Chapter XIII: Letter II

_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._

♦ “goal” is an old English form of the word “gaol”