Believers Mortification of Sin, Title page – To the reader
BELIEVERS Mortification. Of SIN by the SPIRIT: OR, GOSPEL-HOLINESS Advanced by the Power of the Holy Ghoſt on the hearts of the Faithful. Whereunto is added the Authors Three laſt Sermons, on Gen. 3.15. By the Learned and Pious Mr. Alexander Carmichael, formerly of Scotland, and late Preacher of the Goſpel in London. Publiſhed by his own Copy.
LONDON, Printed for Dorman Newman, at the Kings-Arms in the Poultrey. 1677.
To the Chriſtian Reader; eſpecially the Godly and Reverend Allies and Acquaintance of Mr. C. deceaſed.
Dear Sirs,
T This little Poſthume (left very fairly Tranſcribed, yet not intended for the Preſs) humbly begs your Patronage, ſhall I ſay, or rather peruſal; When our Friends are gone down to the Chambers of Darkneſs, we are then apt highly to value their Pictures, when we cannot enjoy their Perſons. And why then may not theſe Papers find grace in your Eyes: for in them you will find worthy Mr. C's very Picture drawn to the life? Here, Sirs, you have the genuine off-ſpring of thoſe two great burning, ſhining Lights of yours, Knox and Gillaſpy, exactly Lim'd out by his own Pencil (Sic occulos, ſic ille manus, ſic ora ferebat. Whoever intimately knew the Original, will eaſily conclude theſe to be the Copy, the real Tranſcript both of his Brain and Life; the moſt Lovely pourtrait both of judicious Learning, and mortified Converſation. As to the Work, it needs neither Buſh nor Paint: Let it be but ſeriouſly perus'd by a perſon really vers'd in that great and Heavenly (though now horribly neglected) Work of Mortification, and it will certainly be priz'd at no little Rate. As to the truly Worthy Author himſelf; It had been impoſſible for me ſo far to have curb'd in my Zeal, as not to have attempted at leaſt a diſplay of thoſe many and great Excellencies, which with ſo much modeſty and humility he endeavour'd to conceal from the World; but that his dying breath fixt a Lock upon my lips, and utterly denied me the liberty of being but juſt in his Commendation. Only this he left as his grand Depoſitum with me, to be faithfully declared by me, That he died with very great peace of Conſcience, with full ſatisfaction of Soul, in thoſe wayes of God wherein he had walked, and wherein he died: in particular, That God as a gracious Father had abundantly made good to him that faithful Promiſe, Matth. 19.29. Mark 10.30. Thus for him that's gone before. As for that fleſh of his fleſh, and the fruit of his Loins: as for that Ruth and Gerſhom that he hath left behind him, I queſtion not, but ſo long as the Saints among you continue to bear your old Name Philadelphia (ſo the old Puritans of England have us'd to ſtile you) you will not, you cannot forget to ſhew kindneſs to Mephiboſheth for Jonathan's ſake. No more but the Pſalmiſts prayer for every one of the faithful Brethren in the whole Church and Nation, Pſalm 122., 6, to the end: with his Amen, Amen, Who is,
Your real Brother and Companion in the Kingdom and Patience of Jeſus Chriſt, Tho. Lye.