Heavenly Treasure, Title page 1 – To the reader 1
Heavenly Treaſure, OR MANS chiefeſt GOOD. Wherein The ſeveral Workings of the heart about, and in purſuance of its Chiefeſt Good, are Solidly and Judiciouſly diſcovered.
By William Strong that godly, able, and faithful Miniſter of Chriſt, lately of the Abbey at Weſtminſter.
… by R. W. for Francis Tyton, … three Daggers in Fleet-ſtreet, … 1656.
ALthough it was not my happineſs to have any perſonal knowledge of this worthy man during his life (having never to my remembrance, ſo much as ſeen his face) ſo that I cannot ſpeak ſo amply of his worth as others may that knew him perſonally; Yet ſince his death, by a good providence, ſome of his Sermons, and in particular this of the Treaſure being brought to mine hand, I had ſome real taſte and experience of his worth, of whom I had heard ſo much before. I confeſs I had often heard of the great eminency of this worthy man, which made me the more greedily, and with more intentneſs to read what I could ſee of his: and this I muſt needs ſay, that which I met with, did not only anſwer mine expectation, but much exceed it: and the more I read, the greater was my admiration. And though I do not think my ſelf to be ſuch a one, from whoſe thoughts in ſuch a kinde any credit or eſtimation ſhould come to ſuch a Work: Yet I think that I owe ſo much to him who is dead, and to ſome who are yet living, as to profeſs what I think, that there are ſcarce any Sermons extant wherein there is more ſtrength of parts, depth of matter, and ſingular induſtry to be ſeen, then in the Labours of this reverend Man: and that the Church of God would ſuſtain a great and invaluable loſs, ſhould his Labours be kept from publick view.
John Rowe.
Reader,
THE Box of Spikenard is broken; no wonder; for we have this treaſure in earthen Veſſels: when thou haſt ſmelt the ſavour of this precious ointment, I doubt not but that thou wilt ſee cauſe to bleſs that Providence, which hath ordered the endeavor of them that have ſtudied the preſervation of it from loſs; In this Paper-Veſſel wherein it is commended to thee. The Author was a burning and a ſhining Light, as theſe and other his Sermons do bear witneſs; for they carry light into the underſtanding, and heat into the affections; the light not meerly notional; the heat like that of the Sun, quickning, and prolifical: both are ſuch as are requiſite in a man that is in purſuance of his Chiefeſt Good, which is the noble ſubject of this Treatiſe, that points you to it, teaches the way of attainment of it; marks it out with ſuch Characters as do diſcriminate it from falſe treaſure; quickens the appetite unto the proſecution and fruition of it. And in ſhort, ſhews you the ſhorteſt way unto your own happineſs; whereof this is the property, that being but one, it alone makes the poſſeſſors happy, becauſe it doth eminently comprehend in it all other particular good things whatſoever: And this he teaches not to be treaſure on earth; but that it muſt be laid up by you on earth, as fruit gathered in the Orchard is thrown over the wall to be taken up when you are gone out. I undertake not to write the life, but commend the Labours of the man to thee; he was of an excellently tempered Spirit, both for humility and reſolution; one that was not afraid to follow the truth cloſe at the heels (though ſometimes it ſtrike out ones teeth) but an Orthodox propugnator of it; his ſtile is very familiar; in expoſition of Scripture he is acute and accurate, a great ſearcher of hidden Treaſures; a friend unto Free Grace, an advancer of practical holineſs; when it fell in his way to ſtrike wicked men with reprehenſions, his arrow ſo pierced, that it is manifeſt he drew a ſtrong Bow; when he had to deal with a wounded ſpirit, he ſhewed by his ſoft touch, that he had felt the wounds himſelf. In fine, that Aug. de Civit. lib. 19. initio.which hath been the diſquiſition of the Learned Sages of the world in all ages; and yet not one of two hundred eighty eight poſitions, or opinions did hit upon it, becauſe they wanted a light revealed, and ſo became fools in the Reſearch of it; I mean Mans chiefeſt good, that I ſay is ſo delineate in this Treatiſe, that I will make bold to commend it to thee as thy pocket treaſure, as it commends to thee thy Heavenly Treaſure, and ſo remain
Octob. 28. 1655. Thy ready Servant in the Lord, Rich. Vines.