The Practical Christian, Title page – To the reader
THE PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN: OR, A Summary View of the Chief Heads OF PRACTICAL DIVINITY; In order to The Begetting, Preſerving, and Increaſing the Life and Power of Godlineſs in the Hearts and Lives of Profeſſors; Laid down in a Plain and Succinct manner, by way of Meditation.
Drawn up, and principally intended for the Uſe and Benefit of the Citizens of Exeter; and eſpecially thoſe that were his peculiar Flock.
By J. B. once their Paſtor.
I have more Ʋnderſtanding than all my Fathers, for thy Teſtimonies are my Meditation,
Pſal. 119.99.
Meditatio, Mentis Ditatio.
A Mind well Imployed, is Grace well Improved.
LONDON, Printed for Thomas Parkhurſt, at the Bible on London-Bridge; and are to be ſold by Michael Hide, Book-Seller at Exeter, 1670.
To the Candid Readers; eſpecially thoſe that were his Uſual Hearers in the City of Exeter.
Grace, Mercy, and Peace be multiplyed from God the Father, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt,
2 Timothy. 1.2.
Dearly Beloved in our beſt Beloved, and Deareſt Lord and Saviour.
KNowing, that ſhortly I muſt put off this my Tabernacle, even as my Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath ſhewed me, 2 Pet. 1.14; I have endeavoured that you may be able after my Deceaſe, to have thoſe things always in Remembrance, which I have Taught unto you: In order to it, I have Selected and Contracted the choiſeſt, and moſt neceſſary Truths to be Known, Believed, and Practiſed by you, for the furthering of the Edification, Conſolation, and Salvation of your Souls. I have done all very briefly, plainly, and by way of Meditation. If you deſire to know the Reaſons of my ſo doing, and committing all to Writing; you may be pleaſed to take this ſhort Account.
Firſt, I have done it ſo briefly, that I might not burden your Memories, and that your Heads and Hearts might be the more intent on the moſt ſpecial things; ſuch as are of neareſt, and greateſt Concernment to your Souls; and I hope that I may ſay without Boaſting, that I have written Much in a Little; and if you will but weigh well what I have Written, you may find a great deal more Matter than Words. I have backed all with Scripture-Proofs, (ſome with more, ſome with leſs) that ſo you might the more clearly ſee the Truth of all; only citing the Text, not the Words (but only to ſome places) that ſo the Book may not ſwell too big.
Secondly, I have done it in ſo plain, and familiar a Style, that I might condeſcend to the Capacity of the meaneſt Schollar in Chriſt's School; and becauſe Truth, when it is in the plaineſt Dreſs, is moſt Comely. It's a ſigne of a Weak Stomack, to mind more the Garniſhing of the Diſh, than the Meat in it; the ſin of too many here, and every where, to Like the Dreſſing more than the Food; and to look more to the Words than to the Matter; and therefore my Endeavour hath been to do what the Wiſe Preacher did before me, Eccleſ. 12.10. The Preacher ſought out Acceptable Words, even Ʋpright Words of Truth; that is, profitable and Comfortable Words, True and Faithful Words, that ſo I might, Prodeſſe magis quam placere; non alta, ſed apta proferre; not High words, but Fit words, becauſe, as Good Matter without Fit Words, is but as Good Meat in a Sluttiſh Diſh; ſo Neat words without Solid Matter, is but Copioſa egeſtas, a Gaudy Poverty; both together are moſt acceptable.
Thirdly, I have done it by way of Meditation, becauſe it is only Meditation that brings home any Truth to the Heart, and makes it uſeful, and profitable; the Bee which only lights on the Flower, and doth not ſtay on it, gathers no Honey; it is her abiding a while on it, that ſucks out the Sweet of it: That Perſon that takes a Cordial, and holds it only a little while in his Mouth, and then puts it out, will find little benefit by it; ſo will He that Hears and Reads the Word and never Meditates on it: it's only Meditation, that makes every Truth ſweet and profitable; and becauſe (what Chryſoſtome ſayes of Faith, is true of Meditation) foreign, it doth make God, and Chriſt, his Precepts and Promiſes, and all we See, and Hear, and Read, to be ours; it applies, and digeſts, and aſſimilates us into the Nature of thoſe Spiritual, and Heavenly things we meditate on, 2 Cor. 3. ult.
Fourthly, I have put all in Writing. 1. Becauſe as Abel by his Faith being dead, yet ſpeaketh, Heb. 11.4. So, this Treatiſe may ſpeak, and live, when I am dead; as Chriſt and his Apoſtles, now in Heaven; yet by their Doctrine, Examples, and Writings they preach unto the Saints on Earth. 2. That ſo what hath ſlipped out of your car, might be recalled by the eye Lam. 3.51. and the Eye might affect the Heart, with what you have formerly heard. A good mans Words may paſs as Wind in the Aire, when what he Writes, may prove of weight on the Heart, as the Apoſtle's words did, 2 Cor. 10.10. Whence it is that Sacraments (ſay ſome) excel Sermons, becauſe in Sermons Truths are only Audible to the Eare; but in Sacraments, things are Viſible to the Eye. 3. Becauſe by Writing, Miniſters they communicate their Labours not only to thoſe at home, but abroad; and ſo profit more by their Writing, than they do ſometimes by their Preaching. 4. Becauſe by Writing, a Miniſters Labours are more permanent, and abiding upon the Heads, and Hearts of thoſe that make uſe of them: Sermons (as one, Well) are as Showrs of Rain, that Water for the preſent, when-as Books are as Banks, and Heaps of Snow, that lye long on the Earth, and keeps the Corn more warm in the Winter. In all theſe reſpects, I have put Pen to Paper, and communicated theſe Meditations to your Eye, as well as your Ear.
If any object, There are Books enough Printed, and of this Subject alſo of Meditation. I grant it; I am of his Judgment who ſaid, For Polemical Tractates (which hold up different Opinions) A few are too many, but for Practical Treatiſes (which preſs to the Duties of Holineſs) Many are too few, which made Auſtin to ſay, Ʋtile eſt plures libros, à pluribus fieri, the more, the better, ſo long as they are helps to the promoting of Godlineſs. The Reaſons is obvious, becauſe we find by ſad, and general Experience, though moſt are willing to know, yet very few are forward to practiſe what they know, and therefore all helps little enough to quicken them to Duty; And the rather, becauſe what Ariſtotle ſaid of his Ethicks, is much more true of Gods, foreign, it's not Knowledge, but practiſe that denominates, and evidences any to be a truly knowing Chriſtian, and Religious Man. He that knows Gods will, and doth it not, is a Lyar, 1 Epiſtle, John 2.4. A Fool, Math. 7.27. and worſe than ſo: the more any knows without Practiſe, the more like he is to the Devil, who knows more than any, but practiſeth nothing; beſides, there's nothing will more aggravate the ſin, and Condemnation of Men at the laſt, than this, That they have known ſo much, and practiſed ſo little, Luke 12.48. Math. 10.14, 15. Heathens at the laſt day, will wring their Hands, that they have known no more of God, by the means vouchſafed them; but Chriſtians will rend their Hearts, that they have known ſo much of God to no better purpoſe: So as all Practical Treatiſes, or Treatiſes quickening unto Practice, are few enough to awaken men to their Duties. And as for thoſe that treat of Meditation (as many Worthies have done, whoſe Books I am not worthy to carry after them) yet I find none that have Collected all neceſſary Practical Truths, and Duties into ſuch a way of Meditation, but either are too large, or too ſtreight; and therefore, I hope this may, through the Bleſſing of God, conduce much to the benefit of thoſe, to whom God ſhall give Hearts to make uſe of it, which is the Unfeigned Deſire, and Earneſt Prayer of
Your Faithful, but Ʋnworthy, Servant in the Work of the Lord, J. B.