Discourses of William Alleine, Title page – To the reader
SEVERAL DISCOURSES ON
The Unſearchable Riches of Chriſt.
The Knowledge of Chriſt Crucified.
The Authority and Efficacy of the word.
Working out our Salvation.
The Obſervation of the Chriſtian-Sabbath.
Chriſt's coming to Judge the World.
Being Some REMAINS OF WILLIAM ALLEIN, M. A. Sometime Miniſter of the Goſpel in Blanford.
Carefully copy'd from his own Notes, and publiſh'd at the Requeſt of his Hearers.
Remember them which had the rule over you, who have ſpoken to you the word of God; whoſe Faith follow, conſidering the end of their Converſation Heb. xiij.vij.
BRISTOL, Printed by Will. Bonny, for I. Allein at his Houſe in Briſtol. 1697.
TO THE READERS, Thoſe eſpecially, who once were Hearers of the late Mr. W. A. and now deſired this Service.
YOur juſtly Honoured-Teacher, tho' ceaſed from his Labours near Twenty Years ago, now once more ſpeaks to you ſome great things of the Goſpel, to the ſame ends as St. Peter wrote to his diſperſed Countrymen, 2 Pet. 1.12, 13. To ſtir you up by the way of Remembrance, and to eſtabliſh you in preſent Truth. The World is indeed full of Books and Preachers, yet ſeems to want more; or at leaſt that ſurviving Eliſha might receive a double Portion of Elija's Spirit: we are not allowed to wiſh that aſcended Elijah's might be ſent back to our dark impure World; Divine Wiſdom has choſen other ways to amend it, but the Mantle they dropt, we may take up to divide the Jordan in our way. I cannot tell (as perhaps you may) at what times theſe Sermons were delivered: it appears in ſome of them, they were in in the time of the Authors publick Miniſtry. Many yet remember what Excellent Piety, Learning Modeſty and Meekneſs, enrich'd and adorn'd him and his Doctrine; and have noted that when in his former Book (which himſelf deſigned for the P eſs, and to have added ſomewhat to it) he pleads more judiciouſly and ſtrenuouſl… for a dubious notion than most others did, yet makes no ſuch confident boast as they. Somewhere that notion occurs too in theſe Papers, which needs not offend any who are not of his mind in that. Many great Men of different Names in our Age, eſpouſe moſt t…at he argues for, viz. that a day a…d ſtate of the Chriſtian Church on Earth ſhall be, when the impure mouths of Blaſphemy now opened ſo wide againſt our bleſſed Lord Jeſus, his perfect Wiſdom ſacred Truth, omnipotent Grace, and vital Headſhip to his Body, ſhall be ſtopped, Satan the ſeducer being chain'd up, and the whole Myſtery of Godlineſs more clearly underſtood, more unanimouſly …elieved, and the purif…ing nature of divine Truth irreſiſtably demonſtrated in the holy lives, and loving Commerces of very numerous Converts to Chriſt. Now who can forbear to wiſh at leaſt this may prove true? To promote ſuch a Kingdom of Chriſt among Men as that in Rom 14.17. was the ſcope of the worthy Author's Life, Study, and Labours; as witneſs theſe broken Remains: he never deſign'd them for the Preſs, as appears by many abreviatures, and &c's. in his notes, even in alledging Texts of Scripture which I think the Tranſcriber ſhould have filled up, but hath not: a deſire to ſerve true Religion peaceably in his private Station, induced his conſent to the motion of thus reviving his Honoured Father's Memory. It coſt him not a little pains, tho' best acquainted with the Author's very ſmall Hand: What aſſiſtance I could give in comparing his Copy with the Originals, was due upon his requeſt; but after all our diligence, the work requires the Readers Candour, for we would not aſſume to correct the Atuhor's words, tho' here and there may be a Phraſe ungrateful to ſome Ears, till they read on, where our Author delivers his ſenſe as plain and ſound as needs be deſired. Once indeed I alter'd one Sentence, to give the meaning of it in terms inoffenſive; but when the ſame recurr'd, I choſe to late it p…ſs. Theſe Diſcourſes were choſe out of many, becauſe the notes of theſe were moſt legible: the tranſcript has often fail'd in one little word, viz. in putting ſo for ergo or therefore, which the Authour commonly wrote in a character like So: otherlike defects in the work claim excuſe by Common Law.
Many have writ well on theſe ſame Subjects; which as they can never be exhauſted, ſo muſt be alway… inculcated, that Men may grow in Grace, and in the Knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt. 2 Pet. 3. ult. It's not to be doubted but from a Man of God ſo well read in Holy Scripture, you'l receive what is worthy of your time and pains, and will never be diſreliſhed by any that love the Lord Jeſus in ſincerity, but pleaſant as bread eaten in Secret. He was a true, patient Labourer, and moſt ſuccesful Comforter of many dejected and wounded Spirits, by ſkilful, affectionate application of Goſpel-Cordials: a Man modeſtly zealous for Truth and Peace, and mightily was his Spirit and Converſation influenced by the pure, Heavenly Doctrine he believed and taught: Like Remains of two other excellent Allein's, Richard the geuvine Brother, and Joſeph the Kinſman of our Author, have been judged worthy of ſuch Publication. And we have later Examples of Printing the Notes of great Men, which in ſome parts are not more compleat than theſe. Impartial Readers will allow that this Author was Baptized into the ſame excellent Spirit as they.
In the Sixty third year of his Age he was called into hi… Lords reſt and joy, when he had newly cut out for himſelf fome painful work, wherein he hoped to do greater Service to the Church in divers places, as he had every where good acceptance: when his Friends told him they thought his Siskneſs would be unto death, he anſwered, well, I know no cauſe I have to be ſorry for that, for I know in whom I have believed, and am perſwaded he's able to keep that which I have committed to him againſt that day. As 2 Tim. 1.2. but it's ſome trouble to me, that during my day I have not more improv'd my Time and Talent as I might. Suitable Counſels he added to thoſe about him, to redeem the time, and haſten all the work of their Generation: and notwithſtanding his penitent Reflections, (as excellent Arch-Biſhop Uſher on his death bed, regretted his Sins of omiſſion.) the Lord was pleaſed to chear him in his laſt Conflicts, by raviſhing proſpects of Glory ſet before him, even Eternal Life, as the Gift of God through Jeſus Chriſt.
To ſupply what was lacking in his deſign'd Service, is one reaſon of publiſhing theſe imperfect Papers. Some that ſaw his amiable walking in all good Conſcience towards God and Man, will more reverence and love that Truth where…y he was ſanctified: the Faith and Footſteps of ſuch guides St. Paul bids us follow: and ſuch remains may put us in mind, that England's Churches once had burning and ſhining Lights. Survivors ſadly confeſs a greater ſcarcity of ſuch now, and may we not do well to enquire. 1. How and w…y t…is is come to paſs. 2. What are the preſent Conſequences of God's ſmiting ſo many Shepherds; ſuch as, ſcattering the litle Flocks, growth of Ignorance, Error, Impiety, Ruins of Temple work, many diſorders and diſtractions in the deſtitute Churches, &c. 3. What muſt be the Cure. Its time to enquire. For do we not ſee want of more able Miniſters of the New Teſtament, not of the Letter, but of the Spirit? 2 Cor. 3.6. wiſe and faithful builders of God's Houſe: How weak are many ſhoulders on whom ſo great work is laid, forcing an out-cry for a richer anointing with the Spirit of Grace, i. e. of Love, Wiſdom, Humility, Zeal, Self-denial, Heavenlineſs, which they had ſeen on others. If this depart, ſo much of our true Glory departs. It cannot go well in Churches without fi…ed Paſtors after God's own Heart, entirely caring and watching for Souls, feeding t…em with knowledge and underſtanding in the great Myſteries of Godlineſs. Jer. 3.15. ſuch was our Author known: not mint & aniſe filled his T…oughts, but the weighty things of Natural and Reveal'd Religion: if he dwelt more than ſome do, on ſublimer Doctrines of Faith, the Texts here treated are his Warrant, together with Col. 1.24. to 29.—2.1, 2, 3. Nor did he treat them in a way of bold, or curious ſpeculation, but as leading to Chriſtian Practice: upon the great things of the Goſpel muſt Chriſtians live, if ev…r they go further in Religion than a fruitleſs Form: It's in wrong to Chriſt and his Church, if any Preachers do not jointly declare theſe with the moral Rules of good living: I cannot ſee that Law and Goſpel were ſet as variance in the Miniſtry of Chriſt and his Apoſtles: Nor that the Honour of Chriſtianity can be preſerv'd or its ends attain'd without tutoring his Diſciples, great and ſmall, both in Principles of Chriſtian Doctrine, touching the glorious Perſon, Offices, Fulneſs and Benefits of Chriſt t eir only Head, Lord and Saviour, and touching ſubjection to his Soveraign Wiſdom in his Laws. They muſt be under the Law to Chriſt, 1 Cor. 9.21. and that in vertue of his own Grace, 1 Cor. 15.10. what kind of Evangiliſts muſt they be, that think the great diſcoverys of the Goſpel, whereby the world was Chriſtianiz'd, are of little uſe in Preaching now? Our Author was better taught as the Truth is in Jeſus, and finiſhed his Courſe, fighting the good fight, and keeping the Faith once delivered to the Saints: holding faſt the Doctrine according to Godlineſs, till of his beloved Maſter he obtain'd the Crown of Righteouſneſs: would to God that a like love to Divine Truth might prompt many others profeſſing to embrace it, to meditate and conſult ſpeedily how t…ey may beſt eſtabliſh and propagate it. It's not wit…out a Providence that of late we hear of ſo many ſudden deaths of able, uſeful Miniſters; and may it not prove a preſage of other Calamitees to ſurprize us. It's t…y ſpiritual Profiting, Reader, that this work aims at: and now look to thy ſelf, that thou receive not this Grace of God in vain. T e Unſearchable Ric…es of Chriſt are ſurely the better part, and being timely choſen and purſued, may be thine: chuſe and inherit them, ſtudy to know him, whom to know is Life Eternal. Improve that Miniſtry and word of Grace to day, which is ſtill the Power of God to Salvation to them that believe, and enjoying this with other Helps, work out thy Salvation with Fear and Trembling, and God for Chriſt's ſake will work in thee both to will and to do: So ſhalt thou be counted worthy to ſtand before the Son of Man, when he ſhall appear in Glory to doom this whole World to its Eternal State. This is the Intent and Call of this Eſſay: may the Lord of the Harveſt ſo bleſs it. Amen.