The Life of Faith, Preface
THE PREFACE.
Reader,
1. IF it offend thee, that the Parts of this Treatiſe are ſo unlike, underſtand 1. That they are for various uſes: The firſt Part to make men willing, by awakening perſwaſions; and the reſt, to direct them in the exerciſes of Faith, who are firſt made willing. 2. That I write not to win thy praiſe of an artificial comely Structure; but to help ſouls to Holineſs and Heaven; and to theſe ends I labour to ſuit the means. 3. That the firſt Sermon was publiſhed long ago; and the Bookſeller deſiring me to give him ſome additions to it, I thought meet firſt to make up the exciting part in the ſame ſtyle, and then to add a Directory for the practice of judicious Believers.
2. And if it offend thee that the ſecond Part containeth but ſuch matter as I have already publiſhed, in my Reaſons of the Chriſtian Religion, underſtand 1. That I perceived that that Treatiſe was neglected by the more unlearned ſort of Chriſtians, as not deſcending enough to their capacities; and that it would be uſeful to the confirmation of their Faith, to draw forth ſome of the moſt obvious Arguments, in as plain a manner, and as briefly as I could, that length nor obſcurity might not deprive them of the benefit, who are too ſlothfull, or too dull, to make uſe of more copious and accurate diſcourſe. 2. And I knew not how to write a Treatiſe of the Uſes of Faith, which ſhould wholly leave out the Confirmations of Faith, without much reluctancy of my Reaſon.
3. And again, I ſay, I can bear the diſpraiſe of Repetition, if I may but further mens Faith and Salvation.
3. And if it offend thee that I am ſo dull in all the Directive part, I cannot well do both works at once, awaken the Affections, and accurately direct the mind for practice▪ Or at leaſt if I had ſpoken all thoſe Directions in a copious applicatory Sermon ſtyle, it would have ſwelled the Book to a very tedious coſtly volume: And Affection muſt not too much interpoſe, when the Judgment is about its proper work. And being done in the beginning, it may be the better ſpared afterward.
4. If it offend you that I open the Life of Faith in ſomewhat an unuſual manner, I anſwer for my ſelf, that if it be Methodical, true and apt for uſe, I do that which I intend: And on a ſubject ſo frequently and fully handled, it were but an injury to the Church, to ſay but the ſame which is ſaid already: Mr. John Ball, Mr. Ezekiel Culverwell, and Mr. Samuel Ward in a narrower room have done exceeding well upon this ſubject. If you have nothing more than they have ſaid, read their Books only, and let this alone.
5. If it offend you that the Directions are many of them difficult, and the ſtyle requireth a ſlow conſiderate Reader, I anſwer, the nature of the ſubject requireth it; and without voluminous tediouſneſs, it cannot be avoided. Blame therefore your unprepared ignorant minds; and while you are yet dull of hearing, and ſo make things hard to be uttered to your underſtanding, becauſe you have ſtill need of Milk, and cannot digeſt ſtrong meat: but muſt again be taught the principles of the oracles of God, (Heb. 5.11, 12, 13, 14.) think not to g…t knowledge without hard ſtudy, and patient learning, by hearing nothing but what you know already, or can underſtand by one haſty reading over; leſt you diſcover a conjunction of ſlothfulneſs with an ignorant and unhumbled mind: Or at leaſt, if you muſt learn at ſo cheap a rate, or elſe ſtick ſtill in your Milk and your Beginnings, be not offended if others outgo you, and think knowledge worthy of much greater diligence; and if leaving the principles we go on towards perfection, as long as we take them along with us, and make them the life of all that followeth, while we ſeem to leave them: And this we will do, if God permit, Heb. 6.1, 3.
R. B. Feb. 3. 1669.