Seven Treatises, To the reader 2 – To the reader 3
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
WHat be the priuiledges and high fauours of God Almightie, wherwith he hath preferred this age, and in ſpeciall our nation aboue all before vsus, ſince the daies of the holie Apoſtles, needeth more meditation to moue our ſelues to thankfulnes, thē proof to cōuince our aduerſaries, who though they ſhould gainſay it, ſhall gnaſh their teeth and pine away in griefe to behold it. Among all (I may ſay with the Prophet and the Apoſtle) this is chiefe, that God hath ſo cleerely ſhewed his word to Iacob, his ſtatutes and his iudgements to Iſrael; and hath committed to vsus his holy oracles: Wherein I meane not only that we hauehave the Goſpell ſo publikly and plentifully preached, which (though great) is common to vsus with many: but withall, that in ſome admirable manner, God hath reuealed his ſecrets vntounto vsus, ſuch as wee know no Church vponupon the earth, in which the true ſenſe of the Scriptures and ſound doctrine thereof, are more ſincerely embraced and profeſſed. Yea with what ſtore of rare and excellent lights the Lord hath furniſhed this our Church, he is blind that ſeeth not, and malitious that wil not acknowledge it: wherein though generally it falleth out by humane frailtie and Sathans ſubtiltie, that there is more light of iudgement, then integritie of conſcience; yet herein God hath not left himſelfe without witnes of many worthie Chriſtians both Preachers and profeſſors of the truth, who liuely expreſſe the forme of holie doctrine into which they are caſt, ſuch as vponupon my vttermoſt perill I dare profeſſe, the deuouteſt Papiſt neither hath nor poſſiblie (in that profeſſion) can attaine vntounto, lacking true faith the right mother and nurſe of a godly life. And herein to giuegive one inſtance in ſteed of many, take and examine ſtreightly this one work, and if it breathe not out more ſound godlines in one leafe, then all their artificiall compoſed treatiſes of Reſolution (which in their eſtimation are chiefe in this argument of a godly life) let me beare my deſerued blame. I leaue the life of the writer of that Popiſh booke to ſuch as ſeeme vponupon better knowledge to hauehave ſet out the ſame. And for the Author of this Treatiſe, I may not in modeſtie ſay what I know, but could and doe deſire that his life were ſo knowne to all, to whom his writing ſhall come, as it is to ſuch, who hauehave heard the doctrine and ſeene the practiſe hereof in himſelf theſe well neere thirtie yeeres. But to ſpare the perſon for his life time, and to foretell what you ſhall finde in his labours. In my ſimple opinion it might in one principal reſpect be called the Anatomie of the ſoule, wherein not onelyonly the great and principall parts are laid open, but eueryevery veine and little nerue are ſo diſcouered, that wee may as it were, with the eye behold, as the right conſtitution of the whole and eueryevery part of a true Chriſtian; ſo the manifold defects and imperfections thereof. Whereto be added moſt approoued remedies for the curing of all ſpirituall diſeaſes, with like preſeruatiues to maintaine our health, in ſuch ſort as may be enioyed in this contagious ayre, and ſo in a ſecond reſpect may be called the phyſicke of the ſoule. In both which how welcome it ſhall be to all that louelove their ſoules health, I neede not doubt: onelyonly I would deſire the Chriſtian patient, not to be offended with the largenes of the work (as too deare for the poore, and too much to be read ouer in long time) but conſider with me, that if the arte of bodily phyſicke be ſo long, as the father of that arte teſtifieth; then is it no marueile, that this ſpirituall phyſicke doth as much exceed the other in length, as it doth in dignitie. And yet for the reliefe of ſuch as deſire to profit by his labour, great care hath been taken ſo to ſet out apart eueryevery ſeuerall matter, that by the helpe of the Table they may be directed to the particulars, which I perſwade my ſelfe will be ſo farre from glutting any, though neuer ſo weake ſtomacke, that it will rather procure him a better appetite. For ſimply to ſay, as I feele, I hauehave not read in any mans writing a more ſauourie ſtile and better reliſhed. All which I leaue to eueryevery one to ſpeake as they finde, and ſo with my ſtrongeſt deſires doe commend the fruite of theſe labours to the bleſſing of God.
Ezechiel Culuerwel.
To the Chriſtian Reader.
CHriſtian Reader, I am conſtrained in commending this ſpirituall bleſsing vntounto thee, to begin with the excuſe of a good deed. For although it be a good deede to commend this commendable worke, yet muſt I plead the pardon of my defectiuenes in doing it, by alleaging my calling thereto; and impleade the fulſomnes of the maligners of ſuch holy enterpriſes, who for the moſt part diſtaſt all things but vanitie.Iob. 34.3. The eare (ſaith Elihu) trieth words, as the mouth taſteth meate, to wit, if the eare be truly ſpirituall; otherwiſe there is an vncircumciſed eare,Act. 7.51. where there is an vncircumciſed heart: and he that hath an vnmortified eare, which is an affection to carnall eloquence, cannot eſcape a reprobate ſenſe in iudging of the wiſedome of God. An itching eare requireth a clawing ſtile, and the moſt readers ſeeke after that which this treatiſe purpoſely eſchueth. But wiſedome will be iuſtified of her children, and the godly hearted will lay that vnlooked for imputation vponupon affectation of braue words, which the holy Ghoſt laieth vponupon womens brauerie, mentioned in the 3. of Eſay, which ſoone after in the 4. chap. verſ. 4. by paſſage of ſpeech he calleth the filthines of the daughters of Sion. Something I graunt may be yeelded by way of indulgence to the weake; but he that ſeriouſly ſeeketh the Lord, will not be offended nor cloyed with that ſimplicitie, which offendeth not God by turning away the mind by trifles from a bent purpoſe of ſound edification.
The matter of this booke is right worthy to occupie the minds of men, and will be receiued of the gracious peruſers of it. The reſt of the profeſſors, which like wanton and full fed children begin to play with their meate, & brooke nothing but conceited writing and ſpeaking, are to be bewailed; and as for the dogs they are to be deteſted and denied holy things. The bleſsing and comfort of grace brought S. Paul to account all things as dung, Philip. 3.8.in compariſon; and their illumination (how great ſoeuer) is vnſanctified, which are not ſo minded: and if any man louelove godlines indeed and be good mettall,Rom. 6.17. he will bleſſe the fire which is ordained to melt him, and the mould which is made to caſt him in: but they which make the founder to melt in vaine,Iere. 6.29.30. ſhall be called reprobate ſiluer. It is part of the bleſsing of a worke to bee wrought by a bleſſed inſtrument: and although it be ſacrilege to interuert the praiſe of God; yet it is of religion to take notice of Gods choſen veſſels, and all men are more affected by ſuch. This is the aduantage of this booke, I meane the long approued godlines of the Author, as he is a Chriſtian; and his zealous painfulnes, as he is a Miniſter. And if it pleaſe God that his pen may be as his tongue hath been, a tree of life, the very leaues thereof will cure him of the ſting of Serpents tongues. That which S. Luke teſtifieth of Barnabas, may (after Gods admeaſurement) be ſpoken of him, and hoped of his labours,Act. 11.24. that he was a good man, and full of the holie Ghoſt and faith, and much people ioyned themſelues to the Lord. Receiue therefore (good Reader) this prouiſion which he hath made for thee of holeſome meate, not caring for conceited cookerie, but remember that godly hunger is the beſt ſauce for heauenly foode.
Thine in Chriſt, FRANCIS MERBVRY.