Practical Divinity, Title page – To the reader
Practicall Divinity: OR A HELPE THROVGH the bleſſing of God to lead men more to look within themſelves, and to unite experienced Chriſtians in the bond and fellowſhip of the Spirit.
Delivered in ſundry exerciſes lately ſpoken by Cap. PAUL HOBSON, Upon theſe Texts.
Prov. 28.1.
The righteous are as bold as a Lyon.
Cant. 6.9.
My Dove, my undefiled is but one.
Phil. 4.11.
I have learned in whatſoever eſtate I am therewith to be content.
Publiſhed by an hearty Wellwillerto Peace and unity among the diſſenting Godly and to the promotion of ſpirituall and experimentall truths, without affectation or opinions, or prejudice againſt perſons. Tending as to the edification of the reader chiefly: ſo alſo, ſomewhat in vindication of the Authour.
Licenſed and Publiſhed according to Order. And ſould by R. HARFORD at the Bible in Queenes-head-alley in Pater-noſter-row. 1646.
The Publiſher to the Reader.
READER,
THeſe Sermons allthough not intended by the Author to to be made thus publike, he being abſent when they were taken in hand; But being very much deſired by many and preſſed hereunto, conceiving truth herein held forth ſo cleare, that the ſpirituall and experienced Chriſtian will relliſh and ſeale thereto; Being deſirous to owne truth whereſoever found, not daring to oppoſe it, truth carrying ſuch a light, power and demonſtration in it ſelfe,James 2.1. we durſt not have the faith of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt the Lord of glory in reſpect of perſons.
It could be wiſhed the Author would publiſh his owne labours; but they appearing to many, worthy the communicating, they are here preſented to thy view; And although they may not be ſo full and emphaticall as they were delivered, being taken by writing them from his mouth, yet love will make thee not curious to ſpy faults, which is too common a fault in our times, but to take in good part what is here held forth to thee, by him who aimeth at thy ſpirituall good, and ſomewhat alſo in vindication of the Author of theſe Sermons, (whoſe I believe they are, not only in regard of expreſsion, but alſo in experience in a good meaſure) an imputation of errours being laid on him as on others, more then true.
And indeed we beleeve as it was lately ſaid before a ſolemne Aſſembly, there is (it may be) abroad a greater cry of errors then really there is, allthough with griefe be it ſpoken, there be many foule errors broached, and ſome very blaſphemous which deſerve as ſevere puniſhments as the word of God requires: yet let not reall and glorious truths ſuffer under the name of error; Our Lord Chriſt himſelfe was counted among the tranſgreſſours, and St. Paul confeſſes after the way that yon call hereſie, ſo worſhip I the Lord God of my Fathers; and let us not judge all that error, which we by reaſon of darkneſſe, or not being come to the ſame experiences, cannot ſee to be truth; but let us try all things and hold faſt that which is good.2 Cor. 10.12.
Neither as the Apoſtle ſaith ought we to boaſt of things without our meaſure, as the manner of ſome is, that is of other mens labours and experiences; in another mans line, of things made ready to our hand; for we are very ready to think higher of our ſelves then is meet, or wee have cauſe,Gal. 6.3 2 Cor. 10.17. having built up our ſelves in our owne conceits, to be ſomething when we are nothing. That becauſe the Apoſtle Paul, Luther, & others, through affliction and high experiences of Gods aſsiſtance, and thriving by the Croſſe, were tranſcendently hold in God and for God, therefore they are ready to appropriate and boaſt of their labours and experiences as if they were their owne, and were come to ſuch an high pitch and had the ſame enjoyments.
But it were far better & ſafer for us this ſomething were brought to nothing, and wee convinced of our owne weakneſſe ingrace and how carnall we are and how far below the life of Chriſt and true boldneſſe; This man ſhould goe home juſtified rather then the other. But he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord, that Chriſt may be all in all; Gal. 5 22.23.25.for not he that commendeth himſelf is approved, but whom the lord commendeth; for ſelf being ſet up and gotten into the chairt, it will ſwell, boasting itſelfe above what is meet, or what it hath received, and then others better then themſelves muſt be their footstoole, that by the degrading of others they may advance themſelves: but ſayes the Apoſtle, they that are Chriſts have crucified the fleſh with the affections and luſts; the fruit of the ſpirit is joy, peace, long ſuffering, gentleneſſe, goodneſſe, faith, meekneſſe, temperance; againſt ſuch there is no law; if we live in the ſpirit let us walke in the ſpirit, and let us not bee deſirous of vaine glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
But read I pray thee theſe Sermons ſeriouſly and with a ſingle eye, (if ſo it be given thee) and weigh the ſubject of them and whereto they tend, and apply them to experience: and thou ſhalt ſee how much or how little thou haſt of the life of Chirſt. And if thou beeft enabled to aime at thine owne good in peruſing them, I doubt not but thou wilt accept, and not quarrell at them. So I commend both them and thee to the bleſsing of him, who only is able to make us grow up into him in all things who is our head, Ephe. 4.15.that ſpeaking the truth in love, Phil. 2.1.and having fellowſhip in the ſpirit; wee henceforth be no more children, Ephe. 4.14.toſſed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the ſleight of men, and cunning craftineſſe whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But holding forth the word of life, till wee all come in the unity of the faith and knowledge of the ſon of God, unto a parfect man, unto the meaſure of the ſtature of fullneſſe of Chriſt,
In whom he deſires to ſerve thee, Fare well.