Christ Displayed as the Choicest Gift and Best Master, To the reader
To the CHRISTIAN READER, especially the Inhabitants of the Town and Parish of Ormeschurch, and the places adjacent, Grace, Mercy, and Peace.
My dearly beloved in our dearest Lord,
IT is an astonishing Providence that in such a day of Epidemical sinning, general fears of approaching Iudgments, and great necessity in most places, God should thus weaken our strength, undermine the fabrick, by cutting off so many faithful Shepherds in so short a space, therein seeming as if he would make a way to his wrath. But as your dark parts have more need of such faithful Watchmen; so you are most emptied, God having of late renewed his witnesses against you, and broken you with breach upon breach; before your eyes were fully wiped for one loss, another follows at the heels, like Job's messengers, bringing the sad tidings of the death of another gracious Minister, and this last is not the least, under which you lye bleeding. It is true, on his account that's gone, you have no reason to lament, God hath put a blessed end to his torturing pains of body, perplexing thoughts of heart, and indefatigable labours in the Ministry, and crown'd him with glory; the sharper was his passage, the sweeter is his present repose; he finds himself abundantly rewarded. God made great use of him here, and hath now taken him home to himself. His afflictions, temptations, oppositions, were above the ordinary rate, which as they assimilated him to his Master, so they promoted his greater usefulness here, and fittednes for heaven; the lintel-stones and pillars of the new Ierusalem, suffer more knocks of Gods hammer and tool, than the common side-wall stones; God wearied him out of this world, and made heaven welcome; wish him not here again, but labour to improve this dreadful breach, by remembring his Doctrine, imitating his exemplary practice; and understanding Gods design in this so amazing stroke, search out that Achan that hath troubled your camp; lay to heart sin, reform your lives, live up to the Doctrines you have been taught; and do these in particular which are here presented to your view, and I am confident will be acceptable to you, though wanting the warming-accent of his lively voice, which was full of sparkling spirits; you must see his face, hear his voice no more in your solemn assemblies; but yet this Elijah as he mounted up to heaven in a chariot of fire, dropped down this paper-mantle amongst us, which by the spirit of grace concurring, may divide the swelling-waves of Jordan; I mean, separate betwixt precious souls and those abominations which at this day overflow all banks and bounds. Oh that Gods Spirit may by these conduits convey spiritual life and marrow into your souls, that you may live, though Ministers die; they die civilly, naturally, may you live spiritually, eternally. This servant of God spent himself as a candle to give you light; if ever it might be said of a mortal man, as of our Saviour, The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up, it may be said so of this choice servant of God, who spent and was spent for souls; who counted not his life dear unto him, that he might finish his course with joy; in labours more abundant. But I purposely wave what concerns his person at present, leaving a rough draught of his smooth life to a fitter season.
All I shall add is, to give a brief account of these ensuing Treatises: As to the printing of them, though Solomon caution his Son against making and reading many Books, Eccles. 12.12. yet that only sounds a retreat to luxuriant wits in a scribling age, as to writing upon some subjects, or for vain glory, but doth not simply condemn writing Books, which hath been the key of discipline, an Herauld of the Gospel, and a notable mean to propagate true Religion. As for these discourses upon common subjects, I pickt them out of a vast bundle of variety of excellent discourses, upon such accounts as these.
1. Because I do not remember any such full Treatises upon these heads.
2. Yet they are needful and useful, pleasant and profitable.
3. They are handed out in a taking-method and manner.
4. His heart was much carried out in preaching Christ to sinners, he professed most delight in it; these Sermons then are the lively idea of his Gospel spirit.
5. God made them savoury and delectable in their first verbal delivery, and why not upon a second review?
6. This servant of God is likely to preach no more, but hereby being dead he yet speaketh
7. The importunity of such friends as deserved to be gratified, extorted this labour of love to the souls of sinners; nor shall it repent us to expose it naked to the worlds censures, so it may by Gods blessing profit any.
For Treatises themselves, though carried on by way of similitude and resemblance, yet are not therefore to be despised or rejected; the Prophets used similitudes,Lumen supernum nunquam desendit sine indumento.— Rab. Cup. in Synt. Apost. p. 177, 178. Christ preacht much in Parables, and this way sweetly instills Truths with delight and clearness into the mind and affection; so that Cyprian's caution be well regarded, that they be not stretcht too far: He instanceth in leaven; I may instance in this gift of God: Iesus Christ is not so a gift, but that he is also a Lord, not to be ruled by us, but to rule us: To us a Son is given, Isa. 9.6. but how? that yet the government might be upon his shoulder. As he is the Lords Christ, so he is Christ the Lord, who will rule where he rests, and reign where ever he is received; he will be Lord as well as Life; a Master as well as a Treasure; he will sway his righteous scepter over us, as well as vouchsafe his glorious benefits to us; he expects we should be his servants as well as his friends; we must be the Lords Nethinims, given to God; yea by our selves, as we expect this blessed Donative from God; he that will not be ruled by his golden scepter, shall be crushed by his iron rod. And as Iesus Christ is a gift, so he is food, bread of life, heavenly manna; yet this must not be stretcht too far; for in this he is contrary to ordinary corporal food, for though he feed souls, he turns them (not they him) into his holy, heavenly nature. Christ as the gift of God is the matter of this feast; Christ as Lord is the master and maker of this feast. All this must be understood suitable to the majesty of the Son of God, and according to the nature of Metaphors; otherwise saith Cyprian, If they were the same, they were not examples, but the things rather which they illustrate. But all these similitudes fall infinitely short of the perfection of him who is above finite excellencies, [Nec similitudinem substantiae in facturis suis habere potest ille, qui factor est omnium.] All I shall add further on this account is that caution of his in a like case, [Et jam hoc loco mundior auditus requiritur & purior sensus,] Let your senses be raised to spiritual objects.
Having hinted a few words concerning the Author and Treatises, give me leave, having this fair opportunity, to be speak the once constant attenders upon this good mans Ministry, and those are either sinners or Saints.
As for unconverted sinners that attended such powerful awakening preaching, and have sitten out these loud calls, and pathetical intreaties, and rational Interrogatories, Perswasives, Expostulations; I may now say, Lord have mercy upon you, your case is miserable; hath your Minister killed himself to save your souls, and yet will you not be saved? have you worn him to the stumps, and quenched his natural light with your spiritual deadness? Have you stifled all those convictions you have had under his Ministry? And have you not reason to fear that Gods Spirit will strive with you no more? Where will you find such another upright Nathaneel, such a rouzing Boanerges, such a melting Barnabas? Shall he that studied, travelled, sweat, wept, sigh'd, and suffered, be brought in as a testimony against you? He was mighty in prayer; were you stupid when he wrestled with God for you, and was loath to be put off without a soul at a Sermon? Did you look about you as persons unconcerned in Prayer, Sermons, and compassionate workings of his soul for you? God knows, and you shall know, there hath been a Prophet amongst you; he hath washt his hands from the guilt of your blood by faithful warnings, your blood be upon your own heads: yea, may not his blood come to be upon your heads? Yea, may not the guilt of the blood of the Son of God be required at your hands? And have you worn out man? are you not content to weary men, but will you weary out God also? Shall Christ weep over you as over Jerusalem, and say as Luk. 19.42. If thou hadst known, even thou at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. Though you cannot hear your former Minister's living voice, yet I send you one summons more to your eyes in his own words; if this will not prevail, expect to hear another manner of message from the great Jehovah, Cut them down, for they cumber the ground; bind them hand and foot, and cast them into the fire.
1. Is there not yet some ignorant souls among you, that have not the knowledg of God, Christ, Gospel mysteries? And if you know not this gift of God, no wonder you slight it; if you know not the worth of this jewel, or your need of it, you cannot esteem or desire it; a blind man cannot distinguish colours, swallows many a gnat, knows not whither he goeth. God complains, His people are destroyed for lack of knowledg, Hos. 4 6. Solomon saith, Without it the heart is not good, Prov. 19.2. The Apostle saith, If our Gospel be hid, 'tis hid to them that are lost, 2 Cor. 4.3. And the Prophet saith, He will have no mercy on a people that have no understanding, Isa. 27.11. Alas! the whole soul is misguided with this blind guide; the will is perverted affections ranging, conscience dictates amiss, for its a witness but to what it knows; and thy clock cannot go if the weights be taken off. God Almighty pity you! it's a shameful thing to be ignorant, but it's damnning to be wilfully ignorant, yea it will aggravate damnation, 1 Cor. 15.34. Oh now at last ply your work, read, pray, confer, meditate: One would think the poor prisoner should take pains to learn to read, that knows he must be hanged if he cannot read his neck-verse; but if you be negligent, God may seal you up in darkness, and say, if any be ignorant, let him be ignorant, 1 Cor. 14.38.
2. Is any among you an hypocrite, that makes a fair shew in the flesh, that paint your outsides with a goodly garnish of common gifts, and outside duties, that have owned your godly Minister living, and honour his memorial now dead, but have not obeyed from the heart the Doctrine which he delivered, or have not been delivered into the form of Gospel-doctrine; that are one thing before others in meetings, another thing alone and in your families; that can down with some common acts of religiousness, but slight self-denying, flesh-displeasing duties; totally unacquainted with heart-work and mortifying special lusts, yea rather use duties as a cloak to cover sin, than spiritual armour to fight against it? Alas, how many is there that were baptized in infancy, join with Christians as with a party or faction, slide into a profession, that never came in by the door of regeneration, and so deceive themselves and others. Ministers judg charitably of Professors, know not mens hearts; and though they express their jealousie, and so give faithful cautions, yet encourage good beginnings, and hopeful shews in such an evil day as this is, but may be mistaken; for who would judg him an enemy that marcheth after Christ in duties, wears his colours, learneth his postures, hath got the word, keeps his rank, converseth with Saints in a religious habit and language? yet such may be hypocrites, and prove apostates, witness Judas, Simon Magus, Demas, Himeneus, Philetus, &c. Oh Sirs, as you love your souls, see to the truth of grace, the root of the matter; be as good or better than you seem; the heart-searching God knows your home-behaviour, and sees how your principles are stated; and as you would see Gods face and meet your godly Minister with comfort, be sincere and single-spirited.
3. Are any amongst you worldlings, addicting your selves to pursue and dote upon the profits of the world? That spend most of your time in lading your selves with thick clay, and panting after the dust of the earth? are these things satisfactory? Have you ever weighed them in the ballance of rectified reason? did you never hear of better things? Did you ever hear that riches made men happy? Have you not seen riches take wings and leave the possessor? Or have you not seen the rich die as well as poor, and leave their wealth behind them? Alas! the world was never true to any that trusted to it? It's a sad thing to see men almost pressed to death, still call for more weight; to see persons full of drink greedy of more, and complaining they die for thirst: Oh but saith Christ, I am the bread of life▪ he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth in me shall never thirst, Ioh. 6.35. The enjoyment of Christ quencheth worldly thirst; the Lord awake your spirits to see how vast a distance there is betwixt earth and heaven; and stir up your spirits to a proportionable care about soul-concernments.
4. Is there a slothful, careless, or discouraged soul among you, that loves his ease better than life, that will not take the pains to be saved, or that is not resolved for heaven, but in suspense, as halting b…twixt two opinions; could have a months mind after Christ were it not for the inconveniences that attend him, difficulties in Religion discourage them, and having much sense which bears sway, distrust prevails, and shouts faith to the heart, so that the poor soul falls stat at Satans feet, grows listless to duty; as one who sees the Well dry, breaks or throws away his pitcher; some are ready to say as those, Jer. 2.25. when God saith, With hold thy foot from being unshod, [i. e. do not by putting off thy shoos address thy self to a slothful or an adulterous bed] and thy throat from thirst, [i. e. forbear thy sinful thirst and desires after idols and vanities] but thou saidst, there is no hope, [it's to no purpose, past cure, past care] I have loved strangers, and after them will I go, [you may save a labour, I am too far gone to turn now, God hath cast me off, I am desperate, and may as well take my fill of ease and sensual pleasures, for this is all the heaven I am like to have.] This is a dreadful case, and such sinners surely understand not what it is to be damned, and have not learned Christs readiness to pardon and accept penitent sinners. That was a wretched answer that that blasphemous Arrian made (executed at Norwich in Queen Elizabeth's days) to such as urged him to repent, that Christ might pardon him; desperately replied, And is that God of yours so merciful indeed as to pardon so readily those that blaspheme him, then I renounce and defie him, [horresa referens.] Oh that ever such an hellish word should ever be belched out of the black mouth of a living man! but is not this the language of some mens hearts and lives? do not some say it's to no purpose to turn, God hath given me up, and it cannot be helpt, I am like to go to hell, and I will be damned for somewhat. Oh horrible! that sinners should so desperately throw away their precious immortal souls! and seek to murder Christ as man, by sinning▪ as God, by despairing. Alas, that ever sinners should so kick and spurn at the warm bowels of love, or despise the riches of his goodness, or sin though grace abound! but men abuse grace, on both hands turning grace into lasciviousness by presumption and despair; but the Sun hardens clay, and brings forth a stinking smell from a dirty dunghill; Iustice will be glorified upon those that would not honour Christ and grace by believing.
But God forbid, my Brethren, that you should split on either of these dangerous rocks, or run your souls upon the sands of sloth or sensuality. Oh shall not the calls of God, the death of Christ, the intreaties of your Minister, checks of your own conscience, nothing avail? for Gods sake, for Christs sake, for your own souls sakes, look after a title to blessed Iesus here so lively described, you cannot be damned at so cheap a rate as others; a Gospel-hell is hotter than a Law-hell; a seeming Christian shall sink lower than an ignorant heathen; a lifting up to heaven in priviledges, makes the fall lower in torments. But you'l say, God forbid, we would gladly have Christ, and hope we have him, and pardon by him; I say, Amen, would to God it were so; but be not deceived, many that pretend to take him, mistake him, and so miss of him; it's not a conceit, but receit of Christ that will advantage you; the shadow doth not shelter except you be under it, the plaister cures not unless applied; the physick works not unless taken; Christ is of none effect to you without faith, faith will do you no good, except it be unfeigned, faith is not right if it divide Christ, Christ is divided if not taken as Lord as well as Saviour, God is resolved not to parcel out his Son by piecemeal, as men sell wares in their shops, cut off what every one likes and no more; so he would have customers more than a good many, one would have Christ as Priest to pardon, not as King to govern; they judg him a troublesome guest, cumbersome wares, if indeed he will be master, and rob them of their lusts, and rule them by his laws, saying, We will not have this man to rule over us; the great controversie hath been in Nations, Churches, hearts, whether or no Iesus must be sole Lord and Master; God and Grace are for Christs preheminence; God hath set his Son upon his holy hill; Grace sets the Crown upon his head; Satan and lust contradict it. The Devil, saith Luther, hates that word more than any in the Bible, Psal. 110.1. foreign i e. Sit thou on my right hand; and a corrupt heart takes his part, but his arrows shall be sharp in the hearts of the Kings enemies, he will rule in the midst of them to conversion or confusion of them. Oh be you Virgin-followers of the Lamb, accept of him, give up your selves to him, and you shall find him what is here reported of him, the choicest gift and best Master.
As for you into whose sanctified souls God hath dropt this rich and rare gift, had I time and room I might say much for counsel and comfort to these consecrated ones.
You, you, above others have reason to adore free grace, that gave you such a Minister who laid open the riches of Grace before you, who threapt kindness upon you, and was loth to leave you with a denial; free-grace came with the key of Spirit and Word, and opened your hearts as he did the heart of Lidia, and took possession of you for the King of Glory. Oh who or what were you, that the highest Majesty would stand so long knocking, and saying, Open to me, my sister, my love! Cant. 5.3, 4, 5. And when you snorted in your beds, or gave him a churlish answer, he put his hand by the hole of the door, and caused your bowels to mo… after him, yea he left behind sweet-smelling myrrh upon the handles of the lock, which caused you to run after him with love-sick motions till you found and enjoyed him. And Oh how sweet was the enjoyment of so dear a friend! Let their money perish with them (said that noble Marquess Galeasius) that esteem all the riches in the world worth more than one hours communion with Jesus Christ. I shall not anticipate the work of this ensuing Discourse, yet give me leave to propound these few branches of counsel as a supplement to it.
1. Be not mistaken in your title to this gift; many are: mistakes are easie and dangerous, thousands of souls are like the man at Athens that laid ciaim to every Merchants Ship that came to shore; the main lyes in making good your title; he that boasteth of a false gift, is like clouds and winds without rain, Ptov. 25.14. a groundless vapour; what are you better for others imagining, or your own conceiting that Christ is yours, if it be not found so at the day of trial? your disappointment will but aggravate your torment: God prevent it; do you seek to prevent it by a speedy impartial search, and calling in aid from heaven to discover your state, and know the worst in time. And as you may think you have a title to Christ when you have not; so on the contrary, you may (at least in a temptation) think you have no title to Christ, and yet he may be yours; your friend whom you seek may be in the house, coming in at the back door, when you expect him at the fore door; you have him by faith, though you feel him not in sense.
2. Be most jealous of your selves when you have found most sensible incomes of his grace; Satan like a Pirate envies and makes most at a richly laden Ship; Cheats strike in with a young heir, when he hath newly received his rents; you are never in more danger than after your sweetest enlargements; watch and pray, believe and watch, let your hand be on your purse, and your eye on the thief; he will look you in the face like an angel of light, and rob you; when a white devil allures you, he is worse than a black devil that affrights you; as one saith, I love a rumbling raging devil, comparatively, he can do us least hurt when we suspect him most; a calm at Sea doth more mischief than a storm; a lethargy of security is more dangerous than a feaver of soul-trouble. Take heed to your selves that you lose not what you have wrought, but that you receive a full reward; let this gift of God make you aspire after the highest enjoyment of God in eternal life, which is also the gift of God.
3. Live upon and live up to this blessed gift of God; improve Iesus Christ. The height of true Christian perfection, is a full view of this lovely Iesus, a conformity to him, and deriving all influences from him; there's fresh springs in him, new unheard-of treasures, an unknown-land of grace and delights in him; set your cistern under the cock, put the mouth of faith to the full breasts of Gospel-promises made in Iesus Christ. Pray much, give God no rest; tell God there's enough in his Son of that you want; in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg, Col. 2.3. why should you want, when there's enough laid up for you? why should you be afraid to ask when all is of free-gift! God is more willing to give than you are to receive; it easeth his heart, as it were, to give of the riches of his grace to sinners King James gave to Sir Henry Rich (after Earl of Holland) 3000 l. at once, who had wisht for so much money; You think (saith the King) now you have a great purchase, but I am more delighted to think how much I have pleasur'd you in giving, than you are in receiving. Gods gifts finding room and welcome in your hearts, is infinite content to an open-handed giver; but you must neither slight nor trifle away his gifts; you live all of begging, beggars must not be wasters, (Nemo prodiger qui mendicat) own God in all, give him the glory. When thou hast thy best Suit on, remember who bought it, made it, put it on, keeps it on: what hast thou that's not received? thank thy good Master for so bountiful an alms.
4. Admire free-grace in this great gift: I have heard of a gracious Christian that lying down in his bed, and rising up, had this in his mind and mouth, Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. Iesus Christ is such a gift as never came out of the hands of God, and was never received by the hands of man; a gift that consecrates all other gifts, as the altar sanctified the gift laid thereon; all Gods gifts to us without this, would in some sort be giftless gifts, crumbs cast to dogs, as Luther call'd the Turkish Empire; without which all our persons and performances are no better than dung in Gods account, yea in Saints esteem, as so many cyphers without a figure; yea, without Christ we our selves had been dead and damn▪d wretches. Christ is the darling of Heaven, the delight of Saints, the object of Angels admiration: If Heaven and earth were consolidated into one massy Pearl it would not be as the dust on the ballance to blessed Iesus; cast in all the holy Angels and rational souls, they would all be but trifles compared with this Lamb of God. He is the best part of heaven, all heaven, more than heaven; the King makes the Court, his presence makes heaven, which would be a black nothing, a Tohu, and Bohu, an hell without his company. Oh that real Saints were transported with admiration of Gods love in giving Christ, and Christs love in giving himself for and to them! this will be their work for ever; begin it here, and cry out with the Martyr in the flames, None but Christ, none but Christ. Be content to be burnt in this heavenly Sun, so you may more fully see and admire him. Long to see his blessed face upon his Throne, though you could not see his face in the flesh. Live to him here, that you may live with him hereafter. Since he is given to you, give your selves back to him. Come and see, make strange discoveries; the nearer you approach to him, the better you'l like him. We are dim-sighted, and unaffected here, but perfect faculties, and an endless eternity will compleat our praises of Him. Thy best is reserved till the last. Read and live, and learn what Christ is; but die and learn better; sight will make you perfect Scholars. Whither this Christ-admiring friend is gone, whither I pray God bring your immortal souls, with
Your Souls real friend in Christian Offices, O. H.