Remains of that excellent minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Joseph Alleine being a collection…Remaines of that excellent minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Joseph Alleine being a collection…

To the most endearing and beloved people, the servants of Christ in Taunton,Salvation.

Most loving and best beloved,

Your late most affectionate lines are now in my hands, your hearts cannot but be a most grateful and welcome present to me, I return you mine, not willingly, but thankfully, rejoicing to be yours; while the Lord will your preacher; and while the Lord will your prisoner; still yours. I acknowledge I am not my own. If I have any interest in heaven, it is yours, to be improved for you. If I have any talents of goods they are confessedly yours, your claim, your stock. By the grace of God I am what I am. I have nothing, but what I have received from above; and I have received for your use. I love to think how much I am yours. Make your claim with freedom; nothing can please me m•re. My •rength is yours; my labour, ⟨p. 259⟩my liberty, my losses yours: Ultimately Christs, but nextly yours. I accept with all thankfulness your manifold respects. May whatever honour you put on me re•lect upon Christ, whose I am, and whom I serve. He is all, and therefore I must needs be nothing. Let no man set me above my place. I am too to selfish (to my shame and grief I acknowledge it; may your prayers be the cure of it) yet surely, I should choose to be lower, so Christ might sit the higher in all your hearts, I am only the friend of the Bridegroom. My soul rejoiceth to hear how fast you stand, how close you cleave to him; my Joy is now fulfilled. What greater joy to the friend of the Bridegroom, than to hear the Bridegrooms voice, how sweetly he converses with his Bride, and she with him, and to see the sweet passages of love between them, when he hath been a means to bring them together? This is my joy, it refreshes me; I am full of consolation, to hear how tender he is of you; to see him spreading the skirts of his love, the wing of his power and care over you. Happy thou! Who is like unto thee O people? A people saved of the Lord, the shield of thy strength, the sword of thine excellency. My dearly beloved, let the name of Jesus be more sweet and precious than ever to you. Verily, I am but his spokesman. Forget me, neglect me, any thing if you will but love him, and adore him, and admire him the more. I rejoice, as to hear the sweet voice of the Bridegroom