A Preservative of Piety, Title page – Dedication to parishioners
A PRESERVATIVE OF PIETY, In a Quiet Reasoning for those Duties of Religion, that are the means and helps appointed of God for the preserving and promoting of Godliness. NAMELY,
I. Of four CHRISTIAN-DUTIES, Viz.
1. Reading the Scriptures.
2. Preparation for the Lords Supper.
3. Estimation of the Ministry.
4. Sanctification of the Lords-day-Sabbath.
II. Of four FAMILY-DUTIES, Viz.
1. Houshold-Catechising.
2. Family-Prayer.
3. Repeating of Sermons.
4. Singing of Psalms.
With an Epistle prefixt, to Inform and Satisfie the Christian Reader, concerning the whole Treatise. By William Thomas, Rector of the Church at Ubley in the County of Somerset.
Acts 2.42.
And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and prayer. With, Rev. 1.10. I was in the Spirit on the Lords-day.
Aug. de Trin. lib. 1. cap. 3.
Utile est plures libros à pluribus fieri, diverso stylo, non diversâ fide; Etiam de quaestionibus iisdem, ut ad plurimos res ipsa perveniat, ad alios sic, ad alios autem sic.
London, Printed for Edward Thomaas, and are to be sold at his Shop at the Adam and Eve in Little-Brittain. M. DC. LXII.
To my dearly beloved, the Church and Congregation belonging to my Charge, inhabiting within the Parish of Ubley in the County of Somerset: Grace and Peace.
Dearly beloved in the Lord,
IT was for your sakes that I first set my thoughts on this ensuing Treatise; For, having lived and laboured so many years amongst you already, I cannot look to abide long with you, and therefore have thought it meet to do my endeavour, that you may be able, after my decease, to have those things alwayes in remembrance which you have been formerly and continually taught (a)1 Pet. 1.12, 13, 14.: Divers of which you will meet with in the reading of this Book, whereof, because I am willing to give you a taste, I shall reckon them up unto you in that order wherein you shall find them hereafter handled.
First, You know I have laboured much with you for the reading of Scripture, and to train up your children to be able to read it; Let me now leave it with you, not only to set your Eyes upon this Word of God, but to set your Hearts unto it, and (as much as in you lies) to draw and win the hearts of those belonging to you to it; for it is your life, and their life (b)Deut. 3….46, 47..
Secondly, I have taken much pains, (both publikely, and from house to house (c)Act. 20.20.,) to teach you, admonish you, and perswade you to a reverent receiving of the Lords Supper: And now shall desire you to keep in mind that which you often have been minded of, which is, that they who come to that Sacrament should be before God twice; the first time, preparing, the second time, receiving: Neglect not to prepare for Sermons (especially on the Lords-Day) but double your preparation at Sacraments, because there is a double work to be done, in regard of the meeting of two distinct Ordinances, that is, the Word and Sacrament to be partaked in together. Wash your hearts, (as you do your Vessels every day), but scour them, and make them bright for the Lords use on Sabbath, and Sacrament-dayes.
Thirdly, You have heard (especially in late times, wherein the shameful and shameless misusing of Ministers, hath enforced them to plead for their Calling, I say, you have heard) many things to move you to a due estimation of the Ministry; concerning which I shall say no more here, but only this; Take heed of esteeming too much of such Teachers as are not lawfully called, or too little of such as are. If painful teaching be not continued unto you, remember you had it; If it be, do not despise it; If you cannot have it at home, be not content to be without it; look not one upon another, but where you see there is Corn, repair thither (d)Gen. 42.1.. Better stir, then starve.
Fourthly, Of our Lords Sabbath-day, very much hath been spoken to you; the holy observation thereof being the Seed-plot and support of all Piety. It is not a day of idleness, but of spiritual action (e)Sabbatum, non ocii, sed spi…itualis actionis materia est. Chrysost. Conc. 1. de Lazaro.. And you that have need to work for your Bodies and Families all the six dayes, have the more need to lay all other work aside on the Sabbath-day, and to look after your souls; making it your great, and even your only work then, to labour, not after the food that perisheth, but the meat that endureth to everlasting life (f)Joh. 6.27.. To be very diligent all the Week-dayes, and to idle out the Lords-day, is, to be good Husbands and bad Christians; and such bad Christians are never good Husbands, for they will be undone at last (g)Amos 8.5, 6, 7..
Fifthly, You have still seen that I have made Catechising your Children and Servants, one part of my work, of which I shall say but a word now, namely, that it is so hard a thing to get any knowledge and sense of Religion into the heads and hearts of ancient people, that therein all may see, (and you that are Parents and Housholders should take notice of it) what a necessary thing it is, to begin betimes with those that are young, and to instruct them in that knowledge and fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom.
Sixthly, Family-Prayer hath been often taught and sought amongst you; for, How can Housholders expect the protection and success of their persons and labours in the day, or the safe keeping of themselves, their children, servants, and substance in the night, yea, comfort and welfare day or night, without God? or, How can they look to enjoy God without Prayer? for, He will be sought by the House of Israel (h)Ez…k. 36.3…., and (we may say) by every house in Israel, Zech. 12.12.
Seventhly, Repetition of Sermons amongst you hath been my continual custom; that the things publikely delivered might be better understood, better remembred, better settled in your hearts; and that the power thereof might be more and better expressed in your lives (which, you know, hath been the usual Prayer before Repetition).
Lastly, I have encouraged and excited you to the duty of Singing of Psalms; And of late, it hath been my manner, in publike, to give you a short Exposition of every Psalm, before the singing of it, that you might better understand and mind the matter contained in it.
Now, all these things I do here recommend unto you, and again s…t before you, because spiritual things, though delivered often to weak hearers, are not quickly understood, are hardly committed to memory, are soon forgotten, or mistaken; when a printed Paper may easily be looked upon, seriously thought upon, and by often recourse to it, a fruitful and more full use, may be made of it.
And whatsoever the things I here communicate (and do, as it were, bequeath to you, as my dear children in the Lord) shall be found, in themselves; yet the relation of Pastor and People under which we stand (and which is now of forty and four years standing), hath (I trust) such an endearment in it, as to render what I have written more profitable to you, by being more acceptable▪ more helpful, by being more grateful, and by your looking upon it with an Eye of Love.
Having mentioned the time of my abode among you, It shall not be tedious to me, nor wil it (I hope) be grievous to you, to review, and run over, in a generality, what hath passed in it; And therein will be found, something to be observed and marked; something to be humbled for; and something to praise God for.
That which I invite you to take notice of, may be reduced to two heads:
First, The Lords casting my lot amongst you, and calling me to you by a more then ordinary providence: for it was by the free, and (as far as I know) unsollicited naming of me to it by a Person of Honour (i)L. Chancellor Ellesmere.in whose gift it was; and the news of it was sent unto me then, when (being a Student in Oxford) neither this, nor any other Ministerial charge, was by me, either sought or thought of; which I mention (and mind you of) the rather, because, though I have had divers earnest invitations to remove to other places of more publike imployment; yet Gods more then usual Call to this Place, hath ever made me to fear to forsake it, and I have still found much inward satisfaction in forsaking all other, and cleaving to this. For God is the wisest disposer of his Servants, and He knows best in what part of his Vineyard to place his Labourers. Yet I condemn not all removals (if they be not self-removals), but set a mark upon special disposals.
Secondly, You may not pass over, without serious observation, another remarkable Providence which is, that whensoever I have been forced from you, God hath provided otherwise for you. Twice (you remember) I have been taken off;
1. By suspension for three years space, because I could not be resolved to read the Book of Liberty for Sports on the Lords-day.
2. By the distractions of the late sad times of Civil War, about so many years more. Yet in both these separations from you, God ordered it so, that such were present with you in all the time of my absence and restraint, by whom you were diligently and profitably instructed; which, as it is to be marked on the one side, to shew how God provides supplyes in the necessitated absence of Pastors; so, on the other side, it concerns you, (unto whom this benefit hath been vouchsafed) to take notice, that, though you have not still had the same Husbandman, yet God hath not suffered you to want that spiritual husbandry, which, if it be lacking but for a time, Bryars and Thorns grow up, and the envious man suddenly sows his Tares. Remember how much you are bound to that God that hath not left you without a teaching Minister, and without Law (k)2 Chr. 15.3.; how much you are bound to be thankful, who have had the heavenly Manna in the Wilderness of this World forty years, and upwards; how much you are bound to be fruitful, who have had dressers of the Lords Vineyards so many years to dig and dung, and by all means to seek for fruit (l)Luk. 13.7, 8, 9.; and, lastly, how inexcusable you will be, if the door of your hearts be not opened, at which Christ hath still stood knocking, four and forty years together.
In the next place, I must not dissemble, that there is matter of humiliation for us on both parts: for, as on my own part I willingly acknowledge much weakness, and want of bestirring my self among you, with that care, courage, compassion, diligence, and resolution that belongs to a Pastor; so you, on the other part, have cause to take to heart that unteachableness, whereby, though there hath been precept upon precept, line upon line (m)Isa. 28, 10., yet so little is learned; Not but that I think, and hope that (for the generality) it will be found, that there is more acquaintance with Religion in this, then in divers other Congregations that consist of poor and unlearned people; but yet it is to be lamented, that divers know so little in comparison of what they should and might have known, and have much need of milk still, because of their unskilfulness in the Word of Righteousness (n)Heb. 6.13.. But, besides this want of knowledge, I may say, My God hath humbled me (o)2 Cor. 12.21.among you, and given cause of bewailing the great want of the power and practise of godliness. I confess, you have comforted me with a conformity to the Ordinances and the Exercises of Religion. The matter of grief is, that there hath not been, in some, that sobriety in company; in others, that diligence and laboriousness in their Callings; and in many, that Christian patience that there ought to have been, but in stead thereof, many angry, and unbrotherly contentions, which is observed to be the disease, and is indeed, the great sin (p)Eph. 4.31.and dishonour of this place, albeit I grant, there have been, of late, more occasions then ordinary of it; And it's true also, that the Devil is very busie to make them worst that are taught most: Hence it is, that it is not to be wondered at, neither is Religion, or the Profession thereof, to be worse thought of for it, if here, or otherwhere, where the Gospel is preached, there be breakings forth not only into anger and bitterness, (which yet is very bad, and a giving a place to the Devil (q)Eph. 4.27., who plays his pranks, and works his will very much in a passionate heart) but also into far fouler evils, as swearing, cursing, drunkenness, uncleanness, going to Witches and Wisards, (which is a going to Hell for help, when people be under the hand of Heaven). These more hainous offences I only name to you, because I believe divers, that have been guilty of some of them, have truly repented, and am willing to hope that others that are yet faulty in any of them, (being convinced in their Consciences of the evil and danger of things so horrible, and forbearing them more then heretofore) will not only leave them altogether, but abhor them and themselves for them: Which I desire the Lord to give them grace to do before it be too late.
I am weary of this sad work, and therefore shall add only this; It had been a happy thing (my Brethren) both to you and to me, if divers aged persons had (as I perswade my self some have) become young Christians, and grown so wise, as not only to live soberly and righteously (which makes them good Neighbours, but not good Christians), but also to live godly, that is, to live according to the Word of God, and to aim in all things at the glory of God; O how little is there of this in many that are going into their grave? Nay, in stead of this comfort in older people, I have often, with much grief, observed, that by sundry of the younger sort, who have given some good hopes, in the beginning of their time, of their doing well, by their appearing in Catechising, Hearing, and Noting Sermons, and Reading something of Scripture at home, as they have been call'd to it; yet afterwards being grown up, and come to discover their dispositions, reading Scripture hath been laid aside, Catechising shaken off, Noting Sermons neglected, the vain fashions of the world followed; and so the upshot and conclusion is, the living of a dull worldly life, with little sense of Religion, and losing that acquaintance with God which they seemed to have, or which it was hoped they would have had. The Lord open the eyes of such; and, Blessed be God, there are divers young ones that are not such.
After all this, I shall say, and may truly say with the Apostle, I write not these things to shame you, or as if I thought there were not the like (or greater) cause of complaint in other places; but I write them as to my beloved Sons and Daughters to warn you (r)1 Cor. 4.14., and to stir up both my self and you, that it may be yet better, by our making the best use we can of the little, and uncertain remainder of time of our being together as Pastor and People.
I gladly pass from this, (which is displeasing to me, but I thought needful for you to affect you with your estate, that you might never rest till you be in a good estate); And come now to the third, and more comfortable thing, which is matter of Praising God, whereof there is much; and that, Not only because I hope, and know, that the great God, (without whom, Ministers can do nothing, are nothing (s)Joh. 15.5 2 Cor. 12.11.,) hath been pleas'd to make my Ministry profitable to divers neighbouring Parishes (at my first coming hither, less provided for)—but especially for the good effect of it among you of this Congregation; The same Lord of the Harvest that hath brought (I may say) laborious preaching into this place, (where there was so little so long time before), hath blessed it here also so far as that, I doubt not, divers are gone to Heaven that have enjoyed it, and are going thither who now enjoy it; Not so many (God knows) as were to be wished, but so many, as that it sufficiently appeareth that God had a gracious work to do when he sent his Word hither, upon the souls of poor people in this place.
I shall not here forget that which may confirm what I have said, and be a sign of the hearty entertainment of the Gospel, which is, That you did so generally, lovingly, and earnestly desire my return unto you, after I had been for some longer time absent, and when I was much desired otherwhere; This new Invitation I took as a second Call, and a new encouragement to settle with you: and therefore forsaking all other, I have kept my self (or rather, God hath kept me) only unto you, to spend and be spent for you (t)2 Cor. 12.15..
Here also, I do with comfort remember, your greater respect to the Lords-day, more knowledge of, and preparation for the Lords-Supper, then is to be found in every place where the Word hath been, together with some more reverence of the presence and service of God in the publike Assembly; you do not use to overrun the blessing (as divers that make it a common, but it is a very profane custom, to go away before the Blessing be pronounced) but abide the whole time of divine Service; Jacob said, I will not let thee go from me (u)Gen. 32.26.. They do well, that say, and resolve, Lord, I will not go from thee, before thou blesse me.
But amongst, and above divers other things, there is great cause of blessing God for your constancy in attending Gods Word and Ordinances in the late Erroneous and Congregation-scattering times, wherein so many Christians have lamentably and fearfully faln from the truth and wayes of God, from whom, I know you have not wanted tentations to depart with them (upon the pretence of greater light, and more holiness) from that written Word of God, which they that leave, or cross and contemn, have no morning-light in them (x)Isa. 8.20., and with a reverend and unfained respect whereunto, the greatest godliness and holiness is ever-joyned, for it is a doctrine according to godliness (y)1 Tim. 6.3. Tit. 1.1., that is, which requires true godliness, and stirs up and brings men thereunto: But by such tentations many have departed. To that God be glory, who is able to keep you, and hath kept you from so falling, Jude, v. 24, 25.
I have little more to say, O that I could take off some of that which I have said, that is, all former Complaints, by seeing that done at last, which hath not been done at first; I mean, by seeing those that have lien in ignorance, become at length, knowing Christians: those that have been worldly minded, spiritual Christians, those that have been loose and given to drinking, sober Christians; and those who have been only sober, truly godly Christians! O that they that are old, (too like Nicodemus that dreamed of entring into his Mothers womb again) might be so far awakened and enlightened, as to enter (as it were) into the womb of the Church (z)Isa. 66.7, 8., and know experimentally what the great mystery of Regeneration means by having Christ, through the travail of the Ministery formed in them (a)Gal. 4.19.to the glory of God, the sealing of the Ministry, and the salvation of their pretious Souls in the day of Jesus Christ, unto which they do so much hasten, and for which they must prepare now, or perish then.
And (to speak yet again) O that you that are younger, would make conscience of remembring your Creator in the dayes of your youth (b)Eccl. 12 1., and make it your business to grow in grace as you grow in years, not being ever the elder, the lower, but the taller Christian! It's a miserable thing when a young man grows in nothing but in height, or in hair, (O how that grows in these dissolute dayes!), or in strength, or in wit, without having the wit to grow in the knowledge and fear of God: I say, this is a miserable and most dangerous thing; for young men may die as well as old; if the Tower of Siloe fall, it kills the youngest on whom it falls, as well as the oldest (c)Luk 13.4.. In those lead-mines wherein many of you labour, how many younger and stronger men have perished on a sudden? Now, if they that dye (whether they be old or young) do not live in Jesus while they live, how shall they die in Jesus (d)1 Thess. 4.14.—17.when they die? and then, how shall they live with him when they are dead? And, Is it your mind, that the Lord Jesus should be in one place and you (when you are dead, and may die to morrow) in another, and that a contrary place, He in glory, and you in torment, and that for evermore? Beloved, I am perswaded better things of you, and pray for better things in you; even things that accompany Salvation; though (because I would have you to hear) I thus speak (e)Heb. 6.9..
I shall speak but once more, and I hope they that hear worst will hear me; Are you sure there is an Heaven? Do you believe there is an Hell? Do you know the Soul is Immortal and never dieth as the Body doth? And are you further perswaded, that where this never-dying Soul lodgeth and lyeth the first night after your death, (whe…her it be in Heaven or in Hell) there it and you must lodge for ever? I say, Do you think all these things to be true? Let me then beseech you to shew your selves Christians, or to shew your selves Men (f)Isa. 46.…., and live not securely in that loose course, walk not stubbornly in that wide way, which will certainly bring to the worse place; but, on the contrary, Strive to enter in at the straight-gate, and go in that narrow way (though it be against the hair, I mean, your own corrupt and undoing hearts) by walking wherein, you shall assuredly come at last to the better place, and possess that everlasting life, which is the gift of God, through Jesus Christ (g)Rom. 6.13.our Lord.
For this purpose I have written these following Directions and Admonitions, as not knowing what Guides, or Goads (h)Eccl. 12.11.you will have, unto that which is good, when I am gone; but the better you observe these and all other godly Instructions, the more hope you may have to have more of them, mean-while I leave these with you: which, if you have not other helps, will be the more needful; and, if you have other helps, will make them the more useful.
That I might be more profitable to you, I have endeavoured plainness; yet, I confess, there is not so much of it as I intended or desired: for all men have not that gift of making known their mind to others in a plain and familiar way; And, (besides that), something must be yielded to more ripe Readers; and, in divers things, the matter hath carryed me above the capacity of many of you; but the better use you make of that which you do understand, the sooner you will understand the rest; and you being acquainted so long with my way of teaching, and manner of speaking, may know and find out (better then others) what my meaning is.
To conclude, Remember, that what our Saviour long since said to prove himself the Messiah, is fulfilled to you, which is this, The poor have the Gospel preached to them (i)Mat. 11.5. foreign, with Luk. 4.18., or they are the persons that are Gospel-lized, that is, the Gospel is theirs with all the comforts of it; but know also, that this is not meant of the poor in state only, but (which a poor state oft is, and ever should be, an help unto) of those that are poor in spirit (k)Matth. 5.3., that (though they have lived honestly among their neighbours) see themselves undone without a Saviour; and therefore when they have little or nothing else (or whether they have or no) make sure to have Him; labour you to be in the number of those that are thus spiritually poor, (as by the providence of God, many of you are outwardly low). It's a lamentable thing when they that have little in this world, shall have nothing in the world to come, not so much as a drop of water to cool their tongue in that place of torment (l)Luk. 16.24.. That it may not be so with you, Let me beseech you to study your Souls, to esteem the words of Gods mouth (whether you read them, or hear them (m)2 Chr. 36.12.,) more then your necessary food (n)Job 23.12.; to account one thing necessary, which is to sit at Jesus feet, and hear his Word from those whom he sends to speak to you (o)Luk. 10.39, 41. with Luk. 10.16.. This will not hinder you from labouring for your living, for the Word of Christ binds you to it (p)Eph. 4.28., but it's necessary to know there is a more necessary labour, that is, to know what God would have done first, and to do it after; For your assistance wherein, I desire you to make conscience of the holy Exercises of Religion which are here commended unto you, that so you may be furnished for bringing forth the fruits of godliness in your whole conversation; Consider what I have said, and the Lord give you understanding in all things (q)2 Tim. 2.7., and so bless unto you these, and all other Instructions, that you may thrive in knowledge, grow in grace, and persevere in faith and obedience, that I may rejoyce in you, and you in me in the day of the Lord Jesus (r)2 Cor. 1.14. Phil. 2.16.. Unto whom I commend you, and to the Word of his Grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an Inheritance among all them that are sanctified (s)Act. 20.32..
And so remain, Your intirely-well-wishing Pastor, willing to spend, and be spent, and now almost spent, with and for you, William Thomas.