JOS. ALLEINE.
LETTER XVII.
To the servants of God in Taunton, salvation.
Most endeared Christians,
I SEND you a few prison counsels.
1. To improve for eternity, the advantages of your present state. Though you are at many disadvantages with respect to the public ordinances, yet you have many most happy privileges. Oh what a mercy have you that you may serve God when 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, and are free from those heart-eating cares, that others are disabled by, from looking after God and their souls. Oh consider what a blessed seed-time you have for eternity! Now be wise and improve your happy season. Prepare for death. Make all sure: press on towards the mark. Lay up in store for yourselves 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? 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 disadvantages of your state. Study to know your own weakness, and where your danger lies, that you may obviate Satan, and prevent your miscarrying: there is no condition but has its snares. See that ye acquaint yourselves with his devices lest you be beguiled by him, through your own unwariness. You that are well provided for in the world had need to watch yourselves, lest you fall in love with present things, lest you be lifted up, lest you trust in those carnal props, and put confidence in the creatures, lest you warp, and decline, and baulk your duties, through the desire of preserving your estates. You that have little in the world, are not without your temptations: Oh take heed of envying others prosperity, of murmuring and discontent, of diffidence and distrustfulness, of using indirect means to help yourselves: be sure you make not any pressures an excuse from your daily serving 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, most expose you to. Be not strangers to yourselves. Prove yourselves upright in keeping from your iniquities.
*3. To converse often with your dust. Brethren, we are going; the grave waiteth for us: O forget not that corruption is your father, and the worm your mother, and your sister! These are your 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 hence. Happy he that knew not 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. 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 accordingly. Often ask your hearts, What 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 played. What! But one cast for eternity, and will you not be careful to throw that well?