To my beloved friends, the members and auditors of the congregation meeting in Broadmead.

Dearly Beloved Friends, The Lord has been pleased to permit the wrath of the adversary to break out so far upon us, as to separate us, and shut me in prison again, and out of the public assembly for a season. Thus divine pleasure thinks fit to deal with us. Though you cannot see my face, nor hear my voice, yet I can write epistles to you, which being read among you, may, through the blessing of God, be a means to encourage, instruct, and establish you.

Beloved, my imprisonment preaches louder than ever I did. You serve thousands of others by this sacrifice and resignation of yours, and stir up many prayers and thanksgivings for you. You engage the Spirit of God more among you. God can make this providence to be a greater grace to you, to all intents and purposes, than ever you had. It is time for us to realize the gospel, and to consider upon what terms we took up profession, and what the cross of Christ means. We have had a long time of liberty, and have enjoyed our ministers, and sermons, and ordinances, with freedom; and we grew dull, and slothful, and sleepy. We would not be awake with our privileges, nor sleep without them. But when you see your ministers torn from you, before your eyes, by ungodly men, this may be an awakening sermon, and make you remember.

And, my brethren, here is a bright side, a comfortable side; for it is better for us to be driven and pulled from our duty, than we draw back from it. Let us not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Let us stand by our posts. Let not the adversary reproach us that we dare not stand to our profession, and that we shall be weary in time, and that prisons will tame us, and take off the edge and briskness of our spirits. Let us walk answerable to our profession. I often think of Ezra 8: 21-23. Then I proclaimed a fast there, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; for his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. So we fasted and besought our God for this; and he was entreated of us.

O read this! God is with us while we are with him. He gives new strength according to the day. It is not holding out awhile, but is enduring to the end. The blessing is to him that overcomes. The greatest safety lies in duty, and keeping close to it. He is most in danger, and runs himself into it, who declines duty for fear of the cross, and suffering from men. It has been our great error that we have not trusted in the power of God. We have reasoned about the worst that men can do, but have not believed the best that God can do. Sense and carnal reason must be left behind in the things of God. We must not consult with flesh and blood. He that will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. This is gospel sense.

Is preaching and meeting together a duty only when men will allow us, or is it an indispensable duty at all times, when men forbid and persecute? The gospel makes no exception or suspension, but rather a supposition that we shall be persecuted, and hurried before rulers; and therefore makes provision, not for our hiding or withdrawing, but for a mouth and wisdom, and says persecution shall turn to a testimony; Matthew 10: 16-21. See and read it: They will deliver you up, &c. But how shall they discover you, if you be not found in your duty? Be wise as serpents; and beware of men. But how are we to be wise? And wise for what? That they do not fright us from our work; that they do not ensnare and entangle us in our consciences. If to beware of men implied keeping out of the way, how should the next words be, They will deliver you up, and scourge you, &c? The Faith is still for standing and going forward. There is no armor for the back

I think, and am persuaded, my second imprisonment will be a greater advantage to you and to the gospel, than the first. And for my own part, I find my spirit much quieted and composed. God will provide for you, and God will take care of me. You will find in due time, that the gospel has lost no ground by this dispensation. But you must not expect to have great ventures, and never exercise faith and patience. You must believe for what you cannot see at present; and patiently endure what will, in a little time, be removed with greater advantage than if the cross had never been laid on.

Beloved, it is now high time for us to be in good earnest in our worship. If the credit of the gospel will not bear the weight of our outward concerns, our families, wives, children, and estates, how shall we venture our souls, and the salvation of them from the devil, hell, and death, and the obtaining everlasting glory for them upon it? I am set for the defense of the gospel, and am every moment upon service for you and the gospel, day and night. If I had been at liberty only a few hours in a week, they would have been taken up in preaching to you. And if I had withdrawn, I know not what blessing I could have promised myself for my labors elsewhere, in consulting my own ease and liberty, and left you, my charge, for fear of suffering, and made myself incapable of serving you, suffering with or for you. If any say the forsaking would be but for a little time; I answer -

1. We must take up the cross presently, duty must not be delayed: no, not a moment, when there is opportunity.
2. Is not a season of suffering righteously to be prized as much or more than a season of grace?
3. Do we know that God will still honor us with such an opportunity, if we neglected this?
4. Can we tell how many thousands are encouraged by our standing now, and who would have been troubled if we had yielded but one day? And,
5. Lastly, who knows that he shall live six weeks, or one week, or one day? And shall we not do all we can for Christ?

Shall we neglect a present season of service, upon a supposition of serving him six weeks hence? Shall we say today we will keep our liberty, and enjoy our ease; and tomorrow, when persecution is over, we will worship and preach? Who knows what good six weeks’ imprisonment may do? And what the power of God can do, to work liberty by means of imprisonment, and convince an ungodly generation, that it is not interest and faction that makes us separate and meet together, but pure conscience? Our suffering leaves a testimony in their conscience, when shrinking might harden them in their wickedness, and draw out their rage more. I am called, by virtue of my office and place, to stand.

My dearly beloved friends, brethren, sisters, and hearers! My heart is enlarged towards you. I have no greater joy than to serve you in the most effectual way. I am sure I am not now out of God’s way, and there you would have me to be. The Lord sanctify this present condition to us all, and help us to find out and fight against these corruptions that provoke the Lord thus to contend with us. For though men deal unjustly by us, and our sufferings, with respect to them, are for righteousness’ sake: yet, with relation to God, we must acknowledge ourselves guilty, guilty; and that he has punished us less than our iniquities have deserved.

I know you pray for me; we may meet at the throne of grace in spite of all opposition. Pray for your enemies, as the gospel requires. Prepare for further trials. Pray for the Spirit to bring to your remembrance that you have heard, and make you more fruitful in every good work to the praise of God. Put the love of the world more out of your hearts, and the love of God more into your hearts; and this will make you willing to part with everything rather than part with Him, His name, profession, word, or worship. The Lord be with you, and give us a comfortable meeting again in the public assembly, to tell of all his wondrous works. You are dear to your willing servant, for Christ’s sake,
                                                                                 Thomas Hardcastle