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Theological Seminary,
PRTNCETON, N. J.
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Life and death of the Rev. Joseph Alleine —
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2009 with funding from
Princeton Theological Seminary Library
http://www.archive.org/details/lifedeathofrevjoOObaxt
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LIFE AND DEATH
OF THj:
REV. JOSEPH IlLEINE, A. B.
AUTHOR OF "an ALARM TO THE UNCONVERTED," &C.
^VRITTE^r by /^ THE REV. RICHARD BAXTER, HIS WIDOW, MRS. THEODOSIA ALLEINE,
AND OTHER PERSONS, TO WHICH ARE ADDED, HIS
CHRISTIAN LETTEKS,
FULL OF SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS,
TENDING TO THE PROMOTING OF THE POWER OF GODLINESS, BOTH IN PERSONS AND FAMILIES.
WITH A RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE BY
ALEXANDER DUFF, D.D.,
ONE OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND'S MISSIONARIES TO INDIA.
FRO]\I THE LAST EDINBURGH EDITION.
NEW- YORK : ROBERT CARTER,
53 CANAL-STREET.
1840.
SAMUEL ADAMS, PRINTER, CORNER OF ANN AND GOLD-STREETS.
RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE.
The followiug work consists of the Life and Letters of the Rev. Joseph Alleine, the author of the celebrated " Alarm to the Unconverted."
In an age when high-sounding profession is so apt to be substituted for self-denying action, and an outward life of boisterous activity in defending the bulwarks of Zion is so apt to supercede the inward life of spiritual enjoyment and communion with the God of Zion, I know not a more sea- sonable or precious boon that can be conferred on the Church of Christ than the reprint of this rare and unique volume, — containing, as it does, the life and letters of one of the holiest and most devoted men that ever appeared as a leader in the army of the faithful.
"N^VTiat a rich variety of gifts and graces did this eminent servant of God possess, and how harmoniously blended!
What solidity of understanding and ripeness of judg- ment. What clear, sound, and comprehensive views of evangelical truth. What calm, yet fervent devotion — what all-pervading, yet enlivening seriousness. What transport- ing delight in secret meditation, prayer, and thanksgiving. ^tWiat an almost intuitive acquaintance with the labyrinthine windings of a heart that is deceitful above all things and
IV RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE.
desperately wicked, and what a searching power in expos- ing its ingenious subterfuges. What penetrating spiritual sagacity in detecting Satan's manifold devices, and what experienced wisdom in directing to the appropriate weapons of defence in the armoury of heaven. What holy skill in expounding the word of God, and what undaunted faithful- ness in applying it to the endlessly diversified states of the human soul. What inextinguishable zeal — what ceaseless activities in his Master's service. What unquenchable thirstings after the conversion of lost sinners — what unslum- bering watchfulness in warning and edifying saints. What profound humility and self-abasement in the sight of God. What patience and forbearance — what meekness and gene- rosity— what affability and moderation — what a peace-mak- ing kindness of disposition — what a melting tenderness of address, in his intercourse with man. What noble self-de- nial— what heroic self-sacrifice. What cheerfulness of re- signation in the midst of cruel sufferings, bonds, and im- prisonment. What sublime majesty of spirit in the season of approaching dissolution. What triumphant faith — what tranquil, yet rapturous joy. What ardent longings to bask in the cloudless beamings of the Eternal Sun !
Christian Reader ! Are you tempted to doubt whether this be not an exaggerated portraiture of the intellectual and spiritual endowments of Joseph Alleine ? If so, I can on- ly beseech you with all earnestness, in the language of Phi- lip, to "come and see." I beseech you to come and prcryer- fully peruse the whole of this intensely interesting volume. And after having done so, you may be prepared to say whether the half has been told you.
RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE. V
But, Christian Reader, bear in mind that it is not in or- der to extort from you a barren admiration of the character and attainments of a fellow-mortal, however lofty, that this language of urgent invitation is employed. Oh ! no. Such a result were worse than idle and unprofitable ; it were idola- trous, and therefore God-dishonouring.
One grand object is to arouse and quicken, and humble you. Should the perusal of this Volume impress your mind, in any proportionable degree, as it has impressed the writer of these lines, it will convict you of an unexpected and almost incredible amount of shortcomings ; — it will probe to the quick many a festering wound, and bruise, and pu- trefying sore : — it will strip of its covering and lay bare many a lurking source of self-deception ; — it will sink you a thousand fathom down in your own estimation : — it will drive you with lowlier prostration of spirit than ever to the foot of the Cross. And if this be the effect produced on your mind, rest assured that the lowest depth of self-humili- ation before God, will prove but the threshold to the noblest height of exaltation in the Lord, your Righteousness.
Another grand object, therefore, is to purify, and enlarge, and exalt you to " the stature of a perfect man in Christ Jesus." What ^' a burning and a shining light " was Alleine in the midst of a dark, crooked, and perverse generation ! And what divine grace made him, may not divine grace make you. Christian reader 1 And should the perusal of this volume prove the means, through God's blessing, of en- ticing you to strive and imitate the bright example of living Christianity which it portrays, in as far as it is in imitation of the divine original — Christ — the all-perfect exemplar of
1*
VI RECOMMENDATORY TREFACE.
his people — the chief among ten thousand and altogethe r lovely, — yours will be a rich reward now, and an ample revenue of glory hereafter.
Why is it that the Church of Christ has been for ages and generations studded with such poor, shrunken, sapless, life- less forms ? Because there is a foul and treasonable spirit abroad, that leads the vast majority of nominal professors to strive how far they can descend in mingling with the smoke and dust of perishable vanities, without wholly forfeiting the character of Christians ; — instead of striving how far they rise aloft to the altitude of a '^walk and conversation in heaven," without, at the same time, ceasing to discharge any of the best and noblest functions of humanity on earth. In this respect, what an almost unparalleled model is pre- sented in the life and labours of Joseph AUeine !
Again, why is it that, in our day, we hear men so seldom or so languidly discourse of the comforts of Christ, the con- solations of the Spirit, and the joys of the Gospel, so em- phatically pronounced by Heaven itself to be " glad tidings ?' Because the grace and gift of faith is in general so feeble and staggering, — because the dominant fashion is to specu- late ingeniously, and talk fluently, about faith and the things of faith, instead of vigorously acting faith and appropriating the things of faith, throughout the wide domain of Christian experience and practice. This, this must be the reason, why we so often find even the best of men in our day, lying half torpid in a freezing atmosphere, or creeping mournful- ly along, in the dark vale of sighs and groans, and tears and complainings, instead of boldly soaring on Faith's pinions to the warm and sunny regions that gladden the summits of
RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE. Vll
the " delectable mountains." How strongly contrasted is all this with the SAveet, fervid, ecstatic utterances of faith, from the lips and pen of Joseph Alleine I
His truly was that elevating, ennobling faith which is, in a divine sense, *Uhe substance of things hoped for, the evi- dence of things not seen." He listened to the voice of his Redeemer, saying, "Fear not : I am he that liveth, and was dead ; and behold I am alive for ever more : and I have the keys of hell and death,- — and because I live, ye shall live also." This gracious declaration of the compassionate Al- mighty, Redeemer, our Author strongly believed, and the object of its assurance he eagerly grasped as his own, — and therefore did he feel joyously and speak strongly. And why should he not? In the midst of the darkness and gloom, the fears and the doubtings, the shifting and the frenzies, of a world lying in wickedness, what infinite consolations are such words calculated to convey ? In exchange for life with its delusive hopes and shadowy enjoyments, and death with its convulsive struggles and ghastly terrors, — to be trans- ported to the realms of day, — to be enrolled as a citizen in the New Jerusalem, — to be endowed with the prerogatives of royalty, among thrones and dominions, principalities and powers, — to become as it were like the great I Am, an in- habitant of Eternity, — an immeasureable incomprehensible eternity of light and life, and love and joy ! — Oh, is not such a prospect the very consummation of blessedness ! And yet, this was the very prospect which our Author so constantly laboured to realize, through faith, as already his own ; — and therefore was he enabled to rejoice with a joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Vlll RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE.
And now, Christian reader, whatever ground or reason you have for believing that you are a Christian at all, in the proper sense of that term, have you not precisely the same ground and reason for believing with all your mind and strength, that heaven with its "purchased possession" is yours ? This was the faith of Joseph AUeine. And that the perusal of this volume may be instrumental, through the agency of the Divine Spirit, in leading you to the like un- wavering Faith, with its consequent inheritance of soul-rav- ishing joy, is the sincere prayer of your friend and brother in the Lord our Redeemer,
ALEXANDER DUFF.
PREFACE
TO THE
SECOND EDINBURGH EDITION
In a new edition of " the Life and Christian Letters of the Rev. Joseph Alleine," no apology from the person who respectfully presents it, can be required. The worthy subject of the following memoir, is embalmed in the mem- ory of the just ; and his name can receive no additional celebrity from the honourable mention of it by the writer of this preface. As an eminent christian and a powerful and eloquent writer, his praise has long been in all the churches. His unbiassed biographers bear abundant testi- mony to his exalted piety; and in his literary labours he was, according to the best acceptation of the word, uncom- monly successful.
The perusal of his "Alarm to the Unconverted" has been blessed to thousands of persons ; and the editions through which it has passed have been exceedingly numer- ous. If a favourable judgment may be pronounced on a work from the popularity which it obtains, and if utility be the proper test of merit, then may the '^ Alarm" claim a
X PREFACE.
high degree of attentio n, aud its author may be justly rank- ed among those men of genius whose pious exertions have procured them the title of benefactors : For, if we ex- cept the " Pilgrim's Progress" and " Robinson Crusoe," scarcely has any treatise in the English Tongue, whether allegorical or in the form of history, had a circulation more extensive and beneficial than this serious and sensible production."
His " Call to Archippus" is considered a master-piece of pathetic argumentation. On some of the most useful and pious Nonconformist ministers, it operated as an in- centive to continue their labours of love among the scatter- ed sheep of their respective flocks, and patiently to take the" consequence of it — the suffering for righteousness' sake.
Nor have his " Christian Letters" come down to the present times, without receiving some due portion of enco- mium. They have always since their first publication been regarded, by the pious, as models of ministerial faithfulness and christian eloquence. In that heavenly unction and moving tenderness which breathe from his letters, he has not been equalled by any of the Christian Fathers : Only by the sacred penmen themselves is he excelled in these qualities. Many weighty authorities might be adduced in support of this opinion : but two may now suffice. That admirable man and great divine, the Rev. Richard Baxter, says of him, " Oh ! how happy were the church of God, if great understanding and fervent zeal were ordinarily as well conjoined, as they were in this worthy man.
" And many have much reading, and plentiful materials for learning, who yet were never truly learned, as being
PREFACE. XI
injudicious^ and never having well digested what they read into the habits of solid understanding. But so was it not with this our brother, as his very letters fully witness : How clearly and solidly doth he resolve the great question which he speaketh to, as one that had theology, not in his books only, but in his head and heart !"
The late Rev. John Wesley, a man every way qualified to judge in this matter, has given the following character of them, which is the more to be relied upon, for disinterest- edness and impartiality, on account of the known difterence of sentiment between him and Mr. Alleine, in some pe- culiar points of doctrine, traces of which will be perceived in a few phrases adopted in this his correspondence :
" The Letters of Mr. Samuel Rutherford have been generally admired by all the children of God, into whose hands they have fallen, for the vein of piety, trust in God, and holy zeal, which run through them. The same piety, zeal, and confidence in God, shine through all the letters of Mr. Alleine : so that in this respect he may well be styled The English Rutherford. But yet there is a very discern- ible difference between them : in piety and fervour of spirit they are the same : but the fervour of the one more resem- bles that of St. Paul ; of the other, that of St. John. They were both men of the most intrepid courage : but in love Mr. Alleine has the pre-eminence. He seems to excel in bowels of mercy, meekness, gentleness, in tenderness, mild- ness, and sweetness of spirit, even to his bitterest enemies. I do not therefore scruple to give these Letters the prefer- ence, even to Mr. Rutherford's : as expressing in a stil higher degree, the love that is long-suffering and kind, which
Xn PREFACE.
is not provoked, which thinketh do evil, and which hopeth, believeth, and endureth all things."
The Introductory Chapter to this " Account of his Life and Death" was the performance of the Rev. Richard Baxter. It is a piece of exquisite composition, and con- tains a fine eulogy on Mr. Alleine, and a disquisition on biography and sacred history, in which the acumen of his wit and the soundness of his judgment are happily display- ed. The third Chapter was written by his father- in law, Mr. Richard Alleine, and the fourtk by his worthy vicar, the Rev. George Newton. His widow, Mrs. Theodo- siA Alleine, wrote the sixth, which is a remarkably simple and interesting narrative ; and his intimate acquaintance, the Rev. Richard Fairclough, the ninth. The other chapters were the productions of several of his most familiar friends. The remaining portion, which is the largest part of the volume, is occupied by that excellent collection of his pastoral correspondence which has been described above, and is entitled " Christian Letters." What Richard Bax- ter introduced and recommended, and Joseph Alleine wrote, will not appear despicable to those who are gifted with the pleasing skill of appreciating intellectual and spir- itual excellence.
In this impression it has been the care of the editor to translate all the Latin and Greek quotations, and to place them at the bottom of each page where they occur. The original edition of 1672 has been scrupulously followed throughout, except in the orthography of a few words, such as rejoyce, jlie, meer, onely, ^-c. which are changed into re- joice^Jly, mere, only, c^-c. — It was the custom of that age for
PREFACE. Xlll
the Past tense of verbs, which is sometimes called the Im- perfect, to usurp the place and function of^ the perfect parti- ciple : Thus it was generally said, " I am forgot," instead of forgotten. Such participles are here rectified, especially in the latter part of the volume. — The copulative word " and," when connecting words which were nearly synony- mous, was rarely suffered to possess any power in influenc ing the verb, to which such words were joint nominatives, in the plural number : Thus it was neither unusual nor ac- counted inelegant to say, " My truth and faithfulness hath never failed." Similar instances of this construction may be found in the authorised English translation of the Scrip- tures. Though apparent breaches of what we now call good grammar, such expressions remain in this edition, without the trifling amendment which would render them corrrect, according to modern ideas of grammatical propriety. A copious table of contents has been added.
The editor has been thus explicit in mentioning the al- teration of a few letters, because he thinks a reasonable ac- count of the most minute change in an author's phraseology ought always to be given to the public. It cannot but have excited indignation in every honest breast to behold the liberties which are frequently taken, in these days, with au- thors whose works are thought worthy of republication.
Every literary man would rather that, after his decease, his grave were broken open, and his bones left to bleach in the sun, than that his works, the finest and most sensitive parts of him, should be subjected to the tortures of an igno- rant blockhead or a wretched pedant. These observations
XIV PREFACE.
are not intended to apply to extracts, fairly made ; or to abridgements, announced as such.
In addition to what is said in the following pages, respect- ing Mr. Alleine, it is proper to mention that he died in No- vember, 1668, and was buried in the Chancel of the church of St. Magdalen, Taunton. Over his grave was this epi- taph, engraven on stone :
Hie jacet Dominus Josephus Alleine, Holocaustum Tauntonense et Deo et vobis. Of which A. Wood gives the following translation : ** Here Mr, Joseph Alleine lies. To God and you a sacrifice." In allusion to which one of his friends says of him, " But alas ! his zeal for the glory of God and the good of souls, made all his strength a whole burnt sacrifice, a sacrifice as truly devoted as if it had been offered up in the flames of martyrdom."
(16)
CONTENTS.
Recommendatory Preface, Preface to Second Edinburgh Edition,
CHAP. I.
Superiority of sacred biography over general
Introduction
history, The harmony and completeness of particular gifts in Mr.
AUeine, .... His great diligence in private, . Praise and thanksgiving his natural strains The character of this history of him, . His writino-s,
CHAP. II.
His birth, and early indications of piety,
predilection for the Christian ministry, and removal from
school to the university,
studies there, ........ ^
early accomplishments, ... ...
The pleasure he had in prayer, .....
CHAP. III.
An account of his father,
What he was himself, as a man, a christian, and a minister,
CHAP. IV.
His delight in performing his secret devotions in the open air,
moral character, and condescension to weak brethren,
ministerial gifts, and desire for the conversion of souls,
early rising and excessive labours, . , , .
CHAP, V.
His ministerial course ,.....•
Manner of going from house to house, , •
An abridgement of his reasons for private family instruct His faithfulness in reproving, . , . . . • Useful questions which he drew up for daily examination,
Paok. . 3 . 9
21
25
31 34 35
37
37 39 40 41
45 45
50 51 53 55
55 55 57 61 63
XVI
CONTENTS.
CHAP. VI.
His great desire that his way might be plain to him in the
matter of contbrmity,
quitting the public situation which he held,
The rage of the Justice against him, .... His resolnrion to go to China as a missionary,
He is a|[)ivi ended by an officer,
His appearance before the Justice at his house,
behaviour during his confinement, ....
preaching before his departure to prison, .
The extraordinary respect shewn to him, by his people, on
leaving Taunton,
His lodgings in the prison of Ilchcster, and the company thei-e,
consecration of the prison,
indictment at the sessions and commitment again to
prison, . . .
indictment at the assizes, his trial and sentence,
studies and ministerial labours in confinement, .
conduct to visiters, and to his enemies,
health in his imprisonment,
release from prison, and earnestness in ministerial labours
great weakness and affliction, .....'
Warrants issued out airainst him, . . . . ;
His determination to use the mineral waters near Devizes, A thanksgiving meeting with several ministers and friends prior to his departure, ......
They are interrupted by two justices, apprehended and com- mitted to the prison of Ilchester, Exhortation to his fellow-sufferers, ....
The increase of his distempers, ....
He goes to the mineral wells,
Is seized with a fever, goes to Dorchester, and loses the use of his limbs, ........
His carriage under affliction, .....
The kindness of the people of Dorchester to him, His partial recovery, ......
aflfectionate addresses to his friends from Taunton,
return to Taunton, ......
——convulsion fits,
journey in a horse-litter to Bath,
-charitable offices there, .....
-visit to Mr. Bernard's house near Bath,
last illness, and death, .....
courtship and marriage, . . . . •
His management of iiis I'amily, .... Difficulties in fulfilling his ministry, His temperance and care for the poor, The care and provision of God for him, .
CHAP. VII. His inquiries into the estate of those around him,
table talk,
assistance to those who were in doubts,
patience under affliction, . ...
110 HI 112 113
CONTENTS.
XVii
CHAP. VIII.
His personal character, stature, and constitution,
judgment, memory, fancy, will, and affections, .
gravity, affability, charity, and utterance,
studies, moderation, and humility, ....
practice as to church-communion, and Judgment as to
obedience to authority, ......
loyalty, and respect to second table duties,
labours in the ministry,
heroic spirit, singular piety, and contempt of the world,
universal and uniform obedience, ....
care of his thoughts and ends, and delight in self-exami- nation,
generous designs, delight in meditation and praise, .
time-redeeming thrift, ......
CHAP. IX.
His consecration to God in Christ Jesus,
divine love,
spirit of charity and meekness,
rich assurance of his saving interest in Christ,
114 115 116 118
120 121 122 125
127
128 129 132
132 133 134 135
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX. X.
XI.
XII. XIII
XIV.
XV.
XVf.
XVII.
XVIII.
XTX.
XX.
XXI.
XXII.
CHRISTIAN LETTERS.
To his Wife. On his accepting of the curacy of Taunton, 139 To the people of Taunton, Preparation for suffering, 144 To the same. Warning to professors, . , 146 A call to the unconverted, . . . 150
Trust in God and be sincere, . . . 154
Look out of your graves upon the world, 157
Christian marks and duties, . . . 160
How to show love to ministers and to
live joyfully, 163
Easy sufferings, ..... 166
The love of Christ, .... 168
Remember Christ crucifiied, and crucify
sin, 171
Daily examination, .... 174
Motives and marks of growth, . . 176
Persuasion to sinners, and comfort to
saints, 180
How to live to God, .... 184
Motives to set ourselves to please God, . 187
The worth of holiness, . . . 189
Try yourselves and rejoice, ... 193
The felicity of believers, . . . 196
What do you more than others "? . . 199
Christian care, faith, and self-denial. . 202
Right reason in suffering, . . ' . 305
XVlll
CONTENTS.
XXIII. XXIV.
XXV.
XXVI. XXVII.
xxviii.
XXIX.
XXX.
XXXI.
XXXII. XXXIII. XXXIV. XXXV. XXXVI. XXXVII. XXXVIII. XXXIX.
XL.
XLI.
XLII.
XLIII. XLIV.
To the same. Counsel for salvation, ■ ' ■' Examine whether you are in the
faith, ....
The characters and privileges of
true believers,
The second coming of Christ,
The love of Christ, .
Warning to professors of their
danger, . : . . An admiration of the love of God
Personal and family godliness,
To the People of Huntingdon. He that en
dureth to the end shall be saved, To the people of Luppit. On perseverance, To a Fellow-student. On backsliding, To his wife. Good counsel,
Desires after heaven.
To a Friend. God is a satisfying portion,
To a person of quality. Be constant.
To his Cousin. Have you a treasure in heaven '
The concernments of our souls
to be especially regarded,
Godly counsels,
The virgin's care, .
To a Friend. Do all in reference to God and
his glory, . .
To a Minister in prison. Prison comforts,
Directions to the Ministers of Somersetshire and
Wiltshire, for the instructing of families, by
way of catechising,
Pack.
211
214 217 219
222 226 229
238 241 244 246 247 250 253 255
257 259 262
264 267
273
AN ACCOUNT
OF THE
LIFE AND DEATH
OF THAT
EXCELLENT MINISTER OF CHRIST
THE
REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE, A. B.
AUTHOR OF "an alarm TO THK UNCONVERTED," &C.
THE
LIFE AND DEATH
OP THAT
EXCELLENT MINISTER OF CHRIST,
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE.
CHAP. I.
As history is both useful and delightful to mankind, so
Church- Histovij above all hath the pre-eminence in both.
For it treateth of the greatest and most necessary subjects.
It is most eminently divine, as recording those works of God,
in which he most graciously condescendeth unto man ; and
those actions of men, in which they have most nearly to do
with God ; and treating of those holy societies, events, and
businesses, in which God's holiness is most conspicuous, and
His honour most concerned in the world. The narratives
of the great victories and large dominions of Alexander,
Caesar, Tamberlain, or such others, are but the portraiture
of phantasms, and the relation of the dieams of vagrant
imaginations, or of the lifeless motions in a puppet-play,
where there is much stir to little purpose, till the play be
ended ; further than the matters of God, and of the church,
and men's everlasting concernments are comprehended in
them. The report of one soul's conversion to God, and
of the reformation of one family, city, or church, and of
the noble operations of the Blessed Spirit, by which he
brings up souls to God, and conquereth the world, thefl esh,
and the devil ; the heavenly communications of God, unto
sinners, for their vivification, illumination, and holy love to
3
23
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. I.)
God and to his image, are so far better than the stories of these grand murderers and tyrants, and their sreat robberies and murders, called conquests, as the diagnostics of health are than those of sickness ; or, as it is more pleasant to read of the building of cities, than of their rtmis ; or of the c^ires of a physician, than of the hui-ts done by robberies and frays ; yea, of the healing- of immortal souls, than of the over-hasty destroying of men's bodies, which would quickly turn to dust themselves, if these valiant murderers had but the patience to stay the time.
And among all parts of church-history, the lives of wise and holy men do seem to be not least useful and delightful; (Which is the reason why Satan hath so marvellously and successfully bestirred himself, to corrupt this part of history with so many impudent lies in the Popish legends, as might render all such narratives afterwards contemptible and in- credible, and might destroy the ends :) Therefore is the sa- cred scripture so much historical ; and the Gospel itself is not a volume of well-composed orations, or a system, or en- cyclopedia of the sciences and arts ; nor yet a great volume of unnecessary laws; but the history of the life and death of Christ, and the wonderous works of Himself and his Spirit in his servants, and a record of those brief laws and doctrines, which are needful to the holiness and happiness of man.
In the lives of holy men we see God's image, and the beauties of holiness, not only in precept, but in reality and practice ; not pictured, but in substance : and though the precepts and rules be more perfect in their kind, as wanting no degree or part, yet the real impress and holiness in the soul, is that living image of God, which is the end of the former, and of which the scripture is but the instrumental cause. And holiness in visible realities is apt to affect the world more deeply, than in portraiture and precept only. Therefore, we find that Satan and his instrwments, are used to do that against the scriptures exemplified in the godly, which they have not done against the scriptures in them- selves : They can bear the bare precepts of a perfect rule, who cannot bear the very imperfect practice of them in a holy life. Many have burnt martyrs, that could endure good books. Living holiness most exciteth malice ! Be- sides, that the best of men have imperfections, which may be a pretence for detraction, slander, and persecution, when
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 23
the sacred rule is not so boldly to be accused, till they are ripened in malignity and audacity.
Many a one can read with reverence the life of a dead saint, who will neither imitate nor endure the living. And I doubt not but many can bear the narrative of this holy person's life, who could not have endured to see themselves condemned in the exercises of his present holy zeal.
And yet it is not to be denied, but that human nature yet containeth such principles and inclinations, as give an honourable testimony to goodness : For the exercises of prudent, impartial, equal virtue, and eminent holiness in a heavenly life, and in the joyful hopes of the invisible bless- edness, and in fervent love to God and man, and in an inno- cent life, and self-denying endeavours to do good to all, do so much convince and awe man's nature, and so powerfully command approbation and honour, that Satan and bad men could not resist them ; were it not that such excellent per- sons are too rare, and that the far greater number of good men are lamentably imperfect, and tainted with many un- lovely faults ; and were it not also for two great advantages that Satan layeth hold on, that is, men's strangeness and disacquaintance with those that are good, and the slanderous reports of them by others. And whoever noteth it shall find that most that ever hated and persecuted men of emi- nent holiness, were such as never intimately knew them, but only at a deceitful distance, and such as heard them odi- ously described by lying tongues.
And it is not a small benefit of this kind of history, that the weak and lame christians may see such excellent exam- ples for their imitation ; and the sluggish and distempered christians may have so real and lively a reproof; and the discouraged christian may see that higher degrees of good- ness are indeed inattainable ; and that the dark and troub- led christian may see the methods in which God's Spirit doth work upon his servants, and see that a genuine chris- tian life is a life of the greatest joy on earth ; and that the slothful hypocrite may see that religion is a serious busi- ness : and that the factious christian may see that a man may be eminently holy that is not of his opinion, side, or party ; and that both the proud domineering Pharisee may see, that eminent piety is separated from his traditions, for- malities, ceremonies, and pomp ; and the opinionative hy- pocrite may see that holiness consisteth of something else,
24 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. I. )
than in circumstantial and siding singularities, and in a condemning of other men's outward expressions or modes of worship, or a boisterous zeal against the opinions or cere- monies of others.
And it is a notable benefit of this kind of history, that it is fitted to insinuate the reverence and love of piety into youn§ unexperienced persons : For before they can read much of theological treatises with understanding or delight, nature inclineth them to a pleasure in history, and so their food is sugared to their appetites, and profit is entertained by delight. And nothing taketh well with the soul that is not pleasant to it ; nor did he ever know the true way of educating youth, or doing good to any, that knew not the way of drawing them to a pleasedness and love to good- ness : Omni tulit punctnm qui miscuit utile diilci,*
On such accounts, we may conclude that such men as Melchior Adamus, Mr. Samuel Clark, &c. that have served the church with this sort of history, have done no small or useless service; which we the easilier perceive when we re- member at what rates now the church would purchase a full history of the lives of all the apostles, and all the eminent pastors of the churches for the first two hundred or three hundred years ; yea, or but of some few of them. And how much of the history of the times they lived in, is contained in a just history of such men's lives.
It were to be wished that more did as Thuanus, at arge ; or as Scultetus, in his Curricidum vitce. s?/fe,f at least ; or yet as Junius, and many others, that give us a breviate of the most considerable passages of their own lives : Because no man knoweth usually those intimate transactions of God upon men's souls, which are the life of such history, or at least no useless part. But men are commonly supposed to be so selfishly partial, and apt to over-value all their own, and to fish for applause ; and it is so meet to avoid appear- ances of pride and ostentation, that few think meet to take this course. And the next desirable is, that their intimate friends would write their lives at large, who are best able ; as Camerarius hath done Melancthon's : and Beza, Calvin's ; and as the lives of Bocholtzer, Chytrseus, and many more are written.
* He who has mixed the useful with the pleasant, has obtained the. suffrages (or approbation) of all. t The short course of his own life.
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 25
But none of all this must be expected concerning this our brother ; because he was young, and taken away before any had thoughts of gathering up his words or actions for any such use ; those that have done this little being his fathers and seniors, who looked to have died long before him ; and because he lived in a time of trouble, and division, and sus- picion, in which every man had great concernments of his own to mind ; and in which men are afraid of praising the holy servants of God, lest it offend those that in some thing* differed from them.
The special excellency of this worthy man lay chiefly in the harmony and completeness of such particular gifts, and^ all of them in a high degree, as use to exalt the fame of others, in whom some one or few of them is found. And all these in a man so young, as unless in one Joh. Picus Mirandula, one Keckerman, one Pemble, in a country, is rarely to be found. Do you desire the preparatives of lan- guage and philosophy ? In these he was eximious, as his Treatise Be Providenfia, licenced for the press (of which more anon) doth shew, with several other manuscripts of like nature. How thoroughly had he searched the writings of philosophers ! How fully had he found out how much natural reason doth attest, and speak for the attributes and providenee of God, and the principles of a godly life! And how much supernatural revelation presupposeth, and findeth ready to entertain it and befriend it in the light and raw of nature! How excellently able was he to deal with the naturalist at his own weapons, and to shame them that call religion an unproved or unreasonable thing! No doubt it was an excellent help to his own faith, to have so clear and fiill a sight of all those subsidiary natural verities, which are known propria luce* and are out of the reach of those ma- lignant suggestions, by which the temper is often question- ing supernatural truths. Few christians, and too fe\y di- vines do dig so deep, and proceed so wisely, as to take in all these natural helps ; but overpassing those presupposed verities, do oft leave themselves open to the subtile assaults of the tempter, who knoweth where the breach is, and will sometimes urge such objections on them, as need a solution by those helps which they are ignorant of.
Do you look for a high degree of zeal ? In this he was
♦ By their own light, 3*
26 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. I.)
marvellous, being a living fire, continually burning in the love of God and man ; still mounting upward, and kindling all that were capable about him : as prone to fervour and activiiy, as earthen nature's to cold and idleness ; uot weary of well-doing ; not speaking slightly, and with indifferent affection of the great Jehovah and of holy things ; but with reverence and seriousness, as became one that by faith still saw the Lord : Not doing God's work with an unwilling or a sluggish heart, as if he did it not, nor as those that fear be- ing losers by God, or of giving him more than he deserveth, or getting salvation at too dear a rate : But as a soul that was kin to angels, which are active spirits, and a flame of fire that came from God, the Lord of life, and Father of spirits, and liveth in God, and is working and passing up to God. As one that knew that none other work was worthy of a man, (and approvable by any reason, save that which is made a salve to sense,) except only the soul's resignation, ohedvience and love to God, and the seeking of the heavenly durable felicity, in the use of all those means which God in nature and scripture hath appointed for the obtaining of it. It is too common to find men that are long and deep stu- dents in philosophy, and the doctrinals and methods of theo- logy, to be found none of the most zealous or serious divines ; and for the learnedest doctors to be but of the coarsest and weakest sort of christians. Because they exercise the head almost alone, and take little pains to work what truths they know upon their hearts : As if the head were more diseased with sin, than the heart is, and the heart had not as much need of a cure ; Or as if God's grace did not as much dwell in the ivill, as in the understanding ; and the heart had not the noblest work to do. Life, light, and love, are the insep- arable influences and effects of the Sanctifying Spirit ; but yet sometimes the indisposition of the receiver may keep out one of them, more than the rest. Light alone may be pro- fitable to the Church, by breeding light in others : But life and love also, are as suitable means to produce their like as light is. And without them, it is not a flashy light and fri- gid knowledge that will save the soul.
And on the other side, (alas !) how ordinary it is for zeal to make a busfle in the dark, and for those that are very earnest to be very blind ? And strong affections (not to God himself, but about the exercise of religious duties) to be guided by a weak understanding ; and so for such well-mean-
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 27
iiig persons, to make most haste when they are out of the way, and to divide and trouble the church and neighbour- hood, by their fervency in error, till late experieivce hath ripened them to see what mischief their self-conceitedness hath done? 0 ! how happy were the church of God, if great understanding and fervent zeal were ordinarily as well Con- joined, as they were in this worthy man !
And many have much reading, and plentiful materials for learning, who yet were never truly learned, as being in- judicious and never having well digested what they read, into the habits of solid nnder/tanding. But so was it not with this our brother, as his very letters fully w itness : how clearly and solidly doth he resolve that great question which he speaketh to, as one that had theology, not in his books only, but in his hand and heart.
And I account it no small part of his excellency, that his judgment led him to dwell so much on the great essentials of godliness and Christianity; the love of God, and a holy, just, and sober life. And that he laid not out his zeal dis- easedly, and unproportionably, upon those outward circum- stances, where the noise doth call off the minds of too many from the inward lile of communion with God. His sermons, his conference, his letters, were not about mint and cum- min, but about the knowledge of God in Ciuist, which is the ilfe eternal.
Yet that he did not prostitute his conscience to the inte- rest of the flesh, nor subject God to the world, nor deny self- denial and the cross of Christ; nor hypocritically resolve to shift off' the costly part of religion, on pretence of indiffev' ency or smallness of any thing which he thought God forbad him ; — you need no other proof than the following history.
And he was not one of those weak w-ell-meaning minis- ters, who think that their mere honesty is enough to deserve the esteem of worthy pastors ; nor was he one of those proud and empty persons, who think that the dignity of their func- tion is enough to oblige all to bow to them, and to be ruled by them, without any personal u'isdorn, holiness, or minis- terial abilities, suitable to their sacred office ; but, so great was his ministerial skilfulness in the public explication and application of the holy scriptures ; so melting and winning, convincing, and powerful his unafTected sacred oratory ; so wise and serious his private dealing with particular famalies and souls, that it is no w onder if God blessed him with that
28 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (CHAP. I.)
great success, which is yet visible among the people where he lived, and which many of his brethren wanted. For he did not by slovenly expressions, or immethodical extrava- gancies, or unsound injudicious erroneous passages, or by jo- cular levities, or by nauseous tautologies, make sermons or prayers become a scorn ; nor give advantage to carnal cap- tious hearers, who for every hair, not only abominate the wholesomest food, but also write books to breed their own disease in others : nor yet did he, by an affected unnatural curiosity of jingling words and starched phrases, make ser- mons like stage-plays, and destroy the people's edification, or their reverence of holy things : But he spake as one that spake from God, in the name of Christ, for men's renovation and salvation, in a manner suitable to the weight and holi- ness of the matter.
And his fervent zeal and thirst for the people's conver- sion and salvation, was a great advantage to his success. For, let men's parts be ever so great, I seldom have known any man to do much good, that was not earnestly desirous to do good ; if he long not for men's conversion, he is sel- dom the means of converting many. For there is a certain lively seriousness necessary in all our studies, to make our sermons suitable to their ends, and in all our preaching, to make them fit to reach men's hearts ; without which they are as a blunted hiife, or as a bell that's cracked, or any other unmeet instruments, unable for their proper use. And though God can work miracles, and therefore can work without means, or without their fitness, yet that is not his ordinary way, and therefore is not to be expected.
And his great diligence from house to house in private, was a great promoter of his successes. I never knew a min- ister, who prudently and diligently took that course, to be unprosperous in his work ; but by them that have wisely and faithfully used it, I have known that done that before seemed incredible : And truly, when I think of some men yet living, and some few (too few) places (great places) which by the great abilities and excellent preaching, the personal exhortations and catechising, the unwearied pains and the extraordinary charity to the poor, the holy exempla- ry lives of their pastors (I can scarce forbear naming four or five of my acquaintance) have been so generally season- ed with piety, that the great market towns have become as religious as the selected members, which some think only
THE REV. JOSEl'H ALLEI^E. 29
fit for churches ; it makes me conchide, that it is principal- ly for want of such a ministry, that the world is so bad, and that oreater things are not done among us : And that for another sort of men to cry out of the people's ignorance and profaneness, and obstinate wickedness, while their un- skilfulness, sloth, miscarriage, and negligence, is the cause, — is as little honour to them, as to the physician or surgeon, that when he can cure but few, doth cast the blame upon the patient, when skilfuller men do cure the like.
And his great humility in stooping to the meanest, and conversing with the poorest of the flock, and not affecting things above him, nor insinuating by flatteries into men of worldly wealth and power, no doubt helped on his great suc- cesses ; though it was not the way to preferments, honours, no, nor safety and quietness to the flesh. Had Balaam dealt throughout sincerely, it had been a very honourable and comfortable word to him from king Balak, (Num. xxiv. 11.) I thought to promote thee to great honour, hut lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honour. It is more honourable and comtbrtable to be kept from honour by God and a conscience, than to be honoured by men on sinful terms.
And the moderation and peaceableness of this holy man, was very exemplary and amiable ; which I the rather men- tion, because in these distempered times of temptation, too many think that the excellency of zeal lieth in going to the furthest from those they differ from and suffer by. And be- cause some will think, that knew no more of him, but only how oft and long he lay in the Common Gaol, that sure he was some violent unpeaceable zealot. No, his zeal was for peace and quietness, for love and for good works : He was not used to inflame men against dissenters, nor to back-bite others, nor to make those odious that were willing enough to have made him so : He fled from one extreme with fear and suspicion of the other. He was indeed himself a silenced minister, in a place and among a people who had his heart, and who had been blessed with his fruitful labours ; and his judgment was. That it is sacrilege for a minister, consecrated to God, to alienate himself, and violate that cove- nant and ministerial dedication, by giving over his work as long as he hath ability and opportunity, and the peopWs souls have a true necessity. And therefore he chose that long imprisonment, rather than voluntarily to surcease. But
^
30 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. I.)
whilst he had liberty, he went oft to the public assemblies, and was a hearer where he was wont to be a teacher, and encouraged the people to do the like. He spake not evil of dignities, nor kindled seditious principles or passions in the people's minds, nor disaffected them against authority, nor aggravated his own sufferings to exasperate their minds against such as he suffered by ; though how great they were as to the effect, the sequel will acquaint you. In all, he did in patience possess his soul, and learned still more patience by the things which he suffered, and taught others what he learned himself.
But above all, it is his highest excellency in my eyes, that he attained to the right temperament of the christian religion, and to a truly evangelical frame of spirit, suitable to the glorious hopes of faith, and to the wonderful love of our Redeemer. And when most christians think that they have done much, if they can but weep and groan over their corruptions, and can abstain from the lustful pollutions of the world, in the midst of many doubts and fears; love and JOY, and a heavenly mind, were the internal part of his religion; and the large and fervent praises of God, and THANKSGIVING for his mcrcies, especially for Christ, and the Spirit, and heaven, were the external exercises of it. He was not negligent in confessing sin, nor tainted with any Antinomian errors ; but praise and thanksgiving were his natural strains ; his frequentest, longest, and heart, iest services ; He was no despiser of a broken heart ; but he had attained the blessing of a healed joyful heart. The following narratives, the strain of his letters, but above all the admirations of his nearest friends, will tell him that will inquire, how his triumphant discourses of the hopes of glory, and his frequent and fervent thanksgiving and praise, were the language which he familiarly spake, and the very busi- ness of his heart and life. And, O how amiable is it to hear the tongue employed seriously and frequently in that which it was made for ; even in the praise of Him that made it ! And to see a man passing with joyful hopes towards immortality! And to live -as one that seriously believeth that he must quickly be in the heavenly church, and live with God and Christ for ever! O how comely is it to see a man that saith, he believeth that Christ hath redeemed him from hell, and reconciled him to God, and made him an adopted heir of glory, to live like one that was so strangely
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 31
saved from so great a misery, and with the most affectionate gratitude to honour the purchaser of all this grace ! And how uncomely a thing is it to hear a man say, That he be- lieveth all this grace of Christ, this heavenhj glory, this love of God, and yet to be inclined to no part of religion, but fears and complainings, and scarce to have any words of praises or thanksgiving, but a few, on the bye, which are heartless, affected, and constrained ! 0 did christians, yea ministers, but live with the joy, and gratitude, and praise of Jehovah, which beseemeth those that believe what they be- lieve, and those that are entering into the celestial choir, they would then be an honour to God and their Redeemer, and would win the world to a love of faith and holiness, and make them throw away their worldly fool-games, and come and see what it is that these joyous soids have found ! But when we shew the world no religion, but sighing and com- plainincr, and live a sadder life than they, and yet talk of the glad tidings of Christ, and pardon, and salvation, we may talk so long enough before they will believe us that seem no more to be believers ourselves, or before they will kave their fleshly pleasures for so sad and dreadful a life as this.
And as this kind of heavenly, joyful life is an honour to Christ, and a wonderful help to the converting of the world, so is it a reward to him that hath it ; which made this holy person live in such a vigour of duty, such fervour of holy love, and such continual content in God, so that the king- dom of God in him was righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost ; which others think consisteth in meats, drinks, and days, in shadows and circumstances, in sidings and in singular conceits. (Rom. xiv. Col. ii. 16.) It was not a melancholy spirit that acted him, nor did he tempt his peo- ple into such an uncomfortable state and strain. But in the multitude of his thoughts within him, the comforts of God did delight his soul : His meditation of God and his Redeemer was sweet, and he rejoiced in the Lord. He de- lishted in the law of the Lord ; and when delight invited him, no wonder if it were his meditation day and night. Psalm i. 2. civ. 34. cxix. 103, xciv. 19.
And how great a solace was this in his sufferings, when he could be in a gaol and in a heaven at once 1 When he could, after the terrible torment of convulsions, have the
32 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. I.)
foresight and taste of heavenly pleasures? JS'^ihil Cms sen- tit in JVervo, cum minimus est in Cielo, saith Tertullian.*
And as he lived, so he died, in vigorous jouful jrraises and thanksgivings : Reviving out of his long speechless convulsion, into those fervent raptures, as if he had never been so impatient of being absent from the Lord, as when he was just passing into his presence ; or rather as if, with Stephen, he had seen heaven opened and Christ in his glory, and could not but speak of the unutterable things which he had seen. I deny not but his vigorous active temper might be a great help to all his holy alacrity and joy, in his health- ful state: But when that frame of nature was broken by such torments, and was then dissolving, to hear a dying man about sixteen hours together, like the ferventest preach- er in the pulpit, pour out his soul in praises and thanksgiv- ing ; and speak of God, of Christ, of Heaven, as one that could never speak enough of them ; and that with a vivaci- ty and force, as if he had been in former health, and to tri- umph in joy as one that was just laying hold upon the crown; — surely in this there was something that was the reward of all his former praise and thankfulness ; and that which must needs tell the auditors the difference, not only between the death of a righteous believer and the wicked unbeliever, but the weak and distempered believer ; also the difference, between a sound and a diseased christian, and between the triumphant faith and hopes of one that saw the God and world invisible, and the staggering faith and trembling hopes of a feeble and distrustful soul ; and between the death of one that had been use to converse in heaven and to make thanksgiving and praise his work, and of one that had been used to cleave to earth and make a great matter of the concernments of the flesh, and to rise but little higher in religion than a course of outward duty animated most with troublesome fears : Though he died not in the pulpit, yet he died in pulpit-work.
And I must also note, how great an advantage it was to himself, and to his ministerial works, that he was possess- ed deeply with this true sentiment. That the pleasing of GOD is the ultimate end of man, (not doubting but it inclu- deth the notion of glorifying him,) for thus his heart was
* The cross feelcth nothing in the nerves, when the soul is in hea- ven.
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 33
rightly principled, and all his doctrine and duties rightly animated.
And as in all his ministry he was extraordinarily addict- ed to open to the hearers the covenant of grace, and to ex- plain religion in the true notion of covenanting with God and covenant-keeping, and greatly to urge men to deliberate well grounded resolutions in this holy covenant: (As one that understood that baptizing is truly christening, and tiiat Baptism and the Lord's Supper are our sacramental cove- nanting, and that we need no new descriptions nor charac- ters of grace and church-titles, if we understand what these sacraments truly mean :) So God was pleased to give him a certainty and sense of his divine faithtulness, in fulfilling the promises of his covenant, and a lively sense of all the benefits of it ; and his faith in God for the performance of his part, was as strong and fixed, as when his own resolution in the strength of grace to be true to God : I compare not his resolution to God's fidelity ; (for what comparison be- tween God and man ?) but only to his belief of God's fide- lity, and his comfort in the assurance of the conclusion. And as he was resolved through grace never to forsake Christ, so Christ did never fail him nor forsake him. And in his ministry, in his sufferings, and his death, this faith, this hope, this heavenly joy was his support and strength ; and in the valley of the shadow of death, he feared no evil. But when his flesh and heart failed, as to natural strength, the Lord was the rock or strength of his heart, and never failed him. (Psalm. Ixxiii. 25.) Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.
I have premised this general skeleton, as limners and builders first draw the pillars and stamina of their work, which the following narratives will fill up : And I have given you this general index or contents of what is distinct- ly contained in the sequel. For the history is not drawn up by one hand, nor as by one that intended rather to shew what he could say, than what the person was and did: But it is the brief account of the several parts of his life, drawn up by several of his most worthy and judicious friends, that were present, or most intimate and familiar with him. And I take this to be the best advantage to a history, as to the truth, which should satisfy the incredulous, though not as to uniformity, and a fluid style, which might please the curious. For a man's life is like a war or battle : No dis-
4
84 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (CHAP. I.)
persed war, no, nor any one particular battle, can fully be described by the observations of any one man alone : But one man is but in one place, and seeth only that which is within his own prospect, which his proper station did ad- vantage him to see : But when intelligent men from each part of the army do every one bring in their several narra- iives. all set together may be a satisfactory history of the "vvhole war or fight : So when a man's course of life is tran- sient, and one is his familiar in youth and another at riper age ; one in the university, and another in the ministry ; one in prison, and one at home ; one in health, and another at death ; it is no one of himself that can credibly report the whole. And therefore though, by variety of style, it nay may seem a ceuto. or incongruously composed ; yet truth being the soul of history, that's best which is best fitted to the lovers of truth. And though one part be written by a woman, his widow ; and another part by his Reverend Father-in-law; another by that worthy pastor whom he as- sisted ; another by a fellow minister, and another by a scholar of his intimate acquaintance, &c. ; yet is there such agreement in them all, and such evidence of unquestionable verity, especially to all who know these worthy and faithful persons, that for my part I take it as coming to me with greater advantage, than if it had been an evener thread, drawn out by one skilful hand alone; as the writing of the history of Christ by the four evangelists, is advantageous to the christian faith. The plainness and open breast ofagod- \y widow, and of so many holy and most credible friends, is another kind of evidence, than the contrived history of a learned man, which is fitted to the interests of a party to which the person's fame and honour seemeth requisite : I know not how a history of this nature could come to us with fairer human evidence of unquestionable credibility than this doth.
And let posterity know, (for I need not tell it to this pre- sent age, who live in the light ;) that though this servant of Christ excelled very many of his brethren, yet it i^ not that such men are wonders in this age, tliathis life is singled out to be recorded to posterity : But because his affectionate friends and auditors are forwarder than many others, hereby to tell the world what effects his holy doctrine and example hath left upon their hearts ; it makes the writer's heart to bleed, to think how many thousand, of souls do perish by
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 35
ignorance, and nno-odliness, even in England ; and how many vast kingdoms of the world are deprived of the gos- pel.
If you ask, '* What labours hath he left behind him ?' I answer ; first, the great numbers of holy souls converted, confirmed, and edified by his doctrine, and the example of his holy life ; the specimen, or exemplar of a right minister of the gospel, which he hath left to the neighbouring minis- ters that knew him, and to those that now possess their places, and to all the ministers of the land, and to the ages that are yet to come ; for who will ruA be convinced of the necessity and sweetness of holy diligence, in so good a work, and be- come laborious in the word and doctrine, who seriously read- eth such examples as this here set before him 1 And who that considereth it aright, can choose but see, how greatly such holy labourers do difl^er from those that preach the gos- pel in strife and envy, to add affliction to Paul's bonds. (Phil. 1. 15.) And those that use their ministry but as law- yers use the laws, to get preferment and worldly wealth by it ; that they may say, Soid, take thy ease, eat, drink, and be merry, thou hast goods enough laid up for many years : Till they hear at last. Thou fool, this night shall they require thy sold ; whose then shall the things be u'hich thou posses- sest ? So is every one that layeth up riches for himself, and is not rich towards God.
Secondly, And for writings, who can expect that a man that entered upon the sacred ministry at twenty-one years of age, and died about thirty-five, and lived in such exceed- ing ministerial labours, should leave many books behind him of his writing, in an age wherein we have had too many books, and too few such ministers 1 Yet the following his- tory tells us, he is the author of that Synopsis of the Cove- nant, in Mr. Richard Alleine's book. He printed an exposi- tion of the ^'lssembly''s Catechism, with an exhortation to use it ; as also prayers for his people's use ; and left a book to work on the unconverted, not yet printed. And he hath left (alas! imperfect;) a good part of a body of JS^atural Theology, called Theologia Philosophica. 1 . De cognitione Dei. 2. De existentia Dei. 3. Denominibus et substantia Dei. 4. De attributis Dei in genere, et speciatim de ejus unitate. 5. De perfectione divina, (^-c. 6. De decretis di- vinis. 7. De providentia divina, 8. De cidtu divinOy de
36 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (ciIAP. I.)
precibiis.* In all which he sHCcinctly delivereth, in a very good Latin Style, the Christian Doctrine : and then by way of annotations, addeth the testimony of" the ancient philoso- phers, so that you have together a sum of sound doctrine, and the fullest attestation of Elhnicks^ consent that ever 1 have seen ; being such a promptuary for any one that hath not leisure to peruse or to gather to such particular uses the phi- losophers themselves, that 1 know nowhere you can find the like. For every sheet or two of his doctrine on the subject there is about eight, ten, twelve, or more sheets of collected attestations. The re-st are all imperfectly written, only that jDe providentia, hath his ultimani manum-f and is licensed for the press ; but being Latin and Greek, and such books having too few buyers in England, none yet is found that will be at the charge of printing it, much less altogether ; though indeed (though imperfect) it is pity they should be separated. The title of this licensed piece is, Theologice Phi. losophicce, sive Philosophies, Theologicce, specimen : In quo Eterni Dei Providentia solius natural lumine comprohatur^ validissimis rationum momeniis demonstratur, quoad partes, species, ohjecta, ^-c. explicatur ; contra omnes denique adver- sarioriim objectiones Jirmatur : Ex Aristotele, Platone, Chal- cidio, Sallustio, Firmico, Empirico, Jamlio, Antonino, Epic- teto, Proclo, Simplicio, Cicerone, Seneca, Macrobio, Porphy- rio, Xenophonte, Galeno, Plutarcho, Plotino, Tyrio, Appu- leio, Alcino, aliisque Philosophis, Oraioribus, et Poetis, turn GrcBcis turn Latinis, ad Jltheorum convictionem, ct Or. fhodoxorum confirmationem ; e luciibratioiie J. A. Anno Dom. 166Lt
* Pi vilosophical Theology. 1. On the knowledge of God. 2. His existcuce. 3. His names and substance. 4. His attributes in gene- ral, and especially his unity. 5. On the divine perfection, &c. 6. The divine decrees. 7. Divine Providence. 8. Divine worship and prayer.
•f His final correction.
t A Specimen of Philosophical Theology, or Theolo;^ical Philoso- phy, in which the Providence of the everlasting God is proved by the light of nature alone, demonstrated by the most powerful force of reasoning, and exphiined, as to its divisions, species, objects, &c. And lastly it is confirmed, against all objections of adversaries, from Aristotle, Piato, &c. &.c., and other Philosophers, Orators, Poets, both Greek and Latin, for the conviction of Atheists, and the confirmation of the Orthodox. By the labour and study of Joseph Alleine. 1661.
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 37
CHAP. II.
A brief relation of his early setting forth in the christian race, fronri his childhood. Also some memorials of his industrious and prosperous pursuit of learning, and of his singular piety during his abode in the University.
WRITTEN BY AN EYE-WITNESS THEREOF.
Mr. Joseph Alleine, born in the Devizes, in Wiltshire, in the year 1633, during his childhood shewed forth a sin- gular sweetness of disposition, and a remarkable diligence in everything he was then employed about. The first observ- able zeal of religion that appeared in him, was in the eleventh year of his age, about which time he was noted to be very diligent in private prayer, and so fixed in that duty, that he would not be disturbed or moved by the coming of any person accidently into the places of his retirement. This and other fruits of a serious and gracious spirit, were the common observation of the family. From this time forward, the whole course of his youth was an even-spun thread of godly conversation, which was rendered more amiable by his sweet and pleasant deportment towards all he conversed with. While he thus openly began to run his christian race, his brother, Mr. Edward Alleine, a worthy- minister of the gospel, departed this life ; Whereupon he earnestly desired to be brought up in preparation, to succeed him in the work of the ministry, which good motion his fa- ther gladly hearkened unto, and speedily prepared to put it in execution. Such was his great diligence at school, that he redeemed for his book the time allotted for recreation. In the space of about four years he attained to very good knowledge in the Latin and Greek tongues, and was by his schoolmaster adjuged fit for University studies. After which, he abode some time with his father in the country, where a worthy minister of the place read Logic to him. And when he was about sixteen years old, he was placed in Lincoln College, in Oxford.
He had not been long in the University, but a Wiltshire place becoming void in Corpus Christi College, he was chosen scholar of that house. The pregnancy of his parts
4*
38 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. II.)
assuring all that his own merits were the sole friends, the only mandamus which brought him in.
Being entered and settled, he gave both early and con- stant proofs of his indefatigable industry ; signalizing there- by his love for learning, and evidently demonstrating how much he abhorred to be found a drone in such a hive. He esteemed a college an other-guess place than a victualling HOUSE, and coming into this with a nobler design than only to TAKE commons. He thought himself happy in no- thing so much, as the advantage he had gained for the best Aqiiists.
I have known too many, who, in the very places which they have got by their parts, have lost the parts which got them their places; and peradventure had been excellent scholars, had they never had those encouragements to be so, which they unhappily won from their competitors. For idleness enervates the strength of nature, and makes those logs that might have been Mercuries ; but this person was none of those. He, quitting himself so well at the election, was but a pledge and earnest of his doing better afterwards. He made it appear to all observing him, that when he stood, he stood not so much for a place, as for the accomplishments by his future studiousness attainable in it, demeaning him- self like one, who, even in the days of his vanity, well un- derstood how profane a thing it was to live in a school of learning no otherwise than as if it were a sanctuary for laziness, or a place privileged with nothing else but leave and opportunity to eat the founder's bread, with no other sweat of the brow, than what's provoked in a ball-court.
Never had learning a truer drudge since she kept house in Oxford. At her vvorkhe was both day and night, think- ing all time too little, no pains too much, that he spent in her service. When but a schoolboy (as 1 have heard) he was observed to be so studious, that he was known as much by this periphrasis. The lad i that ivill not -play, as by his name. And sure I am, when in the University, he was so generously and ingeniously bookish, that he deserved to be called. The Scholar, who h\j his good will would do nothing else but praij and study.
Courteous he was, and very civil to all acquaintance. But if they came to visit him at studying times, though they were sure enough to find him within, yet withal so busy generally with better company, as to have no leisure to let
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 39
them in. And if at this they were moved, and murmured, and went away oftended with him, he cared not. That notable principle ot" Joachim Fortius which shut him up, bearing him. out, and being his relief in all such cases, viz., " Better it is that they should wonder at thy rudeness, than thou shouldst lose thy time ; for only one or two will take notice of that, but all posterity would be sensible of this."
His appetite to his business being that to him which alarums in their chambers are wont to be to others ; seldom it was that he could be found in bed after four in the morn- ing, though he had stayed up on the same occasion on which he then rose, till almost one over night.
For though, whilst junior scholar, he obtained many weekly sleeping days for others, yet in many years he could hardly vouchsafe to himself so much as one.
And as thus he begrudged himself his rest, so thus also his very food ; it being as familiar with him to give away his commons (at least) once, as with any others to eat theirs twice a-day. As if he, who was never satisfied how many volumes soever he devoured, had looked upon it as a kind of gluttony to eat that meal, the time of eating which might without prejudice to health, have been better spent upon a book. Porphyry's wish, " That he were able to live with- out eating and drinking at all, so that he might be wholly taken up about nobler things," is sure the wish of thousands in the learned world. Certain I am it was his, and that if piety would have suffered him, and they had not been such dear friends, he would have fallen out with God, for tying his soul to such a body, as could not subsist without (what he would often call no better than time-consuming things) meat, and drink, and sleep.
That this his laborious studiousness was as delightful and pleasant to him, as the highest voluptuousness can be to the most sensual sot, I conclude, not only from the constancy of it, but from his charging matrimony, to which afterwards he became a subject, with no greater tyrannny, than the ne- cessity which it laid upon him of being kinder sometimes unto himself than he was wont to be in Oxford. For, being married, an intimate friend of his of the same college, who had thoughts of changing his condition, wrote to him, and in a jesting manner, desired of him an account of the incon- veniences of marriage ; to whom he returned this pleasant, but very significant answer ; '' Thou wouldst know the in-
40 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (CHAP. II.)
conveniences of a wife, and I will tell thee ; first of all, whereas thou risest constantly at four in the morning, or before, she will keep thee till about six. Secondly, whereas thou usest to study fourteen hours in the day, she will bring thee to eight or nine. Thirdly, whereas thou art wont to forbear one meal a-day at least for thy studies, she will bring thee to thy meat. If these be not mischiefs enough to affright thee, I know not what thou art."
Through his industry, with God's blessing on it, he ex- ceedingly prospered in his studies, and quickly appeared a notable proficient. He would often say, " he chiefly affected rational learning, valuing skill in languages only for the sake of things, and those things most which were of all most likely to improve his judgment." And the truth of his words was sufficiently evident. For all that knew him, knew him to be as good a linguist, so as smart a disputant, and an excellent philosopher. When he performed any academical exercises, either in the hall or in the schools, he seldom or ever came off without the applause, or at least the approbation of all but the envious ; who also themselves even by their very detractions, in spite of their teeth, com- mended him ; their being, to the ingenious, no surer sign almost of his having acquitted himself well, than that such as they could not endure it should be said so.
Certain am I his pregnant parts and early accomplish- ments were so much taken notice of in the College, that so soon almost as he was but a bachelor of arts, he was even compelled to commence a tutor; and presently in- trusted (to speak within compass) with as great a number of pupils as any in the house. Some of his scholars are now Graduates in Divinity, and singular ornaments of that flourishing society, as Mr. John Rosewell, B. D. Mr. Ni- cholas Horseman, B. D. &c. Others of them, who left the University, have not gone without considerable pre- ferments in the church, as Mr. John Peachil, lately lecturer at St. Clements Danes, without Temple-Bar ; Mr. Chris- topher Coward, prebendary of Wells, &c. And I make no question but all of them (which are yet alive) honour his memory, and will at any time be ready to express the grateful sense which they retain of (he advantage they re- ceived from his prudent instructions and pious examples.
It is true, indeed, he had no advancement proportionable to his merits whilst he staid amongst us : But if there were
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 41
any thing to be blamed for that, it was nothing else but his own self-denial. For a chaplain's place becoming void, he chose that before a fellowship, which he knew well enough, in a little time, would, of course, and by right, have been certainly his- And this choice having been made by him at first deliberately, he never after in the least repented, but rather often reflected on it with a great deal of content and comfort. For he had always such a huge affection for pray- er, that he and his friend could hardly ever walk and dis- course together, but, before they parted, at his desire, they must also go and pray together. And what a pleasure then may we think it was to him, twice a-day to engage a w hole society, in so dear an exercise, with a Let us prmj ! Fre- quently indeed have I heard him say, He prized Ihe em- ployment above that which generally we reckoned much better preferment, and looked upon it as his honour and happiness.
And it was well v/ith us that so he did, it being hardly possible that the duty of the place should have been by any discharged better than it was by him. We were not used to a great deal of noise, vain tautologies, crude effusions, unintelligible sense, or mysterious nonsense, instead of prayer. His spirit was serious, his gesture reverent, his words few, but premiditated and well weighed, pithy, solid, and to the full expressive of his as truly humble as earnest desire. He loathed the sauciness which went by the name of holy boldness ; and drew near to God, not as if he had been going to play with his mate, but as became a creature overawed with the majesty of his great Creator. He prayed with the spirit and the understanding also ; confessed sin with real grief, inward hatred, and detestation ; and begged the mercies he came to beg, like one that felt the want and worth of what he begged, with faith and fervency, and true importunity ; his affections working, but working rationally as well as strongly.
And this, as I doubt not it prevailed above, so it had on us the more powerful influence, because we found it to be no mere religious fit, but exactly agreeable to the habitual frame and disposition of the man. It is a shrewd reflection which Suidas makes on the philosopher Sallust : (How truly I know not, he is neither civil nor just to some :)
^aWovtrriov Ss 6 rponos irapdSolog iratriv avdpajirois, hre fxcv <pi\oco(()ovvTOi tf!i\ TO KaprepdiTcpov, to. 6e iroi^ovros £Tt to yeXoioTEpov, >^aliUSl S
42 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. Il)
carriage was strange to all men ; for though when he read his philosophy lectures, he did it gravely and very solemn- ly ; yet at other times he played the child, and that most ridiculously." And there are too many, both chaplains and preachers, who justly merit as bad a censure : Whilst pray- ing and preaching, they appear demure, and mighty devout ; yet take them out of their desks and pulpits, and they are as light, as vain, and frothy, yea, extremely dissolute, as any others. But it was not so with this person : For he was always composed and serious, grave and reverend, above his age. He set God always before him : and wherever he was, laboured to live as in his presence. It was his solemn business to be religious ; his great endeavour to walk by rule ; his main design, in all his ways, to approve himself unto his Father, which saw in secret ; and his daily exer- cise, to keep a conscience void of offence, both towards God and towards men.
As for the pleasures and delights of sin, he highly nau- seated and abhorred them ; was so above them, that he could not endure them ; Quam suave istis suavitatibtcs carere ! "How sweet was it to him (as said once St. Austin) to want those sweets !" And as for lawful delights and pleasures, although he did divert unto, and now and then solace a while, and entertain himself with them, yet how little was his heart unto them, or was he (generally) taken with them ! He was as formal in using them, as some christians are in God's service; as they sometimes do pray, as if indeed they prayed not ; and hear, as if they heard not ; so he rejoiced in such things as these, as if indeed he re- joiced not. He looked upon them, compared with others, as upon his righteousness, compared with Christ's, — as very vanity, yea, dross and dung. His conversation being in heaven, his sweetest comforts and most prized refreshments, were divine and heavenly. His soul took often a delightful prospect of eternity, viewing the regions of bliss and glory, looking wistly at her father's seat, the mount of joy, aspiring after a nobler mansion, and hugging herself in a comfortable persuasion, that it would not be long ere she should be in it. And hereupon, as he little minded any earthly glory, so he lit- tle minded or cared for the poor and empty delights of sense.
However, he was not morosely pious, nor did his affec- tion to God and goodness, and the things above, make him either a Timoa or a Cynic ; it had not then been so true
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 43
and genuine, and of so right a kind as it was. Homiletical virtue he as much excelled in as any other, and the decried morality found ever with him very great respect, being re- cognised as an integral part of his religion.
He was of a sweet disposition, and of as highly civil a conversation, as a man (subject to the common frailties of human nature) almost could be. He had scarce a gesture which did not seem to speak, and, by a powerful and charm- ing rhetoric, affect all whom he conversed with. Were it not that he had so many other moral perfections and excel- lencies besides that, it might as truly be said of him, as by the historian was of the Emperor, in respect of his clemen- cy, that he ivas — totns ex comitate, — made itp, as it ivere, of nothing' else but courtesy and a [lability.
For a friend, I think I may safely say, he was one of the truest that ever person had interest in ; and withal, as plea- sant as a serious christian could well wish. He loved not rashly, but where he loved, he loved entirely ; and whoever came to be entertained in his affections, were sure to find a warm lodging. There was no more but only one thing, which he thought too much for any, for whom he thought not his love too good. He could not sin, knowingly, and willingly, for any friend he had on earth. When Lelius in the presence of the Roman Consuls, (w^ho, after the con- demnation of Tiberius Gracchus, pursued all that had been formerly intimate with him,) came to inquire of Caius Blo- sius, his chiefest friend, " What he was willing to have done for Gracchus ?" He answered, " All things." " What ! all things ?" replied Lelius ; " suppose he had willed you to burn our temples, would you have done it at his request ?" *' I know," said Blosius, " he could never command it ; but if he had, I had obeyed him." I confess this friend did never dare to be such a friend, or any thing like him : But usque ad aras, — so fa?' as laufully and conscientiously he might do any thing, he stuck at nothing wherein he might serve, pleasure or gratify them he loved.
And yet his love was not ingrossed by his friends only ; for whilst to them he shewed himself friendly, good nature as well as Christianity obliged him to be kind to all, and (according to his ability) to the poor bountiful. He was too frugal to throw away his charity, yet not so covetous as to withhold it when he met with objects to whom was it due. He did not think the little he had so much his own as that
44 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. II.)
his necessitous brethren might not claim a part in it ; and therefore gave them as if lie had been paying debts, and not bestowing alms. But of ail the most admirable was his af- fections to the souls of others, and his desire to do good to them. This indeed was most conspicuous, and seemed to shew,
Vehit inter Ignes Luna minores,
JMuch like the JMoon appearing bigger, and shining brighter than the other stars. The sage Pythagoras, I remember, gave this very mystical but wise advice unto his scholars ; 'EyK£(pa\ov /i>j eaOuiv, by no lueans to eat their own brains ; in- tending by it, as is conceived, that they should not keep their reason (of which the brain is an immediate instru- ment) unto themselves, but still employ it for the advan- tage of others. And sure this person did forbear to eat, but by his abstinence fed many others with his brains, that is, his enlightened, improved reason. Some there are, to my knowledge, who at this day do verily think, they should never have found the way to live, or to live forever, if he had lived unto himself. Eminent was his charity to the poor prisoners in Oxford gaol ; among whom jfirst (as the Rev. Mr. Perkins did at Cambridge,) of his own accord he began to preach, and held on constantly (while he remained in town) once a fortnight, for a year and upwards, encoura- ging them to give attendance on his ministry, by a consider- able allowance of bread that week he preached, at his proper cost and charges. Frequent visits also was he used to make at other times, to other persons in the world that were but mean and low ; his main design (together with the re- lieving of their temporal wants) being to assist their souls, and help them forward in their way to heaven. And indeed, in all his converses, wherever he was, he was like fire (as
Sallust was used to say of Athenodorus) Eldirrcjv iravra rawapa-
KEiixEva; warmings refreshing, quickening all that were about him, and kindling in them the like zeal for God and good ness which he had iu himself. Whoever they were, that came to visit or be acquainted with him, it was their own fault if they got not by him so much good, as to be for ever the better for him. It was hardly possible to be in his compa- ny, and not to hear such things from him, as, if well weighed, might have been enough to make one out of con-
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 45
ceit with sin, and in love with virtue, as long as one lived. Though he did not say, (as Titus once), yet by his actions we may judge he thought that he had even quite lost a day, when none had gained somewhat by him. He lived as if he had been quickened with that saying, (which I have somewhere met with in Tertullian) Quid prodest esse, quod esse non prodest ? " To what purpose is it to live, and not to live to some good purpose ?"
But this was that (this ardent love to the souls of men) that quickly deprived us of his company; it carried him down into the country, where, how he demeaned and carried himself, let others speak.
CHAP. HI.
A brief character of him by that reverened person Mr. R. A. who was nearly related to him, shewing how eminently he was qualified for the Ministerial service and warfare, unto which he was called.
Of his extract I shall say little ; he was the son of a godly father, Mr. Tobie Alleine, sometime of the Devizes, an understanding, affectionate, prudent, and signally humble and experienced christian, who died suddenly but sweetly, his son surviving him not above a year or two. He having been languishing for some time, at length seemed to be upon recovery, and went about his house. On the morning be- fore he died, he rose about four ; about ten or eleven he came down out of his closet, and called for something to eat, which being prepared, he gave thanks, but could not eat any thing. His wife perceiving a sudden change in him persuaded him to go to his bed ; he answered "No ; but I will die in my chair, and I am not afraid to die." He sat down and only said, "My life is hid with Christ in God ;" and then he closed his eyes with his own hands, and died immediately. No more of the father : Concerning his son I shall speak.
What he was, and what his temper and behaviour was, As a Man, As a Christian, As a Minister.
I. ^s a J\Ian. He was, 1. of quick natural parts, and 5
46
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. III.)
great acquired abilities, concerning which I shall need say- no more, there being a fuller account given by another. 2. Of a composed, grave, and serious temper and behaviour, not at all morose, but full of candour, free, affable, cheerful, and courteous.
II. Jls a Christian. He was, for exemplary holiness, and heavenliness of mind and life, much elevated above the ordinary rank. He lived much in delightful communion with God ; his soul was greatly exercised in divine contem- plation ; and he would sometimes speak (to provoke others, whom he wished the same delights, to the same exercise) what ineffable pleasure, sweetness, and satisfaction his soul had found in his stated meditations on the Divine Attributes, distinctly one by one. In his discourses he would speak much and passionately to the commending and exalting of the divine goodness, and of the inexpressible dearness and tenderness of the divine love. In prayer he was not ordi- narily so much in confession or complaining of corruption and infirmities, though he expressed a due sense of these, as in the admiring and praising of God in his infinite glorious perfections, in the mention of his wonderful works, particu- larly of those wonders of his love revealed in Jesus Christ. In some of his letters to me, when he had been speaking of the grace and goodness of God to him, (of the sense whereof he would seem to be even quite swallowed up), he would break off in some such expressions as these, " I am full of the mercies of the Lord ; O love the Lord for me ; O praise the Lord for my sake ; O help me, help me to praise the Lord !"
His whole life was adorned and beautified with the admi- rable lustre of his particular personal graces.
1. He was a man of love. His sweet, .amicable, and court- eous converse was such as made him the delicicE* of his ac- quaintance, and made way for the entertainment both of his serious counsels and severer reproofs. He grew dear unto the saints that knew him, because they saw in his very face and all his carriages, how very dear they were to him. His compassion to those in distress, his bounty to those in want, (wherein he abounded beyond his ability,; his for- bearance in case of offences, his affectionate language and carriage, his readiness to all obliging offices of love to his
* The delight.
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE, 47
relations, to his friends, to strangers, to enemies, did evi- dently declare how he loved them. Especially his love was let forth in fuller streams upon the congregation where he exercised his ministry. The people of his care, where the people of his delight. His ardent longing for their souls, his rejoicing in their souls' prosperity, his bleedings and break- ings of soul under any of their falls or infirmities, his inces- sant labours among them, both publicly and from house to house, his frequent and affectionate letters to them when he was absent, his earnest desire to live and die and be buried amongst them, (declaring to them, " That if he died within fifty miles of Taunton, his will was to be brought and bu- ried there, that his bones might be laid with their bones, bis dust mingle with their dust") — these all declare how greatly they were in his heart.
2. He was a man of courage. 1. He feared no dangers in the way of his duty, knowing that He that icalks vp' rightlij walks surely. In cases less clear, he was very in- quisitive to understand his way, and then he fixed without fear. 2. He feared not the faces of men ; but where occa- sion was, he was bold in admonishing, and faithful in re- proving ; which ungrateful duty he yet managed with such prudence and such expressions of love and compassion to souls, as made his way into hearts more easy, and his work more successful.
3. He was a son of peace. Both a zealous peace-maker among differing brethren, in case of personal quarrels and contentions ; and he was also of sober and peaceful princi- ples and a healing spirit, as to parties or factions upon the account of religion. He had an awful and reverend regard to magistrates, abhorring all provoking and insolent expres- sions, or mutinous and tumultuous actions against them.
4. He teas a man of truth and righteousness ; both as to his own personal practice, and also was much in pressing it upon others, especially professors of religion, to be exem- plarily just in their dealings, and true in their words, to be wary in promising, and punctual in performing. Oh ! how often and passionately have I heard him bewailing the sins of promise-breaking and deceitful dealing, whereof such as he hath known to be guilty have understood, both by word and writing, how much his soul was grieved at them, for the wrong they did hereby to their own souls especially, and the reproach they brought upon the gospel of our Lord.
48 THE LIFE AND DE VTH OF (cHAP. III.)
5. He was of great patience. To say nothing of his beha- viour under sufferings of other kinds, his great weakness, and long languishing for some years together, and his constant se- renity, caUns, and quietness of spirit, in all that time, — so far from the least touch of murmuring, that he was still blessing the Lord for his tender dealings with him, — have given the world a full proof that he was of a patient spirit.
6. He luas eminent in liberality. He not only did, but devised liberal things, and by liberal things did he stand; he studied and considered how he might both give himself, and procure from others, relief for those in want. He gave much alms daily, both in the place where he lived and wherever he came. When there were collections at any time for pious and charitable uses, he stirred up others to bountiful giving, both by word, and also by his example. In the col- lection of the Fire in London, he gave publickly such a libe- ral proportion as he thought meet to be an example to others ; and, (as I came occasionally to understand,) lest it should be misjudged if he had been known to give more, he gave more than as much again secretly. He distributed much among his relations. His aged father and divers of his brethren, with their large families, being fallen into de- cay, he took great care for them all, and gave education to some, pensions to others, portions to others of them ; and, notwithstanding all this, he had but a very small matter of stock to begin upon, and never above eighty pounds per an- num, that I know of; and near the one half of his time, not above half so much ; only by the industry of his wife, who for divers years kept a boarding-school, his income was for that time considerably enlarged. He took great pains in journeyings abroad to many gentlemen, and other rich men in the country, to procure a standing supply for 'such JVon- conforming, ministers as were in want.
7. He ivas of an active spirit. He went about doing good. As he was abundant and incessant in his labours in the congregation where he lived ; so wherever he came, he would be scattering some good seed, not only among the adult, but he would be dealing much with the children in those tamilies into which he came, asking them questions, giving them counsel, and sometimes leaving them his counsel in writing. In his own family (which was great whilst his wife kept boarders) he was exceedingly industrious ; the gravity of his carriage, contempered with much sweetness
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 49
and affability towards those young ones, begat in many of them the awe and love as of children to their father, and made way for the success of his endeavours with them, which was considerable upon divers of them. At Bath, while he lay sick there, he sent for many of the poor, both old and children, and gave them catechisms, engaging them to learn them, and give him an account ; who came cheer- fully and frequently to him, being encouraged hereto by his familiar and winning carriage, his giving them money, his feeding and feasting them. He would sometimes say, " It is a pity that counsel of our Lord (Luke iv. 13.) of feasting the poor, was not more practised among christians."
8. He was of a liumble spirit. Though God had so ex- ceedingly lifted him up in the hearts of others, yet he was not puffed up in his own. He was low in his own eyes, and despised the praise of men. His whole carriage was without the least ostentation, and he was of great conde- scension to the weakest or meanest. Once or twice he was complaining to me of the pride of his heart; I (judging it to proceed rather from a holy jealousy of himself, and a ten- derness of the least spark of that evil, than from any power it had upon him) replied to him (as I remember) to this purpose; "If he had a proud heart, he had it to himself, for none else could perceive it." But he answered, " Some men that are proud enough, have more wit than to let every one know it." Another time making the same complaint in a letter to me, he added this, "But my naughty heart, whilst I am writing this, is in hope you will not believe me." So watchful was he, as to espy and check the least motions of that lust which he so much abhorred,
HI. As a JMiiiister. He was settled in Taunton Mag- dalen, as an assistant to the Reverend Pastor there ; with whom, as a son with the father, he served in the gospel. I shall say nothing here, there being a large account given under the hand of that worthy person.
But besides his labours in that great congregation in which alone he was fixed, the care for many other congregations was daily upon him. He went firth frequently into seve- ral places about the country, amongst the poor ignorant people that live in dark corners and had none to take care of them, and both preached to them himself, and stirred up many of his brethren : whose forward minds readily joined
6*
50 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. IV.)
with him, to set up standing lectures amongst them. He had an eye to poor Wales, and had an influence upon the sending over some ministers to them. He resolved also to have gone and spent some time amongst them himself, and by all the dissuasions of his friends, from his great weakness and unfitness for travel, he was hardly withheld from his purpose.
CHAP. IV.
An account of his godly life and practice, and of the course of his Min- istry in Taunton, given by Mr. George Newton, the Reverend Pas- tor there, whose assistant he was.
Mr. Joseph Alleine came to my assistance, in the year 1655, being then in the one and twentieth year of his age ; and we continued together with much mutual satisfaction.
I soon observed him to be a young man of singular ac- complishments, natural and acquired. His intellectuals solid, his memory strong, his affections lively, his learning much beyond the ordinary size. And above all, his holiness eminent, his conversation exemplary; in brief, he had a good head and a better heart.
He spent a considerable part of his time in private con- verses with God and his own soul ; he delighted very much to perform his secret devotions in the view of heaven, and the open air, when he could find advantages fit for his purpose. He used to keep many days alone, and then a private room would not content him, but (if he could) he would withdraw himself to a solitary house, that had no inhabitant in it; And herein he was gratified often by some private friends of his, to whom he did not impart his design : Perhaps it was, that he might freely use his voice as his aflections led him, without such prudential considerations and restraints as would have been necessary in another place ; and that he might converse with God without any avocation or distraction.
His conversation with others, was always mingled with heavenly and holy discourses ; he was ready to instruct, and to exhort, and to reprove ; which he never failed to do (when he thought it necessary) whatever the event might be : But
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 51
he performed it usually with such respect, humility, tender- ness, self-condemnation, and compassion, that a reproof from him did seldom, if at all miscarry.
In the houses where he sojourned, their hands fed one, but his lips fed many ; God freely poured grace into his lips, and he freely poured it out. None could live quietly in any visible and open sin, under his inspection : When he came to any house to take up his abode there, he brought salvation with him ; when he departed, he left salvation behind him. His manner was, when he was ready to depart, and to transplant himself into some other family, (as that the exigence of his condition and the time did more than once constrain him to,) to call the people one by one into his chamber ; from whence, it was observed, that scarce any one returned with dry eyes.
In matters of religion, and the first table, his strictness was so exemplary, (which was near to rigour) that I have scarce known any of his years keep pace with him. Surely he did more than others ; his righteousness exceeded not the Publican only, but the Pharisees too. He was much taken with Monsieur de Renty (whose life he read often), and imitated some of his severities upon better grounds. How often I have heard him to admire (among many other things) especially his self-annihilation, striving continually to be nothing, that God might be all.
But here he stayeth not, he was a second taBle man, a man of morals ; I never knew him spotted in the least de- gree with any unjust or uncharitable act. And I am sure, the many failings of professors in this kind, touched him to the very quick, and brought him low ; drew prayers, tears, complaints, and lamentations, both by word and letter from him, though yet the Lord would not permit him to behold and reap the fruit before he died.
He had an eminently free and bountiful heart to his pow- er, and I may truly say, beyond his power ; yea, much be- yond it, he was willing of himself. It is but seldom that the best do need restraint in these matters ; and yet we read of some who brought more than enough, yea, much more than enough. (Exod. xxxvi. 5.) So that there was a pro- clamation issued out, to put a stop upon their bounty, and it is added presently, so the people were restrained. Men universally almost do need a spur, but he did rather need a bridle. When other men gave little out of much, he gave
52 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. IV.)
much out of little ; and while they heaped and gathered up, he dispersed and scattered abroad. He did not hide him- self from his own flesh, but was helpful to relations, as some of them have great reason to acknowledge. His charity be- gan at home, but it did not end there ; for he did good to all, (according to his opportunities) though especially to the household of faith. He considered the poor, he studied their condition ; he devised liberal things ; he was full of holy projects, for the advancement of the good of others, both spiritual and temporal ; which he pursued with such irresis- tible vigour, and zeal, and activity, that they seldom proved abortive.
He was a man of extraordinary condescension to the in- firmities of weaker brethren, as they that are most holy, and best acquainted with themselves, are wont to be : " In- structing those that were contrary minded in meekness ; if God perad venture would give them repentance to the ac- knowledging of the truth, restoring those who were over- taken with a fault, with the spirit of meekness." So deal- ing with them in such a loving, sweet, and humble way, as considering himself, lest he also might be tempted. In their confessed failings, he was no way supercilious, captious, and censorious ; he would maintain a good opinion of another, upon a narrower footing than many others, who (to say no more) were nothing stricter, holier, humbler, than himself would be. His charity believed all things that were to be believed, and hoped all things that were to be hoped. And when he deeply condemned the action, he would not judge of the estate : Indeed he had more charity for others than himself; and though he were sufficiently mild in his judg- ment of others, he was severe enough in his judgment of himself.
He was not peremptory in matters that belong to doubtful disputations : He laid no more weight and stress on notions and opinions in religion, that wholly depend upon topical arguments, than belongs to them. He was not like many who are so over-confident in their determintions that they will hardly hold communion ; nay, scarce so much as a pleasing conversation with any man, how gracious soever, who cannot think, and say, and act in every thing as they do. He would allow his fellow-members the latitude that the apostle doth ; and so would freely and familiarly con- verse with those who were sound in the faith (as to the fun-
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE 53
damentals of religion), and who were strict and holy in their lives, of all persuasions.
His ministerial studies were more than usually easy to him, being of a quick conceit, a ready, strong, and faithful memory, a free expression (which was rather nervous and substantial, than soft *and delicate), and, which was best of all, a holy heart that boiled and bubbled up with good mat- ter. This furnished him on all occasions, not with warm atiections only, but with holy notions too. For his heart was an epistle, written, not v»'ith ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, and out of this epistle, he drew many ex- cellent things. In the course of his ministry, he was a good man, and in his heart a good treasure ; whence he was wont continually to bring forth good things, both in public and in private.
He was apt to preach and pray, most ready on all occa- sions to layout himself in such work, yea, spending himself in such work, when my sudden distemper seized upon me, put him at any time (as many times they did) upon very short and sudden preparations, he never refused ; no, nor so much as fluctuated in the undertaking ; but being called, he confidently cast himself upon the Lord, and trusted per- fectly to His assistance who had never failed him ; and so he readily and freely went about his work without distrac- tion.
He began upon a very considerable stock of learning, and gifts ministerial and personal, much beyond the proportion of his years, and grew exceedingly in his abilities and graces, in a little time. So that his profiting appeared to all men ; he waxed very rich in heavenly treasure, by the blessing of God on a diligent hand, so that he was behind in no good gift. He found that precious promise sensibly made good, to him that hath (for the use and good employ- ment) shall he given, and he shall have abtnidance. He had no talent for the napkin, but all for traffic, which he laid out so freely for his Master's use, that in a little time they multiplied so fast, that the napkin could not hold them. I heard a worthy minister say of him once (not without much admiration). Whence hath this man these things ? He un- derstood whence he had them well enough, and so did f, even from above, whence every good and perfect gift pro- ceedeth : God blessed him in all spiritual blessirgs in hea- venly thing.s, and he returned all to heaven again ; he
54 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. IV.)
served God with all his might and all his strength ; he was abundant in the work of the Lord ; he did not go, but run the ways of his commandments ; he made histe and linger, ed not ; he did run, and was not weary : he did wall:, and was nat faint. He pressed hard towards the mark, till he attained it ; his race was short and swift, and his end glo- rious.
He was infinitely and insatiably greedy of the conversion of souls wherein he had no small success in the time of his ministry ; And to this end, he poured out his very heart in prayer and preaching ; he imparted not the gospel only, but his own soul. His supplications, and his exhortations, many times were so affectionate, so full of holy zeal, life, and vigour, that they quite overcame his hearers: he melted over them, so that he thawed and mollified, and sometimes dissolved the hardest hearts. But while he melted thus, he wasted, and at last consumed himself.
He was not satisfied to spend himself in public, but used constantly to go from house to house, and thereto deal par- ticularly (where he had a free reception) both with the gover- nors, and with the children, and with the servants of the household, instructing them especially in the great funda- mental necessary truths of the law, and of the gospel, where he observed them to be ignorant; gentle reproving them, where he found any thin^ amiss among them. Exhorting them to diligence, both in their general and particular call- ings, entreating them who were defective, by any means to set up the worship of God in their houses, and to make them little churches, by constant reading of the scripture, so that the word of Christ might deeply dwell among and in them richly, by careful catechising of the children, and the ser- vants, if the governors were able ; by frequent meditations, conferences, repetitions of that which they had heard in public, especially by daily prayer, morning and evening, that so they might avoid that dreadful indignation which hangs over, and is ready to be poured out upon the families that call not upon God. He made the best inspection that he could, into the state of every particular person, and so ac- cordingly applied himself to check, to comfort, to encourage, as he found occasion. All which he did with so much tenderness, humility, and self-denial, that they gained very much on the affections and respects of all that received him, and wrought them at least to outward conformity ; so
IHE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 55
that they who were not visited in the beginning, atlength came forth and called upon him to come to their families and help them.
Thus he did wear himself away, and gave light and heat to others. He usually allowed himself too little sleep to re- cruit and to repair the spirits which he wasted with wak- ing. His manner was to rise at four o'clock at the utmost, many times before, and that in the cold winter mornings, that he might be with God betime, and so get room for other studies and employments. His extraordinary watch- ings, constant cares, excessive labours in the work of his ministry, public and private, were generally apprehended to be the cause of those distempers and decays, and at last of that ill health of body, whereof in the end he died.
He was the gravest, strictest, most serious, and composed young man that I had ever yet the happiness to be acquaint- ed with. And yet he was not rigid in his principles, his moderation was known to all men that knew him.
CHAP. V.
A Further Account of his Catechising, both in public, and private by Mr. G.
When he did catechise the greater sort in public, before he was silenced, his manner was to begin with prayer for a blessing upon that exercise, And having proposed some questions out of the Jlssembly^s Catechism to them, he was careful, not only to make them perfect in rehearsing the an- swers there set down, but also to bring them to a clear un- derstanding of the sense and meaning of the said answers- and of all the terms and phrases in which they are express- ed ; and to draw some practical useful inferences from those heads of divinity contained in them. Moreover, when any distinction was necessary for the clearing up of the matter in hand, he would also be instructing his Catechumens there- in. Now this he would do, by proposing several other col- lateral questions, besides those in the Catechism ; which questions, together with the answers to them, himself had before drawn up, and sent to them in writing.
In the evening of the Lord's Day, his course was to repeat
56 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. V.)
his sermon again, in the public place of worship, where abundance of people constantly resorted to hear him ; which when he had done, several youths were called forth which did give him an account of the heads of all his sermon by memory.
As for his method in going from house to house, for the instructing of private families, it was this : He would give them notice of his coming the day before, desiring that he might have admittance to their houses, to converse with them about their soul concerns, and that they would have their whole family together against he came. When he came, and the family were called together, he would be in- structing the younger sort in the principles of religion, by asking several questions in the Catechism, the answers to which, he would be opening and explaining to them. Also he would be inquiring of them about their spiritual estate and condition, labouring to make them sensible of the evil and danger of sin, the corruption and wickedness of our natures, the misery of an unconverted state ; stirring them up to look after the true remedy proposed in the gospel, to turn from all their sins unto God, to close with Christ upon his own terms ; to follow after holiness, to watch over their hearts and lives, to mortify their lusts, to redeem their time, to prepare for eternity. These things as he would be ex- plaining to their understandings, that they might have clear apprehensions about them, so he would be pressing the prac- tice of them upon their consciences, with the most cogent arguments and considerations, minding them of the great privileges they did enjoy, the many gospel sermons that they did or might hear, the many talents they were entrusted withal, and the great account that they had to give to the God of Heaven ; telling them how sad it would be with them another day, if after all this they should come short of salvation. Besides, he would leave with them several counsels and directions to be carefully remembered and prac- tised for the good of their souls. Those that were serious and religious, he would labour to help forward in holiness, by answering their doubts, resolving their cases, encouraging them under their difficulties. And before he did go from any family, he would deal with the heads of that family, and such others as were grown to years of discretion, singly and apart ; that so he might, as much as possibly he could, come to know the condition of each particular person in his
THE KEV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 67
flock, and address himself in his discourse as nnight be suit- able to every of them. If he perceived that they did live in the neglect of family duties, he would exhort and press them to set up the worship of God in their families, as read, ing, prayer ; and directing them how to set about it, and to take time for secret duties too. Such as were masters of families, he would earnestly persuade and desire, as they did tender the honour of Christ and the welfare of their children and servants' souls, to let them have some time every day for such private duties, and to encourage them in the performance of them ; neither would he leave them be- fore he had a promise of them so to do. Sometimes also he would himself go to prayer before his departure. This was his method in the general ; although with such necessary va- riation in his particular visits, as the various state and con- dition of the several families did require. If the family where he came where ignorant, he would insist the longer in instructing and catechising ; if loose, in reproving and con. vincing ; if godly, in encouraging and directing.
He did use to spend five afternoons every week in such exercise, from one or two o'clock, until seven in the evening: In which space of time he would visit sometimes three or four families in an afternoon, and sometimes more, according as they were greater or less. This course he would take throughout the town ; and when he had gone through, he would presently begin again, that he might visit every family as often as he could. He often did bless God for the great success that he had in these exercises, saying that God had made him as instrumental of good to souls this way, as by his public preaching, if not more. When the ministers of this county of Somerset, at one of their Associations' which heretofore they held, were debating whether and how far it were incumbent upon them to set up private family instruc- tion in their particular charges, Mr. Alleiue was the man that they pitched upon for to draw up his reasons for that practice, together with a method for the more profitable man- agement of it.
An Abridgement of what he drew itp, here follow eth :
It being the unquestionable duty of all the ministers of the church of Christ, to take heed to all the flock over tchom the Holiest hath made them overseers ; and to teach and preach, not only publicly, but from house to house; not
6
68 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. V.)
only takino: a general care of the whole, or calling out the chiefest of the sheep for our particular care and inspection, as the manner of some is, and leaving the rest to sink or swim ; but as good shepherds inquiring into their estates, ob- serving the particular marks, diseases, strayings of our sheep, and applying ourselves suitably to their cases ; in a word, warning every man, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Therefore it behoveth us to study to do this great duty in such a manner, as may be acceptable to God and profitable to our flocks. The directions for per- forming this duty, are either more general or more special ; for the more general directions, — they are either such as concern the entrance on this duty, or the performance of it.
I. For those that concern the entrance, it will be ne- cessary, that we convince the people of the necessity of this duty. 2. That we study to manage this great work to our people's best advantage. 3. That we set apart such set times for this great work as, upon consideration, we shall find most convenient for them and us, resolving to be con- stant in observing them. 4. That we pray for wisdom from above, what and how to speak. 5. That we send word to the people when we intend to visit them, that they dispose of their business to receive us.
II. For those that concern us, in the managing of the duty.
1. The family being called together, we may if time and conveniency permit, begin with prayer. 2. The family con- sisting of superiors and inferiors, it would not be amiss to begin with the inferiors ; for many can hear their children and servants examined contentedly, that cannot bear it themselves: For that they will not disdain to give an ac- count of themselves before their superiors, though their su- periors would disdain to give an account before them ; and here it will be necessary to inquire into their knowledge, practice, states ;
1. Their knowledge ; here we may examine what pro- gress they have rtiade in the principles of the doctrine of Christ, and try them in the Catechism. 2. What (hey do gain hy the public ministry, what they remember of the ser- mon last heard.
2. Their jjractice ; in their duty towards God; where it
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 69
may be useful to inquire, if they make couscience of secret prayer. The necessity of it may be expressed, the nature of it opened, and some heads of prayer explained ; and if they be such as need it, it would be useful to commend to them some form *br the present help. 2. In the duties of their relations towards men; and if they be pressed to faithful- ness, diligence, uprightness, the duties they owe to those that were over them, it would be very convenient.
3. Into their estates ; and here we may take an account of them, what they think of the state of their souls, shewing the paucity of them that are saved, the desperate deceitful, ness of the heart, the infinite danger of being deceived, the wiles and devices of Satan to beguile them ; from whence, and such like arguments, we may press them to be diligent in inquiring what the case of their souls is, to be jealous of themselves ; where we may take occasion to shew them, 1. That every man, by nature, is in a damnable estate. 2. The absolute necessity of conversion. 3. By what signs they may know whether they remain in, or are delivered from, this estate : Which signs should be few, plain, certain, and infallible, founded upon the clear evidence of the v/ord. And because the searching work is so displeasing to the flesh, that it might disengage them to come too close at first, it may not be amiss to defer this till we had got some interest in their hearts, by a loving tender carriage.
Ill, The inferiors being thus dealt with, may be dismiss- ed to their several employments ; and then we may take oc- casion to discourse with the heads of the families, proceed- ing as prudence shall direct upon some of the foremeutioned particulars.
•1. We may inquire whether they perform this great duty of prayer in the family, offering them helps if they need.
2. VVe may press them to instruct and catechise their families.
3. We may exhort them to the strict sanctifying the Lord's Day.
4. If they are poor, we may draw forth the hand of our bounty towards them.
5. If we know any evil by them, we may take them aside privately, shewing them the sinfulness of their practice, and engaging them to promise reformation.
6. We should leave with them some few particulars of
60 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. V. y
greatest weight, often repeating them till they remember them, engaging them to mind them till we shall converse with them again.
7. Our dealing with them must be in that manner that may most prevail, and win upon their hearts.
(1.) With compassion ; being kindly affectioned to them, charging, exhorting, comforting every one of them, as a fa- ther his children.
(2.) With prudence ; warning and teaching them in all wisdom, applying ourselves to the several cases and capaci- ties; — 1. To the rich in this world, shewing more respect as their places require, charging upon them those duties that are required of them in special. 2. To the poor, you may be more plain and free, pressing upon them those duties that are most proper to their condition. 3. To the aged v\ e must be more reverent, labouring to root out of them the love of the world, shewing them the dangerousness of covetousness, and the necessity of making speedy preparations for eternity. 4. The men are to be exhorted to temperance and sobriety ; diligence in their callings, &c. 5. Women to meekness, humility, subjection to their husbands, and constant infusing good principles into their children.
(3.) With patience ; being gentle to all men; in meek- ness instructing those that oppose themselves ; bearing with their dulness, rudeness, and disrespectfulness ; waiting for their repentance.
(4.) With all faithfulness, giving no occasion of offence, that our ministry be not blamed.
(5.) With zeal, as Apollos, fervent in spirit, teaching di- ligently the things of the Lord, &c.
(6.) With plainness, not betraying their souls to hell, and ours with them, for want of faithfulness and closeness in our dealing with them. It being not sufficient in general, that no drunkard, &c. shall inherit the kingdom of Heaven ; but telling them plainly and particularly, " Such is your loose- ness, your ignorance, that I fear you are in an unconverted state."
(7.) With authority ; dealing with them in the power and demonstration of the Spirit.
(8.) With humility ; "not lording it over God's heritage, but condescending to men of low estates." Nordisdaining to go into the houses of the meanest.
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 61
IV. The sort of directions are more special, respecting the several sorts of our people, who may be ranked into four heads, the Ignorant, Profane, Formal, Godly.
1. For the Ignorant. Our work with them will be.
(1.) To convince them that they are ignorant, which may be done by shewing their inability to answer some plain fa- miliar questions.
. (2.) To shew them the dangerous, yea, the damnable na- ture of ignorance.
(3.) To press them, with all possible earnestness, to labour after knowledge.
(4. ) To answer their carnal pleas for their ignorance, when wilful.
2. For the profane ; it would be necessary to deal with them convincingly, shewing the certain damnation they are running upon.
3. For the Formal ; with these we must deal searchingly, and shew them,
(1.) How easily men may mistake the form of godliness for the power.
(2.) The undoing danger of resting in being almost a Christian.
(3.) The most distinguishing differences between a hypo- crite and a sincere christian.
4. For the Godly : to these we must draw forth the breasts of the promises, opening to them the riches and ful- ness of Christ; inquiring into their growth in grace ; quick- ening them to labour atler assurance ; to be steadfast in the faith; patient in suffering; diligent in doing the will of Chri.-it, zealous of good works, always abounding more and more.
There is one thing more, in which his self-denial and other graces were very exemplary ; namely, his faithfulness in re- proving the miscarriages of professors, sparing none, whether high or low, whether ministers or private christians ; yea, although they had been never so dear in his affections, and never so obliging in their carriage to him, yet if he found in them any thing that was reproveable and blame- worthy, he would deal with them faithfully and plainly about it, what- soever the issue and event were.
One time when he was going about such a work, he told a christian friend with whom he was very intimate and fa- miliar, " Well," says he, " I am going about that which is
6^
62
THE LIFE AKD DEATH OF (CHAP. V.)
like to make a very dear and obliging friend to become an enemy. But, however, it cannot be omitted, it is better to lose man's favour than God's." But God was pleased (then, as well as divers other times besides, when he went about business of this nature) to order things for him better than he could have expected, and so to dispose of the heart of the person with whom he had to deal, that he was so far from becoming his enemy for his conscientious faithfulness to him, that he loved him the better ever after as long as he lived.
As to his judgment about the Arminian controversies, as far as I can perceive, who have discoursed with him about them, it was much what the same with Dr. Davenant's and Mr. Baxter's.
He was a man of a very calm and peaceable spirit, one that loathed all tumultuous carriages and proceedings ; he was far from having any other design in his preaching, than the advancement of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus, by the conversion and salvation of souls. This was the mark that he had in his eye ; this was that for which he laboured, and ventured, and suffered, and for which he thought he could never lay out himself enough.
Though he were but a young man, yet in his carriage he was exceeding serious and grave, and withal very humble, courteous and aflable, condescending to discourse with the poorest and meanest persons, for their spiritual good, as soon as with the greatest and richest.
And, indeed, so unblameable and convincing was he in the whole of his conversation, that there were very religious and sober persons that knew him, either in town or country, either ministers or people, (yea, though some of them differ- ing in judgment from him) but did highly approve of him. And for his brethren in the ministry here in these parts, such was his holy and discreet deportment amongst them, that he had as great an influence upon them, as few others had the like.
He was full of holy projects, often bethinking himself by what ways and means he might more effectually promote the honour of Christ, and the benefit of souls ; and whatso- ever he apprehended to be conducing to these highest ends, he would prosecute with that wisdom and vigour, that he seldom failed of bringing it to a comfoi table and successful issue.
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 63
Of which projects, this is one which I shall here insert. Having considered how mnrh the conscientious and frequent performance of the duty of self-examination, might tend to the bringing down of sin, and furtherance of holiness, both in heart and life, he did earnestly press tiie said duty on his hearers in his preaching, directing them in the performance ; and not only so, but dealt with them also in private about it, and got a promise from the most of them, that they would every night, before they did take their rest, set about this duty ; and spend some time in secret, on purpose to call themselves to an account, how they had carried it that day, by proposing several questions to their own hearts, which questions he had referred to several heads, and drawn up for them in writing.
And not a {ew of them have acknowledged, that they have cause to bless God, who stirred him up to put them upon this practice, which they have found very helpful to them in their daily christian walk.
USEFUL QUESTIONS, WHEREBY A CHRISTIAN MAY EVERY DAY EXAMINE HIMSELF.
Psalm iv. 4. Commune with your Heaits upon your Beds,
Every evening before you sleep (unless you find some Other time in the day more for your advantage in this work) sequester yourself from the world ; and having set your heart in the presence of the Lord, charge it before God to answer to these interrogatories.
For your Duties,
Question 1. Did not God find me on my bed, when he looked for me on my knees? Job i. 5. Psalm v. 3.
2. Have not I prayed to no purpose, or suffered wan- dering thoughts to eat out my duties ? Mat. xviii. S. 9. Jer. xii. 2.
3. Have not T neglected, or been very overly in the read- ing God's holy word? Deut. xvii. 19. Josh. i. 7. 8.
4. Have I digested the sermon I heard lust? Have I
64 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. V.)
repeated it over, and prayed it over? Luke ii. 19. 51. Psalm i. 2. and cxix. 6. 11. 97.
5. Was there not more of custom and fashion in my family duties, than of conscience ? Psalm ci. 2. Jer. xxx. 22.
6. Wherein have I denied myself this day for God ? Luke ix. 23.
7. Have I redeemed my time from too long or needless visits, idle imaginations, fruitless discourse, unnecessary sleep, more than needs of the world? Ephes. v. 16. Col. iv. 5.
8. Have I done any thing more than ordinary for the Church of God, in this time extraordinary ? 2 Cor. xi. 28. Isaiah Ixii. 6.
9. Have I took care of my company? Prov. xiii. 20. Psalm cxix. 63.
10. Have not I neglected, or done something against the duties of my relations, as a master, servant, husband, wife, parent, child, &c. Ephes. v. 22. to chap. vi. 9. Col. iii. 18. to chap. iv. 2.
For your Sins.
Q. 1. Doth not sin sit light ? Psalm xxxviii. 4. Rom. vii. 24.
2. Am I a mourner for the sins of the land ? Ezek. ix. 4. Jer. ix. 1. 2. 3.
3. Do I live in nothing that I know or fear to be a sin ? Psalm cxix. 101. 104.
For your Heart.
Q. 1. Have I been much in holy ejaculations? Neh. ii. 4. 5.
2. Hath not God been out of mind, heaven out of sight? Psalm xvi. 8. Jer. ii. 32. Phil. iii. 23.
3. Have I been often looking into my own heart, and made conscience of vain thou<rhts ? Prov. iii. 23. Psalm cxix. 113.
4. Have not I given way to the workings of pride or passion ? 2 Chron. xxxii. 26. James iv. 5. 6. 7.
For my Tongue.
Q. 1. Have I bridled my tongue, and forced it in? James i. 26. and iii. 2. 3. 4. Psalm xxxix. 1.
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 65
2, Have I spoke evil of no man? Titus iii. 2. James iv. 11.
3. Hath the law of the Lord been in my mouth as I sat in my house, went by the way, was lying down, and rising up ? Deut. vi. 6. 7.
Have I come into no company where I have not dropped something of God, and left some good savour behind ? Col. iv. 6. Ephes. iv. 29.
For your Table.
Q. I. Did I not sit down with a higher end than a beast, merely to please my appetite ? Did I eat and drink for the glory of God? 1 Cor. x. 31.
2. Was not mine appetite too hard for me ? Jude 12. 2 Peter i. 6.
3. Did not I arise from the table without dropping any thing of God there? Luke vii. 36, &c. and xiv. 1. &c. John vi.
4. Did not I mock with God when I pretended to crave a blessing, and return thanks ? Acts xxvii. 35. 39. Mat. XV. 36. Col. iii. 17. 23.
For your Calling.
Q. 1. Have I been diligent in the duties of my calling? Eccles. ix. 1 Cor. vii. 17. 20 24.
2 Have I defrauded no man ? 1 Thes. iv. 6. 1 Cor. vi. 3.
3. Have I dropped never a lie in my shop or trade ? Prov. xxi. 6. Ephes. iv. 25.
4. Did not I rashly make, or falsely break some pro- mise ? Psalm cvi. 33. Jos. ix. 14. &c. Psalm xv. 4.
AN ADDITION OF SOME BRIEF DIRECTIONS FOR THE MORNING.
Direct. 1. If through necessity or carelessness you have omitted the reading and weighing of these questions in the evening, be sure to do it now.
2. Ask yourself, " What sin have I committed, what duty have I omitted ? Against which of these rules have I offended, in the day foregoing ?" And renew your repent- ance, and double your watch.
66 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (CHAP. VI.)
3. Examine whether God were last in your thoughts when you went to sleep, and first when you avvake.
4. Inquire whether yonr care of your heart and ways doth increase upon your constant using of this course for self- examination, or whether it doth abate, and you grosv more remiss.
5. Impose a task of some good meditations upon your- selves while you are making ready either to go over these rules in your thoughts, or the heads of some sermon you heard last, or the holy meditations for this purpose in the Practice of Piety, or Scuder's Daily Walk.
6- Set your ends right for all the day.
7. Set your watch, especially against those sins and temptations that yow are like to be most incident to that day.
CHAP. YI.
A full Narrative of his Life, (from his silencing till bis death,) by bis Widow, Mrs. Theodusia Alleine, in her own -words ; wherein is notably set forili with what patience he ran tlie race that was set befoie liiui, and fulfilled the Ministry that lie had received of the Lord.
Before the Jlct for Uniformity came forth, my husband was very earnest day and night with God, that his way might be plain to him, that he might not desist irom such advantages of saving souls, with any scruple upon his spirit in which, when he saw these clauses of assent and consent, and renouncing the covenant, he was fully satisfied : But he seemed so moderate before, that both myself and others thought he would have conformed : He often saying. He would not leave his work for small and dubious matters : But seeing his way so plain for quitting the public station that he held, and being thoroughly |)ersuaded of this, that the ejection of the ministers out of their j)laces. did not dis- oblige them from preaching the gospel, he presently took up a firm resolution to go on with his work in private, both of preaching and visiting from house to house, till he should be carried to prison or banishment, which he counted upon the Lord assisting him. And this resolution, without de- lay, he prosecuted ; for the Thursday after he appointed a
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 67
solemn day of humiliation^ when he preached to as many as would adventure themselves with him at our own house. But it being then a strange thing to the most professors to sutler, they seemed much aifrighted at the threatenings of adversaries ; so that there was not such an appearance at such opportunities as my husband expected ; whereupon he made it his work to converse much with those he perceived to be most timorous, and to satisfy the scruples that were on many amongst us ; so that the Lord was pleased in a short time to give him such success that his own people waxed bold for the Lord and his gospel : And multudes flocked into the meeting, at whatsoever season they were, either by day or night ; which was a great encouragement to my husband, that he went on with much vigour and af- fection in his work, both of preaching, and visiting, and catechising, from house to house.
He went also frequently into the villages and places about the towns where their ministers were gone, as most of them did fly, or at the least desist for a considerable time after Bartholomew-day. Wherever he w^ent, the Lord was pleased to give him great success ; many converted, and the generality of those animated to cleave to the Lord and his ways.
But by this the justice's rage was much heightened against him, and he was often threatened and sougl:^t for ; but by the power of God, whose work he was delighted in, was preserved much longer out of their hands than he ex- pected. For he would often say, '' If it pleased the Lord to grant him three months' liberty before he went to prison, he should account himself favoured by him, and should with more cheerfulness go. when he had done some work." At which time we sold off all our goods, preparing for a gaol or banishment, where he was desirous I should attend him, as 1 was willing to do, it always having been more grievous to me to think of being absent from him, than to sufler with him.
He also resolved, when they would suffer him no longer to stay in England, he would go to China, or some remote part of the world, and publish the gospel there.
It pleased the Lord to indulge him, that he went on in his work from Bartholomew-day till May the 26th after. Though oiten threatened, yet he was never interrupted, though the people of both town and country were grown so
6S THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (CHAP. VI.)
resokite, that they came in great multitudes, at whatever season the meeting was appointed, very seldom missing twice a Sabbath, and olten in the week. I know that he hath preached fourteen times in eij:ht days, and ten often, and six or seven ordinarily in these months, at home and abroad, besides his liequent converse with souls. He then laying aside all other studies which he formerly so much delighted in, because he accounted his time would be short. And the Lord (as he often told me) made his work in his ministry far more easy to him, by the supplies of his Spirit both in gilts and grace, as did evidently appear, both in his doctrine and life ; he appearing to be more spiritual, and heavenly, and atiectionate than before, to all that heard him, or conversed with him.
He was upon a Saturday in the evening, about six o'clock, seized on by an officer in our town, who would rather have been otherwise employed, as he hath often said, but that he was forced to a speedy execution of the warrant by a justice's clerk, who was sent on purpose to see it exe- cuted, because he feared that none of the town would have done it.
The warrant was in the name of three justices, to summon him to appear forthwith at one of their houses, which was about two miles from the town, but he desired liberty to stay and sup with his family first, supposing his entertainment there would be such as would require some refreshment : This would not be granted, till one of the chief of the tow^n was bound for his speedy appearance. His supper being prepared, he sat down, eating very heartily, and was very cheerful, but full of holy and gracious expressions, suitable to his and our present state. After supper, having prayed with us. he, with the officer and two or three friends accompanying him, repair- ed to the justice's house, where they lay to his charge that he had broken the ^ct of Uniformity by his preaching ; which he denied, saying, '• That he had preached neither in any church, nor chapel, nor place of public worship since the twenty-fourth of August; and what he did was in his own family with those others that came there to hear him."
Here behold how many ministers have these eight or nine years been silenced in England, Scotland, and Ireland, whose holy skill and conscience, fidelity, and zeal, is such as would have justly advanced most of ^he ancient Fathers of the church to far greater renown, had they been but pos-
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 69
sessed with the like ! Of whom indeed the world is not worthy. O ! how many of them am I constrained to re- member with joy for their great worth, and sorrow for their silence ! But though learning, holiness, wonderful ministe- rial skill, and industry, moderation, peaceableness, true Ca- tholicism, absolute dedication unto Christ, zeal, patience and perseverance, did not all seem sufficient to procure his min- isterial or corporal liberty in his latter years ; yet they did much more for him than that, in qualifying him for the crown which he now enjoyeth ; and to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into thy Master's joy."
But alas. Lord ! what is the terrible future evil, from which thou takest such men away 1 And why is this world so much forsaken, as if it were not a prayer of hope which thou hast taught us, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven ?
He hath printed a small book, called, Jl call to ArchippuSy to persuade the silent Non- Conformists to pity souls, and to be faithful in the work to which they are devoted and con- secrated, how dear soever it may cost them.
He held that separation in a church was necessary many times, from the known corruptions of it ; but allowed not separation from a church where active compliance with some sinful evil was not made the condition of communion. And in this way he frequently declared himself in health and sickness, and most expressly in my hearing on his bed of languishing, when he was drawing near his long home. And that the people were not dislodged from attending upon their ministry, who were ejected out of their places, as his book entitled Jl call to Archippns sheweth ; after that black and mournful Sabbath in which he took his farewell with much affection of his beloved people.
When he was taken up for prison, he was not only con- tented, but joyful to sufler for the name of Jesus and his gospel, which was so dear to him ; intimating, that God had given him much more time than he expected or asked of Him, and that he accounted it cause of rejoicing, and his honour, that he was one of the first called forth to suffer for His name.
Althouoh he was very suddenly surprised, yet none could discern him to be in the least moved. He pitied the condi- tion of his enemies, requesting for them, as the martyr Ste- phen did for those that stoned him. That God icotdd not lay
7
70 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. VI.)
this sin of theirs to their charge. The greatest harm that he did wish to any of them, was, That they might thoroughly he converted and sanctijied, and tliat their sotds might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesvs.
He was very urgent with those that were unconverted, to look with more care after their salvation, now they were removed from them that longed for it, and had watched for their souls ; using this as an argument often, " That now they were fallen into the hands of such, many of which, if not most of them, had neither skill nor will to save souls." And setting home upon them with most tender affections, "What miserable creatures they were while unregenerate ; telling them how his heart did yearn for them, and his bowels turned within him for them ; how he did pray and weep for them, while they were asleep, and how willingly he had suffered a year's imprisonment : Nay, how readily he could shed his blood to procure their salvation." His counsels and directions were many, and suited to the several states of those he thus conversed with, both as to their degree and place, and their sins and wants, and would be too long to recite, though I can remember many of them.
To his fellow-prisoners he said, "The eyes of God and Angels are upon you, and the eyes of men are upon you, now you will be critically observed. Every one will be looking that you should be more holy than others, that are called forth to this his glorious dignity, to be the witnesses of Christ Jesus, with the loss of your liberties."
He was eminently free from harsh (.'ensuring and judging of others, and was ready to embrace all in heart, arms, and communion, civil and religious, any that professed saving faith in Jesus Christ, and did not overthrow that profession by some fundamental error in doctrine or wickedness of life and conversation.
And yet they accused him of being at a riotous assembty^ though there were no threats nor dangerous words ; no staves, nor weapons, no fear so much as pretended to be struck into any man, nor any other business met about than preaching and prayer. Here he was much abused, receiving many scorns and scoffs from the justices and their associates, who were met to hear his examination : also from the ladies and other gentlemen, who called him often, " rogue ;" and told him, " He deserved to be hanged ; and if he were not, they would be hanged for him ;" with many such like scurrilous
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 71
passages, which my husband received with much patience ; and seeming, as they apprehended by his countenance, to slight their threatenings, they were much enraged at him : they urged him much to accuse himself, which they seeing they could not bring him to, and having no evidence, as ap- peared after, yet did make his mittimus tor to go to the gaol on Monday morning, after they had detained him till twelve at night, abusing him beyond what I do now distinctly re- member, or were fit to express.
As soon as he returned, it being so late, about two o'clock, he lay down on the bed in his clothes, where he had not slept above Uvo or three hours at the most, but he was up, spend- ing his time in converse with God, till about eight o'clock ; by which hour, several of his friends were come to visit him ; but he was so watched, and the officer had such a charge, that he was not suffered to preach all that Sabbath, but spent the da}^ in discoursing with the various companies that came flocking from the town and villages to visit him ; praying often with them, as he could be permitted. He was exceed- ing cheerful in his spirit, full of admirations of the mercies of God ; and encouraging all that came, to be bold and venture for the gospel and their souls, notwithtsanding what was come upon him for their sakes. For, as he told them, " He was not at all moved at, nor did in the least repent of, any thing he had done, but accounted himself happy, and under that promise Christ makes to his, in the 5th of Mat- thew, That he should be doubly and trebly blessed, now he was to suffer for his sake ;" and was very earnest with his brethren in the ministry, that came to see him, "that they would not in the least desist when he was gone, that there might not be one sermon the less in Taunton ;" and with the people to attend the ministry with greater ardency, dil. igency, and courage, than before ; assuring them <' How sweet and cou)fortable it was to him to consider what he had done for God in the months past, and that he was going to prison full of joy, being confident that all these things would turn to the furtherance of the gospel and the glory of God."
But he not being satisfied to go away, and not leave some exhortations with his people, he appointed them to meet him about one or two o'clock in the night, to which they shewed their readiness, though at so unseasonable a time : there was of young and old, many hundreds ; he preached and prayed with them about three hours.
72 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (CHAP. VI.)
And so with many yearnings of his bowels towards them, and theirs towards him, they took their larewell of each other ; a more affectionate parting could not well be.
About nine o'clock, he, with two or three friends that were willing to accompany him, set out for Ilchester. The streets were lined on both sides with people, and many fol- lowed him a-loot some miles out of the town, with such lamentations (that he told me after) did so affect him, that he could scarce bear them ; but the Lord so strengthened him, that he passed through them all with great courage and joy, labouring, both by his cheerful countenance and expres- sions, to encourage them.
He carried his miitinms himself, and had no officer with him ; but when he came there, he found the gaoler absent, and took that opportunity to preach before he went into the prison ; which was accounted by his adversaries a great ad- dition to his former crime. As soon as the gaoler came, he delivered his mitiimus, and was clapped up in the Bridewell chamber, which was over the common gaol. When he came to the prison, he found there Mr. John Norman, late minister of Bridgwater, who for the like cause was appre- hended and committed a few days before him : a man who, for his singular abilities in preaching, his fervent zeal, and holy boldness in the cause of Christ, his constancy to his principles in the most wavering and shaking times, joined with an exemplary carriage and conversation, was deservedly had in great repute among the people of God in these Western parts ; and indeed there were very few that knew him, either among the sober gentry or commonalty, but, for his eminent parts and spotless life, had great respects for him. There were also five more ministers, with fifty Quak- ers, which had all their lodgings in the same room, only parted with a mat, which they had done for a little more re- tirement. It was not long after before Mr. Coven, and Mr. Powel, with eight more, were brought into the same place, being taken at meetings ; which made their rooms very straight, and it was so nigh to the upper part of the prison, that they could touch the tiles as they lay in their beds ; which made it very irksome, the sun lying so hot on it all the day, and there being so many of them, and so much re- sort continually of t>iends, they had very little air, till they were forced to take down the glass and some of the tiles, to let in some refreshment. But here they were confined to
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 73
lie and eat their meals, and had no place bat a small gar- den, joined to the place where all the common prisoners were ; which was no retirement for them, they having there, and in their chamber, the constant noise ot" those wretches, except when they slept ; who lay just under them, their chains rattling, their tongues often blaspheming, or else roaring and singing by night as well as in die day, and if they went into the courts of the prison, there was the sight of their clothes hanging full of vermin, and themselves in their rags and chains : but that which was most grievous to them, they had no place to retire to God in, neither alone, nor together. They were also much molested by the Qua- kers, who would frequently disturb them by their cavils, in the times of their preaching, praying, and singing ; and would come and work in their callings just by them, while they were in duties, which was no small disturbance to them ; And the want of the air was more to my husband, than to most of them, because he always accustomed him- self, both in Oxford, and after, to spend his most secret hours abroad in bye-places, in the fields or woods.
As soon as he came into the prison he preached and prayed : that he called the consecration of it. After he had spent a day or two in the prison, being willing to have me either in the town or there, to attend him and to keep com- pany with his friends, who came frequently to visit him, he then began to fit up his lodging ; having prevailed with the keeper for one corner, which was more private than the rest, to set his bed in, about which he made a little parti- tion, by some curtains, that so he might have some con- veniency for retirement. This was much comfort to him, and after a few weeks, but got leave of the keeper to go out on mornings and evenings a mile or more, which he did constantly, unless the weather or his keeper's fury did bin-* der him.
Their diet was very good and sufficient, and sometimes abundant, by their friends' kindness. Here they preached once a day constantly, sometimes twice, and many came daily to hear them, eight or ten miles round aliout the coun- try ; and multitudes came to visit them, it being a strange sight to see ministers laid in such a place. Their friends were exceedingly kind to them, endeavouring by their fre- quent visits, and provisions for diet, and supplies of money, to make their prison sweet to them.
74 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (CHAP. VI.)
But my husband's labours were much increased by this ; spending all the day in converse, he vvas forced to take much of" the night for his studies and secret converse with God.
Thus he with my brother Norman and his company, with their fellow prisoners, continued in that place lor four months, being tossed from Sessions to Assizes. On the 14th of July following, he was brought to the sessions held at Taunton, and was there indicted for preaching on May the 17th ; but the evidence against him was so slender, that the Grand Jury could not find the bill, so that he was not brought to his answer there at all : And his friends hoped he should have been dismissed, it being the constant practice of the court, that if a prisoner be indicted and no bill found, he is freed by proclamation. But, however, my husband was sent to prison again until the assizes ; and to his friends that earnestly expected his enlargement, he said, " Let us bless God that his will is done, and not the will of such worms as we."
August the 24th, he was again indicted at the assizes, and though the evidence was the very same that, at the sessions, was by the Grand Jury judged insufficient, yet now at the assizes the bill was by them found against him. So was he had to the bar, and his indictment read, which was to this purpose : " That he, upon the 17th day of May, 1663, with twenty others to the jurors unknown, did riotously, routously, and seditiously assemble themselves together, contrary to the peace of our Sovereign Lord the King, and to the great terror of his subjects, and to the evil example of others." Unto which, his answer was, " That as to preaching and praying, which was the truth of the case, of these things he was guilty, and did own them as his duty ; but as for riotous, rontons, and seditious assemblies, he did abhor them with his heart, and of these he was not guilty." At last he was found guilty by the Petty Jury ; and was sen- tenced by the judge to pay a hundred marks, and to lie in prison till payment should be made. Sentence being pro- nounced against him, he only made this brief reply : " That he was glad that it had appeared before his country, that whatsoever he was charged with, he was guilty of nothing but doing his duty; and that all did appear by the evidence, was only that he had sung a psalm, and instructed his fa- milyj others being there, and both in his own house : And
THE REV. JOSEI'H ALLEINE. 75
that if nothing that had been urged would satisfy, he should, with all ch erfuliiess and thankfulness, accept whatsoever sentence his lordship should pronounce upon him for so good and righteous a cause." Thus from the assizes he was sent to prison again, where he continued a whole year, wanting but three days.
But the winter coming on, they were willing to try if they could have the favour to be removed to the Ward, this place being like to be as cold in the winter as it had been hot in summer, (there being no chimney in the whole chamber.) which with some dithculty they obtained ; and then had more comfortable accommodation in all respects.
Here they had very great meetings, week-days, and Sab- bath-days, and many days of humiliation and thanksgiving. The Lord's day many hundreds came. And though my husband and brother Norman had many threats from the justices and judges, " That they should be sent beyond sea, or carried to some island, where they should be kept close prisoners ;" yet the Lord preserved them by his power, and thus ordered it, that their imprisonment was a great further- ance to the gospel, and brought much glory to Him, both by their preaching and conversing with souls : In which they had great success through his blessing on their labours. My husband having here more freedom, made a little book, en- titled A call to Archippns, to stir his Non-conforming bre- thren to be diligent at their word, whatsoever dangers and sufferings they might meet withal : And because he could not go to his flock, he had prepared for them, The Synopsis of the Covenant, which was after placed into one of my father's books.
And for the help of the governors of families, in their weekly catechising those nnder their charge, he explained all the Assembly's Shorter Catechism ; to which he annexed an affectionate letter, with rules for their daily examination ; which were printed and dispersed into all their houses by his order, while he was a prisoner. He also writ many holy, and gracious, and affectionate letters to all his relations, and many other friends, to many churches of Christ in other parts and places, both far and near.
His sufferings that he underweut for the sake of the gos- pel, could neither remit his zeal, nor abath his activity for God ; but he would gladly embrace all opportunities of do- ing Him service. The minister who was appointed to
76 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. VI.)
preach at certain times to the felons in the prison, being by- sick ness disabled lor that work, he freely performed that office among them, as long as he was permitted ; earnestly exhorting them by repentance towards God and faith to- wards onr Lord Jesns Christ, to secure the eternal welfare of their souls ; freely bestowing upon ihem, according to his ability, for their relief; that by doing good to their bodies, he might win upon them to receive good for their souls. He was very forward to promote the education of youth, in the town in Ilchester and country adjacent: freely bestow- ing catechisms on those that were of poor families, to in- struct them in the principles of religion, stirring up the elder to teach, and encouraging the younger to learn. He was a serious and faithful monitor to his fellow-sufferers, if he es- pied any thing in any of them, that did not become the gos- pel, for which they suffered.
H re, as elsewhere, he was a careful redeemer of his time ; his constant practice was, early to begin the day with God, rising about four of the clock, and spending a consider- able part of the morning in meditation and prayer, and then falling close to his study, in some corner or other of the pri- son, where he could be private. At times, he would spend near the whole night in these exercise, not putting off his clothes at all, only taking the repose of an hour or two in his nightgown upon the bed, and so up again. "When any came to visit him, he did not entertain them with needless impertinent discourse, but that which was serious, profitable, and edifying ; in which he was careful to apply himself to them, according to their several capacities, whether elder or younger ; exhorting them to those gracious practices, which, by reason of their age, or temper, calling, or condition, he apprehended they might be most defective in, and exhorting them from those evils they might be most prone and liable unto. He rejoiced that he was accounted worthy to suffer for the work of Christ ; and he would lal)our to encourage the timorous and faint-hearted, by his own and others' ex- perience of the mercy and goodness of God in prison, which was far beyond what they could have thought or expected. He was a careful observer of that rule of the Lord Jesus, (Mat. v. 44.) "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you." It was none of his
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 77
practice to exclaim against those that were the greatest in- struments of his sLifrerings.
In all his imprisonment, at presant, I could not discern his he ilth to be the least impaired, notwithstanding his abun- dant lahours ; but cannot but suspect, as the physicians judged, that he had laid the foundation for that weakness which sundenly after surprised him, and was his death;
At his return from the prison, he was far more earnest in his work than before ; yet willing to preserve his liberty among his people, who had no minister that had the over- sight of them, though some carne and preached while he was absent. And the people flocked so greatly after him, that he judged it best to divide the company into four, and re- solved to preach four times each Sabbath to them : But finding sensibly that would be too hard for him, his strength much decaying, he did forbear that course, and preached only twice a Sabbath as formerly, and often on week-days at home and in the country ; and spent what time he had else from his studying, in private converse with God, as formerly he had done : Pressing all that feared the Lord, especially those that were of a more weak and timorous spirit, to a life of courage and activity for God, and to be much in helping one another, by their converses, now minis- ters were withdrawn ; and to be much in the work of praises and thanksgiving to God, rejoicing and delighting them- selves in him; and with cheerfulness and readiness, denying themselves for him, and resigning themselves, and all they did enjoy, to him ; letting the world know, they could live comfortably on a God alone, on his attributes and promises, though they should have nothing else left.
But it pleased the All -wise God to take him off from the eager pursuit of his work, and designs for him, by visiting him in the latter end of August with much weakness, so that he had not above three months' time after he came out of prison : For he, going about sixteen miles, at the request of a society, whose pastor was not able to come among them to preach and to administer a more solemn ordi.iance, was so disabled, that he was not able to perform the great and chief work, though he did adventure to preach, but w ith much injury to himself, because he would not wholly dis- appoint the people, who came so far as many of them did ; "VVith much difficulty, after three or four days, I made way to get him home to Taunton, where we then sojourned, and
78 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. VI.)
presently had the best advice the most able physicians, both in and around the town, could give ; who advised together, and all judged it to be from his abundant labours, and the preaching too soon after his meals; as he did, when he preached four times a Sabbath, whereby he had so abated the natural heat of his stomach, that no food would digest, nor oftentimes keep within him. He would assure us, he was in no pain, but a constant discomposure in his stomach, and a failing of his appetite, that he could not for many weeks bear the scent of any flesh- meat, nor retain any liquors or broths, so that he consumed so fast, that his lite seemed to draw to an end. But the Lord did so bless the means, t lat he recovered out of his distemper, after two months' time, but so lost the use of his arms from October till April, that he could not put off nor on his clothes, nor often write either his notes or any letters, but as I wrote for him, as he dictated to me. He was by all physicians, and by my earnest beseechings, often dissuaded from preaching, but would not be prevailed with, but did go on once and some- times twice a Sabbath, and in his private visiting all that winter ; in the spring, the use of his arms returned, tor which he was exceeding thankful to the Lord, and we had great hopes of his recovering ; and making use of further remedies, he was able to go on with more freedom in his work ; and the summer following, by the use of mineral-waters in Wilt- shire, near the Devises, where he was born, his strength was much increased, he finding great and sensible good by them.
But he venturing too much on what he had obtained, his weakness returned frequently upon him the next winter, and more in the spring following, being seized as he was at the first. But it continued not long at a time, so that he did preach often to his utm.ost strength (nay, I may say, much beyond the strength he had) both at home and abroad ; going into some remote, parts of the country, where had been no meetings kept all that time the ministers had been out, w^hich was two years. And there he engaged several of his brethren to go and take their turns, which they did with great success.
He had also agreed with two of his brethren to go into Wales with them to spread the Gospel there ; but was pre- vented in that, by his weakness increasing upon him. It was much that he did, but much more that he desired to do.
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 79
He was in this time much threatened, and warrants of- ten out for him ; and he was so far from being disfuibed at it, that he rejoiced ; that when he could do but little for God, because of his distempers, God would so far honour him, that he should go and suffer for him in a prison. He would often with cheerfulness say, " They could not do him a greater kindness." But the Lord was yet pleased to pre- serve him from their rage, seeing him not then fit for the inconveniences of a prison.
The Five JSlile ^5c/ coming in force, he removed to a place called Wellington, which is reckoned five miles from Tauuton, to a dyer's house, in a very obscure place, where he preached on the Lord's-days, as he was able. But the vigilant eyes of his old adversaries were so watchful over him, that they soon found him out, and resolved to take him theuce, and had put a warrant into the constable's hand to apprehend him, and sent for our friend, and threatened to send him to gaol for entertaining such persons in his house. So my husband returned to the house of Mr. John Mallack, a merchant, who lived about a mile from Taunton, who had long Solicited him to take his house for his home. We being in such an unsettled state, my husband thought it best to accept of his courteous offer. But many of his friends were willing to enjoy him in the town, and so ear- nest, that he did, to satisfy them, go from one to another, staying a fortnight, or three weeks, or a month at each house ; but still took Mr. Mallack's for his home. This motion of his friends, he told me, (though it was troublesome for us to be so unsettled,) he was willing to embrace, because he knew not how soon he might be carried again from them to prison, and he should have opportunity to be more inti- mately acquainted with them, and the state of their souls, and of their children and servants, and how they performed their duties each to other in their families.
He went from no house without serious counsels, com- forts, or reproofs, as their conditions called for; dealing with all that were capable, both governors and others parti- cularly, acquainting them faithfully and most afiectionately, what he had seen amiss in any of them.
fie went from no house that was willing to part with him ; nor had he opportunity to answer the requests of half that invited us to their houses. So that he would often bless God, and say with holy Mr. Dod, " That he had a hundred
89 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. VI.)
houses for one that he had parted with ; and though he had no goods, he wanted for nothing, his Father cared for him in every thing, that he lived a far more pleasant life than his enemies, who had turned him out of all." He was ex- ceedingly taken with God's mercy to him, in Mr. Mallack's entertaining him and me so bountifully ; the house, and gardens, aud walks, being a very great delight to him, being so pleasant and curious ; and all accommodations within suitable, so that he would often say, " that he did as Dives, fare de'.iciously every day : But he hoped he should im- prove it better than he did, and that God had inclined him to take care for many poor, and for several of his brethren la the ministry ; and now God did reward him, by not suf- fering him to be at the least expense for himself or me."
He was a very strict observer of all providences of every day, and did usually reckon them up to me before we went to sleep, each night after he came into his chamber and bed to raise his own heart and mine, to praise the Lord, and to trust Him, whom we had such experience of from time to time.
The time of the year being come for his going to the waters, he was desirous to set one day apart for thanksgiving to God, for all his mercies to him and them, and so to take his leave of them.
Accordingly, on the 10th of July 1665, divers of his brethren in the ministry, and many of his friends of Taun- ton, met together to take their leave of him before his de- parture, at the house of Mr. Malhck, then living about a mile out of the town. Where, after they had been a while together, came two justices, and several other persons attend- ing them, brake open the doors by force, (though they might have unlatched them if they had pleased,) and with swords came in among them. After much deriding and menacing language, which I shall not here relate, having taken their names, committed them to the custody of some constables, whom they charged to bring them forth the next day, at the Castle Tavern in Taunton, before the justices of the peace there. The next day the prisoners appeared, and answered to their names ; and after two days' tedious at- tendance, were all convicted of a conventicle, and sentenced to pay three pounds a-piece, or to be committed to prison threescore days. Of the person thus convicted, but few either paid their fines, or suffered their friends to do it for
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 81
them. My husband, with seven ministers more, and forty private persons, were committed to the prison of llchester. \Vhen he, together with the rest of his brethren and christian friends, came to the prison, his carriage and conversation there was every way as exemplary as in his former confine- ment. Notwithstanding his weakness of body, yet he would constantly take his turn with the rest of the ministers, in preaching the gospel in the prison ; which turns came about the oltener, though there were eight oi' them there together, because they had preaching and praying twice a-day, almost every day they were in prison ; besides other exercises of religion, in which he would take his part.
And although he had many of his flock confined to the prison with him, by which means he had the fairer opportu- nity of instructing, and watching over them, for their spi- ritual good : yet he was not forgetful of the rest that were left behind, but would frequently visit them also by his let- ters, full of serious profitable matter, from which they might reap no small benefit, while they were debarred of his bodily presence. And how greatly solicitous he was for those that were with him, (that they might be the better for their bonds, walking worthy of the many and great mercies they had en- joyed during their imprisonment; that when they came home to their houses, they might speak forth, and live forth the praises of God, carrying themselves in every respect as becomes the gospel, for which they had been sufTerers) you may clearly see by those parting counsels that he gave them that morning, that they were delivered, which I shall recite in his own words, as they were taken from his mouth in short hand, by an intimate friend and fellow-prisoner, which you may take as followeth :
Mr. Joseph Alleine's Exliortaiion to his Fellow-sufferers, when they were to be discharged from their Imprisonment.
Dearly beloved brethren, my time is little, and my strength but small, yet I could not consent that you should pass without receiving some parting counsel ; and what I have to say at parting, shall be chiefly to you that are prisoners, and partly also to you our friends, that are here met to- gether. To you that are prisoners, I shall speak something by way of exhortation, and something by way of dehorta- tion.
82 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (CHAP. VI.)
By way of Exhortation.
First. Rejoice with trembling in your prison-comfortg, and see that you keep them in a thankful remembrance. Who can tell the mercies that you have received here ? My time or strength will not suffice me to recapitulate them. See that you rejoice in God, but rejoice with trembling. Do not think the account will be little lor mercies so many and so great. Receive these choice mercies with a trembling hand, for fear lest you should be found guilty of misimprov- inij such precious benefits, and so wrath should be upon you from the Lord. Remember Hezekiah's case ; great mercies did he receive, some praises he did return, but not according to the benefit done unto him ; therefore was wrath upon him from the Lord, and upon all Judah for his sake. (2 Chron. xxxii. 25.) Therefore go away with a holy fear upon your hearts, lest you should forget the loving-kindness of the Lord, and should not render to Him according to what you have received.
Oh, my brethren ! stir up yourselves to render praises to the Lord ! You are the people that God hath formed for his praise, and sent hither for his praise ; and you shall now go home, as so many trumpets, to sound forth the praises of God, when you come among your friends. There is an ex- pression (Psal. Ixviii. IL) TAe Lord gave the word, great was the company of them that published it : So let it be said of the praises of God now. Great icas the company of tliem that published them. God hath sent a whole troop of you here together, let all these go home and sound the praises of God wherever you come ; and this is the way to make his praise glorious indeed. Shall I tell you a story that 1 have read \ There was a certain King that had a pleasant grove, and that he might make it every way delightful to him, he caused some birds to be caught, and to be kept up in the cages, till they had learned sundry sweet and artificial tunes ; and vvhen they were perfect in their lessons, he let them abroad out of their cages into his grove, that while he was walking in this grove he might hear them singing those plea- sant tunes, and teaching them to other birds that were of a •wilder note. Brethren, this King is God, this grove is his church, these birds are yourselves, this cage is the prison ; God hath sent you hither, that you should learn the sweet and pleasant notes of his praise. And I trust that you have learn-
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 83
ed something all this while ; God forbid else. Now God opens the cage, and lets you forth into the grove of his church, that you may sing forth his praises, and that others may learn of you too. Forget not therefore the songs of the house of your pilgrimage ; do not return to your wild notes again ; keep the mercy of God for ever in a thankful remembrance, and make mention of them humbly as long as you live ; then shall you answer the end for which he sent you hither : I trust you will not forget this place. When Queen Mary died, she said, " That if they did rip her up, they should find Callis on her heart." 1 hope that men shall find by you hereafter, that the prison is upon your heart, Ilchester is upon y-our heart.
Secondly. Feed and feast your faith upon prison-experi- ences. Do you think that God hath done this only for your present supply. Brethren, God hath provided for you, not only for your present supply in prison, but to lay up, for all your lives, that experience that your faith must live upon, till faith be turned into vision. Learn dependence upon God, and confidence in God, by all the experiences that you have had here. Because thou hast been my help, (saith the Psalmist,) therefore umlev the shadow of thy wing will [re. joice. Are you at a loss at any time 1 Then remember your bonds. We read in scripture of a time when there was no smith in all Israel, and the Israelites were fain to carry their goads and other instruments, to be sharpened, down to the Philistines : so when your spirits are low, and when your faith is dull, carry them to the prison to be sharpened and quickened. Oh, how hath the Lord confuted all our fears ! Cared for all our necessities ! The faith of some of you was sorely put to it for corporal necessities. You came hither, not having any thing considerable to pay for your charges here ; but God took care for that. And you left poor mi- serable families at home, and no doubt but many troublesome thoughts were in your minds what your families should do for bread ; but God hath provided for them.
We that are ministers, left poor starvling flocks, and we thought that the country had been now stripped ; and yet God hath provided for them. Thus hath the Lord been pleased to furnish us with arguments for our faith, against we come to the next distress : though you should be called forth to leave your flocks destitute, you that are my brethren in the ministry, and others their families destitute, yet doubt
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not but God will provide ; remember your bonds, upon all occasions. Whensoever you are in distress, remember your Old Friend, remember your tried Friend.
Thirdly . Let divine mercy be as oil to the flame of your love : O love the Lord all ye his saints ? Brethren, this is the language of all God's dealings with you, they all call upon you to love the Lord your God, with all your hearts, with all your souls, with all your strength. What hath God been doing ever since you came to this prison ? All that he hath been doing since you came hither, have been to pour oil into the flames of your love, thereby to increase and heighten them. God hath lost all these mercies upon you, if you do not love Him better than you did before. You have had supplies ; to what purpose is it, unless you love God the more ; if they that be in want, love Him better than you, it were better you had been in their case. You have had health here, but if they that be in sickness love God better than you, it were better you had been in sickness too : See that you love your Father, that hath been so tender of you. What hath God been doing, but pouring out his love upon you ? How were we mistaken 1 For my part, I thought that God took us upon his knee to whip us ; but he took us upon his knee to dandle us. We thought to have felt the strokes of his anger, but he hath stroked us, as a Father his children, with most dear affection. Who can utter his lov- ing-kindness ] W'hat, my brethren, shall we be worse than Publicans ? The Publicans will love those that love them. Will not you return love for so much love 1 Far be this irom you, brethren ; you must not only exceed the Publicans, but the Pharisees too ; therefore, surely you must love Him that loveth you. This is my business now to bespeak your love to God, to unite your hearts to Him : Blessed be God for this occasion ! For my part, I am unworthy of it. Now if I can get your hearts nearer to God than they were, then happy am I, and blessed are you. Fain I would, that all these ex- periences should knit our hearts to God more, and endear us for ever to Him. What! So much bounty and kindness, and no returns of love? At least no further returns? I may plead in the behalf of the Lord with you, as they did for the centurion : He loveth our nation, say they, and hath built us a synago^-ne. So I may say here. He hath loved you, andpoured out his bounty upon you. How many friend- ly visits from those that you could but little expect of?
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 85
Whence do you think this came ? It is God that hath the key of all these hearts. He secretly turned the cock, and caused them to pour forth kindness upon you. There is not a motion of love in the heart of a friend towards you, but it was God that put it in.
Fourtlily, Keep your manna in a golden pot, and forget not him that hath said so often, Remember me. You have had manna rained plentifully about you ; be sure that some- thing of it be kept. Do not forget all the sermons that you have heard here : 0 that you would labour to repeat them over, to live them over ! You have had such a stock that you may live upon, and your friends too, if you be commu- nicative, a great while together. If any thing have been wanting, time for the digesting hath been wanting. See that you well chew the cud ; and see that you especially re- member the feasts of love. Do not you know who hath said to you so often, Remember me ? How often have you heard that sweet word since you came hither ? What ! Do you think it is enough to remember him for an hour? No, but let it be a living and lasting remembrance. Do not you write that name of his in the dust, that hath written your names upon his heart. Your High Priest hath your names upon his heart, and therewith is entered into the holy place, and keeps them there for a memorial before the Lord continually. O that his remembrance might be writ- ten upon your hearts, written as with the pen of a diamond, upon tables of marble that might never be worn out ! That as Aristotle saith of the curious fabric of Minerva, " that he had so ordered the fabric, that his name was written in the midst, that if any went to take that out, the whole fabric was dissolved." So the name of Jesus should be written upon the substance of your souls, that they should pull asun- der, before they should be able to pull it out.
Fifthly. Let the bonds of your affliction strengthen the bonds of your affection. Brethren, God hath sent us hither to teach us, among other things, the better to love one ano- ther. Love is lovely, both in the sight of God and men, and if by your imprisonment you have profited in love, then you have made an acceptable proficiency. 0 brethren, look within ; are you not more endeared one to another? I bless the Lord for that union and peace that hath been ever among you ; but you must be sensible that we conie very far short of that love that we owe one to another, we
8*
86 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. VI. )
have not that love, that endearedness, that tenderness, that complacency, that compassion towards each other that we ought to have. Ministers should be more endeared one to another, and Christians should be more dear to each other, than they were before. We have eaten and drunk together, and lived in our Father's love in one faujily to- gether ; we have been joined together in one common cause, and all put into one bottom : O let the remembrance of a prison, and of what hath passed here, especially those unit- ing feasts, engage you to love one another.
Sixthly. Let present indulgence tit you for future hard- ships, and do not look that your Father should be always dandling you on his knee. Beloved, God hath used you like fondlings now, rather than like sufferers. What shall I say 1 I am at a loss, when I think of the tender indulgence, and the yearnings of the bowels of our Heavenly Father upon us. But, my brethren, do not look for such prisons again.
Affliction doth but now play and sport with you, rather than bite you ; but do you look that affliction should here- after fasten its teeth on you to purpose : And do you look that the hand that hath now gently stroked you, may possibly buffet you, and put your faith hard to it, when you come to the next trial. This fondness of your heavenly Father is to be expected only while you are young and tender ; but after- ward you must look to follow your business, and to keep your distance, and to have rebukes and frowns too when you need them. Bless God for what you have found here ; But prepare you, this is but the beginning, — shall I say ike he- ginning of sorrow ? I cannot say so ; for the Lord hath made it a place of rejoicing. This is but the entrance of our affliction ; but you must look, that when you are trained up to better perfection, God will put your faith to harder ex- ercise.
Seventhly. Cast up your accounts at your return, and see whether you have gone as much forward in your souls as you have gone backward in your estates. I cannot be in- sensible but some of you are here to very great disadvan- tage, as to your affairs in the world, having left your busi- ness so rawly at home in your shops, trades, and callings, that it is like to be no little detriment to you upon this ac- count. But happy are ye, if you (ind at your return, that as much as your affairs are gone backward, and behindhand,
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 87
SO much your souls have gone forward. If your souls go forward in grace by your sufferings, blessed be God that hath brought you to such a place as a prison is !
Eighthly. Let the snuffers of this prison make your light burn the brighter, and see that your course and discourse be the more savoury, serious, and spiritual for this present trial. O Brethren ! Now the voice of the Lord is to you, as i^ is in the prophet Isaiah Ix. 1, Arise, and shine. JS^ow let your light shine before men, that others may see your good icorks, and glorify your Father ichich is in heaven. It is said of those preachers beyond sea, — that have been sent into Kng- land, and here reaped the benefit of our English practical divinity, — at their return, they have preached so much bet- ter than they had wont to do, that it hath been said of them, Apparuit hunc fuisse in Anglici.* So do you my brethren : Live so much better than you had wont, that when men shall see the chan^fe in yoar lives, they may say of you, Jlpparuit hunc fuisse in Custodid.-f See that your whole course and discourse be more spiritual and heavenly than ever. See that you shine in your families when you come home ; be you better husbands, better masters, better fa- thers, study to do more than you have done this way, and to approve yourselves better in your family-relations than you did before ; that the saviour of a prison may be upon you in all companies ; then will you praise and please the Lord.
JSlnthly, and lastly. See that you walk accurately, as those that have the eyes of God, angels, and men, upon you. My brethren, you will be looked upon now with very curi- ous eyes. God doth expect more of you than ever ; for he hath done more for you, and he looketh what fruit there will be of all this. Oh ! may there be a sensible change upon your souls, by the showers that have fallen in prison, as there is in the greenness of the earth, by the showers that have fallen lately abroad.
By ivay of Dehoviation also, I have these four things to leave with you.
First. Revile not your persecutors ; but bless them, and pray for them, as the instruments of conveying great mer-
* It appears that this person has been in England, t It appears that this man has been in prison.
88 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (CHAP. VI.)
cies to you. Do not you so far forget the rule of Christ, as when you come home, to he setting your mouths to talk against those that have injured you. Remember the com- mand of your Lord, Bless them that curse you^ pray for them that despiiejully use you and persecute you. Whatsoever they intended, yet they have been instruments of a great deal of mercy to us ; and so we should pray for them, and bless (jrod for the good we have received by them.
Secondly. Let not the humble acknowledgement of God's mercy deaenerate into proud, vain-glorious boasting, or car- nal triumph. I beseech you, see that you go home with a great deal of fear upon your spirits in this respect, lest pride should get advantage of you, lest instead of humble acknow- ledging of God's mercy, there should be carnal boasting. Beware of this, I earnestly beg of you ; for this will very much spoil your sufferings, and be very displeasing in the sight of God. But let your acknowledging of his mercy, be ever with humble self-abasing thankfulness, and be careful that you do not make his mercies to be the fuel of your pride, which were to lose all at once.
Thirdly. Be not prodigal of your liberty upon a conceit that the prisons will be easy, nor fearful of adventuring yourselves in the way of your duty. Alas ! I am afraid of both these extremes : On the one hand, lest some among us, having found a great deal of mercy here, will now think there is no need of any christian prudence, which is always necessary, and is a great duty. It is not cowardice to make use of the best means to preserve our liberty, nor declining our duty. On the other side, there is fear lest some may be fearful, and ready to decline their duty ; because they have newly tasted of a prison for it. Far be it from you to dis- trust God, of whom you have had so great experience ; but be sure you hold on in your duty, whatsoever it cost you !
Fourthly. Do not load others with censures, whose judg- ment or practice differs from yours ; but humbly bless God that hath so happily directed you. You know, all are not of the same mind as to the circumstances of suffering, and all have not gone the same way. Far be it from any of you, my brethren, that you should so far forget yourselves as to be unmindful to your brethren ; but bless God that hath directed you into a better way. Your charity must
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 89
grow higher than ever : God forbid that you should in- crease iu censures, instead of" increasing in charity?
Having spoken to my fellow-prisoners, I have two words to speak to you, our friends and brethren with us.
First. Let our experience be your encouragement. O love the Lord, ye our friends, love the Lord ; fear him for ever, believe in him, trust in him for ever, for our sakes ; we have tasted of the kindness of God.
You know how good God hath been to us in spirituals and in temporals. Encourage your hearts in the Lord your God, serve him the more freely and gladly for our sakes. You see we have tried, we have tasted how good the Lord is : Do you trust him the more, because we have tried him so much, and found him a friend so faithful, so gracious, that we are utterly unable to speak his praise. Go on and fear not in the way of your duty : Verily there is a reward for the righteous. God hath given us a great reward al- ready, but this is but the least ; we look for a kinadom.
Secondlij and lastly. My desire is to our friends, that they will all help us in our praises. Our tongues are too little to speak forth the goodness and the grace of God ; do you help us in our praises. Love the Lord the better, praise him the more ; and what is wanting in us, let it be made good by you. O that the praises of God may sound abroad in the country by our means, and for our sakes !
He was prevented of going to the waters, by his last im- prisonment ; for want of which, his distempers increased much upon him all the winter after, and the next spring more ; yet not so as to take him fully off from his work, but he preached, and kept many days, and administered the sa- crament among them frequently.
But going up to the waters in July 1667, they had a con- trary effect upon him from what they had at first : For after three days' taking them, he fell into a fever, which seized on his spirits, and decayed his strength exceedingly, so that he seemed very near death. But the Lord then again re- voked the sentence passed upon him, and enabled him in six weeks to return again to his people, where he much de- sired to be : But finding, at his return, great decay of his strength, and a weakness in all his limbs, he was willing to
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go to Dorchester, to advise further with Dr. Lose, a very worthy and reverened physician, from whom he had receiv- ed many medicines, but never conversed with him, nor had seen him, which he conceived might conduce more to his full cure.
The doctor soon perceiving my husband's weakness, per- suaded him to continue for a fortnight or three weeks there, that he might the better advise him, and alter his remedies, as he should see occasion ; which motion was readily yield- ed unto by us.
But we had not been there above five days, before the use of all his limbs were taken away on a sudden ; one day his arms wholly failing, the next his legs ; so that he could not go, nor stand, nor move a finger, nor turn in his bed, but as myself and another did turn him night and day in a sheet: All means failing, he was given over by physicians and friends, that saw him lie some weeks in cold sweats night and day, and many times for some hours together, half his body cold, in our apprehension dying ; receiving nothing but the best cordials that art could invent, and almond milk, or a little thin broth once in three or four days. Thus he lay from September 28th to November 16th, before he began to revive, or it could be discerned that remedies did at all prevail against his diseases. In all this time he was still cheerful, and when he did speak, it was not at all com^plain- ing, but always praising and admiring God for his mercies ; but his spirits were so low, that he spake seldom, and very softly. He still told us he had no pain at all ; and when his friends admired his patience he would say, " God had not yet tried him in anything, but laying him aside out of his work, and keeping him out of heaven ; but through grace he could submit to his pleasure, waiting for him:" It was pain he ever feared, and that he had not yet felt ; so tender was his Father of him ; and he wanted strength (as he often told us) to speak more of his love, and to speak for God who had been and was still so gracious to him. Being often asked by myself and others, <' How it was with his spirit in all his weakness," he would answer. " He had not those rav- ishing joys that he expected, and that some believers did par- take of; but he had a sweet serenity of heart, and confidence in God, grounded on the promises of the gospel, and did be- lieve it would be well with him to all eternity."
Ill all this time, I never heard one impatient word from
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 91
him ; nor could, upon the strictest observation, discern the least discontent with this state ; though he was a pitilul ob- ject to all others that beheld him, being so consumed, beside the loss of the use of his limbs. Yet the Lord did support and quiet his spirit, that he lay as if he had endured nothing ; breakiiig out often most affectionately in commending the kindiiess of the Lord to him, saying. Goodness and mercy had followed him all his days.
And indeed the loving-kindness and care of God was singular to us in that place, which I cannot but mention to his praise. We came strangers thither, and being in our inn, we found it very uncomfortable; yet were fearful to impose ourselves on any private house. But necessity en- forcing, we did inquire for a chamber, but could not pro- cure one ; the small-pox being very hot in most families, and those that had them not, daily expecting them, and so could not spare rooms, or else they might. But the Lord who saw our affliction, inclined the heart of a very good woman, a minister's widow, one Mrs. Bartlet, to come and invite us to a lodging in her house ; which we readily and thankfully accepted of; where we were so accommodated, as we could not have been any where else in the town, es- pecially in regard of the assistance I had from four young women who lived under the same roof, and so were ready, night and day, to help me, I having no servant nor friend near me ; we being so unsettled, I kept none, but had al- ways tended him myself to that time. And the ministers and christians of that place were very compassionate towards us, visiting and praying with and for us often : and Dr. Lose visited him twice a day for twelve or fourteen weeks, except when he was called out of town, refusing any fees tendered to him. The gentry in and about the town, and others, sending to us whatever they imagined might be pleasing to him ; furnishing him with all delicates that might be grateful to one so weak ; so that he want- ed neither tbod nor physic, having not only for necessity, but for delight ; and he did much delight himself in consideration of the Lord's kindness to him in the love he received, and would often say, 1 was a stranger, and mercy took me in ; in prison, and it came to me ; sick and weak, and it visited me. There was also ten young women, besides the four in the house, that took their turns to watch with him constantly ; for twelve weeks' space
92 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF (cHAP. VI.)
I never wanted one to help me. And the Lord was pleased to shew his power so in strengthening me, that I was every night (all these weeks in the depth of winter) one that helped to turn him, never lying out ol" the bed one night from him, but every time he called or wanted any thing, was waking to assist her in the chamber, though, as some of them have said, they did tell, that we did turn him more than forty times a night, he seldom sleeping at all in the night, in all these weeks. Though his tender affections were snch, as to have had me sometimes lain in another room, yet mine were such to him, that I could not bear it, the thoughts of it being worse to me than the trouble or disturbance he accounted I had with him, for I feared none would do any thing about him with such ease ; neither would he suffer any one all the day to touch him but me, or to give him any thing that he did receive ; by which I discerned it was most grateful to him, and therefore to me. And I never found any want of my rest, nor did I get so much as cold all that win- ter, though I do not remember that for fourteen or fifteen years before, I could ever say I was one month free of a most violent cough, which, if I had been molested with then, would have been a great addition to his and my affliction ; and he was not a little taken with the goodness of God to me in the time of all his sickness, but especially that win- ter ; for he being not able to help himself in the least, I could not be from him night nor day, with any comfort to him or myself.
In this condition he kept his bed till December the I8th. And then, beyond all expectation, though in the depth of winter, began to revive and go out of his bed ; but he could neither stand nor go, nor yet move a finger, having sense in all his limbs, but not the least motion : As his strength did increase, he learnt to go, (as he would say) first by being led by two of us, then by one ; and when he could go one turn in his chamber, though more weakly, and with more fear than the weakest child that ever I saw, he was wonderfully taken with the Lord's mercy to him. By Feb- ruary he was able, with a litUc help, to walk in the streets ; but not to feed himself, nor to go up or down stairs without much help.
When he was deprived of the use of his limbs, looking down on his arms, as I held him up by all the strength I had, he again lifted up his eyes from his useless arms to
THE REV. JOSEPH ALLEINE. 93
heaven, and with a cheerful countenance said : The Lord hath 'riveiiy and the Lord hath taken, and blessed be the name of the Lord.
Being asked by a friend, how he could be so well con- tented to lie so long under such weakness ? He answered, " What ! is God my father, Jesus Christ my Saviour, and the Spirit my sweet friend, my Comforter, and Sanctifier, and Heaven my inheritance. Shall I not be contented without limbs arid health 1 Through grace I am fully satis- fied with my Father's pleasure "
To another that asked him the same, he answers, "I have chosen God, and he is become mine, and 1 know with whom I have trusted myself; which is enough. He is an unreasonable wretch that cannot be content with a God, though he had nothing else : My interest in God is all my
His friends (some of Taunton) coming to Dorchester to see him, he was much revived, and would be set up in his bed, and have all the curtains drawn, and desired them to stand round about the bed, and would have me take out his hand, and hold it out to them, that they might shake him, though he could not them, as he used formerly to do when he had been absent from them. And, as he was able, thus he spake to them — " O how it rejoices my heart to see your faces, and to hear your voices, though I cannot speak as heretofore to you ! Methinks [ am now like old Jacob, with all his sons about him. Now you see my weak estate ; thus have I been for many weeks, since I parted with Taunton, but God hath been with me, and I hope with you ; your prayers have been heard and answered for me in many ways ; the Lord return them into your own bosoms ! My friends, life is mine, death is mine ; in that covenant I was preach, ing of to you, is all my salvation and all my desire ; al- thouoh my body do not prosper, I hope through grace my soul doth.
"I have lived a sweet life by the promises, and I hope through grace can die by a promise. It is the promises of God whi^h are everlasting, that will stand by us : No- thing but God in them will stead us in a day of affliction.
" My dear friends, I feel the power of those doctrines I preach to you on my heart : Now the doctrines of faith, of repentance, of self-denial, of the covenant of grace, of con-
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94 THE LIFE AND DEATH OP (cHAP. VI.)
tentment and the rest : O that you would live them over, DOW I cannot preach to you !
" It is a shame tor a believer to be cast down under afflic- tions, that hath so many glorious privileges, — ^justification, adoption, sanctification, and eternal glory. We shall be as the angels of God in a little while : Nay, to say the truth, believers are, as it were, little angels already, that live in the power of faith. O, my friends ! live like believers, trample this dirty world under your feet ; be not taken with its com- forts, nor disquieted with its crosses : You will be gone out of it shortly."
When they came to take their leaves of him, he would pray with them as his weak state would suffer him ; and in the words