The Doctrine of Faith, Title page – To the reader
THE DOCTRINE OF FAITH,
Wherein are practically handled ten principall points, which explain the Nature and Vse of it.
By IOHN ROGERS, Preacher of Gods Word at Dedham in Essex.
ESA. 7. 9. If you will not beleeve, surely you shall not be established.
LONDON, Printed for N. N. and William Sheffard, and are to be sold at his Shop at the entring into Po…es-head-Alley out of Lumbar-street. 1627.
To the Right Worshipfull Mistresse HELEN BACON of Shribland-hall, to the Lady MILDMAY, wife to Sir HENRY MILDMAY of Graces, and to Mistris GVRDON, wife to Master BRAMPTON GVRDON of Assington: the Author prayeth all increase of Faith, many good dayes here, and eternall life in the kingdome of heaven.
Right Worshipfull, when I thought (according to the custome) of putting forth this little poore Treatise in the name of some vertuous and worthy person, straitway you three above-named came into my minde, and I knew not how to sever you, nor which I could leave out, therefore made bold rather to Dedicate it to you all together, for these reasons: First, God hath neerely joyned you all together by many bonds, both Civill and Religious, both of Nature and Grace, and hath given you to bee all of one minde in the Lord. I have also had exceeding great experience of your love both to mee and to my ministery, and am much bound unto you all. I thought it therefore meet to render this as a small token and testimony of my unfained love and true thankfulnesse to your Worships all. And though never a one of you but deserve to beare the Name alone of a farre better worke than this, yet seeing as this is my first fruits in this kinde, so I know not, but its most like to bee the last, therefore I have beene thus bold to joyne you all together, humbly craving your acceptance of this poore mite. And thus desiring to you all, a principall portion of blessing of this and all other holy helpes that it pleaseth God to bring to your hands, to further you well to his heavenly kingdome, I humbly take my leave of your Worships, resting ever.
Your Worships in any service that I am able. I. R.
To the Reader.
CHristian Reader, these things that thou findest in this little Treatise of Faith, were the summe of sundry Sermons preacht in my ordinary weeke-day Lecture, seven or eight yeeres agoe, which I wrote brokenly and briefly for my owne memory, leaving out many things that in the Vses & Applications of the points were delivered in preaching, which should set an edge upon the doctrines delivered. I was requested by some of the Auditors, when I had finisht them in preaching, that they might have them still at hand for helpe of their memories, and furthering of their profiting thereby: But I thought it a good mercy of God to me, that I might doe his Church some little service by preaching (wherein it hath pleased his Majestie to give me some successe and blessing, which is all I have to rejoyce of in this world) and as for printing, the knowledge of my owne unfitnesse, and my want of leisure made mee to refuse that motion, and never to give my minde to that worke. But now of late a speciall godly friend by much importunity drew my Notes from me, and hath gotten them written out (which I never could or would doe) whose Copie when I had perused, I found things so shortly and imperfectly set downe, as I much desired it might have beene suppressed still, but his strong perswasions that it might bee of good use to the poore people of God, in time overcame mee: though thou shalt finde it farre otherwise than I would have had it if I had had leisure to have revised it, or then if I …ad yeelded to the first motion it …ight have beene, for then when things were fresh in minde, I could with little more paines have set them downe more fully and perfectly than now I can, or could if I had …eysure by many degrees; neither could I possibly in cold blood, and so long after, call to minde or write those stirring passages that God brings to hand in the heate of preaching. Well, craving pardon for all defects, I commit it to thy hand as it is, humbly begging the Lords blessing and good hand to goe withall. If any by the Excellency, Necessity and Rarenesse of this grace of Faith shall bee provoked to labour to be possessed of it, that are as yet without it, and those that have it to nourish it, that it may encrease to the best degrees, and to live by it to the glory of God, their encrease of comfort here, and salvation hereafter; I shall have attained my end, be heartily glad, and give God thankes. If any reape any fruit hereby (as if they read it advisedly, teachably, and with seeking God, I hope they shall) give God the praise, and pray for the Author, and for this crazed and last part of his life.
But let me advertise thee of one thing, good Christian Reader, that howsoever thou shalt often finde in this Treatise, Faith spoken of … of a particular perswasion of a mans heart, that Christ Iesus is his, and that hee shall be saved by him, that yet it is not meant, that that is the first act of Faith, which is rather an accepting of Christ, a leaning upon him, and a laying hold on him offered by God; And then after by a second act of Faith by finding a true and unfamed change of heart and life wrought in him, hee is then and thereby perswaded that hee is one of those that Christ dyed for. Therefore this I take to bee a good description of Faith; That it is the mighty worke of the holy Ghost, whereby a sinner humbled by the Law, and quite driven out of himselfe, by or upon the gracious and sweet voyce of the Gospell, and the free and unpartiall offer of mercy from God in Christ, comes in time to cast himselfe upon Christ, and trust to him as the Allsufficient and only …anes of his salvation, and … willing to be subject to … his dayes. And to say that Faith is a particular Application of Christ to a mans owne soule, is a true and safe definition thereof: for there be that doe truly beleeve in Christ, and that to salvation, if they should then dye, that yet are not come to bee perswaded that Christ is theirs; which comes after, either by the testimony of Gods Spirit, or the witnesse of their owne spirit, from the truth of their Sanctification.
Having advertised thee of this, I commend thee to God, and to the word of his grace which is able to build thee up further, and give the… inheritance with them that be sanctified by Faith in Christ Iesus.
The weakest and most unworthy of the true servants of Iesus Christ, I. R.