Meditations, Title page – Dedication
MEDITATIONS OF INSTRVCTION, OF EXHORTATION, OF REPROFE:
INDEAVOVRING THE edification and reparation of the house of God.
1. PET. 4. 10.
As eueryevery man hath receiued the gift, so minister the same one to another, as good disposers of the manifold grace of God.
LONDON, Printed by I. L. for George Gibbs and Francis Constable. 1616.
TO THE RIGHT NOBLE, THE SONNES of the most High, his blessed Brethren by the best, that is, the second Birth.
TRuly Honorable, whose Father is God, and whose Inheritance a Kingdome; the diuers sparks of holy fire, which hauehave issued from the Spirit that baptizeth with fire, I hauehave gathered together; by their vnited heate, to kindle a flame where is none, or to increase it, where it is alreadie kindled. This blessing must come from God, and therefore of God hauehave I desired it. And surely the best, as ye well know, hauehave turnes of winter, euen vponupon their hottest zeale, and then woe to him that is alone, for how should he hauehave heate? Therfore if in the time of cooling, some spirituall worke be ioyned to the heart, it may bee warmth will grow betweene them. So hauehave I often from Elisha applied, euen some Prophet of God, receiued life; and I wish, that some quickning may proceede also from this worke; which in all writings is more or lesse, as the Spirit therein more or lesse speaketh.
These Meditations are indeede diuers in their matter, being diuersly borne, both in regard of time and occasion; yet tend they to one ende, and this profit often comes from variety, that some one thing among many, fitteth eueryevery one, and giues an answere to the particular question of his heart. The glorie of God by your benefite, is that which I seeke, desiring also to be holpen by you, both in prayer and exhortation. As for an idle name, made vp still, of perishing, and often of corrupt breaths, I leaue it to them for an end, to whom God is not an end sufficient. But let our chiefe ioy and glory be to glorifie God, and by being written in heauen, to bee admitted vntounto the beholding of his glory. To that mark, my beloued, let vsus steadily aime, and sending our hearts before vntounto Christ, let vsus goe on lustily to ouertake them. Let vsus draw hard vp the hill toward heauen: and though the flesh presse downe, the world and Satan draw backe; yet strengthened by the Spirit, incouraged by the word, and fortified with the mutuall and vnited force of mightie louelove, let vsus carry the Arke of God, euen the soule (wherein Gods Image dwells, and his will is written) from the Countrey of the Philistims, to the Land of promise. And though heere our fleshly brethren, Ismael and his heires, mocke and despise vsus, though Esau with his foure hundred men looke big vponupon vsus: yet are we sure that their time is short, and but for life; whereas wee hauehave an inheritance eternally glorious. Thither the sonnes of the flesh, though with long pedegrees, and large treasures, can neuer enter; but sitting without, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth, they shallsee despised holinesse, triumph vponupon magnificent and powerfull wickednes. God our strength, whose cloud and pillar guided Israel to Canaan, guide vsus to the heauenly Ierusalem, by the grace of his Spirit. This I humbly desire through Christ his first borne, the purchaser of our inheritance and doore of all the mercy that issueth from God vntounto man.
One of your least worthy brethren, but a great louer of you, and your peace. F. R.