Death and Life, Title page – To the reader 1
DEATH AND LIFE, OR Sins Life, the Sinners Death; Sins Death, the Saints Life. BEING The Sum of Eight SERMONS on Romans. 8.13.
By Samuel Malbon, Preacher of the Word of life in Amſterdam.
Deut. 32.29. O that they were wiſe, that they underſtood this, that they would conſider their latter end.
London, Printed for John Allen, living in Wentworth-ſtreet, near Bell-Lane, 1669.
Chriſtian Reader,
THe Author of theſe Sermons having for ſeveral years been abſent from this his Native Country (being Paſtor to a Church of Chriſt at Amſterdam) may be under ſome diſadvantage as to his eſteem in the hearts of thoſe that fear the Lord, by reaſon that neither his perſon nor his name is well known unto them; And ſo through ignorance or miſapprehenſion they may omit the purchaſe of this Book, which may (through grace) be of much uſe and benefit to their ſouls. Therefore we have thought it meet and a duty, for thy good; to prefix a few words in a way of recommendation of the perſon to thee, that, as his name is ſweet and precious amongſt thoſe Saints and people to whom he Preaches, ſo both himſelf and this his work may be readily and cheerfully received by Thee and others of God's life-breathing ones here in England. He is a man ready in the Scriptures, and much acquainted with the mind of God therein: painful, ſpiritual and powerful in his Preaching to the conviction, converſion, and edification of many ſouls. Having large experiences of God's goings in, and dealings with his own ſoul in a way of grace by his Spirit; And one who lives in the Spirit, and walks up exemplarily to that light and life which is communicated freely and richly to him by Jeſus Chriſt the Mediator, who is the ſoul fountain of both. And as for this his work, it carries its own praiſe with it, and needs not our Teſtimony; only give us leave to ſay thus much, that it is plain, ſound, ſpiritual, lively, and practical, well ſuited to every capacity. You will find the Text with many other Scriptures, truely and clearly opened; The Doctrines genuinely deduced, rightly ſtated, fully proved and Illuſtrated; doubts aſſoiled; Miſtakes rectified; Errors enervated; Objections anſwered; and the Application faithful, home, ſearching, pathetical, full of perſwaſion and life. In ſum, the Deſign and Endeavour of this ſweet Preacher, in theſe Sermons, is very glorious, viz. To diſcover lurking, ſoul beguiling and deſtroying Hypocriſie; To lay open the falſe bottoms that many ſtand upon for eternity; To bring ſouls to a full and entire cloſe with Jeſus Chriſt by faith, the only foundation of eternal ſalvation; and to entertain and cheriſh the Holy Spirit in its workings; To eradicate ſoul-polluring corruption, and further the true mortification of internal boſom luſts: By ſhewing whence and how it is effected; what is the power that produces, carries on and perfects it; And to work up Saints to a living unto God in the life of God, that they may eſcape death and attain at laſt everlaſting life in the viſion of God. The footſteps of which deſign are manifeſtly apparent in theſe Sermons; And the fruits of his faithful and laborious Endeavours are to be ſeen and read in the hearts and lives of many of his hearers: which, through the bleſſing of God upon thy diligent and ſerious peruſal thereof, may be experienced by Thee alſo; ſo as Thou mayeſt, in Chriſt's ſtrength, come in as a Conquerour over all thy ſpiritual enemies, and joyn with thoſe mentioned in the cloſe of this Book, who have the Palms of victory, and Harps of joy in their hands, to ſing praiſes to the Lord, and ſay, Glory, Honour and Dominion be unto our God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt: Father, who hath ſealed and freely ſent his only begotten and dearly beloved Son into the world, that by his death I might have life: Son, who hath finiſhed the work the Father gave him to do, who hath dyed, is riſen again and aſcended, and as a fruit of all, hath received and ſent the Holy Ghoſt to apply and produce that ſpiritual life: And Holy Ghoſt, who as the Comforter is come, and hath ſweetly, graciouſly, wiſely, faithfully, and all-prevailingly accompliſh'd that living work in my ſoul. Therefore buy and read this Book; Reading, meditate; Meditating, pray; and Praying, remember
Thy real Friends, and Soul's Welwiſhers William Greenehill, Joſeph Caryl Thomas Malery. Richard Lawrence.