Forty-nine Sermons upon Colossians, Dedication 3
TO MONSIEUR, Monſieur BIGOT, LORD of LAHONVILLE, Counſellour of the KING in His Counſels, Intendant, and Controller General of the Gabels of France.
SIR,
AMONG the advantages, which the Reformation of the Church, embraced by our Fathers, in theſe latter ages, hath afforded us, we muſt, without doubt, aſcribe the preheminence, to the free uſe we have of the word of CHRIST; which He, of His abundant Grace, hath recovered for us. This Divine Taper, lighted up from Heaven, in the houſe of GOD, to ſhine unto His people, did remain hid a long time, under a Buſhel, (that I may expreſs it, Mat. 5.15.in the terms of the Goſpel) the negligence, and fraud of men withholding it in this ſhameful-ſtate. It is now ſet anew, on its Candleſtick, whence it diffuſeth every way, its enlivening, and ſaving light among us; and that in ſuch abundance, as we may truly ſay in this reſpect, the word of CHRIST dwelleth richly in us. Col. 3.6.It reigneth alone, in our aſſemblies, where its voice, and not any other, is continualy heard to reſound; the Fables, and Legends of men being altogether baniſhed thence. It is read there in a familiar language, which every one underſtands; whereas if it be read elſewhere, it's in a tongue, dead, and barbarous, and unknown to the people. It is explained among us, with all fidelity, ſincerity, and diligence, whereas amid the darkneſs of former ages, it was ſo unworthily treated by Preachers, that to conſider their Sermons, one would think, they had deſigned to make it openly ridiculous. I confeſs, thoſe perſons, that abide in the erroneous opinions of their Anceſtors, yet are ſomewhat aſhamed of this groſs, and prophane licentious practice of theirs; and they have reformed it after a ſort: Yet there remain, but too many defects among them ſtill, and this one in particular, that they explain, in publick, only ſome pieces, and (if it may be ſaid) ſhreads of Scripture, ſometimes taken from one book, ſometimes from another, never ſhewing their hearers any complete body. For it cannot be denied, but that this manner of handling the word of GOD, doth deprive the faithful of much edification; it being evident, that the view, and the conſidering, of an entire book, giveth us a great deal more of knowledge in it, and admiration at it, than the view of any part of it, alone, and taken off from the whole, can do. This fault is ſo much the leſs pardonable, in our adverſaries; for that, beſides reaſon, it croſſeth alſo the cuſtom, and authority of thoſe antient Doctors of the firſt ages of Chriſtianity, whoſe true ſons, and legitimate ſucceſſors, theſe Gentlemen, boaſt, they are. For it was frequent at that time, for Paſtors to expound in the Church, whole books of Scripture throughout, by Sermons continued on, upon the chain of the holy Text, from the beginning of a volume to the very end: that remainder, which we have, of the writings of thoſe days, doth clearly evince ſo much. There are extant ſtill, the Sermons of S. John Chryſoſtom, upon Geneſis, upon the Goſpels of S. Mathew, and S. John, upon the Acts of the Apoſtles, and upon all the fourteen Epiſtles of S. Paul; which were delivered by this great man, part of them in the Church of Antioch, and part, in the Church of Conſtantinople the greateſt, and moſt populous Churches of all the Eaſt. And among the Latines, we have the Tractates of S. Auguſtin, upon the whole Book of Pſalms, and upon the Goſpel of S. John, and upon His firſt Epiſtle, which were in like manner, made and delivered in the Aſſemblies of his people. An evident ſign, that about the beginning of the fifth Century, when theſe two excellent, and famous perſonages did flouriſh, this cuſtom was in repute among Chriſtians. Whether then, the thing be conſidered in its ſelf, or the ſuffrages of the Ancients be taken, it is manifeſt that our Fathers, and our ſelves, had all the reaſons in the world, to re-eſtabliſh this ſacred, and juſt uſage, in the Church.
Now Sir, this Book, which I addreſs unto you, is a fruit of it. For having undertaken, in conformity to this order, to expound, in our holy aſſemblies, the Divine Epiſtle of the Apoſtle S. Paul to the Coloſſians, and being come to the end of it, by the grace of our LORD, becauſe the whole work, could not be commodiouſly contracted into one volume only, I have divided it, into three parts; of which this here, is the ſecond. The Piety, which hath long flouriſhed in your Houſe, Sir, and the exquiſite knowledge, that GOD hath given you, of His truth, do induce me to believe, that this Books which wholy treats of His Divine myſteries, and nothing elſe, will not be unpleaſing to you. It's this hath given me the liberty, to put your name upon it: a Name, which diverſe excellent graces, wherewith GOD hath adorned, both your Family, and your Perſon, do render very dear, and very honourable, in our Church. I am ſorry, that this Preſent is no more worthy of it. But ſuch as it is, I do not deſpair, but it may obtain, from the dignity of its ſubject, and from the favour of your goodneſs, that acceptance, which it cannot pretend to upon any merit of its own. Pleaſe you then, to receive it, as a ſincere teſtimony of the reſpect, I bear your vertue, and of the grateful ſenſe I have of the friendſhip, wherewith you honour me: withal, as an inviolable pledge of the prayers, which I preſent unto GOD for your proſperity, and of the fervent affection, I have, to be, as long as I live.
Paris. Apri… 1. 1648. SIR, Your moſt humble, and moſt obedient Servant, DAILLE.