[To a minister in prison.]
_Worthy Sir_,
IT was but a little after my release from my own confinement, but I heard of yours: and now write to you, as one that hath taken a higher degree than ever, being commenced prisoner of Christ. I was once affected with the picture of a devout man, to whom a voice came down from heaven, saying, _Quid vis fieri pro te?_ To which he answered, _Nihil domine, nifi pati ac contemini pro te_. Undoubtedly, Sir, it is our real glory to be throughout conformed to Jesus Christ, not only in his sanctity, but in his sufferings. I doubt not your consolations in Christ superabound in all your tribulations for him. Yet let me add this, that you have a whole shoal of promises come in to you, which you had not before; I mean all the promises to suffering saints, in which they have not so immediate a part, unless in a suffering state. And doubtless he hath got well, that hath gotten such a number of exceeding great and precious promises.
I can tell you little good of myself: but this I can tell you, that the promises of God were never so sweet to me, as since my imprisoned state. It shames me that I have let such a treasure lie by so long, and have made so little use of it. Never did my soul know the heaven of a believer’s life, till I learnt to live a life of praise, and to set home the unspeakable riches of the divine promises, to which, through grace, I am made an heir. I verily perceive that all our work were done, if we could but prevail with ourselves and others to live like believers; to tell all the world by our carriage, that there is such pleasantness in Christ’s ways, such beauty in holiness, such reward to obedience, as we profess to believe!
It is but a little while that prisons shall hold us, or that we shall dwell in dirty flesh. _Porphyry_ tells us of _Plotinus_, that he was ashamed to see himself in the body; to see a divine and immortal soul in a prison of flesh (for so they held the body to be;) but the worst shackles are those of sin. Well, they must shortly fall off; our Lord doth not long intend us for this lower region: surely he is gone to prepare a place for us: yea, and he will come again, and receive us to himself, that where he is, we may be also. And what have we to do, but to believe, and wait, and love, and long, and look out for his coming, in which is all our hope? ’Twill be time enough for us to be preferred then. We know before hand who shall then be uppermost. Our Lord hath shewed us where our places shall be, even at his own right hand; and what he will say to us, _Come ye blessed_. Surely we shall stand in his judgment: he hath promised to stand our friend: let us look for the joyful day: and sure as there is a God, this day will come, and then it shall go well with us. What if bonds and banishment abide us for a season? This is nothing but what our Lord hath told us, _The world shall rejoice, but ye shall lament: ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy_. Oh how reviving are his words! _I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you._
If that miserable wretch leapt chearfully off the ladder, saying, _I shall be a queen in hell_: with what joy should we do and suffer for God, knowing that we shall be crowned in heaven? They are wonderful preparations that are making for us: the Lord make us meet to be partakers. *It was the highest commendation that ever that worthy _R. Baxter_ received, which fell from his scoffing adversary _Tilenus, Totum, puritanismum totus spirat_. Oh that this may be true of us and ours!
Let your true yoke-fellow, and my Christian friends with you, have my hearty commendation: and these counsels I pray you give them from me.
1. _To habituate themselves, both as to their thoughts and discourses, more throughly than ever to holiness._ Brethren, I would teach you the lesson that I resolve to learn, that your minds and tongues may as naturally run upon the things of heaven, as others on the things of this world. Why should it not be thus? I am sure God and heaven as well deserve to be thought on, and talked of as froth and vanity. There are many that have in a great measure learnt this lesson, and why should not we? What if it be hard at first? Every thing is so to a beginner. And is not ours a religion of self-denial? If we do but force ourselves awhile to holy thoughts, and heavenly discourse, it will grow habitual to us, and then it will be most natural, familiar, and sweet. O what gainers will you be, if you learn this lesson?