Christian Courtesy, Title page – To the reader
Chriſtian Curteſie: OR, St. PAVLS Vltimum Ʋale.
Deliuered in two Sermons, on 2. Cor. 13.11. at St. MARGARETS on Fiſh-ſtreet-hill in London.
By N. ROGERS (ſometimes Preacher there) at his Farewel, vponupon his remoueal thence to a Paſtoral charge elſe-where.
As many as walk according to this rule, peace ſhall be vponupon them, and mercy, and vponupon the Iſrael of God. Gal. 6.16.
LONDON, Printed by H. L. for Edward Brewſter: and are to bee ſould at his ſhop, at the weſt end of Pauls, at the Signe of the Bear, 16….
TO THE RIGHT Vertuous, and truely Religious Lady, the Lady Margaret Chiborne (late wife to that worthy, and Worſhipfull Gentleman, Sir Charles Chiborne, Serieant at the Lawe, deceaſed) long life and good daies, with increaſe of Grace here, and eternall Glorie hereafter.
GOOD MADAME:
I Was no ſooner purpoſed to let this Copie paſſe the Preſſe, but I was as ſoone reſolued to ſend it foorth vnderunder ſhelter of your Ladiſhips name, prefixed on the front. I knowe, Gods word can countenance it ſelfe, and needes no ſhelter of any humane arme: Yet I finde, not onelyonly the writings of the moſt and beſt; but euen ſome of thoſe holy books inſpired from Heauen, bearing in their fore-heads (as from the pen-men) a dedication. To your ladiſhips name I then inſcribe this; theſe reaſons eſpecially mee thereunto inducing:
Firſt, your Ladiſhip had a ſpeciall hand in the firſt being & birth of it: for, it was by your means and furtherance, that I was remooued from the place where then I was, to that where now I am: vponupon which occaſion, theſe Sermons were there preached. Which great louelove and vndeſerued fauour cauſed mee a good while ſince to regiſter in my heart a grateful acknowledgement: and wanting means in real requitance to expreſs the ſame, I hauehave now preſum'd in this dedicatiō to manifeſt.
Secondly, in reſpect of your own worth: wherof if I ſhould make a due report, they which know you not, would judge I flatter; and if leſſe, the which knowe you and your affection towards me, would ſay, I were vnthankfull. This I will onelyonly ſay, That whereas the moſt of your place and rank,Luke 10.40. Verſe 4…. like Martha, incumber themſelues about many needleſſe things; you, like Mary, hauehave choſen the better part. Your louelove to GOD, zeal to his houſe, teſtified by your frequent repairing thereunto, your daily performane of religious exerciſes; yea, priuately in your cloſet were God onelyonly ſeeth and regardeth: your conuerſation lead in fear (the fruit of all the former) teſtifie of you,2 Pet. 1.17 as did the piety & godlineſſe of that Lady to whom that bleſſed Apoſtle S. Iohn wrote,3 Iohn 11 that you are Elect: whereof you hauehave more cauſe to boaſt, then of any outward honour whatſoeuer. For, what is greatneſſe without goodneſſe? but like the Spartans nightingale, a meer ſound and nothing elſe. Go on, good Madam, in your godly courſe: and whiles others ſtriue to ſettle their lands, ſecure their monies, confirm their eſtates (leauing their ſaluation vnwrought vp) let it be your principal endeauour, To conform your life ſtill more and more to the rule of Gods moſt holy word, and to make ſure your election vntounto your ſelf. For,2 Pet. 1.10 when men hauehave beat their brains, broke their ſleep, waſted their marrow, to bee wealthy, mighty; yet at laſt they ſhall be enforced to confeſſe, that To be ſaued was ſimply the beſt plot. Neither will any ſtudy yeeld true ſolid comfort, but what was ſpent about it.
Let not this my preſumption bee offenſiue to your Ladiſhip. It is more I owe vntounto you than I can perform. Let my confeſſion teſtifie my obligednes; and this bee a witnes of my thankfull remembrance of my duety: wherein I deſire to pleaſe at leaſt God, not to offend at leaſt you. The Lord make you to encreaſe and abound yet more and more in grace and goodnes,1 Theſ. 3.12.13 and make your hart ſtable and vnblameable in all holineſs againſt the coming of our Lord & Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt. And ſo I reſt; and ſtill will reſt
A Petitioner to the Lord for your Ladiſhips beſt welfare, NEHEMIAH ROGERS. Meſsing in Eſſex. Aug. 1. 1621.
TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader; eſpecially, to his louing Friends and late auditours, the Pariſhioners of S. Margarets Fiſh-ſtreet, with all truely-Religious in or about London by whoſe fauour or bounty my Miniſtery there hath been countenanced or any way furthered: all bleſſings which earth affords, or heauen contains, be multiplied.
AS a good husbandman deals with his plants; pruning ſome, remouing others, for their better growth: ſo dealeth that most wiſe and carefull husbandman of the Church,Iohn 15.1 with the members of it. Some hee purgeth, that they may growe more fruitfull: Others hee takes away, that are not fruitfull. Oftentimes he tranſlateth others from off that ſoil whereon they grewe,Pſal. 80.9 and plants them on ſom other groūd; and that either becauſe of the barrenneſs of the ſoyl, or vnfruitfulnes of the plant, or for ſome other cauſe beſt known vntounto himſelfe. It hath pleaſed him in merciemercy not to ſupplant, as iuſtly hee might hauehave done, and that for euer, but onelyonly to remoue me into another corner of his Ʋineyard (Bleſſed bee his name it is any where within that pale). The ſoyle wheron I grewe, was fat and goodly (neuer plant could growe on better) no fault in it, of this tranſlation. The Plant it ſelf was badde and barren: and that (as ſafeſt it is for me to iudge) occaſions it. I hauehave but loytered, when I ſhould hauehave laboured, in gods harueſt. Now Lord forgiue it mee.
1 Cor. 16.24Seeing now I muſt leaue you, my louelove my Brethren I leaue with you; and this as a teſtimonie of my louelove. When I am out of ſight I would not bee forgotten. Read and practiſe what here you finde, and what formerly you hauehave beard: and I dare ſay I ſhall not bee. Theſe are the last Sermons that I preached amongst you: let them not bee leaſt eſteemed: take them as the laſt Farewell of a hearty friend. When they were preached to the eare, paſſion hindered many of your attentions: I now preſent them to your eye,Luke 1.4 that you may bee more fully enformed of thoſe things wherein you were then inſtructed.
Let it ſuffice, my Affection is ſo great towards you, that I cannot expreſs it. God workes my heart to louelove thoſe that louelove him. The Lord imprint in your minds this ſeale of that my Affection vnfeyned, and enable you by his grace to doe his will;Acts 20.32. that ſo at laſt you may bee made partakers of a glorious inheritance amongſt all them which are ſanctified: which ſhall be faithfully prayed, for by him
That vnfainedly deſires your ſaluation, NEHEMIAH ROGERS. Meſſing. Aug. 1. 1621.