Three Sermons, Dedication 1
THREE SERMONS, VIZ.
The Waking Sleeper,
The Miniſteriall Husbandrie,
The Diſcouerie of the Heart.
Preached and publiſhed By SAM. CROOKE.
LONDON, Printed by William Stansby for Nathaniel Butter, and are to be ſold at his ſhop vnderunder Saint Auguſtines gate. 1615.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR IAMES LANCASTER Knight, my ſingular good friend.
SIR,
THeſe being the daies fortold by our bleſſed Sauiour, wherein men as in the daies of Noah & Lot, Luk. 17.26. &c.do eat & drink, buy and build, and plant, &c. vnmindfull of him, who is ready to come as a thief in the night, Reuel. 16.15.at what time he only ſhall be bleſſed, that watcheth & keepeth cloſe about him the wedding garmēts of faith and holines: J hauehave endeauoured in the opening and publiſhing of this part of holy truth, to awaken and ſtir vp my ſelfe and others, to prepare and wait for the cōming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
And becauſe this Scripture (framed rather for an Anatomy of the Church in her ſeuerall members, then, as ſome hauehave ſuppoſed, for an Hiſtorie of her generall eſtate according to periods of time) hath concluded al, euen the elect in part, vnderunder this common diſeaſe of ſpirituall drowzineſſe; whereby it may come to paſſe, that on the one ſide the Godly may be diſcouraged for their partaking with the wicked, and on the other ſide the wicked may be emboldned, becauſe they ſee Gods children charged with the ſame corruption, in which they feareleſly pleaſe themſelues: I hauehave therefore further intended to take forth the precious from the vile; Ier. 15.19.by distinguiſhing the waking Sleeper, that is, the weake humbled Chriſtian, who euen in ſleeping waketh, from the ſleeping waker, that is, the preſuming Hypocrite, who ſeeming to be awake, is faſt, yea dead aſleepe.
J hauehave made bold to offer this my poore labor to the light vnderunder the ſhadow and ſhelter of your worthy name.
Firſt, in regard of that light you hold forth of good example,Iam. 1.27. in the practiſe of that pure religion and vndefiled before God euen the Father, which approueth it ſelfe by your viſiting of ſo many fatherles and widowes in their affliction; a grace that infallibly accompanieth ſaluation, Heb. 6 9.& maketh you one of thoſe few who doe ſtop the mouth of Popiſh iniquitie, blaſpheming our doctrine, and ſlandering our Profeſſors as abhorring from good workes.
Secondly, in regard of many particular bonds and coards of louelove, whereby you hauehave tied me in thankefulneſſe vntounto your ſelfe; whereof therefore J am deſirous, there ſhould be extant this publike, and (if it may be) perpetuall acknowledgement.
And ſo, wiſhing that this may bee the beginning not of one, but of many good yeares vntounto you, vntill it ſhall pleaſe God to tranſlate you to dateleſſe and boundleſſe life, I commend you to his grace, who is not vnrighteous that he ſhould forget your worke and labour of louelove,Heb. 6.10. which you hauehave ſhewed to his Name, in that you hauehave ministred vntounto the Saints, and doe miniſter; and reſt.
Wrington Somerſ. Febr. 8. 1615. Your Worſhips in the Lord Ieſus, to be commanded, Sam. Crooke.