Milk for Babes, Dedication 3
To his Worthy and Noble Friends
1 Mrs. ELIZABETH NORTON, wife to Colonel NORTON Eſquire.
2 Mrs. KATHERINE MAY, wife to JAMES MAY, Eſquire.
3 Mrs. HONORIA ELIOT, wife to JOHN ELIOT Eſquire.
4 Mrs. MARY NORTON.
All daughters to the Noble Lady Honoria Norton of Southwick in Hantſhire, my much honoured Patroneſſe.
Robert Abbot doth dedicate theſe three enſuing Sermons, as a teſtimony of my deareſt reſpects to that Noble Family, and doth humbly pray for their ſouls and bodies happineſſes to Eternall Glory.
MY Noble Friends, God hath joyned you together by bloud, and marriage, and I durſt not ſeparate one from the other. It is all your goods I ayme at, and therefore I reſolved not to make one beholding to another for a gift, but all to bee thankefull to that Noble Mother, who ſet me on work. On my part, I can do nothing that may deſerve a publike eye: but if others think otherwiſe, I cannot help it. If they tell me that I have a talent; I have known that a long time. If they tell me it may profit by way of preaching, I muſt put that to the ſucceſſe which Gods bleſsing will give it. If they tell me it may profit by writing, here onelyonly I ſtick. I am altogether ignorant what I can do in this kinde. I have nothing to direct me but others opinions and deſires: and if they be no ſure Cards and Compaſſes to ſail by into this cenſuring world, I may ſuffer ſhipwrack. Howſoever it fall out, I muſt now take my Lot, and if with Jonas I be caſt into the Sea, it is becauſe I have obeyed, and not becauſe I have rebelled. It is poſsible for a man to know when he is called to do any work, though it be a work of hazard. He is called, ſurely, when he hath a voice from heaven to deſigne him as Paul had; and when he hath a particular inſtinct of ſpirit, as many worthies in the firſt ages; and when he hath the propheſies go of him, as Timothy had; and when he hath the approbation, and impoſition of hands of the Elderſhip, as ordinary ſervants of Chriſt for the benefit of the Church, Paſtours, and Teachers have; or laſtly, when he hath the engagement of the hearts of Gods people attending upon his diſpenſing of the myſteries of grace, and preſsing the publike uſe of what he doth more privately. As I have had long ago, and ever ſince, ſome comfortable approbation at, and ſince the impoſition of hands, ſo have I had ſome cloſing of the hearts of the godly, for the bringing into the publike, of what I have done in this ſervice, in the private. This I have accounted an invitation to do ſomething by the pen, as well as in the Pulpit. As I would not be ſo running out, as to make all my diviner thoughts viſible to the Sunne (becauſe there are many that can do it better): ſo would I not be ſo bound up, as to be unwilling to profit ſome in this way, though others may think it not worth the looking on. That which is as gold to ſome, may be as braſſe to others: and that which is as ſilver to ſome, is as lead to others: and yet variety of ſpirits may be helped according to various touches, and impreſsions, of fancies, judgements, conceptions, and opinions from the ſpirit of Chriſt.
I therefore being emboldened to do ſomething in this kinde, was not long to ſtudy to whoſe hands to preſent it firſt, and thence to have it derived to all Engliſh hands, and hearts, that we are willing to receive it. To you therefore (my noble friends) is it come, onelyonly craving your acceptance, according to the worth of the matter, not of the perſon that exhibits it unto you. I am a poor old man, clogged with many infirmities, who have been toſſed, and bandied up, and down in the world; who yet, want nothing but a fuller meaſure of Jeſus Chriſt to dwell in my ſoul by faith. I have learned you the fountains of ſecret ſinnes, and the means how to diſcover them in your ſelves, that it may bow you before the God of heaven, to make you fit to hold Jeſus Chriſt. It muſt be an hollow veſſel which muſt hold water, and an hollowed heart; that muſt lye under the fountain of David for ſin and for uncleanneſſe, to carry away the water of life to the ſoul. I have taught you the worth of the Glorious Goſpel, that you may be willing to hunt after Chriſt, and, when you have found him, to part with all that is yours for his embracements. And, becauſe your precious ſouls are in much danger in theſe diſtracted dayes, both by proſperity, and adverſity, I have learned you, from the beſt aſſurance office in the world, to ſecure your ſouls; that while you enjoy them you may have faith, while you have faith, you may have Chriſt, and while you have Chriſt, you may have the love of God for your eternall good.
I muſt confeſſe, that if ever Chriſtian ſouls were in danger, they are in danger now. We are faln into the laſt, and perillous dayes: wherein while the Drum, and Canon are the beſt muſick, and Commiſsion is given to the ſword to cut off not a few, and to guild the Land with crying bloud; the Enemy ſowes tares to an aboundance at home, to the hinderance of Reformation, and to the disjoynting of many a good ſoul. Some of the ancient exploded hereſies are revived; and ſuch wide ruptures are made, that a devout ſoul can ſcarce tell at which dore to go in to Chriſt: my heart bleeds to ſee with what daring, and violence private opinions are maintained. I beleeve that I may have ſome private opinion, of my own; but I will rather bury it within my breaſt, then ſuffer it to make a publike diſturbance. If others would do ſo too, we might (it may be) have been wafted to our wiſhed for haven before this day. But (alas) all cry up the ways of Chriſt, the ordinances of Chriſt, the Kingdome of Christ; but when it comes to be examined it is found to be nothing but ſelf opinions, and ſelf practiſes. Some look upon the Law as a School-maſter unto Chriſt, and, when they have learned him, they would walk in Chriſt, not onelyonly by beleeving, but by doing, ſuch holy & charitable duties as the Law propounds and commands. Some would have no uſe of the Law among Chriſtians, but pin all upon faith, as if faith did not work by love. Some look upon Baptiſm as unuſefull in our Infantery, though the beginning of it cannot be concludently grounded but from the Apoſtles, and the practiſe of it was never oppoſed till this laſt age. Some are for the grafting of it into the place of Circumciſion; becauſe it can be no other then that was, A ſigne and ſeal of the righteouſnes of faith: and God, who caleth things that are not as if they were, calleth, by vertue of his Covenant, Infants of Chriſtians Believers, much more thē infants of Jews. Some again are for Congregationall Churches onelyonly, as if Chriſt had given any ſuch precept, or as if there were any ſuch practiſe according to undoubted rule. Others will have Claſsicall Churches under ſweet and amiable ſubordination to help the Communion of Saints, as in the dayes of Timothy, and Titus. Some would have excommunication in the power of the whole Body; ſome in the power of the Presbytery; ſome in the power of a mixt Presbytery, ſome of an Elderſhip of Miniſtery, which ſeemes to be the righteſt way; and ſome would have none at all, though, happly, if excommunication be not a delivering over to Satan; yet it may, juſtly, be a wary caſting out, and removing ſtones of offence till they are humbled, and reformed. Some would have all puniſhments in the power of the Magiſtrate; ſome would have none but for ſuch faults as claſh againſt Publique Peace of the Common-wealth: though it cannot be denied, but that the ſword of a good Magiſtrate, for vertue, and againſt vice is a back of Steele to a good Miniſtery. Some are for admittance of members of the Church by I know not what Covenant (becauſe it is variouſly practiſed). Others know no covenant but that of grace, made in Baptiſme, and renewed in the Supper of the Lord, except voluntary Covenants, and according to the Rules of Chriſtian libertie. Now (my much honoured friends) when theſe digladiations are ſharpned amongſt good men, great men, will it not be a beame in the eye of many a good ſoul, even to hinder them from walking with ſuch a ſteady foot, in the wayes of Chriſt, as were to be wiſhed? I know no better way to help all, then to follow Melancthons counſell to his Mother, when ſhe was troubled with the controverſies of her time, that ſhe ſtick to her old principles of ſaving doctrine, and practiſe, and for the reſt to wait the iſſue of Gods providence. This is my humble, and hearty counſell to you all. Look upon the goodneſſe of every good man, and ſo far as you ſee Chriſt in them, ſo far honour, and ſuccour them: but for other opinions engage you not. It will be more unſeemly at laſt to caſt out an errour, upon further triall, then not to admit it at firſt. God hath his mighty work in theſe ſtirrings, for the cleering of ſome truths, yet, more confuſedly known. When this is brought unto an iſſue, it will more ſweetly content you, then a preſent engagement in the premiſes of many ſtirring ſpirits who do too much trouble themſelves and others. This is all I ayme at, and therefore preſent you with old quiet grounds of faith, and practiſe, as well becommeth me who am the ſervant of Jeſus Christ, and under him
From my Study in Southwick, Feb. 8. 1646. Yours to ſerve you in the Goſpell: ROBERT ABBOT.