The Excellency of the Protestant Faith, Title page – Preface
THE EXCELLENCY OF THE Proteſtant Faith, AS TO IT'S Objects and Supports. IN A SERMON Preached November 5th, 1689. By T. CRƲSO.
PSALM 18.31.
For who is God ſave the Lord? Or who is a Rock ſave our God?
LONDON, Printed by J. R. for Iohn Salusbury, at the Riſing Sun, near the Royal Exchange in Cornhil, 1689.
THE PREFACE.
THough the Judaical Obſervation of Times (ſuch as their Anniverſary Feaſts of the Paſſeover, Pentecoſt, Galat. 4.10.and Tabernacles were) be forbidden to the Goſpel-Church, and no Day (excepting the firſt of the Week) hath now any ſtated Holineſs in it more than another, yet an occaſional Commemoration of Judgments and Mercies upon thoſe Dayes, which God himſelf hath ſignalized; may be an uſeful means to faſten a durable Impreſſion of both upon us, as well as to tranſmit the moſt Effectual Notice of God's wonderful Works to following Ages. As it is not fit that we ſhould ceaſe to humble our ſelves under the Hand of God, ſo ſoon as any Calamity is removed, ſo on the other ſide, we ſhould not leave off to rejoyce in his Goodneſs, immediately after it hath paſs't before us. That which is done in one Generation,Pſal. 102.18. muſt be written for the Generation to come, and the People which ſhall be created, ſhall praiſe the Lord.
It is too evident, by the Infidelity which hath reign'd among us, that we in this Nation had forgotten the God of our Fathers, and worn out the ſenſe of former Deliverances; God's reſcuing of them heretofore out of a danger which they ſaw not, was little thought of for our own Encouragement, in the midſt of Dangers which we did ſee; the Mercy was almoſt buried in the Graves of thoſe who primarily receiv'd it; and though we ſtill ſhar'd in its happy Conſequences, yet it ſcarcely infus'd any more Life into our Faith, than if the remembrance of it had heen quite extinct. We look'd forward ſo much upon the Miſeries which we had in proſpect, that there were few,Pſal. 77.5. who look't back upon the days of old, or that conſider'd the years of Ancient times.
Notwithſtanding this, and other ſad Tokens which were upon us, of our great Unmindfulneſs of God, (who had been a Known and a Tryed Refuge) he was pleaſed very ſeaſonably now again to make bare his Arm in our own time, and to put a new Song into our Mouths, which contains in it more matter of thankful Admiration, than the former did; ſo that we ſeem to have the Portion of Jacob, Gen. 49.26.for our Bleſſings have prevailed above the Bleſſings of our Progenitors, and though our ſhameful degeneracy forbids us to think, that we are better than our Fathers (when indeed we are ſo notoriouſly worſe) yet we muſt ſay, that God hath appear'd more eminently for us, than he did for them. That which we have ſeen, exceeds what we have heard, and even in this caſe, the Younger Deliverance will claim a preheminence above the Elder. I ſpeak not this, as if one muſt therefore ſupplant, or blot out the memory of the other, for they both agree, and conſiſt very well together; and the ſame day having two ſuch remarkable Seals fixt upon it by Providence, it will ſurely be very Famous to all our Poſterities, as long as the Proteſtant Name endures in England, which I hope will be, as long as the World it ſelf remains. I doubt not, but that they who ſincerely value either of theſe, will triumph in them both; and therefore if there be any who ſecretly repine at this laſt, 'tis no uncharitable imagination to ſuppoſe, that they are really diſpleas'd with the firſt alſo; for the diſtance of Fourſcore and Three Years between them is not ſo conſiderable as the Affinity of their Nature.
I muſt add to obviate the Exceptions of Strangers or Enemies, that this Diſcourſe had never been made more publick, than it was firſt made by Preaching, if the Authors intentions could have ſtood againſt the deſires of the Hearers; and therefore the expoſing of it thus to common view, which was never framed with any ſuch deſign, muſt be laid at their door, and not at mine. If it might but fall into the hands of as favourable Readers, and be attended with a Bleſſing from Heaven in the peruſal, I ſhould however chearfully expect, that its numerous Imperfections would in Charity be overlookt, and the main Truths entertain'd with ſome good ſucceſs; they that neglect the Treaſure which is in Earthen Veſſels, 2 Cor. 4.7.and only look with a cenſorious Eye to the droſſy part, are really moſt injurious to themſelves, and will loſe the benefit of far better and more valuable Performances, than this, or any of mine can be.
I conclude with a ſpecial Requeſt to thoſe, who ſo earneſtly intreated this from me, that they would follow it with their Prayers to God, that it may go forth in his Name, and cloathed with a Divine Power, ſo as not to return void or empty to him that ſends it; and that my whole Service in the Miniſtry committed to me may be proſperous to thoſe that place themſelves under it, which will he the Glory and Joy of
The leaſt of God's Saints, and Unworthieſt of his Meſſengers, T. C. Novemb. 9. 1689