The Oil of Gladness, Title page – Imprimatur
THE OYLE OF GLADNESSE. OR, Comfort for dejected ſinners. Firſt preached in the Pariſh Church of Banbury in certaine Sermons , And now publiſhed in this preſent Treatiſe. By WILLIAM WHATELY Miniſter there.
LONDON, Printed by G M. for George Edwards, and are to he ſold at his houſe in Greene-Arbour, at the ſigne of the Angell 1637.
To all wearied ſinners, all happineſſe here and hereafter bee granted, and this following Treatiſe be dedicated.
BEloved in our LORD. You know it was one part of Iohn Baptiſts office,Iſa. 40.4 & Luk. 3.5. to fill valleys, as was foretold of him. Valleys are dejected ſinners, filling the valleys, is, comforting of ſuch ſinners. This Worke is both neceſſary and difficult. For to what purpoſe is it to beate downe a ſinner, if he be not raiſed up againe? The demoliſhing of an old houſe doth not affoord habitation, if a new building be not ſet up in its roome: ſo neither doth the casting downe of mens high thoughts, make them a fit dwelling for God; if the faire pallace of ſpirituall comfort be not alſo erected in them. Our ſoules are not united to God in hearty love, nor ſubjected to him in ſincere obedience, by bare terrors: (nay, that bitter anguiſh, which floweth from the ſight of ſinne, and death deſerved by ſin, will rather increaſe our enmity against God, and irritate our rebellious nature, if it be not ſomewhat eaſed by hope.) It is the ſweetneſſe of God (the taſte whereof affordeth more content in him, then any thing could give, which would allure us from him) that makes the heart to cleave to him, and to his waies. Worldly buſineſſes, are better diſpatched, after Sunne-riſing, then at midnight; ſo men doe make beſt ſpeede in a journey, by day-light: ſo doth the journey of a godly converſation, and the whole work of righteouſneſſe, goe forward moſt proſperouſly, when the ſhining beames of ſpirituall gladneſſe, have inlightened the ſoule, as it were a quiet and light morning after a darke and tempeſtuous night. How hard a thing it is to quiet the troubled ſoule, they can beſt tell, that have beene moſt imployed in it. The divell oppoſeth the ſucceſſe of that labour with all his might, and craft; for hee findeth inexperience, that the Lord hath none ſo faithfull and valiant ſouldiers, in all his army as thoſe whom he hath first deepely wounded and after ſoundly healed. Terrors are the ſores of the very conſcience, the tenderest part of the whole ſoule, and therfore are not eaſily cured. Carnall reaſon, the falſe guide of man-kinde, doth alwaies follow ſence, which in this caſe, doth miniſter nothing but appearing arguments, of never bing comforted, and a world of labour it will prove to withdrawe a man from following this guide. The truth is, none can rebuke theſe waves and ſtormes, (ſaying to them peace and be ſtill, that a great calme may follow) but alone our Lord Ieſus Chriſt whom even the windes and the ſeas do obey. Yet the Prophet Iſaias telleth us,Iſa. 57.19 that God createth the fruit of the lips to be peace peace. Inſtructions, exhortations, directions, comfortable ſpee-& perſwaſions of the godly, cheefely the Miniſters of the Goſpell, that ſtand in Chriſts ſtead, theſe be the fruit of the lips, theſe are the meanes by which the Lord doth ſtabliſh the ſoules of his ſervants in aſſured quietneſſe at last. I have endeavoured to contribute ſomething, to the cheering up of ſpirituall weepers, in this Treatiſe. This I offer to you burdened ſoules; as for others, I know how little agreement ſuch foode holdeth with their pallates. But before you reade, what I have here written and publiſhed, take with you an advertiſement or two. The principall hinderances of comfort, are unfitneſſe for it, and averſeneſſe from it. Vnfitneſſe ſprings either from want of ſincerity, in ones not being ready to ſee and acknowledge ſome ſinne or ſinnes, which God would have him ſee, but he hangs backe: or elſe from want of humility in that a man doth not bring his heart, to ſtoope ſo low to Gods juſtice, as to yeeld himſelfe into his hand without murmuring or quarreling. Till God have wrought us to his own bent (as it were) in theſe two reſpects, there is no hope of cō fort; Make haste therfore to let the Lord have his will in theſe two points. Now averſeneſſe from comfort, is a kinde of ſpirituall pettiſhneſſe, or peeviſhneſſe (which was ſometimes in the Pſalmiſt,Pſal. 77.2. who ſaith, My ſoule refuſed comfort) which makes men love to ſtrive againſt their owne peace, taking great paines to thruſt comfort away from them, & giving over themſelves, either ſtill to renew the old or multiply new objections againſt themſelves, to ſtudy to have ſomething to ſay againſt all that may be alledged for them, never conſidering, nor obſerving how true and reaſonable the things are, which be ſpoken on their owne behalfe. The divell, (a great wranglex, that labours ſtill to darken truths of this kinde and not to cleere them) ſuggeſteth theſe cavils to the minde and the dazelling eye, is ready to fixe it ſelfe upon them, as if they were matters of ſome weight and arguments or anſwers of good force. Be warned to forbeare thus to abuſe your wits to your owne hurt. Study to be able to defend your ſelves, and to learne how to doe it. What madneſſe is it, to lay ones naked brest open to his enemies weapon? Reject not the conſolations of God, neither let them ſeeme ſmall unto you. Know your ſelves tyed in conſcience, as to humble, and to purge, ſo likewiſe to comfort your ſelves, without which the former is done in vaine, and the latter cannot be done at all. Be willing therefore to receive Gods goodneſſe, when it is made evident that you have intereſt thereunto. This is all I have to ſay in this Epiſtle. Now I leave you to the booke it ſelfe, beſeeching God to make you reade joy and gladneſſe, that your broken bones may rejoyce,April 20. 1637. and ſo wilreſt a well-wiſher to you all
WILLIAM WHATELY.
Perlegi hunc tractatum in quo nihilreperio quò minùs cum utilitate imprimatur.
THO: WEEKES. R. P.
Epiſc. Lond. Cap. Domest.