The twenty-second and last letter from Mr. Hardcastle

These to my beloved friends, the members and auditors of the congregation meeting in Broadmead, Bristol.

11 m. 14 d. 1675-6

Dearly Beloved and Longed-for,- I am now coming to a period of conversing with you by writing. I hope the next time, through your prayers, and supply of the Spirit of Jesus, to deliver the mind and message of Jehovah unto you by speaking. For a close therefore to the discourse about faith, I shall a little take into consideration that excellent and full phrase, recorded Romans 16: 26, The obedience of faith; which words I shall take notice of in their conjunction and order.

In their conjunction and connection. And so they do reciprocally and mutually embrace and uphold each other; there is obedient faith, and faithful obedience.

I. An obedient faith. This manifests itself,

       (1) In its assent to revealed truths, upon the sole account of the authority, testimony, and veracity of God, although they are above and against reason. Reason is the greatest enemy faith has, and now faith obtaining the victory makes reason obedient. See I Corinthians 3: 18; II Corinthians 10: 45. A worthy author observes well, that a greater opposition is made to our faith by our reason, than by our affections: for when our faith is encountered by our affections we do gather many times some succor from our reason; but when our faith is assailed by our reason, the temptation is more strong and dangerous. For if our reason get the better of our faith, in any particular, our affections follow along; and such temptations, where they once take, shake and stagger the strongest Christians. Now faith makes reason obedient to it, and then it becomes obedient to God.

       (2) This obedient faith discovers itself in its consent to and choosing with promised good, notwithstanding great improbabilities, nay, impossibilities, (Romans 4: 18-21) personal unworthiness, persisted in provocations, great transgressions, frequent neglects and refusals, and manifold backslidings. This faith helps the soul to take what God offers, though he does not deserve it, and he knows of right it does not belong to him. It will accept of a promise, contrary to all reason and right reckoning, because God will have it. If the Lord will love me, and marry me, for all my blood, and filth, and wounds, and corruption, and will bestow himself upon me, and beautify me, and bring me to live with him in everlasting glory, I must not, dare not, will not refuse him, because of the dirty, doleful pickle I am in; but let him wash me, and clothe me, and do what he will with me. Blessed be his name, I will follow him, and observe him, and with all humility and gratitude, accept of what he frankly and bountiful ly bestows upon me.

       (3) This obedient faith commends itself in a willing observance of the Lord’s commands and calls, notwithstanding any darkness, difficulty, or danger that may seem to attend the performance of them. This has been already exemplified in the case of Abraham, Hebrews 11: 3, and therefore I forbear mention of it; only adding this, that the obedient faith fixes its eye upon a precept, and will mind that, whatever the providence of God or the prudence of men, may seem at present to cast in the way as a stumbling block and hindrance. There is,

II. A faithful obedience, as well as an obedient faith; which shows itself,

       First, For the universality of it; in having respect to all God’s commandments; Luke 1: 6.

       Secondly, For the cheerfulness of it; doing all things heartily and freely, without murmuring and disputings.

       Thirdly, In the singleness, simplicity, and sincerity of it; aiming at, and designing, the honor of God, conformity to Christ, edification of others, meetness for glory.

       Fourthly, In the constancy of it; not turning back, nor turning aside, nor makes abatements; no yielding in one circumstance, wherein the authority, honor, and interest of God and the gospel, may be in the least touched and concerning. Such was Daniel’s obedience; Daniel 6: 10. God is a jealous God, and takes notice of the lease punctilios about his worship; especially in two cases:-1. When the least thing is done without his warrant; upon the account of human invention, or imposition. 2. When the least circumstance is omitted, with respect to the fear or flattery of men; not regarding so much his displeasure, not trusting in his almighty power.

       Fifthly, In the growth of it. A true Christian desires to know more of the mind and will of God, that he may do it; and he does it, that he may know it. The formalist and the hypocrite, as they are strangers to the spirituality, so are they to the extent and largeness of obedience. We come very much short in what we know: and we know but little of what is to be known.

I come to consider the order of the words; first faith, and then obedience; obedience from faith; for without faith it is impossible to please God. There is a deal of obedience, if it may be so called, or worship, service, and exercise. Bodily exercise is to be found amongst idolaters, but it profits little; it pleases not at all. As faith without works of obedience is dead, so works without faith cannot be living, nor acceptable to God. Gospel obedience is bottomed upon faith, and the new covenant (is) a doing from life, not for life; which was the tenor of the first covenant. The sum is this; faith works by love, unto a universal, cheerful, sincere, constant, and growing obedience, according to the pattern and rule of the gospel; to the praise and glory of the rich grace and love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord; to whom be power and dominion for ever. Amen.

And now, my dearly beloved, should not we pray fervently, that we may not be deceived with a counterfeit, instead of a true faith? The Lord write all these characters upon our hearts, or else it were better they had never been writ on paper; for they will be evidences and witnesses against us upon record. We have been for above twelve months closely persecuted; we have great cause both of humiliation and thanksgiving.

Of the former, that our sins should provoke to Lord to permit it, and lengthen it out so much; that we have got no more advantage by our affliction, and our dross and corruption no more purged away; that we have not followed the Lord, in this suffering path, with more cheerfulness and gladness, but have been under so many faintings and fears, and doubtings, and perplexing thoughts; that we have engaged the enemies of God too much in our own strength and have not made more use of gospel weapons in this spiritual warfare; and for many things more, which, upon a due and diligent examination of ourselves, we shall quickly understand.

Ground, likewise, we have of much thanksgiving, that we are yet alive; that we are not given up to the wills of our enemies, though we have been in their hands; that the Lord has blessed us in any degree, or measure, to bear a testimony to his ways and worship; that we have not fallen down before our adversaries; that the gospel hath not lost, but gotten ground by our sufferings. Beloved, it is now a season for suffering; this season may quickly be over. Let us be willing to honor the Lord in that way he would have us. Let us not cross the method and course of divine pleasure. Let us follow and observe the vein of the cross as far as it goes, and not make a peace for ourselves by such means as God would not have us use, and before he thinks it good for us. When tranquility and liberty shall be best for us, we shall quickly have it. The providence of God will quickly make all fair weather. In the mean time, let us bless God for any mitigation, any relaxation, any intervals of calmness; but while the wind sits in the quarter where it does, let us not promise ourselves a total immunity from trouble; and therefore, let us keep the plain even path wherein we have met with, and may still promise ourselves, the Lord’s presence and assistance. But if we once deviate, through the insinuations of carnal reason and prudence, though but in a circumstance, we know not where we may stop, and whether we may not be left to be weakened and bewildered, by our own counsels, besides losing the efficacy of all our past sufferings. None can be more desirous to avoid trouble than myself, but I dare not sin against conscience to procure ease, and safety, and freedom for the outward man.

I shall conclude with a quotation out of The Call to Archippus, writ by a nonconformist minister, stirring up his brethren to preach publicly, though persecutions, and fines, and imprisonments lay in the way. ‘Hath Christ suffered for us,’ he says, ‘both as our surety and as our pattern? And have we such a cloud of martyrs that have so stoutly led the van, and shall we shift off, or shuffle in our work, for fear of persecution? View the encouraging promises which Christ hath made to sufferers for his name. Are not these the very things which we have over and over preached and pressed on our people? And shall we make them believe by our flinching, our hitching, palliating, daubing, and compounding, merely to avoid the cross, that those things were not so? Are these things true, or are they not? If not, why have we taught them? If they be, why do we not live up to them? Oh, that we did but act as if ourselves had believed in what we have preached! Will it not be a real confutation of what we have taught, concerning the blessed advantage and glory of the cross, if we, when put to it, shall decline the cross, notwithstanding all the blessedness we make people believe we thought to be in it? God forbid that we should tempt men to atheism and infidelity, and make them believe there is no more in preaching, no more in promises, than a flourishing talk.’ Thus far that worthy minister; and much more he has to the same effect. Pray earnestly for me, that I may come to you again in public in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel; and that, if it be the good pleasure of God, an effectual door of liberty may be opened. However, that we may be fitted and prepared for whatever dispensations the Lord, in his way, work, and wisdom, shall be pleased to bring us under; that we may know our duty, and be enabled to keep close to it, to the glory of his name . . . . . .

                                                    * * * * * * *



On the 29th day of the seventh month, 1678, Thomas Hardcastle departed this life. The record states: “He was a man, as it were a champion for the Lord, very courageous in his work and suffering. His zeal provoked many, before he came to Bristol. After he had thrown off conformity, he suffered about eight months’ imprisonment in York Castle; and then, because he would not give bond to preach no more, as some ministers, his fellow prisoners, did to get free, he was carried thence, out of his county eighty miles, to Chester Castle, and there he was kept fifteen months more, close prisoner; and then, by an order from the king, he was released without bonds, and he came to London, and there he was baptized. After that he was taken up for preaching, and by the Conventicle Act was six months prisoner in London. And then being called by this church to be their pastor, for the defense of the gospel, he was twice imprisoned in Bristol, two six months; still preaching as soon as ever he came forth, and so continued till his death, having been our pastor about seven years and a quarter. He was seven times imprisoned for Christ and a good conscience after he left off conformity.”

Amen