The Natural Mans Case, Title page – To the reader
The Naturall Mans Caſe ſtated: OR; An EXACT MAP OF THE LITTLE WORLD MAN, Conſidered in both his Capacities, Either in the ſtate of NATURE, or GRACE. As is laid down in XVII SERMONS, By that late truely Orthodox Divine Mr. CHRISTOPHER LOVE, Paſtor of Lawrence Jury, London.
WHEREUNTO IS ANNEXED The Saints Triumph over Death; Being his FUNERAL SERMON, By that painfull Labourer in the Lords Vineyard, Mr. THO. MANTON, Miniſter of the Goſpell at Stoak-Newington near London.
Imprimatur
EDMUND CALAMIE.
The ſecond Edition, corrected and amended.
London, Printed by E. Cotes, for George Everſden, at the Golden Ball in Alderſgate ſtreet, 1652.
To the Reader.
THe exuberant ſpawns of illiterate Books proceeding from the polluted wombs of the overloaded, and bejaded adulterate preſſes, which are all painted with fair titles, I can compare to nothing ſo fitly as a cheating Lottery; which when the greedy invader comes with hopes for a little money laid down, to carry away a great deal of wit with him, 'tis nineteen at leaſt to one when he opens it, but he finds to his ſhame, that he hath drawn a blank, perhaps a blaſphemy; and yet couched under the title of glorious truth, heavenly diſcoveries, beams of light, new Jeruſalem, Gods minde clearly revealed, with multitudes of ſuch paints upon their ſtrumpets faces.
The ſacred Bible which indeed is an Alablaſter-box full of ſweet perfumes and precious ointments, is made (alas!) like Pandora's boxe (in the humane ſtory) which (Epimetheus preſumptuouſly opening) filled the world with evils, diſeaſes and calamities of all kindes. The ſacred Bible is made now the patron of Prophane mens practiſes; never were groſſe ſins at ſuch an impudent height as now they are; what horrid impudence is that of hel to take heaven by the hand? Sins that were wont to hide themſelves in the holes and clefts of obſcurity, not daring to be hold the light, but Serpent-like, to creep under the low ſhrubs of deceitfull ſhifts, how do they Eagle-like ſit pearching on the goodly Cedars (I mean Pulpits and Thrones) the Cedars of God, and dare to caſt up their eyes towards the Sun? who would think it! yet what this day more common then to meet the devill with his eyes towards heaven, and a Bible under his arme, cloathing all his words and actions cap a pea in Scripture phraſes; Murderers, traitors, rebels, blaſphemers, ſoothſayers, adulterers, ſabbath-breakers, perjurers, oppreſſours, and almoſt all notorious villains have marſhalled themſelves (like the Roman Clergy) into ſo many ſeverall Sects of religion, all impudently aſſuming to themſelves the uſurped title of eminent Saints, and quoting Scripture for their actions, and ſcot-free paſſe the preſſe into the world to make more proſelytes: ſo that he that in this Soul-frozen age ſhall go to gather Books to warm his Soul, (as Paul did ſticks to warm his fingers) will be ſure, if he be not wary, to gather vipers into his boſome: And how am I ſtung with pain and horrour, whiles I meditate on the thouſands of poor ſouls that are gnawed to death by theſe ſpeckled vipers! Sure it cannot but ſit ſad one day upon the ſpirits of thoſe licentious Licencers, that are as the midwives of ſuch monſters.
For thy comfort therefore and incouragement (Reader) I do aſſure thee this Book is free from all ſuch venomous beaſts, no toad of malice, nor ſerpent of deceit lurks either in the matter or the phraſe hereof. In plain Engliſh, it is a pleaſant, heavenly, ſelf-ſearching, ſoul-convincing, ſin-condemning, heart-humbling, ſpirit-raiſing, grace-quickning, Chriſt-exalting book. I need ſay no more, they are the Sermons of Mr. Chriſtopher Love, Maſter of Arts, and Miniſter of the Goſpell of Chriſt, whoſe actions, life and death, will eternize his name; I may truly ſay of his elegant ſtyle, and pleaſant way of expreſſing himſelf, as he of Gregory Nazianzen,
Viribus eloquii valuit, lingua que diſerta:P…ſſ…lli epigram. in vita Gregor. Nazianzeni.
Melliſluos dulei protulitore ſonos.
The ſubject of theſe Sermons is of generall uſe to all ſorts of people, much like in that, to that text of Chryſoſtomes in Pſal. 4. 2. which (as he ſaith) if hee had a voice like thunder, and a mighty mountain for his pulpit, and all the men and women in the world for his auditory, he would chooſe this text to preach on: O yee ſons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into ſhame? how long will ye love vanity, and ſeek after leaſing? Had this been really effected, and I been there in Mr. Loves ſpirit, would Chryſoſtome have lent me his voice, and allowed me the uſe of his monarchical pulpit, when he had done in the morning with his text, I would have come up in the evening with this text, Eph. 2. 12. That at that time ye were without Chriſt, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers from the Covenant of Promiſe, having no hope, and without God in the World: but this need not, for it is in a manner effected already: this worthy Miniſter hath aſcended that pulpit from whence hee hath thundred into the world, he is now one of thoſe bleſſed ones, that dyed in and for the Lord, he is at reſt from all his labours, and now behold his works do follow him; ſome are already gone before, and theſe do follow after. Theſe Sermons were preached at St. Anne's Alderſgate, where this holy young man was Paſtor: I pray God they may prove as the great trumpet of God, to cauſe a ſpirituall reſurrection amongſt thoſe people before they go down to the houſe of rottenneſſe; it cannot but much rejoyce thoſe people to hear their Paſtors voice again, thoſe ſheep cannot but know their ſhepherds voice; which that they may doe, the Lord of heaven bleſſe theſe his worthy labours to their, and thy ſpirituall advantage; ſo as that the diſtreſſed Churches loſſe in his ſad and unexpected abſence, may be made up in the bleſſing of God, upon theſe and the reſt of his pious and painfull labours. So prayeth,
Thine, E. C.