Commentary on Matthew 4:1-11, Title page – Dedication 2
A COMMENT ON The eleven first Verses of the fourth Chapter OF S. Matthew's Gospel, Concerning CHRISTS TEMPTATIONS.
DELIVERED In XII. SERMONS, at St. Clements Eastcheap, LONDON: By THO. FULLER, B. D. and Minister of Waltham-Abbey in ESSEX.
LONDON, Printed by Ia: Cottrel, for George Eversden, at the golden Ball in Aldersgate-street. 1652.
To the Right Honorable, and truely religious, The Lady ISABELLA, Countess of Northampton.
MADAM,
SOme, at the first sight, may much admire what IACOB meant,Gen. 53.11. in sending so mean a Present to so mighty a Person as Ioseph, the Governour of Egypt: A little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrhe, nuts, and almonds. For, as the quality of most of them was not costly, so their quantity (a little of either) was not considerable.
The same exception lies against my presenting this small Treatise to your Hohonour. Zoar, Is it not a little one? and the composure thereof so plain and homely, that it is not worthy the notice, much less the Patronage of your Ladiship.
But for Iacob, all is answered in three words: They were the BEST FRVITS of the land. Indeed, as Canaan was a Country plentiful with provisions for self-subsistence; so it was but barren of Barter with Forraign Lands; chiefly, because God intended it for an entire place in it self, and not to mingle either Merchandise or Manners with other Nations.
The same in effect I alleadge in mine own excuse, that this is the best expression of Thankfulness, that my present condition can afford; and my meanness is not capable in any other way to deserve the least of those many favors which your Honour hath conferred upon me.
And as Iacob sent so small a quantity of each kinde (not because he grutched greater proportion thereof, but) conceiving a greater bulk would rather be more wearisome to the Bearers, then welcome to the Receiver: I, in like manner, (who could have more, not better ware in this Work) to avoid tediousness, have purposely shortned the same.
And although your Honour shall not (as in Iacob's Present) finde Honey here, (which was never offered to God in any Sacrifice) I mean, though in this Treatise there be no luscious, & palate-pleasing Wit and Eloquence, yet I assure your Ladiship (if daigning to read it) that you will meet with Balm (and that of the best kinde, from Gilead) therein; the true comfort and consolation, which we may gather to our selves in all our Temptations, from Christs here triumphing over Satan in the wilderness. Be pleased therefore, Madam, favourably to accept the fruits of my weak endeavours.
But why speak I of the the fruits, whilst I remember a pleasant passage, acted by the simplicity of a poor Spaniard? When a Father of the Inquisition sent unto him for some Pears growing in his Hort-yard, poor man presently pluckt up the tree, fruit, root, and branch, and presented it unto him. What, sudden fright, and servile fear, to prevent danger, made him to over-do, in his willing unwilling compliance with that churlish and cruel Inquisitor; that, my real respect, and cordial gratitude, doth cheerfully perform, in my addresses to your Honor, one of the most civil of your Greatness, as Courtesie is the truest badge of ancient Nobility. I desire, that not onelyonly the leaves, buds, blossoms, green, ripe fruit I can bear, be presented to your Ladiship, but could wish that the whole tree were worthy of your Honours acceptance.
The good Lord of heaven croud all happiness on your Self and noble Lord in this life, and crown you both, with that hopeful posterity which in due time he may bestow upon you, with eternal happiness hereafter. The daily prayer of
Your Honours,in all Christian service, THO. FULLER.
To My constant AUDITORS AT St. CLEMENTS Eastcheap.
IT is spoken of Noah in the plural, (what is said in the singular of others) that he was perfect in his GENERATIONS; Acts 13.36.Gen. 6.9.because he lived in one generation before, and another after the Flood.
A Sermon preached, serveth but an Auditory; a Sermon printed, Auditories; and (if pious in it self) not onelyonly the present, but ensuing Age, may partake of the profit thereof.
It was the wish of Job, Oh that my words were printed in a book! meaning the ancient Printing, (opposite onelyonly to speaking) which is a Maiden, sole, and single, useful chiefly for the continuance of the Original: But had the Mystery of modern Printing, (opposed also to Writing) which is a Mother, fruitful with the propagation of many copies at once) been extant in his age, Job no doubt would have enlarged his wish thereunto, as not onelyonly the surest means to keep, but swiftest to communicate his minde and meaning to Posterity; the main motive, with me, to publish my present pains: hoping, in some degree, they may prove not unuseful to such as peruse them.
If any say, These are not the Sermons you preached unto us, because there is much contracted in the Press, of what you enlarged in the Pulpit; let them know, The Hand, when the fist is closed together, is the same with the same Hand, when the fingers were stretched forth, and palm thereof expanded.
Indeed Satan is justly taxed in this *Pag. 103Treatise, for curtailing Scripture, and leaving out words of consequence in his alleading thereof: But I cannot be justly censured, if omitting, inserting, transposing, altering, and chiefly abridging what I preached (making a Decoction of Sermons into a Comment, and therfore boiling them down to a fifth part) for, being mine own, I may order them as I am advised for my best conveniency.
Yet why call I them Mine, which formerly were God's, and yours, as now they are the whole world's? God's, by whose assistance they were composed, on whose Word grounded, at whose glory aimed. Yours, as first intended for your instruction, delivered to your attention, digested (I hope) by your meditation, and now published for your further edification.
To conclude: It is as generally as confidently reported of the ancient British (now the Welsh) Nation, that they never ran away in Battel, till their General or Leader first forsook them. Oh that we might demean our selves valiantly in our Christian warfare, until Christ, our Captain, desert us; which will never come to pass, seeing we have both his faithful promise of assistance, and cheerful precedent of his valour, foiling of Satan in this his remarkable combate. To the protection of which blessed Saviour, you are commended, by
Yours to his power, THO. FULLER.