The Abuse of Gods Grace, Title page – Dedication
THE ABUSE OF GODS GRACE: DISCOVERED In the Kinds, Cauſes, Puniſhments, Symptoms, Cures, Differences, Cautions, and other Practical Improvements thereof.
Propoſed as a ſeaſonable check to the wanton Libertiniſme of the preſent Age.
By NICHOLAS CLAGET, Miniſter of the Goſpel at Edmundsbury in Suffolk, M. A. of Magdalen Hall, Oxon.
foreign …ſt. Mart.
Malorum morum licentia Pietas erit, occaſio Luxuriae Religio deputabitur, Tertul. Apol. adverſus Gentes, c. 35.
Shall we continue in ſin that Grace may abound? God forbid, Rom. 6. 1, 2.
OXFORD, Printed by A. Lichfield, for Thomas Robinſon, and Samuel Pocock. 1659.
To his honoured Coſen, WILLIAM CLAGET, Eſq. And his dear Conſort, the Lady SOUTHCOATE.
Dear Coſen,
YOur Friendſhip to me which was of old, and yet is not gray hair'd, but flouriſhing, knows no Winter, but a conſtant Spring. In both your Univerſitie & Citie life, the Rayes of your favour have ſhoone on me. It is above twenty years ſince we were Contemporaries at Oxford, under our Reverend, Pious, Sound, and Learned Tutor, Dr. Edw. Corbet, who was a real Saint on earth, and is now a glorious Saint in heaven. The mercy of our Tuition, is not to be forgotten of us, nor can I forget your kindneſs to me, which hath not been Aeffaeta gignendo, barren by Production, like pregnant Animals, and vegetative Trees. I am your Debtor, beſides the due Debt of my Prayers for you, I here preſent to you this foreign, a Thank-offering, that it may from your Chriſtian candor find acceptance, and a ſweet ſavour.
We live in an unhappy Age, wherein by many the Form, by moſt the Power of Godlyneſs is neglected. Though tis a Mercy, Religion is in ſome Forme and Faſhion, yet 'tis a miſery, the Faſhion is ſo Multiform, & in every different dreſs ſo Obnoxious, & that Words and Works, are too common Antipodes. Wronging Gods Grace is Englands Epidemical ſin. None of the quarrelling ſides among us can plead Innocence. Though the ſpots of Gods children, and the Devils are not the ſame; yet to our ſhame be it ſpoken, all ſides have too much darkened the glory of their profeſſion, obſcured the luſtre of the Goſpel Sun, and laid the Honour of Gods name in the duſt. Seeing our ſtreets are ſo foul, I would mind every one to ſweep their own doors, that the times of Liberty may no longer be reproached, as they are, with a dirty, wanton, unjuſt Licentiouſneſſe, in Opinions, and Practiſes. The ſad experience that the old man is in my ſelf too much a Libertine, and what I have ſeen and heard of others, put me upon large Meditations, ſundry years ago in my Lordſday Sermons to mine own Auditory, concerning the Peſt of the Times, Spreading At Edmondsbury in Suffolk.Diſeaſe, Bane of Profeſſion, Diſgrace of Religion, Remora of Converſions, Affliction of best hearts, Occaſion of Blaſphemy, Temptation to Atheiſme, Merriment of Rome, which conſiſts in the Abuſe of Grace. Could I upon Englands talleſt Mountain ſpeak with the loudeſt noiſe of Thunder, and articulate my mind to every ear, I would ſay the Abuſe of Grace is Englands ſinne; Repent of it, O England, repent, repent. Theſe were the words of that faithful Martyr, Mr. Bradford, when he was burning in the flames. Though it is not poſſible I ſhould be ſo loud, vocal, and monitory, yet incouraged by ſome pious and judicious friends, I am imboldned to take the benefit of the Preſſe, and to communicate thoughts in ſeaſon, to as many hands, eyes, and hearts, as Providence ſhall guide them to. I beſeech you (Sir) the happineſſe of whoſe Conſanguinity and Amity, I have experienced, peruſe and improve what you ſhall read, to an holy conviction, ſerious bewailing, and deep abhorrence of an odious ſin which hath too black a guilt, and is loaded with many aggravating circumſtances. This will be a choice divine Bleſſing on the Tractate, the Authors Reward, and a Teſtimony of the Grace of God in you. The Goſpel, the precious Goſpel, that hath coſt the Blood of Chriſt, and Chriſtians, the ſweet word of Grace, the power of God unto Salvation, let it be precious in your holy eſteem: And though Papiſts Qui de evangelio Chriſt facium hominis evangeliū, vel quod pejus eſt diaboli. Hier. Epiſt ad Gal.by their Derogatory Antichriſtian Traditions, Worldly Polititians, and Helliſh Libertines, doe in Hieromes tearms make of the Goſpel of Chriſt the Goſpel of men, or which is worſe, the Goſpel of the Devil. Do you ſpeak it and live it, the Goſpel of God and Grace. The things I would offer to mine own ſoul, I tender to you. Be inquiſitive what may deſervedly bear the brand of Goſpel Wantonneſſe, when it appears, and interpret it as the Meſſenger of Hell, the Artifice of the Devil turned Angel of Light, the not more ſubtile than pernicious Engine to ruin ſouls. Be one of Zions Mourners in your Cloſet Retirements, to look over this worſt of ſins, the predominant wrong of Grace, with a mourning ſpirit. Endeavour to live a ſevere, exact, ſpiritual, heavenly frame of heart, that when you are to give up your Death-bed account, the Spirit of Truth, Peace, Puritie and Comfort, may witneſs with yours, that the Goſpel hath transformed you into the Image of it's Glory, and hath taught you to deny that ungodlyneſs, and thoſe wordly Luſts, which ſhrowd themſelves under the protection of Grace.
And, Noble Madam, as the Tye of Marriage, and the Union (I hope) of Grace, hath made you and my dear Coſen one, ſo have I made you one in my Epiſtolary addreſs. If the divine principle of the love of God and his Goſpel be implanted in you, it cannot but urge you to the deteſtation of, and lamentation for the prodigious ſin of Goſpel Wantonneſs: whilſt ſome Femal vvantons ſtudy their ſenſes and faces, not their ſouls, who beautifie their out-ſides, whilſt their inſides are altogether diſ-regarded; be pleaſed among other ſpiritual Looking-glaſſes, which religious Artiſts, and faithfull Writers have with elaborate thoughts compoſed, to honour this, ſo far as often to look on it, to dreſs your better part by it, that when it ſhall reflect and reverberate your gracious beauty, you may praiſe the infinite Beauty and Fountain of Holineſs, you may be Great and Good too; and this is a moſt rare, and happy combination. A few there are in the words of an Ancient, that are eminent in both In utroque tulo primi.worlds, and but a few; Not many Noble. 1 Cor. 1. 26. are called to eternal Honours. Goodneſs enamels Greatneſs, and ſhines like a precious Stone in a Ring. I like not, but altogether abhorre that moroſe Stoiciſme and Quakeriſme that frowns on the Titles of worldly precedencies, as unbecoming Chriſtians eares & tongues. Due Titles are no crimes of Language, nor unconſiſtent with Piety; yet I hope you have learned the vaſt diſtance between the ſtile of Madam, and Chriſtian, and that in the divine Heraldry, the heavenly Deſcent of Grace will out-ſhine all the Eſcutchions, and the glorious aiery appellations of worldly precedencies. The childleſs, holy Eunuch, was by the Goſpel Prophet comforted, that he ſhould have a Name better than of Sons and Daughters. The new Name, either Beleever, or Child of God, out-titles, and out-glories the higheſt worldly ſtile. Fulgentius gave good counſel to Galle, a noble Chriſtian, of a Godly, as wel as Gentile Extraction, born of the Spirit as wel as Kin to Roman Conſuls; Learn to aſcribe nothing to your Noble Diſce nihil tibi nobiluate generis aſſignare. Fulgent. Epiſt. ad Gallam. Inter ſaculares illuſtris ſuperbiae fomes. Fulgent. Tametſi ſpeciem aliquam praeſe ferunt homines, tanquam in agris flores, qui tamen refulget decori protinvs interit atque evaneſcis. Calvinan Iſa. 40. In ſaculi culmine conſtituti. Fulg. Praebentmalae imitationis laqueum aut bonae converſationis exemplum—Magna tales aut poena manet aut gloria, Fulgent. de Converſione ad Theodorum.ſtem. Although you have ſecular, illuſtrious glory, yet eſpecially with a perfect humble heart be ambitious of the Spirits Nobilitie. If, Madam, the anointing of the Spirit teach you this leſſon, that all fleſh is graſſe, and all the goodlineſſe thereof is as the flower of the field, the glory, the ornament, the glittering ſhine of it will diſappear in pale, gaſtly death, and the chambers of ſilence and rottenneſs: I hope it teacheth you this alſo, that Regeneration is the birth of births; and that the thriving Graces of the Spirit, boſom Communion with Jeſus Chriſt here, and higheſt rooms in heaven, will be the Honour of Honours. Conſider, Great perſons are great bleſſings or plagues; a train follows them to Heaven or Hell, they are not ſaved, or damned alone. They that ſtand in the worlds higher ground, who either lay the ſnares of an evil imitation, or are the preſidents of an holy converſation, ſhall have great, either eternal Penalty, or Glory. Hath free Goſpel grace ſhined in your ſoul? abuſe it not: Hold forth the Word of Life in a gracious life. If you, and the faithfull conjugal guide of your ſoul ſhall ſpeed your motions to thoſe heavenly, eternal Manſions, where the better than flowings of Milk and Hony, the ſweet heavenly Feaſts, and unglutting delights of eternitie ſhall be enjoyed: If you ſhall avoid this common ſcarlet ſin of perverting Grace, which with an ungrateful Wantonneſſe, treads under foot the Son of God, thinks, deſires, affects, and lives, as if the blood of the Covenant were an unholy thing, and offers a proud deſpight to the Spirit of Grace: If the ſtudy of this book ſhall help you both, and others to walk exactly, to redeem the time, adorn the Goſpel, credit Profeſſion, glorifie God, and promote your own, and others eternal Salvation, you will both accompliſh the deſign of publiſhing the enſuing Meditations, and encourage him, who is your remembrancer at the Throne of Grace, and remains
From Edmondsbury in Suffolk, Mar. 18. 1658. Your engaged ſervant in the Work of the Goſpel, NICH. CLAGET.