Forty-nine Sermons upon Colossians, Title page 1 – Part 1
XLIX SERMONS Upon the Whole EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLE St. PAUL TO THE COLOSSIANS.
In Three Parts.
BY THAT FAMOUS MINISTER OF THE REFORMED CHURCH in PARIS, Mr. John Daille, Author of that Incomparable BOOK, Intituled, The RIGHT ƲSE of the FATHERS.
Tranſlated into Engliſh, by F.S.
LONDON, Printed by R. White, for Tho. Parkhurſt, and are to be ſold at his Shop at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapſide near Mercers Chappel. 1672.
To the HONOURABLE Sr. Will. Courtenay, Of Pouderham Caſtle, in the County of Devon, Baronet.
SIR,
THE Divine Epiſtle of S. Paul to the Coloſsians was not to reſt in their hands; but by his expreſs order, to be communicated unto the neighbouring Laodiceans; as we read, in the Epiſtle it ſelf towards the end. It would therefore ſeem a little congruous, that theſe Sermons, which expound it, do undergoe a like diſpoſal; and not confined to the French, to whom they were originally Preached, be imparted to the neighbouring Engliſh.
The Author of them was He whom, his Auditors at Charenton did frequently call, for the beauty, and richneſs of his Diſcourſes, the Silver-tongue Daille; Readers here have applauded, and do eſteem highly, for his Apologie, and that exquiſite Treatiſe of the uſe of the Fathers; both which have for ſome years, ſpoke our Language; The learned all abroad do know him, and value him for divers other excellent labours. He ſignalized himſelf, both at the Preſs, and in the Pulpit: and GOD was pleaſed, to crown him, in His ſervice, with the glory of a vigorous, and venerable old age.
I confeſs, I was none of the meeteſt to repreſent this Work of his, and communicate it, as I do: nor did I deſign it at the entrance. But a private exerciſe receiving ſome encouragement, grew up, and comes at length into a publication. Neither am I without hope; but that the known Engliſh civility for ſtrangers, will be ſhewed Mr. Daille; though his Interpreter be no more, then he is.
Yea, while that Reverend man interpreteth here a great Apoſtle; and preſſeth as he doth, ſolid religiouſneſs towards GOD, Loyal Subjection to Princes, and Superiours; Peace, and Love, and every Vertue among men; I would promiſe him Chriſtian attention, and conſideration; a calm and generous enduring of little diſcrepancies, if any occurr; and all the reſpect, that befits a Miniſter of CHRIST.
Now, Sir, I deem it not improper, to put into Your hand, a piece, which had its Original in France; when I reflect upon the illuſtriouſneſs of Your Anceſtry ſometime there. I cannot but mind in particular, how the Family was engraffed into the Royal Houſe it ſelf; Peter a Son of Louis le Gros, eſpouſing the Inheretrix, a Name, and Arms of Courtenay; ſo becoming the ſtock, whence thoſe Noble afterbranches iſſued, which did ſpread forth on this, and on that ſide of the Sea.
But the Dominion, and Empire of GOD is equally over all the Kinreds, and Kingdoms of the World; and unto Him, every one's greateſt, and neareſt relation. I tender therefore the preſent Volume, chiefly, as ſpent upon the illuſtrating, and enforcement of His holy mind and will: and do beſeech You, to accept the gratitude, which it is tendred withall.
That every Divine bleſſing may deſcend, and reſt upon Your Perſon, and Affairs, Your Vertuous Honourable Lady, and all thoſe ſweet Branches about Your Table, is the earneſt, and inceſſant Prayer of
SIR, Your Obliged, and Affectionately devoted Servant. F. S.
TO MONSIEUR, Monſieur du Candal, LORD of FONTINAILLE, Counſellour and Secritary of the KING, Houſe, and Crown of France.
SIR,
I Preſent You theſe Sermons; believing, I owe this acknowledgement, not only to the Friendſhip, wherewith you honour me: but much more to the edification, and good offices, the Church where I preached them, receiveth now a long time from your piety. For beſides the fair example, which your life giveth us, a life full of vertue, and honour; always conſtant, and equal in the profeſſion, and holy Exerciſes of the truth of the Goſpel: there hath been preſented no occaſion of doing ſervice to the people of GOD, either in the one, or in the other of their times, but you have embraced with zeal, and managed with prudence.
So likewiſe we ſee, that the Good and Merciful LORD, you ſerve, hath crowned your obedience with the benedictions of His Grace. For in the inequality of ſeaſons, and the diverſity of affairs, He hath ſtill rendred You acceptable, both to thoſe within, and even to them without. And, which is the principal, He hath preſerved His Covenant in your houſe, that neither the vanity of the world, nor the ſcandal of the time, hath been able to make any of the breaches there, which we ſee with grief in other families. To eſtabliſh this pretious heritage of piety in your blood, His Providence hath added to it, by alliance, perſons excellent in knowledge, and in merit, in whoſe linage you daily ſee your own life renew, and flowriſh afreſh. It is true, Sir, you have alſo had your trials; as no true believers are exempted from them. But thoſe which GOD hath diſpenſed to you, have been ſo tempered with his goodneſs, as I believe you may truly ſay, that in this more, than in any other paſſage of Your life, He hath made ſhine forth the marveils of His grace towards You. Such was, ſome years ago, the bitter, but bleſſed and happy death, of the late Sir Your eldeſt Son, taken away untimely, and in the prime flower, and vigor of His age. This was without doubt a very dolorous ſtroke, which cut down in a moment the ſweeteſt of your hopes, plucking from your embraces, a Son as love-worthy, as he was loved; and whoſe deſerving, to ſay all in a few words, was no leſs, than the dignity of a Senator, to which he was already arrived, in the chief of the Parliaments of this Kingdom. But how ſenſible ſoever His death was unto you, it was notwithſtanding accompanied with grace of GOD ſo viſible and raviſhing, as I fear not to refreſh Your memory of it; well knowing, it is no leſs dear, and pretious to You for the piety, and the high, and truly Chriſtian conſtancy, He ſhewed, in thoſe laſt, and happy moments of His life; than troubleſom, and bitter, for the mourning, and ſadneſs, which it left on Your whole Houſe. As ſoon as His malady appeared to be, what indeed it was, He looked on Death without diſturbance; He prepared Himſelf for it, with great courage; and His air, his eyes, and all His diſcourſes, were full of reſolution, and contentment. He comforted us all; and amid the tenderneſs, and reſentments of ſuch a ſeparation, never expreſſed ought of feebleneſs. And though He left on earth, of the deareſt and ſweeteſt, one may here poſſeſs or deſire; yet He quitted it, not only without regret, but even with joy; ſo firm was the hope, or to ſay better, ſo clear and aſſured the ſight, which the LORD JESUS then gave Him, of the bliſſes, and delights, to which He called him. He remained in this graceful, and holy diſpoſition, even to His laſt breath, with a ſpirit clear, and a ſoul calm, ſpeaking to us of His approaching happineſs; and of the preſent grace of His LORD; with ſo much efficacy, as it ſtopped Your tears, and in ſuch manner forced the reſentments of your grief, that how juſt ſoever they were, You had nevertheleſs a ſecret ſhame, to make them appear in the preſence, and on the occaſion of ſo vertuous a perſon; as if Laments, and Plaints ſhould have in ſome ſort offended His piety, and diſhonored the victory of his faith. The ſame GOD, that looſed Him ſo miraculouſly from earth, to raiſe him up to heaven, granted You to ſupport the affection of His departure, with a patience worthy Your vocation. After ſo rude a blow, He hath yet ſuſtained You; and conducted You to an honourable old age, that few perſons do attain. And now I doubt not, but Your principal conſolation, and the agitations of the preſent world, and the infirmities of this age, is the aſſured hope you have, of arriving alſo one day at the port of that bleſſed immortality, where, contrary to the ordinary courſe of nature, You have ſeen this dear Son enter before You.
If in the holy exerciſes of Piety, by which You daily prepare You for it, the reading of theſe Sermons may find place, and be of any uſe for Your conſolation; I ſhall therein have extream ſatisfaction: at leaſt I can well aſſure You, it is one of my moſt ardent deſires; who pray GOD, to preſerve you, with all your Family, in perfect proſperity, and remain inviolably,
From Paris April. 1. 1648. SIR, Your moſt humble, and moſt obedient Servant, DAILLE.
Imprimatur.
Tho. Tomkins. Ex. AEd. Lambeth. May 15. 1671.