Gods Holy Mind Touching Matters Moral, To the reader – Tract 2
To the Christian Reader.
THere are two principall employments of a Christian man, Practise, and Prayer, which two ought to goe ioyntly hand in hand the one with the other, through the whole tenour of each mans life. For by the one is obedience exhibited to Gods will: by the other is helpe and aide craued and procured at Gods hands. Both our Prayer therefore ought to be accompanied with Practise, and our Practise to be seconded with Prayer. For the neglect of the one is a tempting of God; the neglect of the other is a presuming too much of our selues: Since that neither without our endeauour can any blessing of God be expected, nor any endeauour of ours without his blessing auaile ought. But such is mans misery since the fall of our first Parents, that naturally we faile much and come far short in the knowledge of either of these; neither of our selues well knowing what to doe, nor to aske; and therefore both doing that oft ignorantly that we ought not, and asking those things vnaduisedly, that are not fit to be asked. Now for the better reformation of our errours in either kind, it hath pleased God, of his gracious goodnesse, to afford vsus in his Word some speciall helpes and meanes of direction, as well for our practise as for our prayers. The maine direction that God hath giuen vsus for our Practise, is comprised in the Decalogue, or the Ten Commandements deliuered in Mount Sinay: the maine direction for our Prayers is contained in that forme of Prayer, which our Sauiour himselfe deliuered to his Disciples in the Gospell. But these both being but briefe Sums, consisting of generall Heads only, and the particular as well Actions as Necessities of mans Life being infinite; there needeth explication and vnfoulding of either for the due application thereof to such particular occurrents, as mens daily affaires & occasions minister matter of in either kind. To which purpose as many holy and learned men of God hauehave taken paines, and made publike their godly labours for the good of Gods Church; so this our reuerend and religious Brother, the Authour of this Worke, now at rest with God, hath not come behind any of them in his endeauours therin. Who, as he spent himselfe while he liued, in the Lords worke for the benefit of others, straining himselfe euen beyond that which the strength of his body would well beare, to instruct those whom God had committed vntounto his charge: so hee hath left heere to posteritie such a worthy Monument of this nature, as may afford plentifull light to those that are willing to make vse of it, for the directing as well of their suites as their liues. In commendation whereof I shall need to say little, because the Worke sufficiently commendeth it selfe. Only this I will say of it, that by that short view that I hauehave had libertie and leasure to take of it, it appeareth vntounto me both to be answerable to other the Authour his iudicious & religious labours already extant; and for perspicuity of Method, plenty of Matter, and multiplicity of Questions and Cases of Conscience resolued in it, to goe beyond any that I hauehave hitherto seene in this argument. And albeit difference of Iudgements may be about some particulars therein discussed, (which in so great variety is not to be maruailed) yet I doubt not but that the diligent Reader, that maketh conscience of his courses, shall heere find sound & sufficient ground as well to settle his Iudgement as to regulate his practise in an innumerable number of such questions and cases as the occurrents and occasions of his life may produce. The worke (it seemeth) was prepared by the Authour himselfe for the Presse, and printed also some part of it before his discease, and had it beene the Lords will, I should heartily wish, that hee had suruiued to hauehave seene the finishing and publishing of it himselfe. But the Lord hath prouided better for him, and putting an end to his Labours, hath translated him thither, where he enioyeth now the reward of them. In the way to which end if this worke of his shall further thee, (and it is thine owne fault if it doe not) giuegive the glory to God; and be thankefull to him, who hath afforded so plentiful light in these latter times vntounto vsus, ouer that which former ages hauehave had. To his gracious blessing (without which neither this nor ought else can auaile ought) commending thee, this worke, and thy perusall of it, I take leaue of thee, and rest
Thine in the Lord, Tho: Gataker.