The Axe at the Root of Professors Miscarriages, Title page – Dedication
THE Axe at the Root OF PROFESSORS MISCARRIAGES. IN A Plain Detection of, and a Wholſome Caveat againſt the Miſcarriages oppoſite to Faith in God.
By Thomas Mall, Miniſter of the Goſpel.
Mat. 3.10.
Now alſo is the Axe laid unto the Root of the Trees; therefore, every Tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
John 5.14.
Sin no more, leſt a worſe thing come unto thee.
Iſa. 7.9.
If you will not believe, ſurely you ſhall not be eſtabliſhed.
LONDON, Printed for Tho. Parkhurſt upon London-Bridge, 1668.
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ERRATA.
Candid Reader
IN the two firſt ſheets of this Treatiſe, the Author hath not found any faults, but in the Marginal Quotations; and he trusts thou wilt find none in the reſt, but what thine ingenuity will correct or pardon. In thoſe ſheets thou maist; p. 3. for ſinatis r. ſinaris. And f. Inarus r. Gnarus. p. 6. for ſwidas r. ſuidas. And for juſtus r. guſtus. Vale.
To the Cordial Mourners in England, eſpecially in Exon, Crediton, Tiverton, Taunton, Barnſtable, Bitheferd, Torrington, Dartmouth, and Forey, for the dreadful Tokens of God's diſpleaſure againſt the Land of their Nativity, and the ſad Cauſes thereof; The Author wiſheth Grace and Peace.
Dear Hearts,
I Doubt not of your kind acceptance, and Chriſtian improvement of this honeſt Eſſay, to lay the Axe of God's Word at the Root of the Provocations of God's Sons and Daughters. Are not you ſenſible of the woful (though but partial) departures of your God from your own Souls, and from the Land of your Nativity? Are not you lamenting after the A…k? 1 Sam. 7.2. Zach. 11.10, 14. Hoſ. 13.1.Are not you afraid that God is breaking England's ſtaff of Bands, by breaking its ſtaff of Beauty? that even death will follow offending in Baal? Yea, do not your hearts tremble at the very thoughts of what will farther enſue God's taking away the Chariots and Horſemen of your Iſrael? 2 King. 2.12.And would not you take the direct courſe to re-injoy the ſmiles of your deareſt Huſband, and to prevent England's cutting down? Yea, Deut. 32.19.are not you convinced that the Provocations of God's Sons and Daughters go neareſt to his hea…t? and that there is no hope even of their Salvation, ſo long as vain thoughts of eſcaping utter ruine, Jer. 4.14.without true repentance do lodg within them? And are not you therefore reſolved, Mat. 3.10.that ſeeing God hath laid the Axe to the root of the Trees, you will now in good earneſt lay the Axe to the root of your own Sins? that you will make it your main buſineſs to promote in your own Souls, yea and in others too, not only more humiliation for, but more reformation of what hath been amiſs, as knowing, that humiliation without reformation, is like the Word of God in the Letter, which kills, and not quickens; it accents ſin, and not leſſeneth it; it continues judgment, and not removes it? For your help therefore herein, I have endeavoured to detect and caution you againſt the miſcarriages oppoſite to Faith in God; which, I dare ſay, Epheſ. 6.17. 2 Chr. 18.30.are the Root of all your other Miſcarriages: By the ſword of the Spirit, and that as welded by the skilful hands of ſeveral of England's Worthies, to whom you are refer'd in the Margin; I have fought neither with ſmall nor great, but with your King-ſins: It is ſaid of Chriſt, In the day of thy wrath thou ſhalt ſmite through Kings. Pſal. 110.5.And is not this the day of Chriſts, yea, of your wrath againſt your ſins? Is not Chriſt, yea, are not you angry with them, and troubled for them? O then! ſhew that you have the Spirit of Chriſt in you; ſmite through Kings, I mean only your Kingly-ſins; and then I am ſure none will be able to ſtand before you: Scuh you will find your ſins oppoſite to Faith to be; each of them hath many followers, and therefore may be called Gad, Behold a Troop comes. I have indeed purpoſely waved ſpeaking of the Miſcarriages oppoſite to Faith, with reference to its immediate object, Jeſus Chriſt; not only becauſe thoſe are more taken notice of by convinced Souls in theſe days, than theſe with reference to its ultimate object, the Deity through Chriſt: But becauſe thoſe are moſt excellently handled by the Reverend Author of the late choice Goſpel-Glaſs, Ch. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, to which I ſhall once more refer you, and ſhall detain you no longer from making uſe of this Axe. But whilſt I am whiſpering a word or two in the ears of ſuch, as from the Miſcarriages of ſome (and not all) Profeſſors, in which they are not countenanced, but for which they are condemned by Religion and Profeſſion, are ſo unreaſouable as to fall foul upon Religion and Profeſſion *O that ſuch would ſeriouſly read judicious Mr. A. Furgeſs's 71 Serm. in his moſt excellent Commentary on Joh. 17. I ſhall only tranſcribe for them one paſſage, fol. 377. Would it not have been (ſaith he) horrible impiety, to have broken out against all the Apostles, and Christ himſelf; ſaying, Look what they are; It's as the Phariſees ſaid, a company of Impostors and Deceivers, they are all for their own ends, they are all covetous, and though they pretend Religon, yet they are Hypocrites; and though they condemn the groſs ſins of the World, yet in ſecret they can be a bad as any? would not ſuch a tongue ſhew that it was ſet on fire of Hell, that ſhould belch out ſuch things?. It is tru… hereby offences do come, and wo be to him by whom offences co…e. Whoſoever ſhall offend, Mat. 18.7. Mat. 18.7. 1 Pet. 2.7. Joh. 16.1.i. e. lay a ſtumbling-block before one of Chriſts little ones, it had been better a milſtone were hung about his neck, and he thrown into the Sea. Wo be to ſuch Profeſſors, that by their being ſpots, open the mouth of Blaſphemy. But wo be alſo unto all thoſe that take offence againſt Religion and Profeſſion, thereby. Wo unto the World becauſe of offences. Such will be found at laſt to be Blaſphemers againſt God, and runners in the broad way to Atheiſm and Damnation. Chriſt is a ſtone of ſtumbling, and a rock of offence, only to thoſe that periſh; to them that believe, he is precious. This is hinted that none may be offended, By your Faith's helper,
T. M. Dec. 23. 1667.