The Genealogy of Christianity and Christians, Title page – Dedication
THE GENEALOGIE OF CHRISTIANITY AND OF CHRISTIANS.
DECLARED In a Sermon at Mercers Chappel before the Right Honourable the Lord Maior of the City of LONDON, April 28. 1650
And now thus publiſhed For the undeceiving of thoſe, who ſay they are Chriſtians, and are not, but do lie; and for the Eſtabliſhment and Encouragement of thoſe, who having named the Name of Christ, do indeed depart (even in this hour of Apoſtacy) from all Iniquity,
By C. F. one of the Servants of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in the Miniſtery of the new Testament.
foreign. Anonym.
Christus non quaerit, utrum adhaereas huic vel illi nationali Eccleſiae: ſed utrum a…haereas verae fidaei, non utrum ſis Romanenſis, (Anglicanus Sco…cus, &c.) ſed utrum ſis vere ſanctificatus et renovatus. Daven. in Coloſs. cap. 3. ver. 11.
London, Printed for Peter Cole, at the Printing-Preſs in Cornhill near the Royal Exchange, 1650.
To the Right Honourable THOMAS FOOT, Lord Major of this famous City of LONDON.
My Lord,
HOw far the Great Antichrist, and degenerate Church of Rome have eclipſed, and thereby obſcured the originall glory of true Chriſtianity, is beſt known to that remnant of overcomming Christians in this Age, who are worthy in Chriſt his account, to walk with him in white. Aſsuredly Chriſtendome (as it is called for diſtinction ſake) is ſunck into ſo low a degree of degeneracy, as that in reſpect of Idolatry and Prophanneſſe, of impiety and iniquity, the Catholicks and Proteſtants alſo, for the moſt part, do ſo walk, as if it were their ſtudied deſign, to render themſelves utterly unlike to Ieſus Chriſt; and unto this kind of Chriſtians, he will profeſs at the laſt day. I never knew you, depart from me ye workers of iniquity! Oh therefore, how doth it concern the faithfull Diſciples of Ieſus Christ, to bring forth the Regiſter of the Genealogie of the primitive Chriſtians, to emblazon according to the rules of Goſpel Heraldry, the native honour of this thrice noble Family, and that by an ornamental carriage and Converſation. But alas! how few do make it their holy ambition, to diſplay before the world the glorious Excellency of true Chriſtianity, by acting in the life and power of this New-Teſtament unction? …uc. 1.17.It was Propheſied of John the Baptiſt, that he ſhould go before the Meſſiah in the power and ſpirit of Elias, but it is the honour of the Saints, now in theſe times of the Goſpell, to go in and out, to do and to ſuffer in the power & ſpirit of the Meſſiah or Christ himſelf, & may the number of ſuch Chriſtians be multiplied exceedingly: & may the great number of thoſe that act & walk in the power & Spirit of Antichriſt, of the Dragon, of the Beaſt, of the falſe-Prophet decreaſe abundantly; Rev: 16.13:may the Generation of Renegadoes and Back-ſliders, of ſelf-condemned Hereticks, and Apoſtatized Profeſsours, who put the Son of God to an open ſhame, that ſpeak ſcornfully of the Word, the Spirit, the ways, the Ordnances of Ieſus Chriſt, may they, every one, be ſnared and taken, prevented and fruſtrated in al their un-Chriſtian Ends, and means tending thereunto, may they never proſper in any of their Aſſemblies, Teachings, Exhortations, which are of any tendency to the diſparagement of the wholeſome words, even the words of our Lord Ieſus Christ, 1 Tim: 6:3, 4.and the doctrine which is according to Godlineſse, and let all the Diſciples of Christ, all ſincere Chriſtians ſay, Amen.
My Lord, what thoughts of heart have been occaſioned by your Honours Commandement, and mine engagement, for the printing of the enſuing Sermon, is beſt known to the Author of ſo imperſect and unpoliſhed a Diſcourſe upon ſuch a weighty Theme. There was always an utter averſeneſse in my naturall Genius, to appear on the Stage upon this account. John 7.4.And I can ſay, through grace, I have never ſought to he known openly, or to ſhew my ſelf to the world, as being conſcious to a great unſitneſſe of Ingeny, and to the want of Spirituall Dexterity, for any work of this nature. But ſince it is your Lordſhips pleaſure, that this Sermon ſhould be preached over again in this other form, behold, (after tedious attendance for diſpatch, upon the proper instruments of this kind of publication) I humbly preſent it before your Honour, this ſecond time; with ſome few convenient clauſes, here and there ſuperadded, beſeeching God, (who hath choſen the fooliſh things of the world to confound the wiſe, and the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty,) to command a Bleſſing upon theſe weak endeavours, wherein I did, and do aim at the new-Chriſtianizing of ſuch nominal Christians, as are really without God, and without Chriſt, dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, and I would to God, that all that heard me that day, were both almost and altogether Chriſtians, yea Christians upon the beſt account, ſo, as to be found unto great praiſe and honour and glory at the appearing of Ieſus Chriſt.
Your Lordſhips to command in the ſervice of the Goſpel. CHR. FEAKE.