Sermons Concerning Grace and Temptations, Title page – To the reader
SERMONS Concerning GRACE AND Temptations. BY THAT Reverend and Eminent Preacher, Mr. THOMAS FROYSEL, Late Miniſter of the Goſpel at CLƲNNE in the County of SALOP.
JOHN 5. 35. He was a burning and a ſhining light—
LONDON: Printed for Tho. Parkhurſt at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapſide near Mercers-Chappel, and at the Bible on London-Bridg. 1678.
Licenſed and Entred according to Order.
TO THE READER.
Good Reader,
IT will ſuffice that I ſuggeſt unto thee theſe Two things on this occaſion.
I. That the Author of theſe enſuing Sermons was a Great man for Worth in his Generation. Great for true Holineſs both in Heart and Life. Though a perſon of a pleaſant converſation, yet made great conſcience of touching the leaſt ſin. He had a truly tender Conſcience, and withall led a moſt blameleſs life. 2. He was great in Parts, both natural and acquired; a River of Eloquence did always flow from him, and that without any affectation. He had concocted the ſubſtance of School-Divinity, and made it uſeful for his Miniſtry. He was a good Textuary, and well acquainted with the Learned Languages. He had the command of Philoſophy, and other Juvenile Learning, even in his Old Age, and made a ſober and ſweet uſe of them in his Miniſtration. 3. He was great in his Accompliſhments. Of a ſweet and ſociable temper; ever cheerful, unleſs clouded with the fears of Gods Diſpleaſure: Of a gentile and obliging humour, fit to converſe with the Greateſt, and yet ready to reſolve the Caſes, and comfort the hearts of the Meaneſt. No man at once more Heavenly and yet Humble: It was as rare a thing to hear him ſpeak ill of any man, as it was to hear any man ſpeak all of him. 4. He was great in his Labours, both in his Study, in his Family, and in the Pulpit. He dwelt in his Study, it was his Palace; his book and he ſeldom parted, except at meals, throughout the whole day, unleſs it were to lay out in his Maſters ſervice, what he had been laying in; (and ſo intent in it, that it was long before he did hear or heed ſuch as were ſent to call him down: And the matter of his ſtudies would ſo affect his heart, that he was frequently over-heard by his domeſticks to perfume his Garden with holy Ejaculations. And then in his Family, he was diligent and ſerious, having the Scriptures read, Pſalms ſung, and Prayers poured out every day, and preaching to his houſhold two or three times in the weel (except in Harveſt) for a long time. He frequented the publick Ordinances when he was able, & exacted a conſtant account of the proficience of his Children and Servants under the Means of Grace; and in particular, he ſeldom omitted a ſolemn Exhortation to them on Saturday Evening, the better to compoſe and prepare them for the Duties of the Lords-day. But he was Greateſt in the Pulpit; there his Grace and Gifts did ſhine, like a Star of the firſt Magnitude. He did really ſeem to his Hearers to come there like an Angel dropt from Heaven. His Eye, his Countenance, his Geſture proper to a Divine Orator. His Sermons compoſed of Learning and Piety, and delivered with ſuch natural fluency, and other gracious Accompliſhments, that his Elocution and Pronunciation did equally charm his Hearers; which he would frequently intermix with lively Apoſtrophes, ſometimes God, ſometimes to them that were before him, in a moſt effectual manner. His Genius did moſt naturally incline him to deal with ungodly men by way of ſweet reflexion and perſwaſion, yet upon occaſion he excelled in the penetrating and terrifying Hypocrites and obdurate ſinners, and his ſword was the keener by being dipt in oyl. 5. He was great in ſucceſs: many in London, and more in the Country, ſome alive, and ſome dead, that received their ſpiritual life, growth, and comfort from God by his Miniſtry. 6. Laſtly, He was great in his Afflictions and Tryals. He was reduced in his laſt years to a narrow livelihood; Being no Plodder for Riches, nor Complainer of Poverty; he had ſcarce whereon to live, much leſs wherewith to give to ſix Children which ſurviv'd him. And to add to this Tryal, falling from his Horſe not long before his Death, he brake his Leg, which proved a long and ſore affliction; which ſad ſeaſon Satan eſpying, fell upon him with his black Tentations, with which he endured many bitter Conflicts; and then he that had comforted many, had need of comfort himſelf; but Thanks be to God, who gave him the Victory through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, and releaſed him from his Warfare on Earth in the Sixty-third year of his life. The modeſty of his ſurviving Relations hinders you from a more particular Narrative of his Life, which was eminent and exemplary every way. When I have ſaid all, I ſpeak not in Complement, I do but darken his luſtre; He was a Man every way above my Commendation.
II. That theſe Sermons were exactly his own, being tranſcribed from his Notes with all poſſible care. Being Preach't in the Country, they were fitted for his Auditory, though you will find they might have gratified more diſcerning palates: You cannot expect them ſo exactly poliſht or methodiz'd as thoſe that came out of the *The Gale of Opportunity; and, The Beloved Diſciple.Authors own hand, but they may prove as profitable to the honeſt and good heart, who will have occaſion to give thanks to that Worthy Perſon by whoſe direction theſe are publiſht; and to beg of God to thruſt more ſuch Labourers into his Harveſt. In a word, though it be impoſſible to repreſent them to the eye with that peculiar advantage, wherewith he did it to the ear, yet the ſerious Reader will find herein that which will clear his Ʋnderſtanding, ſearch his Conſcience, inflame his Zeal, and ſettle his Comfort: which is the unfeined ſcope and deſire of
Thy Servant for Jeſus ſake, Richard Steele.