Instructions About Right Believing, Title page – To the reader
INSTRƲCTIONS ABOUT RIGHT BELEEVING: SEVERALL SERMONS Leading unto Chriſt, directing unto Faith, and incouraging thereto. Shewing the Nature, Meaſure, and neceſsitie of the ſenſe of Sinne. Chriſt the bread of Life, a ſufficient Remedy for Mans miſery; with the way and meanes to obtaine him; as alſo incouragements to come to him, from his abilitie and readineſſe to give full ſoule-ſatisfaction. By JOHN ARCHER, Maſter of Art, ſometime Preacher of All-hallowes Lumbard-ſtreet. London.
ACTS 2. 39. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart.
MAT. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour & are heavie laden, and I will give you reſt.
JOHN 4. 14. Whoſoever drinketh of the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall never thirſt: but the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall be in him a Well of water ſpringing up into everlaſting life.
LONDON; Printed for Benjamin Allen, and are to be ſold at his Shop, at the Crown in Popes-head-Alley. 1645.
❧ TO THE READER.
GOOD READER;
COnſidering the ſtate of moſt people to be, either wholy inſenſible of their miſerable eſtate, and goe on ſecurely, not minding the precious and ſoule-ſaving Remedy tendred, or ſome others who are ſenſible, who are oft diſcouraged, (both, through the malice and ſubtiltie of the Devill,) theſe enſuing Sermons, in a plaine and profitable way, tending to helpe, in both theſe reſpects, are here preſented for a farre more publick advantage, then they could be in the preaching of them; They are not corrected and fitted for the Preſſe, as it were to be wiſhed, but neere the matter, and way of his delivery: and the experience had of ſome mens Sermons ſo printed, hath incouraged to theſe, conceiving they will be profitable, hoping all will be ſo charitable as to put good conſtructions, and not by the contrary, prejudice themſelves, or others from the good intended: Some things are but briefly propounded, in the Cloſe, but there are ſevcrall things profitably opened, to direct ſinners to Chriſt, and incourage ſenſible ones to come to him, with incouragements ſo to doe, ſhewing his fitneſſe and ſufficiency for their helpe, and readineſſe to it, and the Soule-ſatisfaction to be had by him: All which is here commended to thee, for thy good, in deſire, and with deſire of which, and of thy amending what eſcapes thou meeteſt with, I leave thee, and it, to the bleſſing of God.
CHRIST IS THE BREAD of LIFE. A SUFFICIENT REMEDY, FOR MANS MISERY.
John. 6. 35. And Ieſus ſaid unto them, I am the bread of life: he that commeth to mee ſhall never hunger; and he that beleeveth on me ſhall never thirſt.
THESE WORDS, are an Anſwer to that Deſire or Demand of the People in the former Verſe, Lord, evermore give us this bread: Wherein Chriſt opens to them, What is that Bread, which they ſeemed to deſire; Which Words of Chriſt, I will Conſider abſolutely in themſelves; and paſſe what may be obſerved from their Coherence, & Dependence; and will not ſtand on every thing which may be Collected frō the Verſe, but ſo much as may ſerve for my purpoſe; Which is This:
Having ſhewed you the Miſery you are in by Nature, and how far you muſt be humbled with the ſence The Sūme of the Wordes.of it; Now I ſhall ſhew ye the Remedy, and by what Meanes it may be attained: For which purpoſe this Verſe is very full. In which you have:
Firſt a Diſcription of Christ: Which is done Metaphorically by Bread; I am the Bread of Life.
Secondly the Meanes by which this Chriſt may be had; Viz: By comming to Him; That is (as its expounded) By beleeving on Him.
Thirdly the Perſons who may doe this, and ſo make Chriſt their owne; Viz: Any One whoever; as is implyed in the indefinite propounding of it; He that commeth, He that beleeveth. (as ye ſhall ſee more clearly heerafter)
Fourthly a ſtrong Motive to perſwade to labour for this Chriſt, taken from the Benifitt; Shall never hunger, Shall never thirſt.