Two Sermons, Title page – Publishers advertisement
TWO SERMONS Preached at THURLOW IN SUFFOLK.
On those words, Rom. 6. 13. —Yield your selves to God—
By J. H. Minister of the Gospel.
LONDON, Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside. 1688.
To the much honoured Bartholomew Soame of Thurlow Esq and Susanna his pious Consort.
My Worthy Friends;
I Have at length yielded to your Importunity; and do here offer these Sermons to publick view, and your own; which were, one day the last Summer, preached under your roof; attributing more to your pious design herein, than to my own reasons against it. I no farther insist upon the incongruity, having divers years ago published a small Treatise of Self-dedication, now again to send abroad another on the same Subject. For the way of Tractation is here very different; this may fall into the hands of divers, who have never seen the other; and however, they who have read the other, have it in their choice whether they will trouble themselves with this or no. And tho' your purpose which you urged me with, of lodging one of these little Books in each family of the hearers, might have been answered by so disposing of many a better Book already extant; yet you having told me how greatly you observed them to be moved by these plain Discourses, considering the peculiar advantage of reading what had been, with some acceptance and relish heard before (through that greater vigour that accompanies the Ordinance of Preaching to an Assembly, than doth usually the solitary first reading of the same thing) I was not willing to run the hazard of incurring a guilt, by refusing a thing so much desired, and which, through God's blessing, might contribute something, tho' in never so low a degree, to the saving of mens Souls. I could not indeed, as I told you, undertake to recollect every thing that was spoken, according to that latitude, and freedom of expression, wherewith it was fit to inculcate momentous things, to a plain Countrey-Auditory. But I have omitted nothing I could call to mind. Being little concern'd that the more curious may take notice, with dislike, how much, in a work of this kind, I prefer plainness (tho' they may call it rudeness) of speech, before that which goes for wisdom of words, or the most laboured Periods.
May you find an abundant blessing on your Houshold, for the sake of the Ark, which you have so piously, and kindly received: And whereas, by your means, the parts about you, have an help for the spreading the Knowledge of God among them, added to what they otherwise more statedly enjoy; may the blessing of Heaven succeed all sincere endeavours of both sorts; to the more general introducing of the new man which is renew'd in knowledge—where there is neither Jew nor Greek, Circumcision, nor Uncircumcision, but Christ is all, and in all: To whose Grace, you are, with sincere affection, and great sense of your kindness, earnestly recommended, by
Your much oblig'd, faithful Servant in Christ, John Howe.
These Books Written by the same Author, are sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside.
1. THE Blessedness of the Righteous: The Vanity of this Mortal Life. On Psalm 17. ver. 15. and Psalm 89. 47.
2. Of Thoughtfulness for the Morrow, with an Appendix concerning the Immoderate Desire of Fore-knowing things to come.
3. The Redeemer's Tears wept over lost Souls, in a Treatise on Luke 19. 41, 42. With an Appendix wherein somewhat is occasionally discoursed concerning the Sin against the Holy Ghost, and how God is said to Will the Salvation of them that perish.
4. Of Charity in Reference to other Mens Sins.
5. A Sermon directing what we are to do after a strict inquiry whether or no we truly love God.
A Discourse of the Saving Grace of God, by David Clarkson Minister of the Gospel.
The Conversion of the Soul, to which is added, A Warning to Sinners to prepare for Judgment, by Nath. Vincent Minister of the Gospel.
A Discourse of Old Age, tending to the Instruction, Caution and Comfort of Aged Persons.
Baptismal Bonds Renewed, being Meditations upon Psalm 50. ver. 5. By O. Heywood Minister of the Gospel.