Death and Life, To the reader 2
To the Reader.
YOur greateſt good is aimed at in this little Book, Let me ask you a plain but ſerious queſtion, how fareth your Soul, that pretious, that immortal Soul within you? As by natural ſenſe you could ſoon anſwer a like queſtion concerning your Body; ſo by a quick ſpirituall ſenſe may this be anſwered. Chriſt our Saviour ſpeaks, Luke 16.11. of the true riches, outward riches are not the true riches; ſo there is a true health, bodily health is not the true health; 3 Ep. John v: 2. Beloved (ſaith that beloved Diſciple) I wiſh above all things, thou majeſt proſper and be in health, even as thy ſoul proſpereth; but to the generality there is cauſe to wiſh that they may proſper and be in health as their body proſpereth, for the moſt have far more proſperity & health in their outward than in their inward man. Either you are under the foot of your natural Lusts, or they are in a good degree, under your foot; either you are overcome by them or you overcome them; If the former, either you are ſo, and yet ſenſeleſſe and ſecure (which is the miſerable condition of the greater part of men) then here's a word of conviction continuing as you are, the word of truth ſaith you ſhall dy; or being ſenſible and awake you do ſtrive and ſtrugle againſt your corruptions without victory, (which is the ſad caſe of many) then here's a rule of direction, all your endeavours againſt your ſin muſt be through the ſpirit. If the latter, if you are victorious over your lusts which war againſt your ſouls (which is the happineſſe but of a comparative few) then here's a Cup of conſolation for you, he who cannot ly, ſaith you ſhall live; Take thine own portion, learn thine own Leſſon.
In that great day when the Books ſhall be opened, then ſhall this Book with all other have a far more open publication, and how it came to be printed, and what my end in it is, and what the fruit of it ſhall be, will be revealed; men's writings are called their works, (we ſay the works of ſuch a one and not without reaſon) according to theſe works, ſhall it be rendred, by that juſt, that wiſe Judge, in that day, to every one who worketh in this kind; I had much rather therefore write that which is profitable though not honourable, than that which is honourable and not profitable, or that which is good meanly, than any thing that is evill eligantly. Seeing the Scriptures themſelves are ſo diſlik't, and found fault with by ſo many, no wonder if this piece meet with hard cenſures Rom. 14.4. Who art thou that judgeſt another mans ſervant? to his own Maſter he standeth or falleth; ſo may it be ſaid of another mans ſervice.
I have ſometime thought, why did not all the Apoſtles write ſomething for publick common uſe? or why have we not ſomewhat of the writing of them all? who ſince like them? yet what volumes have been written and preſerved, and brought down to us through the ſeverall ages ſince their time? No doubt more things were written by the Pen-men of Scripture than we have; more Epiſtles by the Apoſtles than are come to us, ſome of which, (it's very like) we would have judg'd mere uſefull, and ſhould have preferred before ſome that we have. (Luke 1.1. For as much as many have taken in hand to ſet forth in order a declaration of thoſe things which are moſt ſurely believed among us, V. 3. It ſeemed good to me alſo, though many, yea, becauſe many had written, be wrote too, and that about the ſame things.) Had printing been found out in Chriſt's time or the Apoſtles dayes, how much more of their ſayings, doings, and writings might we have had? But God's providence over-ruleth all things in infinite wiſdome, not to be fathomed by the ſhort line of our reaſon, or underſtanding, How unſearchable are his wayes?
To ſay the truth, as theſe Sermons were preached upon the deſire of a Friend, ſo are they publiſhed upon the ſerious requeſt of ſeverall, (backt with ſome remarkable paſſages of providence) and by grave advice; otherwiſe I had not any mind, or thought in my mind, to let them paſſe the Preſs, than which even nothing farther from my thoughts when I preach't them
As they were delivered in my conſtant courſe of preaching (ſo neer as well could be) come they here to you in a homely dreſſe, Eccl. 11.6. In the morning fow thy ſeed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand, for thou knoweſt not whether ſhall proſper, either this or that, or whether they both ſhall be alike good; So may it be ſaid, read one and read another Book, for thou knoweſt not whether ſhall advantage thee, either this or that, or whether they ſhall be both alike gainfull, or ſuccesfull. They ſay it's an ill wind that blows no one any good; I am not without hope thoſe things printed may do ſome good (as I have ground to believe when preached they did) If they become beneficiall to any I ſhall account that alone a great reward, and he that ſhall ſay contemptuouſly p…ſh, they had better never ſeen the light, doth he not ſ…y withall, better that good, ſome may gain thereby, had not been done? but when the leaſt good is done to the leaſt, Chriſt will not ſay ſo, for he ſaith, Verily he that gives a Cup of cold water to a Diſciple in the name of a Diſciple ſhall not loſe his reward: ſo doth he love Diſciples, Christians, & it is his ſaying, Feed my Lambs as well as feed my Sheep, and he wi…l have him that hath but one talent to improve it, That place hath many times given me great encouragement in my hard work, 1 Cor. 1.26, 27. &c. For ye ſee your calling brethren, how that not many wiſe men after the fleſh, not many mighty, nor many noble are called, but God hath choſen the fooliſh things of the world to confound the wiſe; and God hath choſen the weak things of the world to conſound the things which are mighty; and baſe things of the world, and things which are deſpiſed hath God choſen; and things that are not to bring to nought things that are, that no fleſh ſhould glory in his preſence. We read, Luke 24.11. Their words ſeemed to them as idle tales, becauſe they believed them not; Pray, O therefore pray much for Faith (leſt theſe words of truth be but to you as idle tales) and therewith mix all the truths of God. The way to experience prom…ſes and the goodneſſe of Scripture counſels is to believe them, but he that believeth not ſhall feel in due time the certainty of all Scripture threatnings. If every idle word ſpoken, must be given an account of, then ſure every good and uſefull word heard or read must be accounted for, Hoſ. 2.8, 9. She did not know that I gave her Corn, and Wine, and Oyl, &c. therefore will I return and take away my Corn, and my Wine, and will recover my Wool and my Flax, &c. Doth the Lord regard what uſe men put his Corn, Wine, Wool and Flax to? and doth he not obſerve how men entertain, and deal with his Words?
The good Lord deliver thee from that woſull, yet prevailing frame of Spirit, to be ſerious about trifles and triflng about ſerious things. He in whom are all the Treaſures of Wiſdom, make you wiſe to Salvation, your own, your everlaſting Salvation from the worſt death to the beſt life, & cauſe you to know ſavingly in this your day, the things that concern your peace, lest the night, the diſmal night come, wherein they will wholly and for ever be hid from thine eyes. Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life, the fountain of light and life give you proportionably (O that at leaſt it might be ſo much) to value life ſpiritual and eternal. In a word (my Pen already having run too far and beyond my purpoſe.) If thou art a careleſs ſighty one, O that thou wouldſt ſit down and ponder, till thou feeleſt thoſe words come home with power to thy heart, Prov. 1.24.25. &c.; art thou one that mourneſt becauſe of the prevalency of ſin in thee, remember the Spirit is a Spirit of love, and power, therefore ready and able to enable thee heartily ſeeking it, to tread upon the n…ck of all thy ſins (as they did upon the necks of thoſe Kings, Joſh. 10 24.) and to lead thee in the way everlaſting, till thou attaineſt to the full poſſeſſion of that never ending Life of Glory. If in reading thou findeſt thy heart ſtirred up to pray, then lift up a requeſt for him, who is,
Thy hearty Soul-Friend, S. M.