Heavenly Treasure, To the reader 3
READER,
THou haſt here the firſt fruits of that ſeed which this Worthy, Reverend, Learned and Godly man ſowed in the dayes of his Miniſtry: they were indeed in themſelves, the Laſt crop of all his Labours, (being the Laſt Sermons that ever he Preached) but the over-haſty hand of ſome unskilful, if not unjuſt Gatherer, hath occaſioned they are firſt Gather'd into ſheaves: However it is now thy advantage▪ Thou haſt here a Treaſure; a Tryed Treaſure: This Piece which is his own, compared with thoſe Imperfect notes, Printed ſince his death, and unjuſtly bearing his name, may be to thee a Teſt, to diſcriminate the true and counterfeit Copies, if any ſhall yet farther in that kind, do him, and the Church of Chriſt ſo great an injury.
Know therefore, there are other things of his that follow: which that they may be his own, all care is taken, by tranſcription from, and comparing with his own notes: which is the onl… Cauſe (it may ſeem poſſibly) they make not haſt: yet they ſo haſt as that the engaged in this work, which their heart is in, and their hand has found to do, foreign, they will do it with all their might; uſing therein, all poſſible care and diligence: Having a double earneſt of their Acceptance with the Saints: The one their own ſpiritual ſenſes, (as they hope) a little exerciſed therein; Humbly conceiving, more of the ſecrets of God, the deep things of the Law, and the myſteries of Godlineſs, (which are great,) fetch'd out from the very Bowels of the Scripture, have not from any one mouth been communicated in theſe latter dayes.
The other earneſt is, that Seal which therein, and thereby the Spirit of God hath fixed on their hearts, and of many others, very many, in the firſt hearing of them: witneſs that great and ſad Aſſembly, in the day of his Funeral ſolemnity, when deep ſilence, heart. breaking ſighs, and weeping eyes would have preached loud enough, had that Reverend Miniſter, and his dear friend been ſilent; His Works that followed him, are not all dead with him, But ſome of them are here brought forth for thy ſpiritual advantage; The good hand of God be on them: with this Tract God ſealed up his Miniſtry, and his days, and whoſoever ſhall obſerve the latter part thereof, ſhall find it a ſolemn ſeal. Having contemplated that Treaſure which was his by choice before, he was now taken up into the full poſſeſſion of it; for he was indeed, a meet Inheritour. He had intended the next Lords day, to have entered a proteſt againſt that which is the treaſure of the moſt of men, from that ſaying of our Lord, Luk. 12. 15. Take heed and beware of covetouſneſs: but in the mean time his Maſter called; Well done thou good and faithful ſervant; tis enough; if they will be covetous, let them be ſo ſtill; thou haſt finiſhed thy Teſtimony; Enter, now, into the Joy of thy Lord. How much might be ſpoken of him, were it neceſſary? But what needs it? His works praiſe him in the Gate. Few of the eminent Miniſters in the Nation, but he was either perſonally known to them, or elſe they had heard of his worth: His name was indeed as an Oyntment poured out; But for ſuch, as Roſe up ſpeaking perverſe things, he was a thorn in their ſides; practiſing (what himſelf ſometimes preſſed as a duty) to love their perſons, but foreign, to truth it in Love. He was a man mighty in the Scriptures therein lying a great part of his excellency, to open and explain (quoad ſenſum, non quoad ſonum) dark Scripture, which we hear without profit, and read without underſtanding: He was frequent in preaching, for the moſt part 4 times weekly, ſometimes many more; in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon; beſides the care that lay on him touching his Paſtoral Relation; and yet though his work was ſo great, who could ſay, that he offered to God that which coſt him nothing? There was nothing that came from him that ſavoured not of much labour, ſtudy and induſtry: He accounted himſelf a Debtor to the wiſe and to the weak; and his care was that by his Miniſtry, both might receive advantage. He was powerful with the Affections, and in order thereto, He throughly dealt with the Judgement. His doctrine was Practical, and his Application Doctrinal. He was a ſtout Champion for Truth and Liberty; in both, he ſet his face as an Adamant againſt the ſins of the times. In a murmuring Age, he was a mourner in Sion: very converſant in dayes of Humiliation, Publique, Private; enjoyned, not enjoyned; and at ſuch times, This was his complaint, It is time for thee to ariſe oh Lord, for men have made void thy Law. He had a ſpirit fitted to that work, for he ſeldome prayed without Tears: an Iſrael he was, for, he pleaded when he pray'd; nor was he leſs fitted for thanksgiving, for be had vials full of odours; he much breathed after Communion with God, and he had it, for he was ſtrong, to hold the King in the Galleries; often would he complain of the Imperfection of our Communion here. 'Tis but (h… was wont to ſay) His back parts: Behind the wall; and through the Lattice: that we now ſee him: Oh, for that Viſion that is face to face, when we ſhall ſee him as he is! The Lord hath now ſatisfied his deſ…res, and tought him▪ (which was much in his mouth) what means, The ſouls of juſt men made perfect, in taking him to himſelf: The Lord give us the ſame frame of ſpirit, that we in due ſeaſon may follow after.