The True Dignity of Pauls Elder in the Life of Owen Stockton, Title page 1 – Dedication
foreign OR The true Dignity of St. Paul's ELDER, Exemplified in the LIFE Of that Reverend, Holy, Zealous, and Faithful Servant, and Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt Mr. Owen Stockton, M. A. Sometimes Fellow of Gonvile and Caius Colledge in Cambridge, and afterward Preacher of Gods Word at Colcheſter in Eſſex.
WITH A Collection of his Obſervations, Experiences and Evidences Recorded by his own hand.
To which is added his FUNERAL SERMON, By John Fairfax M. A. Sometimes Fellow of C. C. C. in C. and afterward Rector of Barking in Suffolk.
Heb. 11. 4.
—He being dead yet ſpeaketh.
London, Printed by H. H. for Tho. Parkhurſt at the Sign of the Bible and Three Crowns, at the lower end of Cheapſide, 1681.
To the Worthily Honoured, and Eminently Religious, the Lady Brook of Cockfield-Hall in Suffolk.
MADAM,
HAving no Foundation whereon to raiſe an Ambition of publick Notice, my Pen was never touched with the Itch of Writing. That this once I venture abroad, is to ſhew another, not my ſelf. I am under more than a common obligation to this pious Office, to pay due Honour to the dead; to build a Prophets Tomb, or erect a Pillar upon his Grave, that he may not be Buried in utter oblivion with men, who hath the promiſe of everlaſting remembrance with God. When worthy and deſirable perſons are removed out of ourſight, it is ſome ſatisfaction to have their Pictures before our eyes. This is the deſign of theſe ſheets. And had the Pencils Art born proportion to the Subjects worth, I had almoſt ſaid, here had been expreſſed as rare a piece in Grace as was Abſalom in Nature. But the defects to be complained of in the Face, and pardoned, are abundantly recompenſed with the true Portraicture of the inward Vitals, the very heart and Soul drawn to the Life by his own hand, that only could. Wherein if ſome ſhall ſay, they ſee nothing excellent, and ſhall deſpiſe, others, I doubt not, will be able to reply, as he in a like Caſe; If you ſaw with my eyes, you would commend. That this Dead is here propoſed to publick view is to gratifie the deſire, and to contribute to the inſtruction (that I ſay not the reproof) of the Living. Happy are many Souls who have enjoyed the Priviledge of the lively voice of this great Inſtrument of God. He is not to be numbred among thoſe of whom it is ſaid, Let them be ſilent in the Grave. Who then knoweth, but that being dead he may yet ſpeak effectually, whoſe Living Tongue was as choice Silver, and whoſe Lips fed many. The Spiritual workings of his heart, and Converſe of his Soul with God, was a ſecret between God and himſelf, wherewith a ſtranger did not intermeddle; which he no more than others in like Caſe had the freedom generally to Communicate. That God put it into his heart to Record it, is no improbable Argument, that God, as well as himſelf, intended its uſefulneſs not only to himſelf, but others alſo, when once Death ſhould give a liberty to the Secrets of his heart to be made manifeſt.
Madam, The great Reſpect and Honour which your Ladyſhip hath always Cordially had, and freely expreſſed to the Faithful Miniſters of Chriſt, hath at once both obliged and encouraged me to prefix your worthy Name to the Memorial of this deceaſed Prophet. Of whom I am not at all ſuſpicious leſt your Ladyſhip ſhould be aſhamed. He who hath been a more than ordinary burning and ſhining Light amidſt his Generation, and is now a Star of the greater Magnitude amidſt the Spirits of juſt men made perfect, can caſt no dark Reflections upon that true Honour your Ladyſhip obtains with all that know you; which in your own great Judgment is valued as it is of God, and not of men. I ſhall not wonder, if thoſe, who are ſtrangers to the Holy Spirit, ſhall find no delightful ſatisfaction in reading theſe Spiritual exerciſes and experiences; or who are Enemies, ſhall cenſure them as Phanatick fancies: which indeed can never be well underſtood without ſome meaſure of that Diviner Learning, whoſe method is Taſt and ſee. I have therefore choſen humbly to offer this to your Ladyſhip, who is of full Age, and by reaſon of uſe, have ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern both Good and Evil; in whoſe hands it will be ſecure and fear no Contempt. I have reaſon to believe, that in reading the practice of the Life and workings of the heart of this now Glorified Saint, your Ladyſhip reflecting on your ſelf will find cauſe to ſay, Face anſwereth to Face, and Heart to Heart. Which I hope may contribute ſomewhat to your joy, and Confidence before him who faſhioneth his Childrens hearts alike, in ſtamping the ſame his Image upon them all.
It hath pleaſed God in his holy and wiſe Providence to make your Ladyſhip an inſtance of many, and ſharp Trials, yet withal of much Grace, by the power whereof you have endured with moſt Chriſtian and Exemplary Faith and Patience. The laſt Enemy is yet before you, to be expected, and Encountred, which, conſidering your Ladyſhips years, ſeemeth to be approaching. But, behold, it is here preſented, as Diſarmed, and Conquered, and ſo leſs formidable. And I doubt not but your Ladyſhip liveth in the Comfortable proſpect of that Bleſſed day, when all your Conflicts ſhall be Crowned with Victory, and Triumph over Death, in Communion with the Prince of Life.
Madam, I have yet to add, that I have gladly taken this occaſion to make my publick acknowledgments, of the inviolable obligations which your Ladyſhip hath laid upon me by your ſingular Bounty, exerciſed as well to my Honoured Father now with God, as to my ſelf, in our ſtate of Deprivation. And here I muſt joyn with your Ladyſhip, your only ſurviving Daughter of the many hopeful Children, which God had graciouſly given your Ladyſhip, Madam Mary Brook, the true Heireſs of your Ladyſhips great Vertue and Grace. As my Pen cannot be ſilent, leſt ungrateful; ſo it dares not be fluent, leſt offenſive to that Liberality which would not have the left hand know what the right hand doth. I am bound to ſay, Bleſſed be ye of the Lord, who have not left off your kindneſs to the Living and to the Dead. That this may be fruit abounding to your account, an Odor of a ſweet ſmell, a Sacrifice acceptable, and well pleaſing to God, recompenſed at the Reſurrection of the Juſt; That your days may yet be multiplied, and the Conſolations of God be the ſupport and ſtrength of your Age; That the Bleſſings of the Everlaſting Covenant may deſcend, and remain to your Poſterity from Generation to Generation is, and ſhall be the Prayer of,
Madam, Barking Jun. 1681. Your Ladyſhips moſt Humble and bounden Servant and Orator, John Fairfax.