A Sovereign Antidote to Drive out Discontent, Postscript
POSTSCRIPT.
FOr the Readers good, and that the Vendor may not want ſorts,… ſerve his two penny cuſtomers: (for he meets with few that will … him more, be the Book of what bulk it will.) I have ſtooped ſo … as to cut theſe ſmall ſhreds out of a whole piece of rich Scarlet. And … doce out ſo much Ambergreece in theſe little papers, as may accomm… ▪date both the poor, and penurious. Though I foreſee the diſinge… ▪ouſneſs of not a few; who not conſidering the worth, nor quantity … matter crowded in, but the number of leaves: will offer him for eac… two ſh…ets, the price of a Ballad. Notwithſtanding in caſe any ſha… repent their bargain, they ſhall be intreated by ſome or other I preſum… to take their money again, after they have read it.
So many as would have the Originall, out of which theſe ſeaven Ch…pters, and the foregoing eleaven are taken; (a Book contayning as good … fourſcore the li…e Chapters) need but repair to the Stationers, Or … caſe the Fier has prevented; they may be had where theſe pieces ar… ſold.
Then that hundreds may be undeceived, who having bought ſo man… of my ſmall pieces, as are conteyned in my Chriſtian Library: ſuppoſ… they have all my Lucubrations, when they have not one half: for wha… I have publiſhed, cannot well be bound up in leſs then four Vollumes▪ And that the ſeveral Stationers, that have the Coppies; may not wher… I am gone ſo ſerve me, in Printing them together with Tables, (without which they are nothing ſo uſeful for Scholers.) I think it n…t amiſ… to give them thereof a hint, that ſo they may better inform themſelves, if occaſion ſhall happen.
As for prevailing with ſome one againſt the time I ſhall leave the World which is neer at hand, (ſhould I make it my humble and univerſal requeſt.) to take up my Trade, In giving a few lines of good counſell, to thoſe poor ignorant and impotent wretches, that do not ſo much as know they have pretious and immortal ſouls that muſt live everlaſtingly in Bliſſe or Woe: that is when he ſhall hear them ſwear, Curſe, Scoff, &c. As he ſees an opportunity of doing good, or ſome likelywhood of ſtopping them in their way to deſtruction, whether they are poſting b…indfold, and headlong I have very ſmall hope. Though I will forbid the beſt pate alive to deviſe a better way for a private Chriſtian, to expreſs his love and thankfulneſs to Chriſt, who hath done and ſuffered for, given and forgiven ſo much to him: or how he ſhall better diſcharge his duty to his Neighbour, or Country, or do ſo much good at ſo cheap a rate: For hereby he ſhall endeavour, and not without ſome hope, (God bleſſing the meanes) the ſaving of Ten thouſand ſouls; with the expence of five times ten ſhillings. Which project that ever it was put into my minde, I account the ſecond incomparable favour, that ever I received Inſomuch that I can never enough admire! The coldness of mens charity and love; and yet the ſtrength (as they pretend) of their faith, and ſervency in prayer. Yea, how ſhould it other then cut the hearts of thoſe that have felt the love of Chriſt, or that have any Chriſtian blood in their vaines; to hear him ſo wounded at home with oaths and blaſphemies abroad with reproaches, who is the life of their lives, and the ſoul of their ſouls: To ſee multitudes go blindfold to Hell, and no man offer to ſtop or check them, before they arive there from whence there is no redemption. Yea, how ſhould it not make all that are themſelves got out of Satans clutches; to plot, ſtuddy and contrive all they can, to draw others of their brethren after them.
True ſome fooles think me a little crackt in brain, for putting a paper into mens hands when I hear them blaſpheme the name of God, and …ound their own ſouls: But when I conſider how our carnall Friends will curſe us, when they come in Hell: that we did not our utmoſt endeavour to ſtop them, I can hardly forbear to lay hands upon a Drunkard, Blaſphemer, Adulterer, Murtherer, &c. to ſtop him from the evill, he …s about to execute, and to kneel down upon my knees and beg of him, …hat he would not ſo deſperately damn his own ſoul. As let me ask …ur diſcreet ones but this queſtion? Had we ſtood by when Adam was between the perſwaſion of his Wife, and the precept of his God, when the one ſaid Adam eat, and the other ſaid Adam eat not, for if thou doſt …hou ſhalt dye the death, and all thy poſterity. Had it been an ill office …o have cryed out and ſaid? O Adam take heed what thou doſt? Or …ould he have had cauſe to complain of being prevented: I trow not Yea, I think it had been a ſeaſonable peice of high friendſhip; and … can deny it. And indeed could a man ſave his brothers ſoul, by ſo doin… (as probably and for ought he knows he may, Iude 23. Iames 5.10, 20 1 Tim. 4.16.) he needed not much to care, though the World reputed hi… a madman▪ and ſpent a thouſand of their ſimple verdicts on him, ſee … 12.3.
And yet as if God and Chriſt (as well as thoſe graceleſs and pittif… ones) were altogether friendleſs, where is the man to be found, in … the three Kingdoms? That like Paul at Athens, (who was ſo ſtirred in … ſpirit, when he ſaw the City wholly given to Idolatry, that he not onl… blamed them for their ignorance, and ſuperſtition, but he daily diſp… with them in the market, and with any that he met: though he was grie… vouſly mockt, both by the Epicurian and Stoick Philoſophers, togethe… with the rude multitude as a Babler, and a ſetter forth of ſtrange Gods, Acts 17.16. to the end of the Chapter) will ſo much diſparage, or diſquie… himſelf in the open ſtreets, as to ſpeak a ſyllable, to ſave a ſoul that … invaluable; and to vindicate the honour of God, which we are boun… to redeem with our own lives. And why forſooth? but this, they ſha… be ſenſured by the thronge as indiſcreet, and reviled for ſo doing.
But let men look to it, for what our Saviour hath plainly forewarne… us of Mark 8.38. will prove a dreadful Text, to a great many of … diſcreet, and white livered Nicodemaſes. What I ſpeak is not at … dome, I know well what hath been the product of a little good counſe… given to me, when I was a youth: It proved not only the ſaving of … ſoul, and the occaſion of compoſing, my many well approved of peice… of practicall Divinity, (in which God hath made my pen, an inſtrumen… to ſerve him, and me a preſident without a preſident: for never did … inſufficient a dunce put pen to paper, upon ſuch an account, withou… becoming a fool in print. (But the ſame alſo hath occaſioned me, … give a thouſand pound in ſuch Books as are moſt likely to prevaile wit… ſinners, and with ſuch ſucceſs, that I would not have them ungiven fo… a thouſand worlds. Yea, poſſ…ble it is, that there are hundreds … in Heaven praiſing God, that ever I preſented them with a few line… Nor do I ſlightly overlook what I have gained (though its well know… I hate and ſcorne gifts) by giving and that in a threefold reſpect. Nor … providence of God, in having preſerved me alive in a dying conditio… almoſt theſe forty years. And withall, made me (the moſt baſhfull … other caſes) as bold as a Lyon: in not fearing to diſcharge my duty an… conſcience in this particular to any, be they what they will: thoug… to the hazard of all that can be taken from me. Though theſe unreaſo… able men, (as the Apoſtle ſtiles all that have not faith: 2 Theſſ. 3.2. make me many times wiſh that I had the Wings of a Dove, that I mig… fly away, and be at reſt. Pſal. 55.1. to 9. Ier. 9.1. to 10.
Bare with me, when the Apoſtle himſelf was driven, to ſpeak … more to this purpoſe, 2 Cor. 10, 11, and 12. Chapters that he might indicate himſelf to thoſe, that had prejudice againſt his perſon leaſt they ſhould ſlight whatever he ſpake, or wrote unto them. 2 Cor. 10.10. What … ſpeak is to the glory of God, and for others good were I not compelled by them ſo to do. O that ſome or other would have the wit, generoſity, and Magnanimity, to lay what I have fooliſhly ſpoken, ſufficiently to …eart.
I know how I am cenſured for my passion, (or rather compassion and commiſeration) and indignation, for my indiſcretion in anſwering Scoffers, when …hey ſpurn againſt the means to be ſaved, and make themſelves merry with …heir own damnation. Nor can I excuſe my ſelf, though I uſe the beſt wits … have, in obſerving circumſtances. For, I am (full ſore againſt my will) too much like Ionah for paſſion. Ionah 4.4, 8, 9. And like Iob, …n handling a good cauſe ill, moſt unlike him in patience, and yet in purpoſe deſire and indeavour perhaps really, and practically in ſome other caſes, and I hope in Gods acceptance as patient as he. Nor can … be denyed, but he that hath faith or any one grace in truth, hath all other graces in the ſame meaſure with it, though not alike conſpicuous ap…arent and manifeſt. For which read Mr. Downams Chriſtian Warfare Firſt … 46. Chapter 3. Section to 9. p. 614. and Printed Anno 1612. And who …o reads the ſame will give me thanks for pointing him to it. But …hat if God findes it meet? to deny me the gift of talking, and that Chriſtian prudence which were to be wiſhed, both to humble me and to …rden his implacable enemies, that deny and refuſe Chriſts offer, and …heir own mercy. (As much worſe were it for me if I had not more to …vercome and to humble me, then ordinarily other men have.) who can …avell? or if any be ſo minded, let them minde well, what the Apoſtle …peaks. Philip. 1.28, 29, 30. and lay their hand upon their mouth. Iob. …0. 4, 5.
Men may think as they pleaſe, but thirty years experience (for ſo long …ave I been pudling in a Waſps neſt) hath taught me, that mild and gentle …ordes, to ſuch Mad-dogs as fly in their Makers face, and wound their …wn ſouls, as oft as they ſpeak: may cauſe them to fleer and ſcoff, but no …ore ſtirr or move them, then a ſoft, knock, or call, will awaken one …ut of a dream, or dead ſleep. Yea, a mild reproof, does but incourage …ickedneſs, and make it think it ſelf ſo ſlight, as that rebuke importeth. …o ſay to hardned ſinners, as Ely to his ſonnes why did you ſo, is no other …en to ſhave that head, which deſerves cutting off. Nothing will cut a Diamond, but a Diamond, nothing will eaſe the Pluriſy, but letting of …lood, Such as are ſick of a dead Appoplex, muſt have both ſtronger, and … the quantity of Phyſick that others have. But that beef brained fellow … Scalleger, had his ears bored with thunder, when nothing elſe would … it. Yea, the inchanted Aſſe in Lucian, returned to his proper ſhape again, when he ſaw himſelf in a looking glaſſe. And the frant… returned to his wits, reputes him his beſt friend, that hath bound beat him moſt, as I have found by not a few of them, but ſe… Prov. … ▪
In Page 14 Line 29. For diſpleaſed in his body, read diſeaſed in his …
FINIS.
End of the text · Richard Younge, A Sovereign Antidote to Drive out Discontent (1668)