Christian Letters Full of Spiritual Instructions, Letter 23
LETTER XXIII. [Right Reasons in Suffering.] To the most loving, and best beloved, the Flock of Christ in Taunton, Grace and Peace.
Most loving and dearly Beloved,
I Know not what thanks to render to you, nor to God for you, for all the unexpressable love which I have found in you towards me; and not terminatively to me, but to Christ in me; for I believe it is for his sake, as I am a Messenger and Embassador of his to you, that you have loved me and done so much every way for me; and I think I may say of Taunton as the Psalmist of Jerusalem, If I forget thee, let my right hand forget her cunning, if I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth. I would not, my dear Brethren, that you snould be dejected or discouraged at the late disappointments: for through the goodness of God I am not, but rather more satisfied than before: and this I can truly say, nothing doth sadden me more than to see so much sadness in your faces. As on the contrary nothing doth comfort me so much as to see your chear and courage. Therefore I beseech you, Brethren, faint not because of my Tribulation, nor of Gods delays, but strengthen the hands, and the feeble knees. And the Lord bolster up your hands, as they did the hands of Moses, that they may not fall down till Israel do prevail. Let us fear lest there be some evil among us, that God being angry with us, doth send this farther tryal upon us. Pray earnestly for me lest the eye of the most jealous God should discern that in me which should render me unfit for the mercy you desire. And let every one of you search his heart, and search his house to see if there be not cause there: Let not these disappointments make you to be nevertheless in love with Prayers, but the more out of love with sin. Let us humble our selves under the mighty hand of God, and he shall exalt us in due time. And for the enemies of God, you must know also that their foot shall slide in due time. Let the Servants of God encourage themselves in their God: for in the things wherein they deal proudly, he is above them: therefore fret not your selves because of evil doers; commit your cause to him that judgeth righteously. Remember that you are bid if you see oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of Judgement and Justice in a Province, not to marvel at the matter: verily, there is a God that judgeth in the Earth: and you have the liberty of appeals: rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him, and fret not your selves, because of the men that bring wicked devises to pass: take heed that none of you do with Peter begin to sink, now you see the waters rough, and the winds boysterous: these things must not weaken your Faith, nor cool your Zeal: for they are great arguments for the strengthning of it. What clearer evidence can there be for the future judgment and perdition of the ungodly, and Coronation of the Just in another life, than the most unjust proceedings that are here upon Earth: shall not the Judge of all the Earth see right to be done? We lee here nothing but confusion and disorder, the wicked receiveth according to the work of the righteous, and the Innocent according to the work of the wicked. The Godly perish and the wicked flourish; these do prosper, and they do suffer. What, can it be ever thus! no doubtless, there must be a day when God will Judge the world in righteousness, and rectifie the present disorders, and reverse the unrighteous Sentences that have been passed against his servants. And this evidence is so clear, that many of the Heathen Philosephers have from this very Argument (I mean the unrighteous usage of the good) concluded that there must certainly be rewards and punishments adjudged by God in another World.
Nor yet lose your Zeal: now is the time that the love of many doth wax cold: but I bless God it is not so with you: I am sure your love to me is, as true Friends should be, like the Chimneys, warmest in the Winter of Adversity: and I hope your love to God is much more, and I would that You should abound yet more and more. Where else should you bestow your Loves? Love ye the Lord, ye his Saints, and cling about him the faster now ye see the world is striving to separate you from him. How many are they that go to knock off your fingers! O methinks, I see what tugging there is. The World is plucking, and the Devil is plucking: Oh, hold fast, I beseech you; hold fast, that no man take your Crown. Let the Water that is sprinkled, yea, rather poured upon your love, make it to flame up the more. Are you not betrothed unto Christ? Oh rcmember, remember your Marriage Covenant: did you not take him for Richer for Poorer, for better for worse: now prove your love to Christ to have been a true conjugal love, in that you can love him when most slighted, despised, undervalued, blasphemed among men. Now acquit your selves, not to have followed Christ for the Loaves, now confute the Accuser of the Brethren, who may be ready to suggest of the best of you, as he did of Job, Doth he serve the Lord for nought? And let it be seen that you loved Christ and holiness purely for their own sakes, that you can love a naked Christ when there is no hopes of worldly advantage, or promoting of self-interest in following him.
Yet beware that none of you do stick to the wayes of Christ and Religion upon so carnal an account as this, because this is the way that you have already taken up, and you count it a shame to recede from your Principles: I am very jealous lest some Professors should miss of their reward for this: least they should be accounted Turn-coats and Hypocrites; therefore they will shew a stoutness of spirit in going on, since they have once begun, and cannot with honour retreat. Would you chose holiness and strictness, if it were to do again? would you enter your selves among Gods poor people, if it were now first to do. Would you have taken up the Profession of Christ, though you had foreseen all this that is come and coming? This will do much to evidence your sincerity. But I forget …hat I am writing a Letter, being prone to pass all bounds when I have thus to do with you. The Lord God remember and reward you and your labours of love. The Eternal God be your refuge, and put under you his everlasting Arms. The Peace of God that passeth all understanding keep your hearts. Christs Legacy of Peace I leave with you, and rest, with my dear affections to you all,
Your Embassador in Bonds, JOS. ALLEINE.