*1.A WORD of advice to my own heart and thine. Thou partakest of the ordinances of God. Thou dost well. But if thou hast not the blood of Christ at the root of all, they will prove but painted pageantry to go to hell in.
Try every day, on what bottom thy hope of glory is built, and whether it was laid by the hand of Christ. If not it will never be able to endure the storm that must come against it. Satan will throw it all down, and great will be the fall thereof.
*Glorious professor! Thou shalt be winnowed; every vein of thy profession will be tried to the purpose: ’tis terrible to have it all come tumbling down, and to find nothing to bottom upon.
*Soaring professor! See to thy waxen wings betimes; they will melt with the heat of temptations. What a misery is it, to trade much, and break at length; and to have no stock, no foundation laid for eternity!
*Gifted professor! Look there be not a worm at the root that will spoil all thy fine gourd, and make it die about thee, in a day of scorching: look over thy soul daily, and ask, Where is the blood of Christ to be seen upon it? Many eminent professors have come at length to cry out, Undone, undone to all eternity!
2. Consider the greatest sins may be hid under the greatest duties. See the wound that sin hath made in thy soul be perfectly cured by the blood of Christ; not skinned over with duties, humblings, enlargements. Apply what thou wilt besides the blood of Christ, it will poison the sore. Thou wilt find that sin was never mortified truly; nothing can kill it but the beholding Christ’s righteousness.
Nature can afford no balsam fit for the cure of a soul. Healing from duty, and not from Christ, is the most desperate disease. Poor ragged nature, with all its highest improvements, can never spin a garment fine enough to cover the soul’s nakedness. Nothing is fit for that use, but Christ’s perfect righteousness.
Whatsoever is of nature’s putting on, Satan will come and plunder it, and leave the soul naked and open to the wrath of God. All that nature can do will never make up the least dram of grace that can mortify sin, or look Christ in the face one day.
3. Thou goest on hearing, praying, and receiving, yet miserable mayst thou be. Look about thee; didst thou ever see Christ to this day in distinction from all other excellencies and righteousness in the world, and all of them falling before the majesty of his love and grace!
*If thou hast seen Christ truly, thou hast seen pure grace, pure righteousness, far exceeding all sin and misery. If thou hast seen Christ, thou wouldst not do a duty without him for ten thousand worlds. If ever thou sawest Christ, thou sawest him a rock, higher than Satan or sin; and this rock doth follow thee, and there will be a continual dropping of honey and grace out of it to satisfy thee. Examine, if ever thou hast beheld Christ as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Be sure thou art come to Christ, that thou standest upon the rock of ages, hast answered to his call to thy soul, hast closed with him for justification.
*4. Men talk bravely of believing; but few know it. Christ is the mystery of the scripture. Grace the mystery of Christ. Believing is the most wonderful thing in the world. Put any thing of thine own to it, and thou spoilest it; Christ will not so much as look at it for believing. When thou comest to Christ, thou must leave behind thee thy own righteousness, and bring nothing but thy sin. (Oh that is hard!) Leave behind all thy holiness, and bring nothing but thy wants and miseries, else Christ is not fit for thee, nor thou for Christ. Christ will be a pure Redeemer, and thou must be an undone sinner, or Christ and thou will never agree. It’s the hardest thing in the world to take Christ alone for righteousness: that’s to acknowledge him Christ. Join any thing to him of thy own, and thou un-Christ’s him.
Whatever comes in when thou goest to God for acceptance, (besides Christ) call it anti-christ; bid it be gone; make only Christ’s righteousness triumphant; all besides that, is Babylon, which must fall if Christ stand; and thou shalt rejoice in the day of the fall thereof. Christ alone did tread the wine-press, and there was none with him. If thou join any thing to Christ, Christ will trample upon it in fury and anger, and stain his raiment with the blood thereof. Thou thinkest it easy to believe: was ever thy faith tried with a thorough sight of sin? Was it ever put to grapple with Satan, and the wrath of God lying upon the conscience? When thou wast in the mouth of hell, then did God shew thee Christ a ransom? If then thou couldst say, Oh I see grace enough in Christ! Thou mayst say that which is the biggest word in the world, thou believest; but untried faith is uncertain faith.
*5. To believing, there must go a clear conviction of sin, and the merits of the blood of Christ, and of Christ’s willingness to save upon this consideration merely, that thou art a sinner: things all harder than to make a world. All the power in nature cannot get up so high, in a storm of sin and guilt, as really to believe there is any willingness in Christ to save. When Satan chargeth sin upon the conscience, then to charge it upon Christ, that is gospel like. That is to make him Christ, he serves for that use. To accept his blood alone for salvation, that is the sum of the gospel. When the soul, in all duties and distresses, can say, nothing but Christ for justification, sanctification, redemption; not humblings, not duties, not graces, that soul hath got above the reach of the billows.
All Satan’s advantages are laid in self-righteousness. God pursueth this by setting Satan upon thee; this must be torn from thee; this alone hinders Christ from coming in; and till Christ come in, guilt will not go out; and where guilt is, there is hardness of heart.
6. When guilt is raised up, take heed of getting it allay’d any way but by Christ’s blood. Make Christ thy peace, not thy duties, thy tears: Christ thy righteousness, not thy graces. Look at Christ and do as much as thou wilt. Stand with all thy weight upon Christ’s righteousness; take heed of having one foot on thy own righteousness, another on Christ’s. Till Christ come and sit on high upon a throne of grace, there is nothing but guilt and terror, the soul hanging between hope and fear, which is an un-gospel state.
He that fears to see the utmost hell of his own heart, suspects the merit of Christ. Be thou never such a sinner, try Jesus Christ the righteous. In all doubtings, fears, storms of conscience, look at Christ continually. Do not argue with Satan (he desires no better) bid him go to Christ, and he will answer him; it is his office to be our advocate, his office to answer justice, and he is sworn to that office. Put Christ upon it. If thou wilt do any thing thyself, as to satisfaction for sin, thou renouncest Christ the righteous.
*7. Satan may alledge scripture, but he cannot answer scripture. It is Christ’s word of mighty authority; Christ foiled Satan with it. In all the scripture there is not an ill word against a poor sinner, stript of his own righteousness. Nay, it plainly points out this man for the grace of the gospel, and none else. Believe but Christ’s willingness, and that will make thee willing. If thou find thou canst not believe; remember it is Christ’s work to make thee believe. Put him upon it. He works to will and to do. Mourn for thy unbelief, which is setting up guilt above Christ; an undervaluing the merits of Christ, accounting his blood an unholy, a common, and unsanctifying thing.
Thou complainest much of thyself. Doth thy sin make thee look more at Christ; less at thyself? That is right; else complaining is but hypocrisy. To be looking at duties and graces, when thou shouldest be looking at Christ, that is pitiful: looking at them will but make thee proud; looking at Christ will make thee humble. In all thy temptations, be not discouraged. Those surges may be (not to break thee, but) to heave thee off thyself, on the rock Christ.
Thou mayst be brought low, even to the brink of hell, ready to tumble in; thou canst not be brought lower than the belly of hell, yet there thou mayst look towards the holy temple. Into the old temple none might enter but purified ones, and with an offering too. But now Christ is our temple, to whom none must come but sinners, and that without any offering, but his own blood once offered.
8. Thou thinkest, oh, what a monument of grace should I be! There are many thousands as rich monuments as thou. The greatest sinner did never pass the grace of Christ. When the clouds are blackest, then look towards Christ, the standing pillar of the Father’s love. His blood speaks reconciliation, redemption, liberty, nighness to God. Not a drop of his blood shall be lost. Stand and hearken what God will say, for he will speak peace to his people, that they return no more to folly. He speaks grace, mercy, and peace. That is the language of the Father and of Christ. Wait for Christ’s appearing, as the morning star. He shall come as certain as the morning, as refreshing as the rain.
*The sun may as well be hindered from rising, as Christ the Son of righteousness. Look not a moment off Christ. Look not upon sin, but look upon Christ also. In every duty look at Christ, before duty, to pardon; in duty, to assist; after duty, to accept. Without this it is but carnal, careless duty. Let sin break thy heart, but not thy hope in the gospel.
9. If thou hast looked at works, duties, qualifications, more than at the merits of Christ, it will cost thee dear. No wonder thou goest complaining; graces may be evidences, but the merits of Christ must be the foundation of thy hope.
When we come to God, we must bring nothing but Christ with us. Any ingredients of our own, will poison faith. He that builds upon duties or graces, knows not the merits of Christ. This makes believing so hard, so far above nature; if thou believest, thou must every day renounce thy obedience, thy sanctification, thy duties, thy graces, and nothing but Christ must be held up. Thou must take from God’s hand. Christ is the gift of God. Faith is the gift of God. Pardon a free gift. Ah, how nature storms, frets, rageth at this, that all is of gift, and it can purchase nothing with tears and duties; that all its workings are excluded, and of no value in heaven!
Consider, didst thou ever yet see the merits of Christ, and the infinite satisfaction made by his death? Didst thou see this when the burthen of sin and the wrath of God lay heavy on thy conscience? That is grace. The greatness of Christ’s merit is not known but to a poor soul at the greatest loss. *Slight convictions will but have slight prizings of Christ’s blood and merits.
*10. Despairing sinner! Thou lookest on thy right hand and on thy left, saying, Who will shew us any good? Look at Christ and be saved, all ye ends of the earth. There is none else. He is a Saviour, and there is none besides him. Look any where else, and thou art undone. God will look at nothing but Christ, and thou must look at nothing else. Christ is lifted up on high (as the brazen serpent in the wilderness) that sinners at the ends of the earth, at the greatest distance may see him. The least sight of him will be saving, the least touch healing to thee; and God intends thou shouldst look on him, for he hath set him on a high throne of glory, in the open view of all poor sinners. Thou hast infinite reason to look on him. For he will bear thy burdens; he will forgive, not only till seven times, but seventy times seven. It put the faith of the apostle to it to believe this, Luke xvii. 4, 5. because we are ♦hard to forgive, we think Christ is hard.
11. Hear what he said, I have found a ransom. In him I am well pleased. God will have nothing else; nothing else will do thee good, or satisfy conscience but Christ, who satisfied the Father. God doth all upon the account of Christ. Thy deserts are hell, wrath, rejection. Christ’s deserts are life and pardon. He will not only shew thee the one, but he will give thee the other. It is Christ’s own glory and happiness to pardon. Consider, while Christ was upon earth, he was more among Publicans and Sinners than among Scribes and Pharisees: and he hath the same love now in heaven; he is God and changeth not. He went through all temptations, sorrows, desertions; and hath drank the bitterest of the cup, and left thee the sweet; the condemnation is out. Christ drank up all the Father’s wrath at one draught; and nothing but salvation is left for thee. Thou sayst thou canst not believe, thou canst not repent: fitter for Christ, if thou hast nothing but sin and misery. Go to Christ with all thy impenitency and unbelief, to get faith and repentance; that is glorious. Tell Christ, Lord, I have brought no righteousness, no grace to be justified by; I am come for thine, and must have it. We would be bringing to Christ, and that must not be; not a penny of nature’s highest improvements will pass in heaven.
12. To say in compliment, I am a sinner, is easy; but to pray with the Publican indeed, Lord, be merciful to me a sinner, is the hardest prayer in the world. It is easy to say, I believe in Christ; but not to see him full of grace and truth, of whole fullness thou mayst receive grace for grace. It is easy to profess Christ with the mouth; but to confess him with the heart, that is above flesh and blood. Many call Christ Saviour; few know him so. To see grace and salvation in Christ is the greatest sight in the world; none can do that, but at the same time they shall see that glory and salvation are theirs. I may be ashamed to think that to this day I have known so little of the blood of Christ, which is the main thing of the gospel. A christless, formal profession is the blackest sight next to hell. Thou mayst have many good things, and yet one thing may be wanting, that may make thee go away sorrowful from Christ. Thou hast never sold all thou hast, never parted with all thine own righteousness. Thou mayst be high in duty, and yet a perfect adversary to Christ. In every prayer, in every ordinance, labour after sanctification to thy utmost; but make not a Christ of it to save thee; if so, it must come down one way or other. Christ’s infinite satisfaction, not thy sanctification, must be justification before God. When the Lord shall appear terrible out of his holy place, fire shall consume that as hay and stubble. This will be sound religion, only to bottom all upon the everlasting mountains of God’s love and grace in Christ, to live continually in the sight of Christ’s infinite merits (they are sanctifying, without them the heart is carnal) and in those sights to see the full vileness of sin, and to see all pardoned; in those sights to pray and hear, seeing all thy weak performances accepted continually, to trample upon all thy own righteousness, and be found continually in the righteousness of Christ only. Without the blood of Christ on the conscience, all is dead service.
13. Search the scriptures daily, as mines of gold, wherein the heart of Christ is laid. Watch against constitutional sins; see them in their vileness, and they shall never break out into act. Keep always an humble, empty, broken frame of heart, sensible of any spiritual miscarriage, observant of all inward workings, fit for the highest communications. Keep not guilt in the conscience, but apply the blood of Christ immediately. God chargeth sin and guilt upon thee, to make thee look to Christ the brazen serpent.
Judge not Christ’s love by providence, but by promises. Bless God for any way whereby he keeps the soul awakened and looking after Christ: better sickness and temptations, than security and slightness.
*A flighty spirit will turn a profane spirit, and will sin and pray too. Slightness is the bane of profession. If it be not rooted out of the heart by constant and serious dealings with, and beholdings of Christ in duties, it will grow more strong and more deadly, by being under church ordinances. Be serious and exact in duty, having the weight of it upon thy heart; but be as much afraid of grounding thy comfort on duties as on sins. Comfort from any hand but Christ is deadly. Be much in prayer, or you will never keep up much communion with God. As you are in closet prayer, so you will be in all other ordinances.
14. Be true to truth, but not turbulent and scornful; restore such as are fallen, with all the bowels of Christ. Set the broken disjointed bones with the grace of the gospel! Despise not the weak; thou mayst come to wish to be in the condition of the meanest of them. Be faithful to others infirmities, but sensible of thine own. Visit sick beds and deserted souls much; they are excellent scholars in experience.
Abide in your calling. Be dutiful to all relations as to the Lord. Be content with little of the world; little will serve. Think every little much, because unworthy of the least. Think every one better than thyself; loathing thyself as one fit to be trampled on by all saints. See the vanity of the world and love nothing but Christ. Mourn to see so little of Christ in the world. To a secure soul Christ is but a fable, the scripture but a story. Mourn to think how many are under church order that are not under grace. Prepare for the cross; welcome it; bear it triumphantly like Christ’s cross, whether, scoffs, mockings, contempt, imprisonments.—But see it be Christ’s cross, not thine own.
15. Sin will hinder from glorying in the cross of Christ. And omitting little things against light may breed hell in the conscience, as well as committing the greatest sins. If thou hast been taken out of the belly of hell into Christ’s bosom, and made sit among princes in the houshold of God, Oh, how shouldest thou live as a pattern of mercy!—Redeemed, restored soul, what infinite sums dost thou owe Christ! With what zeal shouldst thou walk, and do every duty! Sabbaths, what praising days should they be to thee!—Church fellowship! What a heaven, a being with Christ, and angels, and saints! What a drowning of the soul in eternal love, as a burial with Christ, dying to all things besides him! Every time thou thinkest of Christ be astonished; and when thou seest sin, look at Christ’s grace, that did pardon it; and when thou art proud, look at Christ’s grace, that shall strike thee down in the dust.
*Remember Christ’s time of love. When thou wast naked, then he chose thee. Canst thou ever have a proud thought? Remember whose arms supported thee from sinking, and delivered thee from the lowest hell, and shout in the ears of angels and men, and for ever sing praise, praise! Grace, grace! Daily repent and pray; and walk in the sight of grace, as one that hath the anointings of grace upon thee. Remember thy sins, Christ’s pardonings; thy deserts, Christ’s merits; thy weakness, Christ’s strength; thy pride, Christ’s humility; thy guilts, Christ’s new application of his blood; thy wants, Christ’s fulness; thy temptations, Christ’s tenderness; thy vileness, Christ’s righteousness.
16. Trifle not with ordinances. Be much in meditation and prayer. Wait diligently upon all opportunities of hearing. We have need of doctrine, reproof, exhortation, consolation, as the tender herb and the grass hath of the rain, the dew, the small rain, and showers. Do all thou dost as unto Christ, as immediately dealing with Christ Jesus, as if he were looking on thee, and thou on him, and fetch all thy strength from him.
*Observe what holy motions you find in your souls to duties; prize the least good thought thou hast of Christ. The least good word thou speakest of him from the heart, is rich mercy: O bless God for it! Observe, if every day you have the Day-spring from on high, with his morning dews of mourning for sin, constantly visiting thee. Have you the bright morning star, with fresh influences of grace and peace constantly arising, and Christ sweetly greeting the soul in all duties? What duties make not more spiritual, will make more carnal; what do not quicken and humble, will deaden and harden.
17. Judas had a sop: but John leaned on Christ’s bosom; that’s the posture in which we should pray, and hear, and perform all duties. Nothing but lying in that bosom will dissolve all hardness of heart, and make thee to mourn kindly for sin. That will humble indeed, and make the soul cordial to Christ, and sin vile to the soul. Never think thou art as thou shouldst be, until thou come to this, always to see and feel thyself lying in the bosom of Christ, who is in the bosom of his Father. Come and move the Father for a sight of Christ, and you shall be sure to speed; you can come with no request that pleaseth him better; he gave him out of his own bosom for that very end, to be held up before the eyes of all sinners, as the everlasting monument of his Father’s love.
Looking at the natural sun weakeneth the eye. The more you look at Christ, the son of righteousness, the stronger and clearer will the eye of faith be. Look but at Christ, you will love him, and live on him. Think on him continually; keep the eye constantly upon Christ’s blood, or every blast of temptation will shake you. If you will see sin’s sinfulness, to loath it and mourn, do not stand looking on sin only, but look upon Christ as suffering and satisfying. If you would see your grace, your sanctification, do not stand gazing upon them, but look at Christ’s righteousness first; look at your grace in the second place.
18. *Have nothing to do with thy graces and sanctification till thou hast seen Christ first. He that looks upon Christ through his graces, is like one that sees the sun in water, which wavereth and moveth as the water doth. Look upon Christ as shining in the firmament of the Father’s love, and you will see him in his own glory. Pride and unbelief will put you upon seeing somewhat in yourself first; but faith will have to do with none but Christ, who must swallow up thy sanctification as well as thy sin. He that sets up his sanctification to look at first, he sets up the greatest idol, which will strengthen his doubts and fears. Do but look off Christ, and presently (like Peter) you sink in doubts.
If you would pray and cannot, and so are discouraged, see Christ praying for you: if you are troubled, see Christ your peace leaving you peace when he went up into heaven, again and again charging you not to be troubled, so as to obstruct your comfort or your believing. He is now upon the throne, having spoiled upon his cross all whatsoever can hurt or annoy thee: he hath borne all thy sins, sorrows, troubles, temptations, and is gone to prepare mansions for thee.
19. *Thou who hast seen Christ all, and thyself absolutely nothing, who makest Christ all thy life, and art dead to all righteousness besides; do Christ this one favour for all his love to thee, love all his poor saints, (the meanest, the weakest, notwithstanding any difference in judgment) they are engraven on his heart, let them be so on thine. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love thee. Psalms cxxii. 6.
To the READER.
THE letters of Mr. Samuel Rutherford, have been generally admired by all the children of God, into whose hands they have fallen, for the vein of piety, trust in God, and holy zeal, which runs through them. The same piety, zeal, and confidence in God, shine through all the letters of Mr. Alleine: so that in this respect he may well be stiled, the English Rutherford. But yet there is a very discernible difference between them: in piety and fervour of spirit they are the same: but the fervour of the one more resembles that of St. Paul, of the other, that of St. John. They were both men of the most intrepid courage: but in love Mr. Alleine has the pre-eminence. He seems to excel in bowels of mercies, meekness, gentleness, in tenderness, mildness, and sweetness of spirit, even to his bitterest enemies. I do not therefore scruple to give these letters the preference, even to Mr. Rutherford’s: as expressing, in a still higher degree, the love that is long-suffering and kind, which is not provoked, which thinketh no evil, and which hopeth, believeth, and endureth all things.
JOHN WESLEY.
London,
March 7, 1767.
To his wife concerning his acceptance of Taunton.
My dear heart,
BY this time I hope thou hast received mine, touching Taunton. I find my heart much inclining that way. I will tell thee the principles upon which I go.
First, I lay this for a foundation, That a man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth. It was accounted a wise prayer that Agur put up, to be fed with food convenient for him. And certain it is, that where men have least of the world, they esteem it least, and live more by faith in God, casting their care and burden upon him. O the sweet breathing of David’s soul! The strong actings of his faith when his condition was low and mean! How fully doth he rely upon God. And certainly could we that are unexperienced, but feel the thorns of those cares and troubles, that there are in gathering and keeping much, and the danger when riches increase of setting our hearts upon them, we should prize the happiness of a middle condition. Doubtless, godliness with contentment is great gain. Seekest thou great things for thyself (said the prophet to Baruch) seek them not. Certainly a good conscience is a continual feast, and enough for a happy life.
*Secondly, I take this for an undoubted truth, that a dram of grace is better than a talent of wealth; and therefore such a place where we have little to do with the world to take off our thoughts from the things of eternity, and have the advantage of abundance of means, and the daily opportunities of warming our hearts with the blessed society of Christians, is (if we pass a true spiritual judgment) without comparison before another place, void of those spiritual advantages. Let us think, what though our purses may thrive better in a place of large maintenance; yet where are our souls like to thrive any way answerable to what they are in this? We should have but little in the world, but what is this, if it be made up to us, in communion with God and his people? If we thrive in faith, and love, humility, and heavenly-mindedness, what matter is it, though we do not raise ourselves in the world? Oh! Who would leave so much grace, and so much comfort in communion with Christ and his saints, for the probabilities of living a little more handsomely. ’Tis a strange thing to see how Christians generally judge. What is it worth a year? Is the maintenance certain? What charges are there like to be? These are the questions we commonly ask first, when we speak of settling. But alas, though those things are to be considered too, yet what good am I like to do? What good am I like to get? These should be the chief things we should judge by. What if we have but a little in the world? Why then we must keep but a short table, and give the meaner entertainment to our friends. O, but will not this be abundantly made up, if we have more outward and inward peace? Let others hug themselves in their corn, and wine, and oil, in their fat livings, and their large tables, if we have more of the light of God’s countenance, who would change with them?
Thirdly, That the surest way to have any outward mercy, is to be content to want it. When men’s desires are over-eager after the world, they must have thus much a year, and a house well furnished, and wife, and children, thus and thus qualified, God doth usually, break their wills by denying them, as one would cross a froward child of his stubborn humour: or else puts a sting into them, that a man had been as well without them. The best way to get riches, is out of doubt to set them lowest in one’s desires. Solomon found it so: he did not ask riches, but wisdom, but God was so pleased, that he threw in them into the bargain. Nothing sets God’s mercies farther off than the want of free submission to want them. Certainly, God will never be behind hand with us. Let our care be to build his house, and let him alone to build ours.
*Fourthly, That none ever was, or ever shall be, a loser by Jesus Christ. Many have lost much for him, but never did, never shall any lose by him. Take this for a certainty, whatsoever outward comforts we leave, or outward advantages, that we may glorify him in our services, and enjoy him in all his ordinances more than other-where we could, we shall receive an hundred fold in this life. ’Tis a sad thing to see how little Christ is trusted; men will trust him no farther than they can see him. Alas, hath he not a thousand ways, both outward and inward, to make up a little outward advantage to us? Have any ventured themselves upon him in his way, but he made good every promise to them? Let us therefore exercise our faith, and stay ourselves on the promise, and see if ever we are ashamed of our hope.
Fifthly, That what is wanting in the means, God will make up in the blessing. This I take for a certain truth, while a man commits himself and his affairs to God, and is in any way that God put him into; and if a man have but a little income, if he have a great blessing, that will make it up. Alas, we must not account of mercies by the bulk. What if another have a pound to my ounce, if mine be gold for his silver, I will never change with him. As ’tis not bread that keeps men alive, but the word of blessing that proceedeth out of the mouth of God; so ’tis not the largeness of the means, but the blessing of the Lord that maketh rich. Oh! If men did but believe this they would not grasp so much of the world as they do. Well, let others take their course, and we will take ours, to wait upon God by faith and prayer: let others toil to enlarge their income, we will pray God to enlarge our blessing, and I doubt not but we shall prove the gainers.
Sixthly, That every condition hath its snares, and troubles, and therefore we may not expect to be without them wherever we be; only that condition is most eligible that hath fewest and least. I cannot object any thing against the proposal of Taunton, but the meanness of the maintenance. And let us consider how inconsiderable this inconvenience is, in comparison of those we must reckon upon meeting with, if God cast us into another place. Upon these considerations, I find my heart much inclined to accept of their offer at Taunton. I beseech thee to weigh the matter and tell me thy thoughts, and which way thy spirit inclines, for I have always resolved the place I settled in should be to thy content. I have been so large in delivering my judgment, that I must thrust up my affections into a corner. Well, though they have but a corner in my letter, I am sure they have room enough in my heart: but I must conclude; the Lord keep thee my dear, and cherish thee for ever in his bosom; farewell, mine own soul.
I am, as ever, thine own heart,
JOS. ALLEINE.
Oxon, May 27, 1659.
To my most dearly beloved, my Christian friends in Taunton, salvation.
Most loving brethren,
I SHALL never forget your old kindnesses; would I never so fain forget them, yet I could not, they are so continually renewed; for there is never a day but I hear of them: nay, more than hear of them, I feel and taste them. The God that hath promised they that give to a prophet but a cup of cold water, shall receive a prophet’s reward: he will recompense your labour of love, your fervent prayers, your care for my welfare, and your bountiful supplies. I do and will bless the Lord as long as I live, that he hath cast my lot in so fair a place, to dwell in your communion; and especially to go in and out before you, and to be the messenger of the Lord of hosts to you, to proclaim his law, and to preach his excellencies, to be his spokesman to you, and to woo for him, to espouse you to one husband, and to present you as a chaste virgin unto Christ. Lord! how unworthy am I, of this glorious dignity, which I verily believe the brightest angels in heaven would be glad of! I cannot repent, notwithstanding all the difficulties that attend his despised servants, and that are like to attend them; I have set my hand to his plough; and when I was entered into the sacred office, I told you, “Most gladly do I take up this office with all the persecution, affliction, difficulties and inconveniences 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, confirm my choice and resolution to serve him with much more than my labours. *Brethren, let them take up with the world that have no better portion; be content that they should bear away the riches, and preferments, and glory, and splendor of the world. Alas! You have no reason to envy them: verily they have a lie 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 you, 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, of the inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away.
Ah my brethren! Why should you not be all happy? I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, lest a promise being left you of entering into his rest, any of you should come short of it. O look diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God! 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 made me overseer, should perish: when Christ hath done so much for you, and when we, (through his grace,) have done somewhat to save them. Ah dear brethren! I was in great earnest with you, when I besought you out of the pulpit, many a time, to give a bill of divorce to your sins, to accept of 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, persuade them, one quarter of them, to be saved? How it moved me to see your diligence in flocking to the most hazardous opportunities, since the law forbad my public preaching; and yet to think that many of you that went so far, were like to perish for ever for want of going farther! How fain would I carry you farther than the outward profession: O, how loath am I to leave you there? How troubled to think that any of you should hazard much for religion, and yet miscarry for ever by the hand of secret pride or untamed passion, or an unbridled tongue, or which I fear most of all, a predominant love of the world in your hearts. Alas, is there no remedy, but I must carry you to heaven’s gate and leave you there? Oh, that I should leave the work of your souls but half done; and bring you no farther than the almost of Christianity! Hear, O my people, hear! Altho’ 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 securing of your everlasting condition: take heed of resting in the outer part of religion, but be restless till you find a thorough change within, that you are quite new in the bent of your hearts; for here is the main of religion: for Christ’s sake, for your soul’s sake look to it, that you build upon the rock, that you unfeignedly deliver yourselves to the Lord to be under his command, and at his disposal 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 often inculcate this: if it be well here, it is well all; if unsound here, the error is in the foundation, and you are undone. Brethren, I see great trials coming, when we shall see professors fall like leaves in autumn. Therefore is it that I would so fain have you look to your standing, and to secure the main. O make sure whatever you do; get and keep your evidences clear! How dreadful would your temptation be, if you should be called to part with all for Christ, and not be sure of him neither! Get a clear understanding of the terms of life, which I have set before you in that form of covenanting 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, and crying mightily to God for assurance: be strict and watchful in your whole course, and I doubt not but you will quickly have it.
I cannot conclude till I have given you my unfeigned thanks for your most kind and gracious letter. Sure it shall be in store with me, and laid up among my treasures. That God is pleased to make use of me for your edification, is matter of highest joy unto me: as also to see your stedfastness in Christ, your unshaken resolutions, notwithstanding all the tempter’s wiles. Go on, my dearly beloved, and the Lord strengthen your hands and your hearts, and lift you up above the fear of men. The Lord strengthen, establish, settle you and after you have suffered awhile, make you perfect: I leave my brethren in the everlasting arms, and rest,
Your embassador in bonds,
JOS. ALLEINE.
From the common ♦goal at Ivelchester,
June 13th, 1663.
To the beloved people, the inhabitants of the town of Taunton, grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Most endeared and beloved friends:
I READILY acknowledge myself a debtor to you all, and a servant of all, and therefore I have sent to salute you all. My lines fell in a fair place when the Lord cast my lot among you; I remember the tears and prayers you have sent me hither with. How can I forget how you poured out your souls upon me; and truly you are a people much upon my heart, whose welfare is the matter of my continual prayers, care, and study. And oh! that I knew how to do you good: Ah! how certainly should never a son of you miscarry. Ah! how it pities me to think, that so many of you should still remain in your sins. Once more, oh! my beloved, once more hear the call of the most high God unto you. The prison preaches to you the same doctrine as the pulpit did. Hear, O people, hear; he that hath an ear let him hear. The Lord of life and of glory offers you all mercy, and peace, and blessedness; Oh! why should we die? Whosoever will, let him take of the waters of life freely! What miss of life, when it is to be had for the taking! God forbid. O my brethren, my soul yearns for you, and my bowels towards you. Ah, that I did but know what arguments to use with you: who shall chuse my words that I may prevail with sinners not to reject their own mercy? How shall I get within them? How shall I reach them? O that I could get but between their sins and them. Beloved brethren, the Lord Jesus hath made me, most unworthy, his spokesman, to bespeak your hearts for him: and oh, that I knew but how to woo for him, that I might prevail! These eight years have I been calling, and yet how great a part remain visibly in their sins, and how few have I gained to Christ by sound conversion?
Many among you remain under the power of ignorance: ah: how often have I told you the dangerous, yea, damnable state that such are in. Never flatter yourselves that you shall be saved though you go on in this; I have told you often, and now tell you again, God must be false, if ever you be saved without being brought out of the state of ignorance: if ever you enter in at the door of heaven, it must be by the key of knowledge, you cannot be saved, except you be brought to the knowledge of the truth. A people that remain in gross ignorance, that are without understanding, the Lord that hath made them, will not have mercy on them. Oh, for the love of God and your souls, I beseech you awake and bestir yourselves to get the saving knowledge of God. You that are capable of learning a trade, are you not capable of learning the way to be saved? And is it not pity that you should perish for ever for want of a little pains, and study, and care to get the knowledge of God? Study the catechism; if possible, get it by heart; if not, read it often, or get it read to you; cry unto God for knowledge; improve the little you have by living answerably. Search the scriptures daily, get them read to you if you cannot read them. Improve your sabbaths diligently, and I doubt not but in the use of these means, you will sooner arrive to the knowledge of Christ than of a trade.
Many have escaped the gross pollutions of the world, but stick in the form of godliness. O I am jealous for you! That you may not lose the things that you have wrought, for the Lord’s sake put on, and beware of perishing in the suburbs of the city of refuge. Beg of God to make thorough work with you; be jealous for yourselves and try your estates, but only with those marks, that you are sure will abide God’s trial.
But for you that fear the Lord in sincerity, I have nothing but good and comfortable words: may your souls ever live. What condition can you devise wherein there will not be matter of joy unspeakable to you. O beloved, know your own happiness, and live in that holy admiring, adoring, praising of your gracious God, that becomes the people of his praise. The good will of him that dwelt in the bush 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 goal, in Ivelchester,
July 4th, 1663.