Town would have done it The Warrant was in the Name of three Justices to summon him to appear forthwith at one of their Houses which was about two miles from the Town but he desired liberty to stay and Sup with his Family first supposing his Entertainment there would be such as would require some refreshment This would not be granted till one of the chief of the Town was bound for his speedy appearance His Supper being prepared he sat down eating very heartily and was very chearful but full of Holy and gracious Expressions sutable to his and our prosent state After Supper having prayed with us he with the Officer and two or three Friends accompanying him repaired to the Justices House where they lay to his charge that he had broken the Act of Uniformity by his Preaching which he denyed saying That he had Preached neither in any Church nor Chappel nor place of publick Worship since the 24th of August and what he did was in his own Family with those others that came there to hear him Here behold hom many Ministers have these eight or nine years been silenced in England Scotland and Ireland whose Holy Skill and Conscience Fidelity and Zeal is sucht as would have justly advanced most of the Antient Fathers 〈◊〉 the Church to far greater renown had they been but possessed with the like Of whom indeed the World is not worthy O! how many of them am I constrained to remember with joy for their great Worth and sorrow for their Silence But though Learning Holiness wonderful Ministerial Skill and Industry Moderation Peaceableness true Catholecism absolute Dedication unto Christ Zeal Patience and Perseverance did not all seem sufficient to procure his Ministerial or Corporal Liberty in his latter years yet they did much more for him than that in qualifying him for the Crown which he now enjoyeth and to hear Well done good and faithful Servant enter into thy Masters Joy But alas Lord What is the terrible future evil from which thou takest such men away And why is this World so much forsaken As if it were not a Prayer of Hope which thou hast taught us Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven He hath Printed a small Book called A Call to Archippus to perswade the silent Non-conformists to pity Souls and to be faithful in the Work to which they are Devoted and Consecrated how dear soever it may cost them He held that Separation in a Church was necessary many times from the known corruptions of it But allowed not Separation from a Church where Active Complyance with some sinful Evil was not made the Condition of Communion And in this way he frequently declared himself in Health and Sickness and most expresly in my hearing on his Bed of Languishing when he was drawing near his Long-Home And that the People were not disobliged from attending upon their Ministry who were ejected out of their Places as his Book entituled A Call to Archippus sheweth after that Black and Mournful Sabbath in which he took his farewel with much affection of his Beloved People When he was taken up for Prison
Justices and Judges That they should be sent beyond Sea or carried to some Island where they should be kept close Prisoners yet the Lord preserved them by his Power and thus ordered it that their Imprisonment was a great furtherance to the Gospel and brought much Glory to him both by their Preaching and Conversing with Souls In which they had great Success through his Blessing on their Labours My Husband having here more freedom made a little Book Entituled A Call to Archippus to stir up his Non-conforming Brethren to be diligent at their Work whatsoever Dangers and Sufferings they might meet withal And because he could not go to his Flock he had prepared for them The Synopsis of the Covenant which was after placed into one of my Fathers Books And for the help of the Governours of Families in their Weekly Catechizing those under their charge he explained all the Assemblies shorter Chatechism to which he annexed an affectionate Letter with Rules for their daily Examination which were Printed and Dispersed into all their Houses by his Orde while he was a Prisoner He also writ many Holy and Gracious and affectionate Letters to all his Relations and many other Friends to many Churches of Christ in other parts and places both far and near His Sufferings that he underwent for the sake of the Gospel could neither remit his Zeal not abate his Activity for God but he would gladly imbrace all Opportunities of doing him Service The Minister who was appointed to Preach at certain times to the Fellons in the Prison being by sickness disabled for that Work he freely performed that Office among them as long as he was permitted earnestly exhorting them by Repentance towards God and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ to secure the eternal welfare of their Souls freely bestowing upon them according to his Ability for their Relief that by doing good to their Bodies he might win upon them to receive good for their Souls He was very forward to promote the Education of Youth in the Town of Ilchester and Country adjacent freely bestowing Catechisms on those that were of poor Families to instruct them in the Principles of Religion stirring up the Elder to Teach and incouraging the Younger to Learn He was a serious and faithful Monitor to his fellow Sufferers if he espyed any thing in any of them that did not become the Gospel for which they suffered Here as else-where he was a careful redeemer of his time his constant practice was early to begin the day with God rising about four of the Clock and spending a considerable part of the Morning in Meditation and Prayer and then falling close to his Study in some corner or other of the Prison where he could be private At times he would spend near the whole Night in these Exercises not putting off his Clothes at all onely taking the repose of an hour or two in his Night-Gown upon the Bed and so up again When any came to visit him he did not entertain them with needless impertinent Discourse but that which was serious profitable and edifying in which he was careful to apply himself to them according to their several capacities whether Elder or Younger exhorting them to those gracious Practices which by reason of their Age or Temper Calling or Condition he apprehended they might be most defective in and dehorting them from those Evils they might be most prone and lyable unto He rejoyced that he was accounted worthy to suffer for the Work of Christ and he would labour to incourage the timerous and faint-hearted by his own and others experience of the Mercy and Goodness of God in Prison which was far beyond what they could have thought or expected He was a careful observer of that Rule of the Lord Jesus Mat. 5. 44. Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you It was none of his practice to exclaim against those that were the greatest Instruments of his Sufferings In all his Imprisonment at present I could not discern his Health to be the least impaired notwithstanding his abundant Labours but cannot but suspect as the Physitians judged that he had laid the foundation for that Weakness which suddenly after surprised him and was his death At his return from the Prison he was far more earnest in his Work than before yet willing to preserve his liberty among his People who had no Minister that had the oversight of them though some came and preached while he was absent And the People flocked so greatly after him that he judged it best to divide the Company into four and resolved to Preach four times each Sabbath to them But finding sensibly that would be too hard for him his strength much decaying he did forbear that course and preacht only twice a Sabbath as formerly and often on Week-days at Home and in the Countrey and spent what time he had else from his studying in private converse with God as formerly he had done Pressing all that feared the Lord especially those that were of a more weak and timerous Spirit to a life of Courage and Activity for God and to be much in helping one another by their Converses now Ministers were withdrawn and to be much in the Work of Praises and Thanksgiving to God rejoycing and delighting themselves in him and with chearfulness and readiness denying themselves for him and resigning themselves and all they did enjoy to him Letting the World know they could live comfortably on a God alone on his Attributes and Promises though they should have nothing else left But it pleased the All-wise God to take him off from the eager pursuit of his Work and designs for him by visiting him in the later end of August with much Weakness so that he had not above three months time after he came out of Prison For he going about sixteen miles at the request of a Society whose Pastor was not able to come among them to Preach and to Administer a more solemn Ordinance he was so disabled that he was able not to perform the great and chief Work though he did adventure to Preach but with much injury to himself because he would not wholly disappoint the People who came so far as many of them did With much difficulty after three or four dayes I made way to get him home to Taunton where we then sojourned and presently had the best Advice the most Able Physitians both in and round the Town could give who advised together and all judged it to be from his abundant Labours and the Preaching too soon after his Meals as he did when he Preacht four times a Sabbath whereby he had so abated the natural heat of his Stomach that no Food would digest nor oftentimes keep within him He would assure us he was in no pain but a constant discomposure in his Stomach and a failing of his Appetite that
you and my Testimony I finished with you though I thought I had espoused you till death and when I was entred into that Sacred Office which through rich Grace I was imployed in I told you in the close of what I spake before the laying of the holy Hands upon me most gladly do I take up this Office with all the persecution affliction difficulties an tribulation and inconveniencies that do and may attend it and blessed be God I am through his goodness of the same mind still and my tribulations for Christ do to him be Glory for to me belongs nothing but shame and confusion of face confirm my choice and my resolution to serve him with much more than my labours Verily Brethren it is a good choice that I have commended to you Oh! that there might not one be found among you that hath not made Maries choice I mean of that good part which shall never be taken away from you Brethren let them take up with the world that have no better portion be content that they should carry the Bell and bear away the riches and perferments and glory and splendor of the World Alas you have no reason to envy them verlly they have a lye in their right hand Ah! how soon will their hopes fail them how soon will the crackling blast be out and leave them in eternal darkness they shall go to the generation of their Fathers they shall never see light like sheep they shall be laid in their Graves and the upright shall have Dominion over them in the morning But for my Brethren I am jealous that none of you should come short of the Glory of God I am ambitious for you that you should be all the heirs of an endless life the living hopes of the Saints the inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fades not away Ah my Brethren why should not you be all happy I am jealous for you with a Godly jealousie left a promise being left you of entring into his rest any of you should come short of it O look diligently left any man fail of the Grace of God Alas how it pities me to see this Rest neglected How it grieves me that any of you should fall short of mercy at last That any of that flock over which the holy Ghost hath made me in part overseer should perish when Christ hath done so much for you and when his under Officers through his Grace for we are not sufficient of our selves have done somewhat to recover and save them Ah dear Brethren I was in great earnest with you when I besought you out of the 〈◊〉 many a time to give a Bill of Divorce to your sins and to accept of the match and the mercy that in the name of God Almighty I did there offer to you Alas how it pitied me to look over so great a Congregation and to think that I could not for my life I could not perswade them one quarter of them in likelihood to be saved how it moved me to see your diligence in flocking not only to the stated Exercises but to the Repetitions and to most hazardous opportunities for which you are greatly to be commended since the Law forbad my publike Preaching and yet to think that many of you that went so far were like to perish for ever for want of going further I must praise your diligent attendance on all opportunities Blessed be God that made a willing ministry and a willing people for I remember how I have gone furnished with a Train How I went with the multitude to the House of God with the voice of joy and praises with the multitude that kept Holy-days The remembrance of which moves my soul but O my flock my most dear flock how fain would I carry you farther then the external and outward profession O! how loath am I to leave you there How troubled to think that any of you should go far and hazard much for Religion and yet miscarry for ever by the hand of some unmortified lust as secret pride or untamed passion or an unbridled tongue or which I fear most of all a predominate love of the World in your hearts Alas must it be so and is there no remedy but I must carry you to Heavens-gate and leave you there Oh that I should leave the work of your Souls but half done and bring you no 〈◊〉 than the almost of Christianity Hear O my people hear although I may command you upon your utmost peril in the Name of the Lord Jesus that shall shortly judge you I beseech you I warn you as a Father doth his Children to look to the setling and securing of your everlasting condition and for life take heed of your resting in the outter-part of Religion but to be restless till you find the through-change of Regeneration within that you are quite new in the frame bent of your hearts for here is the main of Religion in the hidden man of the heart For Christs-sake for your Soul-sake look to it that you build upon the Rock that you be sure in the foundation-Foundation-work that you do 〈◊〉 deliver over your selves to the Lord to be under his command and at his dispose in all things see that you make no exceptions no reserve that you cast over-board all your worldly hopes and count upon parting with all for Christ that you take him alone for your whole happiness Wonder not that I so often inculcate this If it be well here it is well all if unfound here the ertor is in the Foundation and you are undone Brethren I see great tryals coming when we shall see Professors fall like leaves in the Autumn unless they be well setled therefore is it that I would so fain have you look to your standing and to secure the main And for you whose Souls are soundly wrought upon O make sure whatever you do get and keep your evidences clear How dreadful would your temptations be if you should be called to part with all for Christ and not be sure of him neither get a right and clear understanding of the terms of life which I have set before you in that form of 〈◊〉 with God in Christ that I commended to you I would that none of you should be without a Copy of it be much in observing your own hearts both in duties and out-crying mightily to God for assurance If you cannot discern your estate your selves go to some body that is able and faithful and fully open your Case your Evidences and doubts and be extraordinary strict and watchful in your whole course and I doubt not but you will quickly grow up to assurance I cannot tell how to make an end methinks I could write all the day to you but my straights of time are great and my Letter already too long yet I cannot conclude till I have given you my unfeigned thanks for your most kind and gracious Letter Surely it shall be in store with me
shall be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven 〈◊〉 Cor. 6. 9 10. Repent O Swearers else you shall fall into condemnation 〈◊〉 12. Repent O Lyars put away lying and speak every one truth to his neighbour else you shall have your part in the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone Rev. 20. 8. Repent O Company-keepers forsake the foolish and live but a Companion of the wicked shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. Repent you Deceivers of your unrighteous dealings or else you shall have no Inheriance in the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. The Lord that made us knows my earnest desire for your conversion and Salvation and that I speak not this to you out of any evil will toward you for I would 〈◊〉 at your feet to do you good but out of a sense of your deplorable estate while you remain in your sins I know there is mercy for you if you do soundly repent and reform and bow to the Righteousness and Government of the Lord Christ but if you go on and say you shall yet have peace I pronounce unto you that there is no escape but the Lord will make his wrath to smoak against you he will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his Trespasses Others have escaped the gross pollutions of the World but stick in the form of Godliness and content themselves with a negative Righreousness that they are no Drunkards nor Swearers c. or at best with an outward conformity to the duties of Religion or some common workings instead of a saving O I am jealous for you that you should not lose the things that you have wrought and miss your reware for want of sincerity for the Lords sake put on and beware of perishing in the Suburbs of the City of Refuge beg of God to make through-through-work with you and be jealous for your selves get a right understanding of the difference between a Hypocripe and a sincere Christian and try you estates much but only with those marks that you are sure from the Scripture will abide Gods trial But for you that fear the Lord in sincerity I have nothing but good and comfortable words I have proclaimed your happiness in the last Token I sent to the Town I mean the abstract of the Covenant of Grace upon the Priviledges comforts mercies there summed up and set before you May your souls ever live what condition can you devise wherein there will not be abundance of comfort and matter of joy unspeakable to you O Beloved know your own happiness and live in that holy admiring commending adoring praisins of your gracious God that becomes the people of his praise I have been long yet methinks I have not emptied half my heart unto you I trespass much I fear upon the Bearer therefore in haste I commend you to God The good will of him that dwelt in the Bush be with you all The Lord Create a defence upon you and Deliverance for you the Lord cover you all the day and make you to dwell between his shoulders I desire your constant instant earnest Prayers for me and rest A willing Labourer and thankful Sufferer for you JOS. ALLEINE From the common Goale in Juelchester July 4th 1663. LETTER V. Trust God and be sincere To my most endeared Friends the Servants of Christ in Taunton Grace and Peace Most dearly Beloved and longed for my Joy and Crown MY hearts desire and prayer to God for you is that you may be saved I know that you are the But of mens rage and malice but you may satisfie your selves as David in his patient sustaining of 〈◊〉 fury and curses It may be the Lord will look upon our affliction and require good for their cursing this day But however it be for that be sure to hold on your way your name indeed is cast forth as evil and you are hated of all men for Christs-sake for your profession of his Gospel and clearing to his Ways and Servants but let not this discourage you for you are now more than ever blessed onely hold fast that no man take your Crown Let not any that have begun in the Spirit end in the flesh Do not forsake God till he forsake you he that endureth to the end shall be saved The Promise is to him that overcometh therefore think not of looking back Now you have set your hands to Christ's 〈◊〉 though you labour hard and suffer long the Crop will pay for all now the Lord is trying what credit he hath in the World and who they be that will trust him The unbelieving World are all for present Pay they must have ready Money something in hand and will not follow the Lord when there is like to be any great hazard and hardship in his Service But now is the time for you my Beloved to prove your selves Believers when there is nothing visible but present hazard and expence and difficulty in your Makers service Now it will be seen who can trust the Lord and who thrusts him not Now my Brethren bear you up stand fast in the Faith quit you like men be strong now give glory to God by believing If you can trust in his Promises for your reward now when nothing appears but the dispseasure of Rulers and Bonds and Losies and Tribulations on every side this will be somewhat like Believer Brethren I beseech you to reckon upon no other but crosses here Let none of you dream of an Earthly Paradise or flatter your selves with Dreams of sleeping in your ease and temporal Prosperity and carrying Heaven too Think not to keep your Estates and liberties and consciences too Count not upon rest till you come to the Land of Promise Not that I would have any of you to run upon hazards uncalled No we shall meet them soon enough in the way of our duty without we will balke it and shamefully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I would have you east over-board you worldly hopes and count not upon an Earthly felicity but be content 〈◊〉 till you come on the other side the Grave Is it not enough to have a whole eternity of Happiness yet behind If God do throw in the comforts of this life too into the bargain I would not have you throw them back again 〈◊〉 despite the goodness of the Lord But I would my 〈◊〉 that you should use this World as not 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 you should be 〈◊〉 to the world and the World 〈◊〉 that you should declare plainly that you seek a Countrey 〈◊〉 Countrey which is an Heavenly Ah! my dear 〈◊〉 I beseech you carry it like Pilgrims and strangers I 〈◊〉 you abstain from fleshly lusts which war against 〈◊〉 Souls for what have we to do with the customes and 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of this World who are strangers in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contented with Travellers Lots know you not that you are in a strange Land all is well as long as it is well
of Jesus Christ methinks I hear you answer yea rather what will we not do he shall never want while we have it he shall need no office of Love but we will run and Ride to do it Yea but this is not that I beg of you will you gratifie me indeed then come in kiss the Son bow to the Name of Jesus not in a Complement with Cap and Knee but let your Souls bow let all your Powers bend Sail and do him homage Let that Sacred Name be Graven into the substance of your hearts and lie as a bundle of Mirrh between your Breasts Let me freely speak for him for he is worthy for whom you shall do this thing worthy to be beloved of you worthy to have your very hearts worthy to be admired adored praised served glorified to the uttermost by you and every Creature worthy for whom you should lay down all leave all Can any thing be too much for him can any thing be too good for him Or too great for him come give up all Resign all lay it at the Feet of Chrlst Jesus offer all as a Sacrifice to him see that you be universally the Lords keep nothing from him I know through the goodness of God that with many of you this work is not yet to do but this set solemn resignation to the Lord is to be done more than once and to be followed with an answerable practice when it is done See that you walk worthy of the Lord but how in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost let these two go together So shall you adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour and experience the Heavenly felicity of a Christians life while Holiness is made the Butt of others Persecution do you make it the white the mark of your prosecution that you live it up as much as others cry it down O watch and keep your Garments about you the plain but comely clothing of humility the seamless Coat of Christian unity the strait and close Garment of strictness mortification and Self-denial the warm Winter-garment of love and charity this Garment will keep you warm in the Winter love will not be quenched by the Waters nor cooled by the nipping Frosts of persecution and opposition Cleave fast to Christ never let go your hold cling the faster because so many are labouring to knock off your fingers and loosen your hold Hold fast your Profession hold fast your Integrity hold fast the beginning of your confidence stedfast to the end If you do but keep your hold and make good your ground and keep your way all that the World can do and all that the powers of darkness can do can never do you harm Keep your own Vinyard with constant care and watchfulness and be sure that there be no Inroad made upon your consciences that the Eremy do not get between you and home between your souls and God and then let who or what will assail you without you need not fear let this be your daily exercise to keep your consciences void of offence keep fair weather at home however it be abroad But I would not only that you should walk holily but that you should walk comfortably But I need say the less to this because the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost do lie together Oh the provision God hath made for your continual joy and comfort dear Brethren do but understand your own blessedness happy men that you are if you did but know and consider it who would count himself poor and miserable that hath All the fulness of the Godhead for his sound in this deep can you find any bottom take the heighth of the Divine Perfections if you can till then you cannot tell your own felicity Take a servey of Immensity tell me the longitude or latitude of infinite goodness and mercy of the Eternal Diety if you can do this you may guess at your own happiness Oh Christians live like your selves live worthy of your Portion of your Priviledge and your glorious prerogatives I am in haste and it is time for me to end however that you may walk worthy of your glorious hopes and may live answerably to the mercies you have received from above is the great desire of Your Souls fervent well wisher in the bonds of affliction and tribvlation JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Juelchester September 18. 1663. LETTERS IX Easie Sufferings To the most Loving and Beloved my Christian Friends at Taunton Salvation DEarly Beloved and longed for my Joy and Crown for whom I am an Embassadour in Bonds what thanks to render to God in your behalf I know not for your servent charity towards me and all the servants of my Lord for all your labours of love for all your diligence and boldness and resolution in owning the despised ways and hated servants of the Lord Jesus in an evil day The Lord is not unrighteous to forget this Is not this upon record with him and sealed up among his Treasures surely the Lord will have mercy upon Taunton I have no doubt but that the God of your Mercies hath yet a choice blessing in store for you be not weakned by my Bonds Glory be to God in the Highest that he hath accounted me worthy not only to Preach the Gospel to you but also to confirm it by the parting with my much valued liberty so dear a People so sweet Relations comforts conveniencies which I enjoyed in all abundance when I was with you When I look back upon all the circumstances of the late Providence I must say as they of Christ upon his Miracles He hath done all things well it is all as I would have it I am fully satisfied in my Fathers good pleasure Verily there is no little honour and happiness no little Peace and Privilidge in these Bonds Verily all is true that I have told you of the All-sufficiency of God of the fulness of Christ of the satisfactoriness of the promises of the peace tranquility content and security that is to be had in a life of Faith Surely methinks I should be content to seal to these things at a much dearer rate than this but my gratious Father will not put me to the hardest Lesson at first oh what reason have I to speak good of his name what else should I do all my days but love and fear and preach and praise so good a God when I look back upon the gentle dealings of God with me I often think he hath brought me up as indulgently as David did Adonijah of whom it is said His Father had not displeased him I have received nothing but good at the hands of the Lord all my days and now he doth begin to afflict I see so much Mercy in this very Gaol that I must be more thankful for this than for my prosperity Surely the name of the place is The Lord is here Surely it may be called Peniel
overshaddow you and bear you safe to the Kingdom In the Holy Arms of Divine Love I desire to leave you May you live under its daily Influences and be melted and overcome with its warming Beams with its quickning piercing powerful Rays My most dear love to you all See that you live not in a dull fruitless liveless course Be patient be watchful instant in Prayer servent in Spirit serving the Lord I am very healthful and chearful through grace See that none of these things move you that befal us Fare you well my dear Brethren farewel in the Lord I am Yours in the strongest Bonds of Affection and Affliction JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Jeulchester Octob. 25. 1663. LETTER XI Remember Christ crucified and crucifie Sin To the Faithful and Well-beloved People the Servants of Christ in Taunton Salvation Most dear Christians I Am by Office a Remembrancer the Lords Remembrancer for you and your Remembrancer in the behalf of Christ-My business is with the Apostle to stir up your pure minds by way of Remembrance And what or whom should I remember you of but your most mindful Friend your Intercessour with the Father who hath you alwayes in remembrance appearing in the presence of God for you May his Memory ever live in our Hearts though mine should die Oh Remember his Love more than Wine Remember in what a Case he found you and yet nothing could anihelate his Heart nor divert the purpose of his Love from you He loathed not your Rags nor your Rottenness He found you in a loathsome Vomit and filthiness in a nasty and Verminous Tatters think not these expressions too odious No Pen can describe no Heart can imagine the odiousness of sin in his sight in which you lay and rolled your selves as the filthy Swine in the mire Yet he pitied you his Bowels were moved and his Compassions were kindled when one would have thought his wrath should have boiled and his indignation have burned down to Hell against you he loathed not but loved you and washed you from your sins in his own Blood Ah monstrous and polluted Captives Ah vile and putrid Carkases that ever the holy Jesus should take the hands of you and should his own self wash you and wrinse you methinks I see him weeping over you and yet it was a wore costly Bath by which he cleansed you Ah Sinners look upon the streaming Blood flowing out wharm from his blessed Body to fetch out the ingrained filthiness that you by sin had contracted Alas what a horrid filthiness in sin that nothing but the blood of the Covenant could wash away and what a love is Christs than when no Sope nor Nitre could suffice to cleanse us when a whole Ocean could not wash nor purifié us would opon every vein of his heart to do the work look upon your crucified Lord do you not see a sacred stream flowing out of every Member Ah how those Holy Hands those unerring Feet do run a stream to purge us Alas how that innocent Back doth Bleed with cruel scourgings to save ours how the great drops of Blood fall to the ground from his sacred Face in his miraculous sweat in his bitter and bloody Agony to wash and beautifie ours how his wounded hearts and side twice pierced first with love and pity and then with Souldiers cruelly do pour out their healthful and saving Flouds upon us Lord how do we make a shift to forget such a love as this ah mirrors or rather Monsters of ingratitude that can be unmindful of such a Friend do we thus requite him is this our kindness to such an obliging friend Christians where are your affections to what use do you put your faculties what have you memories for but to remember him What have you the power of loving for but that you should love him wherefore serves joy or desire but to long for him and delightfully to embrace him may your souls and all their Powers be taken up with him May all the little Doors of your souls be set open to him Here fix your thoughts here terminate your desires here you may light your Candle and kindle your Fire when almost out Rub and chase your hearts well with the deep consideration of the love of Christ and it is a wonder if they do not get some warmth The Lord shed abroad his love in your hearts by the Holy Ghost Oh! that this love might constrain you Brethren what will you do now for Jesus Christ. Have you never a Sacrifice to lay upon his Altar come and I will shew you what you shall do let your hands be in the blood of your sins fall foul with them search them out with diligence search your hearts and your houses whatever iniquities you find there out with them put them far from your Tabernacles if you crucifie them not you are not Jesus his Friends Godforbid that there should be a lying Tongue or any way of deceit in your Shops That his service should give place to the World in your Families Far be it from any of you my Brethren that you should be careful to teach your children and servants the way of your Trades and Callings and neglect to instruct them in the way of Life Is weekly Catechising up in every one of your Families The Lord convince any of you that may be guilty of this neglect Oh! set up God in your Houses and see that you be not slovenly in Closet performances beware of serving the Lord negligently serve not the Lord with that which costs you nothing look to it that you content not your selves with a cheap and easie Religion Put your flesh to it be well assured that the Religion that costs you nothing will yeeld you nothing keep up the life of Religion in your Family and Closet duties Fear nothing like a customary and careless performance of Gods Service Judge your own selves whether lazie wishes idle complaints and yawning Prayers are like to carry you through the mighty difficulties that you must get through if ever you come to Heaven When you find your selves going on in a liftless liveless heartless course and have no mind to your work ask your selves is this to take the Kingdom of Heaven by violence or can I hope to win it without see that you sacrifice your selves to the Lord that you deliver up your selves to him that now you live to Christ himself As Christ hath made over his life and death to you so let it be your care to live and die to him labour to forget your selves and look upon all your enjoyments as Christs goods upon your time parts strength as his Talents look upon your selves only in the quality of Servants and Stewards that are to husband all these for your Lords advantage and as those that must give an account And pray for me that I may take the Counsel that I give I bless the Lord I want nothing but the opportunity of being
serviceable unto you and to enjoy you but I hope the Lord will make my bonds for you to be useful to your edification that is the White I aim at if I may glorifie God and serve your Souls best by being here I shall never wish to come out though I confess liberty of its self is very precious Finally Brethren Farewel be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you I am My dear Brother Norman salutes you tenderly desiring you to be patient to stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh The ready Servant of your Faith and Joy JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Juelchester Octob. 14. 1663. LETTER XII For daily Self-Examination To the most Beloved People the Flock of Christ in Taunton Salvation Most dear Brethren I Would my time were as long as my heart that I might open my self to you but I was not without some discontent diverted when I was setting my self to have Written at large to you Now I am pinched however I could not leave my dear charge altogether unvisited but must needs salute you in a few Lines Brethren how stands it with you doth the main work go on do your souls prosper This is my care beware that you Flag not that you faint not now in the evil day I understand that your dangers grow upon you may your Faith and courage and resolution grow accordingly and much more abundantly to overtop them Some of your enemies I hear are in great hopes to satisfie their Lusts upon you well be not discouraged my dear Brethren but bless the Lord who of his abundant Mercy hat so remarkably preserved you so long beyond all expectation Let it not be a strange thing to you if the Lord do now call you to some difficulty forsake not the Assembling of your selves together as the manner of some is I plainly see the Coal of Religion will soon go out unless it have some better helps to cherish it then a Carnal Ministrie and lifeless Administration Dear Brethren now is the time for you that fear the Lord to speak often one to another manage your duties with what prudence you can but away with that Carnal prudence that will decline duty to avoid danger Is the Communion of Saints worth the venturing for Shut not up your doors against Godly Meetings I am told that it is become a hard matter when a Minister is willing to take pains with you to get place Far be this from you my Brethren What shut out the World suppose there be somewhat more danger to him that gives the Minister entertainment Is there not much more advantage accordingly did not Obed Edom and his House get the blessing by entertaining the Ark there or do you think God hath never a Blessing for those that shall with much Self-denial entertain his Messengers his Saints his Worship are you believers and yet are affraid you shall be loosers by Christ do you indeed not know that he that runs most hazard for Christ doth express most love to Christ and shall receive the greatest reward away with that unbelief that prefers the present safety before the future glory I left you some helps for daily Ezamination I am jealous least you should grow slack and slight and careless in that duty Let me ask you in the name of the Lord doth never a day pass you but you do solemnly and seriously call your selves to an account what your carriage hath been to God and Men speak conscience Is there never an one within the hearing of this Letter that is a neglecter of this duty doth every one of your Consciences acquit you Oh that they did oh that they could tell me would not some of you be put shrewdly to it if I should ask you when you read or thought over the Questions that were given you for your help and would you not be put to a blush to give me an answer And will you not be much more ashamed that God and Conscience should find you tardy not that I would necessarily bind you up to that very Method only till you have found a way more profitable I would desire you yea methinks I cannot but deeply charge you to make daily use of that Awake conscience and do thou fall upon that Soul that thou findest careless in this work and never let him be at rest till thou canst witness for him that he is a daily and strict observer of himself and doth live in the constant practice of this duty What shall neither Gods charge nor your promise nor profit hold you to your work yet I may not doubt but some of you do daily perform this duty The Lord incourage you in it yet give me leave to ask you what you have gained are you grown more universally consciences more strict more humble and more sensible of your many and great defects then you were before If so blessed are you of the Lord if otherwise this duty hath been performe but slightly by you What can you say to this question doth your care of your ways abate or doth it increase by the constant use of this duty If it abate remember from whence you are fallen and repent as good not do it at all as not to the purpose My Pen is apt to run when I am writing unto you I beseech you that my Letters may not be as so much waste Paper to you may they be provocations to your duty and Medicines to any corruptions that they meet with Oh that they might find out mens sins and excite their graces I have run much farther than I thought I should have done but now I am called upon and must shut up The Lord God be a Sun and a Shield to you My most dear Love to you all fare you well in the Lord I am Your Embassador in Bonds JOS. ALLEINE From the common Gaol at Juelchester October 20. 1663. LETTER XIII Motives and Marks of Growth To the most Loving and best Beloved the Servants of Christ in Taunton Grace and Peace Most dear and tender Friends WHose I am and whom under God I desire to serve to build you up in Holiness and comfort hath been through grace my great ambition This is that which I laboured for this is that which I suffer for and in short the end of all my applications to you and to God for you How do your Souls prosper are they in a thriving case what progress do you make in Sanctification doth the house of Saul grow weaker and weaker and the house of David stronger and stronger beloved I desire to be jealous of you with a Godly jealousie lest any of you should lose your ground in these declining times and therefore cannot but be often calling upon you to look to your standing and to watch and hold fast that no man take your Crown Ah! how surely shall you reap in the end if
is not this he that can crucifie you or release you can save you or damn you at his pleasure Is it not from him that you fetch every breath your interest obliges you to please him Why should Beltshazzars charge be against you that the God in whose hand your breath is and whose are all your ways you have not glorified Dan. 5. 23. Fonrthly Do not only intend God as the general end of your course but in every solemn action actually mind your end Though a man need not cannot think of his Journeys-end at every step yet with care he might come to this in every solemn action particularly and expressy to mind his end a man cannot nor need he think at every bit that he puts into his mouth I will eat this for God yet he might every time he sits down to his Table remember to eat and drink not to gratifie his flesh but to glorifie God by getting strength for his work you cannot think of it in every step in your Journey but without intending some glory to God by serving his will in your place and station and so in your visits and labours Fifthly Every morning let this be your first and firm resolution I will set forth this day in the Name of God Your first and last thoughts are of greatest consequence and therefore I advise you to begin and end with this when ever you lie down say in your selves I will make use of my Bed as an Ordinance of God that a Servant of his may be refreshed and fitted for his work when ever you rise up think I will spend this day for God and follow the business of my calling because I am so appointed by God Zech. 10. 12. And they shall walk up and down in his Name saith the Lord c. Beloved I design the sweetness and comfort as well as strictness of your lives Live to God as you are directed and you shall marvellously prosper in both I am not sure yet whether or no I shall see you at the Assizes which I earnestly desire to do I leave all things to our Fathers wise disposal and commending you to God I divide my loves among you and so rest Yours in the bonds of the Lord Jesus JOS. ALLEINE From the Prison at Jeulchester Nov. 14. 1663. LETTER XVII Motives to set our selves to please God To my most Dearly Beloved the Servants of Christ in Taunton Grace and Peace Most dear Christians YOur Prisoner in the Lord saluteth you with all dearness you are the care of my heart the desire of my Eyes the joy of my Bonds and the sweet of my liberty I am much satisfied in the wise disposal of our Heavenly Father whether he see it good for me to be a Bond-man or a Freeman so I may but serve your Souls to the greatest adventage Methinks I begin to feel in my self more than ever the benefit of your Prayers the influences of Heaven through the riches of Free-Grace to which alone be the Praise being more fully sensible and sweet upon me I hope the Lord will restore us one to another in his time much better than we parted in the mean time see that you stand fast in the hope of the Gospel The Lord taketh infinite care for you see that it be your care the care of your very hearts to please the Lord Set your hearts to it as the business of your lives and the very end of your beings to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing Set home on your selves such considerations as these First It is the very business you were made for and sent into the world for to please your Maker For his pleasure you are and were Created Why should the Lord repent that he had made you Gen. 6. 6. What treacherous and damnable falshood is this that when the Lord hath given us Breath and Being and sent us into the World on purpose on his service we should like false and wicked servants set up for our selves why should your Creator say he hath made you in vain Secondly If you set your hearts to please the Lord you are sure you shall please him It is not so with men all the care in the World will not suffice to please some men How often do Princes forsake their greatest Favourites so that if you set to please men you are not sure to attain your end at last yea rather you are sure not to attain it But if the Lord doth see your very hearts be set to please him he will accept you though you come short 2 Cor. 8. 12. Read that sweet passage 2 Chron. 6. 75. Thirdly It will be a certain sign of your sincerity when the pleasing of the Lord is your greatest business Phil. 1. 20. To such the Promise runs Isa. 56. 4 5. It is a distinguishing evidence truly to seek and prize Gods favour more then Corn Wine Psal. 4. 6 7. Fourthly This will set all in order and bring all your business to a Head when you have set down this as the one thing necessary that you are resolved to please the Lord this will regulate your whole lives and bring all your business into a little compass A Christian hath but one thing to do in all conditions and that is to carry it so in his present state as that he may please God A man-pleaser O how many hath he to please what an endless work hath such an one to do Fifthly Consider but how careful the Man-pleasiing Parasite and time-serving Hypocrite is to please men and shall not we take as much care to please our God oh how doth the flattering Courtier study the humour of his Prince be you as careful to study and to be acquainted with the mind of God What will not men do to screw themselves into the favour of the Mighty oh that you were but as diligent and unwearied and punctual in your endeavours to get and to keep the favour of the Almighty Sixthly Consider whose favour or displeasure is of that consequence to you as the Lords is of What if men should be angry with you have they the Keys of Hell and of Death no no fear them not Can they undo your souls can they send you to Hell Alas they cannot See that you dread his displeasure that can Alas what will their favour avail you if they be pleased can they stand between the Wrath of God and you can they pardon your sins save your souls secure your Eternal concernments where is all there favour or good will when they or you come to die It will not 〈◊〉 worth a Rush when most needed Therefore beloved Brethren whatever you do keep in with God Resolve upon it He must be pleased though all the World be displeased Le it be enough to you to have his good will let this be 〈◊〉 One thing that you bend your selves to seek and if you set 〈◊〉 seek it you may be sure to find it The Messenger
stay for me and so I must here shut up my Letter as Jude 〈◊〉 his Ye Beloved building up your selves in your most holy Faith Praying in the Holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God looking for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal life Unto his Grace I commend you all and shall add nothing but to share my loves among you and so rest Your Embassador is Bonds JOS. ALLEINE Juelchester November 22. 1663. LETTER XVIII The Worth of Holiness To the Beloved People the Flock of God in Taunton Grace and Peace Most dear Friends and Brethren I Am now a Prisoner of the Lord for you Gentiles and therefore have sent these few Lines to beseech you by these Bonds which I gladly endure for your sakes to hold forth and hold fast the Profession of your Faith without wavering The Lord make you stedfast in the Holy Doctrine wherein you have been taught I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole Counsel of God O remember that by the space of eight years I ceased not to warn you every one and kept back nothing that was profitable unto you but have taught you publickly and from House to House warning every man and teaching every man that I might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Oh that Impenitent sinners would yet remember the Invitations and the obsecrations and the obtestations that they have had have they not been sought unto have they not been intreated have they not been followed from the Publick to their own Houses hath not the Word been brought to their Doors Hath not Mercy wooed them have they not been called under the Wings of Mercy And yet they would not Oh that they would consider it now in the latter days Jer. 23. 20. Oh that they would remember and repent that there might be yet an after Harvest That they would yet come in and live Are you yet willing to turn hear how Wisdom calls after you Prov. 11. How long ye simple ones will you love simplicity and fools bate knowledge turn you at my reproof But if they will not hear good were it for them that they had never been born It shall be more and better for Sodom and Gomorah then for them But for you that have taken upon you the Profession of strict Godliness I shall only press you to follow on and press towards the Mark You have much work yet to do and God hath given you no time to Loyter in I beseech you to put on That Person that sits down when he hath gotten to that pitch that he thinks will bring him to Heaven is never like to come thither Grace is one of those things that saith It never hath enough Let me urge upon you the Apostles Counsel Heb. 12. 14. Follow after Holiness First Holiness is the choicest Ornament it is and adorning in the sight of God of great prize It is the Glory of God and will you count it your shame Exod. 15 God is glorious in Holiness and Grace is called Glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we may now cry out as the Psalmist in his complaint O ye sons of men how long will ye turn my glory into shame Ps. 4. 2. But be of good comfort the shame of Holiness is real Glory how confidently doth Paul shake his Chain Acts 28. 20. We read of some that did glory in their shame in a sad sense that is in that which was real ground of shame to wit their sin Phil. 3. 19. But we meet with others that in a happy sense did glory in their shame that is in the shame of Religion which is indeed a Crown of glory So did Peter and John Acts 5. 41. Secondly Holiness is the safest Muniment Grace is not onely for Ornament but for Use. Righteousness is a Brest-plate that keeps the Vitals and is sure defence from any mortal wounds Ephes. 6. 14. When the Politicians have done their best with all their politick fetches it is he that walketh uprightly that walketh surely Prov. 10. 19. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me saith David Psa. 25. last I desire no other Protection than Innocency I desire to be no longer safe than these can preserve me when I must let go my Integrety or my sasety I will chose the danger rather than the fin and yet will never doubt but my Integrity will save me harmless and prevent me for ever coming off a Loser Never perswade me that that man doth choose wisely or will consult his own safety that runs upon the displeasure of the infinite God who is a devouring fire to flie the danger of mans displeasure Did you ever read or hear of a man so mad as to run upon the swords point to avoid the scratch of a Pin or to run upon a roaring Canon rather than indanger his being wetshod why this is the best wisdom of the distracted World who will sin rather than suffer and to save themselves harmless in the World will run upon God even upon his neck and the thick Bosses of his Buckler Job 15. 25 26. Thirdly Holiness will be found to be your real happiness Eat of this Tree and you shall be indeed as God Godliness is Gods likewise The beauty of Holiness is this very Image Sin is the disease of which holiness is the Cure Pride is the Timpany passion the Feavour of the mind how restlesly raging is the mind where they reign holiness humility meekness are a present ease a present Cure if the Patient can take but enough O what peace and tranquility doth Holiness work in the Mind Great peace have they that love thy Commandments and nothing shall offend them Psalm 119. 165. Read Isa. 48. 18 22. and 26. 3. and 32. 17. Holiness will be a Treasure of Riches Jam. 2. 5. and a Crown of honour Acts 17. 11. a Paradise of Pleasure to you Prov. 3. 17. In a word holiness is the perfection of mans nature Heb. 12. 21. the Communication of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. the earnest of Glory Matt. 5. 8. and the very entrance of Heaven Phil. 3. 20. Let me say now to every one of you as our Saviour to Martha John 11. 26. Believed thou this If you do live like Believers and do you follow after Holiness as others follow their Trades or Studies Let Religion be your business and not a thing by the by with you follow as hard upon the pursuit of Grace as if you did indeed believe riches and honour were in it Count your selves well as long as you keep within the line of your duty Let holiness sit in your Lips and season all your Speech with grace Profess it own it plead stoutly and resolve for it be you Advocates for Holiness in an Adulterous and wicked Generation wear it as a Robe of honour when the spightful World cast the dung of their Reproaches at you for it let it dwell in your Hearts Let it adorn your Houses Let it be your
stand Look to your sincerity You must every one of you stand shortly before the Judgment Seat of Christ and be tried for your lives Oh try your selves throughly first 'T is easie to mistake Education for Regeneration and common Conviction and Illumination for Conversion and a partial Reformation and external Obedience for true Sanctification Therefore I beseech you every one to examine whether you are in the Faith Prove your own selves Tell not me you hope you are sincere you hope you shall go to Heaven Never put it off with Hopes but pray and try and search till you are able to say yea and know you are passed from Death to Life and that you know you have a Building not made with hands eternal in the Heavens Suppose I should ask you one by one Where are your Evidences for Heaven Could you make out your Claim Can you bring me Scripture-proof Can you shew me the Marks of the Lord Jesus What mean you to live at Uncertainties Brethren it is an intollerable Ignorance for any of you in these dayes of glorious Light not to be able to tell the distinguishing Marks of a sound Believer And it is intollerable carelesness of your everlasting Welfare if you do not bring your selves to the Trial by these Marks What are your hands filled with Books and your ears filled with Sermons that tell you so plainly from the word of God how you shall know whether you are in Christ and are you still to seek Oh stir up your own selves Take heed lest a Promise being left of entring into his Rest any of you fall short of it at last by Vnbelief You are a Professing People you pray and you hear and you run upon some Adventures for Jesus Christ But O look to your sincerity Look to your Principles look to your Ends else you may lose all at last Examine not onely what is done but whence 't is done look to the Root as well as to the Fruit. Eye not onely your Actions but your Aims Remember what a strict and severe Eye you are under The Lord Jesus makes strict observation upon all your works and wayes He observes who of you be fruitful and who be barren and unprofitable He knows who of you be thriving and who be declining He observes who be warm and who lukewarm who be sound Christians and who of you have onely a name to live Return O backsliding Christians You have lost your former Convictions and lost your former Affections You are grown remiss in your watch and your Zeal is turned into a kind of indifferencie and your diligence into negligence Your Care is turned into Security and your tenderness into senslessness Oh your case is dangerous The Lord Jesus hath a great Controversie with you Oh remember whence you are fallen and repent and do your first works Strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die Oh rub and chafe your swooning Souls and ply them with warm applications and rousing considerations till they recover their former heat And know ye from the Lord that the backsliders in heart shall be filled with his own wayes O ye barren and fruitless trees Behold the Axe is lifted up to fell you to the ground except you bring forth fruits and those worthy of Repentance May not Christ say to some among you Behold these three years have I come seeking fruit and finding none How is it then that you read not the Sentence passed on the fruitless Tree O sleepy Professors how long will you drive on in this heavy course How long will you continue in an unprofitable and customary Profession Would you be the joy of our Lord why know ye that the thriving Plant is the Masters praise and his hearts delight Christians put on press towards the Mark be adding to your Faith Virtue and to Virtue Knowledge c. See that you grow extensively in being abundant in all forts of good works Be pitiful be courteous gentle easily to be entreated Be slow to anger soon reconciled Be patient be ye temperate be ye chearful Study not every one onely his own things but the good of his Neighbor Think it not enough to look to your own Souls but watch for others Souls Pray for them warn them be kind to them study to oblige them that by any means you may win them and gain their Souls Labour to grow intensively to do better the things that you did before to be more fervent in Prayer more free and willing in all the ways of the Lord to hear with more profit to examine your selves more thorowly to mind Heaven more frequently than heretofore And you O carnal and unsound Professors that reckon your selves to be in Christ but are not new Creatures that because you have the good opinion of the Godly and are outwardly conformable to the wayes of God perswade your selves you are in a good condition although your hearts have not yet to this day been renewed O Repent speedily Repent and be converted What though we cannot distinguish the Tares from the Wheat Yet the Lord of the Harvest can Christ will find you out and condemn you for rotten and unsound unless you be soundly renewed by repentance and effectually changed by converting Grace Brethren I fervently wish your Salvation and to this while I am able I shall bend my ardent endeavours I am now taking advice for my health and hope in some few Weeks to be restored to you In the mean time I commend me to Your Prayers and you to the Grace of God remaining Yours in the Lord Jesus JOS. ALLEINE Dorchester July 7th 1666. LETTER XXVI The Character and Priviledges of true Believers To the Loving and Beloved People the Servants of God in Taunton Salvation Most dearly Beloved I Longed to hear of your Welfare but by reason of the Carryers intermitting his Journeys could not till now obtain my desires neither had I Opportunity till the last Week of writing to you I rejoyce to hear by Mr. Ford of Gods continual goodness towards you he is your Shepherd and therefore it is that you do not want Me you have not alwayes but he is ever with you his Rod and his Staff shall comfort you Nay more then all this you may hence conclude comfortably for all times yea for the whole Eternity to come Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow you all the days of your Lives and you shall dwell in the House of the Lord for ever In this my dear Brethren in this rejoyce and again I say rejoyce that God is ingaged in so near and so sweet relation to you Doubtless your Souls shall Lodge in goodness and be provided for carefully and lie down in everlasting safety that have the Almighty for our Shepherd Blessed are the Flock of his Hands and the Sheep of his Pasture happy is the People that is in such a Case But who are Christs Sheep Not all Professers I beseech you take heed how you rest
Lord I do believe and expect the return of the Redeemer with all his Saints and the most glorious Resurrection of my own dead Body with all Believers and this makes me to rest in Hope and fills me with unspeakable more Joy than the death of my self or any other Saint can with grief And now I make it my business to be rendred serviceable to you and do by this return You my hearty thanks for your earnest Prayers and Intercessiors to God in my behalf for it is he that must do the Cure I seem to my self to be ritired to this place as a Vessel rent and shatter'd and torn in the Service that is come to recruit in the Harbour And here I am as it were rigging and repairing and Victualling to put forth again in the Service which I shall do with the first Wind as soon as I am ready What is my life unless I am serviceable And though I must for the present forbear my wonted Labour yet I shall not cease to exhort You and call upon you while I am absent from You to stand fast and to grow up in your holy Faith Be warned my dearly Beloved that You fall not upon these dangerous Rocks upon which so many Professors have been split There are three Things which I beseech you carefully to beware of First Lest while Christ is in your mouths the world run away with your hearts There is many a seeming Professor that will be found a meer Idolater Many a Soul goes down to Hell in this sin in the midst of his Profession and never 〈◊〉 it till it be too late Remember I beseech You that the Oxen the Farm Wife Merchandize all of them lawful Comforts did as effectually keep men from a sound and saving closing with Christ as the vilest lufts of the worst of men Whatever You find your hearts very much pleased in and in love with among these earthly Comforts set a mark upon that thing and remember that there lies your greatest danger What you love most you must fear most and think often with your selves This if any thing is like to be my ruine Oh the multitudes of Professors that perish for ever by the secret hand of this mortal Enemy I mean the over-valuing of Earthly things The hearers compared to the thorny Ground did not openly fall away and cast off their Profession as the stony ground did but while others withered away the blade of Profession was as green and fresh as ever and yet their inordinate affection to the things of this life did secretly undo all at last Little do most Professors think of this while they please themselves in their estates while they delight themselves so freely in their Children in their Wives in their habitations and possessions that these be the things that are like to undo them for ever How little is that Scripture thought of which speaks so dreadfully to worldly Professors Love not the world for if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him Are there not many among us who though they do keep up Prayer and other holy Duties yet the strength and vigour of their hearts goeth out after earthly things And those are their chief Care and their chief Joy Such must know and they are none of Christs and they were better to understand it now and seek to be renewed by Repentance then hereafter when there shall be no place for Repentance Secondly Lest while iniquity doth abound your love to Christ doth wax cold Remember what an Abomination Laodicoa was to Christ because she grow so luke-warm and what a controversie he had with Ephesus a sound Church because she did but slacken and grow more remiss in her love A Friend is born for Adversity and now is the time if you will prove the sincerity of your love and friendship to Jesus Christ by following him zealously resolvedly fully now he is most rejected and opposed Thirdly Lest you keep up a 〈◊〉 and fruitless Profession without Progression See to it my Brethren that You be not onely Professors but proficients Many Professors think all is well because they keep on in the Exercises of Religion but alas You may keep on Praying and hearing all the Week long and yet be not one jot the further Many there are that keep going but it is like the Horse in the Mill that is going all day but yet is no further than when he first began Nay it oft times happens in the Trade of Religion as it doth in Trading in the World where many keep on in Trading still till for want of care and caution and examining their accounts whether they go forward or backward they Trade themselves out of all Oh look to it my Brethren that none of You rest in the doing of Duties but examine what comes of them Otherwise as You may Trade your selves into Poverty so you may hear and pray your selves into hardness of heart and desperate security and formality This was the very Case of wretched Laodicea who kept up the Trade of Religious Duties and verily thought that all was well because the Trade still went on and that she was increased in spiritual Goods and in a gaining way but when her accounts were cast up at last all comes to nothing and ends in wretchedness poverty and nakedness Most dear Brethren I wish and pray for the prosperity of you all but above all I wish your Souls prosperity with which after my most dear Loves to You all having already exceeded the bounds of an Epistle I commend You to the living God Remaining Your fervent well wisher and Embassador in Christ. JOS. ALLEINE Devises June 22. 1666. LETTER XXX An Admiration of the Love of God To the loving and most Dearly Beloved the Servants of God in Taunton Salvation My most dear Friends I Love you and long for you in the Lord and I am weary with forbearing that good and blessed Work that the Lord hath committed to me for the furtherance of your Salvation How long Lord how long shall I dwell in silence How long shall my Tongue cleave to the Roof of my Mouth When will God open my Lips that I may stand up and praise him But it is my Fathers good pleasure yet to keep me in a total disability of publishing his Name among you unto him my soul shall patiently subscribe I may not I cannot complain that he is hard to me or useth me with Rigour I am full of the Mercies of the Lord yea Brimful and running over And shall I complain Far be it from me But though I may not murmur methinks I may mourn a little and sit down and wish O if I may not have a Tongue to speak would I had but Hands to Write that I might from my Pen drop some heavenly Councels to my Beloved People Methinks my feeble Fingers do even Itch to Write unto you but it cannot be alas my Right-hand seems to have
every prophane 〈◊〉 every prayerless Soul and every prayerless family and convince them of their miserable condition while without thee in the world Set thy Image upon their Souls set up thy Worship in their Families Let not pride ignorance or slothfulness keep them in neglect of the means of Knowledge Let thine eyes be over the place of my desires for good from one end of the year to the other end thereof Let every House therein be a Seminary of Religion and let those that cast their eyes upon these lines find thee sliding in by the secret influence of thy Grace into their hearts and irresistably engaging them to do thy pleasure Amen Amen LETTER XXXII He that endureth to the end shall be saved To the Loving and Well-Beloved the Servants of Christ in Huntington Grace and Peace Most dear Christians I Do thankfully acknowledge both to God and You that I am many ways obliged to love and serve you and surely when the Lord shall turn our Captivity I will through his Grace endeavour to shew my self thankful wherein I may unto You. I am the more sensible of your great love because I cannot be insensible how little I have deserved such a Mercy and how little I have been able to do to oblige You. Able I say for I am sure I have been willing to be much more serviceable to you But now Letters and Prayers are all that I have for you of these I shall be ready to be prodigal Your love to me hath been very bountiful I may not forget the liberal Supplies that you have sent many of you even out of your poverty to me and not to me only but to the whole Family of my Brethren and Fellow-Prisoners who do all bless you and send by these with me their thankful respects unto you I servently pray and do not doubt to speed that you may reap in Grace and Glory what you have sown to us in bounty Verily there is a reward for the Righteous Ah how sure is it And how great and how near is it Come on my dear Brethren and Fellow-Travellers Stir up your selves and set to your race See that you loiter not but speed apace in your holy Course What tire by the way or think of looking back when Heaven is the prize God forbid To him that soweth righteousness there shall be a sure reward What though it should seem slow As long as it is so sure and so great never be discouraged In the end you shall reap if you faint not Wait but a while and you shall have a blessed Harvest The Lord speaks to the Christian as he to his Creditor in another Case Have patience with me and I will pay thee all Oh now for Faith and Patience How safely how sweetly would these carry us to our Home and Harbour through all difficulties Brethren beloved be ye followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises It is want of Patience that undoes the world Patience I mean not so much in the bearing the inflicted evil as in waiting for the deferred good If the Reward of Religion would be presently in hand who would not be Religious Who but the deceitful world count it doubtful and distant and they are all for something in hand and so take up with a present felicity The Lord deals all upon trust and upon that account is but little dealt with You must have Patience and be content to plow and sow and wait for the return of all at the Harvest when this life is ended They that like not Religion upon these terms may see where they can mend their Markets But you my Brethren be stedfast unmoveable abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. Wait a little there is but a short life between you and the blessed inheritance of the endless Glory Ah wretched unbelievers How worthy are you to be shut for ever out of the Kingdom that did so undervalue all the Glory that God had promised as not to count it sufficient to pay them for a little waiting Beloved lift up your Eyes and behold your Inheritance the good Land that is beyond the Jordan and that goodly Mountain The Promises are a Map of Heaven Do but view it believingly and considerately as it is darkly drawn there and tell me what think you of that worthy portion that goodly Heritage Will not all this make you 〈◊〉 for your stay Why then act like Believers Never bethink the pains nor expences of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall come off a loser What though You are much upon the spending 〈◊〉 I might tell you God but I would have you that God hath laid out upon You but who can tell what he hath laid up for them that fear him And will you miss of all for want of Patience God forbid Behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruits of the Earth and hath long patience till he receive the early and later rain Be ye also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh What shall the Husbandman have more patience for the Fruits of the Earth than you for the pretious fruits of your Faith The Husbandman hath no such certainty is 〈◊〉 he hath but a probability of an harvest and yet he hath 〈◊〉 he is content to venture He is at great pains and much cost he is still laying out and hath nothing coming in and yet he is content to wait for his reimbursement till the Corn be grown But your harvest is must sure as sure as the irrevocable Decree the infallible Promise the immutable Oath of a God a God that cannot lie that knows no place for Repentance can make it Again the Husbandman hath no such increase to look for as you Oh if he were but sure that every Corn would bear a Crown with what exultation and joy rather than patience would he go through all his cost and labour Why Brethren such is a Believers increase Every Grain shall produce a Crown and every Tear shall bring forth a Pearl and every minute in pains or Prayers an age of Joy and Glory Besides the Husbandman hath long patience and will not you have a little patience It is not long patience that God doth expect of you for behold the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Will the Garrison yield when relief is at hand Or the Merchant sit down and give up his hopes when within sight of the Harbour Or will the Husbandman 〈◊〉 and give up all for lost when he sees the fields even white for the Harvest Or shall he do more for a crop of Corn than you will do for a crop of Glory Far be it Behold the Judge is even at Door The Lord is at hand He cometh quickly and his reward is with him He comes with the Crown in his hand to 〈◊〉 upon the head of patience Therefore cast not
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
comparison with thine experienced love I cannot entertain the thoughts of this without some disdain But thy needful cautions are acceptable to me I desire to foresee and provide for manifold changes and storms I know I am not yet in the Harbor O pray with me that I enter not into Temptation for I am very weak in Spirit as well as in body God knoweth But there is no end with me somewhere or other I must break off and thou wilt say it is time to shut up for once onely know that I am thy daily Orator and will be whilest I am and yet once more I must have room to add my thankful acknowledgement of thine and thy costly kindness and so with our most dear affections to you both I commend you to the God of love still abiding Thy fast and sure Orestes Bath Octob. 13. 1668. LETTER XXXVII To a person of Quality to be constant Most Honoured Sir MAny charges have passed over both you and my self since my last Writing to you but I am glad to hear that in that great change of your condition you have made so wise and happy a choice Mine unfeigned desire to God is for your Temporal and Spiritual prosperity and that the blessings of both Worlds may be heaped up upon you Yet I should desire you not to expect too much here nor to count it a strange thing if you meet with disappointments It is enough if you have the Lord for your portion and Heaven for your Inheritance though the World should not answer your expectations I doubt not but you will be likely as well we to meet with manifold temptations the Lord make you when you have done all to stand Hold out a while in faith patience and self-denial and you shall be as sure as God can make you of the Crown Now arise and shine and hold forth the power of holiness in all your converse We have lived in times when Religion was the way to credit and esteem and then it was more difficult to discern the sincerity of ones profession because men might be drawn to it upon worldly ends But now is the time when God will prove us if we will appear for him and own his ways when they are the common scorn of the World Oh Sir think it not hard if God do call you forth to own him in such a time as this when few of your rank and quality will bear you company but look upon it as a special advantage to prove your sincerity and your fidelity to the Lord your Maker The holy and blessed life of that noble Marquess Galeacius I should much commend to your reading and Imitation Court not the world nor its preferments Moses his self-denying choice which the World would have branded for unparalled folly when he voluntarily left all the Court-preferments and pleasures the wisest Judge commends for the greatest Wisdom If Religion will make you vile resolve with that Royal Worthy that you will be yet more vile Remember who accounted the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the Treasures of Egypt Verily it is a greater honour to you to be vilified for Christ than to be dignified with the highest Titles that the greatest on Earth can confer and to be call'd Puritan or Phanatique for the bold and constant owning of the power of Christianity than to have whole Pages filled up with the honourable offices and marks of Dignity that earthly Princes can bestow Now then is your time to get the true honour Few of your places and dignity will take this way to get it But he that can but use the prospective of Faith and look as far as the approaching Judgment will easily see the vanity of the worlds riches and slattering preferments and the everlasting glory and honour wherewith the dispised Saints shall surely be Crowned Fix your eyes and Meditations here and that will set you above the worlds temptations when by its offers or threatnings it would make you to warp and to let go your hold-fast of Eternal life Now is the time for you to make Heaven sure and when that is done you are prepared for the worst that can come I desire you to accept of my service and respects and my Wives which I do hereby present unto you and to your most deserving yoak-fellow whom I unfeignedly honour though I never saw her not so much for her noble blood which yet calls for great respects as for her far more noble qualifications and priviledges of her second birth Pardon my boldness with you in troubling you so long I am Sir Your most Oblidged Friend and Servant JOS. ALLEINE Feb. 26. 1661. LETTER XXXVII Dear Couzin THough I have been in the valley of the shadow of death though I have had more than one foot in the Grave and have been in deaths often yet the love and remembrance of you ever liveth on my heart I have long had neither feet to walk nor hands to write yet I have borrowed hands as you see rather than I would stay any longer from warning and admonishing of you Dear Couzin that soul of yours that precious immortal soul is of no light value with me I pray hard for its Salvation I have a Godly fear for you lest your soul should miscarry in a crowd of worldly business and of earthly cares Ah my dear Niece it comforts me that you are so setled for this world and are in want of nothing I bless the Lord for this but me thinks this doth not satisfie me Oh that I could be sure that you were once safe setled in Christ though you are I trust comfortably furnished with earthly things yet in this you are but half provided for have you a Treasure in Heaven have you laid hold on eternal life have you made sure work for everlasting have you past the straits of the New-Birth do your bear upon you the marks of the Lord Jesus If you shall pass by a sumptuous Fabrick and a great Lordship and should lay claim to all as your inheritance and please your self with the hopes of enjoying all this when you had nothing to shew no Writing no Evidence to produce as a ground for any such hope would not every one say this were a piece of strange vanity and imprudence much greater folly is it to promise our selves a part in Paradise and rest satisfied in a meer perswasion that we are the Heirs of Heaven when we cannot prove our Title from the Book of God nor produce from within our selves the sure and certain marks of the children of God Ah Dear Couzin Rouze up your self make conscience to deal plainly and freely with your soul say within your self I have hopes for Heaven but where are my grounds and my Evidences do I not build without a foundation do I venture my Salvation upon meer uncertainties What have I what do I more than others I pray I hear I read but may not a meer Hypocrite do all this I
〈◊〉 of teeth They that do nothing else but laugh in this world shall do nothing else but weep in that to come And all their carnal joy will prove crackling of thorns under a pot soon in and soon out and flashes of Lightning before Eternal fire Use 3. And therefore in the third place since there are times to grieve and to express our grief in tears let this be a Caveat to us not to look for too much joy in this world Let us not cast too much upon it lest we be disappointed and deceived It 's that we are very apt to cozen and delude our selves about when we are on a merry pin and flourish in a prosperous estate it is our manner to conclude that we shall never have a storm again and that this happy time will never end And so we run upon a double inconvenience we grow remiss in making preparations for a time of sorrow and when it comes upon us unexpected it cuts the deeper and disquiets us the more How often shall you hear it from the mouths of some when any heavy Cross befals them alas they never dream'd of this they never look'd to see this doleful day The weaker and unwiser they Did they not know what they are born to trouble as the sparks fly upward so that they have a natural tendency to it That they are wandring in a vale of tears in which they must look out for many storms It was a pretty Speech of Seneca Dolor voluptas inhicem cedunt brevior voluptas Joy and sorrow have still their turns and entercourses here but Joy most commonly hath the speediest dispatch And therefore in the midst of Joy let us be wisely casting upon times of sorrow and making preparation and provision for them And that you may not saint either in the sence and feeling or in the apprehension and expectation of them I shall drop down a few Cordials 1. The times of tears and sorrow are better for us then the times of mirth and laughter And hence saith Solomon in the fore-alledged Scriptures Eceles 7. 2. It is better to go to the house of mourning then to the house of feasting Is it not a more pleasing good but is it a more profitable good though it be not more delightful yet it is more beneficial to be where there are tears and lamentations then to be where there is nothing else but laughter And that upon these two Accounts 1. Times of grief and tears prepare for grace They fit us for the work of holiness upon our souls They settle us and fix us and make us capable of good impressions When there is nothing else but mirth we have light and 〈◊〉 spirits our fancies rove our thoughts and our imaginations wander But when the Lord presenteth nothing else before our eyes but tears and lamentations this calleth home our thoughts It renders us unto our selves and makes us fit for holy motions We see it by experience that the very men who when they are upon a merry pin are sensless and incapable of any good they have such vain and foolish hearts when they are brought into a melting frame then they are mild and time as Lambs then they are pliable and flexible and tractable so that a little child may lead them If you visit them if you counsel and advise them for their good then you shall have their ears and hearts too 2. And as the times of grief and tears prepare for grace so they increase and further grace Grace will spring and grow the more for such showers as these are It prospers better in a 〈◊〉 and watred then in a dry and barren soyl And if you search the sacred Story you will find the greatest weepers to have been the greatest Saints As David Peter yea our Saviour Christ himself Indeed this precious Seed delights to have such dews as these the Seed of Prayer of Repentance yea that Immortal Seed the Word of God doth best when it is sown in tears When we repent in tears our hearts relent and melt most When we preach and pray in tears we move our selves and others most Si vts me flere dolendum est Primum ipsi tibi This Seed when it is watred thus springs up the faster and bringeth forth the more plentiful increase 2. These times of grief and tears will end at last and end in joy You shall weep saith Christ to his Apostles but your sorrow shall be turned into joy They that sow in tears shall reap in joy and he that goes forth weeping bearing precious Seed shall doubtless come again with rejoycing bringing his sheaves with him There is no doubt no question to be made of that and therefore it is bound with an Asseveration which takes away all scruple from it he shall doubtless come again with rejoycing bringing his sheaves with him It is the custome every where to have good chear and to be merry when they reap So it was among the Jews as you may see Deut. 16. 13 14. And therefore this is used in Scripture to express the greatest joy Isa. 9. 3. They shall rejoyce before thee according to the joy of harvest So though the Christian sows in rainy weather in a weeping time all shall be sweet and calm and fair when the reaping time comes He shall fit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven feeding on the hidden Manna and drinking of the pure and Crystal River of Water of Life proceeding from the Throne of God and of the Lamb and there they shall be merry all together When once he comes to God's immediate presence he shall have joy full joy yea the fulness of joy Psal. 16. last In his presence is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore 3. The joy that is to come will pay for all It will be such so plentiful and overflowing that it will make a full amends for all your present tears and sorrow It will quite overcome the sense and the remembrance of them Alas our trouble here is nothing in comparison it is a light and easie Burthen Our affliction is but short it continues but a moment but the time is drawing nigh when this little light sorrow shall be wholly swallowed up in endless and unutterable joy This short affliction which lasteth but a moment shall end in everlasting and unmixed pleasures 2 Cor. 4. 17. It worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Oh what transporting comfort is there many times in reaping the first fruits of the Spirit that we are ready to cry out if the first fruits be so sweet what will the Harvest be If the earnest be so great what will the Possession be When we shall be filled and satisfied with the delights that heaven yields to all eternity I could say as Peter once It is good to be here let us build Tabernacles here But I must hasten to another Observation Doct. 2. That we are
a great and signal mercy to himself and to his people And therefore Joab even rates him for it 2 Sam. 19. 5 and following verses Saith he Thou hast sham'd this day the faces of all thy servants who have sav'd thy life and the life of thy Sons and of thy Daughters and thy Wives Since thou hast 〈◊〉 thine Enemies and hated thy Friends and hast declar'd this day that thou regardest neither Princes nor Servants And I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all we had died this day it would have pleased thee well You see the reason of his immoderate and overflowing sorrow for him was his inordinate Affection to him Which was so out of measure great that when he heard the news his passion wrought and he was hasting to a room to give it vent But alas he cannot hold till he come thither but discharges at the stairs as he is going up 2 Sam. 18. 33. He wept as he went and said O my Son Absalom my Son Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my Son my Son You see then both that and why we are so ready to misplace our grief and to misapply our sorrow Use. The application of the point shall be for Caution and Direction both together To watch our hearts against it that so we lay not out our tears amiss Be circumspect that you do not misplace your grief and that you do not mistake the ground and object of your sorrow like these poor Daughters of Jerusalem who wept where they should not and wept not where they should Oh what a deal of grief do some men waste away when there is no cause at all How do many men take on when they are crost in prosecution of their lusts and hindred in their sins which is in deed a great mercy Oh what floods of tears do some men pour 〈◊〉 upon a petty flight occasion at a trifling accident Beloved tears if they be shed aright are precious things God puts them up into his Bottle as if they were of great value And yet some lay them out on nothing How will they weep and grieve at any disappointment in their small affairs any miscarriage in their business any little petty loss any unkindness from their friends or neighbours any affront or provocation in the least degree nay if they be but crossed in their wills though it be best indeed they should All their sorrow is bestowed on little trifling inconsiderable things Why my beloved have ye not other manner of things then these to grieve for what think you of your own sias with all their bloody aggravations what think you of the horrible Abominations and woful desolations of the Land And of all the wrath of God that hath been lately manitested and reveal'd from Heaven against us more ways then I am able to express I might be very large in shewing you particularly and distinctly both what you should and what you should not grieve for and giving you directions from the word of God about it But because the time spends and I would not be prevented of that which I have principally in my eye I shall pass over many other things that so I may apply my self to the occasion Methinks I see the clouds gather and return after the Rain And out of question many of you are come hither with a sufficient 〈◊〉 of sorrow your hearts are full of grief and your souls full of trouble and your bottles full of tears brim full You have drawn water and are ready to pour it our before the Lord this day My work shall be to guide you and direct you with our Saviour in the Text how to bestow these tears and how to spend this sorrow that you may not weep in vain I say to you as Christ doth to the Daughters of Jerusalem with a little alteration weep not for him whom the Lord hath taken from you but weep for your selves and for your Children 1. Weep not for him I know the loss of such an Able Faithful Painful zealous Minister of Christ as he was ought to be very much bewailed Men of such hidden worth as he had in him and of such publick use and service in the Church should not be raked up in their Graves without tear and lamentations Joash a wicked King wept for a good Prophet and that with very great affection 2 Kings 13. 14. He wept over his face and said My Father my Father the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof And if you mark the carriage of the Saints when such as he I mean our dear and worthy Brother have been taken from them it would warrant all the tears you have to spend on this occasion In the first of Kings 13. 30. You find a Prophet burying a Prophet and melting over him when he Inter'd him He laid his Carcase in the Grave and mourned over him and said alass my Brother How solemnly did Israel lament the death of Samuel and made their grief as remarkable and publick as their loss 1 Sam. 25. 1. It is observed of Stephen that he was carried by devout men to his burial with great lamentation Acts 8. 2. And God forbid that such an one as we have lost should die away as if he were not desired that he would steal into his Grave as if there were no notice taken of his Death No my Beloved weep and weep on sit down and weep till you can weep no more yet still I say weep not for him Your loss is unaccomptable indeed and time perhaps will shew it to be greater then as yet you see But tell me my Beloved is he a loser any way Nay is he not an infinite gainer Is not this best of all for him Indeed to have continued in the flesh was better for you as the Apostle states the case when he was 〈◊〉 Phil. 1. 24. But for him it was far better to be dissolved and to be with Christ. Now he enjoys a 〈◊〉 deliverance from all Corruptions all Temptations all Afflict 〈◊〉 A full return of all his Prayers and Breathings after God and Christ in which he was transported when he was drawing near his Glory A full reward of all his tiring and incessent Labours Oh blessed soul You know a Voice from Heaven hath said Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their Labours and their works follow them Therefore I say weep not for him There is one thing I must confess that makes this Providence the sadder to us You know it is the Prophet Davids Prayer Psal. 102. 24. O my God take me not away in the midst of my daies The Lord indeed hath taken him away in the midst of his days and in the midst of his Ministry But is he gone to Heaven too soon Too soon indeed for you but not for him Is he got home to his Fathers house too soon Is he with God and Christ and Angels and glorified Saints too
cast away upon you So that our Brother might have said in reference to many as the Prophet did I have spent my strength in vain However he is glorious with his God But I am very much afraid that many of you will find this holy witness who is now ascended Witnessing against you when the day of trial comes Dear Friends Be not offended if I tell you that your sins have had a stroke in the Sickness and the Weakness and the death of your deservedly beloved Minister They were our sins that killed Christ He was bruised for our iniquities and broken for our sins He bare our sins in his Body on the Tree And so they are our sins that kill the Ministers of Christ. You have often seen your Saviour slain before you by and for your sins Now you have seen a holy Minister of his slain by the same hands And yet your sins live still to do more such work and the Lord knows where it will end There is no Execution done upon them who have done such dreadful Execution in our view Oh let your hearts break and your Tears run down till your Lusts be broken mortified and destroyed or else they will break you and destroy you If you have any love to Christ to the Ministers of Christ or to your Selves you may see cause enough to weep though not for our deceased Brother yet for your selves and for your sins That 's the first thing then weep for the sins that you have done 2. For the Judgments that now you may be like to suffer To this our Saviour referreth in the Text weep for your selves and for your children That is for the extremity of Wrath and 〈◊〉 V engeance that is about to come on you and them Even so say I to you my Brethren with the Apostle James 5. 1. Go to now weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you Oh let not that complaint of the Prophet Isaiah 57. 1. Be renewed against you The Righteous perisheth and no man laieth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the Righteous is taken away from the evil to come Our dear Brother now deceased was a Righteous man yea a Preacher of Righteousness The Lord you see hath taken him away Oh what evil is to come When such as he are hous'd what dreadful storms may there be like to fall Brethren the holy Ministers of God are the peoples Life-guard The Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof 2 Kings 13. 14. They are anointed Cherubs that Cover They are a Shelter and a Covering from the Storm and from the Rain Sometimes they are called Shepherds and the business of a Shepherd is to keep and save the Flock Sometimes they are called Angels and Angels are the Guardians of the Lords people They Guard and Cover and Protect a People Now this they do while they instruct them so to walk that wrath may not come upon them while they Intercede with God and stand up in the breach to keep out the Indignation that is flowing in upon it A praying Minister and such a one have you lost one that bare you on his Heart continually before the Lord as Aaron did the names of Israel on his Breast-plate I say a praying Minister is a Protection to the People It s true the fervent Prayers of the meanest Saint are an Incredible defence to any place to save it from the shokes of God And therefore even they are stiled Intercessors Isa. 59. 16. Because they mediate with God when he is Angry and by their zealous Supplications hold his hands But yet however though it be a certain truth that God hath much respect to the Petitions of his weakest Servants yea though perhaps some private Christians may Excel a holy Minister in Prayer yet God hath more regard to the Intreaties of his faithful Ministers who have a special Charge and commission to be his Remembrancers for the good of that People which he 〈◊〉 to their charge and their Petitions are of more avail and power with God both to Procure his Blessings and avert his Judgments Moses and Aaron among the Priests and Samuel among them that call on his Name They called upon the Lord and he answered them Psal. 99. 6. Why doubtless so he heard the Prayers of his other Saints But these his holy Priests and Prophets had the Ear of God as special Favourites have their Princes Ears and could be Heard and Answered when others were denied Access and Audience And this is not obseurely Intimated in that Protestation of the Lord to Israel concerning their approaching Desolation Ezek. 14. 14. Though these three men Noah Daniel and Job were in it they should deliver but their own souls By which he insinuates that when the absolute Decree is once gone forth it can by no means be revok'd so he suggests withal that if it had been feasible these holy 〈◊〉 would have done it q. d. were those three men in Israel they would put me to it hard and try me shrewdly to forbear the Land I should be hardly able to deny them He said he would destroy them had not Moses stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath Psal. 106. 23. Oh how did Moses stand against him and bind the Hands of the Almighty when he was about to strike So that the Lord intreats and flatters with him to let him alone Exod. 32. 10. While such as Moses are Intercessors for a People God forbears he holds his Hands and restrains his Indignation as he that means to strike observes what strength there will be likely to oppose him And when he looks and sees that there is no Intercessor then he goes on with his design Isa. 59. 16. Then his Arm brings Salvation to him and he puts on the Garments of Vengeance Brethren you are in greater danger then you are aware by the removal of your Praying Minister For you have lost one Intercessor if any breach should happen between God and you Yea you have lost your Covering if a storm of Wrath should fall So that it may be said of you as it was once of Israel when Moses was a way that you are naked And what are you in Laodicea's case indeed Do you not know that you are naked Are you naked and are you not afraid Are you naked and not ashamed This would become a state of Innocence indeed in which it was observed of Adam and his Wife that they were both naked and were not 〈◊〉 Gen. 2. 5. But will it suit with such a state of sin and danger as the best of you are in Do you not find your selves uncovered Have you no sense and feeling of it Especially at such a time as this when the Judgments of the Lord are abroad upon the Earth upon the Land upon this very place in which you live more waies then I am able to express Alas alas you are uncovered whether you know it