The Great Interest of States and Kingdoms Part 2, To the reader
To the Reader.
REader, though this ſecond Part had not the honour to be ſo publike from the Pulpit, as its elder brother, the firſt, had; yet the judgement and importunity of ſome well affected to me, and the threatnings, and miſ-reports of others diſ-affected to it and mee, have made it no leſſe publike from the Preſſe. And yet (as thou maiſt perceive by my addreſſes in the Application) it was ſufficiently publique in the preaching too; there being as great a number of the Kingdomes and Cities Worthies preſent, as any Congregation, that I know, in London, affords upon the Lords Day. I confeſſe that I am one of the youngeſt ſonnes of the Prophets, which I plead for; and therefore I am apt enough to acknowledge againſt my ſelfe, that I believe, this ſubject might have been farre better handled by many thouſands of my Fathers and brethren: But my plea muſt be that of Elihu, Job 32. I waited, but they ſpake not, &c. verſe 16. and I could not be guilty of ſo much unrighteouſneſſe, as the detaining of ſo neceſſary a truth, when God had put it in my heart, would have involved me in.
I have made ſome Alterations in Method, and ſome Additions in Matter, ſince I preached it; in the former I have pleaſed my ſelfe; in the latter, I have ſatisfied (I hope) divers of my hearers, who importuned that touch of controverſie in the Concluſion; in which, I thought it onelyonly neceſſary, to fling a few pebbles of exceptions at that Goliah of the Anabaptiſts, and rigid Separatiſts, (their Argument for Separation drawne from our (falſely called Antichriſtian) Miniſtery) which, I am confident, any diſengaged Reader will ſay: have ſo farre entred its Brazen forehead, as to lay it flat; and though it may ſtruggle for life in ſome after-cavills, (which I expect from the hoſt of that Phili…im) yet it will never ſtrut againe with its ſpeare like a Weavers Beame, and defie the Prophets of God, the Miniſtery of all the Reformed Churches, or the hoſts of the living God, all the Saints that have been begotten, fed, & tranſlated to glory under it.
I have not medled with any other, becauſe they all depend on the ſucceſſe of this; and this being over-throwne, they will bee contented (like ſome Heathen Nobles, of whom Travellers report, that they are killed when their King dyes, to doe him ſervice in another world) to fall to ground, and be buried with it.
I am (I bleſſe God) prepared to receive the great and furious charges of being too bitter againſt, and grieving the Saints. The Father tells me, 'tis no more than I muſt expect. What wonder, ſaith he, if when I ſeek my Maſters loſt ſheep, I am now and then ſcratched by the Briar-buſh…s of detracting tongues aQuid mirum, ſi cum—do mini mei oves perditas diligenter inquiro, ſpinoſarum linguarum v…prihus laceror! Aug. cont. Peti. lib. 30.! And ſhall ſtil reſolve with that other Father, never to hunt for the good of being eſteemed milde, with ſo great an evill, as the loſſe of truth bforeign. Naz. Orat..
I hope, I ſhall ſtand the firſt charge of theſe, under the ſhelter of that Buckler, which the Apoſtle hands to me in the command, Rebuke them ſharply, &c. Titus 1. 13.
To the laſt I returne this: That they do give a very weak evidence, that they are Saints, that will be grieved to heare the Miniſterie, by which they were called to be Saints, vindicated from the calumnies of ('tis to be feared, but) pretended ones.
And I muſt by the way tell them, that thus object; that, I pray God, they have no more to anſwer, for grieving Prophets, (a greater ſinne (I am ſure) though leſſe taken notice of) then I have, for grieving Saints.
But, if Saints will be grieved, when they are laſhed, who are called Saints to the diſgrace of Saintſhip; I am not Maſter of their paſſions: and I am ſorry ſo ſlight and unconcerning a Matter, will trouble them; and more ſorry they ſhould thereby bring themſelves under the ſuſpition of being guilty of that, which they cannot endure ſhould be touched. I have no more to Preface at this time, but that I am,
Thine, as far as becomes a Goſpel Prophet, S. FORD.