A Gleaning in Gods Harvest, Title page – To the reader
A GLEANING IN GODS HARVEST.
FOƲRE CHOYCE HANDFVLS;
The
Gate to Happineſſe.
Wounded Saviour.
Epicures Caution.
Generation of Seekers.
By the late Judicious Divine, HENRY RAMSDEN, ſometime Preacher in London.
IUDO. 8.2. Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim, better then the vintage of Abiezer?
LONDON, Printed for J. D. and R. M. and are to bee ſold by Thomas Slater, at the Swan in Duck-lane. 1639.
The Epiſtle to the Reader.
GOOD READER,
THe Author of theſe Sermons, having ſerved his time, and being fallen aſleepe, before their time came to looke out, and doe ſervice in the world; I conceived it might beare the conſtruction of a peece of ſome light charitie to lead them out in their Orphan-like condition by the hand of a recommendatorie Epiſtle into the world. Men for the moſt part deſire in Bookes, to know firſt what is ſaid of them, before they care to know what they ſay; and ſometimes an Author worthy of prime inſpection, for want of an Agent to make his worth his harbenger, may lie as long neglected and unread, as the poore Cripple at the poole of Bethſaida lay uncured for want of one to caſt him into the water.
The ſubject (indeed) here principally diſcourſed, and brought out of darkneſſe into light (Chriſtian mortification) ſeemeth to diſdaine all mediation, and petitioning for it, it being of ſo great weight and tranſcendent importance, that it commands all hearts and eyes to looke up unto it; and threatens with power and authoritie from on high, even the greateſt on earth that ſhall turne their backe, and not their face upon it.
There are three things eſpecially (among others) that will ſay well to make this rough and hidden way of Mortification, ſmooth and plaine. The firſt is, the greatneſſe of the Author, and founder of that honourable order of Mortification, and who was the glorious Preſident of it himſelfe; Even the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: the apprehenſion and ſenſe of ſuch fellowſhip with us in our way, cannot but devoure and drowne all ſenſe and thought of what otherwiſe might be difficult and diſtaſtfull in it. Among the Romans, the Generall being ſlaine in the battell, there was ſcarce any Souldier that regarded his life; but rather choſe to make an exchange of it, for ſuch a death, wherein hee might beare his Generall company; and if any did returne home alive, in ſuch a caſe there was a brand of ignominie ſet upon him ever after. The truth is, were not the conſideration of ſin, and the madneſſe of unbeliefe in the world at hand to qualifie the matter, and give ſatisfaction; it were the moſt aſtoniſhing wonder that ever the world ſaw, that Ieſus Chriſt being dead, the whole world ſhould not preſently reſolve to die with him.
The ſecond is the greatneſſe of the helpe, or mighty arme of aſsiſtance that is ready to joyne with us in this great worke of mortification if our hearts bee once ſet upon it: this is the Spirit of God and of Chriſt; If you mortifie the deeds of the body by the ſpirit, you ſhall live, Rom. 8. This Spirit of God reſiding and dwelling in thoſe that beleeve, to whom hee is given, is alway at hand, ready; yea, deſirous and longing to bee ſet on worke in their ſoule; to be imployed in this honourable ſervice againſt ſin, and all inordinate affections, evill-concupiſcence, uncleanneſſe, pride, covetouſneſs, &c. And being ſtirred up, and ſet on to purpoſe, it carries on his worke before him with an high hand; making havock and deſolation among the fleſhly luſts and corruptions of the ſoule. The greateſt and moſt difficulteſt undertakings, and ſuch which the ſoule of man would otherwiſe abhorre, and turne aſide from altogether, are yet digeſted and carried on with a ſweetnes and pleaſantneſſe of hope, when a man ſees meaſure for ſtrength for ſtrength, as much in his meanes, as in his oppoſition, as many with him as againſt him: Now the Spirit of God within us, is of more might then all the hills of the robbers (as David ſpeakes in another caſe) hee is ſtronger than all their ſtrong holds; he is above all the high things and imaginations that lift up themſelves to the higheſt within us againſt the knowledge of God. Mortification can bee no other, but a ſolid delight and ſpirituall recreation to him, that duly and deeply conſiders what oddes and advantage hee hath of his enemie, the fleſh, by the partaking, and cloſe ſtanding of that bleſſed friend of his, the Spirit.
The third and laſt is, the exceeding greatneſſe of the reward which the God of recompences (as the Scripture termeth him) hath ſealed and ſettled by purpoſe and promiſe, both Yea and Amen upon this worke of Mortification. If wee be dead with Chriſt we beleeve, that is, wee eaſily beleeve, or have ground ſufficient to beleeve, that wee ſhall live with him; as the foundation of the enſuing diſcourſe proclaimes aloud to the world: whereby living with Chriſt is not meant of an everlaſting being in his preſence only (though his preſence alone be a Paradiſe of joy and bleſſedneſs in abundance) but an admittance or taking up into an intire communion with him in all his glory; or as himſelfe is pleaſed with the expreſsion, Revel. 3.21. a ſitting downe with him upon his Throne: Men for the moſt part can bee content that any man ſhould chuſe or appoint their worke for them, if it might bee permitted to themſelves to chooſe their wages, and have good ſecuritie for it: Who would refuſe with Sampſon to encounter Lyons, if they could be ſecured to eate honey out of their carkaſſes? Who would not have caſt in his lot with thoſe three faithfull ſervants of GOD, and have beene content to have taken part with them in that hotte ſervice of the fierie furnace, could they have beene ſatisfie for their ſafe comming off with their lives untouched, and like advancement afterward in the Kingdome? Low wages and ſlender recompences make even light worke heavie; the only way to drowne the ſowerneſſe or unpleaſantneſſe of any taske, is to make it ſwimme in an Ocean of reward. It is a principle in reaſon, Finis dat amabilitatem mediis, Good ends make hard wayes or meanes lovely and deſireable. If Mortification had as bitter and irreconcileable an oppoſition, and repugnancie to nature, as the grave it ſelfe, yet the tranſcendent vaſtneſſe of the reward, that ſame farre more exceeding, eternall weight of glory (as Saint Paul had much adoe to bring out his notion of it in words, without loſſe, and leaving ſomewhat behinde, 2 Corinth. 4.17.) dearely apprehended and beleeved, mightily and effectuouſly conſidered, is able fully to reconcile the diſproportion.
I am loth to exceed the time and meaſure of an Epiſtle. The nature, neceſsitie and meanes of this great Maſter-peece of Mortification with ſome other things of Affinitie with them, are well laid downe in the Sermons following; Some ſtraines (I beleeve) thou wilt meet withall, that have beene ſtrangers to thee heretofore, and which will doe lively execution, and quit themſelves like the words of the wiſe, whoſe propertie is (as the wiſe man informes) to be as goades or nailes throughly faſtned. Holy and learned men (amongſt whom not to number were doubtleſſe to injure much mine Author) are not to bee too deeply charged, or too troubleſomely expoſtulated with for ſome peculiarities of expreſsions, wherein perhaps they give themſelves more ſatisfaction than others: And indeed it is a hard thing for any man to write ſo ſavourly or warily, but that the Reader hath need ſtill to bring a graine of ſalt with him to make the nouriſhment wholſome.
The bleſsing of the God of heaven bee with this little peece in its going forth into the world, that it may goe forth in its might, and doe worthily in Iſrael, teaching & perſwading many to deſire (with Paul) the knowledge of the fellowſhip of Chriſts ſufferings, and how to bee made conformable to his death, which is one of the greateſt and moſt hidden miſteries of Chriſtianitie, and requireth the beſt and greateſt Maſters in Iſrael for its Teachers.
Thine in the Lord Jeſus, IOHN GOODWINE.