Sermons, Title page – Dedication
CERTAINE SERMONS PREACHED AND PENNED BY RICHARD ROGERS Preacher of Weatherſfield in Eſſex, directly tending to theſe three ends. Firſt, to bring any bad perſon (that hath not committed the ſinne that is vnpardonable) to true conuerſion. Secondly, to ſtabliſh and ſettle all ſuch as are conuerted, in faith and repentance. Thirdly, to leade them forward (that are ſo ſetled) in the Chriſtian life, to bring foorth the fruite of both. WHEREVNTO ARE ANNEXED diuers godlie and learned Sermons of another reuerend and faithfull ſeruant of God, Mr. SAMVEL WRIGHT, Bachelor of Diuinitie, late Preſident of Sidney Colledge in Camebridge deceaſed, tending alſo to the ſame ends, with diuers particular points in both, profitable and fit for theſe times.
1. IOHN 5.13.
I write vntounto you that beleeue in the name of that Sonne of God, that yee may know that yee hauehave eternall life: and that yee may beleeue in the name of that Sonne of God.
LONDON, Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON for Thomas Man 1612.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE EDVVARD DENNY, Lord Baron of Waltam, &c.
IT is recorded in holie Scripture (right Honourable) that Iehoſhaphat King of Iudah,2. Chron. 17.7. much renowned for his pietie, did ſend out his Princes to teach in the Cities of Iudah. By which act of his, and the ſetting downe of it by the holie Ghoſt, although I goe not about to confound their office and dutie with the Prophets and Leuites, yet they are not on the other ſide, to be taken and counted as nothing; I meane both his act, and the report of it by the holie ſtorie. For though they did not preach to the people in the cities whither they came, hauing Leuites with them, to doe that ſeruice, yet their countenancing, authorizing, and backing of the Leuites, who did teach the people indeed; is not without cauſe ſaid to be a preaching; ſeeing it made way to the people receiuing of it with much more readineſſe and cheerefulneſſe, then otherwiſe they would hauehave done: yea, they were much more incouraged to the zealous embracing and profeſſing of it, with fruits following, and that by the aduancing and magnifying of it by ſuch noble and worthy perſons, then might hauehave bin looked for at their hands otherwiſe.
For though the word of God, and the pure doctrine taught out of it, be of ſufficient authoritie to draw and perſwade the hearers to ſubmit themſelues to it; yet conſidering the blindnes, vntowardnes, and rebelliouſnes of mans heart againſt heauenly things, a number would neuer hauehave ſet foote in the holie place to heare, for all the report that might hauehave come to their eares of the price and benefit of the glad tidings preached, if they had not been incouraged and brought on by ſuch worthie examples.
Oh, wee know what force there is in ſuch meanes. In ſo much, as euen with vsus, howſoeuer there are of the Nobilitie, many who hauehave the preaching of the Goſpel in ſingular account, yet the people that dwell farre off from them, and be not ſeated neere to them, they (I ſay) hearken not after them, neither are any thing moued by them. But where ſuch are ſeene by the people that liue by them, to hauehave the preachers of the word in high account for the meſſage they bring, and to bee ſubiect to the holie doctrine which they teach; euen that is a ſtrong cord to draw the inferiour ſort to ſhew reuerence to the ordinance of God, and to cauſe them to think, that if ſuch great perſons ſo highly eſteeme of their miniſtery and meſſage, that there is (doubtleſſe) ſome great matter that moueth thē to it. And though that be not all, neither is of any power to conuert the heart, (for that is the proper worke of the holie Ghoſt) yet many are at the firſt brought on to receiue the preaching of the Goſpell, (who after feele the power of it alſo, and enioy the benefit of it) when yet their firſt beginnings therein, are chiefly occaſioned by the zeale and forwardnes of ſuch good patternes.
And this is one cauſe (Right Honourable) why we Gods Miniſters doe much wiſh and pray for the ſuperiours and great perſons, and eſpecially thoſe who are noble and growing toward the higheſt places, that they may be ſincere and zealous for the truth, becauſe, though they be no Preachers, as neither Iehoſhaphats Princes were; yet wee know, how greatly they may ſet forward preaching, and honour God in going before the people in their holy courſe, I ſay, we pray that many of them may be ſuch, euen as wee highly praiſe God for thoſe, who are ſuch alreadie.
And as wee are glad to ſee them fauourers and followers of that which we preach by the authoritie of God, (one father of vsus all) ſo we deſire (which is the next thereto) that they would be patrons of our writings, which we ſet foorth with the ſame mindes for the common edification of the Church of Chriſt, that when it is ſeene that ſuch as are in high place, and zealous profeſſors of the truth alſo, do make account of them; there may be farre greater hope that many others will doe the ſame.
And therefore I humbly craue of your Honour, that I who hauehave preſumed to dedicate theſe few Sermons to your Honour, may be with your good liking allowed ſo to doe. The which though they be things of ſmall account, (as they are commonly reckoned to be) yet I would not hauehave offered them, if I had thought they might not promiſe that good to the Church, which I know your Honour is willing to further. Beſides, if there be any thing in them worthy your accepting, and reading, they are your due, by good right, and the teſtimonie of my thankfull heart, and the beſt that I hauehave to preſent to your Lordſhip; who though you neuer ſaw my face, yet euen vponupon report of me to your Honour, did giuegive me cauſe to hauehave you in daily remembrance while I liue. But a word is enough of this.
To lay out the matter of the Sermons, I thinke it not meete to bee tedious to you about it, and the rathe for that it is in the ſhort Epiſtle to the Reader done ſufficiently; further then thus, to ſignifie, that the thing which is chiefly aimed at in them, (among many other to good purpoſe) is to giuegive helpe to the Reader, as need ſhall require, to make his calling, and conſequently his election (as the Apoſtle Peter willeth) ſure. And thus not to bee further tedious to your Lordſhip, I end, praying God, that as hee hath honoured you in a double manner, ſo he would accompanie your earthlie honour with abundance of ſuch bleſſings as are wont to goe with it, and multiplie your beſt honour with the varietie and increaſe of his heauenly graces. From Weatherſfield this 20. of Aprill 1612.
Your Honours in all humble dutie to commaund in Chriſt, RICH. ROGERS.