Thirteen Sermons, Title page – To the reader
THIRTEEN SERMONS UPON Several Uſeful Subjects.
Two of them Being Funeral Diſcourſes, occaſioned by the Death of the Reverend Mr. Nathanael Mitchel, Miniſter of the Goſpel.
I. The Crown of Righteouſneſs, and for whom prepared. Ʋpon 1 Tim. 4.7.1. 2 Serm.
II. The Influence of God upon getting wealth. Ʋpon Deut. 8.18. 1 Serm.
III. The ſmall influence that abundance hath upon mans life. Ʋpon Luke 12.15. 1 Serm.
IV. The nature of that Teſtimony, which Chriſtians are bound to give to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Ʋpon 2 Tim. 1.8. 4 Serm.
V. The nature of Perſecution for Righteouſneſs ſake, and the bleſſedneſs of thoſe ſo perſecuted. Ʋpon Matth. 5.10. 3 Serm.
VI. The Riddle of a perſecuted Believers life. Ʋpon 2 Cor. 4.9. 1 Serm.
VII. How Perſecution turneth to Believers, for a Teſtimony. From Luke 21.13. 1 Serm.
By John Collinges, D. D.
LONDON, Printed by T. S. for Edward Giles, Bookſeller in Norwich, near the Market place. And ſold at the Phoenix in St. Pauls Church-yard. 1684.
To my Dear Siſter, Mrs. Mary Mitchel.
Deareſt Siſter,
WHen I compoſed the following Diſcourſes, it was in the ſame ſtreights of time which uſually are allowed for Meditations of that nature, nor did I ever think of a further Publication, then to thoſe that heard me, nor do I ſee any thing in them worthy of a more publick remark, unleſs the great Preſident of Divine Grace, which it pleaſed God to ſhew you in the Man of your Boſom, by the Power of which Grace, he was ſaved in a Battle, wherein few eſcape. I know not what particular fancy it is that ſome Perſons have to Sermons made upon Funeral Occaſions, that hath obtained of me the Copy of theſe Notes. I hope it is their deſires of many remembrances of their latter end, which we have all ſufficient need of. Our Prophets are gone, Our Fathers, where are they? When once I had agreed the Publication of them, I needed no deliberation to whom I ſhould inſcribe them. You Dear Siſter! had the greateſt ſhare in him, to whoſe memory they were deſigned, you had the neareſt view of his Converſation, for more then twenty years, you were the greateſt ſharer in his long trial of affliction. Theſe things conſidered, with my Relation to you, made me quickly determine that thing. I ſhall think my labour not loſt in tranſcribing theſe Papers, if any thing in them, as well as the Example of your late dear Husband may incourage you, or be any ways helpful to you, in fighting the good fight, and finiſhing your courſe. The decays we find in our ſelves, the deaths of our Friends, the dayly Bells we hear telling us that ſuch or ſuch Perſons (our Neighbours) are removed to their long homes, mind us of our mortality. Our Bones are not of Braſs, nor our Sinews of Iron, which yet if they were, both the one and the other we ſee are daily diminiſhing, by the influence of the ill air, in which we breath. Our very breath is no ſuch inheritance as doth not corrupt, and fade away. Our deareſt Friends that are diſſolved, have only got the ſtart of us, we are in the ſame race, and muſt ſtop at the ſame poſt. Death is the End of all. It is more then forty years that he who was the common Father both to you and me, left this world. Some of whoſe laſt words to me were, Dear Child! Learn to die, Fear God, and keep his Commandments, ſo ſhalt thou learn to die. We have been ſince that more then forty years at School in the world, to learn (amongſt others) this one great thing to Die. We have had many Friends, many dear Relations ſince that time, who have by their dying Examples, been ſpeaking over the ſame thing to us: Learn to die. This diſcourſe is of that tendency to learn us this great Leſſon; That the Lord would bleſs it to my ſelf, to you, to all that ſhall read it, is the Prayer of
Your moſt Affectionate Brother, John Collinges.
TO THE Chriſtian Reader.
Reader,
THou haſt here put together Thirteen Sermons, of very heterogeneous Subjects. I deſire thou ſhouldſt underſtand that the Compoſition pleaſed the Bookſeller, not the Author, who upon that account hath nothing to ſay to thee, but that he hopes there is none of theſe diſcourſes, but may be uſeful to any Perſons. He that is Rich, had need know, and remember, That it is the Lord that giveth to man a power to get wealth. He that is Poor, had need not only to know that, but that a mans life lyeth not in the abundance of what any one poſſeſſeth. Both Rich and Poor had need underſtand how to finiſh their courſe, fight the good fight, and keep the faith. When men complain of Perſecution, they had need underſtand what it is, & when they ſpeak of giving Teſtimony to Chriſt and his Goſpel, they had need know what kind of Teſtimony that ſhould be, that they may not ſuffer in vain. Thou art Reader to expect nothing in theſe diſcourſes, but what was proper to diſcourſe to a plain Country Auditory, which came to hear out of love to Gods Word, and the truths in it revealed (at leaſt I hope ſo) not to hear a lovely Song of one that hath a pleaſant voice, and can play well on an inſtrument. If any thing in theſe diſcourſes may do thee good, I ſhall rejoice, and be exceeding glad, and that all in them may, ſhall be the hearty prayer of one that wiſheth well to every Soul, and is
Thy Friend, J. C.