The Triumph of a True Christian Described, Title page – Dedication
THE TRIVMPH OF A TRVE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED: OR, AN EXPLICATION OF THE EIGHT CHAPTER OF THE EPISTLE of Saint Paul to the Romans, wherein the ſanctified ſinners heauen vponupon earth is layed open, with explication of the comfort of it to as many as are ſo qualified.
Deliuered in ſundrie Sermons by Edward Elton, Bachelour in Diuinitie, and Preacher of Gods word at Saint Mary Magdalens Barmondſey neare London.
And now by him publiſhed, intending the good and ſauing comfort of eueryevery true beleeuing ſoule that ſhall pleaſe to reade it.
ISAI. 35.10.
The redeemed of the Lord ſhall returne and come to Zion with praiſe, and euerlaſting ioy ſhall be vponupon their heads: they ſhall obtaine ioy and gladneſſe, and ſorrow and mourning ſhall flie away.
LONDON, Printed by Richard Field for Robert Mylburne and are to be ſold at the great South doore of Pauls. 1623.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR Thomas Grymes Knight: grace, merciemercy, and comfort in Christ Ieſus be multiplyed.
RIght Worſhipfull, I am not ignorant of it that many learned and worthy ſeruants of God, both ancient and moderne, forreigne and domeſticall, hauehave before me handled this ſweet and comfortable 8. Chapter of the Epiſtle written by the bleſſed Apoſtle Paul to the ancient famous Church of Rome, and hauehave vnfolded the ſweetneſſe of it moſt excellently and moſt diuinely, and from thence hauehave diſcouered the true Chriſtians heauen vponupon earth: and there was ſmall reaſon for me after ſuch bright ſhining lights to ſet vp my dimme candle, yet conſidering with my ſelfe that God may be glorified in all mens gifts, and the glorie of his goodneſſe and wiſedome may ſhine forth in the varietie of them, and that a different manner of handling the ſame portion of holy Scripture, it being ſound and orthodoxall, may be vſefull for the Church of God, the ſame truth being ſometimes more readily conueyed to the minds of ſome men, and better reliſhed of them by ſome mens handling then by others: and withall eſteeming an vnprofitable life to be an vncomfortable life, becauſe the Lord Ieſus will aſſuredly call all his ſeruants who hauehave receiued any talent from him to an account,Mat. 25.19.20. &c. and none muſt hide his talent in a napkin, I hauehave bene moued vponupon the earneſt intreatie of ſome in mine owne charge, and others not a few, once againe to aduenture my ſelfe vponupon the open ſtage, and to offer my poore and ſlender paines taken in my particular charge to the view of the world. It is well knowne to as many as do well know me, that I hauehave bene for a long time withheld by the good hand of God vnderunder more then ordinarie weakneſſe and ſickneſſe of body, & that neare to death, from the publicke exerciſe of the worke of my miniſterie; and now ſince it hath pleaſed God of his rich mercy and vnſpeakable goodneſſe to bring me to it againe, by reſtoring me in ſome meaſure to my former health and ſtrength, (for which mercy I cannot be ſufficiently thankfull to his holy and bleſſed Maieſtie) I deſire as the ſame good God ſhall be pleaſed to giuegive abilitie, to redeeme the time, & not to let ſlip any opportunitie offered of doing what good I can within the compaſſe of my calling. My other weake & ſlender labours formerly publiſhed, hauehave found kinde acceptance and entertainment at the hands of many: and of this preſent worke I hauehave the more reaſon to conceiue a cōfortable hope that it will not be diſregarded or neglected, becauſe of the excellency and ſweetneſſe of the matter therein handled.Auſtuſtine de Sanctis Ser. 26. What Epiſtle of Paul (ſaith an ancient Diuine) is not ſweeter then honie? And by cō mon conſent of all, this eight Chapter of this Epiſtle to the Romans, is as the hony combe, moſt full of heauenly ſweetneſſe & ſoule comfort: it ſetting forth that one thing neceſſary to the comfortable ſtate of a Chriſtian,Luk. …0.42. yea abſolutely needfull, in reſpect of which all other things are but accidents & retainers. For the truth is, our conceits and apprehenſions of comfort are but dreames, till we attaine ſome true feeling of Gods louelove to vsus in Chriſt Ieſus powred and ſhed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghoſt giuen vntounto vsus:Rom. 5.5. that once gained, it fils our hearts with ioy vnſpeakable & glorious,1. Pet. 1.8. Rom. 8.37. and it makes vsus more then conquerours, triumphing both ouer the corruption that reſteth within vsus, and alſo ouer the ſorrowes, euils, and moſt bitter afflictions that are brought vponupon vsus, and which we meete withall in this vale of miſerie, and ouer all thoſe enemies that oppoſe our comfort here and our happineſſe hereafter. And where find we this ground of comfort more plainly and pithily deciphered then in this Chapter? I confeſſe that the forme of this my work on this Chapter is rude and vnworthy the view of the learned: and if Readers find not that loftineſſe of ſtyle that is ſutable to the excellencie of the matter, I intreate them to conſider that the things here put downe were deliuered in a popular auditorie, where care was had to vtter high & heauenly things, in plaine, eaſie, & familiar termes, I holding it better to ſpeak fiue words to edification,1. Cor. 14.19. thē a thouſand to vaine oſtentation. And now right Worſhipfull and worthy Sir, I finding my ſelfe deeply intereſſed in your vndeſerued louelove and fauour many wayes, and by many reall euidences expreſſed both to me and mine; yea your tried good affection towards me altogether vnworthie of it, hauing bene extended and reached out in the ſweet fruites of it to thoſe that belong to my charge, for which we are neuer able to make requitall; but our good God remember it in goodneſſe;Nehem. 5.19. my deſire hath bene to take any opportunitie offered to ſhew my thankfull acknowledgement of your more then ordinarie fauour and labour of louelove ſhewed towards me,Hebr. 6.10. and to giuegive ſome reall teſtification of my thankfulneſſe. I therefore out of my poore meaſure and penurie, here offer and preſent vntounto you what I am able, much better then it is I wiſh it were, ſome fruite of a thankfull mind, praying your fauourable acceptance of the ſame, and humbly crauing that what I now tender vntounto you, may through your hands paſſe into the world: and if theſe my poore trauels may finde good acceptance with you, and patronage from you, I ſhall hold it and that iuſtly, no ſmall addition to your former kindneſſe towards me: and the God of heauen, whoſe glorie I chiefly ayme at in them, be pleaſed to bleſſe them for the ſpirituall good and ſauing comfort of your ſelfe, and of all that ſhall vouchſafe to peruſe them with care to profit by them. Now the very God of peace ſanctifie you throughout,1. Theſſ. 5.23. and I pray alſo that your whole ſpirit, ſoule, and bodie, may be kept blameleſſe vntounto the comming of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt: to whom eueryevery where, but eſpecially in the Church, be praiſe for euer and euer. Amen.
Barmondſey neare London: May the 10. 1623. Your Worſhips to be commanded in the Lord Ieſus, Edward Elton.