Thomas Patient Letter

(The Following is a letter from Thomas Patient to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland which was written in 1650. It was printed as you see it here in the book with the full title as follows; the letter is found on pages 311-314)

Confessions of Faith
and Other Public Documents
Illustrative of the History of the
Baptists of England
in the 17th Century
Edited For
The Hansard Knollys Society
by Edward Bean Underhill

(printed in 1854)

MR. THOMAS PATIENT TO THE LORD LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND

MY LORD,

From that little acquaintance I had with your Excellency before you went out of Ireland, and that suitableness that I found in that letter of your experiences, which I was made partaker of, compared with my observation of the goings of God with you for many years, in this great work that God hath made use of you in, it hath, indeed, very thoroughly confirmed my heart in charity and love towards you, as one elect and precious in the sight of God, and one whom God hath honoured with higher dignity and honours than that of this world, which is but as the fading flower of the grass. For the greatest honour that a poor soul can be lifted up to is, first, that precious union with God in Christ, to be one with him in his natures, and as house and inhabitant, and as a vine and branches, as a head and members, as husband and wife, as a father and children, as a king and subjects ; nay, to be one with them in their eternal inheritance, and in all their glory. And in the next to this, it is great honour to be made use of in the hand of God, to do him special service for church and commonwealth, to have a spirit like unto Christ, which is a public spirit. He came not to be served, but to serve, and to lay down his life a ransom for many. Oh ! therefore, my beloved in the Lord, still let this be the joy of your heart, in all your difficulties and great undertakings, that you are in such a work and service, which I know God hath made you sensible of, hath tended much to the preservation and peace of his church, and the free passage of the gospel; and I hope, at the last, will appear to be for the public good of the commonwealth.

My constant prayers are at the throne of grace for you, that you may be kept upright with God, and in nothing left to sin and dishonour God; his name being so much concerned in it. Therefore, as God hath formerly given you the experience of the benefit of a humble walking with God, I beseech you in the bowels of Christ, still keep a close watch over your own heart, and labour to walk under the sense of that body of death and your daily infirmities, and to see a need of godly repentance daily, and humiliation, and fresh strength from Christ by faith, by which you may be kept and preserved in a fresh, sweet, and comfortable communion with God ; for his presence will be all your happiness.

Be sure to prize God s holy word, and all the rest of God's holy ordinances, and in so much as may be, neglect not to practise them, that you by your constant godly example may provoke others to holiness and to the fear of the Lord. And remember that the apostle bids, "Exhort one another daily, Lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."

Though you have ancient acquaintance with God and with your own heart, yet, say as David saith; "Lord, leave me not when I am old and grey headed. Rest not in grace received, nor too much on former experiences, so as to neglect your future growth and progress in the ways of God. Apply that promise in Job xvii. where God saith; The righteous shall grow stronger and stronger, and he that hath clean hands shall hold on his way. And know, it must be a special power of God that must keep you up to the will of God, to his honour and your comfort. And this, in the simplicity of my very heart, I desire may be in my own heart, and yours, and all that love God in sincerity and truth.

And now, beloved and honoured sir, I cannot forbear but to relate some of God s goodness here to us. When you went away, we were fearfully visited under the hand of God, and many took away. Truly God hath kept the heart of my lord deputy close to himself, and several others of his poor servants here, humbly waiting upon him to know his mind. And God, through mercy, hath much mitigated his hand on our garrison ; and though we have here many difficulties, yet in some measure keeps our poor souls in a constant waiting, begging frame.

I am, at the present, and have been at the head quarters, ever since a little before my Lady Ireton came over. I do by good experience find, so far as I can discern, the power of God s grace in her soul, a woman acquainted with temptations and breathing after Christ. And Colonel Henry Cromwell, your son, to my great rejoicing, it hath pleased God, I am persuaded, to begin a work of grace in his soul. I have had great encouragement that the word of God takes great effect upon him. He hath had inward temptations in his soul, and many words of grace made very precious and comfortable to his soul ; and I watch him, and he is much crying to God in secret, and very forward to propound doubts and cases of concience, betwixt him and I. And your grand-child hath been very weak, but is recovered and pretty well. I think I shall be at Dublin with my lady this summer. I desire the blessing of Heaven to be with you, begging your earnest prayers to God. I desire to be remembered to Monsieur Durate, Master Ky., and all the rest of our friends, as though named.

Thus committing you to God, and the word of his grace, in the fellowship of the Spirit, and in the faith of Christ, yours,

And remain your humble servant,

THOS. PATIENT.

From Kilkenny, 15th of April, 1650.

To his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Chief General of the Parliaments forces in Scotland, these.