An Olive Leaf, Title page – To the reader
AN OLIVE-LEAFE OR, A Bud of the Spring. VIZ. CHRIST'S RESURRECTION, and its end, viz. The converſion of Sinners, and a Chriſtians compleat Reliefe.
Opened by NICHOLAS LOCKYER, Miniſter of the Goſpell.
Why ſeek ye the living among the dead?
LUKE 24.5.
If ye be riſen with Chriſt, ſeek thoſe things which are above.
COL. 3.1.
I ſhall be ſatisfyed when I awake with thy likeneſſe.
PSAL. 17.15.
Old things are paſt away, behold all things are become new (ſaith a holy man of our State) in Chriſts reſurrection. Cyril Tom. 1. de adoratione in ſpiritu & veritate, lib. 17. treating upon the Firſt-fruit-offering, which he applies to the Reſurrection of Chriſt. p. 610.
Printed by E.G. for J. Rothwell, and are to be ſold at his ſhop at the ſigne of the Sun and Fountain in Pauls Church-yard neere the little North gate. 1650.
To all the Lords people: Grace and peace by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, be multiplied.
TIs my work as a man, more as a Chriſtian, moſt of all as a Miniſter of the Goſpell to ſearch out the ſecrets of the Goſpell, in their notion and operation. Certaine perſons were appointed to ſtand upon Mount Gerizzim and bleſſe, and yet nothing they did this way is mentioned: and certaine others appointed to ſtand upon mount Ebal and curſe, and what they did this way ſet down particularly and largely *… D… … 12, 13, 14.Is God more apt to curſe then bleſſe? Why Solomon ſhould make all the inſtruments of the Temple of Gold, and mention them particularly to the very hinge, and never mention the Arke; doth this abide Wood, when all the reſt Gold? or is Wood as ſplendid, and as precious as Gold? The Scripture is full of theſe Secrets, as to the notion of truth: but, O how full of ſecrets is truth in its operation in our hearts! In this latter I am moſt a Student, and yet leaſt a Proficient; though I have but little skill in the notion, yet farre leſſe in the myſterious operation of the Goſpell. What experiences Chriſt hath imparted, in much love, I here preſent unto you: they may be much added unto, by heavenly influences proper and peculiar to every Chriſtian Reader, and by his owne travels in theſe waies of wiſdome. We are called little ones: and indeed ſo we are whilſt here, little in all things but ignorance and impotence. Yet we little ones have great ones waiting upon us, and theſe have more priviledge then we whom they wait upon, which is another ſecret, for they alwaies behold the face of our father: *Matth. 18 10.which if we could doe too, we ſhould in his light ſee light, underſtand all myſteries and all knowledge, all truth in notion and operation: which ſhould make us wait for the appearing of Chriſt, and long till this change come, that Lords have as much as their ſervants which attend upon them. Blood carries the life and the exquiſite ſpirit and ſence of nature with it, and yet hath not ſence nor feeling it ſelfe: ſo truly is it with us Miniſters, we are the Salt of the earth, the blood and ſpirit of the World, ſuch as carry exquiſite ſpirit and ſenſe through the myſticall body, and yet feele juſt nothing (upon the matter) our ſelves. which makes us ſo ſhort of what we ſhould be, in the revelation of the myſteries of the Goſpell; I ſpeak in this, principally of one, who hath his births in divine things, to much out of due time and due meaſure, yet hath to bleſſe God, that I can condemne my ſelfe. The more Heavenly in our lives, the more the beſt knowledge falls in of it ſelfe with us. Living creatures which lie hid in the earth long, for a great part of the yeere together, have (we ſay) no blood, or very little, a drop or two about the heart. If our ſouls lie hid in the earth much (as theſe times tempt this way) you will have little good blood or ſpirit in you; a drop about your heart to keepe you from Hell hereafter, and that will be all; not enough to keepe you from many Hels here: much leſſe will you have ſo much blood and brave ſpirit, as to ſearch and finde the deep things of God belonging to your peace, crowne, and glory. The wind at one point of the Heavens, and at one ſeaſon of the yeere, is called a Husband to all things which ſpring upon the face of the earth, 'tath in it then ſuch a ſpirit of generation and nutrition: Favoni… à favendo, bi… vini… vocat….this wind makes all things in this ſeaſon ſo ſmile upon us: and this wind blows all the yeer long, and is ſtill with us, whilſt we have our converſation in Heaven. Oh how ſweetly, how generatingly doth that wind wch blows where it liſteth blow upon us who are in all our waies travelling homeward! Severall things you will finde, Chriſtians, in this book; ſome, about Chriſts reſurrection: the blooming of this Tree is judged by ſome, to have been in the Spring; if at the fall, yet then doe ſome Trees bloome againe. I have ſeen ripe fruit and bloſſomes together, ſo is alwaies on Jeſus Chriſt that tree of life, ripe fruit for any to feed on, at any ſeaſon, and yet vigor ſtill Budding and bloſſoming againe for more. This work ſpeaks that miracle repeated, a dry rod blooming and bearing Almonds: one bloſſoming at the fall; one after many plunges raiſed, to give witneſſe, and ſet ſeale to Chriſts reſurrection. You whom I know and much love, well underſtand my often infirmities, and ſo at what after ſeaſon I bloſſome and beare; and therefore will (I hope) for rarity ſake, keep theſe bloſſoms, and ſmall fruits, to admire Chriſt the orderer of all times and ſeaſons, who can make Spring when he will, and in what he will.
Yours in the bowels of Jeſus Chriſt, and labours of his everlaſting Goſpell, Nicholas Lockyer.
To the Reader.
HIs grace beſtowed upon me was not in vain. 1 Cor. 15.10.This Scripture, Chriſtian Reader, makes much impreſſion upon my Spirit. The dew of Chriſts youth falls little upon my heart, yet I receive more then I give: but little is mine in all, yet much (if God hath not judged it too much) becauſe in vaine. A little of the true Treaſure is too much to lie dead, yet ſo it doth very much in my heart; I wiſh it may not be ſo in thine. If one had much he might doe much; but when little, one can doe nothing. We are unthrifty to get, and then make excuſe for an unprofitable life, that we have nothing to impart. I confeſſe that to have and to uſe are two diſtinct gifts; yet plenitudes will conſtraine vent, dropping, and leaking, and ſo weare bigger paſſage, by a continued ſtil power puſhing within. I am indeed in a ſtraight, whether it be grace in vaine for me to be ſilent, or to ſpeake in print to all the world, who can ſpeake ſo little to any purpoſe, to a farre narrower compaſſe and capacity. Let my weakneſſe (Chriſtian Reader) be covered, and Chriſt in a manger be beautifull to thee, and offer the myrrhe of thy ſoule unto him, in what mean dreſſe ſoever thou finde him: gather up the fragments and crums of his Table, let nothing be loſt; then his grace in this weake worke will not be in vaine. I am truly of his opinion who was rather willing to beautifie Italy, then his own houſe; if Chriſt may encreaſe in his honour, though I decreaſe in mine, I have my end. All things ſhould be done in conſcience of duty, Neque ſi …ec… agas apud, neque ſi cum altero coni…abas, vacare officio poteſt. The Badger is called in Hebrew Sheſh becauſe he hath ſix ſpots.whether to the Common-Wealth, or to ones Family, or to ones ſelfe alone, yea and when alone: So indeed is this little worke done, in much duty and conſcience, to Chriſts glory, and the good of poor ſoules. Thou wilt finde the Printer, the Author, a Badger, with more then ſix ſpots: yet Badgers ſpotted skins were accepted to the uſe of the Tabernacle: ſo let theſe ſpotted labours of us thy friends be accepted, to the uſe and benefit of thy precious ſoule.
Thine in the Kingdome, and patience of Chriſt, NICHOLAS LOCKYER.