The Christians Sacrifice Better than all the Legal Sacrifices of Jews, Postscript
THE AVTHORS POSTSCRIPT to his Children as it were his laſt Will and Teſtament vntounto them.
DEare Children.
I am now going the way of all the earth, and by age ready2. King 20. to leaue the world and the things that are in the world, and ſo to goe from you and all other therein, and therefore as Hezekia was commanded to ſet his houſe in order, or to giuegive precepts to his houſe becauſe he ſhould die and not Iſai 38. 1.liue. So doe I at this time Auguſt 22 Anno Dom. 1622. and of our Soveraigne Lord Iames, by the grace of God of great Britaine, France and Ireland King, defender of the faith &c. the tweentie.
Firſt therefore and principally I bequeath and reſigne my ſoule vntounto God, and to his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt, who1 Pet. 1. 19. by his pretious blood hath redeemed mee, and ſealed my ſaid redemption by his holy ſpirit of promiſe. In which reſpectEpheſ. 1. 13. as I deteſt all errors & hereſies generally, ſo more eſpecially I abhorre and condemne to the pit of hell the whole doctrine of Popery, with all the Reliques, Ceremonies, and other apurtinances thereof whatſoeuer, from the leaſt to the greateſt, as the which ſpringing from hell, hauehave bin daily hatched and nouriſhed by that Antichriſt of Rome, the man of ſin and child of perdition, and the which2. Theſ 2. 3. 1 Tim 4. 1. therefore are nothing els but doctrins of deuills. Touching my body if I die in peace, I deſire it may be honneſtly committed to the earth from whence it came. If otherwiſe▪ let God diſpoſe thereof according to his pleaſure. Sure I am that whatſoeuer become of it here▪ and how vile ſo euer it be by ſinne, and the infirmities thereof through ſinne, yet it Shall be changed and faſhioned like to the grorious body of Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe according to▪ that his power whereby he is able to ſubdue, and will ſubdue all things Phil. 3. 22.vntounto himſelfe.
Touching other things whereof men vſe to make their Wills, becauſe I may ſay to you as Peter ſaid to the lame man, Siluer and gold hauehave I none, but ſuch as I hauehave giuegive I Acts 3.vntounto you, therefore all my Will following ſhall wholly conſiſt of ſuch precepts to you as my ſelfe hauehave receiued of the Lord. Now then, as I hauehave written that my former Treatiſe of The Chriſtians Sacrifice for the inſtruction of all Chriſtians generally, ſo I bequeth the ſame to you my Children, and to all yours, which God either hath already giuen you, or ſhall hereafter giuegive vntounto you, neither that onelyonly but alſo my other three former Treatiſes: the firſt a generall Treatiſe againſt Popery, and in the defence of the religion by publike authoritie profeſſed in England, publiſhed in the yeare of our Lord 1598. The ſecond of the Dignity of Gods Children, publiſhed in the yeare 1610. The third of Dauids louelove to the word of God, and of his meditation thereof, publiſhed 1616. All theſe read, examine by the Scriptures, make vſe of them: of my firſt Treatiſe, for the better confirmation of your iudgement againſt Popery, with a greater prouocation of your deteſtation thereof; and the better quickning of your liking of the true and ſincere religion of proteſtants, of my ſecond, for your learning how great your Dignitie is as ye are the Children of God, and what vnſpeakeable comforts ye may hauehave thereby: as alſo how carefull ye ought to be of liuing according thereunto, without any diſgrace thereof: of my third for kindling a fire of ſuch louelove to the word of God as that much water may not Cant. 8. 6.quench? as alſo for ſo whetting your mindes to the meditation and ſtudy thereof, that ye may thinke no paines too much, neither euer be weary of ſo doing, of this my laſt, for the preſenting your ſelues ſoules and bodies ſuch a ſacrifice to God, actiue and paſſiue, as the ſame ſetteth forth vntounto you. By all the ſaid Treatiſes as ye ſhall ſee who hath beene your Fathers God, ſo Know him, and ſerue him, with a perfect heart and willing mind: becauſe he ſearcheth 1 Chron. 18. 9.all hearts and vnderſtandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts, and if ye ſeeke him he will be found of you, but if ye 2. Chron. 15. 2.forſake him, he will caſt you off for euer. Though I can giuegive none of you any portion of worldly riches, yet if ye ſhall ſeeke the Lord and find him, then ſhall ye eueryevery one be able to ſay with the Prophet, the Lord is my portion: and Pſal. 119. 57. & 142. 51. Pſal. 16. 6. Ioel. 2. …7. 1. Cor. 3. 22. Heb. 1. 2. Pſal. 24. Pſal. 37. 29. 1. Pet. 1. 4. 5. Pſal. 34. 1. Ioh. 10. 29. Pſal 27. 1. 3. & …6. 4. & 118. 6 Rom 8. 32. 1. Cor. 15. 12. Coloſ. 3. 1. 1. Pet. 1. 17.that the lines are fallen vntounto me in pleaſant places, and that ye hauehave a goodly heritage: and that ye your ſelues are parts of the Lords inheritance: yea then, what ſhall ye not hauehave. For althings are yours. Chriſt the heire of all things is yours, God is yours: Is not the earth the Lords, and all the fulnes thereof? Then alſo ye ſhall hauehave inheritance for euer, ye ſhall not be aſhamed in the euill time, and in the daies of famin ye ſhall be ſatisfied, yea, ye hauehave an inheritance kept for you in heauen: and your ſelues are kept for it, not by Angells alone, but by God himſelfe: yea by the power of God who is greater then all, and whom if ye hauehave on your ſides, ye ſhall not need to feare or care who be againſt you: whether men or Angells. In theſe things I do not ſay if, as doubting, but as being perſwaded of that which I ſay, as the ſame word is often in the Scriptures vſed.
Many are Gods mercies towards me more then to mine owne Father, firſt that I hauehave liued twice his age, and twelue yeares more. Secondly, whereas he had but my ſelfe alone, God hath giuen me twelue children, whereof I hauehave yet ſeuen liuing, beſides the children of ſome of my children. Thirdly, that I hauehave liued all the time of my knowledge vnderunder the Goſpell. Fourthly that I am a Miniſter of the Goſpell. Fiftly, that ye my children are not onelyonly mine by nature, but Gods alſo by grace, hauing that marke whereby ye may be knowne ſo to be. ſixtly, that God hath alſo bleſſed my miniſtery to the winning and inſtrumentall begetting of other children alſo vntounto him. In the ſeuenth place, I might ad that whereof Paul boaſteth, but herein I am ſparing, that I may no waies ſeeme to diſgrace any, or any waies to inſult ouer them, I hate a high mind in other and therefore far be it from me to bewray the ſame in my ſelfe. God hauehave the glory of all. Now ſith ye are not onelyonly mine by nature, but the Lords alſo by grace, feare ye not but that ye ſhall be bleſſed. The Pſal. 112. 2. Iſai 55. 3. and 61. 8. 1. Sam. 12. 22.generation of the righteous ſhall be bleſſed. And Gods couenant made with the righteous & their ſeed is euerlaſting, whom it hath pleaſed him to make his people, for his name ſake he will neuer forſake.
And now my children looke to your ſelues, that as the Lord will not forſake you, ſo whatſoeuer euill daies ſhall come, ye may not fall from him, yea looke to yourſelues, I do not ſay that ye looſe not the things that we hauehave 2. Ioh. 8.wrought, but that ye looſe not the things that God hath wrought in you, that not I, but ye may receiue a full reward Philip. 1. 6.I am confident in this very thing, that he which hath begun a good worke in you, wil performe it vntil the day of Ieſus Chriſt. Therefore I ſpeake not as fearing, but as my louing children to admoniſh you to vſe all dilligence for the keeping of your ſtanding. If yea let go your hold of that portion which you hauehave in God, what ſhall it profit you to gaine the Math. 16. 26.whole world? O gaine of godlines how great art thou? Thou art profitable, and haſt the promiſe of this life, and of 1. Tim. 6. 6. and 4. 8. 1. Theſ. 41. 1. Cor. 15. 61.that which is to come. As ye hauehave already ſome portion thereof, ſo labor to be more and more rich therein. Be ye ſtedfaſt, unmoueable, abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord, ye hauehave already in part bought the truth; yet ſtill be bargaining for it, ye want more then ye hauehave, Buy it therefore and ſel Prou. 23. 23. Math 13. 44. 45it not. ye ſhall hauehave a good market at the laſt. Sell all that ye hauehave for it, rather then not to increaſe your ſtore of it, heerein be ye like to worldlings that whatſoeuer riches they hauehave, yet thinke they hauehave nothing. Be ye like to the horſleaches his daughters. Crie ye alwaies, giu…, giuegive, Prou. 30. 15.neither be ſatisfied: neuer ſay it is enough. Let none of you be grieued that I hauehave left you nothing of my inheritance in Kent, neither of my lands ſince, that I purchaſed in Suffolke, as alſo in Eſſex, all being now gone, and the price thereof ſpent: not riotouſly or otherwiſe lewdly, but by other meanes. I confeſſe I hauehave ſpent the more for the gracing of my Miniſtrie, and the prouoking of others to bounty, and by ſo graceing my Miniſtrie to win the more vntounto God. What other things hauehave bin the meanes of my preſent pouertie, as alſo of the baſe account that my ſelfe and ye are in by that meanes, though I neede not be aſhamed to relate, yet for other reaſons I ſpare to ſpeake. I might perhaps hauehave left you ſomewhat if I had bin more frugall for the things of this life. Notwithſtanding although ſome doe make great ſhew of great pouertie by their bare apparrell, hard fare, leane cheekes, and borrowing heere and there, without any neceſſitie in reſpect of any great charge of children, and yet in the end doe make purchaſe vponupon purchaſe, yet for my part I hate all ſuch baſenes of mind, as diſgracefull not onelyonly to the Miniſtry, but alſo to Chriſtianitie, as being that filthy lucer that is1 Tim 3. 3. Tit. 1. 7. Prou 1 19. & 11. 24. &. 18. 27 1. Tim. 6. 10. in ſpeciall manner forbidden all Miniſters of the Goſpell, whereof notwithſtanding there is no profit to any in the end: and whereby alſo ſome that are in want indeed being thought to be ſuch, and to hauehave aboundance are much preiudiced, and altogether neglected: yea whereby likewiſe ſuch ſecret rich men themſelues liue in miſery, and want as well that that they hauehave, as that that they hauehave not. Be not therefore grieued (ô my children) that I cannot giuegive you any earthly portions. Though I may ſay with Naomi, I hauehave bin full, and now (euen in mine old age) I Ruth. 1. 21.am emptie, yet mnrmure not, that I hauehave bin no better huſband for you, and that ye hauehave ſo poore a father in earth, but herein reioyce that ye hauehave a rich Father in heauen, andLuk. 12. 21. that your ſelues are rich toward him who alſo giueth (vsus) all richly all things to enioy: and who hath ſo written your 1. Tim. 6. 17. Luk. 10. 20. Reu. 3 5. Iam 1 27. Iude. 23.names in heauen in his book of life as that they ſhal not be blotted out &c. In this aſſurance keepe your ſelues vnſpotted of the world: and hate the very garment that is ſpotted of the fleſh. Though it ſhould ſo fall out, that ye ſhould liue in the midſt of a crooked and peruerſe generation, yet be ye Phil. 2 15.blameleſſe and harmles children of God, and ſhine ye as lights in the world that ſo ye may ſhine in heauen as the Starrs; yea,Dan. 12. 3. Mat. 13. 43. as the Sunne in the firmament. Thinke no ſcorne to be perſecuted for righteouſnes, neither to be reuiled &c. For Chriſt Mat. 5. 11. 12.ſake: but reioyce; yea count it all ioy: for herein is yourIam. 1. 2. bleſſednes, and your faith ſo tried and purged as gold in the fire, Shall be found to your praiſe, honor, and glory at the appearing 1. Pet. 1. 6. 7.of Ieſus Chriſt: and in the meane time the Spirit of chap. 4. 13. 14.glory euen of God himſelfe ſhall reſt vponupon you. This ſpirit beareth witnes to your ſpirits, that as ye are here pertaker of the ſuffering of Chriſt, ſo the time ſhall come when ye ſhall be alſo glorified with him, when himſelfe ſhall appeare, ye Rom. 8. 17. Col. …. 4. 2. Tim. 2. 7.ſhall alſo appeare with him in glory. Conſider what I ſay, and the Lord giuegive you vnderſtanding in all things. Be not diſcouraged by any ſufferings from that that is good; but rather be ye incoraged ſo to ſuffer, that ye may grow in grace, and 2. Pet. 3. 18.in the knowledge of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. what ſhall I ſay more vntounto you my louing children. Be faithfull vntounto the Reu. 2. 10.death, and Chriſt ſhall giuegive vntounto you the Crowne of life. Keepe the profeſſion of your hope (againſt all oppoſition there vntounto) without wauering. He is faithfull that hath promiſed. Heb. 10. 23. 24.Conſider one another to prouoke vntounto louelove and vntounto good workes. Though in body ye be ſcattered one from another, yet in ſpirit hold communion one with another. Comfort one another, helpe one another that ye may ſtrengthen one another in the Lord. Edifie one another in your moſt holy Iude. 20.faith; praying in the holy Ghoſt: eueryevery one for himſelfe; and one for another. So keepe your ſelues and one another in the louelove of God that ye may the better looke for the mercy of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt to eternall life: that ſo by this my laſt Will and Teſtament to you, ye may the better enioy all the legacies of the laſt Will and Teſtament of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. To conclude this my poſtſcript, Thoſe good Philip. 4. 9.things which ye hauehave learned, and receiued, and heard, and ſeene in me, doe ye: and the God of peace ſhall be with you. whatſoeuerRom. 7. 17. Ioh. 3. 11. euill ye hauehave ſeene me to do through the ſinne that dwelleth in me, that do not ye. Follow not that which is euill, 1. Theſſ. 5. 23.in me or in any other, but that which is good. The very God of peace ſanctifie you wholy; and keepe your whole spirit ſoule and body harmeles vntounto the comming of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, whom in all humilitie and earneſtnes of prayer, I ordaine ſole executor of this my laſt Will and Teſtament, for the makeing good and performance of euerie thing therein bequeathed by me vntounto you, and to eueryevery one of you, and to all yours. In witnes whereof, I hauehave written this my ſaid laſt Will and Teſtament with mine owne hand, and thereunto hauehave ſet the ſeale of my heart, the 22. day of Auguſt, and in the yeare before mentioned.
By me your louing Father whiles I liue. THOMAS STOVGHTON.
Errata.
Pag. 18. lin. 19. after Chriſt. reade. this condemneth. l. 26. for ſeruu…s. …. ſerum. p. 19. l. 16. for better. r. the better. p. 24. 3, ceaſſing, r. crazing, pag. 27. margen, for imperunt. r. fixerunt. p, 58. l. 32, for and, r. or. p. 67, l. 26. for defacing, r, defaming. p. 70, l. 12, for to theſe, r. of theſe. p. 88. l. 35, for ſuch as are, r. ſuch are. p. 112. l. 2, for being themſelues, r. in themſelues, p, 114, l, 25. for him, r. them. p. 117, l. 17, after not, r. only. p, 185, l, for amatoris, r amatoribus, l, 12, for ſtudiam, r, ſtudium. p, 121, l, 32, for wit, r, will. p, 127, l, 20, after to be, r, ſo dead. p, 129, l, 8, for deuided, r. deriued. p. 206. l, 10, for more … before p. 221. l. 21. for can brag it. r. can buy it. p. 222. l 23 for and to. r. and may. p. 231. l. 25. after downe r. with zeale p. 236. l. 1. after are r. not. p. 240. 11. after commanding reade him.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Stoughton, The Christians Sacrifice Better than all the Legal Sacrifices of Jews (1622)