The Way of the Spirit in Bringing Souls to Christ, Title page – To the reader
THE WAY OF THE SPIRIT In bringing SOULS TO CHRIST.
Set forth in X. SERMONS, ON JOHN 16.7, 8, 9, 10. And CHAP. 7.37.
By that able and faithful Servant of Jeſus Chriſt, Mr. Thomas Allen, late Paſtor of a Church in the City of Norwich.
London, Printed in the Year. 1676.
To the Reader
HAving a ſight of theſe Sermons before they went to the preſs, I thought fit to ſpeak ſomething of them, and ſomething of the Author.
1. As to theſe Sermons, The deſign of them is excellent. Firſt, they ſhew that the Holy Ghoſt in bringing Souls to Chriſt, doth firſt convince them of ſin, ſo making them to feel their need of Chriſt, working in them to hunger and thirſt after him, prize him above all, and count all things loſs and dung in compariſon of him. Secondly, In theſe Sermons is excellently ſet forth the fulneſs and righteouſneſs of the Lord Jeſus, whereby he is able to ſave to the uttermoſt all that come unto God by him. Thirdly, here is ſet forth how freely Chriſt admits ſinners to come unto him that they may have life, not ſtanding upon any merit or worthineſs in us, but only works our hearts to a ſenſe of our own vileneſs and unworthineſs, and by a ſecret work of his Spirit draws the humbled and convinced ſinner to take of the water of life freely.
Poſſibly ſome may meet with a few paſſages in ſome of theſe Sermons, that they may not clearly underſtand, Let ſuch conſider that theſe Notes were neither intended nor prepared by the Author for the Preſs, but taken in ſhort hand from the mouth of the Preacher, in which caſe there muſt be great allowance. Likewiſe ſome may think the Author did inculcate things too much, and was not ſo conciſe and ſententious as were to be deſired. In anſwer to that, I would ſay, that in my poor judgment I always looked upon it as one of the many excellent gifts of God beſtowed upon him, that he had a great dexterity in clearing and urging things with variety of expreſſions. As he was a heart Chriſtian, ſo he was a heart Preacher, and thoſe things that are to be wrought upon the hearts of the hearers are to be ſufficientey cleared to their underſtandings, and earneſtly ſet home to their Souls and Conſciences, though God can ſet in with a ſhort hint to convert a ſoul, and enlarge that with great light and power upon the hearer, that was not ſufficiently cleared and urged by the Preacher, yet truly 'tis an excellence in a Preacher to ſet forth the truths of God plainly and fully with power and authority in the name of Chriſt.
2. As to the Author of theſe Sermons, that burning and ſhining light Mr. Thomas Allen (now with Chriſt) I muſt needs ſay ſomething (having ſuch an opportunity) of the exceeding grace of God in him.
1. I will ſpeak of him as a Chriſtian. He was one that obtained mercy to fear the Lord from his youth, and ſoon grew up to ſueh a meaſure of grace as to be one of the higheſt form in Chriſts ſchool, he attained to be more than one of the children or young men in Chriſt, even to be one of the Fathers, one of the moſt grown and moſt experienced Chriſtians, full of Faith, and of the Holy Ghoſt. His heart was much awed with a holy reverence of God, he was a man of a tender conſcience, fearful to offend God, Chriſt was exceeding precious to him, he made him all his ſalvation, and all his deſire, he was full of holy zeal, valiant for the Truth, he had a heart for God, and a tongue for God upon all occaſions. In communicating to others neceſſities he was ſo free, that uſually he did beyond his eſtate, he was every way eminent in grace, adorning the Goſpel with a holy & fruitful converſaion.
2. As a Miniſter, he was very able and faithful, he was an excellent Preacher, plain and powerful in his doctrine, and though he was a learned man, yet he preached without all oſtentation, he did not confound his hearers with obſcure terms and fantaſtical expreſſions, but endeavoured to ſet forth the Truths of God in the moſt plain and convincing way to the conſciences of men. He preached not himſelf, but Chriſt, he was not deſirous of vain glory. In his preaching he was not in jeſt, playing with his Text and with the ſouls of men (as the manner of ſome is) but was in ſober ſadneſs and good earneſt to bring ſouls to Chriſt, and build them up in him. He was eminent in ſelf-denial, he made not the Miniſtry a trade to get mony, his deſign was not to make himſelf rich in the World, but to make others rich in grace. In thoſe places in which he laboured he might ſay with the Apoſtle that he ſought not theirs, but them, not their goods, but their good. It's no diſhonour to a Miniſter of Chriſt to live of a little, and to leave but little when he dyes: Proud, lordly, ſelf ſeeking, high living Miniſters no way ſuit the Goſpel of Chriſt; (which was firſt preached by a company of poor men, without any worldly ſplendor, who went through wonderful hardſhips and difficulties in fulfilling the Miniſtry which they received of the Lord Jeſus, 2 Cor. 6.4, 5. 2 Cor. 11, 23, 24, &c.) but are rather like the Merchants of Babylon, who grow rich and great with the abundance of her delicacies, Rev. 18.3.11.12
Another thing that I would mention of this worthy man was his marvellous condeſcenſion in private diſcourſes to his brethren in the Miniſtry, who were much inferiour to him in age and gifts, not ſtanding upon his own great worth, never exalting himſelf, but preferring them above himſelf, hearing their judgments in any matter with as great reverence and reſpect as if they had been his Superiors. Surely his humility was extraordinary, and a notable example to all that knew him.
As he was a Scribe inſtructed to the Kingdom of God in all points of the Doctrine of Religion, ſo he was expert in all Queſtions about Church-diſcipline above many; for which he had been much advantaged by living ſo long in New-England, and having there ſuch intimate acquaintance with thoſe famous men Mr. Bulkly, Mr. Hooker, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Shephard, and others there, who lived in his heart when they were dead, and he delighted to ſpeak, and to relate ſome remarkable paſſages of them.
One thing more I would take notice of in this man of God, he was full of compaſſion to thoſe that were under violent temptations, and terrors of Conſcience, and very judicious to direct them in the way to find reſt unto their ſouls.
Whil'ſt I commend this Servant of Jeſus Chriſt, let none be offended, as if I thought or ſpake of man above what is meet, I know indeed there is in theſe days a kind of man-worſhip, a crying up this man and the other, and having their perſons and preaching in admiration without cauſe, when in the mean while who almost cryeth up the Lord Jeſus, and maketh him all in all? Therefore let me be ſo underſtood in all that I have ſaid, that I mention theſe excellencies of this Servant of God not to cry up a piece of clay, but for the glory of Chriſt, who put all this treaſure into an earthen veſſel, and to quicken us that are alive and remain to follow ſuch an holy example and pattern as Chriſt hath ſhewn us in his grace beſtowed upon him.
To conclude, when we have conſidered the graces and excellencies of the Servants of Chriſt, we ſhould turn our eyes preſently to Chriſt himſelf to admire him, and prayſe him. He came from above, and is above all, greater than all both men and Angels, We hath a name above every name. The beſt Miniſters muſt decreaſe, go off the ſtage, and ly in the duſt: but he muſt increaſe, and be yet more glorious in the eyes of Angels and men. The beſt Miniſters are but under-ſhepherds to that good, great, chief Shepherd, and Biſhop of our ſouls. It is he that brings the many ſons to glory, he is the one Mediator, Saviour, Redeemer, and Head of the Church. Miniſters are but Stewards to this high Lord and King, Labourers for this Lord of the harveſt, Ʋnder-rowers to Chriſt the Maſter Pilot of the Ship of the Church. Bleſſed are thoſe Servants that are faithful to him our high and moſt excellent Lord Jeſus, our good Lord and Maſter, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Martin Fynch. Grimsby, Auguſt 26, 1674.