Thirty-Six Sermons, Preface 3 – Publishers note

Thirty-Six Sermons · Preface 3 – Publishers note

p. 335THE PREFACE.

1. I Had thought to have given somewhat a larger account in this Preface, than now I do: as well concerning the publishing of these Sermons, [1. Why at all? 2. Why now? so late? …3. Why these? so many? so few?] as concerning the Sermons themselves [1. The Truth, and 2. The Choice of the Matters therein handled. 3. The Manner of handling] and such other things, as some Readers out of curiosity expect to be satisfied in. But considering with my self, that there may be times, wherein it may be a point of the greatest aaAmos 5. 13.Amos 5:13Prudence to keep silence; and wherein, as it was wisely said of old, Qui bene latuit bene vixit, He liveth best, that appeareth least; so it may be as truly said▪ Qui bene tacuit, bene dixit, He speaketh best that saith least: I thought it safer to save that labour, than to adventure the possibility of having offence taken, upon no better security than the not having meant to give any.

2. Therefore in short; thus. After these Sermons were preached; so far was I from any forwardness to publish them, that for some years they were thrown aside without any thought at all of printing them, but rather a resolution to the contrary. I could not observe any such scarcity of printed Sermons abroad, as that there should be any great need of sending out more: and the copying out of most of them again (which was to be done, ere the work could be fitted for the Press, and could not well be done by any other hand than my own) could not be any such pleasing task to me (especially at these years 69 current) as to tempt me to a willingness to undergo a drudgery of so much toyl and irksomness. Wherefore, though I was often and earnestly sollicited thereunto, both by the entreaties and letters of friends, and some considerable offers also from such as trade in Books, to quicken me on: yet my consent came on very heavily, and my resolutions remained uncertain: Until I understood that one, who having by some means or other light on a Copy of one single Sermon of mine, preached at Newport in the Isle of Wight during the Treaty there, upon Gal. 5. 22. had aaVide Epistolam meam divulgatam—Hoc ne oportuit me inconsulto? Lips. Cent. 2. Epist. 100.surruptitiously without my consent, or so much as knowledge (and that bb—Et an sic oportuit? solam? imo & corruptam? Ibid.negligently and imperfectly enough) printed it. Which, not knowing how to help for what was past, nor for the future how far it might become a leading example for others to follow, (as ccExempli improbi res est: nec probus aliquis neget. Ibid—mali exempli est, arbitriu… hoc sibi sumer in scripta aliena. Id. ad lector. praefix. 2 Centur. Miscell.ill Precedents seldom want seconds;) but well knowing withal, that there were in several mens hands, Copies also of most of the Sermons here printed: I had no other way left to secure the rest from running the same Fate their p. 336fellow had done, than by yielding my absolute consent to the publishing of them, and preparing them (as my leisure would serve) for the Press. For I had learned by this late, and some former experiences, that there are men, of those that dd—nam quae reverentia legum, Quis pudor aut metus est unquam properantis avari; Juven. Sat. 14.make haste to be rich, who bear so little reverence to the Laws of common Equity and Ingenuity, that they will transgress them all for the gain of (e) three-half-pence or a piece of bread. ffAristoph. in Plat.foreign.

3. But when thus resolved, I came to seek up my scattered Copies, which lay neglected (so little did I value them) some in one corner, some in another: of the Two and Twenty, which I intended to publish (viz. Nineteen Ad Aulam, preached at the Court in my Attendance, Ordinary and Occasional there; and Three Ad Magistratum, preached before some of the Reverend Iudges in their Circuits:) after the best search I could make, I fell short Five of my whole Number: Those Ad Magistratum were all found; and being all now published, there need no farther account to be given of them.

The Nineteen Ad Aulam, were these, viz.

Of these the I. II. III. IV. and X. were all missing; and the XVIII. was before faln into the hands of another; who would not be perswaded to part with his Copy, (as he called it) either to me upon entreaty, (perhaps to chastise me for my Ignorance, who was so silly before as to think I had had some right to my own;) or to his fellow-Stationer upon any reasonable (or rather as I am informed, unreasonable) terms: which is done, though not all out so agreeably to the old Rule, Quod tibi fieri non vis; yet very conformly to the old Proverb, foreign.—

4. Of these Six, thus in hazard to be all left out in the Impression; p. 337Three are recovered, and here presented to publick view, and Three are not. The first (viz. that on Eccles. vii. 1.) I made a shift by the help of my memory to make up (as near as it would serve me, to what I had so long since spoken) out of an old Copy of a Sermon formerly preached upon the same Text elsewhere. For I am not ashamed to profess that most of those Ad Aulam were framed upon such Texts, and out of such Materials, as I had formerly made use of in other places: but always cast (as it were) into new moulds. For both fit it was the difference of the Auditories in the one place, and in the other should be some what considered: and besides my first crude meditaons being always hastily put together, could never please me so well at aarefrigerato inventionis amore. Quint. Epist ad Tryph.a second and more leisurable review, as to pass without some additions, defalcations, and other alterations, more or less. The Second and Third also (viz. that on Prov. xvi. 7. and that on 1 Pet. ii. 17.) it was my good hap, searching purposely among the Papers of my late worthy friend and neighbour (whose memory must ever be precious with me) Thomas Harrington Esquire deceased, there to find, together with the Copies of divers others which I wanted not, transcribed with his own hand. But the Fourth and Fifth are here still wanting, because I could not find them out: and so is the Eighteenth also, because I could not get it in. The want of which last, though hapning not through my default, yet I have made a kind of compensation for, by adding one other Sermon of those Ad Populum, in lieu of that which is so wanting, to make up the number an even score notwithstanding.

5. As for the Sermons themselves the matter therein contained, the manner of handling, &c. I must permit all to the Readers doom. Who if he be homo quadratus, perfectly even, and unbyassed both in his Iudgment and Affection, (that is to say, neither prepossessed with some false principle to forestal the one, nor carryed aside with partiality for, or prejudice against, any person or party, to corrupt the other) will be the better able to discern, whether I have any where in these Papers exceeded the bounds of Truth and Soberness, or laid my self open to the just imputation either of Flattery or Falshood. There hath been a generation of men (wise foreign, and for their ownLuk. 16. 8.Luke 16:8 purposes, but Malignants sure enough) that laboured very much (when time was) to possess the world with an opinion, that all Court Chaplains were Parasites, and their Preaching little other than daubing. I hope these Papers will appear so innocent in that behalf, as to contribute somewhat towards the shame and confutation of that slander.

6. The greater fear is, that (as the times are) all men will not be well pleased with some passages herein, especially where I had occasion to speak something of our Church Ceremonies; then under command, p. 338but since grown into disuse. But neither ought the displeasure of men, nor the change of times, to cast any prejudice upon the Truth: which in all variations and turnings of affairs remaineth the same it was from the beginning, and hath been accustomed, and therefore can think it no new thing, to find unkind entertainment abroad, especially from them whose interest it is to be (or at leastwise to seem to be) of a different perswasion. For, that the truth is rather on my side in this point than on theirs that dissent from me, there is, besides other, this strong presumption onwards; That I continue of the same judgment I was of, twenty, thirty, forty years ago; and profess so to do, with no great hopes of bettering my temporal condition by so professing: whereas hundreds of those, who now decry the Ceremonies) (as they do also some other things of greater importance) as Popish and Antichristian, did, not many years since, both use them themselves, and by their subscriptions approve the enjoyning of them; but having since in compliance with the Times professed their dislike of them, their portion is visibly grown fatter thereby. If the face of affairs be not now the same it was, when the Sermons wherein this Point is most insisted on were preached, What was then done, is not sure in any justice now chargeable upon me as a crime: who never pretended to be a Prophet; nor could then either foresee that the times would so soon have changed, or have believed that so aaforeign. Naz.many men would so soon have changed with the times.

7. Of the presumption aforesaid I have here made use; not that the business standeth in need of such a Reserve, for want of competent proof otherwise, which is the case wherein bbUbi deficit plena probatio pr…sumptionibus agendum est.the Lawyers chiefly allow it: but to save the labour of doing that over again in the Preface, which I conceive to be already done in the work it self. With what success I know not; that lieth in the breast of the Reader. But that I spake no otherwise than I thought, and what my intentions were therein; that lieth in my own breast, and cannot be known to the Reader; who is therefore in charity bound to believe the best, where there appeareth no pregnant probability to the contrary. The discourses themselves, for much of the matter, directly tend to the peace both of Church and State, by endeavouring to perswade to Unity and Obedience: and for the manner of handling have much in them of Plainness, little (I think nothing at all) of Bitterness, and so are of a temper fitter to instruct than to provoke. And these I am sure are no Symptomes of very bad Intentions. If there be no worse Construction made of them than I meant, nor worse Use; I trust they neither will deserve much blame, nor can do much hurt. Howsoever, having now adventured them abroad; though having little else to commend them but Truth and Perspicuity, two things which I have always had in my care (for whereto else serveth that foreign, wherewith God p. 339hath endued man, but to speak reason, and to be understood?) if by the good blessing of Almighty God, whom I desire to serve in the spirit of my mind, they may become (in any little degree) instrumental to his Glory, the edification of his Church, and the promoting of any one soul in Faith and Holiness towards the attainment of everlasting salvation: I shall have great cause of rejoycing in it, as a singular evidence of his underserved mercy towards me, and an incomparably rich reward of so poor and unworthy labours. Yet dare I not promise to my self any great hopes, that any thing that can be spoken in an argument of this nature, though with never so much strength of reason, and evidence of truth, should work any kindly effect upon the men of this generation: when the times are nothing favourable, and themselves altogether undisposed to receive it: No more than the choisest Musick can affect the ear that is stopt up; or the most proper Physick operate upon him, that either cannot, or will not take it. But as the Sun, when it shineth clearest in a bright day, if the beams thereof be intercepted by a beam too, (but of another kind) lying upon the eye, is to the party so blinded, as if the light were not at all, so I fear it is in this case. Not through any incapacity in the Organ so much, especially in the learneder part among them; as from the interposition of an unsound Principle, which they have received with so much affection, that for the great complacency they have in it, they are loth to have it removed. And as they of the Roman party, having once throughly imbibed this grand Principle, that the Catholick Church (and that must needs be it of Rome) is infallible, are thereby rendred incapable to receive any impressions from the most regular and concluding discourses that can be tendred to them, if they discern any thing therein disagreeing from the dictates of Rome; and so are perpetually shut up into a necessity of erring (if that Church can err) unless they can be wrought off from the belief of that Principle: which is not very easily to be done, after they have once swallowed it, and digested it, without the great mercy of God, and a huge measure of selfdenial: Even so have these our Anti-ceremonial Brethren framed to themselves a false Principle likewise, which holdeth them in Errour, and hardneth them against all impressions or but Offers of reason to the contrary.

8. All Errors, Sects and Heresies, as they are mixed with some inferior Truths, to make them the more passable to others; so do they usually owe their original to some eminent Truths (either misunderstood or misapplied) whereby they become the less discernable to their own Teachers: whence it is that such Teachers aa2 Tim. 3. 1.2 Tim 3:1both deceive and are deceived. To apply this then to the business in hand. There is a most sound and eminent Truth, justly maintained in our own and other Reformed Churches, concerning the Perfection and Sufficiency p. 338duplicate page p. 339duplicate page p. 340of the Holy Scriptures. Which is to be understood of the revelation of supernatural Truths, and the Substantials of Gods Worship; and the advancing of Moral and Civil duties to a more sublime and spiritual height, by directing them to a more noble end, and exacting performance of them in a holy manner: But without any purpose thereby to exclude the belief of what is otherwise reasonable, or the practice of what is prudential. This Orthodox Truth hath by an unhappy misunderstanding proved that great stone of offence, whereat all our late Sectaries have stumbled. Upon this foundation (as they had laid it) began our Anti-ceremonians first to raise their so often renewed Models of Reformation: but they had first transformed it into quite another thing; by them perhaps mistaken for the same, but really as distant from it, as Falshood from Truth; to wit this, That Nothing might lawfully be done or used in the Churches of Christ, unless there were either Command or Example for it in the Scriptures. Whence they inferred, that whatsoever had been otherwise done or used, was to be cast out as Popish, Antichristian, and Superstitious. This is that unfound corrupt Principle whereof I spake: that root of bitterness, whose stem in process of time hath brought forth all these numerous branches of Sects and Heresies, wherewith this sinful Nation is now so much pestered.

9. It is not my purpose, nor is this a place for it, to make any large discovery of the cause of the mistake; the unsoundness of the Tenent it self, and how pernicious it is in the Consequents. Yet I cannot but humbly and earnestly entreat them, for the love of God, and the comfort of their own souls; as they tender the peace of the Church, and the honour of our Religion; and in compassion to thousands of their Christian Brethren, who are otherwise in great danger to be either misled or scandalized: that they would think it possible for themselves to be mistaken in their Principle, as well as others, and possible also for those Principles they rest upon to have some frailties and infirmities in them, though not hitherto by them adverted, because never suspected; that therefore they would not hasten to their Conclusion, before they are well assured of the Premisses, nor so freely bestow the name of Popish and Superstitious upon the opinions or actions of their Brethren, as they have used to do, before they have first and throughly examined the solidity of their own Grounds: finally, and in order thereunto, That they would not therefore despise the Offer of these few things ensuing to their consideration, because tendered by one that standeth better affected to their Persons than Opinions.

10. And first I beseech them to consider, how unluckily they have at once both straitned too much, and yet too much widened, that which they would have to be the adequate Rule of warrantable actions; by leaving out Prudence, and taking in Example. Nor doth it p. 341sound well, that the examples of men, though never so Godly, should as to the effect of warranting our actions, stand in so near equipage with the commands of God, as they are here placed joyntly together without any character of difference so much as in degree. But the superadding of Examples to Commands in such manner as in this Assertion is done, either signifieth nothing, or overthroweth all the rest: which is so evident, that I wonder how it could escape their own observation. For that Example which is by them supposed sufficient for our warranty, was it self either warranted by some Command or former Example or it was not. If it were; then the adding of it clearly signifieth nothing: for then that warrant we have by it, proceedeth not from it, but from that precedent Command or Example which warranted it. If it were not: then was it done meerly upon the dictates of Prudence and Reason: and then if we be sufficiently warranted by that Example (as is still by them supposed) to act after it, we are also sufficiently thereby warranted to act upon the meer dictates of Prudence and Reason, without the necessity of any other either Command or former Example for so doing. What is the proper use that ought to be made of Examples, is touched upon a little in the 8. Sermon Ad Aulam, towards the latter end; but it is very needful to be better understood than it is, considering the ill use that hath been made of Scriptureexamples both in former, and (much more) in these our later times.

11. Secondly, I beseech them to consider (whereof also I have given some touch more than once in the ensuing Sermons) what scandal is given, and what advantage to the Anabaptists, Familists, Quakers, and the whole crue of our modern Sectaries, by what other name or title soever they are called or distinguished. When this gap was once opened [What Command have you in Scripture, or what Example for this or that?] Un… Eurusque Notusque: it was like the opening of Pandora's Box, or the Trojan Horse. As if all had been let loose; swarms of Sectaries of all sorts broke in, and (as the Frogs and Locusts in Egypt) overspred the face of the Land. Nor so only; but as often it hapneth, these young Striplings soon outstript their Leaders, and that upon their own ground: leaving those many Parasangs behind them, who had first shewed them the way, and made entrance for them. For as those said to others; What Commands or Example have you for kneeling at the Communion? For wearing a Surplice? &c. For Lord Bishops? For a penned Liturgy? For keeping Holy-days? &c. and there stopt: So these to them; Where are your Lay-Presbyters, your Classes, &c. to be found in Scripture? Where your Steeple-houses, your National Church? Your Tithes and Mortuaries? Your Infantsprinklings? Nay, where your Metre-Psalms? Your two Sacraments? Your observing a weekly Sabbath? (for so far I find they are gone, and how much farther, I know not, already: and how much farther p. 342they will hereafter, for Erranti nullus terminus, God only knoweth) shew us, say they, a Command or Example for them in Scripture.

Fugerunt trepidi vera & manifesta loquentemJuven. Sat. 2.

Stoïcidae—

Thus do these pay them home in their own metal: and how the pay can be honestly refused, till they order their Mintage better, I yet understand not. If any of them shall say with him in the Satyrist,

—haec ego nunquamId. Sat. 14.

Mandavi (dices olim) nec talia suasi;

the reply is ready in the next verse there,

Mentis causa malae tamen est, & origo, penes te.

I doubt not but many of those that made a stand sooner, are highly displeased with those that rush on headlong and adventured farther; yea, and it may be, declaim against them with some vehemency both in the Pulpit and Press. But truly no great reason, if they lent them their Premisses, to fall out with them about the Conclusion. The Master in the Fable did not well to beat his Maid for serving him with thin Milk, when it was his own Cow that gave it. For why should he that giveth another Scandal, be angry with him for taking it? Or he that helpeth to set it on tumbling down the hill, blame the stone if it tumble on still Ex virtute impressâ, and do not stop just where he would have it? so mischievous a thing is it, as Aristotle often observeth,Arist. 3. de coelo 7. See also 1. de coelo 5. de incessu animal. cap. 7. de generat. animal. cap. 7. foreign. not to lay the foundation upon a firm bottom at the first. It had been best, if this had been looked to sooner and from the beginning: but better than not at all, if it would be well considered yet, and some remedy thought on to help it as much as may be, before it grow past all hope of recovery.

12. But thirdly, and above all I beseech them to consider, whetherBasil▪ that foreign, which many times marreth a good business, hath carried them; and how mightily (though unwittingly, and I verily believe most of them unwillingly) they promote the Interest of Rome, whilst they do with very great violence (but not with equal prudence) oppose against it: so verifying that of the Historian Poet, spoken in another case,

—Omnia dat qui justa negat.

LucanI mean, in casting out not Ceremonies only, but Episcopacy also, and Liturgy, and Festivals out of the Church, as Popish and Antichristian,—Hoc Ithacus velit. If any of these things be otherwise guilty, and deserve such a regulation upon any other account (which yet is more than I know) farewel they: but to be sent away packing barely upon this score, that they are Popish and Antichristian; this bringeth in such a plentiful harvest of Proselytes to the Iesuit, that he doth not now, as formerly, gaudere intus & in sinu (laugh in his sleeve, as we say) but foreign, openly and in the face of the Sun triumph p. 343gloriously and in every Pamphlet proclaim his Victories to the World. If you shall say, that the Scandal is taken by them, not given by you: it is (to all but your selves) as much as nothing: whilst the contrary is demonstrable, and that there is in these very pretensions, a proper (and as I may say a natural) tendency to produce such effects, as we see to have ensued thereupon. The truth whereof will evidently appear by stating the Case thus. A man otherwise rational and conscientious, but somewhat wavering in point of Religion, yet desiring in sincerity of heart to be of the truer Church, if he knew which were it, hath some temptations offered him by his Education, Friends, Books, the confusions among us, or otherwise to incline him towards the Church of Rome. Which temptations, being not able of himself to conquer, he repaireth to a Presbyterian (suppose) or Independent: he acquainteth him with his doubts, and desireth satisfaction therein: telleth him among other things, that he had a good opinion of the Church of England heretofore, whilst she had Episcopal Government, and a well-formed Liturgy, and did observe Christian Festivals, and some kind of outward decency in the worship of God, as all the Churches of Christ had and did in the the purest and primitive times; but now that all these things are laid aside, he must needs be of another mind, unless they can fully satisfie him concerning the premisses. In this Case, I would fain know what possible satisfaction such a man could receive from either of these, holding to their Principles. To tell him these things were Popish, and therefore to be cast out of the Church, were the next way to put him quite off: he would presently conclude (and it is impossible he should do otherwise, being already so prepared as in the Case is supposed) that certainly then that which we call Popery is the old Religion, which in the purest and primitive times was professed in all Christian Churches throughout the World. That only foreign, which is usually the last Reserve in these disputes, That the mystery of iniquity began to work betimes; will seem (to him) but a ridiculous begging of the Question; and he will tell them, that every Sectary may say the same to them. Whereas the sober English Protestant, is able by the Grace of God, with much evidence of truth, and without forsaking his old Principles, to justifie the Church of England, from all imputations of Heresie or Schism, and the Religion thereof as it stood by Law established from the like imputation of Novelty; and to apply proper and pertinent answers to all the Objections of those whether Papists, or others) that are contrary minded, to the full satisfaction of all such, as have not by some partial affection or other rendred themselves uncapable to receive them.

12. I confess I had no purpose (as may appear by the beginning of my Preface) when I set pen to paper, to have said much, if any p. 344thing at all, of these matters: But I had so very much more to say for the pressing of each of these three considerations, and the business withal seemed to me of so much importance, that after I had once begun, I had much ado to repress my self from drawing this Preface into a yet far greater length. But since I had thus adventured to unbowel my self, and to lay open the yery inmost thoughts of my heart in this sad business before God and the world: I shall hope to find so much charity from all my Christan Brethren, as to shew me my Error, if in any thing I have now said I be mistaken, that I may retract it; and to pardon those excesses in modo loquendi, if they can observe any such which might possibly (whilst I was passionately intent upon the matter) unawares drop from my Pen. Civilities which we mutually owe one to another,—damus hanc veniam, petimúsque vicissim. Considering how hard a thing it is, amidst so many passions and infirmities, as our corrupt nature is subject to, to do or say all that is needful in a weighty business, and not in some thing or other to over-say or over-do: Yet this I can say in sincerity of my heart, and with Comfort, that my desire was (the nature of the business considered) both to speak as plain, and to offend as little as might be. If I can approve my carriage herein to the judgment and consciences of sober and charitable men; it will be some rejoycing to me: but I am not hereby justified. I must finally stand or fall to my own Master, who is the only infallible Iudge of all mens hearts and ways. Humbly I beseech him to look well if there be any way of wickedness or hypocrisie in me; timely to cover it himself, and discover it to me, that it may be by his grace repented of, and pardoned by his mercy; by the same mercy and grace to guide my feet into the ways of Peace and Truth, and to lead me in the way everlasting.

Decemb. 31. 1655.

O be favourable and gracious unto Sion; build thou the Walls of Ierusalem; Repair the breaches thereof; and make no long tarrying, O Lord our Helper and our Redeemer

ETIAM VENI DOMINE JESU.

The Reader is desired to take notice, That the Eighteenth Sermon (one of those mentioned by the Author in his Preface to have been formerly omitted) is in this Impression added.