I READILY acknowledge myself a debtor to you all, and a servant of all, and therefore I have sent to salute you all. My lines fell in a fair place when the Lord cast my lot among you; I remember the tears and prayers you have sent me hither with. How can I forget how you poured out your souls upon me; and truly you are a people much upon my heart, whose welfare is the matter of my continual prayers, care, and study. And oh! that I knew how to do you good: Ah! how certainly should never a son of you miscarry. Ah! how it pities me to think, that so many of you should still remain in your sins. Once more, oh! my beloved, once more hear the call of the most high God unto you. The prison preaches to you the same doctrine as the pulpit did. Hear, O people, hear; he that hath an ear let him hear. The Lord of life and of glory offers you all mercy, and peace, and blessedness; Oh! why should we die? Whosoever will, let him take of the waters of life freely! What miss of life, when it is to be had for the taking! God forbid. O my brethren, my soul yearns for you, and my bowels towards you. Ah, that I did but know what arguments to use with you: who shall chuse my words that I may prevail with sinners not to reject their own mercy? How shall I get within them? How shall I reach them? O that I could get but between their sins and them. Beloved brethren, the Lord Jesus hath made me, most unworthy, his spokesman, to bespeak your hearts for him: and oh, that I knew but how to woo for him, that I might prevail! These eight years have I been calling, and yet how great a part remain visibly in their sins, and how few have I gained to Christ by sound conversion?
Many among you remain under the power of ignorance: ah: how often have I told you the dangerous, yea, damnable state that such are in. Never flatter yourselves that you shall be saved though you go on in this; I have told you often, and now tell you again, God must be false, if ever you be saved without being brought out of the state of ignorance: if ever you enter in at the door of heaven, it must be by the key of knowledge, you cannot be saved, except you be brought to the knowledge of the truth. A people that remain in gross ignorance, that are without understanding, the Lord that hath made them, will not have mercy on them. Oh, for the love of God and your souls, I beseech you awake and bestir yourselves to get the saving knowledge of God. You that are capable of learning a trade, are you not capable of learning the way to be saved? And is it not pity that you should perish for ever for want of a little pains, and study, and care to get the knowledge of God? Study the catechism; if possible, get it by heart; if not, read it often, or get it read to you; cry unto God for knowledge; improve the little you have by living answerably. Search the scriptures daily, get them read to you if you cannot read them. Improve your sabbaths diligently, and I doubt not but in the use of these means, you will sooner arrive to the knowledge of Christ than of a trade.
Many have escaped the gross pollutions of the world, but stick in the form of godliness. O I am jealous for you! That you may not lose the things that you have wrought, for the Lord’s sake put on, and beware of perishing in the suburbs of the city of refuge. Beg of God to make thorough work with you; be jealous for yourselves and try your estates, but only with those marks, that you are sure will abide God’s trial.
But for you that fear the Lord in sincerity, I have nothing but good and comfortable words: may your souls ever live. What condition can you devise wherein there will not be matter of joy unspeakable to you. O beloved, know your own happiness, and live in that holy admiring, adoring, praising of your gracious God, that becomes the people of his praise. The good will of him that dwelt in the bush with you all. The Lord create a defence upon you, and deliverance for you: The Lord cover you all the day, and make you to dwell between his shoulders! I desire your constant, instant, earnest prayers for me, and rest,
A willing labourer, and thankful sufferer for you.
JOS. ALLEINE.
From the common goal, in Ivelchester,
July 4th, 1663.
LETTER IV.
To my most endeared friends, the servants of Christ in Taunton, grace and peace.