Let me say now to every one of you, as our Saviour to Martha; Believest thou this? If you do, live like believers, and do you follow after holiness as others follow their trades or studies. Let religion be your business, and not a thing by the bye: follow as hard after grace, as if you did indeed believe riches and honor were in it. Let holiness sit on your lips, and season all your speech with grace. Profess it, own it, plead stoutly for it, be advocates for holiness, in an adulterous and wicked generation; wear it as a robe of honour, when the world cast their reproaches at you for it: let it dwell in your hearts: let it adorn your houses: let it be your companion in your closets: let it travel with you in your journies: let it lie down and rise up with you: let it close your eyes in the evening, and call you out of your beds in the morning. Be you the votaries of holiness: keep her, and she shall keep you.
Because I know you love to hear of my welfare, I must tell you that goodness and mercy follow me perpetually every day, and every night, glory to God in the highest. Dear brethren, fare you well in the Lord, I am
Your devoted servant in the gospel,
whether a bond-man, or a free,
JOS. ALLEINE.
From the common Gaol, at Ivelchester,
December 3, 1663.
LETTER XIV.
To the flock of Christ in Taunton, grace and peace.
Most endeared friends,
I WOULD have you count nothing as certain but Christ’s love and care. This you may build upon: you need not fear lest time and distance should wear out the remembrance of you with him. Do any of you question whether you are so happy, as to have your names recorded above? I shall bring it to a speedy issue: do you question whether Christ hath taken your names? Whether you are upon his heart? Let me ask you, Is heaven upon your hearts? Is the name of Jesus deeply engraven upon your souls? Is his image and superscription there? If you find that heaven is the main of your cares, that your hearts are set upon it as your home and your country; and that it is your business to seek it and secure it. If your hearts be upon heaven, your names are unquestionably written in heaven. Again, hath Christ recorded his name in your hearts? Is the name of Jesus, the beloved name with you? Precious above all; next to your hearts? Is there no other name under heaven so dear and sweet to you? What room hath Christ in you? If any thing be deeper in your hearts than he is, you are unsound. As the Father hath given him, so do your hearts give him a name above every name. Is Christ uppermost with you in your affections? Then rejoice and leap for joy, your names are most precious with Christ if his name be above all dear to you. *Once more, hath Christ drawn out his own similitude upon you? Is Christ within you? Doth he dwell in your hearts? Then be sure you have a room in his heart: the image of Christ is in holiness. Is this that which your very heart is set upon? Do you thirst for holiness? Do you follow after holiness? Do you prize it above all prosperity and worldly greatness? Do you hate every sin, and long to be rid of it as your most irksome burden, and use all God’s means against it as far as you know them? If it be thus with you, Christ hath set his stamp upon your hearts, and hath set you as a seal upon his heart.