The Mighty Christ the Saints Help, Title page – Dedication
THE MIGHTY CHRIST THE Saints Help: OR, A cleer Diſcovery of the MIGHTINESSE and Excellency of CHRIST in all things of, and concerning him: from the firſt Promiſe of him, to his laſt Appearing, and Kingdome. With Application thereof to the ſeverall States and Conditions of Men.
BEING The Subſtance of ſeverall Sermons, preached at Northwalſham in Norfolk, upon PSAL. 89.19. I have laid Help on One that is MIGHTY.
By RICHARD BREVITER, M. A. a poor Labourer in Chriſts Vineyard.
Commended by divers Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt in LONDON.
Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed Garments from Bozrah? this that is Glorious in his Apparel, traveling in the Greatneſſe of his ſtrength? I that ſpeak in Righteouſneſſe, Mighty to ſave, Iſa: 63.1.
LONDON: Printed by M. S. for Henry Cripps, at the firſt Shop in Popeſ-head-Alley next to Lombard-ſtreet. 1662.
TO ALL The FRIENDS, and ENEMIES of our LORD JESƲS CHRIST, eſpecially in England, Scotland, and Ireland.
FOR Chriſts, and your ſake, this plain Treatiſe (which about two years ſince was compoſed for a more private uſe) is now by the importunity of divers of the LORDS Servants, held forth to publick view. And though a ſenſe of my own weakneſſe, and great unworthineſſe might have deterred me from this undertaking; yet the excellency, weightineſs, and ſuitableneſſe of the Subject to your preſent conditions (which will I hope make way in your hearts for its entertainment,) hath encouraged me to preſent it to your conſiderations.
Its chief deſign and aime is to lift up the SON OF MAN, who both in his Perſon, Merit, Spirit, Ordinances, and Servants, is (by more than ordinary unbelief, profaneſſe, ſuperſtition, perſecution, and abounding of all ſorts of iniquity) ſo greatly deſpiſed and rejected of men; yea (to the great reproach of Chriſtianity) of thoſe that in words profeſſe to magnifie him above all.
How it will be accepted, and of what benefit it will be to you, who as yet are his ENEMIES in your minds by wicked works, (Col. 1.21.) I know not. This I can ſay, in all the Reproofs, Cautions, Counſels, and Exhortations, I have had it in my heart, earneſtly to deſire to be inſtrumentall to deliver ſome of your ſouls at leaſt, from periſhing in your diſobedience and rebellion againſt CHRIST: For though you ſay peace and ſafety, while you walk in the imaginations of your own hearts; yet great is the danger that you are in, through your provoking this MIGHTY ONE against you. How eaſily, and ſuddenly can He break you with his rod of Iron, and daſh you in pieces like a Potters Veſſel? (as Pſalm. 2.) And what though through his patience and long-ſuffering, you ſhould walk many years in the wayes of your hearts, and in the ſight of your eyes; yet know, you muſt at laſt, (and how ſoon, you cannot tell,) appear before the Judgement Seat of this Mighty One, that you may receive the things done in your bodies, according to what you have done, whether it be good or bad, (2 Cor. 5.10.) And what account will you then be able to give to him of all your pride, covetouſneſs, and ſome of you of your curſing, ſwearing, deceit, drunkenneſs, malitiouſneſſe, uncleanneſſe, contempt of his Ordinances, perſecution of his Servants, and other high and horrid wickedneſſes, ſcarce to be paralelled among the worſt of Heathens. O fear and tremble before the true and living GOD against whom you have ſinned; trust not in your power, policy, friends, honours, eſtates, and ſuch like worldly enjoyments, which will not profit, nor help at all in the great day of the wrath of the Lamb, (Prov: 11.4.) I ſhall leave with you Luthers Caution to ſome in his dayes: viz: Take heed you be not found among thoſe roaring haughty Gentlemen, and Heaven-breakers, who do reſiſt the Holy Ghost, and Gods Word, and boaſt of their own ſtrength and ability.
And further, in the ſpirit of meekneſſe, love and pity, I beſeech you ſo to conſider and lay to heart the things that are here following written, touching the GREAT KING OF THE WHOLE EARTH, as to humble your ſelves under his Mighty hand, to truſt in his mighty name, and to be obedient to his holy will; that (your ſins and tranſgreſſions being blotted out,) you may in the end be made partakers of his Heavenly Kingdome and Glory. AMEN.
And You the FAITHFƲL, and precious ſervants of the LORD, eſpecially the leaſt, and weakeſt of the flock, who are fearing and ready to faint under the weight of preſent preſſures, and apprehenſion of future troubles; For your furtherance, and joy of faith in this Wilderneſs, I have ſet my ſelfe to demonſtrate the MIGHTINES, and ENGAGEMENT of CHRIST to HELP you in all Conditions.
And though I may truly ſay, I have not told you one halfe of the Greatneſs of his power, and wiſdome; yet, I hope, what is here in much weakneſs diſplayed before you, ſhall become mighty through God, in ſome meaſure to ſupport and comfort you in your ſeveral ſolitudes and ſufferings here below, ſuch being the portion here of all that will live Godly in Chriſt Jeſus, 2 Tim: 3.11. Acts 14.22.
Which that it may be, I entreat you not curſorily to reade, (as the manner of moſt is;) but ſeriouſly to weigh and carefully to hide in your hearts, the words of truth, contained in this Book.
And becauſe I would not detaine you from the peruſal of what followeth, I onelyonly, yet earneſtly beſeech you, by all the help you have received from Chriſt, by all the conſolation you have in him, and by all the hope you have of future Glory through him, that you give all diligence to walk more worthy of that grace wherein you ſtand, by being more ſerious, ſpiritual, humble, and holy in all manner of converſation; eſpecially now when you are made to eate the bitter fruits of former wantonneſs. Oh ſin no more, leſt worſe things come unto you. O love, and ſerve the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, not in word, and in tongue, (the common, and onelyonly ſacrifice of moſt that are called Chriſtians) but in deed, and in truth.
In a word, be very faithfull to him; make his work, your buſineſs; his commandements, your Rule; his life, your example; his SPIRIT, your HELP; his name, your refuge; and his glory, your end: And if you do theſe things, you ſhall never fall.
Now, what is here humbly offered for common good, may (by a bleſſing from on high) be of ſome uſe for the turning of the feet of ſome ſinners from the wayes of wickedneſs; and for the ſtrengthening the weak hands of ſome Saints in the work of righteouſneſs, to continue therein unto the end, to the Glory and praiſe of this MIGHTY ONE, the LORD JESUS CHRIST; is the prayer of
Your ſouls friend and ſervant, RICHARD BREVITER. From my Study in Norwich this 2d of the 4th MonethMonth June. 1662.