The Oppressed Close Prisoner in Windsor Castle, Letter 2
The Impriſoned Elder, A Servant of the Lord Jeſus, from his Watch-Tower, in this Houſe of Bondage, ſendeth greeting to the Brethren, which meet together in Warwick Lane, London.
Well-beloved Brethren in our deareſt Lord,
I Deſire earneſtly on your behalf, all, and all maner of Communications of Grace from Heaven, whereby you may in all Things grow up into him who is the Head, even unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſs of Chriſt.
For undoubtedly you having received the Lord Jeſus, as a PRINCE and a SAVIOUR, in the light and power of the glorious Miniſtration of the New Teſtament, cannot but acknowledge, that all your Happineſs is derived from the love of the Father through him, in whom dwells the fulneſs of the Godhead Bodily, &c. Now concerning the Things whereof you wrote unto me in your late Letter, This I ſay, and teſtifie in the Lord, for a further Confirmation of the Truth mentioned by you, and for the Encouragement of ſuch honeſt Hearts, who through faith and patience, are in the number of thoſe, which wait for the kingdom of Heaven, and for the Conſolation of the true Iſrael, (for which I am bound with this Chain) That although my Name be caſt out, as vile, & I am ſeparated by the New-faſhion'd King, and his Council from the ſociety of the Saints, (in which, through mercy, I ſo much delighted) yet I bear record before this Congregation, to the praiſe of the Lord, that it is the beſt condition, that I ever taſted of and enjoyed; onelyonly, one ſharp Thorn, which I cannot forget, hath been made uſe of, to keep my ſpirit in a Goſpel-decorum: leſt otherwiſe, I might have been lifted up above meaſure through that abundance of raviſhing glory, which I have been ready very often to be overwhelmed withal.
And yet, let the Saints take diligent Heed, that they do not expect much from me, when I am delivered: for it may be, Brethren, Theſe extraordinary viſitations from on High, are intended but for my Priſon-ſtate, and for my ſuccour and ſupport, while I am thus ſuffering from all ſorts of men.
I have indeed deſired earneſtly that the Spirit of Chriſt may according to his Office, and our Lords promiſe, bring to my remembrance what the Lord hath ſpoken to me, ſince I was Cloſe-Priſoner; and what I have ſeen, and taſted, and heard, and handled of the word of life: for I cannot write it down, though I attempt it. Therefore I beſeech you, let there be prayer made on my behalf, and on your behalf, & which is more, on the Lords behalf, that God would open to me a Door of Utterance, (from that very moment, he ſets open the Priſon-doors) to ſpeak forth that myſtery of Chriſt for which I am in bonds, and that I may make it manifeſt as I ought to ſpeak. And whereas you expect I ſhould offer or propound A way to you, that may be conducible to my Inlargement; I deſire you to underſtand, that it was never in my Heart to direct you what to do, for the obtaining of my Liberty, for it is contrary to that light, and thoſe principles, whereby I walk in this condition. My Judgement is, if there be not Light, and Love, and Courage enough in a Church of Saints, to prompt them to the uſe of Lawful and Honorable Means, for the Redemption of their Officer out of Captivity; it is Beſt for him ſtill to lie in Bonds: for it concerns them above all other people to endeavour his deliverance out of the Houſe of Bondage, if they Judge his preſence needful and uſeful in the midſt of them. Alſo, in Anſwer to that Marginal Note in your Epiſtle, I ſhall be plain with you; It is no way proper for me to appear for the obtaining of my own Liberty in a private way; and rather then do it, I ſhall through the ſtrength of Chriſt, be contented to ſuffer Cloſe-Impriſonment, in this bleſſed Cauſe, during this mans reign, although it ſhould laſt as long as Athaliah's, who uſurped the Chief Government, for about the ſpace of twice three yeers and an half.
It is true, my ſufferings are many and great, and there is a multiplication of Grievances and Injuries, every day, and hour of the day. And (as the Chief Captain ſaid) with a Great ſum would I obtain my freedom, if I were impriſoned upon a Common Account; but as the Caſe ſtands, I ſay again, I ſhall not give place by ſubjection for a moment, or do Any thing more or leſs, that is unworthy of me the Priſoner of the Lord, in ſuch a precious Cauſe as This, (the Lord ſtanding by me, and fully ſtrengthening me) for all the treaſures and riches of the New Court, and of all the Kingdoms of the Earth in to the Bargain.
And, Brethren, I have reaſon for what I write in this particular: for firſt, the Lord was with me in a moſt ſweet and glorious manner, while I preached thoſe Truths for which I ſuffer. His preſence was alſo with me moſt Comfortably from the firſt moment I was apprehended by the Purſevant till I was committed hither; And all this time of my long and wrongful Impriſonment, he hath not left me, nor forſaken me in the leaſt, praiſed for ever be his glorious Name. And ſhould I leave and forſake ſuch a Lord Protector, and ſuch a Comforter, by any baſe Compliance with the Kings of the Earth and their Paraſites? would not that Spirit be grieved, by which I am ſealed to the day of Redemption? ſhould not the Name of the Lord be blaſphemed? and the faces of the Choiceſt followers of the Lambe gather paleneſs and ſhame? ſurely theſe Conſiderations are prevalent with me. And in this further, I much rejoyce, that I can do nothing againſt the Truth, but for the Truth.
Beſides the former grounds of not ſtirring or moving for mine own liberty in the ordinary way; I finde not, upon ſearch, that thoſe ſervants of the Lord who were Priſoners and Innocent, did ever petition, or uſe other ordinary means to the Chief Governours for their own Liberty; Joſeph did not, Hanani did not, Jeremiah did not, nor John the Baptiſt, nor Peter, nor Paul, that I can finde.
And ſurely there is very good reaſon for it, if we could ſearch it out. I conceive theſe which follow, may be given as ſome grounds of it.
1. Innocent Priſoners (ſuffering as they did whom I have mentioned) know they have to deal with Tyrants and unreaſonable Perſecutors; and what will ſuch as theſe hearken to, unleſs the Priſoners do ſubmit to their luſts, and ſatisfie their arbitrary wills and pleaſures?
2. They glorified God all the while they were ſuffering Bonds and Impriſonments. The ſervice of their Maſter was promoted all that time; and being in Gods way, why ſhould they covet to go out of ſo good an Imployment?
3. The Priſoners and Martyrs of the New Teſtament follow the example of Chriſt, and tread in his ſteps, when they patiently indure perſecution for the Truths and Righteouſneſs ſake, without making unworthy applications for their liberty.
4. If it becomes us, not to uſe the means and devices of the world to prevent Impriſonment, but cheerfully to come when we are ſent for before Kings and Councels for Chriſts ſake and his Goſpels, how unſeemly would it appear for us after a ſhort time to uſe means to get out again, after the manner of other men who are in bonds upon other Accounts?
I ſhall proceed upon the other part of your Letter the next week, if God permit; and in the mean ſeaſon I beſeech you and exhort you in the Lord, See that you walk circumſpectly, as it is written, not as fools, but as wiſe, redeeming the time, becauſe the dayes, in one ſence are very evil. Wherefore be ye not unwiſe, but underſtanding what the will of the Lord is.
Prayer and Praiſe is to be continued for
The 7 day of the 8 month, 1654. Yours in Chriſt, CHR. FEAKE.
FINIS.
End of the text · Christopher Feake, The Oppressed Close Prisoner in Windsor Castle (1655)