A Manual of Practical Divinity, Title page – Errata
A MANUALL OF Practical Divinity: For the Benefit of weak CHRISTIANS; the informing their Judgements, the quickning their Affections, and directing their Converſation. WITH Several Things that may be of uſe for the Convincing and Awakening thoſe that are yet in their natural Eſtate.
By MARTIN FYNCH, Paſtor of the Church of Chriſt at Tetney in Lincoln-ſhire.
LONDON, Printed by R. W. for Thomas Brewſter at the three Bibles near the Weſt end of Pauls, 1658.
To the READER.
I Publiſhed ſome years ſince a little Treatiſe, called Milk for Babes in Chriſt, which foundſome acceptance with ſome new born Babes in Chriſt, eſpecially in the Weſt Countrey; and thoſe parts (as I am informed) have taken off a great part of two Editions of that Book; and ſome there, to whom I am a ſtranger, do deſire I ſhould publiſh ſometing further; for whoſe ſake, with others, I have written theſe few ſheets, wherein there is ſome more Milk for Babes in Chriſt, and a little ſtronger Meat for thoſe that are more grown Chriſtians; but I can pretend to little of that: might I but feed any of Chriſts Lambs, it were much for ſuch a poor Creature as I am. What you have here is eſpecially for weak Chriſtians, whom ſometimes weak gifts may edifie: God doth not all by men of great parts, but uſeth alſo the weak things of the world, that no fleſh might glory in his preſence. Its God that makes our gifts to be accepted of the Saints, and uſefull to them, yea God makes the weak gifts of his ſervants ſometimes very acceptable and refreſhing to his people: what is wanting in our writings he can ſupply by the preſence and ſupply of his own Spirit in the reading of them. The wind bloweth where it liſteth, ſo doth Gods Spirit breath in whoſe books (as well as preaching) he pleaſeth, and more or leſs as it pleaſeth him; without which all our writings prove to others jejune and dry. One writes and another, one preacheth and another; thou knoweſt not which ſhall proſper, the ones labors or the others, or whether both ſhall be alike good; for all our works are in the hand of the Lord. The Aſſiſtance of Gods Spirit in writing or preaching, the ſpiritual Affections God giveth, the ſincerity, ſimplicity and humility of a mans own heart, and ſome faith that God giveth of his bleſsing, ſatisfie a mans own heart much in ſuch undertaking. Nothing becomes thoſe that the Lord makes any uſe of in theſe things, more then an unfeigned humility of heart, having no confidence in themſelves and performances, and a true dependance upon the Lord in all they do. Thoſe that cannot add one cubit to their own ſtature by all the Light and gifts they have without the gracious Influences and workings of the Spirit upon their hearts; what can their Light and Gifts help others (communicated by preaching or writing) without the concurrence of the ſame Spirit? What then are we, or any of our Labors, that we ſhould not ſay, We and they are nothing? And if God will accompany any of them with his bleſsing, its his free Grace. How eaſily can God blaſt all thoſe Sermons and Books that are preached and printed in the pride of a mans own heart? How often hath the Lord ſaid in ſuch caſes, there is ſo much ſelf there, I will not be there, and ſo the performance is loſt? We know Gods Spirit hath not ſo wrought in the preaching of the word for converſion of ſouls, as it hath done formerly. It may be reading of good books is not ſo bleſſed to mens ſouls neither as it hath been: few are converted, yet more preaching (through Mercy) amongſt us then ever: none will complain of too much preaching, though they do of too much printing. But what is the reaſon that ſo few are converted? Is not there excellent gifts for preaching, poſsibly excelling in ſome reſpect, the gifts and clearneſs of the light of former Ages? but yet there muſt be the Arm of the Lord revealed, the mighty drawing of the Father, without which, men cannot come to Chriſt. And it may be that before the Lord accompany the preaching of the word with much ſucceſs, the Lords Servants ſhall not only in a doctrinal way know that its God that giveth the Increaſe: but their hearts ſhall be ſo poſſeſt with the conſideration of it, that they ſhall lie more low before the Lord in their work, and cry mightily for the pouring down of the Spirit: But how many miſtaking theſe things will ſlight outward means, becauſe its Gods Spirit that maketh all ſuccesfull: this temptation hath not only taken with many groſly ignorant perſons, who hearing of Gods eternal Election, and of his diſtinguiſhing Grace throw up all outward means preſently, and in the ſullenneſs of their ſpirits ſay, There is no Hope; but alſo many profeſſors of Religion have withdrawn themſelves from a conſtant and conſcionable attendance upon the means of Grace. Therefore this I have obſerved that it is expedient, when ever we ſpeak to perſons of that neceſſary doctrine of the inward and efficacious workings of the Spirit to be that which makes all ordinances ſuccesfull, even then to give due cautions, that according to the word, this is no ground of neglecting any outward Ordinances and duties. But who ſeeth not a formal ſpirit on the one hand, and a wanton ſpirit on the other, breaking in upon us? The Lord put a ſtop to the ſpirit of error amongſt us, recover the dying withering, languiſhing ſpirits of Profeſſors, ſend forth a reconciling Spirit among his people, give more light into the Diſcipline of his houſe, ſend forth more labourers into his harveſt, and bleſs them that are already at his work.
Tetney in Lincoln-ſhire. 16. of (Vulg.) MARCH, 1658. MARTIN FYNCH.
The CONTENTS.
THE wicked and miſerable eſtate of man by nature, chap. 1
How men deceive themſelves, and think that their eſtate is good, chap. 2
Great Salvation in Chriſt for ſinners. ch. 3
The freeneſs of the Salvation we have by Chriſt, chap. 4
The Convictions and workings that are oftentimes upon men that are never converted, chap. 5
The ways and temptations by which many ſouls miſcarry under legal workings, and a ſpirit of Bondage, chap. 6
The ſaving work of Gods Spirit upon the heart, chap. 7
The woful backſliding of many Profeſſors and the way of their Recovery. chap. 8
Of Aſſurance and Peace of Conſcience. chap. 9
The Miniſtry of Angels, and their ſerviceableneſs to the Church, chap. 10
The glorious times that ſhall be before the laſt day of Judgement, chap. 11
The Influences of the Spirit, chap. 12
The Covenant between God the Father, and the Lord Jeſus, our Surety, chap. 13
The Saints comfort againſt Death, chap. 14
The Holineſs of Believers, chap. 15
The way of Believers joining in Church-fellowſhip, chap. 16
The right uſe of the Law, chap. 17
The true Humility that is in the Lords people. chap. 18
General Directions. chap. 19
How the Lord is pleaſed effectually to call ſome after they have been long in their natural eſtate, and have been very wicked. chap. 20
READER, What literal faults eſcaped, either in the copy or the printing, let your Candor and underſtanding in reading mend them; the Author being ſo far from the Preſs, muſt be excuſed.