Living Truths in Dying Times, Title page – To the reader
Living Truths IN DYING TIMES: SOME MEDITATIONS (Upon Luk. 21.30.) Occaſioned by the preſent Judgement of the PLAGUE. By THOMAS BLAKE.
Iſa. 26.21. For behold the Lord cometh out of his place to puniſh the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, &c.
Exod. 9.13. Let my people go, that they may ſerve me.
Iſa. 27.7. Hath he ſmitten him, as he ſmote thoſe that ſmote him? &c.
London, Printed Anno Dom. 1665
To all that love our Lord Jeſus in ſincerity, peace be multiplyed.
IT is a law of Cuſtomes making, to uſher in, whatſoever is made publike, by an Epiſtle: That which invites me to this general Dedication, is that of the Apostle in 1 Cor. 3.21, 22. All things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas: The abilities of the Saints are intended for the benefit of the Saints, and thoſe of a lower as well as of a higher Orbe; he that hath but one Talent, it is given him for the edification of the body, as well as he that hath ten; and therefore I am willing to caſt my Mite into your Treaſury. Such who are taught of God, are alſo taught to bear with whatever weakneſs may diſcover it ſelf in the following Treatiſe. If you will be at the pains to look it over, you will find (I hope) truth uſeful, though in a plain and homely dreſs; Milk, rather then meat for strong men; and though but Milk, yet my hope is, It will be foreign, ſincere Milk, as Peters expreſſion is, 1 Pet. 2.2. I have not at all endeavored to make things acceptable by flouriſhes of Wit and Learning, being perſwaded, that that fire in which the Lords people have bin held, now ſome years, hath purged you from the droſs of nice and curious appetites: My deſign through the whole is, to help you a little through the diſtreſſes of the preſent day, and after that to preſent you without blame in the day of Chriſt: I think I may ſay before the ſearcher of hearts, my deſigns in this undertaking have been upright, and as far as I am able to judge, I have been drawn to …is Publication by the over-ruling hand of the Lord, in as much as ſuch a thing was never in my thoughts, untill eight parts of …en of this little Treatiſe were finiſhed. The day in which we live, is a ſcattering day; and as the ſad providences of the day drew me to conſider the Text which I have enlarged upon, ſo the ſcatterings of poor ſouls, and the remembrance of abſent friends, whoſe faces I have not long ſeen (into whoſe hands what I have written will I hope fall) hath much engaged me to ſend it abroad. Into what hand ſoever it ſhall come, whether Saint or ſinner, the Lord, who ſupplyeth ſeed to the Sower, and Bread to the Eater, bleſs this ſeed, and make it uſeful to its intended ends, as is the prayer of
Tho. Blake.