Divine Comforts, Title page – Preface
foreign: OR Divine Comforts, Antidoting Inward Perplexities OF MIND. IN A DISCOURSE UPON PSAI. xciv. Ver. 19.
By T. Sharp M. A. late Miniſter of the Goſpel at Leeds.
With ſome ſhort Remarks upon the Author.
foreign — foreign,
Marc. Antonin. l. 4. §. 49.
LONDON, Printed for Tho. Parkhurſt at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapſide; And John Whitworth Bookſeller in Leeds, 1700.
THE PREFACE, Rendering an Account of this Publication.
COmfort is a thing ſo pleaſing, ſo amiable, ſo tempting, that it invites every ones Embraces, and oft is liable to the Confident and Impudent Arreſts and Rapes of Preſumptious and Wanton Hearts, which in a Licentious Age, do not entertain ſo much Solicitude to be Good as Quiet. Degenerate Nature is loth to diveſt it ſelf of its evil Diſpoſitions, as thoſe Satisfactions which are agreeable to its predominate Qualities and Conſtitution, becauſe this imports no leſs than its own Diſſolution and Ruin, (as far as Corrupt) and in this Gulf the Generality Periſh, it being, like the Dead Sea, ſmooth though muddy. But when a daring Light boldly ruſhes into the Conſcience, and as our Redeemer once in Jeruſalem, overturns the Tables, and with Whips and Scorpions drives out the old Buyers and Sellers, the Corruptions that converted the Temple of God, Mans Heart, into a Den of Thieves and Murderers, and thus imbitters all his delicious Luſts, diſgraces and deſtroys his falſe and deluſory Carnal Joys, (which muſt certainly be done either on Earth or in Hell) then does he feel a neceſſity laid upon him to enquire after another Balſom, to heal his broken Heart and Hopes, than that which grows in his own Garden, and for a ſecure Relief, is conſtrain'd to make towards Heaven.
Yet his purſuits admit of great varieties according to the Vigour and Power of that Light which arraigns him, and the Conduct of thoſe different Guides he relies upon, one of the firſt Effects of theſe Convictions, being Self-diffidence. Some therefore into whoſe Souls the Dart is not ſtruck home and deep enough, yet feel ſome Pain and Smart, and are diſeaſed with and impatient of it, muſt and will have Eaſe, making that their principal Care and End, without any due Endeavours to proceed in a regular Method to gain it: Therefore Ignorance and Appetite being their Leaders, they in this dark Night ſoon get to Bed, and dream themſelves into a pretty Paradiſe. Theſe poſſeſs Peace without its Harbinger, true Penitence; and therefore muſt be more ſadly diſpoſſeſs'd of it, than they ſweetly enjoy it, Impoſtorous Pleaſures never being Permanent. Others with more Art but as little Strength, make toward the ſame Port by another Wind, frighted into ſomething like Repentance and Faith, and other Parts of Religion, by the Terrors of the Almighty, as knowing theſe the only Line and Courſe to bring them to the Haven of Reſt: Yet will not lay on Sail enough, nor exactly direct upon the right Point, but having a ſlothful Heart and Hand, and a ſiniſter Aim, they Anchor upon the Quick-ſands of their own fleeting, fading Formalities and Mockſhews of Religiouſneſs, as a ſufficient Ground and Bottom to ſtay and ſettle their Peace upon, yet at length under fair Hopes, and in a Serene Calm, ſink and are ſwallowed up of Everlaſting Woes.
The Deſign of this Diſcourſe is to prevail with theſe, and all, by the noble Magnetiſm of a thing ſo deſirable-and delightful as true and ſolid Conſolation to engage in real Goodneſs, which is the only way thereto, it being as impoſſible for Wickedneſs and ſound content of Mind to cohabit, as for Light and Darkneſs; before this therefore would I lay the greateſt Diſcouragements, as there is juſt reaſon, whilſt I attempt to promote the other, which is mainly in my Eye throughout.
A ſmall Canton of this Tract was, upon promiſe to be Tranſcribed, at the requeſt of a Perſon grievouſly afflicted with horrid Injections (I call them rather than Spontaneous Cogitations) relating to God and Providence; which whilſt in Hand, my Family was diminiſh'd by the Death of a Lovely Child, this enlarged my Meditations. Concurrent with theſe was a Report, that if I continued in an obſtinate refuſal (as I long had done) to appear in Print, ſome Sermons taken from me in Shorthand would unknown to me croud into the World, wherein perhaps we both might ſuffer. To prevent this I undertook to ſtop a Gap with this little Piece, and commit it to the publick Cenſure and Conſcience: Only two parcels of it were delivered to an Auditory, in the reſt I took the liberty of a Writer rather than a Preacher. If any thing here ſeem above the Capacity of the Vulgar, yet the greateſt part is not. I endeavoured to ſuit thoſe for whoſe ſake 'twas Publiſh'd ſo, that it might not altogether nauſeate the Learned and Ingenious of my Hearers and Readers by an inſipid flatneſs of Stile, or emptineſs of Matter, nor ſoar aloft out of the reach of the Ʋnlearned and Plain. I would ſpeak Things,Id agendum ut non verbis ſerviamus, ſed ſenſibus, Senec. Ep. 9. not mere Words and Wind, and with ſolidity of Sence Profit, rather than pleaſe with variety of Phraſes: If I miſs of my aim 'tis not the fault of my Subject but Intellect, which in the greateſt depths of matter, I always find extreme ſhallow of Apprehenſion, skinning over things rather than diving into them. And this is that piece of pride that hath hitherto upheld my Averſation to the Preſs, in a fear to betray my Weakneſs. But then again I am too proud willingly to be deem'd and doom'd for a Fool in that of Seneca, Epiſt. 9.Niſi ſapient ſua non placent. Omnis ſtultitia laborat faſtidio ſui; Vain Man would be wiſe, and now am I tempted to another, and no diminutive act of Arrogance, viz. In lawful indeavours for Publick Good to act reſolutely and contemn the World. A bad Proficient I acknowledge my ſelf in this Philoſophy or love of Wiſdom, yet would aſpire after thus much of it, To ſubmit my Follies to the Correction of the Wiſe, but to let the Captious know that I read in Arrianus,lib. 4. cap. 5. foreign.