The Nature and Principles of Love, Title page – To the reader
THE NATURE AND PRINCIPLES OF LOVE, As the END of the Commandment.
Declared in ſome of the laſt Sermons OF Mr. Joſeph Caryl: With an Epiſtle prefixed by John Owen, D. D.
London, Printed, and are to be ſold by John Hancock, Senior and Junior, at the Sign of the Three Bibles in Popes-head-Alley in Cornhill. 1673.
THE EPISTLE TO THE READER.
Chriſtian Reader,
THeſe Sermons were preached by the Reverend Author of them a little while before his Entrance into Reſt. I cannot learn that the occaſions of them were extraordinary, or that he had any deſign in them beyond that which accompanied the ordinary courſe of his Miniſtry; muc… leſs a purpoſe to publiſh them, a… conceiving them either more uſeful or more needful, or more laboured than the reſt of his conſtant and frequent Exerciſes in the ſame kind. Neither did he leave any ſuch Copy of them as might be helpful towards ſuch an end. But they were taken from his mouth by the diligence of a Dexterous Hand, who at firſt deſigned nothing but his own uſe and edification by them; untill obſerving how ſoon after the preaching of them, God was pleaſed to call him off from his Painful Labour in his Vineyard, and ſo to cut ſhort all expectations of farther adminiſtrations of Truth and Grace, by the Truſt and Diſpenſation committed unto him; he reſolved to make them publick, for the good and benefits of others. And as herein he followed his own Inclination and Judgement; So if any thing be found in theſe Diſcourſes as to Phraſe of Speech, or manner of Expreſſion, not anſwering that Accuracy, which this Author was known to have uſed in all his Writings publiſhed by himſelf; he alone muſt bear the blame of it, from them who think ſuch defects blame worthy. Theſe things I could not but acquaint the Reader withal, that he may look for no more in theſe Sermons, but what he might have found in the Conſtant Miniſtry of the Reverend Author. But yet I muſt ſay, upon their peruſal, that take them under the Circumſtances mentioned, they give no ill or diſadvantageous Account of the Ordinary Labours and Endeavours of this Eminent Miniſter of the Goſpel. Thus did Mr. Caryl uſe to preach, ſometimes twice, ſometimes thrice in the Week, alwayes ſhewing himſelf a Workman that needed not to be aſhamed. And if I miſtake not; whoever ſhall conſider theſe Sermons with Sobriety, Candour and Judgement, as part of his Conſtant Labours, will readily acknowledge, what rich and excellent Talents he was entruſted with, and how the great Reputation which his Miniſtry had for ſo many years in the Church of God, was no way undeſerved. For my Acceſſion to this Work in a Prefatory Diſcourſe, it aroſe meerly from the importunity of the Publiſher and Bookſeller, as they both well know, and will acknowledge; wherein I ſee nothing my ſelf of uſe or advantage, but only that I may tender ſatisfaction to the Reader, that he is not Impoſed upon by any Spurious Offspring fathered on ſo great and worthy a Name. Somewhat alſo I was inclined unto a Compliance with their deſires, that I might make uſe of this Advantage a little, to declare, How I have been Treated by others in things of this Nature. Not long ſince came forth ſome Sermons of a Worthy Perſon now alſo at reſt with God, with an Epiſtle prefixed unto them, whereunto ſome Letters of my Name were ſubſcribed. This occaſioned a Perſon at that time (for I hope he is ſince grown wiſer) deſigning a Reputation in Buffoonry, to publiſh a Reviling Letter to me, or againſt me about that Epiſtle, which I wrote no more than he did himſelf; nor do believe had known to this day, either of Book or Epiſtle, had I not heard of it from him, and ſome other like minded with him. But he ſeemed to have had a deſign, towards whoſe accompliſhments, that practice was judged neceſſary. Lately alſo, the Importunate Solicitations of a Bookſeller prevailed with me to write a ſhort Epiſtle to an Engliſh Concordance which he had newly publiſhed; and no ſooner had I done it, but in the Catalogue of Books Printed the laſt Term, the Concordance it ſelf is Repreſented as Compleated, Finiſhed, and Publiſhed by me, who never added nor altered one word or ſyllable to it, nor in it. And having now thus far diverted from the preſent Occaſion, I ſhall crave leave of the Reader, to proceed a little further in an Account of one or two other Diſingenuities of the like kind, taken out from a numberleſs heap of impudent Untruths and Calumnies. Among thoſe many falſe and fierce Accuſations which one of Late hath ſtuffed his Scandalous Writings withal, there is none which ſeems more Accommodated to his purpoſe, than my Compoſing or Subſcribing a Paper publiſhed about the Year 1658. containing the propoſals and deſires of the Subſcribers with reſpect to publick affairs. This Paper the man lighting on, ſuppoſing he had obtained a mighty Advantage by finding the Letters of my Name, or my Name it ſelf ſet unto it, he rageth, and challengeth, and Triumpheth in ſomewhat a peculiar manner, though that be difficult for him to do. Yet all this while I have juſt reaſon to believe, that he knew the Paper was none of mine, that indeed I had no concernment in it; for as the things contained in it were directly contrary to my known and avowed Principles both then and now: So it was alwayes notoriouſly known, that it was another Perſon who without any forgery could uſe that Name, whoſe ſubſcription it was, as will be acknowledged by the ſurvivors of the Subſcribers. I confeſs when the Paper it ſelf was firſt brought to me (as it was by a Learned Perſon now in the Univerſity of Oxford) I expreſſed ſome Indignation againſt it; as ſuppoſing that I had been then dealt withal, as I have been of late, by putting my Name unto what I was no way concerned in. But quickly hearing that he who had ſubſcribed that Name, had right ſo to do; it being his own as well as mine, (though I find ſince alſo that there was in it, ſome intention to deceive) I gave neither him nor my ſelf any trouble about it. In like manner the ſame Author affirms, that ſome Perſons at their return from their Conqueſt at Ireland, were made Doctors at Oxford by J. O. whereas one of the Perſons mentioned, never came out of Ireland; and the other never came to Oxford after his return; but had indeed with another perſon that Ceremony of Reſpect ſhewed unto him ſometime before in that Univerſity, not by J. O. but by E. R. now Lord Biſhop of Norwich. But I crave the Readers pardon for this diverſion eſpecially, having turned aſide into a dirty Rode, wherein there is not any thing of Chriſtian Sobriety, or common Ingenuity from firſt to laſt to be found. Yet what Violences have been offered unto the Sacred Truths of the Goſpel in Important Articles of Faith, and other things ſcandalous to Chriſtian Religion, will in another way be called to an Account, as ſome of them have been already; whereunto a Return may be expected of raging and beſtial Calumnies, and no other. Here I ſhall not farther Indiſpoſe the Reader unto the ſerious peruſal and Improvement of the enſuing Spiritual Diſcourſes, wherein there is more Worth and Uſe, more that will turn unto a Refreſhing Account at the laſt day, than in a thouſand Clamorous Conteſts managed with Pride and Paſſion, what ever pretences they may be gilded withal.
That he who miniſtred this ſeed to the Sower, would multiply the ſeed ſown, and give it an Encreaſe in the fruits of Righteouſneſs among them that through his Providence ſhall be made partakers of it, is the Prayer of
Thy Servant in the Work of the Goſpel, John Owen.