Four Sermons, Title page – To the reader
Brightman Redivivus: OR THE POST-HUMIAN OF-SPRING OF Mr. THOMAS BRIGHTMAN, Jn IIII. Sermons.
Viz.
1. Of the Two Covenants.
2. The danger of Scandals.
3. Gods Commiſſion to CHRIST to Preach the Goſpell.
4. The Saints Securitie.
LUKE, 16.31.
If they heare not Moſes and the Prophets, neither will they be perſwaded, though one riſe from the dead.
LONDON, Printed by T. F. for John Rothwell, at the Sun and Fountaine in Pauls Church-yard, and Hannah Allen at the Crowne in Popes-head Alley. 1647.
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
CHRISTIAN Reader; heere mayst thou have one ſpeaking to thee from the Dead, for as (Heb. 11.4.) it is ſaid of ABEL'S Faith: That by it being dead hee yet ſpeaketh: So may wee truly ſay of this Faithfull man, that being Dead hee yet ſpeaketh by his workes of Faith. Witneſſe thoſe on the Revelation; Who, though hee was ſilenced Living, that neither hee nor his Workes might ſpeake in England: Yet now wee ſee them have liberty to ſpeake; when all thoſe their Enemies are prest to ſilence and ſhame: As hee by a divine and propheticall Spirit diſcovered out of the Epiſtle to the Angell of Laodicea. And that hand which preſerved thoſe his workes from the deſtruction of thoſe cruell Pharaohs: that cauſed ſuch Children to be ſtrangled in the birth, hath brought theſe unto Light and Life: which may be called, The Poſt-humian Of ſpring of that Learned and Godly Mr. BRIGHTMAN; being borne out of due time from having the benefit of the Father in poliſhing, and ſending them abroad, but not out of due time, in regard of the benefit they may bring to the Church of CHRIST: and they containe rich Treaſures in Earthen veſſels; Divine and heavenly Subſtances under homely Garments: They are his Notes who is worthy to be heard in the least and meanest of his Meſſengers;The gleanings of Brightman, better then the vintage of the Prelacy. for they faithfully deliver the meſſage of the great GOD of Heaven: They are gleanings of his Harvest, in which thou mayest find not onelyonly to fill thy hand, but thy boſome, Pſal. 129. What though they bee Fatherleſſe? Pity them and uſe them kindly for the Father ſake? Though they want his Apparell (for they were found clad in Roman Buffe) yet they have his ſtampe and Image on them, though altered in apparell. If any Reliques ever deſerved reſpect, theſe doe and are honourable, though not venerable in Romes ſenſe: Receeive theſe Orphans to houſe and lodging, they ſhall not get ſo much by thee as thou by them; but lodge them in thy Underſtanding and in thy Affections: thou mayeſt receive better Gheſts, then thou art aware of. They are the Diſcoveries of that bright Light, whoſe eyes were made bright by that true Eye-ſalve: They will lead thee right, not as the Prophet led the Aſsyrians into the En…mies holds and hands, but into the Land of the living: into the land of Righteouſneſſe.
They containe foure Sermons,4. Poſthume Sermons. diſcovering ſeverall Doctrines, but all …t precious Truths; The firſt diſcovers most plainly yet learnedly the two Covenants of Workes, and Grace: The ſecond will informe thee fully and profitably in the Doctrine of Scandals: through which, the world is at this ſtay it is. The third, repreſents Chriſt in his Propheticall Office ſo fully to a poore Soule, that it cannot but cry out J have enough: CHRIST JESVS is mine by the free gift of God the Father. The fourth, ſets out Faith, Hope, and the Love of God very ſweetly and cleerly. But J ſhall not need to ſpeake for them, they are of age and ability to ſpeake for themſelves. God give thee bleſſing in the Reading them, as J wiſh to mine owne Soule: To which, J commend thee, and rest thine in Christ Jeſus, &c.
JOHN HALSTED.