The Necessity and Advantage of an Early Victory Over Satan, Title page – Preface
THE NECESSITY and ADVANTAGE OF AN Early Victory over Satan: WITH Some RULES for the obtaining of it.
IN A SERMON PREACHED TO An AUDITORY in London
By T. CRUSO.
Exod. 22.29.
Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits—
LONDON: Printed for Thomas Cockerill, and H. Bernard, at the Three Legs, and the Bible, in the Poultrey. 1693.
THE PREFACE.
THE general unsuccessfulness of our Publick Ministry, hath been a great while the just and sad Complaint of those that labour in the Word, and look after the Fruit of that labour; And all sorts of Persons do yet give too much Cause, yea, more Cause than hath been formerly given, for the renewing of this Complaint. Various Applications have been made to various Ranks are Orders of Men, but still they have had the same issue, as in the Propheet's time;Jer. 5.4, 5. The poor know not the way of the Lord, and those of greater quality, have broken the Yoke also: Both wretchedly averse to the receiving of Instruction. Age and Youth have likewise had their Portions of seasonable Counsel, but the desir'd Effect is not hitherto seen; they that are but newly enter'd into the World, and they that are manifestly going out of it, still joyning hand in hand, and drawing Iniquity together with cords of Vanity.
In this mournful case, any serious Person might very well be stirr'd up to consider, what Endeavours are to be further used, and upon what Subjects they are most likely to make some Impression: And because it hath been sometimes observed, That God by his Spirit takes hold of young ones, when the Gray-headed Sinners are left to the ways of their own-hearts, (as the Parents of the Man born blind, unthankfully denied Christ before the Pharisees,John 9.20.21. but their Son confest him boldly) it may afford a little the more Encouragement to continue dealing with them especially. Besides, as they need to be Men of Eminent skill, who engage in the cure of inveterate Diseases, when one of inferior Abilities, may adventure upon a Wound that is fresh; so it may seem a more proper task for him that willingly takes the lowest place among the Children of the House, to attempt the reducing of vain Prodigals, that are wasting the dew of their Youth in the Service of Sin, than to perswade those to a return, who are full of days, and of wickedness at once.
It is not altogether improbable, that Men may be somewhat the easier to be intreated by one of their own Rank; the Apostle intimates thus much, when he says,1 Pet. 5.1. The Elders which are among you, I exhort, who am also an Elder; and if by the like Argument, I might recommend the folloming Discourse to the better Acceptance of Junior Readers, I shall reckon my self bound to thank God always, upon every remembrance of its good Effects, that he put such a Design into my heart, and enabled me in any measure to a performance of it. I am sure, That I cannot be reasonably suspected of serving the ends of Vain-glory by it, and therefore shall not here raise such a suspicion by making the least Apology for its plainness; for that I have sincerely studied, as far more likely to affect the heart, and be attended with a Divine Blessing, than the most pleasant and artificial sound of words.
It ought not to be conceal'd (if it could be) that many-excellent and valuable Authors, have with vastly more advantage, as well as in much larger Treatises, written to the same purpose; and I freely acknowledge, that I should think my Pains in this very well bestowed, if it did but help to revive the serious perusual of some of them, which having been published some time since, may be now perhaps forgotten, or too much neglected. He that comes after all these, hath great Examples to follow, which I am very conscious of doing afar off; but I know, That God makes use of several Instruments and Means in his own Work; and many times those, who are under the least Temptaion of taking his Glory (if he prosper them) to themselves; for he hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty; page missing Cor. 1.27.and it is possible to him, to make a poor Lamp in an earthen Pitcher, page missingdges 7.20.as fatal to the Devil's Kingdom, as things of that kind once were to the Host of Midian. And therefore in humble Hope of God's effectual Workings by it, I send it forth into the World, earnestly beseeching him, who is the Fountain of Light and Grace, that it may be unprofitable to none that read it, that it may be in a particular manner useful to those that heard it, and sollicited this Publication.
T. C. May 29. 1693.