Christian Letters Full of Spiritual Instructions, Letter 24
LETTER XXIV. [Councel for Salvation.] To the most beloved People, the servants of God in Taunton, Salvation.
Most endeared Christians,
MY continual solicitude for your State, will not suffer me to pass in quiet one week without Writing to you, unless I am extraordinarily hindred. Your sincerity, stedfastness, and proficiency in the grace of God, is the matter of my earnest desire, and that which I should account my self happy in. I have a longing desire to see the Faces of you all, and (besides mine expectation) shall (I trust) speedily have the opportunity to see you at the approaching Assizes, which I shall greatly rejoyce in, notwithstanding our coming may be otherwise attended with many Inconveniencies. In the mean time I send you a few Prison Counsels. As,
1. To improve for Eternity, the Advantages of your present State. Though you are at many disadvantages with respect to the publick Ordinances, yet you have many wondrous and most happy Priviledge, which Spiritual Wisdom would make no small improvement of. Oh what a mercy have you that you may serve God while you will in your Families! That you may be as much as you will with God in secret Prayer, and holy Meditation, and Self-examination! I beseech you consider what a Blessing you have above others, that have your Health, and a Competency of the Comforts of this life, and are free from those continual pains, or Heart-eating Cares, that others are disabled by, from looking after God and their Souls, as you may do. Oh consider what a blessed Seed-time you have for Eternity! Now be wise and improve your happy Season, your day of Grace. Prepare for Death, make all sure: Press on towards the Mark, lay up in store for your selves a good Foundation against the time to come. In the morning sow your Seed, and in the Evening withdraw not your Hand. Treasure up much in Heaven: What profit is it that you have more than others? more Liberty, more Comfort, more Health, more Wealth, than others? except you love God more, and serve him better than others. Now ply your Work, and dispatch your Business, so as that you may have nothing to trouble You upon your Death-Beds.
2. To Consider also the Temptations, and Disadvantages of your State. Study to know your own weaknesses, and where your danger lies that you may obviate Satan, and prevent your miscarrying: There is no Condition but hath its Snares. See that you acquaint your selves with his Devices, least you be beguiled by him, and caught in his Trap through your own unwariness. You that are well Provided for in the World, had need to watch your selves, least you fall in love with present things, least you be lifted up, least you trust in those Carnal props, and put confidence in the Creatures, least you warp, and decline, and baulk your duties through Carnal fear, and the desire of preserving your Estates. You that have little in the World, are not without your temptations neither: Oh take heed of Envying others Prosperity, of murmuring and discontent, of diffidence and distrustfullness, of using indirect means to help your selves: Be sure You make not the Worlds pressures upon you, an excuse from your daily serving of God in your Families, and in secret. Set this down as your Rule, and unchangeable Resolution, that God and your Souls and your Families shall be looked duly and continually after, go the world which way it will. Consider what sins your Tempers, Relations, Callings, do most expose you to. Be not strangers to your selves. Prove your selves upright in keeping from your Iniquities.
3. To Converse often with your Dust. Brethren we are going, we are going, the Grave waiteth for us: Oh forget not that Corruption is your Father, and the Worm your Mother, and your Sister. These are your poor kindred that you must shortly dwell with, when you come to your long home: Remember the days of Darkness which shall be many. Take every day some serious turns with Death. Think where you shall be a few days and nights hence, happy he that knew what to morrow meant for twenty Years together. Believe it, you will find it no little thing to die. Think often how you are provided, how you should receive the Sentence of Death. Were you never within sight of Death? How did it look? What did you wish for most at that time? What did then trouble you most? Oh mark these things, and live according. Often ask your hearts, VVhat if God should this night require my Soul?
4. To serve your Generation with your might while you have time. You have but a very little time to bring God any Glory here, or to do your Friends any good; now up and be doing. Now or never live in the deep and constant sense of the very little time that you have for this world, and the great work you have to do. You are going whence You shall not return. There's no After-Game to be plaid. VVhat! But one cast for Eternity, and will you not be careful to throw that well?
Most dearly Beloved, I covet after your furtherance in Mortification, and growth in Grace. And Oh that I could but represent Death to you, as shortly it will shew it self: Or could but open a VVindow into Eternity to You: How effectually would this do the work. Then the Cripple would fling away his Crutches, and betake himself to his Legs: Then the slothfull would pluck his Hand out of his Bosome, and shake off his Excuses, and be night and day at his work. Then the Laodicean would be recovered from his benumed frame; then we should have no Halving in Religion, no lazy wishing and complaining; but men would ply the Oars to purpose, and sweat at their work.
But Oh unhappy man, how powerfully hath the world bewitched thee! How miserably hath Sin unnmaned thee. that thou shouldst look no far…her than thou canst see, and to be taken up with present things, and forget so momentous concernments as are before thee?
But you my Brethren, lift up your selves above the objects of sense: may you be men for eternity, and carry it like these that seek for glory, honour, and immortality. I am apt to be too long with you: I commend you to Divine Grace: my dearest loves among you, I am
Yours in the Bonds of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus, JOS. ALLEINE. From the common Goale at Juelchester, March 5. 1665.