The True Touchstone Which Shows Grace and Nature, Title page – Author to the reader
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THE True TOƲCHSTONE Which ſhows both GRACE and NATƲRE.
OR, A Diſcourſe concerning Self-Examination, by which both Saints and Sinners may come to know themſelves.
WHEREUNTO Are added ſundry MEDITATIONS relating to the LORDS SUPPER.
By Nathanael Vincent, M. A. Miniſter of the Goſpel.
Pſal. 26. 2. Examine me O Lord, prove me, try my Reins and my Heart.
E coelo deſcendit foreign.
London, Printed by J. Richardſon, for Tho. Parkhur… at the Bible and 3 Crowns in Cheapſide, 1681.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Sir THOMAS PLAYER, Knight, and Chamberlain of the City of LONDON.
Much Honoured Sir!
GReatneſs and Goodneſs, though more rarely joyned, are not inconſiſtent. God himſelf is Optimus Maximus, the Higheſt and the Beſt of Beings. Magiſtrates that are good, do beſt deſerve the Name of Gods on Earth. Pſal. 82. 6. I ſaid ye are Gods, but ye ſhall dye like Men. And when Death ſeizes on them, their Greatneſs is buried with them, but their goodneſs accompanies them into another World, and in this World perpetuates their Names, and makes their Memory Bleſſed. Rich men ought not to be High minded, nor truſt in uncertain Riches. Wealth is but as it were a Caſtle in the Air; and a High Wall in the conceit and fancy of him that has it. The Rich man therefore is to rejoyce that he is made low, becauſe as the flower of the Graſs he ſhall paſs away, Jam. 1. 10.
Good Sir,
Weigh this World but in the right Scales, and it will be found a Drop, a Small Duſt, as the Prophets phraſe is.
Goodneſs is the moſt real Grandeur, Holineſs the higheſt Honour, Godlineſs the greateſt Gain; and Purity has the moſt ſolid and exquiſite Delight and Pleaſure for its concomitant.
In this degenerate Age, wherein Sin is ſo much in faſhion, and become the Mode of the Times; it is matter of rejoycing, to ſee ſome Great men ſtriving againſt the ſtream, and manifeſting to all that they are not afraid or aſhamed of being Religious. I wiſh more Great Men were good, and that all good men were a great deal better! Times would quickly alter with Manners, and if more would lead good Lives, more would ſee good days.
Go on I beſeech you Sir! To ſtand up for God, and for your Country. God and your Country will ſtand by you. It is your Glory that you are a firm Proteſtant againſt Popery, and againſt Atheiſm alſo and Prophaneneſs; and that both in Word and Converſation.
Go on to be Faithful, in that great Truſt which moſt deſervedly is repoſed in you; and to be a greater Treaſure to your beloved City, then that you are keeper of; Go on to a Father to Orphans, a Patron to Apprentices, a Friend to Maſters, and one of the Darlings of London. May you live long to be foreign a publick Good, and may your Name outlive you many Ages!
Stapleton the Jeſuit put forth a Book Entitled Tres Thomae, the Three Thomas's. St. Thomas the Apoſtle, Thomas of Becket, and Sir Thomas More. Every Chriſtian will readily grant the preeminence to an Apoſtle; but for the other two, the Arch-Biſhop and the Statesman; The Thomas I addreſſe to, does much outvy them, and in ſaying this, I cannot juſtly be charged with Flattery.
The proud Prelate Becket, and the Unhappy Wit Sir Thomas More, were for the Pope againſt their Kings. But Sir Thomas Player is, and will be for the King againſt the Pope and all his Adherents.
Many Trials of the Papiſts have of late been Printed, in this Treatiſe is the greatest Trial of all, and that is the Trial of our ſelves. May your Conſcience upon the peruſal of it acquit you at preſent; and pronounce you upright; and may you be abſolved and crowned at the great approaching day of Trial, this is the Prayer of
Sir, Your moſt Humble Servant, Nathanael Vincent.
TO THE READER.
Reader!
TIS an Argument of ſufficient strength, to prove that Man has loſt his underſtanding by his ſin, that he is ſo unconcern'd about Himſelf, ſo fearleſſe of Eternal Ruine, ſo negligent of Everlaſting Salvation; though prudent in ſecular and ſmaller matters, yet he is perfectly phrantick in the greateſt and moſt weighty concerns of another World. If a man have a trial at Law is he thoughtful of the iſſue. The Malefactour who is to be tried for his Life, is ſollicitous about the Judges ſentence. But though All muſt be tried and judged at the great Tribunal of the Lord of Heaven and Earth, yet few, very few regard it, or think before hand what is like to be their unalterable Doom.
How truly lamentable is it, that Souls ſhould be thus drown'd in fleſh and ſenſuallity! So blinded by the Prince of Darkneſs, as not to conſider what is likely to become of themſelves: What muſt be their next Home, when once they leave their preſent Tabernacle which is continually decaying, and muſt fall down quickly, may fall down ſuddenly.
To prove thy ſelf is certainly thy Wiſedom. Ignorance of ſins evil, makes ſin damnable; ignorance of Satans wiles and devices makes them ſucceſsful to deſtruction; ignorance of a bad estate makes it ſo much the worſe becauſe 'tis not probable it ſhould be changed; and not diſcerning the Grace that is in us keeps the Conſcience, and Heart upon the Rack: Satan is gratified, and the Comfort of the Spirit is refuſed.
Reader!
Converſe with thy ſelf will be very advantagious. Why ſhould Thou and thy ſelf be perfect Strangers any longer? Commune often with thy own Heart, and reflect more upon thy Life, this would be an excellent means to make both better.
I did not think when first I began to Preach upon this ſubject, to have been ſo large upon it, much leſs had I thoughts to make the diſcourſe publick; but the concurrent deſire of a conſiderable number made me hope it had been already profitable unto many, and might be uſeful unto more.
Reader! Whether thou art to be reckoned among the Righteous or the Wicked, be not unwilling to examine thy felf: For if thou art ſerious in this matter, the effect will be either a profitable fear and ſorrow; or good Hope, and Peace, and Joy.
Nathanael Vincent.