The Nonsuch Professor in his Meridian Splendor, Author to the reader
The Author to the Reader.
CHRISTIAN READER;
WE live in age that is moſt cenſorious, and yet in age that is leaſt religious; where there are any faults men are more skilful to find them, then careful to mend them: But ſhall we turn the Sun into darkneſſe becauſe of its moats, or the Moon into blood becauſe of her ſpots? Its in vain to look for clear light where God himſelf will have a ſhaddow.
Good meats diſpleaſe none but diſtempered palats; and muſt wholeſome diſhes be barr'd the Table, becauſe they offend aguiſh ſtomacks. To ſerve mens neceſſity is charitable, to ſerve mens conveniency is warrantable, to ſerve mens iniquity is damnable, but to ſerve mens purity is honourable.
Grace needs a Spur to prick it on, as well as Vice needs a Bridle to hold it in.
The deſign of this Peece is not the oſtentation of the Author, but the edification of the Reader. I hope none will blow out ſuch a Candle upon earth, by the light of which themſelves may ſee the way to Heaven.
The face of none is ſo comely in a Saints eyes as the face of Chriſt, and the voyce of none is ſo pleaſant in a Saints ears as the voyce of Chriſt.
The Manna of ſpiritual influences, doth uſually fall in the Dew of ſpiritual Ordinances; To ſet them up was a work of mercy in God to us, and to keep them up is a work of juſtice in us to God; Whileſt we ſuck at theſe Breaſts, they will ſtream warm Milk into our mouths.
Dear Chriſtian, In this Subject I have given thee a breviary of Religion▪ The works injoyned in it are weighty and ponderous, and the wages annexed to it are mighty and glorious; Chriſtianity is here cloathed in its white Linnen of purity. Wouldſt thou obtaine that happineſſe which the promiſe confirms, thou muſt eſpouſe that holineſs which the precept injoynes; The beſt way to greaten your felicity, is to heighten your activity. Grace as it makes our comforts ſweeter, ſo it makes our Crowns greater; And as it begins in the love of God to us, ſo it ends in our love to God; Thoſe children that are found moving in the Orbes of obedience, ſhall have the beautieſt Sunſhine of their Fathers countenance.
Chriſtians, Be ſure to lay your ſuperſtruction upon an unmoveable foundation; and propagate ſuch a buſineſſe, as hath an immediat tendency to bleſſedneſſe. It's an unparalel'd mercy to be kept free from corruption in a time of infection: It's better to be innocent, then it is to be penitent; To prevent the malady, then to invent the remedy.
Chriſtians, As you have not a Leaſe of your lives, ſo you have not a Brace of your lives; That that which is corrupted in the former, may be corrected in the latter: Had we not need to take heed how we ſhoot, that have but a ſingle Arrow to direct to the mark: No time is ours but what is preſent, and that's as ſoon paſt as preſent: We had need improve that with the greateſt diligence, that glides away with the ſpeedieſt nimbleneſſe. Shall our reſts ſteal away one half of our time, and our luſts the other.
O Sirs, The more you have of good in you, the more you ſhall have of God with you; yea ſpiritual actions they will make you look freſh and orient in the eyes of ſpiritual Chriſtians, that judge of the trees of righteouſneſſe, by the fruits of righteouſneſſe. The enjoyment of this world is neither an argument of Divine anger, nor an evidence of Divine favour; Therefore do not judge your ſelves by your wealth, but by your works, not by the Bags of Gold you have in your hands, but by the Seeds of Grace you have in your hearts: The ambitious man ſhall leave all his greatneſſe behind him, when the religious man ſhall carry all his goodneſſe with him. Let Chriſtianity be your ſhop to trade in, and Eternity ſhall be your bed to reſt in; Every grace that is here exerciſed, ſhall there be glorified; The Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſhall not only ſee the travels of his ſoul, but you ſhall ſee the travels of yours.
Chriſtians, Either let your works be according to your profeſſion, or elſe let your profeſſion be according to your works; Never put on the fair ſuit of profeſſion, to do the fowl work of corruption. God will cut down thoſe degenerate Vines that bear nothing but ſowr Grapes. The luſts of the fleſh are pleaſurable, where the works of the fleſh are viſible.
Sirs, The Goſpel doth not only require that you ſhould be diligent Chriſtians, but that you ſhould be excellent Chriſtians. By the ſingularity of your actions, you may prove the ſincerity of your perſons; The Race is ſhort in which you run, but the Prize is great for which you run. Let not us ſow ſuch barren Lands in which we looſe our time and pains.
I wiſh that this gail of Divinity may ſpeed your Veſſel to the Haven of Felicity; And when God gives in more of himſelf to me, I ſhall give out more of him to you; in the mean time it ſhall be my higheſt ambition, to be inſtrumentall to others converſion. Who am and ever deſire to be a Lover of him that is a Saviour to us;
Yours in the Lord Jeſus, William Secker.