The Life and Death of Joseph Alleine, Letters · Letter 20
LETTER XX. [The Felicity of Believers.]
To the most Beloved People, the Servants of God in Taunton, Salvation:
Most endeared Christians,
I Have longed and waited for a little breathing time, wherein I might write unto you, but I have been oppressed hitherto with so many cares, and such a throng of business, that till now (and scarcely now) I have had no time of respiration, wherein I might sufficiently reflect on you, or my self. But although so great a part of Taunton be translated to Juelchester with me, yet I may not, I cannot forget you that are behind.
Alas poor Taunton, how should I bewail thee! did I look upon thee onelyonly with the Eye of sense, Alas! for thy wonted Liberties, for thy former plenty, and variety wherewith the Lord hath blessed thee? He had spread a Table for thee in the midst of thine Enemies; Bread hath been given thee, and thy Waters have been sure: But now a Famine seems to threaten thee, and the Comforters that should relieve thy Soul are far from thee. Thy Shepheards are removed. Thou seest not thy Signs, nor thy Prophets, and thy wonted helpers are now disabled from giving thee supplies, Alas, how do thine Enemies triumph, and thy Teachers and thine Inhabitants are become their Captives! and how great is the Cry of thy Poor, and thine oppressed!
Such would be the Language of Sense, if that were suffered to be the Speaker. But Faith will speak in another Dialect. And therefore amongst my other Counsels, that I shall send you, this shall be the first.
Judge not of the present Providences, by the conduct of Sense, but by the eye of Faith. Faith will see that we are then most Honoured, when we are most vilified, and reproached, and set at nought for the sake of Christ; and that we are then most happy, when the World hath done its worst to make us miserable. Faith will tell you; that GOD is a very present help, when you seem quite to fail of Help; and will shew you the Well of Water, that is near, when the Water in the Bottle is spent. What though you seem to have lost Ministers, Husbands, Friends for a Season? Faith will tell you, that they are well bestowed, and that it will be both your, and their Advantage, in the Day of Retribution.
Brethren, what are you for? Are you for the present World, or for that to come? Are you for your Temporal enjoyments, or do you seek for Glory, Honour, and Immortallty? If you are for this World, you have made a very imprudent choice, in taking up the Profession of Godliness and cleaving to and owning the hated ways of the Lord; But if you are for Glory, and for Eternity, then be of good Chear, all these things do make for us. You are Witnesses how often I have told you of these things, and I can say with the Apostle, I believed therefore have I spoken, and therefore I am nothing moved with all these things, nor with the things that do yet further abide me. I believed, and therefore I told you, that you should never be losers by Jesus Christ. Nay, do I say I told it you, You know the Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed you, that the Persecuted are doubly blessed; that such should rejoice, and leap for joy, because great is their Reward in Heaven. Hath not God said, that if we suffer with him we shall also Reign with him; and that these light afflictions work for us a weight of Glory? And if this be true, I pray you, tell me whether GOD heth not dealt well with us in counting us worthy of this little Tribulation for his Name? Indeed the Sufferings is but little; but verily the Reward will not be little. I know whom I have trusted: I am well assured the Glasse is turned up, and ever hour reckoned of our imprisonment, and every Scorn and Reproach of our Enemies is kept in Black and White. I believe, therefore do I speak; GOD is infinitely tender of us, my Brethren, though a Poor and despicable Generation. I value not the pop-gun threats of a frowning World; 'tis well with us, we are GODS Favourites. Come by Beloved, let us sit down under his Shadow: Here is safety, and rest, if God be for us, who can be against us; Verily he Bottles all our Tears, and tells all our Wandrings: He numbers all our hairs, whosoever toucheth us shall not be Innocent. Know you not that we are the Apple of his Eye? Hath not he reproved the greatest for his Peoples sakes, saying, reproach not mine anointed? And so we forget how he loved us. Are not we his Jewells? Doth he not own us for his Members, for his Children?
Ah what a Block doth Unbelief make of man? What, do you think that all this doth signifie nothing? Can you forget your Children? Will you suffer your Jewells to lie in the Dirt, or make no reckoning of them whether they are lost?
Verily I write not this without shaming reflectious upon my own stupidity. What, Beloved of God, adopted by God! What, a Member of Christ Jesus! A vessel of Mercy! An heir of Glory? What, and not yet swallowed up in the sense of Gods infinite love! Blush, Oh my Soul, and be confounded before the most High, & cover thy face with shame.
I remember what the Heathen Seneca writes, observing the expressions of Gods love to man in his common Providence; Verum est, usque in delicias amamur, that is, it is a very truth, we are beloved of God even as his darlings.
My Brethren, Have Faith in God. Believe his Promises: Walk in the sense of his love. Comfort your selves in Gods love towards You, under all the hatred and envy of men, and the contradiction of sinners that You meet with. Be strong and of a good courage, God is for You. Be assured that he that walketh uprightly, walketh surely: Forsake not the assembling of your selves together. Now see that You speak often to one another, and build up each other in the holy Faith. God knows I cannot do for you, as I would; I would have been larger to You, but I cannot. My most dear Loves I desire You to share among you. I am greatly Yours. The Peace that passeth all Understanding keep your Hearts and minds. I am
Yours to serve you and for you with all readiness of mind, JOS. ALLEINE. From the Prison at Juelchester, July 28th. 1665.