The Attributes of God Unfolded and Applied, To the reader
To the Reader whomſoever.
ALthough (ſo far as I know mine own deceitful heart) I differ with none but ſuch as differ with Chriſt; yet are there many differences between me and many, even ſome of them ſuch as are eminently holy. And many times I am apt to think that they do not deal wel with me, nor as it becometh chriſtians: yea ſometimes I expreſs ſo much, but it little moveth diſcourſe of them, for the Lord hath hid me from them; it would be to me even an heart-breaking affliction, were it not that my hope is that God wil uncover me again in due time, and give me favour in the eyes of his excellent ones, in whom is all my delight. This following Treatiſe is the ſubſtance of divers Sermons preached by me in a time of great troubles, when innumerable evils came upon me, which much dejected me: I confeſſe I wanted a Luther to chide me; for that holy champion writing to Melancthon a godly learned man, yet too much dejected, hath theſe words, I vehemently hate thoſe most miſerable cares, wherewith thou art even conſumed; it is not the greatneſs of the cauſe, but of our unbelief; if the cauſe be falſe, let us give it over, if true, why do we make him, (to wit, God) a lyar in ſo great promiſes? strive against thy ſelf the greatest enemy, &c. and although the difference be great betweene him and me, and (as many whom I cannot but love and honour may think) between his cauſe and mine; yet I humbly crave leave to affirm that it is evident to me it is the ſame, though not by me ſo wel, diſcreetly, & inoffenſſively managed. For much of trouble comes by my differing in judgment from ſome, whoſe lives I cannot tax; and although they do mine; yet if hear-ſay and jealouſies did not too much prevaile, and men would take up no more for truth then what is proved, I would ſtand higher in the hearts of ſome (I am confident) then now I do. But for the greater part of mine enemies (which are to me yet far leſs grievou…) they are the prophane and ungodly, which are enemies to all ſuch as truly fear God.
If it ſhould be the will of my gracious Father to call me out of this mortal life, as things now ſtand with me and concerning me, I ſhould not dye eſteemed, nor much regarded by ſuch as have been my great friends formerly, and ſhall by me ſtill be numbred among the beſt of men. It is not my lot alone to be leſſe beloved of ſuch as were beſt loved of me. God will ſtain the pride of fleſh: Nos quoque flor…imus. I make of that Diſtich written to famous Biſhop Jewel:
Olim diſcipulus mihi parve Juelle, fuiſti.
Nunc ero diſcipulus te renuente, tenus.
Tis pretty (for all that) to ſee how gravely ſome young men (born ſince the Lord put me in the Miniſtry firſt) do carry themſelves. Surely the Britiſh Britiſh Prieſts mentioned by Bede, would be ready to think and ſay of them as the old Eremite had taught them concerning Auſtin the Monk, ſent over by the Pope to reduce the Clergy of England to the Romiſh yoke: But I hope the Lord will keep me from a diſcontented ſpirit, and envious eye. Though I am low and under many afflictions, yet bleſſed be God that it goeth ſo well with his people for the generality as it doth, and with the publicke. The conſideration of that I truſt, will quiet my grumbling ſoule, and ſwallow up my private afflictions, which are many, & have been of ſo long continuance, and are like to continue ſo long as any limb or part of Antichriſt (though but his little toe) remaineth. But come what will, my mercies are, will be more then my afflictions, yet I wiſh mine advanced (once I durſt call them) brethren, would not be too rigid beyond rule. Arbitrary power hath not ſtood long in any; let laws be obſerved towards us as we are Commoners, and Chriſts rules as we are Chriſtians and Brethren; and then ſome others as well as I, that have ſhared in the common afflictions of Gods people, and the common wealth; and have been in the number of inſtruments made uſe of by God in the day of Iacobs trouble; ſhal finde fairer dealing then we doe. It is not meant that the earth ſhould cover our blood, or you wink at our ſinnes; but that you would not make your ſelves wiſer then known wholſome Laws, nor more righteous in matters of religious concernment, then the perfect rule of Chriſtians, the Scriptures of God doe require and warrant you in. I confeſſe it was very grievous to me, that had been ſo toſt from poſt to pillar, in the time of the Prelacy, put into Star-chamber and High-Commiſſion at one time. A Petition delivered to the Kings own hand againſt me with twenty four terrible Articles annexed, importing Faction, Hereſie, Witchcraft, Rebellion and treaſon: Articles in the conſiſtory at Exeter, at the ſame time under a ſuit of pretended ſlander for reproving an atheiſtical wretch, by that name of Atheiſt at the ſame time: Purſſevants, or meſſengers, one upon the back of another, no leſſe then five at ſeveral times: Now when the Lord had given his people reſt, and advanced ſome to places of power, to be dealt withall more illegally and irregularly then in thoſe ſad times before hinted. But I confeſſe it was by ſuch as either then were in their Coats, or under the Schoolmaſters Ferula; or dawbing with untempered morter, and ſerving the times, if they were then come into the world in employments. How doeſt thou my Brother? and Haile Maſter, cannot chooſe but run in my minde, when I conſider how one Cringed to me, and after thanked me for my pains I took upon an occaſion, &c. and yet ſecretly had an information of above twelve years age, to make me Odious: O my God, lay it not to his charge: And although I have not ſo great a portion in wealth or honour, as many (once far below me) have attained unto; yet I acknowledge God is afore-hand with …e aboundantly. I have ſwimmed through a ſea of mercies, and ſhall not that Ocean ſwallow a few diſcourteous dealings? This God (whom I here hold forth under ſuch glorious attributes as the Scripture gives him) is my God, and was my (iminently godly) Fathers God, even while he lived, and I have great cauſe to ſay, he is already my childrens God, and I truſt will be the God of (not onelyonly) them, but their children alſo, even ſo, Amen.
This Treatiſe, comes under many diſadvantages unto the view of the reader. Notes taken, of what was publickly preached, onelyonly over-looked by me, the looked and over-ſeen Author; in nothing more (in a manner) then in ſuffering ſuch notes to be made publick in ſuch a queaſy ſtomached age: delivered by me unworthy creature, as God gave in. Badly written out for the Preſſe, which hath cauſed miſtakes of one word for another very often, beſides miſpointings and miſtakes of letters, (which I much weigh not, becauſe ſuch faults are as eaſily amended as eſpied: I my ſelfe at my home, many ſcores of miles, whiles it was printing, ſo that I could not view the ſheets as they came out of the Preſſe: what ſhall I ſay; Infaelix, habitum temporis hujus, habet: it comes forth in an habit ſutable to the Authors preſent condition; I am contented to be a ſufferer in Printing, as well as in Preaching. And yet I am of an opinion ſome will get ſome good; and may make uſe of this rough-hewed untrimed piece: There was great calling upon me for it, by many that heard it, before I could be perſwaded to give it a let-paſſe: And now that it is abroad, God grant, that no ſpirit of prejudice againſt the Authors perſon, may hinder the profiting any reader hereof; It is a ſubject I confeſſe, ſome have written of already, which yet I ſaw not (all at leaſt) untill mine was finiſhed: And I perceive I have rambled in a method of mine own, being very apt to ſtep aſide to ſpeake with any God ſends my ſpirit unto in my preaching: as the reader will quickly perceive. But 'tis as 'tis. Quod factum eſt infectum fieri nequis. Charge not on me the miſtaken words or ſentences, the miſpointings and faults in Orthography, which abound, but correct with thy Pen, or cover with thy candid ingenuity, what thou findeſt amiſſe: As for ſuch, as are ready to deprave the labours of others, though they cannot or will not produce better of their own: I wiſh them better ſpirits; without paying ſo dear for their follys as I have for mine. And ſo I commend this Treatiſe to Gods bleſſing and thy favour; And if thou wilt needs have low thoughts of it, or of the Author, know that thou comeſt too late to be the firſt in order of that ſort of men, among whom is firſt and chiefeſt already.
Tho. Larkham.