Mount Pisgah, To the author
To the Reverend Author.
SIR,
THis Paper cometh to you, with a deſign to beg a larger draught of that diſcourſe of yours, on 1 Theſ. 4.14. whereof in the other days converſe, you were pleaſed to give me a taſte; and to beg it not for my ſelf only, but a more common good; what more profitable Argument can you recommend to the World, than a diſcourſe about thoſe better things which are Reſerved in Heaven for us? You know better than I, that all true Wiſdome conſiſteth firſt in a fixed intention of the end; next, in a choiſe of apt meanes; laſtly, in diligent purſuit; our great End and ſcope is, or ſhould be, to be for ever with the Lord; which if men would more ſteadily fix and propound to themſelves, they would ſooner underſtand their way, for their End would ſhine to them all along their Courſe, and level and direct all their actions, yea, not only become a meaſure to them, but a motive to quicken them to ſeek what they hope for, with Induſtry, Vigilancy, and Self-denyal, and ſo caſt off thoſe many Impertinencies and Inconſiſtencies, with which we uſually ſill up our Converſations; and with all, the Labours, Sorrows, and difficulties of the way, would be the better overcome. Sir, what have we Miniſters to do, but to Convince people of the Truth and worth of things unſeen? We owe it to the inconſiderate part of the world; the far greateſt part of mankind is ſenſual and bruitiſh, and blind, and cannot ſee a-far off, therefore live as if they only came into the world to Eat, Drink, and Sleep, or to camber themſelves with much ſerving. That they may do well here, We cannot enough awaken theſe ſleepy Senſualiſts, that they may remember Home, and make earneſt and ſerious preparation for the World to come. We owe it to the Afflicted part of the World, whoſe true and proper ſolaces, and ſupports, are to be drawn from the Everlaſting Eſtate of the Bleſſed. Comfort one another with theſe words, ſaith your Apoſtle: Yea, we owe it to the better and more ſerious part of the World, who need continually to be warned to open the eye of Faith, and ſhut that of Senſe, to overlook things ſeen, which are Temporal, but to have always in the eye of their Faith and Hope things unſeen, which are Eternal and Glorious; how little would Temptations make Impreſſions upon us, could we learn to wink out both the Terribleneſs and Amiableneſs of the Creature? and how would all preſent things be leſſened in our opinion, eſtimation, and affection, had we once but the Eagle-eye of Faith, to look beyond the Miſts and Clouds of this lower and vain World, to that Bleſſed Eſtate above? Sir, Let your diſcourſe go Abroad, and try what it can do to the Cure of in Unbelieving and Inconſiderate World. I know what you Object, the many writings of this kind Extant; But neceſſary things muſt be often enforced, and every one hath his peculiar gift and way of Writing; which if it reliſh not with all, meeteth with an anſwerabl… …ſt in other Readers; and ſurely diſcourſes are moſt apt to edifie, which come from them who have a deeper ſenſe of the World to come than others have; and where is that to be preſumed to be, but in them who are in the very Confines of Eternity; where your Good Old Age, and late ſoar Sickneſs have placed you, and ſo given you a ſtronger ſenſe and clearer Proſpect of the things you write of: Sir, truſt it with Gods Bleſſing, and let the Church enjoy this increaſe of its Treaſure. I am,
Yours in all Chriſtian Obſervance, THOMAS MANTON.