A State of Glory for Spirits of Just Men Upon Dissolution, Title page – Dedication
A State of Glory FOR SPIRITS OF JUST MEN UPON DISSOLUTION, DEMONSTRATED. A SERMON preached in Pauls Church Aug. 30. 1657. before the Rt. Honourable the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London. By THO: GOODVVIN, D. D. Preſident of Magd. Coll. Oxon.
LONDON, Printed by J. G. for Robert Dawlman. 1657.
TICHBORN Mayor.
Tueſday the firſt of Septemb. 1657.
IT is ordered, That Doctor Thomas Goodwin be deſired from this Court to print his Sermon at Pauls the laſt Lord Day. And further, Mr. Alderm. Thomſon is deſired to uſe all endeavours with him to that purpoſe.
SADLER.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, Sir ROBERT TICHBORNE, Lord Major: Together with the Honourable COURT OF ALDERMEN Of the Renowned CITY of LONDON.
Greatly Honoured,
THis imperfect Piece, and almoſt born out of due time, puts it ſelf forth into the world by your Command, but like Zarah giving out the hand, the body to which that appertained remaining ſtill in the womb. For this Sermon is but one member; (and indeed, not ſo much the Hand, as the Foot, that is, the latter part) of a larger Bulk or Body of Sermons, preached juſt afore elſwhere upon thoſe foregoing Verſes of this Chapter. My real purpoſe (after your Order for this one) was, To have preſented the whole entire Diſcourſe unto YOV: & I found not time, ſo much as leiſure, and ſpirits failing me in the performance. I have therefore done as the Midwife for that Childe did (in the ſame Gen. 38. 28.) bound upon this foot (for by your force, and in obedience to you, it comes wrong and backward) this Scarlet thred of Dedication, ſaying (as ſhe) This is come forth firſt: That if hereafter the reſt may ſee the light, You may know (if You will vouchſafe it) how to own and appropriate them all as Yours, as being thus conſecrated to You by theſe (in reſpect of the publication) the firſt-fruits of that whole Lump.
And now, what is my earneſt deſire and prayer for you? but according to the tendency of the matter, it might be bleſſed to be an Helper to your Faith, againſt the Time of your being unclothed of your fleſh, your going into another world: where you all profeſs to look for another, and better CITY, that is, an Heavenly, whoſe Maker and Builder is God, who hath or muſt work Us for the ſelf-ſame thing, or we periſh everlaſtingly.
And, my Lord,
I have particularly directed it to wait on your Honour in the contemplation of this very Aim, as a Signall whereof, Providence, and not my Deſign, having ſeemed to give forth this ſemblance in that it allotted no other ſeaſon (for it could not come forth one day ſooner) for its attendance on you, but the very DAY of your being VNCLOTHED of your office (which are little civil deaths) and going out of this your tranſitory Government over this great CITY (the beſt, and beſt governed in the world.) But the honour of this performed amongſt us, you ſtill remain clothed with, and will ever wear, yea, and be clothed upon to a glory for it at the latter day.
Thoſe things even now ſaid unto you all, being the brief Collect of this enſuing Sermon, I turne into a Prayer for you all, who am
Your true Honourer and Servant in the Goſpel, THO: GOODVVIN. Mag. Coll. Oxon. Oct. 23. 1657.
2 COR. 5. 5.
Now he that hath wrought us for the ſelf ſame thing is God, who alſo hath given unto us the earneſt of the Spirit.