Mans Active Obedience, Preface
THE PREFACE TO THE Chriſtian Reader.
TO preuent that preiudice, whereby the regard and benefit of many good bookes is much hindred; we hauehave thought good to premit ſomewhat touching the Author, the treatiſe it ſelfe, and the reaſons why it is committed to the preſſe. Firſt, for the Author, he may well be reckoned amongst the Worthies of Gods Iſrael; who, while he liued, was (as anotheraAct. 18. 24. Apollos) an eloquent man, and mightie in the Scriptures, inſtructed in the way of the Lord, and feruent in the ſpirit, and ſpake and taught diligently the things of the Lord: a man of indefatigable paines, both in his priuate ſtudies and exerciſes; and alſo in the publique worke of his Miniſterie; to the great benefit of the Church of God, ouer which the holy Ghoſt had made him an ouer-ſeer: and finally he was a iudicious and pious Diuine, well ſeene and practiſed, eſpecially in theſe points of faith and repentance, wherof he hath here written. So that the qualitie of the Author doth deſeruedly commend the treatiſe, as alſo the nature of the treatiſe may wel commend the Author; with whom in the birth thereof it fared as withbGen. 35. 11. Rachel, who died in trauell: whereupon though this abortiue orphan may, in regard of the parent thereof, well brooke the namecThe ſonne of my ſorrow. Benoni; yet for our due eſteeme & vſe thereof it may fitly by vsus be calleddThe ſonne of my right hand. Beniamin. The reaſons mouing this our Author to write any thing for publique vſe, as one of vsus hath obſerued them from his owne mouth, was firſt, for that he being reſtrained from benefiting the Church by the ordinarie courſe of his miniſterie, hee was both willing and deſirous to be ſeruiceable and helpfull to the ſame, in what he might, by this way and meane. Secondly, he ſeeing the people generally both peſtered with many needleſſe idle vaine pamphlets, and multitudes of fabulous hiſtoricall diſcourſes; and alſo much encombred with manifold polemicall diuinitie tractats, of curious and litigious points, tending rather to contention and diuiſion, then to godly edifying, and that many good and neceſſarie bookes were more framed to giuegive ſatiſfaction to the learned, then to edifie the ſimple: therefore, that he might in a ſubſeruient manner endeuour to ſupplie the preteritions of the latter ſort of bookes, and to helpe to iuſsle the former rotten rapſodies out of place; he thought it expedient, that treatiſes of ſuch neceſſarie matter, concerning the eternall ſaluation of all, handled in ſo plaine a manner, that the meaneſt may vnderſtand, ſhould alſo be obtruded vponupon the readers, at the leaſt if it were but to interrupt and hinder ſomewhat the reading of ſuch bookes as be either hurtfull or vnprofitable.
Thirdly, that he might leaue in ſpeciall to that people and*Lee. congregation, to whom he was a carefull Miniſter, a particular remembrancer to bring to their minds ſome chiefe points of his former doctrine, taught amongst them; which upon their ſecond meditations thereof, they might the more affect and regard; and alſo to bequeath ſome note of his good affection to his louing friends and well deſeruing acquaintance; this treatiſe did he entend and fit for them, often to peruſe and well to reſpect as the laſt farewell and louelove-token of their deare friend.
Secondly, for the treatiſe it ſelfe; though it be imperfect both for the extent in parts and meaſure thereof, and alſo for the manner and forme of the ſame, ſo that now it commeth farre ſhort of that perfection, which was intended, and would hauehave been performed by the Author, if God had not taken him away before that he could finiſh or reuiſe it: yet ſeeing for ſubſtance and matter, it is touching iuſtifying faith and ſound repentance; without which none can be ſaued; neither doth any periſh but by defect and error in theſe two: therefore is this diſcourſe thereof moſt worthie the diligent peruſall and conſideration of all; who may therein finde a new diſcouerie of the manifold ſlights of the diuell, and deceits of the heart; whereby many men be cunningly coſoned of their ſaluation: and heere ſhall they hauehave vnfallible markes and ſure direction, how both exactly to trie and certainly know the ſoundnes of their ſpirituall eſtates.
The methode and phraſe of this diſcourſe is indeed plaine and familiar, fitted of purpoſe for the capacitie of the meaner ſort of people; for whoſe good eſpecially it was intended. For though the ſimpler ſort cannot vnderſtand euen plaine things in an artificiall methode, briefly expreſſed in proper and quaint tearmes of eloquence and art; yet people of better vnderſtanding can eaſily conceiue profound things vnfolded but in an ordinarie phraſe of ſpeech, and vulgar order: it being farre eaſier for the ſtronger to yeeld and condeſcend to the weaker, then for the weaker to aſcend, in things beyond the reach of their power, to the ſtronger: ſo that the ſame ſpirituall food is ſo diuerſly to be dreſſed, that to the one it may bee ſtrong meate, and to the other milke. In regard of the which plainneſſe, with the euidencie of truth, this treatiſe is the more to be eſteemed; for that without all coloured masking, the naked truth is therein ſimply pronounded; with the pure beautie whereof al are to be enamoured: and ſeeing herein the Author hath more regarded the ſpirituall good of others, then to gaine any worldly reſpect to himſelfe; it is not the leſſe, but the more remarkable and worthie of eſteeme.
Thirdly, to come to the cauſes of publiſhing hereof, I (to whom the Author vponupon his death-bed did ſolemnely bequeath this Treatiſe, as a poore orphan vnderunder age, to bee wholly at my diſpoſing) had no ſmall doubt and conflict within my ſelfe, whether it were beſt to keepe it as a domeſticke ſeruant in priuat, or to let it be made free and publique. Two reaſons did much moue me to the former, firſt, reſpect to the Author, our reuerend friend, for that in this knowing age this abortiue birth not perfected fully to anſwere either his abilitie, or m…s expectation, might ſomewhat diſparage him. Secondly, the many good and godly treatiſes alreadie publiſhed vponupon the ſame ſubiect, did deterre me from doing ſo with this, for that it ſeemed to be needleſſe; notwithſtanding I hauehave bin perſwaded to the latter, firſt, that I might cleerely manifeſt my fidelitie in that which was committed to my truſt, for the vſe and benefit of others, who both earneſtly expected, and often flagitated the ſame from me as their owne, what or how euer it were. Secondly, that the Authors diligent endeuour and true intent not only while he liued, but alſo after his death, to edifie the Church of God might be euident to all, for the help and encouragement of others in all good courſes: whereupon I hauehave ſurrendred this orphan vntounto the naturall elder-brother of the ſame parent, by him to be ſent abroad. The learnednes of the age is ſo farre from being any iuſt diſcouragement, that it is rather to be an encouragement to publiſh ſuch neceſſarie treatiſes, ſo long as they are orthodoxe for matter, though they doe want ſome ornaments of garniſhing, proceeding not from want of power in the Author, but of opportunitie in time; ſeeing that then there ſhall not want ſufficient and equall Iudges, both by the common law of veritie, and alſo by the Chancerie of charitie, who will pleade for equitie▪ for neuer true knowledge, but ignorance is an enemie to truth. The diuerſitie and multitude of ſeuerall treatiſes vponupon one ſubiect, (ſo long as none of them is ſo abſolu…ly perfect, but that ſomewhat may be ſupplied by others thereunto, neither is any of them ſo vniuerſally fit for all perſons, times and places, but that according to diuerſitie of circumſtances they may be various) is no barre to exclude others of the ſame nature: for ſo long as they doe all agree in the ſame ſubſtance of truth, though they do differ in the manner of the frame, phraſe, and application of the ſame, according to the varietie and multiplicitie of the graces of Gods ſpirit in the Authors, and the diuers diſpoſitions, manners, and opinions of ſeuerall people, in ſundrie places and ages, to whom they doe write, thereby an vnanimious and vnde…iable teſtimonie is publiquely giuen to the truth; and the Church and people of God ſtill built vp in goodneſſe. And further, though there were ſufficient alreadie written, if men would carefully vſe it, and therewithall be content; yet ſeeing that old bookes, like old garments, are in time neglected and deſpiſed; and the new coueted and read rather for the nou…ltie of the edition, then for any newneſſe of matter contained in them; it is not amiſſe ſo to renew bookes of the ſame things, for the ſpreading and continuing of the truth, euen as they ſay by new Phenixes riſing out of the aſhes of the old, their kind is ſtill propagated. But bleſſed be God we do dwell in the land of Goſhen, hauing the two great lights of preaching and printing, as the Sunne and Moone to direct and comfort vsus, in the ſeruile Egypt of this world: therefore while wee hauehave the light, oh how carefull ſhould wee be as the children of light to walke in the light, that at the laſt we may raigne with God for euer, who dwelleth in light, which cannot be approched vntounto; which the Father of mercies grant vntounto vsus. Amen.
STEVEN EGERTON. IOHN SYME.