The Advantage of Afflictions, Parliamentary order – Dedication
Die Iovis 29. Ianuar. 1645.
ORdered by the Lords in Parliament aſſembled, That this Houſe gives thanks to M. Hicks for his great pains taken in the Sermon he preached yeſterday in the Abbey Church, Weſtminſter, before the Lords of Parliament, it being the day of the publike Faſt. And he is hereby deſired to print and publiſh the ſame; which is not to be printed by any, but by authority under his own hand.
Iohn Brown, Cleric. Parliamentorum.
I Appoint Chriſtopher Meredith to print my Sermon.
Gaſpar Hicks.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE HOVSE OF PEERS Aſſembled in PARLIAMENT.
RIGHT HONOURABLE,
IT is a great Question, whether is the higheſt and hardeſt exerciſe of faith, to flee to God, and reſt on him in miſery, or to keep cloſe with him, and aſcribe all to him in proſperity: Some give the precedency to the laſt named, becauſe in this we are drawn and bound to God by his own goodneſſe; in the other we are thruſt upon him by our neceſsity. Indeed afflictions have a ſingular uſefulneſſe in them to acute and enlarge the deſires of Saints after God, to render him more ſweet and ſatisfactory to them. Good men are bettered by afflictions: 'Tis hard for the beſt to keep their ſpirits ſo humble, ſo intent without them, as under them: but tis ſlaviſh and hypocriticall to have little or no ſenſe, nor care of God, longer then his hand is heavy on the skin, or on the ſpirit, like thoſe that ſeldom minde or mention heaven, but on their ſick-beds. We have had wonderfull experiences of late, both of Gods ſmitings and ſmilings: We have put forth high ſtrains, ſtrong purſutes after him when affrighted and preſſed by his terrours; we ſhould moſt unworthily requite him, if the returns of his favours ſhould make us remiſſe or wanton. It is one great drift of the enſuing Diſcourſe to minde us of our receſſe from God, ſince he hath been returning to us, and to give warning of the poſsibility, yea, the certainty of greater evils to come upon us then ever we felt, if we forget God in our proſperity. For your parts (Right Honourable) as you have had a deep ſhare in the common ſufferings, and have ſhewn forth exemplary forwardnes in ſeeking God in times of extremity: ſo in times of refreſhing (if you hold faſt your integrity) you ſhall reap the richest advantage of common ſucceſſe. That you who are our greater Luminaries may keep your ſtation, and your motion may ſhine more and more brightly unto the perfect day of our deliverance and ſalvation, may hold reall weight and worth, according to the dignity of your places, that every one of you may be worth thouſands, and in the true precedency of honour and grace may out-number your inferiours, to the glory of God, and in deſpight of ſuſpition and obloquy, is the prayer of
Your Honours humble Servant in the work of Christ, Gaſpar Hicks.