The Law of God Ratified by the Gospel of Christ, Title page – Dedication
The Law of God Ratified, By the GOSPEL of CHRIST: OR, THE HARMONY OF THE Doctrine of Faith, WITH THE Law of Righteousness.
Wherein, many of the Types and Rites of the Ceremonial Law are unfolded: And the Moral Law adjusted a Rule of holy living to all, though justified by Faith.
As it was delivered in several Sermons, Preacht to the Parochial Congregation of Mayfield in Sussex, by Mr. Mainard late Rector thereof, publisht since his Death.
Col. 1. 27, 28. —foreign. 2 Cor. 3. 14. & 18. —foreign London, Printed for Francis Tyton at the Sign of the three Daggers in Fleet-street. 1674.
THE Epistle Dedicatory.
To Mrs. Elizabeth Baker Widow: To Captain Iohn Baker and his Wife: And to Mr. Iohn Baker and his Wife. To Mr. Clement Read: and to the rest of the Inhabitants of Mayfield in Sussex, Auditors of these ensuing Sermons.
Much honoured and well-beloved in our Lord,
THe high Opinion he hath of you (who desired me to dedicate these Sermons to you) commands me to make good my compellation, by bearing a particular respect to that worth, and love for those Graces and Profession in you, which were sufficient to determine the Publisher of these Sermons to the choice of you to be Countenancers of them, now printed and exposed to publick View, which you first heard from your own privater Pulpit. The Publisher makes the Church somewhat a debtor, but Mayfield very much a debtor to him for his care of your spiritual profit and advantage: to which end these Discourses (delivered in such plainness (as becomes the truth) and with such clearness as may capacitate any amongst you to read, understand, and gain by them) are set before you. That of your faithful Monitor, now dead, might be said (as is in somewhat different sense said of Abel,) Being dead, he yet speaketh, Instruction unfolding that which many would else not discern, Caution, that you avoid what he knew was dangerous and might prove deadly, And Exhortation, perswading you to weighty instances of obedience and constancy. If it be, as doubtless it is, a Truth that the Legal and Mosaick Rites were the Gospel vailed, this piece deserveth your serious perusal; for it takes the vail from off the face of Moses, and doth with plainness and brevity explicate many of those divine Riddles and heavenly Hieroglyphicks, on whose out-side too many of the Jews (like unexperienced Children gazing on Pictures,) determin'd their eye inapprehensive of the import of them. I would give you some account of the Subjects handled in this ensuing Treatise, but it is publisht that your reading might inform you. Nor will I doubt your readiness to view that with your eye, which, I believe, much pleased your ear. And I hope your desires to profit by it, wish my Epistle brief, that you may be taken up with the seasonableness and pertinency of the Subject. A piece which, I assure you, doth very particularly express the temper of its Author, who could have walked abroad (as easily as most) in a gorgeous dress of rich learning; but he was as well versed in this part of self-denial, and resolved to practice it, as he was vers'd in Authors, and knew how to use them. He preacht it to you, that you might understand it, and his Son-in-law hath taken care it should be printed, that you might read and remember it. I wish that, among the many eagerly snatcht occasions men take to publish their own Conceptions More would take this course, and print, for the use of particular places; some of the choice and profitable Sermons of their own Ministers, as soon as might be after their death, when, in all likelihood, the mourning remembrance of their dead Minister will enhance the value of his living Sermons, whilst the sense of their loss, in the death of his person, would increase the care (of some at least) that they lose not his Counsels, Exhortations, Reproofs and Comforts which (by this means) do survive him. I know many are so obstinate in their Vnbelief, and so unperswadable to Obedience, they will not promise to believe or obey, unless one arose from the dead to witness to the Promises, and to require their Obedience. God shew them mercy, opening their blind eyes, and perswading their hard hearts! If there be any such among your Inhabitants of Mayfield (and alas! in so great a Parish there are too too many,) Behold here is that which of all courses seemeth to come nearest to such a condescension. Though your Minister be not sent from the dead, yet providence sends (as it were) from his Grave: And if you will not obey Commands, nor follow Counsels, nor be warned by Cautions in his writings, you would not be perswaded if he came from the dead. But of you in particular I have no jealousie, to whom this Epistle and the Book is dedicated. Instead of perswading you to read it (of which I am perswaded you are very forward of your selves) I shall adventure (and, I hope, with no more boldness than success) to move you to bestow many of these Books among your poorer Neighbours, who will gladly read Mr. Maynard's Book, when perhaps they have as little mind to read other mens Works as they have knowledge of their persons. Promote knowledge of Christ, and saving Grace, by the means which are most likely to do it; hereby you shall (through the blessing of the Lord) turn many to righteousness, and shine as the brightness of the Firmament for ever, which is that great thing that (with hope of success) is for you all, and for the rest of the Churchof God, the prayer of
From my Study in the house of the Right Honourable the Countess of Manchester, at Waltham-Abbey, April 3. 1674. Yours, in our Common Lord, both Servant to your Souls, and Coheir of your Hopes, H. Hurst.