Discourse of Excuses, Title page – To the reader
ANTAPOLOGIA, Or a Diſcourſe of EXCUSES; Setting forth the Variety and Vanity of them, the Sin and Miſery brought in by them, as being the greateſt Bar in the way to Heaven, and the ready high way to Hell, being the common ſnare wherein moſt of the Children of Men are Intangled and Ruined.
By Jo. Sheffield. M. A. Miniſter of the Goſpel.
foreign.
In animam ſuam peccat, qui ſe Excuſat, repellens proinde a ſe Indulgentiae Medicinam, & ſic vitam ſibi proprio ore intercludens.
Bernh.
Qui ſe accuſant Excuſantur, qui ſe Excuſant recuſantur.
Eccleſ. 7. 29.
This only have I found, that God made Man upright, but he hath ſought out many Inventions.
Prov. 21. 2.
Every way of Man is right in his own Eyes, but the Lord pondereth the Hearts.
Prov. 28. 13.
He that covereth his Sins ſhall not proſper, but he that confeſſeth and forſaketh ſhall find mercy
Eſay 42. 22.
But this is a people robbed and ſpoyled, they are all of them ſnared in Holes, and they are hid in Priſon Houſes: they are for a Prey, and none delivereth; for a Spoil, and none ſaith, Reſtore.
LONDON, Printed for Tho. Parkhurst, at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapſide. 1672.
TO THE READER.
Reader,
THou haſt in thy Hand a Diſcourſe of (rather againſt) Excuſes; the greateſt and moſt over-ſpreadeng Evil in the World, and the greateſt Enemy to Grace and Godlineſs. And take this account of my Ʋndertaking.
I have obſerved among all the Arts and Engines the old Enemy hath made uſe of, none have proved ſo beneficial and expeditious, as thoſe two mentioned Eſa. 5. 20. The one to call Evil Good, the other to put Darkneſs for Light. By the firſt he caſts a miſt before our Eyes, when he tempts to ſin, ſaying, Ye ſhall not die, but ſhall be as Gods, making Evil to appear Good, that we may ſin with leſs fear; and by putting Darkneſs for Light and Light for Darkneſs, when we have by his ſollicitations faln into ſin, he puts a Vail upon our Conſciences, that we may either lie ſtill more ſecurely, or go on more boldly, when he hath furniſht us with ſome ſpecious Excuſes to …over our nakedneſs, and ſins deformity; thus leading poor Souls blind-folded as thoſe Syrians once were, who (ſuppoſing themſelves conducted by a friend, and in a ſafe way) were led into the mouth of danger, and no ſooner were their Eyes opened, but they were ſenſible of their groſs miſtake.
With theſe two did he begin the World, when he ſet up for himſelf, and affected the Principality of this Lower World, having failed in his higher Aym above, aſpiring to more greatneſs among his fellow Angels.
And ſo beneficial have they proved to him, that he may (as if laughing) at his own policy and man's ſimplicity, ſay to his Aſſociates, what once that Atheiſtical Name-ſake and Vicegerent of his Leo X. ſaid to one of his Cardinals, Q…antum nobis & noſtro Coetui profuit illa fabula, &c. The curſed Atheiſt ſpake it of the very Goſpel it ſelf. How much have we and our Colleagues gained by that Fable? But by the way had he ſaid, how much have thoſe two Fables profited us, viz. That of Peters Supremacy, and the Keys delivered to him alone, and of Romes Infallibility, as ſucceeding Peter in all his Apoſtolical priviledges, he had not ſaid much amiſs; for theſe have been the Popes two Keys by which he hath opened the way to his Vice-Godſhip on Earth (he is ſo ſtyled by his Canoniſts and Paraſites, Vice-Deus in Terris) and to his Ʋniverſal Monarchy over the blinded Chriſtian World, trampling ſometimes upon the very Necks of Kings and Emperours. Theſe are the two main ſupports of the Antichriſtian Kingdom, and the Rocks on which the preſent Church of Rome is founded. So thoſe two fore-named black Arts have been the Keys by which the Prince of Darkneſs hath opened his way to his Conqueſt of the World, and hath arrived to his wiſhed Supremacy too: to his Godſhip in the World (ſo is he called 2 Cor. 4. 4. Deus hujus ſaeculi) and hath attained his deſired Ʋniverſal Monarchy, trampling upon high and low, and triumphing over the deluded ſons of men. So that he who ſhall ſhake theſe two Pillars, as Sampſon did thoſe two on which the Philiſtins houſe was built, will throw down the ſtrongeſt holds of Satan, and make his Kingdom fall about his Ears, and will deſerve his Name ſhould be enrolled among the Chief of Chriſtian Heroes. And as David ſaid once of the Inhabitants of Jebus who had put ſuch ſcorn upon him, He that ſhall get up into the Gutter, and take away the lame and blind which are hated of Davids Soul, he ſhall be Chief, and Captain, 2 Sam. 5. 8. So may I ſay, whoſoever ſhall take away the Blind and Lame. The blind pretences whereby Evil is called Good: And the lame Excuſes where Light is put for Darkneſs, deſerves in my mind the Name among the firſt Three, as he that hath done moſt to the taking away the Reproach of Iſrael, by diſarming the ſtrong man, and taking away his Armor wherein he truſted, and ſpoiling his Houſe.
I have laid my weak hand to this latter, and have endeavoured (I will not ſay Pro virili, ſed pro Senili, pro Imbecilitate & tenuitate mea) for as the man is, ſo is his ſtrength, Jud. 8. 21.) to give it a ſhake, or may rather ſay, have been as that weaker guide to Sampſon, led him to the two Pillars, where he may try his ſtrength.
I am not ignorant of my own many Infirmities, and therefore might well put in my Excuſe (had I not profeſſedly written againſt Excuſes) for adventuring to appear in publick in this Critical, Learned, and Eagle-eyed Age; my Weakneſſes are many, Stile homely, Method, happily not ſo well digeſted, and by ſome I look to be Cenſured as having ſaid too much, by others too little. I have only this for Excuſe, and ſome Excuſes you will ſee are here allowed, that I have not met with much written deſignedly on this Subject, which may in ſome ſort Excuſe both Author and Matter, and Manner, and Method, and Stile, and the many other Infirmities which the whole Diſcourſe may labour under.
I have taken notice of above an hundred Bad Excuſes, and have ſpoken ſomewhat to the Reproving, I would I could alſo ſay to the Removing of them. And another I doubt not, of more Inſight into the wayes of God and wiles of Satan, may come after and glean an hundred more (and his Gleaning better than all my Vintage) and yet this Hydra hath more Heads than can eaſily be cut off. Some I have willingly pretermitted to eaſe my ſelf and thee Reader in ſome ſort, and have only touched upon ſome, not thinking it neceſſary to inlarge upon all, then ſhould I have written a Volume and not ſo ſhort a Treatiſe, the variety and number of the particulars is ſo great, that to ſpeak fully and ſatisfactorily to each, would require a workman indeed, and I might have known where to begin, but not where to end.
I have here gathered and ſet a many Stocks, which a more skilful Hortulane, would have ſet in a better and more comely Order, and likely have graffed better fruit upon, more pleaſant to the Eye and Taſt of the Reader, by a more ſubſtantial handling, a more ſmooth, pithy and taking ſtile, and a more gracious and ſpiritual ſtrain of Spirit.
But I muſt ſay I write not to Scholars …r quaint Citizens, the Stile is as the Author Subruſtick and Inurbane. I write not to you Fathers and able Learned ones, whoſe Unction and Abilities teach you in a much higher way. I only ſay I write to you Children, you weaker ones, who look not for the ſtrong meat of ſtrong Lines and high Language, but beſt reliſh the plain and uncompounded milk of the word, Indeed Ornari res Sancta negat contenta doceri. And without diſſembling think that Title beſt becomes it which Reverend Perkins prefixed to one of his, which he Inſcribed, To all Ignorant people which deſire to be inſtructed. And now it is gone out of my Hand, ſay to it as once a Wit ſaid to his; Vade ſed Incultus, yet do I read that Samſon once did great Execution with the Jaw-bone of an Aſs (and never was there a more unlikely Battle-Ax uſed) and Gideon again with his Earthen Pitchers (never ſuch weak Ordinance employed) and David with a Sling-ſtone (never more contemptible Arrow ſhot) But it was in the Name of the Lord that he went out: And who knows what a day of ſmall things may produce? The Lord ſaveth not by Sword or Spear, not by Might or Power, Zech. 4. 6. not by Learning and Eloquence, but he can make the feeble to be as David, Zech. 12. 8. and the foreign, 1 Cor. 1. 28. the baſe and contemptible things, and thoſe which are not (juſt nothing accounted) to bring down the things which are. That no part of the glory may fall to the Inſtrument, but the whole redound to the praiſe of the glory of his Grace, who worketh all things according to the Councel of his own Will.
But to the matter it ſelf. Excuſes are the Subject of this Diſcourſe, which I can look upon as no other then Satans Maſter-piece, and can call them by no fitter Name then that Common Black Art, wherein he doth inſtruct the most of the ſons of men, and by this he doth inveigle more and hold them almost as fast as he doth thoſe whom he hath trained up to the ſtudy and practice of that which is ſo called foreign, The Black Art. The Fox and Serpent have advantaged Satans Interest more with his Neq aquam moriemini, and his Eritis ſicut Dii, ye ſhall not Die at at all, but ſhall be as Gods, than to appear a Lyon and Dragon in his own colours, ſaying Caſt thy ſelf down head-long, or fall down and worſhip and make a f…rmal Compact with me. We find by Experience that our Engliſh Flocks (the Glory and Wealth of our Land) are more prejudiced by the ſubtle Foxes lurking in their Dens, than by the more ſavage Wolves, which our prudent Forefathers have happily rid the Land of: And our ſpiritual Paſtors find more prejudice done to the Souls of men, our Spiritual Flocks (otherwiſe the glory of the Chriſtian Name) by theſe lurking Excuſes, than by thoſe ravenous Wolves of Rome, Jeſuites and Seminaries, whom our pious Princes have formerly chaſed out of the Land by their juſt Interdicts.
Theſe are the great Abaddon and Apollyon the Deſtroyers of Souls, the Mice that near the Land, 1 Sam. 6. 5. The Samſons, deſtroyers of our Countrey, that lay Heaps upon Heaps, not of Philiſtins, but Iſraelites. The opprobria Theologorum: By theſe is the Miniſtry of Gods faithful Servants baffled, and rendred unſucceſsful, not by open contradiction, but by a tacit reſerve and reſolvedneſs aforehand how far they will go, no further. Excuſes they are Satans Off-ſpring, Sins great Grandmother, that came in with the Fall, begotten between Sin and Guilt, Sin the Father, Guilt the Mother: God created Man upright it is ſaid, but Man (faln) ſought out many Inventions; among which, Excuſes to cloke and cover Sin were the first and are the chiefest. An Epidemical Evil and as General almost as Original Sin, and …ath as that Univerſal Deluge, in Noah's time, overſpread the face of the whole Earth.
They are the old Primitive Language learnt of Satan in Paradiſe, and though other Languages have been lost, or ſo confounded that we hardly know what remains of them, this remains entire and may be called the Univerſal Character of the World and the Mother Language of all Nations, who as ſoon as born, and learn to go and ſpeak; learn to go aſtray and ſpeak Lies. An Evil ſo much the more to be lamented becauſe Hereditary & Connatural, born with us. No Nation ſo barbarous, Religion ſo groſs, Worſhip ſo impious, Superſtition ſo fond, Manners ſo brutiſh, Opinion ſo irrational, but hath borrowed ſomwhat from Excuſes to defend them: No Age, Sex, Nation, Condition, ſort and rank of men without them. The youngest Child, hath learned one and the elder Father more, none ſo ſimple and ignorant as to be deſtitute of one, and the more knowing and cunning (the more the pity) the more ſtore.
Take any man without Excuſes and you may ſay Rara avis; that you have ſeen a ſtrange Sight. Peganiſme and Idolatry had never been known in the World, nor had continued, had it not been for them. Popery had never ſtood ſo long, had it not been underpropt by them. No Wars, Murder, Rapine, Adulteries, Witchcrafts, Falſe Wi…eſs, Perjury, Cheating, Lying, Equivocation, Pride, Revenge, firing Towns and Cities, Blowing up of Parliaments, Aſſaſſination of Princes, Butchering and Maſſacring of People had ever been in the World, had it not been for this great Mother of Abominations. No Hereſie, Schiſme, Doctrine of Devils, Corruption of Worſhip had ever troubled the Church; No Sedition, Treaſon, Rebellion, Conſpiracies, Factions, Innovations, Oppreſſions, Tumults, had ever troubled the State had it not been for theſe the ſetters on, or Abetters. No ſuch perſecutions, oppoſition and ſlighting of faithful Miniſters and ſound Doctrine, no ſuch ſcorn cast upon wayes of Godlineſs where the Goſpel is profeſſed, no ſuch backwardneſs as repent, reform, believe and obey and become true practiſers of Godlineſs in the power, but for them. Nothing but Piety, Charity, Peace, Love, Concord, Friendſhip, Faithfulneſs, Truth, Sincerity in the World, were it not for them.
Take away theſe and you take away all that is hurtful, rid the World of them, and what a World ſhould we ſee! weed theſe out of the Church and it becomes a Paradiſe; a Garden or Well incloſed: Yea, take theſe from a man and you reſtore him to his Integrity and you have a real, terrene Saint.
Take a view a little and conſider what is the great Propugnaculum, or Bulwark under which all Evil ſhelters it ſelf againſt the weapons of our Spiritual Warfare, but Excuſes? what is the Obex, the obſtacle that renders the moſt powerful Miniſtry ineffectual but theſe? We must therefore fetch theſe Kings out of their Caves, or we do nothing. If we could ſt…p up theſe Wells and cut down theſe fruitful Trees as they were commanded, 2 Kings 3. 19. Then ſhould Iſrael weaken the Enemy and the Miniſters live at more hearts-eaſe. But while theſe remain (as we ſay Intus Exiſtens prohibet alienum) we do but beat the Air. There is no entrance for truth in the power of it. This we ſhall find if we take a view of moſt of thoſe things wherein the Miniſter hath to do. E. g. First if the Miniſter give warning from God to avoid Sin and cry out, H…ſt and eſcape for thy life, Cito, Longe, tarde, as from the Peſtilence. How ill do men take it. Look back with Lots Wife, linger with Lot, as l…th to part with Sin as Jacob with Benjamin, as tender of it as David of Abſalom, Deal kindly I pray you for my ſak… with the young man, ſpare him, hurt him not. Is it not a little one ſay they, a venial Sin? may it not conſist with grace? If I never do worſe, I hope I ſhall do well enough: Have not others done as bad or worſe, yet found mercy? I have Examples, great ones, multitude on my ſide, and ſome good men have done the like. It is my Diana (my Livelyhood) my Dalilah, (or right Eye) allow me this only, I ſhall do any thing, only ſpare me Herodias▪ Intreat for me ſaid Pharaoh, abate me but this. I hope my Calling, Place, Quality, Profeſſion, and the cuſtom and manner of the times may Excuſe me; mean while I ſhall live quietly, peaceably and civilly, and do what the Law requires.
2. If we deal with men to confeſs and acknowledge their Sins, how many ſhifts, windings and turnings? how long e're we can get that hard word Peccavi out of their mouths. And if they do not ſtorm as the Sodomites at Lot, and look on the Miniſter as Ahab did on Elias, or Micaiah; then what Excuſes do they make? Bear with me I pray, it was an Over-ſight I confeſs, but I hope my Nature, Cuſtom, Paſſion, Provocation may Excuſe me: Or it was done in my Ignorance, Childhood, or when I was not my ſelf; but then in my Drink, Heat, Anger, Paſſion, Fear, Haſt, and on the ſudden. Another ſaith, it was in Jest, Mirth▪ Merriment, I had no ill meaning in the Earth; another, had I not reaſon? I was wronged, urged, abuſed, and it was to an Enemy or a worthleſs perſon. Another, what I did was in zeal and out of Conſcience to make good my Vow, Promiſe; Oath which I had taken; my Welfare, Credit, Honour, lay at ſtake, diſgrace, danger and prejudice was prevented, my Friend pleaſured, much good procured: Beſides I tell you again it is the only Infirmity I am ſubject to; my Rimmon, herein the Lord be merciful to me, I know not how to leave it, or live without it, and it is hard if a man have but One Ewe Lamb in his Boſome, and the Miniſter would deprive him of that. Beſides the matter is not ſo great, I am not an Adulterer, Murderer or perjured perſon, it was but once neither. I ſhould have been ſingular, unſociable, hiſſed at, had I done otherwiſe. I am civil, take pains for my Living, pay every man his own, I trust the Lord will be more merciful, then theſe Miniſters tell us, or God help us; what will become of all elſe? and twenty more ſuch put-offs men have.
3. If we cannot but yield it to be a Sin, then have we other Excuſes ready, If it was Evil blame others, not me; I am a Child, did as my Parents bade me; a Servant, and must do what my Maſter commands and keep his Secrets; in a low condition, and my dependence was on ſuch whom I must not diſoblige. I am of ſo good a Nature as I can't be refractory, if I am any bodies foe, it is my own, no mans elſe, if I ſpend, it is but my own, what my Friends left me, or I came fairly by. I had Commands to warrant, Promiſes to allure, Threats to fright, Friends and Companions to importune, Examples and multitudes to accompany me, and could I ſtand againſt all theſe. If Hercules thought it hard to encounter with two, how could I ſtand before ſo many Hercules's? Beſides what ſome ſcrupulous perſons (more preciſe then wiſe) cry out againſt, is the cuſtom of the Countrey, the mode of the time, place and ſociety that I converſe with, and the moſt men I meet with do the like, and it were hard if God ſhould condemn all the World, but a few who are ſingular, and love to pleaſe themſelves, though they pleaſe no body elſe.
4. If dealt with to repent and break …ff Sin, we ſtand up in defence of it as if we had taken it into our Protection as did the Benjamites thoſe Sons of Belial, wh…m they ſhould have given up to the hand of Juſtice. And then do we ſeek to ſtop the Miniſters, and Conſciences mouth too, putting far from us all fear of danger, crying out, are we not all Sinners, have not the best their failings? Is any man perfect in this life? Some again caſt the fault on Satan, and ſome are ready to charge it upon God, and ſay it was Gods will it ſhould be ſo, or it had never been, God denied me his Gr…ce, then could I neither do, nor be better than he enabled me, &c.
5. Preſs men to more ſtrictneſs and amendment of life; then do they flatter themſelves, and reply, Is not God infinite in mercy? did not Chriſt die for Sinners? The promiſes of the Goſpel are full of Comfort, and I ground my Faith on them, and ſuch doctrines as are preached by our beſt Divines, viz. Of Free Grace, of Juſtification by Faith, Remiſſion of Sins, and Pardon upon true Repentance; and a great obſervation I have made, I hope I ſhall never forget it, the bleſſed End I have ſeen ſome make without all this ado.
6. Stir them up to a purſuit of Holineſs, and a Conſcientious courſe of Life, how are they ready to plead the badneſs of the times, the diſrepute Holineſs is in, the Inconveniences, Damage, Detriment, Diſgrace we may meet with; He that departeth from Evil, maketh himſelf a Prey: The Aſperſions & Nick-names caſt upon the Godly, the troubles and tentations of the Righteous, the Lyon in the way, the many difficulties in the way of Salvation. The peace, and proſperity of the wicked, the diviſions among Profeſſors, the ſcandalous Lives of ſome Miniſters, and the foul miſcarriage of ſome Profeſſors, and many ſuch like.
Laſtly, warn them to take heed of Security, and to work out their Salvation with fear and trembling, they have their anſwer ready; Gods Decrees are unchangeable, if I am Elected I ſhall be ſaved, if not, I ſhall periſh whatſoever I do, all endavours are in vain, all good works we are taught do neither merit grace, nor glory.
So again, when we call upon men to duty, to come in and receive Chriſt; How do all with one conſent make Excuſe? my Calling, Oxen, Farm, Merchandize, will not permit and give me time; the work is good I confeſs, I ſpeak not againſt it, but the time is not yet; I am a Child, ignorant, an unlearned perſon, I have a full purpoſe hereafter, when more at leaſure, when out of debt, ſettled in the world, when I have buried my aged Father, and my ſelf my own man, and my eſtate in my own hand; but let me alone till then, or till I am old, ſick, dying, and then I will do what you will have me.
So again when we perſwade men to believe; how backward and ſlow of Heart are many to embrace the Promiſes, rejecting and in as much as in them is fruſtrating the grace of God, with ſuch like put-offs; the Promiſe is good, and too good for me, I too bad, altogether unworthy, neither holy, nor humble enough, the means are unlikely, &c. or I fear it is now too late, the day of Grace is paſt, the Decree is gone forth, Providences are dark, Promiſes delayed, my ſins, afflictions, fears, doubts, temptations great and dreadful, Satan aſſaults, dogs, inſults, triumphs, and which is ſaddeſt of all, God hath forſaken me, my Prayer are not heard, the Viſion doth not ſpeak, my Fleſh fails, my Heart fails, and my Hope is even giving up the Ghost.
I might go on, Reader, thus to enlarge and multiply particulars, but muſt crave thy pardon for this tediouſneſs; if either thou deſireſt more, or art not at leiſure to read the whole, let me adviſe thee to turn to Chap. 9, 10, 11. and ſeriouſly conſider what thou there readest of the veariety, vanity, ſinfulneſs and danger of Excuſes. But here thou ſeeſt enough to convince thee how common and frequent Excuſes are, and how juſtly to be ſpoken againſt. All the world is undone by them, nothing but Excuſes, Excuſes every where. Every man hath his Omer full. So that call for what you will, and put men upon what you will, all you muſt look for, is to be put off with an Excuſe. As he ſaid once, To will is preſent, to perform I find not, ſo to Excuſe is preſent, to perform I find not an inclination. To fly from, repent of, and turn from ſin, requireth pains; to perform the duties of Sobriety, Righteouſneſs and Godlineſs requires pains; to exerciſe Faith and Patience, requireth pains, and ſo the whole of Real Chriſtianity, but an Excuſe is eaſie, cheap, and coſteth little.
I ſhall, trouble thee no longer Reader, but deſire God to give us all his grace to avoid all ſinful and deſtructive Excuſes, and that in ſtead of theſe, we may get our ſelves furniſht with ſome of thoſe Better Excuſes recommended in the end of this Diſcourſe, in particular theſe five I would commend at preſent in ſtead of all others.
First, that of a good Conſcience; then thou needeſt no other, of which Saint Bernad ſaith well, Optima C…ique Excuſatio eſt Teſtimonium Conſcientiae: The beſt Excuſe of all, is an Excuſing Conſcience. This was St. Paul's Excuſe. Our rejoycing is this, The teſtimony of our Conſcience, 2 Cor. 1. 12. It is above a thouſand Witneſſes we ſay, and I may add above ten thouſand Excuſes. Saint Peter calls it the ſaving anſwer of a good Conſcience, and prefers the vertue of it above that of Baptiſme alone, 1 Pet. 3. 21.
2. Next to that, ready, ſincere and univerſal obedience; then no need of any deviſed Excuſe, when thou canſt ſay with Jacob, My righteouſneſs ſhall anſwer and ſpeak for me, Gen. 30. 33. and with the Apoſtle, we have renounced the hidden things of diſhoneſty, not walking in craftineſs (as Excuſe-makers do,) 2 Cor. 4. 3.
3. Becauſe Conſcience may yet accuſe, and our Obedience falls ſhort, the next good Excuſe is Humiliation and Repentance, timely and true. Shemei after all his foul-mouthed rayling and curſing, ſped better at David's hands by his making haſt to humble himſelf and crying mercy, 2 Sam. 19. 20. then that leſs guilty Amalekite, who brought a Crown coming in his confidence of good Service, 2 Sam. 1. 5. And the ſelf-condemning Publican at Gods hands, than the ſelf-juſtifying Phariſee. Neither were any received to mercy at Joſuah's hands, but the ſelf-humbling, mercy-begging Gibeonites, all that ſtood upon their defence were cut off.
4. With humble Confeſſion and Proſtration joyn fervent Prayer. This was David's Excuſe or Relief, Againſt thee have I ſinned, turn thy face from my ſins; and the Lord anſwered, I have taken away thy Sin. Selfaccuſation and Repentance with Prayer obtains abſolution and remiſſion. This is the Apology or ſelf-clearing mentioned, 2 Cor. 7. 11. If we therefore cannot come in with the elder Brothers Apology, I have ſerved thee theſe ſo many years, neither tranſgreſſed at any time, then come in with the younger Brothers confeſſion and ſupplication, Father, I have ſinned againſt Heaven and againſt thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son, &c.
5. Laſtly, above all, fly to Christ by Faith, that he may make thy Excuſe by interceding for thee: His Office is to mediate, reconcile and plead for us as our Advocate, to undertake for us our Surety, to take away Sin as our Propitiation, then what need of Excuſes wheas Sin is taken away? through him we ſhall be preſented unblamable & unchangeable before God, Col. 2. 22. Ar thou therefore overwhelmed with Sin, Guilt, Fear and Diſmaydneſs, cry to him as Hezekiah did, Eſay 38. 14. Lord, I am oppreſſed, undertake for me, and with the words of the expiring Thief, Lord remember me now thou art in thy Kingdom, Luke 23. 42.
And now I have no more to do, but to commend thee to God, and to the word of his Grace, and to intreat thy favourable acceptance of this Diſcourſe (ſuch as it is) and to pray that thou maiſt make thy best of it. This I hope thou wilt find at le…ſt, as St. Auſtin ſaid of his Writings, while he was taken up in writing, that he was kept from being Idle, or worſe employed; ſo while thou art Reading, thou art kept from ſpending thy time more unprofitably, unleſs thou bast in thy hand ſome more profitable Book, of which (bleſſed be God) our preſent age is well ſtored, and therein I would by no means be thy hinderance, only deſire thy Prayers for a Bleſſing upon this and all the Endeavours of other Godly Men, whether Preaching or Writing, whoſe aim is, next to the glory of God and the declaring his Will, to ſeek and further the Peace and welfare of his Church, and to contribute their utmost to the furthering of the ſalvation of Souls. In which number is
The meaneſt of Gods ſervants, Io. Sheffield.